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Your Video Production Team
By Chris Cotter|2022-11-08T17:29:21-05:00October 25th, 2022|Tutorial|
Video Production Team Roles Creating great content requires a team of professionals to get the most out of your video production time. Even though each one of these positions needs to be filled, it’s common that crew members may have more than one role on smaller projects. For example, our director may also perform
How to Optimize your Videos for Social Media
By Evan Schullery|2022-10-02T09:22:59-04:00April 18th, 2022|Marketing, Tutorial|
Optimizing your videos for social media requires utilizing various strategies to ensure your content aligns with a platform’s specifications, attains a high view count, and successfully engages an audience. Posting videos blindly without these considerations will undoubtedly lead to disappointing analytics that may leave you questioning your entire campaign. However, it’s possible to have a
The Video Production Process – Pre Production to Post
By Evan Schullery|2022-10-24T15:17:42-04:00April 4th, 2022|Filmmaking, Tutorial|
The video production process has many components. Depending on the scale of the production, each phase could be quite involved or relatively minimal. You need only read the list of names at the end of a blockbuster movie to see how many people can work behind the scenes to make a big movie happen. Smaller
What to Post on Instagram: Video Production Ideas to Spark Inspiration
By Evan Schullery|2022-10-02T10:01:03-04:00March 28th, 2022|Marketing, Tutorial|
Instagram used to only allow for pictures, but that has very much changed in recent years. The site now allows for video production. Instagram has embraced various formats for their users to post videos and the popularity is quite clear. Each of these formats provide different opportunities for content creation and audience engagement. Instagram is
Shooting Videos: The iPhone 13 Pro vs $11,000 Pro DSLR Camera
By Evan Schullery|2022-10-02T10:21:20-04:00March 21st, 2022|Technology, Tutorial|
With iPhone technology growing increasingly sophisticated, people are becoming more and more capable of shooting videos on their own. The ease of being able to pull a phone out of your pocket and press record is certainly an attractive proposition. For those seeking to create their own video productions, this may work. Although the features
How To Create a Corporate Video Marketing Plan
If you own or work for a business, you may be considering a fresh way to advertise your product or service to potential customers. Developing a corporate video marketing plan that utilizes a corporate video is a terrific way to achieve this goal. At Tailor Made Media, we have helped produce many corporate videos for
Video Shoot Locations: When to Rent a Studio vs. Shoot On-Location
By Evan Schullery|2022-07-11T20:17:23-04:00March 7th, 2022|Marketing, Tutorial|
Choosing an appropriate location is an often overlooked yet significant aspect of any video production shoot. A video shoot location literally sets the scene for the production and can impact its style, tone, and overall message. Different locations can also allow for or inhibit various technical opportunities. Whether you’re looking to shoot a corporate video
Tips for Creating an Engaging Video Podcast
By Evan Schullery|2022-10-02T10:40:12-04:00February 28th, 2022|Education, Marketing, Tutorial|
Develop a Unique Hook You may think you have a strong idea for creating a video podcast. And you might. However, it’s important to distinguish between a topic that’s of interest to you and one that will be appealing to most listeners. A primary element to consider is the hook of your podcast, which you
What is User-Generated Content? The Ultimate Guide to UGC
By Evan Schullery|2022-10-02T15:32:01-04:00February 21st, 2022|Filmmaking, Marketing, Tutorial|
What is UGC? User-generated content (UGC) is audio or visual content created by regular people, customers, clients, or students that can be compiled and used for the purposes of marketing, video production, theatrical performances, podcasts, and much more. When it comes to advertising, think of it as customer-generated marketing. In the age of social media,
Your Pre-Production Checklist and Why It’s Important
By Evan Schullery|2022-07-11T20:17:47-04:00February 14th, 2022|Education, Filmmaking, Tutorial, Uncategorized|
Your Pre-Production Checklist and Why It’s Important “Be prepared.” It’s more than just a Boy Scout motto. It’s also a helpful reminder to have multiple items outlined in detail well in advance of any video production shoot. One of the primary ways to plan ahead is to complete a pre-production checklist. This checklist serves as
116 W. Gay Street
Video Production Budgeting: Line by Line, From Foundation to Landscaping
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The Ebola outbreak and Boko Haram prove that different rules apply in Africa
tags: Ebola, Nigeria, Paul Vallely
The following article is by Paul Vallely, visiting professor in public ethics at the University of Chester
Thousands are dying from the virus, and the Islamist fanatics terrorising Nigeria, but the West is not that concerned…
They are only Africans. They may be dying from Ebola in record numbers, but who really cares? Such are the politics of plague. And then there is the politics of war.
In Nigeria, the Islamist fanatics of Boko Haram are stoning men to death and pouring petrol on women and burning them alive. Yet where is the talk of air strikes in Africa, let alone boots on the ground?
The murderous terror-mongers of the UnIslamic State in Iraq are deemed to constitute a threat to the streets of the West. But Boko Haram, like Ebola, is just another of the apocalyptic four horsemen which for ever stalk that far-away continent of which we know little and care less.
Of course, no one says as much in such bald terms, not even in the farage of plain-speaking that characterises the demagogic rhetoric of our times. But it is hard to escape the sense that such is the reality of our political priorities.
This is not just the worst single epidemic of Ebola in history. The frighteningly contagious disease, which kills up to 90 per cent of those who contract it, has now slain more than all previous outbreaks put together.
Tens of thousands have died, far more than the World Health Organisation’s official figure of 3,300. Its progress is exponential; almost 40 per cent of the deaths have occurred in just the past three weeks.
How odd, then, that the news is dominated by stories about the one man who has taken the disease from Liberia to the United States. The Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, whose population are dying in droves, is quoted widely on the “unpardonable” action of the man who took the disease to the world’s richest nation.
There are reports about how he will be prosecuted for falsely declaring, when he boarded the plane for Dallas, that he had had no contact with Ebola. In the US there are in-depth accounts of the strict infection-control measures being put in place – the bubble tents, the reporting systems, the hi-tech gowns and gloves – that will make sure Ebola is swiftly contained.
Meanwhile, back in Africa the news is of how, despite promises of Western aid, local health workers not only lack gowns and gloves, but are even short of paracetamol and mattresses on which the sick can die.
The British government has announced a £100m aid package to build a series of clinics with 700 specialist Ebola treatment beds.
But that has been overshadowed by the revelation from MPs on the cross-party International Development Committee that British bilateral aid to Sierra Leone and Liberia was previously slashed by a fifth – doing grave damage to those nations’ health infrastructure.
“The weak state of the health system in both countries has greatly reduced the effectiveness of the response to Ebola,” the MPs declared.
The final grotesque metaphor for the gap between rich and poor has been the way that ethical concerns about the unproven nature of the experimental serum ZMapp were set aside so the drug could be given to British and American victims of the disease.
But none was made available for Dr Sheik Umar Khan, Sierra Leone’s chief physician, who died treating those struck down by the devastating epidemic.
It was a grim parody of the principles of global distributive justice. But it violated even a utilitarian calculus.
Saving the life of Dr Khan would have allowed him to save a greater number of lives than resulted from saving the life of a British nurse or American doctor.
But Dr Khan is merely a citizen of the global south. Such are the economics of international inequality. Africans are best treated, it appears, by quarantine; the US media has called for travel bans to cut off Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea from the rest of the world.
Travellers always get round such interdicts; the only safe way to protect the world is to finance the fight against the disease at its source.
It is not just Ebola. In Nigeria, ruthless fanatics are lashing, amputating and stoning in the name of a perverted vision of Islam.
Once terrorist guerrillas, they are now holding territory and proclaiming an African “caliphate”.
Three million have fled their homes. People are taking refugee on mountain tops. Government troops are retreating, saying they cannot match the fire power of the insurgents.
A Nigerian air force pilot has just been beheaded on video. The parallels with Iraq are uncanny.
Yet here there are no American air strikes as there are in Iraq and Syria.
The Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot – who has become the first Western leader to deploy troops against what he calls the “murderous death cult” of the UnIslamic State – is not claiming that Australia’s streets, and those of the wider world, need protecting from an “unprecedented terrorist threat” in Nigeria.
Why not? Because, as with Ebola, the deaths of Africans have no strategic, or even symbolic, significance in our global realpolitik. All this is not just deeply unjust. It is politically and epidemiologically myopic.
Ebola is one of the most lethal viruses known to humanity. It kills up to 90 per cent of its victims. There are about 500 new cases each week, according to the World Health Organisation, and the rate of increase is accelerating.
The virus can mutate rapidly because, like Aids or influenza, its genetic code is a strand of RNA, the less stable cousin of DNA. It could even become airborne. WHO strategists predict 20,000 infections in the next six weeks.
The US Center for Disease Control has warned of as many 1.4 million people infected by January.
But they will only be Africans. So that will be all right then.
from → World News
← Tony Abbott thinks he’s Margaret Thatcher
Govt backs down on attack on unemployed →
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cartoon/2014/oct/06/first-dog-how-to-beat-ebola?CMP=soc_568
(But they will only be Africans. So that will be all right then.
No; that is incorrect; in the Asian-Pacific Century, it’s very important that Australia’s finite foreign aid is focused effectively on those most in need, and with a view to promoting economic growth; accordingly, those actively addressing an unfolding humanitarian disaster of epic proportions occurring elsewhere may have afforded to them a very generous contingency quantum, equivalent to c. 1% of this year’s general allocation, to purchase some bandaids; to be applied howsoever, by whomsoever is most concerned.)
Agree emphatically, M!
Retreating`Teabag permalink
As any junk-scientist knows, `ebola`, like global warming, will only be killing and hurting black and brown people, and remember, `real people` are white. When these circumstances are the taken into consideration at leading educational institutions like the ipa, of course the only sound advice they, or Limited-News can give is, purchase submarines and aircraft off-shore. #teabags
Supreme`White`Teabag permalink
abc1, man with ebola in texas died overnight,
don`t worry teabags, its okay, he was black
he won`t be leeching any more obamacare off us
A 57-year-old woman is under observation in the Cairns Hospital over fears she may have the deadly Ebola virus…
This is what happens when you joke about having Ebola on a passenger jet. http://t.co/BHEMBQoEYy pic.twitter.com/ByOjkugcLj
— SBS News (@SBSNews) October 10, 2014
Negative … tests in late last night …
She was in her own home under “isolation and self monitoring” … one of the reporters last night asked “does she live alone” … reply from QLD’s Chief Health Poobah … “no she has a house-mate” …
Who is actually running this fkn country?
There hasn`t been this much teabag-panic in Dallas since Lee Harvey came to town.
lt seems like the hospital in Dallas wasn`t following the quarantine protocol properly, and three of it`s nurses are suspected of carrying/catching ebola.
One of the nurses flew across the country to organize her wedding, creating a panic, as cdc is trying to catch-up with `all` the passengers that were on her flight.
Another nurse is on a cruise-ship, quarantined on-board. The ship has not been allowed to dock and off-load nurse is `other` various countries.
l wonder what the third dill is doing.? #yay-teh-usa
N0n`Secure`C0ntent`Data`Teabag permalink
spam-trap seems to like eating comments with this handle #teabag
So –
• “teabagz” were worried about Lee Harvey Oswald
• “teabagz” are now in a panic about Ebola
• and #teabag has something to do with spam
I think it would be quite ok if the spam filter was set to delete anything that combined “###” with “teabagz” and poor grammar.
A moron filter would suffice.
#Bagz
something about #bagz.
(No, Mr Ki-moon, Team Australia does not shirk! Moreover, I’m almost sure that Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister said weeks ago that contributory funds, “will be provided”, and, “immediately”; and honestly meant it, then and ever since.)
(l wonder what the third dill is doing.?
Dunno, but a fourth dill is vaguely prompted into contemplating the preautionary principle, and a layer of secondary quarantine; ie protocols relating to restrictions on certain activities, say elective travel, especially on mass-transit systems, within the incubation period, for those who have had any primary contact with an infected person. Then again, fourth dills do also wonder about a public safety radio pronouncement from Queensland Health Minister Springborg this past week, touching on the kerfuffle in Cairns, apparently suggesting that anyone, anywhere in Queensland who thinks that they might have contracted the Ebola virus should make their own way to, and present themself for assessment at, the only designated treatment hospital, in inner-city Brisbane; but that informal broadcast explainer by the Health Minister seems to have become reformatted in a formal versioning of the quasi-recommendation.) | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.6773934960365295, "wiki_prob": 0.6773934960365295, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line800666"} |
March 2, 2021 March 2, 2021 by Jennifer Chavez
Creative Pathways: Chelsea Jenkins, Digital Docent/Creative Mentor & Host of The Real Deal Podcast
Meet Chelsea Jenkins, who is a senior Communications Radio-Television-Film major at The University of Texas at Austin. Born and raised in southeast Houston, Texas, Chelsea always had a passion for community engagement, self-awareness, and sharing her knowledge. Being indecisive about the career path she wanted to begin, Chelsea emerged within the media atmosphere finding a passion she never knew she had. She became more involved in creative roles which include being a Creative Mentor and Digital Docent for E4 Youth! She also has been an intern for KUTX 98.9 Austin Public Radio, Verizon Media, and HISD (Houston Independence School District). Chelsea has experience within media studies/research, social media marketing, media production, video & audio editing. She even hosts her own podcast called, The Real Deal Podcast! Let’s welcome Chelsea to the show!
in Creative Pathways / Events / News 0 comments
E4 Youth Selected for The Aspen Institute's First-ever Digital Equity Accelerator
VR Remix Party 3.0
E4Youth Alumni Accolades & Accomplishments! | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.7147720456123352, "wiki_prob": 0.2852279543876648, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line1215911"} |
Practical Sports Prediction Series
How many books are in the Practical Sports Prediction Series?
At this time, there are a total of four ebooks in the Practical Sports Prediction Series available on Amazon. Each book teaches the same statistical models and methodologies. However, the models and methodologies are taught in the context of different professional football leagues around the world. If you’re interested in building an Excel model to make English Premier League predictions, you need only purchase the Predict Football Matches: English Premier League Edition. Similarly, if you are interested in building an Excel model to formulate Major League Soccer predictions, you need only purchase the Predict Football Matches: Major League Soccer Edition. A complete list of the ebooks in the Practical Sports Prediction Series is as follows:
Predict Football Matches: English Premier League Edition
Predict Football Matches: German Fuβball-Bundesliga Edition
Predict Football Matches: Major League Soccer Edition
Predict Football Matches: Japanese J-League Edition
Do I need to purchase all four ebooks?
No. The statistical models and methodologies taught in the ebooks are identical. You need only purchase one of the ebooks in the Practical Sports Prediction Series to understand the prediction models and methodologies.
Where can I purchase the ebooks?
The ebooks are presently available on Amazon.com and its affiliated websites around the world for purchase and download. Links to each of the ebooks are provided below.
I don’t own a Kindle device. Where can I purchase a print or .pdf copy of the ebooks?
Unfortunately, my publisher has limited the release of the Practical Sports Prediction Series ebook to Kindle devices and apps. It is not possible for me to provide you with a print or .pdf version of the ebook at this time. If you own a tablet device, it may be possible for you to purchase and download a copy of any of the Practical Sports Prediction Series ebooks using the Kindle app. You can learn more about the Kindle app by visiting the following link to Amazon’s website.
I am unable to increase or decrease the font size of the ebook on my tablet. Why?
Since the ebook includes over 100 spreadsheet images, it was not possible to format the ebook as a traditional, flowable text ebook. Doing so would have left considerable gaps between the text and spreadsheets. The final result would have been an entirely unreadable book. Instead, we opted to format the ebook according to Kindle’s fixed layout specifications (i.e. as html pages). Fixed layout ebooks are commonly found in the science, photography and cartoon genres. I worked closely with my publisher to create and test the layout of the ebook on numerous Kindle devices, including the KindleFire and Paperwhite, as well as Apple tablets. If you are unsure whether the ebook will render correctly on your tablet, please fell free to download a sample chapter using the “Try it Free” button within Amazon. The sample chapter shows the fixed layout of the ebook that I mentioned above.
How do I download updated versions of the ebook, if and when they become available?
If you have already purchased a copy of Predict Football Matches: English Premier League Edition, for example, you can obtain an updated copy of the ebook (free-of-charge) through the “Manage Your Kindle” page within your Amazon account. Search for “Manage Your Kindle” using Google or click the link to access your Amazon account. After logging into your account, you should notice a drop-down menu beside the ebook title labelled “Actions”. Within the Actions drop-down menu, you will have the option to update your ebook. Alternatively, you can turn ON the “Automatic Book Update” option within the “Manage Your Kindle” page to receive the present update and subsequent updates automatically.
Why do I need to provide the date on which I purchased the ebook in order to become a member of the website?
The purchase date is required by my publisher to ensure that website content is only accessible to verified ebook purchasers. Also, the royalty payments that I receive from the publisher are dependent upon the number of book reviews that I receive on Amazon.com and the number of readers that register to this website.
Why should I provide a review of the ebook on Amazon?
As noted above, the royalty payments that I receive from the publisher are dependent upon the number of book reviews posted on Amazon and the number of readers that register to this website.
What supplementary websites do you use to formulate your predictions?
In the process of using my spreadsheet model to make English Premier League predictions, I regularly visit the official website of the English Premier League to review match results and expert commentary. The News & Features section provides useful post-game insights before they are reported by traditional media outlets. The match-up analyses provided by The Telegraph, Sky Sports and BBC Sport in the lead up to a weekend’s fixtures are also tremendously helpful. In the context of Bundesliga football matches, the coverage provided by the official website of the Bundlesliga and Sport Bild magazine are second to none. In North America, the websites Bleacher Report and ESPN provide the most comprehensive coverage of Major League Soccer (or MLS) action. In Japan, both the official website of the J.League and The Japan Times, the national newspaper, provide in-depth coverage of match fixtures.
Feel free to ask more questions using the comments dialog box below. If you have any difficulties accessing your member account, please do not hesitate to contact me by sending an email to [email protected].
SkySports | Football
Essential Football: The making of Eddie Howe
BBC Sports | Football
Manchester United 2-0 Nottingham Forest (5-0 on agg): Final nothing without victory - Erik ten Hag
Real Betis 1-2 Barcelona: Barca move eight points clear at top of La Liga
Premier League quiz: Can you name these seven players?
Thursday's transfer gossip: Ayew, Isco, Zapata, Chilwell, Ziyech, Firmino
Manchester United 2-0 Nottingham Forest (5-0 on agg): United to play Newcastle in Carabao Cup final
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Words Fail: McCain Backer Maimed by Pro-Obama Attacker
UPDATE: Ashley Todd admits her story's a fraud, "McCain Volunteer Admits Maiming Attack a Hoax."
UPDATE: See, "Ashley Todd Hoax Theory: Backward B?"
I would say this is shocking, but we're beyond that place in American politics today.
********ADDED: Video via Newsbusters:
At some level, the Obama phenomenon has worked some bedevilment into society's lower quarters, as evidenced by Ashley Todd, who was allegedly attacked and maimed by a supporter of Barack Obama:
A 20-year-old woman who was robbed at an ATM in Bloomfield was also maimed by her attacker, police said.
Pittsburgh police spokeswoman Diane Richard tells Channel 4 Action News that the victim was robbed at knifepoint on Wednesday night outside of a Citizens Bank near Liberty Avenue and Pearl Street just before 9 p.m.
Richard said the robber took $60 from the woman, then became angry when he saw a McCain bumper sticker on the victim's car. The attacker then punched and kicked the victim, before using the knife to scratch the letter "B" into her face, Richard said.
Can we make broader generalizations from this case? Probably not, although Todd's mutilation was clearly politically motivated.
Ace of Spades initially suggested the story was a hoax, but as more information came in, he deleted those passages, saying:
CNN will quote me when they say "Even conservatives smell a hoax..." CNN only quotes conservative blogs when they make points helpful to the liberal cause. I've been quoted there three times and it's always been to attack Republicans. They've never once found me quite so interesting when I'm, say, noting Barack Obama's unprecedented voter and donor fraud.
So, yes, there's certainly much political weight to this story, however folks want to spin it.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Ashley Todd.
See also, Wake Up America, "Obama Supporter Attacks McCain Supporter and Carves Letter B Into Her Face."
UPDATE: Captain Ed addresses the "hoax" issue:
I spoke with two executives at the College Republicans on the record about this story. Charlie Smith, the National Chair, and Ethan Eilon, the Executive Director, both say the photo is legitimate and that it came from Ashley Todd, the victim in this case. The attack began at 8:50 pm ET and Ashley called the police at 9:30 PM ET. Initially, she was robbed, ran away after the robbery, and the robber followed her to her car. At that point, he became enraged at the bumper sticker and began beating her and scratched the ‘B’ into her face. Ashley went to the hospital early this morning after initially refusing medical attention last night, and had an MRI and/or a CAT scan. Doctors believe her cheek will heal fully.
I'm interested in the backward "B", which Kyle Moore says is a dead givaway for a fake attack:
She is then punched, kicked, and has the letter B carved backwards in her face. Again, the backwards bit is a pretty big deal because either her attacker was not just convenient enough to be big, black, scary, and an Obama supporter, but also dyslexic (Go ahead, just write a B backwards. I’m not saying it’s impossible, or even difficult. But it is something you have to physically think about–you have to intentionally write it backwards, and I find it highly suspect that someone in the thrill of the moment is going to take the time to stop and think about carving that B backwards).
A further note on that letter B. Though it is backwards, it is nearly perfect.
It’s not jagged, there are no off shooting lines you might expect if you are struggling for your life, which is what you would be doing in this kind of situation (No, seriously, you would go into fight or flight at this point). Even if the assailant had control of the victims head, she would likely move around enough to get the assailant to err at least once.
This attack has the lefties worried, in any case. It's a potential Pennsylvania Willie Horton game-changer for the Keystone State.
Labels: Barack Obama, Crime, Democratic Party | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.6052928566932678, "wiki_prob": 0.6052928566932678, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line486346"} |
How To Delete Facebook Page Successfully: How To Delete Facebook Page Business | How To Delete Facebook Page On iPhone
Do you know how to delete Facebook page successfully? Just as they say, everything that has a beginning has an end. Do you really see an end to the Facebook social media platform? Well, there surely must be an end for the platform, but I don’t see it happening in a long time. Just as it is possible to delete one’s personal account on Facebook, it is still possible to delete one’s page. The steps and everything you need for this to happen is very easy and simple. But I am still surprised that many Facebook users and page owners and admins do not know about this. Luckily for these persons, if you are one of them, you are reading this piece at the moment and you have got me to guide you through the whole process.
How To Delete Facebook Page Successfully
Just like most features on Facebook, deleting one’s page is one of the easiest things to do. Normally most page admins and owners think that the exercise of deleting a page is impossible. They just see that a page on its own may fade away with time. But this is not so. if you feel like a page on Facebook is no longer serving its purpose you can choose to delete it. And deleting a page n this social media platform as explained already is easy. With just a few steps, a few clicks, and taps, your page on Facebook would be deleted successfully.
A page on Facebook is supposed to be an online business front of an actual business. Here is a quick question for you then. What happens to the Facebook page you have created for the said business if let’s say the business is no more? Do you keep the business page on Facebook? Before you provide an answer to that question here is something you need to know about a Facebook business page. A Facebook business page is a platform on Facebook where businesses, organizations, and public personalities get to connect with their clients and fans. On pages, you always update your clients and fans about your business. I think it is therefore wise to say that when a business is no longer active, the best thing to do is to delete the page.
Steps Needed In Deleting A Page On Facebook
Deleting a page on Facebook once more is easy, but only if you know-how. However, if you don’t know how to go about it, follow the steps below;
Go to the page you want to delete.
Click on the Settings icon in the bottom left corner.
Click remove page from the general section.
Next, click delete (page name).
Again, click delete page and lastly click OK.
On the page, tap the settings icon in the top right.
Next, tap general.
Tap delete (page name) below the remove page section.
Tap delete page.
Go to the Facebook page you want to delete.
Tap the settings icon in the top right corner.
Select general.
Lastly, tap delete page.
Note; your Facebook page won’t be deleted permanently until a cycle of 14 days has passed. Also know that you will need to be a page admin before you can delete a page on Facebook. During this 14 days cycle, you can cancel your page deletion. All you need to do is to go to the pages settings section, look for the cancel deletion button and select it. Confirm the action and that’s it. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.7073957920074463, "wiki_prob": 0.7073957920074463, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line635842"} |
IBM’s New Artificial Neurons a Big Step Toward Powerful Brain-Like Computers
By Shelly Fan
Thanks to a sleek new computer chip developed by IBM, we are one step closer to making computers work like the brain.
The neuromorphic chip is made from a phase-change material commonly found in rewritable optical discs (confused? more on this later). Because of this secret sauce, the chip’s components behave strikingly similar to biological neurons: they can scale down to nanometer size and perform complicated computations rapidly with little energy.
Image Credit: IBM Research
What makes them especially amazing is how they “fire.” They integrate previous input history to determine whether or not to activate. They also show a characteristic trait of biological neurons called stochasticity — that is, when given a similar input, the chip always produces a slightly different, unpredictable result. Stochasticity is the basis of population coding, a type of highly efficient computation that relies on groups of neurons working together. This neuronal quirk was previously tough to mimic using artificial materials.
The chip adds to previous brain-like computing memristors, says Dr. C. David Wright at the University of Exeter to Singularity Hub. It’s a huge leap forward for “building dense, large-scale, interconnected synapses to provide fast neuromorphic processors,” he says.
Brain-like computation
Scientists have long dreamed of making computers that mimic the massive parallel computational ability of the brain’s neuronal networks. That’s a hefty goal.
“Brains fuse together processing and memory tasks…using surprisingly little energy and occupy a remarkably small volume,” explains Wright. The human brain consumes about 10 to 20 watts of power and occupies less than 2 liters of space, he says. Traditional silicon transistor-based circuits, with tough-to-shrink capacitors, are simply too clunky to cram into brain-like circuits. They also process information serially in strings of binary digits, a far cry from biological neural computation.
So how do neurons work?
In a nutshell: a neuron receives input through long cables called dendrites. This input changes the electrical potential across its cell membrane. The neuron keeps track of various input signals that occur over a small time window and integrates them. When the aggregated signal reaches a certain threshold, the neuron bursts into activity and generates a spike. The spike is then passed down the output cable — the axon — and transmitted to downstream neurons through small mushroom-shaped blobs called synapses.
This “integrate-and-fire” principle heavily relies on the biophysics of the neuronal membrane. Previous neuromorphic chips mostly focused on mimicking information processing at the synapse, paying little attention to how neurons actually fire. And that’s where IBM’s new chip differs: it eschews the synapse, opting instead to simulate the generation of spikes in a neuron.
“In a complete system, of course, we need both neurons and synapses,” says Wright, so being able to mimic both in hardware is huge.
The phase-change chip
To build the chip, the team enlisted a phase-change material to play the part of a neuronal membrane. The material, a chalcogenide alloy, exists in two physical phases — a glassy, almost liquid-like amorphous state and a solid, crystalline state — that rapidly switch when the material is zapped with electricity.
Each phase has its own electrical properties, making it easy to determine what state the material is in — an ideal situation for storing binary data. Here, the amorphous phase insulates, whereas the crystalline state conducts.
The artificial neuron begins in the amorphous, insulating state. When given multiple pulses of electricity (“inputs”), it progressively crystalizes until it reaches a certain threshold. At that point, the material becomes solid enough to conduct electricity, which causes it to fire an output spike. If this sounds familiar, you’re right: that’s exactly how integrate-and-fire works in biological neurons. After a brief period of rest, the chip shifts back to the amorphous state, ready for another cycle.
A chip with large arrays of phase-change devices that store the state of artificial neuronal populations in their atomic configuration. In the photograph, individual devices are accessed by means of an array of probes to allow for precise characterization, modeling and interrogation. Image Credit: IBM Research
What’s more, due to the manufacturing process and variable internal atomic states, the chip is inherently stochastic. That’s a big deal.
“Stochasticity is an essential ingredient for constructing ‘neuronal populations’ and our brain naturally uses these to represent signals and cognitive states,” says lead author Dr. Tomas Tuma.
So what can the new chip do?
To test the power of their phase-change neurons, the team engineered a mushroom-shaped gadget consisting of a 100-nanometer-thick layer of chalcogenide alloy sandwiched between two electrodes. That counts as a single neuron. In one demonstration, the team generated 1,000 streams of binary data, of which 100 of them were statistically correlated — that is, some streams showed a weakly similar pattern to others (note this is a “toy” dataset without any real-life meaning).
Fishing out correlations like these is generally tough to do since it requires a computer to simultaneously look at multiple streams and compare the information in real-time. However, a single artificial neuron managed to pick out every correlation using very little power.
That’s a computational task of surprising complexity, notes Wright.
“When applied to social media and search engine data, this leads to some remarkable possibilities, such as predicting the spread of infectious disease, trends in consumer spending and even the future state of the stock market,” he writes in a comment piece published alongside the study in Nature Nanotechnology.
To check out the scalability of their neurons, the IBM team interconnected 100 phase-change devices in a 10-by-10 array and strung five arrays together to form a population of 500 artificial neurons. The team then fed this artificial network a stream of broadband signals, which contained rates higher than the firing rates of individual neurons.
Here’s the cool part. Because each neuron is stochastic, their combined activity — the so-called population code — was sufficient to adequately represent the signals without additional costly operations. In other words, the network functioned far above the computational limits of its single components. And it did so using just a spark of power: on average, the network only required about 120 microwatts.
“This is important for building dense, scalable neuromorphic systems for memory applications and computing,” explains Tuma. For example, they could power machines with co-located memory and processing units, thus shattering the bottleneck of traditional Von Neumann computers, in which memory and processing are physically separated.
Wright agrees that the chip has significant potential, but also warns of its issues. The limited number of times that these devices can be switched before failure could significantly limit processor lifetimes, he writes. Shifting the device back to the amorphous state after an activation cycle is also energy consuming, which could become a concern once these artificial neuron arrays get larger.
That said, Wright is incredibly impressed with the chip.
“Phase-change and memristor devices can work up to a million times faster than the processing speeds of the human brain, we can imagine some very powerful computing systems,” he says.
Now comes the hard part: writing software that takes maximal advantage of the chip’s computational prowess.
Banner Image Credit: IBM Research
Shelly Fanhttps://neurofantastic.com/
Shelly Xuelai Fan is a neuroscientist-turned-science writer. She completed her PhD in neuroscience at the University of British Columbia, where she developed novel treatments for neurodegeneration. While studying biological brains, she became fascinated with AI and all things biotech. Following graduation, she moved to UCSF to study blood-based factors that rejuvenate aged brains. She is the co-founder of Vantastic Media, a media venture that explores science stories through text and video, and runs the award-winning blog NeuroFantastic.com. Her first book, "Will AI Replace Us?" (Thames & Hudson) was published in 2019.
Google Scrambles to Catch Up in the Wake of OpenAI’s ChatGPT | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.8511581420898438, "wiki_prob": 0.8511581420898438, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line1720762"} |
More FBI Services and Information
Department of Justice/FBI Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs)
Parents, Caregivers, Teachers
Privacy Impact Assessment for the FIRST (Firearms Information, Registration & Shooter Tracking) Application
Issued by: Christine M. Costello, Acting Privacy and Civil Liberties Officer
Reviewed by: Luke J. McCormack, Chief Information Officer, Department of Justice
Approved by: Joo Chung, Acting Chief Privacy and Civil Liberties Officer, Department of Justice
Date approved: July 18, 2013
(September 2012 DOJ PIA Form)
Section 1: Description of the Information System
To ensure that Special Agents (SAs) and other FBI personnel authorized to carry firearms remain proficient with their weapons, the FBI maintains a firearms qualification program managed by the Training Division’s Firearms Training Unit (FTU) at Quantico. FTU provides initial firearms training for New Agent Trainees and conducts regular qualification sessions for all armed personnel assigned to the various Headquarters Divisions. FTU also manages the FBI’s Field Firearms Program, a continuous training program designed to enable all armed FBI personnel to meet or exceed the firearms safety and proficiency level standards laid out in the Manual of Investigative Operations and Guidelines and other official corporate policy. Each FBI Field Division has a Principal Firearms Instructor (PFI) who provides training and qualification sessions for that office.
The Firearms Information, Registration & Shooter Tracking (FIRST) system is an Oracle Application Express (APEX) database application currently being constructed for FTU by the IT Services Division (ITSD) to facilitate the scheduling and registration for these firearms training events, record the results (firing range scores), and ultimately, provide a tool to monitor the FBI armed workforce’s compliance with all FBI firearms training and proficiency requirements. FIRST is replacing the Shoot Scoring System (SSS), a legacy Natural/ADABAS database application that is currently utilized to meet this need. FIRST will be accessed via FBINET and the database will reside on the Enterprise Server (Mainframe) located at Site 73. Access to FIRST will be granted to FTU personnel, PFIs in the field, and a select group of others with a valid need. In addition, FBI employees with a weapon charged out to them in the Asset Management System (AMS), a supply chain database which is replacing the Bureau’s Property Management Application (PMA), will be granted limited access to FIRST so they can register for upcoming training sessions, view their firing range scores, and monitor their progress toward meeting quarterly and yearly firearms training requirements.
The firearms training event registration component in FIRST will allow PFIs to announce upcoming training sessions and solicit registrants. Individuals with weapons assigned to them in AMS can then log into FIRST and register for available class slots. After the session is held, the PFI will load scores into FIRST and participants will be able to view their own individual results, track their qualification status, and register for additional training sessions as needed. A limited number of field administrative personnel will be able to retrieve and load/correct scores in FIRST for the personnel in their Division. A handful of FTU and ITSD system administrators will have access to retrieve and load/correct data for any Division.
FIRST provides a multi-level approach to compliance monitoring. The armed FBI workforce, who did not have access to the legacy SSS and therefore were unable to effectively track their own training progress/history, will be able to log into FIRST, view their firing range scores, and – by accessing the My Dashboard function in FIRST – monitor their own progress toward meeting quarterly and yearly qualification requirements. Automated e-mail notifications – to both the individual and, in some cases, the supervisor – will be sent out to anyone who falls behind in their firearms training, allowing individuals and/or supervisors to proactively address any qualification deficiencies prior to actual delinquency. Finally, a number of monitoring tools, including Deficiency Reports and Division/Enterprise Dashboards, will allow Division and/or FBI Executive Management and administrators at FTU to effectively monitor compliance at the individual, Division, and Enterprise level.
Data tracked in FIRST will include: names of the individuals who participate in firearms training events, PFI names, names of Firearms Instructors (FIs) who assist the PFI in administering training, dates, locations (firing ranges), courses/drills, weapon information (make, model, caliber, serial number, etc.), scores, and any qualifications earned by the various participants as a result of their performance. Names will originate from the Bureau Personnel Management System (BPMS), which FIRST will also utilize to capture Unique Employee-IDs (UEIDs) from BPMS to uniquely identify FBI personnel. Weapon data, along with the UEID of the employee the weapon has been charged out to, will be obtained thru an interface with the AMS. All Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in FIRST will originate from either BPMS or AMS.
Section 2: Information in the System
2.1 Indicate below what information is collected, maintained, or disseminated.
(Check all that apply.)
Identifying numbers
Alien Registration
Financial account
Taxpayer ID
Financial transaction
File/case ID
Other identifying numbers (specify): However, SSNs will only be available in the legacy SSS information.
General personal data
Mother’s maiden name
Other general personal data (specify):
Work-related data
Business associates
Other work-related data (specify): FIRST tracks lists of Firearms Instructors. FIRST also tracks Supervisor ID/Email so that Supervisors can get reports on the firearms compliance status of their employees and can receive e-mail notifications when one (or more) of the employees they directly supervise becomes deficient in firearms training. Supervisor information is not entered/created in FIRST – it is received from webTA. Work Address is not being tracked in FIRST, but will be retained along with the rest of the Shoot Scoring System data being converted into FIRST to satisfy record-keeping requirements.
Distinguishing features/Biometrics
DNA profiles
Scars, marks, tattoos
Retina/iris scans
Voice recording/signatures
Vascular scan
Dental profile
Other distinguishing features/biometrics (specify):
System admin/audit data
Date/time of access
ID files accessed
Queries run
Contents of files
Other system/audit data (specify):
Other information (specify)
Firearms Instruction (FI) Certification/Recertification Date – currently entered manually into the system and used to determine whether an individual should retain their FI status (and therefore be able to sign-up to instruct events in FIRST). In near future, it is hoped that this field would be obtained thru some sort of interface (likely a web service) with Virtual Academy (VA).
2.2 Indicate sources of the information in the system. (Check all that apply.)
Directly from individual about whom the information pertains
Hard copy: mail/fax
Other (specify):
Government sources
Within the Component
Other DOJ components
Other federal entities
State, local, tribal
Non-government sources
Public media, internet
Commercial data brokers
Other (specify): New FBI Agents (who do not have to meet firearms qualification requirements while in new agent training) and law enforcement partners who have used FBI facilities in the past for shooter training (i.e., task force personnel, local police departments, etc.) sometimes had their scores recorded in the Shoot Scoring System (SSS). FIRST will not track shooting scores for these individuals. However, FIRST is required by Records Management Division (RMD) to maintain ALL of the historical SSS data to satisfy record-keeping requirements for records that have already been captured and maintained. See Section 2.3 for details about how access to the historical SSS data is severely restricted and not co-mingled with data that will be loaded into FIRST after its implementation. The scores and personally identifying information for these individuals who were tracked in SSS but will not be tracked in FIRST will be accessible by only a select few System Administrators (see 2.3).
2.3 Analysis: Now that you have identified the information collected and the sources of the information, please identify and evaluate any potential threats to privacy that exist in light of the information collected or the sources from which the information is collected. Please describe the choices that the component made with regard to the type or quantity of information collected and the sources providing the information in order to prevent or mitigate threats to privacy. (For example: If a decision was made to collect less data, include a discussion of this decision; if it is necessary to obtain information from sources other than the individual, explain why.)
The most sensitive piece of identifying data in the system is the Social Security Number (SSN). It was the FIRST development team’s initial intent to eschew all use of the SSN in FIRST and use the Unique Employee ID (UEID) from Active Directory (AD) instead. However, in discussions with Records Management Division (RMD), it became apparent that since FIRST is replacing the Shoot Scoring System (SSS), FIRST is required to maintain historical SSS data. In SSS, individuals are uniquely identified w/the SSN and the UEID is not utilized. After consulting BPMS and AMS staff, it was determined that all current employees have a UEID, but not all historical employees do. So, since it will not be possible to convert SSN to UEID for historical SSS data, SSN must be retained for those records. However, it is important to note that new data loaded into FIRST will not contain SSN. Also, the historical SSS data is not being integrated with data being loaded into FIRST – the historical SSS data (and therefore the SSN) will only be accessible (and even then, only displayed in last-4-digits form) thru a few rudimentary queries that will only be made accessible to a select few System Administrators in the Firearms Training Unit (FTU) in Training Division (TD) and in the IT Services Division (ITSD). Additionally, this info will only be accessed on rare occasions that require an examination of an employee’s historical firearms training activities/results. FIRST will comply with the OMB regulation regarding Social Security Numbers (SSN), M-07-16. The FBI has taken all necessary steps to reduce and eliminate all unnecessary use of SSNs.
Access to an employee’s UEID in FIRST will be limited to a few individuals with the need to see that information: Primary Firearms Instructors (PFIs), a limited number of Division Administrative Personnel responsible for data entry, FTU System Administrators, and ITSD System Administrators.
Shooting scores, recorded by instructors and data-entry personnel for individuals who are assigned weapons in the FBI’s AMS (therefore by FBI policy must meet firearms qualification standards each Fiscal Year), are obviously also very sensitive. As such, scores are only accessible to the individual they belong to (by accessing the “My Scores” query in FIRST), to the PFIs and PFI-Designees responsible for providing and tracking the trainees for their Division, to a handful of Division administrative personnel charged with either loading the data or tracking training compliance for the Division, and by FTU and ITSD System Administrators.
Section 3: Purpose and Use of the System
3.1 Indicate why the information in the system is being collected, maintained, or disseminated. (Check all that apply.)
For criminal law enforcement activities
For civil enforcement activities
For intelligence activities
For administrative matters
To conduct analysis concerning subjects of investigative or other interest
To promote information sharing initiatives
To conduct analysis to identify previously unknown areas of note, concern, or pattern.
For administering human resources programs
For litigation
Other (specify): To improve safety and proficiency in the use of firearms by FBI armed personnel through tracking, monitoring, and aiding in enforcing FBI policies covering firearms training and proficiency.
3.2 Analysis: Provide an explanation of how the component specifically will use the information to accomplish the checked purpose(s). Describe why the information that is collected, maintained, or disseminated is necessary to accomplish the checked purpose(s) and to further the component’s and/or the Department’s mission.
FIRST records firearms training results so that compliance with training policies can be monitored at all levels – the individual, the Division, the Training Division, and FBIHQ executive management. By making results and training progress (and outstanding requirements) readily available to all parties responsible for ensuring that this activity occurs, FIRST will allow training and proficiency deficiencies to be addressed proactively. FIRST uses a 3-pronged approach to address compliance monitoring:
Dashboards, which supply an at-a-glance visual representation of current compliance, allow compliance to be monitored at every level: by the individual, the Supervisor (though as noted on the previous page, a Supervisor can only check on the progress of one of his/her employees, and not on that employee’s actual scores), the Division (PFIs and Division Management), FBI Executive Management, and the FTU in Training Division. FIRST provides a great leap in this area over SSS, which did not provide a visual/graphical representation of compliance and did not allow individuals to view their own firearms training results or progress.
Reports, which allow PFIs, Division and FBI Executive Management, and FTU personnel to identify individuals throughout the organization who are behind in their firearms training progress BEFORE disciplinary action is warranted and, more importantly, before the armed individual’s safety or proficiency skills erode to the point that it affects performance of duties.
Email Notifications, which call training deficiencies to the attention of the individual (and, in some cases, the Supervisor), in the case where the individual (and/or Supervisor) do not take advantage of FIRST’s online monitoring/status capabilities.
FIRST uses the personally identifiable information contain within the system to uniquely identify individuals and their training results/status so that there is no doubt about the identity of the individual to whom the records belong and so that a clear picture of the individual’s training progress and firearms proficiency level is readily available to both the individual and those in the FBI responsible for monitoring these activities.
It is hoped that the implementation of FIRST will lead to an increase in compliance with firearms training/proficiency standards at the FBI. In turn, this should result in an overall increase in safety and proficiency levels, and potentially to a reduction in disciplinary action (for failing to comply with required training). Most importantly, better training of our personnel increases the chance of the best possible result whenever an armed FBI employee uses a weapon while performing his/her duties.
3.3 Indicate the legal authorities, policies, or agreements that authorize collection of the information in the system. (Check all that apply and include citation/reference.)
Citation/Reference
Title 28 U.S.C. Section 532
Title 5 U.S.C. Section 301
Taken together, these two sections authorize the Attorney General (and by delegation, the Director) to issue regulations governing FBI employees, such as those governing firearms qualifications for Special Agents (in this case, the regulations would be the CPD, CPN, MIOG or other document governing firearms qualifications). 5 U.S.C. Section 301 also authorizes the FBI to collect information from its employees documenting the performance of its business, such as scheduling and completion of firearms qualifications.
Memorandum of Understanding/agreement
Other (summarize and provide copy of relevant portion)
3.4 Indicate how long the information will be retained to accomplish the intended purpose, and how it will be disposed of at the end of the retention period. (Reference the applicable retention schedule approved by the National Archives and Records Administration, if available.)
The Records Management Division will retain firearms training records in accordance with an appropriate records retention schedule.
3.5 Analysis: Describe any potential threats to privacy as a result of the component’s use of the information, and controls that the component has put into place to ensure that the information is handled, retained, and disposed appropriately. (For example: mandatory training for system users regarding appropriate handling of information, automatic purging of information in accordance with the retention schedule, etc.)
FIRST is only available via FBINET (the Secret enclave), so all individuals with access are already required to take annual IT Security and, when appropriate, Privileged User training. Banners developed by the Office of General Counsel will address privacy issues and remind users of their responsibilities regarding proper use of the system and the information contained within. The system contains a Privacy Act notice statement.
Accidental or careless disclosure of data derived from FIRST to parties without proper access to view the data, as with any application/system, is possible, however unlikely. FIRST will mitigate the risk of these disclosures by providing users with access to only the data their duties require, and by strictly limiting the presence of the most sensitive piece of personal information – the SSN. See Section 2.3. FIRST will employ UEID rather than SSN to uniquely identify individuals in the system. Also, for historical records from SSS, access will only be given (and only in last-4-digits form) to very few FTU and ITSD System Administrators, as needed, who are properly trained on an annual basis on their responsibilities as privileged users.
Section 4: Information Sharing
4.1 Indicate with whom the component intends to share the information in the system and how the information will be shared, such as on a case-by-case basis, bulk transfer, or direct access.
(N/A – FIRST will not share its data with – or make it otherwise accessible to - any other component or application w/in the component.)
How information will be shared
Case-by-case
Other (specify)
DOJ components
Federal entities
State, local, tribal gov’t entities
Foreign entities
4.2 Analysis: Disclosure or sharing of information necessarily increases risks to privacy. Describe controls that the component has put into place in order to prevent or mitigate threats to privacy in connection with the disclosure of information. (For example: measures taken to reduce the risk of unauthorized disclosure, data breach, or receipt by an unauthorized recipient; terms in applicable MOUs, contracts, or agreements that address safeguards to be implemented by the recipient to ensure appropriate use of the information – training, access controls, and security measures; etc.)
MOUs and Interface Control Documents will be established, covering the systems that share data with (or provide a view of their data to) FIRST. FIRST does not currently share its data with any other internal or external application or entity.
Section 5: Notice, Consent, and Redress
5.1 Indicate whether individuals will be notified if their information is collected, maintained, or disseminated by the system. (Check all that apply.)
Yes, notice is provided pursuant to a system of records notice published in the Federal Register and discussed in Section 7.
Yes, notice is provided by other means.
Specify how:
No, notice is not provided.
Specify why not:
5.2 Indicate whether and how individuals have the opportunity to decline to provide information.
Yes, individuals have the opportunity to decline to provide information.
No, individuals do not have the opportunity to decline to provide information.
Specify why not: No information in FIRST is provided by the individual. The information is recorded at firearms training events and maintained to ensure that armed personnel keep up-to-date in their firearms training, in accordance with the MIOG and any other FBI policies covering this activity. Keeping records of training results is an established activity that is necessary to ensure compliance and thereby avoid shooting incidents (and potential subsequent litigation against the Bureau) that could have been prevented by adherence to policy.
5.3 Indicate whether and how individuals have the opportunity to consent to particular uses of the information.
Yes, individuals have an opportunity to consent to particular uses of the information.
No, individuals do not have the opportunity to consent to particular uses of the information.
Specify why not: The agency already has the right to capture and maintain this information. Consent is not needed. If individuals were permitted to opt-out, the FTU and field PFIs would be unable to properly administer the field firearms program or monitor compliance.
5.4 Analysis: Clear and conspicuous notice and the opportunity to consent to the collection and use of individuals’ information provides transparency and allows individuals to understand how their information will be handled. Describe how notice for the system was crafted with these principles in mind, or if notice is not provided, explain why not. If individuals are not provided the opportunity to consent to collection or use of the information, explain why not.
Individuals are not given the opportunity to consent to collection of this information. However, they are aware that their shooting scores are tracked as a regular part of their training and maintaining their qualification to carry firearms.
Section 6: Information Security
6.1 Indicate all that apply.
Appropriate security controls have been identified and implemented to protect against risks identified in security risk assessment. Specify: Use of Active Directory to authenticate and establish the identity of each user who accesses the application. Security Groups that have been tested by ITSD developers, to ensure that each individual with access to the system has access to only the parts of the system (and therefore the data) that they need to perform their official duties.
Monitoring, testing, or evaluation has been undertaken to safeguard the information and prevent its misuse. Specify: All system activity is logged. Logs will be reviewed by the ISSO. Severe restrictions (discussed throughout this document) have been imposed on the most sensitive personal information, helping to prevent both its misuse and the effects of any misuse.
The information is secured in accordance with FISMA requirements. Provide date of most recent Certification and Accreditation: 10/11/12
Auditing procedures are in place to ensure compliance with security standards. Specify, including any auditing of role-based access and measures to prevent misuse of information: Standard auditing procedures already examined and approved by SecD, and utilized in other Oracle APEX applications in the FBI.
Contractors that have access to the system are subject to provisions in their contract binding them under the Privacy Act.
Contractors that have access to the system are subject to information security provisions in their contracts required by DOJ policy.
The following training is required for authorized users to access or receive information in the system:
General information security training
Training specific to the system for authorized users within the Department.
Training specific to the system for authorized users outside of the component.
Other (specify): privacy training
6.2 Describe how access and security controls were utilized to protect privacy and reduce the risk of unauthorized access and disclosure.
The application utilizes Active Directory for authentication. Passwords and logins are stored outside the application. Once authenticated, the UEID (obtained from Active Directory) is utilized to identify the individual to the application. This is then used to ensure that the individual sees only their own data/results.
A security/role table is maintained within the application. This table is accessible by only a few System Administrators. Anyone with special privileges (Firearms Instructors, System Administrators, FTU personnel, etc.) has his/her security role defined in this table. Access to each system function is provided only to the role(s) that require access to perform their duties. Roles are described in the Security Concept of Operations (SecConOps) document for the system, which has been reviewed by the Security Division and the ISSO.
Section 7: Privacy Act
7.1 Indicate whether a system of records is being created under the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552a. (Check the applicable block below and add the supplementary information requested.)
Yes, and this system is covered by an existing system of records notice.
Provide the system name and number, as well as the Federal Register citation(s) for the most recent complete notice and any subsequent notices reflecting amendment to the system: FBI-008, Bureau Personnel Management System, 58 FR 51875, last modified 1/25/2007; see 72 FR 3410 (2007).
Yes, and a system of records notice is in development.
No, a system of records is not being created.
7.2 Analysis: Describe how information in the system about United States citizens and/or lawfully admitted permanent resident aliens is or will be retrieved.
The historical information in FIRST that transferred over from SSS is retrieved by SSN. Going forward, information will only be retrieved by name or UEID. | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6435654759407043, "wiki_prob": 0.35643452405929565, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line653229"} |
The illustration shows Want and Ignorance, a boy and a girl, standing in front of the Ghost of Christmas Present with Scrooge facing the triad in his nightcap. illustration by John Leech. 1843 Chapman and Hall edition of A Christmas Carol.
One of the most recognizable characters in Victorian fiction, “Tiny Tim” Cratchit reappears each Christmas in radioplays, television, stage, and film. Through these cultural reproductions, Tim has come to represent yuletide charity and the reductive idea that “the plight of the disabled can always be alleviated by philanthropy” (Fiedler 68)[1]. However, as the short selection of the story below shows, the text of A Christmas Carol itself gives a more complicated depiction of disability than this. On one hand, the melodramatic tone—“Alas for Tiny Tim, he bore a little crutch, and had his limbs supported by an iron frame!”— implies that Tim’s physical state inspires pity alone. Moreover, by way of synecdoche Tim’s identity is reduced to his non-normative body: his diminutive size and his crutch stand in for his name (Norden 190-91). In fact, Tim sees himself as a reminder of Christ’s healings, that is, of erasures of disability; that his father, Bob, reports this rather than Tim further obscures Tim’s autonomy. On the other hand, the passage also shows Tim as an active member of his community and family, taking full part in their religious and festive traditions. The narrator here not only depicts Tim’s body as bearing physical limitations, but also as using adapted and energetic mobility, as seen in his “active little crutch” (Rodas 67).
[1] Fiedler suggests that respect and empowerment do much more than charity and pity for people with disabilities.
Primary Source Text
“What has ever got your precious father then?” said Mrs. Cratchit. “And your brother, Tiny Tim! And Martha warn’t as late last Christmas Day by half-an-hour?”
“Here’s Martha, mother!” said a girl, appearing as she spoke.
“Here’s Martha, mother!” cried the two young Cratchits. “Hurrah! There’s such a goose, Martha!”
“Why, bless your heart alive, my dear, how late you are!” said Mrs. Cratchit, kissing her a dozen times, and taking off her shawl and bonnet for her with officious zeal.
“We’d a deal of work to finish up last night,” replied the girl, “and had to clear away this morning, mother!”
“Well! Never mind so long as you are come,” said Mrs. Cratchit. “Sit ye down before the fire, my dear, and have a warm, Lord bless ye!”
“No, no! There’s father coming,” cried the two young Cratchits, who were everywhere at once. “Hide, Martha, hide!”
So Martha hid herself, and in came little Bob, the father, with at least three feet of comforter exclusive of the fringe, hanging down before him; and his threadbare clothes darned up and brushed, to look seasonable; and Tiny Tim upon his shoulder. Alas for Tiny Tim, he bore a little crutch, and had his limbs supported by an iron frame!
“Why, where’s our Martha?” cried Bob Cratchit, looking round.
“Not coming,” said Mrs. Cratchit.
“Not coming!” said Bob, with a sudden declension in his high spirits; for he had been Tim’s blood horse all the way from church, and had come home rampant. “Not coming upon Christmas Day!”
Martha didn’t like to see him disappointed, if it were only in joke; so she came out prematurely from behind the closet door, and ran into his arms, while the two young Cratchits hustled Tiny Tim, and bore him off into the wash-house, that he might hear the pudding singing in the copper.
“And how did little Tim behave?” asked Mrs. Cratchit, when she had rallied Bob on his credulity, and Bob had hugged his daughter to his heart’s content.
“As good as gold,” said Bob, “and better. Somehow he gets thoughtful, sitting by himself so much, and thinks the strangest things you ever heard. He told me, coming home, that he hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to remember upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk, and blind men see.”
Bob’s voice was tremulous when he told them this, and trembled more when he said that Tiny Tim was growing strong and hearty.
His active little crutch was heard upon the floor, and back came Tiny Tim before another word was spoken, escorted by his brother and sister to his stool before the fire; and while Bob, turning up his cuffs—as if, poor fellow, they were capable of being made more shabby—compounded some hot mixture in a jug with gin and lemons, and stirred it round and round and put it on the hob[1] to simmer; Master Peter, and the two ubiquitous young Cratchits went to fetch the goose, with which they soon returned in high procession. (89-92)
[1] A metal shelf inside a hearth.
Dickens, Charles. A Christmas Carol. London: Chapman and Hall, 1843. Available online at http://www.archive.org/stream/1843christmascar00dickuoft#page/n7/mode/2up
Fiedler, Leslie A. “Pity and Fear: Images of the Disabled In Literature and the Popular Arts.” Salmagundi 57 (Summer 1982): 57-69.
Norden, Martin F. “Tiny Tim on Screen: a Disability Studies Perspective.” Dickens On Screen. Ed. John Glavin. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003.
Rodas, Julia Miele. “Tiny Tim, Blind Bertha, and the Resistance of Miss Mowcher: Charles Dickens and the Uses of Disability.” Dickens Studies Annual 34 (Summer 2004): 51-97.
Kylee-Anne Hingston
Charles Dickens, Class, Invalidism, Literature, Mobility, Novel
Dickens, Charles, “A Christmas Carol,” Nineteenth-Century Disability: Cultures & Contexts, accessed February 2, 2023, http://www.nineteenthcenturydisability.org/items/show/28. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.7583417296409607, "wiki_prob": 0.7583417296409607, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line103025"} |
Trump on what would prevent 2024 bid: ‘I guess a bad call from a doctor’
Former President Trump suggested in an interview Friday night that only a “bad call from a doctor” would prevent him from seeking another White House bid.
Trump, who has openly flirted with launching another presidential campaign while so far declining to reveal his plans for 2024, was asked by television host David Brody what might prevent him from running again.
“Well, I don’t — I guess a bad call from a doctor or something, right?” Trump said on “The Water Cooler” show on Real America’s Voice. “Things happen, through God, they happen,” he added. “But I feel so good.”
Trump, now 75, was previously the oldest president to ever enter office in 2017 until President Biden earlier this year.
During the interview Friday, Trump also vowed to “do whatever is necessary” to shield documents from the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Trump has pledged to fight subpoenas for testimony from his former aides by attempting in part to invoke “Executive Privilege,” despite no longer being president.
The White House said Friday that Biden does not plan to assert executive privilege to shield Trump-era documents sought by the House investigators.
Trump also spoke in the interview with Brody about how he ignored the advice of Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who advised the Trump White House on the coronavirus and now serves as Biden’s chief medical adviser.
“He was there for like 40 years or something, right? He was part of the furniture. But if you think about it, I really did pretty much the opposite of whatever he said,” Trump remarked, adding, “He’s a better promoter than he is a doctor.”
Apple explains why it opposes the USB Type-C unification
Iceland goes to the polls and prepares for complicated outcome | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.8224886655807495, "wiki_prob": 0.8224886655807495, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line834107"} |
Black Community's Troubled History Could Make Sickle-Cell CRISPR Editing A Hard Sell
One of the first uses for the buzzy gene-editing tool CRISPR could be a treatment for patients with sickle-cell disease. But the Black community’s…
Critics Lash Out At Chinese Scientists Who Edited DNA In Human Embryos
By editing the genes in embryos in the lab, Chinese scientists showed that it's possible to change hereditary traits that cause a blood disorder. But the work also created unintended mutations.
Scientists Urge Temporary Moratorium On Human Genome Edits
Researchers who helped develop powerful techniques warn that tweaking the genome is now easy. More public debate's needed, they say, before making changes in genes passed from parent to child.
A CRISPR Way To Fix Faulty Genes
Joe Palca
This technique for manipulating genes borrows a strategy from the way bacteria fight viruses. It's still experimental, but the possibilities excite medical researchers hoping to tailor treatments. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.8616926670074463, "wiki_prob": 0.8616926670074463, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line584348"} |
Royal Caribbean Dubai Cruises
Royal Caribbean began sailing to Dubai in January 2010. The inaugural season ran from January 2010 through April 2010. Guests had their pick of 13 sailings aboard Brilliance of the Seas to destinations in the United Emirates, Bahrain, and Oman. The “port-intensive” inaugural season featured calls at Oman’s capital of Muscat, and maiden ports of call at Mina Sulman, Bahrain; and Fujairah and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Two fourteen night repositioning cruises were on the menu as well between Barcelona and Dubai via the Suez Canal. The first sailing, January 4, 2010, sailed from Barcelona with calls at Aqaba, Jordan and four Egyptian ports including Alexandria, Safaga, Sharm El Sheikh, and Port Said. The second repositioning cruise (return voyage), April 19, 2010, featured calls at Safaga, Sharm El Sheikh, Alexandria, and Muscat.
Royal Caribbean’s Dubai cruise itineraries feature the same destinations and calls as its inaugural season, but guests have their choice of 7-night Dubai cruises and 12-night Dubai & India cruises aboard Brilliance of the Seas. Cruises are offered in December-April, with prices ranging from $1,099-$4,399 depending on the type of stateroom. Interior rooms are the most affordable, outside rooms are the next price point up, followed by balcony rooms and deluxe suites.
Seven-night Dubai cruises feature ports of call including Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Fujairah, United Arab Emirates; Muscat, Oman; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Dubai, United Arab Emirates or Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Bombay (Mumbai), India; Goa (Mormugao), India; New Mangalore, India; Cochin, India; Muscat, Oman; Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Twelve-night cruises feature ports of call including Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Cochin, India; New Mangalore, India; Goa (Mormugao), India; Bombay (Mumbai), India; Muscat, Oman; Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Brilliance of the Seas belongs to the Royal Caribbean’s Radiance Class. This environmentally friendly class utilizes gas-turbine engines—the most environmentally conscious engine at sea. Although Dubai features excitement and wonders beyond imagination, Brilliance of the Seas has a few wonders of its own. Guests can dangle from a rock-climbing wall positioned 150 feet above the vast ocean or they can take in the scenery from the other side of the ships glass walls and windows. Dining features world class cuisine that can be enjoyed while taking in the scenery form a two-story dining room. Guests can also play golf at the indoor/outdoor country club and relax under the sun in the ships spectacular Solarium.
Other Brilliance of the Seas features include the Vegas-style Casino Royale, a basketball court, a day spa, coffee shops and seaview cafes, themed bars and lounges, and Italian eateries. Brilliance of the Seas also accommodates 2,501 guests, comfortably.
If you are interested in booking a Dubai Cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas, visit the official Royal Caribbean website at www.royalcaribbean.com. If you would rather speak with a live person, you can call a Royal Caribbean Vacation Planner at 1-866-562-7625, Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m. EST. Certified Vacation Planners offer personal attention and they have extensive cruise planning experience.
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Comments: 0 Posted by: Michelle Categories: Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Cruises
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Grams, Elgin Symphony excel in Shostakovich
Sun Jan 31, 2016 at 9:43 am
By Tim Sawyier
Andrew Grams conducted the Elgin Symphony Orchestra in music of Copland and Shostakovich Saturday night at the Hemmens Cultural Center.
The Elgin Symphony Orchestra (ESO) offered a program of Copland and Shostakovich at the Hemmens Cultural Center under music director Andrew Grams on Saturday night. The centerpiece of the concert was Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11 “The Year 1905,” which received as high caliber a performance as one can expect to hear in the greater Chicago area outside of Symphony Center.
The evening began with Copland’s iconic ballet Appalachian Spring. Copland’s original 1944 score calls for just thirteen players, and is perhaps as well known as the full orchestra version Copland created a year later for the New York Philharmonic. However, for this performance Grams selected Copland’s problematic 1972 arrangement, which takes the original instrumentation (the composer’s own favorite) but allows for expanded string sections.
The ESO strings achieved a luminous sonority is the work’s opening, with Grams drawing out its subtle counterpoint. Orchestral ensemble was spot on in the incisive fast sections, where Grams elicited percussive, guttural accents from the players. The lyrical woodwind solos received generally refined treatment throughout, particularly in the hushed, prayerful ending.
Problems of balance and contrast are endemic in the 1972 score though, which lacks both the pellucid quality of the chamber version and the timbral variety of its full orchestral counterpart. These issues were ubiquitous in the performance, most notably at louder dynamics where the string sections consistently overpowered their three wind colleagues.
There could be no such qualms about the ESO’s rendition of Shostakovich’s Eleventh Symphony, which was electrifying from start to finish. The work’s opening movement, “The Palace Square,” is meant to evoke Russian commoners gathering at the Winter Palace to demand social and political reforms. The icy static passages were infused with trepidation, with Grams maintaining the tenuous calm with a firm hand.
“The 9th of January,” the work’s second movement, depicts the onset of revolution. Swirling figurations were rendered with menacing exactitude by the ESO strings, and wailing wind lines had an aptly desperate quality. Here Grams expertly calibrated the movement’s large-scale dynamic scheme. Its second climax, arrived at after a frantic fugue laced with the sounds of machine-gun fire, had a devastating impact, making the return of the symphony’s hushed opening music all the more chilling.
The third movement, “In Memoriam,” can be thought of as a sort of funerary dirge for those who died in the previous movement’s violence, and the ESO’s rendition had palpable pathos. The opening viola melody sounded simultaneously resonant and desolate, and the string playing across all sections had an inner intensity in the slow tempo.
The incendiary finale, “The Tocsin” (Alarm), crackled with energy. The ESO’s brass collectively played with the girth and solidity of a cement wall. Again the string sections delivered, most notably in an interlude impelled by the cellos that was a stunning musical portrayal of physical violence. The upper reaches of Joseph Claude’s English horn solo were haunting and conveyed true horror at such violence, and the solitary chime that closes the work was leveling. After the double bar Grams doubled over onto his stand in a moment of questionable theatricality, but one can understand his feeling spent after overseeing such an intense and impeccable performance.
The program will be repeated 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Hemmens Cultural Center. The Elgin Symphony Orchestra’s next concerts are March 12 and 13, with Grams leading Ives’ Symphony No. 2 and Brahms’ Second Piano Concerto with Alexander Schimpf. elginsymphony.org
Posted in Performances
One Response to “Grams, Elgin Symphony excel in Shostakovich”
Posted Jan 31, 2016 at 8:40 pm by Roland Buck
The Elgin Symphony deserves a lot of credit for including an important work by one of America’s greatest composers, Aaron Copland, something the Chicago Symphony, under its Italian conductor, adamantly refuses to do.
Copyright ©2023 Chicago Classical Review. All rights reserved. Subscribe via RSS. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.8582230806350708, "wiki_prob": 0.8582230806350708, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line802005"} |
The McDonald's Breakfast Item You Can Only Get In Hawaii
Ksana Durand/Shutterstock
By Angela Gervasi/Nov. 2, 2021 4:17 pm EST
Even if you're not a die-hard McDonald's fan, it can be pretty fascinating to explore what the fast food chain serves in different states and countries. If you ever find yourself hungry in the Philippines, for example, you can order fried chicken and spaghetti from McDonald's in a pinch, according to the menu. And in McDonald's Italy, hungry customers can order a little bar of parmesan cheese or stuffed, fried olives to snack on with their Happy Meal, per the brand.
Even within the United States, there are regional culinary treasures. Like when McDonald's introduced the lobster roll to its locations like Maine, Vermont, and Connecticut (via Thrillist). But perhaps the tastiest regional menu items are found in Hawaii, where one can order cups of hot saimin, a noodle soup reminiscent of ramen. Hawaii locations also offer haupia pie, a creamy delicacy laced with coconut milk (via 'Ono Hawaiian Recipes).
And right there on the Hawaii menu, glistening in a combination of glory and pork fat, is the local deluxe breakfast: a hearty dish of rice, eggs, Portuguese sausage, and, most notably, Spam (via McDonald's).
What is the Local Deluxe Breakfast?
McDonald's/Twitter
The Local Deluxe Breakfast in Hawaii is fairly simple. Heaps of white rice are paired with a pile of scrambled eggs, two slices of Spam, and three pieces of Portuguese sausage. Scaled-down versions are also available: Customers can opt for rice and eggs with Spam, or rice and eggs with sausage, if they're not in the mood for that much meat, per Uber Eats.
The regional twist has been around for a while. McDonald's representatives told the New York Times the chain began offering Spam at its Hawaii locations in 2002.
By 2017, the combinations of Spam, rice, eggs, and sausage had become popular enough to be served as an all-day breakfast option — not just in the morning — according to local station KHON-TV.
According to Honolulu-born food blogger Kathy YL Chan, the McDonald's Spam and sausage are pan-fried, and the meal is served with little packets of soy sauce. Chan also doesn't hesitate to note the dish is her "go-to combo breakfast platter" (via Onolicious Hawaii).
A deep love for Spam
richardernestyap/Shutterstock
Of course, all of this begs a simple question: Why is Spam such a hit in Hawaii? Why is a product invented in Minnesota so ubiquitous on the islands that it's even gracing McDonald's menus (via TIME)? Spam truly exploded in popularity during the World War II-era in Hawaii. According to SPAM's FAQ page, the product spread to the islands from G.I.s who were supplied with the long-lasting meat.
But the story runs deeper, according to historian Rachel Laudan, who tells Eater that the meat was a way to survive. During the war, Laudan says, the U.S. government restricted fishing operations in Hawaii. (Many players in Hawaii's fishing industry were of Japanese descent, therefore facing a wave of anti-Japanese sentiment from the U.S.) Documents in the Hawaiian Historical Society further verify this history: Researcher Donald M. Schug writes that the war, and government-imposed restrictions, provided a "severe economic setback for much of the fishing industry."
Far from fresh fish, the pork product became a staple in Hawaii, Laudan tells Eater. Spam isn't just a quirky addition to Hawaii's diverse cuisine — it's a historical marker of resilience on the islands. And whether it's due to the flavor, convenience, or cost, Spam doesn't seem to be going anywhere — including at McDonald's. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.8532431721687317, "wiki_prob": 0.8532431721687317, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line799045"} |
Used 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX Limited 5-Door Sedan Trims & Features
Trims & Features of the 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX Limited 5-Door Sedan
Used 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX Limited 5-Door Sedan Review
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The 2012 Subaru Impreza WRX Limited 5-door is available in a total of nine trims, including: the base WRX model, the WRX Premium, the WRX Limited, the WRX STI, and the WRX STI Limited trim. The most powerful trim, the WRX STI Limited, starts at $37,445 and is a true warrior on the road. In fact, STI trims in general get 305 bhp and a 6-speed manual, adjustable center differential, a bigger tire package, and a stiffer suspension setup. Colors for the Subaru Impreza WRX include: Obsidian Black Pearl, Dark Gray Metallic, Ice Silver Metallic, Satin White Pearl, Lightning Red Pearl, Plasma Blue Pearl, and WR Blue Mica- our personal favorite. A host of in-cabin add-ons guarantees all drivers will have the accessories they desire at their fingertips. The Subaru Impreza WRX Limited comes equipped with a 2.5L H4 engine, a 5 Speed Manual transmission, and 265 horsepower capability- all which work in tandem to contribute to the vehicle's average of 19 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway- moderately impressive numbers for a family car of its large size. An average fuel economy indicator allows the driver to stay conscious of the vehicle's fuel efficiency, while an abundance of cargo space gives families plenty of space to store their things long road trips. Some impressive standard features for the WRX 5-Door include: an anti-theft mechanism via alarm and engine immobilizer, power doors and locks operated by key, door, and internal switch, and valet lockout- all of which are sure to keep your family safe. Other features that will help you and your family to feel comfortable include: side head curtain airbags, front and rear 3-point seatbelt, a passenger airbag cutoff sensor, side guard door beams, and driver and passenger airbags with dual stage deployment. The cabin's technological features are decent for a Limited model, and include an AM/FM stereo w/CD player with MP3/WMA capability, a 3.5mm aux input jack six speakers, a USB port, Bluetooth audio streaming and hands-free phone connectivity, and iPod control capability. The 5-door sedan is also pre-wired for XM and SIRIUS satellite radio systems. Its AWD driveline assures drivers will never be stuck in a tight spot, and its five person capacity alludes to its family-friendly attitude. On the outside, the Subaru boasts a hood scoop, 18" alloy wheels on 235/45 R17 summer-performance tires, front and rear under spoilers, a WRX front fender side scoop, auto-off HID headlights, a rear window wiper w/washer, a quirky roof antenna, and body- colored door handles.
Used 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX Limited 5-Door Sedan Images
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Brosnan Scores His Second Career Podium
Thread starter I-am-Specialized
I-am-Specialized
<p>Troy Brosnan (AUS) rode his Specialized Demo 8 Carbon to a 5th place finish and first podium of the year this weekend at the Val Di Sole MTB World Cup in Val Di Sole, Italy. Teammate Aaron Gwin (USA) was 6th, only .002 seconds back. Mitch Ropelato failed to qualify after 2 major crashes in qualifying.</p><p>
</p><p>
Val Di Sole, the Valley of the Sun, lived up to its name this week with scorchiong sunshine and dry conditions. The track in Italy is brutal in both the wet and the dry, filled with rock gardens and large braking bumps due to the high speeds and tight corners. Instead of the usual slippery mud, racers were treated to massive clouds of powdery dust that covered everything like talc, and hung in the air. Roots and rocks became more and more exposed as the week went on, especially in the 2 or 3 newly cut sections. Braking bumps and holes grew large enough to swallow entire wheels as riders attempted to navigate around them at full speed.</p><p>
Both Troy and Aaron chose to run 2.5 Butcher tires this week.</p><p>
Brosnan was elated with his run, finally returning to the podium. "It's been a whole 2 years... Second career podium in elite men and it's at the same track. I was coming to these first two world cups just to come and get down safe and go home and train some more. To be top 10 in the points over all and then to get 5th here; I'm just speechless. I can't wait to come back to the rest of the season stronger."</p><p>
Gwin made changes to his setup this week, including a major change from a size medium, to a size large demo and feels like it made a huge difference "It's a step in the right direction this week. Congrats to all of the other guys, they rode awesome. I felt really good, back to my old self. I feel like I have all the tools I need to win. I just made some big mistakes up top and it put me into a rush mode and I kept making mistakes all the way down the track. You can't do that these days with everyone riding this way. I went to a bigger bike this week, and it instantly felt awesome. I'm really comfortable again. I'm excited for the rest of the season, I just need to put it together on Sunday."</p><p>
Junior rider Luca Shaw (USA) raced his Status and scored his first ever Junior World Cup podium, with a 3rd place. "My run was crazy. I was out of control in some spots and almost crashed a couple of times. No major mistakes thats slowed me down. I couldn't believe the times were so tight! It was a bummer to be on the wrong side of it, but I'm still happy with 3rd. I'm over the moon."</p><p>
Both riders now return to their respective homes for a rare mid season break before returning to Europe for the next round of World Cup racing in Andorra next month.</p>
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Situation Update for Wednesday, April 1
Posted at 11:09 a.m.
The Minnesota Department of Health says there have now been 17 deaths from complications of COVID-19, as the total positive cases in the state rose to 689.
According to the daily update, 342 patients have recovered and no longer need to be isolated. Over 21,000 tests have been completed at both MDH and external laboratories.
MDH has added additional information on the likely exposure of all cases, in addition to the age ranges introduced yesterday, which haven’t changed significantly since then.
According to the pie chart, 15 percent of patients likely contracted the disease from international travel. Twenty-one percent were exposed from another patient of COVID-19, three percent were exposed after traveling on a cruise ship, 20 percent were exposed from travel to another state and 30 percent of cases are linked to community transmission. Another nine percent have unknown means of exposure.
Attorney General of Minnesota Keith Ellison says his office has received hundreds of price gouging complaints. The complaints started out with items such as toilet paper and sanitizer and then gravitated to items such as eggs and rice. Price gouging complaints can be submitted online through the Attorney General’s website.
A Bemidji Police Department graduate was recognized in a viral post from a Massachusetts doctor who was caught speeding by Trooper Brian Schwartz, who used to be a parking enforcement officer with the BPD.
According to a Facebook post by Dr. Sarosh Ashraf Janjua, Schwartz pulled over Dr. Janjua for driving over the speed limit on I-35.
“When he saw my Massachusetts driver’s license, he asked me what I was doing all the way out in Minnesota, so I told him I travel here every month for my work as a locums cardiologist,” the post reads.
“He went back to his patrol car to look up my license, and when he returned, quite firmly told me it was very irresponsible of me to be speeding, especially since I would not only take up resources if I got into an accident, but would also not be in a position to help my patients.”
Schwartz, upon returning her license, gave her five N95 masks from his own supply provided by the state.
STATEWIDE EXECUTIVE ORDERS
Gov. Walz signed two more executive orders on Tuesday, March 31.
Executive Order 20-25 extends licenses for peace officers, firefighters, and private security personnel. The Order allows professionals on the front lines combating COVID-19 to maintain their licenses and continue supporting Minnesotans during the peacetime emergency.
Executive Order 20-26 extends enrollment dates for current medical cannabis patients that are set to expire over the next several months; allows any patient to request a temporary caregiver so they are able to send someone to pick up medication on their behalf; and allows medical cannabis patients to practice social distancing with curbside delivery and telephone pharmacist consultations. This Order will help keep immunocompromised individuals safe and lessen the burden on busy healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Previous Actions by Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan:
March 27: Gov. Walz signed Executive Order 20-24 providing emergency relief from regulations to motor carriers and drivers operating in Minnesota.
Executive Order 20-23 authorizes Minnesota health-related licensing boards to modify requirements during the COVID-19 peacetime Emergency.
Executive Order 20-22 allows the State Auditor to work with local governments to adjust reporting deadlines for various financial reports.
Executive Order 20-21 amends Executive Order 20-07 to allow constitutional officers to implement leave for both classified and unclassified employees and to reassign and redeploy staff as needed.
March 25: Gov. Walz signed Executive Order 20-20 directing Minnesotans to stay at home.
Executive Order 20-19 authorizes and directs the Commissioner of Education to implement a distance learning period and continue to provide a safe learning environment for Minnesota’s students.
Executive Order 20-18 continues the closure of bars, restaurants, and other places of public accommodation.
March 23: Gov.Walz signed Executive Order 20-17 clarifying application of Executive Order 20-09 to veterinary surgeries and procedures
Executive Order 20-16 directs non-hospital entities to inventory and preserve vital medical equipment during the COVID-19 peacetime emergency
Executive Order 20-15 provides immediate relief to small businesses during the COVID-19 peacetime emergency
Executive Order 20-14 suspends evictions and writs of recovery during the COVID-19 peacetime emergency
March 21: Gov. Walz signed Executive Order 20-13 authorizing National Guard assistance to COVID-19 Response, beginning with transportation and logistics in stockpiling personal protective equipment for health care workers.
March 20: Gov. Walz signed Executive Order 20-12 preserving access to human services programs.
Executive Order 20-11 secures Federal authority to continue human services programs.
Executive Order 20-10 combats price gouging.
March 19: Gov. Walz signed Executive Order 20-09 to delay elective surgeries and procedures in order to conserve health care resources and reduce contact between patients and providers.
March 18: Governor Walz took action to support businesses affected by COVID-19 by announcing a 30-day Sales and Use Tax grace period for businesses identified in Executive Order 20-04.
Executive Order 20-08 clarifies the types of businesses and places of public accommodation subject to closure per Executive Order 20-04. The executive order clarifies that the closure order applies to salons, barbershops, and other similar establishments.
March 17: Gov. Walz signed Executive Order 20-07 providing paid leave for state employees who are not able to work for reasons related to COVID-19 and suspended the waiting period for insurance coverage for new employees.
Executive Order 20-06 exempts vehicles and drivers providing direct assistance for emergency relief efforts in response to COVID-19 from certain regulations including provisions on weight and hours of service.
Ch. 70 S.F. 4334 was signed into law, allocating $200 million toward an emergency and long-term grant program to respond to the needs of health care and long-term care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
March 16: Gov. Walz signed Executive Order 20-05 to strengthen Minnesota’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund and ensure that workers who are not able to work as a result of COVID-19 have benefits available. Specifically, this Executive Order waives the employer surcharge and allows the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development to pay unemployment benefits immediately, providing fast relief to employees who need it.
Executive Order 20-04 orders the temporary closure of Minnesota restaurants and bars to dine-in customers. He also ordered the temporary closure of other places of public accommodation and amusement, including theaters, museums, fitness centers, and community clubs.
Executive Order 20-03 was signed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Minnesota’s Veterans Homes. This executive order allows Veterans Homes to protect residents and staff by temporarily restricting visitors, reducing the risk of COVID-19 spread among residents.
March 15: Gov. Walz signed Executive Order 20-02 authorizing the temporary closure of Minnesota K-12 public schools to students in order for school administrators and teachers to make long-term plans for the continuity of education and essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
March 13: Gov. Walz signed Executive Order 20-01 declaring a peacetime emergency in Minnesota and unveiled legislative proposals to prepare for the COVID-19 pandemic. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.8494070768356323, "wiki_prob": 0.8494070768356323, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line1784120"} |
Other life forms
Carcharias taurus
Family : Carchariidae
Text © Giuseppe Mazza
English translation by Mario Beltramini
Endangered, the Sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus) is present in warm temperate seas, Mediterranean included © Rafi Amar
Not all aggressive-looking sharks are dangerous to man. Conversely, it’s the man who is dangerous for the sharks, so much so that about one quarter of these fishes are under risk of extinction.
This is the case of the Sand tiger shark or Grey nurse shark (Carcharias taurus Rafinesque, 1810) that presently appears in the Red List of the species under risk as “Critically Endangered”).
With its sharp and protruding teeth, greatly displayed even when the mouth is closed, it is terrifying, but has a mild temper and attacks man only if feeling threatened or for stealing the bleeding prey of the divers.
It can cause injuries, but its mouth is not big enough to cause fatal accidents.
It belongs to the class of the Chondrichthyes, the cartilaginous fishes, and to the order of the Lamniformes, the same of the far more frightening Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), at the top among the predators in the world of the fishes, and to the family of the Carchariidae, born during the Late Cretaceous and represented presently only by this genus with two species.
Carcharias originates from the old Greek “καρχαρίας” (karcharías) meaning shark, whilst the species taurus, bull in Latin, refers to the squat and massive fore part of the body.
Zoogeography
Like Sphyrna lewini, the Sand tiger shark is practically cosmopolitan with a preference for the temperate warm waters between 12,5 and 28 °C.
It is present along the coasts in all oceans, but the eastern Pacific.
It can be found in the Mediterranean, the Gulf of Aden and the African coast, Madagascar included, up to South Africa and Namibia. Then, in the Indopacific, we find it, after India, in the Andaman Islands, Indonesia, Australia, Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, China, Korea and Japan with an eastern limit at the Fiji Islands.
Despite the menacing look, it attacks man only if it is provoked or attracted by the bleeding fishes of divers, but usually does not cause fatal accidents © Rafi Amar
In western Atlantic it is present along the USA and Canada coasts, the Bermudas, in the Caribbean and then, in the austral hemisphere, in Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.
On the other side of the Atlantic, starting from the Mediterranean, we find it in France, Spain, Morocco, Mauritania, Macaronesia and Senegal, up to Cameroon and São Tomé and Príncipe.
Ecology-Habitat
The Sand tiger shark goes swimming in relatively shallow waters, between 1 and 20 m of depth, with a sighting reported at 191 m.
The eye is small and has no nictitating membrane. Nostrils are closer to mouth than to snout, where we note like many small pores the Ampules of Lorenzini, very sensitive sensors with which localizes in the dark of night the magnetic field emitted by preys and orients, with GPS precision, basing on the Earth’s magnetic field © Giuseppe Mazza
Present in rocky, madreporic environments and along the sandy coasts, it rests mostly during the day in submerged grottoes, staying quietly in mid-water. Even if, like all sharks, it does not have the swim bladder, it may in fact swallow the air and store it in the stomach for a neutral buoyancy.
In various locations it performs annual migrations covering even thousands of kilometres. Along the Australian coasts and South African coasts, for instance, gives birth at the extreme South in cool waters, but for mating it goes up along the coast for more than 1000 km in warmer waters and for the pregnancy movers even more to the North, towards a tropical climate until when the time comes to get back to the starting point to deliver other sons.
The very impressive mouth, seen from below, forms an acute arc, with rows of sharp and protruding teeth, like daggers, presenting two unusual sharp points at the base. 45-55 on the upper jaw and 40-46 below © Rafi Amar
Morphophysiology
The common size is about 2,5 m with a weight of more than 100 kg, but the males may reach 2,8 m, the females 3,3 m, and there is a maximum ascertained weight of 158,8 kg.
The body, covered with spaced small scales, presents brownish grey on the dorsal side with irregular dark brown reddish spots on the sides, more evident in the juveniles.
As usual, the ventral part is whitish.
The body is dorso-ventrally flattened with pointed snout and with an eye small if compared to the body without the protection of a nictitating membrane.
Aligned with this, not far away, stands a barely visible, very small spiracle.
The nostrils are closer to the mouth than to the apex of the snout.
Are not missing, visible like many small pores, the Ampules of Lorenzini to localize the magnetic field emitted by the preys and for orienting through the Earth’s magnetic field.
The impressive maw that, seen from below, forms a sharp arc, has sharp teeth similar to daggers with two unusual sharp points at the base.
There are 45-55 of them on the upper jaw and 40-46 below.
They are arranged on more rows with the first two protruding, the third bent backwards and the other ones, in reserve, still growing in the gum tissue.
The upper jaw has at the centre some very small teeth that give the impression of a void and those close are less inclined outward for holding the prey.
The 5 gill slits end at the junction of the showy pectoral fins that, like the pelvic, display edges and dark points on the lower side. These last, much smaller, have almost the same size as the anal fin and the two dorsal fins, similar to each other in shape and size.
The top common size is of 2,5 m and 100 kg, but males may reach 2,8 m, the females 3,3 m. The maximum ascertained weight is of 158,8 kg. The sharks do not have swim bladder and if they don’t move they sink, but this swallows air and can stand motionless in mid-water with a neutral buoyancy to rest or to stand in ambush © Klaus Stiefel
The heterocercal caudal fin is long and sturdy, with the lower lobe inconspicuous and the upper one presenting a pronounced subterminal notch.
Ethology-Reproductive Biology
Carcharias taurus goes hunting during the night, alone or in. school if the prey are big and fierce, like, for instance, the Great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda).
It hunts by night, alone or in groups if the preys are big. It eats for the 60% bony fishes, but it also attacks rays, small sharks, squids, lobsters and crabs © Rafi Amar
60% of them are demersal bony fishes, that is swimming over the bottom, that often surprises standing still, without making a sound, thanks to its neutral buoyancy, but attacks also rays and small sharks, squids, lobsters and crabs.
The males of the Sand tiger shark reach the sexual maturity by around the 5-7 years when they measure about 1,9 m, the females later, when 7-10 years old and 2,2 m long.
The mating has been observed in an aquarium where an alpha male has pushed rivals away and courted for several days a female initially biting and defensive.
Male’s courting lasts several days. When it is accepted, it seizes the pectoral fin of the female and fecundates her © Rafi Amar
The coupling has occurred as usual with the male clenching between its teeth the pectoral of the partner while introducing in the cloaca one of its two pterygopodia with the sperm.
The Sand tiger shark is a particular ovoviviparous species, characterized by the intrauterine cannibalism of the embryos.
The female has two uteri that initially can contain even 25 fecundated eggs each. In both, after having consumed their yolk sac, around 10 cm, the embryos grow up devouring the other embryos. So, at the end, only one remains per uterus and the female, after 8-9 months of pregnancy therefore gives birth only to two sons about 1 m long.
The females have two uteri with even 25 eggs each. In both the strongest embryo while growing eats the brothers and so the mother delivers only 2 pups © Rafi Amar
On the one hand they get out already weaned, with good chances of getting away with it, but the females must recover from the effort, 2-3 years are needed for a new delivery and the average rate of reproduction is therefore less than one pup per year.
Therefore, the resilience is very low, with a minimum doubling time of the populations of 14 years to which we have to add a high vulnerability linked to the fishing that marks 58 already on a scale of 100.
Underwater fishing, line fishing, random catches with trawl nets or targetted, like, for instance, in Japan where the flesh of this shark is particularly appreciated.
Upon birth they measure about 1 m. This is a young with the typical spots on the sides, often attenuated also in the adults © Raimundo Fernandez
Presently, in 2022, off the coast of Florida the species has already disappeared and is in marked. decline in all locations.
Carcharhinus taurus (Rafinesque, 1810); Eugomphodus taurus (Rafinesque, 1810); Odontaspis taurus (Rafinesque, 1810); Odontaspis americanus (Mitchill, 1815); Squalus littoralis Lesueur, 1818; Carcharias littoralis (Lesueur, 1818); Squalus macrodus Mitchill, 1818; Carcharias griseus Ayres, 1843; Odontaspis cinerea Ramsay, 1880; Lamna ecarinata Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1899; Carcharias arenarius Ogilby, 1911; Odontaspis arenarius (Ogilby, 1911); Carcharias owstoni Garman, 1913; Odontaspis platensis Lahille, 1928; Carcharias platensis (Lahille, 1928).
→ For general information about fishes please click here.
→ To appreciate the biodiversity within the Chondrichthyes, the CARTILAGINOUS FISHES please click here.
Carcharias taurus was last modified: November 9th, 2022 by Peppino | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.740767776966095, "wiki_prob": 0.740767776966095, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line1053250"} |
Mainstream Says “What’s In It For Us?” Actually, a Lot.
DeFi, in its current form, won’t see mass adoption if it fails to address some of the fundamental tensions that the ecosystem is facing, says Brian Fu, Co-Founder of zkLend.
Much is said about DeFi’s core mission: to create greater financial inclusion and bank the unbanked. For mass adoption of DeFi to be possible, it needs to consider those who are currently excluded from existing financial systems. But also, those who are currently enjoying and reaping the benefits of the status quo. This is the audience – the mainstream mass-market users who don’t currently have an immediate incentive to learn a set of new and complex protocols and the novel technology behind it. We need to convince and convert them in order to accelerate mass adoption of DeFi.
According to Consensys, the market cap of all DeFi protocols was US$149 billion at the end of December 2021. This is less than 1% of that of global banks. We have seen many businesses pivot and deploy capital into this space. Many DeFi milestones being well progressed. But DeFi still has a way to go before it becomes available and easily accessible for everyday people. These people are of varying technical competence and financial literacy levels. The financial capital, in time and resources, required to understand the underlying technology is a key barrier. So, we need to answer the fundamental question – what’s in it for them?
We, as a new emerging industry, need to do a better job at shaping and telling the story of DeFi. This is alongside tackling other much talked about issues within it. These issues include the impact of institutional adoption, lack of seamless user experience, and regulation that is currently constricting the growth of the ecosystem.
DeFi and TradFi Collaborations
As we focus on mass market penetration, we must first recognize the value institutional players bring in accelerating retail adoption. Institutions bring substantial monetary value, with Chainalysis reporting that 60% of DeFi transactions are made by ‘large institutions.’ Transactions are defined as greater than $10M. More importantly, when big players in traditional finance take active, genuine steps towards crypto adoption, it reflects confidence for otherwise conservatives and skeptics.
Some prominent moves recently include the announcement by financial services provider, Fidelity. Their plans allow a portion of retirement savings to be allocated to Bitcoin. Banking giant, Goldman Sachs, offered its first loan to a borrower backed by Bitcoin as collateral. Similarly, we’ve seen one of France’s largest banks take a historic step towards institutional adoption by applying for a $20M stablecoin loan from MakerDao. MakerDao is one of the largest DeFi lending platforms. The loan involves on-chain bond tokens issued by the bank as collateral. These are practical steps towards digital asset experimentation by financial giants that set precedence for other companies to follow suit and a path towards adoption.
Various other banks and traditional financial services opted to delve into the space in 2021. This is in different forms, including launching a trading desk for digital assets, supporting the custody of digital assets, leveraging new blockchain-based custody platforms, developing a digital token, or otherwise exposing its customer base to digital assets in some form.
These steps spark excitement and make the headlines. But they also demonstrate a legitimate use case for digital assets – beyond only extracting value when prices increase.
In addition to bringing a degree of trust, awareness and publicity, institutions also bring a level of support to the development of Web3 infrastructure, UX, and security into the space.
We have seen early-phase adoption within small to medium crypto funds. But larger, more regulated entities have more onerous compliance and regulatory reporting requirements. Having infrastructure that meets the institutional requirements for compliance, security and operations, and that in some cases can be enjoyed by retail users, will be key to taking them from DeFi experimentation through to adoption.
Tensions and Regulation
Capital flooding into the space shows an appetite for DeFi. But there is an obvious tension between governments and crypto as it relates to regulation. The intention is to safeguard the public interest, but this further impacts institutional and retail adoption.
Regulation is always more favorable than a ban. But regulatory bodies can simply recycle and impose traditional finance rules onto DeFi. With this move, they risk not only stifling the innovation and gains made in DeFi, but also the essence of Web3. This defeats its mandate of safeguarding the public interest.
One example of this is the recent European Union proposal. It requires crypto service providers to collect personal information on senders and beneficiaries in all crypto transactions, with no minimum threshold. The proposal is designed to prevent illicit flows and criminal activities. The aim being to “ensure crypto-assets can be traced in the same way as traditional money transfers.”
DeFi Vs TradFi
This is a key illustration of lawmakers not understanding and appreciating a fundamental difference between TradFi and DeFi. It assumes that a self-custodial wallet linked to a verifiable identity means that this person controls the wallet. This is much in the same way that a bank account linked to a verified identity means the identity has ultimate control of the account. This, however, is not the case with self-custody of crypto assets. Control and the ability to transact is not tied to anyone’s identity. But rather by the holder of the private keys to that wallet. Rather than giving up one’s own sovereignty over their assets to a bank, they maintain complete ownership in exchange for storing their private keys safely.
TradFi is the Past, DeFi the Future
From this proposal, we can expect to see the scope of mandates from TradFi that were initially designed for wire transfers to be gradually expanded to include transfers of crypto assets. This should be objected to on principle grounds to maintain the sanctity of DeFi. It risks sacrificing the tenets of self-custody and privacy, as well as user security. In the event of a hack, a bank can block the account whereas a self-custodial wallet lacks this ability, thereby exposing users to a heightened level of risk if privacy is compromised.
This is the time for the DeFi community to proactively engage with policymakers and take an educated stance on the costs of ineffective and burdensome compliance processes. The DeFi community needs to develop a new regulatory framework that balances the importance of scrutiny and decentralization. This is important not only to adhere to the core tenets of DeFi. But it is needed for maintaining the talent and capital required to grow this sector. We should promote interconnectivity between centralized and decentralized players while introducing compliance solutions that respect both sides.
DeFi: Overcoming the Barrier to Learning
Regulatory uncertainty casts a shadow over the DeFi sector. And, there’s another key challenge for DeFi. That is, the lack of user-friendly interfaces that is necessary to drive continued exponential growth and new users into the space.
Many new users have hopped over from Web2 to experience the hype. We need to cater to the crypto-curious and late majority by reducing the barrier to entry and barrier to learning.Institutions are deterred by compliance and security issues. But mainstream users are further deterred by difficult and clunky UX and UI.
A user who is interested in Web3 and DeFi protocols must first understand what a wallet is and how to fund it. They would also need a base layer understanding of other fundamental Web3 components. These include bridges, wallets on different chains, and DEXs. In general, many DeFi applications are complex and inundated with industry jargon. The upfront cost and time required to learn and test out the technology are key deterrents for new users.
Further, the user experience in DeFi still consists of applications offering different services i.e. lending/borrowing and exchanging assets requires different applications. DeFi developers need to understand that this is an additional obstacle for newcomers. Mainstream users are used to a different system – one where a single interface provides all the financial services one needs to look after their finances, from savings to loans.
DeFi Fragmentation
Current fragmentation between networks requires that users have to understand and constantly switch between applications to access different financial products. This is exacerbated by the fact that all protocols are decentralized and developed separately. The interactions between protocols are not always user-friendly, streamlined, and error-proof.
The barrier to learning is further compounded by the high gas fees required to experiment with, and learn DeFi protocols on Ethereum. This is especially true during periods of high congestion. The work required to integrate and provide a better and more seamless UX needs to go hand-in-hand with advancement in rollups, which executes transactions outside the main Ethereum blockchain. This can address scalability issues which will reduce cost of experimentation while maintaining decentralization.
DeFi: Mass Adoption
To propel DeFi to a new level of experimentation and adoption, we need to first understand the issues plaguing the ecosystem from a users’ point of view. We need to encourage collaboration with regulatory bodies, and promote widespread consumer understanding and education. In doing so, we can lower the barrier to learning and have the requisite infrastructure. This will ensure that not only are the masses ready for DeFi, but that DeFi is ready for the masses.
Brian Fu, Co-Founder of zkLend. Brian has more than 15 years of experience in TradFi, investment banking and private equity at major financial institutions including Bloomberg, Standard Chartered Bank, Silk Road Finance and China Merchants Capital, before diving into the world of on-chain protocols and crypto. Having experienced the bottlenecks and pain points of TradFi infrastructure firsthand, he looks forward to building with people and technology that can realise this new financial paradigm.
Got something to say about DeFi, TradFi, or anything else? Write to us or join the discussion in our Telegram channel. You can also catch us on Tik Tok, Facebook, or Twitter.
US Economy Is Probably in Recession That Could Last 18 Months — Warns It ‘Will Get Worse’ – Economics Bitcoin News
Market Wrap: Cryptos and Stocks Mixed Amid Bearish Sentiment | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.7075244784355164, "wiki_prob": 0.29247552156448364, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line185361"} |
Art Gallery, Madrid
Founded in 2003 in Madrid, TRAVESÍA CUATRO has devoted itself to constantly renovate its focus and goals as a gallery. Initially, the need to create a tangible link between the artistic scenes in Europe and Latin America was its primary intention. The gallery was centered around the representation of Spanish and Mexican artists, leading to the opening of a second space in 2013 in the city of Guadalajara, Mexico, in the Casa Franco, a 1929 home designed by Guadalajara-born architect Luis Barragán.
Nowadays, TRAVESÍA CUATRO aims to reflect the polyphony and diversity of discourses that coexist within these contexts and in recent years the gallery has enriched its program with the representation of international artists. Ranging from emerging to established, all of them emulate a definite sociopolitical stance through a poetic dimension, in order to produce a contrasting dialogue that could be pertinent regarding identity, global economy and multiculturalism. In 2019 it opened a third gallery, Travesía Cuatro CDMX, in Mexico City.
February 2, 2023 1:07 pm local time
Calle De San Mateo 16, 28004 Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Calle De La Beneficencia 18b
CentroCentro
Palace of Communication
Calle De Santa Isabel 52
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (Palacio de Cristal)
Paseo República De Cuba 4
The Ryder
Cl De Miguel Servet 13
Galería Marta Cervera
Cl Valencia 28 | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.5734035968780518, "wiki_prob": 0.5734035968780518, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line1217844"} |
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New York Jets At New England Patriots - As Good As It Gets
By Joe Caporoso Nov 29, 2010, 4:49pm EST
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December football.
Monday Night.
9-2 Jets...receiving too little respect despite their strong record.
9-2 Patriots...receiving too much despite their strong record.
What else can you ask for at this time of the year?
Some early thoughts on the match-up that will more than likely determine the winner of the AFC East...
1. Take The Over - In case you didn't notice, the Patriots are ranked 32nd in the NFL at defending the pass and 31st in total defense. Yes, they are that bad. Mark Sanchez put together a 21/30, 220 yard, 3 TD performance against them in week 2 and should be primed for another big game. By the way, he also didn't have that Santonio Holmes guy forthe week 2 match-up. On the other side, New England has been racking up yards and points in bunches the previous few weeks and Tom Brady is surrounded by dangerous weapons. The Jets have been awful at defending the tight end and New England has two very good ones in Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski. I don't think there will be a shortage of points in this game.
2. End The Danny Woodhead Hysteria - Get over it Jets fans, he isn't on the team anymore. He has been good for the Patriots but stop acting like he is Jim Brown. He isn't a good fit for our offense and wouldn't get reps. Brad Smith is doing just fine as our de facto #3 running back and is a better all around player than Woodhead anyway.
3. Where Is The Island? - It will be interesting to see how the Jets use Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie in coverage this week. Do you put them on New England's tight ends? Should Revis just focus on Wes Welker? It should be a mix and match in the secondary for most of the night. Fortunately it sounds like the Jets will get Dwight Lowery and Marquice Cole back, which will improve their depth.
4. Special Mess - In an evenly matched game like this, special teams can be the difference. Nick Folk has been inconsistent lately and the Patriots kicker is Shayne "Shank" Graham. Brandon Tate and Brad Smith are both good kick returners. Whichever can avoid the killer mistakes in this third of the game and make a big play or two will have a big advantage.
5. Statement Game - This is one hell of an opportunity for the Jets to demonstrate that they are now the class of the AFC East. They have been chasing the Patriots for the past decade and now can sweep them and hop in the driver's seat for the division.
Let's Get It...
Patriots 45, Jets 3: Ryan Says 'It Was Humiliating'
Patriots 45, Jets 3: Some Post-Game Reaction | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.6475560665130615, "wiki_prob": 0.6475560665130615, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line1650008"} |
Richmond Register, Ky.
Kentucky State Police announce 2023 Trooper Island Raffle Vehicle
Jan. 14—FRANKFORT — The Kentucky State Police (KSP) is offering the public the opportunity to own a brand-new vehicle in 2023, according to a release.
The agency's non-profit, Trooper Island Camp, is raffling off a 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali 4WD, and proceeds from the sales support the camp for underprivileged children.
Coming from Bailey-Gibson Buick GMC in Glasgow, Ky., the advanced Denali is cloaked in a white frost exterior and perforated forge leather interior. The vehicle is also equipped with a 5.3L, EcoTec3 V-8 engine, and an integrated trailer brake controller and trailering package.
Last year, Trooper Island Camp set a new record by selling all 35,000 tickets for the 2022 GMC Sierra raffle truck. KSP Trooper Island Camp Commander Trooper Jonathan Biven said he hopes to surpass that number in 2023.
"We are once again we are excited to be able to offer an amazing truck," said Trooper Biven. "Every year, our raffle sales increase and it would not be possible without the generosity of our supporters."
Tickets are $10 each and are available on the Trooper Island website or any KSP post throughout the state. A total of 50,000 tickets will be sold, with the raffle truck drawing on Aug. 27, 2023, at 3 p.m. (ET) at the Kentucky State Fair. Ticket holders do not have to be present to win. The raffle winner is responsible for all tax and license fees.
According to a release from KSP, the 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali 4WD is equipped with a remote engine start and an electric sliding sunroof. Inside the truck are heated front and back seats, a heated steering wheel, hitch guidance with hitch view and image adjustment, and an OnStar Communication System and Sirius XM satellite radio. The truck also has a power sliding rear window with a defogger, power retracting assist steps with perimeter lighting, and a 2-speed autotrac transfer case. A full list of features and equipment can be found on the Trooper Island website.
Trooper Island is a free summer camp for underprivileged boys and girls aged 10-12 operated by the Kentucky State Police on Dale Hollow Lake in Clinton County. It is financed entirely by donations; no public funds are used. Each year, the camp hosts approximately 700 children, providing good food, fresh air, recreation, guidance, and structured, esteem-building activities designed to build good citizenship and positive relationships with law enforcement officers.
Police in California are fuming after motorists tried their luck at crossing the gap, with abysmal results.
Tractor-trailer jackknifes on I-70; Hazmat called
A hazmat team has been called to the scene of a tractor-trailer crash in Washington County.
New details emerge on Tesla cliff plunge that led driver to be charged with attempted murder
Prosecutors reportedly said witnesses didn't see the Tesla's brake lights, and the driver's wife made "incriminating" statements about her husband.
A semi sent a pickup off the road — the first fatal crash this year in the Keys, FHP says
Troopers say a pickup was hit from behind by a tractor trailer.
Bicyclist hit by car, stabbed on PCH in Dana Point
A bicyclist has been hospitalized after being struck by a car and then stabbed by the driver on PCH in Dana Point. According to investigators, the crash appeared to be intentional.
Brother of NBA player charged 10 days after deadly DUI crash, Colorado officials say
Coban Porter, a University of Denver basketball player and the brother of Denver Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr., was charged with four felony counts, prosecutors said.
Don’t drive on icy North Texas roads Tuesday, Wednesday; 1 dead in Arlington because of weather
“If you can, it’s best to stay home,” said Val Lopez with the Texas Department of Transportation in Fort Worth.
Traffic diverted off Hutch after fuel spill from tractor carrying 42,000 pounds of fries
A tractor trailer hit a bridge on the Hutchinson River Parkway on Wednesday morning; southbound lanes closed while a fuel spill is cleaned up.
Woman in custody for hitting 3 people with car after argument in East Hills, police say
A woman is in police custody after allegedly striking three people with a vehicle after an argument in East Hills overnight.
Two Agua Dulce students involved in fatal crash on Highway 44
The Sault News
Northern Michigan basketball community rallies around Escanaba following tragedy
In the wake of a tragic accident, basketball teams across Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula are rallying around Escanaba Area Public Schools.
Ocala Star Banner
FHP: Two people killed in single-vehicle crash along County Road 464C
FHP troopers are trying to piece together a single-vehicle crash that killed two people late Tuesday in east Marion County.
VIDEO: Family seeks answers after woman hit by car multiple times on I-4
Family seeks answers after woman hit by car multiple times on I-4
Woman killed in second fatal accident on Highway 109 in Davidson County this month
There has been another fatal accident on N.C. Highway 109 in Davidson County, approximately five miles from another car crash that killed four people, including two children on Jan. 6.
WLWT - Cincinnati
Police: Body found identified as missing 76-year-old man from Covington
Police announced Tuesday they have identified a body as a missing man from Covington.
Man who allegedly intentionally drove Tesla off cliff with family inside faces attempted murder charges
A California man who prosecutors say intentionally drove his Tesla off a cliff with his family inside is facing attempted murder charges. Dharmesh Arvind Patel, 41, of Pasadena, was arraigned on three felony counts of attempted murder at the San Mateo County Superior Court in Redwood City on Monday afternoon. Patel's attorney, Josh Bentley, did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment.
The Augusta Chronicle
Nine railroad cars derail in Augusta, closes part of major thoroughfare
Part of two Augusta roads are shut down after nine railroad cars derailed Tuesday evening.
WLKY - Louisville Videos
Aerials: Crash on I-265 at I-64
A bicyclist died Wednesday afternoon after they were struck by a car in Dana Point then assaulted by the driver, authorities said.
GMC Had a Good 2022, but Where’s the Hummer?
Georgia sheriff raffling off a gun
What to know: Future Kentucky men’s basketball players in game in Frankfort Friday night
Lexington Herald-Leader
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Lego 71016 – The Kwik e-Mart
It’s was almost certain that the second Simpsons’ Set would be on stores in the first semester and today Lego has gladly conformed it. The new Kwik e-Mart set has been officially revealed, it will be slightly smaller than the Simpsons House, and will be available next May with a retail price around the two hundred bucks.
With exactly two thousand and hundred and seventy nice pieces, the set brings, besides the convenience store which is extremely detailed with lots of different colors everywhere, a police car and six mini-figures: Homer Simpson, Bart Simpson, Marge Simpson, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Chief Wiggum and Snake, all of them with different accessories.
At the first look from the outside, we can see all the major colors perfectly reproduced just like in the cartoons. To the dark yellow wall and the brown roof with a big kwik emarket outdoor joins a front wall filled with plenty of glass that includes several windows and a big door just in the middle allowing seeing some of the endless details of the interior.
Aside the glass, there are two phone cabins, a grid to park the bikes and an additional compartment for the big trash cans. To access the interior there are two possible ways: By removing the roof which as you can see through the images, features some nice details such as the conditioning air or even what it looks a small garden, or adding a second step, opening the back wall just right in the middle.
Once opened, the building shows a lot of pretty nice details, featuring a huge potential in terms of playability. The small supermarket is definitely awesome, showing a lot of different shelves with food and assorted goods, refrigerators all along the walls, an ice cream machine, a small stand with papers and books, an ATM with a surveillance camera, coffee and drinks machines and even a small storage to put the power sauce boxes. Besides this list, there are certainly many more details that are impossible to mention with putting the hands on the store.
Returning to the outside, the police vehicle despite not being very cute, is however and once again perfectly recreated. It’s reasonably big, it uses the traditional colors scheme of the American police vehicles and shows in the interior a lot of space for the officer and for the potential arrested guys. I especially enjoyed the fact of being built with plenty of little pieces, which is surely interesting when it’s time to build this secondary element.
The characters just like in the first series of collectable mini-figures are once again really nice detailed and from these six guys I would definitely highlight Bart and the cop with the dirty shirt. Overall, this huge set is definitely a must for the Simpsons fans. I now that is hard to spend two hundred bucks, especially if you’ve done it last year with the Simpsons House but I think that sooner or later, the fans won’t certainly let this Kwik e-mart escape from their collections (Am I right, Daniel?). Please have a look at the official press release and extended gallery and enjoy the details!
Official Press release:
71016 – The Kwik-E-Mart
Ages 12+. 2,179 pieces.
US $199.99 – CA $229.99 – DE 199.99€ – UK £169.99 – DK 1699.00 DKK
*Euro pricing varies by country. Please visit shop.LEGO.com for regional pricing.
Visit The Kwik-E-Mart—Springfield’s favorite convenience store!
Welcome to The Kwik-E-Mart—your one-stop shop for convenience foods at inconvenient prices! This highly detailed and iconic LEGO® version of The Simpsons™ store is packed with more rich, colorful details than a Mr. Burns birthday cake has candles!
Walk under the huge Kwik-E-Mart sign and join Homer, Marge and Bart as they browse the aisles filled with beauty products, diapers, dog food, pastries, fruits, vegetables and more—including Krusty-O’s and Chef Lonelyheart’s Soup for One.
Then head over to the refrigerated cases where you’ll find Buzz Cola, chocolate milk, various other drinks and snacks… and frozen Jasper! There’s also a Buzz Cola soda fountain, juice dispensers, coffee machine, arcade games, ATM and stacks of Powersauce boxes. At the counter, Apu is ready to tempt you with a variety of printed magazines, comic books, cards, tofu hot dogs, freshly expired donuts and his ever-popular hallucination-inducing Squishees.
At the back, there’s a storage closet complete with rat and an exit. On the roof you’ll discover Apu’s secret vegetable garden, while outside this amazing model features bright-yellow walls, 2 phone booths, a stack of purple crates, and a dumpster area with ‘El Barto’ graffiti, opening door and an iconic blue dumpster that also opens. You can also remove the roof and open out the rear walls for easy access. This set also includes Snake (a.k.a. Jailbird), who loves nothing more than stealing cars and robbing the Kwik-E-Mart—but this time Chief Wiggum is hot on his tail in his police car. Capture this bandit and return peace to the town of Springfield and the amazing Kwik-E-Mart.
This fantastic set includes 6 minifigures with assorted accessory elements: Homer Simpson, Bart Simpson, Marge Simpson, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Chief Wiggum and Snake (a.k.a. Jailbird).Set includes 6 minifigures with assorted accessory elements: Homer Simpson, Bart Simpson, Marge Simpson, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Chief Wiggum and Snake (a.k.a. Jailbird)
Features opening rear walls, a removable roof with secret vegetable garden, Kwik-E-Mart signage, light-blue walls, dusty blue floors, turquoise welcome mat, shelves, refrigerated cases, counter, Buzz Cola soda fountain, juice dispensers, coffee machine, 2 arcade games, ATM, crates of Powersauce bars, surveillance cameras, rear storage closet with a rat, cheese, rat hole and an exit door.
Shelves feature beauty products, diapers, dog food, pastries, fruits, vegetables and more—including Krusty-O’s and Chef Lonelyheart’s Soup for One
Refrigerator cabinets feature a variety of beverages including cans of Buzz Cola… and frozen Jasper!
Counter features a cash register, magazine and card display, lottery machine, hot dog oven, donut display and a Squishee dispenser with 2 Squishees
Also includes Chief Wiggum’s police car featuring an opening trunk, removable roof and space for 3 minifigures
Accessory elements include Bart’s spray can, Marge’s shopping basket, Apu’s broom and Chief Wiggum’s cuffs and truncheon
Snake (a.k.a. Jailbird) is exclusive to this set for fall 2015
Removable roof features rare, dark-orange bricks
Lift off the roof and open out the rear walls for easy access
Drink a Squishee and get that sugar-high feeling!
Apprehend Snake before he robs again!
Stock up with overpriced convenience goods
Discover frozen Jasper!
Relax in Apu’s utopian vegetable garden
Have a donut…. mmm, dooonuts!
Kwik-E-Mart measures over 5? (14cm) high, 14? (38cm) wide and 10? (27cm) deep
Police car measures over 2? (6cm) high, 2? (6cm) wide and 5? (15cm)
Lego Simpsons will really go to Production in 2014 – updated with a possible set list!
Lego Simpsons Mini-figures – Finally all the images
Lego Simpsons – The First Mini-Figures Images
Lego Simpsons – A strong possibility in 2014
Lego Series 2 The Simpsons Collectable Mini-Figures – The first rumored list
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Music Industry Veterans Launch Mobile Artist Simulation Game TourStar
Learn what it takes to make it as an artist and win real world prizes in the process in this industry simulation game for iPhone and iPad.
August 12, 2014, Sacramento, CA – Today, music fans everywhere can step into the shoes of their favorite artist and get an inside look at what it really takes to make it as a professional performer. TourStar, conceptualized by entertainment executive Brandon Pankey of Music Players Group and brought to life with the help of Eddie Meehan of GroundCtrl, is the first iOS sim game of its kind to bring tour life and the perks and challenges that come with it to the mobile screen.
Like any new artist just starting out, first-time players of TourStar are faced with a number of decisions like; What should their look be? Should they sign with a label or stay independent? Should they go on tour right away or record an album? Who should they trust for advice?; and much more.
As the game progresses players learn that just like in real life, every decision they make has an impact on their career in some way.
As players make their way through levels of the game, touring the country, recording albums and building their in-game fame, they become eligible to win real world prize packages including concert tickets and VIP meet-and-greets with their favorite artists!
“TourStar is life in the music industry,” states Brandon Pankey. “The game is a fun way to peek into the life of a performer as they try to make it to superstardom. And the fact that gamers get to actually win real prizes like tickets and passes to their favorite artists’ shows is pretty cool too.”
Additional Features of TourStar include:
– Design a personalized 3D avatar to match players’ music style and fashion preferences.
– Virtually tour the country, gaining experience and building a fanbase.
– Record albums and release them to boost fame.
– Improve musicianship with mini-games that keep players’ instruments in tune and shows in high-gear.
– Build a virtual band, and get advice from managers, agents and record labels.
TourStar is available now for free on the iTunes App Store. Connect with TourStar on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates on prize packages, gaming advice, news, and more.
About TourStar:
Conceptualized by entertainment executive Brandon Pankey of Music Players Group and brought to life with the help of Eddie Meehan of GroundCtrl, a Sacramento, California-based artist engagement company and AtomicChimp, a leading mobile development shop in Redmond, Wash. Additional music for the game was produced by Roc Nation producer Jahlil Beats and Dilemma. For more information, visit www.tourstarapp.com.
Lose Yourself in the Mosaique – A New Game From Winning Blimp
Florida based Winning Blimp today announces Mosaique 1.1 for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad devices. Mosaique is a visually elegant puzzle game designed as the perfect pastime for long lines or lunch breaks. The game allows players to participate in the pastime of Vraxian colonial engineers and destroy small, localized gravitational pockets of sand. Users can develop their own strategy by swapping, lining up, and bursting the tiles in the playing field.
Temple Terrace, Florida – Winning Blimp is proud to announce today the release of their mobile game, Mosaique. Mosaique is a visually elegant puzzle game designed as the perfect pastime for long lines or lunch breaks. The game allows players to participate in the pastime of Vraxian colonial engineers and destroy small, localized gravitational pockets of sand. Users can develop their own strategy by swapping, lining up, and bursting the tiles in the playing field.
“Mosaique is a 10 minute brain snack, ideal for those wanting a short, engaging, intellectual distraction via a beautifully realistic visual interface,” said Alex May, co-founder and creative director of Winning Blimp. “The short length of the game, the graphic style, and even the name ‘Mosaique’ are all elements spawned from the feel of the music: intellectual, yet somehow familiar and accessible. We always prefer to create the music to our games first, and then draw inspiration from that.”
With just seven levels, Mosaique can be easily completed in ten minutes. Arrange and clear tiles of matching colors to beat each level and discover the hidden depths behind this addictive puzzle game. By switching to expert mode, players can use strategic elements to challenge themselves, earn more points, and progress further into the Mosaique. The game combines matching mechanics with a sci-fi theme, paying homage to the 16-bit games from the SNES, Genesis and Amiga era. It also features a 10-minute original soundtrack to help you slip away into the alien world of the Vraxian colonists and their intoxicating intellectual pastime.
* Algorithmically generated levels. Different each game
* Play as you please. Mosaique gives back as much strategic challenge as you put in
* No time limits. It’s a game, not a test
* 10 minute original soundtrack to help you slip away
* Elegantly designed interface and visual experience
Device Requirements:
* iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
* Requires iOS 4.3 or later
* 33.1 MB
Mosaique 1.1 is only $0.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Games category. Mosaique is also available on Google Play and the Amazon App Store. For more information please visit Winning Blimp online and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
Winning Blimp
Mosaique 1.1
Purchase and Download (iOS)
Purchase and Download (Google Play)
Purchase and Download (Amazon)
Winning Blimp specializes in sci-fi themed games that pay homage to the classic 16-bit games of the Nintendo SNES, Sega Genesis (Megadrive) and Commodore Amiga. Based in both Osaka, Japan and Florida, USA, Winning Blimp is headed by Bear Trickey, a former game designer from Kyoto-based studio Q-Games, and Alex May, a multi-discipline graphic artist and musician. All Material and Software (C) Copyright 2013 Winning Blimp. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other trademarks and registered trademarks may be the property of their respective owners.
No Musical Skills Required; Jam Like a Rockstar Today with the New ‘Jam’ Music App for iPhone from DreamWalk Interactive
Create completely original songs in just seconds by simply singing into your iPhone, share with friends and earn virtual badges and royalties to unlock exclusive bonus features
Melbourne, Australia, January 14, 2013 — Australian developer DreamWalk Interactive announced today that Jam, a new song-creation app for the iPhone, is now available for download. Perfect for anyone who dreams of becoming a star but might not have the vocal ability, Jam allows users to create original songs that can then be shared with friends. Featuring unlockable musical style packs, award badges and streamlined social sharing tools, Jam can now be downloaded for free at the iTunes App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/app/jam-for-iphone/id580366563
“Jam enables absolutely anyone to create original music, regardless of their musical abilities or experience, and best of all it only takes a few seconds!” says Joe Russell, General Manager of DreamWalk Interactive.
Using Jam is simple. First, choose a musical style from a variety of style packs ranging from pop-rock and hip-hop to punk rock, 80’s dance music and more. Then sing, talk, or rap into the device. Jam will automatically detect and adjust the pitch, key and song structure to create a completely unique song – no two tracks are ever the same!
Users can publish their songs to in-app Jam charts and invite their friends to listen via Facebook and Twitter. Earn badges and royalties for each published track to unlock additional style packs, grow a following of fans and even get signed to one of four Jam record labels.
Jam features include:
Original song creation in seconds!
Social sharing tools and built-in social network for following artists and “liking” songs
Unlockable musical style packs
Virtual royalties and award badges
Four unique record labels to sign the best “Jammers”
Jam for iPhone is available now at iTunes. For more information visit http://www.jamapp.com.au and follow Jam on Facebook and Twitter.
About DreamWalk Interactive:
DreamWalk is a division of Wellcom Group Limited. It was founded by brothers, Joe and Sam Russell in 2008 with the development the world’s first commercial GPS treasure hunting platform, also named DreamWalk. The DreamWalk treasure hunt platform and variations thereof have since been used by dozens of brands and thousands of users in Australia and the US. http://www.dreamwalk.com.au/ | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.9344992637634277, "wiki_prob": 0.9344992637634277, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line1492363"} |
Home » Campaigns » Wild Salmon
Clayoquot Sound has one of the densest concentrations of salmon farms (feedlots) on the BC coast. At each feedlot, hundreds of thousands of salmon are contained in open net-pens suspended in the ocean and anchored close to shore. There are 20 sites here, 16 of which are usually active at a time. Two companies operate locally.
Cermaq Canada (formerly Mainstream Canada) was a Norwegian-owned company until fall 2014, when all of Cermaq was bought by Japanese mega-corporation, Mitsubishi, and became one of its subsidiaries. Cermaq’s Clayoquot feedlots are in Ahousaht First Nations waters, although its processing facility in Tofino is in Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations territory. Cermaq is one of the largest fish farming companies in the world, with feedlots in Norway, Scotland, and Chile, as well as British Columbia. Locally, Cermaq rears Atlantic salmon, which are not native to these waters.
Creative Salmon, although registered in Canada, is partly owned by investors from Japan. It operates only in Clayoquot Sound, in the territory of Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations. Unlike most other companies in British Columbia, Creative farms Pacific chinook salmon.
The BC salmon farming industry has a long history of poor practices, which are exacerbated by poor government regulation. Regulation of fish farming in BC was transferred in 2011 from the provincial to the federal government. However the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has conflicting mandates. On the one hand they are supposed to regulate the aquaculture industry, while on the other they are supposed to promote it. They seem to be leaning toward promotion to boost international trade, rather than regulation to protect wild fish stocks.
Throughout history, farming of carnivorous species (such as salmon) has never been done because it is more efficient to simply eat the meat rather than feeding it to the carnivores. Each step up the food chain leads to a loss of “energy” as organisms break down food. Farming salmon results in a net loss of energy and currently leads to a fishery of sardines and anchovies solely for the purpose of salmon-feed production rather than for more efficient direct consumption by humans.
In the short-term, there are steps the industry can take to reduce its harmful impacts on the environment but ultimately salmon farming may never be truly sustainable.
Salmon feedlots have many negative ecological impacts, including:
discharge of untreated “salmon sewage” and chemicals directly into the pristine ocean waters of Clayoquot Sound
escape of farmed salmon into surrounding waters
transfer of diseases and parasites (such as sea lice) from farmed stocks to wild stocks
shooting of seals and sea lions (predator control)
accidental drowning of seals and sea lions in fish farm nets.
Steller sea lion drowned in Cermaq’s salmon farm net, Broughton Archipelago, BC, 2007 Photo: Twyla Roscovich
Wild salmon are in exceptional decline everywhere open net-pen salmon farms (feedlots) are in operation around the world (Myers and Ford 2008).
BC’s wild salmon stocks are in serious decline. Even places like Clayoquot Sound, which have great salmon habitat, are seeing salmon numbers plummet. In 2009 the federal government set up a Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River (the Cohen Commission) to figure out why the Fraser River sockeye were dying before they could spawn.
At the Cohen Commission, a federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) document relevant to Clayoquot Sound showed up. It revealed that Creative Salmon has been struggling in Clayoquot with an undiagnosed fish disease since 2005. Dr. Kristi Miller was funded by DFO to help diagnose the severely jaundiced fish. She found two deadly viruses present in Creative Salmon’s farms, Infectious Salmon Anemia virus (ISAv) and the newly emerging Piscine Reovirus, which causes HSMI (Heart and Skeletal Muscle Inflammation).
However, the DFO and Canadian Food Inspection Agency have denied the presence of ISAv and insist that Piscine Reovirus does not cause disease. Since the publication of the Cohen Commission Report in 2012 a study has been commissioned to investigate the prevalence and types of disease in Pacific salmon: we hope the results of this new study by Dr. Kristi Miller will be published soon.
Bio-security protocol at Cermaq’s fish processing plant in Tofino. FOCS files.
In the spring of 2012 two of Cermaq Canada’s farms in Clayoquot Sound were found to have Infectious Haematopoietic Necrosis (IHN) virus, which is naturally occurring in wild fish locally. The feedlots amplify this virus, and can then transfer it back to wild fish. It turns out Cermaq did not vaccinate against this known disease, putting wild fish at risk to save a few dollars. The diseased fish of marketable age were harvested and sold for human consumption without being labelled as diseased.
To protect the marine environment and wild salmon, open net-pen salmon farms need to be moved out of the ocean and into closed-containment systems on land.
Closed-containment systems on land eliminate many problems, including fish escapes and the killing of predators such as sea lions. With proper treatment of waste water, they also eliminate the problems of salmon sewage and transfer of diseases to and from wild fish populations.
The interior of Module 1 of the Kuterra Atlantic salmon farm, designed to produce 470 tonnes of Atlantic salmon per year. The farm, which began commercial operation in 2014, is owned by the Namgis First Nation and is located south of Port McNeill on the east side of Vancouver Island. On the far right of the photo is the wall of the quarantine unit, where smolts live for four months after they arrive. In the background are five grow-out tanks, where fish spend the rest of their lives. On the left near the back is a depuration tank, where the fish spend about 10 days just before harvest. In the centre aisle is the harvesting table, and the pump used to move fish to and from tanks. In the foreground is the water cleaning unit, showing three white drum filters, which remove solids, the CO2 stripper bed, and on the left is the biofilter unit, which removes nitrates and related metabolic products. Credit: Kuterra LP
The main argument against using closed-containment systems on land is that corporate profits would be reduced. Without true-cost accounting, the expense of dumping untreated farmed-salmon sewage into the pristine waters of Clayoquot Sound is borne by the ecosystems and by society at large. Land-based closed containment would transfer these costs back to the industry, which should rightfully bear them.
Recent research and numbers from the Kuterra salmon farm suggest that closed-containment is competitive with open net pen farmed salmon on a unit production basis. The largest difference in production remains the high start-up cost of a closed containment facility. Higher start up cost could be considered the “true cost”, though it is difficult to fully quantify the impacts open net-pen salmon farms have on the environment. Once running, the production cost of closed containment salmon is predicted to be at or below the production cost of open net-pen salmon and returns are expected to come in at a premium. (See the Tides Canada study linked below.)
Spawning run of wild sockeye salmon
Friends of Clayoquot Sound recognize that there is significant local employment in the salmon aquaculture industry, particularly in First Nations communities. The shift to closed-containment must be accompanied by an economic transition plan to ensure good alternative economies are promoted within the Clayoquot Sound region. There is potential here to develop alternative employment in sustainable fisheries from rejuvenated marine environments and in other forms of aquaculture, such as oyster farming.
The FOCS Winter Newsletter is here shedding light on the major issues in Clayoquot Sound and beyond as well as getting a glimpse of the work we have been doing over the last several months, including updates on our campaigns.
Salmon are under threat. Evidence presented at the Clayoquot Salmon Roundtable’s Marine Risk Assessment workshops in 2022 makes it unequivocally clear that every year salmon farms are left operating in the near shore (which is where salmon farms are in Clayoquot Sound), the viability of the wild salmon stocks are adversely impacted.
The Government Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) quietly approved the expansion of 3 Cermaq salmon farms within Clayoquot Sound. The total expansion size – at Millar Channel, Bawden Bay, and Dixon Bay – add the equivalent of an additional salmon farm.
Supporting Salmon Protection, Education, and Celebration Clayoquot Salmon Festival Returns in Person
In September we returned with in person events for Clayoquot Salmon Festival after 2 years of having the Festival online during the height of the pandemic.
Clayoquot Salmon Festival: September 3 – 10, 2022
Salmon play an integral role for coastal livelihoods, cultures, and ecosystems in Clayoquot Sound. Celebrating this magnificent species is what inspires Friends of Clayoquot Sound to organize the annual Clayoquot Salmon Festival!
Get important news and calls to action, right to your inbox.
FOCS Summer Newsletter 2018 | July 19, 2018
FOCS Summer Newsletter 2018 Share this: https://focs.ca/2018-summer-newsletter-is-here/focs-summer-2018/
Clayoquot Salmon Festival 2017 Rack Card | August 29, 2017
Clayoquot Salmon Festival 2017 Rack Card Share this: https://focs.ca/salmonfestival2018history/clayoquot-salmon-festival-rack-card/
FOCS Winter Newsletter 2016 | December 19, 2016
FOCS Winter Newsletter 2016 Share this: https://focs.ca/fallwinter-2016-newsletter-now-available/focs-winter-16/
FOCS Newsletter Summer 2016 | August 11, 2016
FOCS Newsletter Summer 2016 Share this: https://focs.ca/the-summer-2016-focs-newsletter-is-here/focsnews_june_16_5/
FOCS Spring Newsletter 2015 | June 10, 2015
FOCS Spring Newsletter 2015 Share this: https://focs.ca/spring-and-summer-2015-news-letter-now-available/focs_springnews_05_2015/
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https://focs.ca/campaigns/wildsalmon/ | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.5097365975379944, "wiki_prob": 0.4902634024620056, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line1403040"} |
A Taste for Innovation
Mass testing is a keystone of Singapore’s strategy in mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic, and local medical company Lucence has launched a saliva kit to make this daunting task easier and more accessible.
Having witnessed outbreaks of dengue and zika in the community, Ms Rachel Sim wanted to make testing of such RNA viral infections more accessible to the community. “Typically, diagnosis is obtained by testing blood. However, blood-taking is invasive and can be very scary for children,” the A*STAR scholar explained. “Hence, we were inspired to develop a saliva collection kit that can achieve mass testing, contain large outbreaks, and be more accessible.”
With this goal in mind, Ms Sim and Dr Tan Min-Han, then-principal investigator at A*STAR’s Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) lab, set out to develop the chemistry for such a saliva kit. But when the COVID-19 pandemic came around, they realised that their technology could also be used to test for SARS-CoV-2 – which, coincidentally, is also an enveloped RNA virus.
The technology has since been adapted by the team into a saliva sample kit for coronavirus detection, SAFER-Sample. Less painful and risky than the nasopharyngeal swab – currently the most common method of COVID-19 testing – the saliva kit also makes use of a reagent that makes the samples easier and safer to collect and transport.
It was launched under Singapore medical company Lucence, a spin-off from the IBN lab. Developing this reagent was the starting point for the development of the kit, said Ms Sim, who is currently in her final year of her PhD studies in chemical biology at the University of Oxford. She explained that saliva samples tend to degrade rapidly at room temperature, which reduces the accuracy of diagnostic results.
It took the team about half a year to find the right formulation, but several rounds of testing later, the stabilising reagent was optimised to be able to keep viral RNA stable at room temperature for up to one week without degradation. This also helps cut costs by removing the need for cold chain transport, which is expensive and can limit testing geography – for instance, in countries where access to refrigeration is intermittent. The chemistry reagent has also been enhanced so it can inactivate SARS-CoV-2 within 45 seconds of sample collection. “This means enhanced safety and reduced risk of exposure for any individual involved in the collection, transport, and testing processes,” explained Dr Tan, now chief executive officer and medical director of Lucence.
Today, SAFER is already being used in hospitals and clinics in Hong Kong, where saliva was approved for mass testing in February. Lucence is also working on more validation studies here in Singapore, where the kit is already registered as a Class A medical device, to ensure its feasibility and reliability. It is also collaborating with local precision engineering company Akribis to develop a robotic saliva solubilisation platform to process SAFER saliva samples automatically for medical labs, with the first automated unit to be deployed in August 2020.
Although some experts still question the reliability of using saliva samples to detect COVID-19, Lucence is hopeful that the kit will eventually be used for airport testing around the world, as well as in mass testing and screening in communities. “SAFER is already used in Hong Kong SAR, where saliva was first approved for mass-testing in February 2020,” said Dr Tan. “We believe that airport testing is key to enable restoration of travel and the economy.”
Furthermore, there has been emerging evidence that saliva sampling can be more sensitive than conventional nasopharyngeal swabs. And as saliva sampling is less invasive and more accessible, using saliva sampling for mass testing could improve compliance and pick-up rates.
Even though it was originally meant to target an entirely different outbreak, Ms Sim is proud to see her research turned into a commercial product that is helping to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic. “I learnt that it is important to evolve your technology around changing needs,” she said. “When we constantly question our existing knowledge and persistently pursue new knowledge, we can find innovative ways to solve problems.”
The success of this project has motivated Ms Sim to work on developing more technologies that can help to solve the many problems we face today. “I am still very much in the early stages of my research career and have much more to learn,” she said. “Now, when I work on my research, I also consider more about potential applications and how to commercialise my research findings.”
This article was first published on National Research Foundation’s RIE News Magazine. At SGInnovate, we work with entrepreneurial scientists to build and scale their companies.
Lucence is one of our portfolio companies.
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The Tragic Tale of Lucie Blackman: A Londoner Disappears In Tokyo
Kali · May 15, 2015 · Book Reviews · lucie blackman, nonfiction book reviews, people who eat darkness, richard lloyd parry, roppongi, tokyo, true crime · No Comments
At first the story was a puzzle, which developed over time into a profound mystery. Lucie emerged as a tragic victim, and finally as a cause, the subject of vigorous, bitter contestation in a Japanese court. The story attracted much attention in Japan and Britain, but it was fickle and inconsistent. For months at a time there would be no interest in Lucie’s case, then some fresh development would bring a sudden demand for news and explanation. In its outlines the story was familiar enough— girl missing, body found, man charged— but, on inspection, it became so complicated and confusing, so fraught with bizarre turns and irrational developments that conventional reporting of it was almost inevitably unsatisfactory, provoking more unanswered questions than it could ever quell.
This quality of evasiveness, the sense in which it outstripped familiar categories of news, made the story fascinating. It was like an itch that no four columns of newspaper copy or three-minute television item could ever scratch. The story infected my dreams; even after months had passed, I found it impossible to forget Lucie Blackman. I followed the story from the beginning and through its successive stages, trying to craft something consistent and intelligible out of its kinks and knots and roughness. It took me ten years.
–Richard Lloyd Parry, People Who Eat Darkness
People Who Eat Darkness is an example of true crime being stranger than fiction right from the start. Beautiful, young Londoner Lucie Blackman was a hostess in the Roppongi District of Tokyo, lighting the cigars of Japanese businessmen and flirting with them as they drank. She went for a drive to the seaside with one of the men from the club, and never came back. Her panicked roommate, who immediately suspected something was wrong, received a phone call from a man insisting that Lucie had joined a cult and wouldn’t be coming home. Although roommate Louise begged to speak with Lucie, the man refused to let Louise speak with Lucie. “She’s not feeling well,” he said, “she’s starting a new life now.”
Roppongi district of Japan, where Lucie Blackman worked as a hostess – photo by David Fuchs
Thus starts the strange and tragic tale of Lucie Blackman’s disappearance. People Who Eat Darkness has popped up on so many best of true crimes lists as of late I took it as a sign to read it, and I wasn’t disappointed. Well-written true crime books are hard to find, as they often get so bogged down with dates and facts that they lose some of their humanity, or at the other end, they pay so little respect to the humans involved that they feel flagrant.
Richard Lloyd Parry, as a London correspondent living in Japan, was witness to the entire investigation surrounding Lucie’s disappearance, and ultimately, became an odd sort of part of the story himself, when the man put on trial for Lucie’s death sued him for libel. He is in the unique position to identify with Lucie, as much as an older man can, as a foreigner living in Japan. He seeks, vigorously, from the book’s introduction onwards, to establish and understand Lucie as a human, rather than as just part of a headline. He takes this compassionate stance with every person involved in the story, from Lucie’s misunderstood father who doesn’t seem to behave correctly in the aftermath of Lucie’s disappearance, to her murderer, whom Parry examines through his history and familial experience as well as his shocking, atrocious acts.
Roppongi – photo by David Fuchs
Without giving too much of the story away here, I think the story of Lucie’s disappearance also illustrates the difficulty of investigation in general, as police have a bizarre brush with their bad guy before they have all the facts, and they let him off. Tokyo as a city is known for its relative safety, and the police are simply unprepared to handle this sort of dark stuff, once it is exposed. The sad story of Lucie, with all its odd turns and stops, reminds me of how different the real world is from the mystery novels I love to read. If mystery novels are full stories chiseled out of a raw piece of marble by an author, true crime is an author stumbling through a quarry after police and criminals and victims, picking up rocks, trying to hold as many as he can in one basket before they all fall loose. From the confusion surrounding what exactly a hostess does to the odd ruling in the trial, Parry manages to patiently explain the convoluted case and its circumstances, while keeping up the pace.
People Who Eat Darkness on Amazon.com/Powell’s.com/Indiebound.org
Important Book of the Day – Jon Krakauer’s ‘Missoula’
Kali · May 1, 2015 · Important book of the day · jon krakauer, Justice, missoula, nonfiction, rape culture, true crime, university of montana · 2 Comments
Jon Krakauer’s Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a Small Town uncovers the staggering mistreatment of University of Montana rape victims by the Missoula, Montana justice system. Stranger rape is an easy issue to talk about, as the lines between right and wrong are clear. Acquaintance rape, especially when a party is also too inebriated to give consent or consent seems unclear–this is where college rape culture lies, and this is where Jon Krakauer finds himself investigating. Men who can’t recall exactly what happened because they drank so much, women who awoke from a blackout with someone on top of them.
What shocked me most was the varying treatment Krakauer chronicles between victim and assailant by law enforcement. As women are immediately challenged about their claims, the men brought in for questioning are comforted. “You aren’t thinking of committing suicide, are you,” they are asked the men. At one point, a woman with clear bruises around her throat who was drugged with GHB is asked if she could have just fallen down the night before.
Krakauer notes throughout the book that despite the title of Jezebel’s article, ‘My Weekend In America’s So-Called ‘Rape Capital’ (the author is referring to a quote given by a student), Missoula’s seemingly high rape statistics are quite normal. They just aren’t commonly discussed, as rape isn’t commonly discussed.
I remember reading Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air, his personal account of an Everest climb gone wrong, in a buzzy good-book-haze, totally unaware of some of the aspects of climbing the highest mountain of the world. I had the same feeling again when I read his Under the Banner of Heaven, a terrifying look at the fundamentalist LDS church. Krakauer never shies from providing riveting accounts on the toughest of topics, attitudes towards acquaintance rape in Missoula are as scary as any of the other material he’s covered.
Missoula on Amazon.com/Powell’s.com/Indiebound.org
Will it really take a man’s word for people to believe rape victims? (theguardian.com)
How Shame Inspired Jon Krakauer’s Book on Rape (nymag.com)
My Weekend In America’s So-Called ‘Rape Capital’ (jezebel.com)
What does it look like Inside the Criminal Mind?
Kali · December 29, 2014 · Book Reviews · criminal justice, criminology, inside the criminal mind, serial podcast, stanton e. samenow, true crime · No Comments
Far from a true crime story, where the brutality is shrouded in the mystery of motive and emotion, Samenow clinically lists his case studies, quoting the criminals where possible, and citing what he continuously calls “their errors in thinking.” Samenow argues that it is these errors in thinking, not growing up in bad neighborhoods or past abuse, that cause criminal behaviors.
The Significant, Sad Case Of Alice Mitchell, Told By Alexis Coe in Alice + Freda Forever
Kali · December 18, 2014 · Book Reviews · alexis coe, Alice + Freda Forever, alice mitchell, memphis, nonfiction, nonfiction book reviews, true crime · One Comment
Rather than building the facts into a single story line for the reader, Coe takes the reader on a historical journey, examining the implications of race, sex, and class in 1892 Memphis. This works well as the artifacts from the case are plentiful, and love letters, news headlines, and trial excerpts intertwine with Coe’s telling of the story, which feels dedicated to telling the story without sacrificing truth.
Want More Serial? Five Other True Crime Cases To Keep You Up At Night
Kali · November 18, 2014 · Lists · a wilderness of error, adnan syed, damien echols, errol morris, janet malcolm, jeffrey mcdonald, joe mcginniss, long island serial killer, lost girls, robert kolker, ron williamson, sarah koenig, serial, sleuthing, the journalist and the murderer, the staircase, the thin blue line, true crime, west memphis three · No Comments
Can’t wait until the next episode of podcast Serial comes out? Here are five other true crime cases, where false convictions, unclear motives, and uncaught killers keep the rivers of justice flowing dark and murky. Hop on in, the water’s fine!
On Knox – The Fatal Gift of Beauty: The Trials of Amanda Knox by Nina Burleigh
Kali · February 21, 2014 · Book Reviews, Musings of a different nature · amanda knox, Giuliano Mignini, nina burleigh, perugia, raffaele sollecito, rudy guede, the fatal gift of beauty, true crime · One Comment
Falling into the rabbit hole of media spectacle swirled with true crime drama that creates the Amanda Knox story is easy. Like Dorothy being swept up from Kansas and crashing down into Oz, Knox seems caught in a perfect storm of good looks and incomprehensible behavior that, when thrown to overzealous and conspiracy-seeking police and press, can be just as inescapable as any fairy tale.
I read Knox’s own memoir, Waiting to Be Heard, shortly after it was released in April of last year. Like so many others fascinated by the case, I was eager to hear Knox’s own recounting of events. When Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were found guilty of Meredith Kercher’s murder for the second time at the end of January, I researched other books on the whole debacle and decided on Nina Burleigh’s The Fatal Gift of Beauty: The Trials of Amanda Knox.
Burleigh’s book interested me, amongst all the others, as it addressed the petri dish which grew the police and media attention on Knox. I knew there was a man convicted of Kercher’s murder that no one seemed interested in. I knew Knox’s sexuality brought up as a piece of evidence used to indicate her guilt. I saw the list of sexist, appearance-based names Knox was called by the press.
Burleigh spends much time exploring the circumstances in which this perfect storm was created. She explains Perugia in detail: as an ancient city, “creative people who find themselves there today complain that the city retains a feudal mind-set that resists creativity and change.” In recent years Perugia has become a pit stop on organized crime trading routes, where prostitutes are trained before being moved along to larger cities. The headlines scream of crimes contradicting the laid-back and party-fueled college town atmosphere. The city’s beauty, Burleigh says, can be deceiving.
The Fatal Gift of Beauty also introduces another concept I wasn’t aware of, the idea of “cronaca nera” or a black chronicle. Burleigh explains that while murder is common in Italy, “a cronaca nera possesses an element of the macabre, diabolical, or obscene that journalists instantly recognize.” Of course it isn’t just Italians that are intrigued by this type of crime. Media in America pander to the white, beautiful girl.
Our first lesson should be to acknowledge and try to understand why we are so much more interested— obsessed even— with the occasional allegedly evil female and so bored with the much more common, and therefore more lethal, sexually aggressive, domestically violent male. When was the last time we saw a garden-variety wife- or girlfriend-beater or violent rapist perp-walked through one news cycle, let alone hundreds? -Nina Burleigh, The Fatal Gift of Beauty: The Trials of Amanda Knox
Rudy Guede’s mugshot (via)
One of the most frustrating aspects of the Kercher murder media coverage, the buzz and chatter surrounding the beautiful white Amanda Knox, is the lack of equal coverage of Rudy Guede. Whenever the case comes up in discussion with those around me, I find myself explaining the basic facts to someone who is unaware a man is in prison for the murder of Meredith Kercher. I think (hope) this has changed now as more articles are released, and more people read Knox’s own memoir. Rudy Guede, for those who don’t know, was without a doubt involved in the crime. Physical evidence concludes that. His handprint was on a pillow under Kercher’s body, his DNA was on Kercher’s purse and in her body, and his bloody footprints (police originally claimed these were Sollecito’s) stepped through the crime scene.
Katie Crouch, who is writing a novel based on the events of Kercher’s murder, said in a Salon article, “It is strange, actually, that Knox has the starring role in this drama, as Rudy Guede had the most interesting life of them all.” I certainly agree. Why does the media insist on discussing the fairly unremarkable Knox, when a fascinating (black, male) character much more deserving of attention is kept at the sidelines.
Guede was born on the Ivory Coast, in Africa, to a polygamous, Christian father. Roger Guede was a bright guy with hopes of attaining a degree in mathematics, forced to give up his dream and work as a mason once he and his son immigrated to Italy. Rudy Guede was neglected from a young age, and his teacher, in The Fatal Gift of Beauty, remembers Rudy wandering the streets as a child. Teachers and neighbors would come together to feed Guede dinner. As a teenager, Guede was brought into a wealthy family, only to be kicked out of the family as his behavior became more erratic. He continued his wandering into adulthood, begging to sleep at friends’ homes or sleepwalking into stranger’s homes or businesses, eating their food and using their bathrooms. Despite all the evidence linking him to the scene and the somewhat bizarre aspect of his sleepwalking (what if this was a sleep-murder?), it is Knox the press wants.
Amanda Knox (via)
People built myths around feminine beauty before they learned the written word. Helen and her beauty are at the center of the fall of Troy in The Iliad. Making appearance the focal point of any story, however, is like trying to summarize what is written in a book by glancing at its cover. We know very little of Helen’s actual character, other than the uproar raised by the men surrounding her. Helen of Troy is a contradictory figure in many ancient accounts, maybe sad and lonely, maybe nefarious and mocking men in the Trojan horse. All we know for sure is that she had a pretty face.
Knox, like Helen, was little in the press (definitely at first, now she is able to speak for herself) but her appearance, her supposed sexual activities, her inappropriate kisses and yoga poses. Knox behaved inappropriately, failing to properly emote over the death of her roommate and causing some serious cultural misunderstanding. Burleigh explains:
Americans traveling abroad must learn and respect other national norms and points of view. . . . Neither Knox’s parents nor she had the foggiest idea that her athleticism, sexuality, extroversion, naiveté, stoicism in the face of tragedy, and lack of gravitas would doom her in the eyes of Italians, whose young women are not athletic, who grieve openly, and who comport themselves with great formality— who dress and speak and act within a code of conduct that is far different from what passes for the same in Seattle or, for that matter, most American cities.-Nina Burleigh, The Fatal Gift of Beauty: The Trials of Amanda Knox
Italian police and press vilified Knox for her odd behaviors and lack of proper emotional display after the death of Kercher, her roommate. I sympathize with this, as I know so many young women who smile when they are nervous or fear they might cry. In uncomfortable situations, I tend to laugh.
In The Fatal Gift of Beauty, Knox describes herself as someone who loves to smile at strangers on the bus, trying to make them smile back at her. This can seem charming, but it also possibly could be some sort of nervous affectation. So much of the trouble Knox got in with the police stemmed from trying to anticipate the needs of those around her, with a dangerously naive lack of understanding of what was truly at risk. While her Italian roommate’s lawyer was at their home almost immediately after the murder, Knox didn’t think to imitate this behavior. Certainly, a girl who wants nothing more than to see those around her smile is at the most risk for giving a false confession when placed in a room with police officers who want nothing more than an admittance of some sort.
The most important lesson to take away from the case is that all authorities in any country where the rule of law is paramount, all police and prosecutors, should remember that it is far, far better to admit error and pursue due diligence in investigations than to force facts to fit theories that defy logic and, ultimately, derail justice.-Nina Burleigh, The Fatal Gift of Beauty: The Trials of Amanda Knox
Burleigh, most alarmingly, spent time detailing the history of Giuliano Mignini, Perugia’s town magistrate. A man admittedly obsessed with conspiracy theories, he told Burleigh, ““Why do they call it a conspiracy theory?” he asked. “What does ‘conspiracy theory’ mean? How can you call a conspiracy theory the fact that more than one person did a crime together? Why are they called conspiracy theories? Caesar was killed by twenty senators, is that a conspiracy theory? It’s normal that people work together.” A man who cites the epic conspiracy of Caesar’s men to assassinate him as an example of normal human behavior should be cause for concern right away. At one time working closely with a psychic, Mignini developed a theory for a string of unsolved murders involving masons and satanic rites. Investigating this theory eventually led him to an abuse of office charge in 2010. This was the man investigating Kercher’s murder–a man not interested in looking at facts, but seeking to connect dots. He was interested in Knox’s behavior of hitting her head when trying to think during interrogation, because masons hit their foreheads in their rites.
The spectacle surrounding Knox has caused the police to lose sight of justice and, in their struggle to capture Knox, let the real killer practically go free. Guede is now able to leave prison to study. Guede, who has changed his story regarding the whereabouts of Knox and Sollecito during the crime multiple times, seems to be benefitting most from the police interest in Knox and Sollecito. Originally sentenced to thirty years, his sentence has now been reduced to sixteen years; this sentence is less than both Knox and Sollecito received at their most recent retrial. This is despite the fact that Guede is the only one involved with physical evidence linking him to the scene.
The Fatal Gift of Beauty: The Trials of Amanda Knox by Nina Burleigh on Amazon.com/Indiebound.org
Amanda Knox and Italy’s ‘Carnivalesque’ Justice System
Amanda Knox, what really happened: Writing toward the actual story
Injustice in Perugia site | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.577625572681427, "wiki_prob": 0.422374427318573, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line569568"} |
Vic Mensa- Rollin' Like A Stoner [Official Video]
By. Lexiii Dee
Chicago rapper Vic Mensa releases the official video to his track "Rollin' Like A Stoner."
Not too long ago, Chicago rapper Vic Mensa released a project titled The Autobiography that received a lot of positive feedback from his fans. The artist has now released the official visual to the track "Rollin' Like A Stoner" off of the album.
Watch "Rollin' Like A Stoner" below and The Autobiography is available now on iTunes and other streaming platforms. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.6074583530426025, "wiki_prob": 0.6074583530426025, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line633616"} |
RedZone, NFL Network Dropped From DISH and Sling TV
The Shield / Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images
While we're still several months out from the planned start of the 2020 NFL season, the television negotiation train stops for no man or extenuating circumstance. With that in mind, DISH and Sling TV users woke up this morning to the unpleasant news that NFL Network and NFL RedZone had been removed from the service.
NFL PR sent out the announcement last night, merely stating that the NFL has offered DISH terms on par with that of their other distributors, but DISH isn't playing ball:
"As of 9 pm ET NFL Network and NFL RedZone are no longer available to DISH and Sling TV subscribers. While NFL Media remains committed to negotiating an agreement and has offered terms consistent with those in place with other distributors, DISH has not agreed."
When subscribers noticed this in the morning, DISH has been responding with the following statement:
Hello, thank you for taking the time to reach out today. The NFL has chosen to remove their channels during these unprecedented times. We are working with the NFL to bring their channels back before the start of the season.
— DISH Answers (@dish_answers) June 19, 2020
This will leave over 11 million subscribers without NFL Network or RedZone between DISH and Sling. There's plenty of time to get a deal done, but this kind of public posturing in the middle of June isn't the best sign. Nonetheless, the wheels of business usually spin unimpeded and subscribers likely won't be without it for too long. | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.5055782794952393, "wiki_prob": 0.49442172050476074, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line819526"} |
Hellcat vs Shiden/Shiden-Kai
Pacific Theater 1944–45
Tony Holmes (Author), Gareth Hector (Cover illustrator), Jim Laurier (Illustrator), Gareth Hector (Illustrator)
Paperback £13.99 £12.59 Ebook (PDF) £11.19 Ebook (Epub) £11.19
Paperback - £̶1̶3̶.̶9̶9̶, £12.59 Ebook (PDF) - £11.19 Ebook (Epub) - £11.19
By the early months of 1944 in the Pacific, the US Navy's burgeoning force of carrier-based F6F-3/5 Hellcats had pretty much wiped the skies clear of Japanese fighters during a series of one-sided aerial engagements. However, starting in October they faced the superb Kawanishi N1K1/2 Shiden/Shiden-Kai, a formidable fighter with improved armament, a powerful engine and excellent manoeuvrability that in contrast to earlier Japanese fighters had the ability to withstand a greater degree of battle damage.
Japanese pilots using this aircraft would claim more than 170 aerial victories over Kyushu and whilst escorting Kamikazes attacking Allied ships off Okinawa. US Navy Hellcat pilots in turn were credited with many of the scores of Shiden-Kais that were downed attempting to defend Japan. This fully illustrated book compares these two fascinating aircraft, using specially commissioned artwork, first-hand accounts and a thorough technical analysis.
Read an extract of Hellcat vs Shiden/Shiden-Kai
Introduction /Chronology /Design and Development /Technical Specifications/ The Strategic Situation /The Combatants /Combat /Statistics and Analysis /Aftermath /Further Reading /Index
Tony Holmes
Having initially worked for Osprey as an author in…
H6K “Mavis”/H8K “Emily” vs PB4Y-1/2 Liberator/Privateer | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.5922547578811646, "wiki_prob": 0.40774524211883545, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line1399443"} |
A Spoiler Free Captain America: Civil War Review
Captain America: Civil War is the most satisfying Marvel film to date. Directors Anthony and Joe Russo and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely have essentially crafted the third Avengers film in everything but the title (including the omission of two major characters), and while they've scaled down the stakes (for a Marvel film), leaving the global population relatively safe no matter the outcome, they've managed to intensify the emotional investment. For a film situated inside a colossal "cinematic universe," it's doubly impressive that Civil War works as an outstanding stand-alone action film, and, within the context of the MCU, as a deeply satisfying continuation of several storylines from the Marvel films that have preceded it. Plus, Black Panther and Spider-Man get worthy introductions (or re-introductions, in Spidey's case) and are standouts in the film. And Paul Rudd's Ant-Man practically steals the film in the climatic stand-off near the end.
Team Captain America. Courtesy Walt Disney/Marvel.
The problem with creating a universe of films is they can function less like standalone works and more like episodes in one giant mega-narrative. And this can (and does) handcuff writers and directors into burning precious minutes of run-time teasing minor characters and seemingly random subplots to prep audiences for future films. What's remarkable about Civil War is that these obligations actually enhance the story we're watching when it comes to the two big superheroes with pending movies; Black Panther and Spider-Man. As this is a spoiler free review, we won't explain exactly how and why each of them is threaded into the main story here, save to say that Chadwick Boseman has serious gravitas as Black Panther and a real vested interest in joining Tony Stark's side of the battle, and Tom Holland, with wit and charm to spare, as well as the fidgety energy of an actual teenager, looks like a fantastic choice for Spider-Man. Black Panther quite easily becomes the coolest looking superhero you've ever seen, and his fighting prowess more than lives up to his name. And Spider-Man's introduction is pitch perfect, a scene that will resonate for many reasons, but to spare any details would be to rob you of it's charm.
Spider-Man offers some of the film's most inspired moments. Courtesy Walt Disney/Marvel.
The main thrust of the story you already know: many nations (117 to be precise) have come together and signed an accord that demands the Avengers come to heel under the United Nations after countless civilian causalities in places like New York, Washington D.C., and Sokovia. Tony Stark is given extra reason to want to be "put in check" after a powerful moment with an aggreived parent (in a cameo by a seriously great actor) gives him more than enough reason to feel bad about himself. This moment comes directly after one of the film's truly wow CGI moments, and the biggest shock here is it's not in service of any brutal fight or explosion. All we'll say is it involves a new invention of Tony's, and that creating the scene was one of the biggest obstacles the wizards at Industrial Light & Magic had to face for this film.
So here's your philosophical divide: Tony wants to sign the accord, creating Team Iron Man, and Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, of course, does not. Rogers believes signing over the Avengers ability to decide where and where not to go would make people less safe. At the center of Captain America's thoughts and motivations is the fate of his old friend Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, who is once again being used as a pawn by nefarious players, and who is one of Civil War's surprisingly emotional center points. The philosophical divide between Iron Man and Captain America is presented with clarity and concision, and is deepened as the film races for it's climatic finish. What's more, Captain America finds himself as a rogue in his own film, a clever bit of scripting that gives the usually squeaky clean Cap a new rebellious streak, yet burnishes his central character trait; he'll do what he believes his right, and he's loyal as hell.
Cap will do anything to save Bucky Barnes. Courtesy Walt Disney/Marvel
There are several fantastic action set pieces, including a chase involving the Winter Soldier (running), Black Panther (chasing) and Captain America (trying to keep Black Panther from killing his friend) that's extremely satisfying. Just watching the Winter Soldier and Captain America escape from German Special Forces without killing any of them is a hoot, but the real kick comes when you get to see Black Panther in action. For fans who have been waiting a long time to see this superhero on the big screen, you are going to love every moment he's in. There's also one bit of business with the Winter Soldier commandeering a moving motorcycle that's practically worth the price of admission alone.
There are also a lot of light moments in the film, too, with banter between characters who have rarely spoken to one another before (there's great stuff between Anthony Mackie's Falcon and Sebastian Stan's Winter Soldier) and characters who are tired of speaking to one another (Cap and Iron Man, the Black Widow and Iron Man, everyone an Iron Man) that keep the film light on its feet. And there's a surprising little romantic subplot between two characters you'd likely never suspect that, even more surprisingly, triggers a major catastrophe in the plot later on.
Yet the moment everyone will be waiting for and that's been teased in nearly ever trailer and TV spot is the battle between Team Captain America and Team Iron Man—and it more than lives up to it's hype. In fact, it's the rare mega brawl where you actually wouldn't mind to go on a little longer. Instead of buildings collapsing and civilians screaming (and dying) all around, you've got superheroes giving each other their absolute best shots, with inspired camera work, and the joy of seeing the teenage Spider-Man mix it up with all these hardened Avengers and have a great time doing it. They manage to make the fight credible (in a Marvel universe, that is) with these characters gifts and powers being met and matched by their foe. Pretty much everything involving Spider-Man and Black Panther in this brawl is fantastic, and, there's one giant surprise that gives the whole proceeding an uncanny, almost whimsical air.
Yet whimsy dies out pretty quick, and this is where Civil War elevates itself even further. You anticipate a big hug at the end of this film. Maybe you get it, maybe you don't, but what the final act of the film is not is this big showdown between Team Cap and Team Iron Man. It's a relatively quieter, but far more brutal fight. We won't say a word about it, but it's something to behold, and speaks to one of the positives of Marvel's commitment to creating a cinematic universe—when two characters you've come to know over the course of several films, and who have come to know, and like (maybe even love?) each other, decide they really do want to hurt each other, the emotional impact is magnified. Yes, you know they're going to survive (they've got more Marvel films to star in), but they might not be the same after. And so you think back on this film, with all the light moments, the way Cap and Iron Man tease each other, you go back through the previous Captain America and Iron Man and Avenger films and think for a moment about all the time they've spent together, all the begrudging respect they share, all the times they've annoyed the hell out of each other, and then you take in what's happening on the screen and think, man, this is genuinely sad.
Now that's an emotion you don't expect having while watching a film that's going to gross a billion dollars, but there it is.
TAGSCaptain America: Civil War
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” Teaser Sees Shuri Telling Namor to Bring It
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Lauren O'Neil
Crowd at rally chant 'lock him up' when Andrew Scheer mentions Justin Trudeau
A pre-election rally for Conservative leader Andrew Scheer turned a little too Trumpian for the candidate's own taste on Saturday night when, while speaking about Justin Trudeau, his supporters started chanting "Lock him up! Lock him up!"
The outburst was prompted by Scheer's promise to call a judicial inquiry into the SNC-Lavalin affair, noting that Trudeau had been found "guilty" of breaking ethics laws twice during his term as Prime Minister.
Scheer told an estimated 2,000 people in Richmond Hill that, despite serious accusations of attempted political interference, Trudeau would not let the RCMP investigate his role in the SNC-Lavalin corruption scandal.
"That's why, when we form government, I will hold a judicial inquiry into his scandal to get to the bottom of what he's done," said Scheer of the Liberal leader and current PM.
Tonight at a Scheer Rally in Richmond Hill, ON, the crowd started a “Lock Him Up” chant when Scheer referenced his pledge to have an inquiry into the SNC-Lavalin affair. Scheer tries to move the crowd off “Lock him up” and on to “Vote Him Out” #cdnpoli #elxn43
More at @ctvnews pic.twitter.com/0pmncHOfkQ
— Mackenzie Gray (@Gray_Mackenzie) October 20, 2019
The crowd erupted into cheers and then chants of "Lock him up, lock him up, lock him up," as Scheer tried to continue speaking.
"Well... let's...," said Scheer in an attempt to moderate their behaviour. "We're going to get to the bottom of his scandal... We’re going to vote him out!"
Smiling, Scheer himself started chanting "Vote him out! Vote him out!"
His supporters briefly obliged, echoing the Conservative Party leader for a few seconds before letting him continue with his speech.
Scheer tried to quiet the crowd, and gets them to chant instead “VOTE HIM OUT, VOTE HIM OUT”.
— Katie Simpson (@CBCKatie) October 20, 2019
Scheer may have been able to stop the original chant quickly, but the damage had already been done as Twitter exploded with comparisons of Conservative supporters to fans of Donald Trump during the U.S. President's 2016 election campaign.
"Like Trump supporters shouting 'lock her up' in reference to Hilary Clinton, the Conservative crow in a similar fashion, said, 'lock him up' in reference to Trudeau at a rally yesterday," wrote one Canadian voter. "Another example Trump = Scheer strategy."
"Trump-style swamp politics brought here by Andrew Scheer is infecting Canada and it needs to be stopped," wrote another. "They were chanting Lock Him Up last night at a Con rally. WTF!"
Dear Canada 🇨🇦, we love you just as you are. Please don’t become American. Vote today to keep Trudeau. Andrew Scheer is NOT good for Canada. Did you know they chanted “lock him up” at Scheer rallies and booed the press when they dared ask questions? Sound familiar? VOTE!
— Karen is a Deep State Agent (@geokaren) October 21, 2019
When asked about the chant and its unmistakable resemblance to the "lock her up!" refrain lobbed at Hillary Clinton by Trump supporters (and often) during the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, Scheer's camp admitted that it was "inappropriate."
"Mr. Scheer recognized the chant from a small number of attendees was inappropriate and quickly directed the crowd to chant 'vote him out,'" reads a statement from the Conservative leader's press secretary.
Scheer reaffirmed this position during a press conference on Sunday, telling reporters that "a few individuals" had started a chant which was "quickly turned into a 'vote him out' chant... which is the options Canadians have tomorrow."
Scheer blames last night's "Lock him up" chant on a few individuals, say he has run a positive campaign. #elxn43 pic.twitter.com/cm3dv3PBRY
— Glen McGregor (@glen_mcgregor) October 20, 2019
Canada's 43rd general election takes place today, October 21, 2019. Learn more about where, when and how to vote on Elections Canada's website.
Andrew Scheer | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.8892055749893188, "wiki_prob": 0.8892055749893188, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line1332635"} |
Technical.ly Baltimore: An $11.5M Series C will help Gliknik advance 3 treatments for cancer, autoimmune disease
The University of Maryland BioPark-based company has now raised $81M million total.
Add a company based in Baltimore’s University of Maryland BioPark to this week’s Money Moves.
Gliknik, a company developing treatments for people with cancer and autoimmune diseases, announced completion of its Series C round.
The company raised $11.5 million in a round led by First in Ventures (FIV). Also participating were SAISO Partners, and affiliates of RDA Ventures and Garden Street Holdings.
“We believe that Gliknik has created several potential best-in-class mid-stage assets,” said Scott Roth, managing partner of FIV, in a statement. “This capital will help unlock the potential of these compounds and uniquely positions Gliknik to make a difference for patients with cancer or autoimmune disorders.”
Read the full story from Technical.ly Baltimore. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.5299606323242188, "wiki_prob": 0.5299606323242188, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line1825916"} |
& Arts
Reporter :
Axa General Insurance head Guy Marcillat, right, shakes ..
Insurance for diabetes patients: Axa General Insurance head Guy Marcillat, right, shakes hands with Johnson & Johnson Medical Korea CEO Park Sae-yul after they reached an agreement to cooperate in helping diabetes patients at the Hotel Shilla in Seoul, Tuesday. / Courtesy of AXA General Insurance
G-20 gives up on universal bank levy
The G-20 nations have abandoned the idea of adopting a global, universal bank levy system on financial firms and will allow each nation to set its own standard, if any, a senior Korean presidential aide said, Thursday.
Companies | 2010-06-04 19:37
(92) Saju of Yi Seong-gye, founder of Joseon Kingdom
Korea has been called several different names in its history. Since Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom (2333 B.C.-108 B.C.), there have been the Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla eras, which were representative names of the nation.
Fortune Telling | 2010-06-03 17:57
Supplying capital to real economy key to prosperity
Over the last thirty years, the financial systems in many developed countries have been undergoing profound changes driven by innovation, relaxation of regulatory constraints, and greater global economic and financial integration.
Walkerhill presents Lolita Lempicka room
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The Study of Acoustic Phonetics on Frequency Cat Snoring Between Different Ages
Authors: Muhammad Arif Bin Jalil, Syed Norman Daniel Bin Syed Mahadir
Cat purring is a sound that has been produced by cats made by several species of felids and two species of genetics. The domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) is one of the most common domestic animals we hear of today. This cat also has its own specialties and uniqueness, among them is that the cat is able to produce very low frequencies and is able to provide benefits to all humans. (Wereski, Mike 2015). The first purpose was to study the frequencies that had been produced by both cats and to identify whether the age of the cats influenced the frequencies that had been produced. The second purpose was To identify whether different cat attitudes would influence the frequency produced by cats. The study subjects were two domestic cats where Domestic Cat A, named molly was a 4 -month -old female cat of mixed breed, while domestic cat B, named spooky, was a 36 -month -old female cat and domestic cat C named Neslo which was 17-month-old female cat.. The two study subjects were different mixed breeds. Both cats are domestic cats which have been cared for and cared for since childhood. The selection of the two cats was based on reasons for differences in age and behavior. Data recording using Iphone SE (2020) brand telephone equipment and for cat frequency data were collected while sleeping. This aims to collect standard cat vocalizations. The purs sound production of older domestic cats is higher than that of young domestic cats. In conclusion, sound can also become louder as the age. The older the cat is, the higher the frequency the cat produces.
The cat is a pet that has always been kept by humans and its scientific name is Felis catus. This is a small animal that belongs to the "Felid" family. Cats are the only family species domesticated. Cats are animals that are loved and cherished by many people in the world. They love to play and spend time with them reducing stress and anxiety.Pets of domestic cats are a source of fun and excitement. Most children and adults are very fond of keeping these domestic cats as pets. Pets help a person to achieve a healthy state of mind and playing with our pets makes us happy. Cats are beautiful little animals resembling tigers. It lives on the streets as well as in our homes and is one of our favorite pets. The cat’s body is covered with soft and silky hair and has four short legs and sharp claws hidden in a fleshy liner. This cat also has its own specialties and uniqueness, among them is that the cat is able to produce very low frequencies and is able to provide benefits for all humans (Wereski, Mike 2015).
When a domestic cat produces a snoring sound, the snoring sound produces a frequency, amplitude and waveform based on the strength of the snoring sound. A sound wave is like any other wave in that it is carried to the medium by a vibrating object. Sound is a mechanical wave produced from the alternating vibrations of medium particles through which sound waves travel. If a sound wave moves from left to right through the air, then the air particles will be moved to the right and to the left as the energy of the sound wave passes through it. Figure 1.1 characterizes sound waves in air as longitudinal waves.
Frequency in physics is the number of waves that pass through a fixed point in a period of time; also, the number of cycles or vibrations performed over a unit of time by an object in periodic motion. An object that moves periodically is said to have experienced one round or one vibration after going through a series of events or positions and returning to a normal state.
II. MATERIAL AND METHOD
A. Liteture Review
Cat snoring is a sound that has been produced by cats made by several species of felids and two species of genetics. The domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) is one of the most common domestic animals we hear of today. This cat also has its specialties and uniqueness, among them is that the cat can produce very low frequencies and can provide benefits to humans. (Wereski, Mike 2015). Cat snoring is a sound produced by a cat from several species of felids and two species of genetics. Domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) are one of the most common domestic animals in the human environment.
This cat also has a privilege as well as its uniqueness, among which are capable cats that produce a very low frequency and can give benefits to universal humanity. More recent research shows that the frequency between 20 and 50 Hz increases bone density, (Northcare Physio. 2016). Much research has been done on cat snoring. Among them are sissom et al. (1991), mccombetal (2009), Ekland et al. (2010), Schotz and Eklund (2011), Schotz (2012) as well as Syasha Najihah and Azmin Sham (2018).
Recent research shows that cat frequencies between 20 and 50 Hz can increase bone density, (Northcare Physio 2016). The same experiment showed that the same frequency range relaxes tense muscles.
A study by Tavernier, C., Ahmed, S., Albro Houpt, K., & Chan Yeon, S. (2019), found that cats have 20 types of sounds. All cat sounds have different frequencies and have their meanings. Thus, pet cats can establish efficient communication with humans thanks to their vocal flexibility. This review allowed him to make a concise model of the cat’s vocal repertoire.
B. Method
The method and techniques that can be used with study subject domestic cats of different ages and breeds were used as study subjects. The aim was to study frequency vocalization. The experimental period of collecting cat vocalizations took two semesters. Cat frequency data were collected while sleeping because it is much easier to collect the purr voice. This aims to collect standard cat vocalizations and visualization. A recorder device brand Iphone SE (2020) was used for the recording of the vocalization purr domestic cat which has their own owner. For this method, I have recorded 3 domestic cats which are mostly time their cats spend daily life by sleeping, eating, and playing plus not going outside because of laziness and fear with people surroundings. Different breeds and ages were the main criteria for the selection of cat’s candidate. The recorder device was placed in front of the study subject when sleeping to make sure the data can be secure. The duration of recordings must be 30 seconds above for precautionary purposes. The Praat analysis has been used to acquire data which can help to analyze, synthesize, and manipulate the purr recordings. Data will get in term of frequency, spectrogram, pitch, formant and waveform graphs..
Table 1 Characteristics of domestic cats involved in the study
Molly (Kucing Domestik A)
Spooky (Kucing Domestik B)
Neslo (Kucing Domestik C)
4 months old
A lot of time is spent playing from sleep.
Closer to people around
Not very active
A lot of time is spent
sleeping from playing.
Very cowardly with
people around.
Active for sometimes
Sometimes crazy,
noisy, like attention,
not afraid of people,
do not like other cats
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
A. Cat Snoring Analysis through Praat Analysis Software
The table below shows the data recorded by domestic cat A (Molly), domestic cat B (Spooky) and domestic cat C (Neslo) during sleep. The data was taken based on the duration of snoring voice of egressive and ingressive phases (inhale and exhale phase). The result below is given the Mean Pitch, Purr range between high and low frequency value (in Hz), Pitch Sigma, Jitter, Shimmer, Mean f0 and HNR for sustained voice.
Table 2 below shows the data recorded by both domestic cat A (Molly) , domestic cat B (Spooky) and domestic Cat C (Neslo).
Domestic Cat A (Molly)
Domestic Cat B (Spooky)
Domestic Cat C
(Neslo)
Purr range between high and low frequency value
8.974 Hz
Mean of Purr voice intensity
46.7694 dB
Mean pitch in sustained voice
98.083 Hz
85.8193 Hz
Jitter in sustained voice
Shimmer in sustained voice
HNR for sustained voice
Mean f0 in sustained voice
3.753 dB
Pitch sigma in sustained voice
1.229 ST
B. Cat snoring Analysis on Spectogram and Amplitude
Diagram 3.11, 3.12 and 3.13 below shows the spectrogram graph for domestic cat A, B and C for approximately 10 seconds.
On top the right is spectrogram graph domestic cat A, on top the left is spectrogram graph domestic cat B and below is spectrogram graph domestic cat C.
A spectrogram is a visual way of representing signal strength, or "loudness", signal overtime at a variety of frequencies available in certain waveforms. As can be seen, three of the resulting spectrograms, diagram 3.11, 3.12 and 3.13, respectively have different results. Based on spectrogram domestic cat B (Spooky), it can be seen as more readable than another two diagrams because Spooky has less shimmer on the recordings purr. The shimmer changes with the reduction of glottal resistance and mass lesions on the vocal cords and is correlated with the presence of noise emission and breathiness. ([(João P. Teixeira, Paula O. Fernandes, 2014)]). The loudness depends on intensity, the higher intensity that if can be obtained, the greater the spectrogram can be shown. The diagram 6.22 and 6.23 spectrograms can be seen as having nearly white and black areas which are indicated to egressive and ingressive phases in the duration of 10 seconds.
Diagram 3.21, 3.22 and 3.23 shows the Amplitude graph for domestic cat A, B and C for one phase ( Egressive–Ingressive Phase)
On top the right is amplitude graph domestic cat A, on top the left is ampitude graph domestic cat B and below is amplitude graph domestic cat C.
The scheme above shows the different sizes of amplitudes that indicate those different domestic cats in the one egressive–ingressive phase and the graph is amplitude vs time. Based on both diagram 3.21,3.22 and figure 3.23, cat A produces a lower amplitude compared to domestic cat B and cat C. The study found that there is a relationship between frequency and is increasing the higher the amplitude, the higher the frequency and the loudness produced. This is because the relationship between wavelength and frequency is an inverse relationship, the higher the frequency, the shorter the wavelength. As we can see on table 2, domestic cat B is the highest mean pitch which is frequency followed by cat c and A.
C. Dicussions
The study found that the difference in the sound of cat snoring between domestic cat A, cat B and cat C is the production of sound from a box known as the trachea. Animals can make sounds by making vibrations in the vocal cords or folds. This fibrous cable is part of the air space at the top of the trachea or airway known as the larynx or voice box. Vowel folds open and closes the opening of the trachea, producing the characteristic sound of cat snoring. More the more vibrations of the vocal cords are produced, the higher the snoring frequency of the resulting cat.
IV. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The author would like to thank the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia (MOHE) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM for providing GUP TIER 2 grants (PY/2017/01792, Q.J130000.2626.15J57) in order to conduct this research and developing the paper.
In this thesis, we began to learn the acoustic phonetics which are the study characteristics of speech that include analysis on frequency, intensity and furthermore. For result data quite surprisingly to manage although there are some difficulties to do. The theoretical data and actual data have been compared for this thesis. Below there some conclusion that could be make: 1) The range of actual value for feline and domestic cats is around 25-150 Hz ( Syasha Najihah and Azmin Sham (2018)), and theoretical data (which can be obtained by using Praat Analysis) in the range of actual value for purr voice domestic cats. 2) The age and larynx of a domestic cat can affect the theoretical result. 3) The relationship between wavelength and frequency is an inverse relationship, the higher the frequency, the shorter the wavelength 4) The intensity of sound is directly proportional to square amplitude.
[1] Eklund, R., Peters, G., Duthie, E. D. 2010, an acoustic analysis of purring in the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) and in the domestic cat (Felis catus). Proceedings, FONETIK 2010.Conference Proceedings: 17-22. Lund University, Sweden, Dept. of Phontetics, Centre for Languages and Literature. [2] McComb, K., Taylor, A. M.,Wilson., C., & Charlton, B. D. 2009.The Cry Embeded within the purr. Current Biology. 19(13). [3] Northcare Physio. (2016). Cat purr strengthens our bones. https://northcare.com.au/blog/cat_purr_strengthens_our_bones/ [28/09/2021] [4] Schötz, S. & Eklund, R. 2011. comparative acoustic analysis of purring in four cats. Proceedings of Fonetik 2011, June 8-June 10. 51. https://www.ida.liu.se/~robek28/pdf/Schotz_Eklund_2011_Purring_DomesticCats.pdf Fonetik 2011 [27 Mei 2018]. [5] Schotz, S. 2012. A Phonetic Pilot Study of Vocalisations in Three Cats. Proceedings of XXVth S. P. Co, May 30-June 1. 45-48. [6] Syasya Najihah Badron Saidi & Azmin Sham Rambely. 2018. Analisis Dengkuran Kucing Menggunakan Jelmaan Fourier Pantas. Undergraduate Research Journal for Mathematical Sciences and Data Science, 2: 205 – 212 [7] Tavernier, C., Ahmed, S., Albro Houpt, K., & Chan Yeon, S. (2019). Rh: cat communication. Journal of Veterinary Science, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2020.21.e18 [8] Wereski, M 2015. The Threshold of Hearing.The STEAM Journal 2(1): Article 20. DOI: 10.5642/steam.20150201.20 Available at: http://scholarship.claremont.edu/steam/vol2/iss1/20 [9] WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY. (2022, January 4). Cat and dog anatomy. Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Retrieved June 4, 2022, from https://hospital.vetmed.wsu.edu/2022/01/04/cat-and-dog-anatomy/ [10] Teixeira, J. P., & Fernandes, P. O. (2014). Jitter, Shimmer and Hnr classification within gender, tones and vowels in healthy voices (thesis).
Copyright © 2023 Muhammad Arif Bin Jalil, Syed Norman Daniel Bin Syed Mahadir. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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Home>UK News>Tokyo Olympics: Sky Brown becomes GB’s youngest medallist, plus sailing and boxing success
Tokyo Olympics: Sky Brown becomes GB’s youngest medallist, plus sailing and boxing success
Dates: 23 July-8 August Time in Tokyo: BST +8
Coverage: Watch live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Red Button and online; Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live, Sports Extra and Sounds; live text and video clips on BBC Sport website and app.
Thirteen-year-old Sky Brown earned a momentous skateboarding bronze to become Great Britain’s youngest Olympic medallist as more success followed in sailing and boxing for Team GB on Wednesday.
Hannah Mills and Eilidh McIntyre clinched gold in the 470 class, making Mills the most successful female Olympic sailor of all-time after her gold in Rio five years ago and silver at London 2012.
Ben Whittaker also continued Team GB’s impressive boxing campaign with a men’s light-heavyweight silver medal after Frazer Clarke took bronze in the men’s super-heavyweight division.
With six medals guaranteed in Tokyo this is Britain’s most successful Olympics in the boxing ring since 1920, when just 12 nations took part.
Brown, born a month before the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, fell on her first two runs in the women’s park skateboarding final before posting a score of 56.47 to make the podium.
At 13 years and 23 days, she breaks Margery Hinton’s 93-year-old record as the country’s youngest competitor and also claims Team GB’s first skateboarding medal.
World champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson made a mixed start to her heptathlon campaign to sit third after two events and the British athlete is back in action later on Wednesday with the shot put and 200m.
Meanwhile, the GB women’s hockey team saw their title defence come to an end as they lost 5-1 in their semi-final against the Netherlands in sweltering conditions at Oi Hockey Stadium.
They will have a chance to go for bronze against the losers of Argentina versus India.
Andrew Pozzi reached Thursday’s men’s 110m hurdles final, with his fourth-placed finish in the semi-finals enough to see the Briton through.
Alice Dearing, 24, made history as the first black swimmer to represent Britain at an Olympics, finishing 19th in the women’s 10km marathon event.
American Sydney McLaughlin reeled in rival Dalilah Muhammad to win gold in a very fast women’s 400m hurdles – and broke her own world record in the process.
Brown makes history in Tokyo
Hinton was 13 years and 44 days when she swam at the Amsterdam Games in 1928 and her record as Britain’s youngest-ever competitor at a summer Olympics stood for almost a century.
Until Wednesday, that is, when Brown – 19 days younger – began her women’s park skateboarding campaign at Ariake Urban Sports Park.
Had the Games not been postponed by a year, Brown would have lowered that summer record further, though figure skater Cecilia Colledge retains the overall accolade for Britain – she entered the 1932 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid aged 11.
Brown qualified for the final but fell during her opening two runs to set up a tense final attempt.
But the Japan-born teenager – who had a heavy fall in training last year that saw her fracture her skull, break her left arm and wrist and suffer lacerations to her heart and lungs – delivered a score of 56.47 to climb into the bronze-medal position.
“This is incredible. It feels unreal, I’m so happy to be here, I’m blessed,” said Brown, who added she would now “hang out with friends and party”.
“I was definitely bumped, I fell twice, that made the last run feel even better. All the girls are ripping it, it was insane, it was a super-sick final.”
Japan’s Sakura Yosozumi, 19, won gold with a best score of 60.09, while 12-year-old compatriot Kokona Hiraki claimed silver with 59.04.
Mills adds to medal haul
Britain’s stellar Olympics continued on the water, with Mills and McIntyre’s success taking the nation’s sailing medal tally to five, of which three of those are gold.
The GB pair finished fifth in the 470 medal race, but their earlier performances meant it was enough to hold off silver medallists Poland and France in bronze.
Their celebrations were put on ice briefly after a protest was lodged by bronze-medallists France.
But 33-year-old Mills, one of Team GB’s flag bearers at the opening ceremony, did not have to wait long to have her third Olympic medal confirmed.
McIntyre, meanwhile, follows in the footsteps of her father, Mike, who won gold in the star class at Seoul in 1988.
Earlier, Britain’s Chris Grube and Luke Patience finished fifth overall in the men’s 470.
Boxing success continues for Team GB
Whittaker said his ambitions before Tokyo 2020 were to claim Olympic success and become the mayor of Wolverhampton.
His ceremonial dreams are yet to be determined, but the 24-year-old returns home draped in Olympic silverware after being edged out of gold by Cuba’s Arlen Lopez.
Whittaker lost the light-heavyweight final on a split decision as Lopez added the title to the middleweight gold he won at Rio 2016.
That came shortly after Clarke took a super-heavyweight bronze.
The 29-year-old was stopped in his semi-final against Uzbekistan’s Bakhodir Jaloolov after a cut he suffered in the previous round reopened above his eye.
“It’s not the fairytale that I wanted but I’m proud of myself,” Clarke told BBC Sport. “I’m gutted I didn’t do a little bit more but I’m an Olympic bronze medallist.
“I’m healthy and I’ve been to the Olympic Games. I can’t ask for anything more.”
Britain have already guaranteed two further medals, with Galal Yafai in the flyweight semi-finals on Thursday before Lauren Price’s middleweight semi-final bout on Friday.
What is coming up?
Track Cycling: Jason Kenny gets under way in the men’s sprint (from 07:30 BST)
Climbing: Shauna Coxsey in the women’s combined event (from 09:00 BST)
Showjumping: Ben Maher, Harry Charles and Scott Brash are in the individual event (from 11:00 BST)
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Home » World News » Energy pact to unleash ‘next wave’ of clean power investment
Energy pact to unleash ‘next wave’ of clean power investment
Major renewable energy developers say a historic agreement to direct funds to storage projects such as big batteries and pumped hydro will help unleash the next wave of investments urgently needed to drive Australia’s accelerating shift from coal to clean power.
Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen and his state and territory counterparts on Thursday agreed to develop a “capacity investment scheme” that would underwrite clean power projects that can generate and store energy to dispatch it when it is needed most, including when the wind isn't blowing and the sun isn't shining.
Australia’s energy ministers are progressing talks on sweeping reforms designed to bolster the grid and ensure an orderly shift away from coal. Credit:Fairfax Photgraphic
As power and gas bills continue to surge across the eastern seaboard, energy ministers across the country have been in talks on ways to tame soaring prices and protect consumers from price shocks.
The agreed capacity reform is aimed at encouraging the private sector to invest in the enormous amount of new renewables backed by “firming” technology, which the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) warns must be urgently built at a vastly greater scale to keep a lid on prices, meet emissions targets and ensure an “orderly” shift away from coal.
However, the agreement at the ministers’ meeting in Brisbane on Thursday for the reform to be restricted to zero-emissions technology only is a significant departure from the Energy Security Board’s initial design which had proposed a “technology-neutral” capacity mechanism – meaning coal and gas could also have been eligible to receive funding.
Simon Corbell of the Clean Energy Investor Group – representing 18 investors holding a combined $24 billion across 70 renewable energy projects nationwide – strongly welcomed the decision not to include coal and gas, and said the reform would plug a “real gap” in the market.
“We have been missing a mechanism to incentivise new storage, and this will significantly assist in realising new storage at a time when it’s desperately needed,” said Corbell, whose members include Neoen, Macquarie and Tilt Renewables.
“This decision will help underpin new investments in a way that meets the needs of the market operators and consumers.”
Energy industry leaders have advocated for fossil fuels, particularly fast-start gas generators, to be included in the market reforms aimed at increasing “firming” capacity, pointing out that big batteries can supply the grid for only a few hours at a time. However, the prospect of including fossil fuels in the scheme sparked significant pushback from the Victorian government, clean energy developers, and climate campaigners, who dubbed the policy “Coal Keeper” as they feared it may be used to artificially prolong the lives of fossil fuels in the grid.
The Australian Energy Council, representing large energy suppliers including Origin Energy and AGL, said its members looked forward to consultations on the scheme’s design, but pointed out that it appeared markedly different from other capacity mechanisms around the world that include existing dispatchable technologies and were “not limited to new entrants”.
“The design will be critical to how this alternative approach will work in practice,” chief executive Sarah McNamara said. “It will be important that the proposal doesn’t actually impact reliability by triggering disorderly closures of existing capacity sources.”
Bowen on Thursday said the Commonwealth would call auctions for bids for dispatchable, renewable energy that it will underwrite from next year.
Renewable energy industry leaders on Thursday described the move as a “win for investors” and said it would help shield consumers from high and volatile power prices.
“The Clean Energy Council has long advocated for sensible policy measures like this that accelerate Australia’s shift to renewable energy and energy storage,” said Clean Energy Council chief executive Kane Thornton. “This decision will help unlock the next wave of renewable energy projects.”
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Criminal Appeal 4 of 2019
Omollo & another v Republic (Criminal Appeal 4 of 2019) [2022] KEHC 14982 (KLR) (8 November 2022) (Judgment)
Omollo & another v Republic
High Court at Kisumu
Fred Andago Ochieng
In the High Court at Kisumu
FA Ochieng, J
Erick Owuor Omollo
1st Appellant
Erick Ochieng Okoth
2nd Appellant
(Being an appeal from the Conviction and sentence of the SPM’s Court at Maseno by Hon. R.S. Kipngeno (SRM) dated 14th day of February 2019 in Criminal Case No. 534 of 2017)
The appellants, Erick Ochieng Okoth and Erick Owuor Omollo, were convicted for the offences of robbery with violence contrary to section 296 (2) of the Penal Code; and gang rape contrary to section 10 of the Sexual Offences Act.
1.In respect of each offence, the appellants were sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, each. However, the trial court ordered that the sentences would run concurrently.
2.In their appeal, the appellants raised 9 grounds to challenge both the convictions and sentences. The said grounds of appeal can be summarized as follows;i.The sentences were manifestly harsh.ii.The medical evidence was unreliable due to contradictions.iii.Crucial witnesses were not provided by the prosecution.iv.The identification parade was irregular, as it was not conducted in accordance with the Police Service Act.v.The evidence adduced was marred with inconsistencies, hence unsafe to base a conviction upon.vi.No expert from Safaricom was produced to prove the alleged communications with the complainant.vii.The case was poorly investigated.viii.The evidence of recovery was not proved beyond reasonable doubt.ix.The defence was not given due consideration.
3.When canvassing the appeal the appellants first submitted that there was no positive identification. That submission was premised on the fact that the offence had been committed at night, where there were unfavourable circumstances for proper identification.
4.As far as the appellants were concerned, the fact that in the P3 form, the assailants were described as “unknown”, was an indication that the complainant had not identified her assailants.
5.The appellants also pointed out that neither of them was arrested at their respective homes, where the complainant’s stolen items were recovered from.
6.And, in any event, the appellants submitted that there was no evidence to prove that the items which were allegedly recovered, belonged to the complainant.
7.On the issue of the identification parade, the appellants said that the police had coached the complainant.
8.As regards the offence of rape, the appellants submitted that the same was not proved through any medical evidence.
9.They noted that the medical evidence showed;a.Normal outer genitalia.b.No lacerations/bruises.c.No spermatozoa noted.d.No reddened cervix.
10.It was their case that although the hymen was broken, that could have been caused by various activities such as horse-riding or tight garments.
11.The appellants further submitted that the credibility of the complainant was doubtful, because it could not be established that she actually lost her phone.
12.In their opinion, the prosecution ought to have led evidence to connect them to the phone: and that should have been done by dusting the phone to verify if the finger-prints of the appellants were traced on the said phone.
13.As regards the sentences, the appellants submitted that mandatory minimum sentences were unconstitutional. Therefore, they invited the court to consider the circumstances that surrounded the offence, with a view to coming up with appropriate sentences.
14.In that respect, the appellants reminded the court that each of them is a first offender, who is a breadwinner for their respective families. They also said that they were remorseful.
15.Being the first appellate court, i am obliged to re-evaluate all the evidence on record. I will conduct that exercise, whilst bearing in mind that I did not have advantage of observing the witnesses when they were giving evidence.
16.For that reason, I shall remain alive to the fact that when the learned trial magistrate made a finding on a matter of fact, based on his evaluation of the demeanour of a witness, this court must be extremely slow to consider deviating from such a finding.
17.PW1 is the complainant. She hailed from Iten town.
18.She testified that she had seen a job vacancy which had been posted online, on facebook. The said advertisement had been posted by someone named Ericko.
19.PW1 chatted with Ericko on WhatsApp. She was informed that she could work at Iten, and that she would be paid by Mpesa.
20.However, prior to being given the job, PW1 was to undergo training in Kisumu.
21.PW1 travelled to Kisumu, with a view to taking part in the training. When she contacted to “Ericko”, he said that he was far-off. After considerable delay, “Ericko” sent “Reagan” to pick-up PW1 from the bus-stage.
22.Although the man who was said to be “Reagan” was supposed to take PW1 TO “Ericko’s” house, the person led her to a bush, which was up a hill.
23.Once there, the person was joined by “Ericko”, and they raped her severally. They also went away with her mobile phone, money, purse and clothes.
24.PW1 found her way to a home in the neighbourhood where the incident occurred.
25.PW2 is the person whose home the Complainant found refuge after the assailants had abandoned her.
26.He escorted her to the home of the Village Elder (PW3). However, when PW2 reached there PW3 was not at home.
27.On the advice of the area Assistant Chief, PW2 took the Appellant back to his home, so that she would rest until the next morning.
28.When the Village Elder saw the Complainant, blood was oozing from her private parts.
29.PW4 was a Clinical Officer at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital. She testified that the presence of epithelial cells on the person of the Complainant was an indication of friction during sex or of an infection.
30.Having examined the Complainant, PW4 concluded that she had been gang raped.
31.PW4 informed the Court that samples were taken to the Government Chemist for analysis.
32.PW5 is the Police Officer who conducted the Identification Parades for the 2 Appellants.
33.He said that the Complainant picked out the Appellants from their respective parades.
34.PW5 said that the 1st Appellant told him that he was suspicious that the officers had shown to the Complainant, some of his photos.
35.Meanwhile, the 2nd Appellant had no complaints about the parade.
36.I note that the 1st Appellant is now asserting that he was shown to the Complainant prior to the parade. That is a complete shift from what PW5 told the trial Court about; and yet the 1st Appellant did not cross-examine the police officer about it.
37.PW6 worked at the Government Chemist, Kisumu. He testified that they received the following samples;a.High vaginal swab from the complainant;b.Swab from the saliva of the complainant;c.Saliva swab from each of the 2 appellants.
38.PW6 explained that the principle upon which DNA works was that all persons are different. The DNA comprises half of each parent. Therefore, it is possible to determine the origin from body fluid.
39.In this case, the DNA samples generated from the Complainant was a mixed DNA profile of the Complainant, and the 2 Appellants.
40.PW7 was the arresting officer. He said that the 1st Appellant was arrested at his home. Thereafter, it was the said 1st Appellant who led the “Flying Squad” officers to the home of the 2nd Appellant.
41.PW8 was the Investigating Officer. He confirmed having taken the Complainant to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching & Referral Hospital. He also confirmed that after the Complainant was examined, samples were taken from her and taken to the Government Chemist for analysis.
42.PW8 said that at the home of the 2nd Appellant, the police recovered incriminating items. Those items included the Complainant’s grey handbag; a small porch containing make up, roll-ons, eye-pencil, lip balm and lip glow.
43.According to PW8, the Complainant had a description of the Appellant from her facebook screenshot.
44.Furthermore, the witness chatted with the 1st Appellant, using the phone number which the Complainant had been using to communicate with him.
45.In one text which PW8 received, the 1st Appellant confirmed that the number was his, although he had registered it using his father’s Identity Card.
46.PW8 gave the name of the father (of the 1st appellant) as James Okoth Ngala.
47.He further testified that the 1st Appellant obtained his phone number from the facebook account of the officer, and that he downloaded the photos of PW8. He then posted the photos, stating that PW8 and an undercover sleuth, were CID officers.
48.I note that during cross-examination, the 1st Appellant suggested to PW8 that his photos were shown to the Complainant.
49.After PW8 testified, the prosecution closed its case.
50.In his defence, the 1st Appellant attributed his tribulations to a frame-up by one WILLIAM OPIYO, who was his neighbor. He said that he quarreled with the neighbour when he had gone to recover his financial debt from him. The neighbour vowed to revenge.
51.When he refused to bribe the police officers who had arrested him, they preferred the charges against him.
52.He said that he did not even know the 2nd Appellant.
53.On his part, the 2nd Appellant said that the police officers who arrested him told him that there was a photo of his on social media.
54.Later, the Complainant said that she had been raped by persons who she had met on facebook.
55.But the 2nd Appellant said that he did not have any facebook account.
56.When he was questioned about the co-accused, the 2nd Appellant contradicted him. He said that he and his co-accused know each other, contrary to what the 1st Appellant had said.
57.The foregoing is the totality of the evidence on record. I will now re-evaluate it, whilst bearing in mind the submissions herein.
58.The Complainant met the 2nd Appellant in broad daylight. She was with him for a considerable length of time.
59.She saw him clearly, and noted that he had a scar on the left side of the face. She also noted that he walked with a limp.
60.As regards the 1st Appellant, the Complainant said that she marked his appearance when the man was on top of her. The proximity between the 2 of them was that close. And each of the Appellants assaulted the Complainant severally. I have no doubt that she was able to identify each of them positively.
61.Immediately after she reached the home of PW2, the Complainant described her assailants to her benefactor.
62.PW3 also testified that when he talked to the Complainant, she told him that she had been defiled by 2 young men who she could identify.
63.And when PW5 conducted Identification Parades, the Complainant picked out the Appellants.
64.Finally, when the Government Chemist analyzed the DNA of the Complainant and of the Appellants, it transpired that the samples from the Complainant’s swab contained a mixture of her DNA, together with the DNA of both Appellants.
65.Therefore, there cannot be any doubt whatsoever that the Appellants had both raped the Complainant, leaving critical evidence in her body. I find that there cannot be any more definitive or conclusive nexus between the Appellants and the Complainant.
66.If there might have been any doubts about the identification of the assailants, the same evaporated completely, in the light of the DNA evidence.
Identification Parades
67.The Appellants did not put forward any substantive challenge to the manner in which the parades were conducted.
68.During the trial, the 1st Appellant suggested that the police officers had showed his photo to the Complainant. But when canvassing his appeal, the 1st Appellant suggested that the police had shown him to the Complainant.
69.First, the Complainant was never confronted with either suggestion, during cross-examination. Secondly, the contention being made during this appeal is inconsistent with what was alluded to during the trial.
70.I find that the submissions herein were simply an afterthought which does not dent the propriety of the identification parades.
Medical Evidence
71.The learned trial magistrate cited the case of Mark Oiruri Mose vs Republic (2013)eKLR, in which the Court of Appeal held as follows;“Many times the attacker does notcomplete the sexual act duringcommission of the offence. That isthe main reason why the law doesnot require that evidence ofspermatozoa be availed. So long asthere is penetration, whether onlyon the surface, the ingredient of theoffence is demonstrated, andpenetration need not be deepinside the girl’s organ ……”
72.I find that it is not a requirement that the medical evidence should show that the Complainant suffered physical injuries. Therefore, the fact that the outer genitalia was normal and also that there were no lacerations or bruises to the Complainant’s genitalia, does not mean that she was not raped.
73.The Complainant was forced to undress. The assailants assaulted her sexually. And she had not given her consent to their heinous actions.
74.The acts were conducted at night; in a bushy area, high up on the hills which were located in an area to which the Complainant was a stranger.
75.One assailant had possession of her bag and other items (including her phone), whilst the other assailant was armed with a panga.
76.The Complainant had neither the freedom nor the capacity to consent.
77.I find that the assailants intentionally and unlawfully molested the Complainant sexually; and that they did so without her consent.
Recoveries
78.The Complainant’s property, which the assailants had robbed her of, were recovered from the house of the 2nd Appellant.
79.The said recoveries constituted further proof of the nexus between that Appellant and the offences for which he was convicted.
80.Although the Appellants alluded to an alleged lack of credibility on the part of the Complainant, I found no merit in the said assertion.
81.The conclusive DNA evidence corroborated the testimony of the Complainant.
82.I find that there is no legal requirement that the prosecution should adduce evidence to show that an accused person’s finger-prints were found on the Complainant’s property, which was recovered in the possession of the said accused.
83.Even if the finger-print impressions were not found on the stolen items which were then recovered, that would not necessarily exonerate the accused person, in whose possession the items were recovered.
Expert Evidence
84.The evidence against the Appellants was not predicated upon expert evidence that would have been provided by Safaricom or any other service provider.
85.Whether or not the Appellants (or either of them) had facebook accounts would not diminish the evidence adduced, which proved the offences of robbery with violence and rape, respectively.
86.It is an accepted rule that minor discrepancies and inconsistencies are normal when witnesses testify about matters which they may have seen, even when they had been together at the material time.
87.Indeed, there might be instances in which evidence which is wholly without any discrepancy could cause the court to have suspicion about its authenticity.
88.In this case, I have not found any inconsistencies or discrepancies which are material.
Defences
89.I find that the 1st Appellant’s assertion, that he had been framed; and also that he did not even know his co-accused, is without any merit. I so find because the evidence adduced was so overwhelming and conclusive that the defence put forward did not cast any doubt on it.
90.Similarly, the evidence against the 2nd Appellant proved that he committed the offences, I find that his defence failed to weaken the solid case which the prosecution had proved against him.
91.The learned trial magistrate did not hand down the sentences on the grounds that they were of a minimum mandatory nature.
92.The Appellants were given the opportunity for mitigation, and the trial court took into account the mitigation.
93.The sentences were lawful and reasonable. There is no basis upon which this Court could interfere with the said sentences.
94.Accordingly, I dismiss the appeal in its entirety. I uphold both the convictions and the sentences.
DATED, SIGNED AND DELIVERED AT KISUMU THIS 8TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2022.FRED A. OCHIENGJUDGE | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.7535736560821533, "wiki_prob": 0.7535736560821533, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line589068"} |
What Farmers Can Do About Climate Change: Grazing
November 1, 2017 National Farmer's Union Agriculture 0
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Hannah Packman | Communications Coordinator | National Farmers Union | @nfudc
Tom Driscoll | Director of Conservation Policy | National Farmers Union | @agtogo
Elements of this piece previously appeared here, here, and here. It appears here under an agreement with the National Farmers Union
[EDITOR: The National Farmer’s Union has been running a series on their Climate Column on What Farmer’s Can Do About Climate Change. We’re going to be collecting some of those posts and organizing them by theme. In our first installment, we’ve gathered three posts related to grazing techniques to deal with or address climate change.]
Prescribed Grazing
One approach to responding to climate change that incorporates both livestock and land is prescribed grazing, which, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) describes it, is “the controlled harvest of vegetation with grazing animals, managed with the intent to achieve a specific objective.” This is achieved by regulating the frequency and intensity of grazing, as well as the density and placement of livestock. The aforementioned “specific objective” varies from operation to operation, and could encompass both conservation and economic goals.
One of the primary conservation benefits of prescribed grazing is enhanced soil quality. By controlling the location, concentration, and duration of grazing, farmers can prevent soil compaction due to trampling. This, in turn, can improve both the water infiltration and drainage of the soil, which can decrease the risk of water runoff, soil erosion, and water contamination. Farmers can go one step further in preventing erosion by protecting sensitive areas, such as riparian zones, through adequate soil coverage as well as the restriction or elimination of grazing or browsing in those locations.
Although prescribed grazing is often cited for its conservation benefits, it can also be a lucrative choice for farmers. By keeping animals on pasture, farmers can save the input costs of nutrients that are provided directly by manure, and the time otherwise required to raise, harvest, and store animal feed. What’s more, prescribed grazing can also increase profits. When executed correctly, the method increases forage quality and quantity, which consequently improves animal health and increases yields, and grants added conservation benefits, such as carbon sequestration and wildlife habitat.
To fully realize the potential advantages of prescribed grazing, a carefully-planned prescribed grazing schedule is necessary. This will stipulate the number and density of animals as well as the location, timing, frequency, and duration of grazing or browsing. A prescribed grazing schedule will depend on a number of variables, including type and quantity of plant and animal species, desired objectives, topography, climate, and season. Additionally, farmers will likely need a contingency plan that both predicts potential climatic issues as well as provides a guide to adjust the schedule to ensure conservation and economic goals are still achieved.
Rotational Grazing
Rotational grazing is one of the most common forms of prescribed grazing. Under rotational grazing, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) describes it, “only one portion of pasture is grazed at a time while the remainder of the pasture ‘rests.’” Before incorporating rotational grazing into their management plans, producers must use fences to partition their grazing land into smaller subdivisions, known as “paddocks.” Livestock are then herded from paddock to paddock and allowed to graze for a specified amount of time, allowing the rest of the land to rejuvenate during that period.
USDA: otational grazing along the Creeper Trail, South Fork of the Holston River Project. Virginia.
| Wikicommons | CC License
By allowing the forage to regrow, rotational grazing offers a number of conservation benefits. For one, it can decrease the risk of soil erosion. Healthy and robust forage has a deep root system, which can stabilize soil, as well as vegetative cover, which can protect soil from wind and water. Furthermore, moving livestock frequently can prevent soil compaction, which in turn increases the soil’s infiltration capacity. This provides additional conservation benefits; greater infiltration capacity inhibits the occurrence of runoff, which may carry plant nutrients, manure, and pesticides into nearby land water. Ground water quality may benefit as well; rotationally grazed land does not require as many nutrient inputs, and deeper roots can absorb nutrients further down in the soil, both of which decrease the quantity of contaminants entering ground water.
Rotational grazing does not merely offer conservation benefits. Many producers choose to implement the practice because of the economic efficiency it affords. Forage raised in this system is typically healthier, more resilient, and more abundant than those grown in a continuous system, which can save farmers money on feed and other inputs. Additionally, the start-up costs and maintenance expenses are low, as are the time requirements, when compared to a confinement system that necessitates significant infrastructure and time spent feeding livestock. And wildlife can benefit as well; like many conservation practices, rotational grazing can bolster wildlife habitats by allowing native species to grow undisturbed.
Silvopasture
Growing trees on farmland allows producers to store more carbon while simultaneously achieving other advantages for their farms’ productivity. The National Agroforestry Center (NAC) shares information on such practices, which can benefit crop growers and livestock producers alike. Silvopasture is one practice that allows folks engaged in grazing to enhance the climate resilience of their operations.
USDA: The Gibson Farm in South Carolina
The Gibsons have practiced silvopasture for years, and have found that it helps their livestock maintain their body weight by continuing to graze under trees during the day, rather than in open pasture at night when it’s cooler. | Flickr | CC License
Silvopasture, as described by NAC, “combines trees with forage and livestock production.” Trees can be managed for timber, fruit or nut production, or ornamentation markets, such as Christmas trees. In addition to diversifying farm income, trees also provide shade. In many climates, shade can both improve forage growth and provide shelter for grazing animals, which in turn can decrease heat stress and increase yields. Furthermore, trees incorporated through silvopasture can add value to an operation by augmenting wildlife habitat that supports biodiversity and its associated ecosystem services.
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• We Need Your Data on Conservation Ag Practices
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Guiding Principles for Teaching Farming and Food Systems | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6592622995376587, "wiki_prob": 0.3407377004623413, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line1870366"} |
The Blind Date
Posted in The Hopeless Romantic Series
by Maryam AbdulWahab October 22, 2018
It was 11:30 PM. Diana laid beside her roommate and focused on her laptop. She had a wide smile plastered on her face and she chuckled intermittently as she clicked steadily on the keyboard.
…HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU, WITHOUT MEETING YOU?
- Felix Olawale
IT’S BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS DEEP CONNECTION BETWEEN US.
- Mhiz Diana Unique
*SMILES* OKAY, I WANT TO SEE MY PRINCESS
HAHAHA. FOR REAL?
YES LOVE, FOR REAL
SO TELL ME, HOW DO YOU LOOK? ARE YOU TALL...
“Diana!” Oma, her roommate tapped her repeatedly on her back.
“Ehnnn…Oma? You’ve woken up?” Diana drifted her concentration from the laptop to her roommate, who stared at her with groggy eyes.
“I want to pee. Don’t tell you’re still awake because of that your Facebook bobo?” Oma raised her hands at her in a ‘what da heck’ way.
Diana smiled shyly. “Yes oo. He wants to see me,” she sipped from her cup of milk and replied to a new message that popped on her screen.
“You like this bobo so?”
“Yes na,” Diana sits upright, adjusting the hand of her nightgown. “I love him.”
Oma clasped her hands and laughed mockingly. “You sure say you okay? Love kwa? Facebook guy? How many of them don tell me say dem love me ehnn? You better be careful.” Oma queried as she was walking to the toilet.
RELATED ARTICLE: The First Sight.
Diana shrugged nonchalantly and replied to her new messages.
I’M REALLY EAGER TO MEET YOU DIANA. I WANT US TO MEET EACH OTHER AND START A REAL RELATIONSHIP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
I’M ALSO EAGER TO MEET YOU. WHEN SHOULD WE MEET?
Felix typing…
“Are you not going to bed tonight? Remember you have an early morning meeting at work,” Oma said, flopping back on the bed and turning the bedspread over her.
Diana, as if just realizing, freezes her fingers on the keyboard and gasped. “It’s true oo. I have a presentation to make tomorrow morning. I haven’t even revised my papers. Oh my, I need to sleep now.”
FELIX, I’M SORRY…I HAVE TO LEAVE NOW. I HAVE AN EARLY MORNING PRESENTATION.
PROMISE WE’LL MEET TOMORROW.
Diana’s eyes widened.
TOMORROW? ISN’T THAT TOO FAST?
READ ALSO: My Life in Lagos Series (The Hopeless Romantic).
IT ISN’T BABY. NOTHING IS TOO FAST ABOUT US. WE LOVE OURSELVES AND THAT’S WHAT MATTERS.
OKAY, LOVE. I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU.
SAME HERE. HAVE A PLEASANT NIGHT REST.
Diana closed her laptop and yawned lazily. She glanced at Oma, who had started to snore.
“Okay…I need to sleep now.” Diana switched off the light and laid beside Oma, pulling the covers over her.
‘So I am going to see Felix tomorrow…how will he look like? Will I like him?’ she thought, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Tomorrow laid a lot for her. It was the day the company would be sealing a deal with a soap-making company and she had to give the presentation. The presentation that would lead to the success of the business deal. It was also the day that she would meet Felix for the first time; Felix that she had been chatting with for the past three months.
“Tomorrow is the D-day.” She muttered, closing her eyelids.
Diana sat at the right end corner seat in Daani Pizza Hut. It was a corner that made her look out through the window and view the outside world.
“It’s to munch on pizza and stare outside. You’ll get this unusual feeling that is mind-blowing.” Diana had told her roommate-cum-friend a number of times.
The presentation…ah, the presentation didn’t go well. She failed…she failed her company. She had done her best in convincing them to seal the contract.
“We’re sorry. There are not enough justifying reasons to convince us in doing business with you.” One of the men had said.
Diana had given him a scowling look, staring at his bald head and wishing that she would insult him without facing consequences.
“Okay, thank you.” She had said in a very professional way, taking her pile of files and storming out of the conference room.
Her boss had convinced her that she did her best…that it was their own loss that they weren’t convinced with what she had presented.
It is the close of work. Diana is in the Pizza hut, waiting for Felix. She believes deep down in her, that it would change everything; that Felix would be just the kind of man that she wants…that she’ll fall deeper in love with him and leave the tag of being called A Hopeless Romantic.
Diana is dressed in a blue-starched suit and palazzo pants. She is wearing the silver jewelry that she had bought on her first visit to Dubai. She is wearing the piece to impress Felix.
Ten minutes is gone and Felix is still out of sight. She sips from her ‘now-cold’ tea and stares outside. She sees a couple; a really young one holding hands as they walk on the street. Rain is drizzling and the man wears his black-leather jacket around his lover’s shoulder. It looks really sweet and Diana cannot help but smile.
“That is what love means. Gosh! I think I’m also in love.” She gushed, picturing the handsome face in the display picture on Facebook.
Felix was smiling and displaying his sparking his set of teeth. He wore a black t-shirt and placed dark-sunglasses on the upper part of his head. She hasn’t seen his full picture but that she has seen is enough to prove that he is really cute and handsome.
It is thirty minutes and Felix is still not in sight. The waitress is looking uncomfortably and she starts to feel nervous. She tries his line and he picks up instantly.
“Hey, babe.” He greets and she could the blaring sound of the car horns. It is very evident that he is still on the road.
“How are you? I’ve been here, waiting for you.” She says on the phone, adjusting the collar of her suit and taking a bite of meat pie.
“I’m sorry babe. I’m almost there…in fact; you will see me in the next two minutes.”
It is two minutes. Felix is walking into the building. He looks different…different from the picture that she had seen on his profile. He is short, stout and very dark in complexion. He is putting on a gray shirt and black trousers. He is wearing leather slippers…one of the things that turn Diana off.
“I’ll roll my eyes at any guy that wear slippers. Like seriously? You cannot wear shoes? If a man approaches me for the first time, it’s his feet that’ll first study before anything else.” Diana had told Oma a week ago.
Felix smiles as he walks slower to where she is sitting. When he gets to her, he bends down and places a kiss on her cheek.
Diana reluctantly obliges. She doesn’t want to cause a scene or look rude in front of the man that she is meeting for the first time. His mouth smells like the refuse bin but she manages to smile and stay composed.
“How was work today?” he asks, taking a seat opposite her.
“Work went well.” She replies, stroking her neatly-packed hair and sipping from her coffee.
‘The coffee is a big disaster. It tastes like poison. This is wrong…everything is wrong. I shouldn’t have come in the first place. I should have listened to Oma’. She thinks
“So how much do you earn monthly?” he asks, fixing his red-coloured eyes on her.
Diana looks dazed. What business does he have with that?
She sips from the cup of coffee she has labeled as tasting like poison and smile awkwardly.
“I need a loan…been desperately searching for who to borrow me half a million. I know you will since you love me.” He winks at her and she shakes her head in disbelief.
“Ain’t you going to order for something?” she asks.
Felix scrunches up his face. “Nahhh…I hate pizza. It slimes like okro soup.” He wrinkles his forehead and closes his eyes in disgust.
Diana almost burst into laughter. “How about coffee?”
“Too bitter.” He replies, fixing his gaze on her.
Diana knows that it is over…that she has run away from this man as soon as possible. But can she do so?
The man starts to rant about a random thing…something that she is clearly not interested in, and she mentally devises a method of escaping.
“I need to visit the ladies.” She says, standing up from her seat.
“Okay. Don’t stay long baby.” He says and then notices that she has taken her bag and purse along with her. “Are you leaving so soon?”
“No…you know…the time of the month for me.” She laughs loudly and he joins her, his eyes twinkling in pleasure.
“Okay baby, I’ll be right here waiting for you.”
Diana scampers to the ladies section and stands by the lobby, ruminating over what to do. “Should I just jump out of the toilet window? Ah no, I can break my skull or spinal cord…should I remain here till he gets tired and leaves? No, I can stay in the toilet for too long.” She mutters, pacing around and almost shedding tears.
“Why didn’t I just listen to Oma?” she murmurs.
It is 30 minutes later and Diana is still stuck in the toilet. She can’t leave there. She can’t return to where Felix is.
“Excuse me, ma’am. I think I can be of help to you.” A female voice calls out.
“Who are you?” Diana retorts.
“A cleaner. I noticed that you’ve been in there for more than 30 minutes and I know why. I can assist you in escaping.”
Diana heaves a sigh of relief as she opens the door to see a chubby petite lady holding a mopping stick and a bucket in the other hand. She smiles graciously and drops what she is holding.
“I’ve been on a blind date. Yours is even okay. I discovered that the so-called handsome and rich man is just a tout that extorts money from bus drivers in Oshodi. In fact, after that incident, I started to see him almost every day at Oshodi.” The cleaner says and they both roar in laughter.
“Thank you.” Diana smiles at her.
“Do not mention.”
Diana opens the door slowly to take a peek at Felix. He is still seated but he is performing an outrageous act. He is dipping a finger into her cup of coffee and tasting it. He takes a bite of the pizza and throws the part he just chewed back to the carton.
“Eww. That’s really gross.” Diana frowns and they both laugh again.
“Let’s get going.” The cleaner holds her bag and leads her through some rows of doors. She enters an empty room and opens a large door. “Here you go. Have a nice time. Do not settle for anything less. Your heartthrob is just on his way.” The cleaner encourages.
“Thank you. Your name?”
“Ife.”
“Nice to meet you Ife.” Diana hugs her and walks to the bubbling street, happy to be free from the blind date.
Its night time and Diana returns home to meet Oma frying fish and humming a song. “How did it go?” she calls from the kitchen.
Diana ignores her question and flops on the bed, pulling off the belt of her shoes.
Oma rushes out. “It didn’t go as you have imagined? I was right?” she raises her eyes.
Diana frowns. “Yes Oma, you were right. I shouldn’t have done this.” She says, reaching for her phone and logging into Facebook.
You’re stupid and foolish for leaving me there. Well, you’re lucky to have left or I’d have taught you a very good lesson. Nonsense! Rada rada!!! Good riddance to bad rubbish!!!
–Felix Olawale.
You can’t send a message to this person anymore.
Diana laughs sarcastically, holding her phone. “Imagine oo, he insulted me…then blocked me.”
Oma reaches for the phone and reads it. “Good riddance to bad rubbish Di. He said it himself, that you’re really lucky. Take a shower and let’s have noodles and fish jare.” Oma says, thrusting the phone to the bed and returning to the kitchen.
“I’m still a hopeless romantic,” Diana mutters, pulling off her jacket and releasing the bangs from her hair. | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6182844638824463, "wiki_prob": 0.3817155361175537, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line1048780"} |
Delapre Park walking route to open this Bank Holiday weekend
Posted on 25th August 2021 by Delapré Abbey
A new signposted walking route within Delapre Park will open on Sunday 29th August at 10am following months of research by The University of Northampton, Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust and Northamptonshire Sport.
Through public surveys and observing how walkers currently use Delapre Park, the project has been investigating if a signposted route with maps and arrows could increase walking there and improve the physical activity and wellbeing of people in the community.
The new route will be opened by Richard Clinton, Chief Executive of Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust, Dr Declan Ryan, Lecturer in Exercise Physiology, University of Northampton, and David Askew, Founder, Northamptonshire Walks with a ribbon cutting ceremony, short speeches, and a walk of the new route. The walk will end with light refreshments back at the Abbey. Everyone is invited to join and asked to meet outside Delapré Abbey’s deli, Common Ground, at 9:45am before walking to the start of the new route for the ceremony at 10am.
The 3km route will take walkers past the historic battlefield – site of the 1460 Battle of Northampton, Delapré Abbey, Delapre Woods, the lake, and the golf course.
Dr Declan Ryan, Lecturer in Exercise Physiology, University of Northampton said: “The University of Northampton are really grateful for the collaboration with Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust and Northamptonshire Sport that has allowed us to research the impact that walking route signage can have on the public’s participation in physical activity and engagement with green spaces, which are both valuable for improving wellbeing.
“Although signposted walking routes are becoming more common, they are under researched and thus, our project at Delapre Park will be providing valuable evidence of how the public engage with such wayfinding information. This project will now run for a couple of years and during that time we will be monitoring footfall along the route to compare with the data we collected between March and August 2021, as well as with footfall within two other parks in the town. Users of the route will be able to feedback their experiences by completing an online questionnaire that can be accessed by scanning the QR code or entering the website address displayed on the new signs within the park.”
David Askew, Founder, Northamptonshire Walks, said “Northamptonshire Walks is really excited to be part of this project with Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust and Northamptonshire Sport.
“Little did we know at that time the impact Covid would have on the world and, throughout the various lockdowns, walking was one of the few things that people could do – even from their doorstep. I have received many personal messages about what walking has done for peoples’ physical and mental health in these difficult times.
“I look forward to getting the new route on northamptonshirewalks.co.uk as soon as possible so more people can explore this wonderful place.”
To read the summary of outcomes from the public survey into views of observational signage, click here.
What’s On this August at Delapré Abbey
Delapré Abbey Wellbeing and Heritage Project | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.7167213559150696, "wiki_prob": 0.2832786440849304, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line1096109"} |
HomeSouthern Denton County Local News
Local summit club to host annual Dan Licardo Blood Drive on 9/11
Photo courtesy of the American Red Cross
Dan Licardo
On Sept. 11, the Flower Mound Summit Club will host the fourth annual Dan Licardo Blood Drive Honoring Our Heroes at the Cross Timbers Family YMCA with the goal of collecting more than 200 units of blood to honor U.S. military and first responders.
The blood drive to “honor our heroes” was started in 2018 when Dan Licardo, a former Navy SEAL and friend to many Summit Club members, was involved in a catastrophic car accident that took both of his legs and required doctors to use 94 units of blood to save his life. Now, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, blood is needed now more than ever, according to a Summit Club news release.
Licardo was driving down a major thoroughfare in Flower Mound when he had a seizure and lost consciousness and suffered violent muscle contractions that caused the car to accelerate and swerve off the road into a large tree. Months later, Licardo learned the seizure was caused by the effects of Traumatic Brain Injury due to years of explosives training and multiple tours of combat in the Middle East. TBI is a common diagnosis for many returning veterans with myriad effects. While Licardo mourns the loss of his legs, he is grateful to the people who worked tirelessly to save his life.
“There’s not enough I can say about the first responders, the Care Flight team and the doctors who worked so hard to save me after the crash,” Licardo said. “If it weren’t for the equipment, the staff and the training provided by the citizens of Flower Mound, my story could have had a much different ending.”
Hearing his doctors and rescue team recount details of his recovery and treatment in the OR, Licardo became keenly aware of the importance of blood donation and what a precious, and perishable commodity it is.
“Most people don’t realize blood is a perishable item with a shelf life of about 42 days. To make sure hospitals have what they need, the blood supply has to be replenished regularly but only about 3% of people who can give blood actually do. I completely bled out seven times before the doctors could save me,” Licardo said. “I was thankful to have friends who stepped up to donate last year and now, I’m excited to help pay that forward by making the blood drive they started for me an annual community event here in Flower Mound.”
The blood drive is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cross Timbers Family YMCA, 2021 Cross Timbers Road. Due to COVID-19, all donors must reserve a spot online prior to the event:
Visit redcross.org
In the “Find A Blood Drive” Box, enter: 75028
Under “Drives Near 75028,” scroll down until you see “The Dan Licardo Blood Drive Honoring Our Heroes” on 9/11
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Mark Smith is the Digital Editor of The Cross Timbers Gazette. | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.707049548625946, "wiki_prob": 0.29295045137405396, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line389770"} |
First female president elected
The first female president of the UK Leather & Hide Trades' Benevolent Institution has been elected since it was first founded in 1860. Jill Williams, finance director, Pittards was officially elected at the L&HTBI's AGM and annual lunch held at the Leathersellers' Compamy in London, May 21.
She succeeds Paul Patrick, director, Patrick Leather. The L&HTBI raises funds to support former leather industry workers and their families. For more information or to make a donation please visit www.lhtbi.org.uk | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6763957738876343, "wiki_prob": 0.3236042261123657, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line521399"} |
Home > English Titles الكتب الانجليزية > History: Islamic | Arab | Other (En) >
Battlefields of the Prophet Muhammad
By: Hamidullah, Muhammad (1908-2002)Share
Language: Englilsh
«The Battlefields of the Prophet Muhammad: With Maps, Illustrations and Sketches - A contribution of Muslim Military History.» In this book the author has endeavoured to present a Military history of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) under the title of his treatise “The Battlefields of the Prophet Muhammad”. To make it more comprehensive he has added maps, illustrations and sketches about the wars in it. By the noted Indian Muslin scholar, Muhammad Hamidullah (1908-2002). This a reproduction of the original publication and as such may include imperfections from the original or introduced by the scanning process, including blurred pictures.
Hamidullah, Muhammad (1908-2002)
Englilsh
158 pp, b/w Illustrations
Kitab Bhavan, New Delhi, 2017 6th Edition
14.5 x 22.5 cm / 5.75 x 8.75 in
Historical Military Campaigns and Leadership - Geography- Prophet Muhammad | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.6340801119804382, "wiki_prob": 0.6340801119804382, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line913780"} |
Wendy Williams Body Measurements
Body Statistics Table
All body statistics are seen in the table below. Take a look at measurements like height and weight!
Breasts-Waist-Hips
Wendy Williams Short Bio
Wendy Williams Hunter is American media personality, actress and author who was born in Asbury Park, New Jersey to Thomas and Shirley Williams. Wendy Williams was raised in Wayside section of Ocean Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey. She then attending Ocean Township High School and then continued to Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, and hold B.A. in communications .
Wendy Williams Body Measurement Table
Bra Size 34FF/ 34G
Eye Color Brown-Dark
Height 5 feet 11 inches
Hip Size 40 inches
Weight 79 kg or 175 pounds
Wendy Williams Career
Wendy Williams began her career by working at WVIS in the Virgin Islands. Shen then moved to work at urban contemporary WRKS (now WEPN-FM) in New York City in 1990. She then increased her career by joining Philadelphia urban station, WUSL (“Power 99FM”). Before that, Wendy Williams already get widely attention by winning the Billboard Award for “Best On-Air Radio Personality” in 1993. She then going back to New York airwaves and working full time for a syndicated 2–6 p.m. time slot.
In 2008, Wendy Williams started her career in television series by being a host in daytime talk show, The Wendy Williams Show that becomes her success talk show. It was aired in Dallas, Detroit, and Los Angeles. Beside that, Wendy Williams was also appeared in some television show like ABC soap opera One Life to Live, Lifetime network show Drop Dead Diva, game show for GSN called Love Triangle, guest judge on the sixth episode of The Face.
Wendy Williams Dating
Wendy Williams dating and married Robert Morris III when she is still very young. The couple then divorce and Wendy Williams then dating and marrying her agent, Kevin Hunter. Their first son then reported was born in last 1999.
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Rita Ora Bra Size And Body Measurements | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.9085584878921509, "wiki_prob": 0.9085584878921509, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line975903"} |
B7 Rahasia
Gray Mountain lies deep in the lush elven forest. The temple there was a haven of meditation and learning - until taken over by an evil cleric known as the Rahib. Far under the mountain, he paces before the temple's great altar. A brown-robed servant rushes in and falls to his knees, trembling at the sight of the Rahib's black panther. "Rahib, adventurers came to the village as the sun rose - the strangers now protect Rahasia." A scowl crosses the Rahib's face. "I must have Rahasia! Attack again tonight." As the servant scurries away, a deep growl rises from the giant cat. Gripping the panther's leash, the Rahib paces again, speaking out loud. "We must dispose of these strangers quickly; the secret beneath the temple will not wait much longer." Note: the setting is unspecified, but certain tie-ins, like the wines, prefigure Ravenloft. See: https://twitter.com/chrisperkinsdnd/status/703751906703749120 TSR #9115
FA9 - Festival Experience
Throughout the course of a campaign there are some sessions when you just don’t have enough players and need a “side trek” to salvage the day. While many times it’s a throw away session this adventure brings in the underused festival experience. From royalty to commoners everyone likes a good break from the daily grind. This packet lays out a basic festival experience with vendor options and actors. While no “adventure” is present it provides a good base with which to work with. In one of the Filbar Campaigns this festival gave the PCs an opportunity to come face to face with one of the nemeses without knowing until it was over. It also gave them rumors from the carnival staff of the location of a much sought after item. Just two of the possibilities for a successful one-shot adventure!
PL1 - Encounters at Gormell
PL1 – Encounters at Gormell is the initial adventure for the campaign in the Principality of Lockerbie. This series of adventures are set in the land known for the large city of Kettlespit and the capital of Xado Keep. The land resides to the south of the mountain range called the Spines, home to a devastating series of magic wars years ago. This land was the site of many battles and skirmishes and the western reaches are still very dangerous. This offering provides information on the village of Gormell and a variety of different scenarios to get your first level players up to second level and beyond!
Wearers of Flesh
Did you know there’s a skeleton inside each of us? The players will find themselves in a community of scared anthropomorphic rabbits and exploring the lair of undead wizards looking for flesh to wear. There are opportunities for combat, roll play, puzzle-solving and exploration. This was written as a submission for the Summer Adventure Design Contest over at Bryce's Adventure Design Forum.
Grammy's Country Apple Pie
A kid-friendly adventure for heroes of all ages and experience levels! When the ancient wizard Tyndareus develops a craving for a special treat from his childhood, he will stop at nothing to get his hands on the best apple pie in the whole world. He hires a group of adventurers to seek out the bakery that once produced the wonderful dessert – unfortunately for them, the bakery has long since been overrun by goblins. But all is not as it seems at Grammy’s Bakery, and Tyndareus isn’t the only one who’d do anything for those pies.
Dungeon Crawl Classics #97: The Queen of Elfland's Son
Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG
Strange attacks in the night plague the people of Eng. Slaughter and shadows keep the villagers inside after dark. Mighty adventurers are needed to seek out the source of these threats and stop them for good. This quest will take the heroes to the very borders of Elfland and pit them against the cruelty of the Unseelie Court of Faerie. Will the heroes overcome the machinations of the Queen of Elfland or will they fall victim to the glamours and wiles of Elfland’s malicious nobility?
The Dragon's Demand
Founded by a famous dragonslayer, the small town of Belhaim has become a sleepy rural community just off the beaten path, a settlement where everyone knows everyone and strangers are the talk of the town. But when Belhaim’s peace and quiet is shattered by the sudden collapse of the last standing tower of its founder’s castle, things quickly bloom out of control. Why were there bodies of kobolds amid the rubble? What’s the sinister secret behind the strange sounds of flapping wings in the night? And what’s happened to local wizard Balthus Hunclay, who’s not answering knocks on his door? The collapsed tower had long been an eyesore to the cantankerous old man—could he have had something to do with its destruction? And what of the rumors of strange stirrings in nearby Dragonfen? Has Belhaim’s ancient draconic nemesis returned?
B6 The Veiled Society
The widow insists there are demons in her house. She hears them at night in her root cellar, and now they call out to her. But she is old and nervous and her mind often plays tricks on her. * * * Two men, their heads fully sheathed in large, black hoods, dig quickly in the darkness of the cellar. The hole grows deeper as their shovels bite into the earth. "This will teach those meddlers their place," laughs the tall, hefty figure. "But it's too bad this was an accident," the shorter, slim figure says haltingly. "But don't you see the advantage?" snapped the tall man. "They will fear us now. They will fear for their lives." Grunting. they heave a sailcloth bundle into the hole. As it falls, a woman's hand dangles lifelessly from the folds. Who is the woman? Why will her death trigger riots and unrest in the city of Specularum? And the assassins: Are they Torenescu, Radu, or Vorloi? Or, curse of curses, the Veiled Society? This special game adventure provides a section of paper buildings and figures to cut out and use, giving you three dimensions to your game play! TSR 9086
The Greatest Suffering
The town of Warlorn is often thought of as a peaceful one. Not much happens there, and it is usually considered a place of peace were parties could convene to make truces or were the hurt could always come to find someone to care for them. Perceptions can often be incorrect however. The church of Ilmatter, God of Suffering, acts as an effective government in the town. Illmaters tenants are that to help all those who have suffered and to take on their suffering so that they may be healed. To them suffering is truly Holy, and to take suffering on from another is seen as the greatest way to prey to their god. Not everyone is as virtuous as a god, even his own followers, and humanity in taking on holy suffering is still left with desires; lusts that can be corrupted. When the Duchess of Manipulation who delights in corrupting church men spoke to the leader of this clergy of Ilmater, it was no difficult task for her to find a loophole in Illmaters word that she could exploit. If suffering was holy, then truly it should be those that do not yet understand Ilmater’s ways that should feel this suffering. Using a cultist of hers, she was able to create a child that could later be used as an ingredient for a portal right to her layer of hell. It’d be two birds in one stone; corrupt a devoted followers of a god she hated to later take their souls as her own, and create a portal that she could use to cross both herself and her armies to the material plane. When the players enter the scene, the child will have already been kidnapped, and the child’s mother will be hanging up fliers giving out a reward to anyone that can find her child. The players will find themselves needing to infiltrate the Church of Ilmater into its secret underground cult so that they can save the child and stop Glasya from finding her way to the Material Plane.
A Bad Night For Betting
We’ve been running these fights since before my granddaddy helped drive them gnolls out. We have a proud history of taking care of the animals, too—we get ’em as pups from the dwarves up in Granitehold. Sure it’s bloody, but you’re not in the sot lands of kings and queens anymore, are you. Say, did you hear that?
The adventurer awakens buried in a coffin only to be inadvertently rescued by a goblin grave-robber. With no recollection of how they came to be buried alive, the adventurer is thrust into an encounter with the goblin and his party who have stolen a precious heirloom off their unconscious body. Before starting this adventure the GM and player should discuss what heirloom item the adventurer possesses. Though having immense sentimental value, the heirloom shouldn’t be magical, and it should be of minor monetary value. It should be a worn item that can easily be removed such as a ring, bracer or necklace.
A Conspiracy Of Doors
A Conspiracy of Doors is a Dungeons & Dragons adventure for five player characters of 11th level. It can serve as an introduction to Sigil, the City of Doors, as well as a group of adventurers' first taste of action at the paragon tier.
A Welcome Scourge
A Welcome Scourge is a murder investigation for a party of 8th level characters. It takes place in an outpost town called Newfort, but you can easily adapt the adventure to your own setting. "There have been several high-profile vampire murders in Newfort, but the locals seem to be fine with them - probably because all of the victims have been infamous and despicable. It is up to your heroes to glean clues from around town, track down the vile creature, reveal a foul conspiracy, and beat out competitors hunting for the same bounty."
DDAL04-12 The Raven
The Bloodhand orcs have a prisoner that may hold the answers to the strange goings on and the key to stopping the enemy. What can you do to convince them to hand the prisoner over? Part Twelve of Misty Fortunes and Absent Hearts.
Escape from Thunder Rift
An emissary from the dwarven community of Hearth-Home approaches the player characters, beseeching them to aid the dwarves in finding a powerful mage who might bring disaster upon not only their mountain fortress, but all of the Thunder Rift! Escape from Thunder Rift adventure leads the heroes into a dark dungeon where they may discover a gate between the valley of Thunder Rift and the World of Mystara. Packaged with a DM screen. TSR 9437
The Sun Goes Down with a Ruby Smile
A small port seems the perfect place to dock when a freak storm forces the small trade cog, Sea's Rock, to find solid ground. But the newly discovered port town raises questions: where are all the residents, and are any of them still alive? This module favors investigative and inquisitive playstyles over kicking in the door with swords drawn. Without at least one Medium female humanoid PC or a PC who can speak and read Orc, this may be a difficult module for the players to complete in a cohesive manner. Published by Insomniacs Ink
The God In The Lake
Low Level
The sleepy village of Raven's Lake has a secret: A terrible god lives in the depths of the settlement's namesake. The citizens of Raven's Lake know that something lives in the lake. People who go out on the lake after dark go missing far too often and frequently turn up weeks later with no memory of where they've been. The local church of St. Cuthbert has been abandoned no fewer than seven times in the last two years, each time its lone cleric packing hastily and fleeing town without a word. Adventurers who come to Raven's Lake have a habit of vanishing forever. The truth is that something does indeed live in Raven's Lake but it is far from a deity. It's an exiled aboleth by the name of Zlorthishen.
The Ghost at Widder Smither's
Can you stop the haunting before tea? The ghosts of two warring wizards are trapped in the basement of the house. It is up to the party to end this old feud. Pgs. 68-70
Dead of Winter is a 1st-level adventure It is designed as a side quest for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition As the adventurers are traveling a lengthy road between destinations, a bitter winter storm blows in. Lucky for them, there is a small roadside hamlet just ahead, where the party can take refuge from the harsh elements. The mood in the local tavern is grave, as this is a sad night for the villagers. It is the first anniversary of the murder of a town hero; A murder that was never resolved. Strange events begin as soon as the adventurers arrive and will lead them to clues which just may solve a year old murder and lay an anguished soul to rest. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.5400839447975159, "wiki_prob": 0.5400839447975159, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line937985"} |
What's the difference between nohup and a daemon?
What are the implications of running a script as a daemon versus using nohup?
I know what the difference is in terms of forking processes etc., but what impact does that have on my script?
HortitudeHortitude
The nohup command is the poor man's way of running a process as a daemon. As Bruno Ranschaert noted, when you run a command in an interactive shell, it has a controlling terminal and will receive a SIGHUP (hangup) signal when the controlling process (typically your login shell) exits. The nohup command arranges for input to come from /dev/null, and for both output and errors to go to nohup.out, and for the program to ignore interrupts, quit signals, and hangups. It actually still has the same controlling terminal - it just ignores the terminals controls. Note that if you want the process to run in the background, you have to tell the shell to run it in the background - at least on Solaris (that is, you type 'nohup sleep 20 &'; without the ampersand, the process runs synchronously in the foreground).
Typically, a process run via nohup is something that takes time, but which does not hang around waiting for interaction from elsewhere.
Typically (which means if you try hard, you can find exceptions to these rules), a daemon process is something which lurks in the background, disconnected from any terminal, but waiting to respond to some input of some sort. Network daemons wait for connection requests or UDP messages to arrive over the network, do the appropriate work and send a response back again. Think of a web server, for example, or a DBMS.
When a process fully daemonizes itself, it goes through some of the steps that the nohup code goes through; it rearranges its I/O so it is not connected to any terminal, detaches itself from the process group, ignores appropriate signals (which might mean it doesn't ignore any signals, since there is no terminal to send it any of the signals generated via a terminal). Typically, it forks once, and the parent exits successfully. The child process usually forks a second time, after fixing its process group and session ID and so on; the child then exits too. The grandchild process is now autonomous and won't show up in the ps output for the the terminal where it was launched.
You can look at Advanced Programming in the Unix Environment, 3rd Edn by W Richard Stevens and Stephen A Rago, or at Advanced Unix Programming, 2nd Edn by Marc J Rochkind for discussions of daemonization.
I have a program daemonize which will daemonize a program that doesn't know how to daemonize itself (properly). It was written to work around the defects in a program which was supposed to daemonize itself but didn't do the job properly. Contact me if you want it - see my profile.
Jonathan LefflerJonathan Leffler
Not sure why you call it poor man's. It does the right thing if you want to make your process a daemon, apart from that it doesn't disconnect from the controlling terminal, which on practise doesn't matter. Second, you are calling it wrong, the correct form is (nohup sleep 20 &), i.e. parens disconnect it from the process group leader, so that it doesn't receive signals for that process group.
– Maxim Egorushkin
@MaximYegorushkin The parens don't make any difference (far as I can see). Running any program from a shell always makes that prog a group leader. Try this and you'll see the PGID always matches the PID: perl -e 'system "ps -fjp $$"'. Also, the ampersand is not inherent in nohup, so even that is a difference between nohup and daemon. I'm going to add my own answer with even more diffs.
– Kelvin
@Kelvin: The parentheses in (nohup sleep 20 &) do make a difference. They specify a sub-shell. Inside the sub-shell, the nohup command executes the sleep command in the background. When it returns, the sub-shell exits, so the sleep is orphaned, no longer 'owned' by the current shell.
– Jonathan Leffler
@JonathanLeffler Ok I see a difference now - the parent PID is 1 rather than the shell's PID. But I still don't see any difference wrt it becoming a process group leader. It's also still part of the same session, so it's not completely "orphaned". In any case, the parens don't seem relevant to the nohup/daemon distinction.
Becoming a daemon
This link has a good list of steps a process should take in becoming a daemon:
https://web.archive.org/web/20120328110436/http://www.steve.org.uk/Reference/Unix/faq_2.html#SEC16
I can't copy the list verbatim because of copyright (see the About section), but here's the summary:
fork (first time) -- so we aren't a group leader, and let the parent exit.
call setsid() -- to become leader of a new session. This call only works if we are not a group leader. This new session has no controlling terminal.
fork (second time) -- so we aren't a session leader (and thus can't regain a controlling terminal), and let the parent exit.
cd to root directory -- so we don't prevent other directories from being umount-ed.
set umask to desired value (optional) -- because we could've inherited a mask we didn't want.
close stdin, stdout, stderr (or just reopen them to point elsewhere)
nohup
What nohup does:
If stdout and stderr are connected to a terminal, redirects them to nohup.out
ignores SIGHUP
Similarities and Differences
Notice how the only common actions are redirecting stdout and stderr. To be a daemon doesn't even require ignoring SIGHUP.
nohup doesn't require you to use '&' to background the process - meaning you can still use ctrl-c to send SIGINT. The process still responds to keyboard input. It also doesn't change stdin automatically, so it's recommended that you do it yourself via "< /dev/null".
Please do not confuse nohup with other features normally used with it (e.g. backgrounding). The OP asked specifically about nohup.
In terms of practicality, when you want to start a one-time long-running process which should continue when the shell exits, you'll want to use nohup, but you'll also want to combine it with backgrounding and redirecting of stdin. A one-time job isn't worth making a daemon, but some of the properties of a daemon can still be useful with a nohup job, like "cd /".
Periodic tasks on a regular schedule are best run via cron (or some other scheduler).
Daemons are best suited for overseeing repeated tasks that don't have a predictable start time. There normally is no definite end time for the daemon process (it's explicitly stopped by a user/another process or by system shutdown). Often daemons are services that respond to applications (clients) or other conditions (e.g. incoming data via on an IO device via unix select()). Other daemons poll for a condition and perform an action in response.
Addendum about controlling terminal
See this page. A quick summary is that a controlling terminal grants unlimited access to its stdin, stdout, stderr. Only one process group may have access to stdin. By default, background process groups can also write to stdout and stderr.
Also, it seems that keyboard signals sent to a terminal are only sent to the process group which has it as a controlling terminal.
KelvinKelvin
Your steve.org.uk link is broken.
– QED
In UNIX variants, a process is associated with a terminal process (login shell). So when the terminal process exits, the process is halted as well, because of this association. The nohup prevents a process from exiting when the terminal stops.
A daemon or demon is a process that is started by the system when it starts up, it runs till shutdown, no user asked for it explicitly. So by definition it is not part of a user interaction but belongs to the system.
If you have access to the system as a user, you can use nohup. If you are sysadmin, you can install a deamon process. For the process it does not matter.
Bruno RanschaertBruno Ranschaert
+1 I stand corrected. Mixed up between daemon and a background process (&). :)
– pugmarx
Almost right. When a controlling process (group leader) exits all processes in the group get sent SIGHUP optionally followed by SIGCONT.
Some corrections: A daemon does not need to be a system process; a non-privileged user can run a daemon. A user can interact with a daemon, just not via terminal signals and IO streams (think web server). Daemons can be started at almost any time; they're not restricted to system boot-up.
A daemon can't be initiated, while nohup is initiated by the user.
edited Oct 4, 2011 at 8:54
swarnaswarna
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How to kill a process running on particular port in Linux? | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6652300357818604, "wiki_prob": 0.33476996421813965, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line719694"} |
WEEE | Ecosurety
Rural communities across Somerset are now able to love and keep their electrical items for longer, thanks to ‘Fixy’, a new mobile electricals repair and reuse pilot scheme.
Fixy provides vital support where access to reliable electronics repair and reuse facilities is often limited. It consists of a project coordinator and a highly visible, branded van full of tools, which has been attending repair groups across Somerset and empowering hundreds of people to understand the benefits of repairing and reusing their electronics instead of ditching them for brand-new ones.
The project has hosted pop-up repair events, provided the tools for electrical repairs, offered electrical safety testing, and inspired residents to consider volunteering or establishing their own repair cafes. It has also provided a ‘tech amnesty’ service, taking donations of unwanted or broken smart tech items. With the help of a local community interest company, these have been repaired, refurbished and distributed to good causes.
Somerset success story
Led by environmental consultancy Resource Futures and Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP), with funding support from Ecosurety, Fixy has achieved great success within the first eight months of rolling out.
Fixy attended 58 events and 2,100 people were reached during this period, and 40 potential new volunteers were identified.
Mickey Green, Managing Director of SWP, said: “We are trying to move the conversation in Somerset beyond recycling and on to reuse, and Fixy has been a key part of that. What we have seen so far through Fixy is that the interest and appetite is there. People will embrace repair and reuse, even in the challenging field of electricals, if you can overcome the barriers to access.
“Our aim has been to move repair and reuse from ‘niche to norm’ and even in this relatively short space of time it feels like we have taken significant steps in that direction.”
More than 900 items of smart tech were collected through tech amnesties, and many have already been passed on to school children, refugees, and elderly or isolated people, providing much-needed resources to those who could not afford to buy them and addressing digital poverty by diverting Electric and Electronic Equipment (EEE) away from the waste stream and back into the community.
Insights from a survey conducted by Resource Futures at the end of the year have revealed that over half those surveyed said that Fixy had helped them understand more about the importance of repair and reuse: 96% said they were more likely to get a broken electrical item repaired since encountering Fixy and over 70% said they are now more likely to buy refurbished or second-hand electrical items, rather than new. The results demonstrate the positive impact, reach, and potential of Fixy and projects like it.
A blueprint for the future
The successful rollout of Fixy will be documented and adapted into a blueprint of best practice and learnings. The blueprint will be made available in 2023 to local authorities across the UK for them to adapt and implement in communities with limited access to EEE reuse and repair facilities.
Sarah Hargreaves, Behaviour Change lead at Resource Futures, said: “A key element to this pilot project is that we wanted it to be replicable and scalable for other councils up and down the country to adopt similar projects.
“Fixy has shown that despite the scale of the challenge it is possible to change people’s awareness and perceptions. It’s fantastic to hear people say that Fixy has made them feel better informed about where and how they can get things repaired, and we hope other regions can benefit from the findings from this pilot work through our blueprint.”
Ecosurety Exploration Fund
The first phase of the Fixy project was successfully executed with support from the Ecosurety Exploration Fund. Launched in 2019, the Fund invested £1million in projects that could reduce the environmental impact of packaging, batteries or EEE through innovation or research in the UK.
Commenting on the pilot, Ecosurety's Discovery manager, Gareth Morton, said: “We are really pleased with the results of the Fixy pilot scheme so far which demonstrate the power of providing access and building awareness.
“At Ecosurety, our purpose is to accelerate change towards an environmentally sustainable world and we are happy to have played a small part in empowering the residents of rural Somerset with the tools to make a change. We hope that more businesses and organisations will come on board to make sure that this project extends further.”
Find out more about the Ecosurety Exploration Fund.
Written by Mma-tshepo Grobler Published 19/01/2023 Topics Ecosurety
2022 Q3 WEEE collections show poor performance
By Sophie Clelland 12 Dec 2022
‘Take Charge’ campaign for responsible battery recycling launched across the UK
By Mma-tshepo Grobler 24 Oct 2022
Reuse Network issues industry-backed WEEE repair and reuse guidance
By Mma-tshepo Grobler 12 Sep 2022 | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.822272777557373, "wiki_prob": 0.822272777557373, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line49528"} |
Regenerative Organic Certification
Regenerative Organic Certification is a program to establish more demanding guidelines for organic agriculture.
The move toward Regenerative Organic Certification is being led by the Rodale Institute, a pioneering Pennsylvania-based nonprofit group that supports and researches organic farming.
The project is a cooperative effort among farmers, ranchers, nonprofits, scientists, and brands.
What Is Regenerative Agriculture?
The concept of regenerative agriculture dates back at least to the 1940s and to the founding of the Rodale Institute. Robert Rodale of the institute coined the term “regenerative agriculture” to refer to sustainable farming practices that meet what he calls “the pressing challenges of climate change and the need to sequester carbon in the soil.”
In the decades since the Rodale Institute was founded, the regenerative agriculture movement has grown substantially. Today regenerative agriculture includes concepts such as whole-farm design, multi-story agroforestry, and rotational livestock integration.
Regenerative agricultural practices include:
Crop rotation for healthy soil
Well-managed livestock grazing
Maximized beneficial uses of water
Minimum soil disturbance and minimum tillage for healthy soil
Habitats for bees and other beneficial insects
Crops produced with minimum inputs and maximum yields
The new certification program is based upon the existing organic guidelines overseen by the USDA’s National Organic Program. However, the new program includes a path to the future via an emphasis on continuous improvement—something the National Organic Program lacks.
NSF International, an American product-testing and inspection specialist, has joined the effort. Using its extensive global experience in certification standards, NSF is facilitating the qualifications process for Regenerative Organic Certification.
As Jeff Moyer, executive director at the Rodale Institute, points out, “NSF has the capacity to take novel standards and put them into practice.”
The Regenerative Organic Certification program intends to build on existing organic specifications and establish newer, more demanding criteria for agricultural practices. These practices, known as the “three pillars” of the project, are:
Regenerating the soil and sequestering climate-changing carbon
Providing economic fairness to farm workers
Regenerative Organic Certification will provide guidance to farming and ranching operations regarding transportation, slaughter, and processing facilities involved in the production of food, cosmetics, and fibers.
Certification will mean the endorsed party has met strict guidelines, and certified products will have permission to display a Regenerative Organic logo.
Moyer continues, “Regenerative Organic gives farmers something new to strive for so they can have continuous improvement in their operations.”
Meanwhile Rose Marcario, CEO of outdoor clothing manufacturer Patagonia, Inc., is enthusiastic about the new certification program. Patagonia has taken an exceptional interest in doing what’s best for the planet, and it is the first apparel company to switch to 100 percent organic cotton in its clothing.
Other companies involved at this stage in the certification process include:
Grain Place Foods, specializing in top-quality certified-organic whole grains and seeds
Maple Hill Creamery, known for its 100-percent-grass-fed dairy cows
White Oak Farms, provider of meat from USDA-inspected pasture-raised animals.
“Regenerative Organic Certification represents an important moment,” Marcario says. She concludes, “I hope more companies will join us on this journey around Regenerative Organic Certification and focus on making big changes in supply chains.” | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6395372152328491, "wiki_prob": 0.3604627847671509, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line138710"} |
Gum Drop
Gum Drop at Burjuman
Now, this is definitely a game that’ll appeal with those with a sweet tooth! Although no gummi bears were harmed in the making of this game, the prizes are still pretty sweet, with a massive amount of tickets up for grabs if you can fill up the candy jar.
Gum Drop is an exciting new redemption game that features a goofy cast of character, a fabulous soundtrack, and a fast and challenging game that everyone will love. You need to drop a ball and time it so that it rolls into one of nine different channels.
Get that ball into the BONUS space and you’ll be able to play for an even bigger prize by using your goes to fill up that giant candy jar. Fill the jar and you’ll win a fistful of tickets that you can redeem in our very own Prize Store. Now that’s a sweet prize!
The 65” HD screen is lit up by thousands of LED lights for a captivating gaming experience. The 350w sound system draws you in and makes sure you’re playing in a totally immersive environment. Once you start, nothing else matters other than getting that ball to drop into the bonus space.
There are a thousand different possibilities, making it different every time you play. With fun animations, different levels of play, and a real ‘retro’ feel to it, Gum Drop is a real blast-from-the-past with a traditional arcade feel that’s been fully updated for the 21st century.
At Magic Planet, we love our classic game-play, and Gum Drop certainly ticks our box as a great fun experience for everyone. The more you play, the more tickets you can win, so why not get your teeth into a game of Gum Drop at Magic Planet? | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.5661829113960266, "wiki_prob": 0.4338170886039734, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line525894"} |
Tag: Lana Del Rey
Echoes November CD of the Month: Lana Del Rey – NFR
Lana Del Rey’s Norman F Rockwell is a lush noir take on Southern California culture, love and music. Del Rey combines string-laden pop and psychedelic explorations.
Lola Marsh- Wishing Girl Music Video
A review of Lola Marsh’s latest video, “Wishing Girl”, an artist from Echoes Top 25 June 2017. The video features an unexpected pregnancy that is pursued by space aliens from a distant world.
Lana Del Rey’s Love Video
Singer Lana Del Rey releases first new music since 2015 with a single and video called Love.
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2016-Echoes Program 1609C
We travel from the moody, orchestral gloom of Lana Del Rey’s new Honeymoon album to the dandelion dappled sound of Mercury Rev off their latest album, The Light In You.
Thursday, October 8th, 2015-Echoes Program 1540D | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.6202753186225891, "wiki_prob": 0.6202753186225891, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line1416231"} |
The UWI SPEC launches International Half-Marathon 2011
{gallery}http://www.flickr.com/photos/theuwi/sets/72157627598492663/{/gallery} The Sport and Physical Education Centre (SPEC) of The University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine Campus in Trinidad and Tobago, launched its signature UWI SPEC International Half-Marathon on Tuesday 20th September, 2011. Professor Clement Sankat, Principal of The UWI St. Augustine Campus, hosted the official media launch at the Office of the Campus Principal. First Citizens was the presenting sponsor of the UWI SPEC International Half-Marathon 2011.
The launch featured a welcome address by Ms. Lystra Francis, Director of the UWI SPEC (Ag.) and Race Director, and remarks by the Honourable Anil Roberts, Minister of Sport. It also included the presentation of the sponsorship cheque by Mr. Warren Sookdar, Chief Information Officer (Information and Communication Technology) at First Citizens, to Professor Sankat. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.6169822812080383, "wiki_prob": 0.6169822812080383, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line412638"} |
Top 50 Genesis Creditors Entitled to $3.5B
Cryptocurrency lending firm Genesis officially filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy a couple of hours back. As reported earlier today, the organization holds more than $150 million in liquid capital. The same will be utilized to support its ongoing business operations and facilitate the restructuring process.
The filing also went on to reveal the names of the largest creditors of the crypto lender. According to the official document, Gemini, VanEck’s New Finance Income Fund, Mirana, Cumberland and MoonAlpha Finance were part of the fifty largest creditors of Genesis. Mirana, for context, has invested in ByBit, while MoonAlpha Finance is associated with Babel Finance.
Babel Finance, on its part, was in the news in mid-2022 for losing $280 million in crypto, using customer funds. Alongside the likes of Celsius, Voyager, and Three Arrows Capital, even this firm went underwater last year.
As far as the exact numbers are concerned, Genesis owes Gemini Trust Company $766 million and VanEck’s New Finance Income Fund $53 million. Additionally, it owes trading firm Cumberland $18.7 million, crypto fund Mirana $151.5 million, and MoonAlpha Finance $150 million.
Other creditor names were obscured in the filing. Two unknown names were owed $462.2 million and $230 million.
Alongside Genesis Global, two of its other lending business subsidiaries, Genesis Global Capital and Genesis Asia Pacific, filed for voluntary Bankruptcy. Notably, these three companies together have around 100,000 creditors in total.
Also Read: Genesis Officially Files For Bankruptcy
Genesis Officially Files For Bankruptcy
Genesis’s path forward
However, Genesis’s other subsidiaries involved in the derivatives, spot trading, and custody businesses, and Genesis Global Trading were not included in the filing. Their client trading operations are currently on.
Genesis’s proposed roadmap comprises a dual-track process in pursuit of a sale, capital raise, and equitization transaction. Treading on the said path would enable the business to “emerge under new ownership.” So, the company will essentially initiate a marketing and sale process to either monetize its assets or raise capital. Using the proceeds, it will pay back to creditors “fairly and equitably.”
However, if the marketing process does not result in a sale or capital raise, creditors will receive ownership interests in a reorganized company going forward. The above event puts an end to speculation that has been active for weeks after the FTX incident.
Also Read: FTX Recovers $5.5B Worth Assets: Reveals $415M Crypto Was Hacked
crypto genesis cryptocurrency bankruptcy
Coinbase Exchange ‘Survives’ Class Action Lawsuit
VeChain Announces Launch of "The HiVe"
Federal Reserve Raises Interest Rates a Quarter of a Point
FTX Bankruptcy Filing Shows $1.4 Billion in Cash
ChatGPT Touched 100 Million Monthly Active Users in January, Says Study
FTX and Binance Doc in the Works From Fortune, Mark Wahlberg
Did Tether Really Borrow $2 Billion From Celsius? | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.5644420385360718, "wiki_prob": 0.5644420385360718, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line619584"} |
Arquivo para a categoria ‘Ajudas estatais’
BES/Novobanco já custa 8 mil milhões aos contribuintes
Quinta-feira, Dezembro 16th, 2021
Estado gastou 1.075 milhões em apoios à banca em 2020, o valor mais baixo desde 2016. BES/Novobanco é a instituição financeira “maior beneficiária dos apoios públicos”, diz Tribunal de Contas.
Os apoios públicos ao BES/Novobanco atingiram os oito mil milhões de euros em 2020, sendo a instituição a “maior beneficiária” das ajudas do Estado ao sistema financeiro desde 2008, depois do BPN e da Caixa Geral de Depósitos (CGD), segundo o Tribunal de Contas.
Em 2020, os contribuintes voltaram a ter de apoiar o sistema bancário, tendo saído dos seus bolsos, em termos líquidos, 1.075 milhões de euros, que resulta essencialmente da injeção do Fundo de Resolução no Novobanco.
Trata-se, ainda assim, do valor mais baixo desde 2016 (despesas de 259 milhões) e abaixo da média de 1,7 mil milhões dos últimos 13 anos, de acordo com o parecer sobre a conta geral do Estado divulgado esta quarta-feira pelo tribunal.
Ainda de acordo com o Tribunal de Contas, entre 2008 e 2020, as despesas com ajudas à banca atingiram os 29.155 milhões de euros, enquanto as receitas foram de apenas 7.319 milhões, “originando um saldo desfavorável para o Estado de 21.836 milhões de euros (10,9% do PIB de 2020)”.
Os apoios têm-se materializado através da aquisição de participações de capital e de obrigações, da concessão de empréstimos, da prestação de garantias ou da transferência de verbas para absorção de prejuízos.
“Expectativa de recuperação bastante limitada”
O Tribunal de Contas diz que a “expectativa de recuperação” dos 21.836 milhões de euros é “bastante limitada”, isto tendo em conta o património financeiro do Estado que foi constituído por via das intervenções que foram feitas no sistema. Este património tem o valor nominal de 10.601 milhões de euros, sensivelmente metade das despesas que estão por pagar.
O tribunal diz que a perspetiva de recuperação dos apoios públicos é “especialmente” limitada “ao nível das verbas gastas para absorção de prejuízos ou ao abrigo de mecanismos de capital contingente”. Os apoios por esta via ascendem a 3.465 milhões de euros, estando relacionados com o acordo de capital contingente negociado entre o Fundo de Resolução, o Novobanco e o fundo Lone Star.
Já “relativamente às ações, a expectativa de recuperação é de pouco mais de um terço”, na ordem dos 4,8 mil milhões de euros (face a um saldo negativo de 13,3 mil milhões), acrescenta a entidade que fiscaliza as contas públicas.
O Tribunal de Contas destaca ainda que os apoios do Estado resultaram em necessidades adicionais de financiamento que “têm implícitos custos com juros da dívida pública que se estimam já em 4.390 milhões” até 2020, “mais 1.057 milhões do montante estimado para o período 2008-2019”.
Quem deve mais?
No caso BES/Novobanco, as despesas relacionam-se sobretudo com empréstimos que o Fundo de Resolução teve de pedir ao Estado e aos bancos para pagar a resolução do BES logo em 2014 (3,9 mil milhões de euros) e também as injeções no Novobanco que foram feitas ao longo dos anos ao abrigo do mecanismo de capital contingente, com a venda de 75% ao fundo Lone Star. A expectativa é que estes financiamentos sejam ser devolvidos pelo fundo até 2046, altura o Estado recuperará todo o dinheiro que aplicou neste processo. Além disso, o Fundo de Resolução conta com as contribuições da banca.
Por outro lado, não há perspetivas de recuperação dos apoios de mais de seis milhões ao BPN, que era um banco muito mais pequeno que o BES. O banco foi nacionalizado em 2008, vendido ao EuroBic em 2012 por 40 milhões, e o que resta da instituição está a ser gerido pelos veículos Parvalorem, Parups e Parparticipadas.
Com a Caixa, o cenário parece mais favorável, na medida em que o banco público já está a pagar dividendos ao Estado (ainda no mês passado pagou 300 milhões) e o CEO Paulo Macedo já disse que tenciona devolver metade do valor da recapitalização de 2017 até 2023, incluindo mil milhões aos investidores que compraram dívida.
Entre os bancos que também receberam ajudas nos últimos anos estão o Banif, BCP e BPI, sendo que os apoios a estes dois últimos bancos até geraram “lucro” para o Estado, por via dos juros das obrigações de capital contingente da altura da troika.
Publicado em Ajudas estatais, Banca, BES | Comments Closed
Ajuda ao Novo Banco equivale a 20% do défice no 1º semestre
Sexta-feira, Outubro 9th, 2020
Défice chegou aos 5.240 milhões de euros no primeiro semestre. Injeção no Novo Banco, em maio, foi de 1.035 milhões de euros
Odéfice público português subiu e atingiu 5.240 milhões de euros no primeiro semestre deste ano face a igual período do ano passado, sendo que o dinheiro gasto com o Novo Banco (NB), em maio, equivale a mais de 20% daquele valor, mostra um estudo do Conselho das Finanças Públicas (CFP), divulgado esta quinta-feira.
De acordo com a análise à evolução orçamental das Administrações Públicas até junho de 2020, a “despesa relativa à recapitalização do Novo Banco”, que ocorreu em maio, absorveu 1.035 milhões de euros de fundos dos contribuintes.
O conselho presidido por Nazaré Costa Cabral refere que “o setor das administrações públicas (AP) registou um défice de 5.240 milhões de euros nos primeiros seis meses do ano (ou seja 5,4% do Produto Interno Bruto gerado no período), o que representa uma deterioração homóloga significativa do saldo orçamental em 4.019 milhões de euros (4,2 pontos percentuais do PIB), motivada simultaneamente pelo aumento da despesa pública (2.069 milhões de euros) e quebra da receita (1.949 milhões de euros)”.
As sucessivas injeções de fundos públicos no Novo Banco (porque o Fundo de Resolução, que é a entidade que pertence aos bancos comerciais que devia estar a recapitalizar o NB só que não tem lá dinheiro suficiente) estão a ser alvo de forte polémica, com o Bloco de Esquerda a ameaçar o Governo de bloqueio ao Orçamento do Estado de 2021.
Catarina Martins, líder do Bloco, já disse que é “uma irresponsabilidade” o Orçamento para 2021 prever continuar a fazer transferências para o Novo Banco, que a gestão do banco “está a lesar o interesse público em milhões e milhões de euros”.
Nesse sentido, o BE avisou que só viabiliza Orçamento mediante a realização de nova auditoria ao Novo Banco.
O governo, através do secretário de Estado, Duarte Cordeiro, disse há poucos dias (no podcast do PS) que está disponível para estudar um esquema diferente de apoio ao Novo Banco que não passe por este tipo de despesa direta com o Fundo de Resolução (que depois verte o dinheiro no NB). Mas o governante também disse que tudo será feito no cumprimento da lei e dos contratos assinados com a Lone Star, dona do Novo Banco.
Desde agosto de 2014, quando o Banco Espírito Santo (BES) faliu, o Fundo de Resolução (com o dinheiro dos contribuintes) já meteu 7,9 mil milhões de euros no Novo Banco a título de empréstimos que, em princípio, serão reembolsados ao Estado dentro de 30 ou 40 anos. Se tudo correr bem, claro.
Apesar da pandemia e do fardo com o Novo Banco, o défice do primeiro semestre ficou nos referidos 5,4% do PIB, abaixo da meta do governo que deverá ser 7,3% em 2020. A dívida ficou em 126,1%, abaixo dos 134% projetados para o ano como um todo.
O CFP avisa, no entanto, que “o resultado observado para o saldo e dívida pública, apesar de se situar abaixo do esperado para o conjunto do ano, não diminuiu o grau elevado de incerteza acerca da persistência dos efeitos económicos da pandemia, ainda em curso, que possam afetar os desenvolvimentos do 2.º semestre, com impacto relevante na estimativa anual avançada pelos diferentes previsores”
Publicado em Ajudas estatais, Défice orçamental, Novo Banco | Comments Closed
Governo pediu ao Novo Banco para só requerer 400 milhões ao Fundo de Resolução em 2021
Domingo, Outubro 4th, 2020
A revelação foi feita por Francisco Louçã, fundador do Bloco de Esquerda, no habitual comentário da SIC. Louçã diz que “a solução de não entregar agora ao Estado mas pedir uma autorização orçamental para o Fundo de Resolução fazer este pagamento com empréstimo dos bancos, não passa no Parlamento”. Mas não acredita que o Novo Banco faça cair o Governo e abra uma crise política.
O fundador do Bloco de Esquerda, Francisco Louçã, revelou esta sexta-feira, no seu habitual comentário da SIC, que o Governo propôs ao Novo Banco só pedir 400 milhões de euros ao Fundo de Resolução (FdR) em 2021 por conta das necessidades de capital apuradas em 2020. Desta forma, o Novo Banco pediria um montante mais baixo e portanto mais próximo do valor que o Fundo de Resolução tem disponível em recursos próprios. Os recursos do FdR provêm, essencialmente, das receitas provenientes da contribuição sobre o setor bancário, das contribuições iniciais e periódicas entregues pelas instituições participantes, bem como dos rendimentos da aplicação de recursos.
O Fundo recebeu 253,8 milhões de euros em contribuições “provenientes, direta ou indiretamente, do setor bancário” em 2019 e destes 185 milhões foram usados para injectar os 1.035 milhões na capitalização do Novo Banco ao abrigo do Acordo de Capitalização Contingente. Os restantes 850 milhões foram emprestados pelo Estado ao abrigo do acordo-quadro que foi aprovado em Conselho de Ministros, em outubro de 2017, numa resolução assinada diretamente pelo primeiro-ministro. Esse Conselho de Ministros autorizou o “Regime Geral das Instituições de Crédito e Sociedades Financeiras, a celebrar, pelo Estado Português, enquanto garante último da estabilidade financeira, um acordo-quadro com o Fundo de Resolução, com vista à disponibilização de meios financeiros ao Fundo de Resolução, se e quando se afigurar necessário, para a satisfação de obrigações contratuais que venham eventualmente a decorrer da operação de venda da participação de 75 % do capital social do Novo Banco”.
No comentário da SIC, Louçã acrescentou que a outra solução do Governo, para ultrapassar o impasse criado pela posição do partido de esquerda radical, no que toca ao financiamento do Novo Banco, consiste no convite a um sindicato bancário para financiar o Fundo de Resolução. O Jornal Económico avançou na edição desta sexta-feira que esse sindicato seria liderado pela CGD e composto pelo BCP, Santander Totta e BPI.
Francisco Louçã disse na SIC que “esta solução de não entregar agora ao Estado mas pedir uma autorização orçamental para o Fundo de Resolução fazer este pagamento com empréstimo dos bancos, não passa no Parlamento”.
O comentador revela assim que o Bloco de Esquerda não vai aprovar o Orçamento de Estado, o que Mariana Mortágua na conferência de imprensa desta sexta-feira nunca chegou a dizer perentoriamente.
Nessa antevisão de chumbo do OE caso o Fundo de Resolução financie o Novo Banco, Louçã conta também com o PSD e invoca que Rui Rio disse que não aprovava o empréstimo do Estado ao FdR no Orçamento se não houvesse uma nova auditoria até lá, coisa que não é possível já que a data de entrega ao Parlamento está prevista para dia 12.
Se o Orçamento de Estado não passar o Governo cai e haverá eleições antecipadas, o que dado o apertado calendário face às eleições presidenciais deixaria, por um longo período, o Governo em gestão corrente, numa altura crucial em que o Executivo tem de discutir com Bruxelas a chegada dos maiores fundos europeus da história.
Mas Louçã acha que o Governo não vai criar uma crise política para o FdR injetar 912 milhões no Novo Banco.
Francisco Louçã realçou que as receitas do Fundo de Resolução – entidade pública, detida pelos bancos e gerida pelo Banco de Portugal – “resultam da contribuição sobre o setor bancário, que é receita do Estado”.
Em 2019 o valor recebido pelo Estado “ascendeu a 179,2 milhões de euros, montante que foi integralmente
entregue ao Fundo de Resolução no decurso do segundo semestre de 2019”, segundo as contas da entidade liderada por Luís Máximo dos Santos.
O Bloco de Esquerda, em conferência de imprensa, nesta sexta-feira, propôs a capitalização direta do Novo Banco pelos bancos sem intervenção do Fundo de Resolução. A proposta do Bloco feita ao Governo no âmbito da negociação do Orçamento do Estado de 2021 e apresentada publicamente depois de não ter havido resposta por parte do Executivo de António Costa, consiste num aumento de capital do Novo Banco que os bancos subscrevessem, clarificou Louçã.
Louçã disse, na sua análise, que o Governo apressou-se a dizer que “essa proposta era ilegal e depois admitiu que era legal mediante uma autorização prévia do Banco Central Europeu”. Recorde-se BCE tem de autorizar todas as aquisições de participações qualificadas nos bancos da zona euro.
O Governo já fez saber que está disponível para aceitar a exigência do Bloco de que não haja mais empréstimos do Orçamento ao Fundo de Resolução. Mas está a trabalhar numa via alternativa que respeite os contratos assinados, o que também não agrada ao partido de esquerda radical.
Louçã defendeu também que se conteste em tribunal, no futuro, os contratos assinados no âmbito da venda do Novo Banco ao Lone Star.
Esta operação proposta pelo Bloco é inviável, segundo fontes do sector financeiro. Para além de que não faz caducar o Acordo de Capitalização Contingente que continuaria em vigor, O que significa que o Novo Banco continuaria a poder acionar o capital acordado até ao limite dos 3,89 mil milhões de euros, ou seja, os 912 milhões de euros.
Esta proposta é inviável porque está estabelecido por acordo que o Lone Star não pode nunca ter menos de 75%. Portanto um aumento de capital em que os bancos entrassem como acionistas do Novo Banco diluiria o Fundo de Resolução que tem 25%, e deixaria a entidade pública de fora das futuras mais valias que venham a ocorrer na venda do banco.
Depois há ainda o direito do Estado de converter os créditos fiscais (dos ativos por impostos diferidos elegíveis) do Novo Banco em capital, o que poderia levar o Tesouro a ficar com 13% do banco, fatia que seria retirada ao Fundo de Resolução. Aliás, fontes do setor questionam porque é que o Estado não converte os créditos fiscais e se torna acionista do Novo Banco, o que, em teoria, poderia dar direito a nomear um administrador.
Os contratos assinados no âmbito da venda do Novo Banco ao Lone Star, em 2017, incluem compromissos com Bruxelas, para além do Acordo Quadro em que o Governo de António Costa se comprometeu em financiar o FdR até 850 milhões por ano, para que o Fundo cumpra o Acordo de Capitalização Contingente.
Os bancos capitalizarem os concorrentes implicaria uma autorização prévia do BCE, uma vez que o supervisor que tem de autorizar todas as participações qualificadas no Novo Banco, mas também implicaria uma análise da autoridade da Concorrência, uma vez que se trata de concentração no setor.
As nossas fontes avançam que a proposta do Bloco de Esquerda não teria acolhimento nas instituições europeias.
O Bloco de Esquerda defendeu hoje em conferência de imprensa que “se este é um problema entre bancos como nos têm dito, então ele tem de ser resolvido entre bancos, sem colocar o Fundo de Resolução, os contribuintes a intermediar e a garantir esta capitalização”, segundo Mariana Mortágua
O Bloco quer que sejam os bancos a assegurar diretamente as necessidades de capitalização do Novo Banco, sem passar pelo Fundo de Resolução, e sem “sobrecarregar” os contribuintes com novos empréstimos do Estado ou dos bancos à entidade que tem feito as intervenções na banca.
A gestão financeira do FdR é cabe à Comissão Diretiva do Fundo e os recursos financeiros disponíveis são aplicados com base num plano de aplicações financeiras acordado entre o FdR e o Banco de Portugal.
Publicado em Ajudas estatais, BCE, Comissão Europeia (CE), Fundo de Resolução, Governo, Novo Banco | Comments Closed
Estado injetou 23,8 mil milhões na banca desde 2007. Recuperou um quinto deste montante
A Caixa Geral de Depósitos é o banco que recebeu o maior montante de fundos públicos ao longo dos últimos 12 anos: mais de 6 mil milhões de euros.
O Estado português injetou, desde 2007, um total de 23,8 mil milhões de euros em fundos públicos no capital dos bancos nacionais. Neste período de 12 anos, só foi possível recuperar pouco mais de um quinto do montante desembolsado. Os cálculos, feitos pelo Banco de Portugal, constam do relatório extraordinário relativo aos grandes devedores de instituições que tenham recebido ajudas públicas. O documento foi divulgado pelo Banco de Portugal esta terça-feira, 28 de maio, sem, contudo, revelar qualquer informação sobre os maiores devedores da banca. Os únicos números divulgados neste relatório são os relativos às ajudas estatais recebidas pelos bancos – valores que já eram públicos e que são agora sistematizados pelo regulador da banca.
O relatório do Banco de Portugal aponta para a Caixa Geral de Depósitos (CGD) como a instituição que recebeu o maior montante de fundos públicos neste período: ao longo dos últimos 12 anos, o banco público recebeu do Estado um total de 6.250 milhões de euros.
Seguem-se o Banco Português de Negócios (BPN), que já custou 4.915 milhões aos cofres do Estado, e o Banco Espírito Santo (BES) e Novo Banco, que totalizam uma fatura de 4.330 milhões. Neste último caso, consideram-se apenas os empréstimos do Tesouro ao Fundo de Resolução e não o montante total de fundos disponibilizados pelo Fundo de Resolução ao BES/Novo Banco, que elevam a fatura em vários milhões.
Já o Banif soma uma conta de 3.355 milhões, enquanto o BCP recebeu ajudas no valor de 3 mil milhões. A lista fica fechada com o BPI, que recebeu 1.500 milhões, e o Banco Privado Português (BPP), que recebeu outros 450 milhões.
Feitas as contas, o Estado injetou um total de 23.800 milhões para ajudar os bancos. Deste montante, segundo os cálculos do Banco de Portugal, só recuperou 5.401 milhões (assumindo que recupera a totalidade do que pagou pelo BPP, o que não é ainda certo). A grande maioria deste montante vem do BCP e do BPI, que já reembolsaram a totalidade das ajudas recebidas, incluindo os juros devidos. Significa isto que o Estado recuperou o equivalente a 22,7% do montante injetado.
A Flourish data visualisation
O BCP e o BPI foram, como referido, os únicos bancos a reembolsar na totalidade as ajudas recebidas do Estado em 2012, período em que Portugal estava sob intervenção da troika. O Banco de Portugal indica ainda que, no caso do BPP, “houve uma significativa recuperação dos fundos disponibilizados em 2010”, sem especificar um montante. Mas ressalva que existe “expectativa de que o Estado venha a recuperar a totalidade dos valores desembolsados”.
Nos restantes casos, a recuperação por parte do Estado é nula ou diminuta.
Dos 6.250 milhões injetados na Caixa, entre 2007 e 2017, o Banco de Portugal considera que só 900 milhões terão sido recuperados – embora, na verdade, o reembolso não o tenha sido feito na forma de liquidez para os cofres do Estado, pelo que não é considerado um montante recuperado. Em causa estão os 900 milhões de euros que foram emprestados à CGD, em 2012, através dos chamados CoCos (capital convertível), montante que, já em 2017, no âmbito da última recapitalização do banco público, foi convertido em ações.
Quanto ao BES/Novo Banco, o Banco de Portugal divide os montantes injetados em várias parcelas. Em 2014, o Fundo de Resolução injetou um total de 4.900 milhões de euros para a constituição do Novo Banco. Desse montante, 3.900 milhões resultaram de um empréstimo concedido pelo Estado. Já em maio de 2018, o Fundo de Resolução concedeu outros 791,7 milhões, dos quais 430 milhões resultaram de um empréstimo estatal. Há ainda que contar com o último empréstimo feito pelo Estado, no valor de 850 milhões, no início deste mês. Até à data, de todos estes montantes cedidos, o Estado só recebeu juros da parte do Novo Banco, não sendo revelados valores.
Já dos 3.355 milhões que injetou no Banif, desde 2013 e até ao final de 2015, altura em que o banco madeirense foi alvo de uma medida de resolução, o Estado só recuperou 411 milhões.
Por fim, do BPN, o Estado só conseguiu um encaixe de 40 milhões, montante relativo à alienação desta instituição ao Banco BIC, em 2012.
Publicado em Ajudas estatais, Banca, Contribuintes | Comments Closed
Sale of Novo Banco with additional aid in the in the context of the 2014 Resolution of Banco Espírito Santo, S.A.
Terça-feira, Março 19th, 2019
Comissão Europeia Direcção Geral da Concorrência
State aid n° SA.49275 (2017/N) – Portugal Sale of Novo Banco with additional aid in the in the context of the 2014 Resolution of Banco Espírito Santo, S.A.
Sir, The Commission wishes to inform the Portuguese authorities that, having examined the information supplied by your authorities on the measure referred above, it has decided not to raise objections to the measure for the reasons set out below.
1. PROCEDURE
(1) On 3 August 2014, the Portuguese authorities put Banco Espírito Santo, S.A. and its subsidiaries (“BES”) into resolution with the immediate creation and capitalisation of a temporary credit institution, i.e. a Bridge Bank, subsequently named Novo Banco S.A. (“Novo Banco”, “the bank”)1, fully capitalized and owned by the Portuguese Resolution Fund2 (“Fundo de Resolução”) (“Resolution 1 All references in the present Decision to “Novo Banco” or “to the bank” are to be understood as being to the Bridge Bank mentioned in the 2014 Decision where the context so requires. 2 The Resolution Fund was created in 2012, on the basis of Ministerial Order no. 420/2012, December 21, which established the Portuguese Resolution Fund Regulation; and the Decree-Law nr. 31-A/2012
Fund”). By decision of 3 August 20143 (the “2014 Decision”), the Commission approved aid in this context.
(2) In the framework of the procedure resulting in that decision, the Portuguese authorities provided a number of commitments4, including the sale of Novo Banco and the liquidation of the Bad Bank and of any parts of Novo Banco not sold within two years of the date of the 2014 Decision.
(3) On 4 December 2014, the Resolution Fund launched a sale process for Novo Banco5.
(4) On 15 September 2015, the Bank of Portugal announced publicly that the sale process of Novo Banco was suspended6, without accepting any of the three binding offers, as it deemed the terms and conditions of these offers unsatisfactory.
(5) On 14 November 2015, the Single Supervisory Mechanism (“SSM”) of the European Central Bank (“ECB”), which is the lead supervisor of Novo Banco, announced the results of the Comprehensive Assessment7, which identified a capital shortfall of EUR 1.4 billion in the adverse scenario for Novo Banco.8
(6) On 21 November 2015, the Resolution Fund submitted to the Commission preliminary information on possible approaches envisaged for Novo Banco, in response to the capital shortfall identified by the Comprehensive Assessment.
(7) On 6 December 2015, the Portuguese authorities submitted to the Commission a draft Restructuring Plan, which they subsequently amended on 9 December 2015, setting out the strategy for Novo Banco, from the date of resolution of BES until 2020, with a view to the consolidation of Novo Banco towards becoming a profitable bank compliant with all regulatory requirements.
(8) On 19 December 2015, the Portuguese authorities notified the extension of the Government Guaranteed Bank Bonds (“GGBBs”)9 for Novo Banco and a set of revised commitments concerning notably Novo Banco. The notification also
of 10 February 2012, for the purpose of providing financial assistance to the application of resolution measures adopted by the Bank of Portugal. 3 SA.39250 (2014/N) – Portugal, Resolution of Banco Espírito Santo, S.A., OJ C 393/2014. 7.11.2014, p. 1. 4 See Annex I to the 2014 Decision. 5 Invitation to Submit Expressions of Interest for Novo Banco, by the Resolution Fund: http://www.fundoderesolucao.pt/en-US/ofundo/Documents/Announcement_ENG.pdf 6 Press Release of Bank of Portugal on the Novo Banco sale process: http://www.bportugal.pt/en- US/OBancoeoEurosistema/ComunicadoseNotasdeInformacao/Pages/combp20150915.aspx 7 The comprehensive assessment comprises two components: an Asset Quality Review (“AQR”) and a stress test. Note on the 2015 Comprehensive Assessment by the ECB Banking Supervision, available at: https://www.bankingsupervision.europa.eu/pdf/ca/2015-1114_note_comprehensive_assessment.en.pdf?903a66b1e1fcbd5ab4021d1dfa089819 8 Results of the comprehensive assessments 14 November 2015: https://www.bankingsupervision.europa.eu/pdf/ca/PT-Novo_Banco-CA-DISCLOSURE.xlsx.pdf 9 The GGBBs had been issued by Banco Espírito Santo, S.A. under the Portuguese Guarantee Scheme, which had been approved by the Commission on 29 October 2008 in case NN60/2008 and subsequently prolonged on a half-year basis. In 2015, the GGBBs could no longer be prolonged under the condition of the scheme, and therefore an individual notification and Commission decision for Novo Banco were required in order for the GGBBs to be prolonged.
requested the extension of the sale deadline for Novo Banco, by one additional year.
(9) On 19 December 2015, the Commission adopted a decision on the Amendment of the 2014 Resolution of Banco Espírito Santo, S.A.10 (“the 2015 Decision”), approving the extension of the GGBBs with one additional year, as well as the extension of the deadline to sell or wind-down Novo Banco by a further year, based on the revised commitments put forward by Portugal.
(10) On 15 January 2016, the Bank of Portugal announced the launch of a new sale process of Novo Banco11.
(11) Over the course of 2016 and early 2017, Portugal made several submissions to the Commission informing on the progress of the sale process.
(12) On 20 February 2017, the Bank of Portugal announced that it had selected a potential investor, i.e. Lone Star (“the buyer” or “the acquirer”), to take part in a concluding round of exclusive negotiations, with a view to finalising the possible terms of the sale of Novo Banco12.
(13) Over the course of March 2017, Portugal submitted preliminary information to the Commission concerning the sale transaction, potential new aid measures it would involve, and elements of a restructuring plan that the acquirer of Novo Banco would implement.
(14) On 31 March 2017, Portugal informed the Commission that the sale of Novo Banco was about to be concluded, and put forward a set of preliminary commitments. In the same submission, Portugal informed the Commission that a full restructuring plan of the bank after the sale could not be presented at that date, and that it would be submitted, along with a full list of commitments, prior to the closing of the transaction, so as to allow the Commission to assess the viability of Novo Banco following the sale.
(15) On 31 March 2017, the Bank of Portugal announced that it had selected Lone Star to complete the sale of Novo Banco and that the contractual documents of the transaction had been signed by the Resolution Fund13.
(16) On 20 April 2017 Portugal submitted to the Commission the signed documentation for the sale transaction concerning Novo Banco.
(17) On 5 May 2017, Portugal submitted to the Commission a draft restructuring plan for Novo Banco, prepared by Lone Star, aiming to prove the viability of the bank going forward.
(18) Over the period of June-August 2017 several contacts took place between Portugal and the Commission services, to clarify questions around the draft
10 SA.43976 (2015/N) Amendment of the 2014 Resolution of Banco Espirito Santo S.A. (Novo Banco S.A.), OJ C 390/2016. 21.10.2016, p. 5. 11 Bank of Portugal website: https://www.bportugal.pt/en/comunicado/press-release-banco-de-portugal-relaunch-novo-banco-sale-process 12 https://www.bportugal.pt/en/comunicado/press-release-sale-process-novo-banco 13 https://www.bportugal.pt/en/comunicado/press-release-sale-novo-banco
restructuring plan. Portugal submitted information to complement the draft restructuring plan on 30 June, 7 July, 20 July and 4 August 2017, with additional information and clarifications submitted up until the date of the notification (documents to be referred to in their entirety as “the restructuring plan”).
(19) On 4 October 2017, Portugal notified new liquidation aid measures for Novo Banco, in the context of its sale.
(20) By letter of 4 October 2017, Portugal agreed to waive its rights deriving from Article 342 TFEU in conjunction with Article 3 of Regulation 1/195814 and to have the present Decision adopted and notified in English.
2. DESCRIPTION
2.1. Description of the 2014 Decision, the 2015 Decision and of Novo Banco
2.1.1. The 2014 and 2015 Decisions (21) In 2014, following a significant deterioration of BES’15 capital16 the Bank of Portugal assessed various alternative options to the resolution of BES, but due to the absence of buyers, it considered the creation of a Bridge Bank to be the only remaining solution for safeguarding the stability of the financial system in Portugal. Therefore, on 3 August 2014, the Portuguese authorities notified to the Commission the resolution of BES and the immediate creation and capitalisation of a temporary credit institution: Novo Banco17.
(22) A large part of BES’s business activities were transferred to Novo Banco in accordance with the recommendation of the Bank of Portugal (“the 2014 Resolution Measure”). Novo Banco received assets and liabilities such as cash, retail deposits and performing loans, central bank funding, EUR 3.5 billion of GGBBs and T-Bills. Overall, it received EUR 64 billion of assets, and was capitalised by EUR 4.9 billion18 via the Resolution Fund.
(23) The remainder of BES became a so-called Bad Bank. In addition to the residual assets not transferred to Novo Banco, shareholders and subordinated creditors as well as claims by related parties (e.g. shareholders or board members) also remained in the Bad Bank.
(24) The 2014 Decision approved resolution aid in light of, inter alia, the following commitments:
(a) Novo Banco would be sold within two years of the 2014 Decision, or wound down if a sale was unsuccessful; 14 Council Regulation No 1 determining the languages to be used by the European Economic Community, OJ 17, 6.10.1958, p. 385. 15 A detailed description of BES is included in recitals (11) to (17) of the 2014 Decision. 16 A detailed description of events leading to the resolution of BES is included in recitals (18) to (26) of the 2014 Decision. 17 Novo Banco was created on 3 August 2014 pursuant to the Legal Framework of Credit Institutions and Financial Companies (approved by Decree-Law no. 298/92, of 31 December 1992, as subsequently amended). 18 A description of the set-up and aid measures for Novo Banco is included in recitals (27) to (32) of the 2014 Decision.
(b) The banking license of the Bad Bank would be revoked by no later than the end of the sale process of Novo Banco. In the meantime, the Bad Bank was to be orderly wound down under normal insolvency judicial proceedings.
(25) On 19 December 2015, by means of the 2015 Decision, the Commission authorized the extension of the sale deadline for Novo Banco together with the extension of the maturities of the GGBBs with total notional value of EUR 3.5 billion19 by one year.
(26) The 2015 Decision was underpinned by a catalogue of revised commitments, replacing the one of the 2014 Decision. The new set of commitments aimed to ensure the minimisation of distortions of competition during the existence period of Novo Banco, which was being prolonged for one additional year by the 2015 Decision.
(27) The key commitments revised at the time of the 2015 Decision included the following20:
(a) Novo Banco would not price deposits above market average (as published by the Statistical Department of the Bank of Portugal, in accordance with the applicable regulation);
(b) By […]* Novo Banco would comply with the following Key Performance Indicators (“KPIs”) at group level:
– Cost base reduced by EUR [100-200] million compared to the levels of 30 November 2015, excluding the costs deriving from restructuring such as from the reduction of full-time equivalents (“FTE”); – Number of FTE reduced by [800-1000] compared to the level of 30 November 2015; – Number of branches reduced to [500-600].
(c) If by […] Novo Banco still existed as a stand-alone entity, Novo Banco would comply with the following KPIs, at group level:
– Cost base reduced by EUR [200-250] million compared to the levels of 30 November 2015, excluding the costs deriving from restructuring such as from the reduction of FTE; – Number of FTE reduced by [1000-1500] compared to the level of 30 November 2015; – Number of branches reduced to [450-500].
* Confidential information. 19 A description of the additional aid measures for Novo Banco is included in recitals (24) to (35) of the 2015 Decision. 20 For the full list and text of the commitments, please refer to the letter Commitments by the Portuguese Republic dated 18 December 2015 annexed to the 2015 Decision (see footnote 10).
(d) The banking license of the Bad Bank would be revoked by no later than the conclusion of the sale process of Novo Banco. The Bad Bank would enter into liquidation proceedings upon withdrawal of the authorisation which will occur by no later than two years after the Effective Date (the date of the 2014 Decision).
(e) The existence period of Novo Banco was clearly limited in time and there were minimal conditions on the sale process and the acquirer to prevent a continuity in ownership with either the public authorities or the owners of BES prior to the 2014 Resolution Measure:
– Novo Banco will have sold all assets – core and non-core – or the Resolution Fund will have sold all shares in Novo Banco by no later than three years after the date of the 2014 Decision in an open, non-discriminatory and competitive process launched publicly by 15 January 2016 with the aim of signing a share purchase agreement by 2 August 2016. The split between core and non-core part of Novo Banco will be adjusted if the sale has not been concluded by a given date21. – In case the assets or the shares of Novo Banco have not been sold by no later than three years after the date of the 2014 Decision, Novo Banco in its entirety will cease new business and be put in wind down in the month that follows. – For the purpose of acquiring any parts of BES or Novo Banco, the Purchaser would not be previous qualified shareholders (above 2%), within the two years immediately prior to the setup of Novo Banco.
(28) The withdrawal of the banking license for the Bad Bank occurred on 13 July 2016 when ECB notified BES of its decision to withdraw its license for the pursuit of banking activity22.
2.1.2. Current state of Novo Banco
(29) Since its setup, Novo Banco has acted as a universal bank offering a diversified range of financial services, such as domestic commercial banking (including retail, corporate and institutional clients as well as private banking), international commercial banking, asset management and insurance.
(30) At 30 June 2017 Novo Banco had assets with a net book value of EUR 50.1 billion, being the third-largest bank in Portugal by that criterion.23 It had deposits of EUR 25.4 billion and net loans of EUR 32.2 billion supported by 5 706
21 The Commitments of the 2015 Decision set intermediary deadlines for the sale of Novo Banco on 31 October 2016, 31 January 2017 and 1 March 2017, which if not met would result in changes to the allocation of different business lines or units to Core or Non-Core. In particular, Commitment 5 in the Annex to the 2015 Decision provided that Spain and Asset management activities of Novo Banco will be moved to the Non-core Unit if Novo Banco shares are not sold entirely by 01.03.17. 22 BES publication available at: http://www.bes.pt/Comunicados/20160719%20fsd177303_uk.pdf 23 Novo Banco Institutional Presentation of August 2017, available at: https://www.novobanco.pt/site/cms.aspx?srv=207&stp=1&id=843578&fext=.pdf.
employees and a network comprising 475 branches24 in Portugal and abroad, including in London, Spain, Cayman Islands, Venezuela and Luxembourg, an offshore branch in the Madeira Free Trade Zone and five representative offices overseas25. EUR 40.8 billion (i.e. over 81%) of Novo Banco’s assets at 30 June 2017 were in Portugal. The other significant international presences within the group were Spain (with EUR 2.9 billion), the United Kingdom (with EUR 3.4 billion) and France together with Luxembourg (totalling together EUR 2.8 billion)26.
(31) In terms of capital, as of 30 June 2017, Novo Banco had a total regulatory capital of EUR 3.537 billion and a phased-in27 Common Equity Tier 1 (“CET1”) ratio of 10.9% and significantly lower than the EUR 5.142 billion with CET1 ratio of 13.5% as of 31 December 2015.
(32) The capital of Novo Banco has gradually deteriorated due to the losses recorded over time: EUR 498 million in the August – December 2014 period, EUR 1.004 billion and EUR 837 million in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 respectively and EUR 290 million in the first half year of 201728, mainly driven by provisions for impairments.
2.2. The sale process of Novo Banco
(33) As indicated in the 2014 Decision, the Portuguese authorities committed that Novo Banco would sell all the assets transferred to it, or the Resolution Fund would sell all of its shares in Novo Banco, no later than 24 months after the date of the 2014 Decision, i.e. by 2 August 2016 the latest. That date was extended by to 3 August 2017 by the 2015 Decision.
(34) Novo Banco was to conduct an open, non-discriminatory and competitive sale process that would take place on market terms and seek to maximize the sales price for the assets and liabilities involved. If the assets were not be sold by that date, the Portuguese authorities committed to put Novo Banco in wind down in the following month.29
24 Novo Banco Group Activity and Results First Half 2017, p. 2, available at: https://www.novobanco.pt/site/cms.aspx?srv=222&stp=1&id=af2c38ef-ff96-4c6e-a422-626beaba1d20. 25 The list of subsidiaries, subgroups and other entities consolidated in Novo Banco is reflected in the First Half 2017 Interim Report of Novo Banco Group, pp. 46-48, available at: https://www.novobanco.pt/site/cms.aspx?srv=207&stp=1&id=848600&fext.=.pdf. 26 Based on the First Half 2017 Interim Report of Novo Banco Group, p. 94, available at: https://www.novobanco.pt/site/cms.aspx?srv=207&stp=1&id=848600&fext.=.pdf. 27 NOVO BANCO Group’s solvency ratios are calculated based on the rules stipulated in Directive 2013/36/EU and Regulation (EU) no. 575/2013, which define the criteria for access to the activity of credit institutions and investment firms and determine the prudential requirements for these institutions, and also in Regulation (EU) no. 2016/445, which determines the transitional (phased-in) arrangements for own funds set forth in Regulation (EU) no. 575/2013 28 See footnote 24 29 See commitment (7) in Annex I to the 2015 Decision.
2.2.1. The first sale process
(35) On 4 December 2014, the Bank of Portugal opened the sales process of Novo Banco itself, by a public announcement30. Seventeen expressions of interest were submitted to the Bank of Portugal by 31 December 2014.
(36) On 15 September 2015, the Bank of Portugal announced that the sales process was suspended without accepting any of the three binding offers it had received, as it deemed the terms and conditions of these offers not satisfactory. 2.2.2. The second sale process31
(37) On 15 January 2016, the Bank of Portugal announced the launch of a new sale process for Novo Banco. Further detail was provided on 31 March 2016, when Bank of Portugal announced32 the eligibility criteria for participating in the sale process of Novo Banco and, that in a first phase – in order to maximise the chance of a successful tender and the sale price – the below two simultaneous tracks would be followed:
(a) A “Strategic Sale Process”, a direct and competitive sale process that targeted strategic investors which are credit institutions or insurance companies and/or entities which have qualifying holdings, directly or indirectly (under management), in credit institutions or insurance companies; (b) A “Market Sale Process”, which, subject to legal and regulatory requirements, could be an institutional offer of the Bridge Bank’s shares targeted at institutional investors and/or a public offer of shares. This process could involve one or more “cornerstone investors”, who will enter into an agreement to purchase a certain number of shares prior to the public offer.
(38) The eligibility criteria and the terms of the two tracks in the new sale process were published on 22 April 2016 via the website of the Resolution Fund33. The terms of the offer determined, inter alia, the evaluation criteria of the offers submitted that involves the following elements in a decreasing order of relevance: (a) the attractiveness of the financial proposal contained in the offer; (b) the ability of the Prospective Strategic Investor to execute transaction documents and to complete the transaction; (c) the willingness of the Prospective Strategic Investor to acquire all the assets offered for sale in the Proposed Transaction in accordance with the terms and conditions proposed by Banco de Portugal; and 30 See the press release of Bank of Portugal, available at: https://www.bportugal.pt/en/comunicado/pressrelease-banco-de-portugal-first-phase-novo-banco-sa-sale-process. 31 Information presented herein is based primarily on documentation submitted to the Commission by Portugal in April 2017, including an overview of the process (documents titled “Overview of Project Kairos” 19 April 2017, prepared by the advisor to the process – Deutsche Bank, and “Descriptive Memorandum concerning the second sales process of Novo Banco”, prepared by the Bank of Portugal). 32 See the press release of Bank of Portugal, available at: https://www.bportugal.pt/en/comunicado/pressrelease-banco-de-portugal-novo-banco-sale-process 33 See the documents available on the website of the Resolution Fund, available at: http://www.fundoderesolucao.pt/en-US/ofundo/Pages/AlienacaoNB.aspx
(d) the strategy and development plans for Novo Banco and any commitments undertaken by the Prospective Strategic Investor in connection therewith and the overall impact of the Proposed Transaction on competition and in the financial stability of the banking sector in Portugal. (39) The tender offer did not include any requirement for a minimum sale price.
(40) In addition to the public tender offer, the financial advisor to the Bank of Portugal approached 40 potential investors34 directly in April and May 2016 to give a presentation about Novo Banco.
2.2.2.1. Strategic Sale Process
(41) On 6 June 2016, the Bank of Portugal decided to invite all six prospective investors35, including Lone Star, that had expressed interest earlier to submit offers and provided them with both the invitation letter (“Process Letter”) and a document that had substantiated the rules applied to the submission and the evaluation of the offers (“Specific Terms”). The Specific Terms set 30 June 2016 as the deadline submitting binding offers.
(42) On 21 June 2016, the Bank of Portugal in its decision authorized to two of the interested investors – […]– to submit a joint proposal as a group.
(43) According to Portugal, by 30 June 2016 four investors had submitted an offer in the “Strategic Sale Process”, including Lone Star. The offer of Lone Star related to the purchase of Novo Banco in its entirety, the offers of […] included a carveout mechanism and the remaining one offer from […] was related to […] certain selected assets of Novo Banco. The offers of Lone Star and […] were subject to confirmatory due diligence and the offers from […] were expected to be further clarified (e.g. no bid price was indicated in the offers) at the time. […] did not submit any offer.
(44) On 12 July 2016, the Bank of Portugal decided to authorise the prospective strategic investors which had submitted their offers to continue to access information concerning Novo Banco with a view to eliminate or to limit the constraints in their offers. These proceedings occurred from July until October 2016.
2.2.2.2. Market Sale Process
(45) According to Portugal, interest formalised in May 2016 by one new potential investor – […]– to participate in the “Market Sale Process” of Novo Banco. Following an explanatory diligence with the potential investors under the “Market Sale Process”, the Bank of Portugal decided to make the terms of reference on 11 October 2016 more flexible with the aim to attract more investors.
34 As per documents mentioned in footnote 31 35 The six interested investors were […] and […] “Lone Star”; and […]
2.2.2.3. Convergence of the two sale processes
(46) On 17 October 2016, the Bank of Portugal amended the Process Letters concerning the submission of the revised offers and set a final application deadline of 4 November 2016 for both of the tracks.
(47) All four strategic investors submitted their revised offers ([…] only re-confirmed their previous offers, unchanged) as well as […]which applied under the “Market Sale Process” track by the stipulated deadline.
(48) Following the final application deadline, the offers of Lone Star and […] related to the entire asset portfolio of Novo Banco with a proposal of an additional asset protection mechanism for selected assets, the offer of […] included a carve-out mechanism, […] proposal was related to selected assets of the bank and […] submitted a purchase offer for over 50% of the shares under the market sale track. (49) On 4 November 2016, the Bank of Portugal announced36 that five entities submitted their offers before the final application deadline.
(50) At that time, according to Portugal, only the offers from […]and Lone Star were binding and not subject to any further confirmatory due diligence. With each these two parties, the seller signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) in November and December 2016, respectively, which fixed the preliminary agreements. The offer of […] was still subject to a completed confirmatory due diligence. In the case of […], even though the investors reiterated their previous offers submitted on 30 June 2016, according to Portugal, did not further elaborate and concretise their offers.
(51) On 4 January 2017, after reviewing the applications, the Bank of Portugal announced37 that from all the offers, Lone Stars’ was considered to be the best placed to successfully conclude the negotiation process notwithstanding the possibility of an improvement of the offers from the remaining prospective purchasers38.
(52) From the documentation provided, the “Market Sale Process” had meanwhile not progressed as […] failed to provide evidence of funds39 for the acquisition of Novo Banco and information on the acquisition structure prior to the required
36 See the press release of Bank of Portugal, available at: https://www.bportugal.pt/en/comunicado/pressrelease-banco-de-portugal-novo-banco-sale-process-1 37 See the press release of Bank of Portugal, available at: https://www.bportugal.pt/en/comunicado/pressrelease-banco-de-portugal-novo-banco-sale-process-2 38 As reasons, the Bank of Portugal cited the attractiveness of the financial proposal (in case the highest pre-capital injection valuation of the Resolution Funds’ shares), the ability of the Prospective Strategic Investor to execute the transaction documents and to complete the transaction, the willingness of the Prospective Strategic Investor to acquire all the assets offered for sale and the strategy and development plans and commitments undertaken by the Prospective Strategic Investor in relation to financial stability of the banking sector in Portugal. 39 As per documents mentioned in footnote 31.
deadline of 9 December 2016 according to the MoU and the efforts of […] in February 2017 to involve a co-investor were not successful either. 40
(53) After 4 January, neither […] have promoted new diligences looking at improving the offers previously submitted, that led to a conclusion by the Bank of Portugal that the offers from these investors were not susceptible of being selected until the offers are further specified and densified.
(54) On 12 January 2017, the Bank of Portugal informed […] which required further confirmatory due diligence that their binding and unconditional offer would be accepted until 15 February 2017. […] could not complete its assessment before the given deadline and informed the Bank of Portugal that they would require substantially more time to complete their work.
(55) Given that […]was not successful in providing evidence of available funds to complete the acquisition and the other strategic investors either did not complete their confirmatory due diligences ([…]) or did not concretise and elaborate their offers ([…]) and ultimately did not sign an MoU with the seller – according to the Bank of Portugal – the offer from Lone Star was the one that best fulfilled the evaluation criteria of the Specific Terms. On 17 February 2017, the Bank of Portugal therefore informed the remaining investors about its preliminary decision of not selecting them, offering them to provide comments within 3 days. On 20 February 2017, the Bank of Portugal selected41 Lone Star for a concluding round of exclusive negotiations. Since the non-selected investors did not submit any response within the 3 day hearing period, on 3 March 2017, the Bank of Portugal converted its preliminary decision into a final non-selection decision. (56) On 31 March 2017, the Bank of Portugal announced42 that Lone Star was selected to conclude the sale process of Novo Banco.
(57) Under the terms of the agreement, Lone Star will inject a total of EUR 1 000 million in Novo Banco (EUR 750 million at the transaction completion and EUR 250 million within a period of up to 3 years), and will hold 75% of the Novo Banco’s share capital, leaving the Resolution Fund with a 25% shareholding.
(58) The agreement between the Resolution Fund and Lone Star set a series of conditions precedent for the sale, mostly typical for such transactions (e.g. regulatory approvals). A key condition precedent agreed by the two parties of the transaction was the execution of a Liability Management Exercise (“LME”) targeting the senior unsecured bondholders of Novo Banco which was supposed to result in at least EUR 500 million of CET1-Equivalent Gains43.
40 […] requested an extension in order to negotiate with a potential co-investor, […] which Portugal allowed. However […] later informed the Bank of Portugal that the contacts with […] did not lead to a partnership. 41 See the press release of Bank of Portugal, available at: https://www.bportugal.pt/en/comunicado/pressrelease-sale-process-novo-banco 42 See the press release of Bank of Portugal, available at: https://www.bportugal.pt/en/comunicado/pressrelease-sale-novo-banco 43 Defined by the Sale and Purchase agreement as the sum of: a) the amount of increase of Novo Banco’s CET1 on the March 2017 financial statements and b) the reduction of aggregate interest expenses over five years starting from the first quarter following the completion of the LME.
(59) On 4 October 2017, Novo Banco announced the results of the LME which has been performed under the sole responsibility of the Resolution Fund and the Bank of Portugal. On the same day, the Portuguese Authorities informed the Commission that – while the result of the LME fell short of the objective to generate capital in the form of a direct increase in capital and interest savings of at least EUR 0.5 billion – the seller and the purchaser have nonetheless accepted this outcome as fulfilling the condition precedent to the Share Purchase Agreement.
3. THE MEASURES
3.1. The 2014 measures
(60) The 2014 Decision approved liquidation aid for Novo Banco in the form of share capital of EUR 4.9 billion provided by the Resolution Fund, in exchange for which the Resolution Fund received common shares.
(61) With the objective of stabilising the liability side of Novo Banco’s balance sheet, the same decision also approved the transfer of EUR 3.5 billion of GGBBs from BES to Novo Banco. The GGBBs had been issued by BES under the Portuguese Guarantee Scheme. Correspondingly, they were deemed to be an existing aid measure, and not subject to approval in the 2014 Decision.
(62) In its 2015 Decision, the Commission approved the extension of the deadline to sell Novo Banco, or to wind it down otherwise, by one further year, based on a revised set of commitments that replaced the commitments submitted in 2014. (63) At the same time, Portugal notified the extension of the maturity of the EUR 3.5 billion of outstanding GGBBs of Novo Banco, which had been taken over from BES. The extension could not be done under the Portuguese Guarantee Scheme, as the conditions of the scheme made it accessible only to credit institutions without capital shortfall. However, as announced on 14 November 2015 Novo Banco had a capital shortfall under the adverse scenario of the comprehensive assessment. Therefore, based on an individual notification by Portugal, the Commission approved the extension of the GGBBs.
(64) The GGBBs gradually expired after the 2015 Decision and have not been prolonged further. Novo Banco’s last bond issuance guaranteed by the Portuguese Republic, in the amount of EUR 1.5 billion, matured on 17 February 201744.
3.3.1. Measure 1: the Contingent Capital Agreement
(65) Due diligence by Lone Star of the top 44 assets and a number of granular core and non-core loans, for a total gross book value of around EUR [10-20] billion has […] revealed significant uncertainties as regards adequacy in provisioning. As a result and as a part of the Share Purchase and Subscription Agreement and the 44 https://www.novobanco.pt/SITE/cms.aspx?srv=222&stp=1&id=1a886739-5427-427f-9fd4208a8e0b6a39&order=1&attach=No
Shareholders Agreement45, Portugal set up a Contingent Capital Agreement (CCA)46, which allows Lone Star as buyer to reclaim funding costs, realised losses and provisions related to an ex-ante agreed portfolio of existing loan stock, subject to a capital ratio trigger and some additional conditions.
(66) The calculation basis for CCA losses, i.e. the amounts that can be reclaimed by the Bank under the CCA, has three separate components:
(a) Cumulative Net Impairment Losses and Net Sale Losses and expenses (including taxes on collateral realizations) related to the CCA Assets;
(b) Net Interest Swap payments in the height of EURIBOR 6m, floored at 0.00% + 2.00%, on the entire Interest Rate Swap reference amount; the Interest Rate Swap reference amount is equal to the Starting Reference Value of all CCA assets (corresponding to the net book value as of 30 June 2016) minus CCA Asset Losses already paid out and CCA Asset Realisations (which includes any interest and capital repayments or dividends, distributions or other returns received by Novo Banco in relation of the CCA Assets);
(c) If applicable, Third Party Management, Administration and Servicing Costs of the Assets; or Costs related to Incentive Schemes to Novo Banco employees engaged in the disposal of CCA assets in order to minimize losses.
(67) The CCA takes effect retroactively from 30 June 2016. The Net Book Value of the assets under consideration as of 30 June 2016 is also taken as the Starting Reference Value. This is to take into account that Lone Star performed its due diligence on data from the first half year results of 2016.
(68) The CCA expires on […] (however, if the remaining percentage of the CCAassets net book value is higher than a set target over the period […], the duration extends to […]).
(69) The amount that can be reclaimed under the CCA is subject to the CCA cap of EUR 3.89 billion. That amount is reduced by the amount which the Resolution Fund has to provide in the course of the underwriting of the Tier 2 instruments (described as “Measure 2” below).
(70) If however, at a later stage, the Resolution Fund sells (part of) the Tier 2 instruments acquired under Measure 2, the CCA cap is re-increased by the proceeds received (with the understanding that the CCA cap can never exceed EUR 3.89 billion).
(71) Payments from the Resolution Fund to Novo Banco under the CCA are subject to a Minimum Capital Condition being satisfied. This means that no payments are made unless on given reporting dates, Novo Banco’s CET1 ratio has fallen below [8-13]% minus the Additional Capital Contribution Ratio, which is between 0 and 45 Amendment and Restatement Agreement in relation to the Share Purchase and Subscription Agreement relating to the share capital of Novo Banco, S.A. and the Shareholders Agreement dated 31 March 2017 as amended and restated on 24 July 2017 between Fundo de Resolução and Nani Holdings SGPS, S.A. 46 [Closing Date] Contingent Capital Agreement between Novo Banco, S.A. and Fundo de Resolução
0.7 percentage points, depending on previous capital contributions made by Lone Star, expressed as a ratio to Lone Star’s EUR 250 million additional commitment47. As a result, any CCA payment is contingent on Novo Banco’s CET1 ratio falling below a trigger level that lies between [7.3-12.3]% and [813]%, the trigger being lower for as long as Lone Star has not made the additional capital contribution.
(72) Payments are limited both to the cumulatively recorded CCA losses and to the amounts needed to restore the CET1 ratio back to the trigger level thus eliminating the Minimum Capital Condition.
(73) In addition, the CCA does not apply to Liabilities resulting from the Resolution of 2014.
(74) Payments under the CCA, which are always subject to the CET1 trigger mentioned in (71), are on an annual basis, applying netting between Novo Banco and the Resolution Fund, but reporting of the results on a line-itemized basis is due every quarter.
(75) Asset realizations are retained by Novo Banco and on the CCA Maturity Date, a netting will be made of all CCA Net Losses minus payments of interest, dividends or distributions received by Novo Banco with respect to the CCA Assets (without double counting previous payments and nettings).
(76) The Resolution Fund has the right within […] years of the completion of the sale, transfer the entirety of the CCA assets to a third party at a price payable in cash that is the Starting Reference value of all CCA Assets plus all CCA Drawdowns minus all CCA Losses already paid to Novo Banco and all previous Asset Realizations.
(77) As regards governance, under the CCA Novo Banco is to change its articles of association to include a Monitoring Committee of three people, two of which are appointed by the Resolution Fund and one independent member; Either the Resolution Fund or Novo Banco can request an opinion from the Monitoring Committee in relevant matters pertaining to the CCA assets. They will attend the Board Meetings of Novo Banco without voting rights.
(78) Moreover, the Resolution Fund has, acting reasonably, the right to take all decisions in respect of the CCA assets until the “Governance Exchange Date”48 and Novo Banco needs to inform the Resolution Fund in respect of most material credit management decisions with respect to these files.
47 Under the shareholders agreement, Lone Star has committed to inject EUR 750 million in capital at the moment of sale, and an additional EUR 250 million over a 3 year period. See also recital (57) As long as this additional capital increase has not been made, the CET1 level that triggers a contribution by the Resolution Fund under the CCA will be lower. 48 The “Governance Exchange Date” means a year end date between […], depending on the ratio of the then remaining aggregate net book value of the assets to the aggregate starting reference values. The higher the remaining ratio, the earlier the date. In addition, if CCA losses have exceeded EUR […]and an independent valuer assesses that the loss amounts will exceed the CCA cap by more than EUR […], the Governance Exchange Date becomes the date after receiving this assessment by written confirmation (which could thus be before […]).
3.3.2. Measure 2: the Tier 2 underwriting
(79) Novo Banco will issue, to the extent that additional capital is required, up to EUR 400 million of Tier 2 instruments to third party investors. It will make a best effort attempt in customary market conditions to place the instruments in the market at a yield of less than […]% p.a.
(80) If (a) Lone Star has injected the EUR 250 million additional CET1, (b) third party investors cannot be found at an interest rate of […]% % or less, and (c) a Total Capital Shortfall requiring a Tier 2 issuance has occurred, then the Resolution Fund will underwrite Tier 2 capital that Novo Banco can issue for a maturity of […] years at a yield of […]% % per annum up to the amount necessary (but no more than EUR 400 million).
3.3.3. Measure 3: the Capital Backstop (81) In case the Supervisory Review and Evaluation Process (“SREP”)49 total capital ratio of Novo Banco falls below the SREP total capital requirement, Portugal will provide additional capital only to the extent that the following measures remain unsuccessful in addressing the shortfall:
(a) Routine capital measures to be implemented by Novo Banco to make up the shortfall within the nine months following a breach; (b) A request to the private owner to supply the necessary capital, which Portugal is allowed to match according to the conditions laid down in the Share Purchase and Subscription Agreement; (c) A market call.
(82) The additional capital to be provided by Portugal can take the form of either AT1 instruments or a public capital injection, to be decided by Portugal. If AT1 capital instruments will be used, they will be either issued to the market and carry a coupon that may be fully paid by Portugal or underwritten by Portugal directly.
(83) If public money was used in the capital backstop, Portugal has committed to further reduce the perimeter of the Bank by [800-1100] FTEs and [90-120] branches in a new restructuring plan.
4. THE RESTRUCTURING PLAN OF NOVO BANCO
(84) Portugal has submitted a restructuring plan, prepared by Lone Star, to demonstrate the Bank’s ability to return to viability by the end of the restructuring period (i.e. 31 December 2021 under the baseline scenario). The plan lays out a strategy for a comprehensive transformation of Novo Banco, encompassing six pillars:
(a) Wind-down of non-core assets; (b) Restoring pre-eminence in the enterprise segment and focus on risk-and capital-adjusted profitability;
49 Supervisory Review and Evaluation Process – the assessment process of banks’ capital and risks, carried out continuously by the SSM, and resulting in an individual SREP decision once a year.
(c) Digitize and streamline the retail franchise; (d) Reinforce efficiency of balance sheet management; (e) Adjust the operational platform; and (f) Strengthen the risk management model to improve solvency and resilience of the bank. (85) As a matter of priority, Novo Banco will review its key legal agreements and analyse its contracts to facilitate termination decisions related to the wind-down units. It will communicate timely to its clients and fine-tune its strategy for FTE redundancies or transfers to core units. Where needed, it will make a market value assessment to gauge the best options for disposal (in negotiation with potential buyers).
(86) In line with its behavioural commitments, Novo Banco will review its internal pricing guidelines (inter alia by implementing a risk-adjusted return on capital (“RAROC”) / return on equity (“RoE”) based pricing tool for its front office) and consolidate the value proposition per client base. It will define and prioritize cross-selling initiatives with a focus on […] clients. It will reduce large exposures as part of its overall strategy50.
(87) The retail franchise digitization will be extended with a revision of priorities for the different retail customer segments.
(88) As part of its asset liability management and short term balance sheet management strategy, Novo Banco will try to reduce its funding costs by […]. In order to achieve this, a commercial strategy […]. The bank will also implement a longer term strategy to obtain the right mix of liabilities.
(89) The operational platform will undergo significant adjustments. The total FTE number will be reduced drastically through both natural attrition and redundancies. This will include a revision of the organizational model for central services. The branch network will also be reduced. The bank intends to exploit additional cost cutting opportunities in the IT structure and in procurement processes while supporting the necessary digitalization upgrades.
(90) Finally, the risk management model will be strengthened: capital usage and measurement will be optimized through enhanced risk weighted assets (“RWA”) accuracy and the implementation of an internal rating based model for corporate exposures. At the same time, Novo Banco will define and implement an optimal non-performing loan (“NPL”) deleverage strategy. The bank will also revise its governance model and its Risk Assessment Framework.
(91) The restructuring plan provided by the buyer through Portugal includes financial projections for the period 2017-2021, which were provided for both a base case and an adverse case scenario.
50 Novo Banco intends to capture selected enterprise clients with an intake of smaller and more profitable firms. In addition, since 2014, it has actively tried to reduce credit exposure to large tickets and distressed sectors with implementation of limits to credit underwriting, as part of a wider effort of asset portfolio deleveraging. Any new large loan (exposure bigger than EUR […] million) will require extensive review and Risk Committee board approval.
(92) On the revenues side, a key element of the plan is a strong growth projected for the net interest income, which is expected to […] over the restructuring period. The forecast relies on two factors: a) a rise in interest revenue, driven by higher volumes and/or improved margins (depending on the strategies for the different client categories), and b) a decrease in interest expense, derived from a reduction of […], along with […], as foreseen in the short term balance sheet management goals of the plan.
(93) On the operational cost side, the plan foresees a reduction of approximately [1020] % in operational costs over the restructuring period, to be delivered mainly through branch and personnel optimizations. Novo Banco’s Cost-to-Income ratio is expected to align with the current and expected peers’ benchmarks in the Portuguese banking market. Potential deviations from the expected revenue or cost evolutions would be addressed through additional measures to ensure that the bank’s performance is brought back within the parameters of the plan, as detailed below in section 5.2.3 on viability commitments in particular recitals (122) to (125).
(94) A third major element of the plan is the substantial decrease in loan loss provisions, projected to go down from EUR 1.298 million in 2016 to EUR [150200] million in 2021, implying a reduction of the cost of risk from approximately 375 bps to less than [70-80] bps. This is driven by two assumptions in the plan:
(a) Loan loss provisions on the assets which are included in the CCA would be booked by the bank over the first […] years of the restructuring plan, and hence in […] there would be no more losses stemming from the CCA assets;
(b) For the remaining assets outside of the CCA, including the new loan production of the bank after 30 June 2016 (the cut-off date of the CCA analysis), the loan loss provisions will decrease by over [50-60]%. This assumption is underpinned in the plan by the description of the methodologies applied by Lone Star to i) assess the risk profile of the nonCCA assets of the bank, which are assessed in the plan as being of significantly better quality than the CCA assets, and ii) estimate the risk profile of the new loan production, deemed to be of even better quality.
(95) The initial restructuring plan of 5 May 2017 included some summary financial projections. Subsequently, three more developed and updated sets of financial projections were submitted in the context of the discussions on the restructuring plan:
(a) A “Central Case” (with two sub-scenarios reflecting whether or not a Tier 2 instrument issuance takes place or not) in a benign macro-economic environment; (b) A “Worst Case51” (again with two sub-scenarios reflecting whether or not a Tier 2 instrument issuance takes place or not)52, again in a benign macro
51 The name is somewhat of a misnomer, as the parameters of the adverse scenario are worse that what is called a “worst case” scenario. The naming of the scenarios is without prejudice to the Commission’s
economic environment which essentially differs from the Central Case in respect to the estimated losses of the CCA assets (approx. EUR [0-5] billion in the Worst Case, vs approx. EUR [0-5] billion in the Central Case)
(c) An “Adverse Case”, which takes the Worst Case as a starting point (i.e. same amount of losses expected on the CCA assets) but alters it in line with a more pessimistic macro-economic environment leading to assumptions on the business operations of the bank which result in slightly lower income and profitability at the end of the plan53.
(96) The projected utilisation of the CCA amounts to up to EUR [0-5] billion in the Central Case, EUR [0-5] billion in the Worst Case, and EUR [0-5] billion in the Adverse Case.
Table 1 – Restructuring plan baseline scenario, main financial projections
EUR million 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
[…] […] […] […]
Banking income
Risk costs […] […] […] […] […] out of which on CCA assets […] […] […] […] Operating profits
[…] […] […] […] Net income […] […] […] […] RoE (%) […] […] […] […] […]
Loans to clients […] […] […] […] […] Other credit & assets […] […] […] […] […] Total assets […] […] […] […] […] RWA […] […] […] […] […]
Central bank […] […] […] […] […] Deposits […] […] […] […] […] Debt securities […] […] […] […] […] Total liabilities […] […] […] […] […]
Equity […] […] […] […] […] Equity injections based on CCA agreement […] […] […] […] […] CET1 % [10-20]% [10-20]% [10-20]% [10-20]% [10-20]%
assessment and are a mere consequence of them being produced at different steps in the discussion of the restructuring plan. 52 These first two sets of financial projections were part of the submission of 20 July 2017. 53 Submitted on 4 August 2017.
(97) Based on the information received by the Commission, the restructuring plan and its financial projections also incorporated a prudent assessment of the expected impact of the LME (as described in recitals (57) – (59)).
5. POSITION OF PORTUGAL
5.1. Existence of aid, its necessity and compatibility
(98) According to the Portuguese authorities, the notified measures are necessary to ensure the successful sale of Novo Banco to Lone Star.
(99) The Portuguese authorities submit that Lone Star was chosen as the successful bidder for the acquisition of Novo Banco in an open, fair and transparent process.
(100) The Portuguese authorities accept that the notified measures constitute State aid and request the Commission to verify that they are compatible with the internal market on the basis of Article 107(3)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (“TFEU”).
(101) The Portuguese authorities submit that the applicable legal basis under which Novo Banco should be examined is represented by Article 145-L “General principles” and Article 145-P “Setting up of the bridge institution” of law 298/92, “Legal Framework of Credit Institutions and Financial Companies”. The Portuguese authorities state that until the conclusion of the sale, Novo Banco remains a transitional institution, constituted under Article 145P, so that the respective legal framework remains fully applicable.
(102) This signifies that the resolution of BES is considered ongoing and the respective legal framework remains applicable in regard to any measures undertaken by the Portuguese authorities in regard to Novo Banco. Therefore, the additional aid measures notified by Portugal in the context of the sale are to be considered in the framework of the ongoing resolution process.
(103) The Portuguese authorities state that the final restructuring plan of Novo Banco on the basis of which the bank’s viability is to be assessed is the plan of 5 May 2017, as amended by the submissions of 30 June, 7 July, 20 July and 4 August 2017, and includes all other additional information and clarifications to the plan provided up to the date of the notification.
(104) The Portuguese authorities insist on the fact that the combined cash payment by the Resolution Fund under Measures 1 and 2 can in no case be larger than EUR 3.89 billion. If Measure 2 leads to a cash outflow from the Resolution Fund, the cash available under Measure 1 is reduced to ensure that the combined cash payment can at no point in time exceed the maximally committed EUR 3.89 billion.
5.2. Commitments by the Portuguese authorities
(105) The Portuguese authorities submitted the following commitments, as detailed in Annex I to the present Decision. Those commitments supersede those attached to the 2014 Decision and the 2015 Decision as of the date of the present Decision.
(106) The Commitments enter into force on the date of adoption of the present Decision and will remain in place throughout the restructuring period – unless stated otherwise in the relevant Commitment. The restructuring period extends to the end of 2021 but can be prolonged if certain measures are not implemented in time as specified in the relevant Commitments.
(107) The Portuguese authorities commit that one or more natural or legal person(s), independent from BES or Novo Banco and who has not worked for the authorities in any aspect on those entities previously, proposed by Portugal, approved by the Commission and appointed by the Resolution Fund, i.e. the Monitoring Trustee, will continue to have the duty to monitor the full compliance with the commitments until the end of the restructuring period.
5.2.1. Structural commitments
(108) Novo Banco segregated its existing activities into two parts, the so-called Core Unit and the Non-Core Unit. Those units are not separate legal entities, the funding, liquidity and solvency will be shared across both units.
(109) The Core Unit will retain […] (subject to additional terms with respect to the latter). In addition to those entities, Table 2 below describes the activities of the subsidiaries that were determined as part of the Core Unit of Novo Banco. All fully consolidated subsidiaries of those entities remain part of the core unit as well.
Table 2 – Additional business units of the core bank […]
(110) Any other entities are part of the Non-Core Unit of the Bank. A list of business lines and geographies in the Core and Non-Core Units is provided in Annex 1 to the present Decision containing the full list of commitments by the Portuguese authorities.
(111) Portugal commits to a [30-70]% reduction of the non-core unit until […] (excluding the sale of […] and […] and to a limitation for the size of the core loan
book of Novo Banco which will not exceed the level of […] of EUR [20-30] billion up to […].
(112) The […] business of Novo Banco in[…] shall be wound down by […], including the requirement of an active client instruction to which portfolio investment and bank accounts the client money and securities are to be transferred.
(113) […] and […] shall be divested as well as […] (with the exception of […]) shall be disposed of by […]
(114) […] unit shall be used strictly as a booking centre and a debt-issuing vehicle. All other new business shall cease as of […] from the date of the present Decision. […] unit shall be wound down during the restructuring period and […] all existing and outstanding bonds with a maturity longer than the restructuring period either be transferred to one of Novo Banco’s other legal entities or […].
(115) […] will be wound down. Investments in the context of value enhancing capital expenditures shall be permitted to ensure best-in-class work-out subject to a cap of 5% p.a. of Net Book Value of […] at the beginning of the year. However, Net Book Value at year’s end must be lower than the balance at the beginning of the year.
(116) Novo Banco will reduce its exposure towards […] during the restructuring period. Any additional exposures will be limited to financing for Portuguese clients’ activity in […] or fully cash-collateralised transactions. In order to mitigate compliance risks, Novo Banco will review and update its Know-Your-Client (“KYC”) and Anti-Money-Laundering (“AML”) procedures for […] clients in particular within […] of the present Decision.
5.2.2. Behavioural commitments
(117) Novo Banco will apply strict executive remuneration policies and will not pay to any employee, director or manager a total annual remuneration (wage, pension contribution, bonus) higher than 10 times the average salary of employees in the bank until 30 June 2020. After that date, bonus payments can be made only if targets in the viability commitments are met, in full compliance with the applicable EU law on prudential requirements
(118) Novo Banco will comply with pre-tax RoE pricing of no lower than [7-10]% during 2018, no lower than [8-11]% during 2019 and no lower than [9-12]% during 2020 and 2021 and put in place new pricing tool to that effect.
(119) Novo Banco will be subject to an acquisition ban, a dividend payment ban and an advertising ban during the restructuring period.
(120) With respect to the continued presence of the Resolution Fund in the capital of Novo Banco, Portugal commits that:
(a) The Resolution Fund will irrevocably waive any non-economic rights from its continued 25% share-holding (such as voting or the right to appoint board members); it retains the economic rights including receiving free bonus shares as long as they do not increase the share-holding;
(b) While the CCA is in place, the Resolution Fund retains the right to subscribe to one share for the purpose of each of the Resolution Fund’s contingent capital obligations;
(c) If a capital increase would harm the economic interest of the Resolution Fund, the Resolution Fund may participate pro rata to its existing shareholding, upon prior authorisation from the Commission. The voting rights of those shares will be subject to the same restrictions as in (a);
(d) A CCA Monitoring Trustee will report on the management of the guaranteed assets only for informational purposes.
5.2.3. Viability commitments
(121) To ensure that risks are appropriately managed:
(a) Novo Banco will rotate its auditor for the financial year […] and will exercise prudence in its cumulative loan loss provisions and ensure that losses are taken; to that effect, a minimum cumulative amount of EUR [05] billion will be taken;
(b) Novo Banco will comply with best lending practices, in particular avoid preferential treatment of a wide definition of connected borrowers, ensure that all exposures exceeding EUR […] million will undergo a regular credit (re-)rating process and set up risk management systems allowing proper management reporting and risk management overview;
(c) Novo Banco will refrain from proprietary trading beyond activities necessary for the normal operations of a commercial bank. It will set up specific Value-at-Risk limits for both treasury and market making activities and will distribute those conservatively among its activities so as to avoid any breaches.
(122) Furthermore, Novo Banco will adhere to strict cost to income ratio targets. In order to attain these, the bank will further reduce its FTE’s gradually to about [4500-5000] (from 5 760 at year end 2016) and its number of branches to [350400](down from 537 at year end 2016). Some of the FTE reductions will follow natural attrition, for some, additional redundancies are needed with associated restructuring costs.
(123) In addition, Novo Banco will find additional efficiencies on either income or cost (or a combination of both) to reach pre-provision income targets of EUR [450500] million by […]and EUR [750-800] million by […]. If it does not comply with those targets and measures to cure prove insufficient, Novo Banco will implement additional FTE reductions and branch closures and the restructuring period with all its commitments will prolong until the targets are reached or reductions are implemented.
(124) Novo Banco commits to reaching a cost to income ratio of below [50-60]% by year end 2019, below [40-50]% by year end 2020 and below [40-50]% from yearend 2021 onward. If it were to fail those targets by [5-10] percentage points or more, additional FTE reductions and branch closures will be implemented.
(125) Finally, in case the SREP total capital ratio of Novo Banco were to fall below the SREP total capital requirements, Novo Banco will make up the capital shortfall. If normal recapitalization attempts either through the market or by contributions of Lone Star (potentially matched pro rata by the Resolution Fund) fail, Portugal commits to supply the capital gap through the SREP total capital requirement for the given year through an ultimate back stop by means of the issuance of Alternative Tier 1 capital instruments or a capital injection. If recourse is taken to this back stop, Novo Banco will implement additional FTE reductions (up to [800-1100] FTE) and branch closures (up to [90-120] branches)54.
6. EXISTENCE AND AMOUNT OF STATE AID
(126) Article 107(1) TFEU provides that any aid granted by a Member State or through State resources in any form whatsoever which distorts or threatens to distort competition by favouring certain undertakings is, insofar as it affects trade between Member States, incompatible with the internal market. Thus, in order for a measure to fall within the scope of Article 107(1) TFEU, four cumulative criteria must be met: first, the measure must involve the use of State resources and be imputable to the State; second, the measure must distort or threaten to distort competition by conferring an advantage on undertakings; third, the measure must provide a selective advantage to certain undertakings; and fourth, the measure must be likely to affect trade between Member States and distort competition.
(127) The aid nature of the 2014 measures has been established by the Commission in its assessment in the 2014 Decision.55
(129) The 2017 measures were decided by the Resolution Fund and the decision is therefore imputable to the Portuguese authorities.
(130) Measure 1 contains a guarantee of the capital position of Novo Banco which is payable directly from the Resolution Fund. Measure 2 is an underwriting of a capital instrument which puts at risk the resources of the Resolution Fund which would be used to buy those capital instruments. Measure 3 contains a potentially significant capital commitment by the Republic of Portugal. All three measures are therefore putting at risk State resources.
(131) All three measures provide a selective advantage to Novo Banco as they are available only to Novo Banco and ensure that the economic activity continues to be able to operate in the market. That fact is acknowledged also by Portugal. As 54 The additional FTE reduction and branch closure requirement with regards to the issuance of the Alternative Tier 1 instrument is incorporating the FTE reductions and branch closures already performed with regards to the commitments described in recitals Error! Reference source not found. and Error! Reference source not found..
55 Recitals (54)-(63) of the 2014 Decision 56 Recitals (74)-(77) of the 2015 Decision
Novo Banco is active in the financial markets both in Portugal as well as in Spain, those measures are liable to have an effect on trade and distort competition in the internal market.
(132) On the basis of the foregoing, the Commission concludes that the 2017 measures constitute State aid in the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU.
(133) The Portuguese authorities do not dispute the existence of State aid in the notified measures.
6.2. The aid amount
(134) The aid contained in the 2014 measures was a recapitalization of the newly established bridge bank Novo Banco. The amount of capital aid was established in the 2014 Decision to be EUR 4.9 billion.57 The EUR 3.5 billion of GGBBs were considered existing aid under the 2014 Decision.
(135) The aid contained in the 2015 measures was liquidity aid in the form of the prolongation of the GGBBs to the amount of EUR 3.5 billion by one year.
(136) Regarding Measure 1 of the 2017 measures, Portugal provides up to EUR 3.89 billion of a contingent recapitalization without remuneration or other compensation (e.g. change in ownership). The Commission considers this capital support to Novo Banco of up to EUR 3.89 billion.
(137) Regarding Measure 2 of the 2017 measures, the maximum cash committed is EUR 0.4 billion which takes the form of the underwriting of a Tier 2 capital instrument issuance by Novo Banco.
(138) The conditions of the underwriting are such that the Resolution Fund would subscribe to the Tier 2 capital instrument at […]% annual coupon. The Portuguese authorities have provided arguments why they expect the actual market rate to be significantly lower at [5-10]% annually. That expectation is based on the price of the recent AT1 capital instrument issuance by Portuguese bank CGD and the market spread between AT1 and Tier 2 capital instruments on the basis of the current market situation in Portugal and the wider EU.
(139) On the basis of that information, the Commission considers that in a situation where market participants would not be willing to subscribe at an at least marginally lower rate than […]% and the Resolution Fund would have to subscribe to the Tier 2 instrument at […]%, such a situation would likely imply that there would be no private market participants willing to engage in subscribing to the issuance at any price. The Commission therefore considers the aid is a further capital guarantee worth up to the full amount of EUR 0.4 billion.
(140) The Commission recognises the arguments of Portugal that the effective cash outflow under the combination of the two capital guarantees will in no case be greater than EUR 3.89 billion. However, the Measures are structured in such a way that any money reclaimed, i.e. not used under the underwriting guarantee that is Measure 2, can be re-used as capital guarantee under Measure 1.
57 Recitals (30)-(32) of the 2014 Decision
(141) In line with consistent State aid case practice, such a re-use of the guarantee frame implies that even while the State cannot be at risk of a cash payout of more than EUR 3.89 billion at any given point in time, from a State aid perspective, they are still separate measures. If a use of the EUR 0.4 billion underwriting guarantee would lead to a permanent deduction from the EUR 3.89 billion of CET1 guarantee, the Commission would be able to approve EUR 3.89 billion of State aid in Measures 1 and 2. However, a re-increase of the guarantee frame under Measure 2 following a successful exit from Measure 1 would have to be considered a distinct measure which under the current notification would also need to be approved at this stage. On that basis, the sum of aid provided under Measures 1 and 2 is up to EUR 4.29 billion of capital support.
(142) Regarding Measure 3 of the 2017 measures, the Commission notes that Portugal has notified the measure “up to the maximum amount necessary to ensure long term viability, defined under the scenaria identified in the Commission’s Decision where this commitment is attached to”. This allows the Commission to assess the limits of the measure.
(143) On the basis of the restructuring plan provided by the Portuguese authorities and a prudent adverse scenario, it is possible to provide estimates of losses and offsetting gains in such a scenario. Taking into account the losses in all portfolios of Novo Banco in such a scenario and the initial capital situation and offsetting the current provisioning, the capital contribution by Lone Star, the pre-provision profits in such a scenario as well as the full EUR 3.89 billion of capital contribution under Measures 1 and 2, there are additional capital needs which are potentially high but remain within clearly framed bounds58.
(144) Nonetheless, in such a scenario, Lone Star would be highly unlikely to provide further capital to Novo Banco. Lone Star’s current commitment is EUR 1 billion and there are strong incentives for Lone Star to provide up to EUR [0-5] billion of additional capital as long as that would address the problem the bank might be facing in such a case because under the Share Purchase Agreement such a capital increase has the potential to dilute the 25% stake that the Portuguese Resolution Fund is currently retaining. Therefore, in an adverse scenario where the additional capital required was greater than what Lone Star would be willing to provide, Measure 3 would work successfully as a backstop mechanism.
(145) On that basis, the Commission will consider aid in the form of additional capital support under Measure 3 to the extent necessary to ensure the solvency of Novo Banco in the Commission’s adverse scenario.
(146) In total, the amount of aid contained in the 2017 measures is up to EUR 4.29 billion of capital support plus the amount necessary to ensure solvency in the Commission’s adverse scenario.
(147) Taken altogether, the capital aid provided in the resolution of BES amounts to capital support of up to EUR 9.2 billion plus the additional aid contained in the capital backstop measure. Under those measures, the maximum total amount of capital support corresponds to roughly 23% of the RWA of EUR 47 billion at the time of resolution in 2014. 58 See Table 3.
6.3. The beneficiary of the measures
(148) As already concluded in section 6.1, the Commission considers the economic activities of Novo Banco, which are being sold and transferred to the buyer, as the beneficiary of the 2017 aid Measures, as the aid allows the continuation of those economic activities within the buyer. Without the support by Portugal, those activities would not find a buyer, would be left in the legal entities in insolvency, and would therefore cease to exist.
(149) In order to exclude that the 2017 Measures entails State aid to the buyer, Lone Star, in line with points 79, 80 and 81 of the 2013 Banking Communication the Commission has to verify that the sales process has been fair, open, competitive and transparent, that the sale happens on market terms and that the offer chosen maximises the value of the assets and liabilities sold. The sales procedure is described in section 2.2.
(150) Portugal puts forward that the process was entirely transparent and visible in the market. The Commission observes that the Bank of Portugal contacted 40 potential investors to maximize the number of potential investors.
(151) As noted in recital (39), the public tender offer did not include a requirement for a minimum price, which implies that all investors who took part in the process had the opportunity to submit bids with a negative price, i.e. enter into negotiations with Portugal on additional aid measures that could accompany the sale.
(152) The Commission took note that four investors showed interest in the tender by the initial deadline of 30 June 2016 that was set for the investors to submit their proposals. The deadline was subsequently extended by the Bank of Portugal until 4 November 2016 in order to maximize the number of applications resulting in one additional application.
(153) The fact that five purchase offers were received suggests that the sales process has been competitive. Also, the extension of the deadline allowed ample time for the investors to conduct in-depth due diligence and adjust their offers accordingly.
(154) At the same time, the Commission notes that despite this long period, the seller had received only two offers that did not require further due diligence, the bid from Lone Star and the MoU signed with […]. Portugal submits that the possibility to carry out confirmatory due diligence was open until it had given exclusivity to Lone Star in February 2017. However, Portugal submitted that […] had not been able to show the required funds as described in recital (52)
(155) Therefore, the Commission concludes that the finally accepted offer was the most commercially advantageous of the available final offers from market participants.
(156) From the perspective of the additional aid measures which are included in the sale to Lone Star, the Commission notes that, from the onset, the terms of the process did not require a positive price and that interested investors had several months for examining the bank and fine-tuning their offers.
(157) The Commission notes that all offers via the “Strategic Sale Process” included addition support measures59. In addition the Loan Star bid offered the Resolution Fund an upside potential through a 25% participation and included a EUR 1 billion capital commitment.
(158) Taking into account the above elements and circumstances, the Commission considers that the process was open, fair and transparent. On that basis, the Commission considers that the bid chosen was the best available and concludes that the buyer is not a beneficiary of aid.
7. ASSESSMENT OF COMPATIBILITY
7.1. Legality of the aid
(159) The Portuguese authorities have sought the approval of the Commission before closing the transaction of the sale of Novo Banco to the acquirer, thereby complying with its notification obligation as set out in Article 108(3) TFEU and required under the 2014 and 2015 Decisions.
7.2. Legal basis for the compatibility assessment of the aid
(160) Article 107(3)(b) TFEU enables the Commission to find aid compatible with the internal market if it is “to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy of a Member State.” The Commission has acknowledged that the global financial crisis may create a serious disturbance in the economy of a Member State which can be addressed through State measures supporting financial institutions. This has been successively detailed and developed in the six Crisis Communications60, as well as in the 2013 Banking Communication.
(161) Since the 2014, 2015 and 2017 measures are aimed at allowing the liquidation of BES through a sale of Novo Banco or its wind-down, the Commission will assess the compatibility of the 2014, 2015 and 2017 measures by reference to the 2013 Banking Communication.
59 As described in recital (48) 60 Communication on the application of State aid rules to measures taken in relation to financial institutions in the context of the current global financial crisis (“2008 Banking Communication”), OJ C 270, 25.10.2008, p. 8; Communication on the recapitalisation of financial institutions in the current financial crisis: limitation of aid to the minimum necessary and safeguards against undue distortions of competition (“Recapitalisation Communication”), OJ C 10, 15.1.2009, p. 2; Communication from the Commission on the treatment of impaired assets in the Community financial sector, OJ C 72, 26.3.2009, p. 1. (“Impaired Assets Communication”); Commission communication on the return to viability and the assessment of restructuring measures in the financial sector in the current crisis under the State aid rules, OJ C 195, 19.8.2009, p. 9. (“Restructuring Communication”); Communication from the Commission on the application, from 1 January 2011, of State aid rules to support measures in favour of financial institutions in the context of the financial crisis (“2010 Prolongation Communication”), OJ C 329, 7.12.2010, p. 7 and Communication from the Commission on the application, from 1 January 2012, of State aid rules to support measures in favour of financial institutions in the context of the financial crisis (“2011 Prolongation Communication”), OJ C 356, 6.12.2011, p. 7., Communication from the Commission on the application, from 1 August 2013, of State aid rules to support measures in favour of banks in the context of the financial crisis (“Banking Communication”), OJ C 216, 30.7.2019, p. 1.
7.2.1. Liquidation aid
(162) When notifying the aid measures in the resolution of BES in August 2014, Portugal did not present a restructuring plan for Novo Banco to the Commission. Because no demonstration of the return to viability of Novo Banco had been provided at that time, the Commission assessed the compatibility of the aid measures under section 6 of the 2013 Banking Communication on liquidation aid. In 2014, the Commission took a compatible aid decision on the basis of BES being liquidated with Novo Banco being sold or wound down.
(163) Points 71 to 78 of the 2013 Banking Communication set forth the compatibility conditions for aid measures in this context. Point 70 states that the Commission will assess the compatibility of measures aimed at resolving credit institutions on the same lines mutatis mutandis as set out in sections 2, 3 and 4 of the Restructuring Communication. Point 78 of the 2013 Banking Communication states that sections 3.1.2 and 3.1.3 must be complied with mutatis mutandis.
(164) Points 79 to 82 of the 2013 Banking Communication, as well as the 2014 Decision, provide that it is possible to sell the economic activity of an entity having benefited from liquidation aid, where the sale is organised via an open and unconditional competitive tender and the assets are sold to the highest bidder.
(165) Point 82 of the 2013 Banking Communication explicitly considers the possibility that an economic activity with a significant market share is sold in the liquidation process. In this case, the compatibility of liquidation aid will require an assessment of the restoration of viability through that market participant as well as an assessment of the need for measures to limit distortions of competition. In its viability assessment, the Commission will take into due consideration the size and strength of the buyer relative to the size and strength of the business acquired.
(166) It is in this context that the Commission will consider the sale of Novo Banco with respect to the liquidation of BES.
(167) First, the Commission notes that a number of business geographies and equity participations had already been left in the liquidation entity BES in the 2014 Decision. In this respect, the banking license of the liquidation entity BES has been withdrawn and the insolvency process been opened.
(168) Novo Banco comprises the commercial banking business of BES. The investment banking arm BESI has already been sold separately prior to the 2015 Decision. The […] business of BES which was incorporated in […] has been either sold already ([…]) or has to be sold under the present Commitments by […].
(169) In addition, Novo Banco in its final form as envisaged under the present Commitments will have refocused its banking business on the […]and will have significantly reduced its […]business as well as terminated its engagements in centres of […]and […]such as[…],[…], […], […] and […].
(170) These further refocus of business will be the continuation of the size reduction process which started at the resolution of BES. Compared to the BES group at the
time of its resolution, which at 30 June 2014 had EUR 80.2 billion of assets61, Novo Banco as it stands today only represents 62%, as it had EUR 50.1 billion of assets in June 201762, and at the end of the restructuring plan will represent [5060]%, as it is expected to have EUR [40-50] billion of assets63.
(171) Secondly, given the still significant market share of Novo Banco in the Portuguese banking market, the Commission has taken into account in its assessment that Novo Banco is sold to a non-banking entity and will therefore continue in the market as a stand-alone operator. Therefore, the Commission has performed a deep assessment of the restructuring plan, complemented by an analysis of loan tapes and selected loan files, in order to assess whether the sold activity can be restored to viability. This is further detailed in sections 7.4.1 to 7.4.4.
(172) Thirdly, for the same reasons, the Commission considers that it will be important to ensure that measures are in place to limit distortions of competition from the continued presence of Novo Banco in the banking market. The Commission has assessed the measures taken in 2014 and 2015 in section 7.3.3 and in section (297) for the 2017 measures.
(173) Finally, the Commission has assessed the limitation of the aid to the minimum in sections 7.3.2 and in 7.4.5.
(174) On that basis, the Commission considers the sale and subsequent restructuring of Novo Banco as part of the break-up of BES following the resolution in 2014, leading to the dissolution and liquidation of BES in its entirety and can therefore be approved on the basis of liquidation aid for the resolution of BES and the entities resulting from that resolution.
7.2.2. Impaired Asset Communication
(175) Regarding the compatibility of Measure 1 of the 2017 measures, the Commission observes that losses that could lead to a claim under the CCA are limited to a pool of assets which is defined at the time of the signing of the SPA. Therefore, the measure appears to have characteristics of an impaired asset measure.
(176) However, the Commission also notes that the losses resulting from the pool of assets do not lead to any direct claim on the resolution fund. A claim on the resolution fund exists only if the CET1 capital ratio of [8-13] % is breached and will extend only to remedying that breach. As such, the measure is more akin to an (unfunded) Contingent Convertible or Enhanced Capital Note, where any payout depends on breaching a capital trigger. The main difference appears to be that the capital trigger level is higher than on comparable market instruments, and that no remuneration is being paid in the form of a premium or a coupon.
(177) Moreover, any losses that have been occurring in the pool of assets which can be potentially reclaimed through the CCA are available throughout the entire lifetime of the CCA64. Therefore, there is neither any direct temporal nor any direct causal 61 Recital (11) of the 2014 Decision 62 Recital (30) of the current decision 63 See Table 1 – Restructuring plan baseline scenario, main financial projections 64 See recital (68)
link from a formal perspective between the losses that actually lead to a breach of the CET1 capital ratio of [8-13] % in a given year and the losses on the pool of CCA-covered assets apart from that the latter has to have already occurred earlier.
(178) The Commission notes that the current CET1 capital ratio is already below the threshold. While this appears to be in contradiction with the previous recital, the current CET1 ratio does not take into account the immediate recapitalisation foreseen by Lone Star in the amount of EUR 750 million. Once that capital is taken into account, there will again be a buffer above the [8-13] % CET1 capital ratio threshold. That buffer restores the absence of a direct temporal or causal link between losses on the CCA assets and the breach of the CET1 capital ratio threshold.
(179) Therefore, the Commission considers Measure 1 to be equivalent to a contingent capital measure, akin to recapitalisations in the form of contingent convertible bonds (“CoCos”), rather than an impaired asset measure in the meaning of the 2009 Impaired Asset Communication and will correspondingly not assess compatibility of Measure 1 on the basis of the Impaired Asset Communication.
7.3. Compatibility of the 2014 and 2015 measures
7.3.1. Burden sharing
(180) Based on the 2014 Decision, all shareholders and subordinated creditors of BES were left in the Bad Bank65 and the Resolution Fund, 100% owned by the Portuguese State, became the sole shareholder of Novo Banco. Claims by related parties (that is to say shareholders and board members) of a non-contractual nature also remained in the Bad Bank. The Commission reiterated this assessment in the 2015 Decision.
(181) As a result of the 2014 resolution action, the contribution of shareholders and of subordinated debt-holders was achieved and the State aid provided under the 2014 Decision did not benefit shareholders and subordinated debtholders, thereby minimising moral hazard.
(182) It is to be noted that the new list of commitments is without prejudice to the burden-sharing by the equity, hybrid and subordinated debt holders of BES as provided for by the 2014 Decision. The contribution by claims by related parties (e.g. shareholders and Board members) of a non-contractual nature to the burdensharing is not affected either.
7.3.2. Limitation of costs to the minimum
In the 2014 Decision, the Commission took note of the information provided by Portugal concerning costs that a counterfactual scenario, namely a disorderly resolution of BES, would have generated, estimated at the time by the Bank of Portugal to range between EUR [16-23] billion and EUR [19–28] billion in losses66. In addition, the Commission was informed of the minimum regulatory
65 Recital (89) of the 2014 Decision. 66 Recital (75) of the 2014 Decision. Note also section 7.4.5 below with the reference to the report by Deloitte, which assessed the value of BES had it been put in insolvency in 2014.
requirements that the bridge bank had to comply with67. On that basis, the Commission assessed resolution aid to be limited to the minimum necessary.
7.3.3. Assessment of distortions to competition
(183) In the 2014 and 2015 Decisions, the Commission approved the aid as compatible with the internal market on the basis of section 6 of the 2013 Banking Communication. Under those Decisions, any sale was to be subject to a successful viability assessment of the entity resulting from the sale in a final Commission decision; otherwise, Novo Banco was to be wound down. The viability assessment is the subject of section 7.4.1 and following.
(184) In the assessment of liquidation aid, a key concern for the Commission is the minimisation of distortions of competition during the limited existence period of Novo Banco. As described in recital (26), the commitments put forward by Portugal together with the notifications of 2014 and 2015 allowed the Commission to conclude that distortions of competition remained limited.
(185) Commitments submitted by the Member State in the notification of an aid measure form an integral part of the Commission decision on the measure. This also applies to the Commission’s assessment of the 2014 and 2015 measures.
(186) Therefore, the Commission will have to assess that the compatibility of those measures is preserved both throughout the period between when those measures were approved and the date of the present Decision as well as taking into account the commitments submitted by Portugal for the restructuring period of Novo Banco after it will have been sold.
(187) More specifically, in its 2014 Decision, the Commission concluded that distortions from competition remained limited, also taking into account the commitments provided by Portugal at the time.
(188) In December 2015 Portugal requested to extend the deadline for the sale of Novo Banco by one year. In its 2015 Decision, the Commission found that the compatibility assessment laid down in the 2014 Decision remained valid and took positive note of the strengthened commitments that Portugal had put forth together with this request, to address the distortions to competition until by the extended deadline Novo Banco would have been sold, requiring a new assessment as mentioned in recital (165), or wound down. For this extended period, the Commission considered in its 2015 Decision that the distortions of competition were limited.
(189) Therefore, the continued compatibility of the 2014 measure will be assessed with respect to the commitments submitted by Portugal, which amended the 2014 commitments and were annexed to the 2015 Decision.
(190) While the full set of commitments has been subject to monitoring, for the purposes of the present assessment the Commission examines the key quantitative commitments, listed in recital (26), which represented the main safeguards for
67 Recital (76) of the 2014 Decision.
limiting competition distortions (and which also include the commitments which have not been entirely fulfilled).
(191) In regard to deposit pricing, Novo Banco was restricted from exceeding the market average, as mentioned in recital (27)(a). Nevertheless, the Commission was informed by means of the Monitoring Trustee reports (the most recent of which dated 11 August 2017 and concerning the reporting period up to 30 June 2017) that the bank had been pricing deposits above market average.
(192) Correspondingly, the Commission notes that the deposit pricing limitation commitment has not been fulfilled. This has undermined the effectiveness of the measures limiting the competition distortions caused by the continued presence of Novo Banco in the market.
(193) Going forward, the Commission notes the commitment that Novo Banco will limit new business with respect to risk-adjusted profitability to pre-tax RoE targets of [7-12] %.
(194) The Commission considers that that commitment will implicitly ensure a more appropriate deposit pricing strategy going forward, as in order to achieve a RoE of above [7-12] %, the bank will have to place the funds attracted through those deposits in lending operations at rates which would cover the cost of funding and other costs at the same time (administrative costs, risk costs etc.). Since loan pricing is limited by the offers of competitors, the bank will not be able to apply very generous deposit interest rates, as it would then not be in a position to achieve the relevant RoE target or reduce business volumes and surrender market share.
(195) On that basis, the Commission considers that the RoE commitment is appropriate to remedy any distortion in the deposit market in a relatively short time frame and will mitigate the effects of non-compliance with the deposit pricing limitation in a satisfactory manner.
(196) The Commission takes note that based on the monitoring reports that it has received Novo Banco has complied with the commitments regarding cost base, FTE reductions and branch closures. As of 31 December 2016, Novo Banco had reduced its cost base at group level by EUR 204 million, exceeding the EUR 150 million target set out by the commitment, had reduced the number of FTEs by 1 312 compared to the 1 000 target and closed 116 branches, complying with the target of maximum 550 branches.
(197) The Commission finds that based on the monitoring that it has performed that Novo Banco also complied with the commitment by 30 June 2017. It has reduced its cost base by EUR 264 million, beyond the EUR 230 million target, reduced the number of FTEs by 1 702, exceeding the target of 1 500, and reduced its number of branches to 475, as per the commitment.
(198) For the Bad Bank, the commitments of the 2015 Decision foresaw deadlines as described in recital (27)(d). The Commission was informed, through the monitoring reports it has received, that on 13 July 2016 the European Central
Bank decided to withdraw the banking license of BES68. Accordingly, the Bank of Portugal, in connection with the Portuguese legal framework, requested the beginning of the judicial liquidation proceedings of BES. Therefore, the Commission notes that the relevant commitment has been fulfilled.
(199) A key commitment for limiting distortions of competition was the limitation of the existence period of the Bridge Bank, and the minimal conditions on the sale process and the acquirer, as described in recital (27)(e).
(200) As regards the existence period of the Bridge Bank, the Commission recalls that on 20 April 2017 it received the documentation for the sale transaction concerning Novo Banco69, which the parties signed on 31 March 2017. The committed deadline for the closing of the sale, prolonged under the 2015 Decision, had been set at three years after the date of the 2014 Decision, i.e. 4 August 2017. Considering that the sale process of the bank had been completed and the full legal documentation of the sale transaction had been signed considerably prior to that date, the Commission finds that the Commitment has been met.
(201) Based on all available information, the acquirer selected by Portugal, Lone Star, has not been a previous qualified shareholder of BES, hence the corresponding condition set by the commitments of the 2015 Decision is met.
(202) The Commission notes that, under the terms of the sale agreement, as described in recital (57), the acquirer Lone Star will hold 75% of the Novo Banco’s share capital, leaving the Resolution Fund with a 25% shareholding, while the wording of the commitment provided that Novo Banco will have sold all assets or the Resolution Fund will have sold all shares in Novo Banco by the set deadline.
(203) At the same time, the Commission acknowledges that, in the context of the present Decision, Portugal has committed that the Resolution Fund shall not exercise any of the voting rights corresponding to the 25% of the ordinary shares of Novo Banco that will remain in its possession and that such rights shall be irrevocably waived. Also, the Resolution Fund shall not appoint any members to the General and Supervisory Board or to the Executive Board of Directors or any other governing body of Novo Banco70.
(204) Therefore, the Commission concludes that the Resolution Fund is in practice waiving all non-economic benefits from its shareholding, in particular any rights to take part in the control of the bank’s direction of business, so that the Bank’s activity will unfold in the same manner as if 100% of its shares had been sold to the acquirer71. In such a situation, the 25% shareholding by the Resolution Fund corresponds to only a participation right in any economic upside of the restructuring of Novo Banco.
68 As described in recital (28). 69 As mentioned in recital (16). 70 As mentioned in recital (120) 71 The seller retains however some control over the work-out of those assets that are covered by the CCA until the Governance Exchange Date. As further detailed in recital Error! Reference source not found., this does not impact on the course of the business of the bank.
(205) The fact that the seller cedes any control rights over the Bank’s direction of business puts the Commission in a position to find that the sale agreement that has been concluded with Lone Star ensures an outcome equivalent to the sale of all shares of Novo Banco. On that basis, the remaining 25% shareholding can be considered purely a form of deferred compensation for the seller as part of the overall sale price. Therefore the respective commitment is complied with.
(206) The Commission notes that the sale process was launched by the deadline foreseen by the Commitments of the 2015 Decision, as mentioned in recital (10), and refers to section 6.3 of the present Decision with regard to the assessment of the sales process. On that basis, it can be concluded that the requirements of the commitment concerning the sale process have been met.
(207) The commitments of the 2015 Decision foresaw that if assets or shares of Novo Banco were not sold by certain dates, the split between the Core and Non-Core Units would be subject to change. In particular, the buyer could have maintained […] the booking centres in […] if a sale had occurred prior to […] 31 October 2016. […] would have to be moved to the Non-core Unit if Novo Banco shares were not sold entirely by […] 31 January 2017 and […] would have to be moved to the Non-core Unit if Novo Banco shares were not sold entirely by […]1 March 2017.
(208) Based on the monitoring reports it has received, the Commission took note that the transfer of […] and […] had not been executed by those deadlines. At the same time, the Commission notes that the negotiations regarding the sale were in an advanced state at that date. Reflecting the outcome of negotiations and the commercial strategy envisaged by the buyer, the present Commitments submitted by Portugal provide that […] and […] would remain in the Core Unit72. Moreover, under the present Commitments, […] has been moved back to the Core Unit albeit subject to restrictions.
(209) At the same time, the Commission notes that the Commitments of Portugal now include limitations on the size of the core loan book of Novo Banco up to […], and on the total assets of the Non-core Unit until […]. The Commission considers that those elements adequately replace the constraints created by the commitments of the 2015 Decision in respect to the division of different business lines between the Core and Non-Core Units and maintain the effect of limiting distortions of competition.
(210) Finally, the Commission recalls that the 2015 commitments included a commitment not to provide any further aid to Novo Banco.
(211) However, Portugal has notified new aid in the context of the sale of Novo Banco to Lone Star. Portugal has made the argument that the additional aid has to be considered as necessary to conclude the sale of Novo Banco, which was foreseen in the original 2014 resolution strategy for BES. With the notification of the sales agreement, Portugal has also submitted commitments limiting the distortions to competition during the restructuring period following the sale of Novo Banco.
72 As mentioned in recital (109).
(212) In the 2014 and 2015 Decisions, the Commission considered that the respective commitments submitted by Portugal were sufficient to address the distortions of competition from the measures notified at that time73.
(213) While the Commission did not expressly assess the presence of the commitment that no further aid was going to be provided to Novo Banco in the 2015 Decision, it did take comfort from its presence with respect to its assessment that distortions of competition remained sufficiently limited over time. In the absence of any additional aid granted, the relevant commitments under the 2015 Decision would have sufficed to ensure that distortions of competition due to Novo Banco’s presence remained limited and would have remained limited even under new ownership.
(214) However, Portugal has now notified new aid that it intends to grant in conjunction with the closing of the sale. It is the right of the Member State to notify aid which the Commission will then assess, taking into account the circumstances of the case at the time of notification.
(215) Correspondingly, the Commission will have to assess that distortion of competition remain sufficiently limited in light of further aid granted post-sale.74 However, the Commission considers that the granting of new aid in the context of the sale does not put in doubt its conclusions in the 2014 and 2015 Decisions that distortions of competition remain sufficiently limited during the existence period of Novo Banco.
(216) With respect to the remaining commitments of the 2015 Decision, the Commission finds have been in their majority complied with, as explained above, and in the cases where breaches have occurred (in particular with regard to deposit pricing), the new commitments put forward by Portugal ensure sufficient safeguards against distortions of competition so as to mitigate the impact of the past commitment breaches.
(217) On that basis overall, the Commission is in a position to maintain its positive assessment of the measures approved in the 2014 Decision as amended by the 2015 Decision.
7.4. Compatibility of the 2017 measures
(218) As assessed already in section 7.3.1, full burden sharing has been implemented during the setup of Novo Banco and has not been undone through any subsequent measures.
(219) In addition, the Commission notes that Novo Banco has not issued any hybrid or subordinated debt instruments since its inception in 2014. Therefore, the 2017 measures do not require further burden sharing under the 2013 Banking Communication.
(220) The Commission notes that the notified Commitments replace the existing Commitments in their entirety. Therefore, the Commission has to assess and
73 See recital (187) 74 See section (297)
ensure that the notified restructuring plan together with the Commitments to the present decision is apt to restore Novo Banco to long-term viability without further State aid while limiting distortions of competition in the banking market going forward.
7.4.1. Viability assessment – basis
(221) For the purpose of the viability assessment, the Commission recalls that it has to assess two key questions, namely that the bank returns to operational viability at the end of the restructuring period, i.e. that the bank will be in position to remunerate its capital adequately, and secondly that even in an adverse case, the bank is not depleting its capital base to a level that might raise concerns and would likely lead the bank to request further aid.
(222) For the purposes of assessing the first question, the Commission points out that Portugal has submitted a restructuring plan backed by the acquirer which in the baseline scenario claims the return to operational viability of Novo Banco and which the Commission is assessing in section 7.4.3.
(223) For the purposes of assessing the second question, the Commission notes that any adverse scenario will have an impact through two separate channels:
(a) Through the quality of the portfolio of legacy assets and losses that could emanate from those assets; and (b) Through a worse than expected performance on the ongoing business as forecast in the baseline of the restructuring plan.
The Commission is considering point (a) in the following section and point (b) in section 7.4.3.
(224) While the Commission notes that Lone Star has provided an adverse scenario, the Commission points out that it has made its own assessment of the situation in such an adverse scenario on the basis of its findings in the following sections. Table 3 shows the key performance indicators of Novo Banco’s restructuring plan in the baseline and the two adverse scenarios.
Table 3 – Key performance indicators
Novo Banco restructuring plan
Baseline scenario
Lone Star Adverse scenario
Commission Adverse scenario RoE 202175 [8-11]% [6-8]% [-5 – 0]% CET1 ratio 2021 [10-20]% [10-20]% [5-10]% Net capital position 2021, excl. CCA1 -0.8 -1.3 -2.6 CCA drawn [3-4] [3-4] [3-4] 1Not counting equity injection by Lone Star
75 Taking into account adjustments for DTAs as explained in recitals (240) to (243)
7.4.2. Viability concerns – legacy issues
(225) Novo Banco has a large portfolio of legacy assets, a number of which are of inferior credit quality or could readily deteriorate to inferior credit quality. In order to assess potential problems related to those assets, the Commission requested a complete loan tape of the bank as of 30 June 2016 and 31 December 2016. In addition, it requested the complete loan documentation of a small sample of 20 of those loans, stratified by client type and performance.
(226) The Commission notes that Novo Banco appears to be suffering from significant deficiencies in its Management Reporting capabilities. The bank was not able to produce loan tapes with complete or correct information. In particular:
(a) Default probabilities were provided for less than […]% of all line exposures and zero in another […]%; in some product areas, such as retail mortgages, only […]% of lines had non-zero values; if provided at all, the meaning of credit ratings is unclear as is their last review date, making it impossible to use them to supplement the information on default probabilities; (b) Loss given default estimates are provided slightly more systematically than probabilities of default. However, the numbers seem very much unreliable and cannot be verified because of the absence of collateral information; (c) There is no information provided about whether or not a given exposure is collateralised or not; moreover, the bank was also unable to provide a collateral tape allowing the matching of collaterals to specific loans, let alone addressing second order questions such as cross collateralization of exposures or prior liens potentially further reducing collateral coverage.
(227) The Commission points out that these findings are in themselves problematic as they point to severe issues with both IT systems and more importantly, risk management reporting capabilities.
(228) The Commission also notes that the pricing information in the loan tape is uncorrelated to the probability of default or cost of risk76. This absence of correlation points to serious flaws in the business model or the business management of the bank.
(229) In this respect, the Commission notes that those findings do not only pertain to the period prior to the BES resolution in 2014 but continue to impact the performance of Novo Banco under management by the Resolution Fund under the responsibility of the Bank of Portugal. Even new lending in 2016 after Bank of Portugal had already been in charge for more than one year shows significant deficiencies in all those categories.
(230) The credit file review performed by the Commission fully confirms the findings in the loan tape, namely that past lending practices of BES have contributed to its demise. But it also indicates that even after the establishment of the bridge bank and under direct control of the Bank of Portugal, Novo Banco seems to have done little to remedy previous problematic lending practices or substandard credit risk management.
(231) With respect to the credit file review, the Commission noted the following deficiencies:
(a) In many credit files: absence of cash flow analyses or an indication of repayment capacity of the client (absence of income declaration or fiscal statements for retail clients, granting of Corporate and SME mortgages purely on the basis of the underlying collateral); (b) Loan agreements with insufficient protection (e.g. under the form of covenants) against changing creditworthiness or changing credit circumstances; (c) Loan documentation often inaccurate, incomplete or insufficiently updated, in particular credit file reviews lacked depth and sometimes misrepresented the factual situation; (d) Presence of an example of “name lending” (loan granted as a favour); (e) Inconsistent real estate collateral valuations, with practices often differing across branches or regions; (f) Erratic pricing, not adhering to consistent Risk Adjusted Return objectives, both in the granting of new credits as well as in restructuring cases; and (g) Deficient or inconsistent Credit Risk assessment ([…]% default probability to factoring, […]% probability of default to a company with negative equity, no rating at all for “lack of financial information”, etc.).
(232) Overall, the Commission’s findings raise the issue about the quality of the legacy credit portfolio of Novo Banco. In particular, those findings would suggest that relying on the bank’s loan tape for the assessment of lending quality of the legacy 76 Cost of risk would be probability of default times loss given default and provides a measure for the riskiness of a given exposure. Such riskiness should in general terms be reflected in the interest rate to be paid by the customer for the loan
credit portfolio could lead to a severe underestimation of the actual losses emanating from those assets.
(233) The Commission notes that a significant part of the legacy assets is part of those assets where losses can be reclaimed through the CCA mechanism in case the bank falls below the applicable CET1 threshold of [8-13]%. Therefore, the CCA mechanism provides a significant risk shield against potential losses emanating from the legacy assets.
(234) If losses were only to materialise in the loan book of CCA covered assets, then the CCA coverage of EUR 3.9 billion would correspond to a loss of [75-95]% of their gross book value (“GBV”). On the basis of high-level numbers by the Commission’s valuation experts, this would seem a rather conservative valuation of those assets.
(235) However, the Commission notes that there are some significant additional risks in the pool of assets covered by the CCA, in particular with regards to […] and […] . If risks were to materialise in those assets, the implied coverage would be lower and roughly in line with the losses that the Commission would expect in an adverse scenario.
(236) On the part of the corporate loan book that is not covered by the CCA, the Commission has the impression from the information provided by the acquirer that losses emanating from the legacy assets might have been underestimated as safety buffers have been defined in particular towards historic default rates and work-out curves.
(237) Given the situation of Novo Banco as a bridge bank with a limited capital layer, the Commission considers that such historical information is highly unreliable and likely to be biased with defaults recognised only if there is really no other solution and work-outs focusing on those assets where value is higher, thereby underestimating both parameters. The Commission’s findings with respect to the loan tape and the loan file review corroborate that consideration.
(238) On that basis, the Commission finds that in an adverse scenario, losses on the CCA assets are likely to reach EUR [3-4] billion and might in some instances be even higher, in particular depending on the situation in […].
(239) Not taking into account […] where the Commission’s valuation experts noted that the risk on the exposure is extremely difficult to quantify, the Commission considers that there are likely to be significant additional losses on the legacy portfolio in an adverse scenario. The losses on the CCA covered assets would likely be covered in full by the CCA, using the CCA up to […], leaving no or a very limited buffer for losses on those assets which are not part of the CCA coverage. The Commission considers that those additional losses in an adverse scenario are insufficiently reflected in the Lone Star Adverse scenario.
7.4.3. Viability – restructuring plan baseline
(240) The Commission has received a restructuring plan from Lone Star and the bank which shows a post-tax RoE of [6-9]% in the baseline scenario. Lone Star has made the argument that the RoE value is underestimated, due to the significant
amount of deferred tax assets (“DTA”) on the balance sheet of Novo Banco, which artificially increase the equity position.
(241) The Commission has received a detailed break-down of the DTA currently on the bank’s balance sheet. Out of a total of EUR [0.5-3.0] billion, EUR […] billion refer to temporary differences with a State guarantee, EUR […] billion refer to temporary differences without a State guarantee and EUR […] billion refer to tax loss carry forward.
(242) According to the bank’s auditor, the amount of necessary profits to cover the first two positions is roughly EUR [1-6] billion. The amount of further profits required to use the tax loss carry forward DTA would require another EUR [5-10] billion of profits. Moreover, the period in which those DTA would have to be used is twelve years. On that basis and taking into account the projected earnings of Novo Banco, the auditor has stated that under International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”), the DTA relating to tax loss carry forward should be derecognised.
(243) Taking into account such an accounting change would result in a RoE of [8-10]%.
(244) Taking that RoE as a basis, the Commission notes that some of the assumptions underlying the plan as presented by Portugal and Lone Star are somewhat optimistic. In particular, the Commission notes that business growth is high, in particular in mortgages where volumes are projected to grow by roughly [1020]% annualised, significantly above the expected overall market growth rate.
(245) In corporate lending, the compound annual volume growth of [2-7]% is combined with a simultaneous increase in margins and fees while the cost of risk is to be reduced. Such a strategy is highly desirable but difficult to implement, in particular in a market like the Portuguese where competition is high.
(246) Moreover, the Commission recalls the results from the credit file review which suggest a corporate culture where lending discipline has been lacking, e.g. showing lending decisions on the basis of matching more favourable rates by competitors in spite of not being warranted by the bank’s internal client risk assessment. Such a corporate culture carries clear risks for a bank and may take considerable effort to change rapidly.
(247) Finally, the Commission notes that the restructuring plan makes assumptions about an improvement in the situation of the bank comparing the plan for 2017 to the actual results of 2016. Such improvements are not obvious when compared to the recent historical performance of the bank.
(248) On the basis of the preceding recitals, the Commission considers that the baseline scenario implies a successful implementation of breaking with the past banking culture and performance of Novo Banco and correspondingly carries some execution risk.
(249) Considering operational viability in the baseline scenario and the concerns the Commission has expressed in the preceding recitals, the Commission acknowledges in a first step the argument put forward by Lone Star that given that a new private investor is taking over, the situation of Novo Banco going forward
cannot be assessed solely on the basis of the performance of the bank during the years since the 2014 resolution.
(250) In that respect, the Commission also accepts the submission made by Lone Star and Portugal showing that the current financial situation of Novo Banco in 2017 up till now already shows improvements and lends support and credibility to some of the operational assumptions made for 2017 in the baseline scenario in the restructuring plan.
(251) Finally, the Commission acknowledges fully that Lone Star is a private investor providing a significant upfront investment and who therefore has a clear interest to restructure Novo Banco and transform it in such a way that its investment is profitable. That gives Lone Star all incentives a priori to ensure that the baseline scenario will be implemented as projected.
(252) The Commission considers that those considerations already provide it with some reassurance regarding the concerns that it has expressed further above, even before considering the Commitments Portugal has provided. Nonetheless, even small adjustments or underperformances in particular in the combination of volume growth and growth in profitability put forward in the baseline scenario could lead to a lower than projected RoE. Given that the current plan is only just achieving profitability in 2021 to the level that the Commission considers necessary to remunerate capital, the Commission considers that some level of uncertainty remains.
(253) In that respect, the Commission considers positively the commitment that Novo Banco will find additional efficiencies, resulting in EUR [5-20] million additional profits in 2019 and EUR [10-30] million additional profits in 2021. That provides a post-tax RoE buffer of an additional [0.1-1.4] percentage points that the Commission considers sufficient in a slightly adapted and thereby more robust baseline scenario.
(254) The Commission takes further confidence from the fact that if Novo Banco does not achieve those additional efficiencies in the envisaged way by the deadlines, the Commitment further provides for additional FTE reductions and branch closures which should generate those efficiencies.
(255) Beyond the question of operational efficiencies, the Commission sees a risk that, without significant change in corporate culture, Novo Banco might be tempted to prioritise volume over profitability and appropriate risk management, in particular in a situation where the current combination of volume increase, profitability increase and risk reduction would turn out to be challenging to achieve.
(256) Regarding that risk, the Commission highlights the commitment that Novo Banco will implement an RoE pricing tool, allowing it to monitor and limit new business with respect to risk-adjusted profitability and the commitment to implement related pre-tax RoE targets of [7-12]%. The Commission considers that commitment an effective measure to limit the risk of prioritising volume growth, in particular because it is coupled with effective monitoring by the monitoring trustee.
(257) Even if certain execution risks were to materialise, the Commission considers that the Commitments provided ensure that the impact would be mitigated.
(258) In this respect, the Commission points towards the commitment to implement countermeasures in case that the Cost-to-Income ratio is more than [5-15] percentage points above given target values defined in the commitments. If the implementation of those countermeasures is not successful within […], further staff and branch reductions will become applicable. Under this Commitment, required staff and branch reductions are in such a case limited to up to [450-700] FTE and [40-60] branches.
(259) In view of the fact that the first monitoring point is in […], the Commission considers that the Lone Star as the new private owner has sufficient time to implement changes to produce the desired effects prior to the target dates. Moreover, the Commission takes confidence from the staggering of those measures. That staggering provides full incentives for the bank management to implement countermeasures which address the shortcomings of the performance compared to the plan.
(260) The Commission further notes that the management remuneration will remain restricted unless the targets in the Viability Commitments are met, providing additional incentives to the decision takers to remedy any operational difficulties as quickly as possible.
(261) The Commitment takes note of the presence of two provisions in the commitments that limit their applicability:
(a) A general clause relating to material adverse events rendering all viability commitments ineffective; and
(b) A provision stating that the Cost-to-Income commitment should not apply in a situation where the entire Portuguese banking market sees the average Cost-to-Income ratio increase by more than [5-15] percentage points.
(262) With respect to the first clause, the Commission notes that in such a case, all measures will need to be re-notified, rendering the present Decision moot.
(263) With respect to the second clause, the Commission notes that the Cost-to-Income ratio as per the definition of the commitment only takes into account real economic and recurring income and costs. Therefore, it would seem highly unlikely for such an event to occur outside of a general and unexpected market stress, a situation in which the first clause would likely apply as well.
(264) On that basis, the Commission can accept the presence of those limiting conditions.
(265) Regarding loss recognition in the legacy portfolio and the corporate culture of Novo Banco which suggests that arbitrary lending decisions as well as suboptimal or absent risk management has been endemic in Novo Banco also under the ownership of Bank of Portugal, the Commission considers it necessary to clean up the balance sheet as soon as possible. This view coincides also with the view of the competent supervisor.
(266) In this respect, the Commission notes that under the CCA, the Resolution Fund remains responsible for the work-out strategy of the bank with respect to the CCA covered assets. While this might somewhat mitigate the eventual loss coverage by
the Resolution Fund, it could prima facie have a negative impact on the clean-up of the bank’s legacy portfolio.
(267) The Commission considers that the fact that the Resolution Fund remains responsible for the work-out strategy of the CCA assets does neither forestall the clean-up of the balance sheet nor put at risk the viability of Novo Banco. Any potentially negative impact on Novo Banco is neutralised by the combination of factors that
(a) Novo Banco remains fully responsible for the provisioning of the loans which are covered by the CCA and therefore has full flexibility to be as prudent as required while being covered under the CCA77;
(b) A commitment is present to prudent provisioning including a minimum cumulative loss provisioning. The combination of those factors gives some confidence to the Commission that the necessary clean-up of the balance sheet will occur within the restructuring period; and
(c) A commitment is present to change the auditor which lends additional support to the preceding two factors to ensure prudent provisioning management by the Bank.
(268) While the Commission therefore considers that the presence of the Resolution Fund in the work-out strategy of the CCA assets presents no risk to viability of Novo Banco under the setup of the CCA and the present Commitments, the Commission points out that the present Decision is without prejudice to a State aid assessment of potential aid to clients of Novo Banco through the actions of the Resolution Fund in the management of the CCA assets.
(269) Having assessed and highlighted the shortcomings of Novo Banco with respect to risk management, the Commission takes positively into consideration the commitment by Portugal that the bank will address those issues and implement a number of standard risk management practices, in particular:
(a) Regarding credit risk, establishing a credit rating for each material exposure above EUR [0-5] million while upgrading risk management system to allow producing complete and accurate loan exposure tapes, with collaterals, collateral valuations and valuation dates including an enhancement of the loan documentation requirements; (b) Regarding legal and compliance risks, introducing policies and monitoring for business with a wide definition of connected borrowers and, specifically, for any dealings with […]; (c) Regarding market risk, ensuring relatively narrow value-at-risk (“VaR”) limits with respect to proprietary trading activity in the course of normal business. 77 Necessary provisions will be settled in cash under the CCA subject to the [8-13]% CET1 capital ratio threshold. However, if provisions were to turn out overly prudent and ultimately not required, there is a settlement mechanism at the end under which Novo Banco would have to repay any payments from the Resolution Fund under the CCA which turned out not to be required following the final outcome from the work-out strategy. However, such a repayment will not impact Novo Banco negatively either as it is supported by less than expected losses on the underlying assets.
(270) Those commitments provide the Commission with confidence that Lone Star and the new management of Novo Banco will indeed have all incentives to ensure that past practices that have led to the significant problems of BES and later Novo Banco will not be propagated into the future but replaced with sustainable business practices.
(271) In sum, on the basis of latest data, the Commitments provided and the presence of a private investor with a significant initial investment and a controlling shareholder position, the Commission accepts the baseline scenario as sufficiently robust to deliver the operational return of Novo Banco to viability.
7.4.4. Viability – restructuring plan adverse scenario
(272) Regarding the situation in an adverse scenario, the Commission notes that the combination of simultaneous volume growth and growth in per-volume profitability while at the same time improving the credit quality of the business – implying a limitation of the client segments with which new business is generated – is going to be more challenging than in the baseline scenario.
(273) In that respect, the Commission has limited confidence in the adverse scenario provided by Lone Star and the Bank and considers that that adverse scenario does not reflect accurately the risks in such a situation. In such a scenario, a number of the assumptions present in the baseline scenario would have to be reconsidered and revised significantly78.
(274) Based on more conservative assumptions appropriate for an adverse scenario, the Commission has made its own assessment regarding the extent and effects of an adverse scenario. In particular, the Commission considers that the combination of lower volume growth and higher cost of risk and related provisioning would lead to a significant reduction in earning potential and greater needs for loan loss provisioning in the new business compared to what had been assumed in the baseline scenario. Some key performance indicators and differences with the adverse scenario provided by Lone Star can be seen in Table 3.
(275) On that basis, the Commission notes that even when taking into account the CCA mechanism from which no more than EUR 3.9 billion can be drawn as well as the maximally EUR 1.0 billion capital injection committed to by Lone Star, the net capital position in such a scenario is deeply negative.
(276) Here, the Commission points out that it is only in a position to approve aid as compatible if the measure is adequately dimensioned in order to address the problems that the bank faces. In particular, it is the Commission’s standard case practice that the capital position and income generating power of the bank has to be sufficient to withstand an adverse scenario.
(277) However, the Commission points out that while Lone Star might have an interest in providing further capital in such a scenario, there is no firm commitment by Lone Star to do so.
78 See recitals (244) to (247)
(278) Therefore, the Commission takes positive note of the commitment by Portugal to provide additional capital to the bank as an ultimate backstop in an adverse scenario. That capital can take the form of either a straight capital injection or of additional Tier 1 (“AT1”) instruments which are either sold in the market with a coupon guarantee by Portugal or subscribed by Portugal directly.
(279) The Commission points out that Portugal has notified that measure “up to the maximum amount necessary to ensure long term viability, defined under the scenario identified in the [present] Commission Decision.” Moreover, the ultimate backstop is limited in time under the Commitments to the restructuring period.
(280) The Commission has no indication that such a backstop would be necessary in a benign market environment such as the one underlying the baseline scenario. Even if capital was required in such a scenario, losses would be expected to be so low that Lone Star would have every incentive to provide further capital – in particular as that would put the Resolution Fund under pressure to provide capital, as well, or be diluted79.
(281) However, in an adverse scenario, losses would be significantly larger as can be seen from Table 3 and the adjacent graph. If losses were to extend beyond a level where Lone Star would remain available for further capital contributions, a situation which the Commission considers a distinct possibility in its own adverse scenario, the present ultimate capital backstop provides the Commission with confidence that the necessary capital will indeed be provided in such a situation.
(282) In a situation where additional capital needs would be such that capital would be required from the ultimate public backstop, , the Commission would expect that the baseline of the current restructuring plan would have to be amended as the baseline profitability targets would not have been reached and the additional staff and branch reduction become necessary. The Commission considers that the commitment to further cut FTE and close branches ([900-1100] FTE and [90-120] branches) as notified in a new restructuring plan will contribute both to controlling costs going forward as well as reducing market footprint and related distortions of competition.
(283) Moreover, in such an adverse situation, while the mechanism would allow the bank to absorb losses through capital, the Commission would expect that the baseline of the current restructuring plan would have to be amended as the baseline profitability targets would not have been reached and the additional staff and branch reduction become necessary. Correspondingly, the Commission approves of the fact that the Commitment also includes the notification of a new restructuring plan to amend the version approved in the present Decision.
(284) If the aid were to extend beyond the amount deemed necessary under the adverse scenario as defined by the Commission in the present Decision, a new notification would be required and the stand-still obligation would apply. The Commission assesses positively the fact that the commitment explicitly acknowledges that factor, as well. 79 Under the SPA, the Resolution Fund has the right to match a capital increase by Lone Star to the extent of its relative shareholding.
(285) In conclusion, the commitments provided together with the restructuring plan and the presence of that backstop allows the Commission to find the 2017 measures well dimensioned in order to restore Novo Banco under new ownership back to long-term viability while being limited to the minimum necessary as defined by the capital needs in the adverse scenario that the Commission has identified (see Table 3).
7.4.5. Limitation of the aid to the minimum
(286) The Commission recalls that it is not only required to confirm that the aid provided in the notified scenario is limited to the minimum necessary but also that it would not be cheaper for the public authorities not to provide any aid, at all. The Commission approved the aid in the 2014 Decision on the basis of both those two factors: the minimum regulatory requirements that the bridge bank had to comply with and on the costs that a counterfactual scenario, namely a disorderly resolution of BES, would have implicated80.
(287) As assessed in section 6.3, the sale process that led to the selection of Lone Star’s offer was open, transparent, non-discriminatory and competitive. It took place on market terms and was aimed at maximising the sale price. (288) On the basis of that sale process, the Lone Star offer was selected as the offer presenting the best commercial terms for the sale of the bridge bank in spite of the fact that it results in a negative sale price overall. Therefore, that negative sale price has to be considered as minimising the costs linked to the sale of the bridge bank. (289) The costs of a disorderly resolution of BES were estimated in 2014 by the Bank of Portugal at that time to range between EUR [16-23] billion and EUR [19-28] billion in losses81.
(290) That estimation of losses was later confirmed in a report commissioned by the Portuguese Resolution Fund and realized by Deloitte82, which estimated that the losses creditors would have suffered in a liquidation scenario of BES would have amounted to approximately EUR 22 billion.
(291) Since 2014, Novo Banco has registered losses totalling approximately EUR 2.55 billion, namely EUR 498 million at end 201483, EUR 980 million at end 201584, EUR 788 million at end 201685 and EUR 290 million at 30 June 201786. As far as BES, the bad bank in liquidation is concerned, it’s latest financial statements, dating of end 201587, indicate its losses would amount to EUR 5.2 billion.
80 Recitals (75) – (77) of the 2014 Decision 81 Recital (75) of the 2014 Decision. 82 Summary available at: https://www.bportugal.pt/sites/default/files/anexos/documentos-relacionados/combp20160706.pdf 83 2014 Annual report: https://www.novobanco.pt/site/cms.aspx?srv=207&stp=1&id=758921&fext=.pdf 84 2015 Annual report: https://www.novobanco.pt/site/cms.aspx?srv=207&stp=1&id=783894&fext=.pdf 85 2016 Annual report: https://www.novobanco.pt/site/cms.aspx?srv=207&stp=1&id=837465&fext=.pdf 86 June 2017 interim report: https://www.novobanco.pt/site/cms.aspx?srv=207&stp=1&id=848600&fext.=.pdf 87 2015 Annual report http://www.bes.pt/Comunicados/20160523%20fsd160713_uk.pdf As per recital (198), the licence of BES was withdrawn in 2016, and the entity is in liquidation.
(292) Since the assets and businesses of Novo Banco and BES bad bank were an integral part of the pre-resolution BES entity which was examined in the Deloitte report, in can be argued that their losses would have in any case crystalized in a liquidation scenario of BES, and are therefore already factored in the EUR 22 billion loss estimation of the Deloitte report.
(293) Therefore, an estimation of potential losses that would correspond to Novo Banco in its current form, in an alternative scenario to the ongoing resolution, would amount to over EUR 14 billion. Although the Deloitte report is based on information dating from the time of the BES resolution in 2014, there is no indication that the share of the losses corresponding to Novo Banco in its current form would have diminished. The persistent legacy problems88 of the bank and its continued deterioration state since its setup89 minimize the likelihood that an updated assessment would in the present reduce the amount of losses estimated by the Deloitte report.
(294) The Commission hence considers the EUR 14 billion corresponding to Novo Banco in an alternative scenario to the ongoing resolution to be a reasonable estimate. This amount would by far exceed the amount of aid contained in the 2017 measures90.
(295) Alternatively, the Deloitte report can be taken as a reference point for comparing, from an ex-ante perspective, the entirety of aid measures related to the resolution of BES to the losses that a counterfactual scenario to the resolution would have generated. From that perspective, the Commission finds that, had the combined measures of the 2014 Decision and the aid measures subject to the present decision91 been notified and assessed at the time of the resolution, the total aid amount would be far exceeded by the EUR 22 billion loss estimated by the Deloitte report for a liquidation scenario.
(296) On that basis, the Commission concludes that the State aid contained in the 2017 measures is both limited to the minimum required and necessary in order to conclude a sale of the temporary institution Novo Banco to a market buyer.
(297) From the wider perspective of the financial burden on the Resolution Fund, the Commission notes that the maximum contribution by shareholders and subordinated debt holders required under State aid burden sharing rules had already been ensured at the time of the 2014 decision and the aid was correspondingly minimized as required under State aid rules.
(298) However, it would have been fully in line with State aid rules to reduce the net cost to the Resolution Fund further by seeking a greater degree of loss participation from senior creditors. The degree to which senior bond holders were asked to participate beyond the minimum requirements under State aid rules (e.g. in the context of the LME that was carried out under the responsibility of Portugal) and the magnitude of losses that correspondingly had to be carried by
88 See section 7.4.2 89 See recital (32) 90 See section 6.2. 91 See section 6.2 for their summary.
the Resolution Fund has been the sole decision and responsibility of the Portuguese authorities.
7.4.6. Limiting distortions of competition
(299) Under the 2017 Measures, Novo Banco will receive significant further aid on top of what has already been approved for the liquidation of BES in the establishment of Novo Banco in the 2014 and 2015 Decisions. Given Novo Banco’s significant market share in the Portuguese banking market and the fact that it will continue as a stand-alone operator, Novo Banco’s continued presence could lead to significant further distortions of competition.
(300) In this respect, the Commission takes positive note of the commitments provided with respect to re-focussing Novo Banco on its core market in commercial banking. Relevant in this respect are (a) the committed sale of […] by […], finalising the exit from […], (b) limitations on […] and (c) the withdrawal from […].
(301) The limitations on […] will ensure that Novo Banco’s engagement in […] will remain limited to a reasonable extent as required by an active collateral management in the course of normal banking activity without using State aid to enter the […] business.
(302) The Commitment to withdraw from […] services will ensure that Novo Banco will cease offering […] services and provide clients with an active choice of whether to maintain a retail account with Novo Banco or transfer their […] relationship to a competitor.
(303) Overall, those Commitments provide the Commission with confidence that distortions of competition in markets other than the core commercial lending franchise of Novo Banco will remain limited.
(304) With respect to the core commercial lending franchise, the Commission notes positively the exit from […] international] locations which are mainly linked to problematic businesses such as […] as well as the limitation of risk with respect to […].
(305) Moreover, Portugal has committed that Novo Banco will not grow its core loan book during the first […] years of the restructuring plan, leading to a further reduction in total assets of EUR [35-50] billion envisaged at the end of the restructuring plan corresponding to almost […]% compared to the core banking business in the 2016 balance sheet (not counting the reduction due to the divestment of insurance businesses).
(306) Finally, the Commission stresses the commitment by Portugal that Novo Banco will not provide loans with a pre-tax RoE of less than [7-10]% in 2018, [8-11]% in 2019 and [9-12]% in 2020 following. The Commission welcomes this commitment notably in light of the pricing policy for deposits set out in the restructuring plan92.
92 This can be evidenced from the submitted 4th August Follow Up to the Restructuring plan, page 5 (on capital and funding).
(307) Deposit pricing above market conditions is particularly problematic from a State aid perspective if it does not lead to a concurrent increase in lending prices. An absence of that concurrent increase would imply that State aid is being used to finance higher prices, i.e. distortive behaviour on the deposit side. On the other hand, achieving higher remuneration on the lending assets to finance higher remuneration of deposits is a commercial strategy available to all market participants whether aided or not.
(308) Therefore, the RoE commitment allows the Commission to consider that Novo Banco’s commercial strategy is not based on distortive behaviour in the deposit market.
(309) The Commission also takes comfort from the presence of standard behavioural commitments, namely an acquisition ban, a ban on paying dividends, an advertisement ban and a cap on remuneration lasting at least until 30 June 2020 but continues to affect bonus payments throughout the restructuring period if targets in the viability commitments are breached.
(310) Taken together, those Commitments put the Commission into a position to consider that distortions of competition remain limited also in the core commercial banking franchise of Novo Banco.
8. Compliance of the 2017 measures with the provisions of Directive 2014/59/EU93 on bank recovery and resolution
(311) Although Portugal has already transposed Directive 2014/59/EU into national law, the Commission needs to assess whether the measure violates indissolubly linked provisions of Directive 2014/59/EU.
(312) That obligation is in line with the jurisprudence of the Union Courts, which have consistently held94 “that those aspects of aid which contravene specific provisions TFEU other than [Articles 107 and 108 TFEU] may be so indissolubly linked to the object of the aid that it is impossible to evaluate them separately to that their effect on the compatibility or incompatibility of the aid viewed as a whole must therefore of necessity be determined in the light of the procedure prescribed in [Article 108]”.95
(313) To ascertain whether a violation of a provision of Union law is indissolubly linked to the object of the aid, a relation of necessity has to be established. It means that the State aid measure has to be connected with a national measure in a way that necessarily breaches a specific provision of Union law which is relevant for the compatibility analysis under paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 107 of the Treaty.
93 Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 may 2014 establishing a framework for the recovery and resolution of credit institutions and investment firms and amending Council Directive 82/891/EEC, and Directives 2001/24/EC, 2002/47/EC, 2004/25/EC, 2005/56/EC, 2011/35/EU, 2012/30/EU and 2013/36/EU, and Regulations (EU) No 1093/2010 and EU No 648/2012, of the European Parliament and of the Council, OJ L 173, 12.6.2014, p. 190. 94 See inter alia Joined Cases C-134/91 and C-135/91 Kerafina-Keramische v Greece EU:C:1992:434, paragraph 20; Case T-184/97 BP Chemicals v Commission EU:T:2000:217, paragraph 55; and Case T289/03 BUPA and others v Commission EU:T:2005:78, paragraphs 313 and 314. 95 Case 74/76 Ianelli v Meroni EU:C:1977:51 paragraph 14.
(314) The Commission notes that Novo Banco was created by the Portuguese Resolution Authority as a temporary institution, having put BES into resolution on 3 August 2014. The BES resolution action was taken under Portuguese national law and prior to the entry into force of Directive 2014/59/EU. According to Article 130(1) of Directive 2014/59/EU Member States were obliged to apply it only from 1 January 2015. (315) In its resolution decision of 3 August 2014 on BES96, the Bank of Portugal as the Resolution Authority created Novo Banco with the purpose to sell the assets and liabilities received to one or more parties. Under the commitments presented to the Commission, the existence period of Novo Banco was limited to two years in which it was to be either sold or wound down.
(316) In the 2015 Decision, the Commission had already assessed compliance with indissolubly linked provisions of Directive 2014/59/EU. In that decision, the Commission made a distinction between the prolongation of the GGBBs and the prolongation of the sale period.
(317) The Commission considered that the prolongation of the GGBBs approved in the 2015 Decision had not been foreseen in the 2014 resolution decision by the Bank of Portugal and could not be covered under the existing Portuguese liquidity guarantee scheme because of Novo Banco’s capital shortfall at the time of approval.
(318) Correspondingly, the Commission assessed the GGBB prolongation both from a State aid perspective and under considerations related to Directive 2014/59/EU, not to put in doubt the argument that the 2014 resolution action was ongoing but because it considered that fact not pertinent to the assessment of the GGBB prolongation in view of the absence of any related measure from the original 2014 resolution strategy.
(319) Moreover, the Commission limited itself to assessing a question of merit without prejudice to procedural considerations. The question was if the aid measures envisaged in the 2015 decision, i.e. the prolongation of the GGBBs, could at all constitute a form of extraordinary public support which would trigger resolution pursuant to Directive 2014/59/EU. The Commission considered that, in any event, those measures fell under the exception of Article 32(4)(d)(ii) of Directive 2014/59/EU, so that the decision to declare the aid compatible with the internal market did not depend on the applicability of that Directive.
(320) On the other hand, the Commission assessed the prolongation of the sale period only with respect to State aid considerations related to further distortions of competition related to the extended existence period of Novo Banco. As the sale itself was foreseen under both the 2014 Decision and the 2014 resolution decision by the Bank of Portugal, questions regarding the application of Directive 2014/59/EU were not considered relevant in that respect.
96 https://www.bportugal.pt/enUS/OBancoeoEurosistema/ComunicadoseNotasdeInformacao/Documents/Deliberation_3_Aug_2014_8 pm.pdf
(321) When notifying the 2017 Measures, the Portuguese authorities have invoked the continuation of the original resolution process (see recitals 143/144). The Commission considers that the fact remains that Novo Banco was instated as a bridge institution and its subsequent sale was initiated in the course of the 2014 resolution process.
(322) In sum, the Commission considers that, although the 2015 Decision has authorised some adjustments to the resolution process as initially planned and approved further aid measures, and although further and more extensive changes would result from the notified measures, these changes have become necessary in the light of factual developments in order to implement the resolution process and do not fundamentally alter its nature. As the resolution process foreseeing the creation of a bridge institution and its subsequent sale was initiated in 2014, in order to preserve the unity and implementation of the initial resolution process, it should continue to be governed by the law applicable at the time, i.e. national law. This conclusion is not contradicted by the fact that, in the 2015 Decision, the Commission has examined whether the measures at stake indissolubly violated linked provisions of Directive 2014/59/EU. Indeed, in that context the Commission has considered that, in any event, those measures fell under the exception of Article 32(4)(d)(ii) of that Directive, so that the decision to declare the aid compatible with the internal market did not depend on the applicability of that Directive.
(323) Therefore, in the present Decision, the Commission has not identified indissolubly linked provisions of Directive 2014/59/EU.
(324) Within the limits of the approval of the present decision, Regulation (EU) No 806/2014 is not applicable either, as the institution in question, BES, was placed under resolution by the Portuguese authorities before the date of application of Article 7(2) of Regulation (EU) No 806/2014 that have conferred to the SRB the responsibility for the resolution of significant institutions. As the resolution process of this institution was set out by the national resolution authority in 2014, the conditions of the sale of Novo Banco therefore continue to remain under the responsibility of the national resolution authority and under national law.
(325) This is without prejudice to the prerogative of the Commission to initiate infringement procedures against a Member State for breach of Union law, including breach of the provisions of Directive 2014/59/EU.
The Commission has accordingly decided to consider the State aid contained in the 2017 Measures as notified by Portugal in the context of the sale of Novo Banco to be compatible with the internal market pursuant to Article 107(3)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and not to raise objections. The Commission further maintains that the State aid contained in the 2014 and 2015 Measures remain compatible as assessed and decided by the Commission in 2014 and 2015. The Commission notes that Portuguese authorities exceptionally accept that the adoption of the Decision be in the English language. If this letter contains confidential information which should not be disclosed to third parties, please inform the Commission within fifteen working days of the date of receipt. If the Commission does not receive a reasoned request by that deadline, you will be deemed to agree to the disclosure to third parties and to the publication of the full text of the letter in the authentic language on the Internet site: http://ec.europa.eu/competition/elojade/isef/index.cfm.
Your request should be sent electronically to the following address:
European Commission, Directorate-General Competition State Aid Greffe B-1049 Brussels [email protected]
Yours faithfully For the Commission
Margrethe VESTAGER Member of the Commission
Annex 1- Commitments by the Portuguese Republic
The Portuguese authorities are about to conclude the sales process of Novo Banco S.A. (“Novo Banco”), the bridge bank created on 3 August 2014 pursuant to then Article 145P of the Legal Framework for Credit Institutions and Financial Companies (approved by Decree-Law no. 298/92, of 31 December 1992, as amended subsequently), in the context of the resolution measure applied to Banco Espírito Santo S.A. (“BES”). The sale is part of the set of commitments submitted to the European Commission (“Commission”) prior to the decisions adopted by the Commission on 3 August 2014 and 19 December 2015 not to raise objections and considering the notified State aid as compatible with Article 107(3)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (“TFEU”).
The Portuguese authorities hereby submit commitments together with the notification of the final restructuring plan for the entity resulting from the sale. Given that the restructuring plan together with the measures foreseen therein and in the present commitment letter cater for the various elements which underpin the viability of Novo Banco, it is understood that the bank will not access, after the date of the present letter, other State support measures for liquidity purposes, namely the Portuguese Guarantee Scheme97.
It is also understood that all previous commitments entered into by Portugal in relation to Novo Banco are replaced in their entirety by these commitments as of the date of the Commission decision to which these commitments are annexed. Any figures presented and referred to herein relate to consolidated group figures and net book values, unless otherwise specified.
I. Structural commitments
(1) The restructuring period shall last until 31 December 2021 (the “Restructuring Period”) unless otherwise specified in specific commitments.
(2) Novo Banco has segregated its existing activities into two parts, the Core Unit and the Non-Core Unit. Those Units are not separate legal entities and funding, liquidity and solvency will be shared across both units.
a. The Core Unit comprise the following entities (excluding some specific assets and business lines described in Commitment hereafter): […]
b. The Non-Core Unit shall include: […]
(3) Portugal commits that the size of the core loan book of Novo Banco will not exceed the level of […] of EUR […] up to […].
(4) The total assets of the Non-core Unit will not exceed EUR […] at […], EUR […] at […], EUR […] at […] and EUR […] at […]; targets stated exclude the value of […] in all years. These assets will be managed with the objective of being
97 approved by the Commission in State aid case NN 60/2008 and subsequently prolonged on a half year basis
divested, liquidated or wound down, in an orderly manner but with a view to maximising their value.
(5) […] shall be divested by […].
(7) […] shall be divested or discontinued by […].
(8) […] shall be wound down by […]. The winding-down of […] will imply the closure of […] currently in place. To avoid the organised transfer of clients to another business unit, Novo Banco will send a termination letter to all of Novo Banco’s […] clients notifying them that the existing […] service will be terminated (including all products that are currently not available to retail or corporate clients or favourable rates on existing products98) and asking for an active client instruction to which portfolio investment and bank accounts the client money and securities are to be transferred. For the avoidance of doubt, this does not preclude Novo Banco to communicate and offer its services outside of […] to the same group of clients.
(9) […] shall be disposed of by […].
(10) […] shall be wound down during the restructuring period. […] shall either be transferred to one of Novo Banco’s other legal entities wherever legally possible or an offer for voluntary swap be made to the current holders that is clearly economically advantageous for the current holders. If the voluntary swap has not been accepted in spite of being economically advantageous and it is not legally possible to transfer […], Novo Banco shall not be considered in breach of this commitment. In any case, no new business shall be underwritten as from the date of the decision.
(11) […] shall be used strictly as a booking centre and a debt-issuing vehicle. All other new business shall cease as of […] from the date of the decision.
(12) […] shall remain within the Non-core Unit as defined herein. For the avoidance of doubt, […] will be considered part of the Core Unit. Investments in the context of value enhancing capital expenditures shall be permitted to ensure best-in-class work-out subject to a cap of 5% p.a. of Net Book Value of […] at the beginning of the year. However, Net Book Value at year’s end must be lower than the balance at the beginning of the year.
(13) Novo Banco will reduce its exposure towards […] during the restructuring period and will neither enter into new commitments nor refinance or roll-over existing commitments when they mature. For the avoidance of doubt, this shall not prevent Novo Banco from providing FX settlement, cash and cheque clearing and trade financing services to clients based in Portugal or Spain but exchanging with […] or providing such services to […] clients on a fully cash collateralised basis. However, Novo Banco will only accept […] as counterparty risk on those services and only as long as the overall exposure at any given point in time during 98 For the avoidance of doubt, this includes products such as […]. It does not refer to […]. […] need to be terminated at the earliest possible date.
the restructuring period will remain below the current exposure to […]. Novo Banco will review and update its Know-Your-Client (KYC) and Anti-MoneyLaundering (AML) procedures for […] clients in particular within […] of this decision. From […] from this decision, it will not engage into new business with […] clients prior to having completed this review and update and having reported on this review to the Monitoring Trustee
(14) Should BES prior to the 2014 resolution or Novo Banco since then but prior to the present decision have engaged in contractual obligations related to financial instruments that conflict with any of the present commitments, any such contractual obligation will be brought to the attention to the Monitoring Trustee immediately when it becomes known together with an assessment of the impact and potential remedying measures if required for approval by the Commission. Such remedying measure shall take into consideration the severity of a breach of a commitment.
II. Behavioural commitments
(15) Remuneration: Novo Banco will apply strict executive remuneration policies and will not pay to any employee, director or manager a total annual remuneration (wage, pension contribution, bonus) higher than 10 times the average salary of employees in the bank until 30 June 2020. In the period between 30 June 2020 and the end of the restructuring period, annual remuneration payments above those limits can be made if Novo Banco does not breach any of the targets specified in the viability commitments. For avoidance of doubt, Novo Banco will in any case be able to pay deferred bonuses to its staff for performance during the restructuring period after the restructuring period has ended.
(16) For the purpose of acquiring Novo Banco, the purchaser shall not be a previous qualified shareholder of BES (above 2%) within two years immediately prior to the setup of Novo Banco, as approved by the Resolution Decision, nor the Portuguese State.
(17) Novo Banco will put in place an RoE-based pricing tool to ensure that the bank enters into new business (but not if the exposure is non-performing and without restructuring the borrower would be unable to repay the exposure) at a pre-tax RoE of no lower than [7-10] % during 2018, no lower than [8-11] % during 2019 and no lower than [9-12] % during 2020 and 2021. Novo Banco will comply with those RoE targets on a client relationship basis. If RoE management is not possible at the level of the client relationship, Novo Banco will implement those RoE targets on a per-deal basis. Novo Banco will indicate to the Monitoring Trustee which clients it monitors on a client relationship basis and which on a per deal basis for the purpose of this commitment. If not already existing, Novo Banco will immediately start with implementation of the tool post-closing to comply with the above RoE numbers and provide the relevant information to the monitoring trustee referred to in commitment (33). The tool will be in place by […] for corporate clients and products, and […] for retail client and products.
(18) Novo Banco shall not acquire any stake in any undertaking, be it an asset or share transfer, until the end of the restructuring period. That ban on acquisitions covers both undertakings which have the legal form of a company and any package of assets that form a business. For the avoidance of doubt, this
does not include assets required for the daily activity of running a bank (e.g. office furniture, IT equipment, etc.), single assets required for normal business development (e.g. a new branch building in a given location, a new IT system, etc.) or portfolios of securitised assets.
(19) The acquisition ban shall not apply to acquisitions that take place in the ordinary course of the banking business in the management of existing claims towards ailing firms, including the conversion of existing debt into equity instruments or any other work-out strategy which does not increase the exposure of Novo Banco but results in equity ownership, the enforcement of collateral or where the purchase price paid by Novo Banco for any acquisition is less than 0.01% of the balance sheet size of Novo Banco at the effective date of the commitment and where the cumulative purchase prices paid by Novo Banco for all such acquisitions starting with the effective date of the commitment is less than 0.025% of the total balance sheet size of Novo Banco at the effective date of the commitments. In addition, the acquisition ban shall not apply if a counterparty exercises a put option which pre-dates this decision in relation to GNB NãoVida.
(20) Novo Banco shall not pay dividend on ordinary shares until the end of the restructuring period.
(21) Advertising ban: Portugal commits that the Novo Banco shall refrain from advertising that refers to state support and from employing any aggressive commercial strategies which would not take place without the support of the Portuguese Republic.
(22) The Resolution Fund shall not exercise any of the voting rights corresponding to the 25% of the ordinary shares of Novo Banco that will remain in its possession and such rights shall be irrevocably waived. In the same manner, the Resolution Fund shall not appoint any members to the General and Supervisory Board or to the Executive Board of Directors or any other governing body of Novo Banco.
(23) If the Resolution Fund no longer owns shares in Novo Banco while the CCA is in place, it has the right to subscribe to one share for the purpose of each of the Resolution Fund’s contingent capital obligations. It also has the right to receive free shares issued by Novo Banco under bonus issuances, including capitalisation of reserves and dividend distributions. The distribution of free shares should not increase the shareholding of the Resolution Fund.
(24) If capital increase would harm the economic interest of the Resolution Fund, i.e. reduce the value of its existing shareholding without equivalent compensation, the Resolution Fund may participate pro rata to its existing shareholding, upon prior authorisation from the Commission.
(25) The rights related to all ordinary shares received or acquired by the Resolution Fund under commitments (23) and (24) shall be subject to the same restrictions as the initial shareholding under commitment (22).
(26) One or more natural person(s) independent from all parties will be selected by the Resolution Fund with the sole task to provide to the Resolution Fund information confined to the risk associated with the obligations under the CCA (the “CCA Monitoring Trustee”). The CCA Monitoring Trustee would report on an aggregated basis but not on specific transaction or exposures apart from the guaranteed assets. The CCA Monitoring Trustee would have no rights of intervention other than requesting said information.
III. Viability commitments
The commitments in this section are envisaged to ensure the viability of Novo Banco (the “Viability commitments”). All Viability commitments will cease no later than December 2021 unless otherwise specified in a specific commitment.
The Viability commitments shall not apply if a force majeure contingency outside the bank’s control has occurred (e.g. war, terrorism, natural disasters, significant crisis or uncertainty in the Portuguese financial system and markets, impacting liquidity or access to funding for Portuguese financial institutions generally, resulting from national or international monetary, political, financial or economic conditions or securities markets or in currency exchange rates or interest rates, where the average Portuguese GB/German Bund spread is above 400bps or the average 5-year CDS spread of Portuguese banks exceeds 400 bps for at least a 3 month period during the financial year). In such a case, Portugal shall re-notify the measures to the Commission.
(27) Novo Banco will reduce FTEs to no more than [4500-5250]on […], [4250-5250] on […] and [4000-5250] on […] and the number of branches to no more than [350-475] on […], on […]and on […].
(28) In addition to (27), Novo Banco will find additional efficiencies on either income or cost side to reach a pre-provision income (net interest income plus net fee income minus operating expenses99) of EUR [300-500] million in […] and EUR [500-800] million in […]. If a shortfall is identified, Novo Banco will implement measures in the following fiscal year to cure that shortfall (i.e. reach a 99 Pre-provision income of EUR […] in […] and EUR […] in […] according to the original plan that was increased by EUR 15mn to EUR […] in […] and by EUR […] to EUR […] in […] for the purpose of this commitment. For monitoring purposes, actual numbers will be compared to those numbers
Operating expenses are defined as staff costs, general and administrative expenses and Depreciation and amortisation per the prevailing latest audited annual consolidated accounts (31 December 2016, notes 15 and 17). Any restructuring costs such as related to staff reduction and increased IT expenditure as per the restructuring plan or any CCA offset-able charges shall be excluded for the purposes of this commitment.. Costs related to FTE and branch reductions above plan will in any case not be considered recurring costs.
Non recurring costs shall in principle be excluded. Those items include for instance costs related to staff reduction and increased IT expenditure, advisory or consultant fees for one-off projects (e.g. RoE implementation, amendments to KYC process)
Such adjustments shall be discussed between Novo Banco and the Monitoring Trustee to determine if an item is recurring.
Future changes in accounting standards are not to influence the definitions noted herein including the definitions of net interest income and net fee income.
pre-provision income of EUR [400-650] million in […] if the […] target was missed and EUR [500-800] million in […] if the […] target was missed). The measures to cure will be presented to the Monitoring Trustee within three months post breach. If curing is not successful, Novo Banco will reduce an additional [50-200] FTEs and [5-20] branches (if […] is breached) or [100-400] FTEs and [10-40] branches (if […] is breached) in the year that follows (under the conditions of this commitment, the maximum reduction required shall be [100400] FTEs and [10-40] branches). The restructuring period with all commitments100 will prolong until the conditions under this commitment are met.101 (29) Novo Banco will reach a cost-to-income ratio (“C/I Ratio”)102 of [5060]% in FY 2019, [40-50]% in FY 2020 and [40-50]% from FY 2021 onwards. If the C/I ratio exceeds those targets by at least [5-10] percentage points in a given fiscal year t, Novo Banco will present measures to the Monitoring Trustee within three months to cure the shortfall to reach the C/I Ratio for year t+1 as specified above to be implemented during the following fiscal year t+1. Should Novo Banco not be successful in curing the shortfall and not reach the C/I Ratio of the year following the breach, then the following commitments will apply:
C/I Breach size
Additional cost cut (compared to LSF restructuring plan)
[5-20] percentage points
[300-500] FTEs & [30-50] branches
above [5-20] percentage points
The additional FTEs and branch reduction will be fully implemented in […] (i.e. the effect should be fully visible in the P&L statement by […]).
This commitment shall not apply if the average C/I Ratio of the Portuguese banking market as reported by the Bank of Portugal has deteriorated by more than […]percentage points in the given year.
100 For the purpose of the prolongation of the restructuring period, commitment (15) is treated separately as specified in the text of commitment (15).
101 For avoidance of doubt, conditions under this commitment are met either by complying with the specified target at the end of […] or by complying with the specified target in […] following the implementation of all remedial measures or, if Novo Banco is still in breach with the target in […], as soon as the required additional FTE and branch reductions are implemented.
102 For the purposes of calculating the cost-to-income ratio under commitment (27), the same definitions of income and costs apply as for commitment (26).
Under the conditions of commitments (28) and (29), the maximum reduction required shall be [450-600] FTEs and [45-60] branches. The restructuring period with all commitments103 will prolong until the conditions under this commitment are met.104
(30) In case the SREP total capital ratio of Novo Banco falls below the SREP total capital requirement, capital measures will be implemented by Novo Banco to make up the shortfall within […]. If routine measures cannot restore the capital position to compliance, then the private owner will be asked to supply the necessary capital, which Portugal is allowed to match according to the conditions laid down in the Share Purchase and Subscription Agreement. Additionally, capital can also be generated through a market call.
If the capital supplied through the preceding measures is insufficient to comply with the SREP total capital ratio for the given year, the remaining gap will be closed as an ultimate backstop by means of issuance of AT1 instruments or public capital injection, to be decided by Portugal. If AT1 capital instruments will be used, they will be either issued to the market and carry a coupon that may be fully paid by Portugal (“the AT1 instrument”) or underwritten by Portugal directly.
If the AT1 instrument is issued under this commitment or a public capital injection beyond the proportion of ownership is provided, then a reduction of [800-1100] FTEs and [90-120] branches will be required in […] following the provision of the capital contribution and Portugal will notify a new restructuring plan for Novo Banco to the Commission for approval. Any reductions of FTEs and branches required and implemented under commitments (28) and (29) will be counted towards this reduction.
The issuance of ATI instruments or public capital injection as an ultimate backstop forms part of the notified aid measures up to the maximum amount, necessary to ensure long term viability, defined under the scenaria identified in the Commission’s decision where this commitment is attached. Portugal commits to notify to the Commission pursuant to Article 108(3) TFEU, prior to implementation, any additional aid beyond that level.
(31) Novo Banco is rotating its auditor for the financial year […] as part of its ordinary rotation procedures.
If Novo Banco’s cumulative loan loss provisions (excluding CCA assets) between […] and […] is below EUR [0-5] billion, the delta between the EUR [0-5] billion and the cumulative losses recognised (the “Additional Provisions”) shall be provisioned for in Novo Banco’s accounts as of […] unless the Additional Provisions are considered to not be in accordance with applicable IFRS framework by Novo Banco’s auditor.
(32) The Bank will comply with best lending practices. In particular it will observe the commitments with respect to connected lending, pricing and credit risk management. 103 For the purpose of the prolongation of the restructuring period, commitment (15) is treated separately as specified in the text of commitment (15).
a. Connected Lending
Within the Credit Policy of the bank, a specific section shall be devoted to the rules governing relations with connected borrowers105. The credit assessment of the connected borrowers, as well as the pricing conditions and possible restructuring offered to them, shall not be more advantageous compared to conditions offered to similar but unconnected borrowers and be performed/offered accordingly to Credit Policy (credit assessment and restructuring) and Commercial Policy (pricing conditions). Particular focus shall be on decisions regarding any restructuring and write downs of existing loans to connected borrowers as well as policies followed in the appropriateness, valuation, registration of liens and foreclosure of loan collateral. The restructuring of loans involving connected borrowers shall comply with the same requirements as for nonconnected borrowers. Any lending, loan restructuring or other form credit extension of connected borrowers shall be reported separately, at least per loan asset class and connected borrower type. If necessary, Novo Banco will adapt its Know-Your-Client (KYC) and Client Adoption procedures in order to ensure that it is able to comply with part (a) of this commitment starting 6 months following the date of this decision.
b. Risk Management
i. New and renewed loans shall be made on the basis of adequate comparative financial statements, income statements (including personal income statements in retail loans), cash flow statements, existing debt analysis or other pertinent statistical support. The bank will ensure that every new or renewed combined exposure exceeding [0-5] million EUR obtains a credit rating (implying a default probability) and an expected loss rate, which is reviewed at least once per annum. The bank will engage in an effort to re-rate all credit exposures exceeding [0-5] million EUR over the next […] years and will from […] rerate every exposure above [0-5] million EUR on an annual basis. Novo Banco shall not be considered in breach of this commitment if a random sample of a 50 exposures selected and verified by the Monitoring Trustee contains no more than two non-rated exposures. If non-rated exposures are found, Novo Banco will provide an explanation and a remediation plan to the Monitoring Trustee.
ii. The bank will set up a risk management system that will allow producing a complete and accurate loan exposure tape. For each loan exposure, this will include at least all collaterals, collateral
105 For the purpose of this commitment, connected borrowers include relevant employees (i.e. risk takers which are identified in the Bank’s Global Policy on related and connected parties in order to prevent conflict of interests and which are involved in the decision-making process of the Credit Policy), significant shareholders, directors or managers, as well as their spouses, children and siblings and any legal entity directly or indirectly controlled by relevant employees (as defined above), significant shareholders, directors or managers or their spouses, children and siblings. Political parties, Politically Exposed Persons or their spouses, children and siblings and any legal entity directly or indirectly controlled by them shall also be treated as connected borrowers in the Credit Policy for the above purposes. For as long as the Resolution Fund or entities under control of the Portuguese authorities hold, on aggregate, a shareholding of more than 25%, any public institution or government-controlled organization, any public company or government agency shall be considered as a connected borrower.
valuations, latest valuation dates and lien priority. Other essential information, such as the purpose of the borrowing and intended plan or sources of repayment, progress reports, inspections, memoranda of outside information and loan conferences, correspondence, etc., should be contained in the bank’s credit files.
iii. The bank will avoid any proprietary trading activity beyond what is necessary for the normal operations of a commercial bank.
The bank will set up a VaR limit for (i) treasury assets including market making and ALM and (ii) other market related activities including proprietary positions not related to (i). For (i) an equivalent of a 1-day, 99% VaR limit of up to [0-5]% of the bank’s CET1 shall apply, for (ii) an equivalent of a 1-day, 99% VaR limit of up to [0-5]% shall apply. The bank will set up internal processes with a conservative division of limits across activities so as to ensure that no accidental breaches of these limits will occur. It will consistently update those limits at least on a quarterly basis, as a function of historical volatility and capital position. The bank will report on the implementation of these processes and the limits in vigour to the monitoring trustee.
Novo Banco will not make the remuneration of employees active in these areas dependent on the profitability of that activity106.
IV. Monitoring Trustee
(33) One or more natural or legal person(s), independent from the Bank and not having worked previously with the Bank or the Portuguese authorities in matters connected to the Bank, proposed by Portugal and approved by the Commission and appointed and paid for by Novo Banco; the Monitoring Trustee will have the duty to monitor the full compliance with the Commitments on the basis of six-monthly reports (half year and full year) until the end of the Restructuring Period.
106 For the avoidance of doubt, this does not preclude Novo Banco from implementing claw backs on remuneration if required to do so by law.
Publicado em Ajudas estatais, BES, Comissão Europeia (CE), Direcção geral da Concorrência, Lone Star, Novo Banco, Resolução | Comments Closed
BE classifica nova injeção de capital no Novo Banco como um desastre
Terça-feira, Fevereiro 12th, 2019
O Novo Banco deverá receber este ano uma nova injeção de capital que pode ultrapassar os mil milhões de euros.
A deputada do Bloco de Esquerda (BE) Mariana Mortágua criticou hoje uma nova injeção de capital no Novo Banco, afirmando que o banco “vai ser limpo com o dinheiro dos contribuintes portugueses” e que não poderia haver “maior desastre”. Nos últimos dias foi conhecida a informação de que o Novo Banco deverá receber este ano uma nova injeção de capital que pode ultrapassar os mil milhões de euros. Hoje, em conferência de imprensa que decorreu na sede nacional do BE, em Lisboa, Mariana Mortágua foi instada a comentar esta questão.
“Nós avisámos, dissemos no momento da privatização do Novo Banco que iríamos pagar para vender o Novo Banco, e que o Estado daria uma garantia aos compradores privados do Novo Banco que era equivalente a todo o dinheiro que já tinha sido injetado no BES”, começou por afirmar. A bloquista lembrou também que o partido alertou “que essa garantia iria ser utilizada pelos privados, e que os contribuintes acabariam a dobrar o montante que injetaram no BES”. “Essa não foi a posição deste Governo, que preferiu outra opção e vendeu o banco a privados com uma garantia pública que irá cobrir os prejuízos do Novo Banco num prazo dos próximos anos, e já ouvimos no ano passado, voltamos a ver este ano a injeção”, acrescentou. Mariana Mortágua considerou então que “o que se vem a revelar hoje é precisamente aquilo” que o BE disse “que ia acontecer, um banco privatizado e que vai ser limpo com o dinheiro dos contribuintes portugueses”.
Para a bloquista, “maior desastre e decisão mais errada não poderia ter existido”. “Nós não podemos dizer que não tivéssemos alertado, sempre o alertámos, sempre dissemos que o banco deveria ficar em mãos públicas porque aí nós pagamos, mas sabemos que ficamos com o banco e com a propriedade”, disse, acrescentando que “se o Estado paga, o Estado manda e o Estado tem a propriedade”. “Neste caso, estamos a pagar e o banco será de privados”, criticou.
Publicado em Ajudas estatais, Bloco de Esquera, Fundo de Resolução, Novo Banco, Recapitalização | Comments Closed
Bancos portugueses aproveitaram-se do Estado, diz BCE
Quinta-feira, Janeiro 31st, 2019
Em 10 anos, o Estado assumiu mais de 17 mil milhões de euros em custos para salvar a banca.
O Banco Central Europeu acusa os bancos portugueses de se aproveitarem do Estado. Segundo um estudo sobre a atuação da banca, a ajuda pública foi um incentivo ao crédito de risco.
A notícia vem no “Jornal de Notícias” desta quarta-feira, segundo o qual o BCE escreve que “o esperado resgate pelo Governo português pode ter dado aos bancos o incentivo de jogarem com a sobrevivência de empresas em dificuldade”.
O estudo do BCE, divulgado esta semana, analisa a atuação da banca em 2011 e 2012 e revela que os bancos não assumiam todas as perdas com empréstimos nos seus balanços.
“Em vez de reconhecerem esses prejuízos, aumentaram a parada”, concedendo mais crédito a empresas em dificuldades em vez de o canalizarem para empresas saudáveis, escreve ainda o jornal.
A ajuda do Estado viria depois impedir que tivessem perdas.
“Os bancos afetados anteciparam que, desde fizessem uma tentativa credível de cumprir com os requisitos da EBA [Autoridade Bancária Europeia], o Governo português entraria com o capital em falta”, refere o estudo do BCE – que, destaca o JN, “não reflete necessariamente a perspetiva” do Banco Central Europeu.
Em 10 anos, o Estado português assumiu custos de mais de 17 mil milhões de euros para salvar a banca e, segundo o presidente do Tribunal de Contas, em entrevista ao “Negócios” na terça-feira, a fatura deverá ainda aumentar, dado que em 2018 houv mais dinheiro para o Novo Banco.
Publicado em Ajudas estatais, Banca, BCE, BES | Comments Closed
Ajudas à banca custaram 16,7 mil milhões de euros na última década (e ainda não acabaram)
Entre 2008 e 2017, o Estado gastou 16,7 mil milhões de euros com ajudas à banca, afirma Vítor Caldeira, presidente do Tribunal de Contas – e a fatura dos apoios à banca “ainda não está fechada”.
O Estado gastou com ajudas ao setor financeiro 16,7 mil milhões de euros entre 2008 e 2017 mas ainda há responsabilidades cujos “encargos ainda não são quantificáveis”, admite Vítor Caldeira, presidente do Tribunal de Contas (TdC) ao Jornal de Negócios. Segundo Caldeira, a fatura “ainda não está fechada”.
Além dos encargos já identificados, nomeadamente com o Novo Banco/BES e o BPN, o Tribunal de Contas aponta que há um conjunto de responsabilidades cujos encargos não são ainda quantificáveis.
“Tem sobretudo que ver com o facto de haver casos como o Novo Banco/BES, do BPN também, mas sobretudo do BES. Quando dizemos que não está fechada é porque ainda há garantias prestadas pelo Estado que estão associadas, de forma direta ou indireta, a alguns destes grupos ou empresas ou entidades ligadas a estes grupos. O Fundo de Resolução ainda tem de operar sobretudo para o caso do BES”, explica Vítor Caldeira.
Questionado sobre os resultados da auditoria à Caixa Geral de Depósitos, o líder do TdC disse desconhecer o documento.
“O que li foram as notícias. Esse tipo de notícias preocupa qualquer cidadão ou deveria preocupar. Eu sempre disse que era importante que houvesse responsabilidade e que a responsabilidade se traduzisse em ações concretas. Julgo que é importante, por um lado, que a própria CGD tome as medidas necessárias e se houver lugar a efetivação de responsabilidades que as autoridades competentes o possam fazer”, afirma, citado pelo jornal Expresso.
Ainda na mesma entrevista, o economista afasta o cenário de uma nova intervenção externa, mas deixa um alerta: “há nuvens no horizonte”.
“Em 2018 ainda não conhecemos os resultados finais, mas o desempenho da economia e das contas públicas é positivo. Há uma evolução positiva. Estes riscos que salientamos no parecer sugerem, é verdade, que a dívida pública diminuiu, em percentagem do PIB, mas diria que há nuvens no horizonte. Não podemos ignorar esses riscos”, diz.
Publicado em Ajudas estatais, Banca | Comments Closed
Fatura com a banca já vai nos 16,7 mil milhões. Quanto custou cada banco ao Estado?
Tribunal de Contas divulga fatura detalhada com o custo de cada banco que foi intervencionado pelo Estado na última década. Embora prejuízos totalizem os 17 mil milhões, houve ajudas que deram lucro.
o Tribunal de Contas que diz: “O esforço financeiro resultante das intervenções públicas destinadas a apoiar o sistema financeiro internacional no seguimento da crise financeira internacional, iniciada em 2007, constituiu um encargo elevado para o erário público, em particular, num contexto de finanças públicas deficitárias”. Em termos exatos, aquele tribunal revela que a banca portuguesa já passou uma fatura de 16,7 mil milhões de euros aos contribuintes na última década, o equivalente a 12% da riqueza produzida por Portugal no ano passado. E apresenta a conta detalhada.
À cabeça dos bancos que mais deram “prejuízos” aos cofres do Estado nos últimos dez anos está a Caixa Geral de Depósitos (CGD). Ainda no ano passado o banco liderado por Paulo Macedo recebeu uma injeção de dinheiro público de 3.900 milhões de euros. Feitas as contas, entre despesas públicas e receitas, o banco público apura uma perda líquida de 5.535 milhões de euros para o Estado no período entre 2008 e 2017.
Logo a seguir surge o BES/Novo Banco. O antigo Banco Espírito Santo foi alvo de uma medida de resolução em agosto de 2014, que dividiu a instituição na parte má e na parte boa (o Novo Banco). Desde então, o Estado já “gastou” 4.607 milhões de euros com o banco.
A fazer dez anos desde a sua nacionalização, o BPN já custou ao Estado 4.134 milhões de euros e a fatura com o antigo banco de Oliveira e Costa não vai ficar por aqui tendo em conta os capitais próprios das sociedades-veículo criadas para gerir os ativos tóxicos estão negativos em 1.716 milhões de euros, “encargos que poderão vir a ser suportados pelo Estado no futuro”, notou o Tribunal de Contas no parecer sobre a Conta Geral do Estado emitido esta quarta-feira.
Quanto é o Estado gasta com cada banco?
Já a fatura do Estado com o Banif, que foi liquidado em 2015 e vendido ao Santander Totta por 150 milhões de euros, ia nos quase 3.000 milhões de euros no final de 2017. E com o BPP os prejuízos eram de 588 milhões.
BCP e BPI dão lucro de 1.100 milhões
Nem todos os bancos nacionais representaram um fardo para os contribuintes que tiveram de acudi-los nos momentos mais apertados. Por exemplo, o Estado emprestou 1.500 milhões de euros em obrigações de capital contingente (CoCos) ao BPI e desse “empréstimo”, entretanto já saldado pelo banco, houve lugar a um ganho de 167 milhões de euros.
Mais expressivo foi o lucro que o Estado tirou de um empréstimo semelhante ao BCP, mas de maior dimensão: 3.000 milhões de euros foram emprestados ao banco em formato de CoCos. Só no ano passado é que o BCP liquidou a totalidade desse dinheiro, depois de um aumento de capital que veio dar protagonismo aos chineses da Fosun na estrutura acionista do maior banco privado português. Com esta operação o Estado lucrou 919 milhões de euros.
Já as intervenções em bancos mais pequenos como o Banco Invest, Banco Mais e o Finantiadeu um ganho líquido de 5 milhões, calcula o Tribunal de Contas.
Novo Banco não exclui “de modo algum” mais injeção de capital
Domingo, Outubro 28th, 2018
Sapo pt
O presidente executivo do Novo Banco, António Ramalho, afirmou esta quinta-feira não excluir, “de modo algum”, mais injeção de capital na instituição, enquanto o líder do BCP, Miguel Maya, considerou que o fundo de resolução é um “fardo”.
“A capitalização da instituição é uma inevitabilidade”, afirmou António Ramalho, na conferência “O Futuro do Dinheiro”, organizada pelo Dinheiro Vivo, TSF e EY, no âmbito do debate “Os Desafios da Banca no Portugal 20 — 30 e o futuro do dinheiro”, que juntou os principais responsáveis da banca portuguesa.
Questionado sobre se o Novo Banco não exclui nova injeção de capital, António Ramalho afirmou: “De modo algum”.
O Orçamento do Estado para 2019 prevê uma injeção de 400 milhões de euros no Novo Banco no próximo ano, sendo que este valor está incluído no cálculo do défice, mas não é certo qual é o montante que o fundo de resolução terá de aplicar na instituição.
Já o presidente do BCP considerou que este “é um tema que não está resolvido”, embora tenha afirmado que a decisão do Governo “foi correta” no momento em que a tomou.
“Mas não subscrevo que vamos viver assim com este fardo às costas”, ou seja, de através do fundo os bancos participarem na capitalização do Novo Banco.
Este banqueiro defendeu uma “reflexão” sobre as contribuições para o fundo de resolução, com “diálogo” para ver como “é que os poucos bancos portugueses conseguem condições competitivas para operar” no mercado, quer a nível de legislação como de custos.
“Não vivo tranquilo e não vou desistir de encontrar uma solução equilibrada para o setor”, afirmou, apontando que as instituições financeiras que não têm sede no país estão excluídas desta contribuição¬.
Miguel Maya recordou que além do imposto especial sobre o setor bancário, o BCP ainda contribui para o fundo, o que representa “mais de 40 milhões [de euros] por ano”.
Ora, “gostava de pegar nesses 40 milhões de euros e investir mais em tecnologias”, assim ficaria “menos preocupado com as ‘fintech’”, afirmou.
Por sua vez, o presidente executivo da Caixa Geral de Depósitos (CGD), Paulo Macedo, afirmou que a banca portuguesa, quer no crédito à habitação ou às PME – Pequenas e Médias Empresas, tem “preços idênticos ou mais baixos que em Espanha ou Alemanha”, mas depois “há diferentes ónus para os diferentes níveis”.
“Não é só o fundo de resolução, um banco que tem sede em Portugal financia-se mais alto do que o que tem sede em Espanha, o custo marginal de um banco português se financiar é mais elevado”, apontou.
Relativamente à CGD financiar as empresas portuguesas, o presidente da CGD afirmou que o banco mantém o papel de apoiar.
No entanto, advertiu que “o papel da caixa não é de certeza dar crédito às empresas que os outros bancos não querem” dar, sublinhando que “a Caixa tem de desenvolver o seu papel público sem custar o que já custou aos contribuintes”.
Publicado em Ajudas estatais, António Ramalho, Fundo de Resolução, Recapitalização | Comments Closed | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6752652525901794, "wiki_prob": 0.32473474740982056, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line1373492"} |
Does that taste bad?
Better known as a delicacy in the Far East, the Chinese softshell turtle has generated some interest in the Nephrology world because of its unusual means of urea elimination. A paper was recently published in the Journal of Experimental Biology in which the authors described the process of urea excretion in these interesting animals. The primary habitat of the turtle is seawater, and saltwater marshes and swamps. As a result, most of the water in that environment is hyperosmolar such that eliminating urea via the kidneys could lead to excessive water losses. It had been previously noted that the turtles have a tendency to submerge their heads in water for prolonged periods. The researchers attached plastic bags to the cloacae of the turtles but, to their surprise, found that the urea concentration in the water where they submerged their heads was higher that that of the collected urine.
The turtles have buccopharyngeal villiform processes in their mouths that contain active urea transporters. They take water into their mouths and spit it out again in order to excrete urea waste. A transporter was isolated from the buccal mucosa that had a 70% homology with mouse and human UT-A2. This transporter was not present in the kidneys of the turtles indicating a lesser role for the kidneys in urea transport. The average urea concentration of the saliva was 36mmol/L as opposed to 2.4mmol/L in the serum. After an IP injection of a urea load, the serum concentration increased to 45mmol/L while the saliva concentration increased to an impressive 614mmol/L.
This evolutionary adaptation may have allowed them to invade this hostile environment.
Gearoid McMahon history of nephrology urea transport
Conference Review: Home Dialysis University
Does that taste bad? – Part 2 | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.700349748134613, "wiki_prob": 0.29965025186538696, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line646986"} |
Far cry online multiplayer
Co-op allows two people to play Far Cry: New Dawn together via online play, however, local play has yet to be confirmed or announced. Buddies Will Take Control Over Partner NPCs In co-op, players who recruit a real-life friend will give them the role of their partner NPC during the mission or expedition.
From MMOs to RPGs to racing games, check out 14 o Don't hate the game. Hate the playas. If I get called “faggot” one more time by somebody I don’t even know…well, I don’t have a decent threat. What can you do? Online multiplayer is terrific, when enjoyed with friends. When your friend Raiding is a core feature in massively multiplayer online RPGs. They are a fun way to interact with friends (or random players) to complete objectives and obtain rare loot drops.
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But what exactly are these virtual forms of online entertainment — and why are Gaming is a billion dollar industry, but you don't have to spend a penny to play some of the best games online. As long as you have a computer, you have access to hundreds of games for free. From MMOs to RPGs to racing games, check out 14 o Don't hate the game. Hate the playas. If I get called “faggot” one more time by somebody I don’t even know…well, I don’t have a decent threat. What can you do? Online multiplayer is terrific, when enjoyed with friends.
Although there is no online PvP multiplayer (or split-screen for that matter), you can play the entirety of Far Cry New Dawn in online co-op with up to three other friends. Despite this, a lack of
However, all side quests are accessible and you are free to play in the open world like Co-op allows two people to play Far Cry: New Dawn together via online play, however, local play has yet to be confirmed or announced. Buddies Will Take Control Over Partner NPCs In co-op, players who recruit a real-life friend will give them the role of their partner NPC during the mission or expedition.
Far Cry Primal is singleplayer only. Are there any plans to add multiplayer or co-op mode? There are currently no plans to add multiplayer features to the game. Is there a multiplayer mod for Far Cry Primal?
Reply . Share this post.
Mar 01, 2016 Jan 07, 2016 Mar 23, 2018 Mar 06, 2018 Nov 18, 2014 Far Cry 5 Unlock and Play Co-op, Multiplayer Modes Guide As many of you may already know that in Far Cry 5, there is no cross play function and you need a PS Plus or Xbox Live subscription. You also have to complete the tutorial or have freed the first small island. LRv3 is a FarCry multiplayer patch created by the community. Based on great versions like eXcaliTrone, Patch 1.6 and FCMP it is an enhanced multiplayer patch after Ubisoft's disconnection to FarCry. It's continously updated by it's Team to add new features, bug-fixes, improvements, etc. Jul 10, 2020 The FC2MPPatcher is a small patching tool that fixes Far Cry 2's broken online multiplayer mode by correcting software issues the game has in newer Windows API. Most people need to use this tool to be able to join and host online sessions.
The award-winning Far Cry franchise comes to America in Far Cry 5. Welcome to Hope County, Montana, land of the free and the brave, but also home to a fanatical doomsday cult known as Eden’s Gate. Stand up to the cult’s leader, Joseph Seed, and his siblings, the Heralds, and spark the fires of resistance that will liberate your besieged Lead the fight against the Highwaymen as they seek to take over the last remaining resources in the latest installment of Far Cry. Fight to survive in a post-apocalyptic world as you take up arms to fight alongside a friend in online co-op. Lead the fight against the highwaymen and their ruthless leaders, the Twins. Sep 26, 2020 · I didn't really enjoy it, no. Far Cry 5's multiplayer felt so out of place, but a decent amount of things in the game do.
Game Country Network Name Date; Far Cry 2: Chad: far cry 2: 27/12/2020: Far Cry 2: Sri Lanka: Bloemfontain: 23/11/2020 This menu allows you to access co-op play in 'Far Cry 5.' Ubisoft. When in the open world, bring up the main menu and scroll over to the "online" icon that looks like a circular crosshair. In Far Cry 4 you can play co-op with one other friend. The main mission is not available while playing co-op. However, all side quests are accessible and you are free to play in the open world like Have you missed the multiplayer all together or just left because new games came out or because Ubisoft shut down the official support for multiplayer Well, no need to daydream about it no more.
Join Or Create Far Cry 2 Hamachi Network/Server Welcome noobs! want to play FAR CRY 2 with me? Game Country Network Name Date; Far Cry 2: Chad: far cry 2: 27/12/2020: Far Cry 2: Sri Lanka: Bloemfontain: 23/11/2020: Far Cry 2: India Mar 27, 2018 In Far Cry 4 you can play co-op with one other friend. The main mission is not available while playing co-op. However, all side quests are accessible and you are free to play in the open world like Have you missed the multiplayer all together or just left because new games came out or because Ubisoft shut down the official support for multiplayer Well, no need to daydream about it no more. A group of modders worked hard to bring back the days of Far Cry 1 multiplayer back. Fixing a lot of bugs that were left out by official patches, combining best features of different versions of the game ( 1.4 or … Check out the entire Far Cry franchise on Steam Notice: The online multiplayer services for this title are shut down but single-player features will remain available.
Once initial tutorial is complete, a message will appear bottom left of screen saying you are now able to play online missions. 4. Open up the in-game menu and navigate to the multiplayer section. This is where you can invite your friend to play Far Cry 5. When you start the game after this point, you also have the option to make your game private or public.
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Multiplayer is a feature that enables multiple players to play together using either split screen from the same console, LAN with multiple consoles connected together, or online play. The multiplayer is almost always competitive. Far Cry 2 Far Cry 2's multiplayer mode is still played, both, online and over VPN. (VPN is what Tunngle used to be, until it shut down in 2018.) Included in the game is a competitive multiplayer mode, featuring different game types. Players progress, unlocking skills and more powerful weapons. There are 10 Multiplayer Maps in the basic Now that you know that multiplayer exists, here’s our Far Cry 5 how to play coop guide. You are able to play almost the entire singleplayer campaign in multiplayer alongside a friend online.
Feb 26, 2019 · Go to your in-game menu and cycle through the tabs - find "Online". Here you can invite a friend into your co-op mission. Invite Players Already In Your Friends List. In order to play co-op in Far Cry: New Dawn, the people you will invite should already be part of your friends list.
Jul 14, 2016 · Nah the multiplayer is dead. And Don't buy this game, it keeps crashing not only for me but for like 95% of the people who bought it so. Buy far Cry 4 tho :) Apr 02, 2018 · Far Cry 5 Online. As we stated before, there are different ways to play online in the Story Mode and the Arcade Mode. As expected, there is not any way to have effective PVP modes in the Story Mar 06, 2018 · The real test, of course, is when Far Cry Arcade is in the hands of the creative Far Cry community. While core online mechanics like tick rate and connection type (P2P vs dedicated servers) can’t change, what I’ve played of Far Cry Arcade at least proves that dedicated players can create something a whole lot less derivative and, hopefully Far Cry Primal is shaping up to be a truly amazing and worthy addition to the Far Cry series… that is, as long as you play the game mostly for its single player component. Because official word from Ubisoft, as reported by WCCF Tech , suggests that the game isn’t going to have co-op this time around.
When you start the game after this point, you also have the option to make your game private or public. Public games can have friends join at any time. Open the menu and select the "Online" tab. Here you see three pictures, of which you forward the right to the invitation - you can already play in co-op. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.7264511585235596, "wiki_prob": 0.7264511585235596, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line1378568"} |
The Youth > Indian Army > Meet Major General Madhuri Kanitkar – first woman to create iconic history in Indian Army
Meet Major General Madhuri Kanitkar – first woman to create iconic history in Indian Army
Posted by By Chaithanya G April 3, 2018
When we talk about Indian army, we are bound to get goosebumps. We just get a feeling that only men are tasked with responsibilities to serve the nation. But one shouldn’t forget the fact that even women also dream to accomplish big missions in their lives.
There is nothing in this world that can be a hindrance to women for achieving great things in life. The society’s mindset overlooks women’s achievements, giving much importance and the hype only to men. It is about time we gave equal opportunities to both genders so that our nation can progress.
Major General Madhuri Kanitkar (Credits: Femina)
General Madhuri Kanitkar creates history:
General Madhuri Kanitkar created iconic history by becoming the first woman officer in Indian Army. She has become the Dean of the Armed Force Medical College. This is something that no other woman achieved. She is content with her duty and always feel a great sense of accomplishment for being part of the Indian Army.
Seeing her achievements, one thinks that she might have decided to join the Indian army much earlier in her career. She laughs, “No. I was studying in Fergusson College in 12th standard, and I planned to do medicine. I had friends in NDA and I used to see that it was something different and smart about them.
And I had a roommate who was from an air force background. So, she was keen to join AFMC (Armed Forces Medical College, Pune) and that was the first time I heard about it. So, I came with her (to the college) and saw the distinct difference and the neatness, cleanliness, discipline somehow really impressed me.”
Not many women can be found in army suits. “20 girls passed out and went for an internship. Post this, some left for marriage. Another half of them left after five years of commission and finally for what we call a permanent commission, we were just six to seven of us who remained. Of all of them, today I am the only one who has remained (in the army)!,” she added.
“I was posted in the outskirts of Jodhpur in Rajastan for my first commission. We had a field ambulance and not a hospital as such. The officers stay in a long barrack called bashas with temporary roofs as it was a mobile temporary unit.” She said
There were no women in the army. Seeing her posted there, some officers and soldiers were really happy that at least a woman was posted. They felt that a lady should not have to stay in Barracks. They asked her to stay in the head quarter but she said, “I said if I am posted here, I’m going to stay with them. If tomorrow there’s a war, I’m going to go out with them.”
Tags: First Indian female officer First Indian female officer to become dean Indian army Indian Indian lady Madhuri Kanitkar
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5 People from the Indian Army who succeeded in other fields | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.5276104807853699, "wiki_prob": 0.4723895192146301, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line1009001"} |
James Larsen
Name: James Larsen
Role At JFH: Review Writer
Birthday: April 28th, 2001
E-mail: Staff Contact Form
Pets: Two dogs and two cats
Education: Current college student
Hobbies: Photography, running, drumming, football, gymnastics
Pet Peeves: People that don't wash their hands in the bathroom...please don't come near me.
Thing you MUST Know: I once remade the "We Need Each Other" album cover with Matt Hammitt and my friends, which was cool.
Favorite Movie: LOTR trilogy, the Case For Christ, Courageous
Favorite Books: "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper, "Loving Jesus More" by Phil Ryken, "Crazy Love", by Francis Chan.
Favorite Cartoon Characters: Blues Clues...if that counts.
Favorite Bands: Disciple, Sent By Ravens, Seventh Day Slumber, This Beautiful Republic, Sanctus Real, Hawk Nelson, Relient K, Kutless, Spoken, Falling Up, Nine Lashes, Switchfoot, The Afters
Favorite Animal: Jaguar
Favorite Food: Mac & Cheese, Burritos, Pizza
Favorite Fast Food: Chick-Fil-A or Taco Bell
Favorite Breakfast Cereal: Peanut Butter Cheerios
Favorite Drink: Protein Shakes
Favorite Candy: Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds,
Most Embarrassing Moment: Oh gosh...there's too many to count. One of the worst was when a mother was with her newborn baby in a store, when I decide to go up and ask "Is it a boy or a girl?" even though the baby was dressed in all pink. The mother was not amused. | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.7114155292510986, "wiki_prob": 0.28858447074890137, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0102.json.gz/line743986"} |
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Hyundai’s Ioniq 6 will start from £46,745
MotorsPublished: Dec 8, 2022
Sleek-looking electric car has a range of up to 338 miles.
Hyundai has announced full pricing for its stylish Ioniq 6 electric car.
Priced from £46,745, the Ioniq 6 will be available in either rear- or all-wheel-drive form, delivering 225bhp in the former or 321bhp in the latter. Thanks to a large 77kWh battery, it’s able to return up to 338 miles of electric range in the rear-wheel-drive version and a still-respectable 322 miles in the all-wheel-drive variant.
It’s also got a battery heating system fitted as standard, which makes sure that the battery is at its optimum charging temperature at all times, too. The Ioniq 6 also features vehicle-to-load technology, which gives drivers the option to charge or power devices via a conventional three-pin plug.
There’s a full-width light bar at the rear of the car
The Ioniq 6 will also be the first Hyundai to incorporate over-the-air software updates. This feature allows the car to be automatically updated remotely, removing the need for the driver to take it to a garage.
All cars start at Premium grade and get 20-inch alloy wheels as standard, as well as heated front and rear seats, a 12.3-inch infotainment system with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and front and rear LED lights. Step up to Ultimate grade – priced from £50,245 – and you’ll find ‘relaxation’ front seats with ventilation equipped alongside an electric sunroof, surround-view parking camera and a Bose premium audio system.
There are also 11 exterior colours to choose from, with ‘Byte Blue Pearl’ being the only no-cost option. Metallic finishes bring a £585 price tag, while opting for a matt shade will cost £685.
Inside, the Ioniq 6 is trimmed in a number of ‘green’ materials, including eco-friendly processed leather which uses flaxseed in the dyeing process to help reduce water. There’s also recycled plastics incorporated into the fabric, while the exterior colour of the cladding has been dyed by using recycled paint pigment from end-of-life tyres.
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Issue by tag: Trinity Church Menlo Park
Trinity Church Menlo Park
The Rev. Jude Harmon takes the helm at Trinity Church in Menlo Park
Last month the Rev. Jude Harmon became the 19th rector of Trinity Church in Menlo Park following 10 years on the staff of Grace Cathedral
The Bishop of Myra — aka St. Nicholas— visits Trinity Church in Menlo Park
For well over 30 years, the Bishop of Myra aka St. Nicholas – as played by Woodside resident Dick Livermore – has been visiting Trinity
Spotted: Blessing of the animals at Trinity Church in Menlo Park
On or around October 4, Christians worldwide celebrate the Feast of Saint Francis with a blessing of animals and prayers for creation. Locally, such a
Music Festival followed by a talk about carbon offsets
Who says science and religion can't mix? They'll do so nicely at Trinity Church in Menlo Park on May 19 when a Festival of Music
Earth Day celebrated with bicycle blessing and electric vehicle showcase
Parishioners at Trinity Church in Menlo Ppark were encouraged to cycle to church today in observance of Earth Day. Following the 10:00 am service, the
Trinity Church continues its programs about Islam with speakers the next two Sundays
Trinity Church in Menlo Park held its Hearts for Justice half-day conference, titled Toward Understanding: a Jewish Christian, Muslim Conversation, featuring a panel composed of the Rev.
Festival of Music takes place on May 21 at Trinity Church in Menlo Park
On Sunday, May 21, at 10:00 am, Trinity Church in Menlo Park is hosting a Festival of Music, which is free and open to the public.
Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori talks about the intersection of science and faith
Katharine Jefferts Schori has worn two very different hats in her professional life, one as oceanographer and the other as cleric. She brought those experiences to
Animals are blessed at Trinity Church in Menlo Park
Pets were invited to come with their people this morning at Trinity Church in Menlo Park. The blessing of pets and animals is often celebrated
Prophetic preacher and justice seeker, The Rev. Ed Bacon preaches at Trinity Church in Menlo Park
It's easy to go "all celebrity" when writing about the Rev. Ed Bacon, who recently retired from All Saints Church, Pasadena, one of the largest | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6070274114608765, "wiki_prob": 0.39297258853912354, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line551433"} |
Serie A 12-13/03/2022: AC Milan and Inter Milan in action as title race intensifies
FootballSport 49 Weeks ago
Serie A 12-13/03/2022: AC Milan and Inter Milan in action as title race intensifies There are likely to be more twists and turns between now and the end of the season in Serie A. So, with that in mind, let’s look ahead to two games taking place this weekend. This will see title challengers AC
See our Serie A oddsContinue Reading
Ligue 1 05/03-06/03/2022: Paris Saint-Germain travel to Nice, Marseille lock horns with Monaco
The Ligue 1 title race may seem like a foregone conclusion, but there are still plenty of issues to be decided in the top and bottom halves of the table. In this preview, we will look ahead to two big weekend games – Nice v Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday, and Marseille v Monaco on Sunday
See our Ligue 1 oddsContinue Reading
La Liga 05/06/03/2022: Real Madrid entertain Real Sociedad, Real Betis host Atletico Madrid
While there weren’t many shock results to speak of in the last round of La Liga fixtures, things are hotting up in the battle for the top four. The title race isn’t done and dusted either. Check out our previews below of Real Madrid v Real Sociedad on Saturday, while the following day, Atletico Madrid
See our La Liga oddsContinue Reading
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Laptops & Printers
10 ways to increase your Youtube channel
by Manish
in social-media
Video marketing, which has become increasingly popular and available by brands in recent years, is not being negated. And while websites such as Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and your own Website are great places to invest, YouTube is the largest one with a milliard of hours of people watching the videos every day.
YouTube can help locate your content easily and thoroughly – if you know a few tricks. It is also regarded as the world's "second-largest search engine" 10 efficient ways to expand your YouTube channel are provided.
1. Created a single keyword/subject videos
It may seem simple, but it's the best way to get the traffic and increase your viewers to create your video around one subject/keyword. Many people who do not know SEO best practices miss this step, but it is vital to get the most views from your videos. Try to find the most searched keywords in the niche you want with the KeywordTool.io tool unique to YouTube.
Before you even create your video content it's crucial to choose your keyword because it helps to develop the best information on this particular subject. It helps you to remember to naturally include your keyword in your content so that YouTube can pick it up when you add closed titles. If you have selected your keyword, review the videos currently on the list for the subject to ensure that you're in the correct direction with regard to your purpose, and do not forget to optimize your title and descriptions.
2. Quality Material Reformat
Naturally, creating great content is the best way to broaden your platform. But it doesn't always need to be constructed from the ground up. Any of your best videos can be made from your already created entertaining, valuable, useful, and realistic content. Many people go to YouTube to find answers and how-to videos for the problems they face so it is a perfect match. See the blogs, tutorials, and other high-performance items you currently have and consider how to make fun videos.
3. Enter the audience
The fact that YouTube is a social media site, which involves social connections, should not be ignored. You're missing a trick if you upload videos without motivation to speak and comment. YouTube rewards channels, including all channel hours, watch time, loves and dislikes, and most importantly, feedback, with great dedication. Try to answer every comment (if possible) and ask for audio/visual prompts from users.
4. Brand yourself
That's how fantastic your content is. But is your channel visually attractive? You have to look professional if you want tourists to take your YouTube channel seriously and subscribe to your channel. Your platform also allows people to understand your content instantly. Possibly if you have a blog or website, you already feel and feel you have a kind of look to separate yourself from others, so it is only useful to add it to your YouTube channel. This is an example of the ModCloth fashion brand.
5. Advance the videos on YouTube on other social media
One of the good things about social networks is that you can promote content through multiple platforms. The best way to expand your audience is to promote your YouTube videos on your other social media. What are you on? On which channels? Instagram, Pinterest, Linkedin, Facebook? Many people have to choose from. And when you have a channel (like Facebook) that you want to publish videos directly, you can always make a preview on YouTube for the full video so that you are able to interact with all channels optimally. Don't forget your blog; your videos can also be shared there!
It can be very helpful to place your own face on the screen whether you run YouTube alone or as part of a small organization. You can relate to the audience as a person easier by putting a face to a brand. This is critical for bloggers, personal trainers, life coaches, and solopreneurs in particular. Each video you create needs not to include your face, but every few videos or so you can reach out to your audience personally. Even use a picture of yourself on your channel if you are such a You Tuber (not your logo). See the example from Adam Erhart, a marketing guru.
7. Significant Thumbnails Article
It can look like something small (because it's), but miniatures can have a huge effect. YouTube publishes other videos in its sidebar through thumbnails, so you want the pack to stand out for yours. The same applies to search on YouTube. Videos with a captivating title and a sweeping image are always higher, even though the contents themselves are not as valuable because the click rate is higher (CTR). Try using strategies like areas highlighted, arrows, broad text, and uncommon or unexpected photos to get your CTR wherever it is needed.
8. Using YouTube Cards
The fact that YouTube incentive channels keep the audience on its pages longer has already been addressed. The longer average watch times mean that people are very interested in your content. (You can see how much time people stay with Youtube analytics on your videos). You can add YouTube cards to an accurate location where users drop off, by adding additional suggested videos. Even if you abandon the video, users are taken to your other content and remain on your channel, increasing the rating of your channel.
9. Subscription drive
One way you know with certainty that viewers are interested in your channel is to subscribe to watch new content. Ask viewers in each video you upload to subscribe to your channel and stay in touch with current users. (Your subscriber list can be seen, here). Never pay for a bonus. This just reduces your dedication and destroys your account's authenticity over the long term. Note, you might lose a lot of potential followers if you don't ask your viewers to subscribe.
10. Enhance the frequency of upload
This tip can at first sound daunting, but you need to increase the frequency of posting to a minimum of one video a week to increase the audience. Don't worry; you don't have to have a design business or a fancy advertisement budget. Today's smartphones offer great video capabilities, as well as apps like Animoto, which make it easy for anyone to edit images. Coherence is extremely necessary. Try posting at the same time every day or week and keep your subscribers alert when new videos arrive (depending on your frequency). Then hold to the timetable.
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Manish Rathi
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Zainab Calcuttawala
Zainab Calcuttawala is an American journalist based in Morocco. She completed her undergraduate coursework at the University of Texas at Austin (Hook’em) and reports on…
U.S. Manufacturing PMI Hits Lowest Since May 2020
Shell To Enforce 3:1 Ratio For Gas And Oil Output
By Zainab Calcuttawala - Mar 08, 2018, 3:00 AM CST
In an effort to halve its carbon emissions by the year 2050, Royal Dutch Shell will ensure it produces triple the amount of natural gas compared to oil, CEO Ben van Beurden said during Houston’s ongoing CERAWeek.
“Over time, this net carbon footprint ambition will transform our company’s product mix,” van Beurden said.
The company’s targets aim to lower emissions from its own operations and the burning of fossil fuels by its customers. Shell will also begin selling energy from its wind farms to offset the carbon output of its hydrocarbon business, the CEO said.
Another initiative will charge customers at Shell fueling stations between 1 to 2 cents for a tree planting program around the world.
Gas production still produces sizeable amounts of methane, a particularly potent greenhouse gas contributing to rising global temperatures. The process of producing natural gas will also need to be made environmentally friendly for Shell’s transformation project to have its intended effects on the climate.
Shell is currently the world’s top liquefied natural gas trader, producing 3.7 million barrels of oil equivalent a day—half of which is natural gas. Shell-Integrated Gas currently possesses the world’s largest fleet of dedicated LNG vessels, some 70 in number, and a global facility footprint unmatched by any other company.
Shell has been expanding its energy footprint far beyond its traditional base of hydrocarbons extraction. Recent developments include the acquisition of First Utility in Britain. Moving from pure upstream energy producer to last-mile electricity distributor, Shell now serves over 800,000 homes in the United Kingdom.
Shell also has a significant real estate footprint across the U.K and Western Europe through its branded fueling stations. There, it is rolling out fast EV charging through its acquisition of New Motion in 2017.
By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com
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Louis Spring on March 08 2018 said:
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Home / Artificial Intelligence (AI) vs. Machine Learning
Artificial Intelligence (AI) vs. Machine LearningArtificial Intelligence (AI) vs. Machine LearningArtificial Intelligence (AI) vs. Machine Learning
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are often used interchangeably, but machine learning is a subset of the broader category of AI.
Put in context, artificial intelligence refers to the general ability of computers to emulate human thought and perform tasks in real-world environments, while machine learning refers to the technologies and algorithms that enable systems to identify patterns, make decisions, and improve themselves through experience and data.
Computer programmers and software developers enable computers to analyze data and solve problems — essentially, they create artificial intelligence systems — by applying tools such as:
Below is a breakdown of the differences between artificial intelligence and machine learning as well as how they are being applied in organizations large and small today.
Artificial Intelligence is the field of developing computers and robots that are capable of behaving in ways that both mimic and go beyond human capabilities. AI-enabled programs can analyze and contextualize data to provide information or automatically trigger actions without human interference.
Today, artificial intelligence is at the heart of many technologies we use, including smart devices and voice assistants such as Siri on Apple devices. Companies are incorporating techniques such as natural language processing and computer vision — the ability for computers to use human language and interpret images — to automate tasks, accelerate decision making, and enable customer conversations with chatbots.
Machine learning is a pathway to artificial intelligence. This subcategory of AI uses algorithms to automatically learn insights and recognize patterns from data, applying that learning to make increasingly better decisions.
By studying and experimenting with machine learning, programmers test the limits of how much they can improve the perception, cognition, and action of a computer system.
Deep learning, an advanced method of machine learning, goes a step further. Deep learning models use large neural networks — networks that function like a human brain to logically analyze data — to learn complex patterns and make predictions independent of human input.
How Companies Use AI and Machine Learning
To be successful in nearly any industry, organizations must be able to transform their data into actionable insight. Artificial Intelligence and machine learning give organizations the advantage of automating a variety of manual processes involving data and decision making.
By incorporating AI and machine learning into their systems and strategic plans, leaders can understand and act on data-driven insights with greater speed and efficiency.
AI in the Manufacturing Industry
Efficiency is key to the success of an organization in the manufacturing industry. Artificial intelligence can help manufacturing leaders automate their business processes by applying data analytics and machine learning to applications such as the following:
Identifying equipment errors before malfunctions occur, using the internet of things (IoT), analytics, and machine learning
Using an AI application on a device, located within a factory, that monitors a production machine and predicts when to perform maintenance, so it doesn’t fail mid-shift
Studying HVAC energy consumption patterns and using machine learning to adjust to optimal energy saving and comfort level
AI and Machine Learning in Banking
Data privacy and security are especially critical within the banking industry. Financial services leaders can keep customer data secure while increasing efficiencies using AI and machine learning in several ways:
Using machine learning to detect and prevent fraud and cybersecurity attacks
Integrating biometrics and computer vision to quickly authenticate user identities and process documents
Incorporating smart technologies such as chatbots and voice assistants to automate basic customer service functions
AI Applications in Health Care
The health care field uses huge amounts of data and increasingly relies on informatics and analytics to provide accurate, efficient health services. AI tools can help improve patient outcomes, save time, and even help providers avoid burnout by:
Analyzing data from users’ electronic health records through machine learning to provide clinical decision support and automated insights
Integrating an AI system that predicts the outcomes of hospital visits to prevent readmissions and shorten the time patients are kept in hospitals
Capturing and recording provider-patient interactions in exams or telehealth appointments using natural-language understanding
Learn more about how AI is changing the world of health care.
Integrate AI and Machine Learning into Your Company
The online Artificial Intelligence executive certificate program, offered through the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University, prepares you with the skills and insights to drive AI strategy and adoption across your organization.
With courses that address algorithms, machine learning, data privacy, robotics, and other AI topics, this non-credit program is designed for forward-thinking team leaders and technically proficient professionals who want to gain a deeper understanding of the applications of AI. You can complete the program in 9 to 18 months while continuing to work.
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How Nvidia Helped Luminar Technologies Shares Soar Tuesday
By Howard Smith – Nov 9, 2021 at 11:24AM
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang presented the keynote address at the GTC this morning.
Luminar's focus on transportation technology seems to have paid off.
Luminar's lidar technology was selected for Nvidia's autonomous vehicle platform.
Lidar sensor maker Luminar Technologies (LAZR 7.05%) has kept its focus on autonomous transportation, leaving other use cases for the navigation technology to its competitors. That strategy has paid off today, as the company announced a big win with semiconductor specialist Nvidia (NVDA 7.20%). Investors poured into Luminar stock this morning, driving shares up more than 36% in early trading. As of 10:30 a.m. EST, shares settled back with a gain of 24.5%. At the same time, Nvidia shares gained 1.4% after also trading up more earlier, about 5%.
Luminar announced that its lidar vehicle navigation solution has been selected for Nvidia's autonomous vehicle development platform. The announcement came at the semiconductor maker's virtual GPU Technology Conference (GTC) yesterday.
Nvidia's DRIVE Hyperion platform will contain multiple sensor technologies to provide a 360-degree view and will include computing power to allow data recording and replay. The vehicle computing platform with Luminar's sensors will begin production in 2024.
Luminar has worked to provide its lidar solutions for use in vehicles, leaving other sectors like agriculture, robotics, and mapping to other lidar companies. Earlier this year, Luminar said it will become the standard provider to Volvo Cars for its upcoming flagship electric version of the XC90 SUV launching next year.
But the selection for semiconductor industry leader Nvidia's autonomous driving platform is a broader win for the company. Luminar founder and CEO Austin Russell noted in a statement, "Nvidia has led the modern compute revolution, and the industry sees them as doing the same with autonomous driving."
Investors seem to agree that the inclusion of Luminar's lidar with Nvidia's solutions is a major step for the company's growth ambitions. Ultimately the acceptance and eventual market for autonomous vehicles will determine just how big a win this is for Luminar.
Howard Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Luminar Technologies, Inc.
LAZR
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SAINTLY launches cocktail inspired seltzers
Australia’s biggest independent seltzer brand, SAINTLY Hard Seltzer, has launched a new cocktail inspired seltzer range.
The Australian made and owned hard seltzer brand was launched in 2020 with a mission to serve tasty drinks without the calories.
“It’s been a truly incredible 12 months since we launched Saintly, we’re stocked in so many fantastic retailers nationwide, and we’re thrilled to have been able to reward their belief in the Saintly brand with such strong growth,” said SAINTLY Founder Kieron Barton.
“The Australian lifestyle and climate lends itself so well to seltzers, so it’s no surprise Aussies quickly jumped on the bandwagon. We’re now massively excited as we expand the Saintly range with four new Cocktail Seltzers inspired by Australia’s favourite cocktails; they’re incredibly refreshing, low in calories and have zero sugar and carbs and we think consumers are going to LOVE them!”
The four new flavours include:
The Faithful Ginger Mule, a spin on the Moscow Mule.
Glory Be Grapefruit Margarita, a take on the timeless classic, with grapefruit and lime.
Almighty Mojito, featuring fresh citrus with a hint of mint.
Paradise Passionfruit Martini, a spin on a ‘Pornstar Martini’, with passionfruit, lime and a touch of vanilla.
Just like their debut range of seltzers, the new cocktail inspired collection contains zero sugar, zero carbs, is all natural and contains 76 calories per serve.
“With the growing demand for both cocktails & Saintly Hard Seltzer, we were inspired to combine the two by launching a premium 5% abv Cocktail range featuring some of the hottest trending cocktails in the world with a Saintly Hard Seltzer twist,” Barton said.
“The result is an alchemic miracle with incredibly refreshing drinks low in calories, gluten-free, zero carbs & sugar that do not compromise taste.
“With this launch, Saintly demonstrates its versatility to provide consumers with on-trend drinks they will love and our retail partners with quality innovation that will drive volume and value.”
Find the new cocktail inspired seltzer range from SAINTLY Hard Seltzer at Dan Murphy’s. Available in 12 packs for $54.99.
The next big thing in hard seltzer
You need to try Ryan Reynolds’ Father’s Day cocktail
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Bart Rammeloo
Irina started following Bart Rammeloo June 20, 2022
Photogrammetry for student accounts?
Bart Rammeloo posted a topic in General Discussion
-- posted in the wrong forum --
Bart Rammeloo changed their profile photo June 14, 2019
Edit Subdivision tool and points in space
Bart Rammeloo replied to minotto's topic in Subdivision
About your last remark: yes and no. You can change the position of the edited points in space. Jus set the tool to "translate and transform mode" and "translate and rotate", put the cursor on the point and click. You will get a controller which you can use to drag the point around. With the tab key you can enter the translation value. AFAIK there's not yet a way to "read" the coordinates of that point thought. Obviously future versions will offer more possibilities. This is just the first iteration of the implementation. I remember when NURBS were first introduced, and that first version was also limited.
Vectorworks 2016
Bart Rammeloo replied to PVA - Admin's topic in General Discussion
I don't doubt for a second that you experience these issues. But statistically speaking, the stability of Vectorworks has been increasing with every version for, let's say, the last five or six versions. That's what the developers can track thanks to the automated crash reports that VW generates since a couple of versions. It's that report that also allows them to focus all effort on fixing the bugs with the highest occurrence rate. In my own experience from the past 13 years, there have always been "freak" crashes that are hard to explain, let alone solve - and that is true for every software. Again, that doesn't solve your problem, it doesn't address your frustration, but it also doesn't mean that Vectorworks is worsening. The numbers show that the opposite is true. The good news is that Jim is known for not letting go - so if it can be fixed, he will make sure you get the solution.
how to cut volume of column in the wall
Bart Rammeloo replied to lchen's topic in Architecture
I'd say use a wall feature, but that won't work since it's on the corner of the wall. A symbol might work (inserting it on the end or start of the wall), but it does take a bit of time to build it.
VW 2015 CPU Usage
Bart Rammeloo replied to I will I's topic in General Discussion
AFAIK SP2 has been made available a while ago, hasn't it? Are you saying you're still experiencing this issue under SP2?
Cinema 4D users feedback wanted...
Bart Rammeloo replied to J. Wallace's topic in General Discussion
You're right, and if there would have been a straightforward way, it would have been implemented a long time ago C4D is a polygon based modeler. And as most poly modelers, it only supports faces with up to 4 vertices. A face with more than 4 gets automatically (internally) split. You might no see those seams in C4D, but they're there nonetheless (you can show those seams in the viewport via Filter > N-Gon lines). When you export the geometry, you get a mix of triangles and so-called "quads" - regardless of how smooth your surface looks in C4D. Because even if you use the C4D "NURBS", this is just a smoothing algorithm on top of a polygon cage. As long as C4D doesn't support real solids and real NURBS, getting the information back into VW in a transparent will remain difficult.
No, I'm not wrong. Sorry, but the tools you list do not fit the regular architect's workflow. The polypen is a great tool - I agree (although I still miss some of the features that Per-Anders Edwards introduced back in the days with his polygon plugins). So are the plugins you listed. But all these tools do, is either allow you to SNAP and modify the way that snapping behaves, or to insert preconfigured objects, or to draw polygons faster. It does not, however, allow you do draw a wall-like object and define it's length WHILE DRAWING. That is quintessential for fast drawing - and for architecture. BTW, did you know there's a nifty Xpresso-based tool in the presets of the Visualize bundle, called House Builder? It offers a genuine speedup, but again it falls short in the department of an architect's workflow. It isn't geared at architects either, MAXON confirmed that during their pre-R16 meetings. In that regard, Sketchup would still be better than C4D. But why would you use Sketchup when you have the power of Vectorworks :-) Don't get me wrong, I'm a big C4D-advocate, but comparing it to Vectorworks when it comes to modeling is really apples and oranges.
I'm afraid you misread what I wrote. I said you cannot give it the proper dimensions WHILE DRAWING. You can model anything you like, but you cannot do it like an architect would do in a CAD package. C4D doesn't offer the same kind of speed when it comes to architectural modeling (read: designing a building while you draw, taking care of accurate dimensions) as Vectorworks. While we're on the topic af accuracy: no, C4D isn't as accurate as Vectorworks. It has been a long standing issue for some modelers, even back when I was still in C4D's beta test group.
Bart Rammeloo replied to scheven_architect's topic in Architecture
Hi, If you prefer to use the English tools, you still can. It's just a matter of adding them to your workspace. Here's a video that shows you how to do it: http://videotraining.vectorworks.be/nl/video/33 However, it would help if you could somehow tell us (Design Express) how you would like those tools to work and behave. I know we have a couple of things in the works, and we're looking for users to give beta versions a spin. Would it be OK if my colleague who coordinates development got in touch with you?
Black triangles on outdoor windows.
Hi Scheven, I see that you're struggling with that window tool - what you see is not what is supposed to happen. I know that a SP is in the works to fix a couple of bugs with that tool, but at the same time I think that simply contacting our support to check if there are no other options to make this function as you'd expect might help a lot. http://www.vectorworks.be/nl/support/online-support http://www.vectorworks.be/nl/support/telefonische-support Or via the Service Select portal: serviceselect.vectorworks.net
I assume you're a garden/landscape specialist? In that case modeling in C4D can make sense, yes. But C4D is no good at the typical "architectural" modeling (or technical modeling, for that matter), since you cannot "draw" your objects AND give them the correct dimensions while drawing. If you'd try to create, for instance, a wall, then in Vectorworks you can define the start and end point with the exact coordinates (position), and be done with it. In C4D, you can't. Either you will place an object (for instance a cube) and fiddle around with the parameters until it has the right dimension and position, or you draw it with linear curves, but then you can't enter values for your control points while drawing - you'd have to tweak each point after completing the curve. If accurate dimensions don't matter, you can do all your 3D work in C4D. To be clear: I'm not saying C4D is inaccurate, I'm just saying it's not geared towards your typical architectural modeling. It lacks a couple of features to pull that off.
IFC export, grid axis, text
Bart Rammeloo replied to ida's topic in General Discussion
This really coasts on the edge of what is currently possible in IFC. There have been numerous requests to change IFC in such a way that it would allow symbolic information, but at its core, IFC is still about volumetric information, attached data, and hierarchy. My question would be: why do you want to include that info in an IFC file? What would be its purpose? Who is going to use this file and cannot work without that info? BTW, I'm not sure this post belongs here. Exporting and importing IFC is a Vectorworks Architect feature
2015 + RW : Rendering Problems
Bart Rammeloo replied to zoomer's topic in General Discussion
It's not a German comma. It's an American point ;-) As to the C4D render engine: it's a German product, it should be able to talk Metric, no?
How to draw a bath like this in 3d in vectorworks
Bart Rammeloo replied to John Whyte's topic in General Discussion
I would try this with Model > 3D Powerpack > Revolve with rail. - you draw the top path (ellipse?) - you draw the axis (in side view: off center) - from path to axis, in a side view, you draw the section Then you use the command. You could combine this with Shell solid to give it a thickness, and then cut or add parts, fillet edges and so on, depending on your preferred workflow.
Vectorworks Cloud Services Credits. How do they work..?
Bart Rammeloo replied to Mattheng's topic in General Discussion
I work for one of the distributors, we've had these questions before | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6416435837745667, "wiki_prob": 0.35835641622543335, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line118225"} |
Home Blog SNEAK PEEK: Deadwood Undertaker Series CAN’T RIDE AROUND IT!
SNEAK PEEK: Deadwood Undertaker Series CAN’T RIDE AROUND IT!
Jocie McKade
The Saga Continues by the All-Star Duo of USA TODAY Bestselling Author ANN CHARLES and Sam Lucky!
Can’t Ride Around It (Deadwood Undertaker Series Book 3)
Some things you just can’t ride around …
Jack “Rabbit” Fields knew a good thing when he saw it, whether it was a sound horse, a sure bet, or a pretty sage hen. When it came to locking horns with any curly wolves he ran into along the trail, he tended to shoot first—a notion that had saved his hide more times than he could count. But that was before he came to Deadwood.
Now, someone is stealing freshly dead bodies right out of their graves, and Rabbit and his amigos are on the hunt to figure out who. And more important, why?
Unfortunately, finding the answers to those questions will take plenty of Rabbit’s bullets, and maybe his blood, too. When the shooting stops and the smoke clears, he reckons there will be a whole lot more cold corpses in the Black Hills.
Hold onto your hats and saddle up for another action-filled adventure with the Santa Fe Sidewinders, Clementine, Hank, and the rest of the goldurn Deadwood devils!
Other Books in The Series:
Life At The Coffin Joint
Deadwood (late 1876) … A rowdy and reckless undertaker’s delight. What better place for a killer to blend in?
Enter undertaker Clementine Johanssen, tall and deadly with a hot temper and short fuse, hired to clean up Deadwood’s dead … and the “other” problem. She’s hell-bent on poking, sticking, or stabbing anyone that steps out of line.
But when a couple Santa Fe sidewinders ride into town searching for their missing uncle, they land neck deep in lethal gunplay, nasty cutthroats, and endless stinkin’ snow. Their search leads them to throw in with
Clementine to hunt for a common enemy.
What they find chills them all to the bone and sends them on an adventure they’ll never forget.
From the bestselling, multiple award-winning, humorous Deadwood Mystery series comes a new herd of tales set in the same Deadwood stomping grounds, only back in the days when the Old West town was young.
A Long Way From Ordinary:
There’s gold in them there hills!” … and something deadly, too.
Danger the likes Boone McCreery has never seen is brewing in the Black Hills. Fresh in from Santa Fe, he’s returned to Deadwood to seek justice for his uncle—and maybe to see about a girl. Little did he know his search for justice would have him stumbling into a hornets’ nest beyond his worst nightmare. One thing is for certain, the trouble he and his compadres chance upon deep in the trees is a LONG way from ordinary.
Kick up your spurs and enjoy another rip-roaring, wild ride with Boone, Rabbit, Clementine, and Hank through the pages of the second book in the Deadwood Undertaker series.
About Ann and Sam:
Ann Charles is a USA Today Best-Selling author who writes spicy, award-winning mysteries full of
Junction Mystery Series, Dig Site Mystery Series, Deadwood Undertaker Series (with her husband, Sam Lucky), and AC Silly Circus Mystery Series. Her Deadwood Mystery Series has won multiple national awards, including the Daphne du Maurier for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. Ann has a B.A. in English with an emphasis on creative writing from the University of Washington and is a member of Sisters in Crime and Western Writers of America. She is currently toiling away on her next book, wishing she was on a Mexican beach with an ice-cold Corona in one hand and a book in the other. When she is not dabbling in fiction, she is arm wrestling with her two kids, attempting to seduce her husband, and arguing with her sassy cats.
Sam Lucky likes to build things—from Jeep engines to Old West buildings to fun stories. When he is not writing, feeding his kids, attempting to seduce his wife, or attending the goldurn cats, he is planning food-based book signing/road trips with his wife and working on one of his many home-improvement projects.
Sam Lucky’s Website: http://www.samlucky.com
To request additional review copies or an interview, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: [email protected] / 403.464.6925.
Ann Charles
Deadwood Undertaker Series
Sam Lucky
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https://www.jociemckade.com/
Her fiction writing has received the Author / Ambassador at Library Journal Self-e Authors, Winner Queen of the West Reader Favorite Award, Amazon Bestseller - Historical, Double finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards in the Mystery and Humorous Categories. Writing humorous cozy mysteries and romantic comedy, Jocie can find humor in most everything, even when she shouldn't. She lives in the Midwest on Dust Bunny Farm with her family. | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.7252776622772217, "wiki_prob": 0.2747223377227783, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line1093347"} |
Tag: eska
BREVIEW: The Flyover Show 2016 @ Hockley Circus (underneath Hockley Flyover) 20.08
Words by Ed King / Pics by Michelle Martin (Visual Voice Media)
One of the great things about The Flyover Show is the roof. Sounds odd, but as I stare out of my bathroom window at sheets of early morning rain knowing I’ll be spending the rest of the day with the B4100 as an urban canopy is somewhat of a comfort.
Luckily by lunchtime the skies have settled into a dry, battleship grey, with splashes of sun and good humour – archetypal English event weather. And as the background sounds of DJ Winchester welcome us on to the curiously effective event site, the concrete concourse that connects the underpasses of Hockley Circus (underneath the eponymous ‘flyover’) the day begins to take shape.
Soweto Kinch’s ‘one-day festival of music, art & dance’ has been out of action since 2012, when around 6,000 people came through the Maxi Priest headlined line up, and it’s eventual return is both welcome and precarious.
A week is a long time in ‘small p’ politics, and to be off the funded event calendar for nearly half a decade is arguable suicide; the big thing hanging over The Flyover Show 2016 – other than two lanes of asphalt – is if it can win back its supremely supportive crowd.
Since its inaugural event in 2008 The Flyover Show has fostered a safe, friendly and diverse audience – with a clear mandate “challenging the preconceptions surrounding the area, showing that community and culture can thrive in all corners of our city’s heart.” But four years without a sound… if you build it again, will they come back?
The first live performance comes from the six strings and sultry tones of Affie Jam – a local singer/songwriter with more to offer than most. Everyone’s giving it their all, on stage and off; as the line up unfurls The Flyover Show’s curator and creator – Soweto Kinch – parades the open event site with an infectious call to arms, like a mix between the pied piper and Mos Def.
The event doors have just opened and it’s a little thin on the ground, with most of the early birds perched on the slanted cobbles tones that adorn this accidental amphitheatre. Kinch marches on, it’s hard to ignore or resist; The Flyover Show has always relied on more than just bodies to fill out the empty pockets on site.
Black Circle kick start the full band performances, and introduce the first flavours of reggae that will culminate in this year’s headline – the legendary within certain circles guitarist, Ernest Ranglin.
Ranglin has an impressive portfolio, having played with many jazz and reggae greats, alongside running both Studio One and Island Records back in the days when you would really want those jobs. And at 83 the man is on his ‘Farewell Tour’ – playing a litany of high profile events including Glastonbury Festival, The Barbican, Montreux jazz festival, Istanbul Jazz Festival… and now The Flyover Show.
It’s a coup for Birmingham. But to see this artist at a free, community focused event (as opposed to a bank breaking bill at the Symphony Hall) is another feather in The Flyover Show’s cap.
As well as breaking the media myths Handsworth, Lozells and Hockley are so often hung drawn and quartered with, Soweto Kinch set up the annual event to “break down these constraints of culture and class, and brings world renowned acts right into the heart of our community.” With Ernest Ranglin headlining The Flyover Show 2016, this particular arrow has arguably never been closer to its mark.
Call Me Unique is next on stage, performing tracks from her soon to be released Urban Gypsy EP. Strong, confident and engaging, Call Me Unique is a solid performer – with a developed edge coming out in her new material.
The Flyover Show crowd, many of whom have grown up, with and around the Handsworth based singer/songwriter (Call Me Unique lives round the corner, and has done everything from street flyering to broadcast interviews to help promote The Flyover Show) and it’s another of the day’s welcome sights to see her on stage.
Call Me Unique’s set introduces a further series of local artists, including TrueMendous, Trope, RTKal, Deci4life and Juice Aleem – performing mainly hip hop focused sets, with rhyme and verse holding a firm grip over the growing audience (it’s heading into late afternoon and there’s about 700 people here now). Some technical difficulties bring the running order into sharp light, but allow for more on stage banter from the section of the line up with a closer bond to Birmingham. Shout outs are given, given back, and a feeling of warm familiarity flows on and off stage.
Eska Mtungwazi, or Eska for short, ushers in the headline acts – coming on stage as the late August light starts to dip into early evening. A stalwart performer, Eska’s rising balloon saw her as a highlight of the recent Mostly Jazz festival – with her sonorous delivery and rich melodies now rippling across concrete and crowd at The Flyover Show 2016. It’s (she’s) pretty spectacular, and steps up the on stage flair in time for Basil Gabbidon and his band; brass and bright strings washing a wave of Birmingham reggae out across the crowd.
As Gabbidon and company strut through their set, it all gets a little carnival; with a mouth of pipping hot jerk chicken I join the dancing front rows. But as the lights on stage come up, and those above us come down, it’s time for the headline act – Ernest Ranglin has entered the building… well, municipal urban concourse, but you get the adage.
Dub riffs and decades of confidence ooze off stage, as the crowd dutifully drag themselves into the barriers and shoulder drop skank. I didn’t know about Ernest Ranglin before seeing him on the bill for The Flyover Show 2016, but you can tell almost instantly that you’re watching an artist of serious intent and caliber. The rest of the crowd gets this too – and show a reassuring appreciation to the man who agreed to play the event due to the audience it attracts. “I might get too warmed up, but I think I’ll be alright,” Ranglin jokes to the crowd – who have, by this penultimate point, grown to well over 1000.
Ranglin’s set is a joy to watch, and I suspect the people on stage are having just as much fun (maybe more) than those dancing at the front. Soweto Kinch and Alex Wilson have been touring with Ranglin, but still seem in appreciative awe that their on stage with the man.
Then, in a suitably special finale, Basil Gabbidon comes back on stage for a final thank you performance; the atmosphere is thick with pride, respect and camaraderie, and it’s a little hard not to feel like you’re watching something special. And that you’re part of it.
After running a little late (the line up warrants an adventurous approach to on-stage logistics) The Flyover Show hangs up its hat at around 9pm – with the families and friends that made up the day’s crowd standing strong since about 3pm. The champion returns. The Flyover Show 2016 has been a resounding success, with any fears of torrential downpours and apathetic crowds being dispelled by mid afternoon.
Birmingham has seen a recent redaction of events that celebrate black culture, as well as burning a few cultural bridges between potentially disparate communities – The Drum has closed, Simmer Down has folded and Birmingham Carnival is on a sabbatical. So the return of The Flyover Show could not be more box tickingly pertinent – with arts funding and council representatives needing something to show ‘diversity’.
But the success of The Flyover Show, what made it, developed it and what has reintroduced it nearly five years since its last outing, is the crowd. A cliché perhaps, but it’s the people off stage that really make this event – responding to what is being brought on stage with a sense of pride and ownership.
It works, it worked before and it has worked again, and as I pack up to go home – still early enough to have some light to see me up Great Hampton Street, I circle one sentence in thick bold.
‘Proud of our crowd’.
Then I add, ‘already excited about The Flyover Show 2017.’ And I don’t think I’m the only one.
For more on The Flyover Show, visit www.facebook.com/TheFlyoverShow
For more on UPRIZE-CIC, visit www.uprize-cic.com
For more on Soweto Kinch, visit www.soweto-kinch.com
BPREVIEW: The Flyover Show 2016 @ Hockley Circus (underneath Hockley Flyover) 20.08
Words by Ed King / Pics courtesy of UPRIZE CIC
Today, in a few hours time (we’re posting early/late), The Flyover Show returns to Birmingham – to ‘once again transform the grey space beneath the Hockley flyover into an oasis of cultural expression’.
It’s bold rhetoric, but Soweto Kinch’s ‘one-day festival of music, art & dance’ does pretty much exactly that – building a seriously serious stage and soundsystem on the forgotten grey concourse that connects the underpasses of Hockley Circus (see above).
Add an international line up of reggae, roots, jazz, soul and hip hop, with a sprinkling of homegrown talent, turn the oven to Gas Mark Free Entry and cook on a slow heat between 12:30pm and 9pm. Crikey Nigella, this puts your aubergine pasties to shame.
You’ll forgive me. I get somewhat excited about The Flyover Show. But it is a remarkable event, and not just for the line ups and artists that it brings to the city (The Flyover Show 2010 was the first time I saw Akala). Soweto Kinch consistently challenges the preconceptions that Lozells, Handsworth and the less bohemian patches of Hockley are marred with – combating tired media with a line up that the Symphony Hall would soil themselves to get.
And it’s free. It’s Free. IT’S ALL FOR FREE. Tell me of another fully community focused event in Birmingham, with no door charge, that welcomes all ages, and has the same brash line up panache and cultural gall – combining international legends (this year it’s the jazz and reggae guitar great, Ernest Ranglin) with homegrown talent and UK wide headliners . I’ll give you some time… you can’t, can you?
So… (cue dream swirls, wavy trail hands and nostalgia glockenspiel…) Why are we here? The Flyover Show began back in 2008, as Soweto Kinch was on a photoshoot in the derelict underbelly of the Hockley flyover. For more background on The Flyover Show from the man himself, read Helen Knott’s interview with Soweto Kinch – click here.
Recognising the acoustics, and being tired of the one sided reputation the area has carried for some years, Kinch decided to throw a big party. Well, what better way to combat a media circus than with music, dancing and food. The Flyover Show held its inaugural event in May 2008; what started as good idea gathered some serious momentum, then a following, and after seeing the likes of Andy Hamilton, Bashy, Goldie, Lady Dynamite, Akala, and Goldie all headline The Flyover Show (plus a jaunt across the world to hold The Flyover Show in Johannesburg) The Flyover Show took a break after 2012.
Now, four years since around 6,000 people turned up to see Maxi Priest headline, The Flyover Show is back – with the renowned jazz/reggae guitarist, Ernest Ranglin, sitting at the top of the bill.
Ernest Ranglin has played with an absurdly sexy portfolio of artists, and was music director for both Island Records and Studio One back in the days when you would really, really want those jobs. Plus this is part of Ernest Ranglin’s farewell tour – a globetrotting series of goodbye gigs that reads Glastonbury, The Barbican, Montreux jazz festival, Istanbul Jazz Festival, The Flyover Show… erm, I think that’s pronounced ‘SCORE’.
Next on the line up is Eska, who if you’ve not heard of before just stop reading… click on Google (or our links)… type in ‘Eska Music’ and start reading again. Eska grew up with The Flyover Show, is generally quite spectacular, and her set at the recent Mostly Jazz festival was one of the highlights of the weekend. Now you can see her FOR FREE at The Flyover Show.
Also this year event sees the welcome return of Basil Gabbidon, a Birmingham reggae legend and founding member of Steel Pulse, who will be playing with his own band and possibly someone else’s… but you’ll have to be at The Flyover Show to see this in all its mystery and glory.
Then there’s top some draw jazz from Reuben James, Alex Wilson and Soweto Kinch himself. Whilst in the home grown cooler we have Juice Aleem, Call Me Unique, TrueMendous, RTKal, Deci4life, Affie Jam, Amerah Saleh, Aliyah Hasinah, Alisha Kadir, Jae Sosa and Trope.
Oh, and did I mention it’s free..?
The Flyover Show runs from 12:30pm to 9pm, on the concourse inside Hockely Circus – underneath the Hockley flyover. Entry is free all day.
Here’s a few helpful online links to find and find out about The Flyover Show:
Google Maps (to Hockley Circus/event site): https://goo.gl/maps/2JzEPdR2jZ92
The Flyover Show on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheFlyoverShow/
The Flyover Show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Flyovershow | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.5761724710464478, "wiki_prob": 0.42382752895355225, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line1644524"} |
Charlène Cruxent, Endnote 10
1 2019-01-28T20:43:18-08:00 Julia Koslowsky 567e8011960119228860c6a7c06189d32b98838f 29603 3 plain 2019-05-15T10:11:57-07:00 Sujata Iyengar fbe074df710a5cd8b25e3570885f735f9ed74e43
Claire McEachern, “Henry V and the Paradox of the Body Politic,” Shakespeare Quarterly 45, no. 1 (Spring, 1994): 54.
This page is referenced by:
1 media/003452.jpg 2019-01-21T19:47:21-08:00 Invading the Other (Through Language) 21 image_header 837287 2019-06-24T20:21:45-07:00 Page Three Audio File
2.1 France: A Maid to be Conquered
2.2 Le Fer Representing France
2.3 The Perlocutionary Nature of Language: Renaming and “Taming” the Other
Denigrating Le Fer in such a way while he is in his own territory shows the aggressiveness of the invading English army. The violence of the attack is conveyed by sexual metaphors throughout the play, the English king depicting France as a woman to be violated. “In 3.3, Henry threatens to invade Harfleur with a speech that returns obsessively to images of rape,” substantiates Claire McEachern, then quoting the following passages: “And the fleshed soldier, rough and hard of heart, / (...) mowing like grass / Your fresh fair virgins and your flow’ring infants” (3.3.11-4); “If your pure maidens fall into the hand / Of hot and forcing violation?” (3.3.20-1).
Later on, Charles VI comments on this fact telling Henry V: “Yes, my lord, you see them perspectively, the cities turned into a maid” (5.2.332-3). The threat of rape and destruction of “fertile France” (5.2.38) is given tangible reality when the French king consents to the union of his daughter and Henry V. Besides, the English lesson given by Alice to the French princess shows that Henry V’s conquest was both physical and linguistic: “Katharine learns English and performs an anatomy of her body, laying herself open to semantic invasion as her innocent English words are transformed into French sexual slang.”
In the same vein, Nathalie Vienne-Guerrin explains that a physiological dimension is at stake when the linguistic conquest takes place. When Princess Katherine learns English, she is symbolically dismembered since she is taught the translation of body parts; in so doing, she opens the door – or the gate, to extend the metaphor of the city – to a sexual invasion.
If France is symbolically represented through the maids populating the realm, the personal pronoun “she” (France) becomes “they” or “he” (4.4.75) when the French are mentioned. Act 4, Scene 4 is the only scene of direct confrontation between England and France, and one may see Le Fer as representative of the French. Pistol subjects Le Fer to his authority in a scene filled with homoerotic associations. Indeed, Pistol threatens to assault the French soldier’s body: he first threatens to put his hand in Le Fer’s throat (“I will fetch thy rim out at thy throat in drops of
crimson blood,” (4.4.14-5), and then to violate him when he says: “I’ll fer him, and firk him” (4.4.27). According to Thomas Craik, the term “firk” means “to beat (OED v.4); [but it is also] used with overtones of ‘fuck’ in Dekker’s Shoemaker Holiday (1.232; 7.44; 13.28) and perhaps here.”
A plethora of sexual puns on Pistol’s name can be found in 2 Henry IV. He is called “Captain Peesell” (2.4.163), the peesell/pizzle being the penis of an animal; “I will discharge upon her, Sir John, with two bullets” (ibid., 2.4.115-6), are Pistol’s own words to express his hedonistic desire, “discharge” standing for “To effect a seminal ejaculation. Literally, to unload oneself upon.”) In Henry V, we also hear that “Pistol’s cock is up” (2.1.53). Knowing that, it seems legitimate to see in the French soldier’s kneeling (4.4.54) the proof of his submission and the threat of rape. The North Fulton Drama Club production (2013), along with a significant number of contemporary productions, chose an actress to perform Monsieur Le Fer’s part, as if this character embodied the state of France under the shape of a woman to be tamed.
Le Fer gives up on his freedom because of the threat of physical violence, but also because of the linguistic attack led by Pistol. The English soldier attempts to make Le Fer his prisoner subduing him from a linguistic point of view. He manipulates the French soldier’s name that he unknowingly changes into “O Seigneur Dew,” and uses the new name in order to alter Le Fer’s very essence. As claimed by Laurie Maguire, “Relabelling someone without their invitation or agreement is a powerful statement,” and the insistent repetitions of the new name (4.4.7, 4.4.8, 4.4.9, and 4.4.10) show that Pistol is trying to impose a new “English identity” on the French soldier using anglicized French words to transform the French individual into an English commodity, a hostage.
In a similar way, Henry V tries to make Princess Katherine his, turning her into an English queen while bombarding her with the diminutive “Kate” twenty-four times in the last scene of the play (5.2). Comparing the English king and Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew, Laurie Maguire considers the diminutive form of the name as “a deliberate attempt by the males to re-create the Katherines as Kates: in other words, to tame them by (re)naming them.” Thanks to the perlocutionary effect of the new names they coin, Pistol and Henry V seek to establish their authority and superiority over the character they rename.
Indeed, the perlocutionary force of language refers to the power of words to produce an effect on their objects. Here, “O Seigneur Dew” and “Kate” replace the proper names of their bearer as if the new names acted on the characters so that they forget their previous selves and become who the renamer wants them to. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.632341206073761, "wiki_prob": 0.632341206073761, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line75841"} |
The Design of Discover 1
Design: Less is more
Right from the start, we wanted to develop the vehicle with simplicity in mind. The design of the Discover 1 follows this ethos through and through, with the vehicle design following a simple, clean and linear design.
The Frame: Commitment to a Clean Design
We hid exposed parts such as brake lines, motor lines, shifting lines, liquid forging process and soil grinding process to reduce the weld paths—strengthening and simplifying the frame (head tube and downtube connection, internal fenders and hidden tail light wires).
The battery and controller throughout the frame design were also hidden to give the bicycle a simple look and feel. Additional adjustments and integrations were concealed so the user could focus on enjoying the ride experience.
The Colors: Nature-Inspired Innovation
During the color development process, the relationship between the product and where it will be used were taken into close consideration.
We took the colors of the city: neon red and green from the lights, gray from the concrete, yellow from the cabs and green from the trees—all so the bike could blend into the cityscape while still holding a uniqueness of its own.
Engineering: A Considered Approach
The Ergonomics: Considering Comfort and Safety from the Start
During the early stages of defining our product, we had extensive discussions on how we could design an e-bike that could fit most riders, settling for a frame and structure that could comfortably fit most between 5’1 - 6’4 (or approximately 155-195 cm). The challenge was, of course, making a bike that would be comfortable for such a wide height range. This drove our product design decisions including:
A low span frame, so you can hop on and off, fast.
Wide commuter tires, to get that comfortable rebound when you ride.
Higher capacity batteries, so you don’t get stuck in the middle of nowhere without power.
A more powerful motor, so you can go places—faster.
The frame geometry was redefined through extensive data simulation and analysis. With this, riders can keep their arms straight and their backs upright while riding. The low span frame design makes it easy to get on and off, while ensuring rider safety.
Through our research, we’ve analyzed the needs of both home users and older users of the e-bike. We know comfort is important, and have gone to great lengths to create a more comfortable ride. Most of the e-bikes on the market are more like mountain bikes and do not take comfort into account—making it likely your arms and waist will grow tired after a longer ride.
Shock absorption was also something we considered in order to create the smoothest riding experience possible with an e-bike. The shock-absorbing front fork design and 26 x 2.5″ tires improve shock absorption of the e-bike significantly. This improves the rider’s experience even when riding on more complex roads.
The Materials: Made to Last
With its aviation-grade aluminum alloy frame, the Discover 1 was designed to withstand anything. The aviation polar aluminum alloy has a much higher tensile property (how a material reacts to tension) and strength than ordinary aluminum alloy. During testing, we applied a much higher force than the international standard, and all parts of the Discover 1 passed ISO-4210 and CPSC standards.
Refined and Reliable Electric System
The electrical system makes a huge impact on the ride quality and reliability of the e-bike, and we developed a more holistic solution to ensure a smooth experience for the rider:
Vector controller
Rear wheel hub motor
Samsung/LG 21700 battery pack
Waterproof wiring harness
It was only approved for production after strict reliability testing and adjusting riding characteristics.
Engineered for All Conditions
The Discover 1 was developed to be a multifunctional e-bike. Road conditions are complex and can vary, so we added a high-power, high-torque motor to ensure the e-bike can support a maximum of 15 degrees of slope. This ensures it can handle most suburban road conditions.
For output tuning, we optimized the acceleration curve while turning on the vehicle and the power connection while riding to ensure a smooth, yet powerful vehicle power output.
Safety comes first
We’ve placed great emphasis on the safety of the electrical system. In addition to adhering to strict standards for the electrical components, the whole vehicle was sent to a third-party laboratory to get certified the UL2849 electrical system safety certification.
Our batteries also use the same Samsung/LG 21700 cells as Tesla, and they have also been sent to a third-party laboratory to get certified for the UL2271 (battery pack safety) and UN38.3 lithium battery transport safety certification. The products fully meet the requirements of applicable laws and regulations, giving you a peace of mind that our products are both reliable and safe. | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.7290571331977844, "wiki_prob": 0.2709428668022156, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line1013568"} |
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Capital Gains: Washington Capitals’ Once “Shallow” Prospect Pool Finally Gaining Depth
Posted on August 9, 2022 by Jon Sorensen
Once considered by many as one of the NHL’s weakest prospect pools, the Washington Capitals have made significant gains over the past three NHL Entry Drafts. The team has also made several recent key free-agent signings that have added much needed value to the overall depth. And while early returns appear promising, there is still work to do.
Many of the NHL’s so-called “prospect experts” had the the Capitals prospect pool ranked as low as last or next-to-last as recently as 2018. I don’t hold much value in those rankings, as I know the commitment and time we (NoVa Caps) spend tracking and assessing the Capitals prospects alone. For one “expert” to accurately assess and rank all 32 teams would seem impossible.
However, because of our commitment to tracking and assessing all of the Capitals prospects full time, as soon as they are acquired (draft, trade, free agency), I do feel we have a good perspective for the strengths, weaknesses and shifts in trends in the Capitals prospect pool.
So where do we stand?
The chart above may be a bit overwhelming at first glance. However, most of the key information is included, and helps begin to paint the picture of the Capitals current organizational structure.
Recently a weak spot in the Capitals prospect pool, the center position is beginning to fill in. It began with the selection of Aliaksei Protas and added significant strength with the additions of Connor McMichael and Hendrix Lapierre. There is still some depth to be added, but right now, the center position is no longer at the top of the Capitals “needs” list.
The Capitals goaltending depth also remains fairly stout. Free agent signings Clay Stevenson and Zach Fucale were good moves, and the selection of Mitchell Gibson and Chase Clark have added promising long-term depth at the position. The Capitals have a good road map for the position for the next 4-6 years.
The Capitals were extremely shallow at the left wing prior to the 2022 NHL Entry Draft in July. However, the team addressed that need by selecting a Ivan Miroshnichenko, Alexander Suzdalev and Ryan Hofer in the draft. There is still a soft spot between the most recent draft picks and the top of the prospect pool on the left side, so a free agent signing might be made in the near future in order to continue fortifying the left side, and in particular, help Hershey for the coming season.
The Capitals also added to the right side of the defense in the most recent draft, selecting Ryan Chesley in the second round (#37 overall) of the draft, but there still remains a need to fortify the right side of the blueline. There is a soft spot at the mid-tier (mid-development stage) that will begin to surface with the Capitals over the next 1-3 years.
Time To Make A Move
The time is now for several prospects. 2018 draft selections Riley Sutter and Kody Clark need to have a breakout 2022-23 seasons, as both players have spent the last three seasons in Hershey with underwhelming results. While injuries have been prevalent for both Sutter and Clark, the games and years are starting to mount. Clark (second round, #47 overall) has played 113 games in the AHL and Sutter (third round pick, #93 overall) has played 89 games in Chocolatetown. Both players have one year remaining on their current deals. It’s time to make a move for both.
Benton Maass, Martin Hugo Has, Bear Hughes and Henrik Rybinski are prospects to keep an eye on this season, not for star power, but to see which direction they are heading as far as progress in development.
Martin Hugo Has has been solid in his development to this point, but has quietly resided in the background. Will he make some noise this season? or will it be more quiet but reliable defense from Has?
Rybinski was a solid free agent signing, but a bit of a mystery. He was drafted by the Florida Panthers but went unsigned following underwhelming play. Rybinski then moved to the center position last season and had a breakout year in the WHL. Was that all he needed? Keep an eye on his season.
Bear Hughes was a fifth round pick by the Capitals in 2020, and has shown signs of being a next-level center during his time in the WHL. He spent a brief period in Hershey following his WHL season, but the Capitals decided not to sign him, leaving the signing to the Bears. His first year in the AHL will be an interesting watch.
Benton Maass has been an interesting prospect to track and assess since he was drafted in 2017. He opted for a 5th collegiate season due to Covid provisions, transferring from New Hampshire to Minnesota State where he was a regular starter. He also reported to Hershey for a brief stint (review by Caps staff) following the conclusion of his NCAA season, but was also unsigned by the Capitals. The Bears would ultimately ink Maass to keep him in the neighborhood.
Filing In
Obviously it’s not just a matter of filling in the Capitals prospect pool, but filling in with players who have real potential and will align with the Capitals needs over the next 3-5 years. After several failed draft selections and the trading of draft picks, the Capitals are finally making gains.
This entry was posted in News and tagged Alexander Suzdalev, Aliaksei Protas, Connor McMichael, Hendrix Lapierre, Ivan Miroschnichenko, Kody Clark, Riley Sutter, Ryan chesley, Ryan Hofer. Bookmark the permalink.
12 Responses to Capital Gains: Washington Capitals’ Once “Shallow” Prospect Pool Finally Gaining Depth
I’m happy with the Caps’ drafting in recent years. McMichael, Leason, Protas, Lapierre, Miroshnichenko, Chesley, Sudzalev, etc. look to have NHL careers ahead of them.
Rybinski is intriguing. What a get he would be if he becomes a middle 6 center.
Jon Sorensen says:
Agree Lance. And a little mystery will make the season a fun one to track.
I’m looking forward to this season way more than I expected after losing to FLA.
Finally some positive signs. The team and the organization will go through a huge transition over next 3-4 years, a whole new look and personality. Should be interesting to see how this goes.
Leason the big knock on him was his skating. Still an issue.. Does he clear waivers. I would package him for a similar prospect on D or a trade deadline acquisition.
I don’t see the Caps risking waivers with Leason just yet. A full year in Hershey will be good for him.
DWGie26 says:
Lots to like but as you noted there are some gaps in the mid years. I think RD will still take a year or three to build out which is why i think we need to sign someone there. Has also is not signed by Caps or Hershey at this point.
On Leason… agree with Jon that they won’t risk waivers with him, but he needs to earn that 13 forward slot. I could see him at 4RW next year and we let Hath walk.
I just don’t see a spot for AJF. Hope they can trade him, but I think clubs will be wise that he is likely a waiver candidate and grab him for free. I won’t sweat that, but it would be nice to get something for him (like a 3-4 RD).
Leason is a tough spot. In the end another year in Hershey is probably best, then make a decision next year.
Nelson says:
Why in the heck we still have Carl Hagelin on our pay roll is there anyway to buy him out and get some our young players to play
Well we do have him on LTIR so he doesn’t count against the Cap and he isn’t playing so he is not taking a spot. but there are options:
* Trade him – but that would cost us assets to move like with Panik
* Send him to Hershey – we can bury 1.1M there but 1.65M would still be on books for Caps
* buy him out – there is a schedule for when you do this. That window has passed but there may be another opportunity to do buyouts by training camp. Problem with that is you still get saddled with a Cap hit albeit a reduced cap hit. This is known as dead money and it cripples teams. For example MN has 13M of dead money this year and $15M of dead money next year. Imagine that. At least our GM hasn’t put us in that position.
Daniel Murphy says:
I believe that Axil and Snively need to go through waivers if sent to Hershey. Does anyone know for sure? If that’s the case I believe they will make the team out of training camp. I would not be surprised to see McMichael sent to Hershey so he can play center. He will the first call up due to injury. Eller is going to be the 3rd line center. If Backstrom comes back Eller will be traded
That’s correct, both would have to clear waivers. Here is a quick resource if you ever need to check on a player:
https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/capitals | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.7136421203613281, "wiki_prob": 0.2863578796386719, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line782186"} |
Pharmaceutical firms report positive results in Q3
Analysts believe that the pharmaceutical industry in the fourth quarter still has many growth drivers.
Headquarters of Hậu Giang Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company (DHG). In the third quarter, DHG recorded net revenue of VNĐ1.16 trillion, up 23 per cent over the same period last year. Photo dhgpharma.com.vn
HÀ NỘI — Pharmaceutical enterprises have reported strong business results in the third quarter of 2022, with some even achieving record-high profits.
Soaring profits
According to estimates of KIS Vietnam Securities Joint Stock Company, the pharmaceutical industry announced revenue of VNĐ10.9 trillion in Q3, up 12.7 per cent over the same period last year and up 2.3 per cent compared to the previous quarter.
Profit after tax reached VNĐ827 billion, up 29.8 per cent over the same period last year and up 13.1 per cent from the previous quarter. The current top five companies in the industry are Vimedimex Medicine and Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company (VMD), Vietnam Pharmaceutical Corporation - Joint Stock Company (DVN), Hậu Giang Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company (DHG), Codupha Central Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company (CDP) and TRAPHACO Joint Stock Company (TRA), accounting for more than 52 per cent of total industry revenue.
In the third quarter, DHG recorded a net revenue of VNĐ1.16 trillion, up 23 per cent over the same period last year; gross profit reached VNĐ578 billion, up 26 per cent.
The enterprise recorded a profit after tax of VNĐ262 billion, up 30 per cent compared to the third quarter of 2021, this is also the highest quarterly profit ever recorded by the company.
In the first nine months of 2022, DHG Pharma recorded net revenue of VNĐ3.35 trillion and profit after tax of VNĐ752 billion, up 15 per cent and 24 per cent respectively over the same period in 2021.
In the third quarter of 2022, TRAPHACO’s profit after tax increased by 8.5 per cent over the same period last year, to nearly VNĐ77 billion.
In the first nine months of 2022, TRAPHACO recorded a net revenue of VNĐ1.8 trillion, up 14 per cent over the same period last year.
Profit after tax of the enterprise reached VNĐ251 billion dong, up 28 per cent over the same period last year.
After three quarters, Traphaco has completed 77.5 per cent of the revenue plan and 87.8 per cent of the profit plan.
Hà Tây Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company (DHT) recorded net revenue of more than VNĐ491.5 billion in the third quarter of 2022, up 51 per cent over the same period in 2021; gross profit was nearly VNĐ51 billion, up 94 per cent over the same period last year. Profit after tax was 2.5 times higher than in the same period last year, reaching more than VNĐ23 billion.
In the nine months of 2022, this pharmaceutical company recorded a net revenue of more than VNĐ1.3 trillion.
Excluding other expenses, profit before and after tax reached more than VNĐ78 billion and nearly VNĐ63 billion respectively, both up 20 per cent over the same period in 2021.
Pharbaco Central Pharmaceutical JSC No 1 (PBC) reported a profit after tax of nearly VNĐ25 billion, 3.5 times higher than the same period in 2021. Accumulated in the first nine months of 2022, net revenue increased 13 per cent total to over VNĐ750 billion and gross profit was over VNĐ155 billion, up 12 per cent.
After deducting expenses, this company reported a profit before and after tax of nearly VNĐ44 billion and VNĐ40 billion, up 9 per cent and 20 per cent respectively over the same period in 2021.
Imexpharm Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company (IMP) reported Q3 revenue up by 63 per cent over the same period last year, reaching nearly VNĐ418 billion and gross profit increased by 93 per cent to more than VNĐ172 billion. Profit before tax was more than VNĐ72 billion, up to 89 per cent and profit after tax also increased by 78 per cent, reaching nearly VNĐ55.8 billion.
In the first three quarters of this year, the enterprise's net revenue increased by 25 per cent, reaching more than VNĐ1.09 trillion, and profit before and after tax reached more than VNĐ197 billion and VNĐ155 billion, both increased by 27 per cent over the same period in 2021.
Pharmedic Pharmaceutical Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company (PMC) announced extraordinary results. The company's third-quarter revenue reached VNĐ121.6 billion, up 2.6 times over the same period in 2021.
Deducting taxes and fees, Pharmedic reported a profit after tax of nearly VNĐ20.4 billion, 6.8 times higher than VNĐ3 billion in the third quarter of last year.
In the first nine months of 2022, this pharmaceutical company achieved revenue of nearly VNĐ346 billion, up nearly 26 per cent compared to 2021; profit after tax reached VNĐ60.4 billion, equivalent to an increase of nearly 50 per cent.
After three quarters, Pharmedic has achieved nearly 73 per cent of the revenue target and 83 per cent of the profit target, respectively. VNS
Đắk Lắk Province attends 41st India International Trade Fair
The fair, the biggest of its kind in South Asia, which began in New Delhi on November 14, will run until November 27.
Ministry proposes two options for overseas investment in oil and gas sector
Intellectual property, technology, brand values, property rights and shares were also considered capital for overseas investment in oil and gas.
Food producers under pressure to keep prices low
Domestic food producers are facing increased costs while trying to keep prices down to stimulate sales, said industry insiders and experts.
China expected to remain largest export market for Vietnamese pangasius in 2022
China is expected to stay the largest export market for Vietnamese pangasius this whole year: VASEP
MoIT, Central Retail Vietnam help Vietnamese firms expand export markets
Under the agreement which will be effective until 2025, the three parties will further assist Vietnamese businesses in participating foreign distribution systems and strengthening their capacities in the distribution field in Việt Nam, while building a system of sustainable suppliers for Central Retail.
VN to promote exports through e-commerce channels
By 2030, Vietnamese goods will be put on shelves of traditional and online distribution chains in all countries which had free trade agreements with Việt Nam.
SSC rejects CII's share issuance plan
The document said that as the company still needs to update its current charter capital, which is the capital after issuing shares to convert bonds, it has not been approved to issue bonus shares.
Network operators encroach on camera market
MobiFone Global analysed that the camera penetration density was at a very low level in Việt Nam, about three cameras per 100 people, and most equipment was provided by foreign suppliers.
Large bond investment funds' NAV hit three-year low
The confidence of investors is at such a low level that many are willing to sell corporate bonds at any cost to collect money at a high discount. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.6416627764701843, "wiki_prob": 0.6416627764701843, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line1436168"} |
Hope fading post-Brexit trade talks could finish before Monday
Negotiations on a future EU-UK relationship will resume in London this morning, but hope is fading that the talks on a post-Brexit trade deal could finish today.
Downing Street last night claimed that the EU side had placed fresh obstacles in the way of an agreement following pressure from French President Emmanuel Macron.
British officials said the deal could have been reached as early as today.
Sources have told RTÉ News that a deal was unlikely to be reached before Monday.
While the French President has in recent days hardened his position on fisheries, the current stand-off appears to be over the so-called level playing field.
EU officials point out that for months it has demanded that if the UK wants tariff and quota-free access to its single market it cannot unfairly subsidise its companies once outside the framework of the EU’s tough state aid rules.
In particular, EU negotiator Michel Barnier has been arguing for a robust, independent UK regulator to safeguard against any unfair competition.
France is reported to have demanded that the UK should have to get approval from such a regulator before any subsidies were paid, and that that regulator should apply principles shared by both sides.
Brussels also wants EU companies or governments who believe they have been put at a disadvantage by any UK subsidies to have redress through the UK courts.
At present, the European Court of Justice is where such disputes are settled, but London has demanded that the ECJ no longer have any role to play in the UK.
The EU also wants to ensure both sides comply with similar standards when it comes to labour and social rights, as well as environmental and taxation standards, and that if the UK diverges from these standards the EU will be able to take retaliatory action in an area of its choosing.
In recent days, France, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium have all indicated to Mr Barnier that he risked straying too far from his mandate in order to secure a deal.
Sources say that last night’s setback is the result of a tougher stance by Mr Barnier that may be reflecting those concerns.
Talks in ‘difficult phase’
The UK Business Secretary admitted the talks were in a difficult phase and said a deal could only be struck if the European Union accepts that Britain is a sovereign nation
“We are at a critical phase,” Alok Sharma told Sky News.
“It is fair to say that we are in a difficult phase, there are some tricky issues still to be resolved.
“Right from the start of this process, we’ve always said that a deal can only be done if the EU recognises that the UK is a sovereign independent nation.
“It is on the basis of that a deal will be done.”
With the Brexit transition period due to end on 31 December, there is little time to get a deal agreed by negotiators and approved by the EU’s leaders, Westminster and the European Parliament.
A senior UK government source said: “At the 11th hour, the EU is bringing new elements into the negotiation.
“A breakthrough is still possible in the next few days but that prospect is receding.”
Fishing and the so-called “level playing field” aimed at preventing unfair competition on state subsidies and standards remain the main issues to be resolved in the talks.
Yesterday, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said there was a “good chance” of a trade deal.
It is reported Mr Barnier is expected to return to Brussels today, but could go straight back to London.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will press ahead with plans allowing ministers to tear up the Brexit divorce deal he has already agreed, despite the current round of UK-EU talks being at a critical stage.
The British government will ask MPs to reinstate controversial legislation giving ministers the power to break international law by ignoring provisions in the Withdrawal Agreement relating to Northern Ireland.
MPs will vote on the UK Internal Market Bill on Monday, potentially throwing the talks on a UK-European Union trade deal into deep crisis unless an agreement can be reached by then.
The EU has already taken the first steps towards legal action over the legislation.
The British government will also introduce the Taxation (Post-Transition Period) Bill, which reportedly includes measures to override parts of the divorce deal struck by the prime minister and the EU in 2019.
MPs will be asked to reinsert the controversial Northern Ireland provisions into the UK Internal Market Bill after the Lords voted to remove them.
Additional reporting Sean Whelan, PA
Article Source: Hope fading post-Brexit trade talks could finish before Monday – RTE – Tony Connelly | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.9849284887313843, "wiki_prob": 0.9849284887313843, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line654302"} |
Cosmologies @ CCS Center Gallery
By Sarah Rose Sharp
In Installation, Paintings, Sculpture
Making Inner Space of Outer Space
Cosmologies, Installation view – All Images Courtesy of Sarah Rose Sharp
Aesthetically, the three-person show Cosmologies, which opened at the CCS Center Galleries on January 23rd and runs through the 27th of this month, reminds me very much of a Hubble telescope picture series of a formation called formation called Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula—a star-forming region. Works by New York-based painter Assunta Sera draw directly from celestial events to create abstracted landscapes—or more accurately ‘spacescapes?’—and a full wall installation of spills of glass by Kim Harty touches down onto the floor, unavoidably suggesting the Milky Way, by association. These groups of (mostly) hanging pieces provide a lovely backdrop to four freestanding sculptural works by Detroit’s own Robert Sestok, which take pride of position in the center of the gallery. Using anodized aluminum gives a refined, gold cast to Sestok’s sculptures, more usually roughly rendered in crude iron scrap material, and creates a sense of weightlessness around the crumpled aluminum pillars—large-scale balls of metal stacked into well-balanced totem poles.
Assunta Sera, Fragments Near and Far, 2015, Oil on canvas
The effect is quite lovely; it is worthwhile to avail oneself of a bench that accommodates time to sit and let the space hang around the viewer. The work is not particularly confrontational, but aside from the seeming tableau of outer space, there are deeper connections at play. Sera’s rejection of the straightforward recto-linear canvas shape in favor of irregular trapezoids and indented triangles is very much in keeping with one of the foundational principles of painting in the Cass Corridor school, in which Sestok is rooted.
Kim Harty, Spill, 2016, Hot cast glass and baking soda
Similarly, Harty’s consideration of spills—for each piece of the installation is a frozen puddle of milky glass, arranged into a snaking pathway across the wall and floor—is dealing with incidental moments and commonplace events. Another tenant of the Cass Corridor school was the principle of dealing with materials immediate and available, and these spills, especially with their vague allusion to bodily or cleaning fluids, are an ultimate example of omnipresent daily reality. While the interplay of concepts and aesthetics can sometimes lead to friction, these objects and paintings coexist peacefully, forming a positive ambient space. Taken on their own, or set in another context, each individual body of work could have a different set of associations, but set together, they form a seamless environment.
Robert Sestok, Anodized Aluminum Sculpture – installation view
“I didn’t start out trying to make a pretty show,” says CCS curator Michelle Perron, in an interview at the Cass Cafe. “The exhibit began with a longstanding interest in Assunta Sera’s paintings, since the 1980s, when I worked at the Michigan Gallery.” An encounter with Sera at a recent CCS grad event triggered a conversation that built into the seed for a show, and a studio visit to review Sestok’s newest “fantastic” body of work brought that seed into sprout. When Harty came on as head of CCS’s glass department, Perron found a previously untapped appreciation for glass as a medium. “Normally you could not get me anywhere near it,” she said. Harty’s full-wall installation draws the whole exhibit together, bringing the show into bloom.
That this serendipitous combination of very different artists has created such lovely celestial synchronicity seems appropriate, given the show’s theme. Perron declares that she had never seen the “Pillars of Creation” before I mentioned it, and the face that a reasonable facsimile has manifested within the CCS Center Galleries seems to me evidence of a higher order in the universe. While Perron demurs to embrace such New-Age association, as a native Californian, I am entirely comfortable characterizing this group show as deeply cosmic.
http://www.collegeforcreativestudies.edu/community-outreach-and-engagement/center-galleries
Piles of Distinction @ David Klein Gallery
No Boundaries @ the Charles Wright Museum | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.6726377606391907, "wiki_prob": 0.6726377606391907, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line1845648"} |
Preparation of Fly-Ash-Modified Bamboo-Shell Carbon Black and Its Mercury Removal Performance in Simulated Flue Gases
Tang Rui; Yang Wei; Zhou Jie; Zhang Zhixiao
Wang Hui; Wu Shengji
Toxic mercury emissions from various industrial sources, especially coal combustion, have become an increasing concern in recent years, and effective methods of removing these emissions from coal combustion flue gases are being sought. In this study, fly-ash-modified bamboo-shell carbon blacks were prepared, and the properties and mercury removal abilities of the prepared carbon blacks were evaluated. The fly ash acted as a support for the carbon structure during the carbon black preparation, and demonstrated the ability to fix a portion of the carbon contained in volatile compounds during carbonization, resulting in a higher carbon yield of the carbon black containing fly ash; it had a higher BET surface area and a higher mercury removal ability than carbon black without fly ash. Strong pore structure, in the range of 1000-10000 urn, appeared after the addition of fly ash, which became stronger with higher fly-ash content. Additionally, the mercury compounds generated through the catalytic effect of fly ash (around 200 degrees C) had lower thermal stabilities than those generated on carbon (280 degrees C), according to the TPDD experiments, indicating that the addition of fly ash was favorable for the recycling of the mercury compounds and the regeneration of used carbon black. | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6826608180999756, "wiki_prob": 0.3173391819000244, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line999492"} |
Representation Matters: Post-Racial Tensions in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
By Mary J. Henderson
In 2015 Marvel began a marketing campaign with the branding slogan “All-New, All-Different.” The “All-New, All-Different” advertisements showed images of superheroes who were African Americans (Riri Williams/Ironheart, Lunella Lafayette/Moon Girl, T’Challa/Black Panther), Muslim Americans (Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel), lesbian Latinas (America Chavez/Miss America), bi-racial heroes (Miles Morales/Spider-Man), and Asian Americans (Cindy Moon/Silk, Amadeus Choo/Hulk). Many comic readers were excited because they saw traditionally marginalized identities playing a central role in the Marvel universe. Fans initially believed that Marvel recognized the diversity of their audience, and more importantly, that representation matters. Historically, from Superman to the X-Men, the superhero has metaphorically represented a hero who was also an outsider. Although predominantly white males, superheroes acted as a metaphor for those on the margins: the immigrant (Superman), the bullied, nerdy teenager (Peter Parker), or any socially oppressed identity (X-Men). The tagline of “All-New” implied that these diverse heroes would not be like their predecessors who primarily played sidekicks, villains, stereotypes, and/or tokens. Superheroes of color and differing abilities could prove to children that people who look like them could be just as powerful as Superman.
Additionally, the “All-Different” slogan gave hope that in addition to new faces, the storylines would be different, diverse, and nuanced. As Ramzi Fawaz points out, it is not enough to just visibly represent marginalized individuals; “From the perspective of readers, however, the demand for greater representational diversity was less about the mere visibility of minorities in comics and more an appeal to creators to develop stories and worlds that explored the cultural politics of identity” (Fawaz 20). This notion of exploring cultural politics is not a new one for comics. Comics have long provided “serious social critique; in this sense the wish fulfillment embodied in the superhero becomes a way of interrogating the problems with modernity” (Bainbridge 85). An “All-Different” comic could be a culturally nuanced narrative containing a hero who mirrors the diversity of the country and who has storylines and scenes that reflect aspects of the modern social issues that many marginalized identities encounter in their everyday lives.
Comics have always had this potential, but given the genre’s history of racism and sexism, and the fact that Marvel is a corporation with a desire to increase profits without offending their largest readership (white, cis males), some of the “All-New, All-Different” heroes reflect post-racial ideology. Post-racialism is “purporting not to see race or to see beyond race and racial distinctions…[thus] dismisses the reality of social injustice and the presence of racism” (Whaley 22). There are times when comic writers and illustrators choose to ignore or downplay the social injustices that these diverse superheroes might face in their everyday life, thereby participating in post-racial discourse. This article explores one of Marvel’s “All-New, All-Different” heroes who has gained a loyal readership among children and strong support in education circles: Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. Lunella Lafayette, Moon Girl, is a nine-year-old African American girl who is a genius with superhero powers. An examination of the series’ reliance on post-racial discourse reveals how Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur offers a conservative representation of Black girlhood that can be both empowering for readers and dismissive of the social injustices that may impact such a character. In other words, the comic can showcase a gifted African American girl, and yet ignore the systematic racism and issues facing an inner city Black child.
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is a progressive comic on many levels. Lunella Lafayette is an African American girl from the Lower East Side of Manhattan, and she is not connected to African iconography, has both parents, is a child so she is not hyper-sexualized, lives a middle-class lifestyle, and is a genius in STEM fields; therefore, the creators have avoided the blatant stereotypes found in older comics with Black women. Older comics with Black superheroes were fraught with ideologies that complicated their overall positive impact. Carolyn Cocca comments on the previous representations of characters of color, explaining that while their representation was a positive step, “at the same time, each in their own ways, these new characters suffered from the ‘contrived exoticism’ and ‘weak emulation of blaxploitation’ not uncommon to characters of color” of the period (10). Superheroes such as Mari McCabe (Vixen), Nubia (Wonder Woman), Ororo Munroe (Storm), and Monica Rambeau (Captain Marvel) were associated with Africa, seen as closer to nature, animalistic, unable to control their powers, quick tempered, and hyper-sexualized1. Many of the discourses undergirding these representations seemed “natural” expressions of black life—from an outsider perspective. They were in some ways “expressions of black life which conformed to a pre-existing pattern or stereotype” (hooks). These superheroes became simultaneously a sign of progress as well as a sign of persisting stereotypes of their periods. Lunella, on the other hand, represents the next generation of Black superhero—she is a sign of progress as her image and storylines avoid blatant racism, but even when the intent is good, benign racism can seep into the dialogue and illustrations. Post-racism disguises itself as an innocuous assumption and often Lunella’s storylines lack cultural nuance and fail to acknowledge the social injustices that a girl like Lunella might face in modern times.
The writers, Brandon Montclare and Amy Reeder, assume that simply presenting a character of color without exploring cultural nuances is acceptable. Such representations imply that revealing contemporary social issues related to race and ethnicity are not necessary. Therefore, Lunella often comes across as a misunderstood genius who just happens to be illustrated as an African American who also just happens to live in a city. By creating a “universal” character who just happens to be Black, they are creating generic stories that will appeal to a wide audience. This strategy can be read as making Lunella “not too Black,” which is coded language based on stereotypes of appearances and behaviors that are deemed “acceptable” by dominant society. Creating a character who is illustrated as African American but contains no other markers or storylines that explore what it means to be Black in America—no attribute that would signal any significant difference from a white, middle-class child—is a common conservative marketing and narrative strategy found in children’s literature. Since Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, with its child protagonist and its school and library support, crosses over from the field of comic studies into children’s literature, it is not surprising to find the downplaying of difference for mass readership.
This representational tension has been discussed in the children’s literature field for decades, starting with the scholar Rudine Sims Bishop’s idea of “melting pot books.” Bishop coined this term to describe books, typically by white authors about African Americans, which “choose to ignore anything, other than skin color, that might identify the characters as Black. Therefore, only the illustrations indicate whether the characters are Black or not” (7). Melting pot children’s books represent tension: they signal progress and yet “the refusal to acknowledge cultural differences may be a hint that such differences are undesirable or, at best, to be ignored” (Bishop 7). Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur can be categorized as a melting pot books because it is created by predominantly white writers and seems to be undergirded by post-racism discourse. Post-racial ideology shapes Moon Girl’s image and storylines in a manner that avoids engaging with the reality of social injustice for many inner city African American girls in order to maintain a wide reading audience.
Post-Racial Discourse and Representation
A young African American superhero carrying her own title series is progressive and should be celebrated. Even the most famous Black superheroine, Storm of the X-Men, has not managed to carry her own standalone series despite being around consistently since 1975. Additionally, Lunella’s imagery is less controversial than Storm whose image has been accused of hypersexualization and whitewashing. Initially, Storm was exoticized (African princess/goddess of sorts) and yet represented as/in terms of “Anglo-European ‘ideal’ beauty in a combination both rare and associated with whites: blue eyes and a thin nose; long, full, straight white hair which can be read as platinum blonde; a small waist and hourglass figure” (Cocca 125). Comic artists rely on stereotypical attributes that are culturally and socially ingrained so that the reader can quickly recognize the image. The “easily quantifiable” markers, such as Storm’s skin tone, hair, and eyes, are read as signifiers of race and ethnicity; they are “subtle signals of difference” the reader is meant to notice (Dowling 184). These markers or codes would be iconography that is historically connected to racist assumptions, such as “nappy” or “kinky” hair for African Americans, large “hook” noses for Middle Easterners, or “squinty” almond-shaped eyes or “buck teeth” for Asians. Therefore, even though Storm’s skin tone is illustrated as Black, her eyes and the color and style of her hair read as Anglo-European.
Similar to the art in X-Men and other comics, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur relies on iconography, yet Moon Girl’s illustrations are more culturally nuanced. Lunella’s facial features are not stereotyped, overexaggerated, or whitewashed. Lunella’s skin tone is darker than some of the characters, yet many of the characters are on a spectrum of shades. For instance, Lunella’s classmate Eduardo and teacher Ms. Dominguez have skin tones lighter than Lunella yet slightly darker than other characters, thereby implying a Latinx ethnicity through naming and skin tones. The characters of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur represent an array of skin shades, just as the real world does. Additionally, many of the illustrations show Lunella with natural hair that is pulled back in pony tails or braids. The illustrators2 of Moon Girl made a wise choice in not giving Lunella hair that is long, straight, and platinum blonde like Storm’s hair.
Even though Lunella’s hair is a visual example of a nuanced cultural marker, the comic creates post-racial tension with the dialogue when it focuses on her hair. In “The Smartest There Is!: Part Three: ‘Code’” (Issue 15), Lunella sits on the floor in front of her mother, while her mother does her hair for school (see Figure 1). The depiction of a family member doing a child’s hair is one that many African American readers would relate to and one that is common in children’s books. Bishop’s research on African American children’s literature finds that the “image of a mother or other adult family member braiding a child’s hair, even in books that focus on a topic other than hair” is common and that “[B]oth are images of family bonding and reinforce the thematic emphasis on family so frequently found in African American picture books” (Bishop 11). Therefore, the comic depicts a common, relatable scene that has a history in African American children’s literature even if it is missing in many mainstream superhero comics. The writers probably assumed such a scene would be received as a sweet bonding moment between mother and daughter.
However, the images and actual dialogue do not necessarily support the happiness of a bonding moment. There are four long thin panels descending down the full page spread with two of the panels showing a close up of her mother’s fingers styling her hair. The second panel from the top shows a close up of Lunella’s eyes. She tells her mother she doesn’t have to do her hair and that it is okay to have messy hair when saving the world. Her eyes do not show enjoyment of this moment; not only does her language show her annoyance at her mother but her eyes are also cast down, almost squinting, and her brow is furrowed, thus visually confirming the tone of the dialogue. Her mother replies to Lunella’s tone with “Don’t be smart,” recognizing her daughter’s sarcasm. Her mother is not smiling while she does her daughter’s hair. This image does not convey a positive bonding moment between the two. The imagery and dialogue of this page takes a moment of African American familial bonding and turns it into a generic point of mother-daughter conflict. Post-racial ideology allows erasure of specific cultural signifiers, the positive aspects found in the tradition of representing African American hair styling, in favor of a generic moment of mother and daughter being annoyed with each other.
The rest of the dialogue (and lack of certain dialogue) in the scene further demonstrates post-racial tension. Her mother says, “You need to look respectable, Lunella” as she does her daughter’s hair (Issue 15). The diction “look respectable” is loaded language that can be interpreted in multiple ways. If Lunella went to school with her natural hair not pulled back, administrators may read her hair, and by extension her actions, as “improper.” Brooks and McNair point out that due to the intersection of race and gender ideologies in US history, there has been a long pattern of institutions policing Black women’s bodies, including schools policing hair (297). Her mother’s words may be a nod to the racist judgements young African American girls face as they walk into a classroom. Research and personal stories have demonstrated that schools judge Black girls against beauty standards created by whites and based on Anglo American aesthetics3. Monique Morris’ research reminds us that “from coast to coast, Black girls tell stories of being pushed out of school and criminalized” for common actions that include “wearing natural hair” (Morris). According to Kimberlé Crenshaw, Priscilla Ocen, and Jyoti Nanda, “a 12-year-old girl was threatened with expulsion from an Orlando private school unless she changed the look of her natural hair” (6). If Lunella’s hair is not styled in some manner administrators deem “respectable,” she could be subject to harsher criticism than her classmates, like the girl in Orlando. If her hair is judged unrespectable and Lunella is pulled from the classroom, her education could be negatively impacted. Her mother’s attempt to style her hair in a particular way may be her method of offering her daughter some protection against a racist and sexist system.
Readers may give Montclare and Reeder the benefit of the doubt and assume that they are drawing attention to the racism African American women face with regards to their hair. However, the writers’ choice of words is troubling and the dialogue is too underdeveloped to help naïve readers understand the significance of such language. They provide no explanation as to why her hair must be styled just so, and no elaboration on what is exactly meant by “respectable.” African Americans or informed audiences may assume that when the writers select the word “respectable” they know what women go through in terms of having their hair and bodies policed. Unfortunately, good intentions are not good enough when the repercussions are so real for African Americans. As stated earlier, superhero comics have the potential of addressing contemporary problems. Not explaining what they mean by Lunella having to deal with the idea of her hair being “respectable” is post-racial discourse at work. The writers avoid verbalizing the racism a young Black girl faces. S. Gheek at Women Write about Comics explains the troubling diction of “respectable” hair as follows: “even using this type of phrase, regardless of the good intent behind it, can have a lifelong impact in which a child grows up believing her self-worth is tied into what others think about her hair. That has to stop.” The comic’s language does not indict systemic racism; it only teaches that Lunella, and by default, the readers who look like her, must curtail hair to meet the majority’s standards. At other points in the comic, Lunella’s mother worries about her making friends and “fitting in” at school. Her mother curtails her daughter’s behavior and her hair for the sake of the majority. She is not told to take pride in her hair; she is only taught that her hair free of a ponytail or a braid is unacceptable. The imagery and dialogue undermine a potentially powerful tradition in African American children’s literature.
Relying on post-racism and avoiding critical engagement with social issues is troubling, given that Marvel furthered its “All-New, All-Different” campaign by marketing Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur to younger readers in comic stores and through Scholastic book fairs. Scholastic boasts of reaching 35 million children each year (“About Us”). Lunella is nine-years old; therefore, many assume that her target audience will be readers of the same age bracket—an age bracket that is quite impressionable. Jonda McNair and Wanda Brooks inform us that “[B]etween the ages of 8 to 12, African American girls begin forming their teenage identities” (568). Educators may promote Lunella because they see her as potentially a “mirror” and a “window.” Readers need “mirrors” (books), that reflect their image. They need to see that people who look like them can be heroes. Additionally, “it remains critically important that they also have the opportunities to delve into the racial/ethnic backgrounds of others;” they need “windows” into the lives of others (Brooks et al 30). When a comic like Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is pushed in school book fairs and promoted by educators and librarians as positive role models for children, we need to be skeptical of good intentions that lack follow through. Her comic books often allude to but do not fully engage with social issues that impact African American girls—girls who are developing their sense of self and trying to understand their place in the world. Thus, the comic risks marginalizing significant issues facing African American girls like Lunella. The post-racial silence veers away from culturally nuanced depictions, such as failing to address the actual social injustices that linger between how an African American girl might style her hair and the word “respectable.”
The comic series contains several other instances of post-racial discourse. Certain representations of Lunella and her family, her city, and her school may hint at possible social issues facing Black families, especially gifted African American girls; however, the comic writers choose not to engage with nuanced exploration. Lunella Lafeyette comes into a genre and a market that is demanding diversity with authentic cultural politics of identity. Having a young African American female as the title character of a comic is a positive step; the representation of an African American girl as a superhero matters. However, because post-racial discourse is hard to acknowledge, and because Marvel wants to appeal to the widest audience as possible, there are scenes where Lunella’s representation and storyline become reductive and miss the opportunity to truly do the work that superhero representations do—draw attention to social issues that impact the lives of many girls like Lunella.
“Understand What I Am”: Post-Racism on the Homefront
In the first issue of the comic, “BFF Part 1: Repeat after Me,” readers see Lunella sitting down to dinner with her mother and father. If we use comic iconography to decode their outfits, the imagery implies blue-collar working class. Lunella’s father is in a monotone outfit and glasses. Glasses tend to be comic code for intelligence, and his monotone matching shirt and pants in a drab color conveys blue collar worker. Her mother is in a white polo shirt with pink collar and pink details and a matching pink skirt, reminiscent of a waitress uniform (see Figure 2). Her parents appear in these same outfits again in Issue 4, “BFF Part 4: Hulk + Devil Dinosaur = ’Nuff Said,” when they arrive due to a fire at Lunella’s school, implying they each left work to attend to their daughter. In “BFF Part 6: Eureka!” Lunella’s mother states that she will walk Lunella to school since her father had to go to work early and will be working late. Lunella’s own dialogue indicates that her family is working class with little money to spare. Lunella goes to public school because, according to her, both of her parents work (Issue 15). Her family does not have the economic luxury of one parent not working to homeschool their daughter. These narrative cues point to a lower socioeconomic class or working-class individuals.
Additionally, the Lafayette home is an apartment that looks relatively well furnished and yet there is no real sense of Black cultural concerns either in the home décor or in their dinner time discussions of what is happening around the neighborhood. The iconography and dialogue imply a middle-class ideology. Her parents often talk to Lunella about her behavior at school; they worry about her “fitting in” and reprimand her for her sarcasm. Angela M. Nelson notices that in Black comic strips that focus on Black urban middle-class life, “a vision of urban Black life in America that is equal to Whites’ socially, culturally, educationally, economically, and (implicitly) politically [gets portrayed]. A Black middle-class orientation, therefore becomes synonymous with racial integration, peace, harmony, and equality” (99). This representation of Lunella’s home life in an urban area carries on the post-racial discourse found in comic strips; it “suppresses social contradictions of inequality, racism, discrimination that exist in society” (Nelson 99). By engaging in this post-racial representation, the comic can illustrate a Black family living in the inner city, yet ignore the inequalities of Lower East Side, Manhattan, a location the comic emphasizes without engaging with in a culturally nuanced manner.
The first page of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur orients the reader to the city, thus implying that location matters for this particular comic. The first image of the comic depicts a child’s bedroom, and the narrating text in the upper left corner indicates setting: “Lower East Side. Manhattan.” The “Lower East Side” is on its own text line and is in larger font than the city name, thereby accentuating this aspect of the setting as significant. Realistically, her parents’ race and socioeconomics represent the traditional Lower East Side residents who may be at risk of being pushed out through gentrification.
For several decades, the Lower East Side has been racially and ethnically diverse with lower- and middle-class workers, including African, Puerto Rican, Jewish, Italian, and Asian American workers. Over the last several years, the area has seen an influx of gentrification, which often leads to pushing out residents who can no longer afford the rent in the area as gentrification drives up property values. In 2008 the residents objected to rezoning laws that would permit gentrification by severely reducing the number of units that were rent-regulated and subsidized, but their concerns were dismissed (Li 1232-33). Gentrification would impact Lower East Side residents, like the Lafayettes, because they would encounter: “secondary displacement pressures, including high rent, rising evictions, tenant harassment, excessive housing code enforcement, increased policing, and loss of small businesses” (Li 1208-09). Although Moon Girl’s setting reflects the visual diversity in the Lower East Side, the comic engages with post-racial discourse to ignore some of the pressures of maintaining a home in a gentrifying neighborhood. A Black family like Lunella’s who rely on working wages and live in an urban area that is gentrifying at rates that continue to push out the original residents would cause stress on most families, and most children would hear conversations about those pressures within their home. However, the comic ignores those nuanced realities.
The only time Lunella’s parents discuss what is happening in their neighborhood is their conversation about how a gang is making it more unsafe. The reference to gang life in an urban setting is a real concern for families in Lower East Side. However, because the writers chose to ignore the other realities in this neighborhood, the inclusion of gang life in a comic about an African American family living in the inner city seems almost stereotypical. The writers elected not to mention any other issues of life for a family living on working wages in a city: lack of resources, lower job opportunities, lower incomes, and gentrification that can lead to fewer minority owned businesses, fewer job opportunities for minorities, and higher rents. Most gentrification is driven by predominantly white college-educated people moving into the neighborhood (NYU Furman 9, 12, 21). The writers elect not to mention any negative aspects that whites could cause through gentrification but chose to mention inner city gangs, which many people stereotypically assume consist of people of color. Direct gentrification criticism would draw direct attention to white privilege and the problems associated with capitalistic ideology. Given that gentrification and the largest comic audience are both white, pointing out how their desire to be “trendy” by moving to an “up and coming neighborhood” pushes out minorities would be uncomfortable for many white readers. However, references to gangs may be a stereotype that is comforting for non-Black readers as it potentially matches their assumptions about urban life within predominantly African American or other ethnic neighborhoods. This focus on gangs becomes further problematic with the representation of the Killer Folk as the most powerful gang in the neighborhood.
The Killer Folk of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur are not original creations. Moon Girl is, in a sense, a legacy character. Devil Dinosaur first appeared in 1978 with Moon Boy, an ape-humanoid creature of prehistoric Earth. Moon Boy is a member of the Small Folk, who abandon him when he rescues and adopts Devil Dinosaur, who has been mutated by a fire caused by the Killer Folk, a more aggressive, rival tribe of similar ape-humanoid creatures. In the first issue of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, events in Lunella’s time create an opening where the Killer Folk kill Moon Boy and come to Lunella’s time, with Devil Dinosaur in pursuit to avenge his friend’s death. Given the comic’s usage of “Moon Girl,” Lunella implicitly is the next generation of “Moon Boy” and the continuation of his legacy with Devil Dinosaur. If we consider the long history of associating African Americans with ape representations, having Lunella, an African American, be the legacy of an ape-humanoid character is uncomfortable and may point to post-racial discourse. The blending of man and ape often evokes “the traditional stereotypes of African Americans as subhuman” (Wanzo). Basing a modern Black character on a character that resembled a sanitized version of traditional stereotypes can be read as post-racism. If the creators admit they are unaware of the history of Black stereotypes, that is a luxury of white privilege. If they claim they do not have to contend with or acknowledge the history of such imagery, then this is an example of post-racism—racist stereotypes just don’t matter anymore because our society is beyond racism so it doesn’t matter that Blackness was once illustrated as animal-like because no one uses such imagery today. This would be willful ignorance given that the news carries frequent stories about such representation, such as CNN covering the story about a West Virginia county employee posting to Facebook after the Trump election: “It will be so refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady back in the White House. I’m tired of seeing a (sic) Ape in heels” (Narayan). The “beautiful, dignified First Lady” of the post is Melania Trump, a white woman, who replaced Michelle Obama, the first African American First Lady. Clearly, racist imagery is far from “post.”
Post-racism could also be underlying the assumed acceptability of bringing the Killer Folk into modern NYC and having them be Lunella’s first villains to fight. We could give the writers the benefit of the doubt and believe that they are engaging in cultural criticism and trying to imitate the success that Gene Luen Yang had in American Born Chinese. In his graphic novel, Yang purposefully confronts readers with a blatant long-standing stereotypical representation used against Chinese: a Chinese cousin named Chin-Kee (referencing the racist name-calling “chinky”), who has yellow skin, buck teeth, a queue hairstyle, and wears stereotyped traditional clothing, and speaks fragmented English, and has white take-out boxes for luggage. Yang is explicit in his depiction of the stereotype as a need to confront how harmful these images are to Asian Americans. His protagonist and the character of Monkey King (who was disguised as Chin-Kee) even have a conversation about confronting the stereotypes that harm. The writers of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur do not engage in this kind of critical discourse. At no point does Lunella have to confront racism, much less address the issue that her first fights are against images that have echoes of a racist past. This lack of engagement makes it hard to read as if she is symbolically fighting the racist stereotypes of the past (and present). It becomes even harder to overlook this post-racial ideology when readers consider the imagery, actions, and speech patterns of the Killer Folk as the comic series continues.
For example, a close reading of the several violent acts by the Killer Folk demonstrates post-racial discourse that ignores issues surrounding such characterizations. In Issue 2, “BFF Part 2: Old Dogs and New Tricks,” the Killer Folk begin assimilating into modern New York society by studying people in Yancy Street subway station. Panels show individuals at a newsstand saying, “Give me a Snickers!” and “I’ll take a New York Bulletin!” The phrases “Give me” and “I’ll take” are repeated by several individuals, emphasizing New Yorkers’ time efficiency and the lack of polite social exchange as they purchase their goods. People are startled when the Killer Folk run out reaching for things and speaking a non-understandable language. The parallel imagery implies the primitive Killer Folk are not that far removed from New Yorkers’ behaviors. However, the imagery of the scene causes tension. On the two pages where the Killer Folk clearly study the New Yorkers, their eyes are heavily shaded. Although one might assume they are darkened because they are in a corridor, comics encode this imagery as an implication of something sinister in their observation. When they emerge to take things, they are drawn more aggressively. There are speed lines behind them, indicating the abruptness of their emergence, their speech lettering is bolded compared to the New Yorker’s “Give me,” and their fangs are shown, all of which increase their hostile appearance. On the next page they emerge from the subway exit onto the street wearing the people’s clothes (see Figure 3). The Killer Folk have robbed innocent New Yorkers. Prominent social justice blogger and writer “Son of Baldwin” instantly noticed the troubling ideologies undergirding the use of Killer Folk within an African American centered comic. He tweeted on December 28, 2016, “I stopped reading #MoonGirl after they dressed cave people up in hip-hop gear and had them speak black slang.” Writers and illustrators are relying on post-racial discourse to further the plot alongside potentially racist imagery without engaging with the politics of such representations.
The Killer Folk’s quick adaptation to New York city life is further problematic with some of their other violent depictions. The Killer Folk next encounter two police officers. The Killer Folk jump on the police car, asking where Devil Dinosaur and Lunella are. The police are shocked to see humanoid creatures, and the subsequent panel shows the police laying on the ground with the implied action being that the Killer Folk attacked the police officers. Having a gang in “hip-hop gear” and speaking “black slang” attack police officers is incredibly insensitive or dangerous wish fulfillment during a time when many real-life altercations between African Americans and police officers result in the death or incarceration of Black bodies.
The third encounter of violence by the Killer Folk occurs in issue 4, and they are put in opposition to the Yancy Street Gang, a modern all human gang with members of multiple ethnicities. The battle between the two gangs shows the brutality of both groups. However, the Yancy Street Gang uses language that clearly indicates that the Killer Folk are primitive and worse than human gangs and emphasizes their ape-like aspects. They say that the Killer Folk are “animals,” and they call them a “pack of baboons.” They admit “[T]hey’re making monkeys” of the Yancy Street Gang, and they describe the Killer Folk fighting style as giving a “jungle beat-down.” Ultimately, the Yancy Street Gang leaves in fear of their lives. Adding in the language of “animals,” “baboons,” and “jungle beat-down” indicates post-racial discourse when white writers can ignore historic imagery as well as the modern stereotypes that are used to oppress African Americans. The Killer Folks’ imagery, language, and actions along with their interactions with Moon Girl risk an assumption that African Americans have not come far from the stereotypes about being primitive, animal like, and uncivilized. Lunella becomes the exception as a superhero and not one of many brilliant Black girls out there. The desire to attain new readership and rely on legacy characters to pull in old readers makes their choices questionable and points to post-racial discourse that ignores cultural nuances that would make such representations unacceptable.
Never Enough Room: Post-Racism and School
Post-racial discourse undergirds the comic’s treatment of other institutions besides family and neighborhood. The comic also avoids a culturally nuanced exploration of what it means to be African American in the education system. In the United States, the myth of equality within education is often circulated. History books teach children that after Brown vs the Board of Education (1954), “separate but equal” was outlawed and schools were integrated, with the assumption that schools were integrated soon after in a balanced manner and that all children now have equal access to the same quality of education. However, numerous families can attest to the myths of quality education that mask the inequality in our schools and how children are treated unequally within the classroom. Similar to Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur’s silence on housing issues facing minorities in Lower East Side, the writers also seem unaware of or afraid to engage with the realities facing Black girls in school settings.
Although not illustrated, Lunella mentions that she is continually placed in this particular public school because “Doctors, teachers, police, parents—they just want a place to stash me” (Issue 11). Her use of “police” in that list may imply that her behavior has been rejected by teachers and principals in the past and she has had the police called on her. Lunella is an example of how Black girls must behave according to mainstream (coded as white) behaviors, or they will be sent to the principal’s office, suspended, or, even worse, arrested. The teacher gets angry with Lunella arriving a few minutes late for school, using sarcasm, and not paying attention in class. Her behavior illustrated in the comic does not warrant police encounters and, because racism in the educational system is often overlooked, it is doubtful that her behavior even warrants a trip to the principal’s office. Within schools, African American girls are held to a different standard than other girls and are punished more severely for behavioral violations. In 2015, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Priscilla Ocen Williams, and Jyoti Nanda released a report entitled “Black Girls Matter: Pushed Out, Overpoliced and Underprotected.” They note examples of Black girls being punished for behaviors that white girls were not. For example, they discussed two African American girls who were arrested at school: an eight-year-old girl in Illinois for “acting out” and a six-year-old girl for having a “tantrum” (Crenshaw et al 6). They also reveal that “In New York City, Black girls represented 56 percent of all girls disciplined, compared to white girls, who represented only five percent of such girls” (20). In other words, African American girls were disciplined 10 times more often than white girls (Crenshaw et al., 22 Fig. 5). Lunella’s behavior, though it may be disruptive, is not police-worthy.
Lunella disrupts the classroom in multiple ways, including her tone when she answers the teacher, often coded as sarcastic, and her lack of engagement with the material presented to her. In the first issue readers see tensions between the science teacher, Ms. Dominguez, and Lunella. Throughout the series, the teacher frequently focuses negative attention on Lunella. Lunella attends a school in NYC that is ill-equipped to manage her educational needs, hence her boredom, and she is potentially subject to the systematic racism of those classrooms. Lunella often ignores the lecture because it is too simple for her brilliant mind, or she answers her teacher sarcastically, and she is often threatened by the teacher with trips to the principal’s office or other means of intimidation. African American girls are frequently punished for “talking too loudly” and “talking back” to an instructor, behaviors often coded as disrespectful by education authorities. These behaviors are “threatening” in that they risk undermining the teacher’s authority in the classroom. However, some scholars see these student responses as “localized disruptions” where the student is asserting her voice and expressing her displeasure or boredom with the lesson plan. These localized disruptions, according to Heather A. Oesterreich, may be read as a form of student activism (4). Lunella “disrupts” class by exhibiting intelligence beyond her instructor, but this isn’t read as activism, it’s read as disrespectful and inappropriate.
Later in the first issue, the science teacher reprimands Lunella again, reminding her about their “talk with the principal” and how she needs to “engage with the rest of the class and stop [her] ‘daydreaming,’” and the illustrators put “daydreaming” in quotes and depict the teacher doing air quotes with her hands (Issue 3). However, Lunella’s expression is one of absolute boredom and not one of pleasant daydreaming. In another scene, Ms. Dominguez singles Lunella out and calls on her because she knows the young girl is not listening to her lecture (Issue 9). Lunella is a genius, and the young girl’s knowledge of science is beyond that of her classroom peers and even that of her teacher. Most readers would understand and sympathize with her boredom at listening to a lecture on simple scientific information she already knows.
Instead of recognizing Lunella’s intelligence, her teacher calls her “Little-Miss-Know-It-All” (Issue 1), which is unprofessional and problematic when a Black student’s intelligence is being ridiculed in front of the class (see Figure 4). The teacher’s methodology of singling out a Black student and using threats and even name calling points to more serious issues than just a simple storyline about a misunderstood genius. The scene implies that Lunella has “acted out” and has been sent to the principal’s office for not behaving in a manner acceptable to the instructor. The comic has other students who “act out” occasionally, such as Eduardo who questions the teacher’s decision making skills and constantly teases another girl (Issue 19), but readers do not see him being sent to the principal’s office or see the teacher threatening him and calling him names.
If Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is promoted in schools, then it potentially “functions as an important tool in the educative process within schools, and it serves to socialize children and shape their values, cultural norms, and worldviews” (McNair 3). The comic perpetuates the worldview that Black girls are naturally disruptive in the classroom and their behavior is not acceptable and deserves the punishments they receive. Although readers may understand and sympathize with Lunella’s boredom, by not highlighting the unfairness of the teacher’s bias, the comic participates in post-racism and risks normalizing the treatment of Black girls in the classroom. Readers see that they are not allowed to actively or even passively rebel against a system that fails to meet their educational needs. It is only when Lunella repeats what the teacher says and responds in the manner the teacher desires that she is praised (Issue 5), thus reinforcing behaviors established by the majority and ignoring the systematic racism and institutional failure to meet Black students’ (and other marginalized communities’) diverse personalities and education levels.
The comic’s portrayal of the misunderstood genius storyline overshadows another issue facing African American girls in public school systems: the lack of placement in gifted or advance programs. Lunella tells the reader, “Ever since kindergarten, I’ve tested into the gifted and talented program—but no seats! Never enough room for me” (Issue 15). The institutional denial of placement for Lunella in an advanced program is not an uncommon occurrence for African American students. Alfinio Flores notes that “Unfortunately it is not unusual to see African American and Latino students placed in low tracks even in cases where their standardized test scores or other measures of talent are equal to or better than their White or Asian American peer” (34). Even though Lunella has consistently tested as gifted, she is denied access to advancement, and the people in power ignore what this does to her psyche and potential for intellectual growth. Diane Archer-Banks and Linda Behar-Horenstein elaborate that “African American students are typically excluded from advanced placement (AP), college preparatory, and science technology, engineer, and mathematics (STEM) academic tracks” (201). The fact that Lunella has been consistently denied access to advanced classes implies that this pattern will continue; if she cannot get a seat in elementary and middle school, the likelihood that she will be granted access to college preparatory courses and other resources in high school is low.
Lunella is denied access to gifted programs, and she is denied leadership roles that would showcase her intelligence. The mystery of her placement in standard classes is even noticed by her classmate, Eduardo. Eduardo questions the science teacher’s decisions to not allow Lunella to be a leader and excel. Eduardo recognizes Lunella’ genius and asks the teacher why they do not let Lunella create the Lego plans for a competition, and the teacher dismisses his suggestion (Issue 9). Later Eduardo says, “This is what I’ve been saying since Pre-K…Lunella Lafayette is the smartest there is!” and the artwork of this panel clearly shows the teacher uncomfortable with his proclamation (Issue 12). Again, Ms. Dominguez downplays his words and, by default, Lunella’s intelligence. Lunella experiences outright hostility from her instructor as well as benign neglect. Crenshaw et al. contend that African American girls’ “sense of belonging in school can be undermined if their achievements are overlooked or undervalued” (12). Lunella may not just be bored with the curriculum; her teacher’s lack of appropriate response may cause her to further disengage from school, thus potentially impacting her future at higher institutions.
Ms. Dominguez’s response to Lunella is indicative of institutional racism within schools as well as the challenges facing urban education systems. African American students like Lunella often attend schools that lack qualified teachers and have limited resources. Flores’ research proves “that African American, Latino, and low-income students are less likely to have access to experienced and qualified teachers, more likely to face low expectations, and less likely to receive equitable per student funding” (29). To have a Latina teacher4 not recognize or at least acknowledge the situation in the school implies the comic relies on post-racial discourse. Furthermore, it misses an opportunity for the supherhero comic to engage in social issues of modernity; it denies a role model that could inspire marginalized readers to bond across identities. Flores’ research shows that an African American and a Latina may share experiences with being oppressed and marginalized by the systematic racism in education. Instead of having Ms. Dominguez be a source of hope and have the two bond, the writers pit the two women against each other. This denies readers an example of women of color joining forces to address inequality. At a minimum, the comic could show how teachers find creative ways to teach and the imaginative ways they produce funding denied by schools; Ms. Dominguez could be an example of the lengths public school teachers go to support their students, especially those like Lunella.
However, maybe Ms. Dominguez should be read as an example of a young, inexperienced teacher placed in an urban setting. Schools in urban areas are most likely to be taught by young and/or inexperienced teachers; that is, teachers with three years or less of teaching experience than teachers at predominantly white institutions (Flores 32). Ms. Dominguez’s responses to Lunella are indicative of, at best, an instructor who is uneducated about systematic racism and the institutional treatment of Black girls and lacks experience and pedagogical resources managing students with different learning needs, or, at worse, a racist instructor. Readers might give the teacher (and the writers) the benefit of doubt and assume the writers want readers to see how ill-equipped the school system is to deal with gifted children like Lunella. However, because the comic once again elects to not directly address such issues and leaves it up to the young reader to come to these conclusions on their own without even a mention of such ideas, the comic’s narrative strategy leans towards a simplified storyline of a misunderstood genius in a public school.
Post-racial discourse assumes that acknowledging the realities facing African American girls in school systems is unnecessary. However, Lunella, and other girls like her, have a right to be angry at their educational situation. The comic further downplays the educational realities facing African American girls through the humor surrounding her superpower. Lunella’s superpower is that she switches brains with Devil Dinosaur at seemingly unopportunistic moments. For example, Lunella has her first transformation—switches brains with Devil Dinosaur—when she gets angry at an alien who disguises himself as a classmate named Marvin (Issue 7). The creators may have seen this mental connection between a Black girl and a Dinosaur as a nod to the STEM movement, a progressive idea. However, during this scene, Lunella is angry at Marvin because he is trying to take over a LEGO League competition where she could win a scholarship. Lunella explains her strong desire to win the competition: “I spent almost my whole life trying to get into a better school. Maybe a STEM program. Anything where I could be with people like me” (Issue 11). Lunella has been repeatedly denied access to such opportunities; she sees this as her only chance to advance her mental capacities.
Additionally, Marvin is illustrated as a white male who is telling Lunella what he will do as self-appointed leader. He is attempting to subjugate Lunella on this project, negating her voice and intelligence. Lunella gets understandably angry, and as she expresses her anger, her mind swaps with Devil Dinosaur so that Devil Dinosaur has control over her body while Lunella’s mind is in Devil Dinosaur’s body. Devil Dinosaur-as-Lunella attacks Marvin and is eventually tied to the nurse’s chair. Although the scene is meant to be humorous, the comic denies Lunella’s right to be angry at the institutional systems that have oppressed her. The writers direct her anger at a boy, who could potentially represent patriarchal oppression and could be suggestive of the inability of white patriarchal society to comprehend a black girl’s experience; however, he is an alien from another planet, which allows readers to excuse his actions. Additionally, her swapping brains with a dinosaur who reacts purely on instinct overshadows Lunella’s intellect and right to be angry. It makes her response to the scene seem animalistic and unjustified because Devil Dinosaur’s brain takes over. Post-racial discourse shapes the comic so that the scene avoids engaging with the institutions that stifle Lunella’s academic growth. The writers turn Lunella’s anger into an animalistic performance for humor. The reason why she might have been angry in the first place is displaced.
Her brain switches places again when she is at the LEGO competition and about to explain her project. From a plot perspective, the writers denying Lunella this moment to shine creates a humorous and tragic character. However, by doing so, the comic avoids engaging with a more nuanced understanding of what African American girls deal with in educational settings. Flores reports that girls, especially from minority groups, “receive less encouragement and have fewer science- and math-related opportunities both in school and out than do White males” (40). Lunella has dealt with being ignored and ridiculed in the classroom and denied access to advanced courses. The moment is more tragic than the writers may have realized. By selecting her moment to shine and portray her intelligence to her school and to readers as the moment when her body is taken over by an animal that ruins the competition, the creators deny her voice and replace it with an animalistic performance that gets her reprimanded. Black girls “are viewed as ‘inadequately feminine,’ [and] school personnel spend more time correcting their speech and dress patterns, and less time promoting their academic skills” (Archer-Banks and Behar-Horenstein 200). Instead of promoting a Black girl’s academic skills, the comic presents her as animalistic, operating on pure instinct instead of intelligence, for humor. The writers do not recognize how often African American girls must deal with these moments, without finding anything humorous in them. Post-racial discourse makes this seem like a humorous moment instead of addressing the reality girls deal with being seen as unintelligent and “loud” and lacking in “appropriate” social manners by authority figures. The writers illustrate Lunella embracing the dinosaur mentality and calling it fun “going all Fin Fang Foom on those police when I was in your body” (Issue 8). There is danger for Black girls who want to go “Fin Fang Foom” on authority figures, especially police officers. Yet, because of post-racial discourse, the creators assume they do not have deal with those realities.
Lunella states, “Your dreams don’t mean anything. That’s the one thing school has taught me” (Issue 13). Lunella cannot get a seat in advanced programs, she has a teacher who does not engage with her educational needs and calls her names, and she is in a school system that lacks resources that can appropriately serve marginalized communities. Additionally, her animalistic behavior during the brain switches may reinforce views of African American girls as naturally unruly. Although the comic includes these scenes, the lack of direct engagement with the underlying issues that cause these problems may allow readers to reduce this to a common superhero trope of the misunderstood genius. The post-racial discourse undergirding this comic assumes that readers do not need to know the challenges directly facing African American girls in urban schools. To address these issues more directly may highlight the systematic racism of the institutions that are supporting the sales of their comic books. The misunderstood genius plot is more than just a story arc for African American girls; those moments represent institutional racism that Black girls face within the education system. A more nuanced representation needs to occur for readers to garner their true significance.
Representation Matters
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur’s success reminds us that the comic industry has made positive steps forward in representation. Young readers are embracing the character Moon Girl in hopes of empowerment and Lunella Lafayette is a progressive representation from her predecessors. Her success shows us that readers want diverse characters and that corporations like Marvel are listening to those demands.
However, comics are a business. When discussing the increase in female characters in Marvel universe, Sana Amanat, creator of Ms. Marvel, states, “You can’t ignore half the market, right? That’s pure finance and economics speaking” (Maggs). Creating a character that represents half of the population is a business decision, a way to appeal to current readers and a chance to pull in new readers who originally felt left out. As Cocca suggests, “A superhero-character-owning company will diversify their staffs or their characters not solely because it benefits other people, because it is the right thing to do, nor because it’s an idea whose time has come. They will do it because it’s in their interest too” (218). Marvel saw a boost in their readership and gained increased publicity by diversifying legacy characters such as Miles Morales, aka Spider-Man (2011), a sixteen-year-old Afro-Latino teenager, and Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel (2014), a Muslim Pakistani American teenager. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is an extension of this business plan that is succeeding. But part of that success may be due to the post-racial ideologies undergirding the comic. Lunella is not too radical; she’s not too controversial; and she’s not to confrontational. Her comic avoids directly engaging with any African American girlhood issues that might arise living in a city, or anywhere for that matter.
Cocca reminds us that dominant groups, in the case of comics this usually means Caucasian males, have been the primary teller of stories, including the stories about marginalized communities. She warns, “when the narrative’s point of view is consistently at that group instead of from that group, the objectified group’s story is not being told, empathy for that group is less likely, and the group’s power is subverted” (Cocca 5). The challenges Lunella faces in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur are depicted in such a way that they seem like the typical misunderstood genius, who just happens to be African American. The representations create ideological tensions if readers pause to consider how being Black might impact a genius girl with super powers. The likelihood that her experiences in school, in home, and in her neighborhood, would be the same as a white superhero is low. Post-racial discourse allows those cultural nuances to be subverted and unacknowledged. Lunella has great potential to empower young readers. Her presence on the page matters. However, she needs to be allowed to embrace the superhero agenda. Adilifu Nama suggests that “culturally and ideologically, black superheroes and the comic book pages they occupy are…signifiers that attack essentialist notions of racial subjectivity, draw attention to racial inequality and racial diversity, and contain a considerable amount of commentary about the broader cultural politics of race in America and the world” (136). Lunella’s storylines avoid the issues of social inequality. Although seeing an African American girl as a superhero is empowering and a progressive step for Marvel, allowing post-racial ideology to silence the inequality her real-world peers face is disappointing. In order for Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur to reach its heroic mission, especially since the comic is used in education settings, educators, librarians, and readers need to combat the gaps between Lunella’s Marvel universe and the world surrounding her readers.
[1] For further information, please see Brown 137; Cocca 10, 125, 206; Davis 204, 206, 208, and Whaley 97.
[2] Natcha Bustos has been the primary artist and Tamra Bonvillain the primary colorist for the series. Marco Failla was the artist for Issue 7; Ray-Anthony Height was the artist for Issue 14 and part of Issue 24; Issue 24 also had sections illustrated by Dominike “Domo” Stanton and Michael Shelfer.
[3] See: Monique Morris, and Kimberlé Crenshaw, Priscilla Ocen, and Jyoti Nanda.
[4] The science teacher’s name is Ms. Dominguez, and she is drawn lighter in complexion than Lunella and slightly darker than a white student thus reinforcing the assumption based on her last name that she is of Latina heritage.
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Posted in Volume 10, Issue 3: Comics and Fine Art Forum
Tagged Article
Issue 10.3: Comics and Fine Art
The Poverty of the Kid: Visualizing the Ragamuffin in R.F. Outcault’s Hogan’s Alley
Fun (Mobile) Home
Krazy Kolors: Exploring Identities and Ambiguities in George Herriman’s Krazy Kat
Kverneland and Fiske in the Footsteps of Great Artists: Re-tracing as a Tool for Artist Biographies in Comics Form
Comics in Museums and at their Periphery: Hierarchical Reaffirmation and Domination Adjustments in French Art Museums
The Expressionist Aesthetics of Anke Feuchtenberger’s Graphic Narrative
Collage Technique in Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
Review of The Narratology of Comic Art
Review of Marvel’s Black Panther: A Comic Book Biography from Stan Lee to Ta-Nehisi Coates
Review of Power & Magic: The Queer Witch Comics Anthology
Review of Comics, Trauma, and the New Art of War
Review of Autobiographical Comics
Review of Why Comics?: From Underground to Everywhere
Review of Visualizing Jewish Narrative: Essays on Jewish Comics and Graphic Novels
Review of The Anime Ecology
Review of Between Pen and Pixel: Comics, Materiality, and the Book of the Future
Review of DUMB: Living Without a Voice | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.6602201461791992, "wiki_prob": 0.6602201461791992, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line212944"} |
Unusual Syllogisms: Avicenna and Najm al-Din al-Katibi on per impossibile Syllogisms and Implication (luzum)
Kamran Karimullah
Classics, Ancient History & Egyptology
In his proofs of Le- and Ae-conversion in Logic for Shams al-Dīn, Najm al-Dīn al-Kātibī (d. 1276/7) accepts syllogisms that have redundant premises as theses. Similarities in Avicenna’s and Kātibī’s doctrines of the per impossibilesyllogism suggest that Avicenna could have adopted such proofs and remained consistent with the principles of his syllogistic. However, analysis of their modal syllogistic and their ideas about the nature of implication (luzūm) reveals that Avicenna could not employ the type of per impossibile syllogism that Kātibī does and remain faithful to his modal theory, or to the Aristotelian vision of the theory of syllogistic as a theory of reasoning. In his commentary on Afḍal al-Dīn al-Khūnajī’s (d. 1248) Disclosure of Secrets Kātibī offers a second analysis of per impossibile syllogisms. Kātibī envisions a generic sense of logical necessitation that accommodates the sense in which an antecedent implies a consequent and premises imply a conclusion. This evidence may explain why Kātibī admitted redundantly concluding syllogisms as theses. If Avicenna was committed to a strict distinction between these senses, this may partially account for why Avicenna does not adopt Kātibī’s unusual syllogisms.
Oriens: journal of the International Society for Oriental Research
https://doi.org/10.1163/18778372-04301007
luzum
per impossible syllogism
qiyas al-khalf
10.1163/18778372-04301007Licence: Other
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Karimullah, K. (2015). Unusual Syllogisms: Avicenna and Najm al-Din al-Katibi on per impossibile Syllogisms and Implication (luzum). Oriens: journal of the International Society for Oriental Research , 43, 233-271. https://doi.org/10.1163/18778372-04301007
Karimullah, Kamran. / Unusual Syllogisms : Avicenna and Najm al-Din al-Katibi on per impossibile Syllogisms and Implication (luzum). In: Oriens: journal of the International Society for Oriental Research . 2015 ; Vol. 43. pp. 233-271.
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title = "Unusual Syllogisms: Avicenna and Najm al-Din al-Katibi on per impossibile Syllogisms and Implication (luzum)",
abstract = "In his proofs of Le- and Ae-conversion in Logic for Shams al-Dīn, Najm al-Dīn al-Kātibī (d. 1276/7) accepts syllogisms that have redundant premises as theses. Similarities in Avicenna{\textquoteright}s and Kātibī{\textquoteright}s doctrines of the per impossibilesyllogism suggest that Avicenna could have adopted such proofs and remained consistent with the principles of his syllogistic. However, analysis of their modal syllogistic and their ideas about the nature of implication (luzūm) reveals that Avicenna could not employ the type of per impossibile syllogism that Kātibī does and remain faithful to his modal theory, or to the Aristotelian vision of the theory of syllogistic as a theory of reasoning. In his commentary on Afḍal al-Dīn al-Khūnajī{\textquoteright}s (d. 1248) Disclosure of Secrets Kātibī offers a second analysis of per impossibile syllogisms. Kātibī envisions a generic sense of logical necessitation that accommodates the sense in which an antecedent implies a consequent and premises imply a conclusion. This evidence may explain why Kātibī admitted redundantly concluding syllogisms as theses. If Avicenna was committed to a strict distinction between these senses, this may partially account for why Avicenna does not adopt Kātibī{\textquoteright}s unusual syllogisms.",
keywords = "implication, luzum, per impossible syllogism, qiyas al-khalf, validity",
author = "Kamran Karimullah",
doi = "10.1163/18778372-04301007",
journal = "Oriens: journal of the International Society for Oriental Research ",
publisher = "Brill ",
Karimullah, K 2015, 'Unusual Syllogisms: Avicenna and Najm al-Din al-Katibi on per impossibile Syllogisms and Implication (luzum)', Oriens: journal of the International Society for Oriental Research , vol. 43, pp. 233-271. https://doi.org/10.1163/18778372-04301007
Unusual Syllogisms : Avicenna and Najm al-Din al-Katibi on per impossibile Syllogisms and Implication (luzum). / Karimullah, Kamran.
In: Oriens: journal of the International Society for Oriental Research , Vol. 43, 2015, p. 233-271.
T1 - Unusual Syllogisms
T2 - Avicenna and Najm al-Din al-Katibi on per impossibile Syllogisms and Implication (luzum)
AU - Karimullah, Kamran
N2 - In his proofs of Le- and Ae-conversion in Logic for Shams al-Dīn, Najm al-Dīn al-Kātibī (d. 1276/7) accepts syllogisms that have redundant premises as theses. Similarities in Avicenna’s and Kātibī’s doctrines of the per impossibilesyllogism suggest that Avicenna could have adopted such proofs and remained consistent with the principles of his syllogistic. However, analysis of their modal syllogistic and their ideas about the nature of implication (luzūm) reveals that Avicenna could not employ the type of per impossibile syllogism that Kātibī does and remain faithful to his modal theory, or to the Aristotelian vision of the theory of syllogistic as a theory of reasoning. In his commentary on Afḍal al-Dīn al-Khūnajī’s (d. 1248) Disclosure of Secrets Kātibī offers a second analysis of per impossibile syllogisms. Kātibī envisions a generic sense of logical necessitation that accommodates the sense in which an antecedent implies a consequent and premises imply a conclusion. This evidence may explain why Kātibī admitted redundantly concluding syllogisms as theses. If Avicenna was committed to a strict distinction between these senses, this may partially account for why Avicenna does not adopt Kātibī’s unusual syllogisms.
AB - In his proofs of Le- and Ae-conversion in Logic for Shams al-Dīn, Najm al-Dīn al-Kātibī (d. 1276/7) accepts syllogisms that have redundant premises as theses. Similarities in Avicenna’s and Kātibī’s doctrines of the per impossibilesyllogism suggest that Avicenna could have adopted such proofs and remained consistent with the principles of his syllogistic. However, analysis of their modal syllogistic and their ideas about the nature of implication (luzūm) reveals that Avicenna could not employ the type of per impossibile syllogism that Kātibī does and remain faithful to his modal theory, or to the Aristotelian vision of the theory of syllogistic as a theory of reasoning. In his commentary on Afḍal al-Dīn al-Khūnajī’s (d. 1248) Disclosure of Secrets Kātibī offers a second analysis of per impossibile syllogisms. Kātibī envisions a generic sense of logical necessitation that accommodates the sense in which an antecedent implies a consequent and premises imply a conclusion. This evidence may explain why Kātibī admitted redundantly concluding syllogisms as theses. If Avicenna was committed to a strict distinction between these senses, this may partially account for why Avicenna does not adopt Kātibī’s unusual syllogisms.
KW - implication
KW - luzum
KW - per impossible syllogism
KW - qiyas al-khalf
KW - validity
U2 - 10.1163/18778372-04301007
DO - 10.1163/18778372-04301007
JO - Oriens: journal of the International Society for Oriental Research
JF - Oriens: journal of the International Society for Oriental Research
Karimullah K. Unusual Syllogisms: Avicenna and Najm al-Din al-Katibi on per impossibile Syllogisms and Implication (luzum). Oriens: journal of the International Society for Oriental Research . 2015;43:233-271. doi: 10.1163/18778372-04301007 | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.871132493019104, "wiki_prob": 0.871132493019104, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line864668"} |
Coronavirus pandemic buying binge now includes Mace, RVs, bulk foods
Aimee Picchi, Special to USA TODAY
Published 6:00 a.m. ET Aug. 24, 2020 | Updated 3:19 p.m. ET Aug. 24, 2020
For summer vacation, RV rentals have increased by 1,600% since April according to the peer-to-peer rental company RVshare.
The early days of the coronavirus pandemic were marked by a run on toilet paper and baking supplies, the sort of necessities and comforts driven by nation-wide stay-at-home orders. But that focus on domestic comforts may be shifting, with retail trends pointing to rising anxieties among Americans as the pandemic drags on.
Sales of personal safety devices such as pepper spray as well as solar-powered mobile phone chargers are on the rise, according to several retail sources. And while spending on travel and restaurants remains depressed, demand for RV rentals is surging, says Bill Parsons, group president of data and analytics and international at Envestnet|Yodlee. That indicates consumers are willing to travel as long as they can ensure their safety from the coronavirus.
The shift in spending comes as Americans are venturing out of their homes, even taking summer vacations, but seeking to shield themselves amid rising anxieties over everything from the virus itself to the perception that crime may be on the rise. Even though crime remains low – and in fact dropped in March as people remained indoors – anxieties have been sparked by unrest in cities such as Portland, Oregon, over police brutality and systemic racism.
“It’s a sense of unease that everybody has,” says Kristin Cook, senior editor at retail deal site Ben’s Bargains, which saw a spike in demand for pepper spray and solar-powered chargers at the start of August. “For a while there it felt like everyone sort of decided we were over (the pandemic), but we’re seeing the anxiety-type purchases ticking up, as people realize this is will be more of a long haul.”
Ali Ferber Peters, who founded personal alarm business Birdie late last year, has seen sales jump this summer. (Photo: Emilia Peters)
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But it’s not only protests and riots that are prompting interest in personal-safety devices. People are again venturing out-of-doors, but are more likely to be on their own due to social distancing recommendations. That’s spurring purchases of pepper spray and personal alarms.
“People want to go into nature, where it might not be as crowded,” notes Ali Ferber Peters, who co-founded the personal alarm company Birdie last year. “Carrying an alarm gives people confidence.”
Her alarm business had its slowest month in March, Peters recounts. But sales have grown “exponentially” this summer, she says, with sales as much as tripling each month since May. Those increases are driven by mothers buying the alarms for their daughters, as well as young women buying the brightly colored devices – which emit a 130-decibel alarm – for themselves.
Consumers are responding to the continuing uncertainty of the pandemic as well as anxieties over future events including the Nov. 3 presidential election, says Mace Security International CEO Gary Medved. He says the Cleveland-based company is contemplating adding a third shift to its factory to keep up with demand for its Mace-branded pepper spray, which had introduced new colors and packaging in the months before the pandemic shut down the economy.
The sales boost “is not letting up,” Medved says. “The last few months have told people, ‘Be prepared.’”
The coronavirus pandemic has caused toilet paper shortages and long lines, but panic buying is not a new phenomenon and it certainly isn’t helping.
To be sure, some of the basics that were in demand at the start of the pandemic remain coveted, leading to “massive, countrywide out-of-stocks for all things Lysol, bleach and wipes,” says Anne-Marie Roerink, principal and founder of marketing research company 210 Analytics, which tracks grocery sales.
Meat sales remain high, as do sales of frozen foods, including frozen pizzas, as people prepare more meals at home, she says. “Frozen pizza has been a pandemic go-to for consumers, with sales still up 15% over year-ago levels,” she says.
Another trend she’s seeing: Consumers are buying for the long haul, including purchasing larger containers of yogurt and candy bars. Blame this on the shift to at-home work, with consumers no longer needing single servings they can toss into their bags before heading to the office in the morning.
“The big question becomes whether those changes are here to stay,” she says. “It is likely that much of it will depend on whether people will continue to work from home.”
Consumers are looking for “bubbles” that can help them feel protected while resuming some of their regular activities, notes Parsons of Envestnet Yodlee. That’s why spending on RV rentals tripled for both June and July, while spending on hotels declined by double-digit percentages, compared with a year earlier, he notes.
“People say, ‘I want to be in a bubble, and an RV lends itself to a bubble’,” he notes. “People are choosing the RV as a way to manage through the pandemic and be in a safer place.”
Aimee Picchi is a business journalist whose work appears in publications including USA TODAY, CBS News and Consumer Reports. She spent almost a decade covering tech and media for Bloomberg News. You can find her on Twitter at @aimeepicchi.
The coronavirus pandemic has forced retailers to make adjustments for employee and customer safety.
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I, Middlebrow
By David Yamada on April 2, 2014
I subscribe to a lot of magazines, but if there are three that exemplify where my everyday, pop culture base of gravity sets, The Week, Sports Illustrated, and Entertainment Weekly fit the bill.
The Week offers a handy roundup of national and international news, short reviews of movies, TV shows, and books, financial advice, and the like — a little bit of everything, drawn from a wide variety of news sources. On matters of political, public policy, and social significance, it attempts to present a span of viewpoints and perspectives.
Sports Illustrated is exactly that, a weekly combination of sports features and photography. Even with the deluge of online sports fan sites, SI — one of the pioneers in sports journalism — still informs and entertains.
Entertainment Weekly also holds its own against competing online coverage of movies, television, books, and music. More than any other source, it tips me off on the best stuff to watch on the small screen.
I could list all of my subscriptions in an attempt to sound more intellectual, politically engaged, and worldly, but if I’m being honest with myself, I must acknowledge that I am very much a middlebrow kinda guy. Maybe high middlebrow or low middlebrow at times, but definitely hovering around the center.
What is middlebrow? Freedictionary.com calls it “(o)ne who is somewhat cultured, with conventional tastes and interests; one who is neither highbrow nor lowbrow.”
By and large, that’s me.
Perhaps I’m simply a product of my times and upbringing. I grew up with the Book-of-the-Month Club and the Columbia Record and Tape Club. The emerging geek side of me read the World Book Encyclopedia. I listened to AM pop music stations before going over to the exotic world of FM. As a kid, going out for dinner usually meant pizza or a burger. Ordering in meant carryout from the local Chinese place. A birthday might mean a trip to the amusement park.
Moving to New York for law school and living there for 12 years definitely lifted my cultural horizons. Broadway shows, the music of the Gershwins, Cole Porter, and Sinatra, that kind of thing. My appetite became more eclectic, especially with different Asian cuisines. But even these explorations, now very much a part of my personal culture, were more of a Manhattan brand of middlebrow than a jump into high society.
As for today, I’ll opt for a good PBS mystery series, reruns of the “Dick Van Dyke Show,” or a good World War II movie over the latest hot foreign film. For leisure reading, I’ll usually choose a good suspense novel or history book over classic literature. And during recent years, many of my summer vacations have been spent going on storm chase tours in search of bad weather.
Good with it
I’m not averse to trying new things and expanding my worldview. But when it comes to my personal culture — the stuff that brings me enjoyment and entertainment — my default point lands near the middle.
That said, don’t let my culture define yours. The process of sorting out and embracing that personal culture is, I believe, a key to living a satisfying life. On this point, to each your own. Whether it’s watching World Wide Wrestling or going to an art gallery opening, enjoy.
Posted in: popular culture | Tagged: popular culture
Lisa April 2, 2014 at 2:51 pm | Reply
Great note about “Manhattan brand of middlebrow.” Middlebrow certainly has lots of variations, because of geography, generational differences, and lots more, but like you, I think it gets a bad rap 🙂 | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.7387189865112305, "wiki_prob": 0.26128101348876953, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line1845786"} |
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Hisense U8G ULED TV Review
This new Hisense TV is dazzlingly bright, full of features, and rivals Samsung's best
Written by Michael Desjardin
Tested by Jonathan Chan and Michael Desjardin
In recent years, while well-known brands like Samsung, LG, and Sony have battled it out at the TV industry's highest level, Hisense—a brand that doesn't get nearly as much stateside press—has steadily stepped up its game, offering sensible alternatives that prioritize picture quality at the expense of fancy features. The Hisense U8G (available at Amazon) is one of the company's 2021 flagship TVs that, thanks to a robust set of features, feels like the first Hisense TV that can actually stand toe-to-toe with some of the best QLED TVs from Samsung. Simply put, the U8G is the best Hisense TV I've ever seen.
$944.00 from Walmart
About the Hisense U8G TV series
Incredibly bright
Excellent color
Future-facing features
Light bloom during off-angle viewing
So-so smart platform
The U8G is the best Hisense TV I've ever seen.
The U8G is an upgraded version of last year's Hisense H9G, a TV that featured a bright, colorful picture but none of the future-facing features that its rivals were offering. This year, the U8G comes with all of the hardware and software enhancements that eluded the H9G, including HDMI 2.1 and next-gen gaming specs like Variable Refresh Rate and Auto Low Latency Mode.
Now that the U8G can compete with TVs like the Samsung QN90A in the all-important features category, its performance has more room to shine–and wow, does it shine. The U8G is one of the brightest TVs we've ever tested, and its quantum dot-powered color rivals every Samsung QLED we've tested this year. It still has some pain points (including a so-so smart platform and a design that won't be everyone's cup of tea), but the Hisense U8G is a huge improvement over last year's H9G, and one of the best LED TVs we've seen this year.
The U8G comes in 55- and 65-inch sizes.
The Hisense U8G replaces last year’s Hisense H9G and is available in just two sizes: 55 inches and 65 inches. Our review unit is a 65-inch model and was received on loan.
Here’s how each size shakes out from a price standpoint:
55-inch (Hisense 55U8G), MSRP $949.99
65-inch (Hisense 65U8G), MSRP $1,299.99
Both versions of the Hisense U8G feature a full-array backlight with local dimming, but while the 65-inch version features 360 local dimming zones, the 55-inch version only features 132 zones. This difference in zone count might make for slightly different performance, as more zones are preferable when it comes to contrast control.
Here are specifications shared by both the 55- and 65-inch versions of the Hisense U8G:
Resolution: 4K (3,840 x 2,160)
Display type: Full-array LED with local dimming and quantum dots
HDR support: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
Dolby Atmos: Yes
eARC support: Yes
Native refresh rate: 120Hz
Smart platform: Android TV
Color: DCI-P3 color space/10-bit chroma resolution
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR): Yes
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM): Yes
Other features: Filmmaker Mode, IMAX Enhanced Mode, FreeSync, Google Chromecast, Google Assistant, Alexa, Apple AirPlay 2
Hisense's new remote control is smaller than its predecessor, but the dedicated app buttons can get in the way of the playback control buttons.
Hisense’s new remote control is much smaller than it’s been in recent years—closer to the size and shape of Vizio’s remote control, should you happen to be familiar. It features a microphone for use with Google Assistant and six dedicated app buttons.
Before testing each TV, we make sure the panel is on and receiving a continuous signal for at least 24 hours, allowing the pixels plenty of time to warm up. Our 65-inch U8G received this standard warm-up time before any readings were taken.
For SDR tests, we used the Hisense U8G’s “Theater Day” picture mode, and for HDR tests, we used the TV’s “HDR Theater” picture mode. We’ve chosen these settings because of their accuracy, but results may vary depending on which picture mode is enabled. For example, you’re likely to experience a brighter picture on the TV’s “Vivid” picture mode, but this sacrifices color accuracy.
To get a sense for the TV’s average performance, we use a standard ANSI checkerboard pattern for most of our basic contrast tests. We also use white and black windows ranging from 2% to 90% to test how well the contrast holds up while displaying varying degrees of brightness.
Our peak brightness measurements are taken with sustained windows, so these figures represent the TV’s peak brightness over a sustained period of time. Specular highlights (like brief flashes of reflected light) might reach higher brightness levels, but not for a sustained period of time.
All of our tests are created with a QuantumData 780A signal generator and tabulated via Calman Ultimate. I'll expand on our test results throughout the review, but for now, here are some key takeaways:
• HDR contrast (brightness/black level): 838.5 nits/0.106 nits (ANSI checkerboard) • SDR contrast (brightness/black level): 679.6 nits/0.088 nits (ANSI checkerboard) • HDR peak brightness (sustained): 2,280 nits (40% white window) • HDR color gamut coverage (DCI-P3/10-bit): 98% • SDR color gamut coverage (Rec.709): 100%
These measurements were taken with the U8G’s Local Dimming setting set to “High” with all of the TV’s motion enhancements turned off. In addition, both the “Noise Reduction” and the “Digital Noise Reduction” settings were set to “Low,” and the U8G’s ambient light sensor was deactivated.
Two of the U8G's four HDMI ports are HDMI 2.1.
Compared to its predecessor, last year’s Hisesne H9G, the U8G is much better suited for gamers and hardcore A/V enthusiasts. Like most premium TVs in 2021, HDMI 2.1 is part of the package, though only two of the U8G’s ports are HDMI 2.1-certified.
Here’s what you’ll find in a cutout on the back of the U8G’s panel:
4x HDMI (1x eARC, 2x HDMI 2.1)
2x USB (1x USB 3.0)
RF connection (cable/antenna)
Ethernet (LAN) input
Digital audio output (optical)
Composite input
3.5mm audio output (headphone jack)
So bright that you might need a pair of shades
The U8G is one of the brightest TVs we've tested this year.
From its quantum dots to its full-array backlight, the Hisense U8G is built for brightness. Its power is apparent the moment the TV is turned on. Everything—and I mean everything—looks bright on this TV, from the TV's menus to HDR content. Even run-of-the-mill SDR content like cable TV and older Netflix programming is far brighter on the U8G than HDR content is on most entry-level HDR TVs; according to our test results, the U8G outputs 600 to 700 nits of brightness on average while receiving an SDR signal.
The real fireworks begin when you drop in a 4K Blu-ray or stream something in HDR.
But the real fireworks begin when you drop in a 4K Blu-ray or stream something in HDR. The U8G serves up a picture worthy of the format. While measuring test patterns in HDR, we clocked the U8G between 800 and 1,500 nits of regular, sustained brightness. The brightest measurement we took in HDR was 2,280 nits, which rivals some of the brightest readings we took when testing Samsung’s Neo QLED flagship, the Q90A. One of the first things I watched on the U8G was an episode of Our Planet called “The High Seas,” which features several sequences of dolphins zipping their way through the ocean. As the dolphins crested above the waves, sunlight bounced off their dorsal fins in spectacular fashion. Indeed, specular highlights—reflections, flames, and speckles of light—are where the U8G really unloads.
Another reason HDR content looks particularly impressive on the U8G is due to its respectable black levels: 0.088 nits in SDR and 0.106 nits in HDR, on average. These figures are, of course, nowhere near the pitch-black perfection offered up by OLED TVs, but for an LED TV with this sort of hardware, it’s better than average. Plus, the U8G’s searing highlights go a long way in making the black levels look deeper.
Thanks to the U8G's quantum dots, the TV's SDR and HDR colors are spectacular.
In addition to being brighter than last year’s Hisense H9G, the U8G also offers slightly better color production, particularly when it comes to extra-wide, HDR color. According to our lab tests, the Hisense U8G covers an impressive 98% of the DCI-P3 color space and 100% of the Rec.709 gamut.
HDR color, unsurprisingly, is the U8G’s bread and butter. The tell-tale signs of quantum dots are all over this TV’s picture—in addition to its sheer brightness, reds and greens tend to pop in a way that’s almost impossible to recreate on traditional LCD/LED panels that don’t feature this impressive display tech.
To my eye, the U8G doesn’t quite outpace the color production of Samsung’s current top-shelf QLED, the QN90A, but it comes very close. While the U8G’s P3 color saturation (~98%) is a hair beyond what we measured on the Q90A (~97%), Samsung’s mini-LED backlight allows it to localize its brightness better, creating color gradations that tend to be smoother than the U8G’s. For most folks, however, the differences between these two TVs’ color will be subtle. Given the gulf between their respective price tags, the U8G’s color production is all the more impressive.
Future-facing features for gamers and cinephiles
In addition to several gaming-related features, the U8G also features a 120Hz panel with excellent motion handling.
One of the biggest marks against the 2020 Hisense H9G was a lack of features and enhancements that would keep it at the top of its game for years to come. Gaming-related features like Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) were nowhere to be found, and the H9G didn’t offer HDMI 2.1 ports. The H9G didn’t even have an HDMI port that supported eARC, so Dolby Atmos passthrough was out of the question.
This time around, all of those features I just listed are included in the U8G’s impressive spec sheet. Two of the TV’s four HDMI ports are HDMI 2.1-certified and support 4K content at 120fps. VRR and ALLM are represented here, and gamers will be happy to learn that the U8G even supports FreeSync.
Two of the TV’s four HDMI ports are HDMI 2.1-certified.
And you don’t need to be playing a 4K game at 120fps to appreciate the U8G’s 120Hz panel. The U8G’s motion handling is, to my eye, a significant step up from what I saw last year on the H9G. I did notice some minor stuttering during vertical pans, but I was able to mitigate this by increasing the TV’s “Judder Reduction” slider to its lowest setting. There’s also a “Blur Reduction” slider and several motion smoothing presets, but anyone who’s particularly allergic to the soap opera effect should probably avoid the presets and stick to the TV’s custom motion sliders.
In addition to its Dolby Atmos support, the U8G supports Dolby Vision, an essential spec as streaming platforms embrace the Dolby Vision standard. And, if you’re keeping score at home, the inclusion of Dolby Vision is one feature the rival Samsung QN90A doesn’t offer.
Aggressive brightness can cause some issues
If you're viewing the U8G from an off-angle, you'll likely notice light bloom when bright picture elements fill dark space.
The aforementioned episode of Our Planet, “The High Seas,” also shed some light on the U8G’s biggest weakness: light bloom. While watching a deep-sea submersible plunge the darkest depths of the ocean, I noticed halos of light around the perimeter of the ship. Now, some of this light is obviously reflections captured in the footage itself—the ocean is a murky place, after all. However, if you sit yourself at an off-angle, you can really get a sense of how much the U8G struggles to rein in its LEDs when bright elements sit alongside darkness.
If you happen to be viewing from an off-angle, you’re going to notice a significant amount of light bloom.
While we can’t speak for the 55-inch U8G and its 132 LED zones, the 65-inch model’s array of 360 zones does a pretty good job limiting light pollution during darker scenes, all things considered. But if you happen to be sitting away from a head-on angle, you’re going to notice a significant amount of light bloom—there’s just no way around it. It’s especially troubling when there’s several smaller points of bright light in a dark space (e.g., a shot of space in a sci-fi flick). With so many smaller bits of brightness, the U8G can’t help but lift the black regions of the picture, too.
Android TV is rough around the edges
As far as smart platforms go, Android TV is flexible, but its user interface can be tricky to navigate if you're unfamiliar with it.
Like the Hisense smart TVs of recent years, the U8G comes with Android TV baked right into the TV’s software. Not much has changed since last year’s Android TV integration on the H9G, and I still find the platform to be tougher to navigate than some of its competitors.
The best thing I can say about Android TV is that it’s supremely flexible when it comes to app availability and overall customization. It’s certainly more freewheelin’ than the rigidity of, say, Vizio’s SmartCast, whose app selection is limited to whatever Vizio offers.
Casual users, however, are probably better off pairing the U8G with an external streaming device for most of their streaming sessions. A platform like Roku simply offers a better-organized, easier-to-navigate experience.
Unique design might not be for everyone
The U8G's butterfly-shaped stand is unique, but it leaves a large footprint.
Like its predecessor, the Hisense U8G is a handsomely cut (albeit chunky) panel that rests atop an eye-catching, butterfly-shaped stand. For folks who embrace the unconventional, the U8G’s blend of posh and unique might be attractive. For folks who want to play it safe with some minimalism, the U8G’s design might be too off-beat.
The stand's design is a refreshing departure from the wide-set, boomerang-shaped feet that have risen in popularity over the last several years, and it’s certainly nice to see companies thinking outside the box when it comes to TV design. That said, the stand’s footprint is pretty big, so depending on your TV stand’s depth, it might crowd the surface.
Yes—the U8G rivals some of the best TVs we’ve seen this year and costs much less.
The Hisense U8G offers first-class performance for a sensible price.
If a top-shelf, quantum dot-equipped LED TV is on your wishlist this year but the premium price tag of the Samsung QN90A leaves you with serious sticker shock, the Hisense U8G should be high on your list of potential suitors. On average, it gets as bright (and regularly brighter) than the QN90A, and although we prefer the QN90A’s superior color production, the U8G’s colors are almost as impressive. Right now, the 65-inch U8G is about half the cost of the 65-inch QN90A.
Granted, the U8G doesn’t offer nearly as many bells and whistles as the QN90A, and Samsung’s mini-LED tech is better equipped at controlling its panel’s contrast. But if you ask me, the difference in cost is not at all representative of the difference in performance. The U8G offers comparable picture quality and most of the same critical features—for far less money.
Simply put, the U8G is, pound for pound, the best TV Hisense has ever made.
Simply put, the U8G is, pound for pound, the best TV Hisense has ever made. While the H9G offered glimpses of greatness, its confounding lack of features no doubt kept it off shopping lists. This year, you’d be remiss not to include the U8G in the conversation—particularly if you own (or plan on owning) a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. Hisense might not be a brand name that casual shoppers in the states are familiar with, but it's one of the biggest TV manufacturers in the world, and its TVs are getting better with each passing year.
The U8G is an exceptional (and surprisingly value-packed) TV that will make a great home theater centerpiece—especially if you’ve got a bright living room.
Meet the testers
Michael Desjardin
@Reviewed
Michael Desjardin graduated from Emerson College after having studied media production and screenwriting. He specializes in tech for Reviewed, but also loves film criticism, weird ambient music, cooking, and food in general.
See all of Michael Desjardin's reviews
Jonathan Chan
Senior Manager of Lab Operations
@Jonfromthelab1
Jonathan Chan currently serves as the Lab Manager at Reviewed. If you clean with it, it's likely that Jon oversees its testing. Since joining the Reviewed in 2012, Jon has helped launch the company's efforts in reviewing laptops, vacuums, and outdoor gear. He thinks he's a pretty big deal. In the pursuit of data, he's plunged his hands into freezing cold water, consented to be literally dragged through the mud, and watched paint dry. Jon demands you have a nice day.
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Vizio M-Elevate Soundbar Review | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.8100186586380005, "wiki_prob": 0.8100186586380005, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line168348"} |
Brian Russ Law, Inc. – Trademark & Business Attorney
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Trademark Clearance Search Lawyer for Warrensville Heights, Ohio, Ohio
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Chelsea face greater threats than Ajax in Champions League draw to test Frank Lampard's mettle
Petr Cech gave his club a helping hand by avoiding heavyweights in pot two but Valencia and Lille will be tricky tests
Cech, Chelsea's hero in the 2012 final, made the draw in Monaco
It is not the group of death nor is it the group of familiar faces many Chelsea supporters will have feared but Frank Lampard's team still face a significant challenge to progress to the Champions League knockout rounds having been pitted against Ajax, Valencia and Lille in Thursday evening's draw.
They will be thankful to Petr Cech, the club's technical adviser who made the draw in Monaco alongside Wesley Sneijder, for placing the West Londoners with Ajax from pot two.
However Valencia and Lille will offer sticky tests - along with some decent away trips for supporters.
Overall Lampard should be satisfied that there are no heavyweights to face in Group H, yet it will not be considered a massive shock if they end up failing to progress to the round of 16. Every game is winnable, sure, but none of their three opponents will arrive at Stamford Bridge expecting to lose either.
Champions League 2019/20 group stage draw
In terms of travel Chelsea have also had a stroke of fortune, with the Netherlands, Spain and France a sight better than navigating a trip to Moscow or Belgrade.
Considering the alternatives in pot two, being paired with Ajax was quite a relief. The Dutch champions, who Chelsea have remarkably never faced in competitive action, are not the same force as last season, when they seemed destined for the final before Lucas Moura's heroics in Amsterdam sent Tottenham Hotspur through.
Their high-energy style of play will be the same this year but the personnel putting Erik ten Hag's plan into action are mildly less impressive.
Ajax have lost their two best players - Frenkie de Jong, to Barcelona, and Matthijs de Ligt, to Juventus, for a combined €150million - while the speedy attacker Quincy Promes is the most recognisable incoming player having signed for a comparatively measly €15million from Sevilla.
Lampard will be satisfied with the draw, though it could also have been easier (Image: Clive Howes - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
They were also unconvincing in qualifying. In the third round they made hard work of a PAOK team that Chelsea made light work of in last season's Europa League, the Amsterdam side eventually advancing 5-4 on aggregate.
In the play-off round Ajax were at least a bit more resilient in defence, keeping a clean sheet in both legs against Apoel, but having drawn a blank in Cyprus it was not until the final ten minutes at home on Wednesday night that they made the tie safe - Dusan Tadic scoring a second goal after the Mexican defender Edson Alvarez, another summer signing, had scored early on.
"It will be an interesting encounter," Cech told BT Sport after the draw. "Ajax had a fantastic season last season and will want to repeat that but we are looking forward to the challenge."
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Valencia may be the weakest of the La Liga sides but they overcame a horrible start to last season, winning just one of their first 11 games, to finish fourth (along with winning the Copa del Rey) and also took four points off Manchester United in the group stages.
They ended up finishing third in that group and went through three rounds of the Europa League before succumbing to Arsenal in the last four. Marcelino's team may have shipped seven goals in that tie but they also displayed plenty of threat in attack and appear stronger this season.
For those in search of a favourable omen, the last time the sides met was in the 2011/12 group stage - and we all know who ended up winning the competition that season. Lampard scored in a 1-1 draw at the Mestalla, while the reverse game at the Bridge ended in a 3-0 win.
Unai Emery catches the ball on the touchline at Stamford Bridge in 2011 as Valencia manager. (Image: ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images)
Overall Chelsea's record against the Spanish side is played six, won three and drawn three, while they have also never played Lille competitively.
The French side, back in the tournament for the first time since 2012-13, will be something of an unknown quantity and, similar to Ajax and Chelsea, lost their best player during the summer, with Nicolas Pepe moving to Arsenal.
They have brought in 13 new faces, however, including the promising American attacker Timothy Weah from Paris Saint-Germain, while Loic Remy will be a familiar face. Eden Hazard, Joe Cole and Salomon Kalou have all played for both teams.
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Manager Christophe Galtier, who has been in charge since 2017, has seen his team win two and lose one of their opening three Ligue 1 games and, although they are the outsiders according to the bookmakers, will be confident of causing an upset.
As Cech summarised: "It will not be an easy group, it's very even. It's one of those groups where everybody can beat everybody. It will be very interesting but we can be satisfied with draw. We avoided long travel, which is one of the positives."
Pushed on what he hopes Chelsea achieve in the competition this season, the former goalkeeper added: "We'd like to do as best as possible, compete in every game. Once you reach the knockout stages anything can happen. But our first target is to go through the group stage and be in the knockout draw."
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Beforehand Cech spoke of the pressure and expectation of this competition and the need to be confident to succeed. It would be a remarkable turn of events if Chelsea were to return to the final eight years on from his heroics in the 2012 final against Bayern Munich, when he saved a penalty from Arjen Robben in extra time before denying Ivica Olic and Bastian Schweinsteiger in the shootout.
But, as Lampard has already said, this is a big challenge that his young squad are determined to grasp. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.938401997089386, "wiki_prob": 0.938401997089386, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line1238086"} |
[9] The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
He had faith to be healed — He felt the power of God in his soul; and thence knew it was sufficient to heal his body also.
[11] And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.
The gods are come down — Which the heathens supposed they frequently did; Jupiter especially. But how amazingly does the prince of darkness blind the minds of them that believe not! The Jews would not own Christ's Godhead, though they saw him work numberless miracles. On the other hand, the heathens seeing mere men work one miracle, were for deifying them immediately.
[13] Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.
The priest of Jupiter — Whose temple and image were just without the gate of the city, brought garlands - To put on the victims, and bulls - The usual offerings to Jupiter.
[14] Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,
They sprang in among the people, crying out — As in a fire, or other sudden and great danger.
[15] And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
To turn from these vanities — From worshipping any but the true God. He does not deign to call them gods; unto the living God - Not like these dead idols; who made the heaven and the earth, the sea - Each of which they supposed to have its own gods.
[16] Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.
Who in times past — He prevents their objection, "But if these things are so, we should have heard the in from our fathers." Suffered - An awful judgment, all nations - The multitude of them that err does not turn error into truth, to walk in their own ways - The idolatries which they had chosen.
[17] Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
He left not himself without witness — For the heathens had always from God himself a testimony both of his existence and of his providence; in that he did good - Even by punishments he testifies of himself; but more peculiarly by benefits; giving rain - By which air, earth, and sea, are, as it were, all joined together; from heaven - The seat of God; to which St. Paul probably pointed while he spoke, filling the body with food, the soul with gladness.
[19] And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.
Who persuaded the multitude — Moved with equal ease either to adore or murder him.
[20] Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
But as the disciples stood round — Probably after sunset. The enraged multitude would scarce have suffered it in the day time: he rose and went into the city - That he should be able to do this, just after he had been left for dead, was a miracle little less than a resurrection from the dead. Especially considering the manner wherein the Jewish malefactors were stoned. The witnesses first threw as large a stone as they could lift, with all possible violence upon his head, which alone was sufficient to dash the skull in pieces. All the people then joined, as long as any motion or token of life remained.
[23] And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
When they had ordained them presbyters in every Church — Out of those who were themselves but newly converted. So soon can God enable even a babe in Christ to build up others in the common faith: they commended them to the Lord - An expression implying faith in Christ, as well as love to the brethren.
[25] And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia:
Perga and Attalia were cities of Pamphylia.
[26] And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.
Recommended to the grace — Or favour, of God, for the work which they had fulfilled - This shows the nature and design of that laying on of hands, which was mentioned Acts 13:3. | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.7494757175445557, "wiki_prob": 0.25052428245544434, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line213744"} |
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subjectEntertainment
authorMichael A. Cusumano
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HomeNewsCenter for Operator Performance becomes independent organization
Center for Operator Performance becomes independent organization
DAYTON, Ohio, November 27, 2018 – At its 25th semi-annual meeting in Tulsa, the Center for Operator Performance (COP) announced its formation as a new independent organization, completing the spin-off from Wright State University. The new organization allows more rapid funding of research, better control of IP, and reduced overhead costs.
Expansion of the COP necessitated becoming an independent organization to maximize member value and enable rapid project execution using the best researchers available. The COP became its own taxable non-profit organization as of July 1, 2018. The new organization is even more member-oriented with continued focus on research in the process industries. New research projects, selected by member companies, include quantification of the impact of alarm management and automation, establishment of console overload thresholds, identification of the best background colors for human-machine interface (HMI), management of control room noise, and methods to improve operator mental models. The new structure includes chairman Michael Bell of NOVA Chemicals, vice-chairman Vance Flosenzier of INVISTA, and secretary/treasurer Lisa Via of Beville Engineering.
The COP is a collaboration of operating companies and distributed control system (DCS) suppliers that conduct research focused on ways to improve operator performance. Operating companies include: Chevron (ChevronPhillips), Koch Industries (Flint Hills Resources, INVISTA, Georgia Pacific, Koch Ag & Energy Solutions), HollyFrontier, CITGO, and NOVA Chemicals (Borealis). The DCS suppliers are Emerson and Yokogawa (KBC). Beville Engineering is the founding member company. | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.7212692499160767, "wiki_prob": 0.27873075008392334, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line1383481"} |
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Marcus refused, then relented, then refused again — throwing the long-running case against Salari, Noguez and others into chaos. At a court hearing on Jan. 6, Marcus initially balked at the terms of ... | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.6634318232536316, "wiki_prob": 0.6634318232536316, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line1130760"} |
Love Today' team thanks press and media for their support!
Love Today directed by Pradeep Ranganathan and bankrolled by AGS Entertainment's Kalpathi S Aghoram, Kalpathi S Ganesh, and Kalpathi S Suresh is having a great run in theatres and has got a terrific response for the OTT release as well.
The team of Love Today today organised a thanks giving meet for the press and media.
Director Pradeep Ranganathan, AGS Entertainment Creative Producer Archana Kalpathi, CFO Rangarajan and Executive Producer Venkat Manickam were among those present.
Speaking at the event, AGS Entertainment CFO Rangarajan said, "I always believe that content is king. With a good narration, script and story audience will definitely come to theatre. Love Today has proved it now. All the credits belong to director and actor Pradeep Ranganathan. I thank him for this on behalf of the Kalpathi family. Press and media have been giving unconditional support for AGS right from the beginning. I hope this continues in the future as well. I thank all the distributors, theatre owners and film fraternity for their continued support."
AGS Entertainment Creative Producer Archana Kalpathi said that AGS Entertainment puts in the same efforts for every movie whether big or small.
"Promotion for a big movie happens in an easy manner compared to that of a small movie. I thank all the press and media for the unanimous support for Love Today. Small movies are very important. They have produced superstars and we have witnessed it. The support of press is important for such small movies. When the media reports good things about a movie, audience automatically get interested to watch it," she added.
Director Pradeep Ranganthan said he was confident of good opening for the movie.
"This confidence was 50 per cent because of me and the rest is the faith I have on media. Right from first look of Love Today, we got surreal support. Following the release of the trailer, you all believed that the movie will be good. We got a good opening because of that. The reviews that you gave has made Love Today one among the top 10 movies of this year. I got your support for Comaali, and now for Love Today. I hope that it continues in the future as well. I will also try to make movies that you can support. I thank AGS for being the backbone of this movie," he added.
AGS Entertainment Executive Producer Venkat Manickam also thanked the press and media during the event.
love today pradeep ranganathan | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.9296865463256836, "wiki_prob": 0.9296865463256836, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line1704303"} |
Early-bird John Campbell set out early to keep family happy and instinct satisfied on summer holiday in Mallorca.
Puerto Pollensa, situated in the north east of Majorca, was the chosen destination for our two week summer holiday. By coincidence, you understand, it is a well known cycling destination; it would have been negligent of me not to have swung my leg over a frame while there.
As with most things, a modicum of preparation and compromise goes a long way. Preparation took the form of sourcing a bike hire shop and a suitable steed before arriving; compromise was making sure my hours on the bike didn’t unduly interrupt our treasured time on holiday together as a family. As it turned out both were easily achieved and the resultant bike rides simply sublime.
Opting for hiring negated any need to take my own bike, bagging it, paying the airline fee and worrying like an expectant father that my baby would not be all right on delivery. Thankfully, hiring a bike is easy in Puerto Pollensa. There is a multitude of hire shops on-line (and more besides, once you get there).
I opted for a treat – A Kiral full carbon XL with 11 speed Ultegra gears, Look Keo pedals, and which I found out when I picked the bike up, came with the same specification Fulcrum Quattro wheels I have on the Ridley Fenix I use back home when I’m not commuting or touring. All that was left to do was sit back and wait a few months.
Arriving on a Saturday, after ten minutes chatting to Miguel at the cycle shop, confirmed I’d chosen well. Very professional, paperwork already all in place, bike size confirmed and a quick handshake saying I’d see him at opening time on Monday morning, the first of my three scheduled days with our new addition to the family.
The glowing orb
Two days later and I’m back. A quick walk back to the apartment with the bike (accompanied by one of the best sounds in the world of a back wheel purring contentedly); into my cycling gear and off I went.
Within minutes of leaving the apartment, I’m swinging round a few roundabouts and cycling on a dedicated cycle lane alongside the MA2200 heading inland on a large flat plain, the smile already firmly planted on my face, the strange and unfamiliar cycling sight this year of a glowing orb in the sky making things feel very pleasant indeed. Before long I roll up alongside a couple, who it transpires were from Brighton and were making their way to a cove for a spot of lunch and sunbathing. We chatted as cyclists do before parting company.
My first stop was in the town’s central square known as Placa Major, dotted with numerous small cafes, a dull-looking church and the distinctive cypress tree-lined 365 steps up Calvary Hill to the chapel at the top.My new carbon toy was undoubtedly light but there was no way I was slinging it over my shoulder to walk the steps to the top of the hill, so I found the road on the other side of town which snaked its way up the hillside towards the church, the route easy to follow as there were 10ft high concrete crosses periodically along the roadside.
By the time I veered left towards Pollensa, some four miles had passed under my wheels and I had spoken to a number of other cyclists, all of them on shiny carbon hire bikes, many complaining it was too hot. We Brits are a fickle bunch. Having had a summer in Scotland as cold as barbed wire I begged to differ. The warmer the better, bring it on.
Christians and Pirates
The narrow tree-lined road into Pollensa is a bumpy ride, the surface dotted with patches, ruts and holes but soon enough I was over a small bridge, safely beyond the clutches of the rotten road surface and had entered the atmospheric narrow streets of the old town, the honey-coloured sun bleached buildings on either side full of character and bedecked with flags.
Most houses had two flags. One made up of red and black squares, the other a yellow background with a white crescent moon and star. We had already seen many of these same flags in Puerto Pollensa and had discovered their significance. Pollensa had in the past successfully repelled a succession of pirate attacks, the last in 1550 when the notorious Turkish Corsair Dragut almost captured the town. In the festival of Mare de Deu dels Angels on August 2 each year, there is a celebration of their escape with enthusiastic street battle re-enactments, the Christian townspeople (red and black flag) dressed in white to represent their pyjamas (the battle was in the early hours of the morning) and the pirates (yellow flag) reassuringly bedecked in pirate outfits. With six days to go till the big day dress rehearsals were taking place in the side streets – not every day you see Ebenezer Scrooge squaring up to Jack Sparrow.
The crosses ran out and the summit was reached, the reward were stunning views over Pollensa, the Puig De Maria hill and the Bay of Pollensa in the distance. Shortly after, I was joined by a family from Torquay, who were in need of an additional oxygen supply having just ascended the afore-mentioned 365 steps, and that was without a bike on their back.
The chapel of Calvary, at the top of the road end summit is another dull affair, the murals on the walls surely some of the worst ever to adorn any building. Never mind, directly opposite the front door you get another chance to look at the 365 steps, much more impressive looking downwards, especially accompanied, as it was today, by traditional Spanish music being played by a busker.
Romans and roads
Coming back down the hill I came across a sign for Ponta Roma. I went to investigate. It’s an old Roman Bridge spanning the Torrent de Sant Jordi (not even a trickle, never mind a torrent). The Romans conquered Majorca in 123BC and against all the odds this little double arch bridge is still intact. In addition, just a few metres from the bridge is a gnarled olive tree reputed to have been planted by the Romans when the bridge was built – I confess to not being entirely convinced.
Figuring it was time to roll on; I was soon on the M2201 heading towards Alcudia. Avoid this road if you come over, cycling along it was like being in charge of a pneumatic road drill, a demented rodeo beast and an out of control trampoline all at the same time – the bike and my fillings, not to mention every other body part, were rattling over the potholes. These were, thoughtfully, intermittently interspersed with the occasional piece of road just to reassure me I hadn’t veered off onto someone’s vineyard field, of which there were plenty roadside, by accident.
Bike and fillings survived the onslaught and I soon found myself on the much more amenable velvet carpeted MA13 road. Three roundabouts safely negotiated and I was heading north along the MA2220 shore road towards Puerto Pollensa.
Once more, safe passage came in the way of a segregated lane for cyclists, of which there were many.
I soon stopped at the Albuferta Nature Reserve, a protected area of beach and home to the plovers. Sadly, none were at home, though I did get treated to tremendous views across the Bay of Pollensa and further on enjoyed the antics of kite-surfers making full use of the strong wind hitting the shore.
Before I knew it I was entering the outskirts of Puerto Pollensa along the sea front, the beach an extensive narrow strip of sand full of slow-roasted bodies. I was on the lookout for Tolo’s, a restaurant owned by a millionaire cycling fan and a friend of Sir Bradley. Wandering in is akin to entering a Wiggo shrine – jerseys from the Tour De France, Criteruim De Dauphine, La Vuelta, The tour of California and the Worlds adorn the walls as does the 2012 winning Tour De France yellow Pinarello with the 101 number still attached under the saddle. However, for me the best of all was the bike used by Wiggo to win the World Individual Time Trial in 2014.
Considering today was primarily about familiarising myself with both the bike and cycling on the ‘wrong’ side of the road, I was more than happy with what I’d ‘discovered’. Within the hour, all the family were enjoying lunch, followed by a snorkelling session, before adding ourselves to the slow-roasting bodies on the beach.
Nonchalant goats
Late July in Majorca and its approaching quarter past six in the morning before its light enough to get going without any lights.
Today I turned right, instead of left when leaving the apartment, and within minutes I’m at the end of the resort and a sign announces entrance to the Serra De Tramuntana World Heritage Site, a mountain range which extends along the north coast of Majorca reaching the sea at today’s destination, the lighthouse at Cap De Formentor.
The first challenge came soon after, the road ahead, high above me, a clear scar on the hillside. With an average gradient of 6% I got myself into a steady rhythm for perhaps two miles before reaching the top where I witnessed a magnificent sunrise at the Mirador De La Creueta, a string of lookout spots perched high above the sea cliffs.
Nearby, I look over the stone monument to the Spanish Civil Engineer, Antonio Parietti, designer of the road I was following. The talents of the man become clearer as my journey continued (and by the end of tomorrow will be elevated in my estimations to genius – more of which under Wednesday’s exploits) the road threading it’s way somehow through the peninsula with, firstly, a thrilling, winding descent towards Formentor Beach, then an undulating section through a tree-lined route, followed by El Fumat tunnel – all the while supplemented by stunning view after stunning view, of sea, cliff and tiny islands. Often I ground to a halt to savour the scene and take yet another photograph, all the while attracting nonchalant looks from the vast wild goat population.
High, low and detour
Far too soon the lighthouse came into view, a big descent followed by a climb up the winding road deposited me at Majorca’s highest lighthouse, almost 200m above sea level and protecting passing ships for over 150 years (Incredibly a week later, we were on a fishing/swimming/snorkelling boat trip and got the surprise opportunity to enter the so called blue cave directly under the lighthouse by swimming 50 yards from the boat to the cliffs then diving under the water, to emerge into a cave, where the sunlight reflecting off the limestone creates a dazzling blue effect as we rocked among the waves).
After lingering for sometime at the lighthouse, taking in the views from all sides, I made my way down and then back up the 10% gradient, initially as it happens on the wrong side of the road. I’d absentmindedly gone into auto-pilot. It wasn’t until I saw another cyclist coming hurtling down the hill, frantically jerking his thumb at me to move over, that I realised the error of my ways – easily done I suppose and fortunately a mistake I avoided repeating for the rest of the time on the bike.
Retracing my route I opted to take a quick look at the much lauded Formentor Beach, sign posted and easily accessible down a short road. No doubting it was a lovely beach, and the back drop of the mountains across the bay enhanced it further, but with only a restaurant and sand for company I was soon on my way again.
The hill where it all began this morning dictates you have your back to Puerto Pollensa on the way up. Coming down it’s there, spread out down below, in front of me in all its splendour, the town and port glistening in the morning sun. Despite enjoying the extended descent I just had to stop and take more photographs, grateful I am able to appreciate the magnificence.
A route not to be missed.
Ivan and Wallace
The final day on the bike would take me much further afield to descend and ascend the Sa Calobra, a road I have wanted to cycle for a very long time.
Once more setting off just after six, I made my way firstly towards Cala St. Vincent, a slight detour down the MA2203. Turned out the place was full of modern villas and little appeal. Strangely, one of the hotels had a collection of classic cars in its glass frontage and I have to admit to admiring a rather fetching yellow Jaguar.
Skirting Pollensa, I made my way along the MA10, the flat plain petering out within a few miles, to be replaced by my first climb of the day, the Coll De Femenia, a helpful sign telling me it was 7.7km long with an average gradient of 5.5%. What the sign didn’t tell me about was the loads of names and messages sprayed on the road – GO GO GO wasn’t helpful and it became clear why it was a struggle when on the road I come across JC (my initials) + Ivan. That was obviously what was holding me back – the bold Ivan was sitting on my back.
I actually passed a cyclist deep in his own personal hell, toiling up the hill. Still in good spirits, he sported a Wallace and Gromit cycling jersey, with both of them on his back. At least I only had Ivan to carry. Turned out he was hoping to make Sa Calobra, as well.
Continuing on alone up the climb, the sun began to penetrate the valley floor, the mountain faces and the landscape turning a warm shade of golden, a sight I would never tire of. Near the crest of the climb, I looked down into another valley and saw an extensive vineyard and started thinking about how a nice slice of Wensleydale cheese would be nice with a glass of the wine produced from the valley below.
The fantasy treats were soon forgotten when the Serra De Tramuntana’s and Majorca’s, two highest mountains began dominating the skyline ahead; the tree-lined Puig De Massanella and the Puig Major, the highest at some 1,411 metres, easily identified by the oversize ‘golf ball’ of the radar station perched on top.
Beyond the junction with the road to Inca, and in spite of trees obscuring the view, it would have been impossible to miss the massive thirteenth century Lluc Monastery, snuggled on the valley floor awaiting my visit on the way back.
Through Escorca the trees melt away, opening up a sight I guarantee to stop you in your tracks; the road perched high on the hillside, surrounded by rugged and unusual mountain peaks growing out of a tree infested valley floor below. The cyclist who had been ahead of me, and who I had glimpsed a few times on the few straight sections, had also stopped. In awe of our surroundings, the vista a talking point (my Glaswegian accent and his Geordie accent clearly bewildering the number of Spanish onlookers who were also enjoying the view) among many we shared, before we both agreed we’d never get to Sa Calobra at this rate. He pushed on, but I had more bars than a lion tamers cage with me, so decided to eat one and enjoy the view just a while longer.
Under a viaduct and all of a sudden there it was – a sign to Sa Calobra. An ambition about to be filled. The goats had already made good use of the shade, lying under lovely wild olive trees dotted by the roadside, as I made my way to the top of the Coll Del Reis, a 2.5k long climb with an average gradient of 6%, easily vanquished such was my haste to begin.
Breathtaking views lay out before me, in the distance, far below, the shimmering waters of the Mediterranean; in the foreground seemingly thrown against the mountainside and left where it fell, the road of Sa Calobra – the Cobra, so named for the way the road’s mesmerising hairpins resemble a snake.
The quirk of Sa Calobra is that to climb it, you first get the pleasure of descending it, the road plummets down the hillside to the tiny Port De Sa Colobra village where the road ends, the only way back (unless you take the boat) is to turn round and come back up.
I rolled off, picking up speed rapidly, almost immediately coming to the incredible Nus De Sa Calobra, or the knotted tie, a section of road that sweeps down and under itself through 270 degrees. Exquisite. Grinning from ear to ear I swept round it and soon started negotiating a series of fifteen hairpins, the brakes showing their true worth, my adrenalin on full throttle – this is cycling at its finest, magical stuff.
Gradually the road settled into more conventional straight sections, but still managed to squeeze in another 11 hairpins or so, by the time I’d dropped 10km from 686m above sea level to the road end. The sobering statistics; Antonio Parietti, the genius Spanish Civil Engineer, who had built the road in 1932, had excavated 31,000 cubic metres of rock material to make the road!
Camraderie
On the descent I had passed, and been passed, by a number of other cyclists and at the road end we were now all congregated, the camaraderie and apprehension shared in equal measures. There were many whose first language wasn’t English, a real international group. It was great to hear so many accents, share stories and enthuse over the descent.
Before the inevitable do yourself a favour and take five minutes out to go along the path to the signposted Torrent De Pareis, a natural gorge gouged out of the mountainside. Having walked through a narrow tunnel to reach there it feels like another world – only thing missing is a dinosaur, or two. It’s quite something.
Giant chasm
I really didn’t need the sign telling me the average gradient was 7.7% for the next 10km, but it did anyway. The ascent starts fairly gently, so I manage to get myself into a reasonable pedalling rhythm, acutely aware of what lay ahead.
However, by the time I passed through the giant chasm of rock, which the Sa Calobra threads its way through, the gradient was up at 12%, which when combined with the heat and exertion began to cause some suffering..
Thankfully, soon after, something more gradual found its way under my wheels for a while (this being the conventional straight sections mentioned on the way down) allowing me to get my breath back and sit in the saddle again for an extended period and enjoy the beautiful scenery surrounding me.
'All’ that is left of the climb is the fifteen hairpins – looking skywards it’s impossible to see beyond a hairpin, or two; less to do with my sweat drenched face and more to do with the mountain being so sheer. The direction I am going next not always apparent.
Amongst the hairpins the apexes where tough, the straights were tough, the whole lot was tough, by now the gradient sustaining itself in double figures for a few kilometres, till I surprised myself by popping out of the last of the hairpins, cycling under the knotted tie bridge and up the final few hundred metres to return to the sign denoting the summit of the Coll Del Reis.
Suffering over. Sense of achievement overwhelming. Ambition fulfilled.
The finale to my cycling in Majorca came, some miles down the road, in the shape of a visit around the impressive Lluc monastery before enjoying the remaining twenty miles, or so, to Puerto Pollensa.
www.pollensacycling.com at Carrer De Vicenc Buades No.6, Puerto Pollensa
There are a number of other bike hire shops in Puerto Pollensa. In addition, cycling kit is widely available, my particular favourite being Routiers at Carrer De Vicenc Buades No.18, Puerto Pollensa where I bought myself a number of treats.
Route finding
In the supermarkets is a good waterproof cycling map of Majorca simply titled Bike Mallorca. The 1:100,000 scale does not allow much detail, but it has gradients marked on the roads and includes some suggested routes along with their profiles. A steal at only 6.50 Euro (you can buy the map on-line here in the U.K. as well).
Roads and terrain
With the exception of Monday’s M2201 and a very small section into Pollensa the road surfaces are terrific – no public utility tracks blighting the surface, a big plus.
Terrain-wise you will have gathered from my writing it’s a little lumpy and Sa Calobra is a big undertaking but categorically worth it. If hills are not your thing you can spend all your time on the flat plain with the added bonus of the fantastic network of dedicated cycle lanes keeping you separated from the traffic.
If you are an advocate of the energy bar save some money and baggage weight by buying them once you get there. The big supermarkets offer fantastic deals. I used, for the first time, Isostar bars. Nice tasting and by buying them in three packs worked out to be very good value.
My three morning cycles were cycled in temps between 26 and 35 degrees – brilliant for me but might not suit everyone. I carried two water bottles and refilled them often.
Shops are plentiful in Puerto Pollensa, Pollensa and Sant Vicenc.
On the Cap Fermentor there is a restaurant at Fermentor Beach and a cafe at the lighthouse – but be aware both were still closed when I past.
On the road to Sa Calobra you are entering a seriously remote area but opportunities still exist for refuelling with a small shop at Escora, roadside cafes at the viaduct at the Sa Calobra junction and directly beside the neck-tie on the Sa Calobra (They sell rather nice Sa Calobra t-shirts for a mere 15 Euro and the owner is rather proud of his photograph with Lewis Hamilton on the day he visited Sa Calobra).
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Wartburg College Loret Ruppe International Student Scholarship
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Must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher OR rank in the top 40 percent of his/her secondary school class.
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Description: This scholarship is available for international undergraduate students who plan to enroll full time at Wartburg College in Waverley, Iowa. Students must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher (5 'O'-level passes) or rank in the top 40 percent of their secondary school class.
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Additional Information: To qualify, applicants must have a minimum TOEFL score of 480. Awards are based upon scholastic achievements and participation in extracurricular activities, such as music, sports, or drama, voluntary community service, and economic need. Students are expected to reside on campus to maintain full eligibility.
Award Amount: $1,000 to $2,000 annually, renewable for three additional years by maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher. Students are expected to complete their degree within four nine-month academic terms. Scholarships will not be awarded beyond the expected time required for degree completion. The total dollars awarded for this scholarship is $6,000.
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At Spire Yale Hospital we offer a full range of treatments, tests and scans
Gallbladder / gallstone removal
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About Spire Yale Hospital
At Spire Yale Hospital we have a variety of options available for funding your treatment and aftercare
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Inverted nipple surgery at Spire Yale Hospital
Restores nipples to a more normal appearance.
Being unhappy with the way your breasts look can have an impact on your self-confidence.
Most women have naturally protruding nipples but if either or both of your nipples are inverted, a relatively simple surgical procedure could help correct this.
Inverted nipples usually develop during puberty and are the result of short milk ducts. If you have had an inverted nipple since puberty, there is unlikely to be an underlying medical problem.
However if it has happened more recently, you should see your GP straight away to check whether the condition needs further treatment.
Many patients have reported feeling more self-confident about themselves and their bodies giving them the confidence boost they needed to live their lives to the fullest after having this procedure.
How much does Inverted nipple surgery cost at Spire Yale Hospital
Spire Yale Hospital can provide you with a single, fixed price so there are no surprises. Please read Spire Healthcare's terms and conditions for full details of what’s included and excluded in your fixed price when paying for yourself. Finance options are available through our partner Omni Capital Retail Finance Ltd, 10 Norwich Street, London, EC4A 1BD.
We understand that undergoing surgery can potentially be a time of anxiety and worry – even for the most common and straightforward procedure. Our experienced and caring medical staff will be there for you, holding your hand, every step of the way.
Surgery for inverted nipple correction is relatively simple. Your surgeon will cut around your nipple so that it's free from the surrounding tissue, and re-stitch it so that it protrudes.
The surgery can be performed under general anaesthetic, which means you will be asleep during the procedure, or under local anaesthetic, when the area will be numb but you will be awake.
The surgery takes between 30 minutes and two hours.
Usually you will be able to go home later the same day after inverted nipple surgery.
You might experience some initial tightness and bruising after the operation. Taking over the counter medication will help relieve any pain. If you need to continue to take pain medication, please follow the advice given by the hospital.
You will usually be able to go home later the same day, and can return to normal activities almost immediately but should restrain from heavy exercise for the first few weeks.
Scarring is usually minimal, though breastfeeding cannot be guaranteed after the procedure because the milk ducts will usually have been cut during surgery and will no longer be intact.
Once you’re ready to be discharged from hospital, you’ll need to arrange a taxi, friend or family member to take you home. Your surgeon will advise you on when it will be suitable for you to undertake strenuous activity again and you should only drive when you are comfortable you can perform an emergency stop.
Even after you’ve left hospital, we’re still looking after you every step of the way. After inverted nipple surgery, typically our consultants will want to see you after your procedure to see how you are doing. A follow up appointment will be made for you before you leave the hospital.
On rare occasions, complications following inverted nipple surgery can occur. The complications depend upon the type of operation you have and also your general health - your surgeon will explain how the complications and risks apply to you.
If you have any questions or concerns, we're here to help.
Our location allows us to provide comprehensive private hospital care to patients from Wrexham and surrounding parts of North and Mid Wales, Cheshire and Shropshire. Liverpool airport is about 45 minutes away by taxi and Manchester airport about 75 minutes.
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COVID-19 testing or antibody tests are not available as a standalone service at Spire Yale Hospital.
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Bordentown, NJ firefighter charged with possessing and distributing child porn
(Photo Courtesy: Burlington County Prosecutors Office)
A volunteer firefighter in Bordentown City has been arrested and charged with the possession and distribution of child porn images and videos.
Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and Bordentown Township Police Chief Brian Pesce announced Monday that 36-year-old Jay J. Howe, of the first block of Kennebec Court in Bordentown Township, is charged with possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material, as well as three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (two Second Degree and one-Third Degree).
Now that an arrest was made, and charges presented, the case is on its way to a grand jury where Howe faces an indictment.
Prosecutor Coffina said that Howe, who is a member of the Bordentown City volunteer fire department, has been and will remain in the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly, pending a detention hearing in Superior Court.
Howe was arrested on February 9 at his home when law enforcement executed a search warrant and found and seized several electronic devices during the search, which will now be examined by detectives from the Burlington County Prosecutors Office High-Tech Crimes Unit.
His alleged lewd activity came to light in December of 2021 when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sent a tip of information to the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office High-Tech Crimes Unit.
It sparked an investigation, which led law enforcement to find out that Howe was using an app to send and receive videos, containing child sexual abuse material.
Burlington County Prosecutors Office Detective Jennifer Appelmann was the lead investigator in this case and received assistance from the Burlington County Prosecutors Office High-Tech Crimes Unit, United States Homeland Security Investigations – Cherry Hill Office, New Jersey State Police, Bordentown Township Police Department, and Evesham Police.
New Jersey's most disgraceful child predators and accused predators
Source: Bordentown, NJ firefighter charged with possessing and distributing child porn
Filed Under: Bordentown, Burlington County, Burlington County Prosecutor, new jersey
Categories: Monmouth/Ocean News, New Jersey News, News
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Medford, NJ woman admits to sexual assault of boy over 9 years
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Degrees & Diplomas
What up-and-coming pastry chefs can learn from Netflix’s “Chef’s Table”
in Baking and Pastry
For people who love cooking, the Netflix documentary series “Chef’s Table” has been full of inspiration and helpful guidance. Each episode focuses on a different acclaimed expert in the culinary arts, exploring the creative methods and unstoppable work ethics that drive the creation of some of the world’s best food. The fourth season in particular is attracting interest from students of the baking and pastry arts by spotlighting four of the greatest pastry chefs working today.
There’s a lot to be learned from these makers of amazing desserts, both about how to cook and perseverance in the face of adversity. Here are some key takeaways for anyone who is devoted to preparing fantastic sweets:
Exceptional pastry about precision and dedication
“Pastry chefs concentrate on getting the details right.”
While some of the cooking professionals featured on past editions of “Chef’s Table” have exhibited more improvisational flair, the fourth season’s stars concentrate on getting the details right. Measuring every ingredient carefully, closely monitoring baking times and experimenting with recipes until they are perfect are all recurring themes.
That dedication to the craft is especially important if they are making dishes that are both innovative and visually elegant like Spanish chef Jordi Roca. He built his reputation by engaging all the senses with his painstakingly constructed items that have been compared to magic tricks.
The stars of the show arrive in their kitchens early in the morning and work throughout the day to ensure their creations come out just right. Christina Tosi of Milk Bar notes that the marks of a chef who is truly committed to this vocation are showing up earlier than everyone else, contributing to the family meal shared by the staff and staying as late as necessary.
Embrace classic flavors while expressing yourself
Each of these pastry chefs has a thorough understanding of how to make a variety of traditional items, but they also find opportunities to put their own stamp on each creation. Italian chef Corrado Assenza’s pastry shop, Caffe Sicilia, carries on generations of family tradition by turning out old-school gelato, granita and cannoli with only the finest ingredients from local farms, but he has also discovered ample room for experimentation. By recalling memories of swimming in the ocean as a child, Assenza found the idea to draw on the tastes of oysters, making a uniquely satisfying new gelato.
Tosi is known for using her culinary training to put creative spins on family-style desserts, like her trademark Crack Pie featuring a sweet and salty butter filling in a toasted oat crust. She sums up her philosophy by explaining her dislike for cakes that are all-too-often overly dry on the inside, with too much care poured into the frosting instead. She prefers to skip the frosting and make sure the cake itself captures all the right tastes.
Careful attention to detail is essential to great pastry.
When dessert is good enough, it can stand alone
A delicious treat is the perfect way to complete an indulgent meal, but the chefs in the show demonstrate how a highly successful establishment can built on a commitment to remarkable desserts alone. Tosi’s Milk Bar, which began as a part of David Chang’s Momofuku restaurant group, became its own chain with nine New York City locations and outposts with Washington, D.C., Las Vegas and Toronto. Each restaurant draws crowds by eliciting nostalgia while transforming the flavors of cereal and bagels into something new.
At Room 4 Dessert in Indonesia, American transplant Will Goldfarb offers a nine-course tasting menu of his avant-garde inventions. Guests enjoy an array of desserts with unusual ingredients and cheeky names like Roger Federer or Scarborough Pear. By highlighting this unrestrained creativity, “Chef’s Table” shows aspiring culinary professionals the boundless potential to be found in dessert.
Tags: baking, baking and pastry, Food Industry, pastry arts
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Home > Indicators > Health > Health systems
Domestic general government health expenditure (% of general government expenditure)
Definition: Public expenditure on health from domestic sources as a share of total public expenditure. It indicates the priority of the government to spend on health from own domestic public resources.
Description: The map below shows how Domestic general government health expenditure (% of general government expenditure) varies by country. The shade of the country corresponds to the magnitude of the indicator. The darker the shade, the higher the value. The country with the highest value in the world is Japan, with a value of 24.21. The country with the lowest value in the world is Cameroon, with a value of 0.63.
Source: World Health Organization Global Health Expenditure database (http://apps.who.int/nha/database).
See also: Country ranking, Time series comparison
Find indicator:
More maps: Africa | Asia | Central America & the Caribbean | Europe | Middle East | North America | Oceania | South America | World |
Development Relevance: Strengthening health financing is one objective of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG target 3.c). The levels and trends of health expenditure data identify key issues such as weaknesses and strengths and areas that need investment, for instance additional health facilities, better health information systems, or better trained human resources. Health financing is also critical for reaching universal health coverage (UHC) defined as all people obtaining the quality health services they need without suffering financial hardship (SDG 3.8). The data on out-of-pocket spending is a key indicator with regard to financial protection and hence of progress towards UHC.
Original Source Notes: The World Health Organization (WHO) has revised health expenditure data using the new international classification for health expenditures in the revised System of Health Accounts (SHA 2011). WHO’s Global Health Expenditure Database in this new version i
Statistical Concept and Methodology: The health expenditure estimates have been prepared by the World Health Organization under the framework of the System of Health Accounts 2011 (SHA 2011). The Health SHA 2011 tracks all health spending in a given country over a defined period of time regardless of the entity or institution that financed and managed that spending. It generates consistent and comprehensive data on health spending in a country, which in turn can contribute to evidence-based policy-making.
Aggregation method: Weighted average
Periodicity: Annual
Note: This page was last updated on December 28, 2019
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The Power of Moments
Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact
Written by: Chip Heath, Dan Heath
Narrated by: Jeremy Bobb
Written by: Chip Heath,Dan Heath
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The New York Times best-selling authors of Switch and Made to Stick explore why certain brief experiences can jolt, elevate and change us - and how we can learn to create such extraordinary moments in our life and work.
What if a teacher could design a lesson that he knew his students would remember 20 years later? What if a doctor or nurse knew how to orchestrate moments that would bring more comfort to patients? What if you had a better sense of how to create memories that matter for your children? Many of the defining moments in our lives are the result of accident or luck - but why leave our most meaningful, memorable moments to chance when we can create them?
In The Power of Moments, Chip and Dan Heath explore the stories of people who have created standout moments, from the owners who transformed an utterly mediocre hotel into one of the best-loved properties in Los Angeles by conjuring moments of magic for guests, to the scrappy team that turned around one of the worst elementary schools in the country by embracing an intervention that lasts less than an hour.
Filled with remarkable tales and practical insights, The Power of Moments proves we all have the power to transform ordinary experiences into unforgettable ones.
©2017 Chip Heath and Dan Heath (P)2017 Random House Audiobooks
Categories: Politics & Social Sciences
United States Small Business & Entrepreneurship Meetings & Presentations Organisational Behaviour Social Psychology & Interactions Self-Esteem
The Kremlin's Candidate
What listeners say about The Power of Moments
5 out of 5 stars 4.8 out of 5.0
Audible.com.au reviews
Kriti Trivedi
People remember how you make them feel
People may not remember what you say or write to them, but they will surely remember how you made them feel. This book is very hands-on with more actionable things. If you are a thinker and frequent book reader, you might not think all sections are new ( I guess that is normal). However, what I love about this book is this book helps me to convert my knowledge and attitude to real-time practices. This is one of those happy reads that I will revisit.
Saurabh
Very interesting book
An interesting book about the power of moments and how to look at things differently.
Deepak R.
from bore to adore
Initially 30 minutes or so I felt I pick the wrong book, since I am a firm believer that Never Judge a book by its cover, I continued & I found the treasure.
this book is full of breakthrough ideas of defining moments... highly recommended 👌 👍
Truth, bare truth
Excellent book. Explains one key concept with some good examples and practical insights. Elevation, Pride, insight and connections… let’s put that to use.
Gags Cooper
Made me think what I have been missing!
This booking is one of the defining books for me in my life. Never thought that some moments in life can be so life changing. Thank you for capturing the moments and giving us this book.
Subodh Gadgil
I conduct free sessions for small businesses. I train them on various aspects of management. One of the difficult concept for them is understanding how they can wow the customers. This book has greatly simplified that for me.
Great book!
Great insight on what makes some moments more meaningful than others. Provides a nice framework on how to create more meaningful moments for yourself and others.
Straight to the point!
Moments can be defined by elevation , pride, insight or connection (EPIC). Some moments might have some, all or one of those. People tend to remember only the good parts of an event. For instance if you rate a experience throughout the day with an average of 6, but with peaks of 9 and 10, probably you would rate it as a 9,5 after a while and not a 6. This is due to a psychological characteristic we have.
There are also some times of moments. A milestone, a transition or a pit. An experience did on having your hand on a cold bucket for 60 seconds was worst rated than a 60 seconded followed by a warmer (but still cold) for additional 15 seconds. This is because we value a transition.
People tend not to think to make good moments. There is for example a first day experience where John Deere put the name of the new hire on the screen at the entrance, put a sign next to the table and sent a video from the CEO. Banks for example could do it for a first account opening for a young, a reminder when someone marries or buys a house. Fit bit for example gives trophy for small achievements.
To improve customer experience companies need to fill the pits and create peak moments. Most of the companies are good at filling the pits (which is an important thing to do) but few focus on creating peaks. There is a study that it’s a better financial decision to improve the positive experience than eliminating bad ones. But most of the companies and even in personal life, people tendo to ignore it. This is a task where you need effort, planning and execution. The John Deere experience for example, not all the countries implemented it even with all the planning already done. There are some people that need a trauma like a disease to start worrying on creating moments. Don’t be one of them!
For creating a peak moment you should improve the censorial experience (sounds, touch and smell), raise the stakes and to break the script. For this, you should break it strategically and you should know in detail the script before hand. It’s also important to please not only the clients but also your team. The preat a manger cafe house had the strategy to give free things on the employee decision on whom they liked more. It’s also important to it not to be a expected surprise. It’s harder for companies that have frequent clients (like the cafe).
Psychologically our minds also tends to stretch surprise moments. Most of the moments we rank as more important happens between the ages of 15 to 30. This is where most of the thing are new (having kids, marring, job, etc). A study proved that showing several pictures of brow boots and one red alarm clock. Each picture was showed for the same period, but people tend to say the alarm was showiness more time. This is why it’s also important to break the script and create surprises. This was the case for Vf company, a fashion conglomerate, that instead of having their annual meeting with a ppt presentation, they made outside events (with the purpose of innovating).
Another strategy for crystallizing the truth is to make the people to have their insights. CLST, had a program to reduce open door defecation. They gave free samples of a urinators but because of a cultural behavior they didn’t used it. The strategy was to dramatize and make them understand it by themselves. The person started asking questions and ultimately gave a glass of water with a hair that was put into shit and comparing with flies on the food. Another case made employees that had good product but hard to use, to actually use the product and understand why it was difficult (the insights came from them selves). Another test, asks teachers what they wanted their students to remember from their classes. Most said they wanted they to keep the interest on the subject and the love for math, history, etc (and not a specific formula or specific things). But when they were asked what they did to make that happen, a silent came at the room.
Also, to test your limits you should sometimes stretch your experiences and to know you better. A menthol should push with support and guidance and the mentee should stretch.
To create moments of recognition, it should personal. It can’t be some rule or create an awkward moment.
To create a moment of pride you can use recognition, as said before, but also with multiplying milestones and practice courage. Courage a moment of pride, but it’s difficult to practice it in real life. That’s why you need to be prepared for these moments (like on a anti drugs group for teenagers, they prepared the students on how to recuse drugs in a party - it is also important because one brave person can make a crowd to stand up).
For milestones we should think on better motivating milestones like instead of losing weight, prefer fitting in a certain dress.
Purpose is better than passion. This is because it creates a connection between people.
To create a bonding moment, it’s not necessary a long period of time. For having a important moment, you should have responsiveness: understanding, validating and caring. The engagement of parents in a certain school began when they had personal home visits of 1 hour before the school period started. They made questions on the participation of parents on the kids school life (understanding), making they see the truth asking what they wanted for their kids (caring) and how many time they were spending to achieve that (bringing the truth). After this experiment , the parents attendance to annual meetings boomed.
Marcus Chacos
Wow, I have had some great breakthroughs and Insights. And enjoyable, energizing and thought provoking listen.
touchy stories for service business
This book has disappointed me a bit as I was expecting more enlightening discussions. Some sections of the book are interesting but often it does not impress. Many of the points raised in the book are also common sense. There are a few original points only. It involves a lot of touchy stories. The authors are good at telling some meaningful stories but that is all...
Review Bot
Powerful book
Loved it. Really positive book that makes you stop and think about the briefest of interactions we have with people and what they can mean to us and them.
I have become a big fan of all of chip and Dan heath's books. This is another great book I learnt so much from
Good but not origional ideas
I enjoyed this book, but found little original in the ideas but the conclusions are a nice way to organise your approach to training
papapownall
We feel more alive when life is not certain
Chip Heath (professor of Organizational Behavior) and his brother Dan Heath have written this shortish but clever book which describes how short moments in time can have a long lasting impact of people and their lives. Moments are, apparently, what makes life meaningful and this book describes ways in which surprise techniques can be used to influence behaviour, for example the John Deere company has developed a "first day" experience for its new hires that is designed to make a positive first impression. We can achieve our goals by splitting them down into milestones and turning it into a game by introducing playfulness. We all feel alive when life is not totally certain and, whilst I found that there was nothing groundbreaking in this book, it was an entertaining read which I enjoyed.
Lina Arbelaez
un libro que enriquece la vida y el corazón desde muchas perspectivas laboral: personal, familiar, de pareja, en el ámbito educativo, deportivo y todos los demás aspectos donde uno quiera hacer de cada momento un momento especial
Ducarta
One of the best Books I've read this year
I will certainly have to re-listen and update this review but for now it's enough to say this book is immensely valuable to anyone looking to understand and harness the power of powerful moments.
A must buy.
We can all take something away from this book
You will look at moments differently after listening to this. That is a good thing
AGGELOS IOAKIMIDES
Can be appllied today
I really have trouble writing the slightest review without mentioning cliches such as creating a fuller life understanding the world relationship in a better way now. So I’m just going to say that this book is excellent and inspiring positive change, in a practical way, with steps, and at the end of every chapter summaries that help material sink in. Good work!
This book gave me the inspiration to make positive decisions in my business. They may be small in comparison to big companies but they will make a difference to our staff team and the children and families with disabilities who we support.
Bilbo Swaggins
Ideas worth sharing
Discusses how moments within people’s lives are more impactful than others. Each chapter covers elements of what makes moments powerful with the help of stories from multiple individuals to drive the point across. These individuals/stories are about those who tackled the stock standard and did more to deliver epic moments. Like… make something out of nothing, or a mundane task into something great.
It spoke indirectly to leaders, and discusses ways of improving one’s self, to affect others for the better. The power of moments is a nice audiobook to listen to. It wasn't boring. and discusses elements of how you can empower those you influence within a power position like from a perspective of a teacher, mentor or manager etc. I found it insightful and handy.
It had 4 major elements it discusses in the book, ironically some sort of short hand of the word **E.P.I.C** which stands for “_Elevation, Pride, insight, connection_” when you master those 4 things you can make an powerful moment that someone will remember for a life time.
Can’t remember why I got this audiobook, but I enjoyed it.
Inspiring! loved the stories and examples of moments - small, large, unexoected, created - which changed lives.
I could not stop reading this and now cannot stop recommending it to everyone.
This is a book I will come back to again and again as it has both personal, professional and social impact.
I was a little sceptical about this book, I wasn't sure what I would get from it but I found it to be a deeply throught provoking book.
The Narrator was easy to listen to and the content is insightful and positive. A wonderful resource I will recommend to others.
As everyone says - incredible!
I love how practical the Heath brothers make their books so that you can see the model in action and start applying it straight away. I’m heading back to the beginning of the book with a pad and paper in my hand.
The reader was a too slow for me so I played it on 1.2x speed.
Thanks also for the resources they provide on their website (listed at the end of the book).
Put this on Repeat
What a fantastic book. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book for it well written lessons for business and life. Definitely one to put on repeat.
A. Lo
Fantastic resource
Love the heath brothers and their books.
I have learned much about how they weave lessons and using stories throughout to highlight lessons learned.
Worth reading and listening.
A MUST READ!
if you are here just like I was looking for a very interesting book to read and learn something useful for your life, business and overall interaction with people, this is the book for you! tackle it!!! AMAZING!
Jas Mar
Worth a listen
Loved it. Powerful messages, delivered effectively. I will be listening to this again and hopefully be able to use some of the advice given. Thank you to the authors. | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.7421898245811462, "wiki_prob": 0.25781017541885376, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line1793297"} |
231890PD: Rockingham Public Library interior, 8 May 1973
Local government & public libraries
WA Public Libraries Strategy 2017-2022
Public libraries are much-loved and much-used facilities. Across Western Australia’s 233 public libraries, there are more than 870 000 active library members. In 2019 -20, they borrowed around 13 million physical items and around 2.3 million eBooks and audiobooks.
There is a need for significant, transformational change to deliver more efficient and flexible public library services to continue to meet our growing and diverse community needs. The Public Libraries Working Group (PLWG) leads this work on behalf of State and Local Government to “deliver more agile and innovative public library services and programs that respond to the diverse needs of Western Australian communities and are sustainable into the future".
The WA Public Libraries Strategy is the result of extensive research and consultation through the Public Libraries Working Group and with stakeholders including local government authorities.
Background Paper - Western Australian Public Libraries: Our Future [ PDF 2MB ]
WA Public Libraries Strategy - A New Chapter for our Public Library Systems [ PDF 1MB ]
WA Public Libraries Strategy Consultation Report ENDORSED - July 2018.pdf [ PDF 2MB ]
WA Public Libraries Strategy Update - November 2019 [ PDF 71KB ]
Funding Allocation Model
One Card Project
Tiered Model to Support Public Library Service Delivery
A Framework for a new tiered model to support public library service delivery in Western Australia was endorsed by WALGA State Council and the Library Board of WA in May 2019. This aspirational framework means that local government public library services in Western Australia fall into one of three tiers primarily dependent on their population and capacity.
The endorsed Framework was phased in over 2019-20 and 2020-21. Support for libraries in regional and remote Western Australia has been incorporated into the new model and is now facilitated by SLWA using enhanced access to technology and on-line platforms to improve engagement.
The State Government provides SLWA with funds for the purchase of print and online materials for the State's 233 public libraries. Traditionally, this funding has been used exclusively for the purchase of print and online resources. The new model allows for local government to apply for some of their funding to be used to support library initiatives and public programs. The new model has been implemented from 1 July 2021.
As part of the WA Public Libraries Strategy the State Library of Western Australia commissioned AOT Consulting Pty Ltd to prepare a business case to scope requirements and assess options for a model to facilitate single library card access (one card) for the community throughout Western Australia. This proposal was rejected by State Treasury. State Library is currently investigating if the State Library’s library management system can be shared with Tier 2 and 3 local governments in a consortia arrangement.
This page last updated on 10 August 2022 | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.535700798034668, "wiki_prob": 0.46429920196533203, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line1742077"} |
French Government - Henri Queille's 1948
french-government-henri-queilles
A new French Government is formed; ministers arrive at the Elysee Palace.
Elysee Palace, Paris, France
M.S. Henri Queille, new Premier, arriving at the Elysee Palace. Badgered by pressmen. S.C.U. Rene Mayer, Minister of Labour & Social Security arriving. S.C.U. Rene Mayer leaving the building. S.C.U. (2 shots) Jules Moch, Minister of the Interior. S.C.U. Queille surrounded by pressmen. Speaking into mike. & C.U. S.C.U. Queille speaking to reporters. S.CU. Queille getting into car. S.C.U. Robert Schumann standing in hallway. M.S.(3 ) Schumann walking into the interior of building. MS. Edouard Herriot (President of the National Assembly) arriving. S.C.U. Herriot leaving. Gets into car. M.S. Henri Queille alighting from car and walking up steps. S.C.U. He chats to reporters as he leaves. S.C.U. He gets back into his car. M.S. Group of workers assembled near the Elysee Palace. A delegation from them was received by the President. L.S. Workers gathered in street. Some give Communist salute (5 shots). L.M.S. (2) Workers listening to one of their number reporting on his meeting with the President. He is seen standing on a lamp post.
(Mute B/W)
Note: another story has a variant spelling of Queille as Quieulle.
Queille
Moch
Herriot
UN 1998 C
Herriot Arrives
Edouard Herriot, Prime Minister of France, arrives in England.
The Price Of Fame
Pictures of the new French President, M. Doumergue, and Prime Minister, M. Herriot.
Entente Cordiale Restored
Ramsay MacDonald entertains the French Prime Minister, Edouard Herriot, at Chequers.
Macdonald In America - Mrs Roosevelt, Herriot, Ishbel Macdonald
Ramsay MacDonald meets other statesmen. Ishbel meets the First Lady.
National Funeral For Edouard Herriot
Former Premier Edouard Herriot is given national funeral in Lyon, France.
Macdonald And Herriot
Ramsay MacDonald and French Premier Edouard Herriot at Chequers. Buckinghamshire.
Ramsay MacDonald and Edouard Herriot in Paris, France.
Herriot Returns
Crowds greet Premier Edouard Herriot on his return to Paris, France. | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6655933856964111, "wiki_prob": 0.33440661430358887, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0103.json.gz/line1428547"} |
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