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Why the VMA's Are Propaganda and Not Entertainment
August 27, 2017 ~ Ethan Berman
If you weren't watching the Game of Thrones season finale on HBO tonight, then the odds are you caught at least some glimpse of MTV's Video Music Awards, or the VMA's. Continuing the yearly tradition, the VMA's were once again a trainwreck of cringey moments as manufactured "pop" icons stopped doing drugs and abusing their partners for long enough to push political propaganda and further use their platforms to express disdain for the President. What makes this frustrating isn't that the music award show is being used as a platform to push political messaging, as some of the best art made in this nation has been a result of a strong counterculture and anti-establishment community. The real issue is that the modern popular culture presents itself as being anti-establishment and progressive, yet is merely a mouthpiece for big government, corporations, and the Democratic Party.
There are possibly two moments from the night that tie in my head as the best examples of the VMA's being nothing more than liberal owned propaganda. The first of which was when resident Clinton-shill Katy Perry was reading off several Tweets live on air, and one of which involved an artist promising to release an amazing album once Hillary Clinton won the presidency last year. Perry delivered this would-be joke terribly, and then paused for too long, before attempting to again diss President Trump, but failed to look anything more than foolish. The second awkward moment was in the invitation of several Transgender military members and veterans to the award show, which not only seemed like a pointless statement to me, but also came off as mean-spirited and pandering. Just as Hollywood tries to pride itself on its diversity, no matter how condescending it comes off, the music industry tried to claim the trans community, hoping that this act of virtue signaling would keep them in the clear in the upcoming years.
The problem I have with seeing the music industry in this state is that no platform is held sacred any longer. Look at the current climate of popular music, and you'll find difficulty placing your finger on what exactly the sound really is. After examining it for a little while though, you'll discover that, just like our nation, popular music has diversified into a cultural quilt of sorts. Only in 2017 can a pop station play hip-hop, rap, country, EDM, as well as more typical "pop" artists such as Taylor Swift and Beyonce. What people have to realize is that music typically associated with being underground or counterculture, has simply been appropriated by the mainstream industry, but still pushed as though its more independent in roots. What this creates is a dissonance, not only between creators and consumers, but between the younger generations who turn to music as a cultural training tool and source of identity.
When today's children look at the music scene, the options they have all seem to parrot the same messaging. Those who enjoy rap and hip-hop will be constantly drowned in the messaging of Black Lives Matter, that cops are evil, and that the President is racist. Just look at screenshots from Kendrick Lamar and Chance the Rapper concerts, and you'll see giant signs on stage that say "F**k Trump" and "BLM". If you follow the more feminine coded music scene and listen to artists like Katy Perry, you'll have seen them devote their entire media platform to supporting Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Party, and spending every waking moment these past few months telling people to "resist" against hate and "let love win". Even look at MTV today, and after you filter out the horrendous reality television and soap operas, you'll find a little gem of a show called MTV's Decoded, a show where a lady named Franchesca Ramsey rants about the patriarchy, why she thinks White people are evil, and why conservatives are all secretly nazis. The show has horrible reviews and ratings, yet MTV still produces it, which makes one wonder what the "Music Television" channel is really up to.
If you think it's silly to be upset by an award show, you've obviously not been paying attention to the state of the nation these past years. Every single realm of our culture has been invaded by Marxist teachings and left wing propaganda, whether it's music, film, television, or theatre. We live in a world where Broadway actors use their platform to chastise the Vice President, where television stars fantasize about killing the actual President, where every news network constantly spins propaganda and every film is concerned with race baiting and gender inclusion. Conservatives did a horrible job about establishing themselves in the entertainment industry, and the fact that they let the media get to this level of an echo chamber means that they're to blame as well. We've already seen how lone media figures willing to speak out against the horde of leftists either get their shows cancelled, their social media suspended, or their deals vanish. This means that the fight for America's culture can't be a solitary effort. We saw the Republicans win every position of power last election, and odds are they'll win even more seats come 2018. That being said, they're essentially lame ducks without the American people on their side, and the only way that can happen is if the media stops being a cesspool for groupthink and if today's young folk aren't just mouthpieces for the mainstream. If our culture continues to fall at this rate, we might not have an identity worth preserving should the time come.
Posted in current events, Opinion, Politics, Trump	AwardsBermansplainingClintoncurrent eventsKaty PerryMTVOpinionPoliticsTrumpTVVMA
Published by Ethan Berman
View all posts by Ethan Berman
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Sweepstakes Ninja! - Enter the 'WomansWorld.com [CAPTCHA] - Win a Stay in East Hampton, New York along with a Bedside Reading Bundle! ($1337.68) ' Sweepstakes!
Sweepstakes Prizes: Need a getaway? One (1) lucky winner and a guest will get an overnight trip to Baker House in East Hampton, New York! Plus you will also win a bundle of great books and a Madison & Mulholland Cell Phone Bag from Bedside Reading. Your bundle of books will include: An Improbable Pairing by Gary Dickson Come Home by Patricia Gussin Depth of Winter by Craig Johnson Drops of Cerulean by Dawn Adams Cole Elegant Simplicity by Satish Kumar Every Note Played by Lisa Genova Freckled by T.W. Neal Growing Influence by Ron Price and Stacy Ennis Looking for Garbo by Jon James Miller Love Big by Kat Kronenberg The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan Once A Liar by A.F. Brady Reborn by Meredith Wild The Silhouette Girl by V.C. Andrews Take Off Your Shoes by Ben Feder Ten Two Jack by Diane Capri Trust Rules by Bob Lee Enter now!


When a wounded Christian Grey tries to entice a cautious Anastasia Steele back into his life, she demands a new arrangement before she will give him another chance. As the two begin to build trust and find stability, shadowy figures from Christian's past start to circle them, determined to destroy their hopes for a future together.
Stranger Things Season 2 is one of Fantasy TV Shows released in 2017 and directed by Matt Duffer. On MTD you can download this season with N/A quality. Also this series scored 8.9 points on IMDb website.


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5 Simple Shifts to Make You a More Effective Leader
The truth is that every leader needs to change their mindset. Some changes are just more drastic than others.
How to Empower Not Delegate as a Leader
A common piece of advice from executives trying to help less experienced managers is, "you have to delegate more." While the suggestion of taking things off of your plate and putting them on someone else's makes sense on the surface, the intention behind the ask makes the difference.
If you take nothing else from this column, I want you to take this:
When leaders delegate, it's about them. When leaders empower, it's about others.
How to Lose the Respect of Your Team in One Simple Step
While the position a leader is in often comes with built-in respect, it can't and won't sustain respect for an extended period. Respect is earned, and it's earned through a lot of hard work and correct decision making. As Paulo Coelho said, "Respect is for those who deserve it, not for those who demand it."
The Uncomplicated Habit That Makes You a Leader
There's a substantial difference between the title of "manager" and the actions of a leader; one is vastly more important than the other in today's business environment.


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HomeNewsData protectionThe EDPB adopts a report on the outcome of the Cookie Banner Task Force
19th January 2023 Data protection, News
Yesterday, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) adopted a report on the work undertaken by the Cookies Banner Task Force. The Task Force was established in September 2021 to coordinate the response to complaints filed by NOYB concerning cookie banners while promoting cooperation, information sharing and best practices between the Data Protection Authorities (DPAs).
The report reflects the DPAs' common denominator in their interpretation of the provisions of both the GDPR and the e-Privacy Directive (EPD) regarding the placement/reading of cookies and their subsequent processing of data collected.
FEDMA welcomes this type of initiatives to support a consistent application and interpretation of the EU privacy and protection framework, especially on a topic which is often brought up as an example of the ongoing fragmented regulatory landscape.
Specifically, the EDPB confirmed that the national law transposing the EPD covers the issues dealing with the placement/reading of cookies, while the GDPR applies to the subsequent activities undertaken by the data controller.
Among its main conclusions, the task force members:
pointed out that most data protection authorities consider as infringement the absence of refuse/reject/not consent options on any layer with a consent button of the cookie consent banner
confirmed that opt-in pre-ticked boxes do not lead to valid consent
classified as invalid or misleading
The absence of sufficient visual support on the only alternative action other than granting consent
the practice to use deceptive button contrasts, making any alternative option than granting consent unreadable to virtually any user.
recalled the relevance of the WP29's opinion in assessing whether cookies can be classified as "essential" or "strictly necessary".
stressed the need for a case-by-case analysis to assess whether a consent withdrawal solution meets the GDPR and EPD's legal requirements.
confirmed that the legal basis for the placement/reading of cookies pursuant to Article 5 (3) of the e-Privacy Directive cannot be the controller's legitimate interest.
You can read the full report here.


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DJ Perplex shot dead in Mexico nightclub
A crowdfunding campaign has been started to have his body flown home...
perplex dj.png
Tuesday, July 2, 2019 - 15:38
Psytrance DJ Perplex has been murdered during a nightclub performance in the Mexican city of San Luis Potosí.
Early on Saturday morning (29th June) gunmen entered the nightclub, fatally shooting Perplex, real name Ronen Dahan, and one other person. At least three other people were wounded in the shooting.
The attorney general of San Luis Potosí shared in a statement that the gunmen had entered the city from the south, in cartel-related violence.
Dahan had released 13 albums during his career, working with artists such as Cutfather, Medina and September. The DJ was also one half of psytrance duo Pura Vida alongside Minimize, AKA Daniel Zitrin.
Fellow psytrance DJs Faders have started a crowdfunding campaign to have Dahan's body flown back to his native country of Israel.
Perplex psytrance
DJ Perplex shot dead in Mexico, suspect arrested
Learn How to Make A Punchy Psytrance Drop with Point Blank & Faustix (Mad Decent / Monstercat)
Armin drops brand new psy-trance track, 'Blah Blah Blah': Listen


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Will Bears Vs. Babies Be Bigger Than Exploding Kittens?
Posted by Rob Wieland on October 19, 2016
Matthew Inman may not be a household name, but that doesn't mean he doesn't already have millions of fans. He's the creator of the webcomic The Oatmeal which has spawned dozens of viral posts on topics ranging from the secret origin of a beloved science fiction creator to why getting paid to do creative things is important. Last year, he teamed up with game designer Elan Lee to create Exploding Kittens, a card game that raised $8,782,571 on Kickstarter thanks to its mix of irreverent humor and ease of play. The same team have gone back to the platform to raise money for Bears Vs. Babies, another casual card game mixing terrible ideas and hilarious game play.
There are three types of cards in the game: bears, babies and actions. Bear cards are the parts players use to to build their monster, including pieces like chainsaw arms and tank legs. Baby cards are immediately played in the center of the table and threaten everybody's monsters as an adorable baby army. Action card modify monsters by doing things like cutting off limbs and also provoke the babies into attacking the monsters on the table. If the babies have more cards on the table than a monster has parts, they destroy the monster. If the monster has more parts than the baby army has members, the monster puts the babies in its scoring area called the tummy. Whoever has the most babies in their tummy at the end of play wins.
While it may not seem like it on the surface, the game is surprisingly kid-friendly. The simple mechanics require basic counting skills. Inman's art has a charming style and quirky imagination to it. The monsters that players build are mashups right out of a picture scrawled on a bedroom wall in crayon. More and more geeks with kids want to bring their children into the hobby and are on the look out for games that get kids hooked at an early age. Not only that, once the kids are in bed, adults can break out the NSFW expansion that's available as an add-on.
This game, like its predecessor, is geared to play in about half an hour. Games like this are often given the name "filler" but short, simple games are an important part of the board game ecosystem. These games can act as an appetizer when friends gather for a larger game. They can be taken out to bars and other social gatherings for a quick game in public. They are also great gateways to get friends that aren't into board games hooked into something new.
Will Bears Vs. Babies surpass Exploding Kittens' $8.7 million take on Kickstarter? The new game raised over $882,000 in less than 24 hours. With nearly a month to go, beating the original game seems like a possibility as word gets out and stretch goals get added. Even if it doesn't beat the phenomenal success of Exploding Kittens, Bears Vs. Babies looks to be another big feather in the caps of Matthew Inman, Elan Lee, and bear squids everywhere.
What is your favorite game that plays in less than 30 minutes? Let us know in the comments!
Featured image Credits Bear Food LLC
babies, Bears, bears vs babies, Explodign Kittens, Exploding Kittens, kickstarter, The Oatmeal
Endangered Orphans: A Game For People Who Like Exploding Kittens & CAH
5 Board Games To Take With You To College
Kittens, Cards, and the 8 Million Dollar Explosion


A controller is described for a 3-phase PMSM that uses an open winding and a dual inverter drive with a floating bridge. The drive has a voltage boosting function that: extends the high-speed range of the PMSM; operates the main inverter bridge at unity power factor above the base speed; compensates for battery voltage fluctuations. The main features of the controller presented are: (a) coordinated control of the two inverters to supply the motor with the demand voltage and frequency; (b) the floating bridge dc capacitor voltage can be regulated and its output voltage used to boost the machine terminal voltage when required; (c) the motor speed is controlled via torque control is independent of the floating bridge dc voltage control. Simulation results are used to clarify the motor-drive characteristics in the speed range extension region. Experimental results show that a significant speed range extension is achievable even when using a PMSM with a very low inductance.


In4mants exposed. Todd and Ryan are always ohana in our book.
Mike Giant, Joshy, and crew gather around for the annual Rebel8 family portrait.
And the rest of their Chi-town folk.
Have you seen the Kleenex commercials featuring Jacob from Shalom??
Our man Bun B comes-a-hollerin'!
You'd be sobbing too if Vic from Leaders1354 was manhandling you.
If you're in the Washington D.C. area, MAJOR is the one store catering to all your needs.
Lanie (Hellz Bellz) hates taking photos by herself.
One of the most-talked about brands in our arena. Don't call it a comeback, by any means. Slick, Ill Bill, and Dannyboy from Dissizit!
All the arms we need. UARM.


Our executive chefs will collaborate with you to customize your menu to suit your vision and tastes. From our wide selection of cocktail hors d'oeuvres, to chef attended stations or even formal seated multi-course dinners, and a wide selection of beverage options, you can create an unforgettable experience for your guests.
We are located atop the Hilton Garden Inn hotel in the heart of the Centennial Park District. Preferred room rates for groups of all sizes are available. The local area features a wide variety of restaurants and attractions such as The World of Coca-Cola®, Georgia Aquarium, CNN, College Football Hall of Fame and the Center for Civil and Human Rights.
We look forward to helping you create that special experience at Ventanas.
Site tours are by appointment only so please call 404-766-3867 or email [email protected] to arrange a tour.


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News Release | TexPIRG Education Fund | Transportation
"North Houston Highway Improvement Project" makes national list of highway boondoggles
Despite boasting one of the most extensive highway systems of any city in the country, Houston is planning to spend $7 billion on the "North Houston Highway Improvement Project." According to a new report from TexPIRG Education Fund and Frontier Group, the project would expand I-45 through the middle of Houston, displacing homes and dividing communities.
"The fundamental law of road congestion is that if you build it, they will come," said Bay Scoggin, TexPIRG Education Fund director. "More highways means more cars, so policymakers are living in a 'Field of Dreams' if they think this project will reduce congestion."
"To improve Houston's transportation system, we have to reduce our reliance on cars and highways," Scoggin continued. "This project does the opposite, doubling down on a car-centric system that will lead to more traffic, pollution and sprawl."
Read more about "North Houston Highway Improvement Project" makes national list of highway boondoggles
News Release | TexPIRG | Transportation
TexPIRG endorses "Clean School Bus Act" to protect the health of Texas' children
AUSTIN -- Sens. Kamala Harris, Jeff Merkley, Cory Booker, Bernie Sanders, Tina Smith, Diane Feinstein and Catherine Cortez Masto introduced a bill Thursday aimed at helping local school districts transition to all-electric transportation. The bill sets up a federal grant program, authorizing $1 billion over five years for grants of up to $2 million per school district, to replace diesel school buses with electric school buses, invest in charging infrastructure, and support workforce development.
Over 25 million American children, and roughly 3 million Texas children, as well as thousands of school bus drivers, breathe polluted air on traditional diesel yellow school buses every day. Diesel pollution stunts the growth of kids' lungs and worsens asthma symptoms, and has also been linked to poorer academic performance.
Bay Scoggin, the Director of the Texas Public Interest Research Group (TexPIRG), issued the following statement:
"Our kids shouldn't have to breathe dirty, dangerous air just to get to school. As the negative health impacts of long-term exposure to diesel exhaust become clearer, the need to move to zero-emission school buses becomes more urgent. We applaud and endorse this proposal, because it will help protect the health of America's children.
"Texas can look at this as a model and expand the Texas Clean School Bus Program, which currently has only $6.1 million, despite requests for funding exceeding $11.5 million. TexPIRG applauds the Legislature's decision to draw down the balance of the Texas Emissions Reduction Program (TERP), and we hope to see a sizable portion of those moneys directed to such a successful public health and clean air endeavor."
"The possibility of these two programs working in conjunction is the commitment we need to clean up our air and address climate change. We have to electrify our transportation system as quickly as possible. And given that air pollution has disproportionate health effects on children, there is no better place to kickstart that transition than with school buses. The Clean School Bus Act will help school districts get the resources they need to ensure that every child has healthy air to breathe and a safe ride to school."
U.S. PIRG, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups, is a consumer group that stands up to powerful interests whenever they threaten our health and safety, our financial security, or our right to fully participate in our democratic society.
TexPIRG is an independent, non-partisan group that works for consumers and the public interest. Through research, public education and outreach, we serve as counterweights to the influence of powerful special interests that threaten our health, safety or well-being.
Read more about TexPIRG endorses "Clean School Bus Act" to protect the health of Texas' children
News Release | The Public Interest Network | Public Health
Hurricane season coverage: Data, resources and interview opportunities
The 2019 hurricane season officially gets underway tomorrow (June 1) with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicting between 4 and 8 hurricanes this year. On the heels of the devastating Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael in 2018, The Public Interest Network (which includes U.S. PIRG, Environment America, and state groups in often-impacted states such as Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia) is sharing information to help contextualize the major environmental, health and consumer concerns posed by the hurricanes that will inevitably come this season.
Read more about Hurricane season coverage: Data, resources and interview opportunities
News Release | TexPIRG | Consumer Protection
TexPIRG: Consumers Do Well in Texas Legislature
The legislative session adjourned on Monday, with consumers and the public interest claiming some big victories including the end of surprise medical bills, said the consumer group TexPIRG on Tuesday.
Surprise medical bills will no longer affect consumers in Texas with a non-federal insurance plan after bipartisan work on Senator Hancock's SB1264. The bill expands on a Texas Department of Insurance program that sends eligible surprise medical bills to an arbitration process between the insurance company and the healthcare provider. Before, consumers had to be aware of their eligibility and submit a request, but with the update, consumers will no longer even receive the surprise medical bill in the first place, significantly increasing utilization.
The rest of the good news:
A bill by Representative Oliverson will prevent hidden fees at freestanding emergency rooms, ending a prominent consumer abuse.
Telemarketers won't be able to "spoof" their calls anymore, thanks to Representative Leman's HB1992. Spoofing is the practice where robocallers make their calls appear as if they originate from the same area code as the individual they are calling.
The Lower Colorado River Authority will be more transparent after TexPIRG and others called for changes as part of legislation to reauthorize the agency.
SB9, a bill that would reduce voter participation by making it harder to register and vote, was not passed. The bill was authored by Republic Senator Hughes.
HB3040, authored by Representative Hunter, will study how we select our judges, including whether or not elections or appointments will lead to more qualified, representative judicial nominees.
None of the many bills designed to block construction of a high-speed bullet train from Houston to Dallas passed, continuing the possibility of reduced congestion on I45 and lower transportation-related air emissions.
Bills to increase transparency in government spending, such as Representative Canales' HB81, which requires disclosure of public spending on entertainment events, sometimes referred to as the Enrique Iglesias bill, after public spending on a concert by that artist received significant public criticism for the expenditure amount being hidden from the taxpayer.
"We were pleased with how the legislative session turned out, especially with the amount of transparency and healthcare-related bills that passed," said Bay Scoggin, TexPIRG's Director. "Consumers benefit from more transparency, in government, businesses, and markets, and we saw a concerted effort to pursue that goal."
"Ending surprise medical bills for a large portion of Texas consumers and enacting one of the strongest arbitration programs in the country will serve healthcare consumers well in the coming years," continued Scoggin.
Read more about TexPIRG: Consumers Do Well in Texas Legislature
Texas receives "D" grade for Volkswagen settlement spending plan
When it comes to clean transportation, Texas got a "D" for underutilizing funds from Volkswagen's nearly $3 billion settlement with federal authorities, according to a new report card from U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Environment America Research & Policy Center.
After Volkswagen was caught three years ago violating emissions standards in 590,000 cars marketed as "clean diesel," the German automaker agreed to create an "Environmental Mitigation Trust" to be distributed across all 50 states (along with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Texas got its grade because the funds were made available for dirty fuels like compressed fracked gas, with no extra decision criteria for zero emissions vehicles.
"The Volkswagen settlement gave Texas the opportunity to make huge strides in the essential transition to a cleaner and healthier electric transportation system," Bay Scoggin, TexPIRG Director said. "It's deeply disappointing that there's a lot of good is coming out of how some states are spending this money -- but we are not going nearly far enough."
Texas placed near the bottom of states overall. The report gave only 15 states a C or better for money-spending policies that increase access to electric vehicle charging and bolster electric school and transit bus fleets. Fourteen states, along with Puerto Rico, received a failing score.
Read more about Texas receives "D" grade for Volkswagen settlement spending plan


Online security is an area of increasing concern to business owners, and can have a major impact on your brand. If your site is compromised, hackers can deface it. They can secretly install a piece of malware code that uses your site to send out spam. They can get customer information.
We're pleased to announce a new, improved form of protection for your website.
One of the more challenging security problems has been that of Brute Force attacks. Unlike hacks that focus on vulnerabilities in software, brute force attacks exploit the simplest method of gaining access to a site: by trying usernames and passwords, over and over again, until it gets in. If one had unlimited time and wanted to try an unlimited number of password combinations to get into your site they eventually would, right?
By default, WordPress sites are susceptible to this form of attack, because the system allows users unlimited attempts to log in. Brute force attacks dramatically slow down your website while they are happening, because they act as if thousands of different people are attempting to login at essentially the same time.
Enabling login limits will ban the host user from attempting to login again after the specified bad login threshold has been reached. Even with login limits, brute force attacks can slow down site access and spike your analytics with false readings.
Even with login limits, brute force attacks can slow down site access and spike your analytics with false readings.
The Adwiz installs security software for all clients on sites we build for them that puts login limits in place. When there are too many attempts, the system shuts out the IP address used. However, it would be a problem to lock out the user for an excessively long time because it is physically possible that the attempt was a legitimate one. Sometimes our clients forget their passwords and try a few times. They get locked out, but it's not the end of the world because they can try again just 15 minutes later. If we were to shut them out for a long time, say 24 hours, it would create some very frustrating experiences.
While these short-term lockouts help, they don't really solve the problem. The same hackers try the same tactic at thousands of websites every single day. Using automated systems, when they get locked out, the system just comes back later to try again.
That's why we're pleased to announce a new security measure available to all of our ReBoot subscribers.
The new Brute Force Protection Network actually uses the power of the Internet to block hacker IP addresses by comparing them against those used at other websites. This is essentially the same approach used very effectively by Akismet, the leading anti-spam plugin, and the only one that actually manages to stop spam. All the sites on the network share the IP addresses of suspected attacks. When the network sees the same IP address used on thousands of other websites for failed login attempts, it knows this is a brute force attack. The system then locks that common IP address out of all the sites registered with the network. Simple and effective.
Although it will take time to catalog all the offending IP addresses (most hackers use many IP addresses and change them constantly), over the next few months we believe the network will get increasingly good at detecting brute force attacks and thus protecting your site by locking out those IP addresses so they can't even try to login.
The new Brute Force Protection Network actually uses the power of the Internet to block hacker IP addresses by comparing them against those used at other websites.
We're applying the Brute Force Protection Network, effective immediately, for all our ReBoot clients. ReBoot is a subscription service created by the Adwiz that bundles together a large variety of paid services to provide greater security and valuable reporting services to website clients, so that your brand is not only protected but so that you know what's happening with your website. You can learn more about ReBoot here.


Ponce de Leon Golf Course hosted the qualifying rounds for the PGA Nationwide Tour for three consecutive years. It was ranked the #3 golf course in the state of Arkansas in 2005 by Golf Digest and the Arkansas Business Journal. Its tree-lined fairways and consistently true greens have made it a favorite for low handicap golfers, but is is a great course for everyone.
Ponce de Leon features a grill, pro shop, putting green, short game area and driving range.
The Fairway Tavern is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with a full service bar and available patio dining. You can reach the Fairway Tavern at (501) 922-1623.


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How you can apply to vaccinate the nation with covid jab
St John Ambulance are looking for volunteers to administer the vaccine
Sophie McCoid
As the coronavirus vaccine grows nearer to being approved St John Ambulance are looking for volunteers to help administer the jab.
St John Ambulance is working with the NHS to support the roll out of a COVID-19 vaccine across the country when it becomes available.
Between now and spring 2021, the service plans to train more than 30,000 volunteers.
There are a variety of roles on offer, with full training provided by the two organisations.
There are three roles specific to the vaccination programme, these are: Vaccination Care Volunteer, Volunteer Patient Advocate and Volunteer Vaccinator.
Sign up for a new-look Echo newsletter
It's never been more important to stay in touch with the news, so subscribe now to the Liverpool Echo newsletter. Twice a day, seven days a week, we'll deliver the biggest stories straight to your inbox.
We'll also send special breaking news emails too for the latest stories that matter. You won't miss a thing.
It's free, easy and takes no time at all.
First just click on this link to our newsletter sign-up centre.
Once you're there, put your email address where it says at the top, then click on the Echo Daily News button. There are other newsletters available too if you want them as well.
When you've made your choice, press the Save Changes button.
Some people, specifically the Volunteer Vaccinators, will be able to give vaccinations, but others are there to support people as they go through the process of receiving a vaccination.
Vaccination Care Volunteers will be supporting patients all the way through from arrival to discharge. They will help patients get to the right place to receive their vaccination and be on hand to provide first aid if anyone has a medical emergency.
Volunteer Patient Advocates will focus on the welfare of patients throughout their experience. You will look after individuals and small groups in the vaccination centres. If anyone has a medical emergency then a Volunteer Patient Advocate will be able to recognise it and get help quickly.
Enter your postcode below to claim a free scratchcard
You can apply on the website here, once you've applied you'll be invited to an interview and then go through training and an assessment before taking up the role.
All roles are available in a variety of locations nationwide with a minimum time commitment of 2 shifts of up to 8 hours each (16 hours in total a month).


Learn how to accept 3D Secure authenticated card payments.
For 3D Secure 2 implementation, see 3D Secure 2 API integration.
3D Secure is an additional layer of credit card authentication. When used for a personal card payment, the issuing bank becomes liable for fraudulent chargebacks.
The payment flow for a 3D Secure is different to a regular card payment. To complete a card payment with 3D Secure authentication, the shopper must verify the payment with their bank. This usually involves entering a unique password or SMS code on their bank's website.
Not all cards issued by these schemes support 3D Secure.
To use 3D Secure with our Checkout SDKs you need to enable Dynamic 3D Secure, and set up rules to determine which card payments will use 3D Secure.
Dynamic 3D Secure also requires additional configuration by Adyen. To enable this feature, contact our Support Team team.
In this section we show you the API integration steps for cards with 3D Secure.
When state.isValid is true, collect the encrypted values passed in the state.data. You'll use these to make the payment.
Before you collect card data in your payments form, make sure you read and understand our Build your own payment form guide.
You'll use the encrypted card values passed by the Secured Fields to make the payment.
To use SecurePlus authentication for China UnionPay, some additional configuration is required.
encryptedCardNumber: Encrypted card number (without separators).
encryptedExpiryMonth: Encrypted card expiry month.
encryptedExpiryYear: Encrypted card expiry year.
encryptedSecurityCode: Encrypted card verification code.
holderName: Cardholder's name. This is optional.
additionalData.executeThreeD: true. Set this to false to skip 3D Secure authentication.
returnUrl: The URL the shopper will be redirected back to after completing 3D Secure authentication.
browserInfo. The shopper's browserinfo. Providing this is optional but provides a smoother authentication flow for the shopper.
Here we use encrypted card details, generated by the Card Component. If you are PCI Level 1 or 2 certified, you can provide raw card data instead.
paymentData: Payload needed to verify the payment.
data.PaReq: Payload needed when redirecting the shopper.
data.TermUrl: The returnUrl you provided in the request.
data.MD: Payload needed to verify the payment.
url: Used to redirect the shopper to complete 3D Secure verification.
If a card does not support 3D Secure you'll receive the same response as a regular credit card payment.
Use the url in the /payments response to make an HTTP POST. Append this with the fields you received in the redirect.data object.
paymentData: Value you received in the /payments response.
MD: Value you received when the shopper was redirected back to your website.
PaRes: Value you received when the shopper was redirected back to your website.
The response will contain a resultCode and a pspReference. The pspReference is our unique identifier for the transaction.
Use the resultCode you received from the /payments/details endpoint to present the shopper with the result of the payment in your website or app. Check our result codes documentation for information on what these mean and the actions you should take.
eventCode: indicates the status of the payment.
SecurePlus is the 3D Secure authentication layer used by China UnionPay. Instead of redirecting the shopper to verify a payment, collect and submit the SMS verification code sent to them by China UnionPay.
SecurePlus is not supported by our Checkout SDKs at this time.
When you collect the shopper's payment details, additionally collect their telephone number.
paymentMethod.telephoneNumber: The shopper's telephone number.
If SecurePlus authentication is supported, you'll receive a resultCode of Pending.
If the card does not support SecurePlus verification you'll receive the same response as a regular credit card payment.
Present a screen in your UI to collect the SMS verification code that was sent to the shopper.
cupsecureplus.smscode : The SMS verification code you collected from the shopper.
Present the payment result to your shopper.
While 3D Secure reduces the risk of fraudulent payments, many shoppers are still unfamiliar with the authentication process, and do not complete payment verification. In addition, client-side technical errors can occur when the shopper is being redirected, further lowering your conversion rate.
To counter these issues we developed Adyen Dynamic 3D Secure. This lets you use rules to determine which payments are routed though 3D Secure authentication, and which are processed without.
Dynamic 3D Secure requires additional configuration by Adyen. To enable this feature, contact our Support Team team.
For more information, see our Dynamic 3D Secure documentation.
Before going live, use the following card numbers and credentials to test your integration.
We recommend testing each Card Type.
You can check the status of 3D Secure test payments in your Customer Area > Transactions > Payments.


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Yapta signs up Carlson Wagonlit and other corporate travel managers to test its FareIQ price-tracking tool
By Sean O'Neil | November 13, 2012
Yapta says that early customers of FareIQ, its airfare price tracking tool for travel management companies (TMCs) and other companies have saved an average of $279 per corporate travel itinerary over and above any airline imposed change fees.
Since June, a handful of companies have used the FareIQ web portal to track $20 million in T&E spend as pilot customers. Yapta wouldn't name names when Tnooz asked who the pilot customers are, though it hinted that some major T&Es as well as corporate travel programs for major brand companies are participating.
Tnooz noticed that in July, during the GBTA Convention in Boston, Patrice Simon, VP of Innovation and Business Development for CWT, revealed that Carlson Wagonlit Travel is piloting FareIQ. Simon said that, in the first month of testing, 5% of itineraries qualified for savings through re-booking, and the average savings was $536.
In a note on the Carlson Wagonlit Facebook page, Simon was quoted as saying:
FareIQ's ability to deliver actionable pricing data has the potential to make a significant impact from an overall cost savings standpoint. By piloting FareIQ, we're looking to gain greater visibility into price volatility and act on any potential savings that may be revealed.
Plug in and save
Finding the cheapest airfare is a game, given that airfares bounce up and down all the time. Without needing IT integration, FareIQ connects to the TMC's back-end systems, tracks fares for itineraries after they've been booked, and then pinpoints any lower fares that might pop up.
Travelers keep the same airline, travel dates, departure times, and other preferences; all that happens is the fare can be rebooked at a lower price. This makes testing the tool relatively painless for TMCs.
Explains Yapta spokesperson Jeff Pecor in a statement:
The FareIQ web portal tracks pricing on individual passenger name records (PNRs) that are placed in a queue by the corporation or its travel management company. Upon recognizing a savings opportunity, FareIQ immediately issues a series of messages, including email alerts, a FareIQ web portal notification, and remarks posted directly in the PNR, enabling savings to be acted upon by an agent or a travel manager.
Yapta claims its tool has been saving companies about 10% off of overall itineraries, a higher percentage than it teased this spring in its brochure when it was signing up its first travel and expenses (T&E) clients.
The company, founded in 2007, is backed by both Voyager Capital and Concur and has raised more than $11 million in funding to date. It installed a fresh CEO in June.
Opinion / Distribution
Two ways airlines might increase revenue


text:
Secondary structure analysis of the putative membrane-associated domains of the inward rectifier K+ channel ROMK1.
Brazier, Stephen P.; Ramesh, Bala; Haris, P. I. (Parvez I.); Srai, Surjit K. S.; Lee, David C. (Portland Press, 1998-10-15)
Structure of the S4 and S4-S5 loop region of a voltagegated potassium channel
Haris, P. I. (Parvez I.); Wechselberger, R.; Czisch, M. (1998)
Vitamin D-Melittin-Phospholipid Model Membrane Interactions
Eker, F.; Haris, P. I. (Parvez I.); Severcan, F. (1998)
Human complement factor I: its expression by insect cells and its biochemical and structural characterisation.
Ullman, C.G.; Chamberland, D.; Ansari, A.; Emery, V.C.; Haris, P. I. (Parvez I.); Sim, R.B.; Perkins, S.J. (1998)
Synthetic peptide fragments as probes for structure determination of potassium ion-channel proteins
Haris, P. I. (Parvez I.) (1998)
Membranes in artificial organs.
Haris, P. I. (Parvez I.); Chapman, Denis (IOS Press, 1998)
New biomedical materials: basic and applied studies
Haris, P. I. (Parvez I.); Chapman, D. (IOS Press, 1998-01)
Biomembrane Structures
Haris, P. I. (Parvez I.) (8)
Chapman, D. (2)Ansari, A. (1)Brazier, Stephen P. (1)Chamberland, D. (1)Chapman, Denis (1)Czisch, M. (1)Eker, F. (1)Emery, V.C. (1)Lee, David C. (1)... View MoreDate Issued


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LWOP After Death
Please make a donation to support Minutes Before Six
By Donald Ray Young
Yes, I would like to see Prop 62, the Justice that Works Act, passed this 08 November 2016. Prop 62 will eradicate Capital punishment in California. All death sentences will be converted to Life Without the Possibility of Parole (L.WOP). The appeal process will remain an option to challenge wrongful convictions. This is our last chance to abolish capital punishment in California via the ballot box.
There are innocent people languishing in California's golden gulag. Actually innocent, wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death. Victims of a dysfunctional system. "The state of California may be about to execute an innocent man," wrote Judge William A. Fletcher of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Judge Fletcher might have been describing my situation but in this case he was speaking of Kevin Cooper. LWOP will halt the next execution of an innocent person. Capital punishment is perfectly final yet fatally flawed.
In November of 2012 a Yes vote on Prop 34, the Savings Accountability and Full Enforcement Act, would have abolished capital punishment in California permanently. Prop 34 failed by a narrow 52%-48% split .We missed that opportunity. Lesson were learned, this is our time.
We can't get the years back but leave us a semblance of life. As an abolitionist I stand against government sponsored executions, whether strapped in a death chamber or in our streets at the hands of corrupt police. If all lives really do matter let us abolish capital punishment. Imagine a world where the government does not kill its people. I also believe other states will follow our lead. This momentous proposition has global ramifications. This is the right step a long our human rights struggle.
The people of California voted in the current death penalty, Prop 7, on November 7th, 1978. It's past time to vote it out. California will be the first state to abolish capital punishment at the ballot box. Vote yes on Prop 62 if you want to start spending more on educating our youth than on the prison industrial complex. Yes on 62 if you're truly pro-life and anti-death. Yes on 62.
Replacing the death penalty with LWOP takes state-sponsored lynching off the table. Prop 62 will preserve human life. Death is final. With life possibilities remain. California has the largest death-row population in the nation, hovering at 750 people. Not much of a life versus no life at all – choose life every time. Once we stop barbaric executions, we can join the struggle to abolish LWOP, sometimes referred to as "the other death penalty.'
Included on the ballot will be Prop 66, the Death Penalty Reform and Savings Act. This proposition will gut constitutional safeguards while rushing through state-sponsored torturous lynching. If we allow this killing machine to resuscitate under Prop 66, prepare for the quick human assembly line draconian executions of the 750 and counting death-row prisoners. We are battling to put an end to the mind-set that would execute an innocent person. They race towards death while dilatorily walking to life and equality will cease. Conscious Californian voters will not slip in to this insanity of legal lynching. Not this time.
Justice Thurgood Marshall of the US Supreme Court wrote in his concurring opinion in Furman v. Georgia, the case that abolished the death penalty in the United States in 1972, "If people were familiar with the truth about the death penalty they would want to abolish it."
In this election we will literally be voting for life - Prop 62, the Justice that Works Act and death -- Prop 66, the Death Penalty Reform and Savings Act. One of these propositions will surely pass. If both pass, the one with the most votes will become law. We need every vote, your vote. Inspire someone to register and vote who otherwise wouldn't. Vote for those of us without a voice.
The American Law Institute (ALI) has over 4000 members consisting of judges, law professors and lawyers. America's pre-eminent legal minds. The ALI drafted the model statute for the death penalty 56 years ago to ensure a fair death sentence. Even though their model statute for the death penalty is being practiced today, seven years ago the ALI withdrew their support from the very law they created. Before you finalize your position on capital punishment consider the words of the ALI. The ALI stated that the system they fashioned does not work and cannot be fixed. They all further determined that we cannot devise a death penalty system that will ensure fairness in process or outcome or even that innocent people will not be executed.
We are fighting to abolish capital punishment because it is ethically, socially and even economically reprehensible. No one has the right to murder. Including the government. Our justice system is riddle with mistakes, corruption and racism. No space for mistakes, corruption or racism. It is not humane for the government to murder prisoners on death row. The criminal justice system must be absolutely faultless in all respects of litigation and law prior to state-sponsored lynching. Nothing concerning humankind has ever been flawless.
The influence of passion and prejudice manipulated by corruption in high places are the main ingredients to ensure an innocent person's death sentence. I have been held captive at San Quentin, California's death row, for over ten years. Unity in our common cause is essential. I will continue the ardent struggle from the inside out as you protest the abolition of the death penalty from the outside in. We will intersect in success.
VOTE YES ON PROP 62 AND NO ON PROP 66
Donald Ray Young
Donald Ray Young E78474
Posted by A Friend at 2:07 PM 2 comments:
Labels: California, Crime and Punishment, Death Row, Donald Ray Young (CA), Lifers/Long Term Sentences
I'm Telling You So, Again
By Santonio D. Murff
I have two Afro-American and ambitious, college-educated and hardworking, very respectful sons of whom I am proud. They are truly my pride and joy. In them, I see all of my creativity and potential without the negativity that poverty and miseducation had polluted me with at their age. I have high hopes and grand dreams for them.
To see so many young, unarmed Black men being murdered by private citizens, neighborhood watchmen, and cops strikes terror in my heart. The cold-blooded murder of 11 year old Tamir Rice by a police officer had an especially traumatizing effect on me and was the catalyst that spurred me to utilize my gift and resources to get involved, speak out, write, and do all that I could to help The Black Lives Matter campaign to be successful.
The Black Lives Matter Movement isn't about killing cops. It's about stopping racist and rogue cops from killing us. It is about holding corrupt and murderous cops accountable for their criminal conduct. Blowing the Blue Wall of Silence up, because there is no place for it in a righteous, transparent, judicial system.
The Black Lives Matter Movement is made up of good Americans from all nationalities who want equal justice under the law for everyone. Good Americans who want the slaughtering of innocent people to stop! We focus on Black Lives, because we are the ones being gunned down at an average of 26 a week, with 262 Afro-Americans having already been killed this year by cops claiming that they were scared as reported in the July 2016 issue of Final Call.
I poured my emotions into a piece I published here on MB6 entitled A Father's Plea: Please Don't Murder My Son. In that piece, I not only exposed the mass murdering of UNARMED men, women, and children by police officers, but I warned that if their heinous actions and the private war that was being waged against people of color wasn't addressed and curtailed that all of that urban fear, anger, and feelings of hopelessness would explode in what we've now witnessed in the retaliatory mass shooting of police officers in Dallas, Texas.
Renowned actress (and beauty) Jada Pinkett-Smith warned only hours before the sniper attack in Dallas that left five police officers dead, "Desperate people do desperate things." No community in America is as desperate as the Afro-American community. No community has suffered and wept more over the loss of innocent lives due to a coward's cry that "he was scared".
For years now, due to advances in technology and compassionate souls we have donned hoodies for an adolescent hunted and gunned down for walking while Black, held our hands up in surrender for a teenager cut down in his prime and left dead and uncovered in the streets for hours--because a cop was so scared he had to shoot him NINE times, two in the head.
Week after week, we've had to watch UNARMED people of color shot to death, choked to death, and beaten to death by cops who have claimed they were scared. Week after week, funeral after funeral, we've witnessed cop after cop fail to be indicted by grand juries who hide behind their judicial cloaks much as the Klan hide behind their white sheets, basically rubber stamping our removal with their approval. For years now too, we've suffered seeing juries acquit those who kill us, because they were standing their ground and scared. They with the guns were scared of the unarmed. . .
Today, we end the lies, kill the propaganda, and speak truth into existence. Those racist and rogue officers don't fear us. They hate what they see: US breathing!
They murder us with abandon, because they know a community of color's words will not be taken over a single white cop's statement, no matter how absurd his statement is. No matter how "disturbing" their actions are as the mayor of New York called the murder of Eric Garner, other officers will support them, try to hide their misconduct, and attack anyone who seeks transparency and justice.
"I was scared" has been proven to be the only defense a white cop needs; whether he takes a man's life with an illegal choke-hold as other officer pin the passive man down, shoots a woman to death while she's sleeping in her car, shoots a nine year old girl to death while she's sleeping on the couch, or shoots two senior citizens to death while they are sleeping in their beds, after mistakenly confusing their address with that of a dope house. And, on and on, the carnage goes. . .
Do you all truly get that none of these cases involved incidents where a cop's life was in danger? Where a weapon was aimed or fired at him? None of these victims even had weapons! None of them were fugitives or criminals! None of these innocent people should be dead today, but a coward said he was scared. . .
How can we be divided along racial lines on this? Right is right. Wrong is wrong. A badge does not immune you from this universal truth.
Okay, here's something I hope that we can all agree upon: Good cops are not cowards: If you are so scared that you must shoot UNARMED women and children, or sleeping senior citizens, before you determine conclusively that they are armed, that your life is in jeopardy, that they're AWAKE--your coward ass don't need a badge. You need to go to the wizard and get you a heart!
Eminem, one of the greatest lyricist to ever do it spit, "Now it's a tragedy/ now it's so sad to see" in reference to no one caring when gun violence was out of control in urban America, when Black America was getting killed. There was no major cry for gun control until White America started dying through mass shootings.
262. Two hundred and Sixty-Two Afro-Americans have been killed by police officers this year. The vast majority unarmed. That's not a tragedy? So sad to see? That's not news worthy? No flags are flown half-mast. No one in power seems to care enough to seek and implement real solutions. (Note: Body-Cams are a joke! Since Rodney King, a blind eye has been turned to what is seen!)
But, five cops get shot to death in Dallas. ... in no way do I condone the killing of innocent people. Truly, I would put my life on the line for a good cop! But, watching the aftermath of the shooting, the unity and earnest search for solutions, in a town hall meeting, it begged the questions, is that what it took, silent majority? Did you have to feel our pain to hear our cries? Must cops get killed for us to live? For solutions to our slaughtering to be sought? It sure seemed like it.
Let me be very clear, it is tragic whenever a good person dies unnecessarily. I have beloved family members in the military and law enforcement as cops. I understand fully how hard and dangerous their jobs can be and a good cop deserves to be respected and appreciated for his contributions to society. So does a good father, a good mother, a good teacher--and, no child should ever have their lives cut short, their potential stolen by a coward's bullets.
My cousin Bobby has been a police officer for decades in Shreveport, Louisiana. He's had dozens of altercations with crazed women with knives, drug addicts with weapons, and even a couple of frightened kids with guns--he's never shot a single one. He's no coward. He'd rather talk to an inebriated or frightened person for hours than kill them forever.
"At the end of the day, if I have a gun and you don't, I'm not in fear of my life. So, I'm not taking yours," he's said. He is a good cop.
Okay, okay, let me set the record straight. Micah Xavier Johnson, the man who allegedly was responsible for the sniper attack that left five cops dead in Dallas was not mentally ill. Oh yes, he was sick. Sick and tired of watching those who kill us no billed or acquitted. He was sick and tired of watching our men, women, and children being slaughtered and no one being held accountable. Just like half of America is-- The good half.
The difference between Micah and us is America trained him to kill for a cause. Their cause. They never imagined that he could break the mental shackles, take all of his training and kill for his own cause: US.
Quit being afraid to say his name, look at the truth, and examine what led this patriotic soldier who proudly served his country for seven years in the army before being honorably discharged just last year in 2015, down the road to reportedly being responsible for the greatest American tragedy since 9/11.
Kill the propaganda! You need to know that Micah was remembered by his friends of all races and those who he went to school with as a goofy, fun-loving guy. You need to know that he had a white step-mom and that he never voiced a dislike of any race. You need to know that all he ever stressed hating was injustice. So what could drive such a young man to do such a thing? Year after year, month after month, week after week, and remembering the days leading up to the mass shooting--day after day of seeing injustices like the murders of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Philando Castile in St Paul (MN), because cops were scared.
But, you can continue to lie to yourself if that helps you to sleep at night. Continue to contribute to more tragedies like Dallas through your silence and callous disregard for the innocent lives being lost. As a patriotic American who truly doesn't want to see any more families suffer unnecessary loss, I forewarn you again, Micah Johnson was not the first to entertain such thoughts. He's merely the first to act upon them.
He can now be the catalyst who moves us together for peaceful resolution and reconciliation, or he can be the martyr for some who turn mass cop shootings in retaliation for us being killed into the new norm in America....
No one has to agree with me. You can continue to promote the propaganda. I'm on the frontlines. I'm privy to the private conversations that go on behind closed doors and on street corners. The politically correct, the so-called Black spokesmen won't tell you this, but a very large segment of Black America breath a collective sigh of relief, exhaled years of pent-up emotions, and felt a certain kind of way to see that the Dallas shooting wasn't another case of them killing us--especially in light of the fore-mentioned constant footage of the two Black men being shot to death by cops in Louisiana and Minnesota in the days preceding the shooting.
No doubt, it is a tragedy! A tragedy that started long before a young brother went out for Skittles and tea, long before a man attempted to sell loose cigarettes on a New York street, long before a young woman refused to put out her cigarette, long before a much loved pillar of his community was told to produce his concealed weapon's license. NOW, they say the nation is in mourning? No, I'm sorry, but we've been in mourning. We've been shedding tears for a long time now.
I wrote A Father's Plea over a year ago. It is still posted on Minutes Before Six. Read it! Witnesses our tears! Witness our fears! Witness our pleas! Witness our grief! Witness... the warning!
You all, the silent majority, have merely joined us in our mourning--and, I hope, the seeking of peaceful solutions. I'm no politician, no great scholar, but since everyone else claim to be at a loss for solutions, I have some proposals for the peaceful and progressive. Because, the road to peaceful resolution is simple: STOP KILLING US:
(1)There must be zero tolerance not just for those who commit such acts, but also for those in positions of responsibility who turn a blind eye to or try to cover up the acts.
As an expert at the UN has stated, "The root of the problem lies in the lack of accountability for perpetrators of such killings despite overwhelming evidence against them, including video footage of the crime."
Further, cops are put through rigorous fitness tests and given hand-to-hand combat training. They have an arsenal of non-lethal weapons at their disposal from pepper spray to stun guns in which they can subdue unarmed combatants with. There is to excuse for cowardice! A mandatory-minimum sentence of ten years in prison needs to be imposed on any officer shooting an unarmed civilian.
Yes, I know, the cowards and callous will reach for the hypothetical of cops' lives being endangered by the hesitation to determine if their lives are in jeopardy, if the person has a weapon. Good cops aren't cowards, and I'm not speaking of hypotheticals! I'm speaking facts: Rice, Brown, Boyd, and every single man, woman, and child in A Father's Plea, and so many more did not have to die. Should not be dead today. But, they are dead due to a very real, very deadly coward's bullet, because the officer said that he was scared.
As I detailed in A Father's Plea, we need only look at the officers' actions after these shootings to see that hatred, callousness, and racism played a greater role than any fear ever did. In all of these incidents from city to city, state to state when has an officer ever rushed to render or secure aid after their "Mistake"? When has a single officer personally made an apology to the family?
Hard truths are oft times hard to accept, but if you watch the video of Tamir Rice's murder, you realize that these rogue cops aren't concerned with whether there is a threat to their safety, they aren't concerned with whether it's a man, woman, or child, they don't care whether it's a real gun or toy gun, whether it's in his hand or waist band. All that they are ascertaining before opening fire is that the person is Black.
We must through rigorously enforced laws and severe punishment let the perpetrators and their cohorts and covers know with a certainty that such cowardly and criminal conduct will not be tolerated.
(2) The second and most imperative path to peaceful progression must begin with #GOGOODCOPS! That is a movement ignited by the courageous police woman in Louisiana, shown on TMZ, but otherwise suppressed by the press, who spoke up about cowardice and corruption within police departments, which results in innocent people being murdered by cops and keeps us divided as a nation with too many choosing to see color instead of character.
In the brave police woman, that GOOD COP who deserved praise and accreditation from our Commander-in Chief lies our hope. In her and those like her – GOOD COPS –lies peaceful resolution. In them – GOOD COPS – lies the power to do the imperative and create a movement from the inside with GOOD COPS weeding out the bad.
The true heroes, the courageous cops who risk their lives day in and day out to serve and protect, only to have a few rogues and racists with badges continually burn them all with the negative rays of light that result from their criminal conduct, most come together with honesty and integrity to say NO MORE, to crush and stomp out the cowardice and racism, expose the lies and misconduct, and render the injustices and killings rare if not obsolete over time. If one is not willing or brave enough to step up to the challenge and do their sworn duty to serve and protect ALL, to put an end to the criminals masquerading as cops - - then a GOOD COP they are not. They are no more than the best of the worse...of the cowards.
That mighty step towards justice, #GOGOODCOPS, MUST BE supported by the top brass or it is destined to fail as GOOD COPS continue to be marginalized or ostracised.
Police officers are given the arduous task of keeping civilized societies civil. When some of their actions reflect the most barbaric and sadistic actions in the country as shown in the videoing of Philando Castile being shot to death in front of his girlfriend and a four year old as he calmly complies with the officer's requests, all faith in the law is lost. All of society suffers. And, it's not long before civility devolves into civil unrest, or riots, or sniper attacks on cops...
I don't know it all. I do know murder when I see it. A court's ruling does not change that. A lot, many many, way too many people of color have been murdered by police officers with little to no punishment s, and with virtually no one being held accountable. Sean Bell, Amadou Diallo, Tamon Robinson, Ramarley Graham, Nicholas Heyward, Oscar Grant, and so on and so on, the carnage to us has gone - - with the criminal injustice system failing us horribly.
Over a year ago, I gave a warning that has become reality. Today, I warn you that if these solutions aren't seriously examined, refined, and implemented immediately to restore faith in the government, law and order, and GOOD COPS, if America does not seriously and expeditiously address the systemic problems and criminal conduct that led up to the Dallas sniper attack that left five police officers dead and several wounded – Dallas will merely be remembered as the shots that shattered the shackles of fear and myth, unearthing a lot, many many, too many more tragedies that will leave us all in mourning together.
From mob books and movies to American Gangsta starring Denzel Washington, it has always been instilled in the oppressed, the criminal, and the disenfranchised that you can't kill a cop. Micah Johnson put that to the test and now desperate communities, full of scared, angry, long-suffering, and desperate people know it to be a lie...
Our Commander-in Chief has stated on numerous occasions that there is no excuse for violence against police officers. We now need that same cement convictiona nd proclamation when it comes to the shooting of unarmed men, women, and children.
You all have the power to push the legislation through. To ensure that the new laws are enforced. To fuel the movement from within with your support and pressure upon your elected officials. Right is right and wrong is wrong. Do right, America or we shall all be suffering for a long time to come.
AFTERWORD: Before this piece could be published, my words are already proving prophetic with Calvin Long, a marine, shooting cops in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where Aiton Sterling was shot to death by police officers only a week ago. Targeted shootings of police officers have alos been reported in Georgia, Tennessee, and Missouri. Solutions over shootings, please. Solutions over shootings.
Santonio Murff 773394
French M. Robertson Unit
12071 FM3522
Santonio D. Murff is a seven-time PEN Prison Writing Contest winner, award-winning novelist and essayist who is searching the planet for the right agent/publishing house for his anthology of rehabilitated prisoners' memoirs and essays, Apologies From Within. He's become the go-to author for dealing with prisoners' rehabilitation and prison reform.
Santonio and his family THANK YOU for your support!!!
Labels: Lifers/Long Term Sentences, Race, Santonio Murff (TX), Texas
To Be Useful
By Isaac Sweet
The vacuum cleaner started making a loud, obnoxious noise. It smelled like something was burning. Frustrated, Mom shut it off and walked away. I didn't know if her frustration was limited to the broken vacuum or how much could be attributed to raising four kids on her own. I was just happy that she wasn't frustrated with me--this time.
I was the only male growing up in a home dominated by four women: my mom and three sisters. I was number three of four in the birth order. Naturally, the majority of youthful mischief in our house included me. My sisters didn't get in much trouble with their dolls, clothes, and lipstick. But anything I ever put in my pockets (frogs, matches, pocket knives, firecrackers, etc.) evoked some form of theatrical reaction from Mom, and subsequent punishment for me.
I didn't like seeing Mom frustrated because most of the time it was because of me. That's why I wanted to help her so much. I'd heard some people refer to me as "the man of the house," and even at nine years old I recognized the prestige of that title and the hint of the responsibility it implied. Grandpa was the man of his house and whenever something broke, he fixed it. I knew where Mom kept some tools. I had a vacuum cleaner to fix; I just had to wait until she wasn't looking.
Using a screwdriver, I removed the screws and cover plate from the bottom of the machine. A wad of string, hair, dirt, and gunk had wound itself around the moving parts. I managed to remove the belt and revolving brush and then dug that stuff out of there. I had vacuum cleaner parts and little piles of dirt and gunk spread out all over the place (like any other respectable kid my age) when Mom came in. I was busted.
Mom had a flair for the dramatic. I was used to her theatrics. I was accustomed to seeing her bolt out of a chair in an attempt to rescue one of us kids from some hypothetical danger. There was occasional yelling -- especially at me. She would even scream and jump up onto a chair at the mere sight of a spider (she actually called the police on a spider one time, but that's a story from before I was conceived).
This time was different. Like every other time I had been caught mid-mischief, Mom yelled "What are you doing?" But this time, instead of the tirade that normally followed there was an electrically charged silence. A whole new level of mad. So I started explaining to her what pieces I'd taken apart and what the problem was. I pleaded with her to let me finish what I'd started and promised that when I was done her vacuum cleaner would work. The unthinkable happened. She let me.
When I was finished and Mom had visually inspected my work, she plugged in the vacuum and turned it on. It worked. My sense of relief was overwhelming but the look on her face was priceless. Thus began my lifelong love affair with being useful.
During my transition from childhood to young adult, I associated with some friends who didn't have my best interests in mind. Many in my family warned me about my associations, but I knew what I was doing -- or so I thought. It wasn't until I received an ultimatum from one of my so-called friends that I realized I was in over my head. I lacked the courage and the integrity to make the right choice so, a few weeks after my eighteenth birthday I drove the getaway vehicle from a crime I genuinely wanted no part of. Afterwards, I was convicted of conspiracy, burglary, and assault, and sentenced to serve just over 35 years in prison.
I spent the first decade or so of my prison sentence in denial. I felt the system had failed me. I felt I was, for the most part, innocent and had become mere collateral damage in some "tough on crime" political war. It wasn't until I was in my late twenties, after a conversation with a friend about culpability, that I began to understand my responsibility for the crime. If it weren't for me and my truck, it wouldn't have happened.
I cannot adequately articulate how sorry I am to all who were affected by my poor judgment. I say "all" because the ripple effect of collateral damage in its wake continues today. I have dragged a number of my family and friends into this lifetime of misery with me. The emotions I experience regarding the poor choices of my youth, which cost so many so much, culminate in a rock bottom, lowest of the low feeling. But, instead of wallowing in self-pity, I use that detestable feeling as motivation, fueling and galvanizing my commitment to live the remainder of my life with honor and integrity. I define that as: simply doing the right thing, in every situation, to the best of my abilities, regardless of who or if anyone is watching. I'm not foolish enough to think I won't falter from time to time, and I know that by my participation in a crime that caused so much suffering, I forfeited the possibility of any righteous adjectives being etched on my headstone. But maybe, just maybe, as I live out the remainder of my life, I can inspire or influence someone else who could still have them chiseled on theirs. I still want to be useful.
Being useful in prison is quite the dilemma. No one is allowed to "fix" anything. I doubt that rule was designed exclusively to discourage prisoner productivity and ingenuity, but it's become the end result. That seems counterintuitive to public interest. Most people I
communicate with generally prefer that prisoners emerge from incarceration with the skills necessary to function in society. So sometimes I question the wisdom of the professionals who dream up policies within the DOC. Nonetheless, once an item belonging to a prisoner malfunctions, it is considered contraband and subject to disposal. The only exception to that rule is in the workplace, and then the item must belong to a staff member or the prison itself. At nearly every job I've had I have proved myself mechanically inclined and gained the confidence of my supervisors regarding equipment repair.
I held my last job for five years. I served as a machine operator and mechanic at the prison's Print Factory. In that position I had the opportunity to fix all kinds of equipment including some pretty complex machines. One of the major surgeries I performed was on a printing press and entailed completely disassembling the top half of the machine. I had to remove all that stuff to reach the internal bearings that needed replaced. A few days later, that machine was reassembled, properly adjusted, and back in production.
About a year and a half ago a new guy started in the shop. On his first day he inquired about a malfunctioning electric pencil sharpener. I motioned towards the tool cart and he took the initiative. The first time he put it back together the pencil sharpener was running backwards. We shared a laugh but a few minutes later it was fully functional, and this kid, who probably hadn't touched a tool in a few years, was beaming. I was happy to be sharing the shop with someone who shared my mechanical inclination -- someone else who could speak my language. That's how I met Johnny.
Johnny was in his mid-twenties and had been in prison for a few years. He was a bright young guy who had worked after school at a vacuum cleaner sales and repair store. Even though we both had a history of vacuum cleaner repair, that was the extent of our common ground. He transitioned from selling vacuums to peddling drugs and made a reputation for himself by joining a gang and packin' a pistol -- which was eventually what led him to prison.
The primary objective of the Department of Corrections is to incapacitate Johnny for the duration of his prison sentence. I had a better idea. I wanted to help him and our respective communities by teaching him as much as I could. My hope was that through what he learns and from successes he experiences, he would realize enough of his own potential to put down the pistol and pick up the tool belt. So, I capitalized on every opportunity to show him as much as I could.
Sometimes, that included working on stuff we weren't supposed too. I'm not a big fan of violating the rules, but as I've lived out my life in the DOC I've learned that not all of their rules have ethical value. And sometimes doing the right thing is in violation of the rules, like soldering the wire back on a pair of headphones so that some old codger doesn't have to spend thirty dollars and wait two months before watching John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart re-runs on AMC again.
One day, during our lunch break, it happened. Johnny was head down, elbows up, tongue hangin' out, diligently trying to repair a pair of headphones, when a prison guard walked up. This particular guard had the disposition you'd expect from someone who is perpetually constipated. He seemed angry and aggressively sought opportunities to flex his authoritative muscle. It's possible he resented how talented and mechanically inclined Johnny and I were. So he wrote an incident report that got Johnny and I fired. In the report I was accused of being the "lookout." An absurd assumption because after more than twenty years of prison experience, had I been the "lookout," Johnny wouldn't have been caught. But, anyone believing guards are always honest is simply disconnected from reality.
I'll miss wrenching on those machines but most of all I'll miss the opportunity to work with Johnny. That job offered me the platform to facilitate conversations with him about his future. It gave me the opportunity to share with him the ethos by which I strive to live and to show him what it looks like in real life. Working alongside me, Johnny was gaining experience, building confidence, and rapidly maturing into one of the best hiring decisions of his future employer. But trying to explain all that to anyone as mentally "bound up" as Mr. Constipated is fruitless. I'm not going to be discouraged, I'll just look for alternative ways to be useful.
Many people claim to be experts about criminal justice and the administration of corrections, but not many of them have viewed the issues from my perspective. I'm thirty-nine years old and I've lived my entire adult life in prison. I know what motivates and discourages prisoners. As far as education and rehabilitation, I've got a pretty good idea about what works and what doesn't. I have experienced both as student and mentor. I actually care about my outside community too. It's more than just a place I see on TV--It's where my family and friends are, and where I will go when I'm released. And I care about people in the world, like Johnny, who come to prison, mature a little, visit me for a few years, and then go home.
When Johnny returns to his community he will strengthen it. But his prison experience and growth is anomalous. The problem is, it shouldn't be. The legislature must redefine the mission of our State criminal justice system, and with it the delivery of our correctional services. It's time to stop tinkering at the edges of this thing and do a major, sweeping overhaul. It's time rehabilitation reemerges as the centralized theme of our criminal justice system.
Experts agree that education is the best tool for crime prevention and recidivism reduction. And there are some politicians with the courage to pursue some unpopular pieces of legislation, designed to improve public safety through education in Washington State. However, others are deeply entrenched in their otherwise convictions, like Senator Mike Padden, who serves as the Chair of the Senate Corrections Committee, and single-handedly refused to allow any legislation of the sort to pass through his committee last year. The return on investment for education vs. incapacitation in terms of crime prevention and reducing recidivism has already been established. This means a criminal justice system endowed with educational opportunities would be fiscally cheaper because of fewer future crime victims. Maybe the good senator and his cohorts would feel differently if the next time an uneducated former felon victimizes someone, they were to go to that person, look her in the eyes as she's mourning the loss of her innocence or a loved one, and try explaining how her sacrifice was worth it in their war against improving public safety through education.
There is one fundamental flaw in the education--equals--rehabilitation equation. Most young prisoners don't recognize educational opportunities as privileges. To maximize their potential positive effect, the Legislature must revisit criminal sentencing and incorporate substantial incentives motivating prisoners to capitalize on those additional educational opportunities. The most responsible and effective way to do that is to reinstate parole. One stroke of the legislative pen could immediately change the paradigm in prison. Instead of hordes of prisoners sitting around with their feet up waiting for a release date, great numbers of them would seek opportunities and apply themselves to whatever they are learning, in an effort to earn back their freedom.
The overwhelming majority of us will return to our respective communities. Which will make for better neighbors, those who were warehoused? Or rehabilitated? We all have a vested interest in public safety. Please, take the initiative Johnny had with the pencil sharpener, and fix this broken thing. Contact your local congressman and ask for responsible justice legislation that restores "rehabilitation" as the centralized theme of our criminal justice system.
Isaac Sweet 752399
WSRU D-2-27
Monroe WA 98272-0777
Posted by A Friend at 6:00 PM 1 comment:
Labels: Family, Isaac Sweet (WA), Lifers/Long Term Sentences, Washington State
In the Shadow of Death


text:
Bookworm: "Cold Sweat' a good show-biz biography
Terri Schlichenmeyer
Throughout your life, your Dad taught you a lot.
He was the one holding the back of your bike the first time without training wheels. He showed you how to change a tire. He taught you to make funny sounds, one specialty in the kitchen, and the checkbook balance.
Without Dad's influence, there'd be a lot of knowledge you'd be without - but in the new book "Cold Sweat," you'll see that there was one legacy Yamma Brown (with Robin Gaby Fisher) wishes her father had never left her.
Yamma Brown still carries a lot of guilt.
She says she only lived "a few miles" from the Augusta hospital where her father James Brown was taken on Christmas Eve 2006, but she still had baking and wrapping to do that night. She told him she'd see him in the morning - but for The Godfather of Soul, there was no morning.
"I had so many sweet memories of Dad," she says.
Brown and her sister were definitely Daddy's Girls, pampered but not spoiled; given material things along with love and lessons of hard work. James Brown never forgot where he came from, and he made sure his children knew it, too.
But she also learned that her father had a temper, and that her mother was often the victim of his rage. Brown remembers being five years old, and hiding to avoid the sound of her father "pummeling Mom…" She recalls attacking him once, jumping on his back when he chased her mother outside, trying to get him to stop. And she remembers that, when she was seven, Brown and her sister left their father's house with their mother, and divorce papers were filed.
And yet, Brown's mother wasn't the only spouse with which James Brown had a rocky relationship; there were other wives he abused, and some returned it. Perhaps because of that which she witnessed, Brown says she grew up with an internal belief that domestic abuse was normal and so, when the man she married after college began to beat her, Brown stayed with him, having "equated abuse with love…"
If you followed James Brown's career during the last years of his life, what you'll read here won't be any surprise; as you'll see, The Hardest Working Man in Show Business also had a hard-working ego that loved publicity.
The surprise in "Cold Sweat" is that author Yamma Brown (with Robin Gaby Fisher) writes about his life (and hers) with such candor, beginning with his death, an odd posthumous visitor, and three funerals. Of course, though, this book isn't just a scandalous tell-all about Mr. Please Please Please (although there's scandal aplenty): Brown's tale also offers a dual look at fame and domestic abuse, and adds fuel to the question of why women endure the latter.
I liked this generational memoir. It's remarkably unprofane, quick to read, and it gives fans exactly what I think they want in a show-biz biography. And if that sounds good to you, then enjoying "Cold Sweat" is no sweat.
Terri Schlichenmeyer has been reading since she was 3 years old, and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 11,000 books.


The Karl Kollitsch Güterbeförderungs GmbH was founded 1988 by Karl and Bernaette Kollitsch. At the beginning of our business activity we started with 4 trucks. Through the good situation concerning orders of our customers, and the enormous diligence of our co-workers and the employment of the whole family, we have developed into a high performance enterprise.
We have a fleet of 25 trucks and employ at present 30 co-workers. Our son Karl Michael runs the garage and our daughter Bernadette helps also in our business activities. An important factor for our success is national and naturally also international cooperation with other transport enterprises. In our own multipurpose hall we repair and maintain all our vehicles.
We transport all kind of goods, like wood, building materials, steel, fuel oil, Diesel, bitumen, furniture, food and much more besides. Since over 20 years we are specialized also in special transports. The strengths of our enterprise are correct timing, reliability and flexibility. For us the satisfaction of our customers stands in the first place!
We bring what you need every day!


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If you're close to buying your first home or piece of land, it's time to think about getting your KiwiSaver first home withdrawal application ready.
Am I eligible for a KiwiSaver first home withdrawal?
You've been saving with KiwiSaver (or another complying superannuation fund) for at least three years.
You're a first-time property or land owner.
The property or land is in New Zealand.
You're going to live in the home you're buying or build a home to live in on the land you're buying.
It's the first time you've made a KiwiSaver withdrawal to buy a home.
If you have previously owned a home before, you may qualify for a previous home owner withdrawal through Housing New Zealand Corporation.
If you meet the eligibility criteria, you'll be able to use your KiwiSaver savings to put towards the purchase of your first home. You'll need to leave a minimum balance of $1,000 in your KiwiSaver account and you cannot withdraw any amount transferred from an Australian complying superannuation fund.
To find out how much your KiwiSaver first home withdrawal amount might be, check your ASB KiwiSaver Scheme account balance in FastNet Classic internet banking or send us an enquiry. Remember to use it as an estimate only, as your KiwiSaver balance can fluctuate daily.
It takes around ten working days to process a KiwiSaver first home withdrawal application. The money is usually paid to your solicitor who will forward to the vendor on settlement day.
A letter of undertaking from your lawyer or conveyancing practitioner (on their letterhead).
A pre-printed deposit slip for your lawyer or conveyancing practitioner's trust account.
A copy of your ID.
A copy of your sale and purchase agreement showing you as the purchaser.
An approval letter from Housing New Zealand Corporation if you're applying as a previous home owner.
Evidence of your right to occupy Māori land if you're buying a private home on Māori land.
Tell your lawyer or conveyancing practitioner you want to make a KiwiSaver first home withdrawal. They'll guide you through the process and any required paperwork. They may charge a fee for this.
A KiwiSaver first home withdrawal cannot be made after settlement. This is because once you're a home or land owner you no longer meet the withdrawal criteria.
Buying at auction? If you're successful at auction, it's unlikely you'll be able to access your KiwiSaver first home withdrawal amount to put towards the deposit. Be prepared to pay the deposit yourself, unless you've agreed otherwise with the vendor before the auction.
If the home or land sale doesn't go through, your lawyer or conveyancing practitioner will need to return your KiwiSaver first home withdrawal amount from their trust account back to your ASB KiwiSaver Scheme account.
Hold off transferring between KiwiSaver schemes. It usually takes around six weeks to transfer between providers so we'd suggest waiting if you're about to apply for a KiwiSaver first home withdrawal.
What happens after my KiwiSaver first home withdrawal?
Check your fund choice. Your investment timeframe is likely to be different now that you're saving for retirement. Use our Help me choose tool to see which fund we recommend for your investment timeframe.
Keep contributing. Your contributions and any employer and annual Government contribution will continue as normal. If you want a break from saving, you will need to make a contributions holiday request to Inland Revenue.
Maximise your benefits. Check out our guide for helpful tips on making the most of KiwiSaver.


Having learned after the first year, each day we set off early, between 5am and 6am. We either had breakfast first (if our accommodation could offer it) or carried it on route and stopped along the way. The early starts gave us the chance to cover some miles before the worst heat of the day and that was good for our spirits. Having had one hour of silent reflection at some point each day with reflection questions rooted in Ignatius' story but linked to our own each participant had the chance to deepen their own personal relationship with God. Wherever we arrived we had Mass, a good meal and then finished each day with a reflection circle where we heard the joys and struggles of the day for each person and how God had been at work in them in that day. This was a particularly rich time for many of the young adults and the group. And it is this work of God that spurred me on. As many of you will know I am not a big fan of walking, but I was very willing to walk this route as I believed and year after year I was rewarded with the opportunity to watch and accompany the young adults as they encountered God on that journey. This was facilitated with the reflection booklet that I made for each pilgrim. Each year watching and seeing God at work before my eyes was a real gift and for that I would walk.
As I come to the end of my ministry at Mount Street Jesuit Centre (I finish in fact on 2nd September). I am delighted to have had the chance to complete this pilgrimage with the young adults over four amazing years and whilst the goodbyes will be hard it feels it is a fitting place to end. I had the dream of the pilgrimage, but it really could not have happened without the young adults' willingness and trust to participate, but also the unending support and practical help and presence of MariJoxe, Jaime SJ and then Alicia fcJ and the faithfulness of Peter Randall SJ who accompanied us all the way. And of course, it is with gratitude to God who met me in the possibility and made it happen. So for all my helpers along the way, as well as those who welcomed us in and the pilgrims who have journeyed with me I give thanks to God and to them for an amazing journey and move on knowing God has indeed done great things and for that I give thanks.


text:
Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana
Team and driver standings
CSA board insists CEO Thabang Moroe remains suspended
Thabang Moroe (Gallo)
The Cricket South Africa (CSA) board has issued a statement confirming that Thabang Moroe remains suspended as the organisation's CEO.
It is the latest development in what is becoming an increasingly messy situation for CSA and its president, Chris Nenzani.
Moroe was suspended in early December 2019 on allegations of misconduct and he has spent the last six months receiving a full salary from CSA.
At the time of the suspension, the board through Nenzani said they would ideally want the matter finalised within six months, but that hasn't happened.
On Wednesday, the situation was further complicated when Moroe arrived for work at CSA's Johannesburg headquarters.
Speaking to Sport24, Moroe's lawyer Michael Motsoeneng Bill said that it was a case of business as usual for Moroe and that he would be resuming his duties.
"The suspension has run its course. In relation to the suspension, we are happy that we're back to work. The six months has lapsed," he said.
According to a statement that came just after midnight in the early hours of Friday morning, though, CSA is standing firm and remain committed to concluding its investigations into Moroe before any decisions on his future are taken.
The new deadline, according to the statement, will be to have further clarity by the end of this month.
"The board of Cricket South Africa (CSA) met last night to deliberate on the events which unfolded at the head office of CSA today when the suspended chief executive officer, Mr. Thabang Moroe, purported to report for duty," the statement read.
"The board wishes to clarify that the chief executive officer was suspended in December 2019 pending the outcome of an independent forensic investigation into management practices at Cricket South Africa. The letter of suspension issued to the chief executive officer explicitly stated that he was suspended until the conclusion of the independent forensic investigation. This investigation is not yet complete and therefore the chief executive officer remains suspended and any assertion that his suspension was for a predetermined period is without basis.
"The forensic investigators have indicated that their report is imminent.
"Once the board receives the report, the board will study the report and if disciplinary action against the chief executive officer (or anyone else) is required to be taken, the board will move swiftly to institute such disciplinary action so that the matter will be resolved as soon as possible.
"This remains a matter of utmost concern to the board. The board wishes to assure all stakeholders and the public that this matter is receiving all the attention it deserves. However, the board is also at pains to ensure that due process is followed at all times.
"The board is confident that the investigation is coming to a head and there will be more clarity and certainty provided before the end of June."
- Compiled by Lloyd Burnard
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