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Blogs > Section 6 Existing Chemicals
EPA Expands TRI Reporting Requirements for Ethylene Oxide and Ethylene Glycol by Requiring Reporting for Certain Sterilization Facilities
Posted on December 28, 2021 by Lynn L. Bergeson
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on December 27, 2021, that it is expanding the scope of Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) reporting requirements to include certain contract sterilization facilities that are not currently reporting on ethylene oxide releases. EPA states that under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), "the EPA Administrator has the discretionary authority to extend TRI reporting requirements to specific facilities based on a chemical's toxicity, the facility's proximity to other facilities that release the chemical or to population centers, any history of releases of the chemical at the facility, or other factors the Administrator deems appropriate." According to EPA, exposure to ethylene oxide can cause cancer in humans and damage DNA. Other effects include eye, skin, nose, throat, and lung irritation, as well as harm to the brain and nervous system. Workers in facilities that use ethylene oxide and people in communities located adjacent to these facilities, including historically underserved communities, have the highest chance of being exposed to ethylene oxide. EPA notes that because their bodies are still growing, children are expected to be more susceptible to the toxic effects caused by ethylene oxide.
In October 2021, EPA sent letters to 31 facilities providing notice that EPA was considering exercising its discretionary authority. After corresponding with many of the facilities, EPA has issued a determination extending TRI reporting requirements to 29 of the 31 facilities for ethylene oxide and to 16 of the 31 facilities for ethylene glycol. According to EPA, because ethylene glycol is produced using ethylene oxide, these chemicals may co-occur at facilities. EPA states that it believes these 29 contract sterilization facilities, which do not currently report to TRI, use the highest amounts of ethylene oxide in the contract sterilization sector. The facilities are likely to exceed the 10,000 pounds per year "otherwise used" TRI reporting threshold for ethylene oxide. EPA notes that it considered additional factors, such as the facilities' proximity to a population center (e.g., the number of people, including children under the age of five living near the facilities), their history of releases of ethylene oxide and ethylene glycol (e.g., past receipt of TRI reporting forms on ethylene oxide and ethylene glycol from these facilities), and other factors the Administrator deemed appropriate (e.g., proximity of the facilities to nearby schools and communities, especially those with potential environmental justice concerns and concerns for facility workers).
EPA did not to extend TRI reporting requirements to two of the 31 facilities initially contacted. According to EPA, one of the facilities conveyed to EPA that they had sold the establishment they previously used for sterilization and no longer perform sterilization work at that facility. Another facility informed EPA that their facility uses ethylene oxide in quantities far below the amount that would trigger TRI reporting in a year due to their sterilization technology and scale of operations.
Beginning in January 2022, these 29 facilities should start tracking their activities involving ethylene oxide (and ethylene glycol, if applicable) releases and other waste management quantities as required by EPCRA, similar to any other facility subject to TRI reporting requirements. If reporting thresholds are met, the facilities must submit TRI data beginning in 2023.
Tags: TRI, EPCRA, Ethylene Oxide, Ethylene Glycol
EPA Reopens Dockets for 20 High-Priority Substances
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reopened the online dockets for 20 high-priority substances. According to the December 9, 2021, memorandum authorizing the re-opening of the dockets, EPA is re-opening these dockets to receive use, hazard, exposure, and any other information that can help inform their risk evaluations. Information must be submitted by June 9, 2022, when EPA will close the dockets. Information submitted to the docket should be identified by the docket identification (ID) number associated with the relevant chemical. The 20 high-priority chemicals are:
p-Dichlorobenzene;
1,2-Dichloroethane;
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene;
o-Dichlorobenzene;
1,1,2-Trichloroethane;
1,2-Dichloropropane;
Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) (1,2-Benzene-dicarboxylic acid, 1,2-dibutyl ester);
Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) (1,2-Benzene-dicarboxylic acid, 1-butyl 2-(phenylmethyl) ester);
Di-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) (1,2-Benzene-dicarboxylic acid, 1,2-bis(2-ethylhexyl) ester);
Di-isobutyl phthalate (DIBP) (1,2-Benzene-dicarboxylic acid, 1,2-bis-(2-methylpropyl) ester);
Dicyclohexyl phthalate;
4,4'-(1-Methylethylidene)bis[2,6-dibromophenol] (TBBPA);
Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP);
Phosphoric acid, triphenyl ester (TPP);
Ethylene dibromide;
1,3-Butadiene;
1,3,4,6,7,8-Hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta [g]-2-benzopyran (HHCB);
Formaldehyde; and
Phthalic anhydride.
The docket ID number and contact information for each chemical lead is available in the memorandum.
Tags: High-Priority, Risk Evaluation, Exposure, Hazard
EPA Submits TSCA Section 6(a) Rulemaking on Asbestos (Part 1: Chrysotile Asbestos) to OMB for Review
On December 16, 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a proposed rule under Section 6(a) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) on asbestos (part 1: chrysotile asbestos). According to an item in the fall 2021 Unified Agenda, the TSCA Section 6(a) rulemaking is needed to address the unreasonable risks of chrysotile asbestos that were identified in a risk evaluation completed under TSCA Section 6(b). EPA reviewed the exposures and hazards of chrysotile asbestos, the magnitude of risk, exposed populations, severity of the hazard, uncertainties, and other factors. As reported in our January 4, 2021, memorandum on the final risk evaluation, EPA found unreasonable risks to human health for the following uses of chrysotile asbestos:
Consumers and Bystanders: EPA found unreasonable risks to consumers and bystanders from all consumer uses of chrysotile asbestos. Most consumer products containing chrysotile asbestos have been discontinued. Consumer products still available and for which EPA found unreasonable risk include aftermarket automotive brakes/linings and certain gaskets. Risks to consumers can come from the inhalation of chrysotile asbestos; and
Workers and Occupational Non-Users (ONU): Commercial chrysotile asbestos uses for which EPA found unreasonable risk to workers include chlor-alkali diaphragms, sheet gaskets, brake blocks, aftermarket automotive brakes/linings, other vehicle friction products, and other gaskets. Additionally, EPA found unreasonable risks to workers nearby but not in direct contact with chrysotile asbestos for the use of chlor-alkali diaphragms, sheet gaskets, brake blocks, and other gaskets. Risks to workers and ONUs can come from the inhalation of chrysotile asbestos.
Tags: Asbestos, Section 6
EPA's Fall 2021 Unified Agenda Includes TSCA Rulemakings
On December 10, 2021, the Biden Administration released its Fall 2021 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) rule list, the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) is working on the following rulemakings under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Rulemakings at the proposed stage include:
Tiered Data Reporting to Inform Prioritization, Risk Evaluation, and Risk Management Under TSCA (2070-AK62): EPA is developing this rule to obtain information about potential hazards and exposure pathways related to certain chemicals, particularly occupational, environmental, and consumer exposure information. EPA states that this information is needed to inform prioritization, risk evaluation, and risk management of the chemical substances under TSCA Section 6. EPA intends to publish a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in July 2022 and a final rule in March 2023. More information on the rulemaking is available in our July 29, 2021, memorandum;
Revisions to the TSCA Fees Rule (2070-AK64): In January 2021, EPA proposed updates and adjustments to the 2018 TSCA Fees Rule. EPA proposed to add three new fee categories: a Bona Fide Intent to Manufacture or Import Notice, a Notice of Commencement of Manufacture or Import, and an additional fee associated with test orders. In addition, EPA proposed exemptions for entities subject to certain fee triggering activities, including: an exemption for research and development activities; an exemption for entities manufacturing less than 2,500 pounds of a chemical subject to an EPA-initiated risk evaluation fee; an exemption for manufacturers of chemical substances produced as a non-isolated intermediate; and exemptions for manufacturers of a chemical substance subject to an EPA-initiated risk evaluation if the chemical substance is imported in an article, produced as a byproduct, or produced or imported as an impurity. EPA proposed a volume-based fee allocation for EPA-initiated risk evaluation fees in any scenario where a consortium is not formed and proposed to require export-only manufacturers to pay fees for EPA-initiated risk evaluations. EPA states that in light of public comments, it has decided to issue a supplemental proposal and seek additional public comment on changes to the January 2021 proposal. EPA intends to issue a supplemental NPRM in February 2022. EPA has not determined when it will issue a final rule. More information on the proposed rule is available in our December 30, 2020, memorandum;
New Chemicals Procedural Regulations to Reflect Amendments to TSCA (2070-AK65): This rulemaking seeks to revise the new chemicals procedural regulations in 40 C.F.R. Part 720 to improve the efficiency of EPA's review process and to align its processes and procedures with the new statutory requirements. According to EPA, this rulemaking seeks to increase the quality of information initially submitted in new chemicals notices and improve its processes "to reduce unnecessary rework in the risk assessment and, ultimately, the length of time that new chemicals are under review." EPA intends to publish an NPRM in September 2022. EPA has not determined when it will issue a final rule;
Procedures for Submitting Information Subject to Business Confidentiality Claims Under TSCA (2070-AK68): EPA states that it is considering proposing new and amended rules concerning the assertion and maintenance of claims of business confidentiality (i.e., confidential business information (CBI)) under TSCA. The 2016 TSCA amendments included several new provisions concerning the assertion and EPA review and treatment of confidentiality claims. EPA is considering procedures for submitting and supporting such claims in TSCA submissions, including substantiation requirements, exemptions, electronic reporting enhancements, and maintenance or withdrawal of confidentiality claims. EPA is also considering whether the proposed rule should elaborate on EPA's procedures for reviewing and communicating with TSCA submitters about confidentiality claims. According to EPA, it expects the proposed rule to include new provisions, as well as revisions to existing rules on asserting confidentiality claims to conform to the 2016 amendments. EPA intends to issue an NPRM in April 2022;
Cyclic Aliphatic Bromide Cluster (HBCD); Rulemaking Under TSCA Section 6(a) (2070-AK71): TSCA Section 6 requires EPA to address unreasonable risks of injury to health or the environment that the Administrator has determined are presented by a chemical substance under the conditions of use. Following a TSCA Section 6 risk evaluation for HBCD, EPA initiated rulemaking to address unreasonable risks of injury to health and the environment identified in the final risk evaluation. EPA intends to publish an NPRM by September 2022 and a final rule by April 2024. More information on the final risk evaluation is available in our September 28, 2020, memorandum;
1-Bromopropane; Rulemaking Under TSCA Section 6(a) (2070-AK73): TSCA Section 6 requires EPA to address unreasonable risks of injury to health or the environment that the Administrator has determined are presented by a chemical substance under the conditions of use. Following a TSCA Section 6 risk evaluation for 1-bromopropane, EPA initiated rulemaking to address unreasonable risks of injury to health identified in the final risk evaluation. EPA intends to issue an NPRM in October 2022 and a final rule in May 2024. More information on the final risk evaluation is available in our August 11, 2020, memorandum;
Carbon Tetrachloride; Rulemaking Under TSCA Section 6(a) (2070-AK82): TSCA Section 6 requires EPA to address unreasonable risks of injury to health or the environment that the Administrator has determined are presented by a chemical substance under the conditions of use. Following a TSCA Section 6 risk evaluation for carbon tetrachloride, EPA initiated rulemaking to address unreasonable risks of injury to health identified in the final risk evaluation. EPA intends to issue an NPRM in October 2022 and a final rule in June 2024. More information on the final risk evaluation is available in our November 4, 2020, memorandum;
Trichloroethylene (TCE); Rulemaking Under TSCA Section 6(a) (2070-AK83): TSCA Section 6 requires EPA to address unreasonable risks of injury to health or the environment that the Administrator has determined are presented by a chemical substance under the conditions of use. Following a TSCA Section 6 risk evaluation for TCE carried out under the authority of TSCA Section 6, EPA initiated rulemaking to address unreasonable risks of injury to health identified in the final risk evaluation. EPA intends to issue an NPRM in October 2022 and a final rule in June 2024. More information on the final risk evaluation is available in our November 24, 2020, memorandum;
Asbestos (Part 1: Chrysotile Asbestos); Rulemaking under TSCA Section 6(a) (2070-AK86): TSCA Section 6 requires EPA to address unreasonable risks of injury to health or the environment that the Administrator has determined are presented by a chemical substance under the conditions of use. Following a TSCA Section 6 risk evaluation for chrysotile asbestos, EPA initiated rulemaking to address unreasonable risks of injury to health identified in the final risk evaluation. EPA intends to issue an NPRM by April 2022 and a final rule by November 2023. More information on the final risk evaluation is available in our January 4, 2021, memorandum;
Reconsideration of Procedures for Chemical Risk Evaluation Under the Amended TSCA (2070-AK90): EPA published a final rule on July 20, 2017, that established a process for conducting risk evaluations to determine whether a chemical substance presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment, without consideration of costs or other non-risk factors, including an unreasonable risk to a potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulation, under the conditions of use. This process incorporates the science requirements of the amended statute, including best available science and weight of the scientific evidence. The final rule established the steps of a risk evaluation process, including: scope, hazard assessment, exposure assessment, risk characterization, and risk determination. EPA states that it is now in the process of reconsidering the final rule in keeping with new executive orders (EO) concerning the advancement of racial equity and support for underserved communities through the federal government (EO 13985), the protection of public health and the environment and restoring science to tackle the climate crisis (EO 13990), tackling the climate crisis at home and abroad (EO 14008), and other Administration priorities (such as the Presidential memorandum on restoring trust in government through scientific integrity and evidence-based policymaking). If EPA determines to amend the 2017 final rule based on its reconsideration, it will solicit public comment through an NPRM. EPA intends to publish an NPRM in September 2022;
Regulation of Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (PBT) Chemicals Under TSCA Section 6(h); Phenol, Isopropylated Phosphate (3:1) (PIP (3:1)); Further Compliance Date Extension (2070-AK95): EPA proposed in October 2021 to amend the regulations applicable to PIP (3:1) promulgated under TSCA. Specifically, EPA proposes to extend the compliance date applicable to the processing and distribution in commerce of certain PIP (3:1)-containing articles and the PIP (3:1) used to make those articles until October 31, 2024, along with the associated recordkeeping requirements for manufacturers, processors, and distributors of PIP (3:1)-containing articles. EPA notes that the articles covered by the proposed rule include a wide range of key consumer and commercial goods such as cellular telephones, laptop computers, and other electronic and electrical devices and industrial and commercial equipment used in various sectors, including transportation, construction, agriculture, forestry, mining, life sciences, and semiconductor production. The proposed rule follows a recently-issued final rule that extended the compliance date applicable to the processing and distribution in commerce of certain PIP (3:1)-containing articles, and the PIP (3:1) used to make those articles, from March 8, 2021, to March 8, 2022, along with the associated recordkeeping requirements. Comments on the proposed rule are due December 27, 2021. EPA intends to issue a final rule in March 2022. More information on the proposed rule is available in our October 25, 2021, memorandum; and
TSCA Section 8(a) Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements for Asbestos (2070-AK99): This rulemaking, under the authority of TSCA Section 8(a), would require the maintenance of records and submission to EPA of reports by manufacturers, importers, and processors of asbestos and mixtures and articles containing asbestos (including as an impurity). EPA states that the information sought includes data on the quantities of asbestos used in making products, employee exposure data, and waste disposal data. Reported information would be used by EPA and other federal agencies in considering the regulation of asbestos. EPA intends to issue an NPRM in March 2022 and a final rule in November 2022.
The Unified Agenda lists the following TSCA rulemaking at the final stage:
Significant New Uses of Chemical Substances; Updates to the Hazard Communication Program and Regulatory Framework; Minor Amendments to Reporting Requirements for Premanufacture Notices (PMN) (2070-AJ94): EPA proposed amending components of the Significant New Uses of Chemical Substances regulations at 40 C.F.R. Part 721, specifically the "Protection in the Workplace" (40 C.F.R. Section 721.63) and "Hazard Communication Program" (40 C.F.R. Section 721.72). 81 Fed. Reg. 49598. The proposed changes are intended to align, where possible, EPA's regulations with the revised Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations at 29 C.F.R. Section 1910.1200. OSHA issued a final rule on March 26, 2012, (77 Fed. Reg. 17573) that aligns OSHA's Hazard Communication Standards with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). EPA states that it is reviewing the comments received and is planning to issue a final rule. EPA intends to issue a final rule in September 2022. More information on EPA's 2016 proposed rule is available in our July 29, 2016, memorandum.
Tags: TSCA, Agenda, Rulemaking, Risk Evaluation, Risk Management, Prioritization, Section 6, Section 8, PBT
EPA Revises Mercury Inventory Reporting Rule to Remove Reporting Exemption
On November 8, 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final rule revising the regulations associated with persons who must report data to the mercury inventory established under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). 86 Fed. Reg. 61708. The revisions implement an order issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on June 5, 2020, that vacated the exemption at 40 C.F.R. Section 713.7(b)(2) for persons who import pre-assembled products that contain a mercury-added component. As a result, such persons are now required to report pursuant to 40 C.F.R. Section 713.7(b). EPA states that the rule is effectuating the vacatur ordered by the Second Circuit by making necessary amendments to the corresponding text in 40 C.F.R. Section 713.7(b). The final rule will be effective on December 8, 2021. EPA states in its November 2, 2021, press release that the final rule "offers impacted communities adequate notice of the amended reporting requirements, as the deadline for reporting 2021 data is July 1, 2022." EPA will update the mercury inventory reporting rule compliance guide and other supporting materials to reflect these new reporting requirements.
As reported in our June 25, 2018, memorandum, "EPA Publishes Final Reporting Requirements for TSCA Mercury Inventory," the mercury rule and its reporting requirements apply to any person who manufactures (including imports) mercury or mercury-added products, or otherwise intentionally uses mercury in a manufacturing process (including processes traditionally not subject to TSCA, such as for the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and pesticides).
Tags: Reporting, Inventory, Mercury
EPA Denies TSCA Section 21 Petition Regarding Chemical Mixtures in Cigarettes
On October 29, 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its response to a petition submitted under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) seeking a rule requiring cigarette manufacturers to eliminate the hazardous chemicals used and to develop new product designs that eliminate or reduce the cigarette butt disposal risks to the environment. 86 Fed. Reg. 59931. EPA states that TSCA Section 6(a) authorizes it to determine if a chemical substance or mixture in manufacturing, processing, distribution in commerce, use, disposal, or any combination of these activities presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment. If EPA determines that there is unreasonable risk to health or the environment, then EPA must, by rule, issue regulations to the extent necessary so that the chemical substance no longer presents such risk. EPA notes that TSCA Section 3(2)(B), which defines "chemical substance," excludes "tobacco or any tobacco product," however. Under Section 201(rr) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), "tobacco product" means "any product made or derived from tobacco that is intended for human consumption, including any component, part, or accessory of a tobacco product." EPA states that it finds that the petitioner has not met its burden as defined in TSCA Sections 6(a) and 21(b)(1) "because cigarettes are not a product that can be regulated under TSCA section 6(a)."
Tags: Section 21, Cigarette, FFDCA, Section 6
Comments on Proposed Extension of PIP (3:1) Compliance Dates Due December 27, 2021
On October 28, 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to amend the regulations applicable to phenol, isopropylated phosphate (3:1) (PIP (3:1)) promulgated under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). 86 Fed. Reg. 59684. Specifically, EPA is proposing to extend the compliance date applicable to the processing and distribution in commerce of certain PIP (3:1)-containing articles, and the PIP (3:1) used to make those articles until October 31, 2024, along with the associated recordkeeping requirements for manufacturers, processors, and distributors of PIP (3:1)-containing articles. EPA also announced its intention to commence a new rulemaking effort on PIP (3:1) and four other persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals that have been regulated under TSCA Section 6(h). EPA states that it is anticipating issuing a proposal to this end in 2023. Comments on the proposed rule are due December 27, 2021. More information is available in our October 25, 2021, memorandum, "EPA Proposes Further Extension of Compliance Dates for PIP (3:1)-Containing Articles."
As anyone in this commercial space will attest, the proposal to extend the compliance date is good news. The deadline is still very aggressive for many, and case-specific requests for time beyond that deadline are essential. A thorough review of the notice is essential and urged.
Tags: PIP (3:1); PBT
OIRA Completes Review of Proposed Rule Concerning Further Compliance Date Extension for PIP (3:1)
On October 7, 2021, the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) completed its review of a proposed rule on "Regulation of Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic Chemicals Under TSCA Section 6(h); Phenol, Isopropylated Phosphate (3:1); Further Compliance Date Extension." The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on September 3, 2021, an extension of certain compliance dates for Phenol, Isopropylated Phosphate (3:1) (PIP (3:1)) to March 8, 2022, "to address the hardships inadvertently created by the original applicable compliance dates in the January 2021 final rule to ensure that supply chains are not disrupted for key consumer and commercial goods." The proposed rule reviewed by OIRA is expected to propose further extensions to certain article-related compliance dates. More information on EPA's September 3, 2021, announcement is available in our memorandum, "EPA Plans New Rulemaking for PBTs, Extends Compliance Dates for PIP (3:1) Rule."
Tags: OIRA, PBT, Section 6, PIP (3:1)
EPA Extends Submission Deadline for Health and Safety Studies on High-Priority Chemicals and Organohalogen Flame Retardants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on September 24, 2021, that it is extending the submission deadline for manufacturers (including importers) of 50 chemicals to report data from certain unpublished health and safety studies. The deadline for the reporting rule was originally September 27, 2021, and EPA has extended the deadline until December 1, 2021, for 20 of the 50 chemicals and to January 25, 2022, for 30 of the 50 chemicals. The 50 chemicals include:
Twenty chemicals designated by EPA as high-priority substances and currently undergoing risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The deadline for manufacturers to submit studies on these chemicals will be December 1, 2021. EPA states that this deadline "ensures that health and safety studies will be received in time for use in risk evaluations on these chemical substances."
Thirty organohalogen flame retardants being evaluated for health risks by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA). The deadline for manufacturers to submit studies on these chemicals will be January 25, 2022.
EPA will publish a notice in the Federal Register extending the deadline. A pre-publication version of the notice is available on EPA's website. EPA has also posted a "historic" question and answer document about reporting under TSCA Section 8(d). Detailed information about the reporting rule is available in our June 29, 2021, memorandum, "Manufacturers and Importers of 20 High-Priority Chemicals and 30 Organohalogen Flame Retardants Must Submit Data to EPA."
Tags: Reporting, Submission, Deadline, High Priority, Risk Evaluation, Organohalogen
EPA and PBTs: A New Normal? — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.
This week's All Things Chemical® Podcast will be of interest to readers of the TSCAblog®. A brief description of the episode written by Lynn L. Bergeson is below.
This week I sat down with Richard E. Engler, Ph..D., Director of Chemistry with Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and The Acta Group (Acta®), to discuss the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) continuing struggle to regulate certain persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals, especially those found in finished products, what EPA refers to as "articles." The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) has always applied to the products, or articles, that contain chemical substances of interest to EPA under TSCA. While EPA previously used that authority somewhat sparingly, the 2016 Amendments to TSCA have jump-started a new wave of regulations that expressly apply to articles. EPA is required under TSCA to regulate certain PBTs, and EPA issued a final rule earlier this year that inspired chaos in the business community, especially in the electronics sector and its complicated supply chain. Rich and I discuss these PBT rules and help explain what may well be the new normal with regard to the regulation of finished products under TSCA.
Tags: All Things Chemical, Podcast, PBT, PFAS
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(2/2/22 hee hee)
Concert at Houghton Valley Community Hall
Sunday February 13, 7 – 9 pm
Janine Mitchell is a Houghton Valley resident and a Wellington South Coast gal. A folkie songster from " back then", in recent times she has been getting into songwriting with her acoustic folk guitar. This has seen her compose her own original songs in a 60s – 70s folk style, as well as regenerating many of that era's classics such as Joan Biaz, Bob Dylan, and Simon and Garfunkle.
Janine loves the platform made available through her songwriting to speak / korero a message that is close to her heart, singing about the environment, social issues and relationships – but mostly she just loves sharing music – food for the soul.
During 2021, two wonderful musicians joined Janine to support in recording her first studio album of original songs, called "Etched in My Soul". Janine has been thrilled to share her passion for folk music, with the fantastic lead guitar and vocals of Jack Binding, and the beautiful mandolin of Kevin Ikin.
The album, "Etched in My Soul" has just been released – you can hear a snippet through https://janinemitchell.hearnow.com with links to Bandcamp and Spotify. Also additional information is on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Janine-Mitchell-Music-100897535706400
With the initial goal of recording Janine's original songs now complete, the three musicians are looking to a horizon brimming with possibilities and sharing with other musicians. They love playing together and are continuing to pursue their shared music, collaborating on writing new songs, and performing live together … including here in Houghton Valley.
New WREMO contact
Katie Sharp is the new Community Resilience Advisor for WREMO (Wellington Region Emergency Management Office) and is in charge of the areas of the Southern and Eastern Suburbs, which includes Houghton Bay. Living in rural Canterbury for most of her life, Katie has seen the power of connected communities, especially following the Christchurch Earthquake. This has grown into a passion for people and communities, so Katie will take every opportunity to connect with whānau, community groups and organisations around the South East. If you have a community group that may be interested in holding a preparedness workshop (for you, your household or your business) please do not hesitate to get in touch!
Katie may come to the next HVPA Zoom meeting, provisionally planned for February 13.
Koha Coffee
Koha Coffee is unlikely to happen this month as our host Andrew has broken his leg and is unable to be there, and we don't have a substitute host. Best wishes for a sound recovery Andrew! Next month it is scheduled for Sunday 6 March, but that is also the date for our Seeds-to-Feeds meal, so there might be a bit of negotiating happening. Plans will be posted on our local Facebook Group.
Seeds-to-Feeds
Sunday March 6, 2 pm – 6 pm
We are still hoping to have our Seeds-to-Feeds afternoon meal on Sunday March 6. We are planning a relaxed family style event at the school, maybe a picnic in the grounds, maybe in the hall if the weather is not so good. The time is earlier than before so that you can bring your children and still have an early night.
Planning is still provisional due to the uncertainty around overall Covid case numbers. Although there is nothing to prevent us going ahead, it will depend on how comfortable people feel about it, and how many people might be needing to self-isolate. But be sure that the vegetables are growing well and the menu is delicious!
So please save the date and plan to support this event. This year we would like the funds raised to go to the school, as they didn't have such a good opportunity last year to raise money through the usual school fair. We will have more details soon.
This newsletter
The way this year is heading for me has left me with a need to take a break from doing this Community Newsletter. If anyone else would like to have a go, I would be happy to show them the MailChimp ropes. Please contact me (Jenny) via the email address below. Otherwise perhaps we will need to wait until we have a community co-ordinator to take up this aspect of community co-ordination. In the meantime we have a thriving community Facebook Group that you can sign up to. That way everyone can post their own news at the appropriate time. I will do one more edition to promote the details of the Seeds-to-Feeds dinner in March.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Eastfield Students Graduate D.A.R.E.
Dec 17, 2018 | D.A.R.E. Graduation, North Carolina
Four classes of fifth graders at Eastfield Global Magnet School graduated the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program taught by Officer Michael Hensley. The students were on the brink of getting cupcakes and punch, and a group picture was just not in the cards.
Essay winners in the D.A.R.E. program are (from left): Bella Taylor, Cason Matthews, Adrienne Bumpass and Nicholas Letterman.
As each student's name was called, they recieved a certificate and a pin as they shook hands with Police Chief Allen Lawrence, Mayor Steve Little and Walmart Store Manager Renee Alley.
The following students graduated the program: Alexis Baez-Rojas, Shelby Bartlett, Kenzley Bates, Joshua Benge, Bryce Bowden, Daniel Bustos, Brandon Cervantes-Romero, Benjamin Davis, Jartiza Fabian, Saphira Fisher, Chassity Johnston, Nicholas Letterman, Zabian Means, Luis Orsornio, Lauren Roland, William Seaman, Kimora Stewart, Bellah Stroud, Dominic Cardenas, Ignacio Cardenas, Jackson Covert, Izabella Dvorak, Abigail Fletcher, Hannah Hardy, Jaylen Hinton, Alexis Jones, Ivan Shirley, Marilyn Sorto, Gabriella Taylor, Benjamin Tye, Stella Webb, Izaack Argueta, Haylie Barriga-Lopez, Rigel Bonilla, Emanuel Bustos-Argumedo, Valleria Dominguez-Leon, Iverson Hastings Fowler, Malachi Huffman, Adalyn Hughes, Ashley Lopez, Selena Magana, Ava Martin, Cason Matthews, Stephany Morales, Camryn Norton, Jamie Price, Charlee Proctor, Darwin Baez-Rivera, Ally Beck, Phoebe Bell, Adrienne Bumpass, Martin Caballero, Yeimi Garcia, Bradley Cox, Leo Harris, Patience Johnson, Peyton Johnson, Kaidon Mason, Scott McKinney, Madeline Moore, Ezequiel Perez, Joshua Pritchard, Philip Roland, Myiah Sheehan and Ethan Widener.
From McDowellNews.com
Kids Took the D.A.R.E. to Avoid Substance Abuse
Nearly 100 Plattsmouth fifth graders graduated from the D.A.R.E. program this fall. They learned about the dangers of substance abuse and other bad behavior…
Hasbrouck Heights Schools Holds 31th [sic] D.A.R.E. Graduation
Fifth graders from Lincoln and Euclid Elementary Schools held the 31st D.A.R.E. culmination on Wednesday [January 8th]. The program is spearheaded by the Hasbrouck Heights Police Department…
Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Office Celebrates D.A.R.E Program Graduation with Students
The Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Office D.A.R.E. program recently graduated students from five parish schools.D.A.R.E. instructor Marcus Hebert taught the students of the negative consequences of drug use, the effects of bullying and violence, conflict resolution, and...
Maiden 5th Graders Celebrate D.A.R.E. Graduation
Maiden Elementary fifth-grade students look over their D.A.R.E. certificates during a ceremony on Friday afternoon. Maiden Elementary School held a graduation ceremony Friday afternoon for 75 fifth-grade students who completed the D.A.R.E. program this year. "D.A.R.E....
Andrea Cook Receives Lifetime D.A.R.E. Graduate Award
"I am humbled and flattered to receive the D.A.R.E. Lifetime Graduate Award. Safety and making good decisions will follow through with our students for their entire lives. Good decision making results in positive self-esteem and an attitude (with the) ability to make...
KARE Donations to Durham Rescue Mission
"I would like to extend a personal thank you on behalf of the Durham Rescue Mission, and the Volunteer Office, for your company providing toys/Personal Hygiene Kits, at no cost, for use…"
Burlington Police Proposing New Form of Discipline to Address Vaping in Schools
The Burlington Police Department is proposing a new form of discipline to address vaping in schools. Rather than automatically punishing first offenders with in-school suspension, the police department wants to give students the choice of sitting in on a vaping lesson…


Don't let the age of this home fool you! It has been updated throughout and shows like a model home! New Kitchen with hickory cabinets, upscale granite and custom tile backsplash. The huge pool with its new heater and pool cage will provide hours of fun all year. The Lanai overlooks the 9th Tee and is accessible by French doors from the Dining Room and Breakfast area. The Owners Suite has a walk-in closet, double sinks, a walk-in tile shower as well as a door to the pool area for convenience. The curb appeal is outstanding with the newly painted driveway, newer curb scaping, side load garage and extended front covered porch. Newer interior and exterior painting, newer water heater, HVAC and flooring as well as a 2018 roof mean this home will be easy living for years to come.


#BIT*HPLEASE says don't mess with me. It also looks like fire and Arabian silk. We're still trying to choose which description we love best! Its amber mini glitters intersperse beautifully with magenta pink chunks to create a gel polish that light dances through. It's rich and regal and we are in love with it.


text:
Q: Why are the parentheses around the function AND the argument list? I am watching a video course on Google Maps which has the following code in a script.js file which is referenced from within the <head> tag of the index.html file:
(function(window, google) {

  // code not shown sets element and
  // options (center, zoom, disableDefaultUI).

  map = new google.maps.Map(element, options);

}(window, google))

Based on this SO question, as well as the IIFE pattern, I was expecting the outer parentheses to be enveloping the function only, not the argument list, like so:
(function(window, google) {
// same exact code here as shown above.
})(window, google)

I tried both and they both work and display the map.  I have not been able to find a reference to the first, envelope-everything approach.  Is it just a minor variation of the same pattern?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Asano, Y., Yuan, C., Grohe, A.-K., Weber, A., Antoniou, M., & Cutler, A. (2020). Uptalk interpretation as a function of listening experience. In N. Minematsu, M. Kondo, T. Arai, & R. Hayashi (Eds.), Proceedings of Speech Prosody 2020 (pp. 735-739). Tokyo: ISCA. doi:10.21437/SpeechProsody.2020-150.
The term "uptalk" describes utterance-final pitch rises that carry no sentence-structural information. Uptalk is usually dialectal or sociolectal, and Australian English (AusEng) is particularly known for this attribute. We ask here whether experience with an uptalk variety affects listeners' ability to categorise rising pitch contours on the basis of the timing and height of their onset and offset. Listeners were two groups of English-speakers (AusEng, and American English), and three groups of listeners with L2 English: one group with Mandarin as L1 and experience of listening to AusEng, one with German as L1 and experience of listening to AusEng, and one with German as L1 but no AusEng experience. They heard nouns (e.g. flower, piano) in the framework "Got a NOUN", each ending with a pitch rise artificially manipulated on three contrasts: low vs. high rise onset, low vs. high rise offset and early vs. late rise onset. Their task was to categorise the tokens as "question" or "statement", and we analysed the effect of the pitch contrasts on their judgements. Only the native AusEng listeners were able to use the pitch contrasts systematically in making these categorisations.
Yu, J., Mailhammer, R., & Cutler, A. (2020). Vocabulary structure affects word recognition: Evidence from German listeners. In N. Minematsu, M. Kondo, T. Arai, & R. Hayashi (Eds.), Proceedings of Speech Prosody 2020 (pp. 474-478). Tokyo: ISCA. doi:10.21437/SpeechProsody.2020-97.
Lexical stress is realised similarly in English, German, and Dutch. On a suprasegmental level, stressed syllables tend to be longer and more acoustically salient than unstressed syllables; segmentally, vowels in unstressed syllables are often reduced. The frequency of unreduced unstressed syllables (where only the suprasegmental cues indicate lack of stress) however, differs across the languages. The present studies test whether listener behaviour is affected by these vocabulary differences, by investigating German listeners' use of suprasegmental cues to lexical stress in German and English word recognition. In a forced-choice identification task, German listeners correctly assigned single-syllable fragments (e.g., Kon-) to one of two words differing in stress (KONto, konZEPT). Thus, German listeners can exploit suprasegmental information for identifying words. German listeners also performed above chance in a similar task in English (with, e.g., DIver, diVERT), i.e., their sensitivity to these cues also transferred to a nonnative language. An English listener group, in contrast, failed in the English fragment task. These findings mirror vocabulary patterns: German has more words with unreduced unstressed syllables than English does.
Bruggeman, L., & Cutler, A. (2019). The dynamics of lexical activation and competition in bilinguals' first versus second language. In S. Calhoun, P. Escudero, M. Tabain, & P. Warren (Eds.), Proceedings of the 19th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences (ICPhS 20195) (pp. 1342-1346). Canberra, Australia: Australasian Speech Science and Technology Association Inc.
Speech input causes listeners to activate multiple candidate words which then compete with one another. These include onset competitors, that share a beginning (bumper, butter), but also, counterintuitively, rhyme competitors, sharing an ending (bumper, jumper). In L1, competition is typically stronger for onset than for rhyme. In L2, onset competition has been attested but rhyme competition has heretofore remained largely unexamined. We assessed L1 (Dutch) and L2 (English) word recognition by the same late-bilingual individuals. In each language, eye gaze was recorded as listeners heard sentences and viewed sets of drawings: three unrelated, one depicting an onset or rhyme competitor of a word in the input. Activation patterns revealed substantial onset competition but no significant rhyme competition in either L1 or L2. Rhyme competition may thus be a "luxury" feature of maximally efficient listening, to be abandoned when resources are scarcer, as in listening by late bilinguals, in either language.
Cutler, A., Burchfield, A., & Antoniou, M. (2019). A criterial interlocutor tally for successful talker adaptation? In S. Calhoun, P. Escudero, M. Tabain, & P. Warren (Eds.), Proceedings of the 19th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences (ICPhS 20195) (pp. 1485-1489). Canberra, Australia: Australasian Speech Science and Technology Association Inc.
Part of the remarkable efficiency of listening is accommodation to unfamiliar talkers' specific pronunciations by retuning of phonemic intercategory boundaries. Such retuning occurs in second (L2) as well as first language (L1); however, recent research with emigrés revealed successful adaptation in the environmental L2 but, unprecedentedly, not in L1 despite continuing L1 use. A possible explanation involving relative exposure to novel talkers is here tested in heritage language users with Mandarin as family L1 and English as environmental language. In English, exposure to an ambiguous sound in disambiguating word contexts prompted the expected adjustment of phonemic boundaries in subsequent categorisation. However, no adjustment occurred in Mandarin, again despite regular use. Participants reported highly asymmetric interlocutor counts in the two languages. We conclude that successful retuning ability requires regular exposure to novel talkers in the language in question, a criterion not met for the emigrés' or for these heritage users' L1.
Joo, H., Jang, J., Kim, S., Cho, T., & Cutler, A. (2019). Prosodic structural effects on coarticulatory vowel nasalization in Australian English in comparison to American English. In S. Calhoun, P. Escudero, M. Tabain, & P. Warren (Eds.), Proceedings of the 19th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences (ICPhS 20195) (pp. 835-839). Canberra, Australia: Australasian Speech Science and Technology Association Inc.
This study investigates effects of prosodic factors (prominence, boundary) on coarticulatory Vnasalization in Australian English (AusE) in CVN and NVC in comparison to those in American English (AmE). As in AmE, prominence was found to lengthen N, but to reduce V-nasalization, enhancing N's nasality and V's orality, respectively (paradigmatic contrast enhancement). But the prominence effect in CVN was more robust than that in AmE. Again similar to findings in AmE, boundary induced a reduction of N-duration and V-nasalization phrase-initially (syntagmatic contrast enhancement), and increased the nasality of both C and V phrasefinally. But AusE showed some differences in terms of the magnitude of V nasalization and N duration. The results suggest that the linguistic contrast enhancements underlie prosodic-structure modulation of coarticulatory V-nasalization in comparable ways across dialects, while the fine phonetic detail indicates that the phonetics-prosody interplay is internalized in the individual dialect's phonetic grammar.
Cutler, A., Murty, L., & Otake, T. (2003). Rhythmic similarity effects in non-native listening? In Proceedings of the 15th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences (PCPhS 2003) (pp. 329-332). Adelaide: Causal Productions.
Listeners rely on native-language rhythm in segmenting speech; in different languages, stress-, syllable- or mora-based rhythm is exploited. This language-specificity affects listening to non- native speech, if native procedures are applied even though inefficient for the non-native language. However, speakers of two languages with similar rhythmic interpretation should segment their own and the other language similarly. This was observed to date only for related languages (English-Dutch; French-Spanish). We now report experiments in which Japanese listeners heard Telugu, a Dravidian language unrelated to Japanese, and Telugu listeners heard Japanese. In both cases detection of target sequences in speech was harder when target boundaries mismatched mora boundaries, exactly the pattern that Japanese listeners earlier exhibited with Japanese and other languages. These results suggest that Telugu and Japanese listeners use similar procedures in segmenting speech, and support the idea that languages fall into rhythmic classes, with aspects of phonological structure affecting listeners' speech segmentation.
Shi, R., Werker, J., & Cutler, A. (2003). Function words in early speech perception. In Proceedings of the 15th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences (pp. 3009-3012).
Three experiments examined whether infants recognise functors in phrases, and whether their representations of functors are phonetically well specified. Eight- and 13- month-old English infants heard monosyllabic lexical words preceded by real functors (e.g., the, his) versus nonsense functors (e.g., kuh); the latter were minimally modified segmentally (but not prosodically) from real functors. Lexical words were constant across conditions; thus recognition of functors would appear as longer listening time to sequences with real functors. Eightmonth- olds' listening times to sequences with real versus nonsense functors did not significantly differ, suggesting that they did not recognise real functors, or functor representations lacked phonetic specification. However, 13-month-olds listened significantly longer to sequences with real functors. Thus, somewhere between 8 and 13 months of age infants learn familiar functors and represent them with segmental detail. We propose that accumulated frequency of functors in input in general passes a critical threshold during this time.


Asam laksa is a great way to beat brutal heat and humidity.
Friends and fans alike know I have a real soft spot for 4 a.m. Malaysian kari laksa as served by the good folks at Curry Leaves in Flushing. Recently I tried the asam laksa—a spicy sour soup enriched with fish—at Pulau Pinang. It's a palate-jolting, head-clearing wonder of a bowl.


text:
"""ROUGE-L metric."""

from tensorflow import keras

from keras_nlp.metrics.rouge_base import RougeBase

@keras.utils.register_keras_serializable(package="keras_nlp")
class RougeL(RougeBase):
    """ROUGE-L metric.

    This class implements the ROUGE-L variant of the ROUGE metric. The ROUGE-L
    metric is traditionally used for evaluating summarisation systems.
    Succinctly put, ROUGE-L is a score based on the length of the longest
    common subsequence present in the reference text and the hypothesis text.

    Note on input shapes:
    For `y_true` and `y_pred`, this class supports scalar values and batch
    inputs of shapes `()`, `(batch_size,)` and `(batch_size, 1)`.

    Args:
        use_stemmer: bool. Whether Porter Stemmer should be used to strip word
            suffixes to improve matching. Defaults to False.
        dtype: string or tf.dtypes.Dtype. Precision of metric computation. If
               not specified, it defaults to tf.float32.
        name: string. Name of the metric instance.
        **kwargs: Other keyword arguments.

    References:
        - [Lin et al., 2004](https://aclanthology.org/W04-1013/)

    Examples:

    1. Various Input Types.
    1.1. Python string.
    >>> rouge_l = keras_nlp.metrics.RougeL()
    >>> y_true = "the tiny little cat was found under the big funny bed"
    >>> y_pred = "the cat was under the bed"
    >>> rouge_l(y_true, y_pred)["f1_score"]
    <tf.Tensor: shape=(), dtype=float32, numpy=0.7058824>

    1.2. rank 1 inputs.
    a. Python list.
    >>> rouge_l = keras_nlp.metrics.RougeL()
    >>> y_true = [
    ...     "the tiny little cat was found under the big funny bed",
    ...     "i really love contributing to KerasNLP",
    ... ]
    >>> y_pred = [
    ...     "the cat was under the bed",
    ...     "i love contributing to KerasNLP",
    ... ]
    >>> rouge_l(y_true, y_pred)["f1_score"]
    <tf.Tensor: shape=(), dtype=float32, numpy=0.80748665>

    b. Tensor
    >>> rouge_l = keras_nlp.metrics.RougeL()
    >>> y_true = tf.constant(
    ...     [
    ...         "the tiny little cat was found under the big funny bed",
    ...         "i really love contributing to KerasNLP",
    ...     ]
    ... )
    >>> y_pred = tf.constant(
    ...     [
    ...         "the cat was under the bed",
    ...         "i love contributing to KerasNLP",
    ...     ]
    ... )
    >>> rouge_l(y_true, y_pred)["f1_score"]
    <tf.Tensor: shape=(), dtype=float32, numpy=0.80748665>

    1.3. rank 2 inputs.
    >>> rouge_l = keras_nlp.metrics.RougeL()
    >>> y_true = tf.constant(
    ...     [
    ...         ["the tiny little cat was found under the big funny bed"],
    ...         ["i really love contributing to KerasNLP"],
    ...     ]
    ... )
    >>> y_pred = tf.constant(
    ...     [
    ...         ["the cat was under the bed"],
    ...         ["i love contributing to KerasNLP"],
    ...     ]
    ... )
    >>> rouge_l(y_true, y_pred)["f1_score"]
    <tf.Tensor: shape=(), dtype=float32, numpy=0.80748665>

    3. Pass the metric to `model.compile()`.
    >>> inputs = keras.Input(shape=(), dtype='string')
    >>> outputs = tf.strings.lower(inputs)
    >>> model = keras.Model(inputs, outputs)
    >>> model.compile(metrics=[keras_nlp.metrics.RougeL()])
    >>> x = tf.constant(["HELLO THIS IS FUN"])
    >>> y = tf.constant(["hello this is awesome"])
    >>> metric_dict = model.evaluate(x, y, return_dict=True)
    >>> metric_dict["f1_score"]
     0.75
    """

    def __init__(
        self,
        use_stemmer=False,
        dtype=None,
        name="rouge-l",
        **kwargs,
    ):
        super().__init__(
            variant="rougeL",
            use_stemmer=use_stemmer,
            dtype=dtype,
            name=name,
            **kwargs,
        )

    def get_config(self):
        config = super().get_config()
        del config["variant"]
        return config

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Kreeg een goede prijs, voor zover ik heb kunnen zien de laagste, en de fiets werd rijklaar afgeleverd.
Fixie fietsen stammen uit het baanwielrennen.
Doing so will guarantee the logical flow of the work allows it to find clearly and completely in the reader's mind. This will be the low-category level of ideas that Orwell desired to be able to: "euphemism, question-begging and sheer cloudy vagueness.
If the essay might have purely written based on facts it might simply have be a factual report without concerning the human psyche to rethink on the subtle issues.
Considering the off road conditions and terrain of several in the places in Costa Rica, it usually is far better to employ a 4x4 Suv Renting an SUV from the credible rental service enables you travel deeper and farther into pleasant regions in the country. Just as in the lyric, the poet pours out his whole heart delighting within the passing mood from the moment, and so the literary English essay writing carries a pre-eminently subjective character.
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James Bond not only would go to class, and also he'd sit in the front row and participate actively at school discussions. Just as in a very lyric, the poet pours out his whole heart delighting within the passing mood with the moment, therefore the literary English essay writing carries a pre-eminently subjective character.
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In a world where everything and anything is online, knowing where to search, what data to pull and how to interpret that data gives you the edge over your competition. With the right data insights and research material, you have the confidence to make marketing decisions to drive better return on investment.
Consider if your opportunity lost is lack of knowledge and insight. if it is, give us a call.
It used to be said that digital was simply anther medium. To a point it is - but a highly invasive one, touching every point of your business. Understanding the impacts digital change is having on your business and having guides for business evolution have never been more important.
With Australia struggling to get adequate internet speed, we can look to the northern hemisphere to see how similar businesses are taking advantage of new technologies, services and data management.
We keep our pulse on new research from across the globe to give you as much insight as possible to make change management and planning easier.
For those wanting to keep an eye on competitors, we also offer a range of services including social tracking, campaign media analysis, organic keyword analysis and search trends.
Step outside your business role for a moment and think of the last time a business caused you frustration by spamming you with ads for a product you've already purchased.
It's clear in this scenario, there is a lack of data understanding - A lack of knowledge in using the right tools to track the experience of site visitors to deliver the right message.
But this is one of many common data mistakes made by business of all size. Lack of conversion can be blamed on creative or media choice. However, chances are it's more content on page or simply not reading the signs of customer journey that are available through the right analytics analysis.
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These days it's not just about having access to your reports. It's about breaking down the data to ensure you understand what your visitors are doing, where they're going and quickly delivering the content they're after.


text:
Pollution levels to remain in satisfactory category over Delhi and NCR for next two to three days
A significant reduction in air pollution has come as a relief recently. On December 12 and December 13, rainfall and thundershower activities have affected the region of Delhi and NCR. These rains have resulted in significant improvement in pollution levels. The overall AQI as of 9 am today morning was reported at 188. The pollution levels are in the 'moderate' to 'satisfactory' category over most places.
During the next two to three days, the effect of the active Western Disturbance will be prevailing over Delhi and NCR which will further decrease the temperatures during the early morning hours. The winds will also change direction from easterly-northeasterly to westerly-northwesterly which will be cool in nature. So, the pollution level is likely to remain in 'satisfactory' category.
Despite these winds, air pollution might peak a little towards evening hours, due to local factors like traffic congestion. However, due to the daily routine and increase in traffic, the pollution level is likely to be seen in the 'moderate' category during the late afternoon and evening hours.
These weather conditions are very likely to remain the same during the next two to three days. As time progresses, the pollution level will also be increasing gradually.
Image Credit: Newsmobile
AQI of Delhi
Delhi AQI
Delhi latest update
Delhi pollution latest update
Delhi pollution live update
pollution in Delhi
weather forecast for Delhi
will pollution increase in Delhi


text:
New & Revised Policies
University Policy 103.1 , Classification of Positions Subject to the State Human Resources Act
Status: Revised
This university policy has been revised to reflect that the Human Resources Department, rather than the Personnel Department, has certain responsibilities regarding classification of positions subject to the State Personnel Act. In addition, department/office heads and their subordinate supervisors may either prepare or delegate the preparation of position descriptions for new positions. New position or reclassification requests require the submission of a Position Description, an Organizational Chart, and a Checklist for Determining General Mental and Physical Requirements to the Human Resources Department. For new positions, the information is analyzed to determine the appropriate classification, and a written analysis of the proposed job content is prepared and forwarded to the Office of State Personnel for review and final approval. For reclassifications, the information is analyzed to determine of the revisions in duties and responsibilities justify reclassification.
Revision page
University Policy 601.3 , Administrative Support for Professional Obligations
This university policy has been revised to encourage employees who have professional obligations to project the amount of time to be allocated to such activities, in order to avoid noncompliance with the Fair Labor Standard Act.
University Policy 407, Code of Student Academic Integrity
This university policy has been revised to clarify that transient students from other institutions enrolled in courses for credit at UNC Charlotte are bound by the UNC Charlotte Code of Student Academic Integrity.
In addition, under the section on Procedures, the previous term "Student Court Justices" is replaced with "Student Hearing Panel Members."
Under the section on Appeals, the revised policy more fully sets forth the procedures for a student appealing an adverse decision by the Hearing Panel, including the requirement that the student must submit a written brief in support of the appeal, separately stating each ground upon which the student claims the Hearing Panel committed error. The revised policy also provides that upon review of the Hearing Panel's decision, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs may, among other things, remand the case for a new hearing before a Hearing Panel composed of members of the Academic Integrity Board who have not previously participated in the case.
Finally, under the section on Advice to Faculty Members, the policy includes a reminder to faculty that intent is an element of any academic integrity offense, and a student who submits a group project containing material plagiarized by a second student in the group has not violated academic integrity unless the first student knew of the plagiarism.
University Policy 706, Alcoholic Beverages
This university policy has been revised to add the Student Activity Center as an area where alcoholic beverages may be consumed at an event upon approval by the University Reservations Office.
University Policy 202, Final Examinations
This university policy has been revised to correct a typographical error by adding the missing word "out" after the word "filling" in subsection 4.
University Policy 403, Student Appeals and Grievances
This university policy has been revised to update the list of procedures established to address areas of concern to students by replacing "Student Disciplinary Governance Act" with "The Code of Student Responsibility."
University Policy 404, Death of a Student
This university policyhas been revised to reflect new titles of officers who have responsibilities on the occasion of a student's death. The policy substitutes "Director of Police and Public Safety" for the previous "Director of Public Safety," "Director of Public Relations" for the previous "Director of Public Information," and "Housing and Residence Life" for the previous "Residence Life." A list of emergency contact phone numbers has been deleted.


Fident Capital secured $9.7MM of debt and equity financing for a 23-unit single-family development in Chula Vista. A Southern California private equity group primarily focused on residential opportunities provided joint venture equity. Their $3.6MM investment balances a $6.1MM construction loan provided by a local San Diego bank who provided 60% of the project's cost.
This infill development features great views of the area and distant ocean views. Homes average about 1,800 square feet with both 4 and 5 bedroom floor plans and price competitively at $275 per square foot. The Sponsor sourced the site (a former church and day care facility) through a close principal relationship presenting an off-market opportunity. Already entitled, the project's first deliveries should come in mid-2016.
Identifying suitable sales comparables proved to be one of the main challenges to financing the project. An inferior comparable existed in the submarket, but due to the infill nature of the project, there weren't other nearby projects. Instinctually, new single-family detached homes priced around $500,000 felt highly achievable. Fident supported the Sponsor's price assertions by analyzing completely renovated old housing stock in the area and by analyzing new developments in the adjacent submarkets.
The impact of California's new WQMP standards presented another challenge. Bringing the entitlements up-to-date meant that one of the project's lots would be lost to storm water mitigation. However, in the course of refining budget, cost savings from a re-tooled grading plan provided a sufficient offset to the fact that the seller remained firm on the purchase price. In all likelihood, given the tight new home supply in San Diego County, the project will outperform expectations.
Construction financing priced at a 4.50% rate with a 1% origination fee. The joint venture equity provided for a 90/10 co-invest and a 2-tier waterfall which opened up to 50/50 split in the final tier. The Sponsor's plans for further growth in the residential space aligned well with their new partner. With a timeline of less than 18 months, the pro forma generates over a 25% project IRR.


First and second Mondays of every month are used for meetings and trainings.
Volunteers are 'on call' and respond when they are available.
Who can become a volunteer firefighter or first responder?
What are the benefits of becoming a volunteer firefighter or first responder?
Volunteers enjoy a sense of accomplishment, achievement and pride in their work.
Volunteers learn new skills, make new friends and are a part of a team.
Volunteers give back to their community and make a real difference.
I have never done anything like this before, how will I know what to do?
No experience is required, the department will provide all the training and equipment that you need to succeed. From the chief down to the newest recruit, we've all had to start somewhere.
Are there ways that I can help the department without becoming a firefighter or first responder?
Yes! We realize that firefighting and EMS is not for everyone, but we believe that volunteering can be. We often use volunteers to assist with the non-emergency tasks of the department. Activities may include fundraising, administrative support, incident pre-planning, community outreach, fire prevention and life safety education, providing rehab at emergency scenes and much more!


text:
Japan: CoroCoro Says Super Smash Bros Ultimate Has 108 Stages
The team over at Source Gaming have recently acquired the latest edition of Japanese gaming magazine CoroCoro. Inside the publication is some information on the latest instalment in the beloved series for the Nintendo Switch, Super Smash Bros Ultimate. The magazine states that the new game will feature 108 stages.
CoroCoro is saying that there are 108 stages in Smash Ultimate. We have the magazine in our possession and are looking through it! Stay tuned to SG for more updates. pic.twitter.com/4bh92UxMz9
— Source Gaming (@AllSourceGaming) September 16, 2018
Tags:corocoroNintendonintendo switchsuper smash bros ultimate
14 thoughts on "Japan: CoroCoro Says Super Smash Bros Ultimate Has 108 Stages"
??? September 16, 2018 at 7:15 pm
Wasn't that the number said in the smash direct? Or was it a little bit smaller
GhostElmo98 September 16, 2018 at 7:23 pm
It was 103 stages in the Direct.
CFG September 16, 2018 at 7:23 pm
It was 103 in the direct. There was some debate if that was actually the final number or not.
Nintendo First Order 𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓿𝓮𝓻 September 16, 2018 at 9:19 pm
So If they have 5 more stages to show I presume those stages are related to the new characters that still has to show up
My prediction for the stages:
1) A Kirby Star Allies stage.
2) SF2 Ken stage but I have some doubts about this one.
3) A Minecraft stage (because it's rumoured).
4) Another returning stage like Sector Z
5) A Rayman stage
CFG September 16, 2018 at 11:57 pm
I don't think there will be yet another Kirby stage. Or any more returning stages unless it's in the form of a Poke Floats 2.
I'd say Minecraft is still possible but there'd be no reason to add a Ken stage. Also more likely a Rabbid Stage vs Rayman… But I doubt either will happen.
Nintendo First Order 𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓿𝓮𝓻 September 17, 2018 at 7:38 am
About Ken stage I have already wrote that I have some high doubts to a stage for him.
A Kirby stage can be the fortress in the final part of the game where there are the three sisters as a boss but that's only my speculation
A don't think also there is a returning stage.
I can agree with the Rayman vs Rabbids stage but still I don't know if this can happen
AshNic321 September 16, 2018 at 9:29 pm
Reblogged this on 👑 GamerRoyalty 👑 and commented:
Personally, I think that this destroys the whole box art theory of their only being 2 characters left. 2 echo and 2 original and that is it. I also think CoroCoro is right when it said there are 108 stages, even though we only know about 103 now. Now, this would be a shame if that number ended up being a major typo, but I honestly doubt that's the case.
CFG September 17, 2018 at 12:17 am
Waluigi Pinball, Bowser's Castle w/Exor, Namek, Swamp, and Poke Floats 2.
Pingback: Did You Know Gaming? Takes A Look At The Super Smash Bros. Series | My Nintendo News
London Wright September 17, 2018 at 12:53 am
I thought this information was already known to everyone. The Smash Direct clearly showed the space left for 5 stages. That empty space was awkwardly left there, so it was already obvious that Sakurai wasn't showing everything to us. He said he'll show all the fighters before the game's release but didn't say anything about revealing much of anything us, so it was also pretty obvious that he wouldn't reveal everything about the stage count.
Metroid Bane September 17, 2018 at 1:58 am
This gives people more hope that more than 2 character's reveal which is good. However not all new characters (example Ridley) got a Stage, so we cannot assume that every new character will get its own Stage. Well, here's my prediction for the 5 Stages:
1. A Stage based on Metroid: Samus Returns
2. Sector Z
3. A Mario + Rabbits Stage
4. A Stage for a new Character
5. A Stage for another new Character
(Continuation) Of course I want more than 2 new characters reveal before Smash Ultimate comes in december. Hopefully they announce Impa as a semi clone of Sheik just as Isabelle is of Villager.
The Man of Brisk September 17, 2018 at 5:49 am
I dunno, I feel like Impa should have an original moveset based on her use of her naginata from Hyrule Warriors- because I feel that game should get some representation. She should use her HW appearance too.
That would be cool but it seems Sakurai is focused on the most requested characters in USA and Japan, which is why I don't have my hopes up for her to be unique.
However, I do want her to be unique and I agree that her Hyrule Warriors style look is the best for Smash Ultimate. I hope she appears as a DLC.
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Thank you for visiting the website of Long Beach Chiropractor Dr. Sarah Witt - a professional Long Beach chiropractic clinic. In practice as well as online, Long Beach California 90803 chiropractor Dr. Witt strives for excellence through superior patient treatment, education and satisfaction.
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What are Zirconium Dental Implants ?
Zirconium dental implants are non-metal dental prosthesis that is the latest in dental implant materials. It is a bio-compatible material which interacts well with your natural gum and bone. Zirconium is also considered by most people as a better choice over metallic or other ceramic implants as it does not discolor the gums such as seen with a titanium dental implant.
Zirconium element is highly resistant to chemicals and is also very tough in structure. Apart from this it is lightweight yet strong and resists corrosion as well as promotes osseointegration. The color of zirconium is grayish-white which also blends perfectly with your natural teeth color.
When are Zirconium Dental Implants required?
Zirconium implants are gaining increasing popularity with dental patients as the choice material for dental implants due to their being made from a biocompatible material which does not cause any adverse reactions with the normal gums and bone.
This is a completely metal-free implant material and is more ideal for maintaining overall oral health. Cosmetically also the zirconium implants are more suitable as a preferable choice because, unlike titanium, it does not cause any kind of discoloration in the gum and looks completely natural.
Zirconium is also a better choice in terms of maintenance of dental hygiene as it prevents plaque and tartar buildup in the teeth that is not achievable through titanium or other implant material. This decreases the risk of gum diseases even further.
What are the advantages of Zirconium Dental Implants?
Zirconium dental implants are now being considered as more advantageous than other dental implant materials mainly due to them being completely metal-free. Zirconium dental implants are stronger than porcelain crowns and last much longer without any chipping or breaking as seen in porcelain and ceramic dental implants.
Porcelain crowns require a metal base to be fixed in the gum in order to be fitted in them and these metal bases give an unsightly black line to the gums whereas, Zirconium dental implants are direct implants and do not require a metallic base material.
Zirconium dental implants are carved from pieces of crystal and are considered to be at least 5 times stronger than porcelain and its metal base.
What are the possible risks and complications associated with Zirconium Dental Implants?
The main concern regarding the use of zirconium material is that it contains some level of radioactivity that has a rare risk of causing oral cancer. However, the manufacturers of zirconium dental implants are required to state the levels of emission on the packaging.
Zirconium dental implants are also comparatively costlier than metal or porcelain implants due to the extensive process of obtaining the material and crafting it into the dental implant shape.
Why choose IndianMedTrip for Zirconium Dental Implant procedure in India?
India has one of the largest networks of global-standard dental hospitals and clinics that have the most modern and latest of dental surgical instruments. These dental hospitals are spread throughout the major cities of India such as Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore, etc. These hospitals and clinics are known for providing the best treatment at the lowest cost.
IndianMedTrip is considered to be the forerunner in the field of dental surgery management in India. IndianMedTrip has a team of expert consultants that is efficient in managing all the requirements of foreign patients in India. IndianMedTrip aims to provide the best medical and dental care for its patients by offering the most affordable packages while maintaining global standards of quality.


text:
/**
 */
package subkdm.kdmRelations;

/**
 *
 * A representation of the model object 'Imports'.
 *
 *
 *
 * @see subkdm.kdmRelations.KdmRelationsPackage#getImports()
 * @model
 * @generated
 */
public interface Imports extends AbstractCodeRelationship {
} // Imports


For Los Angeles-based artist Hiejin Yoo, painting is much more than an act of creative practice, instead describing her process like writing in "an intimate journal and meditations on self discovery," she tells It's Nice That. Combining both personal experiences and details from the world around her, the result is a body of work that is touching in its detail, however simple the objects she is painting may be.
The narrative of these paintings develops from Hiejin's own "brief diary of daily life," she explains, "and it is the everyday, mundane things that inspire me most." Therefore Hiejin's works jump between landscape works of neighbourhood environments, the opening to a bathroom scene, or a beach. Her figures are often just white outlines, which we like to assume is the artist's representation of the memory that's inspired it. This stylistic approach also allows the viewer to place themselves in the painting too, wondering who it is she's drawn the figure of, or, who it would be sitting next to them if it were a painting of their own lives.
"I strive to make each of my paintings a reflection of my perception of the moment," elaborates the artist, on the ideas behind her works. "Since these ordinary moments have been so strongly etched on my consciousness, each moment of my life becomes an event and a personal history as a soon as I express my daily life as a painting," she continues.
Consequently, Hiejin's work, especially when seen collectively, shows how often you can forget massive moments in life and only remember a particular feeling or minute detail of daily life. "The memories are telling me something about what I remember in my life when I work and interact with them," she concludes.


text:
package mil.nga.giat.geowave.analytic.mapreduce.clustering.runner;

import java.util.Set;

import mil.nga.giat.geowave.analytic.Projection;
import mil.nga.giat.geowave.analytic.PropertyManagement;
import mil.nga.giat.geowave.analytic.RunnerUtils;
import mil.nga.giat.geowave.analytic.SimpleFeatureItemWrapperFactory;
import mil.nga.giat.geowave.analytic.SimpleFeatureProjection;
import mil.nga.giat.geowave.analytic.clustering.CentroidManagerGeoWave;
import mil.nga.giat.geowave.analytic.clustering.NestedGroupCentroidAssignment;
import mil.nga.giat.geowave.analytic.mapreduce.GeoWaveAnalyticJobRunner;
import mil.nga.giat.geowave.analytic.mapreduce.GeoWaveOutputFormatConfiguration;
import mil.nga.giat.geowave.analytic.mapreduce.clustering.ConvexHullMapReduce;
import mil.nga.giat.geowave.analytic.param.CentroidParameters;
import mil.nga.giat.geowave.analytic.param.GlobalParameters;
import mil.nga.giat.geowave.analytic.param.HullParameters;
import mil.nga.giat.geowave.analytic.param.MapReduceParameters;
import mil.nga.giat.geowave.analytic.param.ParameterEnum;
import mil.nga.giat.geowave.datastore.accumulo.mapreduce.input.GeoWaveInputKey;
import mil.nga.giat.geowave.datastore.accumulo.mapreduce.output.GeoWaveOutputKey;

import org.apache.commons.cli.Option;
import org.apache.hadoop.conf.Configuration;
import org.apache.hadoop.io.ObjectWritable;
import org.apache.hadoop.mapreduce.Job;

/**
 *

 */
public class ConvexHullJobRunner extends
		GeoWaveAnalyticJobRunner
{

	private int zoomLevel = 1;

	public ConvexHullJobRunner() {
		super.setOutputFormatConfiguration(new GeoWaveOutputFormatConfiguration());
	}

	public void setZoomLevel(
			final int zoomLevel ) {
		this.zoomLevel = zoomLevel;
	}

	@Override
	public void configure(
			final Job job )
			throws Exception {
		job.setMapperClass(ConvexHullMapReduce.ConvexHullMap.class);
		job.setMapOutputKeyClass(GeoWaveInputKey.class);
		job.setMapOutputValueClass(ObjectWritable.class);
		job.setReducerClass(ConvexHullMapReduce.ConvexHullReducer.class);
		job.setReduceSpeculativeExecution(false);
		job.setOutputKeyClass(GeoWaveOutputKey.class);
		job.setOutputValueClass(Object.class);
	}

	@Override
	public Class<?> getScope() {
		return ConvexHullMapReduce.class;
	}

	@Override
	public int run(
			final Configuration config,
			final PropertyManagement runTimeProperties )
			throws Exception {

		runTimeProperties.storeIfEmpty(
				HullParameters.Hull.PROJECTION_CLASS,
				SimpleFeatureProjection.class);

		final Projection<?> projectionFunction = runTimeProperties.getClassInstance(
				HullParameters.Hull.PROJECTION_CLASS,
				Projection.class,
				SimpleFeatureProjection.class);

		projectionFunction.setup(
				runTimeProperties,
				config);

		runTimeProperties.storeIfEmpty(
				HullParameters.Hull.WRAPPER_FACTORY_CLASS,
				SimpleFeatureItemWrapperFactory.class);

		RunnerUtils.setParameter(
				config,
				getScope(),
				new Object[] {
					checkIndex(
							runTimeProperties,
							HullParameters.Hull.INDEX_ID,
							runTimeProperties.getPropertyAsString(
									CentroidParameters.Centroid.INDEX_ID,
									"hull_idx"))
				},
				new ParameterEnum[] {
					HullParameters.Hull.INDEX_ID
				});

		RunnerUtils.setParameter(
				config,
				getScope(),
				runTimeProperties,
				new ParameterEnum[] {
					HullParameters.Hull.WRAPPER_FACTORY_CLASS,
					HullParameters.Hull.PROJECTION_CLASS,
					HullParameters.Hull.DATA_TYPE_ID
				});
		setReducerCount(runTimeProperties.getPropertyAsInt(
				HullParameters.Hull.REDUCER_COUNT,
				4));
		CentroidManagerGeoWave.setParameters(
				config,
				runTimeProperties);
		NestedGroupCentroidAssignment.setParameters(
				config,
				runTimeProperties);

		final int localZoomLevel = runTimeProperties.getPropertyAsInt(
				CentroidParameters.Centroid.ZOOM_LEVEL,
				zoomLevel);
		// getting group from next level, now that the prior level is complete
		NestedGroupCentroidAssignment.setZoomLevel(
				config,
				localZoomLevel + 1);

		addDataAdapter(
				config,
				getAdapter(
						runTimeProperties,
						HullParameters.Hull.DATA_TYPE_ID,
						HullParameters.Hull.DATA_NAMESPACE_URI));

		return super.run(
				config,
				runTimeProperties);
	}

	@Override
	public void fillOptions(
			final Set<Option> options ) {
		super.fillOptions(options);

		GlobalParameters.fillOptions(
				options,
				new GlobalParameters.Global[] {
					GlobalParameters.Global.ZOOKEEKER,
					GlobalParameters.Global.ACCUMULO_INSTANCE,
					GlobalParameters.Global.ACCUMULO_PASSWORD,
					GlobalParameters.Global.ACCUMULO_USER,
					GlobalParameters.Global.ACCUMULO_NAMESPACE,
					GlobalParameters.Global.BATCH_ID
				});

		MapReduceParameters.fillOptions(options);
		NestedGroupCentroidAssignment.fillOptions(options);

		HullParameters.fillOptions(
				options,
				new HullParameters.Hull[] {
					HullParameters.Hull.WRAPPER_FACTORY_CLASS,
					HullParameters.Hull.PROJECTION_CLASS,
					HullParameters.Hull.REDUCER_COUNT,
					HullParameters.Hull.DATA_TYPE_ID,
					HullParameters.Hull.DATA_NAMESPACE_URI,
					HullParameters.Hull.INDEX_ID
				});
	}

}


Claims that a Russian airliner which crashed in Egypt was shot down by terrorists "can't be considered accurate", Russia's Minister of Transport Maxim Sokolov told the Interfax news agency on Saturday.
"Now in various media there is assorted information that the Russian passenger (plane)... was supposedly shot down by an anti-aircraft missile, fired by terrorists. This information can't be considered accurate," Interfax quoted him as saying.
Two of Europe's largest airlines have decided to avoid flying over the Sinai peninsula while they wait for clarity on what caused a Russian airliner carrying 224 passengers to crash in the area on Saturday.
German carrier Lufthansa and Air France-KLM have decided to avoid the area for safety reasons, spokeswomen for the carriers said on Saturday.
"Air France confirms it has set up, as a precaution, measures to avoid flights over the zone of Sinai," the spokeswoman for the carrier said.
Experts have set little store in the idea the Islamic State group could hit an aircraft flying at 9,000 metres (30,000 feet).
"IS does not have the gear to knock out a plane at 9,000 metres," said Gerard Feldzer, former director of France's Air and Space Museum, explaining that would require equipment, such as a mobile radar tracking system and long-range missiles, which IS does not have.
To reach a plane at that altitude "you would need hard-to-use missiles, so it seems unlikely," added Jean-Paul Troadec, former director of France's BEA aviation investigation agency.
"This requires trained people and equipment that IS does not have, to my knowledge," according to Troadec.
The theory that the plane was hit by a missile at a lower altitude also seems implausible to experts, who pointed out that such an attack would still take plenty of preparation.
Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov was also quick to dismiss the idea, saying: "Our Egyptian colleagues and aviation authorities... have no information that would confirm such insinuations."
"A terrorist attack cannot be ruled out," according to aviation experts, who argue a bomb could have been placed on board the aircraft.
"In terms of a bomb on the plane, whatever its size, if it explodes at an altitude of 10,000 metres, the plane will completely disintegrate because of the pressure," said one military expert.
"But something could have happened lower down, or someone on board could have forced the pilot to descend, and an engine could have exploded when the aircraft was lower."
Other experts pointed out that Egyptian airports are not very careful about baggage control.
An official from Egypt's air control authority said the captain had complained that the communication equipment had failed -- he was "aware of a problem," according to experts.
The Kogalymavia airline, which operates under the name Metrojet, said the aircraft underwent safety checks last year, and Russian aviation agency Rosaviatsia said there was "no reason to consider that the cause of the disaster was a technical problem or a crew error".
Russia used to have a very bad reputation for air safety because of its ageing fleet, but its track record has improved in recent years as major companies such as Aeroflot, which dominates the sector, have upgraded their aircraft.
That said, the small regional companies that run the flights to sunny holiday destinations used by the poorest Russians still operate a much older fleet.
According to Metrojet, the captain, Valery Nemov, had more than 12,000 hours of flying experience, including 3,860 hours on the type of Airbus A321 he was flying at the time. Weather conditions were also fine.


text:
The Hunger Games (2012) dir. Gary Ross
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz
I knew two things about this film before going in: One, that it's the story of a group of teenagers thrown together in a forest-arena of sorts to fight out some kind of battle to the death; and two, that it originated from a series of books aimed at young adults. And assuming the target audience for the film would be those same young people, something just didn't add up. How do you tell a story about such a sick and twisted blood sport which inexorably leads to everyone dying and not have it violent, grisly bloody and thus rated R?
Simple, you cheat the audience, and deliver a syropy and soft ultra light version of Battle Royale, the monumentally superior version of this story made in Japan in 2001.
The opening is especially clunky, establishing the near future and dystopian world where a 'Pan American' state, post WWIII, is divided into 12 districts policed in part by the aforementioned annual spectacle of death called The Hunger Games. The visual design of this world is dull and unimpressive, combining the rural future landscape of say, The Postman, where technology is only in the hands of the elite, and the garish pop art world of Speed Racer, wherein the Games organizers strut around in renaissance style coloured wigs and caked on makeup.
The set up involves showing how a boy and girl are chosen from each state to compete in the games to the death. Naturally, there's immense fear and trepidation from all those who qualify. We know Jennifer Lawrence's character Katniss Everdeen will get chosen (well, kind of), but it's the male choice, Peeta Mellark (Hutcherson) a character we don't know that allows the gravitas of the situation to set in. Unfortunately this fear is gradually wittled away as the film moves along.
A high concept like this requires bullet proof plotting and character motivations in order suspend our disbelief. If this can't be achieved filmmakers have a couple other options at their disposal. Tone, specifically humour, allows us to glance passed illogical plotholes. Most of the comparable films made in this genre are satircal. Battle Royale, for sure, had a sharp acerbic wit, Death Race 2000 had similar political overtones but under the guise of a shameless b-movie. The Truman Show figures prominently in the mix as well, but which had a very direct and effective statement on reality television and voyeurism. The Hunger Games does not appear to allude to anything, or have any kind of message. We're simply asked to accept this world as reality without question. A world where civilization has devolved to such a bloodthirsty state that the population at large would not only allow this to happen but cheer it on. I didn't buy it for a second.
That said, I don't disapprove of spilling the blood of minors for the sake of entertainment. Indeed this is what I wanted to see, but was willing to accept an alternative if there was some kind of intellectually superior substitute. Nope, it turns out to be a love story, setting up a Twilight-like love triangle in the ensuring films.
Blood or not, we don't even get to see some cool action. Gary Ross's abysmally directed action scenes are shot with that generic 'television-style' shaky camera where you don't really see anything. Thus, no panache, no flair, no excitement, avoiding bloodshed at costs which is most likely the reason for the annoying camerawork. Of course, this goes back to the audience, young adults, the Twilight audience who can't pay to see R-rated movies. There's nothing wrong with that, but it just makes Ross' job more challenging - something he sadly fails at.
Another shameful creative decision was to portray the other kids in the Games as 'evil', violent baddies who revel in the sport, as opposed to the innocent youth, simply chosen at random by the state. We don't get to know any of the other contestants, other than their black and white characterizations.
The only thing to praise in this film is the section after the participants are chosen and before they are put into the arena. It's this 'training period' where we meet Katniss and Peeta's mentor, played by Lenny Kravitz and Woody Harrelson who engage the pair with genuine affection, forming the strongest relationships in the film. Unfortunately, I think we have to wait until parts 2 and 3 before we see how these relationships play out.
Labels: 'Alan Bacchus Reviews , ** , Adventure , Hunger Games
Greg Klymkiw said...
http://klymkiwfilmcorner.blogspot.ca/2012/03/hunger-games-review-by-greg-klymkiw.html
noribori said...
"Hunger Games" is neither a parable nor is it a splatter movie. Most reviews don't get that the story only begins with the games. The games are not supposed to explain our society. We see a suppressive society and it's fresh to see not another nazi caricature (the movie has some small nazi allusions, I'm not glad about that, they could have done without it).
The first book is about suppression, the second about the uprising, the third about civil war. But the theme of all books is violence. So we start with a relative phantastic theme (games) and then it becomes more and more realistic (war).
How would a person thrown into this violent world react? Young adults can identify with Katniss Everdeen who tries to be more than a pawn in a game. And again, it's fresher than you think. If you believe everything will we solved in the end by killing "the bad guy" (President Snow) you couldn't be more wrong. In the end the story centers around ethical questions like: "Is it justified to kill innocent people if you can end the war quick and save more lives this way?"
And if you think in the end everything will center around the usual love triangle you also couldn't be more wrong. Actually the story is more about trust than about love.
Are the figures divided into goodies and baddies? It may seem so, but this is only the beginning of the story. There will be much more situations for Katniss to decide whom she can trust.
This is only the beginning.
Portugal said...
Compelling premise, but not for the thoughtful reader
I'll be honest and say that I wanted to love this book. I was breathless with excitement when I downloaded it, and couldn't wait to start reading. With the rave reviews coming from almost everywhere I turned, right down to celebrities gushing their love for this series, I went into it with high hopes.
Red Riding Trilogy
The Raid Redemption
Letter Never Sent
Casino Jack and the United States of Money
9½ Weeks
Ratcatcher
The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi
North West Frontier
The Legend of Drunken Master
Nightwatching
La Jetee
The Kid With a Bike


We will post the draws by 8am on friday. All matches will be played on m,t and wed between the hours of 1130am and 630p unless we have large draws. If we have large draws then we may use thur and fri and may start the matches earlier or go later.
Entry to this tournament is open to all USTA members. Entries must be submitted by Thursday, June 14, 2012 7:30:00 PM Pacific Time. Only USTA members can register online if available.
In the future, you can jump straight to this tournament by entering the tournament identification number: 500009812 from the searchable schedule homepage.