Didn't know there was this in 2ed. Not against it, but it seems like theres a lot about 2ed I don't know about. Has anyone made an effort to summarize the changes? Elementalist raw power, assassin breakfalls. I know the knights and barbarians can track now. Is it listed anywhere?
And so the show begins!!!
Once you've fallen 18 metres you're hitting the ground at about 19 metres per second. This is the same as standing still and a wall flying into you at nearly 70 kilometres per hour, and if you weigh 70kg that's an impact energy of about 12 kilojoules, which is similar to the energy imparted by a .50 calibre heavy machine gun bullet.
Nobody's walking out of that unharmed (unless they land on a haystack or whatever), even if they survive.
This suggestion got me thinking of an alternative.
Instead of taking full damage on exceeding a 6m fall, an Assassin that has bought the skill again may fall upto 12m, but between 6m and 12m he will take damage as if he had fallen 6m less than he has - i.e. a fall of 9m would now be treated as (9m-6m)=3m, or 1d4 HP damage.
This is how I always ran the Assassin's falling ability in my games actually; it seems closer to the reality of how the Parachute Landing Fall technique actually works; it reduces the injury you will receive from any fall.
Incidentally, I adjudicated falls a bit differently from the rules in other ways. For one thing, if a character is willing to hang from the edge of whatever they're falling from, obviously they can reduce the fall distance by their height. Also, it matters what they're falling onto; grass, cobblestones, and a pile of broken spears are all very different experiences. Finally, I don't grant any reduction in damage from wearing armour; I figure what you gain in impact protection you lose because the extra weight is making you land harder.
This is what 6, 12, and 18 metres looks like.
Vesna Vulović (Serbian Cyrillic: Весна Вуловић; pronounced [ˈʋeːsna ˈʋuːlɔʋit͡ɕ]; 3 January 1950 – 23 December 2016) was a Serbian flight attendant. She holds the Guinness world record for surviving the highest fall without a parachute: 10,160 metres (33,330 ft). Her fall took place after an explosion tore through the baggage compartment of JAT Flight 367 on 26 January 1972, causing it to crash near Srbská Kamenice, Czechoslovakia. She was the sole survivor of the crash, which air safety investigators attributed to a briefcase bomb. The Yugoslav authorities suspected that Croatian nationalists were to blame, but no one was ever arrested.
What can you do if you slip off a scaffolding 10 stories above the ground, or find yourself free falling when your parachute fails? The odds are not on your side, but survival is possible. If you can keep your wits about you, there are ways you may be able to influence the velocity of your fall and lessen the ultimate force of the impact.
Vesna Vulovic was seriously injured, and she wasn't in free fall herself, but rather still in the aircraft which itself crashed. The aircraft lost its entire nose and flight deck but retained its flight surfaces all the way to the ground and was in an uncontrolled spin during its descent, rather than just plummeting straight down. Overall, the story of Vesna Vulovic has little if anything in common with the type of falls we're talking about in this thread.
Incidentally, any fall from greater than about 500 metres is about the same as a fall from that height, because by that stage you've reached terminal velocity, so even if Vesna Vulovic fell from ten kilometres it is not in itself more significant than if she fell from a far lesser height.
The Wikihow article mainly concentrates on a fall down an incline, not a freefall, and strongly implies that you'll be badly injured from any fall of significant height even if you survive.
Overall, this suggests that your only realistic chance of surviving a fall from a great height is by good fortune (spend a fate point?), and even then you'll end up badly injured unless you benefit from an even more freakish stroke of good luck. Given that it is possible to fall any height above 16 metres and only lose 5HP, I'd say the rules as written are fine and the amended Breakfall rules don't work well.
Oh and that Youtube video looks fake as hell.
I liked the "fall distances" picture, Kyle. I'm saving that as a handy example.
I made a slight error earlier. An Assassin in the new rules could potentially fall unharmed upto 18m by Rank 3 (not 5) - if they choose to forego Alchemical Techniques. It's still a serious specialisation, though.
As Kyle makes clear, a fall of that magnitude is asking for serious injury or death to the vast majority of people. The fact that survival is possible (by rolling minimum on a series of d20), but highly unlikely, does imply that the standard falling rules do work.
The questions are whether Assassins have quasi-mystical powers that allow them to fall great distances without trouble, and is this desirable in terms of game balance? As Damian May says; these are characters who can learn to feign death and even to walk through walls(!) - they are not ordinary people. In terms of the game though, a fall of 12m, or even 18m, is effectively being able to jump out off the top of a castle tower and simply keep on running... is this a bit much at Rank 3?
Has anyone made an effort to summarize the changes?
Warlocks can no longer wear plate armour (now limited to chain, AF4).
Knights and Barbarians get tracking skill.
Mystics get Spell Mastery for a limited range of spells.
Assassins have their skills revised (ability to purchase different skills and improve the same skills), and their fail chances for Alchemical Techniques have been altered.


text:
Here are 16 alders who voted to allow deadly speeds, and crash cases in their wards.
By John Greenfield
The 16 alderpersons who voted in committee to allow drivers to speed by up to 9 mph over the limit with impunity.
Send a letter to your alderperson asking them to vote against the ordinance that would allow motorists to travel at deadly speeds with impunity.
There are multiple reasons why Ald. Anthony' Beale's (9th) proposed ordinance to roll back Chicago's current 6 mph speed camera ticketing threshold to 10 mph is a bad idea. We know that the cameras have generally been saving lives – a UIC study released last January found that that from 2015-17, the cams prevented an estimated 204 injury and fatality crashes.
And there are indications that the current practice issuing automated enforcement tickets to drivers speeding by 6 mph, started in March of last year, is making the cameras even more effective at improving safety. Injury crashes near speed cameras were down by 13 percent in January to April of this year, compared to the same period in 2019, according to the Chicago Department of Transportation. In contrast, the citywide injury crash rate only dropped by 3 percent during that time.
This graph also shows that, while the number of drivers ticketed for speeding skyrocketed in March 2021 under the new rule, after peaking in early May, it steadily dropped to approach the previous rate. That indicates the new 6 mph threshold had the intended effect of encouraging safer speeds.
Overall, eight times as many citations were issued per day in 2021 (red line) under the new 6 mph ticketing threshold as were issued in previous years (green lines) under the 10 mph rule. However, the number of tickets issued last year steadily fell after hitting a peak on 13,889 citations issued on May 7, 2021, dropping to only 5,683 tickets, less than half of the peak, by October 23, 2021. If that downward trend continues, the number of citations issued under the 6 mph won't be that different than the number of tickets issued under the previous 10 mph threshold. Graph: Illinois Policy Institute based of Chicago Department of Finance data
We also know that if Beale's ordinance passes, allowing motorists to speed by up to 9 mph over the speed limit, many more Chicagoans will be seriously injured or killed in crashes. Federal studies found that while people struck at 30 mph, our city's default speed limit, usually survive, those hit at 40 mph almost always die. 40 is the lowest speed at which a driver would be ticketed under the new ordinance.
And while automatic enforcement shouldn't be relied on as a strategy to fill the city's coffers, revenue from Chicago's speed cameras does fund important safety initiatives, including traffic safety infrastructure and the Safe Passage program to protect CPS students, as well as after-school programs. According to the city's budget office, rolling back the ticketing threshold to 10 mph means these initiatives would lose up to $45 million a year in funding.
There have been legitimate concerns about automatic enforcement tickets and late fees disproportionately impacting low-income people who drive. But in April Chicago launched the Clear Path equity initiative, which halves the fines for single people making $41,000 or less and offers a ticket debt forgiveness program. That means citations for speeding by 6-9 mph, the type of tickets Beale wants to eliminate, normally $35, cost Clear Path participants $17.50, less than three gallons of gas nowadays. And, of course, you can opt out of getting ticketed at all by only speeding by 5 mph or less, assuming you feel the need to speed at all.
It's also worth noting that, tragically, Black Chicagoans die in crashes at more than twice the rate of white residents.
Nevertheless on Tuesday, 16 alderpersons voted for Beale's ordinance at last Tuesday's City Council Committee on Finance meeting, passing it by a single vote. Their decision was particularly problematic because earlier this month speeding and/or negligent drivers had killed kids in Chicago: Rafi Cardenas, 2; Lily Shambrook, 3; and Ja'Lon James, 11. And this Wednesday a 13-year-old girl died from injuries sustained last Sunday in Gresham, when an SUV driver struck the car she was riding in.
Beale tried to get final approval of his ordinance at Wednesday's full council meeting, but Mayor Lori Lightfoot delayed the vote via a procedural maneuver. The matter will likely be settled at a Council meeting next month.
In the meantime, let's take closer look at who voted against and for Beale's proposal to let motorists travel at deadly speeds. First, let's give credit to the 15 alderpersons who tried to block this misguided legislation, despite speed cameras being unpopular with many drivers.
Greg Mitchell (7th)
Michelle Harris (8th)
Nicole Lee (11th)
George Cardenas (12th)
Derrick Curtis (18th)
Walter Burnett (27th)
Jason Ervin (28th)
Chris Taliaferro (29th)
Ariel Rebroyas (30th)
Scott Waguespack (32nd)
Carrie Austin (34th)
Emma Mitts (37th)
Nicolas Sposato (38th)
Michele Smith (43rd)
Harry Osterman (48th)
Next, let's meet the 16 alders who supported the ordinance, in effect saying they don't have a problem with motorists driving at lethal speeds.
Anthony Beale (9th) ordinance sponsor
Brian Hopkins (2nd)
Pat Dowell (3rd)
Sophia King (4th)
Leslie Hairston (5th)
Roderick Sawyer (6th)
Anthony Beale (9th)
Susan Sadlowski-Garza (10th)
Marty Quinn (13th)
Raymond Lopez (15th)
David Moore (17th)
Matthew O'Shea (19th)
Silvana Tabares, (23rd)
Anthony Napolitano (41st)
Brendan Reilly (42nd)
Tom Tunney (44th)
Debra Silverstein (50th)
Now let's look at recent traffic violence cases in the anti-cam alders' wards that should have inspired them to vote differently on Tuesday, or should motivate them to change their position when the measure goes before the full Council next month.
Anthony Beale (9th), ordinance sponsor
On Monday, June 14, 2022, a Saturn driver hit another vehicle at 103rd and Wallace streets in Roseland, struck and injured a pedestrian, and then crashed into a building.
After CDOT gave a presentation on the proven safety benefits of speed cameras at a Finance Committee meeting, Beale said, "The argument that you all are trying to make that this is about public safety is totally, totally disingenuous."
Anthony Beale and the Roseland pedestrian injury crash. Images: Twitter, CBS Chicago
On December 19, 2021, Moiz Uddin, 33, was killed after another motorist ran a red light and struck his vehicle near Augusta Boulevard and Damen Avenue in Ukrainian Village. He left behind a wife and seven-month-old son.
Following CDOT's Finance Committee presentation, including why 39 mph is a lethal speed, Hopkins said residents feel that ticketing people at 6-9 mph over the limit is "petty" and "all about revenue."
Briand Hopkins and Moiz Uddin. Images: Twitter, Facebook
Last Sunday, June 19, 2022, a sedan driver struck and critically injured a 21-year-old woman walking near Ida B. Wells Drive and State Street in the South Loop.
Dowell is running for Congress.
Pat Dowell and the Ida B. Wells and State intersection. Images: Twitter, John Greenfield
On February 28, 2022, a BMW sedan driver ran a red light at Balbo Drive and DuSable Lake Shore Drive in the Loop, fatally striking Gerardo Marciales, 41, on a Divvy bike.
Sophia King and Gerardo Marciales.
"I don't think you've proven that in these locations [the 6-9 mph rule is reducing crashes and fatalities]," King said to CDOT at a Finance Committee hearing. See the graph above showing that speeding by more than 6 mph steadily fell near the cameras as drivers got used to the new rule and changed their behavior to avoid tickets.
Hairston provides a good example of why replacing automated enforcement with safer street design, as some have suggested, is easier said than done. A vocal opponent of speed cameras and red light cameras, in 2016 she also helped kill a CDOT proposal for a road diet with protected bike lanes on eight-lane Stony Island Avenue in her ward.
Lesley Hairston, Luster Jackson and Lee Luellen, Chicagoans who were fatally struck while riding bikes on Stony Island Avenue after Hairston blocked CDOT's proposal for a road diet with protected bike lanes on that stretch.
Two years after Hairston blocked the project, on July 28, 2018, a driver fatally struck Luster Jackson, 58, while he was riding a bike near 72nd Street and Stony Island, on the proposed road diet stretch. And the following year, on November 17, 2019, a motorist struck and killed Lee Luellen, 40, while he was biking at 67th Street and Stony in Hairston's Ward, only five blocks north of where Jackson was killed. That driver was cited for failure to reduce speed.
Prior to the Finance Committee vote, Hairston argued that it's unfair that there are no speed cameras in the Lincoln Park community, although there are, in fact, speed cameras in Lincoln Park community.
Sawyer is running for mayor. On February 13, 2022, a 21-year-old man was seriously injured when he crashed a minivan into an apartment building near 87th and State in Chatham. A 74-year-old woman inside the building was also hospitalized.
It's "really difficult to try and legislate [against] bad driving," Sawyer said at a Finance Committee hearing, despite being presented with evidence that speed cameras are reducing speeding and crashes, and the 6 mph threshold has made them more effective.
Roderick Sawyer and the crash near 87th/State. Images: Twitter, ABC Chicago
Sue Sadlowski Garza (10th)
On April 14, 2022, a speeding driver died after crashing their car into a guardrail in the 3200 block of East 106th Street in the East Side neighborhood.
After CDOT gave a presentation on the proven safety benefits of speed cameras at a Finance Committee meeting, Sadlowski Garza said, "I don't believe in speed cameras… It doesn't change the way people drive."
Sadlowsky Garza and the 3200 block of East 106th Street. Images: Twitter, Google Maps
On March 11, 2020, a tow truck driver reportedly ran several lights and crashed into a car at 63rd Street and Kilbourn Avenue in the West Lawn neighborhood, killing a 59-year-old man who was driving the car, and then fled on foot.
Marty Quinn and the crash at 62nd and Kilbourn. Images: Facebook, ABC Chicago
Ray Lopez (15th)
On January 12, 2022, a car driver crashed into a clinic at Sacramento and Archer in the Brighton Park neighborhood.
"[Speed cameras are] basically a tax on the driving public," Lopez said at a Finance Committee hearing. "It's taxation on only a select group of people." In reality the tickets represent a tax on an even more select group of people, the subset of drivers who choose to speed at 6 mph+ near speed cameras.
Ray Lopez and the crash at Sacramento and Archer. Images: Twitter, ABC Chicago
On November 7, 2021, a U-Haul truck driver ran a red in the 7400 block of South Ashland Avenue in the West Englewood neighborhood and struck a pickup truck, killing a 26-year-old passenger in the U-Haul and injuring four other people.
Moore is running for Illinois secretary of state.
David Moore and the 7400 block of South Ashland. Images: Twitter, Google Maps
Matt O'Shea (19th)
On March 15, 2022, a car driver fatally struck Allen Lee Jr., 88, as he attempted to cross Western Avenue at 110th Street in Morgan Park.
Matt O'Shea and the 11000 block of South Western. Images: Facebook, Google Maps
Silvana Tabares (23rd)
On February 23, 2022 a woman was pushing a stroller with a three-year-old child in it in the 6200 block of South Pulaski Road when a hit-and-run sedan driver swerved around traffic in a median and struck the toddler.
Silvana Tabares and the 6200 block of South Pulaski. Images: Facebook, Google Maps
On January 20, 2022, a hit-and-run driver fatally struck retired police officer Richard Haljean, 57, as he crossed Touhy Avenue at Oriole Avenue in Edison Park. At the time, a speed camera had been approved for Touhy, but not installed.
Anthony Napolitano and Richard Haljean.
On May 12, 2022, a hit-and-run driver struck Bryce Summary, a visitor to Chicago from St. Louis, at Ohio Street and Michigan Avenue on the Near North Side, inflicting severe injuries that required the amputation of both his legs.
Brendan Reilly, Bryce Summary and his family.
On August 14, 2021, a speeding hit-and-run-driver fatally struck Sophie Allen, 27, and Addison Street and Kenmore Avenue in the Lakeview neighborhood. Allen had recently beaten breast cancer and was engaged to be married.
Tom Tunney and an image of Sophie Allen at the crash site. Images: Twitter, John Greenfield
On July 14, 2021, an off-duty police officer driving an SUV struck and killed Herschel Weiberger, on his bike at Chase and Sacramento avenues in the West Ridge neighborhood. The cop reportedly ran a stop sign.
Debra Silverstein and Herschel Weinberger.
"We must all take this as a stark reminder to always drive safely—especially on residential streets," Silverstein said in a statement following the crash. "Drive slowly."
But apparently Alderperson Silverstein, and these other 15 Council members, don't think motorists should be required to drive any slower than 40 mph in 30 zones. Again, that's a speed at which a motorist who strikes a child like Herschel will almost certainly kill them.
Filed Under: Bicycling, Chicago Policy, Design, Driving, Funding & Finance, Infrastructure, News, Walking
Public comment: Why alders should vote no on the ordinance to allow 9 mph speeding
By John Greenfield | Jul 20, 2022
Here are John's prepared remarks for the public comment period of today's City Council meeting in advance of the vote on Ald. Anthony Beale's (9th) ordinance to raise the speed camera ticketing threshold.
Traffic safety advocates helped defeat ordinance to allow deadly speeds near parks and schools
Now that Beale's ordinance has been defeated, there's more work to be done to make Chicago's speed camera program, and traffic safety strategies in general, more equitable and effective.
These 16 alderpersons narrowly won the committee vote to let people drive at deadly speeds
By John Greenfield | Jun 21, 2022
Tomorrow the legislation will go before the full City Council, including the 19 alders who didn't weigh in today, and hopefully it will be defeated.
BLU, Better Streets fight ordinance to allow 9 mph speeding near schools, parks
"Speed cameras can and should play an important role in maintaining safe streets for all users, but this must be met with investments in redesigning our streets to prioritize safety," Better Streets said.
If alders vote to allow drivers to speed by 9 mph, more Chicagoans will die
It's clear that the arguments for letting drivers speed by up to 9 mph over the limit are bogus. And if aldermen vote to do that, they'll have blood on their hands.
ProPublica gives ammunition to alders who want to let motorists drive at deadly speeds
By John Greenfield | Jul 9, 2022
it's frustrating to see ProPublica, a news outlet that's supposed to be working for the public good, come out with yet another windshield-POV piece on Chicago's automatic enforcement program.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Home Dispatches Millennial Apathy and a Possible President Trump
Millennial Apathy and a Possible President Trump
by Stephen Zunes
Image by Hillary for America
Despite the widely recognized shellacking of Donald Trump by Hillary Clinton in Monday night's debate, polls show that the presidential race remains surprisingly and disturbingly close.
There are a number of reasons for this, including the historical tendency for an incumbent party to lose support after eight years in office, and a shift among white working class voters who supported Barack Obama in the last two election cycles to the Republican nominee.
But perhaps the single most important factor influencing the election is the number of 18-to-30-year-olds who identify themselves as "likely voters" this November.
The millennial vote has proven critical in recent election cycles. Relatively high numbers of young voters in 2008 and 2012 led to important Democratic victories; a much lower turnout in 2010 and 2014 resulted in major Republican gains.
There are disturbing indications that turnout for 18-to-30-year-olds this coming November will be significantly lower than for Obama's election and re-election. And, according to one recent poll, 44 percent of millennials said they will be voting for either Green Party nominee Jill Stein or Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson.
I have heard my colleague Ken Goldstein, a respected analyst of elections and voting patterns, talk about how millennials willing to "stand in line in the rain for hours" outside polling stations in order to vote for Obama are likely to be far less willing to do so for Clinton. This could prove significant, given that Republican-controlled election boards in a number of swing states have gone to some lengths to ensure that the Election Day lines in precincts near campuses (as well as in African American neighborhoods and other Democratic strongholds) are as long as possible.
As a college professor and the father of three children in this age bracket, I have fairly good sense of where millennials are coming from politically. There is little support for Trump; indeed, polls indicate he has the lowest support among 18-to-30-year-olds of any major party presidential nominee in history.
At the same time, I have heard hardly any enthusiasm expressed for Clinton. My 25-year-old daughter, who volunteered countless hours for Obama in 2008 and was hired as a field organizer in North Carolina for the 2012 campaign, is not lifting a finger for Hillary.
This generation has been profoundly impacted by the U.S. invasion, occupation, and counter-insurgency war in Iraq. Many of them know veterans who have suffered physically and mentally from their service, and have seen how the war has destabilized the region and led to a dramatic increase in terrorism. They see Hillary Clinton as someone who supported sending thousands of young Americans to die in an illegal and unnecessary war regardless of the all-too-predictable consequences.
My students, my children, and their friends have expressed other concerns regarding the foreign policy positions of the Democratic nominee. For example, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has become an issue of increasing concern for young Americans, with activism on some college campuses on a level comparable to the activism on South Africa and Central America in the 1980s. Many are put off by Clinton's support for Israel's rightwing government and her refusal to criticize even its most repressive policies.
The main issue I have heard my students talk about, however, is the economy. They are faced with huge student debt, poor job prospects, expensive housing, costly health care, and the worst economic inequality in the industrialized world. Many of them were drawn to Bernie Sanders's calls to break up big banks, support more progressive taxation, prioritize climate change and work toward single-payer health care, tuition-free public higher education, adequate housing, and better public transportation.
Clinton, by contrast, is seen as too close to powerful financial interests. Millennials I talk to note that while she said many of the programs advocated by Sanders were too expensive, she has nevertheless been willing to support a costly war in Iraq and other dramatic increases in military spending.
Sanders's defeat in the primaries has not only dampened enthusiasm for Hillary Clinton, but for politics in general. As one of my students put it, "It's hard to get as excited about being against somebody as being for somebody." Another student told me she felt "cheated" by having her first vote for President be such an unpalatable choice.
Emphasizing the negatives of Donald Trump, while certainly easy to do, will not be enough to get millennials to support Hillary Clinton. The Clinton campaign needs to unapologetically embrace issues that will inspire this critical millennial voting bloc to support her. As millennial writer Kate Aronoff recently noted, it is her generation that "occupied Wall Street, shut down bridges for black lives and chained ourselves to the White House fence to stop the Keystone XL pipeline." Recognizing the dangers inherent in a Trump victory, Aronoff advises that what Clinton can do now is "prove she's listening." She writes:
…making sure that painful, hate-filled future never comes to pass is up to the Clinton campaign now, and its ability to make an earnest and heartfelt appeal to the future of the Democratic party….If defeating Trump means voting for Clinton—and it does—defeating the toxic ideology that surrounds him means she needs to take these movements' advice seriously.
Clinton needs to let millennials—who will be disproportionately impacted by the policies of the next President—know why it is very much in their interest to elect her in November.
Dispatches Activism Democracy Elections Voting Media Democrats Green Party Republicans
Stephen Zunes
Stephen Zunes is a professor of politics at the University of San Francisco and a contributing editor of Tikkun. His most recent book is "Western Sahara: War, Nationalism, and Conflict Irresolution" (Syracuse University Press).
Read more by Stephen Zunes
If you are undecided or
If you are undecided or unhappy with your choices in this election, consider this: Only Trump promises to arrest and deport AMERICANS. When asked by Chuck Todd if a Trump presidency would split up families, deporting illegal immigrant parents while allowing their US-born children to stay, Trump answered, "No, no. We're going to keep the families together. We have to keep the families together." Pressed further, Trump said, "But they have to go. But they have to go." http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meet-press-transcript-august-16-2015-n412636
If you are undecided about who to vote for, you probably are unaware of family, friends, former roommates or co-workers threatened with deportation. You probably do not belong to a religion that historically suffered or currently suffers savage religious persecution in this country. You may be unaware of those around you who are dependent on Social Security to augment their savings from a lifetime of low wage paying jobs.
You do not look like a Hispanic American. Hispanic Americans will be repeatedly pulled over every day by police searching for illegal aliens. You are not Muslim or Black and wondering if you are next. You know nothing about the prelude to and after affects of Hitler's election in Germany. Political opponents and dissenters, religious groups, homosexuals, and persons considered asocial were all sent to Dachau.
Remember the words of Martin Niemöller (1892–1984), a prominent Protestant pastor who emerged as an outspoken public foe of Adolf Hitler and spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps:
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
I encourage you to stop listening to biased, fear mongering media, take a deep breath, calm your brain and learn about Germany 1920-1945. You'll be living in it if Trump wins.
Bernadette Janet more than 4 years ago
As a college professor myself
As a college professor myself, it appears to me that there's an overlooked mood among millennials that things are going to get worse, perhaps MUST get worse, before they get better. Although few of my students express a preference for Trump, most see Hillary as status quo and think that Trump's election just might be the "worst" that jump-stars a strong move toward things actually getting better. Several of my students have argued that, after four years of Trump, a genuinely progressive Democrat might be a shoe-in for the presidency and have coattails that might help in the Senate and House. Granted, it's a counter-intuitive approach, but I see their point. The world they've been handed has problems, and Clinton represents the source of many of those problems. To them, her election is no step forward. It's just a perpetuation of the problems they face. If things really do need to get worse before they get better, so the argument goes, bring on Trump.
David Williams more than 4 years ago
Maybe your student felt
Maybe your student felt cheated because she was cheated? Did you follow the Democratic primary at all? Or do you not know what ""voting irregularities" mean? Milleials are not apathetic, they are orrganizing for the future. Clinton does not offer anything worth working on.
aleta weaver more than 4 years ago
It can never be in their
It can never be in their interest to vote for a neo-con, neo-liberal Clinton. It would be in their interest to vote for a third party candidate and strengthen the possibility of a successful third party challenge in 2020.
John Earl more than 4 years ago
Heck, Ladies of all ages,
Heck, Ladies of all ages, Wake UP. Here's an example of what you'll get if you vote for Republican candidates who blatantly Brag that THEY KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR YOU.
If the GOP wins, here's what you will get, as they have been openly (didja' MISS this by not reading the GOP platform?) AGAINST everything we Ladies stand for: environment, honest votes for The Common Good, equal treatment for all--male and female..Everything!
Here's the latest example of what you'll get---> not exactly self-determination!
Watch this video of narcissistic Rubio of the Rubio-Trump Team promises:
http://www.pensitoreview.com/2016/09/22/rubio-says-women-dont-need-the-era/
THEN GO VOTE!
us? We vote for ADULTS.
sandyo more than 4 years ago
Uh, Ladies, don't be fooled –
Uh, Ladies, don't be fooled – this is faulty logic. And if you support war, you are NOT, by definition, a "feminist", which means Hillary isn't a feminist, which means you shouldn't even THINK about voting for her! Two words: Libya, Honduras. Thousands of Libyans were killed and tortured (including rapes) after Hillary's US-NATO-led attack on Libya, a formerly stable nation, with her "regime change" addiction (another exercise in U.S. Imperial Domination), pushing baseless lies that Qaddafi was on the verge of carrying out genocide against his people. Then there was Honduras (and Obama was part of that) – remember all the children sent back to be murdered in their own country? That plus the assassination of indigenous activist, Berta Caceres? If you don't know about these things, then DO YOUR HOMEWORK all you fools so ready to vote for "Her" over the Trump demon! Including you, "sandyo" …
http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/06/29/honduras-bleeding/ ;
http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/04/29/political-violence-in-honduras/ ;
http://www.salon.com/2016/03/02/even_critics_understate_how_catastrophically_bad_the_hillary_clinton_led_nato_bombing_of_libya_was/ ;
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2015/07/hillary-libya-nato-qaddafi-obama/
Just how much rot can you stand? And one more thing … I am NOT a millennial and I am NOT naïve. I am OLD and INFORMED and there are a TON of us MATURE enough, educated enough, and wise enough NOT to vote to put the Clinton Crime Family BACK in office!!!!!!!!!! (I did NOT vote for the first Clinton-faux-democrat-slimeball either.) Get off the millennials backs! Thank god for these young people and their skills in becoming informed at such a young age. When I was young, and informed, I was the "mouse that roared". I had very, very, very few allies. So I can fully appreciate that having been way ahead of my time that finally I have many, many intelligent allies everywhere. For that I LOVE the millennials – I SO wish my piers had not been such ignorant selfish brats when I was young! Vote for a REAL ADULT who has REAL feminine values!
Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka 2016
d.r. more than 4 years ago
Precious voters demand to be
Precious voters demand to be "inspired" into checking a little box that would very easily prevent the country from being turned over to an insane madman. I have begged, reasoned with, acknowledged problems with Clinton, reminded about Nader (yes it did make a difference), pleaded, respected their passion for Bernie (I caucused for him), and have not convinced any younger types (I am old at 45 in this new Logan's Run era) to cast a negative vote and stop Trump. Nothing seems to work so I am just going to let them regret not moving the needle leftward by regularly and without fail voting for Democrats. This thin skinned whining about Bernie is ridiculous when it's 1933.
Wx Runciter more than 4 years ago
Yes I think millennials
Yes I think millennials should vote for Hillary, but maybe the language of blame is not productive. They should vote for her so that Trump won't win, for all the obvious reasons that he should not be in office. But on social media and elsewhere the language of blame that accompanies discussions of the millennial voter, and the Bernie resistance movement, is not helpful. If Trump is elected, I would say that we are all to blame, whoever we vote for. Including Hillary for not persuading more of her critics, including the DNC. But, the focus needs to be, now, that we need to vote and vote for Clinton.
Brigit more than 4 years ago
Clinton trying to persuade
Clinton trying to persuade millennials---or anyone else who supported Sanders in the primaries---to vote for her? Pigs might fly.
Kenneth Hudson more than 4 years ago
Stephen, I think you
Stephen, I think you dramatically understate millennial disgust and distrust for Hillary Clinton. "Millennial apathy" is a misleading descriptor of events. I wonder what your agenda in varnishing over our outrage might be. You make no mention of the historically significant election fraud perpetrated by Hillary (your candidate, i presume).Why? Is it true a man can't recognize facts if his job depends on his overlooking them?
jol devitro more than 4 years ago


text:
Comox Valley Regional District
Comox Valley Glacier Kings
Comox Valley Baseball Association
Comox Valley Curling
Let's Discover
Let's Eat
Local Hero Awards
TRIO Magazine
Chief of Defence Staff Jonathan Vance attends a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Latvian President Egils Levits in London on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019. Chief of the defence staff Gen. Jonathan Vance says the Canadian military is temporarily relocating some soldiers from Iraq to Kuwait. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Canada relocating some troops from Iraq to Kuwait due to safety concerns: Vance
Vance did not specify how many Canadian troops were being pulled out of Iraq.
The Canadian military is temporarily relocating some soldiers from Iraq to Kuwait due to security concerns, chief of the defence staff Gen. Jonathan Vance said Tuesday.
The move, which Vance announced in an open letter to the families of Canadian soldiers in Iraq that was posted to Twitter, follows the lead of Germany and several other allies who have withdrawn some of their troops.
"Over the coming days, and as a result of Coalition and NATO planning, some of our people will be moved temporarily from Iraq to Kuwait," Vance wrote. "Simply put, we are doing this to ensure their safety and security."
Canada has about 500 soldiers in Iraq, most of whom are there to help train local forces to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, including about 200 with a NATO mission in the south of the country and upwards of 200 special-forces soldiers in the north.
"Naturally, the work we are doing on these missions, and the future of operations in Iraq, remain conditional on maintaining a sufficiently secure and productive operational environment," he said.
READ MORE: 'They were targeting us': Iranian-Canadian held at U.S. border
Western troops in Iraq have been on high alert since the killing of an Iranian general by a U.S. drone at the Baghdad airport on Friday night.
The death of Iranian Maj.-Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was seen as the second-most powerful person in Iran, has raised fears of Iranian reprisals. Iraq's parliament and outgoing prime minister have called for the forced withdrawal of all western troops from the country.
The Canadian mission has also been caught in the middle of confusion surrounding U.S. intentions in Iraq.
A leaked letter from the U.S. general commanding the anti-ISIL coalition to Iraq's defence ministry on Monday suggested the coalition, to which Canada belongs, was preparing to pack up and withdraw from the country.
But U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper and the Americans' top general, Gen. Mark Milley, insisted no decision had been made.
Canada is not the first country to relocate troops from Iraq this week. Germany, Croatia and Romania have also reportedly started moving some or all of their forces out of the country.
Vehicle veers off Highway 19, driver hospitalized
Fears of killer robots, metal trees found in B.C. man's 1999 time capsule
Courtenay church offers free family clothing centre
Every Tuesday afternoon, 1-3 p.m., the Courtenay Fellowship Baptist Church (2963 Lake… Continue reading
Was there a tornado in Courtenay on Monday?
Suspected phone app glitch gives eerie warning
Record produced by Courtenay's Doug Cox earns Juno nomination
He worked with fiddler April Verch in Nashville on classic country record
No bears destroyed in Cumberland in 2019
WildSafeBC coordinator updates Village on successes and challenges
Uptown Yarns marks 20 years in business in downtown Courtenay
Owner Jennifer Emslie says crafts like knitting are making a comeback
LETTER – Local donor urges others to give blood
Dear editor, I was unable to donate blood today because of a…
Explore Comox Valley Record
North Island Gazette
Comox Valley News
Comox Valley Weather
Comox Valley Classifieds
© 2020, Comox Valley Record and Black Press Group Ltd.


text:
package z.tool.entity.json.ali;

import java.util.Iterator;
import java.util.Map;

import z.tool.entity.json.Jsonable;

import com.alibaba.fastjson.JSONArray;
import com.alibaba.fastjson.JSONObject;

/**
 * @author auzll
 *
 */
final class InternalTool {
    public static Object ali2Interface(Object value) {
        if (null == value) {
            return null;
        }

        if (value instanceof JSONObject) {
            return JsonObjectImpl.from((JSONObject) value);
        } else if (value instanceof JSONArray) {
            return JsonArrayImpl.from((JSONArray) value);
        } else {
            return value;
        }
    }

    public static Object interface2Ali(Object value) {
        if (null == value) {
            return null;
        }

        if (value instanceof JsonObjectImpl) {
            return JsonObjectImpl.class.cast(value).getJSONObject();
        } else if (value instanceof JsonArrayImpl) {
            return JsonArrayImpl.class.cast(value).getJSONArray();
        } else if (value instanceof Jsonable) {
            return interface2Ali(Jsonable.class.cast(value).toJson());
        } else if (value instanceof Iterable) {
            Iterator<?> it = Iterable.class.cast(value).iterator();
            JSONArray array = new JSONArray();
            while (it.hasNext()) {
                array.add(interface2Ali(it.next()));
            }
            return array;
        } else if (value instanceof Map) {
            Map<?, ?> map = Map.class.cast(value);
            JSONObject jsonObject = new JSONObject();
            for (Object key : map.keySet()) {
                jsonObject.put(key.toString(), interface2Ali(map.get(key)));
            }
            return jsonObject;
        } else if (value instanceof Object[]) {
            Object[] objArray = Object[].class.cast(value);
            JSONArray array = new JSONArray();
            for (Object obj : objArray) {
                array.add(interface2Ali(obj));
            }
            return array;
        } else {
            return value;
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Peter Sarsgaard embodies but doesn't mimic Bobby Kennedy in 'Jackie'
Ed Symkus More Content Now
Dec 5, 2016 at 11:16 AM Dec 5, 2016 at 11:16 AM
Borrowing from baseball terminology, Peter Sarsgaard is a utility man. If he was on the field, he could play any position. On the screen, he�s the go-to guy who can play any part. Although he�s been working regularly for more than two decades, he�s still going for range when he picks his parts. That�s made clear when you look at his characters in his three most recent films. He was a shady snitch in �Black Mass� and a heartless villain in �The Magnificent Seven.� With director Pablo Larrain�s �Jackie,� a look at the devastating week in the life of Jackie Kennedy just after the assassination of JFK, he gets to play his first well-known historical character, portraying the grieving, compassionate, and steadfast Bobby Kennedy, a man dealing with the loss of his brother while trying to get his sister-in-law through the ordeal. The 45-year-old Sarsgaard was recently in New York to discuss the film and the man he�s playing.
Q: How familiar were you with Bobby Kennedy before this?
A: I really have always liked him. When I was younger we had an album that had famous speeches on it. There was one he did at Columbia University, with a Q&A at the end of it, and I thought he sounded like such an interesting, smart, strong person.
Q: What was your initial reaction when you were approached for the role?
A: I said no way (laughs). I didn�t want to play a famous person, where I had to talk a certain way. I knew I didn�t look like him. I like playing different characters, but I like to do it intuitively. I don�t do it where I�m trying to edge closer (to the person). But Pablo said I could do that with this movie.
Q: So it was Pablo who convinced you to do it?
A: Yes, but at first I didn�t even want to talk to him because I admired his work. So when I was offered the part, I was like I can�t do it because I don�t want to be convinced by a good artist/conman � because all good artists are (conmen) � to be in this movie (laughs). Then (the film�s producer) Darren Aronofsky contacted me and said you really have to talk to him. I was out in the middle of nowhere. I have a place that�s 5 miles from electricity. It�s solar powered and really remote. There�s only one spot on the property that has a phone signal. So I sat in my car and took that call with Pablo, and he was super-convincing. One of the things he said was, �You don�t have to look like him, you don�t have to sound like him. You just have to embody him.� So I said yes.
Q: Was it difficult playing a character who was trying to maintain composure while being pulled in so many different directions by the people around him?
A: What we explored a little bit in the film was that sometimes grief brings out unconscious feelings. Pablo would sometimes ask me to say things and I would go, �I could never say that to her.� Then Pablo would say, �Yes, but you might think it somewhere in your unconscious mind.� And I thought, �OK!� and the movie exists in that realm. Even while we were shooting it I felt like we were in a Roman Polanski movie (laughs), that it was like a claustrophobic, anxiety, horror movie, post-traumatic stress syndrome thriller.
Q: You mentioned that Pablo said you didn�t have to sound like Bobby, and you don�t. Was there ever any thought of going for his exaggerated Boston accent?
A: No, because his natural way of talking was rather unusual. I did it so that it felt comfortable in my mouth. I could do the accent. But it doesn�t seem like it�s coming out of my nasal cavities. It�s gotta have my own voice in it, you know what I mean? And my voice has its own characteristics. I was made fun of for my voice when I was young. I�d read that Bobby was, too. And my voice always sounded like it was changing, so I really identified with that thing of people attacking you for personal characteristics.
Q: So, do you now feel that you made the right choice by taking that call from Pablo?
A: Sometimes you pick a part because of the role, and sometimes it�s because of the people you want to work with. On some level, it�s almost like I did this movie in spite of the fact that I would have to play Bobby Kennedy. I was thinking, �I really want to work with this guy, and it�s gonna be a great movie. It�s gonna be a movie that I personally would want to watch.� I try to make as many of those as possible, so when I get to be an old man I can go back and not be bored by my own work.
� Ed Symkus covers movies for More Content Now.


In Florida we call settlement of escrow "closings".
"Closings" is where the purchase money is transferred and the keys to your new home purchase are given. Seems simple enough, but in some cases this is where problems arise.
There should be a "walk thru" just prior to closing.
Preferable on the day of closing, the agent and/or buyer will do a final walk thru of the property. This is to check and make sure that the property is being conveyed in the same condition that the home buyer bought it in. It is possible that deficiencies occurred between the time of contract and the closing date and you cannot rely on what the seller says.
Seller needs to have all the utilities on for the final walk thru just like they need to be on for the home inspection.
During the walk thru the agent should check to make sure that the major things are still working. Like the A/C, the appliances, the lights, the showers, garbage disposal, electric fixtures etc. Look for signs of new visible roof leaks. The agent needs to verify that everything that was to stay with the property is all there.
At "closing" the seller needs to be out of the home with all of their belongings.
The junk or garbage also needs to be removed. The property should be left in clean broom swept condition and all the keys and garage remotes and other gadgets need to be given to the home buyer.
Seller takes some of the appliances that were to stay.
Seller replaces some nice light fixtures with cheap junk.
Seller was to fix the leaking water heater and instead stuffed towels inside the unit.
I could write a longer list, because we have seen it all.
The point is that some agents will not bother doing a walk thru, but we always do. Some agents will also not test anything, because they do not want to raise any issues prior to closing. Finding last minute issues is why a good buyers agent needs to do a walk thru. If our buyer client are not in town to come along, we still do the walk thru, even without them.
We have a different attitude about a "walk thru".
The home buyer sees a home and likes it, so they make an offer based on what they see in the home. The contract stipulates what is to stay. If at closing the seller has decided to strip some of the value of the property, that is not what the buyer bargained for. During a walk thru, if what was removed or replaced is not listed in the contract as an "exclusion" than the seller simply cannot do that. It's that simple.
It's time to speak up and negotiate a settlement.
Both the buyer and seller just need to follow what the contract states. If items are to stay, than they need to be there for the walk thru. If they are missing, the seller needs to credit the buyer for the value. If the seller replaced something with lesser value, the home buyer needs to be made whole.
If the contract does not include the car parts in the yard, than the seller needs to remove it. Junk and garbage is personal property and not part of the home sale. If broken furniture is left at the house for the walk thru, the seller needs to give adequate monies to the buyer to have it removed.
Sellers promise of finishing the job after closing is not adequate unless some of the sellers funds are held back at closing. After closing, the terms of the contract are null and void so promises mean nothing. Money held back is a guarantee.
As an Exclusive Buyer Agency office that only represents the home buyer, we are experienced at solving these problems with your best interest in mind. For expert buyer representation call us. 407-539-1053.


Our financeprojectshelp.com online task help is not simply limited to finance task help. We carry out term jobs varying from marketing, management, nursing, law, engineering, programs and lots of. We are happy to state that we supply finest finance task help product at really most affordable rates. All you require to do is to visit our site and log in your account, communicate your task requirements to our finance project help consumer executives. Rush now and purchase your finance project help or any other projects help. Among the jobs in business finance is to make capital expense, and the business finance department is accountable for the release of a business's long-lasting capital. The choice procedure of making capital financial investments is generally interested in capital budgeting, an essential business finance treatment. Through capital budgeting, a business determines capital investment, approximates future money streams from proposed capital jobs, compares scheduled financial investments with prospective earnings, and chooses which tasks to consist of in its capital budget plan.


More Information on Tayoga Engine?
Reader Darrell Bower is looking for information on a Tayoga engine manufactured by the Field Force Pump Co.
Wayne Welburn is looking for information on installing a coil and activating parts on a Cushman Cub.
Video of Wilbur Taylor's 1917 6 HP Ingeco Type W, modified to run as a hit-and-miss engine.


The investigation believes that the officials acted as part of an OCG.
This morning, FSB and MIA officers raided the administration of the Chekhov district in the case of theft of special-purpose lands. This is reported by RBC referring to sources in the ICR.
It concerns the lands of military units of the Chekhov district, which were illegally reassigned another category of land and resold.
It is known that siloviki searched the offices on the second and third floors of the building. That is where the offices of Head of the Chekhov district Marina Kononova and her deputies are located, as well as that of the district architecture committee. As a result, various documentation has been withdrawn, as well as electronic media necessary for the investigation.
To recall, previously, a criminal case against the gangland businessman Nikolay Pavlinov and his accomplices accused of Organization of a Criminal Community and Participation Therein (part 1, part 2, and part 3 of Art. 210 of the Russian Criminal Code), Swindling (part 4 of Art. 159), as well as Legalization of Property Acquired as a Result of a Crime (item 'a' and 'b' part 4 of Art. 228.1) was previously referred to the Chekhov City Court.
According to the investigation, starting from 2011, the gang managed to appropriate land, buildings and structures owned by the Russian Federation, as well as the Chekhov district of the Moscow region in the amount of almost 300 million rubles ($4.7 million) in five years. Now in these territories there are offices of commercial companies and industrial production.
Apart from Pavlinov, five members of the OCG will face justice. It is known that real estate agents, businessmen, as well as employees of the Federal Registration Service and the cadastral chamber were involved in criminal schemes. It was previously reported that in total, there were 12 defendants in the case, inclduing former heads of the Chekhov district — Sergey Yudin and Anatoly Chibeskov. They are currently under house arrest and testify in the case of an organized criminal community. Pavlinov has not made a plea deal.
Another high-ranking suspect is Chekhov-3 Military Unit Commander Andrey Vasilenko.
Source within the Investigative Committee of Russia told that the investigation theory is that Vasilenko and unidentified persons bought 9 land properties and 2 buildings and managed to legalize the land properties worth of 60 million rubles ($940 thousand).
Representative of Chekhov Department of Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs Andrey Bolshakov and his subordinates are being checked for involvement in organized crime groups. In late January, this year, Moscow's Babushkinsky court imposed a ban on certain actions towards him. Earlier, Bolshakov was detained on suspicion of ammunition trafficking (item 1 of article 222 of Russia's Criminal Code). Combat pistol with filed off numbers was found in the police officer's garage.
61-year-old Pavlinov was detained by the Federal Security Service officers in August, 2017, in Chekhov. Once, Pavlin (aka Kolya) was an active member of Podolskaya organized crime group. He controlled activity of many organizations, including a chain of sports clubs Vityaz where famous boxers Denis Lebedev and Aleksander Povetkin trained. The professional athletes even visited Moscow's Babushkinsky court to support their patron in August, 2017 when his measure of restraint was being chosen.
At the present time, Pavlinov's assistant Oleg Strekalov is put on an international wanted list. The investigation theory is that he took part in illegal registration of land properties. CrimeRussia found him in the U.S. where he bought a huge house.
Earlier, RBC with reference to its sources within the Investigative Committee of Russia reported that the members of the organized crime group contacted the Chekhov branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution Federal Cadastral Chamber of Rosreestr with an application to register the information on the land property. Faked old-pattern document was attached to the application. After it was put on the cadastre system, the suspects applied for the Chekhov branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution. When all the documents were formally established, the land property was sold to assumed names. With that, its positive history was formed. After that, it was put on the property market. Land properties of the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Forestry were prepared for sale through this scheme.


text:
Day Without Immigrants Roundup
James Joyner · Tuesday, May 2, 2006 · 17 comments
An estimated one million illegal immigrants, supporters, and professional protestors showed up at rallies across the country yesterday protesting the fact that people who are in the country in violation of our laws are being subjected to unfair conditions, such as having to hide from immigration officials.* They took the day off work to demonstrate how vital they are to the American economy. The results were mixed.
AP:
More than 1 million mostly Hispanic immigrants and their supporters skipped work and took to the streets Monday, flexing their economic muscle in a nationwide boycott that succeeded in slowing or shutting many farms, factories, markets and restaurants. From Los Angeles to Chicago, Houston to Miami, the "Day Without Immigrants" attracted widespread participation despite divisions among activists over whether a boycott would send the right message to Washington lawmakers considering sweeping immigration reform.
Two major rallies in Los Angeles attracted an estimated 400,000, according to the mayor's office. Police in Chicago estimated 400,000 people marched through the downtown business district. Tens of thousands more marched in New York, along with about 15,000 in Houston, 50,000 in San Jose and 30,000 more across Florida. Smaller rallies in cities from Pennsylvania and Connecticut to Arizona and South Dakota attracted hundreds not thousands. In all, police departments in more than two dozen U.S. cities contacted by The Associated Press gave crowd estimates that totaled about 1.1 million marchers.
The mood was jubilant. Marchers standing shoulder-to-shoulder filmed themselves on home video and families sang and chanted and danced in the streets wearing American flags as capes and bandanas. In most cities, those who rallied wore white to signify peace and solidarity.
NYT:
The impact of the call for a boycott was difficult to measure this afternoon. Some businesses in New York and Los Angeles that are run by immigrants or that cater largely to immigrants were closed, but many others remained open. Casino industry representatives in Las Vegas said few workers stayed out, and most of them had asked for the time off earlier. Chamber of Commerce officials in Washington and its Maryland and Virginia suburbs said they knew of no disruptions. But while it was still too early to gauge the economic effect, it was clear that the marches were attracting huge numbers of workers and students. The police in Chicago said the crowd at the rally had exceeded 400,000 by late afternoon.
The normally bustling downtown Los Angeles produce and garment districts were virtually shut down today, and truck traffic at the ports was down sharply after many employees protesting the nation's immigration policy's did not show up for work. The dearth of activity in the produce and garment districts, both heavily dependent on immigrant labor, was so far the most dramatic sign of the impact of today's organized immigration protests on local commerce. Only sporadic business closures and staffing shortages reported across the remainder of Southern California.
It is unclear what impact the walkouts and demonstrations will have on the U.S. economy. The turnout was lower than predicted. Participants were likely to buy extra food and supplies before or after Monday. And absent employees will return to their jobs with extra work awaiting them.
WaPo:
The action may have been stronger had the coalition of grass-roots organizations that advises immigrants not been deeply conflicted over whether to endorse a boycott. Some supported the effort to demonstrate immigrant power, but others discouraged it, saying it was premature because Congress has not taken action since the first demonstrations, and because the strike might induce a backlash by those born in the United States.
More than half of the 1,147 construction workers on projects at Dulles International Airport did not show up, said airports spokeswoman Tara Hamilton. Work on an underground tunnel linking airport terminals continued, but at a slower pace, she said.
Several businesses in the District, such as the Corner Bakery on Vermont Avenue downtown and La Chaumiere in Georgetown, shut their doors because their workers chose to boycott. "Unfortunately, most of our kitchen staff is Spanish and they decided to be part of the movement," said La Chaumiere night manager Marielle Minges.
While the economic impact was limited and sporadic, the political impact is even less clear. The civil rights marches of the 1960s galvanized public opinion because of the obvious justness of the cause. Dignified Americans wearing their Sunday best, led by clergy preaching words familiar to most Americans, shamed the country for mistreatment. By contrast, the mixed messages and lack of discipline of the immigration rallies may well harm their cause.
This message is the essence of the argument that could carry the day:
"We are the backbone of what America is, legal or illegal, it doesn't matter," said Melanie Lugo, who with her husband and their third-grade daughter joined a rally of some 75,000 in Denver. "We butter each other's bread. They need us as much as we need them." (AP)
This one, not so much:
Many carried signs in Spanish that translated to "We are America" and "Today we march, tomorrow we vote." Others waved Mexican flags or wore hats and scarves from their native countries. Some chanted "USA" while others shouted slogans, such as "Si se puede!" Spanish for "Yes, it can be done!" Others were more irreverent, wearing T-shirts that read "I'm illegal. So what?" (AP)
Unfortunately, too, protests have lost much of their persuasive appeal because of their ubiquity and the participation of a cadre of people who show up to protest everything:
The combination of the two is also less effective than the first alone:
As protesters marched through the Windy City's business district, some waved Mexican and American flags and carried signs that read, "We're not terrorists" and "We build your homes." (CNN)
Even some immigrants and Americans of Latino descent were less than pleased with the protests:
Retired Col. Albert F. Rodriguez, a war veteran, said he understands the contribution immigrants have made to the United States, "but the difference is that we and millions of others like us did it legally. We're all here today to tell all those illegal protesters, 'You do not speak for me.' "
Despite the turnout across the nation, some who typically support immigrants questioned the effectiveness of a day without them. One of those was New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a Latino, who said he was concerned about sending the message that immigrants "come to America to work, yet they're not working." "I'd rather see the individuals, all these demonstrations, going to congressional offices, pushing the Congress to act on immigration reform," Richardson said. (CNN)
The other problem is that protests generally have less impact than they once did because of their ubiquity and the existence of a class of professional protestors who show up for anything:
In some cases, the rallies took on a broader tone of social action, as gay rights advocates, opponents of the war in Iraq and others without a direct stake in the immigration debate took to the streets. (NYT)
It doesn't take too many fringe elements, who tend to draw more attention to themselves, to change the visual impact of a rally.
Lou Dobbs contends that this is not simply some "me too" types joining in but an indication of the changing character of the movement.
The Washington Post, alone among national papers, reported that ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) has become an active promoter of the national boycott.
Some illegal immigration and open borders activists in the Hispanic community are deeply concerned about the involvement of the left-wing radical group. But others, like Juan Jose Gutierrez, whom I've interviewed a number of times over the past several months, manages to be both director of Latino Movement USA and a representative of ANSWER. As Gutierrez told us on my show, "The time has come…where we need to stand up and make a statement. We need to do what the American people did when they pulled away from the British crown. And I am sure that back in those days many people were concerned that was radical action."
Just how significant is the impact of leftists within the illegal immigration movement? It is no accident that they chose May 1 as their day of demonstration and boycott. It is the worldwide day of commemorative demonstrations by various socialist, communist, and even anarchic organizations.
Radicalism is not confined to Gutierrez and Latino Movement USA. Ernesto Nevarez of the L.A. Port Collective is promising to shut down the Port of Los Angeles today: "[Transportation and commerce] will come to a grinding halt. …They are going to put a wall along the border with Mexico. We're going to put a wall between us and the ocean. And those containers ain't going to move."
No matter which flag demonstrators and protesters carry today, their leadership is showing its true colors to all who will see.
The "May Day" choice struck me as symbolically strange as well. Others, too. Still, my inclination is that the radicals comprise a pretty small element of the larger movement.
Further, I disagree with Dobbs that a one day demonstration of our dependency on illegal workers constitutes "radicalism." It is quite reasonable for people whose existence here is criminal and potentially about to be subjected to harsher penalties to demonstrate that the issue is somewhat more complicated than many think. Of course, it could backfire, too. Dobbs:
"The meat packers are confirming what we know," says University of Maryland economics professor Peter Morici, "and that is that this large group of illegal aliens in the United States is lowering the wage rate of semiskilled workers, people who are high school dropouts or high school graduates with minimal training." In fact, a meat-packing job paid $19 an hour in 1980, but today that same job pays closer to $9 an hour, according to the Labor Department. That's entirely consistent with what we've been reporting — that illegal aliens depress wages for U.S. workers by as much as $200 billion a year in addition to placing a tremendous burden on hospitals, schools and other social services.
Now, presumably, that has to do with the globalization of the economy and the decline of union power as much as illegal immigration. But it is confirmation of what many people believe. They may also do the kind of math Ed Morrissey is doing in terms of social services.
*A woman on NPR this morning actually cited that complaint.
FILED UNDER: General, Bill Richardson, California, Congress, DC, Gas, gay, Iraq, Lou Dobbs, police, traffic, Video
Politics in Alabama says:
Thursday, May 11, 2006 at 06:39
way to get their point across. Rather than "This land is rightfully ours, anyway" the message should be "You want us here as much as we want to be here." Very well put by James. The Moderate Voice has a roundup of bloggers views while James atOTB has a news roundup. So who did feel these effects? Was it only major Metropolitan areas? Posted in Illegal Immigration by Jeff Vreeland | No Comments »
Blogrescue.com says:
Friday, May 5, 2006 at 19:20
slogans, such as "Si se puede!" Spanish for "Yes, it can be done!" Others were more irreverent, wearing T-shirts that read "I'm illegal. So what?" Meanwhile, Michelle Malkin has a collection of pictures you won't see from the MSM. James Joyner hasa round-up of MSM coverage. Others: A Blog For All Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)
The Hotline's Blogometer says:
Wednesday, May 3, 2006 at 18:15
package through Congress that delivers most of what the demonstrators demand. However, the spectacle of illegal immigrants demanding that Americans capitulate to their agenda only strengthens the opponents to the administration's approach. RightyOutside the Beltway thinks the boycott's effect was muted by protest fatigue: "Unfortunately, too, protests have lost much of their persuasive appeal because of their ubiquity and the participation of a cadre of people who show up to protest everything."
Riehl World View says:
Tuesday, May 2, 2006 at 17:04
and even sovereignty. This idea had organized the entire world, divided up its resources, imposed the nation-state system across the globe, and delivered the majority of the world's population into servitude and oppression. Some other links:OTB has a great MSM round up – also commenting Vagabondia – Hyscience – A Blog For All – Learning Straight Up – and NOYF
» OTB News says:
OTB Iran Discovers New Uranium Deposits Silvio Berlusconi Resigns Plame Working on Iran WMD When OutedDay Without Immigrants Roundup Caption Contest Winners Beltway Traffic Jam Price Gougers One and All Intelligence Polygraphs Controversial What To Do About the Oil/Gasoline Prices Anna Nicole Smith Wins Supreme Court Case
Mark Jaquith says:
The fact that they're calling it "A Day Without Immigrants" is dishonest. It's a straw man.
The vast majority of people opposed to illegal immigration have no problem whatsoever with legal immigration.
By making it appear that they're protesting for immigrants in general when it is clear that the issues they address like low pay, unfair conditions etc. only apply to illegal immigrants, they are recasting this as an ethnic, a nationalistic, a racial issue.
If legal immigrants are being subjected to discrimination and having their rights violated, hell, I'll march with them. But as long as their position is "criminals should be treated like law-abiding citizens" they'll get nothing but incredulity from me and millions of other Americans.
ICallMasICM says:
I saw 'roundup' in the headline and I thought you were going to mention it in the story, as like immigration officials had a roundup of illegal trespassers.
M. Murcek says:
The marchers chanting "Today we march – Tomorrow we vote." infuriated the daylights out of me…
Unpartisan.com Political News and Blog Aggregator says:
U.S. Prepares for 'Day Without Immigrants'
Thousands of illegal immigrants and their allies across the country plan a show of force Monday to i…
Novel says:
Immigration is not the real issue. It is how Americans use people who are 'illegal' and therefor have not equal rights to a citizen. So, they are paid less, ALLOWED to work by the mob who sets up the deals and politicians, especially in California. It is not fair to ALLOW them to work and be used without EQUAL RIGHTS to Americans. This should be obvious to any American that ALLOWING them to work here illegally makes every American RESPONSIBLE for those who we allow to work illegally. There is no way to justify using peoole like America does.
PoliBlog: A Rough Draft of my Thoughts » They Came, They Marched, and…? says:
[…] James Joyner has a round up of the news coverage of the events. Filed under: US Politics, Immigration | |Send TrackBack […]
gringoman.com says:
Our First Mexican President…
El Presidente Jorge Walker Boosh: Okay, folks, let's try this in (heh-heh) English. Look, I know what you're feeling. You feel the good old USA is being invaded and occupied by a country with a government so rotten, so…
Sorry Novel, that argument don't float. It's like accusing me of benefitting from slavery, not taking into account that my ancestors arrived here LONG after slavery was abolished.
Guilt by association, it's even less than so yesterday…
Dave Schuler says:
It does raise a good question, though: are there good reasons why illegal immigration should be treated differently than other crimes? I'd certainly like to hear the argument.
It can't be that we're �a nation of immigrants�. All countries are from Albania to Zimbabwe. Except maybe Tanzania, everybody everywhere is ultimately from somewhere else.
It can't be that the perpetrators just want a better way of life. All criminals do. All humans do. It's not a justification for breaking the law.
It can't be that many of those who enter illegally subsequently live within the law. That's true of other lawbreakers as well. We prosecute them nonetheless. It is sometimes used to mitigate the penalty, though, and I think that might be reasonable in this case, too. The problem here is that many illegal immigrants demonstrate indifference to any other law that gets in their way, too, e.g. drivers licenses and mandatory insurance.
It can't be that there are so many of them. Otherwise we wouldn't prosecute traffic violations. And the �how do we deport 12 million� argument? Puh-leeze. Does anyone propose that we give a pass to other lawbreakers because we can't resolve all the other unsolved crimes at once?
Conservative Outpost says:
Tell Congress "NO" on amnesty – today!…
Now that the politicians have heard from the illegals parading in our streets, it's time they hear from conservatives on this issue. Don't let Congress act before you've been heard! The Senate is about to take up immigration reform again……
The Glittering Eye » Blog Archive » Not much doing in Oaxaca says:
[…] James Joyner has a good media round-up. […]
Mensa Barbie Welcomes You says:
May Day for Our Country…
Strange gathering, with signs which seemed to imply that immigrant communities in America were under attack (as they demand that Congress grant immigrants full rights under the law.) LEGAL" immigrants already have those protections….
Coming to Grips with Reality
Not as Bad as We Feared


text:
About OUem
Managing an endowment
Generating returns
Our investment philosophy
The Oxford Endowment Fund
Performance highlights
An investment
ESG risk management
ESG risk management principles
ESG in practice
Prospective investments
Back to ESG RISK MANAGEMENT
Climate change and fossil fuel divestment
The Oxford Endowment Fund is designed for the perpetuity endowment of charitable investors. For the University of Oxford, the endowment supports one of its founding objectives, to sustain academic freedom. The large majority of scholarships and many research posts are funded in full or partially from the endowment. A diversified pool of assets gives the best chance of achieving an investment return to provide an income both for beneficiaries today, and for future generations.
Congregation's climate change resolutions
In April 2020, Oxford University Council accepted a motion proposed to Congregation of three resolutions focused on climate change and the University's investments. Full details can be found here: Oxford Gazette. OUem welcomed the resolutions, having been focused on actively managing the Oxford Endowment Fund over the past decade to ensure that, as an investor, we are part of the solution to climate change and sustainability. As the University is the largest unitholder in the Oxford Endowment Fund, following appropriate authorisations, we worked to implement these resolutions across the Oxford Endowment Fund and the University's Capital Account. In November, the University appointment Huw van Steenis as an Investment Committee member focused on climate-conscious investment. From 2021, the Investment Committee will publish its Socially Responsible Investment Report to Council publicly, to keep members of the University informed on this area.
Divestment from fossil fuel extractors
The outcome of our investment philosophy and active investment approach is that the OEF is effectively divested from fossil fuels. At 31 December 2019, there were no direct investments in fossil fuels and just 0.03% of the portfolio was held indirectly in fossil fuel public equities. Further to this, OUem has developed a new Fossil Fuel Screened Equity Index Fund with BlackRock to formally divest the University's Capital Account from fossil fuels.
Backing energy efficient groups
We have previously worked with groups to back the development of products that fit our specific ESG requirements. In 2010, we invested in a fund of Osmosis Investment Management, focused on companies' resource metrics on the basis that those which minimise their water, waste and energy use will outperform less prudent peers. This followed significant research into the issue of carbon emissions, the inevitable reduction on the dependence of fossil fuels, and how this could be implemented to generate returns for the OEF. We were their first institutional backer and, in 2011, we invested in the management company at the early stages of their journey. This group now manages over £1bn for institutional investors globally including groups which are now the most vocal proponents of ESG. We backed the company's next phase of growth in 2019, and were subsequently followed by a leading sustainable investor, eight years after our initial investment.
CDP, Investor Forum and Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC)
OUem is a signatory of the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project), a member of the Investor Forum and a member of the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change.
OU Endowment Management
27 Park End Street
OX1 1HU
OUem
OUem Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority


text:
Main Content Main Menu Search
Lateral Openings
Message from the Managing Partner
Better Every Day
Signal Group
Trade Analytics Group
Wiley Trade Analytics Group (TAG)
Case Studies / Success
Alert March 22, 2018
UPDATE: President Signs Memorandum Penalizing China IP Violations
Today, President Trump signed a Memorandum regarding the Section 301 investigation into China's IP practices. In response to the U.S. Trade Representative's (USTR) findings that the Chinese government's practices and policies related to technology transfer, IP, and innovation are unreasonable or discriminatory and burden or restrict U.S. commerce, the Memorandum instructs USTR to publish, within 15 days, a proposed list of products subject to additional tariffs. By value, these tariffs are expected to range from $30 to $60 billion annually, and focused on Chinese technology products. The Memorandum also instructs USTR to pursue a WTO case on China's discriminatory technology licensing practices. Further, the Memorandum directs the U.S. Department of the Treasury to propose restrictions on Chinese investments in sensitive U.S. technologies.
The President's actions are based on USTR's Section 301 investigation and findings, which are detailed in its report that was released today.
According to the White House fact sheet and the President's statements, tariffs of 25% are to be imposed on products in the aerospace, information and communication technology, and machinery sectors, and may also cover products on China's 2025 list, including:
Advanced information technology;
High-end numerical control machinery and robotics;
Aerospace and aeronautics equipment;
Maritime engineering equipment and high tech maritime vessel manufacturing;
Modern rail transportation equipment;
Energy-saving and new energy vehicles and equipment;
Electrical equipment;
New materials;
Agriculture machinery and equipment; and
Biomedicine and high-performance medical devices.
USTR will provide for a public notice and comment period on its proposed product list prior to the imposition of tariffs. In addition, Treasury will have 60 days within which to consult with other agencies and make recommendations on Chinese investment restrictions to the President.
Nova J. Daly
Senior Public Policy Advisor
ndaly@wiley.law
Timothy C. Brightbill
tbrightbill@wiley.law
© 2020 Wiley Rein LLP All Rights Reserved.
By using this site, you agree to our updated Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions, and Cookies Policy.


Thank you for your interest in the PhD program at the University of Maryland School of Social Work.
We have an exciting program that prepares graduates to conduct social work research and teach the next generation of social workers.
This web site will provide you with a brief introduction, focusing on some of the unique aspects of our program and highlights of the opportunities we provide. I encourage you to check the Web site for information about admissions, faculty and student research, courses, and funding opportunities.
I hope that this web site provides you with the information you need. Please feel free to contact us at phd@ssw.umaryland.edu or by phone at 410.706.7960 if you have questions, want more information, or would like to arrange a visit.


Overall there were 72 members of the Department who took part or contributed to the activities during the Outreach Development Day on 20th April 2018.
It was an opportunity for researchers who are passionate about sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm for physics outreach to share best practice with others in the Department.
On Thursday 17th May a team of our researchers visited O'Hanlon House, a resettlement centre for around 66 homeless people in central Oxford, to talk about space and the Universe.
Wireless power transfer (WPT) is likely to be widely adopted throughout the automotive industry as it represents the most simple and effective charging solution for electric vehicles. A strong magnetic field, generated by a car and the ground can present certain safety risks, should a person or animal enter the field.
The Rumford Medal 2018 is awarded to Professor Ian Walmsley FRS for pioneering work in the quantum control of light and matter on ultrashort timescales, especially the invention and application of new techniques for characterization of quantum and classical light fields.
Professor Walmsley will be awarded a medal of silver gilt, accompanied by a gift of £2,000 at the Royal Society's Anniversary Day in November 2018.
Michele Cappellari, Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Oxford and Research Fellow of the Royal Society, was awarded the "Luigi Tartufari" International Prize for Astronomy 2018 by the Lincei Academy.
Oxford Physics researchers have designed a compact magneto-optical trap with identical mirrors and mounts, making it easier to manufacture and fit inside a standard size vacuum tube.
Vortices are beautiful structures that are encountered in nature at all length-scales, from the nanometer to the billions of light years. In a paper appearing today in Nature Materials, the Oxide electronics group at the University of Oxford and their collaborators at University of Wisconsin-Madison (USA) and the Diamond Light Source (UK) describe how they used a synchrotron-based microscopy technique to image an unprecedented form of magnetic vortices in thin films of hematite (α-Fe2O3, a form of ordinary rust).


I've always really enjoyed the Jackie Cooper short for MGM called The Christmas Party. It was a great way to showcase the MGM stars of 1931 but it also exemplified Jackie Cooper's lovely auw shucks demeanor and his appeal to both children as well as adults. How could you not be won over by those big cheeks? God Speed Jackie Cooper.
Jackie was one of the sweetest child actors on screen, and so incredibly talented. God bless him. I didn't know he had died. Thanks for the tribute!
Jackie was so great a child actor and as an adult. He was proof that child actors can and do make it into acting as adults.


text:
Detroit Stories
On this page you'll find all of our stories on the city of Detroit.Suggest a story here and follow our podcast here.
Michigan's Amtrak subsidy is about to triple
Michigan Radio | By Steve Carmody
Steve Carmody/Michigan Radio
Beginning Tuesday, the subsidy that Amtrak gets from the state of Michigan is about to triple, from $8 million to nearly $25 million a year.
The reason for the increase is a 2008 federal law that requires greater cost sharing between the federal government and the states where Amtrak operates.
Tim Hoeffner is the director of the Office of Rail in the Michigan Department of Transportation. He says MDOT hopes to reduce the state subsidy by improving train service. The Wolverine line between Detroit and Chicago is undergoing improvements that should greatly increase train speeds through southern Michigan.
"Reducing the travel time. Increasing the reliability. And later increasing the frequencies," says Hoeffner.
Nearly 800 thousand people rode Amtrak trains in Michigan in 2012 and that was a record high number.
Transportation & Infrastructure DetroitAmtrakchicagohigh speed railjacksonMichigan Amtrakpassenger railrailroad
Steve Carmody
Steve Carmody has been a reporter for Michigan Radio since 2005. Steve previously worked at public radio and television stations in Florida, Oklahoma and Kentucky, and also has extensive experience in commercial broadcasting.
See stories by Steve Carmody
Michigan's Amtrak subsidy will see a huge jump in October
There's no doubt about it, more of us are climbing aboard Amtrak trains than ever before.The three lines that Amtrak runs in Michigan are often packed,…
New trains to be built for higher speed rail in the Midwest
States in the Midwest are moving forward with their plans to increase the speed of passenger trains.The Federal Railroad Administration announced that…
Amtrak gets ready to start track improvements
JACKSON, Mich. (AP) - Amtrak is getting ready to start the first of three Michigan train track improvement phases for the 2013 construction season.Work…


Customized University-level Programming: These programs are often faculty-led (there is a faculty member from the students' institution onsite in Ecuador) but faculty participation on site is not required. ACLAS can accommodate many language abilities, group sizes and program timelines.
Customized Programming for Other Groups: Non-university or college groups are welcome at ACLAS! We've hosted high school and other academic groups over the years. Please contact us with your program vision.
Programs can be customized to fit your institution's needs. This includes program timeline, amount of instruction, excursions, service learning and more! Contact us directly for a proposal with specific information for your program vision and needs.
We typically provide a price per student as well as a program description and tentative outline in each proposal. For estimates or more details on costs for students and faculty contact us directly for specifics.
Interested in a proposal or learning more about how we can customize a program for you?


Do you ever wish you had a few more options when trying to figure out how to move towards more of what you want in your work related life?
Here are some ideas that might help expand your thinking.
Find someone else you think is living the vocational life you want and ask them what they would do and then copy!
Ask yourself, how would an eight-year-old deal with this?
Now write down new ideas on how you can move forward to gain more of what you want in your vocational life.


I was raised on the East Coast, enduring the freezing winters and loving New York pizza by the slice, the kind you fold in half and start eating with the hot melted cheese dripping down into your mouth. It's the best I've ever tasted, hands down. After being stationed in the San Francisco Bay area while in the Army, I decided to remain in California, where college and grad school tuition was cheaper and the climate more temperate. Now a psychologist, I live here in the sun with my wife and daughter, an elderly Maltese, a brawny Pekingese, and a voracious cat that eats more than both dogs combined. I don't really regret leaving the snow and the cold behind, but I do still miss the pizza.
I have been enamored with science fiction/fantasy since I was (as my Georgia-born southern grandmother used to say) "knee-high to a grasshopper." Truly, I could open a used bookstore stocked with nothing but the stacks and boxes of books that I own in the genre, some going way back. Thank the gods for ebooks, because I ran out of room to store the hard copy collection many moons ago. My early loves were authors like Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert and Ursula K. Le Guin. More recent influences include R.A. Salvatore, Terry Brooks, David Eddings, Raymond Feist and Jacqueline Carey, among many others.


So the ref1 should be: 71 67.86 89 78.70? You might want to clarify what the binary format is first. Is it little endian or big endian? Is it only positive or does it include negatives?
Also how is the conversion going to be done? once you know how it's formatted you shuold be able to find a script or make one easily enough to do the conversion for you..


[USA] Oct 24 (ANI): The arch-rivals of 'Joker' are finally here with Dante Pereira-Olson set to play the young Bruce Wayne while Douglas Hodge will essay the role of the butler Alfred Pennyworth.
Olson and Hodge will be playing the significant roles alongside Joaquin Phoenix, who will essay the titular role in the origin movie of 'Joker'.
Olson had shared a project with Phoenix, wherein the former played a younger version of the latter's character Joe in a 2017 crime drama 'You Were Never Really Here'. Hodge on the other hand recently appeared alongside Jennifer Lawrence in 'Red Sparrow'.
Todd Phillips of 'The Hangover' movie series fame will be directing this gritty origin movie of DC's numero uno supervillain. The movie also stars veteran Robert De Niro and Marc Maron of 'Deadpool 2' fame.
In the movie, Brett Cullen who replaced Alec Baldwin will play the role of Bruce Wayne's father Thomas Wayne. Baldwin had to turn it down due to last minute scheduling conflicts.
Joker has been described as the "exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study but also a broader cautionary tale." Phillips co-wrote the script with Scott Silver.


Dang Le Nguyen Vu, 48, founding chairman and general director of Vietnamese coffee giant Trung Nguyen Group, and his ex-wife Le Hoang Diep Thao, 46, have appealed their high-profile divorce case.
The HCMC People's Court told the local media on Wednesday that Thao is seeking to overturn the entire verdict as she wants to be reunited with Vu, often referred to as the coffee king.
She also disagrees with the court's decision to split the couple's shared assets in Trung Nguyen 60:40 in Vu's favor and give him the rights to manage the group.
Meanwhile, Vu appealed against the court's ruling on the settlement of the couple's shared assets and repeated his original demand for 70% of the couple's assets.
After a long trial last month, the court agreed to let the couple divorce, with Thao getting custody of their four children and Vu providing VND10 billion (US$430,000) per year in child support until they graduate from university.
Their combined stake in the group and its subsidiaries should be divided equally, according to the court. However, Vu had made more contributions to the establishment and development of the coffee empire than Thao, so the court gave him 60%.
Since the division of the group's shares may cause difficulties in its operations, the court ruled that Vu should purchase all of Thao's shares so the latter would no longer be a Trung Nguyen shareholder.
The value of the couple's assets, excluding their properties, is estimated at more than VND7.5 trillion (US$323.3 million), of which Vu will receive over VND4.5 trillion and Thao, VND3 trillion.
Their 13 properties will be divided equally. Vu will own six properties worth more than VND350 billion, while Thao will hold the remainder, valued at over VND375 billion. Thao will have to pay Vu the balance of VND12.5 billion.
Regarding nearly VND1.8 trillion in deposits at three banks, the court ruled that the money will be divided equally, with reference to the couple's contributions.
Vu and Thao got married in 1998, but conflicts arose in 2013. Consequently, Thao filed for divorce in 2015 and asked for 51% of Trung Nguyen Investment JSC, which holds the majority stake in Trung Nguyen Group.
She also proposed that she and Vu each own a 15% stake in Trung Nguyen Group and a 7.5% stake in Trung Nguyen Instant Coffee. Thao agreed to give Vu her shares in the other four companies under the Trung Nguyen brand.
However, Vu wanted 70% of all companies under the Trung Nguyen brand and to buy the remaining shares from Thao in cash.


text:
Articles 2012
Article: Alexander Rybak in Vilnius
12/04/2012 Sonya	Leave a comment
Article published on www.15min.lt 2012-04-08, 14:39
Text by Viktorija Navickaitė . Photos by Luko Balandžio. Link to original article here.
Found by Ulli Cologne. Translation by Dominyka Kolenda
"Eurovision" contest winner Alexander Rybak, who is visiting Lithuania, says that the Lithuanian representative Donatas Montvydas resembles George Michael
Easter Sunday afternoon, representatives from the Lithuanian media were gathered in the hotel "Dvaras''(located in the center of the capital) where the recently arrived Norwegian singer Alexander Rybak (25) stayed. It was convened to a press conference, where the singer told how he feels about being in Lithuania, and what projects he is involved in back in Norway. Conversation about Eurovision wasn't omitted either.
The Eurovision contest triumphed singer arrived in Vilnius on Saturday, where he intends to participate in LNK project "Lithuanian voice" final battle concert. Alexander will stay in Lithuania for two days.
When someone asked how Alexander spent Saturday evening in Vilnius, he was honest- Instead of having fun at night in the capital he had chosen to relax in the hotel." I just relaxed. We just had a ride in the city. I didn't go out.- I stayed in the hotel.''- the singer said. He complimented Lithuanians "Your people are very warm and friendly. I feel welcome here."
When the Lithuanians on Sunday morning were gathered around the Easter table, and one after the other broke Easter eggs, Alexander's morning was quite normal. After greeting the journalists on the occasion, he said that he celebrate the Easter holiday at a later date. "My family will celebrate Easter two weeks later, we are Orthodox. I hope I will be with them then. We are going to celebrate Easter in Oslo, Norway. We do not have special traditions – we just have a dinner and get together, "- the singer said.
Alexander arrived from Norway to Lithuania alone. He admitted that sometimes he would like to work with more people, but he doesn't want to bother more people. "I travel alone. I think that artists are very lonely- I am too. I would love to have a team, but I don't want to bother other people with my schedule. The only thing that makes me glad nowadays are the smiles from the audience."-the singer said.
A. Rybak admitted, though Lithuanians have welcomed him very warmly, that he doesn't think he has many fans in Lithuania. " I haven't worked much in this country- I have worked in Scandinavia, Russia, Ukraine and Belorussia. I'm so happy when countries invite me, especially the country I haven't visited for a long time. I feel really privileged when people trust me."- he said.
"Eurovision" was exchanged by classical music
Though Alexander is until now remembered as Eurovision winner (this title he achieved by performing song Fairytale) the musician ensured that the impact of Eurovision has passed. Currently in Norway, he creates his own musical projects, while at the same time he is studying classical music speciality. "I'm studying classical music. It's important for me – it's more serious than pop music. This way I can show who I really am."- the singer said.
A. Rybak admitted that nowadays he is more serious in choosing activities than he was before. "In the future I will certainly record classical music album. I know I'm far away from Eurovision style. Now I have some time – and I can think about what I'm doing. Therefore my music is more valuable, thoughtful; I'm better prepared for performances."- the singer said.
Donatas Montvydas resembles George Michael
Though Eurovision remained in A. Rybak past, he is still interested in this contest and he assessed very favourably this year the Lithuanian representative Donatas Montvydas "He resembles George Michael. I like him – it's nice that you keep traditions. He is not original, but who said that it needs to be? " He raised the question.
According to the singer, even very simply prepared performance can triumph in Eurovision song contest. "For example, the German representative Lena, who won, wasn't original either, but the audience liked her. I supported her – I liked her. You can win without surprising everybody, "- A.Rybak says.
Singer emphasized that every performance quality is determined by singer preparation and sincerity.
"Standing on the stage, people love to see something natural, rather than something that is constructed in front of the mirror" – the singer considered.
This post is also available in Türkçe.
aleksandras rybakasdonny montellLietuvos Balsaspress conferencevoice of lithuania
Previous PostAlexander Rybak: "I am glad I returned to Vilnius"Next PostAlexander Rybak: "I like that Lithuanians are not snobs"


Find inspiration for your residential outdoor patio project with these beautiful patio paver ideas for hardscape design.
Stones stacked in a variety of configurations to create fire pits, fireplaces, grill enclosures and benches.
Versatile, durable and easy to install - Keystone Hardscapes offers wall systems in a wide range of shapes, colors and textures. Engineers, architects, contractors and homeowners trust our concrete retaining wall blocks to provide the best site solutions for commercial, municipal, industrial, transportation/DOT and residential applications. From outdoor kitchens to a 50'h engineered retaining wall, Keystone Hardscapes has a wall system to handle your next project.
The unrivaled breadth of our paver portfolio is supported by our dedication to product quality, performance and customer service. Regardless of your space and application needs, our collection of pavers offers a wide variety of colors, patterns, sizes and textures to handle the project and enhance the natural beauty of the surroundings.
A complete line of Cap, Corner, and Step units adds the finishing touch to any retaining or freestanding wall project. With an extensive selection of split faces, shapes, and unit dimensions to visually and structurally integrate with different wall systems, these blocks are designed to meet a wide range of applications and are manufactured to the same high standards as the corresponding wall blocks.
*Some colors only available with certain types of blocks. Call or come by for availability.
Evolution Polymeric Sand is exactly that – the evolution of polymeric sand into the high-quality, haze-free jointing sand that changed the hardscape industry. Now in its 16th year, it is the Original Haze-Free polymeric sand and the only haze-free sand with over a decade of contractors' trust and loyalty.
The quality of a hardscape installation is certainly influenced by the choice of products you use. It is, and always will be, our goal to provide you with high performing products that are easy to use, work great and last as long as we say they will. And, just as important, that they offer you NO post installation problems.