As part of legislation enacted in 2015, the state minimum wage increased on Jan. 1, 2018, to $11 per hour for employers with 26 or more employees, and to $10.50 per hour for employers of 25 or fewer employees. It will continue to increase by 50 cents annually until $15 per hour is reached by Jan. 1, 2022, for the larger (26-plus employees) employers and by Jan. 1, 2023, for smaller employers.
Changes in state—but not local—minimum wage also affect classification of most exempt workers. In addition to strict "duties tests" for administrative, executive and professional wage and hour exemptions, a salary of at least twice the state minimum wage must be paid to meet the "salary basis test." By Jan. 1, the annualized salary rate that employers with 26 or more employees must pay to meet the exempt salary requirement will advance to $45,760, up from $43,680. For employers with smaller workforces, the exempt salary requirement will move to $43,680, up from $41,600. When the $15 per hour rate is reached, the exempt salary rate will be $62,400.
Municipalities continue to create and increase their own minimum wage for companies that have employees working in their jurisdiction. Employers must pay the higher of the state or local minimum wage. For example, by July 1, 2018, the city of Los Angeles will require employers with 26 or more employees to raise the local minimum wage to $13.25 per hour, up from $12, then comply with other scheduled annual increases up to $15 per hour by July 1, 2020. Los Angeles employers with fewer employees, or nonprofit corporations who obtain approval to pay a deferred rate, must pay at least $12 per hour by July 1, 2018. These same rates apply in Los Angeles County, unless a city ordinance requires a higher local minimum wage.
The minimum hourly wage for employees in San Francisco will increase to $15, up from $14, on July 1, 2018. Many other cities, including Berkeley, El Cerrito, Malibu, Oakland, Palo Alto, Pasadena, Richmond, San Diego, Santa Monica and Sunnyvale have enacted local minimum wage laws. Each jurisdiction has its own rate change dates. Most are Jan. 1 or July 1, but there are outliers such as Berkeley (Oct. 1). In addition, living wage laws may require higher minimum wages be paid as a condition of contracting with local, state or federal agencies.
Employers should monitor the requirements to assure compliance in each municipality they have employees working in. A good starting place is the UC Berkeley Labor Center Inventory of U.S. City and County Minimum Wage Ordinances, calcpa.org/laborcenter.
Labor Code Sec. 515.5 contains an overtime pay exemption for certain highly skilled computer professionals who spend more than 50 percent of their working time in top-level intellectual or creative work that requires the exercise of discretion and independent judgment, such as software engineers and programmers, and systems designers and analysts.
To qualify for exemption, the employee also be paid at least a certain amount per hour or, alternatively, a salary equal to that hourly rate. Each year, the California Department of Industrial Relations sets that pay rate based on the California CPI increase. For 2018, the rate is $43.58 per hour or $90,790.07 annual salary (i.e., $7,565.85 monthly).
In past years, California has expanded the Fair Pay Act to reduce pay inequity based on gender and race/ethnicity for equal work that require equal skill, effort and responsibility performed under similar working conditions.
As a next enabling step, AB 168 adds Labor Code Sec. 432.3 to prohibit employers from relying on salary history (i.e., compensation and benefits) information of an applicant for employment as a factor in determining whether to offer an applicant employment or what salary to offer. This bill also prohibits employers, themselves or through an agent, from seeking salary history information about an applicant for employment, and requires employers, upon reasonable request, to provide the pay scale for a position to an applicant for employment. If an applicant "voluntarily and without prompting" discloses salary history information, employers are not prohibited from considering or relying on that voluntarily disclosed salary history information in determining salary.
Employers should review and update their hiring protocols to comply with this new law, from job applications to background checks to interviewer training to new hire materials.
Access, review or obtain employee records without a subpoena or court order.
This restriction does not apply to I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification forms and other documents for which a federal Notice of Inspection has been provided to the employer.
An employer must post a notice to current employees within 72 hours of receiving a Notice of Inspection that the federal agency will be inspecting I-9 forms or other employer records. The notice content must comply with Gov. Code Sec. 90.2, though the Labor Commissioner is to make a sample form of complaint notice available on its website by July 1, 2018. The posting by the employer must be in the language the employer normally uses to communicate employment-related information to employees.
Upon reasonable request, the employer must provide a copy of the Notice of Inspection to an affected employee.
Within 72 hours of receiving a federal Notice of Inspection results and the employer's obligations, the employer must provide that notice to affected employees, by hand if possible or by email and regular U.S. mail if not.
For unionized workplaces, the latter two notices must also be provided to a union representative. An "affected employee" is one identified in the federal notice of potentially lacking authorization to work in the U.S. or having a defect in documentation.
In addition, employers are prohibited from re-verifying the employment eligibility of current employees at a time or in a manner not required by specified federal law.
This bill also provides the Labor Commissioner or the Attorney General the exclusive authority to enforce these provisions. Employers are subject to various per-violation monetary penalties to be deposited in the state Labor Enforcement and Compliance Fund.
This bill adds Gov. Code Secs. 7285.1 to .3, and Labor Code Secs. 90.2 and 1019.2.
Employers should consider implementing procedures for handling federal immigration authorities' efforts to inspect nonpublic workplace areas or employer records, and providing notices to employees and their union representative.
A manager designated to interact with the authorities, supervisors and those who work at points of entry to the employer's premises should be trained.
As part of a national trend to provide employment opportunity to more people, many states and cities have enacted laws that restrict, at some level, the use of job applicants' criminal conviction history in deciding whether to offer employment. These laws are commonly known as "Ban the Box" laws, named from job applications that used to ask, "have you ever been convicted …?" San Francisco has had its own Ban the Box Ordinance for years, and Los Angeles has had one in effect for the last year.
Inquire into or consider the conviction history of an applicant until that applicant has received a conditional offer.
When conducting a conviction history background check, AB 1008 also prohibits employers from considering, distributing or disseminating information related to specified prior arrests, diversions and convictions.
Nature of the job held or sought.
An explanation of the applicant's right to respond to the notice of the employer's preliminary decision before that decision becomes final and the deadline by which to respond. The explanation must inform the applicant that the response may include submission of evidence challenging the accuracy of the conviction history report that is the basis for rescinding the offer, evidence of rehabilitation or mitigating circumstances, or both.
Applicants must be provided five business days to respond to the employer's notification before the employer may make a final decision. If the applicant notifies the employer in writing that he or she disputes the accuracy of the conviction history and is obtaining evidence to support that assertion, the applicant must be provided an additional five business days to respond to the employer's notice.
If the employer makes a final decision to deny employment, it must notify the applicant in writing of the final denial or disqualification in which the employer may–but is not required to–justify or explain its reasoning; any existing procedure the employer has for the applicant to challenge the decision or request reconsideration; and the right to file a complaint with the DFEH.
Regardless, and consistent with existing Labor Code Sec. 432.7, the bill prohibits employers from considering or disseminating any of the following about an applicant: arrests that did not result in a conviction (except in limited situations), involvement in a pre- or post-trial diversion program and convictions that we expunged or sealed.
This new law does not apply where federal, state or local laws require criminal background checks for employment purposes or restrict employment based on criminal history.
Employers should review and update their hiring protocols to comply with this new law, from job applications to background checks to interviewer training to individualized assessment processes. AB 1008 is similar to an existing Los Angeles ordinance, but employers should check to see if there is a local ordinance that must also be complied with.
For contracts entered into on or after Jan. 1 in the state for erection, construction, alteration or repair of a building, structure or other private work, AB 1701 adds Labor Code Sec. 218.7 to make the direct contractor jointly liable for its subcontractor's (regardless of tier) debts owed to wage claimants for their performance of labor included in the direct contractor and the owner.
The joint liability extends to unpaid wage, fringe or other benefit payment or contribution, including interest, but excluding penalties and liquidated damages.
The bill permits contractors to include and enforce lawful protective contractual provisions with their subcontractors. Examples might include indemnity, approval of lower tier contractors, monitoring and audit, and attorney fees provisions. The bill also requires subcontractors, upon request of the contractor, to provide payroll information for all employees on the job.
General contractors should work with counsel to improve contracts with subs and consider monitoring and verification of subcontractor payrolls.
SB 63 adds the Parental Leave Act as Gov. Code Sec. 12945.6 to require that employers who have 20-49 employees provide up to 12 weeks unpaid parental leave of absence to eligible employees to bond with a new child within one year of the child's birth, adoption or foster care placement. Under this bill, employees who have more than 12 months of service with their employer, at least 1,250 hours of service with their employer during the previous 12-month period and who work at a site in which their employer employs at least 20 employees within a 75-mile radius, are entitled to take parental leave.
On or before the start of the leave, employers must provide a "guarantee of employment in the same or comparable position at the termination of the leave." Failure to do so is deemed a violation of the statute, as if the leave had never been granted.
While the leave is unpaid, employees are entitled use to accrued vacation, sick or other paid time off. SB 63 also requires employers to maintain and pay for coverage under a group health plan for an employee who takes this leave under the same terms and conditions that coverage would have been provided if the employee had continued to work in his or her position for the duration of the leave.
If both parents are employed by the same employer, and both request parental leave, the employer is not required to permit more than a combined total of 12 weeks between them, and need not permit both leave from work at the same.
SB 63 also blocks employers from refusing to hire, or from discharging, fining, suspending, expelling or discriminating against, any employee for exercising his or her right to parental leave, or giving information or testimony as to his or her own parental leave, or another person's parental leave, in an inquiry or proceeding related to rights under this bill.
SB 63 does not apply to employers of 50 or more employees. Those employers remain governed by the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) and federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which require parental leave for CFRA/FMLA eligible employees to care for or bond with a new child.
Employers should update their employee handbooks and leave practices, as well as forms used for leave of absence requests and approvals. While the statute does not state in what form the employment return guarantee must take, doing it in writing as part of a standard grant of leave form is advisable. Supervisors and managers should be trained as to these rights and anti-retaliation provisions.
SB 306 authorizes the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) to commence an investigation of an employer, even without an employee complaint being filed, for alleged discharge or discrimination prohibited by, or in retaliation for an employee asserting rights provided in, the Labor Code (e.g., involving wage and hour, workplace health and safety, or making complaints to the DLSE).
This bill authorizes the Labor Commissioner, upon finding "reasonable cause" to believe a violation has or is occurring, to petition a superior court for injunctive relief (e.g., potentially, prohibiting discipline or requiring reinstatement) while a claim or investigation with the DLSE is pending. The standard to be used by the Superior Court is "reasonable cause" as well, seemingly a lower standard than normally applies, and the court is to take into account "the chilling effect on other employees asserting their rights" in determining what relief, if any, to issue. SB 306 does not prohibit an employer from disciplining or terminating an employee for conduct that is unrelated to the claim of the retaliation.
This bill authorizes the Labor Commissioner to issue citations directing specific relief to persons determined to be responsible for violations and mandates relatively tight timelines for responding to and hearings upon a citation, court challenges to a DLSE decision and order on a citation, and when the order becomes final. Employers who willfully refuse to comply with a final order may be required to pay civil penalties to the affected employee.
If an employee begins civil action, this bill authorizes the employee to also seek injunctive relief from the superior court. Injunctive relief granted is not stayed pending appeal.
This bill amends Labor Code Sec. 98.7 and adds Labor Code Secs. 98.74, 1102.61 and 1102.62.
Employers should take all DLSE notices seriously and review them with their legal and HR teams to plan a course of action, especially to avoid unlawful retaliation and missing any deadlines.
Existing law requires all California employers with 50 or more employees to provide two hours of sexual harassment prevention and anti-bullying training to their supervisors and managers every two years. This training and education, known by some as "AB 1825 training" since the original legislation took effect years ago, must be provided to supervisors within six months of the time they become supervisors and then at least once every two years.
SB 396 now requires covered employers to include training and education of harassment based on gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation. The training and education must include practical examples of harassment based on gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation, and be presented by trainers or educators with knowledge and expertise in those areas. While this additional content is required, the duration of the training is unaffected.
The DFEH is required to issue a poster regarding transgender rights that employers are required to post in a prominent and accessible location in the workplace.
This bill amends Gov. Code Secs. 12950 and 12950.1, and Unemployment Ins. Code Secs. 14005 and 14012.
Previous Previous post: How Can Employers Respond to Increased Risks of Well-Funded Harassment Litigation Stemming from the #MeToo Movement?


Put on your favorite ugly Christmas sweater and cozy up to this yule log!
And you get to hear Pentatonix singing one of their Christmas songs. Now we just need a cozy scarf and some spiked hot chocolate and we're good to go.
Full screen this baby at work today, and have a great, relaxing, non-holiday-hustle-and-bustle kind of weekend.


Share the post "OPERATION GREAT BODY"
Summer is coming and so is taking our clothes off. It is time to enjoy the breeze and the sun and ourselves. The great body operation consists in feeling good with our curves, with our body, in accepting and loving ourselves with our imperfections, just the way we are.
Germaine de Capuccini has an infallible plan at your disposal, the perfect allies for taking care of your body.
Having a great body and enjoying the summer depends only on you.
In booth, we propose FOCUS PLAN, a personalised plan of body beauty. A solution for every woman. 10 in-booth sessions to achieve your objective in just 5 weeks. At home, strengthen the results obtained with your anti-cellulite product. And here is the great dilemma: what anti-cellulite product do I need?
We all have asked ourselves this question, this is why we give you some guidelines to use the right treatment.
1. I have orange-peel skin and generalised cellulite. I like fresh, light, rapidly absorbed textures.
Hit the target with SLIM MISSION. This very hydrating liposculpting emulsion is aimed at any type of accumulation thanks to its LIPO-DRONE TECHNOLOGY. Its sensoriality, effectiveness and technological innovation will not leave you indifferent.
We inform you also that this revolutionary anti-cellulite product has been awarded with the WOMEN'S HEALTH best Workout product 2018.
2. I have generalised cellulite but I like oily textures.
Take note: TOTAL FIT is your treatment. Its effective bi-phase formula concentrates all the anti-cellulite, reducing and firming power of the infused oils of seeds of Pomegranate, Green Coffee, Fruits of the Forest, Centella Asiatica, Pepper and Birch.
You will get used to the self-massage thanks to its delicious oil texture and to the relaxing floriental fragrance.
3. I normally retain liquids, I need a product that helps me with this problem.
We recommend SLIM PRECISION OUT-SOLUTION, an ultra-reducing cosmetic in the form of an emulsion that helps to reduce where you need it most.
Also, for a perfect synergistic action get CELLU-DREN COMPLEX, a nutricosmetic that combines different medicinal plants to stimulate the degradation of fats, an extra help to achieve your objective.
4. I have suffered hormone changes (pregnancy, menopause) and the accumulations are localised on abdomen and waist.
FIT COUNTOUR is the treatment especially indicated to work on this area that owes its appearance to these changes. It has a powerful patch effect that allows a continued liberation of its ingredients and provides hydration.
5. I need to firm, I want an immediate optical effect.
If you want a cosmetic that works like a true body architect LIFT DESIGNER is the chosen one.
It is a gel-cream treatment capable of redesigning the contours of the silhouette due to its triple action Remodelling, Fortifying and Lifting-Smoothing.
Thanks to its avantgarde ingredients, it works globally on the different factors that alter the harmony of the silhouette.
6. My cellulite is stubborn and very concentrated in one area. I want to end it!
SLIM STARTER – NIGHT will become your preferred product before going to sleep. This reducing body booster works against cellulite while you sleep. Like a true moving force, it works effectively at night to activate the "fat-burning" process against the most stubborn cellulite.
Also, this concentrate emulsion penetrates rapidly and deeply.
7. My cellulite is located in the most stubborn areas (inside of the arms, thighs, knees, etc.).
If you want to work against the most stubborn accumulations do it with S.O.S. LIPOSOLUTION and apply 1 vial morning and night. Its formula with Grape Extract is a powerful "fat-burner" whose activity on fat accumulations is 30 times greater than pure caffeine.
In dry or wet, get an exfoliator like GREEN SOUL SCRUB, you will increase the effectiveness of your body treatment and achieve new, luminous and hydrated skin.
If you are impatient and want to achieve your objective as soon as possible, combine treatments and fight cellulite 24 hours a day.
Go to the Aesthetics Centre twice a week.
In the morning apply a cosmetic for generalised cellulite.
At night attack the more stubborn areas with a specific cosmetic.
Do exercise and take care of your diet.


Home / Step By Step / How Do I Speed up my Computer?
they say that the other one was just too slow!
more words than I care to ask you to read!
a myriad of files that are downloaded on to your computer without you knowing.
to keep your computer at an acceptable speed.
See More: – Don't forget to play Kingdom Hearts 3 on your PC.
based operating systems only), if you have anything else, I can't help.
 Select the control panel.
 Then select internet options.
on and barely ever remember them!
"download" don't just click it without knowing what you're downloading first.
software that she really didn't need.


Living life to the fullest–despite traumatic brain injuries or loss of limb–that's what Wounded Warrior Project is about. As of last fall, the Department of Defense reported 1,288 Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn servicemembers with major traumatic amputations. Harder to diagnose but perhaps more prevalent is Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Also of great concern is the "invisible" injury of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Our wounded warriors return home and find it difficult to walk, to climb the stairs to their bedrooms, to hug their children. Those with less visible injuries may also suffer from crippling headaches, erratic behavior, depression, and lack of focus. These heroes may have difficulty returning to a normal home and work life.
Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) takes a holistic approach when serving warriors and their families to nurture the mind and body, and encourage economic empowerment and engagement. Through a high-touch and interactive approach, WWP hopes to foster the most successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded service members in our nation's history.
Read more about how Wounded Warrior Project succeeds in its mission.
I am partnering with Brawny® to spread the word about how you can help these Wounded Warriors. Brawny is making a direct donation of $250,000 to Wounded Warrior Project® to benefit Wounded Warriors and their families. From May 1 through December 31, 2012, the maker of Brawny® paper towels will also donate $1 up to an additional $250,000 for every individual who joins us and shares their thanks for our nation's heroes on the Brawny® Towels Facebook page (www.facebook.com/brawnytowels).
Help Brawny® reach their goal of $500,000 for Wounded Warrior Project by Veterans Day — they are just 2,874 likes away!
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Brawny® Towels. All opinions are my own.
If there is one thing I know about this wild journey as a military spouse, it is that I could never have done it alone.
When my husband took that bus ride to Basic Training in Fort Benning back in 2003, I felt so very alone. Here I was, in New York, surrounded by friends and family, at the start of a fulfilling career in teaching and I could barely sleepwalk through my day. What would my life be like? What was expected of me? What would I do? Could I keep working? Would I be able to do this…any of this?
So, I turned to what would soon be called "social media and networking". I joined discussion boards and I found people like Katy Jane (aka Mommy CPA) and Homefront Six and so many others who I still chat with on Facebook almost a decade later.
My journey brought me to Fort Hood where I met the women who would stand by me and yes, sometimes even carry me, through the next four years. These are the women who would join me on my quest to find the best Thai food in Central Texas, select the perfect gown for the military balls, cry with me through deployment, swim with me while I did handstands in the pool at 38 weeks pregnant to try to turn the baby, and even drive me to the hospital when my water broke at 3 a.m.
During this time, I started this blog, my first blog, about the Military Spouse Experience, the "Army Wife Life", before I ever knew there was such a thing as blogger communities, before I ever knew I would one day be paid to blog.
How much easier would this all have been if I had women like Krystel, publishing tips and telling it like it is on Army Wife 101 and RealMilitaryWives.TV, and Traci, sharing guidance for FRG leaders along with her personal journey on Fabulous Army Life.
To this day, it is these women I turn to when I need to know just about anything…from the mundane (how do I get stains out of my daughter's tutu?), to the frivolous (does this dress hide my mommy belly?), to the essential (how do I get in touch with my husband during an emergency?). These are the women who will reassure me that if we've been through a deployment, we can do anything. And they are also the same women who will tell me that, um, maybe I need a new shade of make-up that doesn't make me look like a ghost.
This is what Word of Mouth Marketing is about–real people, giving real advice. This is my Circle of Influencers…these are my friends.
As a part of the BlogFrog Influencer Circle, I have the chance to create meaningful, authentic content for brands I love. If you're a blogger interested in new opportunities, join BlogFrog's Influencer Circle and check out some of the top brands already working with BlogFrog.
If you're a brand looking to work with online influencers, learn more about BlogFrog's Brand Solutions here.
Now, I'm curious. What do you love most about blogs and blogging? How does social media and the connections you've made enrich your life?
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of BlogFrog. The opinions and text are all mine.
Growing up in New York, military service seemed a thing of the past: faded sepia-tinged photos of grandfathers in uniform, History Channel specials on the battles of World War II, and quaint propaganda posters urging apple-cheeked children to recycle tin cans.
Never would I have imagined that I would find myself married to an officer in the U.S. Army.
And yet, there I was. One minute I was living in Manhattan, married to a lawyer at one of the top firms in New York City, and the next I found myself trying to find a decent Italian place near Fort Hood, Texas.
Once I got over the shock, I dove right in. I'd like to say it was altruistic but really it was a way to get my bearings. By volunteering as a Family Readiness Group leader and pitching in as part of various committees on post, I got a crash course on being part of the military family.
And that love returned to us many times over. While my husband was deployed to Iraq, he received hundreds of postcards and care packages. While a letter may seem like a small thing, knowing that people back at home appreciate you keeps many of our servicemembers going. Five years later, my husband still keeps a binder of each and every letter he received.
We are back in New York and my husband has returned to his law career. He still serves in the National Guard and we do what we can to return a small fraction of the support we received while he was active duty. Whether the kids are stuffing backpacks with their friends for the children of enlisted servicemembers or baking cookies and making Valentines or Veteran's Day cards for our local veterans, we are grateful for the men and women of our military, past and present.
Cheerios has asked me to share how easy they have made it to "sendCheer" to military families as part of a partnership with the USO. All you have to do is cut out and mail postcards from specially marked Cheerios boxes. A military servicemember will get your thoughtful note and Cheerios will donate $1 for each card to the USO.
I want you to know that your recognition of those who serve is appreciated. A box of cookies, a package of toiletries, even a simple note reminds our warriors why they fight.
Disclosure: This post has been compensated as part of a sponsored charitable opportunity for Collective Bias.
I don't just shake hands with a hero–my hero is my husband.It has been an honor and a privilege to support him in his service these past seven years.
Like other heroes, though, he will tell you he is just doing his duty.
He left his job as a litigator at a New York City law firm to enter basic training and later accept a commission as a field artillery officer. In December of 2005, he deployed to Iraq. For almost a year he led a mission into Baghdad almost every day, sometimes twice a day. He saw violence but he also bore witness to hope as he brought diplomats and dignitaries to see the situation on the ground for themselves.
Along the way, he missed Christmas and a year's worth of Holidays and birthdays and celebrations. He found out we were having our first child over the phone. And he was not there for the birth of his first child.
He carried 90 pounds of gear in 140 degree weather and led men through a war zone because that is what his country asked of him.
But he never lost his sense of purpose and his humanity–or his willingness to amuse a child with a magic trick. And he never lost sight of his mission and he brought each and everyone of his soldiers home.
When our brave men and women of the armed forces put themselves in harm's way, they are sacrificing their comfort and safety for our own.
They voluntarily leave their own warm homes, missing anniversaries, kids' games and recitals, and even births, so that the rest of us do not have to.
Military service in today's world is a choice, which is all the more reason to thank our soldiers. They could choose to be doing just about anything else–but instead they are on the front lines of freedom, fighting the battles our elected civilian leaders have chosen.
While my husband was deployed, he was "adopted" by a number of members of Soldier's Angels. They sent him so many postcards and letters, all of which he filed in a giant binder that we still keep today.
A postcard, a handshake, an e-mail may seem like a small thing. To someone who is far from home, though, these gestures let them know that their sacrifices are appreciated.
Today's warriors don't fight for land or treasure or glory–they fight for you.
As part of their partnership with the USO, Kroger and Procter & Gamble P&G have created an opportunity to let consumers virtually "shake hands with a hero" – the proper custom to show your gratitude to US soldiers in uniform to thank them for their service to our country. The first 50,000 people who utilize the microsite application (at www.honoringourheroes.com) to shake a soldier's hand will receive a coupon (loaded to their Kroger Plus Card) for $1 off P&G products.
I need some help from all you other army wives out there… When I got told that being an army wife was one of the hardest jobs in the military, I didn't really believe it. That is until I married my husband! I now have a new respect for all the women that have been doing this for years. I myself am a newly wed. Yep, as of October 2nd this year! But being away from him for these long periods of time is KILLING me. So can anyone make a few suggestions as to how I can start to deal with this a little bit better? I'm pretty lost. I think I'd really love an answer from anybody willing to give me ANY kind of suggestion! THANX!!!
Whether you are moving to a new country, an isolated posting, or your service member is deploying, I advise you to "grow where you are planted".
Get involved, get busy. Or, as Tim Gunn says, "make it work".
Reach out to other military spouses. Find deployment support groups, try the FRG, volunteer on post. Most posts have a community center where you will find postings for groups, classes, seminars and events.
You can also find other spouses online on military spouse community sites and bulletin boards. And head online to meet people locally, too. I've used meet-up to find kindred spirits.
Get involved in the community off post, too. Find things that interest you. Join clubs, take classes, get a job (if you don't already have one), volunteer, go to concerts, etc. Whatever your hobby or passion, you can find kindred spirits. Even in the smallest, most isolated post, you will find people making art, playing music, enjoying conversation, learning and living.
Consider your spiritual life. If you are religious, this may be a good time to deepen your connection with your faith-based community. If you are not religious, seek out other sources of positive energy for you. This can be as simple as keeping a 10 minute "tea time" for yourself every day.
Stay away from negative people and drama that saps your energy. Focus on activities that give you strength and enjoyment.
This helps the days pass quicker and also gives you things to talk about with your spouse. When you reunite, you will be glad that you also had new experiences that challenged you and helped you grow as a person.
At home, alone, at night, though, I find can be particularly lonely. I would use this time to write letters to my husband and put together care packages. This way I was doing something positive for him and our relationship.
I'd never say it is easy, but if you approach deployment with a positive attitude, you'll find it goes quicker and easier!
What are your tips for making the time apart pass more quickly?
Show our troops (and vets) some love on Valentine's Day!
To send Valentines to Veterans, you can locate a facility through the VA Home Page. This is a great project to do with kids! If you have a facility nearby, you can call and ask if you can deliver them in person. And I also found this site for sending Valentines to Canadian Veterans.
The deadline for printed Valentines in Stars and Stripes is January 26; if you miss it, you can still get in the online Valentine's section. I sent one a few years ago for the print version for DH and he loved it.
When my husband was deployed, I sent him a picnic in a box. What have you sent/are sending? Share your tips!!!
Nestle has some Tips for Sending Baked Goods. Others suggest adding a slice of bread to absorb excess moisture and wrapping in tin foil. I've also heard that Pringles containers make for good packaging. I found a food sealer was awesome for cookies, but squished the brownies too much.
Soldier's Angels and Any Soldier can match you with a soldier. Businesses, groups, and schools may want to consider Adopting a Platoon.
USO Operation Care Package enables you to make a donation–they pack and ship for you and you can still send a personal message with your package.
Please add some other ways to show our troops some Valentine's love!
If you are National Guard, I'd love to hear about your Family Readiness Group.
While my husband was active duty, I ran one FRG long-distance (during his OCS–and we were spread out throughout the country) and was the co-leader for another (while his unit was deployed).
During the last year he has been in the National Guard. No one has contacted me about any sort of family group, although I received some general information about the National Guard family programs when DH first joined his unit. They seemed interested in volunteers, but only mentioned something about me going to a training program and that was the last I heard of it.
Now DH is about to take command. His unit is not slated to deploy as a unit during his command. I'm not sure what, if any, contact from me would be desirable for the families. A simple letter just so you know my name and contact information should you ever want to reach me? An invitation to a family day? Monthly e-mail updates about the unit's training?
Have you been contacted by an FRG representative?
If so, was that representative military personnel, a civilian employee, or a family volunteer?
Is your spouse's NG unit deploying as a unit?
Are there events (Holiday Parties, Picnics, etc.) hosted for families in your spouse's unit and, if so, have you attended? Why or why not?
Would you attend family events if you were available on that date? Why or why not?
What would you like to see from an NG FRG while your spouse is stateside?
What about while your spouse is deployed?
What information would you like to receive in a letter from your spouse's commander and/or the FRG leader?
I have a great time participating in the Bloggy Giveaways, and the last few times, I've given a military book. Frankly, I've been pleasantly surprised at the number of contest entrants who popped over to enter either for themselves, or for those they know who are in need of some moral support.
This time, I was trying to think of something that was military related but would have a broader audience.
I'll make a $10 donation in your honor to the USO.
To enter, leave me a comment by 11:59 PM, Friday April 25th about how you show support for our troops–or leave a supportive message for our troops! Put your e-mail in the e-mail field and I'll be able to reach you but it won't be publicly visible. I'll ship to any US, Canadian, or US Military address.
Support the USO. Show US troops America still cares. Give what you can today!!!
If you'd like to enter more contests, check out The Bloggy Giveaways Carnival, this contest post is part of that carnival!
On my personal blog, I'm giving away a copy of Deceptively Delicious.
Also, we have lots of contests on Mamanista, my baby gear review blog.
Like everything else with the military, your mileage may vary (YMMV). A lot depends on the AIT your husband is attending, when it starts, and the specific command.
I would not expect any overnight passes. However, I have heard tell of some soldiers receiving 36 hour passes following graduation when their AIT was not set to begin right away. Do not count on it though, most likely he will be in transit to AIT the day after graduation.
Soldiers with visiting adult family members will get day passes (meaning they have to be back that night) following both family day and graduation–please note, however, that to the Army you do not yet qualify as a "family member." So, a parent, grandparent, or legal guardian would have to sign your soldier out.
You may want to read my experience of family day and graduation. I describe when I first saw him and how much time we had together and where we spent our family time. Keep in mind this was about five years ago and my husband was going on to an OCS class that did not start for a while. My guess, though, is that your family day and graduation ceremony experience will be very similar.
Visit military family forums, like the forums hosted by Military.com, and you may find someone with a more recent experience to relate.
In terms of advice, I would recommend getting a hotel room for at least both nights because you'll probably want a private place to sit and relax and your soldier may even want a short nap. Ft. Benning has good, inexpensive lodging, (Ft. Benning Lodging) but sometimes it is difficult to reserve a room. They were in the process of renovating and the rooms they had already fixed up were quite nice–one time I got a room with a sitting room and efficiency kitchen. They do keep some rooms available for "day of" walk-ins, but you'll want to make sure you have a back-up plan.
The key is to avoid staying on Victory Drive. Victory Drive is that unsavory main road that seems to be located near almost every military post. Don't choose a hotel on Victory Drive and you should be fine.
I found the La Quinta in Columbus, GA, to be very adequate and one of the closer, decent but inexpensive choices. There are plenty of decent options off the highway a few exits north of the central Columbus area.
There is also a very nice Marriot, that does sometimes offer military rates, right in the small, historic center of Columbus, GA, and some bed and breakfast places if you are looking for something more luxe. However, keep in mind that there is a good chance your soldier will not be able to stay overnight with you.
Your soldier will probably be most interested in you, a nap, caffeine, and a good meal. Let him take the lead about how he'd like to spend his little bit of free time.
The day before graduation, normally Wednesday, the battalion commander meets with friends and family members at their unit to discuss your soldier's recent experiences and answer your questions. You will also meet the drill sergeants that trained your soldier and observe some demonstrations of soldier skills. Most importantly, you will meet with your soldier.
That afternoon graduating soldiers with visiting adult family members (spouse, parents, grandparents or legal guardians) may receive an on-post pass on Family Day and following graduation until a time determined by the chain of command. While on pass soldiers must remain in uniform and are not allowed to drive vehicles, drink any form of alcoholic beverages or use any tobacco products.
Graduation is the following day, usually on Thursday at Pomeroy Field. The ceremony is at 10:00 a.m. from October through March and 09:00 a.m. from April through September. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will take place at the Regimental Chapel and the time schedule may change to accommodate more than one ceremony.
The day after graduation soldiers will usually not be allowed to go on pass. This day is designated as a travel day for their follow on Advance Individual Training (AIT).
Army Training Requirements and Resources System (ATRRS) manages class schedules.
Note: Graduation dates shown here are subject to change. Soldiers are afforded the opportunity to contact families with actual graduation dates/times for travel planning purposes.
To send Valentines to Veterans, you can locate a facility through the VA Home Page. This is a great project to do with kids! If you have a facility nearby, you can call and ask if you can deliver them in person.
The deadline (late January) for printed Valentines in Stars and Stripes has passed, but you can still get in the online Valentine's section. I sent one two years ago for the print version for DH and he loved it.
Here's the care package I sent my soldier while he was deployed during Valentine's Day. What have you sent/are sending? Share your tips!!!
Please add some other ways to show our troops some Valentine's love that we can either do this year or put on our calendar for next year!


None, except maybe too detailed.
iXpenseit is a budget tracking app that has recently appeared on the iPhone commercials. It allows a user to track monthly and daily spending, breaking items down into categories, as well as allowing the user to see overall spending.
Once you have the budget set, you then simply start by inputting an entry everytime you spend some money. Went to the movies? Put it $10 for entertainment. Paid a $50 water bill? Put it in for utilities. Simply tap the "new" button on the main screen to input a new expense. Chose the category (like auto), subcategory (like gasoline), the amount, date, how it was paid (cash, debit card, etc), and the vendor. You can even include a little note for yourself.
As you spend money, you can track it with the "report" option. You can get a report on overall spending, or within a specific category. You can see reports as a bar graph, pie chart, a written summary. You can even export the data if you like! On the main home screen there is a "battery meter" showing your overall budget - you can see how much you have left, how much you have been spending per day, and so forth.
You have the option of searching for an item as well. Can't remember how much you last cable bill was? Search for it, and you can see if your bill has somehow drastically increased (gotta stop watching those pay-per-view UFC matches!!). Or you can just browse through the calendar for the date the payment was made.
Various settings allow for different levels of detail in the budget, using a passcode, editing the various categories and sub-categories, and even importing data from a CSV file (via a wifi connection from your computer). You even have icons for the different types of expenses, so you can look easily and identify the kind of expense.
All in all, iXpenseit is a full featured budget tracking program. In some ways, it is almost too full featured. It you simply want to track spending, this app may be overkill. But if you want a detailed breakdown of where you money goes each month, I think this is the app for you. At $4.99, (make sure to list it in the iTunes category!) the price is reasonable for the number of features that is included. Because of the breadth of features that are offered, I give this app four and a half out of five stars, but make sure to spend the time to learn how to use it to the fullest!
Great review, one of my favourite apps!


text:
Cricket Database
Urooj Mumtaz
Rate this Cricketer1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Birth date 1 Oct 1985 (33 years)
Nationality Pakistan
Position All Rounder
Pakistan national women's 2004 - present
Urooj Mumtaz is a right handed batsman and legbreak bowler. She has played for several teams like Pakistan Women, Asia Women XI and South Zone Women (Pakistan).
Mumtaz debuted in ODIs against West Indies Women at Karachi (National Stadium) on 21st March 2004. In this match, she was the No. 9 batsman. After facing 4 deliveries, she was run out for 3 runs. As a fielder, she took 1 catch. West Indies Women won this match by 7 wickets with 78 deliveries remaining. Mumtaz again played against West Indies Women on 21st March 2009 at Sydney (Drummoyne Oval). She was the captain of the team and batted at the No. 7 batting slot. After facing 37 deliveries, she remained unbeaten on 13. She bowled 5.3 overs, out of which 2 were maiden, conceded 14 runs and picked up 1 wicket. West Indies Women won this match by 3 wickets with 21 deliveries to spare.
Urooj Mumtaz participated in 37 ODIs and scored 484 runs in these at a batting strike rate of 37 and batting average of 14.23. Her highest score was 57 and she smashed 38 fours and 1 half century. She took 13 catches as a fielder.36 dismissals were made in the 1043 balls that she bowled while conceding 860 runs. Her bowling average was 23.88 and bowling strike rate was 28.9.
Latest edit made by Abhay Burande
West Indies and Pakistan declare Women squads
Tri-Nation Women's Series won by Sri Lanka
Kaiden - over 6 years ago
I never thought I would find such an eveyrady topic so enthralling!
Marisol - over 6 years ago
It depends on how old you both are. If under 21, you guys are way too young. If b/w 21 and 25 y/o you could porbably wait up to 3 years. If over 25, you guys should be mature enough to know what you want out of life and what each person's time frame is and if you both match up in these things. 2 years is plenty.If he doesn't have a reasonable time frame in mind (like wait till he finishes school in a year or something), then drop him for your own protection (no matter how much you love him). Or else you'll end up like 95% of my girlfriends with a live in boyfriend 7 years flying by.. no marriage and then you get dumped and have to start all over at age 35.Plus you should find a guy who wants a future with you.
Most Popular Cricket Teams
Super Kings
Deccan Chargers
David Hussey (42)
Imran Khan Niazi (32)
Andre Nel (42)
Sachin Dholpure (34)
Zakiullah Zaki (29)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
TRACE32 helps MATLAB/Simulink developers from model to target
2021-11-23 by Nohau SolutionsCategories Uncategorised
Lauterbach, the World's leading supplier of debug and trace tools, is pleased to announce an update to their integration with MathWorks MATLAB® and Simulink®. Scientist and engineers around the world have come to rely upon MATLAB for designing and testing complex models. Now, using the embedded coder, these models can be automatically converted into C or C++ code and compiled using an industry standard cross-compiler to run on a variety of embedded targets.
The integration with TRACE32 provides the capability to download this code to the target, execute it under user control and report back to the MATLAB environment to compare the model against real-world code. This feature works with all embedded devices supported by TRACE32 and with the TRACE32 Instruction Set Simulators, allowing early software development before the arrival of the final target hardware. TRACE32 leverages both the rtIOStream API and the new MATLAB Debugger Abstraction Interface to provide a tight integration between models and PIL targets. By taking advantage of TRACE32's open APIs and unparalleled support for targets and third-party tools, developers are not tied into a specific ecosystem or even target device and remain free to choose the best tools for each stage in the development.
Latest Release of Lauterbach's Tool Qualification Support Kit (TQSK)
2021-10-14 2021-10-14 by Nohau SolutionsCategories Uncategorised
Lauterbach announces a major update for their Tool Qualification Support Kit (TQSK). In addition to supporting existing standards for the automotive and the aerospace industries, the updated TQSK 3.1S can now be used for tool qualification in accordance with medical and industrial standards.
Functional safety is one of the key issues for embedded systems deployed in vehicles, aircraft, medical devices or factories. The software tools used during the life cycle of such systems have a direct impact on quality, safety and reliability and therefore require qualification according to certain standards. The Tool Qualification Support Kit (TQSK) offers a convenient and comprehensive way to certify the TRACE32 tools according to your required standard.
Updates in Version 3.1S of the TQSK:
• Extended compliance with IEC 61508 for industrial and the IEC 62304 for medical applications
• Qualification evidence for use of the TRACE32 Instruction Set Simulator (ISS) for Infineon TriCore™ as virtual testing platform
• Coverage of common debug and verification tasks
Norbert Weiss, Managing Director of Lauterbach GmbH says, "I see this as an excellent opportunity to provide our customers from a wide range of industry sectors the possibility to perform efficient and effortless tool qualification according to their specific industry standards. Therefore, they can simply continue to use their usual TRACE32 tools and just need to request the update for the Qualification Kit."
The TQSK customer portal provides access to the full range of services for the TRACE32 TQSK. Existing registered users can find our latest version in the download area.
JTAG gets technical Nohau in the Nordics
XJTAG®, a leader in JTAG boundary scan test solutions, names Nohau Solutions as distributor in Scandinavia.
"We are delighted to become the distributor of XJTAG test solutions for Sweden, Demark, Finland, Norway and Island," said Mikael Johnsson, Nohau Solutions' CEO. "XJTAG has been delivering boundary scan systems to the electronics industry for over twenty years, and we firmly believe they are the right company to provide the highly efficient test, debug, and programming solutions that our clients demand. XJTAG has great hardware and software, and the training and technical support they offer is very highly regarded."
XJTAG is a suite of cost-effective, user-friendly software. Some of the tools are optimised for high-volume factory environments, while others provide the ideal solution for helping R&D engineers with protype bring-up.
Simon Payne, CEO of XJTAG, said, "It's great that Nohau Solutions has joined our global distribution network. They have provided professional solutions to Europe's embedded industries for many years and have a deep understanding of how to deliver the right system for their clients' needs. We are looking forward to working closely with them to provide a first class service to clients in the region."
This agreement demonstrates the strong synergy between the two companies – both focus on delivering the highest quality and most effective solutions. "Quality, usability, and cost-effectiveness are shared goals," commented Simon Payne. "We both strive to help companies boost their efficiency and drive quality improvements. Our boundary scan solutions help electronics manufacturers and developers find assembly faults quickly, and give access to debugging methods that can be invaluable, especially when clients are working with BGAs; and the ultra-fast programming solution can really boost productivity."
XJTAG delivers test solutions worldwide to most market segments, including aerospace, automotive, telecoms, consumer, defence, industrial, medical, IT, etc. Companies based in the Nordic counties can request a free 30-day trial of the XJTAG development system by contacting www.nohau.eu or www.xjtag.com
About XJTAG
XJTAG is a world leading supplier of JTAG boundary-scan hardware and software tools. Its products use IEEE Std.1149.x (JTAG boundary scan) to enable engineers to debug, test, and program electronic circuits quickly and easily. This can significantly shorten the electronic design, development and manufacturing processes. XJTAG focuses on innovative product development and high-quality technical support. For more information about the company, its products and its services, please visit www.xjtag.com.
About Nohau Solutions
Nohau Solutions AB was founded in Sweden in 1981 and has been supplying professional development solutions to Europe's embedded industry ever since. They are an independent vendor with a commitment to providing the best technologies to their clients, coupled with the delivery of any necessary training. For more information about the company and the services it offers, please see www.nohau.eu.
Haawking licenses SEGGER's emRun for RISC-V
SEGGER Microcontroller announces that Beijing Haawking Technology, a specialist provider of RISC-V-based DSPs, has licensed SEGGER's emRun for RISC-V Runtime Library for distribution with its compiler tools for HX2000 series chips.
TRACE32 Support for the Latest Microchip 8-Bit AVR MCU Debug Interface
Lauterbach´s TRACE32® debug tools now offer full support for Microchip's Unified Program and Debug Interface (UPDI) for the 8-Bit AVR MCUs. This provides users the ability to debug AVR®DA, AVR®DB and ATtiny devices, which are mostly used for low-power applications. The proprietary UPDI provides full programming and on-chip debugging capabilities via a bidirectional one-wire interface. Lauterbach offers two different adapters to match either an 8 or 6 pin UPDI pinout on the target.
"The modularity of Lauterbach's hardware tools allows our customers to easily adapt to the latest updates for target debugging and tracing. We are always pleased to offer timely support for the latest technologies and can readily adapt to changing project requirements," says Norbert Weiss, General Manager of Lauterbach GmbH.
SEGGER Flasher Hub – High speed ISP gang-programming for mass production
SEGGER's Flasher Hub controls up to 24 Flasher Compacts serving as individual channels for parallel, high-speed gang programming. Each channel can be configured to program a different device with a different firmware image.
All programming interfaces and flash memories supported by the connected Flasher Compacts can also be used and controlled via the Flasher Hub.
Using SEGGER's "almost-anything programmer" Flasher Compact the Flasher Hub benefits from the extensive list of supported Flash memories and interfaces and the ultra-fast programming algorithms.
Lauterbach´s TRACE32 Provides Full Debug Support for Arm´s SMMU
Lauterbach´s TRACE32® tools offer full debug support of Arm´s System Memory Management Unit (SMMU) which is available in most current Arm® Cortex®-A based SoCs. SMMUs are important building blocks in Arm based chips running virtualized systems, where multiple guest operating systems are managed by a hypervisor. They independently perform address translations from virtual to physical addresses for peripherals which are capable of performing Direct Memory Access (DMA).
Lauterbach´s TRACE32 tools allow convenient debugging of Arm SMMUs via the TRACE32 PowerView GUI, commands, and scripting. Users are provided with an easy to use and intuitive interface to the SMMU configuration. For debugging, they can view stream and sub-stream configurations, stage-1 and stage-2 page tables of the address translation, events and fault conditions as well as viewing SMMU registers and fields by name. Currently, MMU-400, MMU-401, MMU-500, and MMU-600 are fully supported with MMU-700 to follow shortly.
TRACE32 Debug and Trace Support for Arm´s First Armv9-Based Cores
Lauterbach´s TRACE32® tools provide full debug and trace support for the first generation of Arm® cores based on the new Armv9 architecture.
Lauterbach added support for an Armv9-A big.LITTLE pair which includes the Arm Cortex®-A710 and the Cortex-A510. Further, they support the Cortex-X2, which is focused on mobile computing, designed for ultimate performance; and the Neoverse™ N2™ which is optimized for cloud-to-edge workloads and delivers best-in-class performance, efficiency and compute density.
MU-Thermocouple1 CAN FD – Temperature Measuring Unit with CAN FD Support
The new measuring unit MU-Thermocouple1 CAN FD from PEAK-System transmits its temperature measurement data using the modern standard CAN FD. Depending on the product version, eight mini-connectors for thermocouples of the types J, K, or T are available for temperature measurement. The CAN communication is done via a D-Sub connector. The measuring unit supports the CAN FD standard with data bit rates up to 10 Mbit/s and is at the same time downward compatible to classic CAN 2.0 A/B.
With the MU-Thermocouple1 CAN FD, temperature measurement can be integrated directly into automotive test benches or industrial plants using CAN FD communication. A router for the conversion from CAN 2.0 to CAN FD is no longer necessary. With support for the extended operating temperature range of -40 to 85 °C and due to its robust aluminum casing, the measuring unit can also be used in harsh environments.
The configuration of data processing, CAN communication, and LED indication is generated with a user-friendly Windows software and then transferred via CAN to the MU-Thermocouple1 CAN FD. Several devices can be operated and configured independently on a single CAN bus.
Lauterbach´s TRACE32® now supports i.MX RT500 crossover MCUs from NXP® Semiconductor
Lauterbach extends the range of supported processor architectures to include i.MX RT500 family crossover MCUs from NXP Semiconductors.
i.MX RT500 crossover MCUs contain an Arm® Cortex®-M33 core in combination with a built-in Cadence® Tensilica® Fusion 1 DSP processor, both running at frequencies of up to 200 MHz. The new chip family offers a variety of on-chip security features, which make it ideal for use in applications which require extra protection.
Page1 Page2 … Page8 Næste →


Yves here. One theme in comments over the last two weeks is how l'affaire Kavanaugh is having the convenient effect of diverting attention from US-perpetrated or supported atrocities, like the war in Yemen, which has produced mass starvation and cholera. This post is a wee effort to address this imbalance.
By Ben Freeman, the director of the Foreign Influence Transparency Initiative at the Center for International Policy (CIP). Originally published at TomDispatch.
It was May 2017. The Saudis were growing increasingly nervous. For more than two years they had been relying heavily on U.S. military support and bombs to defeat Houthi rebels in Yemen. Now, the Senate was considering a bipartisan resolution to cut off military aid and halt a big sale of American-made bombs to Saudi Arabia. Fortunately for them, despite mounting evidence that the U.S.-backed, supplied, and fueled air campaign in Yemen was targeting civilians, the Saudi government turned out to have just the weapon needed to keep those bombs and other kinds of aid coming their way: an army of lobbyists.
That year, their forces in Washington included members of more than two dozen lobbying and public relations firms. Key among them was Marc Lampkin, managing partner of the Washington office of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck (BHFS), a company that would be paid nearly half a million dollars by the Saudi government in 2017. Records from the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) show that Lampkin contacted Senate offices more than 20 times about that resolution, speaking, for instance, with the legislative director for Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) on May 16, 2017. Perhaps coincidentally, Lampkin reported making a $2,000 contribution to the senator's political action committee that very day. On June 13th, along with a majority of his fellow senators, Scott voted to allow the Saudis to get their bombs. A year later, the type of bomb authorized in that sale has reportedly been used in air strikes that have killed civilians in Yemen.
Little wonder that, for this and his other lobbying work, Lampkin earned a spot on the "Top Lobbyists 2017: Hired Guns" list compiled by the Washington publication the Hill.
Lampkin's story was anything but exceptional when it comes to lobbyists working on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It was, in fact, very much the norm. The Saudi government has hired lobbyists in profusion and they, in turn, have effectively helped convince members of Congress and the president to ignore blatant human rights violations and civilian casualties in Yemen. According to a forthcoming report by the Foreign Influence Transparency Initiative program, which I direct, at the Center for International Policy, registered foreign agents working on behalf of interests in Saudi Arabia contacted Congressional representatives, the White House, the media, and figures at influential think tanks more than 2,500 times in 2017 alone. In the process, they also managed to contribute nearly $400,000 to the political coffers of senators and House members as they urged them to support the Saudis. Some of those contributions, like Lampkin's, were given on the same day the requests were made to support those arms sales.
The role of Marc Lampkin is just a tiny sub-plot in the expansive and ongoing story of Saudi money in Washington. Think of it as a striking tale of pay-to-play politics that will undoubtedly be revving up again in the coming weeks as the Saudi lobby works to block new Congressional efforts to end U.S. involvement in the disastrous war in Yemen.
The roots of that lobby's rise to prominence in Washington lie in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. As you may remember, with 15 of those 19 suicidal hijackers being citizens of Saudi Arabia, it was hardly surprising that American public opinion had soured on the Kingdom. In response, the worried Saudi royals spent around $100 million over the next decade to improve such public perceptions and retain their influence in the U.S. capital. That lobbying facelift proved a success until, in 2015, relations soured with the Obama administration over the Iran nuclear deal. Once Donald Trump won the presidency, however, the Saudis saw an unparalleled opportunity and launched the equivalent of a full-court press, an aggressive campaign to woo the newly elected president and the Republican-led Congress, which, of course, cost real money.
As a result, the growth of Saudi lobbying operations would prove extraordinary. In 2016, according to FARA records, they reported spending just under $10 million on lobbying firms; in 2017, that number had nearly tripled to $27.3 million. And that's just a baseline figure for a far larger operation to buy influence in Washington, since it doesn't include considerable sums given to elite universities or think tanks like the Arab Gulf States Institute, the Middle East Institute, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (to mention just a few of them).
This meteoric rise in spending allowed the Saudis to dramatically increase the number of lobbyists representing their interests on both sides of the aisle. Before President Trump even took office, the Saudi government signed a deal with the McKeon Group, a lobbying firm headed by Howard "Buck" McKeon, the recently retired Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. His firm also represents Lockheed Martin, one of the top providers of military equipment to the Kingdom. On the Democratic side, the Saudis inked a $140,000-per-month deal with the Podesta Group, headed by Tony Podesta, whose brother John, a long-time Democratic Party operative, was the former chairman of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. Tony Podesta later dissolved his firm and has allegedly been investigated by Special Counsel Robert Mueller for serving as an unregistered foreign agent.
And keep in mind that all this new firepower was added to an already formidable arsenal of lobbying outfits and influential power brokers, including former Republican Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, who, according to Lee Fang of the Intercept, was "deeply involved in the [Trump] White House hiring process," and former Senator Norm Coleman, chairman of the pro-Republican Super PAC American Action Network. All told, during 2017, Saudi Arabia inked 45 different contracts with FARA-registered firms and more than 100 individuals registered as Saudi foreign agents in the U.S. They proved to be extremely busy. Such activity reveals a clear pattern: Saudi foreign agents are working tirelessly to shape perceptions of that country, its royals, its policies, and especially its grim war in Yemen, while simultaneously working to keep U.S. weapons and military support flowing into the Kingdom.
While the term "foreign agent" is often used as a synonym for lobbyist, part of the work performed by the Kingdom's paid representatives here resembles public relations activity far more than straightforward lobbying. For example, in 2017, Saudi foreign agents reported contacting media outlets more than 500 times, including significant outreach to national ones like the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and PBS, which has aired multiple documentaries about the Kingdom. Also included, however, were smaller papers like the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and more specialized outlets, even ESPN, in hopes of encouraging positive stories.
The Kingdom's image in the U.S. clearly concerned those agents. Still, the lion's share of their activity was focused on security issues of importance to that country's royals. For example, Saudi agents contacted officials at the State Department, which oversees most commercial arms transfers and sales, nearly 100 times in 2017, according to FARA filings. Above all, however, their focus was on Congress, especially members with seniority on key committees. As a result, at some point between late 2016 and the end of 2017, Saudi lobbyists contacted more than 200 of them, including every single Senator.
Just as there's a clear pattern when it comes to contacting congressional representatives who might help their Saudi clients, so there's a clear pattern to the lobbying money flowing to those same members of Congress.
The FARA documents that record all foreign-agent political activity also list campaign contributions reported by those agents. Just as we did for political activities, the Foreign Influence Transparency Initiative program conducted an analysis of all campaign contributions reported in those 2017 filings by firms that represented Saudi interests. And here's what we found: more than a third of the members of Congress contacted by such a firm also received a campaign contribution from a foreign agent at that firm. In total, according to their 2017 FARA filings, foreign agents at firms representing Saudi clients made $390,496 in campaign contributions to congressional figures they, or another agent at their firm, contacted on behalf of their Saudi clients.
While some might argue that contributions like these look a lot like bribery, they turn out to be perfectly legal. No law bars such an act, and while it's true that foreign nationals and foreign governments are prohibited from making contributions to political campaigns, there's a simple work-around for that, one the Saudis obviously made use of big time. Any foreign power hoping to line the pockets of American politicians just has to hire a local lobbyist to do it for them.
Fast forward to late 2018 and that very same lobby is now fighting vigorously to defeat a House measure that would end U.S. support for the Saudi war in Yemen. They're flooding congressional offices with their requests, in effect asking Congress to ignore the more than 10,000 civilians who have died in Yemen, the U.S. bombs that have been the cause of many of those deaths, and a civil war that has led to a resurgence of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP. They'll probably mention Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's recent "certification" that the Saudis are now supposedly taking the necessary steps to prevent more civilian casualties there.
What they're not likely to mention is that his decision was reportedly driven by the head of the legislative affairs team at the State Department who just happens to be a former foreign agent with BGR Government Affairs, one of 35 FARA registrants working for Saudi Arabia at this moment. Such lobbyists and publicists are using the deep pockets of the Saudi royals to spread their propaganda, highlighting the charitable work that government is doing in Yemen. What they fail to emphasize, of course, are the Saudi blockade of the country and the American-backed, armed, and fueled air strikes that are killing civilians at weddings, funerals, school bus trips, and other civilian events. All of this is, in addition, helping to create a grotesque famine, a potential disaster of the most extreme sort and the very reason such humanitarian assistance is needed.
In the end, even if the facts aren't on their side, the dollars are. Since September 2001, that reality has proven remarkably convincing in Washington, as copious dollars flowed from Saudi Arabia to U.S. military contractors (who are making billions selling weapons to that country), to lobbying firms, and via those firms directly into Congressional coffers.
Is this really how U.S. foreign policy should be determined?
This entry was posted in Banana republic, Doomsday scenarios, Guest Post, Middle East, Politics on October 5, 2018 by Yves Smith.
Starting a few generously funded think tanks in DC would also be useful.
So does anyone know why President Trump is saying….Saudi Arabia is going to have to pay for protection? Perhaps because the US petrol dollar is about to die? FYI…The whole LOOK AT RUSSIA…RUSSIA DID IT is designed to keep you from noticing what CHINA has been doing and what DIANE Fiendsten has been doing WITH CHINA.
The Saudis, the UAE, and Israel have far greater influence over our democracy than most media or Congress cares to admit. The focus on Russia is a convenient distraction.
This post is a wee effort to address this imbalance.
Thank you Yves. The hullabaloo over this shameful SCOTUS nonsense (by everyone) and the most recent protests is disgusting. Meanwhile I am reading reports that some in Yemen are so starved that they have resorted to boiling leaves and eating leaf paste. The last meaningful Yemen news I had heard prior to that was a while back from Moon, prior to the key port town being moved in on by the Saudi coalition. Does anyone know if they managed to take it?
Where are the protestors? Here are two different offices that should have mobs outside of them.
For example, in 2017, Saudi foreign agents reported contacting media outlets more than 500 times, including significant outreach to national ones like the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and PBS, which has aired multiple documentaries about the Kingdom. Also included, however, were smaller papers like the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and more specialized outlets, even ESPN, in hopes of encouraging positive stories.
But remember those "Russian" facebook memes!? The article arrives at the truth, our government is operated by crooks, sellouts, and foreign entities via legalized bribery. I wonder how hired hits are still considered illegal if this is not. It is an interesting conundrum. How can we change the laws to prevent this when the people with the power to do so benefit from it, besides total collapse? I wish the Founders had thought of this, although it is entirely possible that, even with all their own flaws, they never thought people could be as selfishly and fatally incompetent as to leverage the entire existence of the Republic on some short term monetary gains.
NY TIMES is currently owned by GEORGE SOROS and the x President of Mexico…two fine gentlemen who are to be wholly trusted?
FYI……President Trump announced in Sept of 2018 that September is national preparedness month. In October 2018 President Trump ran a test of the emergency system…perhaps the president, who has the highest security clearances in the world knows something we don't?
So many of those former political newsmakers mentioned as foreign agents for SA.
Politics in America surely provides sooooooooo(ie) much opportunity in and out of office.
My two Senators take the money. And we all send Col. Lindsey a USAF Retirement check each month.
They're focused on the proxy war between Sunni and Shia (to oversimplify a complex scenario.) The Saudis are sponsoring theirs to attack their targets. Of course blowbacks happen and they end up attacking elsewhere.
This story reminds me of what the late Alexander Cockburn said about the changing meaning of the Latin word suffragium. In the Roman republic, it meant a vote. In the Roman empire, it meant a favor and, as the political system continued to decay, it simply meant a bribe.
Thanks for this important post.
drumlin woodchuckles on A Way-Too-Early Look at Bernie Sanders' VP ChoicesSanders is not Boomer-age. He is pre-Boomer-age.


text:
Susana Sampaio-Dias
Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Creative & Cultural Industries, School of Film, Media & Communication
Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences, Centre for European & International Studies Research
Emailsusana.sampaio-diasport.acuk
King Henry 1 Street, Park Building
PO1 2DZ Portsmouth
Human rights and journalism, press freedom, gender and journalism, news production research
Susana Sampaio-Dias is a Senior Lecturer in Journalism at the University of Portsmouth. She holds a PhD from Cardiff University's School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies, where she also contributed to teaching and worked as a researcher. Her first monograph Reporting Human Rights was published by Peter Lang in 2016. Susana worked as a journalist and news producer for RTP Rádio e Televisão de Portugal, the Portuguese public service broadcaster. She has a Postgraduate Diploma in International Human Rights Law, and in Communication Law and Copyright, both from University of Coimbra (Portugal). Before that, she completed an MA in Journalism Studies and a BA in Journalism from the University of Coimbra.
Human Rights and Journalism
Press freedom and security of journalists
News production and ethnography
International Human Rights Law and Responsibility to Protect
Journalism in Lusophone Africa
Social media and digital news
Environment and community
Ph.D., Cardiff University
Teaching Assistant and Post Doc researcher, Cardiff University
Journalist and News Producer, RTP Radio e Televisao de Portugal
Dive into the research topics where Susana Sampaio-Dias is active. These topic labels come from the works of this person. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
journalism Social Sciences 100%
news Social Sciences 67%
election reporting Social Sciences 62%
censorship Social Sciences 46%
Guinea Social Sciences 43%
journalist Social Sciences 42%
human rights Social Sciences 34%
coverage Social Sciences 34%
'Tell the story as you'd tell it to your friends in a pub': emotional storytelling in election reporting by BuzzFeed News and Vice News
Dennis, J. & Sampaio-Dias, S., 1 Dec 2021, In: Journalism Studies. 22, 12, p. 1608-1626
election reporting 100%
news 38%
election 19%
formatting 18%
Guinea-Bissau media and journalism
Sampaio-Dias, S. & Nhaga, A., 1 Jan 2020, Sage International Encyclopedia of Mass Media and Society. Merskin, D. L. (ed.). 1st ed. SAGE Publications Inc., Vol. 2. p. 722-724 2 p.
Practices, policies and regulation in African journalism: mapping a research agenda
Sampaio-Dias, S., Mabweazara, H., Townend, J. & Osman, I., Jun 2020, In: African Journalism Studies. 40, 3, p. 1-9
Radio broadcasting 100%
journalism 62%
regulation 38%
Law 20%
regulation policy 17%
"Go back to your student politics"? Momentum, the digital campaign, and what comes next
Dennis, J. & Sampaio-Dias, S., 23 Dec 2019, UK Election Analysis 2019: Media, Voters and the Campaign: Early Reflections from Leading Academics. Jackson, D., Thorsen, E., Lilleker, D. & Weidhase, N. (eds.). Bournemouth University, p. 85 1 p.
Per diem payments as a form of censorship and control: the case of Guinea-Bissau's journalism
Sampaio-Dias, S., 31 Oct 2019, In: Journalism Studies. 20, 16, p. 2349-2365 17 p.
Wages 100%
Guinea 97%
Ethical aspects 96%
censorship 86%
Guinea-Bissau 73%
View all 7 research outputs
Data availability statement for 'Per diem payments as a form of censorship and control: the case of Guinea-Bissau's journalism'.
Sampaio-Dias, S. (Creator), University of Portsmouth, 19 Mar 2019
Primaction: primaction: protecting the western chimpanzee and other primates from illegal logging and hunting in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa
Sampaio-Dias, S. & Ferreira da Silva, M. J.
Project: Innovation
Guinea-Bissau 100%
research projects 69%
journalists 52%
interdisciplinary research 46%
Transnational Civil Society
Leucht, B., Dennis, J., Sampaio-Dias, S., Crack, A., Kaiser, W., Siklodi, N., Field, M., Youngman, M., Hostein, A., Norman, D. & Arrondelle, D.
advocacy organizations 100%
advocacy groups 91%
election reporting 70%
social media 65%
political organization 50%
Crack, A., Kaiser, W., Siklodi, N., Stoddard, E., Dennis, J., Sampaio-Dias, S., Heard-Laureote, K., Field, M., Leucht, B. & Tremlett, A.
Roma 100%
citizens' movement 46%
Politics of Representation 39%
Power Politics 36%
CRaB: Citizenship, 'Race' and Belonging
Moody, J., Cockel, I., Dennis, J., Garner, B., Burkett, J., Leddy-Owen, C., Jabbar, N., Jonsson, T., Momesso, L., Rutazibwa, O., Salvi, F., Sampaio-Dias, S., Scherer, L., Siklodi, N., Tremlett, A., Robazza, G., Martin, D. & Ahluwalia, P.
Roma 62%
sovereignty 48%
migrant 37%
Sopcom XII - Sociedade Portuguesa de Comunicação
Susana Sampaio-Dias (Presented paper), Maria João Silveirinha (Presented paper) & Bibiana Garcez (Presented paper)
Political Studies Association Media and Politics Group annual conference
Susana Sampaio-Dias (Speaker), Maria João Silveirinha (Speaker) & João Miranda (Speaker)
Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
Susana Sampaio-Dias (Presented paper), Maria João Silveirinha (Presented paper), João Miranda (Presented paper) & Bibiana Garcez (Presented paper)
Knowledge Exchange, Public Engagement and the University: Insights from the School of Film, Media and Communication Conference
Susana Sampaio-Dias (Presented paper)
Being Human - A Festival of the Humanities
Susana Sampaio-Dias (Organiser), Wendy Sims-Schouten (Participant), Emma Maynard (Participant), Anita Franklin (Participant), Polly Honeychurch (Participant), Mark Waldron (Participant), Maddie Wallace (Participant) & Kate Wilson (Participant)


The holiday season and new year just around the corner. It's time to reflect and summarize the past 12 months. We must say that 2018 was a very good year for Applover, not only we were able to meet our goals financial-wise, but we were able to grow our team!
One of our biggest accomplishments this year was opening a new office in New York! In the May of 2018 – Jan Kamiński and Piotr Myszczyński opened our sales office in the heart of The Big Apple. New Yorkers can find us at 315 W 36th St, NY 10018. It was a long time coming, as we were acquiring more and more clients overseas, not only in the USA. This year Applover also created products for clients in the United Kingdom, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and Dubai! Actually, the majority of our clients came outside of Poland. This shift from locally operated business to a global model brought us not only more revenue, but most important of all – priceless experience.
With the ever growing demand for our services, we had to expand our team. It's never easy to hire new people, especially in such a challenging industry. It's difficult to stand against big corporations in the race for a talented developer. We might not be able to compete with a corporate infrastructure, but with a good team management and a right approach, we can be more attractive for a potential employee. We put more emphasis on creating a good atmosphere and integrating the team, also outside the work environment. Organizing two integration trips this year – in the winter and the summer. They did not only boosted the morale of the team but also had brought us closer together. All this work resulted in a very low employee turnover – only one person left our team and 10 people joined Applover this passing year. We've grown from 23 to a 32 person team.
This year Applover was also recognized with a couple of awards and nominations. One of our biggest success as a team was being recognized by the Clutch.co as one of the top IT Companies in Poland. We cherish relations with our clients, which result in good reviews on the platform.
In November we took part in Hack Yeah – The biggest stationary Hackathon in The World. Our team led by Piotr Sobusiak won second place in one of the challenges – you can read more about our project and experience here.
The biggest news came in December when our New Business Developer – Jan Kamiński, and our COO – Piotr Sędzik were nominated by FORBES Magazine and McKinsey Company as one of the most promising entrepreneurs under 25.


Spanish is the most studied second language in the United States. Many Americans start learning it in middle school or high school, but most of us never reach a level where we can really communicate in Spanish. I studied Spanish for all four years of high school and have almost nothing to show for it besides, "Me llamo John-Erik. Yo nací en Los Angeles. Chicle en la basura, por favor." As is painfully obvious from this thimbleful of Spanish I retained after high school, my relationship with the language never left the classroom and thus never really came to life. Where did I go wrong?
I needed expert advice so I consulted two guys with a lot to say about the Spanish language: Luca Lampariello, who hails from Italy and started teaching himself Spanish as a kid (he also speaks English, Russian, Mandarin, Japanese…), and Babbel's polyglot-in-residence Matthew Youlden. Here are their tips for learning Spanish (or any language for that matter).
Don't isolate your study of the language from the rest of your life. You're not learning Spanish in order to talk about learning Spanish. This kind of recursive loop gets boring very quickly – and can be severely demotivating. Instead, think of Spanish as a new way to experience your everyday life: change the display language on your computer to Spanish; find Spanish-language movies and TV shows to watch (with Spanish subtitles); get your news or celebrity gossip fix from Spanish-language magazines, newspapers and websites; check out Spanish-language podcasts and youtube videos on topics that already interest you. If you use Spanish to do things that you'd be doing anyway, studying daily will become an automatic reflex instead of a dreaded chore. Just remember that languages are a means to an end, not goals in themselves.
The best way to connect Spanish to your daily life is to spend time around native speakers. If any of your friends speak Spanish, convince them to speak it with you for at least half of each time you hang out together. If you eat at a Mexican restaurant, try to order in Spanish. If you travel to Latin America or Spain, don't just fall back on "¿Habla inglés?" Any time an opportunity to speak Spanish presents itself GRAB IT! You need to practice what you learn and talking is always the best way to do that. Once you can hold a basic conversation, find a Spanish-speaking meetup group or club so that you can pursue one of your hobbies in Spanish. This could be anything from a dance class to a choir to an astronomy club.
This is also the secret to retaining what you have learned. As Luca puts it, "My parents had some good Spanish friends who came to eat at our place once a week, so I was able to practice with them. If you have the opportunity to speak many languages on a daily basis, then you won't forget them." This applies if you are juggling 10+ languages or if you are simply trying to keep a second language locked in your memory. The more you use it the less likely you are to forget it.
An authentic accent: the final frontier. To master a Spanish accent you need to listen closely to native speakers and imitate what you hear. Think of yourself as a method actor: You aren't just learning the lines, you are attempting to inhabit your character. However you expose yourself to Spanish (hanging out with Spanish-speaking friends, talking with tandem partners over Skype, watching Spanish-language movies and TV shows) imitate the voices you hear as accurately as you can. Over time this will familiarize you with sounds that you aren't used to making. At first it may feel silly, like you are doing a bad impression, but once the correct pronunciation sinks in you will be "in character" when you speak Spanish.
Since Spanish has so many different regional accents, the people you choose to imitate can give your Spanish a particular regional flair. Because he studied in Barcelona, Matthew speaks Spanish like a barcelonés, while Luca developed his madrileño accent after dating a girl from Madrid. My Spanish might be light years behind theirs, but I'm trying to emulate my Mexican friends in hopes that, one day, I'll be able to interject into almost every sentence like one of the dudes.
The tips above will only help if you simply start learning. No, not tomorrow—now. What are you waiting for? It's OK, you can start small, like 10 minutes a day. Combine short sessions of daily study with the tips above, and you will hear yourself speaking real Spanish in no time!
Start learning Spanish (or another language) with Babbel. You can start right now!