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Analyst: Understanding What Shapes Generation Can Help The...
May 24, 2004, 1:00 a.m. EDT 5 Min Read
The 2000 U.S. Census counted 139 million Americans under the age of 35. According to one expert, understanding the events that are shaping Generations X, Y and Z will help credit unions if they wish to succeed with these new generations.
Meredith Bagby, a CNN guest reporter and authority on youth trends, told attendees at WesCorp's Future Forum conference that"generational marketing" is knowing what happened that shaped a generation. Hard factors include macro history, world wars, economic swings and newsmaking events. Soft factors include music, sports, culture, fashion and other nostalgia-related items.
"Credit unions must start early. Students are an underserved market in banking," she said. "After college, most plan to stay with their financial institution. Only 21% say their banking relationship is temporary. If credit unions get to them early on, they build a relationship for a lifetime. To do this, credit unions must support community and family life."
After years of dominance, the "Baby Boomer" generation no longer is the largest generation in the United States. Currently, Generation Y, or "millenials," is the biggest.
Generation X, defined as persons born between 1965 and 1977, comprises approximately 40-million Americans, or 20% of the U.S. population-slightly smaller that Boomers or Generation Y, she said.
According to Bagby, the major events that shaped Generation X include the Iran hostage crisis from 1979 to 1981, the Aids/HIV outbreak in the 1980s that made sex dangerous and scary, the space shuttle Challenger explosion in 1986 that showed technology does not always work, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
"The collapse of the Soviet Union changed the way we look at our country. Boomers grew up in the Cold War, and have a different perspective," she said. "Generation X doesn't remember bomb shelters."
Members of Generation X tend to be skeptical and cynical towards all institutions, are non-joiners, they reject materialism, are self-reliant, not team players, competitive, and pragmatic. They are the most educated generation, as over 50% are high school graduates and 45% have college experience. Forty percent grew up in non-traditional households, either single-parent or divorced.
"They didn't have a 'Leave it to Beaver' household, so they wait longer to get married because they saw marriage doesn't work," said Bagby. "More importantly, because they don't believe they'll do as well as their parents, they are better savers than Boomers at the same age. Generation Xers are putting money away for their retirement."
70-Million In Generation Y
Generation Y-at 70 million strong the largest American generation ever-includes people born between 1977 and 1995. While the oldest members are just entering the workforce, this generation spent $172 billion in 2000, and is in control of the pocketbook at home, Bagby said.
One of the earliest defining memories for Generation Y was the election of Bill Clinton in 1992. "He was a young president; the first Boomer president," she said. "Clinton embraced pop culture by inviting actors and musicians to the White House. He made politics, entertainment and news as one."
Other major events for Generation Y were the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and the 1999 Columbine school shooting that showed the enemy is within, and the late 1990s Internet boom that created unrealistic expectations.
"These people grew up thinking all they needed was a computer and some web software, and a gray-haired person would give them $100 million for their company," Bagby observed.
Generation Y members tend to be wildly optimistic, team players (similar to Boomers), they hold a "tribal" sense of community, are overscheduled, and are the most connected generation ever thanks to cell phones, pagers, and their own technological savvy. Because of their large numbers, they are in competition for a limited pool of spots in the best prep schools and colleges. Almost half are non-white.
Generation Y grew up with an incredible number of entertainment choices, so they have a short attention span. Bagby said it is difficult to get them to sit down to watch a long documentary or read a thick document-something for CUs to keep in mind when attempting to reach them.
The Three Lessons To Be Learned
In order to market successfully to Generations X and Y, Bagby offered three lessons: speed, selling values and speaking the language.
"Embrace the speed of communication," she said of the first. "Employ viral marketing. With e-mail, wireless, text messaging and other forms of instant communication, things happen quickly. These generations are used to comparing prices instantly online. Credit unions must make their information available."
Product adoption in Generations X and Y takes place from the bottom up, not the top down, she continued. Marketing is not about companies telling people what to buy; it is about people finding things out for themselves. Successful companies place information where people can find it for themselves.
One example of this marketing style is a company that introduced the public to its camera phone by quietly sending operatives to Times Square in New York City. Instead of dressing in company logo clothing and overtly pitching the product, the operatives simply asked passers by to take a picture of them with their mobile phone. When the astonished people asked questions about the camera phone, they were told where they could buy one, never realizing the "man on the corner" worked for the company.
Generations X and Y are more interested in what a company represents, and will avoid a brand if they don't like the company's practices, so selling values is important. "Companies are not just selling a product, they are selling an identity," said Bagby. "These new generations want less flash, more substance."
In order to "speak the language," companies must go to places where the younger generations are. This includes taking the time to watch MTV, she said.
"Young people speak differently than older people. It is important to know what those words are. GAP gets it. It has an ad with Britney Spears, Missy Elliot and Madonna, so it reaches across generations."
Marketing to Generation Y is made more challenging because they are inundated with advertising and know how to avoid it. They navigate around pop-up ads on the Internet, and change the channel when television commercials come on.
Bagby said companies have not yet figured out how to reach them, because they still throw product pitches out there and hope something gets through.
"Credit unions must learn how to market by putting the information out there in a place people can find it for themselves," she counseled.
Looking deeper into the future, Generation Z, also known as Generation 9-11, may be profoundly influenced by the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. One theory is they will be overprotected, which might make them risk-averse and, in adulthood, conformist.
"The biggest trend is: global challenges are going local, including the environment and terrorism," said Bagby.


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Jon Gosselin Jets to Miami After Kate Resurfaces in North Carolina
Business or pleasure? Former Jon & Kate Plus 8 star Jon Gosselin revealed he's heading down to Florida this week after his ex-wife, Kate Gosselin, resurfaced as she adjusts to normal life in North Carolina.
"Looking forward to [Miami] this week," Jon, 44, shared via Instagram Stories on Monday, January 10.
It appears that the former reality TV star turned DJ is visiting the party locale to perform a set alongside The International DJ Casper (a.k.a. Joseph Wright), based on a post shared by Jon on January 8. The dates listed are January 12, 13, 14 and 15.
Jon Gosselin/Instagram
The post comes just days after his ex-wife, 46, was photographed while running errands in her now-home state of North Carolina. The former pair share eight children — twins Mady and Cara, 21, and sextuplets Aaden, Alexis, Collin, Hannah, Joel and Leah, 17.
Jon has custody of Hannah and Collin, while the Kate Plus 8 star has custody of the remaining sextuplets, Aaden, Alexis, Joel and Leah. Their twins, Mady and Cara, are currently attending different colleges in New York State, Syracuse University and Fordham University, respectfully. While on break from school, they stay with their mother in North Carolina.
Kate, who has not appeared on television since 2019, relocated from Pennsylvania to Troutman, North Carolina, and has since been working as a nurse. Prior to becoming a household name, the matriarch was a labor and delivery nurse at the Reading Hospital and Medical Center in Pennsylvania.
The former couple continue to be locked in a tumultuous custody battle over their children since their divorce in 2009 after ten years of marriage. In December 2021, In Touch confirmed that Jon had dropped his legal team and planned to represent himself during their ongoing custody case.
"I haven't talked to my twins in eight years," Jon revealed during a candid interview on The Dr. Oz Show in November 2021. "I text them every single year. And every time I come here to your show or interview, I text my daughter every single time."
The IT technician is also not in contact with his other sextuplets.
During the interview, host Dr. Mehmet Oz asked Jon if Hannah missed her mother.
The former TLC personality replied, "No, I know that."
"[Hannah] feels a little bit slighted from what things have transpired," he said of his daughter's association with the other kids. "I know she misses Leah and Alexis. She's been snubbed by her brothers, so I don't know what's going on with that."
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The Grow Show With Kyle Kushman
Growing Green to Generate More Green. Each week, we plant the conversational seeds about cultivation and the changing climate of Cannabis Culture.Multi-Award Winning Growmaster and Respected Cannabis Consultant Kyle Kushman peels back the layers of benefits of the world's most versatile plant…from food to fuel…from remedy to resource.
Great content, wish there was more
By Harvest Helper - Feb 19 2017
It's been a while, and I love listening to Kyle's take on the world, people and growing cannabis. People could learn a thing or two from Mr. Kushman. Hopefully he makes a triumphant return to the podcast scene sometime soon.
Well done Kyle Kushman!
By MattMcWilliams - Jun 29 2015
Kyle Kushman is knocking it out of the park. Must-listen to podcast. Keep it up Kyle!
Latest release on Nov 11, 2016
Rank #1: Rare Dankness with Scott Reach
Today on The Grow Show Kyle Kushman is joined by Scott Reach of Rare Dankness. Scott Reach has been in the cannabis industry for over 15 years, and has experienced some explosive growth since he burst onto the competitive scene in 2011. He is an award winning cannabis breeder whose renowned genetics and collaborative efforts have earned multiple awards at a variety of industry events.
Rare Dankness™ was founded in 2010 after many years of growing, collecting, preserving, and experimenting with many varieties of Cannabis. Rare Dankness has been able to work with some of the most sought after and highly coveted genetics. Their collection of genetics spans the last three decades and represents the finest specimens of Cannabis strains in the world.
Rank #2: Soma's Sacred Seeds
Today on the Grow Show Kyle Kushman is joined by Marc "Soma" Rossman, Founder/Owner of Soma's Sacred Seeds. Soma's Sacred Seeds is an Amsterdam based medical cannabis seed company. Soma's Sacred Seeds offers excellent high grade organic cannabis seeds, in Amsterdam and online. After winning the 1999 High Time Cannabis Cup with its 'Reclining Buddha' strain in the Indica category, the company became internationally famous.
Since Soma's first joint, he has found cannabis to be one of the most positive forces in his life. Soma started growing cannabis in 1971 in southern Vermont. He owned and ran a vegetarian restaurant and bakery. As he became more aware of his diet, a deeper knowledge of ecology and its effect on the environment came with the territory. This led to his interest of growing cannabis in an organic eco-friendly manner. Although marijuana laws are never fair around the planet, he refuses to give up his right to have his sacrament and medicine constantly near him in the form of clothing, food, plants, paper and smoke. Soma wrote a book titled Organic Marijuana Soma Style including some new insights on the most up-to-date options for organic marijuana growing.
Rank #3: Grow Where You Are Planted
Kyle Kushman has a great chat with Adam Dunn, Owner of HoodLab Colorado and Head Breeder at T.H. Seeds. Adam shares about his experience in Amsterdam, and what he is doing with cannabis breeding and preservation.
Rank #4: To Dab or Not To Dab
Today on the Grow Show Kyle Kushman talkes i joined by Lanny Swerdlow, host of the Marijuana Compassion & Common Sense radio broadcast on BlogTalkRadio.com. Kyle and Lenny chat about dabbing, including difference between dabbing and vaping, medical reasons why someone would choose to dab or vape, and why you don't feel the same effects as smoking.
Rank #5: Adam Jacques, Owner, Oregon Microgrowers Guild
Today on the Grow Show Kyle Kushman is joined by industry icon and medicine man Adam Jacques. Adam is the founder of the Oregon Microgrowers Guild and is known by many as a legend in the field of CBD development. His life's work is devoted to educating the public about growing medicinal grade cannabis as well as producing clean, full-extract cannabis oil for his many patients.
It's his tireless work in the breeding of strains with record-breaking percentages of CBD that earned him Canna Magazine's Most Influential Grower in the Northwest award at its Seattle conference this past August, as well as a nomination for the worldwide Most Influential Person in the Industry award at the CannAwards International conference back in February. Jacques sees the recognition only as a means to an end: to get the word out about the medicinal effects of cannabis. To him, it's all about helping people.
Rank #6: Nico Escondido from High Times Magazine
Today on the Grow Show Kyle Kushman is joined by Nico Escondido from High Times Magazine. Nico is a cultivation editor for High Times, penning the column "Nico's Nuggets", answering questions from ganja-curious minds from around the world each and every week. Nico is also director of the most well-known and extensive cannabis-related competition in the world: The High Times Cannabis Cup Competition.
Rank #7: Frenchy Cannoli, Cannabis Resin Consultant, Educator & Write...
In Europe, cannabis is much more commonly consumed in hash form, not the flower form which is the most familiar here in the U.S. But that's all changing, thanks to a little help from our guest today. Frenchy Cannoli is a cannabis resin expert, educator and writer who is bringing artisan-quality hash to the forefront of the American cannabis scene.
Frenchy has been making hash for over 40 years, perfecting a rare style of hash-making he learned as a young man in the Parvati Valley, living in caves amongst the Hashishin of India. Now he is the official Hashishin for Aficionado Seeds, a Mendocino County- based seed company promoting boutique cannabis. He's also been active with the Emerald Growers Association, working to create a "hash-makers' guild" — and to do what he can to preserve the outdoor cannabis growing tradition in Northern California.
Rank #8: Steve Breeder, Founder of the Spice of Life Seed Company
Today on the Grow Show Kyle Kushman is joined by Steve Breeder, a man who has spent much of his life immersed in understanding, cultivating and breeding the world's most versatile and most popular natural-growing plant. In 1994 Steve founded the Spice of Life Seed Company, with the vision of providing the world with top of the line, organic cannabis. Steve is not only a master cultivator, but one of the most brilliant cannabis breeders in the world. His seeds are synonymous with quality and flavor. His passion for producing the world's BEST, tastiest organic pot has led him to push the limits of conventional cultivation techniques.
Rank #9: Marcus "Bubbleman" Richardson, Owner of Bubble Bags and ...
Today on the Grow Show Kyle Kushman is joined by Marc Richardson, owner of Bubble Bags and Fresh Headies. Marc helped to pioneer the hash extraction process, developing methodologies utilizing water, ice and dry-sifting to process plants. The resulting high-quality, chemical free, PURE resin hash was famously coined Bubble Hash by Marc, and these days he's known as Bubbleman.
Rank #10: "Farmer Tom" Lauerman, Founder of Farmer Tom's Collective and Terpworks
Today on the Grow Show Kyle Kushman is joined by Farmer Tom Lauerman. Tom's relationship with cannabis began in San Diego. His very active lifestyle included surfing, skateboarding, and downhill mountain bike racing which naturally caused him to sustain a few bumps and bruises along the way. Cannabis was his "go-to" to get back up and running. Life was good…then things changed.
Like many of us growers in the industry, Farmer Tom experienced the sting of being a cannabis cultivator during the so-called war on drugs…his collective was raided in 1999, and he was busted for growing well over 400 pot plants.
That was then, and this is now. As legalization pushes forward, so does Farmer Tom. Now a legal organic grower in the great state of Washington, Tom prides himself on being both an activist and an educator – he is all about the legalization and normalization of the cannabis plant. He speaks several times a year at industry events and educates on cultivation panels, and has even taken his message to the local news. Tom's passion for education has even led to a ground-breaking relationship with a federal agency. Working with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Tom helped give the feds an inside look at how a real-world grow works so that rules to protect workers can be established in this budding industry.
Rank #11: Ken Estes the Modern Day Medicine Man
Kyle Kushman talks with Ken Estes, modern day medicine man and humanitarian, who is notoriously known for the creation of the beloved strain Granddaddy Purple, and for joining the fight for legalization of Medical Marijuana usage. Ken shares how marijuana helped him recover and begin to live again after a tragic accident left him paralyzed from the neck down.
Rank #12: Nikka T, Owner, Essential Extracts
Today on the Grow Show Kyle Kushman is joined by Nick Tanem aka DJ Nikka T. DJ Nikka T is a multi-award winning hash master who has won fifteen Cannabis Cup awards for his tasty, clean and potent solventless hash. He's been making hash since he was a teenager. Following his love for cannabis, he traveled to Amsterdam as a young man to learn hash-making methodology from a legendary hash maker, and has continued to grow and improve on those techniques to this day.
Rank #13: Growing Cannabis from Counterculture to Common Culture
Today on The Grow Show Kyle Kushman is joined by Debby Goldsberry. They chat about how she became a cannabis activist, her expectations for the upcoming election, and her hopes for the progress of cannabis in the next five years.
Rank #14: Robert Connell Clarke, Writer, Cannabis Expert, and Director of BioAgronomics Group
Today on the Grow Show Kyle Kushman is joined by Robert Connell Clarke, Writer, Cannabis Expert, and Director of BioAgronomics Group. Robert is an authority in the fields of both industrial and medicinal cannabis breeding, and his work is widely celebrated both within the industry and in his body of written work includes five books, multiple peer-reviewed articles, and he has also contributed several book chapters in collaboration with other industry experts.
Rob currently serves as the Projects Manager for the International Hemp Association and participates in cannabis-focused conferences, both domestic and internationally. Robert is also a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Phylos Bioscience Cannabis Evolution Project, a cannabis genomics company based out of Portland that has sequenced the genomes of thousands of ancient and modern cannabis samples….
Rank #15: Dr. Dustin Sulak, Osteopathic Physician, Activist and Lecturer
Today on the Grow Show Kyle Kushman is joined by Dr. Dustin Sulak, Founder of Integr8Health. Over the past few years we've seen some radical progress when it comes to cannabis legalization. Marijuana is now legal for medical or even recreational use in nearly half the country, and with more legalization initiatives in the works for 2016, we're almost sure to add more states to the legalization roster. As more people than ever are looking to try it for the first time, seasoned tokers who have been using pot for years are taking a closer look at what they're smoking.
Today we are talking with Dr. Dustin Sulak about beginning cannabis therapy and transitioning from recreational to medicinal use. As a licensed physician, he utilizes both modern and ancient medicine in his therapies, and through his practice provides guidance to patients looking to integrate cannabis into their wellness plans.
This information isn't just for newbies. Former recreational users are getting serious about medicinal use now that people are free to experiment with cannabis, and have more control over their own consumption. In addition to having a private practice, he is an activist, lecturing on medical cannabis and the endocannabinoid system at many cannabis-related events throughout the country, and is a Diplomat of the American Academy of Cannabinoid Medicine……..be sure to check out his website at www.healer.com........he truly is a WEALTH of information.
Rank #16: Life and High Times of High Times Magazine
Kyle Kushman welcomes High Times Magazine Associate Publisher Rick Cusick. Kyle and Rick reflect on their history at High Times Magazine, including the prejudice that was endured and the milestones achieved. Plus, Rick provides us with an in depth analysis into the High Times Cannabis Cup.
Rank #17: Executive Director for NCIA Aaron Smith
Aaron Smith is co-founder and executive director of the National Cannabis Industry Association. Prior to launching NCIA, Aaron distinguished himself as a public advocate for marijuana policy reform — first under the auspices of a California-based medical cannabis advocacy group, Safe Access Now, and more recently as the California state policy director for the Washington, D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project. Aaron has successfully built coalitions with elected officials on both sides of the aisle in order to advance marijuana law reform legislation in the state capitol and among the voting public. Aaron's opinion pieces have appeared in major newspapers, including the San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, and The New York Times, and he has been a frequent commentator on national television news networks. Originally from California, Aaron is currently based in Denver.
Rank #18: Alison Holcomb: The Architect of Marijuana
Kyle Kushman speaks with Alison Holcomb, the Director, Campaign for Smart Justice for the ACLU. Known as the architect of marijuana legalization in Washington state, she takes us through the process that would bring cannabis legalization to Washington State.
Rank #19: AC Braddock, CEO of Eden Labs
Today on The Grow Show Kyle Kushman is joined by AC Braddock, CEO of Eden Labs. AC is a highly sought-after speaker at industry events and an expert in the field of cannabis extraction tech. While Eden Labs is known for its ground breaking extraction technology including Hi-Flo CO2 Extractors and its Coldfinger distillation systems, AC isn't just all about extraction. She has a passion for educating, and is breaking the mold when it comes to corporate structuring and industry ethics.
As one of the founding members of Women of Weed, an active member of the MJBA's Women's Alliance, and a board member of the Council of Responsible Cannabis Regulation and NCIA, this Seattle resident is a true leader and advocate for the cause of responsible legalization.
Rank #20: Charles Nesson Weld Professor of Law at Harvard Law School
Today on the Grow Show Kyle Kushman is joined by Charles Nesson, Weld Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. Charles Nesson attended Harvard College studying mathematics during his undergraduate program. He was initially regected from Harvard Law school, but after improving his grades, he took on law school, earning near perfect grades graduating summa cum laude.
Charles Nesson is currently leading a project to "reify university as a meta player in cyberspace", to advance restorative justice in Jamaica. He also plans to legitimize and teach poker and the value of strategic poker thinking. During the academic year, he teaches courses in Evidence and the American Jury. He has represented the founder of NORML and the publisher of High Times Magazine.
New York City Cannabis Film Festival
Kyle talks about the New York City Cannabis Film Festival and CannaBus Culture Film Fest with festival founder Tim Mattson.
Big Book Of Buds Greatest Hits
Big Book Of Buds Greatest Hits featured as Kyle Kushman welcomes back longtime cannabis expert and activist, Ed Rosenthal aka the Guru of Ganja.
California Prop 64 Debate
California Prop 64 Debate as Kyle Kushman moderates between Pro-Prop 64 supporter Chris Conrad and Anti-Prop 64 supporter Sean Kiernan.
Brett Rapkin Director of Spaceman
Today on the Grow Show Kyle Kushman is joined by Brett Rapkin, Director of "Spaceman." Brett Rapkin wrote and directed "Spaceman" starring Josh Duhamel as gonzo MLB pitcher Bill "Spaceman" Lee in 2015.
Rapkin grew up playing year-round baseball in Los Angeles and attended The University of Arizona. Shortly after graduating, he ventured to Cuba with a small crew to direct the documentary film that would eventually become "Spaceman: A Baseball Odyssey."
The Grow Show: Ask Kyle Special
Today on The Grow Show, Kyle Kushman calls out to all growers for a very special "Ask Kyle" episode. In this special episode, Kyle will be answering questions from the listeners giving them the knowledge they need to become a better grower. Usually The "Ask Kyle" section is the final section of the Grow Show but with so many questions flooding in, Kyle wants to give them the attention they deserve and dedicate this episode to YOU!
Rare Dankness with Scott Reach
Executive Director for NCIA Aaron Smith
AC Braddock, CEO of Eden Labs
Nikka T, Owner, Essential Extracts
Adam Jacques, Owner, Oregon Microgrowers Guild
Kirk Reid, Founder of Captain Kirks Edibles
Today on the Grow Show Kyle Kushman is joined by Kirk Reid aka "Captain Kirk," Founder/Owner of Captain Kirk's Edibles. Captain Kirk's Edibles is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Now a three-time Cannabis Cup winner, Kirk's journey into the edibles field began like so many others… out of necessity. Suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, he was in the hospital recovering when a close friend brought him a marijuana laced edible. He tried it, it worked, and since then he's been hard at work developing tasty recipes and whipping up cannabis infused treats for both local patients as well as celebrities such as Tommy Chong and Willie Nelson, who's a huge fan of Kirk's infused Key Lime Cheesecake!
Robert Connell Clarke, Writer, Cannabis Expert, and Director of BioAgronomics Group
"Farmer Tom" Lauerman, Founder of Farmer Tom's Collective and Terpworks
Adam Eidinger Back on the Grow Show
Today on the Grow Show Kyle Kushman is joined once again by Adam Eidinger, founder of the DC Cannabis Campaign, DCMJ.org, and political activist. Adam spearheaded the passing of Initiative 71 which legalized the recreational use of marijuana in Washington DC, and is now pushing for the federal government to reschedule cannabis.
Adam's organization uses very public displays of civil disobedience to draw attention to the cause, including events that involved the parading of a 51-foot inflatable joint on the streets of DC, as well as a marijuana clone and seed share right in front of the White House. Today we're going to talk to him about those recent demonstrations as well as what you should know before participating in acts civil disobedience yourself.
Adam Eidinger, Political Activist and Founder of the DC Cann...
Today on the Grow Show Kyle Kushman is joined by Adam Eidinger, founder of the DC Cannabis Campaign, DCMJ.org, and political activist. Adam spearheaded the passing of Initiative 71 which legalized the recreational use of marijuana in Washington DC, and is now pushing for the federal government to reschedule cannabis.
Maya Elisabeth, Founder of OM Edibles, Co-Founder Whoopi and...
Today on the Grow Show Kyle Kushman is joined by Maya Elisabeth, founder of OM Edibles and the Om Collective of California, which is an all-female owned and operated medical grow whose motto is be passionate about being compassionate.
Most recently Maya has been in the news as the co-founder of Whoopi and Maya which just launched a brand new line of women's wellness products in partnership with Hollywood personality and outspoken cannabis advocate Whoopi Goldberg. Today she is here tokin' and talking with us about the growing market for edible and topical products as cannabis becomes more and more socially acceptable.
Frenchy Cannoli, Cannabis Resin Consultant, Educator & Write...
John Holmstrom, Founder of PUNK Magazine
Today on the Grow Show Kyle Kushman is joined by John Holmstrom, an illustrator, writer, and seasoned publisher. Some of his most well-known illustrations are the covers of two Ramones albums, as well as a comic-based chronology of punk rock for Spin Magazine in a special "punk culture" issue. You can find some awesome illustrations at his website www.johnholmstrom.com
As a publisher he's practically a legend for defining and presenting the best of anti-establishment culture. Founding PUNK Magazine in 1975, his work was quickly picked up as a practical visual representation of the Punk era. You want to know what the difference between "punk" and "glam" is? Ask John Holmstrom – he KNOWS. After the magazine stopped publication in 1979, he began work on a number of collaborative projects with the likes of The Village Voice and Heavy Metal magazines, and then joined forces with High Times in the late 80's. By 1991 he had risen in the ranks of High Times, growing from Managing Editor to Publisher and President. After working with the magazine for 13 years, he moved on to other projects…. we're here today to catch up with John, and maybe reminisce a little about the good ol' days!
Nico Escondido from High Times Magazine
Dr. Dustin Sulak, Osteopathic Physician, Activist and Lecturer


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National Industries Group Holding Successfully Completes KD 40 Million Bond Issuance with Joint Lead Managers Markaz and Gulf Bank
Ahmed Hassan: National Industries Group Holding's latest achievement marks a new milestone
Ali Khalil: Markaz is consolidating its leadership in the Investment Banking sector
Tony Daher: Our recent achievement is a testament to Gulf Bank's commitment to meeting the banking and investment needs of its customers
With National Industries Group Holding K.P.S.C. ("NIGH" or the "Group") as the Issuer, and Kuwait Financial Centre "Markaz" and Gulf Bank serving as the Joint Lead Managers, the three parties announced in a joint statement the success of the KWD bond issuance for the National Industries Group Holding with a nominal value of 40 million Kuwaiti Dinars for a five-year term. The latest bond issuance demonstrates investors' trust in the quality of the offer and the high creditworthiness of National Industries Group Holding, as well as the effectiveness of distribution by Markaz and Gulf Bank as the lead managers. Furthermore, the issuance marks the first Kuwaiti Dinar-denominated bond issuance so far in Kuwait in 2022.
The National Industries Group Holding bonds were issued in two tranches, the first with a fixed rate at 5.25% per annum, payable on a quarterly basis, and the second tranche with a floating rate at 2.25% above the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) Discount Rate, and payable on a quarterly basis.
The new bonds mark the seventh debt issuance by National Industries Group Holding. It is worth noting that these bonds, due in 2027, are issued in Kuwaiti Dinars and have a credit rating of (BBB-) from Capital Intelligence.
Mr. Ahmed Hassan, CEO of National Industries Group Holding , said: "With its seventh bond issuance coming to fruition, National Industries Group Holding has reached a new distinguished milestone. The offer's success reinforces our reputation for creditworthiness and dependability as a highly diversified business with robust fundamentals. It is also a strong testimony to the Kuwaiti capital market's standing as a flourishing investment destination that provides lucrative opportunities for both issuers and investors."
He continued: "In addition to the flexible structure and fair pricing of the new bonds, the issuance's effective execution played a critical role in the wide participation of investors. As the main managers of this process, both Markaz and Gulf Bank have proven their abilities in arranging the subscription and distribution processes in an outstanding manner."
Hassan expressed that National Industries Group Holding is looking forward to strengthening its long-standing relationship with both Gulf Bank and Markaz, benefiting from their market strengths and extensive distribution networks to further grow their business.
Mr. Ali H. Khalil, CEO of Kuwait Financial Centre "Markaz," said: "As we complete yet another bond issuance with success, we are pleased that Markaz's mandate as a joint lead manager has been well executed, further cementing our market leadership in investment banking. The offer was attractive to investors given National Industries Group Holding's outstanding reputation. The quality of the issue was complemented by the excellent execution and distribution efforts made by us and our partner, Gulf Bank."
Mr. Khalil added: "The new debt issuance adds to our long track record of placing and executing successful large transactions helping our clients meet their financing objectives. We have assisted several local companies operating in various sectors in issuing bonds and 'sukuk' to secure the funding required to support their businesses. It is our highly qualified team of investment banking professionals with extensive experience, outstanding technical execution capabilities, and in-depth industry knowledge that enables us to continue serving the capital market needs, companies, and investors.".
On his part, Mr. Tony Daher, CEO of Gulf Bank, commented: "We are pleased to have participated in National Industries Group Holding's latest bond issue as a joint lead manager with Markaz."
He added: "The positive reception from investors and the successful completion of the National Industries Group Holding's bond issue mark the outcome of both a strong offering and the successful execution of a strong Markaz-Gulf Bank partnership. Our latest achievement is a testament to Gulf Bank's ongoing commitment to meeting the banking and investment needs of our clients. It also reflects Gulf Bank's constant efforts to diversify its revenue streams and provide its shareholders with strong returns."
Established in 1960, NIGH is a multi-industry conglomerate and a holding company headquartered in Kuwait regarded as a major player in the industrialization of modern Kuwait. NIGH's highly diversified portfolio includes several successful business establishments, including Kuwait Cement Company K.P.S.C., National Industries Company for Building Materials K.P.S.C., Noor Financial Investment Company K.P.S.C and Mabanee Company K.P.S.C. NIGH was listed on Boursa Kuwait in 1984, and is currently a constituent of the Premier Market on Boursa Kuwait.
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Tag Archives: instruments
The Interesting Instrument
Music has been called the greatest thing that humans do; some are of the opinion that it, even if only in the form of songs sung around the campfire, it is the oldest example of human art. However, whilst a huge amount of music's effect and impact can be put down to the way it is interpreted by our ears and brain (I once listened to a song comprised entirely of various elements of urban sound, each individually recorded by separate microphones and each made louder or softer in order to create a tune), to create new music and allow ourselves true creative freedom over the sounds we make requires us to make and play instruments of various kinds. And, of all the myriad of different musical instruments humankind has developed, honed and used to make prettyful noises down the years, perhaps none is as interesting to consider as the oldest and most conceptually abstract of the lot; the human voice.
To those of us not part of the musical fraternity, the idea of the voice being considered an instrument at all is a very odd one; it is used most of the time simply to communicate, and is thus perhaps unique among instruments in that its primary function is not musical. However, to consider a voice as merely an addition to a piece of music rather than being an instrumental part of it is to dismiss its importance to the sound of the piece, and as such it must be considered one by any composer or songwriter looking to produce something coherent. It is also an incredibly diverse tool at a musician's disposal; capable of a large range of notes anyway in a competent singer, by combining the voices of different people one can produce a tonal range rivalled only by the piano, and making it the only instrument regularly used as the sole component of a musical entity (ie in a choir). Admittedly, not using it in conjunction with other instruments does rather limit what it can do without looking really stupid, but it is nonetheless a quite amazingly versatile musical tool.
The voice also has a huge advantage over every other instrument in that absolutely anyone can 'play' it; even people who self-confessedly 'can't sing' may still find themselves mumbling their favourite tune in the shower or singing along with their iPod occasionally. Not only that, but it is the only instrument that does not require any tool in addition to the body in order to play, meaning it is carried with everyone absolutely everywhere, thus giving everybody listening to a piece of music a direct connection to it; they can sing, mumble, or even just hum along. Not only is this a wet dream from a marketer's perspective, enabling word-of-mouth spread to increase its efficiency exponentially, but it also makes live music that other level more awesome (imagine a music festival without thousands of screaming fans belting out the lyrics) and just makes music that much more compelling and, indeed, human to listen to.
However, the main artistic reason for the fundamental musical importance of the voice has more to do with what it can convey- but to adequately explain this, I'm going to need to go off on a quite staggeringly over-optimistic detour as I try to explain, in under 500 words, the artistic point of music. Right, here we go…:
Music is, fundamentally, an art form, and thus (to a purist at least) can be said to exist for no purpose other than its own existence, and for making the world a better place for those of us lucky enough to be in it. However, art in all its forms is now an incredibly large field with literally millions of practitioners across the world, so just making something people find pretty doesn't really cut it any more. This is why some extraordinarily gifted painters can draw something next to perfectly photo-realistic and make a couple of grand from it, whilst Damien Hirst can put a shark in some formaldehyde and sell it for a few million. What people are really interested in buying, especially when it comes to 'modern' art, is not the quality of brushwork or prettifulness of the final result (which are fairly common nowadays), but its meaning, its significance, what it is trying to convey; the story, theatre and uniqueness behind it all (far rarer commodities that, thanks to the simple economic law of supply and demand, are thus much more expensive).
(NB: This is not to say that I don't think the kind of people who buy Tracy Emin pieces are rather gullible and easily led, and apparently have far more money than they do tangible grip on reality- but that's a discussion for another time, and this is certainly how they would justify their purchases)
Thus, the real challenge to any artist worth his salt is to try and create a piece that has meaning, symbolism, and some form of emotion; and this applies to every artistic field, be it film, literature, paintings, videogames (yes, I am on that side of the argument) or, to try and wrench this post back on-topic, music. The true beauty and artistic skill of music, the key to what makes those songs that transcend mere music alone so special, lies in giving a song emotion and meaning, and in this function the voice is the perfect instrument. Other instruments can produce sweet, tortured strains capable of playing the heart strings like a violin, but virtue of being able to produce those tones in the form of language, capable of delivering an explicit message to redouble the effect of the emotional one, a song can take on another level of depth, meaning and artistry. A voice may not be the only way to make your song explicitly mean something, and quite often it's not used in such an artistic capacity at all; but when it is used properly, it can be mighty, mighty effective.
Standard | | Tagged abstract, art, art form, artistic, band, beauty, brain, campfire, choir, choral, coherent, communication, compelling, connection, create, creative, creative freedom, Damien Hirst, detour, diverse, ears, easily led, economics, effective, emotion, emotional message, explicit, Film, formaldehyde, function, grip on reality, gullible, heart strings, hum, human, human voice, importance, instrument, instruments, iPod, language, listen, literature, live music, marketer, meaning, message, modern art, music, music festival, musical, musical entity, musical instruments, musical tool, musician, noise, painter, painting, paintings, photo-realistic, piano, practitioners, pretty, range of notes, shark, significance, sing, singing, song, sound, special, story, supply and demand, symbolism, theatre, tonal range, tool, Tracy Emin, tune, uniqueness, versatile, videogames, viral, voice, word-of-mouth	| 0 comments
NMEvolution
Music has been called by some the greatest thing the human race has ever done, and at its best it is undoubtedly a profound expression of emotion more poetic than anything Shakespeare ever wrote. True, done badly it can sound like a trapped cat in a box of staplers falling down a staircase, but let's not get hung up on details here- music is awesome.
However, music as we know it has only really existed for around a century or so, and many of the developments in music's history that have shaped it into the tour de force that it is in modern culture are in direct parallel to human history. As such, the history of our development as a race and the development of music run closely alongside one another, so I thought I might attempt a set of edited highlights of the former (well, western history at least) by way of an exploration of the latter.
Exactly how and when the various instruments as we know them were invented and developed into what they currently are is largely irrelevant (mostly since I don't actually know and don't have the time to research all of them), but historically they fell into one of two classes. The first could be loosely dubbed 'noble' instruments- stuff like the piano, clarinet or cello, which were (and are) hugely expensive to make, required a significant level of skill to do so, and were generally played for and by the rich upper classes in vast orchestras, playing centuries-old music written by the very few men with the both the riches, social status and talent to compose them. On the other hand, we have the less historically significant, but just as important, 'common' instruments, such as the recorder and the ancestors of the acoustic guitar. These were a lot cheaper to make and thus more available to (although certainly far from widespread among) the poorer echelons of society, and it was on these instruments that tunes were passed down from generation to generation, accompanying traditional folk dances and the like; the kind of people who played such instruments very rarely had the time to spare to really write anything new for them, and certainly stood no chance of making a living out of them. And, for many centuries, that was it- what you played and what you listened to, if you did so at all, depended on who you were born as.
However, during the great socioeconomic upheaval and levelling that accompanied the 19th century industrial revolution, music began to penetrate society in new ways. The growing middle and upper-middle classes quickly adopted the piano as a respectable 'front room' instrument for their daughters to learn, and sheet music was rapidly becoming both available and cheap for the masses. As such, music began to become an accessible activity for far larger swathes of the population and concert attendances swelled. This was the Romantic era of music composition, with the likes of Chopin, Mendelssohn and Brahms rising to prominence, and the size of an orchestra grew considerably to its modern size of four thousand violinists, two oboes and a bored drummer (I may be a little out in my numbers here) as they sought to add some new experimentation to their music. This experimentation with classical orchestral forms was continued through the turn of the century by a succession of orchestral composers, but this period also saw music head in a new and violently different direction; jazz.
Jazz was the quintessential product of the United States' famous motto 'E Pluribus Unum' (From Many, One), being as it was the result of a mixing of immigrant US cultures. Jazz originated amongst America's black community, many of whom were descendants of imported slaves or even former slaves themselves, and was the result of traditional African music blending with that of their forcibly-adopted land. Whilst many black people were heavily discriminated against when it came to finding work, they found they could forge a living in the entertainment industry, in seedier venues like bars and brothels. First finding its feet in the irregular, flowing rhythms of ragtime music, the music of the deep south moved onto the more discordant patterns of blues in the early 20th century before finally incorporating a swinging, syncopated rhythm and an innovative sentiment of improvisation to invent jazz proper.
Jazz quickly spread like wildfire across the underground performing circuit, but it wouldn't force its way into popular culture until the introduction of prohibition in the USA. From 1920 all the way up until the Presidency of Franklin D Roosevelt (whose dropping of the bill is a story in and of itself) the US government banned the consumption of alcohol, which (as was to be expected, in all honesty) simply forced the practice underground. Dozens of illegal speakeasies (venues of drinking, entertainment and prostitution usually run by the mob) sprung up in every district of every major American city, and they were frequented by everyone from the poorest street sweeper to the police officers who were supposed to be closing them down. And in these venues, jazz flourished. Suddenly, everyone knew about jazz- it was a fresh, new sound to everyone's ears, something that stuck in the head and, because of its 'common', underground connotations, quickly became the music of the people. Jazz musicians such as Louis Armstrong (a true pioneer of the genre) became the first celebrity musicians, and the way the music's feel resonated with the happy, prosperous feeling surrounding the economic good times of the 1920s lead that decade to be dubbed 'the Jazz Age'.
Countless things allowed jazz and other, successive generations to spread around the world- the invention of the gramophone further enhanced the public access to music, as did the new cultural phenomenon of the cinema and even the Second World War, which allowed for truly international spread. By the end of the war, jazz, soul, blues, R&B and all other derivatives had spread from their mainly deep south origins across the globe, blazing a trail for all other forms of popular music to follow in its wake. And, come the 50s, they did so in truly spectacular style… but I think that'll have to wait until next time.
Standard | | Tagged 1920s, 1950's, accessible, achievement, acoustic guitar, African music, alcohol, alongside, America, as we know it, available, awesome, bars, black community, blues, box of staplers, Brahms, brothels, cat, celebrity, cello, century, cheaper, Chopin, Cinema, city, clarinet, classes, common, concert attendances, culture, daughters, descendants, developed, developments, discordant, discrimination, drinking, drummer, E Pluribus Unum, economic boom, edited highlights, emotion, entertainment industry, evolution, expensive, experimentation, expression, flowing, folk dances, Franklin D Roosevelt, From Many One, front room instrument, good times, gramophone, happy, history, human race, immigrant, immigrant cultures, imported slaves, improvisation, industrial revolution, innovation, instruments, invented, irregular rhythms, jazz, Louis Armstrong, Mendelssohn, middle class, mixing, mob, modern culture, music, music of the people, musicians, new sound, NME, noble, oboes, orchestra size, orchestras, parallel, penetrate, piano, pioneer, play, poetic, police officers, poorer echelons, popular music, population, profound, prohibition, prosperous, prostitution, public access, R&B, race, ragtime, recorder, rich, riches, Romantic era, Second World War, seedy, Shakespeare, sheet music, slaves, social levelling, social status, society, socioeconomic, socioeconomic upheaval, soul, speakeasies, staircase, swing, syncopated rhythm, talent, The Jazz Age, tour de force, underground, upper classes, upper middle class, USA, violinists, western history	| 0 comments


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Iggy Pop, his BBC radio show, The Four Seasons and Lust For Life
I can't claim to know him but I certainly remember
briefly catching the irrepressible Iggy Stooge (as
Iggy and The Stooges circa 1972. Iggy's bottom right.
he was known then) record a
track for The Stooges' now cult album, "Raw Power", at the CBS Studios in
London in late 1972.
Iggy had
just relocated from the USA to London and his notoriety had gone before him.
Here was this wild white boy who slashed himself on stage with broken bottles,
dived off stage into audiences (before audiences knew anything about catching
stage divers) and usually finished gigs dripping in blood.
Power" by "Iggy and The Stooges" was the first Stooges album to include Iggy in
the billing and is now considered one of the earliest influences on punk. Iggy
was totally under the influence in those days (who wasn't?) and consequently
stuffed up much of the album's mix. CBS wouldn't release Iggy's version so Iggy's management brought in David Bowie to remix "Raw Power" into its current
form.
Iggy Stooge, later Pop, (left) and David Bowie back in the day
At the time, Bowie was also involved with another
CBS band, Mott the Hoople, Bowie having written and produced the now iconic "All The Young
Dudes" – album and single. One of the highlights of this period was when Bowie
appeared on stage with Mott the Hoople, and then introduced Iggy Stooge and Lou
Reed to join them in a rousing rendition of "All The Young Dudes" and Lou
Reed's "Sweet Jane". Where this was I've no recollection (even though I was
there) except to remember it being at a seaside resort on England's south coast
in striking distance of London. Such were the excesses of the times, I
travelled down to the gig with a gaggle of music journalists in a chauffeured
limousine furnished with ice-buckets of champagne, wine and beer, back-up
crates of same plus the usual other substances rock writers liked to partake
in. Funnily enough, some of these journalists are now respectable media figures
today, working for national British newspapers and broadcasters.
It goes without saying that I followed Iggy's
career from then on and was naturally delighted, decades later, when Iggy Pop
(as he became) hit the charts with "Lust For Life". And I still listen to Iggy
to this day. And I don't mean I only listen to his music. I also listen to the
music that influenced Iggy and turns him on through his radio show on the BBC. It's every Sunday at 4pm (UK time) on BBC Radio 6 Music.
Guide to Iggy Pop's radio show episodes:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03yblbx/episodes/guide
to Iggy Pop's radio highlights here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/playlister/presenters/p011zc4w
Listening to Iggy on the radio, you realise just
how wide his influences are, and how broad his taste is; which brings me to the
point of this ramble. About five years ago, I went to see the stage musical,
"Jersey Boys", in London, about the life of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
I'd always enjoyed their music and became reacquainted with the magnificent
songs they put out in the 1960s.
One of these Four Seasons songs, Marianne, from
1967, has a riff that I'm convinced Iggy and David
The Four Seasons with singer Frankie Valli second right.
Bowie 'borrowed' when they
wrote and produced "Lust For Life" ten years later. See what you think. Here's
Lust for Life by the Igster:
for Life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJDPAmMVriI
Now, here's Marianne by The Four Seasons.
Marianne: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-bAF_vI3DM
Now I'm not passing judgement. As you'll agree,
similarities in songs happen all the time. It just makes you realise, though,
what a truly underrated and inspirational group The Four Seasons were and are.
There they were pumping out garage rock riffs back in the mid-60s and no-one,
that I know of anyway, has ever picked up on it. All power to the Seasons. No wonder
Jersey Boys is still running and showing all over the world.
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ByPaul Merry May 23, 2013
BluesMuse9. Another misconception about the blues is that African Americans in the genre's early days had no education. The great W. C. Handy, who virtually single-handedly standardized the blues into its modern 12-bar format between 1912 and 1920, had a teaching degree. Handy's publishing partner, Harry Pace, who went on to found the African-American-owned Black…
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The magical sounds of Muscle Shoals
No one looks less like a rock band than The Swampers. Yet, these elderly(ish) white gentlemen The wonderful Swampers. They're a bit older now. produce one of the most magical sounds in the history of rock, pop, funk and soul music. Like Neil Young, they even had a verse dedicated to them in the lyrics…
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Mick Green: the greatest rock & roll guitarist you've never heard of
Updated 31 May 2021. Before The Beatles' first UK hit, back in 1962, an 18-year-old English rhythm & blues guitarist joined one of the most dynamic – but, mostly, now forgotten – of all English blues-rock bands. They were the Pirates, the band of the great, late Johnny Kidd. (see previous post). Not just a giant of a man, but a giant of the…
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Helping blues slide pioneer, Casey Bill Weldon, get a headstone
ByPaul Merry March 24, 2014 April 6, 2022
Updated: 26th January 2019. It seems only yesterday that the esteemed blues guitarist and singer-songwriter, Bonnie Rait, forked out the cash to put a headstone on the unmarked grave of an equally-esteemed female blues artist from earlier times. The headstone was for the great Memphis Minnie (1897 – 1973), that pioneering blues singer-songwriter who could play the guitar as well…
Read More Helping blues slide pioneer, Casey Bill Weldon, get a headstoneContinue
Heavy metal drumming's getting too fast to beat
" I know those guys must be smart to use computers in such a way. Just not the same." nora j mckiddie (@mckiddie_j), January 18, 2014, Michigan, USA. I don't know much about heavy metal drumming, but this post is about exactly that. My experience in this area stretches to witnessing live performances by Led…
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When Birmingham UK gave birth to heavy metal
Blues Muse 1. Black Sabbath as they looked back around 1968. It looks like butter wouldn't melt in Ozzie's mouth (second right), doesn't it? Last night, my son was lucky enough to watch the original Black Sabbath perform – thunderously live – in Melbourne, Australia. All the original line-up were there, except the drummer, Bill Ward….
Read More When Birmingham UK gave birth to heavy metalContinue
Meredith says:
I was just listening to that Four Season song and that BUMB-BUMB-BUMB comes on, I had to get online to see if this was a documented similarity
It's fun to imagine Iggy and Bowie hanging out listening to Frankie Valli records
Paul Merry says:
Did you find if the similarity of Iggy's Lust For Life to the Four Seasons was documented online anywhere, Meredith. I'd be interested to know. And thanks for the feedback.


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April 2017 Perspective
April 05, 2017 | Market Commentary
The U.S. Economy
We are entering what is likely to be a period of accelerated interest rate hikes. In March, Federal Reserve policymakers raised the target for the fed funds policy interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to a range of 0.75% and 1.00%. The move raised short-term interest rates, but dovish commentary from Fed Chair Janet Yellen pushed rates on longer dated bonds slightly lower, resulting in a flattening of the overall yield curve and a rally in Treasury securities.
The decision to hike now sets a new, faster pace for the normalization of monetary policy, and although U.S. economic growth is by no means "off to the races," we too believe the domestic economy no longer requires such intense support. Labor markets continue to tighten, inflation is accelerating by several different measures, and indeed, recent comments from several senior Fed officials suggest a significant interest in getting rates off of zero, painting a picture for 2017 that could include several more hikes.
It is our view that rates will indeed move higher, albeit gradually. There are decreasing marginal benefits to ultra-low interest rates. Credit growth from lower borrowing costs is at least partially offset by lower bank profitability and interest income. Instead of maintaining ultra-low rates, future efforts to stimulate the economy might be more effective if they come not from the central bank, but from our newly elected officials in the form of fiscal measures and/or structural reforms.
As a follow up to last month's newsletter, we discussed the higher, post-election sentiment in certain "soft data" surveys, which has not yet been followed by a related increase in the economic "hard data." This is something we are monitoring closely as we believe there is an elevated risk of increased market volatility should economic activity not follow through. Further, recent work we have done on the topic show a loose correlation between certain "soft data" sentiment indicators and economic "hard data," and that correlation gets increasingly poor over time.
Elevated expectations-driven sentiment has begun to show fragility as political wins prove challenging. In late March, President Trump and Republican legislators failed to proceed with health care reform, highlighting the challenges that a seemingly unified government is still likely to face in its attempts to push through key elements of its pro-business agenda.
The recent eight-day slide in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the longest such losing streak since 2011, partly reflects the degree to which full valuation levels demand some eventual uptick in the "hard data." Whether that uptick arises from sentiment-driven consumption or from the successful implementation of certain pro-growth reforms is something that still remains to be seen.
The Global Economy
On March 29, UK Prime Minister Theresa May triggered Article 50, formally beginning Britain's two-year process of withdrawal from the EU. Although few expect a speedy withdrawal, it appears as if the pace of negotiations will be sluggish.
Intent on keeping PM May waiting as long as possible, European Union leaders will hold off until a scheduled Brexit summit on April 29 before even beginning to outline basic negotiation goals. After that, based on those goals, the European Commission must then draw up more detailed directives that will require the unanimous approval of the remaining 27 EU nations. This initial process could take several months or more, pushing off actual discussions with the UK until the summer at the earliest.
Meanwhile, UK households are beginning to feel the adverse effect of Brexit and subsequent selloff of the British pound. The now weaker currency is driving up inflation while simultaneously hampering retail sales. Imported goods become more expensive as the currency weakens.
Worse, accelerating inflation is eating into any material jump in wages. The most recent data from the UK Office of National Statistics shows both inflation and wage growth at 2.3%, meaning that for the first time since 2014, the typical annual pay raise is completely offset by inflation.
With British households merely jogging in place, unsurprisingly, IHS Markit reports that not since 2013 have UK households felt this pessimistic about their financial prospects.
Elsewhere, major family empires in South Korea, known as chaebols, have become embroiled in public scandal. In early March, President Park Geun-hye, accused of conspiring to extort millions from Korean businessmen for government favors, was officially thrown from office by the Constitutional Court. Park, whose father ruled Seoul as an autocrat in the mid-1900s, has denied wrongdoing. On March 31, she was arrested, making her South Korea's third former president since 1990 to be put behind bars.
Also in March, several key family members from the Lotte Group business empire, the fifth largest conglomerate in South Korea, were put on trial on charges of embezzlement, tax evasion, and fraud. Founder Shin Kyuk-ho and his two sons were indicted. Already in prison is Mr. Kyuk-ho's daughter. Adding to the intrigue, a top Lotte Group executive died last year in an apparent suicide, only hours before a scheduled questioning for a corruption probe.
The scandals reflect a country that has undergone a tremendous multi-decade transformation, but still faces further issues with modernization. For starters, the chaebols continue to have enormous influence over the South Korean economy. As of 2015, the five largest chaebols accounted for 58% of total gross domestic product, deterring politicians from interfering with major business interests.
We do, however, remain constructive on the South Korean economy. Supporting our view are solid fiscal, debt, and external positions, as well as the (increasingly visible) likelihood for reform.
U.S. equity markets were flat to modestly positive during March, and are up approximately 6% on a year-to-date basis. International equity markets—driven by strength in emerging markets—were up nearly 3% for the month and have returned approximately 8% year-to-date. Valuations in the broad U.S. stock market remain somewhat elevated, but we continue to see few unsustainable excesses in the U.S. economy that would suggest the economy is at risk of collapsing under its own weight. In this environment, discernment and flexibility are critical.
Given the slow global growth environment, in portfolios geared toward investors that need capital growth, we are targeting investments in fundamentally strong businesses that are not heavily reliant upon macroeconomic growth to drive sales and earnings. More specifically, we see value in businesses that we believe have control of their destiny and are taking share in large established markets or are creating new markets on their own. Our goal is to identify companies trading at attractive valuations relative to their growth potential.
Regarding fixed income, our economic outlook remains constructive toward credit, and although credit spreads have tightened, they remain relatively attractive on a fundamental basis. Considering these dynamics, we maintain a sizeable allocation to corporate bonds. As we are in the later stages of the economic cycle and valuations are not as compelling as they were previously, we may look to reduce credit exposure over time if credit spreads tighten further or if our outlook for the economy and/or macro risks change. Portfolios also have a notable allocation to U.S. Treasury securities—which includes some Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS)—and Agency securities, as well as asset-backed Pass-Through securities.
Portfolios generally maintain a modest duration. Despite the post-election rise in rates and March fed funds rate hike, interest rates are still historically low. Since the excess yield for holding a long-term bond instead of a series of shorter-term bonds remains low, we maintain our view that investors are not being adequately compensated to hold significant amounts of long-term debt. Should rates increase to more attractive levels, we would look to increase duration through the purchase of longer maturity Treasuries or Agencies to take advantage of higher levels of income. Conversely, if rates consolidate and prices rise, we may look to reduce duration.
In our view, short-term and income-oriented investors should also explore equities that display stable fundamentals and are trading at attractive valuations. We believe companies that generate strong, stable cash flows and pay an attractive dividend could be compelling options for these types of investors in the current environment.
Source: Thomson Reuters. Analysis: Manning & Napier Advisors, LLC (Manning & Napier).
Manning & Napier is governed under the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Investment Advisor under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
All investments contain risk and may lose value. This material contains the opinions of Manning & Napier, which are subject to change based on evolving market and economic conditions. This material has been distributed for informational purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but not guaranteed.
The S&P 500 Total Return Index is an unmanaged, capitalization-weighted measure of 500 widely held common stocks listed on the New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange, and the Over-the-Counter market. The Index returns assume daily reinvestment of dividends and do not reflect any fees or expenses. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, a subsidiary of the McGraw Hill Financial, Inc., is the publisher of various index based data products and services and has licensed certain of its products and services for use by Manning & Napier. All such content Copyright © 2017 by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Neither S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC, their affiliates nor their third party licensors make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the ability of any index to accurately represent the asset class or market sector that it purports to represent and none of these parties shall have any liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions of any index or the data included therein.
This newsletter may contain factual business information concerning Manning & Napier, Inc. and is not intended for the use of investors or potential investors in Manning & Napier, Inc. It is not an offer to sell securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy any securities of Manning & Napier, Inc.
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Books published by 30 Degrees South Publishers
Where? Books » Publisher » 30 Degrees South Publishers
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One Beat of a Butterfly's Heart: A Tanganyika Police Notebook (Paperback)
By Callander, Ronald
In this book we are given a unique view of East Africa of the 1950s; not the stereotyped picture of wildlife safaris and leaping Masai but the emerging independence struggle of a new African nation from the viewpoint of a white police officer, in an exceptionally detailed, thorou...ghly readable first-hand account of a rare period of recent history.
30 Degrees South Publishers
Title is temporarily out of stock
A Guide to the Anglo-Boer War Sites of Kwazulu-Natal (Trade Paperback / Paperback)
By Torlage, Gilbert; Watt, Steve
At the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Boer War on 11 October 1899, approximately 25,000 Boers invaded the British colony of Natal from the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek and the Orange Free State. The colony was the scene of some of the most important battles of the war, as well as th...e Siege of Ladysmith which lasted for 118 days.
Battles of the Anglo-Boer War
Pre-order title, release date has been delayed
Canvas Under the Sky (Trade Paperback / Paperback)
By Binckes, Robin
Rauch Beukes, a young Boer of 17, returns to the family homestead to find it razed to the ground, the livestock gone and his mother and sisters slaughtered by the marauding Xhosa from across the Great Fish River. So begins a tale of violence and warfare, love across racial divide...s, painted against the grand backdrop of the Boer migration north.
Not currently available
The Relief of Ladysmith: Breakthrough at Thukela Heights, 13-28 February 1900 (Trade Paperback / Paperback)
By Gillings, Ken
Imp. $22.99
Not Available Locally
Battles of the Anglo-Boer War series provides an accessible guide to some of the major campaigns, battles and battlefields of this historic conflict in KwaZulu-Natal.
Internationally sourced on backorder; allow 4-8 weeks
Out of Action (Hardback, illustrated edition)
By Cocks, Chris
Out of Action is a reworked and updated edition, the sequel to the bestselling Fireforce-one man's war in the Rhodesian Light Infantry.
The Chronicle of Jeremiah Goldswain: 1820 Settler (Trade Paperback / Paperback)
By Goldswain, Mr Ralph
This is the story of the 1820 Settler, Jeremiah Goldswain, in his own words.
Tucker'S Deadline: A True Story (Paperback)
This is the true story of Irving Tucker, who married an English girl, Yvonne, and left South Africa in 1976 to farm sheep on the Welsh border, growing their own organic vegetables and living a healthy life style. They returned to South Africa every year on holiday. The couple was... childless.
I Won't be Home Next Summer: Flight Lieutenant R.N. Selley DFC (1917-1941) (Paperback)
By Cocks, Kerrin
Ronnie Selley, a South African from rural Natal, joined the RAF on a short- service commission in 1937, considered the golden age of aviation. During these glory years of Howard Hughes and Amelia Earhart few guessed at the brewing storm and dark days to come.
Mampara: Rhodesia Regiment Moments of Mayhem by a Moronic, Maybe Militant, Madman (Paperback)
By Walsh, Mr Toc
Toc Walsh was conscripted into intake 138 Depot Rhodesia Regiment on 18 April 1974 and endured a year of what he deemed to be 'military mayhem'. In July 1976, he was drafted again with the 10th Battalion Rhodesia Regiment to continue his wild ride into the maniacal world of comba...t.
North of the Red Line: Recollections of the Border War by Members of the Sadf and Swatf: 1966-1989 (Paperback)
By Wroth, Hanlie Snyman; Van Tonder, Gerry
Over the years, much has been written about individuals and the forces and their operations in what became commonly known as South Africa's Border War, or Grens Oorlog, but never before has the human spirit of this 23-year-old conflict been so graphically and unashamedly captured... and chronicled as in this book.
Index by Publisher Name
Des Hunt
John Marsden
Linda Chapman
Morris Gleitzman


text:
Link to this page: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/1101/31356
From The Socialist newspaper, 16 September 2020
Non-fiction: Left Out - the inside story of Labour under Corbyn
Retreat and hesitation could not beat relentless right wing
Jeremy Corbyn, photo by Chatham House/CC (Click to enlarge)
Hannah Sell Socialist Party general secretary
This is not, and could not be, a neutral telling of the years when Jeremy Corbyn led the Labour Party. The two journalists who wrote the book - Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall correspondent for the Sunday Times, and Patrick Maguire, political reporter for the Times in Westminster - have their own negative views on Corbyn, reflected in the book.
Nonetheless, it is not a crude hatchet job, but reports masses of detail about the actions of both sides of the civil war that raged in the Labour Party over five years.
Many of these are irrelevant. Does anyone actually care what the pro-capitalist grouping around Chuka Umunna ate and drank while they were planning to split from Labour and launch the failed Independent Group?
They are also often unattributed, with many anonymous quotes which cannot be verified. They overwhelmingly deal with events inside the 'Westminster bubble' of parliament and the Labour Party headquarters.
Leaders of unions are only fleetingly mentioned. The struggles and concerns of rank-and-file trade unionists, or the wider working class, do not feature at all.
Blairites and establishment
Nonetheless, the book confirms what the Socialist consistently pointed to - the relentless drive by the majority of the Parliamentary Labour Party, backed by the capitalist establishment, to defeat Corbyn. All other issues were secondary.
At arch-Blairite Peter Mandelson's infamous garden parties, despite divisions between the majority of pro-EU right-wing Labour MPs and a minority from pro-Brexit seats who took a different view: "All of Mandelson's guests longed for the day that Corbyn was no longer leader of the Labour Party, regardless of whether the sweet release came inside of the EU or out."
That does not mean that there was unanimity on how to gain 'sweet release'. Both Mandelson and Tony Blair saw Tom Watson as the figurehead of the struggle against Corbyn.
But, whereas Mandelson wanted to continue a longer-term fight inside the Labour Party, Blair "developed a view, which he held very strongly, and very deeply, that the Labour Party was finished - that it was irrecoverable."
Mandelson and Watson still hoped to prevent Corbyn consolidating his position. Hence Watson calling Umunna's split a "premature conclusion".
The book describes how Watson and Mandelson set up a caucus within the PLP - "a party within a party" - to organise against Corbyn. Mandelson and Watson are among those who in the 1980s expelled supporters of the Socialist Party, then Militant, for allegedly being a "party within a party". But for them, if you are arguing for capitalist rather than socialist ideas, doing so is not only acceptable but heroic.
The capitalist programme of all of those who plotted against Corbyn is also openly acknowledged in the book. Umunna's split stood for "a market economy, a rules-based international order, and remain". No wonder it disappeared without trace.
Blair insisted they needed a programme, but it is very difficult to build deep-felt popular support for a programme that is fundamentally defending the status quo of capitalist inequality and austerity.
Keir Starmer will find this out against the background of a new phase of economic crisis. The advantage of 'not being Johnson' will soon shatter if he comes to power and attempts to implement a programme in the interests of capitalism.
The way in which the Labour right cynically used allegations of antisemitism is also clearly revealed by the book. For example, Watson saw the hatchet-job Panorama programme "as a blunt instrument with which to smash" Corbyn.
"Watson invited MPs to circumvent Southside [Labour Party HQ] and submit claims to antisemitism and bullying to him. His next job was to expose them publicly and tarnish them irrevocably."
How much clearer could it be that this had nothing to do with genuine concerns about antisemitism and everything to do with a cynical attempt to "smash" Corbyn?
The book also describes the role played by Keir Starmer, now Labour leader. As shadow Brexit secretary he bided his time, pushing the leadership towards supporting a second referendum, and opposing those, including Corbyn, who wanted to call Johnson's bluff and clearly campaign for a general election during the Brexit deadlock.
Starmer publicly kept his distance from the open saboteurs, but behind the scenes met arch-Blairite Tom Baldwin once a week to discuss tactics.
Unfortunately, Left Out not only confirms the intransigence and determination of all the pro-capitalist anti-Corbynites. It also vividly describes the hesitation and retreats of Corbyn and his supporters.
It confirms what appeared to be the case, that Corbyn often had better instincts than many of his advisors. For example, one of his best speeches on Brexit - which the book says was a factor in convincing the nascent Independent Group to split - where he pointed to how a worker in Tottenham and a worker in Mansfield may have voted differently in the referendum but faced all the same problems, was one of the few written entirely by him and not an aide.
A significant section of Corbyn's immediate circle understood that for working-class voters who had supported Brexit, it would be seen as betrayal not to - as they had in 2017 - promise to respect the referendum result.
One shadow cabinet minister is quoted as saying Labour's 'tests' on Brexit "were crap. They were unsellable in my constituency. We want the same rights in the labour market as we've got already? What does that mean? People voted against Europe because they think work is shit."
Howard Beckett, Labour national executive committee member from Unite, is quoted as saying: "The working class voted leave. Listen to the working class." Unite's left leadership is correctly credited with being central to preventing a complete rush to support remain.
The majority of Corbyn's circle, however, wanted to move in the direction of supporting remain. On all issues they wanted at every stage to find a position that they hoped would pacify the Labour right, and beyond them the capitalist class.
Unfortunately, as was also clear from outside, it was shadow chancellor John McDonnell who usually led the retreat and attempts to compromise, often without first consulting Corbyn. None of them, however, were prepared to give a consistent fighting lead, calling on those who supported Corbyn to fight to transform the Labour Party into a democratic workers' and socialist party.
The more intransigent the right, the more inclined to compromise the left became, which in turn gave the right more confidence they could win. The book describes how, following the departure of the Independent Group, "Corbyn would make major concessions in order to prevent any further defections."
He "announced that, unless its Brexit plan passed the Commons... Labour would support a second referendum. Outside of the Labour Party, the splitters appeared to have taken only a week to effect the shift they had wasted the best part of a year agitating for inside it."
Then the right were given a further boost by the suspension of left MP Chris Williamson - which to the right "served as proof of a vital sentiment: dissent worked - especially when expressed in public." While it boosted the right, it also inevitably deepened the disillusionment among Corbyn supporters.
This book is a very frustrating read for all socialists who saw an opportunity in Corbyn's election as Labour leader to create a mass party that fought in the interests of the working-class majority
Not because it disproves that such an outcome was necessary or possible, but rather because its endless details confirm the ways in which the opportunity was squandered via retreats and hesitation.
However, without meaning to, it also drives home the lesson that trade unionists and socialists need to ensure future attempts are successful - albeit, after the defeat of Corbynism within the Labour framework, in a new party of the working class.
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In The Socialist 16 September 2020:
Socialist Party news and analysis
Our lives and livelihoods at stake
Sketch: The rule of six - some guidance from your government
Johnson's brinkmanship over EU deal deepens capitalist splits
Blame politicians, not workers and young people
Capitalist profit and the race to develop a vaccine
'Covid marshalls' must be accountable to communities
Angry health workers demand 15% now!
NHS workers: "We deserve a fair wage" - 15% now!
Workplace news and analysis
National Shop Stewards Network lobbying for a lead from the TUC
PCS members in DWP reject unsafe extension of hours
Ireland: Debenham's occupier speaks out
London bus drivers begin strike ballot over remote sign-on dispute
Tate workers on indefinite strike hold march and rally
Reinstate Tony Smith
Reinstate Richie Venton
Dispatches from the front: schools need Covid tests!
Covid and the third sector: for public planning, not charity stopgaps
International socialist news and analysis
Egypt: Support for al-Sisi dwindles as his regime increases repression
Nigerian police repress peaceful anti-government protest
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Two weeks to donate: we need your help
Coventry: scrap 'profit before people' hospital parking charges
Covid generation says 'fund our future'
Why I joined the Socialist Party: Tories and Blairites only care about corporate greed
Selling the Socialist
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