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McKinney pulls graduations from Prestonwood amid church-and-state concerns
Filed under McKinney at Feb 2018
Nanette Light, Staff Writer
Connect with Nanette Light
Updated at 4:45 p.m. to include Twitter post from Prestonwood Pastor Jack Graham.
For months, parents and community members have rallied at McKinney ISD school board meetings — some with signs and speeches — to wage the age-old constitutional fight over the separation of church and state.
Now, it appears that battle, at least in McKinney, is winding down for now. The district announced last week that it will hold this year's graduation for its three high schools at the Allen Event Center, abandoning a more than decade-long tradition of hosting commencement ceremonies at Prestonwood Baptist Church.
McKinney ISD hears from Muslims, 'conservative parents' after teachers' anti-gay and anti-Islamic tweets
The decision on the site comes after several community members expressed concern about the presence of religion at some schools and district events.
And it follows just a few weeks after district officials had said that moving the graduation away from Prestonwood couldn't be done this year because the plans for the event are made at least a year in advance.
"Our goal as a district is to make certain that 100 percent of the focus is on the students, and the event is about honoring our graduates," said district spokesman Cody Cunningham, adding that the location for commencement hadn't become an issue until recent years.
First Amendment rights, freedom take center stage in McKinney ISD after teachers' controversial tweets
Last week, high school principals sent an email to parents telling them about the change and offering to reprint invitations or graduation announcements at no cost.
Cunningham said feedback from parents and those who've voiced concerns has been positive.
"They've thanked the district for making that move, and they've been very appreciative as well," Cunningham said.
Prestonwood officials did not return calls for comment. But in a Twitter post, Pastor Jack Graham called McKinney ISD's move a "cowardly decision."
It appears religious freedom is under attack at the Mckinney Public Schools. It was our refusal to remove the cross from view that created this cowardly decision https://t.co/O9dCurijZq
— Jack Graham (@jackngraham) February 13, 2018
Community members have pointed to concerns in recent years about religious displays in classrooms and graduation and convocation ceremonies at Prestonwood Baptist Church. They also complained about a prayer Superintendent Rick McDaniel led in August during a mandatory back-to-school convocation at the church for district employees.
More recently, others have called for more staff inclusion and diversity training after the discovery of anti-Islamic and anti-LGBTQ tweets posted by two middle school teachers who have since resigned.
Complaints sent to the Freedom From Religion Foundation — a nonprofit organization advocating for separation of church and state — about some of these issues date to at least 2015.
McKinney ISD school board member Lynn Sperry and Superintendent Rick McDaniel listened to Farah Uddin speak at the monthly school board meeting on Jan. 23.
(Ron Baselice/Staff Photographer)
Since last fall, a small, loosely organized interfaith group has regularly attended school board meetings each month to speak during open forum about these issues, telling the board "we're not going away."
And in January, parents and other residents packed the school board meeting on the heels of the voluntary resignations of Cockrill Middle School teachers Justin Barton and Mark Russell, who posted tweets referring to transgender people as having a "mental illness" and called Islam a "satanic death cult."
McKinney middle school teachers resign after posting anti-gay and anti-Islamic tweets
Though critics' reasons for speaking out have varied — some have lobbied for separation of church and state, others for diversity and inclusion — they have said that they all have the same goals: To make their schools "safe and comfortable for every single kid."
"McKinney ISD has been stepping up," said Jill Oyler, who has two children in the district and has regularly attended board meetings since the fall, advocating for separation of church and state. "We foresee them to be continuing to step up and do right by the legal system, thus by their students."
Ayesha Uddin (left) recorded one of the speakers at the McKinney ISD school board meeting on Jan. 23.
This month, Oyler was among a group of community members to meet with McDaniel and board members to discuss their concerns. She said some who have been critical of the district were considering a lawsuit if McKinney ISD didn't make changes. The meeting was one in a series of talks district officials have had with people since that contentious board meeting in January
No 'fear of a lawsuit'
But Cunningham said "fear of a lawsuit" was not the driving force behind the district changing its graduation venue.
"This is really not about a disagreement between the district and the Freedom from Religion group or anything like that," Cunningham said. "It was a decision made to keep the focus on our kids."
Though the district had planned to hold this year's graduations at Prestonwood as in years past, it hadn't signed the contract for the 2018 ceremonies. According to its 2016 and 2017 contracts, the district paid Prestonwood $39,700 each year to hold graduations at the church.
Members of the class of 2016 participated in the McKinney High School graduation ceremony at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano on June 3, 2016.
The 2017 contract stipulated that a Prestonwood minister would give a "brief welcome at the beginning of each graduation." It also stated that no items, including flowers, could cover or block the view of the cross on the podium.
"We are excited that they realize that there was an issue and they took care of it, or at least they are taking care of it," Oyler said of district officials.
"There are a lot of great things going on in McKinney ISD. That's why we keep our kids here."
Prayer at McKinney ISD's mandatory staff assembly draws formal complaints
Oyler, who said she is an atheist, said McDaniel also has promised that he will not pray as a superintendent at any official school events.
Cunningham said the cost and capacity to host graduation at the Allen Event Center is comparable to Prestonwood. The event center also is half the distance for families in McKinney to drive than the Plano Baptist church.
The district will pay about $40,000 to the event center to hold its three graduation ceremonies on June 8. Parents also will have the option to purchase tickets in suites for $25 a seat. That money will go to the event center, not the district, Cunningham said.
Lovejoy ISD, Melissa ISD, Princeton ISD and Wylie ISD also plan to hold graduations this year at the Allen Event Center.
Plans are underway for McKinney ISD to host its back-to-school convocation for employees before the 2018-19 school year begins at the district's new $69.9 million stadium and event center.


"EastEnders" bosses look set to recast Bobby Beale.
The murderous teen - who has already bumped off his half-sister Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater) in one of the soap's biggest whodunits of all time - is soon to return to Albert Square when he is released from a young offender institution, but producers are said to be searching for a fifth actor to play the character, who was recently portrayed by Eliot Carrington.
A TV insider told The Sun newspaper's Bizarre TV column: "The production team have always been keen to develop his character and want to find the right actor to take him into adulthood."
Eliot played bitter Bobby, who also battered step-mum Jane Beale (Laurie Brett) over the head with a hockey stick, leaving her critically injured, from 2014 to 2017 after taking over from Rory Stroud.
Rory took the reins from Alex Francis, who played the part from 2007 to 2012, after Kevin Curran portrayed Bobby from 2003 to 2007.
Bobby has been mentioned several times on screen in recent weeks with his dad Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) panicking about his son being released from a detention centre, where he is serving a three-year sentence.
The epic "Who Killed Lucy Beale?" storyline ran from April 2014 to February 2015, with bookmakers taking bets on the possible culprit.
The 11-year-old character was an 100/1 outsider when the market first opened, but Bobby ended up as the favourite just days before he chillingly confessed to Jane that he committed the crime.
Lucy's killer was unveiled in a special live week of episodes, with Bobby coldly confessing: "Whatever she says, she started it. She made everyone unhappy."
Bobby's life didn't get off to a great start as there were doubts Ian was his dad, with rumours rife that Garry Hobbs (Ricky Groves) had fathered him with Laura Beale (Hannah Waterman).
But they were later quashed when a blood test proved Ian was in fact the lad's father.


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This 4 day elemental immersion takes place on Rebecca and Robert's land, a powerful setting where the natural world will be our teacher as we interact with a clear spring-fed pond, fire, rocks, earth, sun, sky, and in ritual.
Come float, rest, listen, dance, write, draw, dive, and spend time in awareness and silent contemplation. This co-creative experience will be both restorative and transformative.
The intelligence of each elemental force becomes our teacher. In co-creative play and ritual, we weave continuum dives, writing, art, dance and long periods of silence into our explorations indoors and outdoors.
The group size is limited to 10 participants. Fee: $325.


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Q: Buffer flushing in ostream overloading What is the recommended way to use buffer flushing when overloading ostream in C++? Do I just disable buffer flushing in the beginning and enable it in the end? If so should i flush the buffer before returning the ostream? I have never seen this part mentioned in any ostream overloading reference.
EDIT: Lets say i have a class with a lot of members. The ostream operator prints each member. How should i write the ostream overload?
struct ToPrint {
char firstMember;
char secondMember;
int number;
};

std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const ToPrint& instance) {
    os << instance.firstMember << '\n'
        << instance.secondMember << '\n';
    if (instance.number > 0)
        os << instance.number << '\n';
    return os;
}

A: The recommended use of buffer flushing for output streams in C++ is to not do it. Unless you have special requirements, the default behavior of the stream will work just fine.

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This home has 3 bedrooms, 2 bath and a 4th bonus room! Enjoy your meals at the open dining and kitchen area. The kitchen has a dishwasher, disposal, stove and vent-a-hood. The master bed has a private bath and big closet. You will even find ceiling fans and large closets through out the home! There's a large backyard that features a covered back patio with ceiling fan, 2 peach trees, fire pit, several raised bed gardens, Large shed, Privacy fence, and an above ground pool that can stay.


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Ethics Perspective: When The Weavers Had To Sign A Loyalty Oath To Appear On The Jack Paar Show
January 2, 2021 January 2, 2021 / Jack Marshall
It has become a fad to bid goodbye to 2020 while proclaiming it "the worst year ever." Of course, and I say of course realizing that most people have no idea why I would say "of course," one only thinks it was the worst year ever if one doesn't know much about all the other terrible years, thanks in part to our atrocious education system's inability to teach either the substance of history or its importance to new generations.
The delusion fits nicely into the Left's Big Lie that everything was terrible because Donald Trump was President. But as bad as the year behind us was, and there is no question about that, liberty and the identity of America were facing equally dire threats when the nation had been terrified out of its metaphorical gourd by Communist propaganda and Right Wing doomsayers. Luckily for us, "cooler heads prevailed," but that was just luck. Let's look back on a largely forgotten incident that occurred on this date in 1962, one of the really bad years.
On January 2, 1962, the reunited folk group the Weavers (Ronnie Gilbert, Lee Hays, Fred Hellerman, and Pete Seeger) was scheduled to appear on The Jack Paar Show. Paar, if his name doesn't ring a bell for you, was the most quirky and intellectually complex of the "Tonight Show" hosts, and in 1962 had a quirky, intellectually complex hour-long prim -time show on NBC following Johnny Carson's taking over the late night franchise.
Before taping, the Weavers were told by NBC officials that their appearance was contingent upon their signing a statement disavowing the Communist party. Every member of the Weavers refused to sign, and the appearance was cancelled.
Some perspective is necessary. The Weavers were one of the most popular performing and recording groups of the 1950s, but they were undoubtedly radically Left by the standards of the time. Founder Pete Seeger wasn't just pro-union; it would be fair to say he was pro-Stalin, in the dreamy-eyed, naive way that other American liberals were (Bernie Sanders comes to mind). But he was a brilliant performer and song-writer, and his group sensibly confined its material to non-political topics: the Weavers' big hits were "Goodnight Irene," a #1 record for 13 weeks in the summer and fall of 1950, "Midnight Special" and "On Top of Old Smoky." But the Red Scare of the early 1950s still hit them hard. During the 1930s when Communism was "in," the members of the group were all enthusiasts. When news of the pre-Weavers Weavers' political past got out, they were, in modern terms, canceled. A planned television show was killed. The group's four members were placed under FBI surveillance. Seeger was grilled by the House Un-American Activities Committee. Decca cancelled their recording contract in 1951; concert venues refused to book them, and their records were pulled from the radio. Two years later, virtually blocked from performing, The Weavers broke up.
But with the disgrace of Joe McCarthy and the waning of Cold War hysteria, they began performing again, though the Weavers never reached the heights of popularity they had attained a decade before. Younger groups and singers inspired by the Weavers, like Bob Dylan, the Kingston Trio, the Seekers and the very similar Peter, Paul and Mary now had center stage. The Weavers were really a nostalgia act by the time they were booked by Jack Paar.
1. Paar had once walked off the "Tonight Show" over censorship, yet he made no such principled stand for the Weavers. It was disappointing, but Jack Paar was nothing if not unpredictable. Even rebels can be intimidated; Paar probably knew this show was his last shot, and wasn't willing to sink his career for four old pinkos.
2. Imagine a TV network demanding a loyalty oath today. Heck, we have networks that are routinely anti-American themselves.
3. Is today's social canceling more or less threatening to free speech and political dissent than the more formal censorship of the Sixties? I guess we'll find out.
4. As with the culture-wide fear of world Communism, today's cracks in our democratic principles are also the product of fear—fear of a mostly non-fatal virus, fear of violent protests, fear of social isolation for having the "wrong" beliefs. Unlike the Fifties and Sixties, there are far more avenues for dissent today.
5. Lest we forget, 1962 got a lot worse, with the Cuban Missile Crisis in October bring the U.S. and the world to the brink of nuclear destruction. 1963 was no prize either, featuring the assassination of a U.S. President.
Arts & Entertainment, Government & Politics, History, U.S. Society
Jack Paar, Red Scare, The Weavers
← Conclusion: The President Will Pardon Himself, And Should
Saturday Evening Ethics Post, 1/2/2021 →
8 thoughts on "Ethics Perspective: When The Weavers Had To Sign A Loyalty Oath To Appear On The Jack Paar Show"
Jim Hodgson
https://babylonbee.com/news/2020-rated-worst-year-ever-provided-you-never-lived-at-any-other-time-in-history
"Imagine a TV network demanding a loyalty oath today. Heck, we have networks that are routinely anti-American themselves."
But they do. They demand a loyalty oath to the left. How many Trump supporters do you see on NBC? What happens when people find out that an actor is a Republican, supports Donald Trump, or might actually believe in Christianity? How many of the Presidental Debate Moderators considered were conservatives? Why? Why do they all have to pledge allegiance to one side?
Some jobs you aren't allowed to have if you don't pledge allegiance to whatever the left believes this week:
(1) Mainstream journalist
(2) Anyone in sports or in the entertainment industry
(3) Federal government employee
(4) Public school teacher
(5) Mainstream university professor
(6) High-ranking executive at a major corporation
Areas you are almost forbidden to study in universities if you are a conservative:
(3) Gender studies/ ethnic studies
(4) Psychology
As was pointed out, the media is all anti-American. That is because they are elitists. The point of Communism is to establish rule by a hereditary elite and reduce the rest of the population to state slavery. People advocating for Communism aren't proposing that THEY are going to live in a drab, public housing unit. They are proposing that they and their children should be able to tell YOU what drab public housing unit YOU will live in.
Communism is anti-American because elitism is anti-American. You can't allow free action of an enemy force in your society without the collapse of that society. Communist have actively been working to destroy the US for over 90 years and we have allowed it. That is why we are in this mess now.
Andrew Wakeling
"That is because they are elitists. The point of Communism is to establish rule by a hereditary elite and reduce the rest of the population to state slavery."
So that's your understanding of Communism …. the 'point' of it?
Bloody sneaky strategy, eh!
Pete Seeger was a Commie's Commie. "If I Had a Hammer." "This Land was Made for You and Me." Sing it, Comrade. Pete would a star in Portland.
"This Land" was Woodie Guthrie, but then he was also communist.
Steve-O-in-NJ
They were all of them far left communist sympathizers. In fact, Pete Seeger and Lee Hays founded the Almanac singers during WW2 to promote pacifism and isolationism. Lee Hays was kicked out of the group because of his erratic nature and hypochondria, and, in any case, three members suddenly changed their minds and joined the war effort. Lo and behold, once Hitler was beaten, they turned right back to the far left, pushing every damn liberal cause you could name. Hays even said that being still ruled by the UK would be preferable to Reagan. Near the end of his days, probably hastened by a long struggle with diabetes (he had always been overweight and hadn't taken good care of himself) he wrote a poem about his final fate:
In Dead Earnest
If I should die before I wake,
All my bone and sinew take:
Put them in the compost pile
To decompose a little while.
Sun, rain, and worms will have their way,
Reducing me to common clay.
All that I am will feed the trees
And little fishes in the seas.
When corn and radishes you munch,
You may be having me for lunch.
Then excrete me with a grin,
Chortling, "There goes Lee again!"
'Twill be my happiest destiny
To die and live eternally.
He thought he was being funny and irreverent, but I think it represents him becoming what he always was in life.
Must have made Dr Verner von Braun and his nazi mates feel right at home.
What is this, a #22? Come on. You can do better.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The E-Commerce law ("EC Law") adopted on August 31, 2018 and came into force on the first day of 2019.
• record and preserve information of customers for no less than 3 years.
It is estimated that in 2017 there were 42.5 million people directly or indirectly employed to engage into e-commerce activities in China, 1 accounting to 1/18 of Chinese population, and volume of business amounts to RMB 29.16 trillion, increasing at a year rate of 11.7%. The 2018 e-shopping festival November 11 (Single's Day) just curtained down, with Alibaba deals amounting to RMB 213.5 billion. Harder than customers finding out what deserves to buy, checking and balancing between protecting consumers rights and promoting e-commerce renders the lawmaking process a tug of war.
Spending 5 years on 4 deliberations, the standing committee of National People's Congress adopted the final draft of the E-Commerce law ("EC Law") on August 31, 2018, which came into force on the first day of 2019. It is the first legislation in the realm of e-commerce, and comprises of provisions interacting with commercial law, contract law, tort law, competition law, and administrative law. We hereby briefly interpret the relevant content of EC Law.
I. Who are the E-Commerce operators recognized by EC Law?
Any legal persons or unincorporated organizations that provide a site for digital business, transaction matching, information release, as well as other services to facilitate other parties to conduct e-commerce trading activities independently. Good examples are Tmall, JD, and DIDI (Chinese biggest online ride-hailing platform).
It refers to third party merchants that sell commodities or offer services on e-commerce platforms. A good example shall be a vendor operating an online store on Taobao ("Taobao store").
Others who sell goods or offer services through their own websites or through other network channels are also included in EC Law. This is to take into consideration of some non-traditional stores at other instant messaging apps such as WeChat, which is booming with the extensive use of smartphones.
II. What are the general obligations for E-Commerce operators?
Rules for merchants to open an online shop are stricter now as industry and commerce registration of market entities (e.g. obtaining a business license) is generally requested by EC Law. Consequently, all e-commerce operators shall perform corresponding registration formalities at authorities to register them as a market subject. Nevertheless, EC Law still leaves a door open, for example, registration is not mandatorily requested for personal sales of self-produced agricultural and sideline products, household handicrafts, certain labor activities taking personal skills for the convenience of people and occasional small-sum transactions ("Personal Sales").
For business activities subject to special license, the e-commerce operators shall follow all formalities to obtain all requested license. For example, to conduct business in relation to food products, a Food Business License shall be obtained.
In addition, e-commerce operators shall issue purchase vouchers or service documentation, such as physical or electronic invoices for selling commodities or providing services. Electronic invoices shall have the same legal effect as physical ones.
III. Are IP rights better protected under EC Law?
According to Chinese Tort law11, the platform operators shall take necessary measures when it knows of an infringing act on the platform. EC Law, for the first time, formally adds the concept of "should have known" which seems to be stricter to the platform operators. Specifically, a platform operator is obliged to adopt appropriate measures such as deleting, blocking and disconnecting hyperlinks, and terminating transactions and services if it knows or should have known of any IP infringement occurring on its platforms.
(1) Civil liability: the platform operator that fails to take appropriate measures shall assume a joint and several liability with the infringing party.
(2) Administrative liability: platform operators failing to take appropriate measures might be ordered to an administrative fine up to RMB 2 million subject to the severity of the circumstances.
"Notice and take-down" mechanism gets strengthened in EC Law, as previously, in tort law practice, the platform operators may evaluate the likelihood of the existence of such infringement. Pursuant to EC Law, upon receipt of the notification specifying prima facie evidence (preliminary evidence) of the alleged infringement by an IP right owner, a platform operator is required to take necessary measures in a timely manner, such as deleting, blocking and disconnecting hyperlinks, terminating transactions and services, and to forward such notification to merchants on its platform. "Review" by the platform operator was deleted in order to speed up the procedure so as to protect the IP rights efficiently.
Platform operators that fail to take such measures will be held jointly and severally liable with the merchants for the increased part of the damage.
If the platform operators fail to take necessary measures timely, they will face penalties of up to RMB 2 million subject to the severity of the circumstances.
The above regulations caused heated discussions on whether law makes bend over backwards as the IP owners could possibly abuse their rights. EC Law further regulates that if the merchants on the platform believe that no infringement has occurred, they may submit a statement and preliminary evidence to the platform operators, denying such an infringement. The platform operator is obliged to forward the non-infringement statement to the IP rights holders. In addition, if the IP owner did not bring the case to the administrative regulator or to the court within 15 days of delivery of the non-infringement statement, the platform operator is required to lift all measures that it has taken.
EC Law in the meanwhile provides remedies against malicious notifications filed in bad faith. Specifically, if notification issued is unreal and thus causes damage to the merchants on the platform, civil liability shall be borne accordingly. In addition, if unreal notification is issued maliciously, which causes losses to the merchants on the platform, more compensation shall be borne.
IV. How EC Law better protect consumer's interest?
Tie-in sales refer to selling one product or service as a mandatory addition to the purchase of a different commodity or service. Normally only one commodity or service is critical to the customer, and the other one is less necessary. EC Law clarifies that tie-in sales commodities/service shall be warned prominently and shall not be set as a default option. Failure to do so will face an administrative fine amounting up to RMB 500,000 subject to the severity of the circumstances.
To solve the difficulty of obtaining deposit refunds in the emerging sharing economy (e.g. the shared bicycle Bluegogo, with its iconic blue bikes, have drawn disapproval as users are having difficulty in getting deposit refunds.), EC Law sets out that when collecting deposit, the operator shall explicitly instruct the way and procedure to refund such deposit without unjustifiable conditions. Failure to do so will face an administrative fine amounting up to RMB 500,000 subject to the severity of the circumstances.
It is noteworthy that EC Law has responded an ever-concerned issue: abuse of big data, for example, when promoting commodities/service according to consumer's shopping habits or personal hobby, e-commerce operators shall also provide consumers with options that are not specific to their personal characteristics and shall respect and protect the legitimate rights and interests of all consumers equally to avoid price discrimination. For example, some ticket booking platforms will grant unreasonable higher price for the frequent customers than the new customers on the same ticket. Moreover, defrauding frequent customers by using big data will face an administrative fine amounting up to RMB 500,000 subject to the severity of the circumstances.
EC Law increases the burden of platform operators by stipulating their examination obligations. Basically, platform operators shall require merchants on the platform to submit truthful information, including the identity, address, contact, license as well as shall regularly verify, register and update such information. Failure to examine the credentials of merchants on the platform which results in damages to consumers shall bear "corresponding liabilities". When the draft of EC Law was open for social comments there were loud voices that the "joint and several liability" is too harsh to optimize the e-commerce business. Then, the fourth draft revised to "complementary liability", indicating the injured consumer cannot sue the platform operators unless the merchant could not indemnify the damage. However, it is criticized as turning back the clock, giving platforms much margin to pass the buck. Following the overwhelming debate on this issue, especially upon occurrence of the "DIDI Yueqing Murder"17, the final wording changed into "corresponding liabilities" with an administrative fine amounting up to RMB 500,000 and suspension of business subject to the severity of violation.
To protect customers, "joint and several liability" will be applied on platform operations under certain situation as well. According to EC Law, a platform operator will be held jointly liable with merchant on its platform if the merchant fails to take appropriate measures when it knows or should have known the fact that merchant was selling commodities or offering services that failed to safeguard personal or property safety. An administrative penalty amounting up to RMB 500,000 might be imposed as well for failure to do.
EC Law further stipulates that the platform operators shall establish and improve a comprehensive credit evaluation system and shall not delete any consumers' comments made on any commodity sold or service provided on its platform; Platform operators arbitrarily removing consumer's comments might be ordered to pay an administrative penalty up to RMB 500,000 subject to the severity of the circumstances.
"Death of Wei Zexi"21 occurred during the EC Law making process; upon heated discussion on the e-commerce search services, EC Law requests platform operators to display search results in various ways in terms of price, sales volumes, and credit level. Commodities or services ranked under competitive bidding shall be noticeably labeled with the word "Advertisement", and EC Law further stipulates that platform operators fail to do that shall be punished according to the PRC Advertisement Law.
Following the rules for protection of personal information as stipulated by relevant laws and regulations, EC Law also demands all e-commerce operators to expressly instruct all details (methods and procedures) for customers to consult, correct and delete their own information without unreasonable conditions as well as to promptly respond to consumers' requests. An administrative penalty amounting up to RMB 10,000 might be imposed for e-commerce operator's failure to do so (For platform operators, EC Law provides with a higher amount of sanction which amounts up to RMB 500,000).
In addition to all the aforesaid civil and administrative liabilities, the EC Law also has a general clause linked to PRC Criminal Law.25 It stipulates that if any act performed by the E-Commerce operator constitutes a crime, the violator shall be subject to criminal liability in accordance with the PRC Criminal Law.
EC Law comes as a Chinese legal endeavor to tackle emerging issues occurred in the e-commerce business. As a first comprehensive legislation addressing the e-commerce business, some regulations still need further clarification. To adapt to the ever-shifting e-commerce business models, detailed interpretations is under legislative consideration. We will keep an eye on future developments for you.
(8) A Daigou is usually an individual (a middleman) who shops for foreign products overseas for consumers on the Chinese mainland. Generally, this sort of trade helps consumers to save on import duties since it happens on a one-to-one level based on personal acquaintances.
(25) Article 88 of EC Law.


Earlier today the DOMA (Dallas Observer Music Award) NOMINEES got ANNOUNCED. Parade of Flesh was nominated in the category "Best Local Booker".
This entry was posted on June 2, 2009 at 7:21 pm, filed under News.


text:
layout: post
title: Stuff & Nonsense
tags:
 - illustration
 - clean
 - professional

exhibit: 2017-04-06-stuffandnonsense.com.png
link: http://web.archive.org/web/20130722223737/http://www.stuffandnonsense.co.uk/
founder: woodylama
---

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Home » Blog » Means-testing the UK's Winter Fuel Allowance: ho…
Means-testing the UK's Winter Fuel Allowance: how does this contribute to our understanding of the political economy of social security?
The UK's Labour Party has recently responded to the Conservative – or in theory, Coalition – government's attacks on the social security system by trying to prove they can be even tougher. To prove it, they've decided to go after one of the UK's few remaining inclusive benefits and subject it to means testing.
When the Labour Party was in government, they introduced a Winter Fuel Allowance for older people. It provided an annual one-off payment to all older people of between £100 and £200 per year. As the article indicates, Ed Balls the Labour Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer is proposing removing the benefit from the rich, arguing that this would help save costs.
As we've repeatedly tried to show, targeting social security benefits at the poor is a typical neoliberal response, driven by a desire to shrink the state and reduce taxes. It's also a populist response since, at a simplistic level, the Labour Party's proposals to remove the Allowance from the rich seem sensible. Why should the very rich receive a benefit that they clearly do not need? In a recent article, even Polly Toynbee – normally a progressive commentator on social policy – appears to agree with the Labour Party (see the article below). To date, she's been an opponent of Conservative Party's attacks on the UK's poor so her conversion to a neoliberal policy thinking is surprising.
Balls' proposal is similar to the Conservative Party's means testing of the previously inclusive child benefit, which, until this year, all children in the UK had received. Now the richest families – around 20% in total – are excluded. Similar to Balls, the Conservatives also presented this means testing as a sensible and prudent way to reduce costs as the rich clearly do not need the child benefit.
So, why is taking the Winter Fuel Allowance away from the rich a bad idea? As with many debates in social security, it all comes down to a discussion on political economy. Once the rich no longer receive the Allowance – yet continue to pay for it through their taxes – they will no longer support it. As Pritchett has argued, once the more powerful members of society no longer receive and support a benefit, it is likely to whither away, with the poor – ultimately – losing out. Interestingly, Peter Hain, a former Labour Minister, makes the same point in the Huffington Post UK, arguing that the next targets will be the remaining inclusive benefits. His view is that the Labour Party should embrace universal benefits and cautions against moving towards a system similar to the United States' in which social security is only for the poor rather than inclusive.
As we explained recently the decision to means test the universal child benefit appears to be part of a broader plan by the Conservative Party to reduce support for the broader social security system, enabling large scale attacks to be made on the UK's many means-tested benefits. A key concern is whether Balls has the same underlying aim. He was part of the former Labour Party team in government that was in thrall to the bankers, whose malpractices were the cause of many of the UKs current financial woes.
A more sensible policy – and one that could, in fact, lead to greater savings – would be to make the Winter Fuel Allowance subject to income tax. At present, it is tax free. If recipients were to pay income tax on the Allowance, the state would be able to claw back a proportion of the overall cost from a much larger number of people than Ball is proposing to exclude (the majority would pay 20% of the Allowance in tax, while the rich would pay 40%). However, to ensure that the poor and those in the middle do not lose out, the current Allowance could be raised by 20% so that, after taxation, most people continue to receive the same amount as now. It would only be the higher rate taxpayers who would receive less, but they would still receive 60% of the Allowance.
Of course, there needs to be a bit more number-crunching done to demonstrate that this proposal is, at least, fiscally neutral or, indeed, could lead to savings. But, importantly, it would ensure that the Winter Fuel Allowance remains inclusive and available to all, thereby strengthening its sustainability and increasing the chances that it will survive the UK's drive for austerity, for which the poor are currently paying the price. Despite being a relatively small benefit, the Winter Fuel Allowance is a real help for many poor older people. It would be unfortunate if it becomes yet another victim of neoliberal policies.
Is Latin America Transitioning from Poor Relief cash transfers to a More Progressive and Inclusive Vision of Social Security?
Despite all the hype around poor relief conditional cash transfers in Latin America, the ideology underpinning social protection in the continent is shifting. While conditional cash transfers are targeted at the poor – with the result that the majority of the poor are excluded (see here for an explanation) – a...
Bangladesh: Social Unrest, Elections and a Failed Social Model
Bangladesh has just experienced troubled elections boycotted by the main opposition party, amid strikes and violence. It is not a happy country. Yet, in many respects, since independence the country has made good progress. While many commentators in the 1980s wrote off the country as a basket case, its economy...


text:
middle market companies
GE to Invest approximately $105M in Pivotal
middle market companiesPrivate EquityUSA
GE (NYSE: GE) plans to make a strategic investment of approximately $105m in Pivotal, a San Mateo, CA-based newly launched company that is building an Enterprise Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS).
The companies also announced their plans to enter into a broad research and development and commercial agreement aimed at accelerating GE's ability to create new analytic services and solutions for its customers. Both the investment and business agreement, which are subject to standard regulatory approval and other closing conditions, are expected to close in the second quarter of 2013.
Through the transaction, GE will acquire a 10% equity stake in the company.
Led by Paul Maritz, CEO, Pivotal aims to provide a complete Enterprise Platform-as-a-Service that will allow employees of enterprises to create consumer-grade applications and store, manage and deliver value from fast, massive data sets. Also backed by EMC and VMware, the company has 1,250 employees and includes a technical team of 700+ engineers.
The partnership with Pivotal will be meaningful for GE's Global Software Center headquartered in San Ramon, CA, which is working to develop a software platform that GE will deliver as a service to industrial customers in aviation, transportation, healthcare, energy and manufacturing.
Read here the company's press release about the features of the platform.
Tagged with: GE, Pivotal
Previous storySush.io Raises €250K in Seed Funding
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Pivotal Closes $253M Series C Funding
By FinSMEs	Published on May 5, 2016 May 5, 2016
AI Crime Prevention Company ThetaRay Raises $30M in Funding
By FinSMEs	Published on July 3, 2018
fundingIsraelStart Upventure capital
Ornim Medical Completes $10M Funding


On August 29, 2018, Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) raided a trailer manufacturing company just north of Dallas, TX, detaining approximately 160 people, all of whom ICE characterizes as undocumented workers. The company was raided after tips came to ICE that undocumented people had been hired and that the company would simply "pay the fine and go on" if adverse consequences came their way. This does not, however, take into account the pain experienced by those caught in the raid. If you or a loved one has been detained by ICE after a workplace raid, rightly or wrongly, you do have rights, and they must be respected even while in detention.
While the Trump administration may argue that workplace raids cut down on the number of undocumented workers in the United States, many people do not see the psychological cost that these raids exact. Studies have shown that psychological stress can be transmitted from parent to child, with heightened rates of depression and anxiety documented as those children age. Between the psychological and practical costs, it can be easy to feel as if there is no hope if you or a loved one has been detained in a workplace raid.
The current presidential administration has doubled the number of workplace raids, citing them as a tool to combat undocumented immigration, though the proverbial jury is out on the efficacy of such tactics. The Obama administration preferred to pursue employers of undocumented immigrants, filing lawsuits and auditing paperwork (the number of audits rose noticeably under Obama). They referred to this policy as a choice to place the onus in complying with immigration law on employers rather than the average person - in other words, punishing employers for hiring rather than punishing undocumented people for trying to find work.
If you are detained after a workplace raid, there are certain things to keep in mind, most notably that you still have rights which must be respected. You have the right to remain silent, and you cannot be forced to sign anything. In some cases, ICE personnel may try to make a detainee sign paperwork, such as an I-407 form, which voluntarily relinquishes a green card. Immigration personnel have become notorious for pushing detained people into signing these types of papers, especially during the rollout of the "travel ban" in early 2017.
While in detention, you also have the right to an attorney (though one will not be provided for you, you do have the right to see your attorney once you have engaged with them - that is, you cannot be kept from them), and you have the right to such basic services as medical treatment. You also have the right not to be discriminated against, especially on the basis of a category that cannot be changed, which is also called an immutable characteristic. The majority of those detained in workplace raids are held until deportation unless they post bond, as appears to be happening with the Texas detainees.
Deportation is a consequence that undocumented people risk when they cross the border - but if it must happen, it needs to happen during a process where all rights are respected and all people are treated with dignity. There is a growing body of evidence that shows that workplace raids are anything but dignified. If you have been detained and need help, the dedicated Chicago deportation defense lawyers at Mevorah Law Offices LLC may be able to help you. Call us today at 630-932-9100 to schedule a free consultation.


Yesterday's Home Runs Don't Count in Today's Ballgame...Or, The Need to Internationalize Institutions of Higher Education.
Hayden, F. M.; Thornton, Nelson L., Jr.
Note: Paper presented at the Texas Conference on Organizations (Lake Travis, TX, April 10-12, 1992).


Richard (aka Geekwright) is testing and is fixing potential issues. So far he has found only a few issues running under MySQL 8.0. The expanded reserved word list is one. There are also issues with using PHP with the new default authentication plugin in MySQL 8.0, caching_sha2_password.
Docker version above sets default-authentication-plugin=mysql_native_password.
Richard changed criteria class to use quotes on criteria column names to prevent reserved word issues.


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Warner Music Group and Madonna agree to 'monumental' deal covering her complete recording career
Emmanuel Legrand
US recording artist, songwriter and performer Madonna and Warner Music Group (WMG) have sealed career-spanning global partnership that includes a new agreement for her entire recorded music catalogue and well as her whole songwriting works. Terms of the deal, described as "monumental" by WMG, were not disclosed.
"Since the very beginning, Warner Music Group has helped bring my music and vision to all my fans around the world with the utmost care and consideration,"...
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DistroKid gets investment from Insight Partners valuing the distribution company at $1.3 billion
Recording Academy brings back Grammys on the Hill to Washington on Sept. 22 to honour Jam & Lewis, Rep. Ted Dutch and Rep. Michael McCaul
Emmanuel is a Washington, DC-based freelance journalist, blogger and media consultant, specialising in the entertainment business and cultural trends. He was the US editor for British music industry trade publication Music Week. Previously, he was the editor of Impact, a magazine for the music publishing community (2007-2009), the global editor of US trade publication Billboard (2003-2006), and the editor in chief of Billboard's sister publication Music & Media (1997-2003).
Warner Recorded Music signs Saudi artist Dalia Mubarak to a global recording deal
British rapper Stefflon Don signs global recording agreement with BMG
Julie Greenwald named Chairman & CEO of the newly created Atlantic Music Group
Avex USA and Brandon Silverstein Publishing (formerly S10 Publishing) have signed producer Jasper Harris to a worldwide publishing deal. The agreement will come into effect later this year.
"I am incredibly grateful to be joining the Avex and Silverstein publishing team," said Harris. "They're such a strong and dynamic group, and their passion for my music combined with their global reach feels like the most natural combination as I enter the next phase of my career. We are so like-minded ...
Warner Chappell Production Music (WCPM) has expanded into Brazil with a new team based in São Paulo led by Renato Moraes..
Moraes will report to Sinéad Hartmann, Vice President, Licensing & Music Creative, in addition to working closely with Warner Chappell Music Brazil's sync team — led by Flávia Cesar, Director of Strategic, Commercial, Film, Sync, and Licensing.
"I've seen production in Brazil grow tremendously since I started out in this business, and I know this is just the begi...
Universal Music Group has promoted Roey Hershkovitz to Vice President of Sound & Picture. In this newly created role, Hershkovitz will "lead visual content capture across the company's studios, develop new programming and build on the company's leadership in immersive audio."
Based out of Santa Monica, Hershkovitz will continue to report to Christopher Jenkins, Executive Vice President of Digital Studios, and Pat Kraus, Senior Vice President of Recording Studios & Archive Management....
Digital Economy1 day ago
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Creative Industries2 days ago
Litigation1 year ago
Appeals court rules that Sean Hall and Nathan Butler's copyright infringement case against Taylor Swift can go to trial
Interview11 months ago
Olivier Chastan (Iconoclast): 'Name, image and likeness will be as important as music rights in the future'
Collective Management Organisations1 year ago
Cécile Rap-Veber and David El Sayegh appointed joint interim CEOs of French rights society SACEM; CEO Jean Noel Tronc 'unavailable for personal reasons'
Artist Rights Alliance has joined the Copyright Alliance as a new member


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Bowl Game of Year Picks
THREE BOWL GAME OF THE YEAR PICKS SELECTED FROM THESE GAMES
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Notre Dame (CFP Semifinal) | 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 1, 2021 | ESPN
No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 Ohio State (CFP Semifinal) | 8:45 p.m. Friday, Jan. 1, 2021 | ESPN
No. 5 Texas A&M vs. No. 13 North Carolina (Orange Bowl) | 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 2 | ESPN
No. 8 Cincinnati vs. No. 9 Georgia (Peach Bowl) | 12 p.m. Friday, Jan. 1 | ESPN
No. 10 Iowa State vs. No. 25 Oregon (Fiesta Bowl) | 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 2 | ESPN
No. 11 Indiana vs. Ole Miss (Outback Bowl) | 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 2 | ABC
No. 14 Northwestern vs. Auburn (Citrus Bowl) | 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 1 | ABC
No. 22 San Jose State vs. Ball State (Arizona Bowl) | 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 31 | CBSSN
No. 23 NC State vs. Kentucky (Gator Bowl) | 12 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 2 | ESPN
No. 24 Tulsa vs. Mississippi State (Armed Forces Bowl) | 12 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 31 | ESPN
Sammy Bowl Game of the Year Goes Off December 31st
Order before December 31, 2020
GUARANTEED PICK - $49
If you don't win, 100% refund
NO GUARANTEE PICK - $30
Dennis Bowl Game of the Year Goes Off January 1, 2021
Order before January 1, 2021
DJ's Bowl Game of the Year Goes Off January 1, 2021


On June 8, 2016, Public Justice announced five finalists for its annual Trial Lawyer of the Year award, including the Motley Rice Arab Bank trial team for its September 2014 victory when a Brooklyn, N.Y., jury found Arab Bank liable for intentionally financing HAMAS. This case, consolidated under the name Linde v. Arab Bank, PLC, marked the first time that a financial institution had been brought to trial under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and the first time that a financial institution had been found liable under the ATA for the financing of terrorism.
Motley Rice attorneys Michael Elsner, John Eubanks and Jodi Westbrook Flowers worked with co-counsel and others on the decade-long litigation and 2014 trial.
According to Public Justice, the award "celebrates and recognizes the work of an attorney or team of attorneys working on behalf of individuals and groups that have suffered injustices and harmful abuse." The winner will be announced on July 24, 2016. Read more about the finalists.
Public Justice is a national public interest law firm that fights against injustices and is supported by the Public Justice Foundation, a nonprofit organization.


1. We studied the effects of maternal diabetes on blood pressure and glucose tolerance in the adult female offspring of spontaneously hypertensive rats.
2. Female spontaneously hypertensive rats were rendered diabetic by neonatal streptozotocin treatment, and then were mated with untreated male spontaneously hypertensive rats. Moderately severe hyperglycaemia was maintained during the gestation.
3. The birth weight was significantly lower in the female offspring of the diabetic dams than in the female offspring of the non-diabetic dams. The systolic blood pressure was significantly higher in the offspring from the diabetic dams than that from the control dams at 6 months of age (192 ± 4 mmHg versus 213 ± 4 mmHg, P < 0.01). The heart weight was also significantly increased in the offspring of the diabetic dams. Both the blood pressure and heart weight were inversely related to the birth weight. On the other hand, glucose tolerance was unaffected by maternal diabetes.
4. Maternal diabetes aggravated the severity of hypertension in the adult female offspring of spontaneously hypertensive rats. This suggests the importance of the metabolic environment during fetal growth for the development of hypertension.


The longest day of the year happens today. Where to revel in this monster of a day? Denali National Park in Alaska, less than 150 miles south of the Arctic Circle. 20 hours, 49 minutes of daylight.
Sunset's beginner's guide to Alaska.


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Market-Driven Water Pricing Could Help Solve Florida's Water Problems
Privatization, improved water pricing, and innovative wastewater reuse technologies can help deal with rising demand and population growth.
By Vittorio Nastasi
With over 1,350 miles of coastline, more than 30,000 lakes, and 11 million acres of wetlands, water is Florida's most abundant resource and is essential to the state's economy, environment, and quality of life. However, rapid growth and development are straining water resources across the Sunshine State. If current trends continue, Florida will be home to 33.7 million residents and water demands could more than double by 2070. Privatization, improved water pricing, and innovative wastewater reuse technologies have the potential to alleviate some of the burden.
Florida's water problems boil down to issues of supply and demand.
The timing and distribution of water is often unreliable and can vary depending on weather patterns. Moreover, growth in some areas of the state is driving demand beyond the available supply while other areas have surplus water resources. The majority of the state's water originates in the north, but the greatest demand lies in population centers in central and south Florida. In fact, 80 percent of water is located north of I-4 while 80 percent of the population resides south of the Interstate. Large quantities of water historically flowed south through the Florida Everglades, but decades of water mismanagement and misguided infrastructure projects have altered the natural flow of water south—causing ecological damage and reducing the supply for consumption.
Efforts to resolve the mismatched supply and demand for water through the political process have been met with resistance. In 2003, a report from the Florida Council of 100 recommended the formation of a statewide water board to oversee the five existing regional water management districts and send water to where it is needed most. While the plan would have allowed water-rich areas to sell their water to communities in need of additional supply, centralized water management is far from ideal.
A better solution could come in the form of a free market for water with improved pricing mechanisms. Presently, water prices are typically set arbitrarily by government authorities. The process is consequently motivated by political considerations and results in impractically low prices which do not encourage responsible use. In fact, consumers pay less for water in the U.S. than in other developed countries including Canada, Germany, Spain, Denmark, and the United Kingdom.
If prices were allowed to fluctuate with changes in supply and demand, water could be allocated more efficiently. In times of shortage, prices would increase and create an incentive to conserve. Households could reduce consumption and save money by upgrading to more efficient appliances and water fixtures. Moreover, pricing that reflects the costs of providing water would ensure that appropriate funding is available for infrastructure maintenance, operational costs, and capital investments.
Market-based pricing would also create incentives for private industry to develop innovative technologies. For example, the desalination of saltwater and sanitation of wastewater are growing industries with the potential to greatly expand potable water supplies. The best way to encourage their development and implementation is to provide financial incentives through markets.
Australia is leading the way in market-based water pricing. Their system of tradable water permits results in prices that reflect the cost of delivery as well as scarcity. In the U.S., some water utilities charge seasonal rates to reflect typical variations in demand throughout the year. Others incorporate anticipated infrastructure costs into their pricing schemes, but neither of these systems relies on actual market forces. Florida should look to follow Australia's example and embrace the idea of tradable permits to ensure that water prices reflect both supply and demand.
Vittorio Nastasi is a policy analyst at Reason Foundation where he works on Florida policy issues including education reform and water quality management.
More from Environment, Government Reform, Water and Wastewater
Gov. Newsom's Much-Needed Call to Simplify California's Marijuana Taxes and Regulations
Reducing the regulatory burden would be a big step in the right direction. Next up: lowering cannabis taxes.
By Geoffrey Lawrence
Tackling the Federal Government's Spending and Financial Mismanagement
The national debt is over $23 trillion and the 2019 deficit alone was $1 trillion. We need significant and substantive reforms to deal with this growing crisis.
By Adrian Moore
Even California Democrats Prefer the Private Health Care System Over Medicare for All
Fifty-seven percent of the state's likely Democratic primary voters favor incrementally changing the existing private health care system while 37 percent want to replace the private system with a single-payer Medicare for All system.
More by Vittorio Nastasi
Licensing Reform Could Expand Health Care Access and Reduce Costs
States, including Florida, may struggle to provide adequate access to medical care as their populations age.
How Using Public-Private Partnerships and Ending Sugar Subsidies Could Help Restore Florida's Everglades
Unneeded policies and subsidies cost consumers between $2.4 and $4 billion annually—to the benefit of large sugar corporations.
Florida Task Force Makes Good Start in Tackling Blue-Green Algae
Restoration of Florida's water bodies is among the state's longest standing and most contentious challenges.
Ranking U.S. Metropolitan Areas on the Economic Freedom Index
Amongst America's largest metro areas, Houston, Jacksonville, Tampa, Richmond and Dallas-Fort Worth have the most economic freedom. Riverside, Rochester, Buffalo, New York and Cleveland have the least.
By Dean Stansel
Changing Course: Driver's License Suspension in Florida
Why the state should stop suspending licenses for offenses that are unrelated to traffic safety.
By James Craven and Sal Nuzzo
How Burdensome Regulation Obstructs Hunger Relief
This brief offers recommendations to help solve hunger by reforming current regulatory regimes that block the diffusion of beneficial technologies.
By Krisztina Pusok and Julian Morris
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text:
RCM Sparks digital resources
Opportunities for RCM students
Meet the Sparks team
Tri-borough Music HubTurtle Song
RCM Sparks works in partnership with community schemes, charities, orchestras and venues on innovative and bespoke music projects.
Our partnership programme also aims to increase access to music making for local families and young people from less affluent backgrounds and underrepresented groups.
20 hours of
bespoke professional workforce development
In the 2021-22 academic year
Tri-borough Music Hub
The Tri-borough Music Hub (TBMH) is the lead organisation overseeing the delivery of music education in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham and the City of Westminster. An award-winning organisation, TBMH is a centralised local authority that receives core funding from the Department for Education via Arts Council England, working with schools, pupils and the workforce.
The Royal College of Music works closely with TBMH and the Royal Albert Hall as strategic partners, helping to achieve the following aims:
Engage all schools in the area, in order to reach all pupils and provide them with access to high-quality music education opportunities
Raise standards and support musical progression for all pupils
Ensure a broad range of outstanding musical opportunities for pupils, parents and the community
We plan our widening participation work based on a detailed understanding of the areas of need in the local area. Through this relationship with the TBMH, RCM Sparks has regular links with a number of state schools.
RCM Sparks works closely with three partner secondary schools and three partner primary schools, all within the Tri-borough Music Hub area. We deliver bespoke strategic music programmes, operating in school and at the Royal College of Music, calling upon the RCM's links with first class music educators, workshop leaders and our own students, (RCM Sparks Mentors) to engage pupils in music making from early years through to A Level, supporting children and schools to give them a life-long love of music.
Our three primary partners benefit from weekly early years Dalcroze, music and movement sessions, lunchtime concerts, bespoke workshops and projects for pupils with speech and language difficulties, including dyslexic students. All other Sparks events are flagged with the schools with the majority being free to access for pupils and parents.
Our partner primary schools are feeder schools for our secondary partner schools, continuing the vital musical work that has taken place in Key Stage 1 and 2. Secondary school pupils can access our Springboard composition weekend courses at the Royal College of Music, creative careers days and bespoke workshops and events (conducting workshops, creative music production support, Gifted and Talented sessions and concert support).
Our partner schools are:
Oxford Gardens Primary
Churchill Gardens Primary Academy
Old Oak Primary
Pimlico Academy
Kensington Aldridge Academy
Hammersmith Academy
IntoUniversity
IntoUniversity and RCM Sparks work in partnership to reach local young people who would not normally engage with higher education pathways. Sparks delivers workshops with IntoUniversity centres in Brent, Haringey, Hammersmith, North Islington and North Kensington and also offers visits to the RCM. These workshops offer a range of opportunities for participants to develop and sustain their interest in music and broaden horizons to Higher Education settings in general. In 2022, 130 participants from IU and 15 RCM students were involved in RCM workshops.
'I learnt about music and improved my confidence.'
IntoUniversity student
'Staff and students from RCM Sparks always do an amazing job of engaging students and supporting them in creating their own music.'
IntoUniversity staff member
'The best thing about the programme was the Royal College of Music because we made our own music.'
'The sessions are well-structured, age and ability appropriate, and do well in building a safe-space in which children feel confident to perform their work.'
Supporting larger scale projects
Convo, an ambitious new work by RCM alumnus composer Charlotte Harding, commissioned by the Tri-borough Music Hub, the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal College of Music premiered at the Royal Albert Hall on 7 March 2019.
A massed instrumental ensemble of Tri-borough music hub young musicians played side-by-side with professional instrumentalists, together supporting a massed chorus of around 1,000 primary, secondary and special school pupils. The huge ensemble was led by the internationally renowned conductor Ben Palmer. The performance was the culmination of an extensive two-year project of creative music making and development across the Tri-borough music hub, which aimed to embed best musical practice as an essential part of school life, giving invaluable musical opportunities to all pupils in the area irrespective of their background.
We are very grateful to John Lyon's Charity for their generous support of Convo.
Convo
See and hear more about Convo from the people involved, including RCM composer Charlotte Harding
Convo follows the success of Seven Seeds, a large scale performance of a newly commissioned vocal work involving 160 schools, more than 20 Royal College of Music students from and 150 music co-ordinators. In November 2015 Seven Seeds was awarded the prize for 'New Music' by the Music Education Council of Great Britiain (MEC) and shortlisted for the 'Best Classical Music Education Initiative'.
Visit the Convo website
Tri-Music Together
RCM Sparks has actively engaged as a consortium partner in the Tri-Music Together project, funded by Youth Music and led by the Tri-borough Music Hub. Summer 2018 marked the end of an initial two year project to enhance Early Years music provision from birth to age five in the Tri-borough area. Over the two years the programme engaged with 120 settings, 249 early years practitioners and 148 music leaders through a broad programme of training, peer-to-peer reflection, mini-projects and the development of resources.
The Tri-Music Together project continues to advocate for quality Early Years music education and strategically supports Music Education Hubs in England to develop their Early Years music provision.
Musical Development Matters
One of the aims of Tri-Music together project was to create resources to support early years music and to create a legacy. Musical Development Matters is a brand-new guidance document that has been written to support those who work with young children in early childhood. Supporting materials have also been created and are available from Youth Music.
Read and download Musical Development Matters
London Early Years Foundation
This is a partnership project with the LEFY nurseries and RCM Sparks.
The aim of the project is to develop the music skills of a team of Early Years practitioners 'Music Champions' in order to enrich music in their nursery settings for children aged 0-4, with a long-term aim to improve practice across the organisation.
The overall objective is to increase the skill level of practitioners in order to rate themselves as a platinum standard music setting, based on the Tri-borough Music Hub Self-Evaluation Tool.
Musically Inclusive Forum
The Musically Inclusive Forum brings together nationally and internationally renowned music and arts organisations to ignite the conversation for improving access and outcomes for young disabled people across the music and arts sector. RCM Sparks co-ordinate experts and discussions at the forums and partners are asked who they would like to hear from to help develop their targets.
Turtle Song
Turtle Song is a Turtle Key Arts, English Touring Opera and Royal College of Music partnership project which brings music, movement, and singing to people with Alzheimers and all forms of Dementia.
Over the course of the project, participants write the lyrics and compose the music for their own song cycle with the help of an animateur, a composer, Royal College of Music students or a Royal College of Music ambassador. The piece is then performed and recorded on DVD so that it can be shared with family and friends.
Since the first Turtle Song at the Royal College of Music in 2008 it has been introduced in Cambridge, Wolverhampton, Dulwich, Suffolk, Oxford, Stockton-on-Tees, Leeds, Norwich, Reading, Newbury, Croydon, Hackney, York, Waddesdon Manor, Chester and Camden. There are now on average five held each year.
In 2022, there were 80 participants in the Turtle Song project, with 4 RCM students and 4 RCM graduates involved.
Turtle Song was recently featured in the BBC documentary Holding Back the Years.
Our exciting programme of events has something for everyone
Find out how we work with Tri-borough Music Hub for local schools and communities


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Georg Karl Ludwig Streiter (* 14. Dezember 1884 in Berlin; † Frühjahr 1945 in Ravensbrück) war ein deutscher Gewerkschaftsfunktionär, Politiker (DVP) sowie evangelischer Kirchenfunktionär. Er war von 1907 bis 1922 Vorsitzender des Deutschen Verbandes der Krankenpfleger und -pflegerinnen sowie von 1904 bis nach 1920 Mitglied des Ausschusses des Gesamtverbandes der christlichen Gewerkschaften Deutschlands. Von Juni bis Juli 1920 sowie von 1921 bis 1924 war Streiter Mitglied des Reichstages, wo er sich als Sozialpolitiker und gesundheitspolitischer Sprecher seiner Fraktion hervortat. Von 1919 bis 1925 gehörte er zudem der Berliner Stadtverordnetenversammlung an, von 1927 bis 1928 und erneut von 1931 bis 1932 dem Preußischen Landtag. Er war Mitglied des Deutschen Evangelischen Kirchentages sowie von 1920 bis 1924 Vizepräsident der Kirchenversammlung der Evangelischen Kirche der altpreußischen Union. Nach 1933 arbeitete Streiter beim Deutschen Roten Kreuz. Er wurde im November 1944 aus ungeklärten Gründen im KZ Ravensbrück inhaftiert und dort mutmaßlich erschossen.

Leben und Wirken

Deutsches Kaiserreich (1884 bis 1918)
Streiter wurde 1884 als Sohn von Carl Streiter und Wilhelmine Streiter, geb. Schulz, in Berlin geboren. Nach dem Besuch der Volksschule absolvierte er eine Lehre in einer Textilwarenhandlung. Später arbeitete er als Bürogehilfe und als Krankenpfleger im Dienste der Inneren Mission. Ergänzend dazu besuchte er theologische, volkswirtschaftliche und sprachliche Kurse der Königlichen Kunstschule zu Berlin.

Bereits als Jugendlicher engagierte Streiter sich im "Evangelischen Jugendbund für soziale Arbeit" in Berlin, einer Gruppe von Jugendlichen, die eine gewerkschaftliche Organisation des Krankenpflegepersonals auf christlicher Grundlage propagierten.

Bei der Konstituierung des "Gewerkvereins der Krankenpfleger, -Pflegerinnen und verwandter Berufe Deutschlands" am 18. Oktober 1903 wurde Streiter im Alter von 19 Jahren die Geschäftsführung des Verbandes übertragen. Im November 1903 wurde Streiter außerdem verantwortlicher Redakteur des Verbandsblattes des Gewerksvereins Der Krankenpfleger. Von 1904 bis 1920 nahm Streiter als Delegierter auf allen Gewerkschaftskongressen des "Gesamtverbandes der christlichen Gewerkschaften Deutschlands" teil und wurde seit Oktober 1906 stets als Mitglied des Ausschusses des "Gesamtverbandes" bestätigt (Gesamtausschuss des "Nationalen Arbeiterwahlausschusses").

Seit 1907 war Streiter hauptamtlich in der Arbeiter- und Angestelltenbewegung tätig: Auf dem Delegiertentag am 13. Januar 1907 in Berlin wurde er als Nachfolger Carl Hintsches zum Vorsitzenden des Gewerkvereins gewählt. Außerdem bekleidete er weiterhin die Posten des Schriftleiters und Geschäftsführers. Er wurde somit der erste besoldete Funktionär der Organisation, die ihren Namen nun in "Deutscher Verband der Krankenpfleger und –Pflegerinnen" änderte. Auf den nachfolgenden Delegiertentagen (1909 in Berlin; 1913 in Nürnberg, 1919 in Berlin, 1922 in Würzburg) wurde Streiter stets im Amt des Vorsitzenden bestätigt. Die Zahl seiner Mitglieder konnte Streiter zu dieser Zeit kontinuierlich steigern: während der Verband 1907 erst 879 Mitglieder zählte, hatte er bis 1909 bereits eine Stärke von 1.409 Mitgliedern erreicht.

Politisch bekannte sich Streiters Verband zwar gegen Sozialismus und Kommunismus, den Streik als gewerkschaftliches Kampfmittel erklärte er im Gegensatz dazu jedoch für gerechtfertigt, solange "das Volkswohl dabei nicht in Gefahr kommt". Der "Streiter-Verband", wie die Vereinigung aufgrund von Streiters unbestrittener Führungsrolle auch genannt wurde, forderte programmatisch den Pflegeberuf von einem "Durchgangs- zu einem Lebensberuf" zu entwickeln. Zu diesem Zweck sollte die wirtschaftliche und soziale Lage der beruflichen Krankenpflege verbessert werden, eine geregelte Ausbildung der Pfleger sichergestellt werden und die Einbeziehungen von Frauen in die christlichen Gewerkschaftsorganisationen ausgebaut werden.

1910 veröffentlichte Streiter sein später mehrfach neu aufgelegtes Buch über die Lage der Krankenpflege in Deutschland, das als erstes wissenschaftliches Fachwerk über die deutsche Krankenpflege gilt und bis heute häufig als Quelle in Werken zur Pflegegeschichte zitiert wird. Auf dem außerordentlichen Kongress der christlichen Gewerkschaften im November 1912 setzte Streiter sich im so genannten "Gewerkschaftsstreit" dezidiert für das Organisationsrecht christlicher Arbeiter ein.

Während des Ersten Weltkriegs wurde Streiter als Krankenpfleger des Roten Kreuzes in Belgien, Polen und der Türkei eingesetzt und mit dem Eisernen Kreuz II. Klasse am Weiß-Schwarzen Bande, dem Preußischen Verdienstkreuz für Kriegshilfe, der Preußischen Roten Kreuz Medaille 2. und 3. Klasse sowie der Österreichischen Ehrenmedaille vom Roten Kreuz ausgezeichnet.

Von 1916 bis 1918 leitete Streiter die Kriegsbeschädigtenfürsorge der christlich-nationalen Arbeiterbewegung. In dieser Eigenschaft wurde er auch Mitglied des Reichsausschusses der Kriegsbeschädigten- und Hinterbliebenenfürsorge im Reichsarbeitsministerium. Aufgaben nahm er dort zumal in den Ausschüssen für Gesetzgebung und Berufsberatung wahr.

Ferner war Streiter zu dieser Zeit Mitglied des Beirates der "Nationalstiftung für die Hinterbliebenen der im Kriege Gefallenen", Mitglied des brandenburgischen Landesbeirats der Kriegsbeschädigtenfürsorge, Mitglied des Vertrauensrates des altpreußischen Evangelischen Oberkirchenrates und Mitglied des Deutschen Evangelischen Kirchentages (hier Vorsitzender der Fraktion der Arbeitervertreter). Hinzu kamen Tätigkeiten als Berufsberater der Stadt Berlin für den Krankenpflegebedarf sowie als Kirchenältester und Mitglied zweier Synoden.

Weimarer Republik (1919 bis 1933)
Unmittelbar nach Kriegsende übernahm Streiter die Leitung einer Zentralauskunftsstelle für Arbeitsvermittlung für Kriegsheimkehrer. Noch im Dezember 1918 beteiligte Streier sich an der Gründung der Deutschen Volkspartei (DVP). In der Partei trat er bald als Mitbegründer des Zentralvorstandes sowie als ihr gesundheitspolitischer Sprecher öffentlich hervor. Ferner war er Mitglied der parteiinternen Ausschüsse für Arbeiterfragen und Kommunalpolitik, Mitglied des Geschäftsführenden Ausschusses des Wahlkreisverbandes der DVP in Berlin und verantwortlich für die Redigierung des Arbeiterblattes seiner Partei.

Sein erstes öffentliches politisches Amt übernahm Streiter, als er am 20. März 1919 Mitglied der Berliner Stadtverordnetenversammlung wurde, der er bis ins Jahr 1925 angehörte.

Aufgrund der geringen Mitgliedszahlen des "Streiter-Verbandes" beschloss der Hauptvorstand der Organisation am 5. September 1920, den Verband in "Deutscher Verband für die berufliche Kranken- und Wohlfahrtspflege" umzubenennen. Gleichzeitig wurde die Organisation dem "Gesamtverband deutscher Beamtengewerkschaften" angeschlossen. Die von Streiter herausgegebene Gewerkschaftszeitung nahm daher einen langen Untertitel an, der ihrem breiten Adressatenkreis im Pflegebereich Rechnung trug (Zeitschrift für die gesamte berufliche Kranken-, Irren- und Wohlfahrtspflege und die wirtschaftlichen Interessen der Beamten und Angestellten in Kranken-, Heil- und Pflegeanstalten, Universitäts- und Privatkliniken, Sanatorien, Kur-, Bade-, Massage- und Desinfektionsanstalten und im Fürsorge- und Erziehungswesen (einschließlich der Säuglings- und Kinderpflege)).

Von Juni bis Juli 1920 gehörte Streiter auf Reichswahlvorschlag seiner Partei erstmals als Abgeordneter des Wahlkreises 6 (Provinz Pommern) dem Reichstag an. Das Mandat wurde am 9. Juli 1920 durch den Reichswahlausschuß infolge einer Wiederholung der Wahl in Bad Polzin für nichtig erklärt. Am 7. März 1921 kehrte Streiter – erneut auf Reichswahlvorschlag – in den Reichstag zurück, dem er diesmal bis Mai 1924 angehörte. Während der Haushaltsberatungen trug Streiter regelmäßig die gesundheits- und sozialpolitischen Positionen seiner Partei vor. Als Redner in Erscheinung trat er zudem bei Debatten zur Arbeitszeit in der Kranken- und Wohlfahrtspflege und bei parlamentarischen Auseinandersetzungen über die Sozialrenten der Kriegsbeschädigten und Kriegshinterbliebenen. Des Weiteren war er Mitglied des 6. Ausschusses des Reichstages (Sozialpolitischer Ausschuß) und Berichterstatter des Ausschusses in wichtigen sozialpolitischen Fragen. In Erscheinung trat er im Parlament zudem mit der Forderung nach dem Ausbau der Technischen Nothilfe.

Auf dem 6. Delegiertentag am 4. und 5. September 1922 in Würzburg billigte der Krankenpflegerverband die Fusion mit dem "Zentralverband der Gemeindearbeiter und Straßenbahner", die am 1. November vollzogen wurde. Die Gemeindearbeiterorganisation nahm nach der Fusion die Bezeichnung "Zentralverband der Arbeitnehmer öffentlicher Betriebe und Verwaltungen" an. Streiter, der den Zusammenschluss eigentlich nicht gewollt hatte, wurde als hauptamtlicher Mitarbeiter in die neue Organisation übernommen, in der nun die Fachgruppe des Krankenpflegepersonals im neuen Verband leitete. Auf den Verbandstagen 1922 in Würzburg und 1925 in Münster wurde er in den Vorstand des "Zentralverbandes" kooptiert. Auf der Düsseldorfer Reichskonferenz am 4. September 1926 präsentierte Streiter als Theoretiker der christlichen Krankenpflege die "Grundzüge für ein Reichskrankenpflegegesetz".

Im Dezember 1926 gab Streiter die Schriftleitung des Deutschen Krankenpflegers ab, um sich fortan stärker im Deutschen Beamtenbund (DBB) engagieren zu können. 1927 rief er die Reichsarbeitsgemeinschaft des Krankenpflegepersonals im DBB ins Leben. In der Rundschau für die deutsche Krankenpflege entwickelte Streiter die Programmatik der von den christlichen Gewerkschaften abgefallenen Organisation. Gleichzeitig amtierte er als Präsident der "Deutschen Gesellschaft für Krankenpflege", einem Zusammenschluss, der sich der wissenschaftlichen Förderung der Krankenpflege durch Ausbildungs- und Fortbildungskurse zum Ziel gesetzt hatte.

Vom 12. Oktober 1927, als er für den ausgeschiedenen Abgeordneten Albert-Wilhelm Arlt nachrückte, bis 1928 war Streiter Mitglied des Preußischen Landtages.

Weitere Aufgaben, die Streiter wahrnahm, waren die Mitgliedschaften im Vorstand des Evangelisch-Sozialen Kongresses, der Evangelisch-Sozialen Schule in Bethel und der Herder-Hochschule in Berlin. Er war weiterhin Teilnehmer der in Stockholm ausgerichteten "Allgemeinen Weltkonferenz für politisches Christentum" im August 1925 sowie Beiratsmitglied des in Stockholm konstituierten "Forschungsinstituts für die wirtschafts-ethischen Fragen". Schließlich saß er noch im Kuratorium der Dietrich-Thora-Stiftung.

Zeit des Nationalsozialismus (1933 bis 1945)
Nach der Auflösung seines Verbandes und der Integration der Mitglieder in die Reichsarbeitsgemeinschaft Öffentlicher Betriebe wurde Streiter 1933 hauptberuflicher Mitarbeiter des Roten Kreuzes.

Am 1. November 1944 wurde Streiter in seiner Dienststelle im Führungsstab des Roten Kreuzes verhaftet. Die genauen Gründe seiner Verhaftung sind nicht gesichert; ein Brief seines Sohnes aus den 1960er Jahren gibt jedoch an, Streiter sei wegen der Vermittlung von Botschaften an polnische und französische Kriegsgefangene festgenommen worden. Er wurde ins Konzentrationslager Ravensbrück verschleppt. Die genauen Umstände seines Todes sind bislang nicht vollständig geklärt. Es wird jedoch angenommen, dass Streiter im Frühjahr 1945 in Ravensbrück erschossen wurde.

Ehe und Familie
1907 heiratete Streiter Elisabeth Mauss. Im selben Jahr ging aus der Ehe ein Sohn hervor: Georg Heinrich Karl Streiter. Der Journalist Georg Streiter (* 1955) ist sein Enkel.

Ehrungen
In Thüringen erinnert heute das nach Streiter benannte Institut für Pflegewissenschaft (Georg-Streiter-Institut) im Fachbereich Sozialwesen der Ernst-Abbe-Fachhochschule Jena an Streiters Leben und politisch-soziale Tätigkeit. In der Nähe seiner ehemaligen Berliner Wirkungsstätte, dem Reichstag, befindet sich zudem eine Gedenktafel, die Teil des Mahnmals für die ermordeten Reichstagsabgeordneten am Platz der Republik ist.

Vor dem ehemaligen Wohnhaus Streiters, Schönhauser Allee 130, in Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg, wurde am 8. Juni 2009 ein Stolperstein verlegt.

Schriften
 Die wirtschaftliche und soziale Lage der beruflichen Krankenpflege in Deutschland, Jena 1910.
 Der Krankenpflegeberuf – kein Durchgangs-, sondern ein Lebensberuf! Ein Weckruf, Osterwieck 1925.

Als Herausgeber
 Evangelisch-soziale Dokumente für die deutschen Arbeitnehmer. Von Bethel bis Stockholm, Berlin 1926.

Literatur
 Eckhard Hansen, Florian Tennstedt (Hrsg.) u. a.: Biographisches Lexikon zur Geschichte der deutschen Sozialpolitik 1871 bis 1945. Band 2: Sozialpolitiker in der Weimarer Republik und im Nationalsozialismus 1919 bis 1945. Kassel University Press, Kassel 2018, ISBN 978-3-7376-0474-1, S. 194 f. (Online, PDF; 3,9 MB).
 Arno Kalinich: "Georg Streiter (1884-1945)", in: Beiträge zur Pflegegeschichte in Deutschland Heft 5, Qualzow 1996, S. 19–37.
 Horst-Peter Wolff: Biographisches Lexikon zur Pflegegeschichte, 1997.

Weblinks

Einzelnachweise

Reichstagsabgeordneter (Weimarer Republik)
Person im Ersten Weltkrieg (Deutsches Reich)
Mitglied der Stadtverordnetenversammlung (Berlin)
Mitglied des Preußischen Landtags (Freistaat Preußen)
DDGB-Funktionär
Funktionär (DBB Beamtenbund und Tarifunion)
Person (Altpreußische Union)
Journalist (Deutsches Reich)
Person (Pflege, 20. Jahrhundert)
Person (Diakonie)
Person (Deutsches Rotes Kreuz)
Person (Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag)
DVP-Mitglied
Todesopfer im KZ Ravensbrück
Träger des Eisernen Kreuzes am weißen Bande
Person, für die im Bezirk Pankow ein Stolperstein verlegt wurde
Deutscher
Geboren 1884
Gestorben 1945
Mann

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Author http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/authors/kimberly-brubaker-bradley/
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
"I listen to a lot of audiobooks, and I mostly get them from the library because I'm so picky about the narrators."
Talking with Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Those who listen to Kimberly Brubaker Bradley's THE WAR I FINALLY WON may be surprised to find they love it even more than her award-winning first book, THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE. Both books tell the story of a young Londoner named Ada who is sent to the English countryside during WWII.
Bradley herself has been surprised by the book on several occasions. She called her editor, Jessica Dandino Garrison, after her mother read an advance copy of the sequel. "Jess," she said, "you'll never believe this, but my mom thinks THE WAR I FINALLY WON is better than the first book." "That's weird," her equally startled editor replied, "mine does, too!"
Bradley didn't expect her second book would be hard to write. "I knew what was happening, I knew the characters and the basic structure, and I had the voice already. But it was the hardest thing I've ever done." She and her editor worked on nine full revisions before they were satisfied. "It took a long time, and we made so many changes, but after hanging out with the completed story for a couple months, I like THE WAR I FINALLY WON better--and I didn't expect that. The ending of the book pleases me enormously. The difference between Ada at the start of the second book and the end was what I was trying to achieve all along."
There's continuity in Ada's healing and growth in the two books. She suffers from her club foot, Mam's cruelty, limited experiences, and difficulties imposed by war, but in both stories she grows in her understanding of the world, and she's never a victim. "I want kids to know that you can be resilient and you don't have to be defined by your circumstances."
In touring, Bradley says that a lot of children have told her about their difficult lives. "One wanted to know how to manage hard things. And I said I don't know how you manage because everyone's hard things are different, but I know it's possible to get through them. That you can find a way out."
Bradley's fans will be happy to learn she's considering a third book. "The most likely narrative character is Ruth, but I haven't gotten far enough to decide when the book would start. If I use Ruth, I have a whole lot of choices. I could start in Germany, I could start at Bletchley, I could start anywhere in between." Ruth, a brilliant German-Jewish refugee, changes Ada and is changed by her. Originally, Ruth started out as a minor character. "But we kept giving her more and more of a role, and she entered earlier and earlier in the narrative."
Bradley is an audiobook lover. "I listen to a lot of audiobooks, and I mostly get them from the library because I'm so picky about the narrators. A lot of times when I'm on a trip, I'll take out an audiobook and then go back and read the book when I come home because I just don't like the narrator."
Several of her books have come out on audio, and she's always been happy with them. But she thinks Jane Entwistle's reading of THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE is brilliant. "I would go around town listening to the audio, and I'd stop at the grocery store and have tears streaming down my face because to me Jane's voice is the voice I heard in my head when I wrote the book. It's the only time it's ever matched like that. She's perfect at giving all the characters the right nuances. I love listening to her."
Bradley was super pleased when Entwistle won the 2016 Odyssey Award for her narration. "We met because of that as we both had to give speeches. We play off each other very well, so Listening Library had us tour together. She'd read a section of the book, and I'd dissolve into tears, and then she'd dissolve into tears. We were just a giant mess."
At the time of this interview Bradley had not heard Entwistle's newest recording. Her copy of THE WAR I FINALLY WON arrived after she left on her book tour. "I know it's waiting for me when I get home, and I'm dying to hear it."--Susie Wilde
[DECEMBER 2017/JANUARY 2018]
© AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine
Photo courtesy of the author


1. In bringing African students together. Since Africa is a continent with lots of youth, and most youth are in higher institutions and most are eager to involve in different activities taking part in their continent. (This includes bringing African students learning outside of Africa to take role in such activities).
2. In making African youth voice heard. Students share and discuss and promote their ideas as well problems and endeavors around their communities and surroundings.
3. In representing African students where possible. Currently there is no such a youth organization representing African students in summits like the African Union, G20 and others. So we need AUSC in doing such activities in representing students and addressing issues related with students.
4. In creating a platform for African students in exchanges of cultures,conducting educational researches, making partnerships and creating networks and accomplishingAGENDA2063 in building the Africa we want to see.(In collaboration with African Union).
5. In addressing issues like climate change, food security and campaigns on how the African youth should fight poverty in creating a developed Africa where the youth will take leadership roles in the continent.
6. In representing and promoting the educational, social, economic and cultural interests of students at the African level towards all relevant bodies including the African Union.


Immunovet is an all natural feed ingredient for animals.
The product is rich in macro- and microelements, vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids, the active component is the specially fermented wheat germ extract. Through the complex biological mechanisms Immunovet has beneficial effects on both the humoral and the cellular immune system. It also nourishes the intestinal villi, increases their surface, enhances the absorption of alimentary substances and the skeletal system gets healthier and stronger.
Due to the natural ingredients it can help to strengthen the immune system and has antimicrobial, antioxidant, inflammation preventing and roborating proprieties.
Immunovet is manufactured in the European Union under GMP, by Biropharma Ltd.


text:
Honda and Diageo Release Quarterly Reports and 2 More Hot Stocks
Justin Lloyd-Miller Google+ Twitter
Honda Motor Co. (NYSE:HMC): First-quarter net profit fell 7 percent year-over-year, coming in at 122.5 billion yen ($1.2 billion), below the 144.5 billion yen consensus. Revenue grew 16 percent to 2.83 trillion yen against forecasts calling for 2.8 trillion. The company put significant investments into expanding output and further advancing into emerging markets, moves partially offset by strong demand for the Accord sedan and a weaker yen. Now, the company is looking toward expanding its market share in the U.S., according to executives.
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Diageo Inc. (NYSE:DEO): Diageo reported 2013 pretax profit of 3.12 billion pounds, flat year-over-year. Operating profit, with the exclusion of some items, grew 10 percent to 3.53 billion pounds, above the consensus measure of 3.48 billion. Attributable profit grew 28 percent and net sales grew 6 percent, while organic sales rose 5 percent versus the consensus of 4.7 percent and the group medium-term target of 6 percent.
Anheuser-Busch Inbev (NYSE:BUD): Shares are ripping over 6 percent as the company announced revenues of $10.59 billion versus the reference base of $10.35 billion and consensus of $10.2 billion, with organic sales seeing a 3.9 percent surge against the consensus of 3.7 percent. A price hike boosted revenue toward the end of the year, and a shift to new products — like Bud Light Platinum and the margarita-flavored Bud Light Lime Lima-a-Rita — took effect.
Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM): The Financial Times revealed that Qualcomm's investment in Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE:ALU) is worth about $133 million in an investment separate from the equity element of the new relationship. Given that Qualcomm's ownership is 5 percent or less — no new shares were issued in the deal — the company is not obligated to release details. The companies will be working on the research and development of small cell base stations, as Alcatel had already started partnering with telecom providers.
Don't Miss: Ford Keeps Pushing Tech Envelope with This Move.


I asked a group of photographers to pick work from their archives and place our photos side by side: I chose one of their images, and paired it with one of mine; then they chose one of mine, and paired it with one of theirs. More precisely: the odd-numbered photograph (1, 3, 5) was chosen by one photographer of the other's work—an opening; while the even-numbered photograph (2, 4, 6), from that photographer's own archive, is a pairing, a response, an echo, a resonance—a closing.
The hinges holding our diptychs in place are many.
The work in this section is courtesy of the photographers below, with all rights reserved.
Saudamini Deo lives in India. She writes, and takes photographs.
Magda Kapa was born and raised in Greece and currently lives in Germany. In addition to shooting film photography, she writes poetry and short stories in English. Her work has been published in online literary blogs and magazines, and one of her projects is forthcoming from Phoenicia Publishing. She is on Twitter as @MagdaKapa; her photograph of the dancer in the Greek restaurant inspired this series of tweets.
Maximillian Hencke is a photographer from Washington, D.C. He graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where he studied Dramatic Writing.
Teju Cole is the author of Open City and Every Day Is for the Thief. His photography has been published in A Public Space, Huck, Domus India, The New York Review of Books, The New York Times, and online at The Wall Street Journal and The New Yorker.