Update on the NPP fire in the Ukraine - this new one is going to exceed Chernobyl in damage!
The forest fire is extra extensive because radiation killed the fungus and other things that break down dead leaves and branches on the forest floor. So much more amount of leaves and tinder in the woods contribute to the fire.
You know how Dana talks about how science paper publishers are a bunch of thieves? This documentary has a lot of info about the details of science publishing cartel and copyright laws that keep the science privatized [ around 35 min. mark ].
For the last few weeks in the small, friendly town of Elk Grove Village, Illinois, a bizarre sticky substance has been falling from the sky leaving a nasty, persistent coating on everything on the ground below including cars, window and homes. Long time residents of the village have never before seen anything like this and are growing in concern as there seems to be no single explanation that everyone can agree on.
Lucarz, who has lived in Elk Grove for 11 years, said she has never seen the dark residue before. Within just a couple of hours of washing her vehicles, toys and furniture, they are completely covered again, she said.
Residents have contacted the local government about this phenomenon, and so far there are no concrete answers as to what this sticky film could be. Sometimes, it even blacks out windows because it is falls from the sky in amounts that leave a thick enough layer to completely blot out the sun.
Since writing my first article 4 months ago published in CounterPunch titled, Why Fukushima Ended the Nuclear Debate, there have been about 11 reported NRC Events from CGS. I ask myself each time a new Event occurs, how many near misses can one nuclear plant have before the next Fukushima attacks us from within? When does the luck run dry? I also ask daily, why won't the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shut down nuclear power plants before luck turns to corium, molten nuclear core?
Aug. 21 - Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif yesterday held a groundbreaking ceremony for two controversial Chinese nuclear plants near the coastal city of Karachi which are set to add 1,100 megawatts to the energy-starved country's electric grid.
A facility that the government has been building in Washington state to treat radioactive waste from nuclear weapon production has design flaws that could sink the entire project, says a leaked internal report.
2006 - Dr. Leuren Moret blows whistle ion U.S. nuclear tests on humans on the west coast.
First came the development and testing of nuclear weapons regarded as essential for national security by the major governments of the world, carried out in low population density areas where there were mainly indigenous or minority populations live. This was followed by the construction of large numbers of nuclear power stations in the U.S. near the large cities, promoted by the federal government anxious to end the public's fear of fallout from bomb testing and as a clean way to meet the rapidly growing need for energy to replace the massively polluting fossil fuel power stations. After it was discovered in the early 1970s that even small radiation doses from permitted normal releases of fission products less than those received from normal background radiation produced unexpectedly large adverse effects on human health, government agencies tried to minimize the health effects on the majority population. This was done using the Federal Milk Marketing Program, originally established in the 1930s to protect the income of farmers when their milk did not taste well by forcing wholesalers to pay the normal price and to direct it to be diluted with normally tasting milk. Beginning in the 1970s, this program was used to send milk produced in areas close to nuclear reactors contaminated with fission products into the inner city areas where the population was composed mainly of low income African Americans and recent Hispanic immigrants.
2015 (8-5) The New York Times discovers "U.S. Nuclear Accident in 1965 Was Staged'.
All they had to do was ask her.
"Advanced nuclear reactors will use new types of fuel. To ensure such systems are safe, experimental fuel samples must be fabricated and tested in safe research environments such as those at Idaho National Laboratory. Marking an important step toward the advancement of a new type of reactor, INL employees recently completed the first successful test of fabrication equipment in the Experimental Fuels Facility (EFF). Specifically, they finished depleted uranium extrusions — a process of shaping material by forcing it through a die."
"Cincinnati -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today issued a Final Request for Proposal (RFP), for the Operation of Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride (DUF6) Conversion Facilities at Paducah, Kentucky and Portsmouth, Ohio. A cost-plus award fee and firm-fixed-price contract line item contract will be awarded from this Final RFP. The total estimated value of the contract is between $400 and $600 million, with a five-year period of performance."
"Commonly called the "Warthog" for its aggressive look, the A-10 Thunderbolt II is the U.S. Air Force's primary low-altitude close air support aircraft. First introduced in 1977, the A-10 is best known for its fearsome GAU-8 Avenger 30mm gatling gun mounted on the nose, which is designed to fire armor-piercing depleted uranium and high explosive incendiary rounds."
It was an atomic rifle.
Now, its fallout is being felt in Alaska.
Between 1956 and 1963, the U.S. government produced more than 2,100 "Davy Crockett" nuclear warheads. The Davy Crockett was never fired in anger, but the training rounds used to prepare U.S. Army soldiers to fight a nuclear war are causing issues in Alaska and at bases across the United States.
In a Friday filing in the Federal Register, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced that the U.S. Army has applied for a permit that would effectively allow it to leave spent depleted uranium Davy Crockett training rounds on 15 firing ranges. In Alaska, Davy Crockett training was performed at the Donnelly Training Area west of Delta Junction and south of Fairbanks in Interior Alaska. Even though the rounds have been fired and are presumably lying spent in the forest, the NRC considers the Army to still "possess" them because it owns the range.
US Fish and Wildlife Service plans to REMOVE polar bear protections!
AND they only allow PUBLIC COMMENTS until Sept. 19 !
Disaster plan developed for use if St. Louis landfill fire reaches buried nuclear waste.
Does radioactive waste pose local threat?
Interesting Mar. 21, 2011 e-mail "Situation Report #20" I would like to see # 1-19!
China's plans for 400 nuclear reactors threaten global catastrophe, writes Oliver Tickell. In the normal way of things we could expect major accidents every few years, but with 300 reactors along China's seismically active coast, a major tsunami would be a Fukushima on steroids - wiping out much of China and contaminating the whole planet.
Doel Nuclear Power Station in northern Belgium was hit by an explosion around midnight UTC on November 1, 2015 (23:00 local time on October 31) which caused a fire in its Doel 1 nuclear reactor.
The plant inserted all control rods into the reactor core during the scram, according to the NRC.
His own workers called him a "token hispanic" and a sociopath and psychopath.
Film Fame for Arto Lauri!
Lots more on the internet! Congratulations, Arto!!
Hillary Knew How Bad Fukushima Was From the Start — E-Mail Proof!
. . . this page has the e-mail links so you can do your own search. Often the best stuff has nothing in the subject line. You can order the long lists by date to speed up searches.
Hastily built 30 years ago, the sarcophagus is designed to last only about three decades.
Donald Trump wants to build another huge wall, this time to keep out the rising seas threatening to swamp his luxury golf resort in Ireland.


I am a boating novice.
My husband is a boating novice.
We go out maybe once a year!
Yesterday was Labor Day, the official end of summer right?
It was my great idea to rent a pontoon boat on a beautiful lake in NJ.
When we arrived the boating crew asked us if we'd be willing to take a smaller pontoon boat (since there were just 3 of us). It was a nicer boat than originally scheduled and a new boat. We said "yes".
It was a great day, but we sure had some mishaps!
The water was extra choppy and there were a ton of boats having fun out on the lake yesterday!
I'm thinking if any of them noticed our couple of mishaps, they knew that they knew that they knew we were not experienced boaters!
The first mishap was we didn't have our weight distributed properly on the boat. We had a heavy heavy cooler sitting as close to the front of this small boat as possible. My son and I were each lounging up front as well.
We had my husband in the middle of the boat driving and no one, but no one in the back of the boat. I was noticing that the boat seemed to be taking on water from the front, but I wasn't overly concerned because the waves were big and choppy.
Well, my concerned mushroomed into panic a little later on when it took on so much water that the front of the boat went under and the back of the boat and it's motor were sticking up in the air!
My son had the brains to jump up and shift the weight on the boat.
My husband and I sat dumb founded, just staring at the situation.
As we talked later, we were both deciding how to "jump"!
Oh, sweet memories! We will be laughing about this one for a long while I'm sure!
The other mishap was when we decided to anchor the boat.
Lots of boaters were zipping by and enjoying the day, while others were anchored relaxing and swimming and enjoying quiet little coves. We decided to set anchor for a bit.
My husband will be so embarrassed that I'm telling you this, but I had to pee!
That was the main reason we decided to anchor!
Yes, I'm a blast on a boat!
We threw the anchor out and I peed (just incase you wondered)!
As we were laughing and talking, my husband noticed that we were indeed drifting. I was positive that we could not be drifting because we threw the anchor in.
The anchor was in, but it obviously was not anchored!
We were adrift and headed straight for a dock and it's boat!
I knew there had to be a lesson in all of this.
I knew that somehow I could turn this into a blog/lesson post.
Today I "googled" setting an anchor.
I've learned that there are many types of anchors.
Some anchors are for rocky bottoms, sandy bottoms, muddy bottoms, etc.
I also learned that an anchor can have a rope, but it needs a chain as well.
The chain adds weight and is needed in setting the anchor.
It is necessary in setting the anchor!
We didn't have a chain.
The video clip said before setting an anchor we should check the waters for shoals, rocks or other objects in our way.
Nope, didn't do that one.
The instructions today tell me that the rope should be atleast 7-10 times longer than the depth of water we are in. I'm thinking that was a "no" too.
We were in very choppy waters and therefore would have needed even more line.
I think we've all clung to anchors that are not true anchors.
Some cling to their jobs or their bank account.
Others cling and anchor themselves to a spouse or other person.
People are great and jobs are great, but they are not and were never meant to be anchors.
He is stable and secure.
I see Jesus as the necessary chain connecting us (the boat adrift) to the One true Anchor.
I learned today (and yesterday too) that anchoring is a necessary boating skill.
A boater needs to know how to properly anchor their boat.
There are wind currents, bad weather, running out of gas situations (which we thought we also might have to deal with yesterday). In order to stay secure and not be pushed around, we need to know how to anchor ourselves correctly.
He has the "keys" to living this life in a way that we are not adrift. It does not guarantee that we will not go through rough waters or bad weather, but it does guarantee going through it "anchored" to Him if we are willing to do so.
To truly "set" an anchor, I read that you drop it in slowly and also slowly reverse the boat. As we apply the reverse (and no we didn't do this either)…the anchor sets.
And set it in whatever waters you find yourself today!
Stay safe and secure in Him!


Earlier this week, on March 6, 2017, House Republicans released their proposals to repeal and replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as "Obamacare." The proposals would remove the existing individual and employer mandates that generally require health insurance, and that penalize individuals who do not have, and employers who do not offer, coverage meeting minimum essential health coverage requirements. The possible move to repeal and replace Obamacare is widely seen as having potential critical impact on health care in the United States, and on employers and the economy in general.
Under the proposals, the minimum essential health benefits requirement would no longer apply after December 31, 2019 and related premium tax credits would cease on the same date. The proposals would also repeal the provisions of Obamacare effective December 31, 2017 that (i) added limitations on the contributions to flexible spending accounts, (ii) increased the tax on health savings accounts from 10% to 20% and (iii) placed a tax on over-the-counter medications.
Read "Is Obamacare About to Get Trumped? - House Republicans Propose to Repeal and Replace the Affordable Care Act."


Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, the incomparable kings of swing, announce an all new album, Louie! Louie! Louie! an electrifying celebration of jazz legends Louie Armstrong, Louie Jordan and Louie Prima. On their eleventh album and third for iconic label Savoy Jazz, the band is sharper than ever as they pay homage to their jazz heroes. Produced by founder and lead singer Scotty Morris, the album reveals the evolution of swing, jazz and popular music through the songs and personalities of these three giants of American culture.
"We really want people to know about these great artists that have so deeply influenced us, and perhaps help spark a new creative interest in them and their music. It's important to educate people about this — if someone doesn't continue to spread the word, it's going to go away and that's something we can't afford to have happen," says bandleader, vocalist and songwriter, Scotty Morris.
Forming in the early nineties and at the forefront of swing revival during midst of the grunge era, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy blended a vibrant fusion of the classic American sounds of jazz, swing and dixieland, with the energy and spirit of contemporary culture. Taking inspiration from the creators of this uniquely American art form, the band's original horn-infused music and legendary high energy show introduces the genre to a new and younger generation while remaining cognizant and respectful of the music's rich legacy.
After 23 years, 10 records, over 2700 live shows, and countless appearances in film and television, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy is showing no signs of slowing down, and is looking forward to celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2018.


text:
Pro forma este o expresie derivată din limba latină care semnifică modul de a efectua ceva superficial, doar în scopul de a răspunde unei cerințe minimale sau unei convenții. Termenul similar în limba română este de formă.

În tranzacțiile comerciale

Factura Proforma (Pro Forma) este furnizată în avans de vânzător către cumpărător, înaintea efectuării efective a tranzacției, specificându-se prețurile și termenii tranzacției. În principal este utilizată pentru a declara valoarea tranzacției. Nu este o factură adevărată, deoarece aceasta nu este înregistrată în contabilitatea vânzătorului sau cumpărătorului. Pe baza ei cumpărătorul poate efectua plata către vânzător, sau poate angaja începerea altor tranzacții comerciale cu terți. Efectuarea plății de către cumpărător reprezintă un accept de începere și derulare a tranzacției comerciale, finalizat cu livrarea de bunuri sau servicii și a documentelor finale, după cum au stabilit părțile implicate.

Lege

În drept, hotărârile judecătorești pro forma urmăresc doar să faciliteze procesul juridic (într-adevăr, pentru a muta lucrurile de-a lungul).

Publicul pro forma este folosit pentru a se supune unei cereri oficiale. De exemplu, un auditor pro forma poate fi audiat pentru ca un judecător să dispună prezentarea unei anumite dovezi sau să programeze o altă dată.

Afaceri
Comerț
Cuvinte și expresii în limba latină

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
L'Amour en fuite és una pel·lícula francesa de 1979 dirigida pel cineasta François Truffaut. És la cinquena i darrera part de la sèrie de Truffaut sobre el personatge Antoine Doinel, formada per les prèvies pel·lícules Les Quatre Cents Coups (1959), Antoine et Colette (1962), Baisers volés (1968) i Domicile conjugal (1970).

L'Amour en fuite va ser presentada a la 29a edició del Festival Internacional de Cinema de Berlín.

Argument
Antoine i Christine estan casats des de fa vuit anys. Christine dona cursos de violí al Conservatori, Antoine ha escrit una novel·la. Liliane esdevé la nova alumna i amiga de Christine. Liliane escriu llibres per nens i Christine esdevé il·lustradora dels llibres. A Antoine li agrada llegir novel·les de Colette. Llavors veu lesbianes per tot arreu: « Al teu lloc vigilaria », li diu a Christine. Finalment l'enganyarà amb Liliane. Antoine dona una explicació que s'assembla el cent per cent. Havia ofert un llibre a Liliane i l'endemà veu que per protegir aquest llibre, l'havia recobert amb paper de diari. Queda tan emocionat que de seguida se'n va al llit amb ella. « Necessita una dona, una mestra, una germana petita o d'una dida, una infermera i jo em sento incapaç de fer tots els papers a la vegada », declara Liliane a Christine explicant la seva ruptura amb Antoine.

Repartiment
 Jean-Pierre Léaud: Antoine Doinel
 Claude Jade: Christine Doinel
 Marie-France Pisier: Colette
 Dorothée: Sabine Barnerias
 Daniel Mesguich: Xavier Barnerias
 Julien Bertheau: Monsieur Lucien
 Jean-Pierre Ducos: Advocat de Christine
 Marie Henriau: el jutge
 Rosy Varte: mare de Colette
 Julien Dubois: Alphonse Doinel
 Pierre Dios: M. Renard
 Alain Ollivier: el jutge a Aix
 Monique Dury: Sra. Ida
 Emmanuel Clot: l'amic a la impremta

Al voltant de la pel·lícula
 L'Amor en fugida conclou la sèrie de les pel·lícules de François Truffaut posant en escena el personatge d'Antoine Doinel : Els Quatre-cents Cops (1959), Antoine i Colette (1962), Baisers volés (1968) i Domicile conjugal (1970).
 En el seu llibre, La Delicadesa, David Foenkinos evoca la primera part de la pel·lícula i la cançó homònima d'Alain Souchon (capítol 66).

Premis i nominacions

Premis
 1980. César a la millor música per Georges Delerue

Nominacions
 1979. Os d'Or

Notes i referències

Enllaços externs
 Ressenya a Criterion Collection per Chris Fujiwara

Pel·lícules de França del 1979
Pel·lícules de comèdia romàntica de França
Pel·lícules de comèdia dramàtica del 1979
Pel·lícules dirigides per François Truffaut
Pel·lícules ambientades a París


New major research carried out this year has shown that two thirds of the world's population (over 4 billion people) live with severe water scarcity, which is defined as having restricted access to water for the duration of at least one month the year. Most Australians have experienced draughts and water scarcity conditions that have impacted our lives. You may not be aware that central and western parts of the United States and even in the city of London also experience similar problems. Unfortunately, as populations increase we'll continue to use ever more amounts of this natural resource for everyday things, making the problem worse.
In aid of this year's World Water Day and their theme of wateran info and businesses we've taken a look into the everyday industries to see how water scarcity can affect us all. There are many things that we take for granted without even a thought of how much water was used for us to enjoy them, and how this huge global water availability concern could affect each industry in the near future. We recently created an infographic to show this visually, if you really dig into the data, you realise how this effects our everyday lives is staggering.
We all know that most food has a high percentage of water content however, you might not know just how much water is used to fill our pantries at home.
All around the world agriculture is affected by water scarcity. If you consider that70% of all natural water withdrawn across the globe is used simply for crop irrigation you begin to comprehend why.
Costs of agriculture production also rises disproportionally to the cost of water. For instance just 10% rise would increase the cost of producing an Orange by 30%. As water becomes inevitably becomes scarcer in the future this problem is only going to worsen.
It takes a whole bathtub worth of water to produce just one bowl of rice. The two biggest producers of Rice in the world are China and India, both of which are the first and second most water stressed countries on Earth. With water scarcity increasing, the future of rice production in these countries become less secure.
Chocolate in all its goodness has many fans but as with many fruits & vegetables, chocolate is also disproportionally affected by the price of water. A 10% increase in water costs actually results in a whopping 31,600% increase in chocolate costs. This is down to the fact that refined sugar uses huge amounts of H2O - 198 gallons per pound of sugar in fact. Not to mention the amount of water used to grow the cocoa beans needed to produce chocolate. As water becomes more scares this may increase the price of water around the world, dramatically increasing the price of this everyday item.
As you likely already be aware off, most drinks contain high percentages of water, however you might be surprised to know just how much is actually consumed.
Can you imagine a future without beer? No more thirst quenching larger whilst we enjoy a BBQ on a sunny day. It's a sobering thought, but this future may be more realistic than you think. At breweries alone the average ratio of water consumption to beer produced is 4:1 . If you add this to the amount of water used during growing and cultivating the ingredients needed, by the time it reaches your glass, a huge 300 total litres of water is consumed .
Many of us like to drink a glass of wine with a nice meal but have you ever stopped to consider how much water is needed to produce just one glass of your favourite Red or White? Grapes are incredibly thirsty fruits, and to make a standard wine glass worth (125ml), it can take as much as 109 litres of water. The sheer volume of water required means this is another industry that could be severely hit if water scarcity around the globe leads to an increase in water prices.
Melbourne is Australia's coffee capital and the nation's favourite morning pick me up is in real danger as water becomes more scare across the world. The journey from cultivating beans to the 8 ounces of coffee in your cup can use 55 gallons of water! Nestle have been providing training to coffee farmers to help with the levels of water consumed however, coffee production under these rare circumstances still uses up to 5 litres of water per kilogram of coffee.
Bottled water companies have reported that it takes 1.39 liters to make one liter of bottled water. That's less than the global averages of a liter of soda, which requires 2.02 liters of water. A liter of beer, meanwhile, needs 4 liters of water, wine demands 4.74 liters. Hard alcohol, it turns out, is the greediest, guzzling 34.55 liters of water for every liter. If you consider that a quality water filtration system can give you great tasting, pure water straight from you tap it seems senseless to carry on using bottled water.
Most people don't consider just how much water is used to dress yourself each day. Cotton is a very thirsty plant and requires 25 cubic meters of water for each 250 grams of cotton produced – which is the amount needed for the average T-shirt. Take a few seconds to think about how many t-shirts you own, and just how much water was needed to fill your closet.
Next time you button up your jeans in the morning you might want to consider just how much water is used to get to that point. For every pair of denim jeans manufactured, 3 gallons of water is consumed . To actually grow the cotton needed alone, 1,800 gallons of water is used , with an additional 800 gallons used to wash and prepare them for sale .
Desktop and laptop computers, tablet devices, smartphones, even the internet - in fact any other electronic device that makes modern communication so easy all dependent upon semiconductor technology. This technology has revolutionised the last 40 years of communication from MSN Messenger to Facebook. However, semiconductor fabrication plants can need as much water to produce their products as many small cities will use to supply their residents. If there is not enough water available than plants cannot manufacture these products, which could mean the end of selfies!
As the global population is expected to continue to grow to over 9 billion by 2015, the increased need for water resources for drinking and for food production is going to create an ever worsening water scarcity problem. We've shown that this could have a huge impact on our daily lives, from the food we eat to the clothes we wear. Understanding just how much water is used is the first step in understanding how you can help the problem by consuming and using things that have a reduced impact in water use. Simply ditching bottled water for instance can help.
If you'd like more tips on how to reduce how much water you use in your daily lives you can check out the Waterlogic water resource centre, or take a look at The World Water Day website.


INTENSE RED COLOUR, FRESH, FRUITY BOUQUET.
ON THE NOSE, NOTES OF RED FRUITS TYPICAL OF THE VARIETAL. ON THE PALATE, LINGERING BLUEBERRY AND PRUNE WITH SLIGHT HINTS OF VANILLA.
A WELL-STRUCTURED WINE WITH LIGHT TANNINS AND A BALANCED FINISH.
The Prenzano podere was an old Vignamaggio homestead and the Chianti Classico Terre di Prenzano wine grapes grow on this predominantly south-west facing land, only a few hundred metres from the villa.
Terre di Prenzano is a vintage Chianti Classico produced with 100% Sangiovese grapes. It is aged for about a year in 20 to 40 hectolitre oak barrels and finished in bottles for at least 3 months.
RUBY RED COLOUR WITH SHADES OF GARNET. FRUITY NOSE OF SOUR CHERRIES, BLACKBERRIES AND RIPE CHERRIES, TOBACCO AND SPICES. ON THE PALATE, FOREST FRUITS WITH SOFT AND BRIGHT TANNINS AND A LIQUORICE FINISH.
The name is dedicated to Gherardino Gherardini, founder of the great house he built at Vignamaggio in the XIV century.
This wine is produced with 80-90% Sangiovese and 10-20% Merlot. After the harvest and vinification stages, it is aged for 18-20 months in oak barrels and barriques.
The grapes come from the Prato vineyard (West) and the Querceto vineyard (West/south-West).
DARK PURPLE WITH FLASHES OF RUBY. BALANCED INTENSITY THE NOSE, INVITINGLY RICH FRUITNESS WITH NOTES OF DARK CHERRY, PRUNE AND BLACKBERRY, HELD TOGETHER WITH NOTES OF MENTHOLATED BALSAMIC, TOBACCO AND LIQUORICE.
Vignamaggio's renaissance villa is the creation of the Gherardini family, whose fame is associated with the legendary Mona Lisa, famous Gioconda painted by Leonardo da Vinci between 1503 and 1506. Folklore and history become intertwined in the centuries that follow: Via Maggio in Florence (where Mona Lisa was born) could be confused with the similar sounding Vignamaggio. This along with the landscape depicted in Leonardo's painting had many wrongly believe that the Gioconda was born here. This is the reason that, still today, the figure of Mona Lisa is associated with Vignamaggio and it was to this famous noble woman that the estate wanted to dedicate this wine.
The Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is only produced in the best vintage years, with grapes from the farm's prime vineyards, the Prato vineyards (West), Solatio (South -West) and Querceto (West/ South West). It is a blend of 85% Sangiovese and 15% Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is first aged in French oak barriques for 18 -20 months and then in larger barrels. The minimum aging period is 30 months, with at least 6 in the bottle.
PURPLE WITH SHADES OF VIOLET AND STREAKS OF RUBY. A COMPLEX AROMATIC PROFILE TYPICAL OF THIS VARIETAL, RICH AND DEFINED, WITH AN ACCENTUATED INTENSITY OF FRUIT WITH BLUEBERRIES, RIPE RED CURRENTS AND RASPBERRIES, HINTS OF AROMATIC HERBS LIKE SAGE AND JUNIPER, EUCALYPTUS AND A HINT OF SWEET PEPPER. ON THE PALATE, IT IS ELEGANT WITH HINTS OF FRUIT AND SPICES; THE STRUCTURE IS SCULPED BY A SMOOTH TANNIN, TIGHT AND COMPOSED, WITH A LASTING FINISH.
The estate's oldest wine, Cabernet Franc di Vignamaggio is produced with grapes from vines that are over 40 years old, rediscovered by chance in the 90's in the Solatio vineyards (South West) and Orto (East). The resulting wine escapes the traditional mould. In fact, the very low yield per plant and the area's predominantly warm climate make this wine full-bodied and rich with elegant tannins.
The wine is aged or 18-20 months in French oak barriques, some new and some used, followed by a long refinement in the bottle.
BRIGHT RUBY COLOUR WITH A DARK TONE. ON THE NOSE IT IS INTENSE, WITH NOTES OF BLUEBERRY AND LIQUORICE. IN THE MOUNTH IT IS FULL BUT NOT DOMINANT; THE TANNINS ARE SOFT AND SWEET, THE FINISH SPICY.
After more than 25 years of Merlot cultivation at Vignamaggio, the estate decided to dedicate a Cru to it, an expression of the best vineyard, actually called Santa Maria at Petriolo, west facing and close to the villa.
The Merlot di Santa Maria blends the fruity notes of the varietal with the characteristic elegance and freshness of Vignamaggio and the Greve territory. The wine is aged for about 20 months in French oak barriques, some new and some used, and then in bottles for 6 months.
IL MORINO IS A FRESH, PLEASANT, AROMATIC WINE DISPLAYING A RUBY RED COLOUR AND LIVELY ON THE PALATE. ITS EASY DRINKABILITY MAKES IT THE PERFECT ACCOMPANIMENT TO LIGHT EVERY DAY MEALS.
Morino was the nickname of Silvano Damiani, a farmer who worked at Vignamaggio for over 40 years. He was given this name because of the colour of his skin, bronzed by many hours in the fields under the summer sun. When Morino left us, Vignamaggio decided to dedicate a wine to his memory.
Pleasantly fruity, the Morino is a blend of between 60 to 70% Sangiovese and 30 to 40% Merlot grapes from the farm's youngest vineyards. After aging for 9 months in steel tanks, the wine is bottled.
DARK PURPLE WITH REFLECTIONS OF RUBY. THE PROFILE IS AROMATIC, INVITINGLY RICH, WITH NOTES OF RED FRUITS LIKE RIPE CHERRY AND STRAWBERRY. INTENSE ON THE PALATE WITH A HARMONIOUS STRUCTURE AND WELL-BALANCED TANNINS.
Sangiovese di Vitigliano is a vintage IGT produced with 100% Sangiovese grapes. The wine is first aged for about a year in French oak barriques and then another year in larger barrels. The ageing process finishes in bottles for at least 8 months.
THE COLOUR OF ONION SKIN, INTENSE AND BRIGHT. A PLEASANTLY FRUITY AROMA. ON THE PALATE IT IS VERY FRESH AND SLIGHTLY SAVOURY WITH NOTES OF ROSEHIP AND BERRIES, TYPICAL OF THIS VARIETY.
The name Albaluce perfectly describes the luminous, opalescent colour of Vignamaggio's Rosé.
Albaluce is a rosé wine produced from the farm's Sangiovese grapes, harvested at the end of September. After a light pressing, alcoholic fermentation of the wine must is "off the skins" at 18-20oc in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine remains in the steel for about six months before it is bottled.
THE WINE HAS A GOLDEN YELLOW COLOUR WITH AMBER REFLECTIONS, THE FRAGRANCE IS TYPICALLY OF HONEY AND NUTS. IT IS WARM ON THE PALATE, INTENSE, DISTINCTLY SWEET BUT HELD TOGETHER BY A NICE ACIDITY.
In Tuscany, Vinsanto is the wine of hospitality: in fact, it is often offered to guests as a before or after dinner drink or at the table as an accompaniment to pastries or marbled cheeses. Various suggestions have been made as to the origins of its name, none of which has been verified: wine of miracles that alleviates suffering in people with the plague, a wine similar to the one made in Xantos, a Greek island where Passito was made, otherwise simply the holy wine used in religious Mass; the etymology of Vinsanto, to this day, remains intriguing and mysterious.
The Vinsanto, produced from the Malvasia Lunga del Chianti and Trebbiano Toscano white grape varieties, represents a traditional product. After a natural desiccation period of three months in a ventilated room, the grapes are pressed and the resulting wine must is placed, without the skins, in small 75-100 litre caratelli oak barrels where it ferments and where it remains for at least four years before it is bottled.
THE WINE HAS AN ENVELOPING AROMA OF HONEY AND NUTS, AN AFTERTASTE OF ALMONDS AND AN AMBER COLOUR WITH GOLDEN REFLECTIONS.
X is a letter, a blend of two consonants sounds, a symbol of the mysterious and unknown. For this particular Vinsanto, the X is primarily a number, the number 10, and refers to its years spent aging in oak barrels, in safe keeping on the top floor of the Vignamaggio villa.
Ten long years of waiting have bestowed on Vinsanto X an enveloping aroma of honey and nuts, an aftertaste of almonds and an amber colour with golden reflections.
Golden reflections that we have captured on 24 carat gold-embossed labels.
100 limited edition bottles are adorned with gold-embossed labels, 100 unique hand crafted pieces, 100 small works of art meant as precious keepsakes.
THE GRAPPA HAS AN AMBER COLOUR, A FULL AROMA WITH HINTS OF WOOD AND NUTS AND A SMOOTH, DELICATE, HARMONIOUS AND WINEY FLAVOUR.


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Fenton: We'll keep pushing
"We push each other to be the best that we can"
@RoversLadies
Natasha Fenton believes there's enough fight and determination in the current Rovers squad to start picking up points in the Championship.
It's been a tough start to life in the second tier for the Blues following consecutive losses, and up next is a tricky test against joint league leaders Aston Villa.
But the Rovers players are all positive as they look towards Sunday's lunchtime trip to Villa Park.
"The spirit is still really good," Fenton commented.
"We push each other to be the best that we can be. Anything that we may lack technically on the day we always make up in hard work and that's one thing that we can't doubt.
"We might get on each other's backs but that's because we demand the best from each other and we really are genuinely gelled as one."
Fenton admits it will take time to acclimatise to the new division, which pits Rovers against a higher quality of opposition.
Gemma Donnelly's side came close to taking something out of the game against London Bees and held Lewes for the opening 45 minutes, before falling away in the second period.
"We're still adapting to the intensity. That comes from training and we're not quite there yet but we're competing all over the pitch.
"Now it's just making sure that we can stick out for the full 90."
Rovers Ladies Season Tickets are still available! Visit the Roverstore, call 01254 372000, or click here to buy yours!
Natasha Fenton

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home » Interviews » Soul rockin' Broken Witt Rebels howl at The Jazz Cafe
Soul rockin' Broken Witt Rebels howl at The Jazz Cafe
Posted on June 12, 2015 by Amanda Cunningham in Interviews, UK
Photo by Amanda Cunningham
By Amanda Cunningham, London correspondent
Rock At Night had the utmost pleasure of hanging out with Broken Witt Rebels before their "howlin' good" concert at The Jazz Cafe. Check out the interview below:
Members: Danny Core – Vocals & Rhythm guitar; Luke Davis – Vocals & Bass; James Tranter – Vocals & Lead Guitar; Anthony Byrne – Drums & Percussion, Hometown: Birmingham, UK
ROCK AT NIGHT: How did you arrive at your name?
(Danny) There was a free newspaper (a metro newspaper) hanging around. We selected three words (broken-witt-rebel) it just happened to be that and when we rearranged the words…that worked for us.
ROCK AT NIGHT: How long have you been together as a band?
(Luke) About three years…maybe going on four, maybe.
ROCK AT NIGHT: How long have you known each other?
(Luke) Me and Dan have known each other a long time, for as long as we can remember. We both just got into [music] it together. We just listened to music ourselves, put all our pennies together, went to charity shops, got second hand music books, any music books we could find to learn. We didn't actually know about YouTube. It didn't exist to us anyway. We just learnt the old-fashioned way. On the way we met Anthony and James and instantly we just clicked…it took us about six or seven months to really hone in on our style and to know which direction we wanted to go. We were all singing from the same hymn-sheet but we wanted to see where we needed to go. We are all here now.
ROCK AT NIGHT: Do you all hang out together outside of the band?
(Luke) Yeah, we spend a lot of time together.
ROCK AT NIGHT: Where do you practice?
(Anthony) Robannas in Birmingham, right in the City Center, a rehearsal studio. It's one of the oldest rehearsal studios and probably one of the best ones. Its our home at the moment and really good with the staff there and they really accommodate our needs.
ROCK AT NIGHT: Good for you!
(Anthony) A lot of things have happened there for us, it's where we met Mass Records. That's where we got the sound together, basically, it's where it all came together I suppose, it's our home.
Our Howlin' EP was recorded in this studio, a homage to Robannas!
ROCK AT NIGHT: Who did the artwork for the album cover?
(Luke) My cousin took the photographs and then we sent them over to Anthony.
(Danny) It's Anthony. He needs to take the credit. He has a very good eye.
(Anthony) Anything that is graphic designed base, Luke is brilliant at bringing up ideas and Dan is as well.
(Luke) I just work with what they want and interpret it and put it together.
ROCK AT NIGHT: Why did you decide not to put yourselves on the cover?
(Anthony) Well, we've seen so many bands do it before that its like cheesy as fuck…indie shit, it's about music, it's not about us. Anonymity.
(Danny) For us we wanted Howlin' to be heard (and that was the idea behind it). It looks cool, kinda' cool, even though we are cool. We want the image to represent the music.
ROCK AT NIGHT: James, who did you listen to growing up?
(James) When I was 11 years old I lived off of Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, really first. I didn't have many friends in school, so yeah….Pink Floyd, Gilmore.
ROCK AT NIGHT: Luke, what inspired you to pick up a bass?
(Luke) We needed a bassist. [laughter]. I originally played guitar and we needed a bassist and we'd got a guitarist. I just picked it up and learnt it one day and preferred it—and never went back to guitar.
(Danny) Luke's definitely has got an individual story. He doesn't really follow the road that most do. He sort of does play guitar but on the bass. He's got his own individual guitar patterns. It does work. It's unconventional. It's not your normal day to day [bass] and it does to work.
ROCK AT NIGHT: Anthony, if you could play drums with any other band, who would it be?
(Anthony): Um, that's a tough question that. Are we talking past or present?
ROCK AT NIGHT: Both.
(Anthony) Guns & Roses would have to be my ultimate. [the song] "You Could Be Mine"…. if they want to get back together. Nowadays, there's not many bands that I like, to be honest. I would want to be in AC/DC or Guns & Roses (if I would be in a band to play drums).
ROCK AT NIGHT: Danny, being on the brink of the big time, what advice do you wish you were given on Day One?
(Danny) People go like 'you should dress like this or you should go like this' …Just don't believe anything what anybody says as long as you've got a dream…a message…and just follow it through. People are constantly [saying] 'you should do this….or you should do that…'
My message to someone else is 'just be true to yourself.' It will all work out.
Even you. If you do what you believe in and you're passionate about it…if people get that then….
(Anthony) You can't wear somebody else's skin, can ya'? Ya can't replicate and you have to be yourself, you've got to be yourself. If people like it, they like it and if they don't , then that's their problem.
(Danny) Persevere. Stick to what you do.
ROCK AT NIGHT: Going back to your point, how do you feel about being compared to Kings of Leon?
(Anthony) We always get this question a lot. We don't mind getting the comparison. I could think of worse bands to be compared to.
(Danny) Kings of Leon is a great band.
We are really into a retro soul. You might hear Otis Redding, Muddy Waters, or Aretha Franklin if that's the kind of music…..that's where we seek inspiration. Kings of Leon are really great. We don't want to disrespect them in any way shape or form. It's a great, great compliment but we look at ourselves more [as] soul.
ROCK AT NIGHT: It's quite interesting to read how people do describe your sound.
(Danny) Yeah.
ROCK AT NIGHT: Having read how you are being described on the internet – your unique sound, there are some great descriptions!
(Anthony) It's a combined mixture of influences, really. When you listen to music you can't really help when you come out with it….
ROCK AT NIGHT: Yeah, I've read one reviewer described the lead vocal as, 'raw whiskey soaked vocals'.. love that!
(Danny) Ah yeah, and Tequila dive bar..Yes, some really cool ones.
(Anthony) It's us. We are aware of some comparisons.
ROCK AT NIGHT: The editor of Rock At Night, Chyrisse, plays music and has a question about gear and effects for you. Do you favor any type of guitar/amp/effects?
(Danny) We are all interested in big, F-hole oak spin open body guitars. And as for me and Luke, we like the Orange cabinets and amps. James is more vintage, old school… (James) We all like the valve amps. (Luke) Nothing new and electronic, all old, all analogue the original way it should be.
(Anthony) Stuff that's got rich tones and warmth. If you don't have that you kind of you kind of lose the sound. We play off the original sound. Our effects are very minimal.
ROCK AT NIGHT: What is on the agenda for this time next year?
(Danny) World domination! [laughter] Take over the world! It's just playing for as many people (like yourself) and playing a many venues as you can. And potentially really getting stuck into an album. That would be great. We've got loads of ideas. Our material is just flying.
We'll see what comes!
ROCK AT NIGHT: Do you have day jobs too?
(Danny) Yes.
ROCK AT NIGHT: What kind of jobs?
(Danny) Tonight when we leave we're working in Swindon so we sleep in a car. We're driving to Swindon tonight instead of going home. We work in industrial units. Warehouses. That's what we do. Nothing has really been given to us.
We get up at 5 o'clock in the morning . We sleep in the car. We work . We've got commitments and we all keep pumping it back into the band. We're not sitting around thinking 'we're a rock n' roll band.' Nothing has been given to us. We work 16 hour days, every day and we will keep doing it!
"Shake Me Down"
Howlin' (2014)
This Town Belongs to Me (2013)
LISTEN TO SONGS FROM HOWLIN'
The images may not be reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without the written permission to Rock At Night and the photographer. Use of any image is a violation of the United States and International Copyright laws.
"Blues-Rock"
"Broken Witt Rebel"
"Howlin'
"Northern Soul"
"UK"
Rock At Night
rockatnight.com
J. Cole announces Forest Hills Drive Tour featuring Big Sean
Electric Fields Festival in Scotland: great line-up and almost sold out
Dan Patlansky brings the blues to the Jazz Cafe
Perth's own metal supergroup Make Way for Man kill it at Metro's Fremantle
Welsh band Tibet: beautifully crafted and clean pop melodies


How can I be sure that the patient has clinical features associated with liver transplant recipients?
Metabolic syndrome. A constellation of obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia that has a prevalence in up to 58% of post-liver-transplant recipients. Immunosuppression medications, obesity, and etiology of liver disease (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis) all lead to insulin resistance and development of this syndrome. This syndrome results in increased morbidity and mortality.
Bone disease. Common, post liver transplant (5-35%), with risk factors including cholestatic liver disease, lower body weight, older age, female gender, and immunosuppression.
Inflammatory bowel disease. Inflammatory bowel disease can be either the exacerbation of preexisting disease or de novo disease. Those patients with preexisting disease had a flare of disease of up to 30 % within 1 year of liver transplant, whereas de novo disease develops in about 11% of patients. Risk factors for exacerbation include use of tacrolimus, active disease at transplantation, long duration of disease, and discontinuation of steroids. Risks for de novo inflammatory bowel disease includes cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, CMV mismatch, and autoimmune hepatitis etiology for liver transplantation.
Gout. Hyperuricemia is common, post liver transplant, due to impaired excretion of uric acid.
Preventive Care. Perform yearly review of vaccinations, dental care, smoking history, patient weight, medications, bone disease, and surveillance for malignancy. The overall risk of malignancy is 2 to 4 times higher in liver-transplant patients and accounts for up to 30% of post-liver-transplant deaths.
Pregnancy post liver transplant. Pregnancy after liver transplantation have noted favorable maternal and fetal outcomes. Birth weights were lower (50%) and mean gestational age also was lower (average 36 weeks). The risk of acute rejection during pregnancy is reported to be 1% to 5% and graft loss less than 2% (more common in those transplanted for autoimmune hepatitis).
Bone disease. DEXA bone scan with T-score higher than –1.5.
Inflammatory bowel disease. Colonoscopy with biopsies for histological evaluation.
Gout. Physical examination with inflammation of joints with hyperuricemia.
Malignancy. The most frequently diagnosed cancers are non-melanoma skin cancer, post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, and oropharyngeal and urological tumors. Breast, cervical, and prostate cancers are similar to those in the general population.
What other diseases, conditions, or complications should I look for in patients with liver transplants?
What is the right therapy for the liver transplant recipient?
– Nutrition consultation with target weight loss of 1 to 2 labs/week with calorie restriction to less than 1500 Kcals/day.
– Annual evaluation for weight gain in a yearly physical.
– Use of statins (simvastatin 40 mg/d, atorvastatin 40 mg/d, pravastian 20 mg/d, tricor 145 mg/d).
– Target guideline goals of total cholesterol <200 mg/dL, low-density lipoprotein <100 mg/dL, high-density lipoproteins > 60 mg/dL, and triglycerides of <150 mg/dL with biannual blood draw of lipid panel.
– Prior studies have noted treatment with single agents were successful in 58%, 2 agents in 29%, and 3 agents in 10% of patients.
– First-line drug therapy is usually with diuretics or calcium channel blockers; however, diabetics may benefit with angiotension-converting enzyme inhibitors.
– Second-line therapy with beta-blockers or clonidine is helpful.
Diabetes. New-onset diabetes, post liver transplant, is noted in up to 10 % of patients. Prior studies have noted use of insulin in 39% of patients and oral antiglycemia medications in 39% and both in 21%.
Initial management of diabetes includes weight control, exercise, and diabetic diet. Second-line use of oral antidiabetic drugs in patients with normal renal function. Lastly, use of insulin with a goal of euglycemia with a hemoglobin A1C of less than 6.5% with consultation of endocrinology.
Bone disease. Osteoporosis calcium 1500 mg/d, vitamin D 1000 IU/d, oral bisphosphonates (fosamax 70 mg orally weekly).
Inflammatory bowel disease.Use of aminosalicylates and steroids.
– In patients with histories of gout and hyperuricemia, treatment with allopurinol 100 mg/d.
– For acute gout, treatment with colchicine, 0.6 mg every 2 hours, of up to 5 doses.
– In patients that do not respond to cholchicine, treatment with prednisone 20 mg/d for 2 weeks.
– Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is to be discouraged.
Perform yearly review of dental care, vaccinations, smoking history, weight, and malignancy.
Osteoporosis. Oral calcium 1500 mg/d with vitamin D 1000 IU/d.
Inflammatory bowel disease. Aminosalicylates at full dose, prednisone 40 mg every day with tapering dose over 2 to 3 months, down to lowest possible dose.
Diabetes. Weight loss, diabetic diet, and oral antidiabetic medications.
Administer yearly Influenza vaccinations and hepatitis A and B vaccinations, if not given pretransplantation. Pneumococcal vaccination should be given pretransplant; if not, use standard 23-valent vaccine, with revaccination 5 years post transplantation.
Patients transplanted for hepatitis B typically use hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) under center-specific guidelines for months to years. Continued use of nucleos(t)ide analog post transplantation is mandatory.
– Annual examination for skin cancer and use of sun screen lotion of SP 50 or higher.
– Mammograms and gynecological evaluation biannually for women.
– Yearly prostate-specific antigen in males of more than 50 years of age.
– Annual examination of mouth and throat.
– Patients with inflammatory bowel disease: annual colonoscopy with surveillance biopsies for dysplasia.
– Colonoscopy every 5 years for those without inflammatory bowel disease.
If a patient develops a solid organ malignancy, there is no data that alteration of immunosuppression may improve survival; however, those treated with chemotherapy may develop leukopenia and, therefore, lower doses of immunosuppression may be used.
Osteoporosis. Bisphosphonates (fosamax 70 mg/week).
Inflammatory bowel disease. Azathioprine 1.5 mg/kg.
How should I monitor the liver transplant recipient?
Metabolic syndrome. Obesity: yearly physical examination measurement of weight/body mass index.
Blood pressure. Biannual measurement of blood pressure.
Diabetes. Biannual hemoglobin A1C, daily blood glucose measurements in those with insulin use.
Osteoporosis. Every 2 years, DEXA scan in those with normal results; yearly DEXA scan in those with T scores higher than –1.5.
Inflammatory bowel disease. Yearly colonoscopy with surveillance biopsies (4 biopsies every 10 cm) in patients with known inflammatory bowel disease. If dysplasia is found on histology, colectomy is warranted.
Gout. In patients with histories of gout, measurement of uric acid yearly.
Monitoring vaccination response is typically not performed. However, in patients transplanted for hepatitis B, monitor for recurrent disease by monitoring for hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis B DNA level every 3 to 6 months.
Prophylaxis with antibiotics for dental care is not necessary, unless patient has high-risk conditions of prior endocarditis, prosthetic valves, or congenital heart disease.
– Biannual mammogram and gynecological evaluation.
– Prostate specific antigen yearly.
– Colonoscopy every year in those with inflammatory bowel disease and every 5 years in those without.
In patients transplanted for hepatocellular carcinoma, monitoring alfa-fetoprotein and imaging studies have not shown to improve post-transplant survival. However, most centers perform surveillance programs such as alfa feto protein every 6 months and imaging studies of ultrasound every 3 to 6 months.
Charlton, M. "Obesity, hyperlipidemia and metabolic syndrome". Liver Transplant. vol. 15. 2009. pp. S83-9.
Pagadala, M, Dasarathy, S, Eghtesas, B. "Post-transplant metabolic syndrome: an epidemic waiting to happen". Liver Transplant. vol. 15. 2009. pp. 1662-72.
Crippin, JS. "Bone disease after liver transplantation". Liver Transplant. vol. 7(Suppl1). 2001. pp. S27-35.
Compston, JE. "Osteoporosis after liver transplantation". Liver Transplant . vol. 9. 2003. pp. 321-30.
Verdonk, RC, Dijkstra, G, Haagsma, EB. "Inflammatory bowel disease in liver transplantation: risk factors for recurrence and de novo disease". Am J Transplant. vol. 6. 2006. pp. 1422-9.
Dvorchik, I, Subotin, M, Demetris, A. "Effect of liver transplantation on inflammatory bowel disease in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis". Hepatology. vol. 35. 2002. pp. 380-4.
Neal, DAJ, Tom, BDM, Gimson, AES. "Hyperuricemia, gout, and renal function after liver transplantation". Transplantation. vol. 72. 2001. pp. 1689-91.
Watt, K, Pedersen, RA, Kremers, W. "Long-term probability of and mortality from de novo malignancy after liver transplantation". Gastroenterology. vol. 137. 2009. pp. 2010-17.
Watt, K, Pedersen, R, Kremers, W. "Evolution of causes and risk factors for mortality post-liver transplant: results of the NIDDK long-term follow-up study". Am J Transplant. vol. 10. 2010. pp. 1420-7.


He stands at the corner of Santa Fe and Mississippi. One hand mightily grasps his scepter, the other rests confidently on his hip. His crown rests cocked, while he strongly looks over his empire, confident that he stands above the rest. And he does.
I first visited the Breakfast King in the autumn of 2005. It has remained the Standard for breakfast joints to live up to, and thus far, the King still remains in control of his subjects. The threat of revolt is low, for few can combine the atmosphere, wait-staff friendliness, and more than merely edible food into one top-notch diner experience.
Very little has changed at the King since my first jaunt across the country and this is a good thing. Smoking's been subtracted and Wi-fi added; nothing more. It still feels like walking into a Tarantino film, though Jewels and Vincent are notoriously absent. The lush orange booths are large and welcoming while the matching table-tops beg for elbows connected to arms connected to hands holding mugs that're ready for re-fill after re-fill of coffee which the more than wonderful waitresses (complete with outlandish eye makeup) will drop into your cup long before it approaches empty. The register remains a relic from days gone by further adding to the King's delightful charm.
Beth Carlton was our waitress on this mild August morning. We watched her whir around the diner floor, from table to table, smiling and sitting with her customers to take their orders. What a doll.
I ordered the Denver Omelette (what else!?), adding jack cheddar and tomatoes to it at a scant sixty-cent upgrade. Your choice of bread (I took Rye) and potatoes (I suggest the Chulupa Hot Sauce to top them with) are included with all Omelettes. The Omelettes are massive and cooked with care. Despite my all too strong bias for this place, there are fewer places I'd rather purchase one.
Our group was large and we were in and out in under an hour, but for those of you who like to linger, there's a long silver bar for just that. Susie, Beth or any of the other sweethearts on staff'll keep ya company there while you read the Post or catch the morning news.


Thanks to all the experts and participants, last year's EU-China Think Tank Workshop was a success (short summary on Youtube and Youku). This year, we are going to discuss another hot topic "The Future of Manufacturing: Industry 4.0 Meets Made in China 2025". This event is a unique opportunity to bring policy makers, industry and research institutions together. High level experts from Europe and China, from industry and academia are coming to Shanghai! A full day programm including keynotes, panel discussion and creative workshop will give you another unforgettable experience. We are looking forward to your participation!
Identifying opportunities and challenges for EU-China cooperation based on "Made in China 2025" & "Industry 4.0" strategy papers.
Enabling the community to gain a common understanding on the Future of Manufacturing for China and Europe and on a global scale.
Our experts are from Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development, European Commission, Fraunhofer IFF & IPK, Platform Industry 4.0 Austria, Global Advanced Manufacturing Institute, Tongji University, Kühne + Nagel (AG&Co.) KG and more.
For more details please do get in touch with Dr. Jessie Zhang, EUrelations AG, Zurich, Switzerland. Tel: +41 44 271 33 33. Email: jzhang@eurelations.com.


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Nebraska governor gives predecessor Pete Ricketts a Senate seat he lost by 28 points 17 years earlier
byPeter Weber
Mike Theiler/AFP via Getty Images
New Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R) on Thursday appointed his predecessor, former Gov. Pete Ricketts (R), to the Senate seat vacated by former Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) on Jan. 8 when he resigned to become the new president of the University of Florida. Pillen said he had interviewed nine Republicans for the vacancy, and chose Ricketts because he believes he will win a special election for the seat in the fall and a full term in 2026. "I don't believe in placeholders," Pillen said.
The appointment is unsurprising because "Ricketts is the most established figure in the Nebraska GOP and supported Pillen as his successor to the governor's mansion," Aaron Blake writes at The Washington Post. "But the argument about Ricketts's political strength would have seemed utterly crazy less than two decades ago," when Ricketts lost a challenge to then-Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), 64 percent to 36 percent.
"Ricketts spent roughly $14 million of his own fortune on the 28-point loss," Blake notes. "As a Republican in Nebraska. And against a first-term senator who had only narrowly won office six years earlier. It's one of the biggest losses on record for a candidate who would later join the Senate." Ricketts, a wealthy son of TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts and part owner of the Chicago Cubs, will be the favorite to win the seat in his own right in November.
"Ricketts was a top backer of Pillen's campaign," and "Sasse did not resign until after Pillen was sworn in, allowing Ricketts to fill the seat without having to self-appoint himself," Politico reports. But "both Pillen and Ricketts brushed off questions about backroom deals when it came to filling the seat." Pillen may have put his thumb on the scale for the upcoming Senate races, but backroom deals are "not my DNA," he said Thursday.


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NO, NO, NO. The federal government does not borrow U.S. dollars. Saturday, Jan 18 2020
Uncategorized 20-year bond, monetary sovereignty, Ten Steps to Prosperity	Rodger Malcolm Mitchell 3:40 pm
And now comes Bloomberg, a respected fountain of financial information, with an article the effect of which (if not the purpose of which) it to confuse you.
Yes, I lie for the rich.
It starts out badly and only worsens.
U.S. to Start Issuing 20-Year Bonds to Fund Rising Deficit
By Saleha Mohsin, Bloomberg.com
January 16, 2020, 6:12 PM EST Updated on January 17, 2020, 7:03 AM EST
The U.S. Treasury will start issuing 20-year bonds in the first half of 2020, expanding its roster of securities as the government seeks ways to fund a ballooning deficit.
T-notes, T-bills, and T-bonds do not fund the deficit. Period.
The government funds its deficit spending by creating new dollars, ad hoc. The federal government (unlike state and local governments) never can run short of dollars. It does not use tax dollars. It does not borrow dollars. It is Monetarily Sovereign, i.e. sovereign over its own currency.
Amazing that Bloomberg does not understand this . . . or does he?
Now, for the real reason for the new 20-year bonds:
Institutional investors have been clamoring for more longer-dated, risk-free securities that offer some nominal yield, amid a global total of $11 trillion of debt with negative rates.
"The 20-year bond fits more easily into the existing market structure," said Lou Crandall, chief economist at Wrightson ICAP LLC in New York.
Right. The purpose of federal bonds is not to fund anything. The primary purposes are:
To give holders of U.S. dollars what they want: A safe, interest-paying parking place for unused dollars, and
To help the Fed control interest rates.
"This is a way of taking advantage of long-term interest rates that are low by historical standards without introducing a wild-card such as an ultra-long bond, which would have had more growing pains."
Nah, the Treasury doesn't need to "take advantage of" low interest rates. It could pay any rate, simply by pressing a computer key. The Treasury, having infinite access to dollars, doesn't need to hunt for bargains.
"It's much more useful than a 50- or 100-year bond, which only really work for a pension portfolio," said Gene Tannuzzo, deputy global head of fixed income at Columbia Threadneedle Investments.
"Twenty-year bonds are a much more natural fit in mutual funds and institutional bond mandates."
Right. The whole issue has nothing whatsoever to do with "funding a rising deficit." It's strictly a financial deal for investors.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in the statement that "we will continue to evaluate other potential new products" to finance debt at the lowest cost over time.
As usual, Mnuchin shovels manure. The so-called "debt" is nothing more than deposits in T-security accounts.
The Federal government does not spend those dollars. The dollars are not "borrowed." The dollars remain in the accounts until the security matures, at which time they are returned.
That is how the "debt" is financed.
If you buy a T-security, and at some time before maturity, you ask how much money is in your account, you will find that all of your dollars still are there. The government will not have used them to "fund" the deficit.
At President Donald Trump's request, Mnuchin in August began a second review into ultra-long bonds since taking office. Trump has said repeatedly the U.S. should seek to take advantage of historically low interest rates.
Yes, I lie for Trump.
The usual Trumpian misstatement:
The federal government does not benefit from low interest rates, but
The economy benefits from higher rates, which cause the government to pump more growth dollars into the economy.
Issuing extremely long-term debt would limit the cost to taxpayers of plugging a budget deficit that's headed to $1 trillion annually.
No, taxpayers do not fund the federal debt. It is paid off by returning the dollars in T-security accounts.
Taxpayers' dollars do not help fund any federal expenditures. All federal taxes (unlike state and local taxes) are destroyed upon receipt.
There's a large gap between the 10-year and 30-year bonds so "there will be demand for it," said Tony Farren, managing director at broker-dealer Mischler Financial in Stamford, Connecticut. It will appeal to "people that don't want to go all out to 30 years," he said.
— With assistance by Chris Anstey, Emily Barrett, Vivien Lou Chen, Adam Haigh, Stephen Spratt, Liz McCormick, Benjamin Purvis, and Nick Baker
Right. The 20-year bonds fill the gap between the 10-year and the 30-year bonds. That is the reason these bonds are being introduced, not to fund anything.
My guess: Mr. Bloomberg knows all this.
Yes I lie for me.
Twitter: @rodgermitchell
Search #monetarysovereignty Facebook: Rodger Malcolm Mitchell
The most important problems in economics involve:
Monetary Sovereignty describes money creation and destruction.
Gap Psychology describes the common desire to distance oneself from those "below" in any socio-economic ranking, and to come nearer those "above." The socio-economic distance is referred to as "The Gap."
Implementation of Monetary Sovereignty and The Ten Steps To Prosperity can grow the economy and narrow the Gaps:
1. Eliminate FICA
2. Federally funded Medicare — parts A, B & D, plus long-term care — for everyone
3. Provide a monthly economic bonus to every man, woman and child in America (similar to social security for all)
4. Free education (including post-grad) for everyone
7. Increase the standard income tax deduction, annually.
8. Tax the very rich (the ".1%") more, with higher progressive tax rates on all forms of income.
9. Federal ownership of all banks
10. Increase federal spending on the myriad initiatives that benefit America's 99.9%
The Ten Steps will grow the economy and narrow the income/wealth/power Gap between the rich and the rest.
From "ticking time bomb" to "Deficit of Doomsday" Wednesday, Jan 15 2020
Uncategorized monetary sovereignty, Ten Steps to Prosperity, ticking time bomb	Rodger Malcolm Mitchell 9:46 pm
Regular readers of this post are familiar with the "ticking time bomb," the name the Debt Henny Pennys have given to the federal debt.
You see, the Debt Henny Pennys (DHPs) do not understand the difference between the finances of a Monetarily Sovereign government (i.e. the U.S., Canada, Australia, Japan et al) and the monetarily non-sovereign finances of cities, counties, states, euro nations, you, and me.
Do the fools actually believe we use their tax dollars?
Alan Greenspan: "Central banks can issue currency, a non-interest-bearing claim on the government, effectively without limit. A government cannot become insolvent with respect to obligations in its own currency."
St. Louis Federal Reserve: "As the sole manufacturer of dollars, whose debt is denominated in dollars, the U.S. government can never become insolvent, i.e., unable to pay its bills. In this sense, the government is not dependent on credit markets (borrowing) to remain operational.
The DHPs do not understand that while Monetarily Sovereign entities cannot run short of their own sovereign currency, and do not even need or use any sort of income (including tax income), we monetarily non-sovereign folks can and often do run short of money, simply because we, as individual people, do not have a sovereign currency.
If I asked you how much money you own, you probably could give me a pretty good estimate. But if I asked you how much money the United States government owns, you could Google forever and never find the answer.
The reason: Being Monetarily Sovereign, the U.S. government has infinite dollars. It can create dollars instantly and endlessly.
Denying economic reality, the DHPs, do not want you to know that they called the federal deficit and debt (they mix the two), a "ticking time bomb" way back in 1940, when the federal debt was $40 Billion.
And they have used the same warning every year since.
(It reminds me of the cult leader who annually tells his flock the world is ending, so they give him all their worldly possessions and climb a mountain to sit and wait for the apocalypse. Then, when the world doesn't end, they climb back down, financially poorer and having learned nothing, and a year later, the same thing happens.)
Today, the debt has climbed to over $20 Trillion, a 50,000% increase from 1940, and here we are, with the strongest economy in our history.
Well, here's a new one from the DHPs: Out with the misleading, "Ticking Time Bomb" and in with even more misleading, "Decade of Deficit Doomsday." Different words; even more ignorant.
The 2020s Will Be the Decade of Deficit Doomsday
America will have to pay for its spending spree and its wars.
ERIC BOEHM, a reporter at Reason.com, 1/10/2020
The decade that just ended saw a period of uninterrupted economic growth. In the decade to come, we'll pay for squandering it.
Since the so-called Great Recession officially ended in the third quarter of 2009, the United States has enjoyed 42 consecutive quarters of solid if unspectacular economic growth.
That's the longest run of uninterrupted growth since government economists began tracking the business cycle in the 1850s, far outpacing the average economic expansion of 18 months.
Employment has increased by 12 percent, the jobless rate reached record lows, and America's gross domestic product (GDP) has increased by more than 25 percent.
It has been, by almost any measure, one of the best times in American history. Almost.
Ah, poor Eric Boehm, the author of the above. He describes the last decade's economy in glowing terms, but forgets to mention one important fact: The economy grew because the federal government pumped money into it. How?
With deficit spending.
Increased rate of deficit spending (red line) cured the "Great Recession" (vertical gray bar) and led to increased economic growth (blue line).
Reduced deficit growth leads to recessions which are cured by increased deficit growth:
All seven recessions in the past 60 years have been introduced by reduced deficit growth and cured by increased deficit growth.
Hanging over this decade of good news is the gloom of a missed opportunity.
After piling up trillions of dollars in deficit spending during the last recession, the federal government took some modest steps towards reducing that red ink during the middle years of the 2010s.
But after Republicans took full control in 2017, spending skyrocketed and the deficit inflated again.
Why is Boehm concerned about the federal deficit? Does he believe the government will run short of money? (It can't.)
Is he concerned about inflation? (The Monetarily Sovereign government has absolute control over the value of its own sovereign currency, which is why we don't have high inflation despite high deficits.)
Is Boehm ignorant about economics or is he a liar? (The only two alternatives.)
Since Trump was inaugurated, Washington has added $4.7 trillion to the national debt—almost entirely the result of a gigantic spending binge, but with a small assist from the 2017 tax cuts, which reduced revenues without offsetting spending cuts.
And that $4.7 trillion constituted growth dollars entering the economy.
Now, more than a decade after the last recession ended, the United States is carrying a record amount of debt: more than $23 trillion. The country is on track to add more than $1 trillion to that total in every year of the coming decade, with old age entitlements ramping up as Baby Boomers retire and the country as a whole ages.
It isn't even "debt" in the usual sense. It's the total of deposits into Treasury Security accounts (T-bills, T-notes, T-bonds) which are paid off simply by returning the dollars in those accounts to the account holders. No problem at all.
Banks boast about the amounts of deposits they hold, and they are monetarily non-sovereign. But Boehm fears the deposits our Monetarily Sovereign government holds.
"Debt matters because it's the one issue that impacts all others," says Michael A. Peterson, CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, a nonpartisan policy center dedicated to fiscal issues.
"Debt threatens our economic health and hinders our ability to make important investments in our future. If we want to tackle big issues like climate change, student debt or national security, then we shouldn't saddle ourselves with growing interest costs."
The Peterson Foundation is as "nonpartisan" as Mitch McConnell.
The second paragraph (above) implies that the federal government can run short of its own sovereign currency with which to pay its bills.
It can't.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, the national debt will approach the size of the entire U.S. economy by the end of the current decade—and will keep on growing until it hits 144 percent of U.S. GDP in 2049.
The current situation, warns the Government Accountability Office (GAO), is "unsustainable."
Rather than "unsustainable," they should have called it a "ticking time bomb," like the other DHPs do. Both characterizations would be equally inaccurate.
By the way, Japan (a Monetarily Sovereign government) has a "debt" (holds deposits) that total more than 250% of its economy. They never have had any difficulty servicing their debt, and never will.
Compare all this with early 2001, at the end of the second-longest economic expansion in history. The federal government was running a surplus.
The national debt was falling and amounted to only 31 percent of GDP. That's what you'd expect to see now, since deficits typically fall when the economy is growing and grow when the economy is rotten.
Oops. Boehm "forgot" to mention that the surplus led to the recession of 2001. Why?
Federal surpluses bleed money out of the economy, and give them to the federal government, which destroys them.
Reduced deficit growth which transitioned to a surplus in 1998, cause the recession of 2001, which was cured by increased deficit growth
Indeed, since the end of World War II, the U.S. has seen deficits greater than 4 percent of GDP only in years when the country was either deep in the throes of a serious recession or emerging from one.
Boehm's key words are, "emerging from one." It's the deficit growth that emerges us from recessions, by adding growth dollars to the economy.
Only by running deficits can America ever cure a recession or depression.
The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB), citing federal government data says that in the short term, deficit spending—or tax cuts that aren't offset with spending cuts—can juice the economy and boost growth.
But in the long term, high levels of debt drag down economic growth.
The CBO projects that the average American household will lose between $2,000 and $6,000 in annual wealth by 2040 if the current trajectory continues. It also says America's GDP will shrink by 2 percent over the next two decades if current policies continue and the debt keeps growing.
The "long term" comment is absolute nonsense, as demonstrated by history and by logic.
History shows that the federal debt has increased more than 50,000% since 1940, and the economy today is growing exuberantly.
History also shows that reducing federal debt (i.e taking dollars from the economy) causes depressions and recessions.
1804-1812: U. S. Federal Debt reduced 48%. Depression began 1807.
1920-1930: U. S. Federal Debt reduced 36%. Great Depression began 1929.
1997-2001: U. S. Federal Debt reduced 15%. Recession began 2001.
Logic shows that adding dollars to the economy (which is what federal deficits do) is necessary to grow the economy, and that is exactly what the government does to cure recessions and depressions.
And the CBO projections are probably too rosy. They predate the approval of a new bipartisan budget deal in late 2019 that is expected to add another $1.7 trillion to the national debt over 10 years.
That would be 1.7 million growth dollars added to the economy. Growth dollars help prevent recessions.
Furthermore, the CBO is required to build projections based on current policies. Those assume, among other things, that some of the 2017 tax cuts will expire in the middle of this decade. Politically, that's unlikely to happen.
Tax cuts grow the economy. Tax increases stifle economic growth.
Worse yet, the CBO's projections don't account for the inevitable eventual end to this run of economic growth. If we're running a trillion-dollar deficit in the good years, what happens when the next downturn occurs?
When the next downturn occurs, the government will increase deficit spending to stimulate the economy.
"A recession could quickly push the deficit up towards $2 trillion," says Brian Riedl, a former Republican congressional staffer now based at the Manhattan Institute. A recession would likely trigger politically-motivated calls for even more deficit spending, causing the debt to skyrocket even more than it already has.
Why would there be "calls for more deficit spending"? Because deficit spending is the only way to prevent or cure a recession.
And these calls would not be "politically-motivated." They would be economically necessary.
It might also cause interest rates to spike, compounding America's debt problem. Every percentage point that interest rates rise will add $1.8 trillion in added costs over the decade.
Isn't it fascinating that intelligent people can make truly ignorant predictions that are completely at odds with obvious historical fact?
First, despite massive increases in the federal "debt" (deposits) interest rates have not "spiked." Quite the opposite. They are low. The federal government has absolute control over the interest rates on its own sovereign currency.
Second, the federal government, being Monetarily Sovereign, can pay any amount of interest simply by pressing a few computer keys. It never can run short of dollars with which to pay its bills.
And third, if interest rates did "spike," that would add growth dollars to the economy, thereby benefiting the economy.
"A nervous bond market could demand higher interest rates, further weakening both the economy and the deficit," says Riedl. "So while the economy looks strong and the deficit seems irrelevant, the fiscal situation is quite fragile."
The above paragraph is 100% bullsh*t, for the reasons explained previously. And the deficit is not "irrelevant." The deficit is necessary for economic growth.
America's fiscal situation is not fragile at all. It is a rock-solid as any fiscal situation can be. It has the unlimited ability to pay bills, instantly and in any amount. Does that sound "fragile"?
Assigning blame isn't the most important thing, but there is plenty to go around. The Trump administration and current crop of Republicans in Congress have made the problem worse than it already was.
Some of them—like former deficit hawk Mick Mulvaney and former House Speaker Paul Ryan, who made his name in Congress as the GOP's budget-maker—deserve special ignominy for abandoning their fiscal conservatism when it was most needed.
Trump came into office promising to eliminate the national debt in eight years, and that's even more of a joke now than it was then.
The "Trump administration and current crop of Republicans in Congress" are composed of the most incompetent, ignorant butt-kissers who ever have soiled the floors of the White House and the Congress building.
The fact that Trump promised what he didn't do should come as no surprise to anyone who has been reading something more scrupulous than Brietbart.
(Still waiting to read Trump's oft-promised replacement for Obamacare.)
Meanwhile, Democrats' aversion to spending reductions and their refusal even to consider changes to entitlement programs—the biggest driver of the national debt—are equally large obstacles to any meaningful attempt at fixing this mess.
The party's progressive wing is pushing for Medicare for All and expanding Social Security benefits, while elevating economic theories that say we should ignore the deficit.
The above is typical of the Party of the Rich — desperate to cut benefits to the middle- and lower- classes, but never eliminating those huge tax breaks for the rich.
In contrast to their elected officials, most Americans believe the debt and deficit are important.
A Pew Research Center poll conducted earlier this month found that 53 percent of Americans view the federal budget deficit as a "very big" problem facing the country.
That's a larger share of the public than the portion that views terrorism (39 percent), racism (43 percent), or climate change (48 percent) as a major problem.
Sadly, the economic ignorance of the American public is equaled only by the economic mendacity of America's politicians, media, and university economists, the majority of whom have been influenced (read: "bribed") by the rich to lie about federal spending.
We had time. We may yet have more. But Washington is more likely to squander the 2020s, just like it did the latter half of the 2010s.
If by "squander, Mr. Boehm means "pump growth dollars into the economy," then clearly the government has "squandered" the latter half of the 1900s, and we hope will continue to "squander" all of the 2000s and beyond.
Those who regularly preach doom because of government budget deficits (as I regularly did myself for many years) might note that our country's national debt has increased roughly 400 fold during the last of my 77-year periods. That's 40,000%!
Suppose you had foreseen this increase and panicked at the prospect of runaway deficits and a worthless currency. To "protect" yourself, you might have eschewed stocks and opted instead to buy 3 1/4 ounces of gold with your $114.75.
And what would that supposed protection have delivered? You would now have an asset worth about $4,200, less than 1% of what would have been realized from a simple, unmanaged investment in American business.
Why do you want to starve the poor? The Gap Psychology of the rich. Saturday, Jan 11 2020
Uncategorized food stamps, gap psychology, monetary sovereignty, snap, starve the poor, Ten Steps to Prosperity	Rodger Malcolm Mitchell 7:30 am
Why do you want to starve the poor?
Oh, you don't. Well, your government does. Here are excerpts from an article that appeared in a recent issue of the New York Times:
SNAP cuts can be costly elsewhere
Recipients of food stamps are healthier, studies found
By Austin Frakt and Elsa Pearson The New York Times
The Department of Agriculture recently finished work on a new rule that may take food stamps away from nearly 700,000 Americans by tightening work requirements.
Why do you wish to tighten work requirements on the poor? Is it that you harbor Puritanical instincts demanding that people labor to receive benefits from the federal government?
Too many benefits to the lazy poor.
Many of the rich don't work, or they labor only minimally. Yet, they receive massive tax benefits from the U.S. government. Why the "special" rules for the poor?
Why don't you demand that the rich labor in real jobs to receive those tax benefits? Why do you demand that the poor be required to work in order to receive their minimal benefits?
Give me one good excuse.
Fake Excuse 1. No, your tax dollars do not pay for food stamps, so you can't use that excuse. The federal government creates brand new dollars to pay for food stamps. Federal tax dollars do not pay for anything.
Fake Excuse 2. And no, even if the government gave loafers food stamps, that would not lead to nationwide indolence. Food stamps comprise such a meager amount of money, you know full well that you wouldn't quit your job in order to receive them.
Not enough benefits to the hard-working rich.
Continuing with the excerpts:
Several times in the past year, the government has proposed cutting food stamp eligibility. The new rule is intended to save almost $8 billion over five years.
The problem with that reasoning is:
Fake Excuse 3. While food stamps are an important part of many poor people's survival income, $1.6 billion represents pocket change to the federal government, barely noticeable to a government that spends trillions.
Fake Excuse 4. The federal government, being Monetarily Sovereign, does not need to save money. It freely creates all the dollars it needs simply by pressing computer keys.
The article continues:
It's not clear how much money would actually be saved, research suggests, given the costs that might come from a decline in the health and well-being of many of the country's 14.3 million "food-insecure" households.
The Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. It affects low-income, single-parent, and black and Latino households the most, but it cuts across many demographic lines and affects 11% of American households overall.
Citing a strong job market, the Trump administration has said helping able-bodied adults was no longer necessary.
Sonny Perdue, the agriculture secretary, said: "We need to encourage people by giving them a helping hand but not allowing it to become an indefinitely giving hand."
Sonny, doesn't believe in giving people money, because . . . well, just because:
Sonny Perdue, 72, Secretary of Agriculture, Net worth: $5 million
The former Georgia governor built a fortune in agribusiness and real estate. Shortly after joining Trump's cabinet, he transferred control of investments worth at least $8 million—including a stake in a multimillion-dollar grain-merchandising business—to his four adult children.
Correction: Sonny doesn't believe in giving money to poor people who desperately need it. Giving billions to his rich kids is just fine, however.
Continuing the excerpts:
Food insecurity is linked to worse health outcomes, including poor mental health, high blood pressure and diabetes, with children particularly vulnerable.
Low-income people may be eligible for federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, better known as food stamps. The details vary by state.
"SNAP recipients often work, but their employment can be unsteady," said Dr. Seth Berkowitz, an internist and assistant professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.
Seasonal variation in some labor markets — like agriculture or even retail consumer jobs when sales may spike around the winter holidays — can put people temporarily out of work, making it hard for them to keep food on the table. "The way these work requirements are imposed could pull support out from under people even when they are working."
The real motive of the GOP ("Party of the Rich") is not to force people to labor for their money, but rather to widen the Gap between the rich and the rest. (See: Gap Psychology)
Because there is no limit to the lust of the rich to be richer and ever richer, there also is no limit to the punishment they dole out to the poor. Whatever rule the Department of Agriculture publishes, it will not ever be enough to satisfy the rich.
Depend on this: Immediately after the rule is published, the Party of the Rich will begin to demand an even harsher rule.
One study found that receiving SNAP benefits was associated with a reduction in annual health care spending of about $1,400 per person among low-income adults.
Another study found that each additional $10 of monthly SNAP benefits was linked with a lower risk of hospitalization for Maryland residents enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid.
In Massachusetts, an increase in SNAP benefits slowed the increase in Medicaid hospitalization costs.
The authors of the article, Austin Frakt and Elsa Pearson, in typical New York Times fashion, try to make their point based on cost, not on compassion or concern for Americans' health.
This probably is wise, because compassion totally is missing from the GOP, from Trump and from the "religious" right (who are perhaps the least religious people on earth). That lack of religion is proved every day at the U.S. southern border.
And as for cost, it is a phony concern. The federal government, being Monetarily Sovereign, can afford anything.
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children WIC is similar to SNAP, but as its name suggests, it provides nutritional support only for low-income mothers and their young children.
What about low-income fathers? What about low-income teens? What about low-income adults who don't have children?
The only social concern exhibited by the "religious right" involves the survival of fetuses. There is no concern for the pregnant woman or for the fetuses after they are born. In their world, abortion is bad, but feeding children and adults is worse.
How do they know? Jesus told them.
For additional help, people often turn to local food pantries, such as those that partner with the Greater Boston Food Bank.
Local food pantries are funded by the private sector and local governments, none of which is Monetarily Sovereign. They can run short of money. The federal government cannot.
Illogic is taking money from those whose money is limited instead of taking it from a government with unlimited funds.
Research suggests food pantries are also effective at providing immediate relief. They have far fewer eligibility requirements than SNAP or WIC — sometimes none — but limit when and how often clients can receive food.
Some pantries are even on college campuses, helping the almost 40% of college students who report struggling to afford food.
Food pantries also serve as a community entry point for a variety of initiatives, including cooking and nutrition classes.
The federal government has the financial power to do all of the above, yet the burden falls on the private sector and local governments.
A review of 12 pilot pantry-based programs found these could improve participants' nutritional knowledge and diet.
One of the interventions studied a novel approach to food pantry design that allows clients to choose their own food and take part in monthly nutritional goal setting.
Three months in, participants were less likely than those using a traditional food pantry to experience severe food insecurity.
A year later, they were eating more fruits and vegetables.
What a concept. Actually allowing poor people to choose their own food! Who would have believed it would allow the poor to eat more healthfully? Not the federal government, which is dominated by the Gap Psychology of the rich, who run America, and the "religious" right, which runs the GOP.
While interventions can help, they are not long-term solutions nor do they address underlying problems, like food deserts (communities where healthy food is hard to find) and food swamps (those where unhealthy food abounds). We eat what's available and affordable, even if that's bad food.
The Trump administration's solution to food insecurity is to cut funding for food stamps. Presumably, the rationale is: By starving the poor to death, there will be fewer poor to feed. Problem solved.
Feeding America estimates at least 30% of those with food insecurity nationwide aren't eligible for SNAP. In some states, it's nearly 50%.
Tightening eligibility for the program, as new work requirements would do, would only increase that number.
And that, dear friends, is how we make America great, again.
"Who is the dummy?" Sunday, Jan 5 2020
Uncategorized Rodger Malcolm Mitchell 2:14 pm
A few notes on: "Who is the dummy?"
A note on religion:
'He was sent to us': at church rally, evangelicals worship God and Trump (at least Trump was mentioned second by His worshippers who will continue to venerate him for all his many sins, just so long as he supports white supremacy and opposes a woman's right to abortion).
Evangelicals praying to Trump.
A note on party before country, "That was then, this is now" version:
Then: Lindsey Graham, who is one of the president's closest allies, warned that should the Turkish carry out an invasion of Syria, Congress would impose bipartisan sanctions that he expects to be "veto-proof," and he said he has already spoken to Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen about the sanctions.
Then: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell issued a statement that said that a "precipitous withdrawal" posed the danger of allowing ISIS to "regroup," and he argued that a new conflict between Turkey and "our partners in Syria" would risk Turkey's ties to the U.S. and cause it to be more isolated.
Then: Florida Senator Marco Rubio tweeted, "If reports about US retreat in #Syria are accurate, the Trump administration has made a grave mistake that will have implications far beyond Syria." He noted that it would "confirm #Iran's view of this administration," potentially causing an escalation in their attacks and possibly a broader regional war.
Then: Maine Senator Susan Collins called it a "terribly unwise decision by the president."
Then: Utah Senator Mitt Romney tweeted that the pullback is a "betrayal" that "says America is an unreliable ally." The move, he said, "facilitates ISIS resurgence" and "presages another humanitarian disaster."
Then: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said on "Fox and Friends" that "if you make a commitment, and somebody is fighting with you, America should keep their word."
Then: Fox and Friends Host Brian Kilmeade urged McCarthy, "Call the president before it's too late."
Then: Trump tweeted: "If Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off-limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I've done before!)."
Now: A member of U.S. Special Forces serving alongside the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syria told Fox News on Wednesday they were witnessing Turkish atrocities on the frontlines.
"I am ashamed for the first time in my career," said the distraught soldier, who has been involved in the training of indigenous forces on multiple continents. The hardened service member is among the 1,000 or so U.S. troops who remain in Syria.
"Turkey is not doing what it agreed to. It's horrible," the military source on the ground said. "We met every single security agreement. The Kurds met every single agreement [with the Turks]. There was no threat to the Turks — none — from this side of the border."
Now: Not "totally destroying and obliterating the Economy of Turkey (you've done before!)."
Now: "Kremlin-controlled state TV hosts throw buckets of mud on #Ukraine, insist it should investigate Biden and conclude that 'Republican majority in the Senate won't allow President Donald Trump—whom we elected— to be impeached. It's impossible,'"
Now: Surveys have shown that Trump retains very high levels of support with Republicans: Lindsey Graham, Mitch McConnell, Marco Rubio, Susan Collins, Mitt Romney, Kevin McCarthy, and Brian Kilmeade.
A note on Trump's promises: Then: Trump pledged to release an unredacted transcript of his phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Now: Ha!
So, now, about the title question: "Who is the dummy?"
Answer: We all are. He is the President, raking in illegal money and false honors. It is we who put him there. And half of America still believes what he says.
H.L.Mencken: "No one in this world, so far as I know — and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me — has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby."