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Legendary UH Women's Volleyball Coach Dave Shoji Recounts Career Highs and Lows in New Book
UH legend Dave Shoji became the winningest coach in women's volleyball last season. Now he has a new book out. In it, he recounts the highs, the lows and what it's like behind that famous focus.
By Ann Miller, Intro by Robbie Dingeman
Published: 2014.11.19 10:20 AM
Photo: Mark Arbeit
Dave Shoji's name has become synonymous with women's volleyball through four decades of coaching the University of Hawai'i's Rainbow Wāhine team, which has won four national championships and is a fixture in the rankings.
Yet Shoji remains somewhat private as a person. Sure, he's the steely-eyed coach who barks directions at his players and is comfortable doing post-game analyses on TV, but he reveals little about the man behind the wins.
In the introduction to the book, Shoji explains that this biography only came about because he found someone who could work with him at the right time, despite some limitations: "First, I'm a terrible writer. Second, I'm a man of few words. And third, there was no way for me to begin to know how to start this complicated process. So I asked the person who knows more about the program and more about me than just about anybody in the world besides my wife, Mary, to help. That would be Ann Miller, recently retired longtime sportswriter for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser (and The Honolulu Advertiser)."
Here are some excerpts from the book, including quotes from his former players:
Dave Shoji in 1975.
Archive photos: Courtesy UH Athletic Department
When I was in college, if you weren't full-time in school, taking 15 hours, you were classified 1-A for the draft. Everybody who had student status had a 2-A exemption. One quarter, I had to drop a class, I was not doing well, so I just had 12 credits. It was amazing how fast the draft board knew I only had 12 credits. … Then I made the All–Armed Forces team, which went on to travel and play for a month at various tournaments around the country. When I got back, I had under one year left in the service. The rules then were that they couldn't send you out if you had less than one year left to serve. I had no idea that would happen. My commanding officer had no idea, and he was not happy about it. The Army was not happy about it, but those few weeks ended up leaving me less than a year and kept me out of Vietnam.
Donnis Thompson was an African-American woman from Chicago's South Side. She said she got into track and field because that was the one sport where "the racist element was not that important." UH hired Donnis as a professor in the '60s, and she became the interim women's athletic director in 1973, the year after Rainbow Wāhine athletics started with volleyball and track and a $5,000 budget. Athletic director was a part-time position, and Donnis was also an associate professor of health and PE.
Donnis was a tough one to work for because she had all the vision, but we didn't have money to back anything up. I had no sense about women's athletics, no idea who Patsy Mink was, didn't really understand Title IX. (Editor's note: The late Hawai'i Rep. Patsy Mink championed and co-authored the federal law passed in 1972 that mandated gender equity in sports and other educational programs that receive federal funding.)
Donnis was riding Title IX to get things going, but to me it was what any team was entitled to. If you're going to have a team, you should have laundry services, you should have balls, you should have practice times. I didn't get why it was Title IX that got us these things. In my mind, if you wanted to have a team, you had to provide support in a manner where there was a chance to win.
But volleyball was still a minor sport, and we just didn't have anything. We stayed at Motel 6 on the road, and it was actually $6, and four to a room. Donnis Thompson, with a keen eye toward publicity, wanted to open the 1976 season at the Blaisdell Center. It would be our first official home match, which made the eventual sellout unbelievable.
I thought it was silly to go to the Blaisdell and play. Donnis always had big dreams, big visions, but I could never see the future the way she could. She was the kind of person who said, we are going to do this, and never had any doubts. I really don't know who bought all those tickets. All I know is I was dumbfounded at how many people were there. Of course we were all very nervous—no one had ever dreamed of playing in front of so many people. But, once we started, we just concentrated on the match. To be honest, I was more nervous about the net setup, which we had to design the day of the game. The Blaisdell had nowhere to anchor the poles, so we strung cable from net poles to the floor, but they were not very stable.
TV does make you coach differently. The cameras are right in your face, especially when you make a mistake, and there is no escape. We are constantly reminding our players not to swear. Our bench demeanor is also picked up by TV, everybody sees it, so we talk a lot about how to conduct yourself if you're not in the game. The girls would say things like "frick," then claim, "I'm not swearing," but it looks like you are. Or saying "sugar" comes off as the wrong word, so that is something they have to be aware of, too. It's something you never think about before you find yourself on camera, but the camera shows it all—good and bad.
Rainbow Wāhine celebrate their 1979 championship win.
People want to come here because it is the best environment in college volleyball. Other coaches and players say it all the time. Especially for teams that won't go to the post-season, this is like playing in the NCAA tournament—and usually our matches and tournaments are better organized, and more fun. The fans embrace the players like nowhere else and have practically from the start. "There is definitely not any college experience like it, anywhere else in the world. Nothing is even close," Deitre Collins claims.
The 1983 champion team.
You've got to put your best players on the floor. You can't recruit a player just because she's local if she's not at that level. I like to give the local girls a chance for sure, but the best players are going to play. There is no mix planned. We are lucky our local players can play at the highest level. In some sports that is not possible, but in volleyball it absolutely is.
Dave Shoji coaching in 1989.
I've learned that it doesn't help to get worked up about things because the players don't react well to a lot of yelling. They don't react well to a coach going off on them. I've watched coaches who weren't effective because they were yellers. I think I was a yeller. I was definitely a yeller back in the '70s. I didn't understand the value of talking to them, trying to get more out of them by being calm and more analytical rather than "Get your butt in gear" kind of talk. I don't think that works with players. Riley (Wallace) used to tell me you've got to bust them and make them respect you, that's the way they'll respond. I just never thought that was right.
It's different with the guys. I coached the UH men's team from 1979 to 1985, and that was back in the days when I was a yeller. I remember constantly yelling at them. They were a different breed then—they rarely listened no matter how you said things.
If I had one pick to start a team, it would be Teee Williams, the best player we ever had. She could block middle, play left, and we had her do both. She was durable as heck; we set her tons of balls, and she never missed a game. In 1988, she had 40 kills and 45 digs against Cal Poly and just kept bombing balls. She actually scared people a little bit. Plus, she loved it here. "I smile every time I think of Hawai'i," Teee says. "No matter where I am in the world, if I look up and see a rainbow, that is the one thing I have from Hawai'i. I still remember jumping up and hearing the crowd yell, 'Teeeeee!'"
It is part of people's lives here. No other universities seek us out to ask why we're so successful. I think they know things are a little unusual here. They know they can't create the same thing unless they establish winning all the time.
In 1983, Wāhine players Joyce Kaapuni, Sista Palakiko, Lee Ann Pestana, Missy Yomes were No. 1.
On the other hand, players today I don't think are as tough as players were back then. Players in the '70s could take more punishment, and there wasn't as much parental interference. Nobody gave you anything then, you had to earn it. Kids nowadays are a little more spoiled, a little more enabled. There's more drama with playing time. More players bail out of a tough situation now.
It's just a sign of the times. Early in childhood, everybody gets a medal, everybody gets to play in AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization). You're supposed to be encouraging with everybody and tell them to just have fun. When kids come to a tough situation, they're not able to deal with it sometimes.
The coaching has changed along with it. You've got to be able to manage kids like that today. It's still manageable, but it's really hard now. You have to cater to boys and girls, and you have to be strong, but you still have to understand who you're dealing with. I think players in the '80s, when Title IX was still new ... anything they ever got was appreciated. If we treated them to a nice postgame meal, they were so happy. But now everybody expects that kind of treatment.
The game has changed dramatically simply because of money. Texas, Nebraska and Penn State are not the only ones with big budgets now—Alabama has a big budget, and there are many others. I wouldn't say anybody in the Pac-12 is successful solely because they have a big budget, but if you have a big budget and a great campus and a great academic reputation, now you are getting into the things girls want. A good coach and really good academics are primary, and then the rest of it might come into play, like facilities and location.
Shoji celebrates with his Wāhine players on the occasion of his 1,000th win in 2009.
Every time I think about my life I have to thank the late Donnis Thompson. I don't know where I would be today without her pushing Title IX and women's volleyball. I can't think of any other life. I've had this life for 40 years, and it's just been a wonderful opportunity. Everything I have goes back to Donnis, and I have to give credit to her. She was the one who really had the vision. I had no vision at the time, I was trying to get by day to day. Who could have imagined the program being where it is today, except maybe her?
When I hit 50, I thought, well, maybe this could be a career, maybe this might have to be my career. The last time I had a job interview was with Donnis in 1980. I remember her admonishing me because I came in practice gear. I was in shorts because it was right before practice, and she thought I should have worn long pants and maybe a coat and tie. She scolded me, but in the back of my mind it was like, "How can she not hire me?" She did, and pretty much every day since has been a blessing.
I treasure the first national championship, and finally being hired full time in 1981. Rallying past USC to win the 1982 title was so special and so was the year after, when our team cemented its legacy. Our last final-four team, in 2009, highlighted a year when so many good things happened in my life. I still remember the excitement of beating Nebraska in Lincoln to go to the 2002 final four, and beating Pacific—finally—in a rocking Klum Gym to make our way to the 1987 championship.
Ending USC's season twice at their new arena a few years ago also remains memorable, as does that 2000 regional win over Long Beach State, our longtime nemesis. I don't think I had any idea of just how much the people of Hawai'i embraced us until the opening of the Stan Sheriff Center in 1994. To see 10,000 fans is something most volleyball players will never experience, and probably most coaches. We've seen it a bunch of times, and it basically began with that shocking sellout at the Neal Blaisdell Center in 1976.
We played the game's longest match, with Brigham Young in the 1998 WAC tournament final, and we are the home of the sport's winningest coach and most loyal, kind, passionate, and compassionate fans. The feeling of celebrating wins number 1,000 and 1,107, which put me number one on the victory list, at home will stay with me always. The sheer joy of the players and genuine appreciation of the fans touched me deeply.
I will probably relish all the wins later in life, but right now the only win you want is the next one, so you are still in the moment of coaching. To me, our greatest achievement will always be that we have been competitive for 40 years. My only real regrets are every one of those painful losses.
If something else had come along in 1976, I probably would have taken it and left the University of Hawai'i. I never imagined coaching Wāhine volleyball into my 50s, let alone 60s. Now, all I think about is the future. When I retire, I don't want the new coach to be a Dave Shoji clone. The person who takes the job is going to have to stand on their own two feet and become their own person in the job. I would like somebody who has the program's best interest in mind to take over. I want someone the community is going to feel comfortable with—I'd want all the people in Hawai'i who have season tickets to say, "Hey, I'm going to renew my season tickets because they have a good team and so-and-so is the head coach." We need someone who is going to capture the hearts of the people.
After that, it's all about winning—you've got to continue winning.
Dave Shoji, in the Words of his Former Players
Angelica Ljungquist
Years played, 1993—'96
"I will always have a picture of him in my head squatting down in the backcourt analyzing the game, seeing little things. He'd be there a long time, and all of a sudden he'd jump up and have something meaningful to say about the game that made such a difference. My training with him was a combination of so many things, mentally and physically. He was always working on my blocking. I had a problem getting my left hand over the net, and he even asked me, what's "left" in Swedish. It's vänster, so from then on he kept telling me, "Vänster, vänster hand."
Deitre Collins-Parker
"As a coach, it is sometimes very difficult to understand how every team can't be like the one we had at Hawai'i. Then I realize how special we were. Working hard was the norm, winning was expected, but earned. You just don't find that everywhere. I am truly blessed that when I was trying to decide where I should attend school, God was showing me rainbows. To me this was my sign that Hawai'i was where I was to go to school. I never visited—Dave was the only person I met before I came. There could not have been a better decision for me, or a better coach!"
Cobey Shoji Hutzler
Daughter, former director of volleyball operations at Stanford University
Besides having an amazing support system, I think Dad has remained successful because of the simplicity of his coaching and teaching and his ability to develop players' talent. Everything he does is very simple and routine, and I think that a lot of his success comes in that simplicity. He hasn't changed much in those 40 years, and the results speak for themselves. He is incredible at teaching the basic skills in volleyball and consequently develops talent and gets the most out of his players, better than any coach."
Robyn Ah Mow-Santos
Years played, 1993—'96/UH assistant coach. 2011-present
"Dave puts up with attitudes a little more now than he did before. He lets it go to a point, but when it gets too much, he does put his foot down, and when it comes down, there is no coming back, I can tell you that!"
Tita Ahuna
"Dave really teaches. He is very good at strategy, but he also teaches the basics of volleyball and what you need to know. When it comes time to use that strategy, he has that instinct to know that we are ready. Substitutes are ready—he prepares you to do that. Not very many coaches think like that. Dave was my biggest influence as far as coaching at that level. I wouldn't be where I am—coaching two national championship teams at Hawai'i Pacific and running a volleyball club—if I hadn't been a student of the game then. I think Dave was the same way in college. Why not emulate somebody who is awesome?"
Terry Malterre
The UH women's volleyball program, and all the sacrifices Dave has made to develop a successful program for women, have given all of us an opportunity to receive a college education while playing volleyball. How great is that? We are now in our communities contributing to society, especially in Hawai'i. His legacy is giving back to the state of Hawai'i and making women's volleyball a prestigious and respectable sport."
Q&A with Author Ann Miller
Q. What was it like to work this closely with someone you'd covered for so long?
A. It was way more than we ever wanted to see of each other off the golf course, but I did learn just how far I could push him, and when I needed to get (his wife) Mary to push him for me. She is a rock star!
Q. How has he changed over the years?
A. His family has mellowed him, and his faith. He trusts people more and his players trust him much more. And, after almost 40 years of being a national contender in a sport that's hardly fair anymore, he realizes he doesn't have to win the last game to be successful. He just looks at all those fans and kind, successful former players and counts his blessings.
Q. What do you see as key to his success?
A. I've only been scared in a sports setting twice—when I partnered with Dave Shoji and Michelle Wie on the golf course and we were losing our $1 bets, which tells you a little about how bad my golf game is. Their stone-cold competitiveness, and the frightening "We will not lose to these guys" look they each gave me, sent the same shiver down my spine, and made me $2 richer.
Q. Random fact that people don't know about him that you think may surprise them?
A. Lots of coaches and athletes talk about learning more after a loss, but are at a loss to explain what they learned right after a game. Dave is much more introspective and articulate after a loss. He already gets it, and has started fixing it.
Q. Best part of doing the book?
A. It was touching to hear former players describe Dave in very different terms years later. What they came to appreciate most had little to do with wins, losses and arm-swings.
Q. Worst part?
A. I've never worked this hard over a five-month period in my life. It was not the retirement I had envisioned.
—Robbie Dingeman
Wāhine Volleyball: 40 Years Coaching Hawai'i's Team by Dave Shoji with Ann Miller, UH Press, was released this month.
Available at book retailers or uhpress.hawaii.edu, or (888) UH-PRESS. See daveshoji.com for book signing dates and locations.
About the book's author
Ann Miller is an award-winning journalist who covered sports in Hawai'i for 34 years, first at The Honolulu Advertiser and then the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Before that, she worked in the sports department at the Oakland Tribune—and waited on tables—to finance her degree in journalism and physical education at San Francisco State. The Association for Women in Sports Media created The Ann Miller Service Award in 2013 to honor members who have made a significant contribution to the organization. She still covers some golf for the Star-Advertiser, but officially retired this year to work on her own game, see much more of family and friends and learn what it feels like to watch a Wāhine volleyball match with a beer in her hand. This is her first book collaboration.
READ MORE STORIES BY ROBBIE DINGEMAN
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Home > IT Blogs > Investigating Outsourcing
Investigating Outsourcing:
Public sector IT service providers must comply with FOI
KarlFl40 Profile: KarlFl40
FOI, freedom of information, government
With the government outsourcing services on a massive scale more and more private companies fall within the
Computacenter tops KPMG IT service provider list
Computacenter, KPMG
Computacenter has come out on top of KPMG's
CSC linked with CIA torture flights
Had to flag this one up.
CSC customers are being urged to boycott the supplier over allegations that it took part in illegal CIA rendition flights in the US "war on terror".
CSC has been linked in court documents to the rendition of German citizen Khaled El-Masri, whose case...
Outsourcing is increasing the UK IT skills gap, says survey
There is a debate in the IT industry about why UK corporates feel the need to outsource and offshore. Most say it's because of a skills shortage. There is no shortage of IT graduates but there is a shortage of those with the right skills," they say.
But cost cutting is felt to be the...
G4S fiasco was bad management on both sides and integrity of supplier questioned
G4S, Outsourcing
I blogged last week about an article by Journalist John Humphrys
What makes a convincing cloud service?
I interviewed the Imperial ICT service centre manager at London's Imperial College last week about the college's move to a cloud based IT service management (ITSM) service.
Paul Carter, told me about the move from an 8 year old system to a cloud based service from ServiceNow. As well as...
John Humphrys steps in the outsourcing debate
Journalist John Humphrys asks whether the G4S debacle puts outsourcing in doubt.
He wrote an interesting article following the failure of G4S to provide the bodies it promised to secure the London Olympics this summer. It is a good piece that looks at a bit of the history of...
IT Intra Company Transfers (ICTs) still dominate immigrant workforce in UK
It has been a while since I have written about Intra Company Transfers (ICTs) and their impact on UK IT professionals. ICTs are used as a loophole to bring workers to the UK without a visa, if a company has a UK operation.
It is a method used by many offshore IT suppliers to bring...
Government finds it impossible to break systems integrator habit
Despite calls from inside government and the IT industry for a more equitable distribution of government IT contracts, with SME suppliers given a fair crack of the whip, nothing is changing.
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has stuck with old ways of working...
Computer problem caused G4S Olympic security staff shortage
The Independent on Sunday has revealed that the reason that G4S couldn't get...
An insider's view on the issues, trends and controversies around outsourcing and IT services.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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#import <Bolts/BoltsVersion.h>
#import <Bolts/BFExecutor.h>
#import <Bolts/BFTask.h>
#import <Bolts/BFTaskCompletionSource.h>

#if TARGET_OS_IPHONE
#import <Bolts/BFAppLinkNavigation.h>
#import <Bolts/BFAppLink.h>
#import <Bolts/BFAppLinkTarget.h>
#import <Bolts/BFURL.h>
#import <Bolts/BFMeasurementEvent.h>
#import <Bolts/BFAppLinkReturnToRefererController.h>
#import <Bolts/BFAppLinkReturnToRefererView.h>
#endif

/*! @abstract 80175001: There were multiple errors. */
extern NSInteger const kBFMultipleErrorsError;

@interface Bolts : NSObject

/*!
 Returns the version of the Bolts Framework as an NSString.
 @returns The NSString representation of the current version.
 */
+ (NSString *)version;

@end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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PlayStation VR Shooter Farpoint Australian Bundle Pricing Revealed
In Playstation News
PlayStation Australia has revealed that PlayStation VR exclusive Farpoint will release in Australia on May 17th. You'll be able to get the game individually for $89.95 or bundled with the PS VR Aim Controller for $129.95. You can preorder this from EB Games already.
The most interesting thing about this game is that it uses the brand new PlayStation VR Aim controller which has built-in motion sensors and rumble. It'll work with the PlayStation Camera to track your movements.
The game will also feature online co-op play at launch. You'll be able to tackle hordes of enemies side-by-side.
PlayStation Is Opening A New Office In Adelaide
Definitely looks interesting and it looks like it'll be one of a few actual gaming experiences available on PlayStation VR. Hopefully it lives up to the expectations.
Here's The Full List Of UPlay+ Launch Games


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Best Articles I Read (2020 Edition)
Published on December 31, 2020.
Tags: Reading
Every year for a while (last year's edition is here), I have compiled a list of the "best articles" I read in that calendar year. Typically, I choose a top five, and then a long, long list of honorable mentions (last year's list came out to 26 honorable mentions!)
This year, I read just as much if not more than usual. And yet, scanning through the hundreds of feature pieces and profiles I read this year, I can't help but feel that the collective corpus of our cultural creative energies was wanting. So much of the in-depth coverage this year was directed to the major topics of the day: coronavirus, the summer of police brutality and civil rights protests, the 2020 presidential election, and more. History is happening in the moment, and journalists and essayists covered these events with alacrity and heart.
And yet. I read profiles from April that might as well not have been read in the first place. Coronavirus articles that were the best in their genre just a few months ago have all but expired. The incredible reporting from the frontlines of protests this summer feel like a distant memory. And the election analyses were mostly wrong before the election, and still feel completely wrong after it.
Part of my goal with these lists is to highlight pieces that have staying power, and if I am being honest, there just didn't seem to be all too many pieces this year that fit that bill. So it's a slimmer year, and let's hope for a quieter 2021 where everyone can write pieces without the gush of deadline pressure.
First Place: China Used Stolen Data to Expose CIA Operatives in Africa and Europe by Zach Dorfman
Zach Dorfman's series of articles
➜ Continue reading...
Best Books I Read (2020 Edition)
This year, I read 42 books give or take, including 13 fiction novels and short story collections as well as 29 non-fiction books. I'm currently reading Albert Camus' The Rebel, along with the original Korean edition of The Plotters (설계자들), whose English translation I put on my top three book list last year.
One pattern I noticed this year is that I did start and quit reading more books than I have in the past. Growth by Vaclav Smil, for instance, is extremely ambitious and elucidating, but my god, I don't have the patience for that kind of turgid academic writing no matter how many accolades the book has garnered.
I also filtered much more aggressively this year than in the past — heading toward enduring classics and award winners, where I used to want to be more on the edge. Maybe given the sheer amount of news coverage I had to read for work — there was something enticing about having the ability to just return to works of trans-generational quality.
That makes choosing " the best books of the year" a bit of an obnoxious exercise. At least twenty of the books I read this year were amazing and deserve all the accolades and status they have received. Others were fine, although by no means bad. I do believe in forcing choice and filtering though, so here are three ranked books plus honorable mentions on what I thought were the best from the bookshelf this year.
First Place: Anti-intellectualism in American Life by Richard Hofstadter
This is undoubtedly a major classic of American history, a powerful narrative and synthesis to comprehend America's peculiar intellectual politics. I expected it to be much more polemical, and was instead deeply enamored with the way that America's particular development created the
Best Articles I Wrote (2020 Edition)
Tags: Writing Review
Well, this was certainly a doozy of a year.
Over 2020, I wrote 308 articles, including Equity podcast episodes. According to a quick command line check, I wrote about 250,000 words this year in published form across TechCrunch, my blog here, City Journal, and elsewhere, or about five business books in 12 months.
And yet, I can't help but feel like I barely covered … anything. In technology, in startups, in politics, and in the intersection of all the above, 2020 just brought in an avalanche of stories. Huge investments in semiconductors. Antitrust authorities targeting tech globally. Competition in GPS networks from China and India, with indigenous innovation happening around the world. Housing innovation, fintech/blockchain innovation, and the evolution of venture capital. And that's not even getting close to the mainline story of 2020 — the pandemic.
I don't know how to process my work, since so much of it ended up being on autopilot this year. But here are a couple of stabs at picking out the gems from the rubble.
On the scoop side: Palantir's IPO
In terms of just raw reporting power, my best story series of the year was a set of 12 articles covering Palantir's IPO. First, I secured the company's entire S-1 SEC filing before the company filed and made it public, garnering a nice series of mentions in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg.
From there, I continued to cover the story, including Palantir's unique lockup period, independent board governance, direct stock sales, and more. As the company published revision after revision to the SEC, the company finally inserted language saying that its founders and major owners could "unilaterally adjust their total voting power." My story on that (frankly, ridiculous) governance model got
Gangster Capitalism, more Palantir discussion, and reading recs
Published on September 22, 2020.
Another week of craziness
Hi, it's Danny Crichton again and it's time for some writing updates. As always, hopefully you all remember signing up for my update list (it's double opt-in to avoid spam), but if not, feel free to unsubscribe in the email footer below (I won't be offended). As always, feel free to email me at danny@dannycrichton.com.
I'm currently reading "The Death of the Artist: How Creators Are Struggling to Survive in the Age of Billionaires and Big Tech" by William Deresiewicz and enjoying it pretty well.
Gangster capitalism and the American theft of Chinese innovation
Wow, this analysis really hit a nerve. I've been covering the TikTok/Oracle deal the last couple of weeks, and it looked like there was a deal, but no one can actually agree on what the deal is or was.
My analysis Zoom-ed in on the rise of Chinese innovation, and how American policymakers are increasingly using the toolbox used by Chinese officials to block market access. TikTok was forcibly sold with very little due process, over the implication that it might hold national security concerns. Those concerns have never been proven, but even if you give the government the benefit of the doubt, the ribald shutting down of a Chinese upstart against American incumbents like Facebook and Twitter shows just how far America has fallen from its ideals.
Clearly, the article hit a nerve. Seven figures of readers, hundreds of DMs, emails, and messages, and a good pile of vitriol to boot as well.
It's not always easy for us to confront our own weaknesses and faults. Certainly, China has been brazen in using everything from industrial espionage to market barriers to shape its economy and grow against its global competitors. Yet,
"A New World Begins" and the meaning of the French Revolution
Tags: Book Review, History
The French Revolution is simultaneously one of the most defining moments of the modern era as well as one of the most elusive. Its architecture and patterns set the stage for much of modern politics and economics, from the very concepts of "left wing" and "right wing" to standard weights and measures to the foundations of human rights that are still at the heart of Western liberalism.
Yet, the French Revolution is … involved. Convoluted. Inchoate. It both shocked the monarchy and destroyed that vestige of the past, but led to a sequence of emperors and rulers and republics on and off that continues to this day. A singular event, but just one in what in retrospect was a rapid gush of history.
There's been a lot of new historical work on the subject, so I was excited to read Jeremy D. Popkin's A New World Begins: The History of the French Revolution. French history is something that I have studied a bit for years, and the book has been billed as sort of a "most up-to-date" look at this pivotal event.
The book is adequate for its task. It covers the lead up and the context for the French economy and its foreign relations, walks through the major events, and heads to the other side. Of special note is the book's deeper connections to the events in the French Caribbean colonies such as Saint-Domingue, where Toussaint Louverture led a slave revolt that eventually ousted the French and created the modern state of Haiti. Placing the Revolution in broader context makes for a more balanced story.
Yet, one can't help but be overwhelmed in a book written like this at the sheer weight of the history that is going on here, or just how scrambled the politics
Post-Labor Day writing updates and article recommendations
Some new work from me
"The Index of Self-Destructive Acts" is about the tension between humanity and raw data — I liked this novel a lot about the future of journalism, quantification, greatness, and what it means to be human in an atomized world. A great character drama to boot.
3 views on the future of geographic-focused funds — exploring whether geographical-focused VC funds are going to stick around. I am decidedly negative , but my colleagues Alex and Natasha are varying levels of more positive than I am.
In amended filing, Palantir admits it won't have independent board governance for up to a year - perhaps the most interesting story going on today in business: how Palantir is reshaping corporate governance norms through its strange three-class share model. A bit technical, which is why no one will ever be outraged.
Walmart-exclusive TrillerTok will run on Azure, or Oracle, or something - a somewhat ironic look at the craziness surrounding TikTok's deal to continue operating in the United States.
Capchase raises $4.6M to deliver fast cash to SaaS companies. - a SaaS financing startup
Edtech is the new SaaS - our latest edition of the Equity podcast
Some interesting articles I liked
Wirecard and me: Dan McCrum on exposing a criminal enterprise (Financial Times) — This is going to be an amazing book whenever it gets written and released. How the Financial Times and McCrum outmaneuvered Wirecard, who was hell bent on doing whatever it took to protect their fraud scheme. If you are hiring a former head of Libya's intelligence agency, you are probably not the good guys.
A Saudi Prince's Attempt to Silence Critics on Twitter (Wired) — the intensity by which regimes will attempt to silence their critics, up to and including spending tens of thousands of
"The Index of Self-Destructive Acts" is about the tension between humanity and raw data
Tags: Book Review, Quantification
Back at Stanford, we had this split in the student body between "fuzzies" who studied the liberal arts, and the "techies" who studied, well, tech. Back when I attended a decade ago, there was a bit more balance between those two groups, although recent enrollment data shows that Stanford students are aggressively moving to the more technical disciplines (as an interesting aside, international relations has taken the biggest relative loss by far over recent years).
That tension between Stanford students is really a core fight in our modern, computational big data world. Humans and their societies are complex, diverse, particular, challenging, and dynamic. Approach that tapestry from a statistical lens though, and you reduce down all of those complications to a handful of comparable metrics. That's the quandary explored in social science works like James Scott's Seeing Like A State and Alain Desrosières' The Politics of Large Numbers. Do you see humans? Or do you see numbers? How do we reconcile these two approaches with each other, particularly as the scale of our civilization continues to grow ever larger?
Christopher Beha, who is the editor of Harper's Magazine, explores this conflict in a character-driven drama entitled The Index of Self-Destructive Acts. The title refers to a statistic developed by the sabermetrics founder Bill James (the academic theorist behind what became "moneyball"), which tries to encapsulate all the mistakes and idiocies a baseball player can make while playing. Beha asks a simple question: given all the data we have in the world and all the knowledge we have learned, why do humans keep making the same mistakes over and over again?
The key foil (and there are many foils in this novel) is between Frank Doyle, a former long-time baseball and politics newspaper columnist who was forcibly retired
Palantir, China, plus the future of startups and neighborhoods
Tags: Writing Review, China, Technology, Cities
Wow, what a Q2 (and, well, a bit of Q3)!
Hi, it's Danny Crichton again. My weekly but really quarterly but really like every other quarter digest of all of my writing is coming your way again.
Palantir S-1
My biggest scoop ever at TechCrunch happened last week when I got a pre-release leak of the entirety of Palantir's S-1 filings with the SEC (Palantir formally published them a few days later). I wrote a spate of articles on Palantir's finances, its direct listing strategy, its governance, and its customers:
Palantir targeting 3 class voting structure according to leaked S-1, giving founders 49.999999% control in perpetuity
Leaked Palantir S-1 shows company has 125 customers after 17 years
Leaked S-1 screenshots show Palantir losing $579M in 2019
In unique approach, Palantir will have a lockup period after its direct listing
One of the frustrations I have with the business press is how much ink gets spilled on certain companies with barely any fundamentals, while extraordinarily strong and fast-growing companies seem to languish in journalistic oblivion. Palantir may be a mysterious company, an image that it has purposely cultivated along with the press itself. But it is a weak business, losing hundreds of millions of dollars, and that's after 17 years of existence.
Ultimately, it's a software-augmented services business. It does important work for certain government agencies and clients, and it has a commercial line that seems to be okay if not great. I can understand the political and ethics controversies and why reporters delve into them regularly, but for the business and financial press, there is frankly little to see here that's interesting.
Palantir seems to have done a lot to clean up its financials and growth in the last year as it prepared
Page 1 of 35 ❧ Older Posts →


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Bergdahl's platoon leader says 'we're not going away'
Sgt. Evan Buetow fires back at the critics
This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," June 9, 2014. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
SEAN HANNITY, HOST: And joining us now is -- Sergeant Evan Buetow is with us. And he was the platoon leader. Sergeant, welcome back to the program.
SGT. EVAN BUETOW, BERGDAHL'S PLATOON LEADER: Thank you. Thank you very much for having me.
HANNITY: All right, let's start with some of these reports, because they're coming out fast and furious. At this point, it's kind of odd to hear that Private Bergdahl wouldn't be talking to his parents. Then, of course, you hear that -- the report that he converted to Islam and became a warrior of Islam. What is your reaction to all of that?
BUETOW: Yes, I definitely think it's -- it's a little odd that he hasn't spoken to his parents yet. I have no idea what kind of security or mental evaluations they're giving to him right now, I mean, after being, you know, held with the Taliban for five years. So -- but I know that if it was me, the first thing I'd want to do is call my parents. So -- but I can't make any comments about his state of mind or what's going on there. But it definitely seems a little bit odd, given -- given the whole circumstances, definitely.
HANNITY: Have you been following some of the attacks against you, that you guys have Swift Boated Bergdahl or that you guys were screw-ups, as The New York Times is suggesting, who shouldn't be trusted? There seems now to be a concerted effort to smear, besmirch, attack all of you guys for telling the same story, which was he left of his own volition. What is your reaction to all that?
BUETOW: I've read all the -- all the reports. I have a Twitter account and I've definitely heard it on Twitter, as well. But -- and what I have to say -- I mean, some of it is true. There are stories that are coming out that are true, but they're half true. So they report part of it and then leave everything up to everyone's imagination of what they want to determine.
They say we're undisciplined, but that's all they say. They have no specifics. So everyone just, you know, draws their own conclusion, which is completely unfair. Yes, we had problems in our unit. We had -- I mean, every deployed unit has problems. And anyone has deployed and gone through a deployment, when you're away from your family, you're in a hostile area, you know, things arise within a unit, within a platoon, a company, and people have problems.
The problems that The New York Times are referring to are we were out at OP Mest (ph), when we were very -- first initially building the OP. We were digging bunkers. This was probably in -- this was in May, probably early May, and it was incredibly hot out. We were digging bunkers in the middle of Afghanistan, and so soldiers were taking off their bulletproof vests, taking off their helmets as to not overheat and to make it easier to maneuver and dig holes. They would take off their jackets, and so they're just in a T-shirt. And yes, we were very dirty. We looked very raggedy at that point.
There was a reporter there who was taking pictures of us doing the work -- yes?
HANNITY: That does not seem undisciplined to me. That sounds like a platoon doing their work. And even when the State Department jumped in and said that your -- his platoon mates are not a credible source. How could they make that suggestion when you were the guys that were there? You're the ones that worked with him. You're the ones that knew the circumstances under which he left. In other words, there seems like a concerted effort to leak information and create an image in people's minds that you guys are something other than what you really were, brave soldiers doing a tough very job.
BUETOW: Yes, I couldn't attest to what their agenda is. Like, we've all said, we were there on the ground when it happened. We know the truth. I don't see them attacking our story as much as attacking our character. So I'm assuming that they understand that what we're saying is true or I think they'd be attacking our story.
What happened with us -- people not wearing their bulletproof vests and their helmets and their jackets -- pictures were taken of that incident because someone was just documenting what was going on. Someone high up, a general or I don't know who, saw those pictures, was very upset that we weren't wearing our gear outside the wire. And our battalion commander at the time just brought the hammer down on the platoon, telling us we were undisciplined. Several soldiers got demoted and kicked out of the company at that point for something that really was not that big of a deal.
Yes, there was discipline problems, if that's the way you look at it, and yes, there was soldiers who got demoted for -- you know, for doing something that was wrong. I guess, technically, you could say that was wrong. However, that would never denote anybody walking off the post to then go seek out the Taliban. I have no idea where they -- they somehow connected those two things.
HANNITY: Well, what, then, specifically is your reaction when the State Department of the United States -- all of you guys gear up -- and I think you did two deployments yourself, if I'm not mistaken, one in Iraq, one in Afghanistan.
BUETOW: Yes.
HANNITY: You gear up. You put your life on your line for your country. You tell the truth about a platoon mate that you know, as you know the story. And then the State Department of the United States, A, calls you not a credible source, and then you have people at the White House leaking to NBC News that you're Swift Boating private sergeant Bergdahl. What is your reaction when your government turns on you like that?
BUETOW: I -- I mean, I don't feel like my government is turning on me. I do understand...
HANNITY: You don't think so?
BUETOW: I...
HANNITY: It seems to me like they're trying to shear you guys and assassinate your character. That's how I view it.
BUETOW: I do feel like there's -- it does feel like they're trying to discredit us and our character, which is frustrating. However, I mean, we're not going away. We're staying here. We've had the same story. And like I said before, I don't hear anyone trying to discredit the story that we're telling. They might try to discredit us as people, which is understandable, and there's an answer for everything. However, they know the truth.
HANNITY: All right, Evan Buetow, thank you so much for being with us. We really appreciate your time once again. We appreciate it. Thanks.
BUETOW: Definitely. Thank you for having me, Sean.


The city of Gravigny is a small town located north of France. The city of Gravigny is located in the department of Eure of the french region Haute-Normandie.	The city of Gravigny is located in the township of Évreux-Nord part of the district of Évreux. The area code for Gravigny is 27299 (also known as code INSEE), and the Gravigny zip code is 27930.
The altitude of the city hall of Gravigny is approximately 60 meters. The Gravigny surface is 9.98 km ². The latitude and longitude of Gravigny are 49.047 degrees North and 1.169 degrees East. Nearby cities and towns of Gravigny are : Fauville (27930) at 2.71 km, Évreux (27000) at 2.82 km, Huest (27930) at 3.06 km, Normanville (27930) at 3.52 km, Aviron (27930) at 3.77 km, Le Boulay-Morin (27930) at 3.93 km, Sassey (27930) at 4.07 km, Dardez (27930) at 4.78 km.
The population of Gravigny was 3 596 in 1999, 3 937 in 2006 and 3 981 in 2007. The population density of Gravigny is 398.90 inhabitants per km². The number of housing of Gravigny was 1 819 in 2007. These homes of Gravigny consist of 1 759 main residences, 6 second or occasional homes and 53 vacant homes.
Here are maps and information of the close municipalities near Gravigny.
Search hotels near Gravigny : Book your hotel now !
At right you can find the localization of Gravigny on the map of France. Below, this is the satellite map of Gravigny. A road map, and maps templates of Gravigny are available here : "road map of Gravigny". This map show Gravigny seen by the satellite of Google Map. To see the streets of Gravigny or move on another zone, use the buttons "zoom" and "map" on top of this dynamic map.
To search hotels, housings, tourist information office, administrations or other services, use the Google search integrated to the map on the following page : "map Gravigny".
Pic of the city of Gravigny or neighboring towns	 Cossue.
This is the last weather forecast for Gravigny collected by the nearest observation station of Évreux.
The latest weather data for Gravigny were collected Sunday, 21 April 2019 at 19:49 from the nearest observation station of Évreux.


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Fast & Furious 7 – Race Wars Featurette (Universal Pictures) HD
Bande Annonce Universal Picture
30 mars 2015 afflux	Action, back, black, Bridges, cast, channel, Chapter, CHRIS, Cinemas, Djimon Hounsou, Dwayne, Dwayne Johnson, Elsa Pataky, facebook, fast, film, Follow, Franchise, Furious, Gibson, H, HD, history, international, james, Jason, jason statham, Johnson, Jordana, Jordana Brewster, Kurt, Lucas, Ludacris, MICHAEL, michelle, Michelle Rodriguez, More, Morgan, Nathalie, NEW, Our, PAUL, Paul Walker, pictures, race, Rodriguez, Russell, series, Speed, st, STARS, STATHAM, tony, Tyrese Gibson, Universal, Universal Pictures, Unstoppable, vin, Vin Diesel, Wars
The reintroduction and growth of Race Wars and it's place in the history of the FAST franchise.
In Cinemas April 3, 2015. #Fast7
http://www.fastandfurious7.co.uk
Follow Fast and Furious 7 on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/fastandfuriousuk
Continuing the global exploits in the unstoppable franchise built on speed, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson lead the returning cast of Fast & Furious 7. James Wan directs this chapter of the hugely successful series that also welcomes back favorites Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Elsa Pataky and Lucas Black. They are joined by international action stars new to the franchise including Jason Statham, Djimon Hounsou, Tony Jaa, Ronda Rousey, Nathalie Emmanuel and Kurt Russell. Neal H. Moritz, Vin Diesel and Michael Fottrell return to produce the film written by Chris Morgan.
For more trailers subscribe to our channel – http://po.st/UniversalPicturesUK
Mots clefs:Action, back, black, Bridges, cast, channel, Chapter, CHRIS, Cinemas, Djimon Hounsou, Dwayne, Dwayne Johnson, Elsa Pataky, facebook, fast, film, Follow, Franchise, Furious, Gibson, H, HD, history, international, james, Jason, jason statham, Johnson, Jordana, Jordana Brewster, Kurt, Lucas, Ludacris, MICHAEL, michelle, Michelle Rodriguez, More, Morgan, Nathalie, NEW, Our, PAUL, Paul Walker, pictures, race, Rodriguez, Russell, series, Speed, st, STARS, STATHAM, tony, Tyrese Gibson, Universal, Universal Pictures, Unstoppable, vin, Vin Diesel, Wars
Fast & Furious 7 – Letty Fight Featurette (HD)
Zapping Actu du 31 Mars 2015 – Résultats des départementales, Crash de l'A320
Season 2 Trailer | JURASSIC WORLD CAMP CRETACEOUS | NETFLIX
15 décembre 2020 afflux
Adapt. Evolve. Survive. Everything's at stake in all new episodes of Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, coming...
Let Him Go – "Oath" Spot 30s – In Cinemas Now
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Two equestrian centre workers and a vet were part of a horse drugging plot to cover up lameness and behavioural problems before selling them on, a court heard.
Charlotte Johnson and Aniele Jurecka, both 28, allegedly used their own vet, David Smith, to carry out "inadequate" examinations of the animals before they were sold.
Some of the horses were advertised as being docile and ideal for new riders.
But after the sedatives wore off, horses were found to be uncontrollable and unsuitable for junior riders – which often led to falls and injuries.
Prosecutor Dominic Connolly told Maidstone Crown Court last week a large number of horses had been sold and "misdescribed" in a criminal way.
He said: "The Crown's case is those adverts grossly misdescribed horses being offered for sale.
"Representations are made as to their physical wellbeing and their calm and placid demeanour, and their suitability for first-time riders when, in fact, they had significant behavioural issues which made them entirely unsuitable for novice riders.
"On a number of occasions that resulted in a number of falls and injuries."
Physical ailments and behavioural issues were masked by the use of sedatives before the horses were inspected and tried out, he said.
Mr Connolly added: "As a result, they were sleepy, apparently docile and placid.
"It was only after the purchase when the effect of the sedatives began to wear off that the true nature and temperament of the horses were revealed.
"A number of the horses were lame."
Mr Connolly said prospective buyers were tricked into using vet David Smith, 66, to carry out the tests, instead of an independent practitioner.
He said: "The Crown say Mr Smith was fully aware of the conflict of interest.
"He was motivated by personal gain - namely his fee for carrying out the examinations."
An example was given of one mother, who went to see a horse in October 2008 to buy for her ten-year-old daughter.
The horse was described as being a "saint, bomb proof in all ways, a babysitter on four legs and no vices", Mr Connolly said.
The mother was assured by boss Jurecka, known as Annie, it was suitable, and she agreed to buy the horse and was given a two-week warranty.
But when the mother got the horse home she found it was lame, behaved badly, bucked and ran off with her daughter.
Johnson, of Marden, Jurecka, of Tonbridge, Kent, and Smith, of Finglesham, Kent, all deny conspiracy to commit fraud between June 2008 and December 2013.


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A New Old Damascus
Authenticity and Distinction in Urban Syria
by Christa Salamandra
216 Pages, 21 b&w photos, 1 maps, 1 bibliog., 1 index
"[F]illed with rare encounters with Syria's oldest, most elite families. Critics of anthropology's taste for exoticism and marginality will savor this study of upper-class Damascus, a world that is urbane and cosmopolitan, yet in many ways as remote as the settings in which the best ethnography has traditionally been done. . . . [Written] with a nuanced appreciation of the cultural forms in question and how Damascenes themselves think, talk about, and create them." —Andrew Shryock
In contemporary urban Syria, debates about the representation, preservation, and restoration of the Old City of Damascus have become part of status competition and identity construction among the city's elite. In theme restaurants and nightclubs that play on images of Syrian tradition, in television programs, nostalgic literature, and visual art, and in the rhetoric of historic preservation groups, the idea of the Old City has become a commodity for the consumption of tourists and, most important, of new and old segments of the Syrian upper class. In this lively ethnographic study, Christa Salamandra argues that in deploying and debating such representations, Syrians dispute the past and criticize the present.
Indiana Series in Middle East Studies—Mark Tessler, general editor
Note on Transliteration
Introduction: A Return to the Old
1. "His Family Had a House in Malki, So We Thought He Was All Right": Socio-Spatial Distinction
2. "That Color Looks Great on You": Consumption, Display, and Gender
3. Old Damascus Commodified
4. Ramadan Lived and Consumed
5. Conservation, Preservation, and Celebration
Conclusion: Weapons of the Not-So-Weak
Epilogue: Of Hubble Bubbles and Cell Phones
Christa Salamandra is Associate Professor of Anthropology, Lehman College, City University of New York.
"Anthropological studies are most interesting and effective when they reach beyond broad generalization to convey sharp sociocultural insight and identify implicit regularity in seemingly haphazard behavior. Success is often inversely correlated with the scale of the population and/or space being analyzed. It is not surprising that an attempt to capture the essence of Damascus, one of the world's oldest cities, succeeds only in part. Indeed, it is not all of Damascus that is even the focus, but rather the old city; not really a description of present Old City Damascus life, nor even a construction of its past, but instead a meditation on indigenous discourse about Old Damascus. Salamandra (Lehman College) tries to enable an understanding of why Old Damascus has become a focus for contemporary elite nostalgia, a site for social encounter, and even political expression. She further examines the role of new wealth and its display, a fostering of Damascene authenticity (with attendant class, regional, and religious/ethnic friction), and Damascus's extensive portrayal and manipulation by Syrian media, often for political reasons. At its best, the book conveys the complexity of contemporary imagining of Old Damascus, but the city itself, the people and places, never really come alive. Summing Up: Recommended. Most levels/libraries."
~L. D. Loeb, University of Utah, Choice
". . . A New Old Damascus is an ambitious attempt to shed light on the complexities of elite Damascenes . . . [I]t remains a noteworthy contribution to the emerging study of globalization, elites, and urbanism in the Middle East."
~American Anthropologist
". . . Recommended."
". . . Salamandra's book presents a compelling analysis that sheds light on the socio-spatial relations prevailing in Old Damascus and gives the reader a rare glimpse into the lives of upperclass Syrians. June 2007"
~H-Levant
". . . [this] book will be required reading for scholars generally interested in sectarian politics in the Middle East and scholars specifically interested in Lebanese Shi'i history and politics because the rich account it offers is also helpful for positioning Shi'i activism in Lebanon since the 1960s.Vol. 39 2007"
~Lara Deeb, University of California, Irvine


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Philippines Tribune
Philippines Eat & Drink
Philippines Art
Cebu Artist Arrested for Posting 'Satire' About COVID-19
A Cebu-based film writer was arrested the early morning of Sunday, April 19, for publishing a Facebook post about the local novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in Sitio Zapatera, Barangay Luz in Cebu City. In the post, Maria Victoria Beltran shared that over 9,000 residents had been confirmed to have COVID-19, making it the area with […]
The post Cebu Artist Arrested for Posting 'Satire' About COVID-19 appeared first on When In Manila.
A Cebu-based film writer was arrested the early morning of Sunday, April 19, for publishing a Facebook post about the local novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in Sitio Zapatera, Barangay Luz in Cebu City.
In the post, Maria Victoria Beltran shared that over 9,000 residents had been confirmed to have COVID-19, making it the area with the most COVID-19 cases in the city.
"9,000 + new cases (all from Zapatera) of COVID-19 in Cebu City in one day. We are now the epicenter in the whole Solar System," she wrote.
This post was then slammed by Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella who threatened to jail Beltran for spreading false information. "This is FAKE NEWS and this is a criminal act. Just wait Ms Beltran, you'll soon be caught by the PNP Cybercrime Unit. You'll really be thrown in prison," he said in his own post in Cebuano.
The arrest happened hours after Mayor Labella posted his response. According to the police department, Beltran will be charged with violating Republic Act 10175, or the Cybercrime Law.
Beltran's lawyer, Vincent Isles, told reporters that they will also be filing administrative and criminal charges against those responsible for her arrest as it is a violation of her rights.
Isles also clarified that Beltran's post was not to be taken seriously in the first place.
"Her post should not be not taken literally. I don't know why Mayor Labella took it literally. Clearly, the post was not a violation of our laws. I do not understand why Mayor Labella would like to focus on a petty concern instead of focusing on the more important issue. That's a very dangerous trend," Isles told Inquirer.
"As a fellow lawyer who knows the laws, [Mayor Labella] should take a second look at the Facebook post. No matter how you look at the post, there was no intention of creating confusion and chaos. Instead of using his time to go after those who have something to say about the pandemic, Mayor Labella should use his time and resources to focus on how to help the poor and make them survive this crisis."
Artist group Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP) also spoke out against Beltran's arrest.
"This targetting and arrest is a vicious attack on freedom of expression amidst the continuing failure of the national and local governments to ensure expanded and systematic mass testing and a comprehensive public information drive on the pandemic," the said in a statement.
"Mayor Labella should not be policing cyberspace and threatening citizens. Instead, we challenge the mayor to focus on his mandate and local response to containing local transmission of COVID-19 especially in marginalized and vulnerable communities under his jurisdiction because lives are at stake. This is what commentary and satire is driving at."
(ALSO READ: Here's a clever way of social distancing in markets done in Cebu)
Beltran's comment came after the announcement made by the Cebu City Health Department and Department of Health that the whole of Sitio Zapatera, with a population of over 9,000, will now be considered "contaminated" with 136 people out of the 163 confirmed cases in Cebu City testing positive for the virus.
As of writing, she is still detained in Camp Sergio Osmeña.
Do you have a story for the WhenInManila.com Team? Email us at story.wheninmanila@gmail.com or send us a direct message at WhenInManila.com Facebook Page. Interact with the team and join the WhenInManila.com Community at WIM Squad!
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Mariah Carey takes over London Underground announcements
London Underground commuters might have heard a familiar voice delivering announcements this past week as Mariah Carey has taken over its intercom.
The queen of Christmas has teamed up with Amazon Music to promote her festive classic 'All I Want For Christmas' by telling tube users to "stand behind the yellow line".
"Hi Dahlings, It's Mariah," the announcement begins. "Make my wish come true and please stand behind the yellow line at all times. Proceed with caution. And don't forget to ask Alexa to play 'All I Want For Christmas' on Amazon Music."
Carey shared a clip of her Underground announcement on Instagram, captioning the post: "UK lambs, I've teamed up with @amazonmusicuk to bring some festive cheer to the London Underground. Safe travels!!"
UK lambs 🐑🐑 I've teamed up with @AmazonMusicUK to bring some festive cheer to the London Underground. Safe travels!! https://t.co/wrogIAMfXn pic.twitter.com/xiTfdkhaAM
— Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) December 15, 2021
Carey's Underground takeover comes two weeks after the release of her new Christmas special, Mariah's Christmas: The Magic Continues.
The festive small-screen event – released on December 3 via Apple TV+ – sees the singer collaborate with Khalid and Kirk Franklin for the first and only performance of their new single, 'Fall In Love At Christmas'.
The special comes in the wake of Carey's original collaboration with the streaming platform, Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special, which launched in 2020. Narrated by Tiffany Haddish, the event saw Carey joined by guest stars Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson and Snoop Dogg.
Earlier this year, it was confirmed that Jade Ewen would play Carey in Netflix series Luis Miguel.
The series, focusing on the Mexican singer and musician of the same name – who dated Carey from 1999 to 2001 – dropped its third and final season in October.
Ewen spoke to NME about taking on the role, saying that it "felt a bit weird" and "too close to home in some ways".
"When I was reading her bio, on a personal level there were so many synchronicities that I found very emotional," she said. "It almost felt a bit weird and, like, too close to home in some ways. But then I actually felt a sense of relief because I understood what it's like to be a mixed race woman in the music industry – not to the same degree as Mariah, but I do have some knowledge of the industry, and I've even met with [Carey's former husband and record label boss] Tommy Mottola."
Lewis Hamilton superfan SELLS his own Mercedes in fury as F1 team pull legal bid after Max Verstappen title controversy
Amy Duggar says 'God is in control' in cryptic quote after cousin Josh is found guilty in child pornography trial
Fugees cancel 25th anniversary reunion tour due to Covid concerns
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Listen to Little Boots' touching new song, 'Crying On The Inside'
Super Bowl 2022: Eminem, Mary J Blige, Snoop Dogg in halftime show trailer
"Pop became a dirty word"


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Appraisal & Consulting
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Valuation of facade easements - Methodology and trends
February 14, 2008 - Connecticut
Marc Nadeau
Facade easements are essentially grants or donations of historic property to a qualified organization for the purpose of preserving the historic fabric and/or character of a building's facade. The easement serves to preserve the character of that building into perpetuity with the burden of preserving such building being borne by the grantor of the easement.
The obvious benefit is in preserving the historic nature of a property with the real boon being to the grantor, who typically is entitled to a tax benefit which is recognized as a "charitable tax deduction" by the IRS.
The vehicle of a facade easement seemingly has been used sparingly in New England despite a large population of historic structures. This trend may be reversing as more taxpayers, developers and preservationists become aware of the tax advantages and the benefits that can often make the restoration and maintenance of a historic structure more feasible.
Of course, when an avenue for tax benefits exists often come abuses of the same. There have been many of a story of taxpayers claiming deductions for as much as 50% of the value of say a brownstone in New York where values often reach into the stratosphere. The Internal Revenue Service has often challenged these deductions and as a result made strides in revising the language governing charitable deductions of easements.
New Developments in the Valuation of Historic Facade Easements
The tax benefits of preservation easements date back to 1969 with major revisions to the Internal Revenue Service Code via the Tax Reform Act of 1986. Over the past 20 years the language regarding preservation easements and allowable provisions for tax deductions has remained virtually unchanged. On August 17, 2006, as part of the omnibus pension bill, H.R. 4 was signed into law by the President as Public Law 109-280.
The bill included sweeping new language that enhanced the language of the tax code, made reporting requirements more stringent but at the same time expanded the availability of tax deductions.
The following is a summary of the new rules as they relate to buildings in registered historic districts:
* Disallowing deductions for preservation easements that fail to protect the entire exterior of a property;
* Prohibiting deductions for easements that allow changes that are incompatible with a building's historic character;
* Requiring the donor and done to certify under perjury that the easement-holding organization is qualified to accept easements, and had the resources and commitment to manage and enforce the easement;
* Requiring the owner to provide the IRS with more detailed substantiation to prove the value of the donation;
* Imposing a new filing fee of $500 for easement deductions more than $10,000.
* Lowering thresholds for overvaluation penalties for donors, and imposing new overvaluation penalties for appraisers
* Imposing new qualification standards for appraisals and appraisers.
Major benefits of the bill include:
* The law expands the availability of the charitable tax deduction for easements donated in 2006 and 2007.
* The law increases the annual amount deductible for most taxpayers from 30% to 50% of a taxpayers contribution base (adjusted gross income less net operating loss carrybacks)
Establishing a Value for an Easement - Historical Benchmarks
In theory, the encumbrance of a facade easement results in a diminution in market value to the encumbered property. The percentage of diminution is driven by two primary factors. Firstly, the extent of the restrictions and responsibilities contained in the easement agreement and secondly, the level of detail and type of material that the building consists of. The greater the restrictions and/or greater the detail that the building has, the greater the percentage of diminution.
This appraiser has reviewed numerous facade easements with the majority of the instruments in plain and simple language providing restrictions that prohibit changes to the building's facade.
The typical easement also requires the grantor to pay for periodic inspections and to maintain the building to a specific standard, keeping a certain maintenance level and using like materials for replacement and repairs.
A typical facade easement creates a number of impositions that can be summarized as follows:
* Limitation of development opportunities. The typical facade easement would prohibit the construction of any additions or to make any changes to the exterior of the building.
* Higher ongoing operating costs. Facade easements impose a higher level of maintenance which translates into greater expenses. Such costs include higher ongoing maintenance by product of maintaining what is typically a material intensive design and construction. Materials such as limestone, terra cotta and detailed wood facades are much more costly to build and maintain in comparison to the predominate building materials and standards used today.
* Periodic inspection costs are typically borne by the grantor.
* If the building were damaged or destroyed, the facade must be restored to the original condition. As a result, the grantor would be required to carry greater insurance to fulfill not just replacement, but a reproduction of the current detail which is far more costly in today's market.
The problem typically faced by the appraiser in estimating an appropriate diminution rate is the lack of empirical information also known as market-derived information. Many an appraiser, including myself have often relied upon published tax cases where courts have essentially determined diminution rates.
Two of the more significant cases that have been used in establishing the value of facade easements have been:
Hillborn vs. Commissioner, a 1986 decision where 10% of the value of the property (as renovated) was allowed. This case involved an apartment building in the historic French Quarter of New Orleans
Griffin vs. Commissioner, a 1989 decision where a 20% deduction was allowed.
Subsequent decisions have allowed deductions ranging from 12% to 15%.
Marc Nadeau, SRA is an appraiser and developer, Nadeau & Associates, Guilford, Conn.
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Home » Sports » Qatar World Cup » Star Parade: Qatar World Cup sets record with attendance of world leaders
Posted inQatar World Cup
Star Parade: Qatar World Cup sets record with attendance of world leaders
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 has become the destination of world leaders since its opening of the tournament, which indicates that this edition of the World Cup will be the first in the history to see such influx of world leaders.
The beginning was on the opening day which saw the presence of HM King Abdullah II of Jordan, HE President of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria Abdelmadjid Tebboune, HE president of the Arab Republic of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, HE President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas and HE President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The opening ceremony also witnessed the participation of HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, HH Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, representative of HH the Emir of the State of Kuwait, Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait, and HRH Prince Al-Hussein bin Abdullah II, Crown Prince of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and HH Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth representing His Majesty the Sultan of Oman, and HE Head of the Caretaker Government of the Lebanese Republic Najib Mikati.
HE President of the Republic of Senegal Macky Sall, HE President of the Republic of Rwanda Paul Kagame, HE President of the Republic of Liberia George Weah, HE , Vice President of the Republic of Ecuador Alfredo Borreiro, HE Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres and President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach also attended the opening ceremony along with HE Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation Igor Levitin, HE Vice-President of the Republic of India Jagdeep Dhankhar, HE Vice-President of the Republic of Venezuela, Dr. Delcy Eloina Rodriguez, and HE President of the Republic of Djibouti Ismail Omar Guelleh.
It did not stop at the opening ceremony, as a number of leaders came to the State of Qatar last week, Most notably HM King Felipe VI of Spain, HE President of the Republic of Ghana Nana Akufo, and HE the Second Vice President of Costa Rica Mary Munive.
This presence of world leaders at the World Cup events and matches demonstrates the great status and friendship relations that the State of Qatar enjoys with many countries of the world, as well as the great capabilities that the country has provided for the most important world championship in football, which prompted the leaders to look closely at those capabilities.
With this rate of leaders' coming to Doha, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is expected to be the first tournament in history to witness this number of world leaders, which confirms the great success of this edition.
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LECOM
As the fastest growing medical school in the country, LECOM wanted to get its incredible story out in an effort to attract even more med students to its three campuses. By appealing to the serious and humanitarian nature of the medical profession, the Prepare Yourself campaign challenged its audience to prepare for the responsibilities and riggers of med school, but also be prepared for a rewarding life in medicine.


The athletic world is one where you are judged on your last performance; past accomplishments are nice for the highlight reels, but coasting on them just won't do. So why should shoes be any different?
Results are all that matter. It's a simple philosophy, and it's what York Athletics aim to bring to the world of performance training footwear. You haven't heard of York Athletics, and that's kind of the point. They aren't asking you to buy shoes because of the name attached to them, or because they have pretty colors, or because they just so happened to be captured by paparazzi on the feet of a flavor of the month celebrity. York Athletics are looking for individuals: individuals who are looking to get the most out of their shoes, and aren't going to swayed by gimmickry into settling for less, just to go along with the crowd. They're a dedicated crew of boxers, trainers and artists alike on a mission to bring a fresh perspective and a fighting mindset into the health & wellness space.
York Athletics shoes are simple, modern, and functional. All excesses, whether in the form of physical materials, or ostentatious branding have been shed. What remains is the new face of performance footwear.
Small batches of The Henry Low ($110) and Mid ($120) are now available for purchase through bdgastore.com.


Recently we were reminded of church representatives coming together to vote on the truth of God and the conduct associated with it. As a result of the decision reached by the vote, reportedly they had made themselves "more relevant". Let us look at these two issues - voting and relevance.
Such a concept is never mentioned in the New Testament. Nor can I recall it in the Old. Not even in the darkest days of the history of Israel and Judah was this used, either for determining the truth of a matter, or for appointing a person to an office. In the Old Testament, and in the period before the Holy Spirit was given, the "casting of lots" was used in appointing a person as it left the decision to God.
What then does the scripture teach us? We find the model set out in Acts 15, where Christians were gathered in Jerusalem to determine whether or not the Gentile Christians should be required to keep the law of Moses for their salvation. If a vote had been taken, the outcome would have been completely different. The newly converted Jews who were zealous for the law of Moses outnumbered those who understood the real issues. Rather, there was a godly discussion. Acts 15:7 - "And much discussion having taken place". The truth of God, when set before the congregation in clarity and spiritual power, was accepted. They were then able to write - among other things - in Acts 15:25 "it seemed good to us, having arrived at a common judgment, to send chosen men to you…" By the way, there were no fresh edicts or rules, but a confirmation of principles established long before Moses' law.
Voting assumes that each person's vote is equal. This is not so. In any assembly there will be differences in understanding and spiritual maturity. It also ignores the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
Voting to appoint persons to an office over those voting is also counter to God's way. Appointment is always made by a higher authority, not a lesser. Even in a secular organisation, whether in business or the military, it is the chief officer who appoints the next rank, and so on. Democracy came from the Greeks, not from God.
Persons will say that there is no prohibition in scripture, therefore they will do it.
Where will that wretched principle lead? To chaos. That is exactly where Christendom is at present. Furthermore, one would have to know every verse in the bible to be able to say that it was not forbidden. In our era the Holy Spirit does not teach in masses of "thou shalt nots". Rather we have positive examples by the Lord and the apostles, and in most cases the principles are given in detail in the Old Testament.
People will put forward the argument that everyone does it.
This is the miserable principle of "universal consent". It does not prove that a thing is right before God. It may just mean that the most are mistaken. Scripture abounds in examples of the many and the few, and "the many" are invariably in the wrong.
The churches felt that they were now more relevant. To whom?
The issue should be: Is the church relevant to Christ? Is the church a faithful witness to God? Is it, in practice and conduct, honouring the name of Christ in his absence? Is it relevant to his mind? Or has the church publicly become so mixed with the world that the Lord has to say, as he said to the assembly at Laodicea in Revelation 3:16, "Thus because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spew thee out of my mouth". That church had failed as a witness so the Lord speaks of himself as "the faithful and true witness". Those at Philadelphia were commended because they had kept his word, and not denied his name. That may seem a small thing, but to Christ, when all around have given up his word, it is everything.
May we seek the Lord's help to order our individual and collective conduct according to his mind, and not according to the shifting social climate, the changing tastes and the abandoned morals of society today.
We can rightly serve man only as we put God first.


Africa has written for The iPaper, Metro, Elephant Journal, Gal dem, and has appeared as a guest on ITV, BBC Asian Network Radio, and BBC Radio 1 ' Life Hacks' podcast. All links can be found on her website!
I've always wanted to be the lead singer of a rock band!
The Scarlet Ladies community is what I've been looking for, for a very long time. I'm excited to be a firm part of the movement because representation and inclusivity are incredibly important to me, and this community has that as well as having a genuinely safe space.
I'm on my own journey of healing my sexuality. Through my work and spaces like Scarlet Ladies I'm discovering the power of speaking up and refusing to be silenced. Female sexuality is still such a taboo for many communities and it's important for me to play a part in changing the narrative.
You can find Africa on Instagram (@cherryrevolution & @africabrooke) – she's always a direct message or email away!


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Q: Definition of a p-value I'm studying all statistics by Wasserman and on page 156 he defines p-values:

10.11 Definition. Suppose that for every $\alpha \in (0,1)$ we have a size $\alpha$ test with rejection region $R_{\alpha}$. Then,
$$\text{p-value} = \inf\{\alpha: T(X^n)\in R _{\alpha}\}$$
That is, the p-value is the smallest level at which we can reject
$H_0$.

I've already seen some answers here to this definition in Wasserman book, but my question is more basic. I want to know what is this exponent $n$. What does $X^n$ mean?

A: This is an unfortunate use of poorly-chosen notation.  Presumably, $X^n$ is intended to indicate a sample of size $n$; i.e., $X^n = (X_1, X_2, \ldots, X_n)$, from which a test statistic defined by some function $T$ of the sample is calculated.  This notation is probably inherited from expressions like $\mathbb R^n$.  But for obvious reasons, one should probably avoid writing things this way.

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Q: C# ASP.NET List View I am trying to create a view with multiple product listing in it. An example is below of how the product listing should look like. I am not sure if I should use a table and create a new table for each new product or what. I am not a very good ASP.NET developer and I am not sure how to approach this.
Basically if I have 10 results I need to display 10 of these in a list and each button and image is different based on each product result.
The source of data is from another class that was built and runs through a foreach for each product. Any guidance on this would be helpful. I just think I need to be pointed in the right direction because I tried it with a table and it wasn't working out to well.

A: Maybe you can try using asp.net table and just add rows with the images dynamically once you iterate your results..check out the control here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.web.ui.webcontrols.table.aspx
and here you have an example to add rows dynamically:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/7bewx260%28v=vs.100%29.aspx
in each row you can put the controls that you want...

A: Using GridView
 <asp:GridView runat="server" ID="myGrid"
    OnRowCommand="MyGrid_RowCommand">
 <Columns>
    <asp:TemplateField>
    <ItemTemplate>
        <img src='<%# Eval("SmallImageUrl") %>' />
    </ItemTemplate>
    </asp:TemplateField>

    <asp:TemplateField>
    <ItemTemplate>

Title: <%# Eval("Title") %>

Weight: <%# Eval("Weight") %>

        <asp:Button runat="server" ID="GetOfferButton" CommandArgument='<%# Eval("OfferID") %>'></asp:Button>
    </ItemTemplate>
    </asp:TemplateField>
 </Columns>
 </asp:GridView>

Assuming you have a collection of Products e.g. List, or DataTable of Product etc., and your collection has these fields
class Product
{
   //property Title
   //property SmallImageUrl
   //property Weight
}

You can have
myGrid.DataSource = <Replace with List of Products collection>;
myGrid.DataBind();


Parents and students are encouraged to contact the College to arrange a visit to speak to staff about enrolment and their educational needs.
All new students are required to complete and submit an Enrolment Form. Enrolment Applications should be accompanied by a copy of the student's Birth Certificate and most recent school report, with details of a senior contact person at the student's current school.
To be processed, the Enrolment Application form must be accompanied by a $50.00 (non-refundable) application fee.
All applicants and their parents/guardians are interviewed by the Principal. Interviews run for approximately 20 minutes and will be conducted during August.
Applications will be subject to available places for a particular year level and each application will be considered by the Principal on its merits and take into account special circumstances. The Principal will take into account the student's genuine and personal desire to be at St Brigid's College and to be involved in the life of the College.
On completion of the student's interview, and subject to approval, a Letter of Offer will be issued. At this stage, and upon return of your signed paperwork, the student's enrolment will be secured.
The closure date for 2020 Enrolment Application forms is Friday 31st May 2019. While applications will continue to be taken after the closure date, applicants could be disadvantaged should the number of applicants exceed the number of positions available.
All submitted Application Forms must be accompanied by a $50 (non-refundable) application fee. Interviews for places will not be arranged until the enrolment fee is paid.
As part of the formal application, the student and their parents/guardians are required to sign their acceptance of the terms of enrolment as stated on the Enrolment Application form, and based upon the conditions and criteria stated in the College's Enrolment Policy.
to accept an obligation that the student will abide by the College rules and standards of conduct and behaviour at the time of appointment and as they evolve overtime.
to become members of the St Brigid's College community. It is understood that the acceptance of enrolment implies an undertaking on the part of the student, with the support of their parents, to participate fully in all College activities as required of them.
for Temporary enrolment, for example exchange students, and their sponsors, being bound by the same conditions as all other students, insofar as this is not an unreasonable demand.
for continuing enrolment, the student and their parents abiding by the original conditions for admission (including all/any amendments), and meeting all school fees when due.
It is an obligation binding on parent(s) or legal guardian(s) who believe that they may be unable to pay the fees in full, that they discuss this with the Business Manager (or delegate) when applying for enrolment if it is known at that time, and at any other time after enrolment if such a situation arises.
St Brigid's College offers an Annual Scholarship Program. For full details click here.
Tours of the College are available by contacting the school office on (03) 5382 3545 or email info@stbc.vic.edu.au.
Our 2020 Open Day will be held in May, usually from 2.00pm through to 6.30pm when the Principal's Address will be held. The Principal's Address will take place in the Library at 6.30pm, with the Information session to follow and conclude at approximately 7.00pm. Full details will be published when made available.
Once your child has enrolled they are invited to attend the College Orientation Day. This is held in December each year. We believe this day forms part of the successful transition from Primary School to Secondary School which allows your child (and parents) to meet with other friends and make new ones before starting. This day will be advertised to you via the School Newsletter, which new enrolment families will start to receive (via email) in Term 4 of each year.
Fees are set at the commencement of each school year but may change at the College's discretion in line with increases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or other variables relating to the operation of St Brigid's College. Please contact the office on (03) 5382 3545 for a copy of the current fee schedule.


Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi and his studio Mistwalker Corporation have just announced that Blade Guardian, a real-time tower-defense strategy game, is now available for purchase on the App Store.
Blade Guardian is a game where you must set up a variety of units, that all have different capabilities, so you can be a hero and stop an alien invasion. What separates Blade Guardian from other tower defense games is you can roll BLADEs into enemies using the gyro sensor. You'll have a variety of BLADEs at your disposal so you can choose from the sphere blade (which will allow you to tilt and turn your screen to crush the alien threat) to automated ground based blades.
You can download Blade Guardian now on iOS for the price of $0,99.


Has anyone else seen these yet? jjj says they are crazy stupid fun and I basically want all of them but want to hear more about them.
they are fun! i have a beats and have messed around with a friend's sampler. the sequencers are very "playable" -- lots of real time manipulation, really encourages you to be hands-on.
the kick on the beats is surprisingly solid. the toms and clap are decent also, but overall yeah it sounds about how you would expect for a $150 drum machine (insert usual caveats about processing, that the 303 was a toy, etc). the sampler seems like it might have a more distinctive character out of the box.
i don't think you can go wrong if you're looking for an impromptu jammer or travel buddy.
the keys is really cool - 3-note poly, some weird/interesting voice modes. crusty noisy delay if that's your bag (it's mine!).
was hyped for the sampler one before release, but I was hoping for being able to play the samples pitched across the keyboard and you can't out of the box - there's some real hack way of doing it involving a fancy MIDI cable from another company. so it's more of a 'load in your samples that you prepared on the computer, sequence them' deal. can get android apps to load the samples on if you don't have an iOS device.
the motion sequencing stuff is excellent, obv this is one of korg's strong suits now what with electribes, then these, and the minilogue doing a fancier version of it - gets around lack of LFOs, brings the sound alive.
they should do a little mixer for them all next!
I like the Keys, but haven't used it in awhile. The best use I found for it was controlling it with midi and blending it with soft synths playing the same chords (maybe with different voicings), to add some grit and rawness.
Didn't notice this thread as I haven't been on IMM in a while.
I like these, they're great fun but best used imo as step sequencers and we had a great night at a friend's birthday bash improvising on a full set. Agree though that the Sample is very limited and needs a bit of work for it to do what you want. Also don't undersestimate how short the sample length is.
The whole backing track for my PSBs pre-cover track was done live on a Beats/Keys/Sample setup.
that great video of legowelt making a track shows off his modded keys, which he uses as a polyphonic sequencer.
A mixer that powers three Volcas!
That's the only really useful function of it - if they're synced then play/pause performs the same function as muting the channel and I just use a cheap 4-1 mix block to balance the volumes against each other.


text:
Malcolm's Ethiopian toad or the Ethiopian mountain toad (Altiphrynoides malcolmi) is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae endemic to the Bale Mountains of Ethiopia. Its natural habitats are Schefflera-Hagenia-Hypericum forests and Afro-alpine moorland, and the transition zone in between. It is threatened by habitat loss and is listed by the IUCN as being an "endangered species".

Description
Malcolm's Ethiopian toad is a small robust species. The females reach a snout-to-vent length of  and males reach  in length. The head is broad and the upper jaw is longer than the lower one. The paratoid gland is some way behind the eye and is short and narrow. The colour of the upper parts is quite variable with different individuals being greenish-grey, grey, greyish-brown or black. There are dark spots arranged along three longitudinal bands of paler colour, pink, dull red or green. The flanks are grey or greyish-black and may be delineated by a thin white line. The underparts are cream or dull white with darker spots and blotches.

Distribution
Malcolm's Ethiopian toad is endemic to the Bale Mountains of Ethiopia where it is found at elevations of between  above sea level. At lower altitudes it is found in grassy meadows besides streams but higher up on the mountain plateau it is present in forests composed of Schefflera, Hagenia and Hypericum and also on afromontane moorlands.

Biology
Malcolm's Ethiopian toad has what is believed to be a unique pattern of development. Males advertise their presence with calls that are only audible within a few meters. Both males and females wander through wet grasses near streams and pools until they meet, after which the male calls more intensely. Other males congregate at the site and there is great competition to mate with the female. Fertilization is internal and takes place after the successful couple engage in face-to-face amplexus. The female produces about twenty large eggs enclosed in a mucus layer while still in amplexus. These are deposited in the vegetation or occasionally under logs or in leaf litter. The female then departs the scene but the males remain and attract more females by their calling. These lay their eggs at the same site and the communal egg mass may originate from as many as twenty females. The males eventually disperse when no more females arrive. There is no more parental involvement and the eggs develop into non-feeding tadpoles which rely on the large yolk-sac in the egg. In the laboratory eggs have hatched after eleven days but in the field, at a lower temperature, this is likely to take longer. By the time they hatch, the tadpoles have started reabsorbing their tails but metamorphosis is completed after hatching.

Status
Although Malcolm's Ethiopian toad is common in some localities within its range, the population trend is believed to be downward. The main threats faced by this toad are the degradation of its habitat through timber extraction, increased grazing of cattle and the development of settlements, although part of its range is within the Bale Mountains National Park which should offer some protection from human activities. The fungus causing chytridiomycosis is present in the Ethiopian highlands and has been found to occur in this species. For these reasons, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed this toad as being an "endangered species".

References

Altiphrynoides
Amphibians of Ethiopia
Endemic fauna of Ethiopia
Bale Mountains
Fauna of the Ethiopian Highlands
Endangered animals
Endangered biota of Africa
Amphibians described in 1978
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot

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