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Friday, October 6, 2000 -- Virginia Beach, VA
Seal Adventure Challenge
When You Think There's Nothing Left...
Teamwork pulls competitors through Seal Adventure Challenge
Story and photos by Dawn Taylor
"This is when it gets interesting," Instructor John Rea, a retired SEAL, told the competitors as they began the infamous SEAL log exercises. These are the ones in which five or six guys do sit-ups, overhead presses, lunges and other inhumane tricks with two hundred pound-sections of telephone poles.
As competitors started dropping due to leg cramps, vomiting and exhaustion, Rea commanded that the trainees protect their teammates, carry their weight, and keep them from the instructors, who he said were "after blood." This might sound like a scene from a documentary on the intensity of SEAL Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training, but the students were not SEAL trainees.
They were a diverse group of 55 civilians ages 16 - 47, including a 23-year-old woman, who were all taking part in the 5th SEAL Adventure Challenge offered by Odyssey Adventure Racing in Virginia Beach, VA, and presented by Blackhawk Industries.
The log PT was just one exercise in a long series of activities that made up the 24-hour event, which is the closest civilians can come to participating in SEAL training. The day began with an introduction of the instructors and a briefing on the role the SEALs have played in the military. Scott Norton, a decorated SEAL veteran and recruiter encouraged those who were interested in going to BUD/S. He told them the next 24 hours would give them a realistic idea of what would be expected of them, should they be chosen for the highly coveted training. The impressive lineup of SEAL and other Special Forces instructors promised the class they would learn important lessons on the value of teamwork, and that each individual would find out what is inside of them AFTER they thought there was nothing left.
This pleasant and civilized exchange came to an abrupt end, however, as soon as the participants hit the tarmac outside and were placed on teams. Immediately, they were face down on the pavement "pushing them out" as instructors barked the count. Any deviation of the rules, any delay in response, or any other display of weakness would result in similar punishment throughout the day.
Beginning with pool drills, the trainees learned tough lessons quickly. With hands tethered behind them, the participants were asked to become "drown-proof" by descending to the bottom of the pool, then rising to catch a breath before going down again.
Teamwork became evident immediate, as some of the stronger swimmers held up those who could no longer stay afloat while treading water. When instructors found someone faltering, they would be called out of the pool for flutter kicks, more push-ups and other forms of "discipline."
During the Physical Readiness Test, already weary participants did timed push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups, and ran a fast-paced 3 miles -- striving with all their energy to gain points during the only portion of the event that pitted them against their teammates. "It pays to be a winner," the instructors all shouted. That lesson was reiterated throughout the day, as those who were slower or less motivated suffered the painful consequences.
The Seal Adventure Challenge offered a 6-hour option for those who were not ready to commit to the longer version of this simulated BUD/S "hell-week." As those 7 individuals prepared to leave, event organizer Don Mann suggested that they should stay for the log PT and boat carry. Three intrepid men stayed.
It's surprisingly hard to say "no" to a former SEAL with a reputation for putting on the most brutal and extreme sporting events in the country, and whose motto is "Your PAIN is our PLEASURE." "You should welcome the pain," he would later tell them as they struggled with their logs. "Humans have an incredible ability to take pain and will pass out if it's too much," he added. "I don't see anyone passed out here."
While half the group suffered under the weight of the logs, the rest were suffering under the crushing weight of their large rubber boats, which they carried over their heads across the sand dunes. "We're gonna laugh about this tomorrow" one optimistic Challenger shouted as his teammates groaned and cried under the pressure. Despite his encouragement, the boat crews took too long to get their boats in the water.
As a result, Instructor Alan Holmes a Army Special Forces Captain, made them do push-ups in the sand with the boats on their shoulders. When they failed to do this to the his satisfaction, they were asked to crawl, and roll in the sand. One particularly humiliating punishment was when SEAL instructor Paul Wherries (a.k.a. Instructor Grinch) repeatedly blew his whistle. Each trainee had to drop and crawl over other trainees until they could touch his legs -- resulting in a pile of wet, sandy competitors all gathered at the foot of the grinning Grinch... (Known as the Grinch Pile as seen in the photo on the left.)
After several hours of boat drills and other "fun" at the beach, every competitor was completely covered in wet sand, which made carrying logs, boats and each other all the more miserable. At this point, displays of teamwork abounded, as competitors actually carried each other, and not just in the wounded-man-carry exercise. They also shared body heat, as they huddled together, which competitors said helped to "eliminate all the barriers and expand the comfort zones" between these relative strangers.
The night ended with a mission designed by Instructor Chris Smith, a former Navy SEAL, who had gained notoriety throughout the day as one of the most demanding and unforgiving instructors. The trainees, donning camouflaged face paint, were briefed on field communication, stealth, recon and extraction techniques, and were assigned a hostage rescue operation.
They had until sunrise to locate and remove two downed pilots from armed enemy camps. With the full moon to light their every action and no wind to cover the sound of their movements, they would need to be proceed carefully.
The teamwork that was forged earlier in the day was now needed as the participants moved and worked together to achieve their objective. Awareness and energy levels were heightened now that the teams were working as a whole toward a common goal. Crawling facedown in the sand, a task that earlier seemed humiliating and painful, now made sense, as did they stealthily moved in on their targets. After successful boat entries and recon activities, each team successfully completed their mission.
As the sun rose and with the mission behind them, the trainees gathered around a campfire to talk about their accomplishments. Each held their head a bit higher and the pride they felt could be seen in their bloodshot eyes. Their camouflaged faces and wet, sandy clothing were stark reminders of how they had spent the last 24 hours.
It's the mental toughness that got them through the event, Don Mann said, "I'm not aware of any place else that puts you through what you just did. Your body can only get so strong, but there's no stopping how strong you can get your mind." Captain Bob Schoultz, former Commander of Naval Special Warfare Group TWO, congratulated them on being able to "enjoy the sublime moments of being SEAL commando." And encouraged all to "live with honor and integrity and to build on their physical and mental toughness."
Competitors Share Their Thoughts...
After the event, many competitors are also compelled to share their thoughts about the profound effect the event had on them. Here are a few of their comments:
"I wanted to thank you personally for the most miserable physical 24 hours I have spent in my life. I loved every minute of it! It is not very often in life that we get to push ourselves beyond our pre-conceived, puny perceptions." --- Mark Mueller
"I know that our boys not only were challenged physically, but more importantly, learned a lot about commitment, dedication, team work and love for one's country. God bless." --- Tom Worosz
"I look forward to the next 24-hour Challenge and what it is going to make me bring out in myself. You and all of your instructors brought out the best in many of us." --- Michael Piet
"My profound thanks for one of the great experiences of my life. The most rewarding moments were the ones in which the greatest demands were being made. Another [lesson learned] was humility. How seriously can you take yourself in other life situations, knowing you've crawled through the sand gasping for breath while cold, wet, tired and miserable." --- Dan Freedman
"It made me more tolerant and accepting of others' limitations. The increased intensity and clarity are things I can bring back to the corporate world." --- Steve Reuss
The Seal Adventure Challenge was originally designed as a recruiting tool for the Navy after founder CWO (Ret.) SEAL Don Mann, was asked to design an event that would spark the interest of potential recruits. This remains a primary goal of the organizers and the Navy officials who support the event.
The 2001 24-hour Seal Adventure Challenge will be offered on these dates:
On March 17, July 14, and October 6.
For more information: visit the Beast of the East Web Site
Or write oarinfo@aol.com; or call (757) 425-2445.


Sandeep and I were both up all night in our freezing tent in Dzongri. We had trekked for three days to a height of 14,000 feet and altitude sickness started to get the better of us. Following the eight our uphill trek that day and very little oxygen, were starting to feel delirious. Our guides, porters and us chose a camping site in a small valley in Dzongri. Our tent (the yellow one), our kitchen tent (blue) and our bathroom tent (green) were the only structures in sight. Here's the blow by blow starting at about 1 A.M.
Sandeep: D. D… D!!!! Do you hear that?
Diya: Huh, yeah. It sounds like a horse.
Sandeep: It's not a horse. The horses all wear those bells.
Diya: Well, maybe this is a good horse. Maybe the horseman knows he won't run away so he let him free without the bell.
Sandeep: I doubt it. Anyway, it's moving around but I don't hear it breathing. Don't horses breathe?
Diya: Yeah. But maybe he's just relaxing.
Sandeep: Then why is he walking around like that? No it should be breathing. Animals breathe. This one is not breathing.
Diya: Ok, maybe it's not an animal then.
Sandeep: What is it? It's moving around. S$!1! It's borrowing under my head.
Diya: Turn on the torch! Shine the torch at it.
Sandeep: It's still there. It's not a good sign that we are pointing a light at it's face and talking but it's not scared of us.
Diya: Well, if it's small enough to burrow and it isn't scared of us then it's probably not going to attack.
Sandeep: Do you know that?
Sandeep: You're always rationalizing everything. It is not normal for an animal to be around us for so long.
Diya: You're always paranoid. What do you know about normalcy and animals? Anyway, I still think it's a grazing horse.
Sandeep: Then why is it burrowing under my head?
Diya: Listen, if it's been here for an hour and hasn't attacked then I am sure it's not going to. Anyway, the only wild animal here is a snow leopard. But I don't think snow leopards graze.
Sandeep: Snow leopard? That's not good. Not good at all.
Diya: Ok, let's call Thupten (our guide). We're not getting any sleep.
Sandeep and Diya: Thupten. Thupten! THUPTENNNNNN!!!
Thupten (sounding startled): Yes? Wait, wait. What is it? Are you sick?
Sandeep: Yes, but that's not why we called you. There is a wild animal here.
Sandeep: No, outside. Behind our heads I think.
Thupten: There is no wild animal here.
Diya: Is there a horse?
Thupten: No. Are you sure it's not the wind?
Diya: I don't think it's the wind. It sounded like it was grazing.
Sandeep: No, it was burrowing.
Thupten rustles our tent cover, which was hardened with ice. Sure enough, it sounds like an animal moving about. He kicked the mat behind our heads and it definitely sounds like an animal burrowing.
Sandeep and Diya: Sorry Thupten.
Sandeep: We're from the city. We don't know anything about animals or sleeping in tents.
By this time we were almost at our 4 A.M. wake up to view the sunrise over the mountain range. Sandeep and I stayed up, agreeing we need to work on our outdoorsy skills.
this is such a great post! i love it because i can so clearly picture the two of you having this conversation 🙂 at least it wasn't a friendly little dog under the tent-sandeep would have really freaked out!
You are too funny. The whole night was just hilarious…in hindsight of course.
Love this post! Totally cracked me up! Ah you city folks!!!
I'd like to see how an island girl would have handled that same situation 🙂 I was very embarrassed though…I would have thought all those Kodai camps would have prepared me for anything.
Really! After NYC I thought you guys were immune to all sorts of animal attacks….
Wild animals is a subjective term as we discovered. As Keri says, thank goodness is wasn't a sweet little dog, otherwise we really would have had a situation on our hands.


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Afrilatest.com > Lifestyles Trends > Good News TV series > Large families: A child with respiratory failure taken to the emergency room
Large families: A child with respiratory failure taken to the emergency room
in Good News TV series, USA today entertainment
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Large families,
The night was very complicated for Ambre Dol and especially for one of her children. The mother who became popular thanks to "Large Families, Life in XXL" spent several hours in the emergency room with the youngest of her tribe, who was having problems breathing.
The galleys seem to follow one another for the Dol. After the allergic reaction of Joaquim (4 years old) which earned him to have a very swollen face, it is the turn of his little sister Winona (2 years and a half) to encounter some problems.
Indeed, in recent days, the youngest daughter of Amber and Alexander displays 39 ° C on the thermometer. "She is shattered," her mother said on her social networks, helpless.
Thursday, April 14, 2022, the candidate of Large Families, Life in XXL was however hopeful that the situation will get better.
"Nona is better, still 39 of fever tonight but I find her a little better anyway, she is a little fitter, she still coughs a lot but it's less dry so I cross my fingers that it is in the right direction," she announced in Instagram story. But now, things have not worked out and have even taken a slightly more worrying turn.
"Finally, we go through the emergency box, "revealed Ambre Dol in the middle of the night. Then, at precisely 2:26 in the morning, the little one was finally taken care of and placed under respiratory device as it was shown in pictures (see below). After a few hours in the hospital, mother and daughter were finally able to return home.
Large families: A child with respiratory failure taken to the emergency room 4
The pretty nurse then took the time to explain that the young Winona found herself in respiratory failure, with an oxygen level much too low. "Its oxygen saturation was 92% when I made the decision to go to the emergency room," we still learn.
A completely normal reaction given that a satisfactory saturation rate for a child corresponds to a value greater than 95%. If it is less than 94%, this is a criterion of severity and it leads to hospitalization.
It is difficult for the mother of five to see clearly what causes the suffering of Winona, who begins treatment: "It is reminiscent of bronchiolitis but the sample is negative.
In any case, start of antibiotics and continuation of paracetamol." In any case, the girl was able to recover from her emotions by ending her night in the bed of her father and mother.
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The 10 Smartest Cities In The World
Economy, sustainability, technology, and urban planning. Where do the world's cities rank on these and other important metrics?
We all have our favorite cities, and our subjective reasons for choosing them. They make us happy, keep us entertained, look beautiful at night. Whatever it is. The Cities In Motion Index doesn't care about that. It has objective data: 50 sets of it in all, covering every facet of urban life, from the economy and governance to technology and urban planning.
The result is that some perpetually favorite places–Rome and Istanbul for instance–don't fare so well (Rome is 54th out of 135) in a ranking of "smartness," a catch-all phrase for a well-operated city that is pleasant to live in. They look like middle-rankers compared to the top three cities: Tokyo, London, and New York. Buenos Aires (106th place) sounds pretty bad when you think about the 105 cities ranked above it, while Dallas (13th) looks set for the future.
New York via Shutterstock
The ranking is put together by IESE Business School, in Spain, and gives a sense of cities' sustainability, in the broadest sense. It assesses technology by measures like broadband penetration; environmental performance by particle emissions; and "international outreach" by the numbers of visitors by airplane. As such, it's one of the most comprehensive index of cities to date. While others look at "livability," it attempts to include more or less everything.
No city is perfect. Even the top cities have major drawbacks. Half the top-10 score poorly for "social cohesion," for example. Tokyo comes in 125th for that. London is 96th, and New York is 110th (and 37th for the environment). Paris, which is fifth overall, has a ranking of 87th for public administration (proving that cities can rise above their governments).
Paris via Shutterstock
For more info, see the full report, or check out the infographic that accompanies it. It plots cities by whether they are "high potential" (like Shanghai and Guangzhou), "challengers" (like Toronto, which has made rapid improvements), "vulnerable" (like Athens, which is getting worse, not better), and "consolidated" (which have reached a high ranking already).
A ranking like this is bound to annoy everyone. But it does bring a lot of comparative data together, and it does show where cities can improve, which can't really be a bad thing in the end.


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Patriots or Rams? Saturday evening Big Game predictions
by: KRQE Media
Posted: Feb 2, 2019 / 05:32 PM CST / Updated: Feb 3, 2019 / 01:05 AM CST
Everywhere you go in Atlanta, there is one answer everyone wants to know. Who is going to win Super Bowl LIII?
The Nexstar team tracked down a handful of people that have experienced this big game to get their predictions.
The Patriots have won five Super Bowl titles. The Rams won their only Lombardi Trophy, nearly two decades ago and not surprisingly, when talking to a couple of former Super Bowl MVP's experience matters.
"I just give a slight edge to Tom Brady in the moment. I saw it way back 17 years ago, two minutes to go he leads his team down to win a Super Bowl," said Kurt Warner.
"I said it once, I said it twice, I say it again. Don't count out number 12," said Santonio Holmes. When it comes to players and coaches that have multiple Suber Bowl titles, the predictions are a little more balanced.
"I think it is going to be tight," said Tony Dungy. "I think the Patriots will get out to the lead. I think the Rams will edge their way back into it, and the Patriots with a last minute, one way or another, will win."
"Give the benefit of the doubt to New England being that they have some experience playing in the Super Bowl. That doesn't just mean the game, that means the two weeks leading up to the game, but L.A. is pretty talented," said Ed McCaffrey.
"It's almost a pick'em game for me," said Michael Irvin. "The Rams have everything they need to give the Patriots a fit".
A couple of Reggies who also have Super Bowl titles weighed in and it's back to Belichick, Brady and their bunch.
"I think the Patriots are going to win on Sunday. Nobody executes better than the Patriot," said Reggie Bush.
"I think it falls to the Patriots. It falls to them. I do think experience matters," said Reggie Wayne.
More The Big Game Stories
by DAVE SKRETTA / Jan 21, 2020
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Clark Hunt remembers well the celebrations four years ago that surrounded the golden anniversary of the Super Bowl, the championship game whose name was coined by his late father and Kansas City Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt.
One moment stands out more than the rest. It had to do with Hunt's mother, Norma, who has been to every championship game since the Chiefs played the Green Bay Packers in the first one in 1967.
Patrick Mahomes is the first quarterback from a Texas university to start in the Super Bowl
by Samantha Jarpe / Jan 21, 2020
LUBBOCK, Texas (EverythingLubbock.com) — No quarterback from a four-year Texas university has ever started in a Super Bowl, until Patrick Mahomes.
The former Red Raider will make history February 2 as the first quarterback from a Texas university to play in the Super Bowl.
PHOTOS: Thousands of workers preparing Miami stadium for Super Bowl
by STEVEN WINE / Jan 21, 2020
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The pounding of a single hammer echoed through the stands Tuesday in the Miami Dolphins' stadium, the reverberations from the Super Bowl's return to South Florida just beginning.
Painters sprayed a logo on the newly laid grass while two men in hard hats dangled from a scaffold under a video board. Workers on the sprawling grounds outside the stadium also busily prepared the complex for the NFL title game on Feb. 2 between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.
49ers Kyle Shanahan provides injury update on Tevin Coleman
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Andy Reid celebrates win with cheeseburger
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Light snow this evening will transition to snow showers late. Low 29F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 70%. Snowfall around one inch. Precip: 70%


JEFFERSON CITY - Controversy over the state's use of drivers' license data came to a head Wednesday as a Senate committee questioned Department of Revenue officials.
Much of Wednesday morning's discussion centered around a letter from December 12, obtained by the Senate through a subpoena, from then-department director Alana Barragan-Scott to Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. KOMU 8 News obtained a copy of the letter from the office of Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia. The letter includes several pages marked "REAL ID Act of 2005-Benchmark Checklist," which purport to show the department's progress in meeting a series of criteria established by the federal 2005 REAL ID Act, which requires states to ask for several official documents to confirm someone's identity every time they apply for a state-issued ID such as a driver's license. The checklist purports to show Missouri is in full or partial compliance with all of the provisions specified by the REAL ID Act. A number of states including Missouri have passed laws barring their licensing agencies from complying with the act.
Department of Revenue leaders told the Senate Appropriations Committee the agency is not trying to comply with the REAL ID Act. Jackie Bemboom, the director of the agency's Motor Vehicle and Driver Licensing Division, said the department was trying to show the Department of Homeland Security how Missouri was securing drivers' license data. She said the agency does not want Missourians to be denied access to airline flights because their state is not REAL ID compliant.
Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, said he wasn't convinced the agency was not trying to comply with REAL ID. He said the larger issue is that the Department of Revenue may be violating Missourians' right to privacy. During the hearing, Schaefer accused the Department of Revenue officials of ducking his committee's questions.
"In my opinion, your DMV budget is at zero. Zero," Schaefer said.
Under the new procedures, Department of Revenue representatives told the committee, everyone must provide a birth certificate, proof of residence, such as a utility bill, and a social security number when they apply for a state id. All of these documents are scanned and stored in a central database. In addition, photos are taken of applicants and scanned for data such as facial structure.
John Mollenkamp, the department's executive director, said the new data collection procedure is needed to prevent fraud, citing a case in St. Joseph where an employee took bribes to provide false identity documents to more than 3,500 illegal immigrants. He said sending all of the data to a central clearinghouse adds a layer of protection against potential inside cases of fraud.
Testimony continued during the afternoon, with several committee members asking whether the department has the capability to list everyone in the state who has a concealed-carry endorsement. Bemboom and other representatives said it did. After repeated questioning from Sen. Rob Schaaf, R-St Joseph, Bemboom said she believed an Office of Administration employee had told her requests have been made, though she added the agency has turned down all such requests to her knowledge.


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Blaq for BlackBerry 10 updated to include support for 280 characters
With BlackBerry World being a bit shall we say unstable lately, it seems as though we missed mentioning one important update to the popular BlackBerry 10 Twitter client, Blaq. The latest update for Blaq, that became available on December 18th, includes support for the new 280 character count on Twitter. Additionally, noted in the changelog there are also some updates translations for good measure.
If you're still using Blaq for all your Twitter needs, you'll surely want to go ahead and get updated to the latest release if you haven't already. If you're still looking for a Twitter client with ongoing support for BlackBerry 10, Blaq is on sale right now for $1.99 provided you can get BlackBerry World to cooperate with taking your payment, which seems to be an issue for a lot of folks.
Learn more / Download Blaq from BlackBerry World


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29th June 2020 15:19 Link to Post #1
Okay, so the title of the thread is probably not the best, but couldn't think of anything better. I am curious about how people really look at this, so I'd love to hear others' opinions. These questions could easily apply to many countries, but as I live in America, that's what I'm focusing on. If you'd like to chime in with your experiences from another country, of course that's welcome! But please let us know what country you're talking about.
Do you think there is systemic racism in any institutionalized areas of America? (This would extend from the currently-much-discussed police to the medical field to the education system.) This is not about individuals, but group think and actions as well as policies that were originally made to repress and oppress races and other specific groups of people. (And of course, "races" is a misnomer, but for the sake of discussion, let's not get into that.)
Please, don't argue with someone because they may have a different opinion than you. Just share your thoughts. Consider this more of an information gathering session, not a place to discuss or argue about how to fix anything (if anything even needs to be fixed). If you need to define some parameters for your own explanations, please do so! Detail is encouraged.
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The problem is the definition of 'systemic racism', which I would just call the 'out-group'. The lines get more and more blurred in the modern world but not so for the old, especially racially 'pure' nations.
If that can be accepted, I would of course agree that there is systemic racism. But not against a skin color. Rather, against the common ideology of The Work Ethic, bank account accruing, busy, erratic, self-centered, greedy consumerism and unbridled capitalistic open-ended growth based mantra of the modern world. Is that a race?
Ya, the rat race. I'm racist against rats holding competitions of any kind, it seems.
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Gemma13
There is a cultural problem that I believe makes up a large chunk of institutional racism that I don't think is getting enough air time. The refusal of some indigenous groups/families to want to be inclusive within industry.
A true story from the small city I was born in. A teacher encouraged and supported his top student to go to university. According to him "X" was so intelligent she could pick and choose any career she wanted and would excel.
"X" wanted very much to pursue her dreams but was also hesitant. She eventually enrolled only to withdraw and take a job working in the local supermarket.
When her stunned teacher asked "why" she said she decided to choose her family over her personal desires because she couldn't handle the pressure from her family and the risk of being cut off from them if she went to uni because they condemned her for wanting to "be like white people".
Another story closer to home. My white girlfriend married an indigenous man. Lots of his family supported them. Some didn't. Many times when they were out in public he would get targeted and yelled at for betraying his colour to be with a "white c...".
I was raised in a small town in Western Australia and hated walking home from school trying to avoid being spat on and bullied by groups of indigenous children because I was apparently white scum.
As an adult I was assaulted from behind on a bus because I was white. I hadn't uttered a word. Just happened to be the unlucky person standing in front of the woman repeatedly jeering and yelling "you're all f#cking white c...s". The tension and fear from everyone was palpable.
But this particular day I had had enough so I turned, landed a punch back and said okay, enough, you wanna keep having a go then as soon as we're off this bus you can have me, I'll take you on.
The woman was stunned and went silent. Then she came up to me on the crowded platform and started hugging me saying, "it's okay, you're like me, you're alright, we're friends." And that was that.
I asked a friend who worked in social services what the hell that was all about and she said the woman probably changed her attitude because I spoke her language. How sad is that. I had to become aggessive to be respected.
Where I live now we feed over 70 students daily at our school's breakfast club and many are indigenous. There are a lot of indigenous families that still refuse to value education or "the white man system" so they refuse to support it. Problem is they don't provide or request any alternatives so poverty, alcohol, drugs and domestic violence are prevalent.
The lack of education and communication skills creates and perpetuates inferiority within the general community that seriously disables indigenous groups. For example health issues get undiagnosed and therefore untreated because people are too anxious and afraid to visit medical institutions because they can't understand the language.
And then of course there are the many indigenous families/groups that do value education, are highly succesful in institutions, and work hard on trying to fix this fracture in their communities.
So my main point to contribute here is that there are institutional problems that are not coming from so called "white privilege". When the indigenous culture is fractured and finding it difficult to help each other, how in gods name are non indigenous people supposed to help.
This is why I am deeply disappointed in the division being created from BLM because it is seriously jeopardizing and hampering indigenous people, let alone everyone else, trying to help families/groups within their communities.
Last edited by Gemma13; 29th June 2020 at 17:33.
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Sad how individual 2nd hand experiental stories are used to convey a see I said so feel to encompass a subcategory of people. I recently talked to someone who has been living here since 2 years as a student in University who said that even though the Netherlands are supposedly rather liberal and tolerant she has to deal with racist remarks and "jokes" uttered by fellow students and even teachers.
If and when she spoke up she was portrayed as sensitive, no fun and unsociable.
Now where have I heard that before
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I think racism is a very real problem.
But I resist the idea of systemic racism. No one has explained to me exactly which systems are racist and how. No one has showed me the law or policy that favors whites over blacks. On the contrary, there are quite a few laws and policies that favor blacks over whites.
Listening to the grievances of black folks, it seems to me that we have an anecdotal racism issue, not a systemic one. Black folks are often treated with suspicion, disregard, and condescension. But as far as I can tell it's not because of anything systemic. Most black folks can tell you an anecdotal story, or several, about being mistreated by someone of a different race. But those are personal interactions, not systemic ones. There are some despicable individuals out there, but our societal systems are mostly fair I'd say.
Even then, some passive aggressive forms of racism are often more novelty or familiarity bias among people that don't know enough about other cultures and dont spend enough time in their presence to be comfortable. It's not always deep rooted hate or discrimination that causes these things.
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I wonder if we are all "racist"....but that is not the real word I would chose. Prejudice. Maybe that is a better word.
We are prejudiced for many reasons. Color, religion, north of the border (any border), south of the border...different. If you are "different" than the "norm" of where you live or work, you will find prejudice. My folks have lived in east Tennessee for over 50 years. They will "always" be considered "outsiders" since they weren't born in the area. That isn't Racist, per se. Color has NOTHING to do with the neighbors bias against the folks.
I have been reading about the Racism in China. Horrible. Black, Christian, sex, etc. are all being biased against. Who knew?
Is there systemic prejudice around the US and in the world. Absolutely. Just how bad depends on who and what is considered "abnormal".
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Bill Ryan
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Posted by Floating (here)
Constance's empowerment portal
Draw your Sword, things are about to get real
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Well, let me ask you a question: Do you like Chris Rock? Do you think he's funny?
I do! He's genius. Love the guy. When he makes fun of white people, which he does often, no one is laughing harder than I am. I could give a f#ck. And the reason is this:much of what he says is true! There are some truths to some stereotypes, and when they are exposed in a humorous way, you can't help but laugh. It's visceral, it just comes out of you. It's like your soul's way of applauding a taboo truth.
Do you like Dave Chappelle? He's almost universally regarded as our best living comic. And deservedly so. He's hysterical. He also makes fun of white people. Constantly! LOL. Oh, and gay people, and trans people. And women. Relentlessly
No one is above being poked at humorously. No one. To assume one group or another is above being made fun of is simply arrogant.
Ridicule is another matter. No one should have to endure that. If your friend is being ridiculed for her race or whatever, that's bullsh!t and it needs to stop. But if she's being humorously poked at here n there, then the best thing she should do is poke back. There is a real opportunity for growth for her there if she can manage that. Something cathartic may be waiting for her just beyond her comfort zone.
re "systemic". Well this is the problem, isn't it? No one actually knows what this means exactly, least of all the mindless mob that is endlessly droning on about it.
For me, it's Bill's first definition, mostly. That's how I think of it. Some people will also include some element of unconscious bias in there too. And there is bias, of course; there's all kinds of biases. But I don't lay them all at the feet of racism. That all needs to be delicately parsed out. But in today's social climate, trying to introduce this type of logic will only earn you the label of racist, or bigot, or white supremacist.
"Systemic racism" is a murky idea and a threat all rolled into one, in the sense that no one really knows exactly what it means, but you better f#cking agree with it anyway or you're a racist.
Last edited by Mike; 29th June 2020 at 23:12.
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Mike. Again on generalities. Who in your opinion, and how pervasive, is this "mindless mob"?
Are they all the mindless mob?
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Posted by Gracy May (here)
nearly everyone, yes. totally pervasive
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Systemic racism explained by Michael Wood
Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=9bw__dwoSDM
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I don't understand this answer, Mike. Haven't you differentiated those who drone on endlessly about systemic racism and those who don't?
I also want to mention that in political cartooning, particularly (this goes to your point about black comediennes imitating or making fun of white people) it is acceptable to punch up, but not down. Chris Rock makes you laugh because the imitations are not only accurate but as a white person, you aren't threatened by it.
Okay then, wow, dude I couldn't disagree more. I'm going to have to sleep on it to gain greater clarity on how to really take that.
So nearly 100% of the voices who say there exists systemic racism, are part of the "mindless mob". Huh...
Last edited by Gracy May; 30th June 2020 at 02:35.
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Look, I can't go on www. mindlessmob.com to give you an exact number of people who don't understand the concept of systemic racism. What I'm offering is an opinion; it's not science. Imagine for a moment you told me you met lots of idiots in your life. And then imagine I followed you around all day, tapping your shoulder and demanding an exact count of them, along with the ratio of huge idiots to semi-huge idiots, and semi-huge to moderate, and so on and so forth
I wouldn't do that because I'd understand the spirit of what you were saying. You're confusing the spirit of what I'm saying with some kind of bizarre need for exact percentages and numbers. Metaphorically, I'm trying to describe an attack by a swarm of bees coming from all directions, and you're demanding I count them while I'm trying to swat them away. Look, they're everywhere.
But ok, here ya go: if you went outside and approached 100 people and asked them to define "systemic racism", I bet you'd get nearly 100 different answers. There would be some overlap of course, but you would get different answers from most of them. And a significant portion of those 100 wouldn't even know how to answer that question at all.
And the irony is, the degree to which they were correct would all depend on the definition you were subscribing to, of which there are many.
I've heard systemic racism described in many different ways. Most people can't explain it coherently because it's a bloated ball of nonsense. It's not inherently coherent. It's loaded with contradictions and meaningless, manufactured language. To accept its existence requires a suspension of logic and reason....hence, mindlessness.
I think the people who are teaching it are akin to cult leaders. It's much more of an emotional "science" than an intellectual one. It appeals to activists and those types of groups. When bitter and resentful people group up and become emotionally charged, you have mobs. Mobs that are mindless are mindless mobs. And when they begin infecting society at large, look out.
If you cant see those mindless mobs, it could mean you're not paying any attention at all, or it could mean you may even be part of one without even knowing it.
The media, the universities, the professors, and increasingly corporate entities are all subscribing to the doctrine of "systemic racism". That's the mindless mob right there. And that's pretty much everyone
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Mike, Would you agree that there is systemic racism within policing agencies, the justice and prison systems? If not, why not? Black people are treated much worse than white people. That seems to be something few people would argue with.
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shaberon
There is British Israelism which may be considered to involve the U. S.
But it is more or less Harvard at the epicenter of modern Eugenics as in general Wiki information:
Eugenics was supported by many prominent figures of different political persuasions before World War I, including: Liberal economists William Beveridge and John Maynard Keynes; Fabian socialists such as Irish author George Bernard Shaw, H. G. Wells and Sidney Webb; and Conservatives such as the future Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Arthur Balfour. The influential economist John Maynard Keynes was a prominent supporter of eugenics, serving as Director of the British Eugenics Society, and writing that eugenics is "the most important, significant and, I would add, genuine branch of sociology which exists".
The American eugenics movement received extensive funding from various corporate foundations including the Carnegie Institution, Rockefeller Foundation, and the Harriman railroad fortune. In 1906 J.H. Kellogg provided funding to help found the Race Betterment Foundation in Battle Creek, Michigan.
In the first decades of the twentieth century, the work of the Rockefeller Foundation was decisive for the implementation of public health initiatives in Brazil, especially in the so-called public health movement. At that time, Brazilian eugenics was the same as public health, as expressed in the maxim "to sanitize is to eugenize".
It was this global phenomenon which for example Germany re-branded to Herrenvolk; they didn't launch the concept.
It is still being applied via the Balfour Declaration.
We are still conditioned by Fabian World Government and Rockefeller Medicine, updating its guises.
Indian Right Hand Occult Path from the Sanskrit
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I love Dave Chapelle, but have yet to see chris rock.
Reason I asked was because you used the word and then said what wasn't explained a few posts ago. Thinking about how being precise matters.
The way I understood it(and being non-english I miss loads of nuances of words) was that a part of it was more like a biased racism. The racism hidden as a joke. A cultural agreement of what is acceptible and what isn't.
I take it you are only being jokingly insulted and generelized for being white when you watch Chris Rock or Dave Chapelle and maybe a few other times every 3 months or so?
In the netherlands I'm sad to say I think that number is way way higher for the black community. In fact other than going looking for it in comedy shows. I don't think I ever experienced a white joke at my expense being made.
That is how I understood systemic racism and realize now that that is almost the same as what could be a sub section of white privilige.
I agree by the way that both terms are way to broad to be usefull anymore.
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Hey Jess, there are a little over 21 million black males in the U.S. Or at least there was in 2018.
Last year, roughly 250 of them were shot by police.
I'd prefer ZERO being shot by police, of course. But 250 out of 21 million doesn't suggest an existential crisis to me, let alone systemic racism as I understand it. Thats .0012%. If the cops were as nasty and evil as some of the radical activists are making them out to be, that number would be way higher.
It's true that black men are shot at a significantly higher rate than whites. And while the relative stats tell a more accurate story than the absolute stats, I still don't think you can dismiss the absolute stats which tell us that more whites are shot than blacks yearly.
The reason blacks are shot at a higher rate than whites is a very complex and layered issue. Racism plays a role, but it's only one variable in a multilayered equation.
As far as prisons, I think everyone gets treated like sh!t in there. It's highly corrupt and the guards are often complicit. I don't have any statistics to offer but I've been watching loads of Wes Watson videos; Wes is an ex con who spent 10 years in gladiator style prisons in California. He describes in detail how the guards mistreat the prisoners. And he doesn't make any distinctions between the way whites and blacks are treated. It's a hell for everyone.
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text:
Americans Always Help During Disasters
In March of 2017, wildfires swept across Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Colorado. Dry conditions and high winds drove fires across what was later learned to be over a million acres. Besides the absolute destruction of homes, barns, businesses, the fires wiped out pastures and hayfields, But worse of all, it claimed the lives of seven people and killed an untold number of cattle.
Ranchers were in bad straits after wildfires swept through the Great Plains. That fire left a trail of loss, tragedy, devastation, death, and despair in its wake.
Because of its widespread destruction and sheer magnitude, it was called the heartland's Hurricane Katrina. Of course, as was the case in other disasters in America, Americans came forward to help when Congress wouldn't because of political reasons. Knowing that the surviving cattle needing to be fed, ranchers and farmers from around the region starting donating hay and feed.
Since I've been asked about my link to the WRCA Foundation, I want to take a minute to say that among the many who showed up to help was the WRCA.
The Working Ranch Cowboy Association was started in 1995 by a group of men and women from across the West who wanted to promote ranching on a National and International level. Among their goals was their desire to keep the American Cowboy lifestyle alive and well.
Their focus is on the working ranch cowboy, and to do so, the WRCA produces the World Championship Ranch Rodeo to showcase the skills of the working ranch cowboy.
But above all, the WRCA's events are used to raise funds for the WRCA Foundation. Their WRCA Foundation has a Crisis Fund that provides financial and other assistance to working ranch cowboys and their families who are suffering significant hardship and cannot provide for their immediate needs.
According to the WRCA, a working ranch cowboy is any person, male or female, who derives a significant portion of his or her income from taking care of cattle on a cattle ranch. Day workers are included. In March of 2017 when wildfires swept across Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Colorado, they were the hardest hit.
Whether it was the many firefighters who rush toward the fire to try to contain the destruction, or the ranchers and farmers, friends and families, who stepped forward to help in the aftermath, Americans always help during disasters. We can all pray for those who were lost, pray for those who lose everything, and of course, step forward and help in any way that we can.
For me, I support the WRCA Foundation. I have for years in whatever small way that I can. Whether it's the WRCA or another organization, it's up to us to step forward to help during disasters. And by the way, think about this, many who don't have the money to make a donation actually gave their time to help recovery efforts.
Because helping is what real Americans do, they gave of themselves. God bless them for that. After all, all is appreciated.
That's just the way I see it.
Posted by Tom Correa at 11:42 AM
The Thomas Livingston Correspondence 1863
Gilleland's Civil War Double-Barrel Cannon
Joshua Abraham Norton -- America's Self-proclaimed...


The VS-88FO is a matrix switcher for 3G HD-SDI video signals over fiber optical cable. The unit can switch any or all inputs to any or all outputs.
Max. Data Rate - 3Gbps.
Optional SFP Modules - Maximum of 4 can be installed. Minimum of 1 is required.
Active Input Reporting - Each input button on the front panel automatically lights up when the unit detects a video signal on that input. Red indicates a standard definition (SDI) input signal and blue indicates a high definition (HD-SDI) input signal.
Multiple Memory Locations - Stores multiple switches as presets (salvos) to be recalled and executed when needed.
Take Button - Executes multiple switches all at once.
Vertical Interval Switching - Compliant with SMPTE RP-168.
Compatible Transmitter & Receiver - 690T & 690R.
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Range - 2-40km depending on SFP modules installed.
Standard 19" Rack Mount Size - 1U. Rack "ears" included.


While many of the following terms have been discussed in other articles about Twitter here is a handy one-page reference guide for all things Twitter. The good news is you don't have to memorize this. A few days of consistent use will quickly adapt you to many of these terms.
Twitter Handle: Also known as a username. This is the name you select to represent yourself.
To subscribe to someone's updates on Twitter. You do this by clicking the "Follow" button on that specific person's Twitter page.When you follow someone, their updates will be displayed on your Twitter page so you can follow their conversation.
Follow Back: To subscribe to the someone's updates who has recently started following you. When a new person follows you, you will receive a Twitter email alert. The email will contain a link to the person's profile. By clicking the link, you can view who they are and determine if you want to follow them back.
@Reply: A public message sent from one Twitter user to another.
Retweet (RT): To repeat what someone else has already tweeted. People do this if someone has said something especially valuable and they want their own network to see the information too.
Direct Message (or DM): A private message sent from one Twitter user to another by clicking the "message" link on their profile or typing D USERNAME.
Twitter Stream: A list of a person's real‐time updates. Every time you post an update, it goes into your Twitter stream, which is found on your account page.
Tweet-up: An even specifically organized for Twitter users to meet up and network. This is usually informal.


This property sold for $370,000 almost 8 years ago.
Exquisite studio in the 5 star, luxury ONE Bal Harbour. Panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean. Exquisitely decorated w/top of the line furnishings. One of a kind bldg w/world class amenities including 2 gourmet restaurants, Bar, lounge, 10,000sf spa, Fitn ess Center, Oceanside Pool & Beach Club. All furniture & Accessories included in price. Hotel management program is Optional not mandatory.
Listing courtesy of MLSM / Sarrett Development Corp.
Listing Courtesy of: MLSM and Sarrett Development Corp..


text:
<?php

namespace Exporter\Source;

/**
 * IteratorCallbackSource is IteratorSource with callback executed each row.
 *
 * @author Florent Denis <fdenis@ekino.com>
 */
class IteratorCallbackSourceIterator extends IteratorSourceIterator
{
    /** @var \Closure */
    protected $transformer;

    /**
     * Constructor.
     *
     * @param \Iterator $iterator    Iterator with string array elements
     * @param \Closure  $transformer Altering a data row
     */
    public function __construct(\Iterator $iterator, \Closure $transformer)
    {
        parent::__construct($iterator);

        $this->transformer = $transformer;
    }

    /**
     * {@inheritdoc}
     */
    public function current()
    {
        return call_user_func($this->transformer, $this->iterator->current());
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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text:
Voices of the GOVERNING Institute
A New Roadmap to Better Teacher Evaluation and Support
Education policymakers now have some better navigation tools to help them get from here to there.
March 17, 2016 •
Rich Crandall and Danielle M. Gonzales
If you're planning a trip across town or across the country, these days the first step is to grab a smartphone to check Google Maps or Waze to get directions. But we're old enough to remember when every journey to a new place required unfolding an unwieldy paper map and then tracing out a course along tiny lines that may or may not represent the most efficient route.
In some states, education policymakers are still using the equivalent of paper roadmaps. They create policies based on a two-dimensional view of the education landscape, without clear vision, broad-based input or effective follow-through. As a result, they -- along with the educators, parents and students they serve -- are taken on a tiresome trip that can leave everyone a little cranky.
Consider teacher evaluation and support systems. The Aspen Institute has worked in a variety of capacities in many states and districts, and in every one of them teachers have been critical to students' success. But too often in teacher-evaluation policy, supports and growth end up as an afterthought. That's no way to foster and develop the valuable talents of teachers who work with our students every day.
The good news is that states and school districts can change that. Some are already taking a more Waze-inspired approach to teacher evaluation -- tapping into insights from a variety of sources, keeping a close eye on data and making adjustments along the way.
The Aspen Institute has convened leaders from top-performing systems around the country and identified ways that they are moving from Point A -- devising teacher feedback policies that meet minimum standards -- toward Point B -- refining a system so that it truly supports educators' professional growth. The findings and recommendations are outlined in "Teacher Evaluation and Support Systems: a Roadmap for Improvement," a new resource aimed at helping policymakers chart a course forward.
The Roadmap is an especially timely resource, as many states are considering the directions they'll take with their increased education-policy responsibilities under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. Since its passage in last December, the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) also has compiled a set of principles for states on developing and refining teacher evaluation and support systems. Resources like Aspen's Roadmap and CCSSO's principles represent the smartphone navigation apps of education policy, if you will.
In Colorado for example, we are now looking closely at the first two years of implementation of our statewide teacher evaluation system. The "road map" we put out in 2012 did indeed give educators a detailed, specific set of practices to look at each year. That was helpful at the time, and it is still helpful for many teachers, but we are now looking at new data and feedback to streamline the map so that teachers and evaluators can get from Point A to Point B faster.
Our long involvement in education has made us keenly aware of the disconnect that sometimes exists between passing a policy and then implementing it. For meaningful implementation to happen, we need to constantly evaluate data and talk to the teachers and principals using the systems to ensure that those systems are meeting their needs and, most importantly, the needs of the students and families served by our public education system.
With educators' professional growth -- and, ultimately, students' success -- on the line, state policymakers have a great opportunity to craft smart, supportive evaluation policies. Now is the time for them to take a fresh look at where their current evaluation and support systems are and clarify where they want them to go. And they should lean on the experience of those in other states who are on similar (or even different) paths. With the right map, policymakers can ensure that their decisions drive success for teachers and students.


I just recently got the camera as a gift, and I read all the instructions. Got the camera all set up and film loaded. First picture came out great! The rest however kept coming out black. In any lighting with different settings, didn't matter. Changed the batteries just in case and thought maybe it was a bad pack of film. Loaded up a new pack of film and once again, first picture came out great, then the rest black. I never opened the back. I store the camera in a safe place. Never dropped it. So I'm kind of stumped on what's going on. I'm about to give up and have it get returned so the person who bought it for me can have their money back. Anything helps thank you!
dam…mine keeps going all black, ive taken around 7 pictures just fine and now the rest are just all white… i still dont find answers from here or other websites!
If you are sure that your film pack was not wasted due to exposing it to the sun or something, I would say.... just send your camera to the repair center. I waited for months and searched on many websites for an answer on my camera that was not developing the photos.... but in the end the camera was just now working well. I sent it to the center and got it back like two weeks later. They replaced it with a new one and all is good now. My guarantee was still not due so, no charges other than what it cost me to send the package. Good luck!
Thank you! this has been happening to me a lot lately.
Same thing happens to me but I've visited many blogs searching for an answer and I read somewhere that is because maybe there is not enough light??? anyway......I tried to take a picture to the sky very bright and guess what... The picture came out good showing the clouds and everything.
With no film in the camera, open the back and turn on the camera (pop out the lens). Then, take a photo. If the camera is working correctly, you should see a tiny hole appear just briefly in the camera innards. Try a few times. If you don't see the hole, the shutter is broken.
I have the same exact issue. I just sent it in to the warranty repair, and they claim that they replaced the camera, however, I still have the same issue. Im about to give up and just accept the fact that instax does not make good cameras. I have checked that my shutter does release, and it works, however all photos after first one or two I take from a new box of film come out completely black. My guess of what is happening is that the shutter somehow gets jammed after the first shot is taken, which allows no light to expose onto the film. I have no idea how to fix it and I just want to use the thing!
I have not had problems with my 2 packs of film, than I started buying film from Target and it has been coming out black ever since.
Nicole Tauzin will be eternally grateful.


The government's role in spurring innovation "Innovation Economics: The Race for Global Advantage," published in Septem- ber by Yale University Press, explores the conditions that have caused the United States to fall behind other countries in the competition for the innovation advantage. Authors Robert D. Atkinson and Stephen J. Ezell assess a wide range of factors to understand the challenges the country faces in regaining its position as a leader in innovation. Atkinson is founder and president of the Infor- mation Technology and Innovation Foundation, and Ezell is a senior analyst there. This excerpt describes what the authors believe is the govern- ment's role in carrying out innovative research and creating policies that encourage private-sector innovation. While lack of resources is not always the problem, sometimes money mat- ters. Cases in point are the numerous federal agencies that play a key role in innovation but that are woefully underfunded. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Of ce used to be the envy of other nations for its effectiveness and ef ciency. But today a backlog of more than 700,000 patent applica- tions at the USPTO means that most applicants will wait at least three years for a decision. Likewise, there have been increased delays at the Food and Drug Administration for drug and device approval and dif culties in upgrad- ing the scienti c expertise needed to expeditiously and effectively evaluate new drugs and biological submis- sions. The U.S. Trade Representative s Of ce brings relatively few cases before the World Trade Organization to challenge the mercantilist practices of other nations. And the U.S. statistical system needs to do a better job of providing the kinds of data that would help policy-makers understand the true condition of the U.S. innovation system. In all of these cases, lack of funding has been the principal cause of suboptimal performance, and more resources would boost performance. Innovation impact analysis Innovation is the poor stepchild of cost/ bene t analysis. For more than 30 years, the Of ce of Management and Budget s Of ce of Information and Regulatory Affairs has reviewed proposed federal agency actions on the basis of cost/ bene t analysis. In other words, will the agency regulation or action lead to bene ts that exceed their costs? This is certainly important, but there is almost no analysis of how federal actions will affect innovation. To remedy this, Congress should establish a small Of ce of Innovation Review (OIR) within the OMB whose mission would be to champion innova- tion within these processes. Such an entity would add an important new voice to the regulatory conversation. There would now be an entity speak- ing clearly and forthrightly on the centrality of innovation. More impor- tant, the OIR would not merely have a voice, it would be able to remand agency actions that harm innovation. It would also propose regulations that foster innovation. This is no small matter. Indeed, it would change the regulatory playing eld overnight. Funding tied to performance The federal government routinely provides monies to other organiza- tions (state and local governments, educational institutions, health care providers, and the like) to achieve some public purpose. But all too often, A new book makes the case for greater federal investment and updated policies to help the U.S. regain its competitive advantage BY ROBERT D. ATKINSON AND STEPHEN J. EZELL Bookshelf 30 November 30, 2012 FCW.COM Innovation is the poor stepchild of cost/bene t analysis.


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First and foremost, I support the right of private sector workers to organize and bargain collectively (which nearly always means that a labor union will serve as the workers' bargaining agent). My support is based on our Constitutional right of free association.
Anyone with even just a casual awareness of the history of the American labor movement no doubt understands the appalling conditions endured by many workers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Child labor, excessive work hours, and unsafe working conditions were only part of the miseries workers had to endure. It is to the labor unions' credit that they were able to create public awareness and work to remedy these excesses.
Unfortunately, as unions became larger and more powerful, they became power centers all of their own, existing more and more for the benefit of the union leadership rather than the workers whose dues they were collecting. At some point, it seemed that the workers the union bosses were paid to represent had just traded masters (i.e., oppressive and greedy union bosses replaced oppressive and greedy employers). The graft, corruption and other criminal activities of some of the larger union organizations are well documented.
Fast-forwarding to the present, there is far less need for labor unions today. A plethora of state and federal statutes has long been in force that address all the legitimate grievances raised by the labor movement founders. As a result, unionized private sector workers today receive far less value for the dues skimmed from their paychecks than in times past. This is one of the reasons that the percentage of private sector unions has shrunk so dramatically (up to 35% of the labor force at its peak back in the 1950s/60s as compared to 8% today).
The other reason for this catastrophic decline is that today's markets are more globalized and competitive. Unionized companies are less efficient than their non-unionized counterparts as a result of the burdens of higher labor costs, cumbersome work rules, and an inability to easily trim out less productive and unnecessary workers. Since this raises production costs, unionized companies are less competitive. As a result, large unionized U.S. industries have suffered huge losses in market share since the 1960s. (In fact, major portions of large, important, basic industries such as steel, auto, and shipbuilding employing millions of workers have fled to offshore domiciles and right-to-work states.) Private sector unionism is thus self-limiting – if the union is too "successful" in its contract negotiations, either the owners move the operation to a right-to-work state (or even offshore) to obtain relief or the business eventually shuts down and surrenders its market share to the global marketplace.
In sharp contrast to my support of the right of private sector workers to unionize, I strongly oppose public sector unionization. Public sector unionism is a recipe for poor governance, corruption, and an inefficient, bloated public sector workforce with wages, salaries, benefits, and job security far in excess of that available in the private sector for comparable work. The problem is easy to understand. Public sector unions inevitably back selected local politicians usually Democrats) with campaign contributions and other aid. When these "bought and paid for" politicians are elected and then later face these same union sponsors across the bargaining table, they are very reluctant to bite the hands that feed them. Thus, there is nobody at the bargaining table representing the taxpayer in these negotiations. The result is a sweetheart deal for the unions. Over time, however, the municipalities and states collapse under the burden of the resulting unsustainable pension and healthcare obligations.
The recent Detroit bankruptcy is an excellent case in point. This was not just a one-off event caused by an isolated case of bad governance and gross corruption. It is actually a template for the future of public sector unionism in particular and blue state governance in general. Back in the 1930s, President Roosevelt (who was a strong supporter of private sector unions) stated his opposition to public sector unions. Similarly, back in the 1950s, George Meany (then-president of the AFL-CIO) likewise stated his opposition to public sector unionism.
Unlike private sector unions whose excesses are clamped by market realities as discussed above, there is no similar clamp on the excesses of public sector unions. Without competition, the costs of these excesses can be shifted onto taxpayers for a very long time.
Public sector workers really don't need unions. All government organizations have generous public sector worker laws that obviate the need for representation. Non-unionized public sector workers mostly are required to put forth but modest effort, receive adequate compensation, and cannot easily be terminated for poor performance. At the end of the day, public sector unionization is a recipe for poor governance and extravagant benefits that must be funded by taxpayers. On the whole, these taxpayers have lesser compensation, much less job security, and healthcare and pension benefits that are but a pale imitation of those received by public sector workers. Unionized public sector workers have become privileged public masters rather than the more modest public servants that they were hired to be.
Addressing the issue of compulsory unionism, I argue that since the right of free association is the basis for the legitimacy of labor unions, this same right should likewise be the basis for the right of workers to refuse to join and not become unwilling conscripts. While those workers who believe that they obtain value for their union dues should be free to join, unions should not have the power to override the right of free association of those workers who do not believe the value of union membership is worth the dues they would be compelled to pay.
The counter-argument is often made that workers should be required to pay for benefits they receive (i.e., since both union and non-union workers benefit when unions successfully negotiate a favorable contract, the non-union workers are in effect getting a "free ride"). While this is a good talking point with a certain smell of truth, the right of free association, which is the basis for union legitimacy as discussed above, is a far more compelling and overriding argument. Stating this more forcefully, since the legitimate basis for union existence is the right of free association, these unions cannot then walk into the room and credibly claim with a straight face that this same right of free association should not extend to non-members.
Looking at this counter-argument from a different angle, if we accept the premise that unions should be able to levy unwilling conscripts based on the argument that they would otherwise receive unearned benefits obtained through the efforts and sacrifices of their unionized brethren, then it would follow that any organization that claims to benefit non-members could likewise draft unwilling conscripts and force them to pay dues. Thus, those advocating compulsory unionism would have to accept the absurd premise that the Chamber of Commerce, PTA, Rotary Club, and many other civic organizations that claim to accomplish public good should likewise be able to force compulsory dues-paying membership.
An equally compelling (though less discussed) issue is that union membership often has no net benefit. Since unionism has been a large contributing factor to job losses as discussed above, workers could reasonably conclude that any short term benefits would be outweighed by the elevated risk of unemployment. In other words, unwilling workers could reasonably argue that unions are a net detriment rather than benefit to their livelihood, and that they should hardly be expected to pay dues to an organization that threatens this livelihood.
The bottom line is that unions sell a representation service to workers that is not unlike attorneys selling representation to their clients. Like all services, price and quality are optimized by the forces of competition in a free market place. If competition is replaced by compulsion, higher prices and poorer service (more specifically, higher union dues, higher pay and perks for the union bosses, and fewer worker benefits) are the predictable result. As a small-business entrepreneur, I have no legal monopoly that allows me to compel any customer to buy my products. I similarly expect unions not to demand this extravagant privilege.


Value-added tax, similar to sales tax, is called I.V.A. in Spain (pronounced "ee-vah," for impuesto sobre el valor añadido). It's levied on both products and services, such as hotel rooms and restaurant meals. When in doubt about whether tax is included, ask, "¿Está incluido el I.V.A.?" The I.V.A. rate for hotels and restaurants is currently 10%, regardless of their number of stars. A special tax law for the Canary Islands allows hotels and restaurants there to charge 7% I.V.A. Menus will generally note at the bottom whether tax is included ("I.V.A. incluido") or not ("más 10% I.V.A.").
Although food, pharmaceuticals, and household items are taxed at the lowest rate (4%), most consumer goods are now taxed at 21%. A number of shops participate in Global Refund (formerly Europe Tax-Free Shopping), a V.A.T. refund service that makes getting your money back relatively hassle-free. You cannot get a refund on the V.A.T. for such items as meals or services such as hotel accommodations or taxi fares.
When making a purchase that qualifies for Global Refund, find out whether the merchant gives refunds—not all stores do, nor are they required to—and ask for a V.A.T. refund form. Have the form stamped like any customs form by customs officials when you leave the country or, if you're visiting several European Union countries, when you leave the EU. After you're through passport control, take the form to a refund-service counter for an on-the-spot refund (which is usually the quickest and easiest option), or mail it to the address on the form (or the envelope with it) after you arrive home. You receive the total refund stated on the form, but the processing time can be long, especially if you request a credit-card adjustment.
Global Blue is a Europewide service with 225,000 affiliated stores and more than 700 refund counters at major airports and border crossings. The refund form, called a Tax Free Check or Refund Cheque, is the most common across the European continent. The service issues refunds in the form of cash, check, or credit-card adjustment.
Global Blue. 866/706–6090; 00800/3211–1111; www.globalblue.com.


In any type of effective organisation firm, the pursuit as well as dedication to an excellent customer service starts from the firm leaders. They should have the urge to not just meet the expectations of the customer but additionally to exceed and also beyond in order to surpass them. In the existing affordable company environment, business leaders must bring up a society that understands, recognizes, accepts, Read Homepage and uses this principle.
Failing to please the needs of your customer opens a door directly to your competitors who are waiting patiently to serve them also better. The retention of the current clients is constantly the strategy, before venturing right into the look for others. Satisfied customers will certainly likewise advertise your firm to other potential buyers. How are clients preserved? This is an inquiry that might remain in the minds of several businessmen. Using your consumers great solution as well as assistance is the answer.
The key in the direction of good customer relations wases initially paying attention to them. Taking note of what your clients want and also exactly how they want it is a significant way of opening an understanding between the company as well as them. Ideal reactions to their complaints are necessary. Do this by suggesting various methods of fixing their troubles.
As consumers are very vital to the firm, there is also a demand to show them that they are valued. Good trust in between the company and also the customer directly shields the relationship. Knowing your customer's requirements will certainly enable you offer them much better by providing exactly what they anticipate as well as just how they expect it in the kind of your items as well as solutions.
Your workers are the individuals who relate mainly with your clients on a day to day basis. Consequently, they are expected to be efficiently trained in just how to manage them. Having workers who recognize the significance of the customer to the company boosts service shipment. Staff members need to be treated well in order for them to reciprocate the same to clients. Appreciation comes from the top management down, and also if properly administered, there is a high possibility that the clients will be taken into consideration with a high respect.
Keep your customers happy by providing even more compared to they do expect. This is a method of elevating your firm above the competition. This strategy needs knowing what various other rivals are supplying, just how they are providing it, as well as developing means of providing them something even better.
Interaction as well as solution distribution are the primary methods that can be used to achieve the objectives set for your customers and the company. Hear them, act on the services provided, and thank them for seeing and also collaborating with you in order for client service success.
In any kind of successful company firm, the pursuit and dedication to a good customer solution starts from the business leaders. Offering your customers great service and assistance is the answer.
Excellent depend on between the firm and also the customer directly safeguards the partnership. Understanding your customer's requirements will enable you offer them much better by offering what they expect as well as just how they anticipate it in the form of your products and also services.
Having staff members who understand the importance of the client to the company improves solution distribution.


In today's fast changing world India is showing very slow yet important sign of opening up to international adjudication as a means of international dispute settlement. Bimal N. Patel's scholarly work has come out at a very appropriate time.
Part IV-B: World Trade Organisation Cases where India is a respondent.