Rowdy the Roadrunner cheers on the crowd in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament final on Saturday, March 10 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
As a member of the media, we are taught to not root for the teams and players we cover.
But as a student of the university I attend, sometimes I can't help but root them on under my breath.
During the Western Athletic Conference Tournament in Las Vegas, there were four schools' fan bases who had a noticeably larger number of fans in attendance.
New Mexico State University, Utah Valley University, Grand Canyon University and CSU Bakersfield had the most support from their fans.
However, what I noticed during that weekend's games wasn't the number of fans, but rather the difference in intensity and volume of the cheering from the fans.
New Mexico State boasts the best travelling fan base of any school in the conference. This is understandable, as it is the only institution in the conference with a football program. It also has been a Division I school since 1931.
The Aggies' men's and women's basketball teams have also been the most successful teams in WAC play since the conference realigned in 2013.
Grand Canyon and Utah Valley both have up and coming basketball programs that have created excitement in the school's respective fan bases.
Grand Canyon's status as a for-profit institution allows for a cash flow none of the other schools in the WAC can compete with.
It also has the largest arena in the conference and is home to 'The Havocs', a student section at GCU home games that makes life tough on visiting opponents.
Utah Valley, meanwhile, has over 37,000 students enrolled and has a rowdy student section of its own.
Our institution is the closest in proximity to Las Vegas of all the WAC schools, which allows for droves of Roadrunners fans to come and support.
However, the energy and noise created from the other three schools mentioned above, greatly outdid anything our fan base was creating.
It seemed as if our fans were just sitting on their hands.
This, of course, isn't anything new if you have attended any CSUB sporting events, particularly basketball, in recent seasons.
The men's basketball team draws nearly 2,800 fans per game, which ranked fourth in the WAC. However, it never sounds like it, even in a small gym like the Icardo Center.
This campus is absent of any sort of game day tradition or rituals. There is no buzz on campus when a big game is approaching. There are no chants or special cheers that occur during the course of the game either.
The only tradition I've noticed from the fans is to stand until the Roadrunners score a basket to start the game and the second half.
The swim and dive teams do their part to make noise whenever they are in attendance, as does the pep band, spirit squad and dance team.
However, the rest of those in attendance, particularly the student section, is largely silent and does not add to the atmosphere nor make the Icardo Center an imposing place to play for opponents.
Our teams deserve better than this.
Despite the men's basketball team enduring a rough season this year, the Roadrunners still performed well at home, going 8-4. There is also plenty of young talent on the roster which offers hope in the near future.
The women's basketball team had a historic season which saw them advance to the WAC tournament final for the first time in school history.
Despite a successful season for head coach Greg McCall and his team, the Roadrunners only drew an average attendance of 685.
On Wednesday night, the women's team hosted Fresno State in the first round of the Women's Basketball Invitational. This was the first time CSUB had hosted a postseason contest since the move to Division I.
The attendance was 1,604, just over half of what the average attendance of a men's game this season.
Also, a good portion of those in attendance were rooting for Fresno State.
With the move to the Big West Conference on the horizon, students and fans alike will need to address this.
Every school in the Big West, with the exception of the University of Hawaii, is in California. Fans from these schools will flock to Bakersfield and invade the Icardo Center, just as Fresno State fans did.
In order to create a true D-I atmosphere, fans and students alike will need to step their games up.
Our status as a commuter campus does work against us, however, in a town like Bakersfield with not a lot to do, that's hardly an excuse as to why school spirit is so low on this campus.


The 'It Makes Sense' campaign aims to raise awareness of the different communication and information needs of the 600,000 people in Wales living with sensory loss. The key messages of the campaign are aimed at the NHS Wales Workforce and also, to remind patients of their rights to accessible communication and information when they need healthcare.
SHARE your concerns if you do not receive this.
An updated version of Wales' Accessible Information Standard will be launched on Thursday 23rd November 2017, and will be put on the WCB website when available. For more information visit the website of the NHS Centre for Equality and Human Rights.


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Crumbs: Reviews » Dramas » Spartacus » Season 3 » Wrath of the Gods
Spartacus is a drama about a Thracian soldier imprisoned by the Roman Republic around the turn of the 1st century BC. He is sold into slavery and trained to be a gladiator in the city of Capua. STARZ 2010-???
Episode 10 - Wrath of the Gods
Synopsis: The slaves grow restless on top of Vesuvius and some of the Germans attempt to rush the Romans guarding the pass. Spartacus leads a group to rescue the situation but Mira is killed. Ilithyia travels to the Temple with Lucretia to encourage Glaber to speed things up so that their child could be born in Rome. She also tells lies about Ashur so that Glaber will get rid of him. Ashur is sent up to negotiate with the slaves and Naevia fights and kills him. Spartacus strings vines together and he, Crixus, Agron and Gannicus descend on the Roman camp and attack. They take the Romans by surprise and Spartacus kills Glaber. Ilithyia gives birth at the ludus and Lucretia takes the baby and throws herself off the cliff.
The Good: This was an adequate finale but no more.
Ashur's death was satisfying but slightly drawn out. It was certainly fitting that Ashur was betrayed to his death (by Ilithyia) after all those he has crossed. And of course if he hadn't chosen to lie with Naevia it's possible that none of them would be where they are now. The idea of leaving Naevia to fight him alone was just about credible and of course was a great moment of closure for her.
The writers decided to stick with a version of the historical scenario where Spartacus and his men used vines to scale down the cliff and take the Romans by surprise. I was pleased with the surprise attack part of the story because it gave the slaves a realistic way of overwhelming the superior numbers of their enemy. We also finally got a good fight scene when the Egyptian stabbed Oenomaus and Gannicus leapt into action to avenge him.
Glaber's death was adequate too. The same echoing of lines went on (as with Batiatus) where Spartacus reverses Glaber's phrase (from 102 about Spartacus finding his place on his knees) before dispatching him. It wasn't remotely as emotive but it was the moment we came to see.
The Bad: If the producers expected Lucretia's betrayal of Ilithyia to be a surprise then they failed. They made it clear that she remembered everything and gave us no plausible reason to believe that she would have forgiven Ilithyia. Instead this "twist" has been hanging out there all season and ended with a thud. Literally. In terms of the character I totally buy that Lucretia would take the baby and jump off the cliff. What has she got to live for? Now at least she can end her misery by dealing a cruel blow to the woman who locked her in the villa to lose her own child. However as a viewer I take no pleasure from seeing that. I feel like I was jerked around all season waiting for this and have no emotion but disappointment with this tale of woe.
The Unknown: I am really tired of Spartacus' speeches. He made several in this episode and I wasn't convinced by any. In season one he was a man who was able to charm, convince and cajole people with his intelligence and self assurance. This season he has been left to lecture en masse so many times that it has become a strained technique. With the position of the slaves looking increasingly desperate I kept expecting someone to call him out for talking too much. It's not just the speechifying but the lack of intelligent planning and clear thinking about how to fight the Romans. I wish we could have swapped talk of freedom for strategy.
There has also developed an unfortunate subtext to the series where the real hero is now Gannicus. Spartacus seems to believe his own hype. Despite having killed all those responsible for his wife's death he now seems intent on killing thousands more by taking on the Romans in their homeland. Gannicus has warned all season that this will lead to doom and yet is too phlegmatic to suggest they all just flee Italy. The mixed messages about why the slaves are fighting has left Spartacus looking like a false prophet and I assume that's not the story being told.
The deaths of Mira and Oenomaus were unexpected but not emotive. It's sad to lose them in theory but they fell in battle, as should happen and neither really had a story still to be told. I didn't have an emotional reaction as I did when Varro (wife and child depending on him) or Barca (freedom within grasp) or Aurelia (ditto) fell.
I was amused by Ilithyia manipulating Glaber into killing Ashur. I guess their ludicrously rediscovered passion wasn't based on honesty. It wasn't clear if she had died on the sands of the ludus. I suppose she could live on into next season but unless the ghost of Varro does appear I'm not sure what role she would have going forward.
Best Moment: I enjoyed the two long sequences with Ashur (his betrayal and subsequent death) just fine. It was nice to get a bit longer to focus on his story and he played his part as well as ever. Frankly though as soon as Lucretia showed him any enthusiasm he should have been suspicious.
The Bottom Line: I thought this was a flat finale. It wasn't bad but it was everything you would expect and not a drop more. As you know I am sad and disappointed with what Spartacus has become as a show. It's doubtful if the tone is going to change and bring back the subtleties which made season one such an unexpected delight. However with the "business" left over from the ludus taken care of perhaps next season will be able to make something of a fresh start.
SPAM protection question: What is six plus five?
Is it just me or did this season of Spartacus seem disappointing?
The fight scenes lack the drama and pull of season 1. Even the sex and nudity seems to lack purpose and direction. Season 1 used sex be it straight, gay, lesbian or all 3 together to further character development and plot; be it for love, as a weapon or a tool to create division amongst the characters. It always served a meaningful purpose. As much as i appreciate nudity, sex and violence, its use this season felt gratuitous and without reason. Insufficient plot with excessive naked breasts for the hetero men and lesbians. Excessive naked men for the gays and straight chicks. Please go back to your roots. Period DRAMA with sex and violence to keep the middle class's interested, not merely expensive period porn by digital playground.
In conclusion, season 1 managed to captivate both my intelligence and my cock. While season 2 has insulted my intelligence and raised my appreciation of the therapeutic benefits available through 5 minutes of amateur internet porn.
I am now a dumberorer masturbating idiot for watching season 2. Thankyou
Posted by Bangkokian, 14/06/2012 10:10pm (7 years ago)
I didn't think this was terrible, but I also didn't think it was great. Because of the nature of last season's finale (the slaves broke free) the entire show was changed. That being the case it was obviously a hard task to figure out how to keep the feel of the show "the same" and yet the stakes, setting and entire setup of the show was completely different. At times it was a success and at times it was a failure. Ultimately, though, this season of Spartacus will be remembered in my mind as uneven.
I reserved a lot of judgment of certain characters and situations for the end of the season, waiting to see how resolutions played out. So while this is the page for the last episode, for me my thoughts will probably encompass more of the season as a whole.
Things I liked:
*Crixus and Naevia had strong seasons even with relatively minimal screen time.
*The mutual respect turned growing friendship between Crixus and Spartacus. They both backed each other up in every moment it mattered most. I really liked that. Fierce loyalty to each other felt like the glue that *actually* held the slaves together...not the speeches or causes.
*I like that Mira was more three dimensional this season. In the first season she just kind of seemed like "the female that Spartacus would actually allow himself to sleep with from time to time," but this season grew into a real character...even if not one of the strongest ones.
*Even if it was too "on the head" for some, I really liked the battle of sport with Oenomaus and Gannicus vs. Crixus and Agron. All season I looked forward to the coming together of Spartacus, Crixus, Gannicus, Oenomaus and Agron...but aside from the final battle in the last episode this was really the only glimpse of that.
*The initial coupling of Glaber and Seppia provided momentary intrigue and possibilities for more. Unfortunately I think they botched it.
*Ashur had an absolute standout season. Well written. Well portrayed. Fit perfectly with Ashur's arcs in both the first season and the prequel season. Really strong stuff, and really the only finale death scene that was worthy of the character (an argument can be made for Lucretia's, but more on that later).
*I appreciated the presence of Illythia, Lucretia and Gannicus, even if not their story arcs at times.
*Liam McIntyre was not bad as Spartacus, but...
*Liam McIntyre/Spartacus, by no fault of his own, was reduced to obligatory speech machine. I noticed it in the first few episodes, but let it slide. But then it just became ridiculous as he would give rousing or rallying speeches every...single...episode. And sometimes more than one in an episode!
*Glaber was never an interesting character to me. He was always an arrogant prick and so watching his story as compared to a character like Battiatus was a lot less captivating. With Battiatus you knew he had to die, but you also thought, "No! I don't want him to die yet!" With Glaber it's been a wait since episode one of the first season. The only time he rose above uninteresting prick was when the tides turned his way after he was pitted against Illythia. Seeing him have the upper hand with Seppia by his side, Illythia's father dead, and Varinius back in Rome was a great change of pace...but it was squandered by bringing Glaber and Illythia back together.
*Which was ridiculous! Illythia being set free by Spartacus. Her returning to Glaber and somehow winning back his favor. And her killing Seppia. Blah. So many wasted opportunities.
*The deaths of Glaber, Lucretia, Ashur, Illythia, Varinius, Seppius and Seppia leaves us with......what? No (known) villains for next season. That, to me, is not good. Granted, it could turn out great if the villain gets nice focus, story, performance, etc. But at face value it looks like a major mistake. New characters will have to be fully introduced and given lots of screen time. Familiarity is lost completely. Built in storylines and character connections (Spartacus/Illythia, Crixus/Lucretia, Lucretia/Ashur, Ashur/Everyone, etc.) are lost completely. I even though Varinius had been built up well enough on the periphery to become one of the driving villains of next season. He had ranking higher than Glaber, showed a lot more political finesse, yet still would have been seeking the end to Spartacus. Instead he got his faces blown off.
*Did I mention too many speeches? :P
*The arc of Gannicus. For someone who held so staunchly to his (un)beliefs about the war, he surely did jump all in pretty quickly with the rebels. His disdain for the cause was too overplayed for him to just join right up with no qualms after capturing Illythia.
*The death of Illythia. For some reason I loved (to hate) this character. I think she will be the character I miss most. I will always feel they masterfully built a connection between her and Spartacus (even before their night of passion), a love-hate-lust push pull for the ages...yet it felt almost completely abandoned her. But back to her death and the ultimate "plan" that Lucretia had. Obviously we can poke holes right through this thing. If she (Lucretia) didn't care to live, but wanted revenge she could have stabbed Illythia in the baby bump to begin with, let her react with horror, and then slit her throat. Or if it was imperative to hold the baby as "her own" that she could bring to Battiatus in the afterlife, then why not keep playing the role of best friend throughout and wait for the baby to be delivered safely? Illythia seemed to (re)trust Lucretia enough to let her help deliver the baby and then hold it afterward. Wouldn't it have been sweeter revenge to jump off the cliff with the baby (which in and of itself I thought was brilliant) with Illythia unharmed and experiencing what she thought to be a joyous and celebratory moment? Killing Illythia along her the baby betrayal is too kind to Illythia. Too quick a death. Let her feel the day after day misery that Lucretia felt after losing her baby. I suppose that a case could be made that Illythia did not die, but I just don't believe that to be the case.
*I agree completely that Lucretia became WAY to cognizant of the past for us to believe she wasn't up to something. It felt like Dexter writing...where a twist is telegraphed from the get go, yet when it happens we're supposed to think, "Wow!"
*The death of Oenomaus. Only cause I will miss the character. I felt he could have been given more. I liked the times we saw him step up as the defacto-trainer and wise counsel to Spartacus (like when he acknowledged Spartacus wise plan of drink and sport...then realizing he had to join in). I wish we had had more of those moments rather than the cold war between him and Gannicus.
*As I alluded to above, I also wish we could have seen more of Spartacus, Crixus, Oenomaus, Gannicus and Agron together. On the same side. Brothers. Standing as one together. Just for the sheer joy of seeing "the good guys" stand in unified bad assery for a little while. I knew they would start dropping at some point, but I wanted a little more embellished new hope before the empire struck back.
Ultimately I enjoyed the season, but I don't think it stayed on top as a contender for the best show on television or of the year. The gripes slightly outweigh the highlights, but in the end it's still in my Top 10, maybe even Top 5 shows on television still airing.
Posted by Brando, 11/04/2012 4:56pm (7 years ago)
Despite all the problems that arose out of this season of Spartacus, it seems we can always count on the ability of the show to give us spectacular events and finales. Even though the last two episodes had been disappointing to me, this final episode brought it all home somewhat safely. Of course the storylines that were problematic still remain so even in the light of final revelations, but they were seen to such a finality that ensures their permanent conclusion.
As usual, this finale didn't come without its share of surprises. The death of Mira makes sense in the light of her breakup with Spartacus and going forward, but it still came as a shock to the system. Unlike you it moved me to sadness to watch her demise. Her character was one that I enjoyed watching develop and while it would have been sad to watch her linger in the background to no purpose in upcoming seasons, I still felt that impact of that axe.
Turning the siege weapons against the romans was a smart way to even the odds and made the defeat of the romans more believable. This entire event at the mountain also illustrated that the rebels needed an army. In the end, this business of vengeance was dealt with across the board. From Crixus and Navia, to Ilithya and Lucretia, Spartacus and Glaber, the arch of vengeance was concluded. Watching Navia scrape for hers, was hard to watch but eventually satisfying. I was glad that she wasn't shown as some warrior princess, when she had only just started training. Plus it was nice to see Ashur die as a result of his arrogance and contempt, the same qualities that defined him for so long. I really must commend Nick Tarabay, who played Ashur so well. His facial expressions spoke volumes in every scene he was in, it's sad to see another wonderful actor leaving the show.
Another shocker was the death of Oemanaus. While I didn't like the forgiveness he showed Gannicus last week, it helped ease into the moment they shared as the rebels descended the hills. It was a nice arch, but it could have been done much better as the writers showed with the Navia arch.
So we come to the conclusion of this mixed bag of a season. It started off like a shot from a cannon with a fantastic first half, but slowed to a grind in the last half. At the very least there will be no endless loop of the Spartacus and Glaber dance and the story finally moves forward. Aiming above the muck is never a good thing for a TV show that had previously floated in the clouds. If this season was a way to transition Liam McIntyre into the title role with the support of our old favorites, then for me it was successful in doing just that.
So we can conclude that Lucretia was batshit crazy after all. The end of her story arch was shocking, but left me questioning all the scenes that she was involved in. This weekend seemed to be the baby killing week for TV show with game of thrones, but it also ended a potential baby daddy storyline that I am glad we won't be following. It does make rewatching the season more interesting now that we know just how crazy Lucretia was. Knowing that she was enduring everything just to get her hands on the baby paints a different light on everything.
The Glaber and Ilithya storyline was another disappointment since last week's craziness was just confirmed. Thankfully, it didn't save either of them so we won't have to think about it again. The only reason I can think of is that the writers wanted to mirror the love that Lucretia and Battiatus shared in the previous seasons. If they were doing this, they should have realized that even when Lucretia was in love with Crixus, she would never betray Battiatus like Ilithya did to Glaber. I never doubted the love Lucretia shared with Battiatus, but Ilithya and Glaber had the potential to get there, but all the machinations at the beginning of Vengeance killed that.
Despite its faults, this season still did some great things. The friendship of Spartacus and Crixus was as good as we suspected it could be from blood and sand. In a show that loves the intrigue of the double cross it's nice to see genuine friendship, hopefully next season will see Gannicus firmly entrenched in the brotherhood. Generally, this show has been good with relationships between its characters even when the storylines get a little absurd. As I mentioned before the Navia storyline was probably one of the best work done on the show to date, can't wait to see where her character goes from here.
Bringing down the arena still remains very memorable for me and it proved to be the height of the season. if the pacing for the season had been better planned, it could have made the season much better. Despite the moral problems of that act, it still made good television for me.
All in all, it was a marginally good season trailing behind the previous two but still better than the network shows. I am sure Starz is aiming for HBO territory so lets hope the next season brings back the high quality Spartacus has brought in the past.
As always, thanks for the forum Robin
Posted by Kayode from Baltimore, 03/04/2012 7:13pm (7 years ago)
Well vengeance is over and after being really excited at the beginning of the series I'm a little disappointed at the end. The series in parts has had some great moments, but overall it has been let down by losing its 'fear factor' and the timings of events and story lines have been ridiculous. Within this ep there again was some ridiculous moments, not in a sexist way but navia beating Asher was so unrealistic it was embarrassing! A slave who had only trained a short time against an ex gladiator, who only an episode ago was slaying far better trained warriors somehow managed to beat him! All common sense went out the window with that one but I feared it would happen as soon as Neva made the challenge. What would have been better was if Asher had killed nevia then crixus killed Asher, this would have made it more real and emotional, but I guess they were never going to kill both Spartacus and crixus other halves off in the same ep. It was sad to see Asher get killed off as he was a good character and actor but I guess next season will be a fresh start and many of the characters needed to go. This is why I feel that many had to be killed off in this last ep as they will be taking on the big boys now and have done with the small fish, but the question begs...why couldn't this have been done throughout the series? Could it have been spaced out instead of drawing storylines out when we only have 10 episodes. Even though loads happened I didn't enjoy this ep as much as I have others this season which is strange. Sadly this finale didn't have me on the edge of my seat as id hoped. The fire balls being flung into the roman camp didn't have the effect it needed as we had seen it being done in the last ep. The battle and rush of soldiers coming over the wall had also been done in the last ep so what I feared last week sadly came true. The writers killed a lot of the tension and passion of the battle as most of the scenes and effects were used in the last ep, and was much better. To finish I think the writers need to make a fresh start and with the character clear out i think this is going to happen. Characters we know are going to fall, so i hope they learn from this season and make it special and build up the tension like in blood and sand. Spartacus is still a great show and I do enjoy it but this season just hasn't been up to the standard of storytelling and character plots I am used to.
Posted by Ryan_B_11, 03/04/2012 12:27am (7 years ago)
Of the established characters deaths, Ashurs was the best. Finally outmanouvered by all parties and ultimately defeated by a girl after receiving the type of dirty 'low blow' he would have been proud of.
I didn't feel too much for Mira, Luctretia or Oenomaus although the laters death did surprise me knowing the small amount of Spartacus history that I do. I imagine fan favourite Gannicus will assume that role now.
Overall it was an ok season. Even before the season started I was apprehensive at how interesting the concept of the rebels being on the run would be. I wasn't bothered so much regarding Spartacus' speeches as I could understand that he had to quell the infighting to bring about unity but it looks like characterisation took a hit because of it.
I'm with Robin. With the vengeance theme done and dusted I hope the writers can build something fresh with the next season.
Posted by Mark B, 02/04/2012 7:52pm (7 years ago)
Great podcast for the episode 'Monsters', i have to apologise about my concerns about Ashur's leg, i have a medical background and that part of my mind was working while i was watching the first two seasons, you were right ashur did say his leg was healed in 'Blood and Sand', however he sustained the wound several years earlier in 'Gods of the Arena' and a wound that serious would never heal well enough for a man to fight again, but the writers did a good job trying to explain it and i now remember and appreciate this. I just wish the same regard was shown this season with respect to character motivations and actions.
i believe all stories should make sense - like Star Wars, or if they don't make sense at least try very hard to make sense - like Lost.
your review shows how full of holes the story is and how the writers are not even trying anymore. I have great respect for the writers and producers of Spartacus, they created a good first season which grew into something special and more importantly they handled the passing of the eponymous character's actor very well in 'Gods of the Arena', its obvious they have the talent but i suspect its time and money that are the problem.
'Wrath of the Gods' was a poor final episode.
The deaths of five central characters was nothing more than a bribe to the audience and a poor one at that since all five characters had nothing left to live for anyway, making their deaths mean almost nothing.
Ashur's final scenes were unintentionally humorous
-	Glaber confronts him about the bracelet, meaning to kill him, but then lets Ashur's own men do the deed, but then stops them and sends Ashur to the Spartacus camp to face certain death. When he gets there crixus goes to kill him but ashur says, 'wait, I don't have a weapon', so they give him a sword, then he says 'wait, I'm wounded so it would not be a fair fight' so they let him fight Navia instead. LOL!
In truth I wasn't expecting much from this episode and I'm not surprised by it, I expect the viewing ratings will take a hammering but I will be watching next season for the simple reason that I know the creative team on this show can bounce back from a set-back as they did at the end of 'Blood and Sand' by delivering 'Gods of the Arena'.
If they are to do this I would really love to see two things that I think we need to see: the glory and might of the Roman Empire!
I want to see it! not have characters talk about it, in doing so we can see what Spartacus and his people are up against and decide for ourselves if he has a chance of success. The Roman Empire at that time was an economic and military Super-power not a bunch of bullies commanded by fat dudes in togas.
Sorry for the long comment but I would like to mention one more thing about the episode 'Monsters' and that the use of maps. I wish a director had used them earlier in the season then I would have felt less lost in regard to where people were in relation to each other. I mean I know where Rome is because its still there today but Mt. Vesuvius and Capua's location were not as clear. In 'Game of Throne' they address this problem by placing the map in the opening credits so even though it's a fictional realm you know where the characters are in relation to each other, I think this would have helped in 'Vengence' and made the 'woods' scenes make more sense.
-	Anyway sorry this is your last podcast on Spartcus for a while, they are a great add-on to the show and will look out for them when the new season starts.
-	Take Care.
Posted by Charlie, 01/04/2012 11:29pm (7 years ago)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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News Home / Company Notices & Announcements	/ Richemont urges action on withholding tax reclaim
Richemont urges action on withholding tax reclaim
Published Date: 2019-10-16 | Source: INCE|Community | Author: Roxanne Segers
The luxury goods group says if local depositary receipt holders have not received their reclaim forms by month end they should get in touch.
Richemont says SA shareholders who haven't reclaimed the Swiss dividend withholding tax they are entitled to need to take the necessary measures for a refund. The luxury goods group paid its dividend for the year to end-June over to holders of its SA depositary receipts late last month. And it said that withholding tax reclaim letters for SA tax residents to get back 20% of the 35% Swiss withholding tax would be emailed by the end of this week.
The group, which has a secondary listing on the JSE, is obliged to retain the Swiss withholding tax, as well as a 5% SA withholding tax for those shareholders who aren't exempt from dividends tax - including companies and non-residents. This is after SARS increased the tax on dividends from 15% to 20% in 2017.
In a notice yesterday, it said local agent Computershare Investor Services had received refunds from the Swiss Federal Tax Authority for which they had been unable to make payment. It advised depositary receipt holders who had previously made a claim and hadn't received a refund to contact Computershare. It also said that those qualifying for exemption from the SA tax had to ensure they had filed the relevant exemption forms with their brokers or banks in order to ensure that no SA tax was withheld. The onus is on companies to deduct the withholding tax from the payment to shareholders.
The company said investors could email Computershare at WHT.Richemont@Computershare.co.za or contact its call centre: 0861-100-935.
Key Insights for Shareholders
Local depositary receipt holders are entitled to reclaim part of the Swiss withholding tax on dividends;
Computershare has received funds from the Swiss tax authority for which they have been unable to make payment;
Investors should contact Computershare if they haven't received their claims forms by month-end.


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The downside to applying for government grants? The lengthy paperwork. It is time-consuming and technical. It is important to make sure you're eligible before submitting an application. The federal government spends billions each year to finance projects. However, these funds are often awarded through a competitive bidding process. Small businesses can benefit from certain programs that help them navigate the bidding process.
The National Minority Supplier Development Council provides business services, networking opportunities, as well as funding opportunities. The National Minority Supplier Development Council also has a network small business advisors in the community who can help businesses thrive and grow. Operation Hope is another small business-focused organization that offers 12-week and eight-week entrepreneurship training programs. This program helps minority business owners start their own businesses. Covid Relief Grants For Small Businesses.
Federal grants often require matching funds. In some cases, matching funds may be available from other sources, such in-kind services offered by applicants. The match requirement is usually a percentage of the project cost. In some cases, a volunteer organization may be able to provide matching funds. These contributions must be related and necessary to the project's goals.
When applying for match funds, it's important to keep overhead expenses in mind. Often people will overlook these expenses, which include marketing materials and tools. These costs should be included in the proposal budget. If they are not, they will have to be acquired or donated to the organization. For this reason, it's important to have a detailed list of your costs.
Grant notification listservs are available from some federal agencies as well as state agencies. By subscribing to this list, you can receive grant opportunities via email. You can also visit your state agency website to receive updates about grant opportunities. It's important to remember that federal match grants may require match funding, so it's important to review the guidelines carefully.
Grants are non-repayable funds awarded to small businesses to support their growth. These funds may come from government agencies, corporations, and trusts. On the other hand, loans are generally given by banks and other private lenders. They usually require formal agreements. Grants can also be used for research and development and exporting.
Start by looking for grants that match your business' goals. There are many grant programs offered by the federal government. The SBIR program, for small businesses, is a very competitive funding opportunity. To qualify, you must have fewer than 500 employees and be a US-based small business. The award is typically between $50,000 and $250,000 for six-months. The application process can take several weeks, so make sure to start early and have someone else proofread it for you.
Government Covid Grants For Small Business 2021 | Goverment Grants
Grants For Small Businesses Addressing Families | Goverment Grants
Suncoast Small Business Loan | Goverment Grants
Pay Small Business Loan | Goverment Grants
New Grants For Small Business Covid 19 | Goverment Grants
Small Business Loans Philadelphia | Goverment Grants
How To Apply For A Small Business Loan In Texas | Goverment Grants
Getting A Small Business Loan Without Collateral | Goverment Grants
Small Business First Time Loans | Goverment Grants
Small Business Loan Requirements | Goverment Grants
Grants For Small Business Covid 19 Florida | Goverment Grants
Loans For Small Businesses Start Up | Goverment Grants


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Fri., September 22, 2006 12:00 a.m. | Friday, September 22, 2006 12:00 a.m.
Kenny Lofton reached via a fielder's choice for the first out. Olmedo Saenz homered to left with one out; Lofton also scored.
Jack Wilson reached via a fielder's choice for the second out. Wilson advanced to second on a wild pitch. Freddy Sanchez singled to center; Wilson scored.
Jose Bautista doubled to left with no outs and advanced to third on an error by Marlon Anderson. Shane Youman singled to center; Bautista scored.
Rafael Furcal walked with one out. Lofton reached on an infield single; Furcal advanced to third.
Lofton advanced to second on a wild pitch from Sharpless to Saenz. Jeff Kent walked with two outs. J.D. Drew walked; Furcal scored.
Kent singled to right with no outs.
Drew singled to right; Kent advanced to third. Russell Martin singled to right; Kent scored, Drew advanced to third and Martin was thrown out attempting to advance to second. Marlon Anderson laid down a suicide squeeze bunt for the second out; Drew scored.


Cleanse, moisturize, SPF — you may think you've got your daily skincare routine down pat, but perhaps there's actually something missing. If there were a product you could use to ensure your skin is prepped to receive all the hydrating goodness of your go-to moisturizer, you'd want to give it a try, right? Well, get ready to revamp your regime, because Dr. Barbara Sturm's Balancing Toner is officially here, and bound to become an instant favorite on beauty shelves everywhere. Do yourself (and your skin) a favor and snag a bottle now. Read the full article.


I was recently involved in an interesting discussion regarding some of the most "useless" majors one can study in college. Of note is that this discussion took place in a community devoted to all things visual media, and of course visual media related majors (art, fine art, studio art, photography, video production, etc.) perennially make top ten lists of most useless majors.
For those of us in the various fields related to visual media, lists like these can be a bit ego-deflating. After all, we are reminded year after year that our field is one that is not terribly lucrative, and thus very low on the scale of investment worthy fields of study. Not having been formally educated in any art-related field, I don't necessarily have the proverbial dog in this fight, although my chosen major (pastoral ministry) often shares the same ignominy.
At any rate, I thought it might be interesting to sift through the meaning that these sorts of rankings hold, and hopefully discover is any visual media related field is worth the cost to study or worth the time to pursue.
Now, the term "useless" as some of the rankings have it is clearly a piece of click-bait, and can lead to some wrong conclusions. The terminology might lead one to believe that there are no jobs to be had, money to be made or ways to employ that sort of education or skill in the marketplace. Such a conception is easily debunked by even a cursory amount of investigation, and anecdotal evidence itself is not difficult to come by. Clearly there are jobs related to visual media, and people working those jobs. In fact, there are even quite a number of people being successful at it and making a good living. I would like to think myself successful to some extent in creating visual media, and in my own experience perceive that there is indeed a market for that type of product and service.
This being the case, it is instructive to note that when one encounters these types of lists- irrespective of the terminology employed- what is really being got at is this: which majors have the worst ROI (return on investment)?
The basic idea is this: based on the amount of money spent on education compared to the median potential salary or median potential earnings over a career for any given field, art and visual media based majors often have the relatively worst ROI of any given major.
Often this is broken down in few ways. Firstly, one might look at the 25th percentile income for any given field. For most visual media related fields and majors, this is often under or near $30,000. Other fields typically have much higher 25th percentile earnings; Petroleum engineering, for example, is around around $90,000 (meaning 75% of all in this field earn more than $90,000). If we then imagine a typical student with student loan debts of around $30,000, the degree in Petroleum engineering clearly has an immediately higher ROI, all things beings equal.
That is only the beginning of the comparison, however. For most visual media related fields, the median salary hovers somewhere around $45,000-$49,000, whereas for petroleum engineering (an outlier, to be sure) the median income is around $135,000. Even for a lower paying career like architecture, the median income is closer to $70,000.
Now, the median income is taking all of the range of incomes for any given field, and then finding the middle number (or average of the middle numbers). This means for visual media related fields, while there are certainly many who make really good money at it, there are also many who don't make good money at it, and then many who make somewhere in the middle. According to the data, for those with bachelor degrees in a visual media related field, there is around a $50,000 spread between the bottom 25th percentile of earners and that of the top 25th percentile; in the case of Arts as a whole, the range of income is from a little over $25,000 to around $75,000 for 50% of those in that field. Architecture and Engineering, on the other hand, has an average spread from $60,000 at the bottom 25th percentile to around $110,000. Again, a very similar spread in income range, but they difference is that the 25th percentile income bottom is higher than the median of all Arts related degrees and within the top 25th percentile of incomes for Arts. Clearly from a purely ROI perspective an Arts degree in this scenario can't compete in terms of income potential.
One might wonder if pursuing graduate education might help the income potential for visual media related fields? For all Arts-related degrees, there is a 22.9% change in median income for those having graduate degrees (not necessarily in their bachelor degree field of study), which equates to about an $11,000 increase in the median income, from about $49,000 to $60,000. However, for all Architectural and Engineering majors with graduate degrees, the income bump in percentage is not much higher at around 25%, but since the overall income are higher, that equates to around $21,000 extra in income.
This becomes important, as it indicates that for those in the visual media fields, a graduate degree does not necessarily command significantly higher earnings; given that a graduate degree is likely to only increase one's income by around $11,000, the value of spending what is likely significantly more for graduate work might be heavily mitigated.
Money, of course, isn't everything, and it is not to say that it should be the only consideration when choosing a major. However, it should comprise a large part of the consideration, if for no other reason than that education has a price tag, and that price tag needs to ultimately entail a good ROI; otherwise it can cost more than the potential value it brings.
Consider the earlier example. If we imagine someone getting a degree in Graphic Design, an average starting entry-level salary at an agency might be expected to be somewhere around $35,000 or so. (While I didn't have a degree in Graphic Design, my first design-related job started at a little over $30,000.) If we then consider that the average student graduating with a bachelor degree has around $30,000 in student loan debt (and that the average 4 year tuition cost is around $36,000 for in-state tuition at state schools), the ROI is fairly low. In effect, one's education has essentially purchased one's job, and if one has significant student loan debt then the ROI becomes even worse.
And as we have seen, the income prospects are not exceedingly high. At mid-career in graphic design, the median income is around $50,000, and the top 50th percentile of incomes range from about $50,000 to $75,000, entailing that 75% of those in Graphic Design- even at mid-career, are making less than $75,000 annually. This also means that 50% are making less than $50,000 annually, with the bottom 25th making less than $35,000 mid-career.
As such, if one is considering studying any form of Arts as one's field of study, it definitely behooves the prospective student to minimize college costs as much as possible sons to maximize ROI. This is no doubt true for any degree, but even more impotently so for any field in visual media, as the likely prospective income is relatively low compared to other fields. Student loan debt is of course a poisonous option in this (and really in any) case, at it would have greater potential to cripple whatever income one was able to obtain after one's studies are concluded.
Thus, it is clear that while there are jobs to be had in all visual media related fields, as well as plenty of potential clientele, the reality of things is that design and its ilk do not broadly command premiums so as to lead to greater average income outcomes for those in that field. Seen in those terms, it is hard to escape the conclusion that majoring in any sort of visual media related field of study has a relatively poor ROI when compared to income potentials for other fields of study. As a further example, in all Arts related degrees only the top 25% of those in that field make more than $75,000 a year, whereas in all Computer, Statistics and Mathematics related fields that top 75th percentile threshold of Arts incomes is what 50% of CSM degree holders make, and the top 25% start at incomes more than $25,000 higher than the top 25% of Arts incomes start at.
Stated another way, one has a much higher likelihood of commanding a higher median and upper 25th percentile salary than one does with an Arts related degree.
All of this, of course, comes dow to how well one is able to brings one's education, skills and expertise to bear upon the market. That being the case, it would seem to be incumbent upon all who work in visual media related fields to find resourceful ways to do just that.
In my opinion, developing business and marketing skills are one of the most valuable ways to do this. If you work in a visual media related field, ultimately your job is to sell something. It may not be a tangible product, but your greatest value to the marketplace is not necessarily your creativity, but rather your ability to help your clients either reach the markets they want to reach (in the case of graphic design) or to provide products and services that bring greater value to the client (say in the case of photography or fine art).
A career in design or any other visual media related field is challenging, and in most cases is not the most lucrative career choice. It is certainly not "useless," but neither is a golden ticket to riches, which entails that this part of its reality should be borne in mind before embarking on such a career. It can be rewarding in many ways beyond money, but the money always helps, especially if you like to eat.


This is where you'll find my coloring for various comics that I can post on here.
Various projects from animation, not including work from La La Loopsy Girls: Prep School, or Malevolent.
This is where you will find various 3D projects, from my ceramic skull bowl, bobble head cats, sloth paper craft, chess/talking board table, and arcade cabinet rebuild/repair.
Check out my instagram for the latest art and sketches from me!


Local MLA, Dr Tony Buti, welcomed further funding for the Ignite Basketball program.
Dr Buti said, "Ignite forms a very important part of the Save the Children, Armadale Youth Intervention Program which supports the most vulnerable young people from the Armadale the community.
Referrals come from the Department of Child Protection, Department of Justice and the WA Police.
"This is a great program which provides our local kids at risk with an opportunity for a positive and brighter future, Dr Buti said.


text:
Q: Weaviate returns error when using nearText Giving Weaviate a go  using python client with the example for wine reviews, not sure if this is a function error:
Query:
query_result = ( client.query
    .get("Wine",["title","description"])
    .with_limit(5)
    .with_near_text({"concepts" : ["white"]})
    .do())

Response:
{'errors': [{'locations': [{'column': 20, 'line': 1}], 'message': 'Unknown argument "nearText" on field "Wine" of type "GetObjectsObj". Did you mean "nearVector" or "nearObject"?', 'path': None}]}

An empty query do return results as expected.
Schema:
{
    "classes": [
        {
            "class": "Wine",
            "invertedIndexConfig": {
                "bm25": {
                    "b": 0.75,
                    "k1": 1.2
                },
                "cleanupIntervalSeconds": 60,
                "stopwords": {
                    "additions": null,
                    "preset": "en",
                    "removals": null
                }
            },
            "properties": [
                {
                    "dataType": [
                        "text"
                    ],
                    "name": "title",
                    "tokenization": "word"
                },
                {
                    "dataType": [
                        "text"
                    ],
                    "name": "description",
                    "tokenization": "word"
                }
            ],
            "replicationConfig": {
                "factor": 1
            },
            "shardingConfig": {
                "virtualPerPhysical": 128,
                "desiredCount": 1,
                "actualCount": 1,
                "desiredVirtualCount": 128,
                "actualVirtualCount": 128,
                "key": "_id",
                "strategy": "hash",
                "function": "murmur3"
            },
            "vectorIndexConfig": {
                "skip": false,
                "cleanupIntervalSeconds": 300,
                "maxConnections": 64,
                "efConstruction": 128,
                "ef": -1,
                "dynamicEfMin": 100,
                "dynamicEfMax": 500,
                "dynamicEfFactor": 8,
                "vectorCacheMaxObjects": 1000000000000,
                "flatSearchCutoff": 40000,
                "distance": "cosine"
            },
            "vectorIndexType": "hnsw",
            "vectorizer": "none"
        }
    ]
}

Weaviate should return the results "wine reviews" related to "white"

A: I realised there was no vectorization by default, I solved the error by adding the model. The results are inaccurate though, don't yield the right results even if including exact keywords.
class_obj = {
    "class": "Wine",
    "vectorizer": "text2vec-transformers",
    "properties": [
        {
            "name": "title",
            "dataType": ["text"]
        },
        {
            "name": "description",
            "dataType": ["text"]
        }
    ],
    "moduleConfig": {
        "text2vec-transformers": {
            "vectorizeClassName": True
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Can also be used for contact Poi knobs.
PX3 spare knobs are made of a special thermoplastic rubber which is colorful and extremely durable.
They fit on any handle allowing to customize your clubs and improve the protection of the screws.
The round shape and the great grip provided by these knobs make them a recommended choice for Backcross and Albert Throws.
19mm diameter handle hole with 18mm depth.
"Great knobs for home made sock poi! They are the perfect weight for long socks with this balls. Especially for tosses."
"I double up my ball handles on all my poi that have them and these never let me down!"
"Very durable and well constructed. Great impact protection and soft feel."
"Im very pleased hop stock these! pity they do not include screws but its not to hard to find some."
"For the price of these handles you can't go wrong, extremely durable and easy to attach on to the pod poi loop handles so you can do tosses or just hold them a bit easier"
"Very pleased with this transaction. Came on time even during the holidays! Exactly what I ordered as well."
"These knobs are a great addition to your set of pois if you're looking to try out contact poi spinning or moves like throws/ tosses/ hand swaps."
"Perfect. Fast delivery and excellent service."
"these knobs are awesome! they're super light and the shape is a lot better than other knobs ive tried out"
"Nice way to change up my px3 clubs"
"The knobs are great. They could be a little bigger in diameter but for the price I can't complain at all."
"These give the perfect grip, I like they way better than the other main Poi companies. These do not have that egg shape that makes it harder to keep your hand closed and the knob centered. I will never go with another knob type again since trying out the PX3's!"
"Perfectly described, they are squishy not hard as most people might be confused by! Flexible enough to get my rope through without drilling a larger hole! Soft, comfortable fit for the palms and perfect color match to the juggling balls I ordered in orange also! Shipping was really fast considering it came from New Zealand! Only a little over a week! (Also during a holiday which delays packages)"
"Fast shipping! Great quality. Live the knobs thank you"
"If you haven't got a knob handle yet get these."
"Px3 is a great club, but their knobs are known to break or pop off. This replacement knob was cheap and arrived very quickly!"


Hello! I like meeting new people, and I can't wait to meet you!
But I'll be happy with whatever I get!
If you speak/write in a language that uses a non-Latin alphabet, I would love for you to write my name (Veronica) in your alphabet! Thank you!


text:
Heinz-Wilhelm Dünhaupt (* 7. Mai 1912 in Bückeburg; † 19. April 1998 in Celle) war ein deutscher Großmeister im Fernschach.

Fernschach
In der 6.gesamtdeutschen Fernschachmeisterschaft 1958/60 belegte Dünhaupt als bester Westdeutscher Platz 3. In der Folge nahm er oft an Länderkämpfen und Schacholympiaden teil. 1963 wurde er Internationaler Meister im Fernschach. 1973 belegte er im internationalen BdF-Jubiläumsturnier den 2. Rang punktgleich hinter dem Schweden Eric Arnlind. Im gleichen Jahr verlieh ihm der Weltfernschachverband ICCF den Titel Fernschach-Großmeister. Nach Platz 6 in der 6.DM und Platz 2–3 in der 12.DM gewann er 1975 die 13. deutsche Fernschachmeisterschaft.

Turnierschach und Schachkomposition
Am Brett wurde er dreimal Meister von Niedersachsen (1939, 1949, 1952). 1959 wurde er mit dem Hannoverschen Schachklub von 1876 deutscher Mannschaftsmeister. In den 1970er Jahren spielte er mit Hannover in der deutschen Schachbundesliga.

Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg komponierte er mehrere Schachaufgaben, wovon einige Preise erzielten.

Privates
Dünhaupt arbeitete als Oberstaatsanwalt beim Oberlandesgericht in Celle.

Werke
 Mit vertauschten Farben. Ein Eröffnungskompaß. Caissa's kleine Schachreihe. F. Barkhuis (Hrsg.). Barkhuis, Düsseldorf 1947.

Weblinks

Fernschachspieler (Deutschland)
Schachspieler
Schachspieler (Deutschland)
Schachspieler (Hannoverscher SK)
Schachkomponist
Deutscher
Geboren 1912
Gestorben 1998
Mann

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Multi-disciplinary Programmes >
Early Intervention Teaching
Physiotherapy and OT
Technology Supported Learning
Early Intervention Educators
Family Support Team
Relating and Communicating Programme
Monitoring Programme
Our model of practice
Champion Centre Newsletter
Champion Foundation Trust
The Power of Musical Play
Purchase Earlybird book
The Champion Centre's core business is to provide early intervention services to infants and young children with disabilities in the Christchurch area of New Zealand. The programme is centre-based meaning that children and families receive most of their service on-site at weekly or fortnightly visits during school terms. The Champion Centre is the largest and longest-running centre-based early intervention centre in the country.
Partially funded by government and in business since the late 1970's it has served approximately 2,000 children to date. Children are referred to the service via a paediatrician who makes a referral to the Early Intervention Coordination Service. This service represents all the early intervention providers in the area and allows offers to be made to families from more than one provider, dependent on capacity in those providers.
The Champion Centre also engages in research in early intervention and offers training to professionals and parents on request.
How to access our service:
All referrals are received through a paediatrician to the Early Intervention Coordination Service or EICS for short. If a child is not currently under the care of a paediatrician, they should first see their GP who will refer them on to a paediatrician if appropriate. All paediatricians within the CDHB and Child Specialist Service know the referral process and who to send a referral to.
EICS provides a single point of entry to the range of early intervention services in the Christchurch area and is comprised of CCS Disability Action, The Champion Centre, Conductive Education, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health.
Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
Education Support and School Transition
EMAIL This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Champion Centre is administered by the Christchurch Early Intervention Trust, and is registered with the Chartities Commission (CC22708). Gifts of over $5 are eligible for tax rebates.
© 2019 The Champion Centre


Sorry for the lack of update. Twelve-hour workdays and a 2-day fever don't bode well for knitting and blogging. My knitting is almost exactly where it was a week ago. The Tilted Duster still has about 5 more collar rows, and some seaming to go. My first Autumn Rose sleeve is also still in the works. Despite all that, I thought I'd give you a bit of an update with promises of more to come in the next week.
After boldly jumping head first into Autumn Rose, I got scared. Terrified in fact. My self-doubt took hold and I cast the project aside for a week or two to develop some level of confidence.
I decided to tackle one last stranded warm-up before taking the metaphorical fair-isle plunge. Enter Chrissy Gardiner's Snowflake Socks, also from the new Interweave (I love this issue).
I love how this project is turning out so far. Everything is looking pretty John Dandy. The floats are nice and loose, the yarn was a stash orphan, and the ultimate gratification, they stretch enough to fit over my heel.
So on that optimistic note, I decided to pick up Autumn Rose again. So far I've made it through the first part of the first sleeve. Still a long way to go but it is beautiful and I can't wait to finish the first motif repeat.
My technique is a far cry from being perfect or even being technically correct, but I can live with it for now and I'm already seeing improvements.
Considering the time it has taken to get this far, I expect that this project is one of those long-term type things. The body is going to require some serious project monogamy.
Posted by Amanda at 5:26 p.m.
It looks great! Very nicely done on the legwarmer, and the start of Autumn Rose is pretty too.
September 24, 2007 at 1:40 p.m.
the colours for the Snowflake Socks are great.
October 1, 2007 at 10:52 a.m.


Prenup 101: Is Separate Wealth a Reason For a Prenuptial Agreement?
Carlson & Burnett recommends prenuptial agreements to educate couples about marital property rights before entering the marriage and establish an agreement tailored to each couple determining issues such as property rights, spousal support, and surviving spouse rights. This series' first blog article focused on how prenuptials protect separate inherited wealth and family businesses. Another benefit to prenuptials is managing separate wealth.
It's common for couples to own assets such as a home, investment portfolios, retirement plans, or other investment properties. It's also common for people to not understand how their marriage can affect their property rights or what records they should keep in order to protect property rights.
In summary, Person A receives $525,000 and Person B receives $275,000. But remember, this assumes that someone can prove the values of the assets as of the date of marriage. If no one can prove investments prior to the marriage, then the court will likely presume everything is a marital asset and each person will receive $400,000. Prenuptial agreement negotiations uncover miscommunications that couples may not be aware of and provide them an opportunity to resolve these issues.
Although it is not possible to see into the future and know how assets will increase in the future, Carlson and Burnett helps clients understand how marriage will impact property rights and implement alternative solutions for the future. A prenuptial agreement can state how property will be managed and who is and will be the owner of the property, even if both parties make contributions to the assets. Using the example above, a prenuptial agreement could state that Person A owns the house and all present and future equity in the house. In which case, Person A would receive the original equity in the house and all of the increase in equity. Or a prenuptial agreement could divide the future equity in the house based upon some other proportion, such as income, rather than a 50/50 split. Prenuptial agreements give the power to the couple to decide how their rights will be decided.
When both parties are wealthy, a prenuptial agreement can describe them as economically independent, expected to remain so, and maintain all property as separate property. This prevents marital property law from complicating the couple's economic relationship. As long as both parties are honest about their financial circumstances, it will keep their property separate.
When an entrepreneur marries, the spouse has an interest in the entrepreneur's business. Generally, the spouse's interest is half of the business's growth during the marriage. Because the spouse has a legal interest in the business, the spouse also has a right to determine management and operation of the business.
A prenuptial agreement can alter the spouse's rights to the control or finances of the business. It can also expressly state the parties agreed value of the business as of the date of marriage. If the spouse will be working for the business, the prenuptial could determine that the spouse's interest is limited to reasonable compensation, basically limiting the spouse to the value of the services the spouse provides as opposed to additional growth in the business. Keep in mind that any such compensation must set a standard for determining reasonable compensation. If not, a court could find the provision, or possibly the entire agreement, unenforceable.


text:
Home :: Military :: Library :: News :: 2007 :: May ::
Analysis: France Down to the Wire
Prepared by: Michael Moran
Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose. What else can one say about Sunday's vote in France? Every major declared candidate projected the image of an agent of change and defined themselves in opposition not to America, but to outgoing President Jacques Chirac. Yet the choice still comes down to one between the two poles of the French political establishment, Socialist Segolene Royal and Nicolas Sarkozy of Chirac's UMP.
The two candidates, separated by a razor-thin margin according to polling firm Angus Reid, increasingly appear to be converging on policy, too, as they woo centrist voters. Both spent the final two weeks after the raucous first round of the election hoping to win over those who supported centrist candidate Francois Bayrou (IHT) in the first round. They clashed in a televised debate for a final time Wednesday marked by personal animosity but a lack of detail on policy issues (BBC). In a podcast, CFR guest fellow Célia Belin describes the challenges facing Chirac's successor.
By and large, the campaign has turned on domestic issues (France 24): a general disgust at the torpor of the French economy during the last years of Chirac's tenure, and divisions over the proper place of immigrants—in particular, Muslim immigrants—in French society. France ranks first in the world among developed nations in the amount of its gross domestic product spent on the public sector—some 54 percent. It's on these issues where differences between Sarkozy and Royal become most pronounced. Sarkozy says he would drastically reduce the size of the French bureaucracy by attrition, a stance Royal's labor union supporters will not countenance (Bloomberg). Some experts question whether either can reform France's notoriously protective and combative labor system (NYSun).
Read the rest of this article on the cfr.org website.
Copyright 2007 by the Council on Foreign Relations. This material is republished on GlobalSecurity.org with specific permission from the cfr.org. Reprint and republication queries for this article should be directed to cfr.org.