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Bronson E, Student Writer
Ms. Ryan is a US History teacher at Draper Park Middle School. She is a history teacher for 8th grade and teaches on Team Heimdall. Ms. Ryan is a great person and an even better teacher. Ms. Ryan was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. She is a fan of everything Baltimore, especially the NFL team, the Baltimore Ravens.
Ms. Ryan was very active as a kid. She was attracted to lacrosse and still has lacrosse sticks by her desk in the front of her classroom. After finishing her degree at the University of Maryland, she became a teacher. She originally began teaching in the Baltimore area for a year then moved to Utah. She tells us all the time about how grading was so different out there and if you didn't turn in an assignment on the day it was due, there was no late work acceptance.
Ms. Ryan, as a teacher, is great because of the assignments she has us do. For instance, we do a lot of comic strips and other assignments in Google Slides. She does an activity called vocabulary words. These words are words we are learning about during the week. Then, we define these words and draw a picture that helps show what they are.
This is Ms. Ryan's 3rd year teaching and second year at Draper Park. I asked Ms. Ryan some questions like, "What made you get into teaching, history in particular?," In which she responded, "My mom was a teacher and loved teaching, so it was an easy decision to become a teacher myself. I decided to teach history because I think it's fun and interesting." She loves teaching because she gets to hang out with fun kids and teach her favorite subject!
Ms Ryan's favorite restaurant is Vessel Kitchen. She says there is one in Cottonwood Heights and it's delicious! Her favorite holiday is Thanksgiving because of the great historical background it has and of course, the yummy food.
My name is Bronson Evans. Four words that describe me would be Kind, Hardworking, Athletic and Smart. If I could rename myself, my name would be Dontavius....
Mrs. Goodrich
Mrs. Etcher
Mrs. Pedersen
Mrs. Seaborn
Mrs. Mosyjowski
Mrs. Hunt
Teacher Feature- Mrs. Heiner


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Tag Archives: NAFSA
A 1st Timer's Reflections on the NAFSA 2019 Annual Conference
My excitement and expectations as a first-time participant to the NAFSA Annual Meeting were exceeded. It was a great experience to see how united and collaborative the community of international higher education is. I think this was the first time when I truly understood what networking really means. I was waiting by the information desk to meet with my IEM mentor (via the IEM Connector Program) and I happened to glance over the long hallway of the Convention Center. Everywhere I could see, there were people with a big smile on their face and arms open wide, recognizing and old friend or collaborator. My experience with the conference was one of belonging to a community wholeheartedly dedicated to excellence in higher education.
Two prominent plenary speakers at the conference were former secretaries of state Madeleine Albright and Collin Powell. Both talked about the importance of international education and the role of the government in creating supporting policies for attracting international students. They shared their own experiences in the White House and expressed intense criticism for the current government's actions against internationalization. They were so funny and witty!
The recurrent theme of this year's NAFSA Annual Conference was the anticipated diminishing numbers of international students. The main reasons for predicted lower numbers are the following: difficulties in obtaining student visas, higher visa processing fees, perceived racism and discrimination, higher tuition costs, unstable political discourse, future USCIS plans for restructuring the OPT and CPT, rise in H1-B visa denials.
Where do international students go and why? International students mostly go to Canada and Australia, with the US and UK seeing lower numbers than ever. Canada is seen as more welcoming, with less visa restrictions and more opportunities for securing work after study completion.
At the conference, I attended sessions on how to develop recruitment, admissions and retentions strategies in response to the current unsteady global enrollment climate. I basically tried to learn from what other institutions are doing to develop and implement systemic change to deal with future enrollment. What I found was not a surprise: apply cross-cultural competencies to understand the incoming international student population, make data-driven policies and procedures, and create informative communication plans to teach students/applicants how to navigate the US academic system.
One of the most informative session I attended was Canada's International Students: A Study in Diversity. This was an exceptionally interesting presentation with a tremendous amount of government data. Contrary to the perception that increased numbers or international students are due to the US and UK's detrimental policies, the Canadian Government had created a plan to enhance the international student population back in 2013. US and UK's discriminatory environment has indeed helped their numbers but only because they already had a very structured plan in place to absorb the high number of international students. It was not just luck, it was tremendous work and strong support from the government.
POLIXENIA TOHANEANU, has been working as an International Admissions Specialist and Credential Evaluator in the Graduate Admissions Office at University of Idaho since 2016. She holds an M.A. in Francophone Studies from University of Cincinnati. As a previous international graduate student herself, she is passionate for researching new ways to make the process of evaluating international credentials more efficient. Email: polixeniat@uidaho.edu
Filed under Credentials, Education, Uncategorized
Tagged as Credential Evaluations, credentials, education, NAFSA
Albright & Powell: Two Former Secretaries of State in Conversation
International Students, Immigration, Diplomacy
This year's NAFSA Annual Conference & Expo was held in Washington, DC and wrapped up on May 31st. The highlight of my 2 ½ day attendance besides the fruitful meetings with colleagues and strengthening partnerships with client institutions and organizations was the opening plenary that included two former U.S. Secretaries of State, Madeleine Albright and General Colin Powell which was moderated by Dr. Esther Brimmer, Executive Director & CEO of NAFSA.
The following are excerpts of their discussion on international education, immigration policy, and diplomacy which I've paraphrased to the best of my ability based on notes I was able to take:
On International Students:
Secretary Albright stressed that we need to have an understanding of international education and the importance of students from U.S. going abroad and international students coming to study in the U.S. As a professor at Georgetown University she knows how dire the situation is as the number of international students coming to study in the U.S. has been declining. She sees this as a great loss to U.S. higher education and U.S. diplomatic relations with allies and adversaries.
On the Iron Curtain and the Cold War:
General Powell said when he joined the military 60 years ago, the military had a clear understanding of its mission. His first assignment was to stand guard behind the Iron Curtain. He said the rules were clear. Stopping the Russians was the mission. Both the Soviet Union and the United States knew that they had the capacity to destroy each other, and knew each other's capabilities. This knowledge had a stabilizing influence. Both countries looked to the Third World and competed for it. But the Soviet Union started to show cracks. Then the Berlin Wall fell and the Soviet Union collapsed on Christmas Day 1991. "The world as we had known it and the sense of anticipated destruction we'd been preparing for went away," he said. The President at the time, George Herbert Bush, saw this as a brand new world, but one thing became clear was that throughout the Cold War years the U.S. knew its enemies and was prepared to take them down and defend those western European nations and any one who wished to join the American theory of democracy, equal rights and open economic policy. But with the collapse of the Soviet Union the lid on the proverbial boiling pot came off and what was inside was a scorching stew of sectarianism, different economic positions, and people who still wanted to be autocrats. And, these beliefs were spreading around the world. The U.S. and its allies may have predicted the fall of the Soviet Union but they had never anticipated the sectarian differences and rise of autocratic political systems in countries like Poland, Hungary, Turkey, and Egypt.
On Immigration and Diversity:
General Powell continued by saying that immigration, this wonderful national identity that America upheld for many years, is now becoming a problem in Europe because they did not prepare for it well and have not done a good job in managing it. And now it has hit the U.S. He urged that the U.S. must sort out what its policy should be with respect to immigration and international students. He warned that the U.S. is on the brink of turning into a country that has become more autocratic than any time in his life time. "We have a President who thinks he knows what he is doing," he said. General Powell was chagrined by the lack of dialogue between the two political parties. He recalled that during his and Ms. Albright's respective tenures as Secretary of State, they were able to resolve problems by having members of both political parties communicating with each other. "The Republican party is solidly behind the president no matter what he says or does and the Democrats are trying to figure out what they're going to do," he continued. "Immigration has been the life and soul of America. It is who we are," he added. General Powell spoke of his parents who came from Jamaica to America on the banana board in 1920's. His parents met in New York, married, and led a comfortable life. "I grew up in a diverse multi ethnic neighborhood. Born in Harlem, raised in the Bronx, called Fort Apache. It was called a bad neighborhood, but I loved it. I met every ethnicity of the world in that city block. I loved it. I learned how to live with people who weren't just like me, except they were just like me. We are human beings, we are Americans," he continued. He emphasized the importance of developing a solid immigration policy one that doesn't make it difficult for young people to come here to study and doesn't make it even more difficult for them to stay if they've succeeded in getting a solid education. He feared that these young people's opinion of the U.S., "once the crown jewel of the world," will not be looked at the same way again. He said that "this image has been damaged but that America is still a country you can believe in, but that we need to sort ourselves out. It's not about Make America Great Again, America never stopped being great."
On Technology and Globalization:
Secretary Albright continued with General Powell's sentiments and said that the world is counting on a U.S. that demonstrates "normal reactions to the problems going on," but that is not what the U.S. is currently doing. She spoke about technology, both its positive influences as well as how disruptive it can be. She said there are two megatrends that we are witnessing that have both positive and negative results. The first megatrend is 'globalization' and most of us have benefited from it in one form or another and most of it are the students who were able to travel from their country to another to study and saw themselves as a global citizen. "Being a global citizen is not an insult. But there is a downside to it. Globalization is faceless. People want an identity. We want to know who we are and where we come from. But if my identity hates your identity, we end up with hyper-nationalism. Which is very dangerous and that is the downsize of globalization," she said. Another megatrend is 'technology' which has great benefits, and she used the example of a Kenyan woman farmer who no longer needed to walk for miles to pay her bills and can do so now by using her mobile phone and even get an education online, or start her own business. But the negative part of technology is that it "disarticulates voices." She referred to the Egyptian Uprising of 2011 that was part of the Arab Spring movement, where people in Egypt in January 2011 were summoned to Tahrir Square by Social Media. But once the people gathered at the Square they had no sense of what their organizational system was going to be once they had overthrown President Hosni Mubarak. On the other hand, the Muslim Brotherhood was organized and had been organized for many years. In her opinion, the November 2011 elections in Egypt following uprising were held too soon and this is why the Muslim Brotherhood was able to win the election which caused more disruptions since it wasn't what the people who had gathered in Tahrir Square had wanted. But the continuous disorganization made it unbearable for the merchants and shopkeepers who
were trying to make a living in the marketplace in a city that was riddled with chaos and disorder. They wanted order which led to Egypt having a military government. She sees what happened in Egypt as an example of why people, during periods of rapid change and disorder, call on autocratic leaders. She quoted a Silicon Valley individual whose name she had forgotten as having said the following appropriate statement: "People are talking to their governments on 21st century technology, the governments are listening to them on 20th century technology, and are providing 19th century responses."
On World History, Geography and Culture
Secretary Albright then spoke of the importance of learning and understanding the geography, history and culture of countries in order to help share cultural policy. She said she is known as "multilateral Madeleine," and that Americans don't like the word multilateralism that it has "too many syllables and ends with an "ism." She regards international education and cultural diplomacy and learning about the other as the ultimate aspect of partnership. "We need to understand where we come from and none of that will happen if we decide to see ourselves as victims," she added.
On Post 9/11 Immigration Policies:
General Powell recalled that in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, the U.S. reacted by shutting down the flow of refugees and enforcing stricter visa regulations on international students. No sooner had these regulations been enforced that he began receiving angry calls from university presidents who implored the State Department to ease up on the student visas. They argued that international students were financially beneficial to U.S. institutions of higher education and helped keep their institutions operational. He said today China has about 400,000 students studying in the U.S. and the current Administration is accusing Chinese students as spying for their government as an excuse to make visa requirements more difficult. General Powell quipped that the U.S. need not worry about Chinese students spying as "there are spies amongst us here." He blamed TV news and social media as exaggerating events to scare the American people so much so that we cannot have rational intelligent conversations. "They (N. Korea, Iran, China, Russia) are not enemies, but our adversaries. If N. Korea has a nuclear weapon, it wouldn't use it because it would be assisted suicide. If they were to drop a bomb on a U.S. city, the U.S. would in turn annihilate them," he said. He found it odd that the current Administration is arguing that Iran is going to build nuclear weapons when this issue was taken care of in the Nuclear Agreement of 2015 which stopped them from further developing their centrifuges. He did not view Russia as a military threat because "it lacks the economic strength to back it up." As for China, he found this Administration's fear tactics concerning China baseless in that China is already defeating the U.S. economically and doing so very well. He asked: "Why would they (China) want to attack us, when they have us buying the stuff they make?"
On Diplomacy:
Secretary Albright stressed the importance of diplomacy but said that "diplomacy means having people who are diplomats and allocating resources to fund the diplomats" and the need to have a State Department that is properly staffed with appointed Ambassadors at their posts in countries around the world. She also stated that the foreign students who come and study here build a network and when they graduate they return home and hold positions in the private or public sector. Some run for political office and some get appointed to be ambassadors of their own countries. She shared that the current Japanese Foreign Minister was her student at the Modern Foreign Government course she teaches. "This is how you build diplomatic relations. The people that you meet at school are people who are going to show up again. It's an automatic network. Diplomacy works, if you can put yourself in the other person's shoes. This can be achieved more easily if there is a basis of understanding of each other's cultures," she said. " One could prove the importance of international education by the mere fact that it works. It helps create friendships," she emphasized.
General Powell recalled that at every post he had held, one thing he learned that has proven effective is the ability to listen to people and talk to people, and not shout at them. He also mentioned that today, at City College of New York Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership, the institution he had attended as a young adult, 90% of the student body is a minority and 80% were born in another country. "They are going to be great Americans. This is who we are and this is what makes us great," he said.
On Immigration (Reminder why America is the Land of Immigrants):
Secretary Albright said that she and her parents came to the U.S. from Czechoslovakia in 1948, Her father had been a Czechoslovak diplomat and she remembers him saying that during WII when they had sought refuge in other countries, people would say "we're so sorry your country has been taken on by Hitler, you're welcome here, what can we do to help you and when are you going home?" When she and her family came to the U.S. after the communists took over Czechoslovakia, people would say, "we're so sorry your country has been taken over by a terrible system, you're welcome here, what can we do to help you and when will you become a citizen?" That is what made America different from other countries and she felt that this has been forgotten by many Americans. She saw the anti-immigration sentiments of the past two years to America's detriment. She said that one of her favorite things to do is give people their naturalization certificates. The first time she did it was on July 4, 2000 at Monticello. She overheard one person say: "Can you believe it…I just received my naturalization certificate from the Secretary of State and I'm a refugee!" She went up to him and said: "Can you believe the Secretary of State is a refugee?" She added, "We are great, we don't need to be great again, we just need someone who understands this about America."
Jasmin Saidi-Kuehnert is the President and CEO of the Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute (ACEI).
Filed under Credentials, Education, Human Interest, Politics
Tagged as diplomacy, education, international students, NAFSA, politics
Dispatches from the NAFSA 2017 Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA: A photo journal
This week, NAFSA, the world's largest association dedicated to international education and exchange, brought together a diverse and vibrant community of nearly 10,000 global leaders and colleagues at its Annual Conference & Expo right here in ACEI's backyard, Los Angeles.
More than 107 countries have been represented in a setting that emphasized the message, "We build bridges, not walls."
Marina Maligana of NOKUT (Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education)
with ACEI Marketing Director, Laura Sippel
with ACEI President, Jasmin Saidi-Kuehnert
NAFSA Exhibition Hall
NAFSA President Ester Brimmer
NAFSA President Ester Brimmer at the opening plenary spoke on how as international educator, we are part of the solution. "We need to stay calm and stay woke," she said in light of the current political climate. "We need to building bridges, not walls," she added. Question she posed to the conference attendees was whether the "U.S. will see itself as part of the global community or pursue the path of isolationism." She stressed the importance of "keeping the U.S. an open and welcoming place."
NAFSA Opening Plenary Speaker Isabel Wilkerson
NAFSA Opening Plenary Speaker Isabel Wilkerson, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author of New York Times bestseller, "The Warmth of Other Suns." Ms. Wilkerson gave a moving and inspiring speech and shared excerpts of the presonal stories she had gathered for her book from the African American communities who had migrated from the American south during the Jim Crow era to the North, Northeast, and as far as the West, Hawaii and Alaska. Ms. Wilkerson message was that "we are one species and we in this together, we are not the social constructs that are forced on us."
At ACEI, we agree with NAFSA's message of diversity and inclusion and we want to stay globally engaged and educated.
We will pledge to protect our core values, as Americans, which include freedom, opportunity, and welcome.
Tagged as college, Credential Evaluations, education, international education, NAFSA, study abroad
Dispatches from NAFSA 2016 Denver, Colorado
The 2016 NAFSA: Association of International Educators' annual conference was held in Denver, CO from May 29 – June 3. I was told that this year the conference had about 9,300 attendees which is a lower than last year's 10,000 plus that was held in Boston, MA. But, this still is a healthy turnout considering it is next to impossible to run into the same person twice given the scale and scope of the venue.
Barely twenty minutes into my arrival in Denver four nights earlier, and I learn my uber driver is from Eritrea. He'd first told me he was from Africa but I asked him which country. He then told me he is helping his sister, a high school graduate in Eritrea, to come and study in the U.S. This of course prompted me to tell him about ACEI and our international credential evaluation service. I gave him my card to pass onto her. He was so happy that I knew of his country and could be of help. Made me equally happy.
I spent my first official day at NAFSA with a visit to the exhibit hall known as the International Education Expo. The large hall was a vibrant hub of more than 400 institutions, service and technology providers, and suppliers from around the globe. It felt like being at a World Fair, and in a way it was; a world fair focused on education. Clearly the message that this conference invokes is that by providing and encouraging study abroad opportunities and supporting services we are not only helping open the minds and hearts, but building bridges and breaking down prejudices.
The International Education Expo, NAFSA 2016, Denver, CO
The conference's opening plenary address was given by David Brooks, the op-ed columnist for the New York Times. As a senior fellow at the Yale University Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, Brooks often focuses on topics connected with higher education and international affairs. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend his address but heart it was inspiring.
The Wednesday, June 1st Plenary address was given by Bryan Stevenson who is recognized as a visionary legal scholar, advocate, and champion for social justice. He is the founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, an organization committed to fair and just treatment for all people in the U.S. legal system. A quote from Stevenson's address that I jotted down was that "we must do uncomfortable things to change the world through education." If we want to see change, we need to get out of our comfort zone.
The Thursday, June 2nd Plenary address was given by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, a journalist and author who focuses on the evolving roles of women throughout the world. She is a senior fellow at the Council of Foreign Relations and writes frequently about empowering women in developing countries through economic investment. A couple of quotes that are worth noting and remembering from her address include: "What binds us is more important than what divides us" and "education is the great leader…all of a sudden you're in a world where there is no difference between you and them." Couldn't agree more.
One way to participate in NAFSA, besides an attendee, or as an exhibitor, is to be a presenter. I was fortunate to have been part of two presentations: 1) Credentials Fraud and Diploma Mills – A Global and Growing Problem, which I co-presented with Drew Feder from Credentials Consultants, in Houston, TX and 2) Fighting Back Against Misconduct in the Academic Space which I co-presented with Teresa Axe and Michelle Hampton of Education Testing Services (ETS), Princeton, NJ, and Jonathan Burdick from the University of Rochester, NY. Both sessions were well received with great questions from the audience. The session I presented on Credentials Fraud and Diploma Mills had more than 100 attendees and the room was filled to capacity, so much so that people were being turned away. Clearly, Credential Fraud and Diploma Mills are a hot and timely topic, as more and more bogus institutions continue to pop up offering fake degrees for a price duping the public. For those who may have missed the presentation and those who attended and interested to have a free copy of our PowerPoint, please go this link on our website.
Besides the wonderful and inspiring plenary speakers, NAFSA conference program offered a plethora of sessions making it next to impossible to see and hear everything. If only we could clone ourselves and be at more than one session at the same time!
All and all, the NAFSA annual national conference is a great way to establish new partnerships, participate in networking opportunities, learn something new (even for us old-timers) and most importantly reconnect with friends/colleagues you've known for many years. The opportunity of seeing colleagues face-to-face whom throughout the year you engage with by Skype/phone/ email, text and social media is priceless and what makes the conference worthwhile and memorable.
L-R: Robert Watkins, UT Austin, Jasmin Saidi-Kuehnert, ACEI, William Paver, FCES, Zepur Solakian, CGACC, Kirstin Baker, GPS.
L-R: Jackie Chu, University of New Haven, Solakian, CGACC, Madjid Niroumand, OCC
It's time to say goodbye to NAFSA and Denver and head back to Los Angeles. The good news is, next year, the conference will be in Los Angeles, our very own backyard!
Tagged as college, credentials, Denver, education, international, NAFSA, studyabroad
10 Takeaways from the 2015 NAFSA Region XII Conference in Honolulu, HI.
The annual NAFSA: Association of International Educators Region XII Conference this year was held in Honolulu, HI and like years past, ACEI demonstrated its presence by having a booth at the Exhibit Hall and presented a conference session. Here are a few interesting facts about Oahu, NAFSA's Region XII, the 2015 conference and our overall takeaway.
1. Oahu is an island in the mid-Pacific, part of the Hawaiian island chain and home to the state capital, Honolulu. Highlights of the city include historic Chinatown; the Punchbowl, a crater-turned-cemetery; and Waikiki, the iconic beach, dining and nightlife area. West of Honolulu is Pearl Harbor, site of the 1941 bombing attack and home to the USS Arizona Memorial
2. NAFSA is a professional association with a national and international membership for those working as international student advisors at U.S. public and private schools and institutions of higher education, as well as credential evaluation companies, international student recruiters, study abroad program providers, ESL schools, insurance companies, immigration lawyers and organizations offering services to international students.
3. Region XII of NAFSA convers the following States in the U.S.: California, Hawaii, and Nevada.
4. Over 500 members had registered and were in attendance at this year's Region XII Conference. This is a healthy number, since a few years ago, barely 120 people had attended the conference held in San Diego.
5. Tuesday, October 27th, our Director of Communications, Yolinisse Moreno and I joined colleagues, Perry Akins Chairman of ITEP , Sharif Ossayran of President of Ascension Zepur Solakian of CGACC and Judy Judd Price, Deputy Executive Director of NAFSA, for dinner. Our conversation quickly veered into current events, politics, history and related books. We may not have solved world's problems, but we each left with a list of must-read books!
6. My session "Diploma Mills & Fake Degrees: A Global Problem and Threat," was scheduled on the program for Thursday, October 29th. I learned that a topic exactly like mine on Diploma Mills was being presented by another person a day earlier. Needless to say, having the same topic presented by two different presenters is something I've never experienced or witnessed before. Having served on NAFSA's Southern District Region XII Committee and on its national conference planning team, I can say with confidence that programming two identical sessions was an absolute no-no. In fact, in such cases, conference programmers either choose between duplicate sessions on a first come, first served basis or invite both presenters to consider collaborating and presenting jointly.
7. Despite the duplicate programming issue, my presentation on Thursday was a success and those who attended, though not the large number that would have been expected had there not been a similar session presented the day before, found the talk highly informative and entertaining.
Session on Diploma Mills & Fake Degrees presented by Jasmin Saidi-Kuehnert, President & CEO, ACEI
8. ACEI's booth was also quite a hit with all of our fun island-themed swag intermingled with our serious literature on our evaluation, translation, and training services as well as our calendar of upcoming webinars. (To stay updated on our services and upcoming webinars, please click here.)
Yolinisse Moreno, Director of Communications, ACEI
View of the exhibit hall
9. Everyone's favorite ACEI giveaway was our stress ball shaped like a pineapple. We had brought a couple hundred of them and they disappeared in less than 2 days!
A parade of pineapples to relieve you of your stress!
10. Having Honolulu, HI as a conference destination was a great draw, though at times, dressed in our "casual" business attire, I felt like I was crashing someone's family vacation! It was difficult to not stray from the conference hall. The warm breeze and our senses being bombarded by aromas of coconut infused sunscreens wafting by as we made our between hotel buildings to our meeting rooms were seductive temptations! However, despite the temptations of paradise, meetings and conference sessions were very well attended as was the exhibit hall where we reconnected with colleagues and regular clients of ACEI and made new connections. We look forward to next year's Region XII conference in Palm Spring, CA.
Tagged as Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute, accreditation, ACEI, community college, Credential Evaluations, credentials, NAFSA

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Ca Mau sinking with water table
VietNamNet Bridge – Southernmost Ca Mau Province is in danger of sinking below sea level in the next few decades due to over-exploitation of underground water if something isn't done urgently.
Southernmost Ca Mau Province is in danger of sinking below sea level in the next few decades due to over-exploitation of underground water if something isn't done urgently.— File Photo
Experts released the warning at a conference held with the co-operation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) in Mekong Delta Can Tho City on Monday.
Kjell Karlsrud, PhD, from the Norwegian institute said nearby provinces in the Mekong Delta also faced a risk of subsidence.
Seeking other clean water sources to replace the use of underground water was highly recommended, he stressed.
Filtering water from canals to serve daily lives of local residents was believed to be the best choice, however, it was costly, he said.
The local authority was advised to stop all use of underground water and to instead build water filter companies and sea dykes.
Nguyen Truong Tien, a member of the Viet Nam Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, said the province should apply advanced technologies to recycling water and storing rainwater to reduce the use of underground water.
The NGI said Ca Mau Province's land surface is only 1m higher than the sea level.
The warning came after research on land subsidence in the province was conducted by the NGI from May 2012, at the request of the Vietnamese Agriculture Ministry and Norwegian Foreign Ministry.
It showed coastal erosion has been gauged at between 100m and 0.4km over the past 20 years in Ca Mau.
The province, covering an area of 4,350sq km, has a subsidence rate of 1.9-2.8cm per year, according to Viet Nam Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources head Tran Tan Van.
By initial calculations, the land surface of several local areas had subsided about 30-70cm over the last two decades.
Excessive exploitation of underground water from surrounding drill wells was blamed for the problem.
Van said about 370,000cu m of underground water was taken daily from 100,000 drilled wells in the province.
The drilled wells were only located in some urban areas, which had suffered a higher subsidence rate than others, Tan said.
Ca Mau, underground water, clean water sources
HCM City to crack down on pollution
HCM City campaign calls for joint actions to reduce plastic waste
Endangered bison spotted at Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
Saltwater intrusion hits Mekong Delta
Decline in Vietnam's deforestation cases
Vietnam's Central Highlands faces water scarcity
Central Highlands forest suffers deliberate fire
Turning waste paper and cans into lifelines
Bear conservation centre opened in Ninh Binh province
Green Climate Fund helps Quang Nam adapt to climate change


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Home Towns Bethlehem
Endorsed candidate names start rolling out in Bethlehem
by Diego Cagara
in Bethlehem, News, Towns
BETHLEHEM —The town's Democratic and Republican Committees have begun announcing their endorsed candidates for the year's upcoming election, although some names have yet to be finalized.
On the Democratic side, Joyce Becker and Dan Coffey are each seeking re-election, having served since 2016 and 2018 respectively.
Becker has almost three decades of experience heading the town's Senior Services Department.
Coffey is a trial attorney at Bowitch & Coffey, an Albany law firm he co-founded in June 2012, with decades-spanning experience in government too.
Becker said, "I want to continue what we started four years ago and to look into our town's future, with issues like land use and open space, as well as continue to receive input from the public about what they care about."
She added that since assuming office, she has learned more about the importance of the comprehensive plan update
and expressed excitement over the ongoing successful community forums where residents from different parts of town can voice their opinions — she felt that this also complemented her background in human services.
She concluded that she looked forward to maintaining the Town Board's "approachable" feel, seeing more women assume leadership roles in town and to continue the dialogue between government and citizenry, like with the comprehensive plan.
Coffey said that he has met with Bethlehem's department heads and staff to add to his belt of experience on the town level.
While also hoping to continue work on the comprehensive plan update, he said that he wants to find ways for an open space protection fund "that shies away from tax," to make better use of the Vista Technology Park in Slingerlands, to look into a road diet on Delaware Avenue, and establishing more connections with the Albany County Rail Trail.
CARRIERO
The Bethlehem GOP has announced just one endorsed candidate so far — James Carriero — and will announce the other in the near future.
Carriero had previously worked for KeyBank since 1978 to support schools and non-profit organizations, and has been a member of the board of directors for the St. Peter's Hospital Foundation, Senior Hope Counseling, and the Northeastern Association of the Blind at Albany.
Carriero, who had previously run for Town Board in last year's election, said that he'd expected to not win then since he was "getting to know the process and understand the forums and issues. People would have to first get to know you and therefore, it was more like training experience."
Looking ahead, he said that his primary motivation this year is finding a balance for the community.
"We need to maintain balance in our positions and views on issues, and not overreact and not make it too political," he said.
"It needs to make common sense. Coming from the business sector and having worked with government, seeking a balance or center is very important for society. I simply want to give back the talents and blessings I've learned through the years to the people."
VANLUVEN
While the GOP has yet to announce its endorsed candidate in this category, David VanLuven, the current Town Supervisor on the Democratic side, confirmed he's seeking re-election, having first assumed the position in January 2018.
While he had been a Town Board member prior from 2016 to 2018, he has an extensive background in urban and environmental policy, biology, working with government and non-profit organizations, and budget maintenance.
In an email to Spotlight News, he wrote that since the position's term is quite short — just two years — it takes time to continue getting major work done and seeing them through.
He offered the example of the town's comprehensive plan which connects with issues like development, forest and farm protection, and infrastructure improvements.
"I've only gotten started and we have so much work to do," he wrote, adding that Bethlehem is in great shape.
He recognized all the town's employees, local businesses and services that provide for the people too.
"I want the Town to continue delivering top-notch services in a fiscally responsible manner," he wrote, looking ahead.
"I want to establish a Farms and Forests Fund to help give landowners options other than selling to developers; support new and existing businesses; build more trails for walking and biking; expand our parks; and create a new vision for Bethlehem's future with clear actions we can take to better manage development."
Town Highway Superintendent
Service is one motivation behind the Democratic candidate, Marc Dorsey, who is running for office for the first time this year.
Having lived in Bethlehem for over 48 years, he has a long background in construction and carpentry, and has worked as a local police officer, a volunteer firefighter at the Delmar Fire Department, and for seven years now, has served in the army where he was a sniper team leader that was deployed in Afghanistan.
"I've served the state of New York, I've served my country, and this year, I felt that it was an opportunity now to serve in a role in the Town of Bethlehem in the sense of maybe changing the mindset of the workers by leadership and to serve at the pleasure of the Town Supervisor," Dorsey said.
"From what I've learned in the military on how to lead by example, hopefully that can affect a better culture here and get better efficient workers and guys that believe in the town and in what they're doing is making a difference."
Incumbent Highway Superintendent John "Tiger" Anastasi, on the GOP side, is seeking re-election, having served since January 2018.
Raised and having lived most of his life in Delmar, he is a building contractor and developer who had majored in Construction Technology at Hudson Valley Community College.
He had also spent many years working for the Bethlehem Pop Warner Organization where he became president, before retiring to earn a spot on the board of directors at the Capital District Pop Warner Organization.
Anastasi wrote in an email to Spotlight News that his team has been already successful "with the connectivity of sidewalks throughout the town, improvements to fields that our children play on, improvements to our deteriorated stormwater systems, and the updating of our highway fleet, which has been seriously neglected in the past, yet is much needed to continue to provide the level of services that our taxpayers deserve; I would like to continue on the aggressive road we have paved in the past twelve months."
Expressing pride in working long hours with his dedicated crew, he also wrote, "Why change something that works!"
Joanne Cunningham, Chair of the Bethlehem Democratic Committee, said her side's candidates are experienced leaders with a vision for the town.
"I think the big issues overall are the continually perceived overdevelopment, preservation of open space, and town future planning," she said.
Melissa Kermani, the GOP Chair, wrote in an email to Spotlight News that it's important to have "varying perspectives" on issues which could lead to seeking better policies and directions for the town.
She similarly brought up how issues like overdevelopment, the comprehensive plan update and the town's character's preservation are key.
When asked how she felt about the town's so-called one-party rule so far under the Democrats, she wrote, "The Progressive policies cannot make up the majority of the strategies going forward. We need to include all residents of this town, and having a more balanced government will help achieve this goal."
Residents can meet the Democratic candidates on Sunday, March 3 at 4:30 p.m. at the Town Hall auditorium on 445 Delaware Ave. in Delmar. For more information, visit the Bethlehem Democratic Committee's website at bethlehemdems.org.
They can also meet the Republican candidates on Monday, June 10 at 5 p.m. at Romo's Pizzeria and Restaurant on 365 Feura Bush Road in Glenmont. For more information, visit the Bethlehem Republican Committee's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BethlehemGOP.
Tags: Bethlehem Town Board
Monolith Solar moving forward
Young family needs help finding transportation for disabled daughter


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Kendrick Lamar Net Worth, Age, Height, Songs, Quotes, Albums, Bio-Wiki
July 21, 2022 by trends
Kendrick Lamar Bio-Wiki
Kendrick Lamar is an American rapper, Kendrick Lamar Net Worth of $75 million. He is one of the most notable and liberally paid rappers on the planet. Until this point, he has made more than $180 million in his vocation. In 2018 alone he made $60 million, making him one of the most generously compensated for the year. Kendrick Lamar Net Worth 2023 – $75 million
Also, Read About: Tom Steyer Net Worth, Wife, Family, Age, Height, Twitter, Bio-Wiki
Considered in Compton, California on June 17, 1987, Kendrick Lamar, in any case, called Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, began rapping while he was still in grade school, roused by his brilliant calves Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre. Lamar's kin moved to Compton's south side of Chicago three years before he got pregnant, as his dad was firmly associated with bunch activity, and his mom had proposed to leave him together. Kendrick was given a tribute to Eddie Kendricks of Template by his mom's original last name.
Regardless of his condition and the family's fights to get by, he's delineated satisfactory memories from youth and was a straight-An understudy who created award-winning articles and extraordinary evaluations at Centennial High School in Compton.
Lamar completed his first mixtape (most youthful head nigga in control) at 16 years old while in auxiliary school, and considered close by record numbers. He checked Top Dawg Entertainment in the mid-2000s, and alongside those letters evacuated another composite tape. Progressively recognized in 2008 and 2009, recollecting that a music video was appeared for Jay Rock's "For My Entire life (in the Ghetto)", and imparted to Lil Wayne.
At the point when related to Lil Wayne, he started calling himself Kendrick Lamar, in opposition to his stage name, Spot. By then he expelled another compound tape, and again released the past tape with his genuine name. In 2010 and 2011, he visited broadly, discharging notable blend tapes and a free assortment. Kendrick Lamar Net Worth 2023 – $75 million
Its first significant studio assortment, "The Great Child, m.A.A.d City" was discharged on October 22, 2012, under Interscope Records and later Entertainment. The assortment has sold more than 1.1 million duplicates in the United States alone. Lamar played the main singles of the assortment "Shafts (Drinks)" and "Vengeance Right" on Saturday night. Furthermore, they demonstrated Adam Leon and Lonely Island close by in an automated short, the main "Yolo" development. Kendrick Lamar Net Worth 2023 – $75 million
Kendrick Lamar Albums
Outside of the studio vault, Kendrick has chipped away at numerous singles, including a few eminent specialists including Big Sean, Robin Thack, Drake, 2 Chains, Birdman and Jay Cole. Lamar's second studio assortment, Good Kid, MAD, City, was graduated in 2012 and has recently come out as # 2 on the Billboard 200 chart on the American Board and B/Hip Hop Diagram. In September 2013, Kanye West announced that Kendrick Lamar would bolster him on his first execution in a brief time, in the interest of the "Yeezos" assortment. The following month, Lamar was highlighted on Eminem's eighth studio assortment, "The Marshall Matters LP2."
After one month this month, in November, he was selected Reaper of the Year by GQ Magazine. Lamar was assigned for seven Grammys in 2014, including Best New Artist and Album of the Year, yet has not gotten any honors. Lamar featured Taylor Swift's "Ill will" remix in May 2015, and appeared at number one on the Billboard diagram, and the music video earned him a Grammy of the Best Music Video, for example, the MTV Video Music Award for Video. Of the year. Kendrick Lamar Net Worth 2023 – $75 million
Kendrick Lamar Career
Its assortment "To Pimp a Butterfly" appeared in 2015 and has reached # 1 on the Billboard 200 outline in the United States of America like Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK. The assortment was essentially applauded for its differed sounds and advancements and was appeared by numerous intellectuals as "dissipating the earth," permitting them to twist the "rules" of hip hop. Kendrick got five Grammys in the 58th capacity for "To Pimp a Butterfly," which incorporates the Best Rap collection.
Lamar's next assortment, Damon, commenced in 2017 and came in at # 200 on the Billboard and # 1 in Canada. His best single "Humble" came in # 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, USR&B/Hip Hop, and US Rap Graphs. Kendrick Lamar Net Worth 2023 – $75 million
Lamar's other coming about singles incorporate verses "Pool", "DNA", and are only a sign of a torrential slide. As of May 2017, "Lat" has been guaranteed platinum. At the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, she won Best Rap Album, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, Best Music Video, and Best Rap/Song Performance. Between June 2017 and June 2018, Kendrick Lamar made about $ 60 million from his different activities.
After the "Kick" accomplishment, Lamar made and curated the soundtrack with Marvel's "Dull Panther." Pundits and the group, for the most part, adulated this assortment. He got the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "All-Stars". Kendrick Lamar Net Worth 2023 – $75 million
Lamar made his acting presentation on the Starz sensation game plan "Power" in July 2018. He played a Dominican drug somebody who is dependent named Laces. 50 Cent, a dear buddy and accomplice, fills in as the official creator for the course of action and referenced the tossing of Lamar. His work was generally applauded by experts and groups.
During his expert profession, Kendrick won 13 Grammy Awards, showed up on the Time 100 Most Influential People list, and earned two network honors. Kendrick Lamar Net Worth 2023 – $75 million. His assortment "Lat" won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music, and he made a blemish on the world as the first non-jazz or old-style skilled worker to get this honor. Discovered worldwide in his provocative sections and sonnets, Lamar has masterminded various creations of the best rappers at any point made.
Lamar was conceived in 2015 by Whitney Alford. Their first youngster was in 2023. Lamar is the last cannabis customer and a faithful Christian. During the 2012 presidential political choice, Lamar communicated that he didn't cast a ballot. Nonetheless, back then, which made ready for a political race, he turned the issue around, saying he needed to make a ruling for Barack Obama. Kendrick Lamar Net Worth 2023 – $75 million
Birth Name: Kendrick Lamar
NickName: N/A
Mother Name: N/A
Father Name: N/A
Date of Birth: Jun 17, 1987 (32 years old)
Birth-Sign: N/A
Profession: Rapper, Songwriter, Music artist
Marital Status: Un-Married
Eye Colour: Dark Brown
Kendrick Lamar Height: 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Children: no
Kendrick Lamar Net Worth: $75 Million
Kendrick Lamar Girlfriend: Whitney Alford
Kendrick Lamar Net Worth
2013 – $9 million
2015 – $12 million
Kendrick Lamar Net Worth 2023 – $75 million
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Categories Rappers Tags Kendrick Lamar, Kendrick Lamar Age, Kendrick Lamar Albums, Kendrick Lamar Bio, Kendrick Lamar Girlfriend, Kendrick Lamar Height, Kendrick Lamar Net Worth, Kendrick Lamar Net Worth 2014, Kendrick Lamar Net Worth 2016, Kendrick Lamar Net Worth 2018, Kendrick Lamar Net Worth 2023, Kendrick Lamar Wiki
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REPLACING THE COPPER SHINGLES OF THE SPIRE
After water was seen trickling down the belfry walls in 2015, it became clear that the copper shingles (tiles) on the spire had to be replaced at a cost of £150,000. Quite a daunting prospect for a small village church!
However, with the help and advice of architect, Alison Bunning RIBA, Archdeacon Mark Butchers, and Louise Bartlett and Eve Van der Steen from the Church Buildings Office, the PCC rose to the challenge and the Spire Restoration Project was launched. Churchwardens John Ayre and Martin Alexander, with PCC treasurer Derek Atkinson, headed the project team, and after generous support from the local community, and a much appreciated grant from the Local Places of Worship Roof Repair Fund, the Spire was repaired and the copper shingles replaced with gleaming new ones.
The colour of the spire will gradually return to its original hue.
The Bishop of Crediton, the Rt Revd Dame Sarah Mullally, re-dedicated the Spire of St James the Apostle Church, Kingsnympton at a joyful service of celebration on Sunday 9th October, 2016.


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Category / NOSTALGIA
Retro Bohemian Mushroom Cuisine
Retro Bohemian Mushroom Cuisine is the name that came to me when I decided to share these photos from my 80's cookbook, Jihočeská houbařská kuchařka (South Bohemian Mushroom Cookbook). I've had mine since I can remember and the pages are worn and dog-eared, but I still use it, especially for unique mushroom recipes. Keep in mind that...
I bet you had no idea that Brno Built the Future in 1956… "In the city of Brno, modernism lives on. Brno, the capital of Moravia and the Czech Republic's second-largest city, is a long way from Chicago. But in the 1920s and 1930s, it was one of the hotbeds of Modernism in Central Europe." –International...
Architecture, CULTURE, History
Ella Fitzgerald Brings Jazz to Prague in 1969
Ella Fitzgerald Brings Jazz to Prague in 1969. That's right. Singer and First Lady of jazz, Ella Fitzgerald, performed two stellar concerts at the Lucerna Hall in Prague on June 27, 1969. Her performance came just 10 days after the Beach Boys performed there (on June 17th). The summer of 1969 in Prague was rockin' in more ways than one. These images...
ENTERTAINMENT, Music, Time Warp, Women
A Look Back at Czechoslovakia Before World War I
Today I wanted to share a look back at Czechoslovakia before World War I. The first image I want to share is this map. When the Czech Republic was first put on a map, it was placed there as Czechoslovakia. The Bohemian Kingdom officially ceased to exist in 1918 by transformation into Czechoslovakia. No one...
Bohemian Fashion at Karlovy Vary Circa 1950s
These are rare photographs from the estate and family of Vilem Heckel. The images are from a fashion show at Karlovy Vary in Bohemia sometime during the early to mid 1950s. Please make sure to read this wonderful photographers bio at the end of this post. Now… on to the gorgeous fashions! Note: We claim...
NOSTALGIA, Photography, Retro Chic
It's amazing to be able to watch a rare film of Tomas G. Masaryk, the Father of Czechoslovakia, speaking English for "Fox Movietone News" on November 29, 1929. But perhaps more amazing is what he actually SAYS in the clip. "If I observe the inventiveness of our modern scientists, I sometimes fancy a much greater invention,...
Bohemians, History, PEOPLE
Vintage Ads for a 1954 Hudson Italia
A few days ago I posted several stunning photos for my dream car. Today I am sharing some vintage ads for a 1954 Hudson Italia. Some of the images were magazine ads, others were from press sources and finally there are also some showroom photographs. Enjoy! Such lines, such style! This is a Touring factory...
NOSTALGIA, Retro Chic
Touring the Coast In My 1954 Hudson Italia
Today I find myself touring the coast in my 1954 Hudson Italia. Many people don't know this car's slightly Bohemian connection or history (which I share here). But first, just take a look at this baby! I love the sporty egg-crate grille. I love the distinctive triangle-peaked front bumper. I love the and fender-top air intakes! You...
PLACES, Retro Chic, Traveling in Style
Atomic Starbursts for Living the Jetsons Lifestyle
I am totally feeling the love for the vintage Sputnik inspired starburst today. If you've been thinking about Atomic Starbursts for living the Jetsons lifestyle then look today is your lucky day! Seriously. Remember how they lived in a futuristic utopia of elaborate robotic contraptions, aliens, holograms, and whimsical inventions? When I remember them I immediately think of Judy...
Los Angeles Ghost Town
Have you ever flown out of LAX and saw what appeared to be an abandoned city below? What is it? Los Angeles Ghost Town? Well… Yes. Today it is a ghost town. Palisades del Rey (aka Surfridge) was a beachfront city developed in the early 1920's by the famed Dickinson & Gillespie Co. At the turn of...
The Day the Tanks Came
On August 21, 1968 dozens of tanks rolled through the streets and aimed at the crowds of students and protesters. Shooting was heard, screams and cries. People were in shock. They could not believe that the invaders were Russians – the same Russians who had liberated them in 1945 at the close of World War II....
NEWER POSTS 1 … 11 12 13 OLDER POSTS


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USMNT's first post-World Cup roster includes players you've never heard of — and exciting ones, too
Henry Bushnell
Alejandro Zendejas will likely play his first game for the USMNT next week. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
The first U.S. men's national team roster of the 2026 World Cup cycle features 11 newbies and a few players you've likely never heard of.
There's a defender whose entire professional career spans the United Soccer League and the Norwegian Eliteserien. There's a newly minted American citizen and a 25-year-old winger who plays in Denmark. There's even a Major League Soccer teenager who has never played a first-team game in Major League Soccer.
There's the typical sprinkling of MLS veterans, of course, including a few who were in Qatar last month, but this squad, more than most, comes from everywhere and nowhere.
It will play Serbia (Jan. 25) and Colombia (Jan. 28) next week in the USMNT's first two games since the 2022 World Cup. They'll occur amid coaching uncertainty and outside an official FIFA window, meaning clubs weren't required to release their players to national teams. With U.S. stars increasingly populating European clubs, therefore, many were unavailable — as they are every year for this annual January camp, colloquially known as "Camp Cupcake."
But the camp, which will be led by caretaker coach Anthony Hudson while incumbent coach Gregg Berhalter is under investigation, is an opportunity for the stars of the next generation to emerge.
It will welcome Gabriel "Gaga" Slonina, the 18-year-old goalkeeper expected to someday challenge Matt Turner for the USMNT's No. 1 gig.
It could offer debuts to Paxten Aaronson, the brother of Brenden, and Alejandro Zendejas, a Mexican American dual national who has been excelling for Club América in Liga MX. Despite the Mexican league season overlapping with the USMNT's January camp, América agreed to allow Zendejas, a regular club starter, to participate in one of the two games.
There will be eight players, including Slonina, Aaronson and Cade Cowell, who'll be eligible to represent the U.S. as under-23 participants at the 2024 Olympics, in its first men's soccer appearance at the Games since 2008.
There are 24 players in total, some of whom might never see the field for the USMNT after this month. But several surely will.
The full USMNT roster
Goalkeepers (3): Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati), Sean Johnson (free agent), Gaga Slonina (Chelsea)
Defenders (8): Jonathan Gómez (Real Sociedad), Julian Gressel (Vancouver Whitecaps), DeJuan Jones (New England Revolution), Aaron Long (LAFC), Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy), Sam Rogers (Rosenborg), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville)
Midfielders (6): Paxten Aaronson (Eintracht Frankfurt), Kellyn Acosta (LAFC), Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew), Paxton Pomykal (FC Dallas), Alan Soñora (free agent), Eryk Williamson (Portland Timbers)
Forwards (7): Paul Arriola (FC Dallas), Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas), Matthew Hoppe (Middlesbrough), Emmanuel Sabbi (Odense), Brandon Vazquez (FC Cincinnati), Alejandro Zendejas (Club América)
The most exciting USMNT newcomers
Among the 24 players, Slonina is the biggest name. The Illinois native turned pro at age 14 and moved from the Chicago Fire to Chelsea for an eight-figure fee at age 18. He was in the mix for a 2022 World Cup roster spot. He and his former Fire teammate, 18-year-old Chris Brady, are considered the USMNT goalkeepers of the future.
The most notable inclusion in this squad, though, is Zendejas, an attacking midfielder who has been the subject of a controversial recruiting battle between the U.S. and Mexico. He was born in Ciudad Juárez, then moved to Texas as a child. He played alongside Christian Pulisic and other current USMNTers with the U.S. under-17s, including at the 2015 U-17 World Cup — but later played for Mexico U-level national teams as well.
He accepted a Mexico senior-team call-up in 2021 and debuted for El Tri in a friendly, and that's where his situation got messy. To play for Mexico, per FIFA rules, he would have needed to file a one-time switch of association away from the U.S. He apparently never did. With the 2022 World Cup approaching and Zendejas presumably a candidate for El Tri's roster, the Mexican soccer federation reportedly asked Zendejas to sign a document "renouncing" his affiliation with the U.S.; he reportedly declined.
Amid the confusion and controversy, he established himself as a regular at Club América. He has now accepted his first USMNT call-up — though his international soccer future won't be tied to the U.S. until he appears in a competitive senior game, the first of which could be in March.
Hudson said in a Q&A published by U.S. Soccer that the USMNT staff "didn't think" they'd get Zendejas for the January camp and expressed "huge appreciation" to América for allowing him to join. Hudson said Zendejas is "going to play [for América on Jan. 21], that day that camp starts but they're going to let him fly in and play [for the U.S.] against Serbia." He'll then fly back to Mexico City and play for América on the 28th instead of staying with the USMNT for its second match of the week against Colombia, a team spokesperson confirmed.
The other players with the brightest futures are Aaronson, a 19-year-old attacker who joined Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt from the Philadelphia Union this month; John Tolkin, an adventurous 20-year-old left back for the New York Red Bulls; and Cowell, another Mexican-American dual national who has burst onto the scene with the San Jose Earthquakes as a teen. Cowell debuted for the USMNT in a December 2021 friendly.
Other notable call-ups include Brandon Vazquez, a breakout MLS striker who'll attempt to establish himself as a potential No. 9 throughout the 2026 cycle, and Alan Soñora, a New Jersey-born midfielder who has spent most of his life in Argentina. He played regularly for Independiente, a top-flight Argentine club, in 2021 and 2022, and has been linked with a move to MLS.
Then there are the out-of-nowhere inclusions: Sam Rogers is a 23-year-old Seattle Sounders youth product who started his pro career in the USL before moving to HamKam and then Rosenborg in Norway. Emmanuel Sabbi is an Italy-born product of Ohio and Chicago-area youth clubs. He then moved to Las Palmas in Spain as a teen and has spent his first-team career with Hobro and Odense in Denmark.
The Danish and Norwegian leagues, like MLS, do not play through the winter months, allowing those players to join the January camp. Others, such as Slonina, Jonathan Gomez and Matthew Hoppe, meanwhile, are available because they are not regulars for their respective clubs.
Many will be fringe players at best for the USMNT going forward. Of the 27 players called into 2019 January camp, only one (Walker Zimmerman) started games and two played minutes at the 2022 World Cup.
The following year, though, January granted opportunity to players such as Matt Turner and Brenden Aaronson, and that, precisely, is the point. Even if just a few someday make a meaningful impact, the week in Southern California will have been worthwhile.
The games will be played at the homes of MLS' two Los Angeles clubs, Banc of California Stadium and Dignity Health Sports Park. They kick off at 10 p.m. ET Jan. 25 (HBO Max, Universo, Peacock) and at 7:30 p.m. ET Jan. 28 (TNT, Telemundo, Peacock).
Bennylyn Burke: Man admits killing mum and her two-year-old daughter in Scotland but denies murder
Andrew Innes, 52, admits killing but denies murder of Bennylyn Burke and Jellica Burke
'Ferocious' knife attack killed random stranger in Oxford Street, court hears
Jurors at the Old Bailey were shown graphic CCTV footage of the attack outside the Microsoft store in the heart of London's shopping district
Flybe: Where are the worst-hit travellers after airline goes bust for second time?
Analysis shows Flybe struggled to fill half its seats
Founders of education provider Twinkl study £500m Vitruvian deal
The husband-and-wife team who founded one of Britain's biggest privately owned educational resources providers are close to sealing a deal that will propel them into the ranks of the country's richest entrepreneurs. Sky News has learned that Jon and Susie Seaton, who established Twinkl in 2010 in a bedroom in their Sheffield home, are in advanced talks with the private equity firm Vitruvian Partners about the sale of a minority stake.
'Unions expressing views to members is unhelpful', says Govt
The education minister says that it is "disappointing" that the NEU has decided to go ahead with teachers strikes, adding "unions are expressing views to their membership and I think that it is unhelpful". Nick Gibb also says "it isn't helpful" if members are being asked not to tell headteachers if they are striking by unions.
Are sanctions working? Why Russia's economy continues to grow
Sanctions on Russia 'might not be having the impact the West had hoped'
US dairy policies drive small farms to 'get big or get out' as monopolies get rich
Exclusive: Misguided policies have hurt small-scale farms while enriching agribusinesses and corporate lobbyists, analysis shows
News Shopper
Wilding has its moment! - Martha Rolison of Simon Langton Girls Grammar School
Surprise as the first Bison calf is born in the UK for 1000 years.


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King Fahad National Library
Saudi Arabia, Riyadh
Design and project management
Gerber Architekten
Installations products
Qbuc
Adapta Plus executive desk
Adapta Plus meeting table
Adapta Plus workstation
The King Fahd National Library, one of the most important cultural buildings in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was furnished by JG. This installation is, without doubt, one of the company's major successes in recent years, and one of JG's most important projects.
The project acts as the central driving force behind urban development and combines the challenge of designing within an existing building with respect for Arab culture.
The new building is covered by a filigree textile facade drawing on traditional Middle Eastern architectural lines. It is an exterior see-through cladding made up of white diamond shaped awnings.
The membranes are supported by a steel structure, giving them the appearance of canopies in a modern technological interpretation of the Arabian tent structure.
JG furnished the building with the Adapta, AMT and Qbuc ranges with various finishes based on the way in which each workstation was to be used: maple and aluminium for the reading and study area; white and aluminium for the administration area.
The versatility of the Adapta range, the integration of work and filing solutions in a single brand, and the rapid delivery of project and product requirements were crucial in outfitting this iconic building.


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The Delebrities
What do you get when you cross a designer with a celebrity? This year saw the answer.
By Marc Karimzadeh Plus Icon
Marc Karimzadeh
Recent Articles by Marc Karimzadeh
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December 11, 2007, 12:00am
"I got Roberto's cigar!" a young woman shouted during Roberto Cavalli's appearance in New York to launch his line for Hennes & Mauritz in November. "It fell down when he stood here. I waited until he walked away, then picked it up and put it in a plastic Ziploc bag. I'm going to sell it on eBay. It's open to all bidders."
View the full coverage of WWD Year in Fashion 2007 at www.wwd.com/yearfashion07
When a designer's cigar butt is as desirable as some of his clothes, you know that strange times have taken hold of the industry. More so than ever, 2007 was the year that all lines blurred between designers and celebrities, with a continued crossover between the two, at all price levels. While some designers like Cavalli and Vera Wang were treated like movie stars at their lower-priced launches, every celebrity worth his or her salt, from Madonna to Victoria Beckham, has taken a stab at designing clothes. If anything, all the activity furthered the notion of the "massification" of fashion, with exclusive designer names available at accessible prices and well-known Hollywood names leaving their mark on department store fixtures.
"It's all happening because there is too much going on in fashion," said David Wolfe, a creative director at the Doneger Group. "The consumer is desperate for some guidance to sort out the crowded retail landscape. Because the media tells us so much about celebrities, people have an idea of what their image means in terms of fashion, and if they can connect a name to an image and merchandise, it makes shopping so much easier."
Here are just some of the big names attached to deals that happened this year:
-Paris Hilton — who later in the year was arrested and jailed in a lengthy soap opera — kicked things off with the news of contemporary sportswear and lingerie lines, slated for a fall retail launch. The sportswear is licensed to BBC Apparel Group Inc., and the lingerie is licensed to SBH Intimates Inc. and includes mesh baby-doll nighties, corsets, panties and bras.
-Jennifer Lopez also widened her reach in January when she unveiled designs for a junior clothing line called justsweet, which complements the contemporary Sweetface line and replaced JLO by Jennifer Lopez at retail. Lopez showcased the designs during New York Fashion Week in September.
-In February, Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham lifted the veil on her lifestyle empire with dVb, starting off with a line of sunglasses, which was followed in May with a collection of slim-cut denim pants. September saw the launch in the U.S. of fragrances with her husband, soccer star David Beckham. The jeans, from $285 to $325 at suggested retail, featured details such as contrast stitching, colored zippers and purple pocket linings, while the sunglasses, which sell at a suggested price of $280 on average, were mostly oversize. By the end of the year, Posh would be back onstage in a different way, via a Spice Girls reunion tour.
-In March, H&M launched the M by Madonna line, her first full collection for the retailer after designing a capsule line of tracksuits in 2006. The collection featured everything from kimono-style dresses, tailored jackets and knee-length hipster shorts to accessories such as lace-up boots, skinny leather belts and sunglasses. The one-season collection was available in H&M stores in 26 countries. (There has even been talk of Madonna launching a fragrance, though that would not be with H&M.) That same month, the Swedish retail chain also tapped Kylie Minogue as the muse of a new beachwear line called H&M Loves Kylie.
-Retail chain Steve & Barry's took a bite out of the celebrity designer field when it unveiled a deal with Sarah Jessica Parker in March. The line, called Bitten and inspired by Parker's personal closet, launched at the chain's 200-plus stores in June, offering apparel, swimwear, costume jewelry, handbags, belts, sunglasses and shoes at $19.98 or less. In May, the Port Washington, N.Y.-based chain disclosed its deal with actress Amanda Bynes for an apparel and accessories collection called Dear, which launched in August. Like Bitten, pieces sold for $19.98 or less.
Also in August, Steve & Barry's introduced a special collection with Venus Williams called EleVen, which hit stores with sneakers, velour tracksuits, pleated tennis skirts, fleece jackets and graphic T-shirts. The under-$19.98 line launched at retail in November.
-In April, Gap unveiled the Gap Design Editions, featuring a collection by Doo-Ri Chung, Thakoon Panichgul and Rodarte's Kate and Laura Mulleavy. The four emerging designers offered their take on Gap's classic white shirt, which retailed in select Gap stores for $68 to $88. The limited edition project was an offshoot of Gap's partnership with the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, and came with a marketing initiative that included a striking black-and-white print and outdoor advertising campaign shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin and featuring the designers with Stella Tennant, Liya Kebede and Carmen Kass. The shirts were also featured on Vogue's May cover.
-British chain Topshop jumped on the celeb bandwagon in May when a long-term collection designed by Kate Moss hit its stores in the U.K. and was greeted by a mob scene of fans and fashion lovers. The Kate Moss for Topshop collection is inspired by the model's personal wardrobe, with such pieces as racer-back minidresses, cotton tank tops in Crayola colors and denim HotPants. The collection was also sold at Collette in Paris, Corso Como in Milan and Barneys New York, bringing Moss' design sensibility to each fashion capital.
-Vera Wang entered the moderate market with the Very Vera lifestyle brand, which is exclusive to Kohl's and hit the retailer's nearly 1,000 doors in the first week of September. It featured such looks as a brocade car coat for $138 at retail and a silky dress for $128, while the lion's share of the line is available for $30 to $70.
-That same month, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen unveiled Elizabeth and James, a contemporary sportswear line named after the Olsens' younger sister, Elizabeth, and older brother, James. The partnership with L'Koral Industries launched at stores including Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Intermix for fall.
-June saw the arrival of Sienna Miller on the celebrity fashion circuit. In conjunction with Carlos Ortega, the Spanish entrepreneur who owns companies such as Pepe Jeans, Miller and her older sister, Savannah, launched the Twenty8Twelve contemporary clothing line. Fall's line included printed silk dresses, denim jeans, cropped tuxedo jackets, canvas trenches and leather bomber jackets, at wholesale price points between $24 and $177. It sold exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman in New York, Neiman Marcus in Los Angeles and Holt Renfrew in Canada in the first season.
-Also in June, Ashley Judd jumped into the celebrity designer pool when she inked a deal for a collection with moderate-price retailer Goody's Family Clothing Inc. The three Judd-designed labels — AJ; Love, Ashley, and Ashley Judd — feature such looks as organic and knit T-shirts, sweaters, blazers, blouses, cardigans and denim. And rapper-actress Eve relaunched her young contemporary "Fetish" sportswear collection that included leather jackets, oversize cozy sweaters, high-waisted denim jeans and skirts, leather pants, wool plaid shorts and a few logo T-shirts, from about $50 to $300 wholesale.
-Cavalli unveiled the designs for his H&M guest gig in November. In typical Cavalli manner, the 40-piece line was glamorous and festive with animal prints, Lurex, ink-blue denim, fake fur and metallic accents. It was available at 200 H&M stores worldwide, including 10 in the U.S., with prices from $59 to $198, and supported by an advertising campaign that Terry Richardson photographed.
-Throughout 2007, Target continued on its quest to bring fashion to the masses, offering collections by Proenza Schouler, Patrick Robinson, Libertine and Erin Fetherston under its Go International initiative. Each collaboration included heavy TV and print advertising, which helped raise the designers' profiles in markets their upscale runway clothes wouldn't necessarily reach.
-Similarly, Japanese chain Uniqlo brought in the likes of Alice Roi, Phillip Lim, Lutz & Patmos, Jones and Maruyam to create special limited edition lines for its stores.
"It's a reality that's not going away, but it runs the risk of having some backlash if there is too much," Robert Burke, founder of fashion consultancy Robert Burke Associates, said of the "delebrity" phenomenon. "The consumer wants to know that there is some authenticity to the collaborations. If it's not authentic and not genuine, the consumer can sense that and it will not be popular."
Burke said these celebrity lines are appealing because turning an unknown name into a brand can be a lengthy and expensive prospect. "Introducing a celebrity collaboration can offer a much faster growth and a wider range of distribution," he noted. On the flip side, he added, guest collaborations like Karl Lagerfeld or Cavalli at H&M can help the designer gain recognition and visibility.
"It often boosts sales in their fragrance or other classifications because of this name recognition," Burke said. "Cavalli probably got $20 million-plus in marketing exposure and he got it on someone else's budget."
Michael Fink, vice president and women's fashion director at Saks Fifth Avenue, said, "This idea of fashion for the mainstream is intriguing. I love the concept that current fashion deals are reaching a part of the public it used to take seasons to filter down to."
As for celebrity lines, Fink said at a retailer like Saks, it is irrelevant whether the designer is a celebrity or not as long as the product is well-made and addresses a missing niche in a woman's wardrobe. And that trend could soon run out of steam.
"How many celebrities are left that are not the new blonde of the day?" he said, laughing. "I think we are running out of celebrities. Too many are interchangeable."


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New growth alliance in the sleep segment: Waterland acquires RUF|Betten and BRUNO from NORD Holding
Investment group Waterland Private Equity ("Waterland") has acquired RUF|Betten and BRUNO. The company is among the leading suppliers of premium beds in the German market. The seller is NORD Holding. RUF and BRUNO's current management will remain with the companies in their usual function. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2022 and is subject to the usual antitrust approval by the German regulatory authorities; no further financial details have been released.
Based in the town of Rastatt in Baden-Württemberg, RUF|Betten was established in 1926 and currently has around 200 employees. RUF has a comprehensive offering of box spring beds and upholstered beds and entered the sofa bed market in 2021. The company manufactures over 30,000 high-quality beds each year. The long-established company specialises in stationary furniture sales and prides itself on a high level of individualisation, modern design, and top-class product quality.
Headquartered in Berlin, BRUNO is a direct-to-consumer company (D2C) that specialises in online direct sales of high-quality designer box spring beds and sofa beds. In just a few years, BRUNO has successfully built a leading market position in the D2C bedroom furniture segment in Germany. BRUNO joined the group at the beginning of 2020.
The annual turnover of the group amounts to EUR 60 million. With the support of the new owner and buy-&-build investor Waterland, the group intends to continue its successful growth trajectory and further accelerate it in the medium term through strategic acquisitions. The focus is on continued internationalisation as well as the expansion of the direct-to-consumer division.
Discussing the many years of collaboration, Ronald Grott, member of the management at NORD Holding, notes: "We are very proud of the growth and success that the RUF Group has achieved in the last five years. This investment is an outstanding example of NORD Holding's strategy of supporting high-quality companies from the DACH region and management teams in order to expand nationally and internationally and foster growth through transformative M&A. We are confident that RUF and BRUNO are in good, experienced hands with Waterland."
"Thanks to the support from NORD Holding, we have enjoyed outstanding growth in recent years. Together with Waterland, we want to raise this growth to the next level. We are looking forward to the collaboration and to breaking new and innovative ground", says Heiner Goossens, Managing Director of RUF|Betten.
"We believe that this new partnership opens up further value creation opportunities, particularly in the D2C area. We are looking forward to working with Waterland to strengthen the BRUNO and RUF brands even further in the years ahead", adds Dr. Felix Baer, BRUNO's Managing Director.
"RUF|Betten has a wide, loyal customer base, ambitious staff, and experienced management. With BRUNO, the group is also exceptionally well positioned in the D2C segment and has consistently managed to gain market share in recent years", explains Dr. Carsten Rahlfs, Managing Partner at Waterland. "We intend to build on this growth trajectory through organic drivers as well as further acquisitions in the years ahead. We are looking forward to a successful partnership."
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USAF JAG: Keep Commanders Involved in Sexual Assault Proceedings
March 7, 2019 | By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory
Lt. Gen. Jeffrey A. Rockwell, U.S. Air Force Headquarters judge advocate general, speaks during an investiture ceremony on Joint Base Andrews, Md., Oct. 9, 2018. Rockwell testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee's Personnel Subcommittee on Wednesday. Air Force photo by A1C Michael S. Murphy.
Removing commanders from Air Force sexual assault prosecutions would threaten Total Force discipline and readiness, and challenge current efforts to combat assault within the service's ranks, the Air Force Judge Advocate General told Senate legislators Wednesday.
"If commanders are trusted with the decision to send airmen into harm's way, where command judgment may cost lives, they should also be trusted to discipline and hold accountable those who commit offenses," Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Rockwell wrote in prepared testimony submitted to the Senate Armed Services Committee's Personnel Subcommittee.
Instead of overhauling the way assault cases are handled, Rockwell posited, the military should direct its energy towards tackling "evolving issues of retaliation, collateral misconduct," investigating and resolving cases in a timely manner, "and education on the specific and general deterrent effect generated by the cases tried."
"A commander-based disciplinary system, with direct, candid, and independent legal advice, is indispensable to building a ready, disciplined force to execute mission," he said. "Ultimately, experience indicates that commanders are well positioned for the oversight, review, disposition, and adjudication of cases because they also have responsibility and sensibilities for the larger national security efforts that military justice exists to support."
Rockwell said commanders "set the tone for the units" and are the best positioned to combat sexual assault in the Air Force, by virtue of "their unique position and responsibilities," as well as the fact that they're imbued with both a legal and moral duty to establish and enforce standards. He also pointed to the educational, experiential, ethical, and character-related qualifications for selection as a commander and the military justice training commanders receive to help justify their place within military legal proceedings.
"Commanders are the biggest part of the solution, not the biggest part of the problem," he wrote.
But the ranking member of the Personnel Subcommittee, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., pushed back on Rockwell's remarks, saying the "technical decision" over whether felony sexual assault has occurred in US military ranks should be made by outside experts with criminal justice backgrounds.
"You do not need to decide a technical decision about whether a felony has been committed," she told Rockwell. "You do not get to do that, because your job is to make sure the crimes don't get committed, to make sure they get investigated properly, to make sure there is no retaliation, and to make sure you have unit cohesion, and you actually have good order and discipline."
Gillibrand also emphasized that such a move wouldn't be disempowering to commanders, since seniority only allows three percent of them to be convening authorities in such cases.
"We're taking one thing off your to-do list that you're not very good at," she said.