This ESDN Quarterly Report (QR) focuses on sustainability impact assessments (SIAs) in Europe. Generally speaking, impact assessments (IAs) address governance challenges like informed (or knowledge-based) decision-making, policy integration, improved strategic management, transparency and stakeholder participation. The growing acceptance of sustainable development (SD) as an overarching guiding principle for policy-making stimulated the use of IAs in order to evaluate the impacts of (cross-)sectoral policies regarding SD.
This QR will first provide a definition and overview of different IA approaches. Second, it will describe the integrated IA method developed and applied by the European Commission. Finally, two case studies on Switzerland and Belgium will show how IAs are applied to national policy-making.
Over the last years, one can witness an ever increasing interest in impact assessments (IAs). On the one hand, this development is driven, for instance, by concerns for better and informed policy-making, like the "better regulation" agenda of the EU, involving issues like increased effectiveness and efficiency in legislation, more transparency and better policy delivery (European Commission, 2005a; European Commission, 2001). On the other hand, the growing acceptance of SD as an overarching guiding principle for policy-making stimulated the use of IAs in order to evaluate the impacts of (cross-)sectoral policies regarding SD (Bond et al, 2001).
Although many different forms of IAs have been developed and applied in recent years, the following definition is general enough to cover most of them: An IA is an ex-ante evaluation of the potential impacts of projects, plans, programmes or policies. It mostly involves several systematic steps, including an identification and description of the problem, the definition of policy options and measures, an evaluation/assessment of potential effects and impacts, and the description of options available to mitigate theses effects and impacts. Therefore, an IA is a tool for informed decision-making that should help policy-makers to assess potential effects of decisions before they are taken (Ecologic et al, 2007; Renda, 2006; Wilkinson, 2004).
There are many forms of IAs and no single, widely accepted approach can be detected. Starting in the 1970s, IAs were mostly used as regulatory policy appraisal in order to understand the nature of regulations and their usefulness as policy instrument as well as their impacts on businesses. These early forms developed into what is now referred to as Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIA). They are the most common form of IA in the OECD countries. RIAs often involve environmental and social issues but their main objective is the evaluation of the costs and benefits for businesses and citizens in complying with proposed regulations. Recent examples of RIAs can be found in Ireland where in 2005 a "Report on the Introduction of Regulatory Impact Analysis" (Department of the Taoiseach, 2005) was published. A second example can be found in the UK, where in 2007 a new format for IA (previously RIA) was introduced. An IA Guidance document provides background information on practical application.
Over the years, different forms of sectoral IAs have been developed, like Business Impact Assessment, Social Impact Assessment or Health Impact Assessment (Paredis et al, 2006). Methodologically, a variety of methods is used, ranging from cost-benefit analysis, multi-criteria analysis, different forms of macro- and micro-economic models, etc. Usually, quantitative assessment methods are supported by qualitative methods.
In the field of environmental policy, two forms of IA have developed during the 1980s and 1990s which are seen by many as first steps towards an SIA: Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA).
EIAs largely developed in the 1980s, although their origin can be traced back to the late 1960s. In the United States, the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 established an EIA process in order to analyse the environmental impacts of proposed projects. In the EU, EIA was introduced with a directive in 1985 which was amended in 1997. The EU Member States had to translate this directive into national legislation until 1999. The EIA Directive outlines which projects shall be made subject to an EIA, which procedure shall be followed and the content of the assessment. The EIA procedure makes sure that environmental effects of projects are identified and assessed before a decision is taken. The public can voice opinions during the assessment procedure.
During the 1990s, there was much discussion within the EU to apply EIA not only to projects, but also to plans and programmes. In 2001, the SEA Directive was adopted for this purpose. It includes procedures that identify and assess environmental consequences of certain plans and programmes during their preparation and before a decision is taken. Again, public participation is foreseen in the SEA process. Over the years, SEAs have sometimes been used for assessing also the environmental impacts of policies and, in some cases, socio-economic aspects have been included (Dalal-Clayton & Sadler, 2004).
Apart from recent developments in SEAs, all major IAs were focussed on specific policy sectors. The integration of their individual results had to be made in the final decision-making stage. Since the late 1990s, the call for an integrated IA became prevalent, especially in the context of increasing efforts for policy integration.
Within the EU, the Cardiff Process in 1998 established the requirement for a better integration of environmental considerations in all policy sectors. The process towards the EU Sustainable Development Strategy (EU SDS), starting in Gothenburg in 2001, and the Lisbon Agenda both reiterated the objective to integrate economic, social and environmental policies. For instance, the renewed EU SDS suggests that all EU institutions (and EU Member States) "should ensure that major policy decisions are based on proposals that have undergone high quality IA" (European Council, 2006, para 11). In most European countries, strategic policy management in the form of National Sustainable Development Strategies (NSDSs) became increasingly important over the last years. By definition, NSDSs seek to integrate the three pillars of SD and also foresee measures to evaluate the implementation of the strategy objectives (see the ESDN homepage for basic information on NSDSs). These developments have paved the way for the development of SIA as integrated assessment tool. Compared to sectoral IAs, all three dimensions of SD are integrated into one assessment procedure and the interdependency of the three policy fields is analysed before decisions are taken.
Therefore, an SIA can be defined as a "systematic and iterative process for the ex-ante assessment of the likely economic, social and environmental impacts of policies, plans, programmes and strategic projects, which is undertaken during the preparation of them and where the stakeholders concerned participate pro-actively. The main aim is to improve the performance of the strategies by enhancing positive effects, mitigating negative ones and avoiding that negative impacts are transferred to future generations" (Arbter, 2003, 1). The definition deliberately refers to plans and strategies because SIAs are particularly relevant for assessing the implementation of NSDSs. Some European countries explicitly refer to the development and/or application of SIA in their NSDSs (e.g. Belgium, Finland, Switzerland, etc).
Transparency: making the decision-making process more open and transparent, identifying underlying assumption, motivations, interests, etc.
Efficiency: ensuring that objectives of policies, plans, programmes and projects are met at the least costs, avoiding unnecessary bureaucracy, etc.
As the table shows, the subjects of assessment or levels of application are different. SIAs are the most comprehensive ones and include strategies, policies, plans, programmes and projects. The frame of reference is also different: EIAs and SEAs have a sectoral focus on environmental policy, however, SIAs are related to strategic policy planning in the form of NSDSs and/or similar SD policy frameworks. Accordingly, the scope of assessment of EIAs and SEAs is narrowed to one policy field, whereas SIAs are focused on SD policy integration. Finally, there is extensive experience with the practical application of EIAs and SEAs, but less experience with integrated IAs on the EU level and SIAs in a few European countries.
Generally, as Pope (2003) points out, integrated SIAs should be more than the sum of sectoral economic, social and environmental issues. This creates a number of questions regarding institutional and methodological issues. In terms of institutional issues, Dalal-Clayton & Sadler (2004) argue that this refers to the establishment of appropriate provisions and arrangements for SIAs within policy-making and planning processes. Therefore, SIAs should be made a "fundamental component of the decision-making process" (Pope, 2003, 8). Buselich (2002, summary) points out that, in practice, the most critical issue of SIA is "how environmental, social and economic information is analyzed, integrated and presented to decision-makers".
Methodologically, SIAs also present new challenges. If SIAs are to integrate different policy issues into one assessment process, procedural and organisational provisions (which ministry is responsible, which other ministries and stakeholders will be included) as well as interdisciplinary approaches (acknowledging that single disciplinary approaches will not suffice) will need to be developed (Bond et al, 2001). The European Commission already funded various research projects in order to gain insights into different methodologies for SIA (Tamborra, 2005). A current example is the MATISSE project, funded by the 6th Framework Programme for Research of the EU, which aims to advance scientific knowledge about and improve tools for integrated sustainability assessment (ISA). It is oriented towards supporting the development of cross-sectoral policies that address SD and at exploring enabling policy regimes and institutional arrangements (Weaver & Rotmans, 2006).
When searching on the internet about SIAs in the EU, the first information provided is about Trade Sustainability Impact Assessment, mostly referred to as SIA within the EU. The Trade SIA was launched in 1999 in anticipation of the new World Trade Organisation (WTO) round of negotiations. Since then, they are carried out for all the EU's major trade negotiations. A Trade SIA seeks to identify the potential economic, social and environmental impacts of a trade agreement and has two main purposes: (1) to integrate sustainability into trade policy by informing negotiators of the possible social, environmental and economic consequences of a trade agreement; and (2) to make information on the potential impacts available to all actors (NGOs, aid donors, parliaments, business etc.). During a recent Trade SIA stock-tacking conference in March 2006, a new handbook by DG Trade was presented (European Commission, 2006).
However, the general framework for integrated IA in the EU is the European Commission's IA system which was launched in 2002 (European Commission, 2002a). The basis for developing an IA has to be seen in the context of the "better regulation" objective which has been strategically included in the White Paper on Governance (European Commission, 2001). A follow-up to the White Paper, the Commission's "Better Regulation Action Plan" (European Commission, 2002b), based on the 2001 Laeken Council Conclusions (European Council, 2001a) formulated objectives for all EU institutions in order to improve the quality of policy proposals, simplifying legislation, providing more transparency, etc. In this context, it also stressed the need for "a consolidated and proportionate instrument for assessing the impact of […] legislative and policy initiatives" (European Commission, 2002b, 7). Furthermore, "better regulation" became one of the milestones for achieving the Lisbon Strategy goals (European Commission, 2005b).
The other driver for the IA was the development of the EU SDS (IEEP, 2004). The 2001 Gothenburg European Council Conclusions called in the section on the EU SDS for the introduction of "mechanisms to ensure that all major policy proposals include a sustainability impact assessment covering their potential economic, social and environmental consequences" (European Council, 2001b, 5). The Council thus acknowledged the need for integrated IA in order to assess the SD impacts of policy proposals. The renewed EU SDS which was adopted by the European Council in June 2006, reiterates the need for an integrated IA (European Council, 2006, para 11).
In June 2002, a European Commission communication launched the new integrated IA in order to improve the quality and coherence of the policy development process. It is argued that the IA should contribute to "an effective and efficient regulatory environment and further, to a more coherent implementation of the European Strategy for SD" (European Commission, 2002a, 2). This confirms that the "better regulation" agenda and the EU SDS were the main political drivers for the Commission's IA.
identify trade-offs in achieving competing objectives.
Since the update of the IA in 2005 (European Commission, 2005c), a formal IA is required for items on the Commission's Work Programme. This means that all regulatory proposals, Whiter Papers, expenditure programmes and negotiating guidelines for international agreements are subject to an IA. Exempted are only Green Papers and proposals for consultation with social partners.
The major change with the 2002 communication was that the IA would ultimately "integrate, reinforce, streamline and replace all the existing separate impact assessment mechanisms for Commission proposals" (European Commission, 2002a, 3). Therefore, an integrated IA approach was chosen which builds on the experience of, but finally replaces, sectoral IAs (e.g. EIA, business IA, health IA, gender mainstreaming, etc.).
Integration and balance: IA should consider the economic, social and environmental dimensions of Commission policy proposals. In contrast to (budgetary) ex-ante evaluation which are primarily focused on cost-effectiveness, IA is policy driven, examining whether the impacts of policy proposals are sustainable and conform to the principles of "better regulation".
Transparency: It should be made clear to all stakeholders and the general public how the Commission assesses the expected impacts of its legislation, including the data and methodology used. A special website of the European Commission provides information on all IAs carried out. Furthermore, stakeholders and experts should be consulted throughout the IA process.
"Proportionate analysis": The assessment of impacts should concentrate on those that are likely to be the most significant or will lead to important distributive effects.
IA is a process of systematic analysis of the likely impacts of interventions by public authorities. Therefore, IA should be made an integral part of designing policy proposals and making decision-makers and the public aware of potential impacts.
IA is an aid to decision-making, not a substitute for political judgement: IA provides an input to informed decision-making, however, does not present easy-to-follow descriptions or recommendations.
IA is an effective and valuable communication tool: Consultation with stakeholders may generate useful discussion and bring valuable information and analysis.
In general, the IA outlined above is only a requirement within the European Commission and not in the EU Member States. However, the 2004 Staff Working Paper (European Commission, 2004, 4) argues that "to be fully efficient, the IA practice will need to be complemented, where necessary, by equivalent practices in the Member States". This should apply in those areas where they use the right of initiative for new legislation (Justice and Home Affairs) as well as for the transposition of EU Directives that leave the Member States broad margins for implementation (European Commission, 2002a).
Since 2005, a two-stage process for IA exists in the European Commission, consisting of a "roadmap" and an "impact assessment". "Roadmaps" (previously known as "preliminary assessment") are requested by the Commission services for the initiatives they have put forward for the Work Programme. Through this, information about initiatives is distributed early on and a brief statement is included about the likely impacts of policy options (also comprising availability of data, time and consultation plan, etc). Based on the roadmaps, the Commission will decide whether an "impact assessment" (previously known as "extended impact assessment") is necessary for a policy proposal (Ecologic et al, 2007).
It is the responsibility of the respective DG to carry out an IA for its policy proposals in cooperation with other Commission services affected. For individual IAs that cut across the responsibility of several DGs, Inter-Service Steering Groups are created, headed by the lead DG. The Secretariat General coordinates the basic support structure for IAs in the Commission. In 2006, the Impact Assessment Board (IAB) was established to ensure more consistent and high quality IAs. It is chaired by Alexander Italianer (Deputy Secretay General) and is under the direct authority of the Commission President. The IAB not only provides advice to the Commission services on methodology and approach at the early stages of an IA, its mandate is to also scrutinize and issue opinions on the quality of individual draft IAs.
Carrying out the IA analysis.
Submission to the College of Commissioners.
Final IA report, published on European Commission website.
What issiue/problem is the policy proposal expected to tackle?
What main objective is the policy proposal supposed to achieve?
What are the main policy options available to achieve the objective?
What are the positive and negative economic, social and environmental impacts expected from the different options identified?
How can the options be compared?
What possible monitoring and evaluation arrangements can be applied for the policy?
The analysis of the potential positive and negative economic, social and environmental impacts of policy proposals (question 4) are in the centre of the IA. The IA Guidelines (European Commission, 2005c) suggest a three step analysis: The first step is to identify those impacts that are likely to occur as a consequence of implementing a policy. This analysis should build on a causal model which links the causes (action, instrument, etc) to the effects (impacts). The second step is the identification of the most significant impacts. Again, the causal model is suggested as is a qualitative process of description (likelihood, magnitude of each impact) or an impact matrix (action according to their short-, medium- and long-term impacts). The third and last step is the advanced analysis of impacts which can be qualitative (e.g. case studies, scenario approach) or quantitative (based on indicators) or a combination of both.
From 2003 until June 2007 (at the time of writing this QR), the Commission services carried out 248 IAs. The table bellows shows the total number of IAs carried out per year and the DGs with the highest number of IAs in the respective year (ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd).
* The IAs for 2007 are listed until 14 June 2007 only (latest update on the EC homepage at the time of writing this QR).
DG Environment and DG Transport have carried out the most IAs between 2003 and June 2007 (35 IAs each). A good example of a recently completed IA is the one on the "Communication on Airport Capacity" by DG Transport in which for each optional measure, the economic, social and environmental impacts are listed in a table.
In early 2006, the European Commission launched an independent evaluation of its IA. The objective is to review the experiences made since 2002, including how the IAs are carried out and used by the Commission services, their quality and their role in the policy or legislative process. The evaluation included a wide-ranging consultation process involving stakeholders, EU institutions and Member States. The final report will soon be published on the Commission's governance website.
Already in 2004, the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) released a report on how SD considerations have been addressed in the extended IA that were carried out in 2003, the first year of IA. They came to the following conclusions (IEEP, 2004): First, the analysis of the policy problems to be addressed tend to reflect the perspective of the responsible DG which suggests that inter-service consultation should be strengthened. Second, the range of impacts assessed is limited. Little explicit attention is given to SD issues or the trade-offs between the different SD pillars. Most attention is given go economic impacts with little treatment of environmental and social impacts. Third, the majority of impacts is discussed in qualitative terms. Only occasionally are there attempts to quantify long-term environmental or social issues. Therefore, an infrastructure for more extensive data collection and analysis in the IA system is suggested.
Unclear purpose: It is not always clear what exact purpose the IAs have. Achievement of balanced policy integration (SD), "better regulation" or orientation towards the new Lisbon objectives which seem to focus on competitiveness rather than on integration?
Resources and "proportionality": IA Guidelines leave too much discretion to DGs; temptation to leave out difficult, long-term environmental and social impacts.
Stakeholder representation: Stakeholders are included too late in the policy process when options are already determined. Earlier involvement and financial support for NGOs would benefit IA results.
Credibility: The link between IAs and the final policy decisions should be made clear. Transparency about how IAs influenced policy decision.
The Network of European Environment and SD Advisory Councils (EEAC) issued in April 2006 a Statement of its working group on governance about the achievements and prospects of the IA of the European Commission (EEAC, 2006). The statement is based on the analysis of four IAs and concentrates on the quality of the assessment process rather than on the overall outcome. Several problems and shortcomings of the IA were identified, e.g. not enough consideration of environmental issues; NGOs and environmental experts were less involved than business representatives; concentration on short-term impacts and qualitative analyses (e.g. cost-benefits analysis); lack of capacities in DGs for carrying our IAs; and the potential for deliberation, social learning and innovation was not exploited.
These results seem to suggest that there is room for improvement of the Commission's IA system. In this context, it will be interesting to see which conclusions are drawn from the independent evaluation launched by the Commission itself.
As pointed out above, the EU encourages Member States to also introduce IA approaches. A recent study by Ecologic et al. (2007, 20) shows, however, that information on IA systems in the Member States is "patchy and sometimes contradictory". It is further argued in the study that the contradictions are due to the fact that IA practice in the Member States varies strongly and, thus, the categorisation of procedures and measures is often a matter of interpretation. Different findings show that IA processes are complex and it is, therefore, difficult to categorise them in a comparable manner. In a Communication from the Commission about better regulation, a summary of various IA activities in the Member States is provided (European Commission, 2005a, Annex). Additionally, a recent study for the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management (Arbter, 2005) provides an overview of IA activities in Europe which include SD issues.
For the purpose of this Quarterly Report, the definition of SIAs given in the introduction is important in how the two SIA country case studies in Switzerland and Belgium have been selected: SIAs refer to policies, programmes, plans and projects and not only to laws; they are mainly based on NSDS or similar national SD policy frameworks and – most importantly – they are, like the IA of the European Commission, policy driven and focus on examining the impacts of policy proposals in terms of SD and the principles of better regulation.
The Swiss NSDS of 2002 provides in Measure 22 a provision to investigate the feasibility of a sustainability assessment (SA). The aim is to "develop a tool that can be used to evaluate the effects of draft legislation, concepts and projects in terms of the three dimensions of SD and to indicate potential deficiencies" (Swiss Federal Council, 2002, 35). In other words, an SA is intended to evaluate initiatives and programmes put forward by the Swiss Federal Government with regard to SD objectives, to highlight shortcomings and to optimize the initiatives and programmes in question. The objective is to integrate SD in the development of policies, strategies, programmes and concepts of the Swiss Government.
Currently, there is no legal obligation to carry out an SA for government initiatives and programmes in Switzerland. However, a phase of practical testing was introduced with a Federal Council resolution in 2003. The aim is to refine SA as an ex-ante evaluation instrument and to look further into procedural and institutional issues. In 2004, the Federal Office for Spatial Planning (ARE) developed a concept and methodological foundation for this process on the national level (ARE, 2004). A decision whether SA will become mandatory will be taken after practical experiences have been evaluated.
Transparency is regarded as fundamental element at each stage of the SA process.
The federal agency (e.g. ministry) that put forward an initiative or programme is in charge of carrying out the SA. This agency is also responsible for the level of involvement of other ministries and stakeholders. ARE may take part in SAs as an advisory body, ensuring consistent application of the SA method throughout the Federal Government.
Impacts concern areas which already show severe SD problems and may increase in the face of new developments.
Step 2: Establishing SD relevance.
Step 4: Conducting the analyis.
Step 7: Presentation of results.
The graph below summarizes the Swiss SA procedure.
The conceptual and methodological framework by ARE was tested in two pilot applications between 2004-06: the "Sectoral Transport Plan" and the "Agriculture Policy 2011". Below is a short description of the SA of the "Sectoral Transport Plan". Further information on the SA for the "Agriculture Policy 2011" can be found in Wachter, 2005.
"Sectoral plans" are the most important spatial planning guidance documents of the Swiss Federal Government. With these plans, the government sets out the planning policies for specific fields, identifies the objectives and how they should be implemented. The Sectoral Transport Plan is the central instrument for transport infrastructure planning on the national level. In order to accommodate this plan with the goals of SD, an SA for the programme section of the plan was undertaken between 2004-06 (ARE, 2006).
The SA was carried out by an external team of experts. In order to optimize the sectoral plan with regard to SD, the SA started very early and in parallel to the development of the plan. In total, five different versions of the programme section of the sectoral plan were part of the SA between August 2004 and April 2006. The SA focused on the objectives of infrastructure policy, the development strategies, the basic principles and priorities in specific parts of the plan and modalities of implementation (Wachter, 2006).
To what extent does the plan comply with the goals of SD and what contradictions can be detected?
Is the plan's design balanced and comprehensive in terms of the three SD dimensions?
To what extent are the defined goals and strategies consistent with the implementation measures?
To what extent have specification been included which guarantee that SD goals are taken into account in future planning steps?
Flexible application of SA in order to keep costs low.
The idea to introduce an SIA in federal policy-making has been maturing for some years in Belgium. SIA was explicitly mentioned for the first time in the Coalition Agreement of the Belgium Government in 1999. A reference to the development of an SIA methodology was also included in the first NSDS (2000-04). The most important legal document on which recent efforts to introduce SIA is based is the Royal Decree of 22 September 2004. This decree not only defines SIA, but also established the "Cells for SD" (responsible for the implementation and follow-up of the current NSDS of 2004 in all public services) and laid out competencies and responsibilities concerning the introduction of a federal SIA process. In 2006, a manual for SIA was produced on the basis of the results of a study about the methodology and feasibility of SIAs (Paredis et al, 2006) as well as of the experiences of the Flemish region's Regulation Impact Assessment.
The application of an extended SIA.
The Federal Planning Service Sustainable Development (PODDO) supports the federal government in the implementation of the SIAs. For this purpose, PODDO has set up a helpdesk that provides administrations with practical information on the SIA manual. Additionally, PODDO is responsible for monitoring the quality of the SIAs.
SIA in Belgium is considered as a learning process with the ultimate goal to better and more systematically integrate SD in the preparation of policy proposals by the federal government.
Given that SIA has the purpose to evaluate economic, social and environmental effects of policies before decisions are taken, it should also streamline and integrate other assessment methods. However, a number of evaluation methods will remain outside the SIA, mainly because of their specific character or position in the policy and regulatory process, like the Kafka test (to avoid administrative burdens), the advice of the Inspectorate of the Budget and the budget agreement.
The responsibility for carrying out an SIA lies with the individual ministries that propose a policy. As mentioned above, assistance is provided by PODDO.
This stage is to determine whether an SIA for a policy proposal needs to be carried out. A screening matrix for a quick-scan is provided in the manual. An SIA is only necessary if the proposed policy has potentially significant economic, social or environmental impacts in the short- to long-term. For proposals that are unlikely to have negative impacts, no SIA needs to be carried out.
The scoping stage should clarify the content, depth and method of the SIA in order to make the exercise proportional to the potential impacts and a focus on the most significant effects is possible.
At this stage, the potential impacts of the proposed policy and eventual alternative measures are assessed.
The final step is the formulation of possible accompanying measures to avoid or reduce undesired impacts of the policy proposal and to foster the desired impacts as much as possible.
As part of the study about on methodology and feasibility of SIA (Paredis et al, 2006), three case studies were undertaken by the research team. The first two case studies (on introducing ethical criteria in public purchasing and a policy proposal for the use of biomass fuels in transportation) set out to test all phases of the Belgium SIA approach. The third case study tested exclusively the screening methodology. A short description of the first two case studies is provided below. An extensive coverage of the case studies can be found in Paredis et al, 2006.
A European Directive (2004/17/EC) on the coordination of procedures for the award of public works contracts, public supply contracts and public service contracts needed to be introduced into national law. The new law had the aim to also include the possibility to introduce ethical criteria in public contracts. The proposal for introducing this law in Belgium was used as a test case for SIA by the research team.
Although it was decided very early in the SIA process that the test case would only include a screening phase, some important general conclusions about the application of IA could be drawn (Paredis et al, 2006). First, the test case demonstrated that in an ex-ante assessment, the identification of potential impacts of a policy proposal is a very sensitive issue. If no hard facts and data are available, the discussion of potential impacts can easily turn into a discussion of values. Second, analysing the potential impacts can help to provide structured information about the quality of the proposal, initial assumptions and potential effects (indented or not intended, direct or indirect, etc). Third, the process offers the possibility to elaborate general or complementary alternatives to the policy proposal, thus contributing to a more rational and balanced policy-making.
This policy proposal promoted the use of biomass fuel in transportation and was based on two EU Directives (2003/30/EC, 2003/96/EC). The screening process was conducted by the researchers during a meeting with civil servants from two different ministries. In total, four policy options were identified. A screening and scoping matrix was used to investigate possible direct and indirect economic, social and environmental impacts of the individual options. After this, a scoping and impact analysis was carried out.
The conclusions of the research team that undertook the case study highlight that this policy proposal was an ideal example of carrying out an SIA, particularly by looking at the potential mid- and long-term economic, social and environmental impacts of using biomass in transportation. Second, during the SIA process it was considered as particularly difficult to identify relevant alternatives. The first five alternatives were seen as too restrictive. Third, it became apparent during the SIA that the horizontal integration issue of SD is of great importance, i.e. comparing objectives in different policy fields (like transport, climate, social exclusions, etc.) as defined in the NSDS. Finally, the research team experienced that a comprehensive SIA is a resource intensive task. They devoted about three person months only for the identification of likely impacts and the effectiveness of the policy proposal (Paredis, et al, 2006).
Source: SIA – Screening Manual, 2006.
Arbter, K. (2005) Nachhaltige Politiken und Rechtsakte: Studie zum international Stand der Dinge und zu einem Ablauf für Österreich (Endbericht zum Studienteil 1: Internationaler Stand der Dinge), Wien, Büro Abter. (In German, executive summary also in English).
Arbter, K. (2003) "SEA and SIA – Two Participative Assessment Tools for Sustainability", Paper presented at the EASY-ECO 2 Conference, Vienna, 15-17 May 2003, http://www.wu-wien.ac.at/inst/fsnu/easy2/papers/a2_arbter.pdf.
ARE (Federal Office for Spatial Development) (2006) Nachhaltigkeitsbeurteilung des Sachplans Verkehr, Teil Programm, Schlussbericht, http://www.are.admin.ch/themen/raumplanung/00240/01406/index.html?lang=de.
ARE (Federal Office for Spatial Development) (2004) Sustainability Assessment: Conceptual Framework and Basic Methodology, http://www.are.admin.ch/themen/nachhaltig/00270/index.html?lang=en.
Bond, R. et al. (2001) "Integrated Impact Assessment for Sustainable Development: A Case Study Approach", World Development, 6, pp. 1011-1024.
Buselich, K. (2002) An Outline of Current Thinking on Sustainability Assessment, A background paper prepared for the Western Australian State Sustainability Strategy, http://www.sustainability.dpc.wa.gov.au/docs/BGPapers/KathrynBuselich.pdf.
Dalal-Clayton, B. & Sadler, B. (2004) Sustainability Appraisal: A Review of International Experience and Practice, http://www.iied.org/Gov/spa/docs.html.
Department of the Taoiseach (2005) Report on the Introduction of Regulatory Impact Analysis, Dublin, http://www.betterregulation.ie/attached_files/Pdfs/RIA%20english.pdf.
Ecologic et al. (2007) Improving Assessment of the Environment in Impact Assessment, Final Report, Project No. ENV.G.1/FRA/2004/0081, http://www.ecologic-events.de/eu-impact-assessment/en/documents/Env_in_IA_final.pdf.
EEAC (Network of European Environment and SD Advisory Councils) (2006) Impact Assessment of European Commission Policies: Achievements and Prospects, Statement of the EEAC Working Group on Governance, http://www.eeac-net.org/.
European Commission (2006) Handbook for Trade Sustainability Impact Assessment, EC, External Trade, http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2006/march/tradoc_127974.pdf.
European Commission (2005a) Better Regulation for Growth and Jobs in the European Union, Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament, COM (2005) 97 final, http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/LexUriServ/site/en/com/2005/com2005_0097en01.pdf.
European Commission (2005b) Common Actions for Growth and Employment: The Community Lisbon Programme, Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament, COM (2005) 330 final, http://ec.europa.eu/growthandjobs/pdf/COM2005_330_en.pdf.
European Commission (2005c) Impact Assessment Guidelines, SEC (2005), 791, http://ec.europa.eu/governance/impact/docs/SEC2005_791_IA%20guidelines_annexes.pdf.
European Commission (2004) Impact Assessment: Next Steps, Commission Staff Working Paper, http://ec.europa.eu/governance/impact/docs/key_docs/sec_2004_1377_en.pdf.
European Commission (2002a) Communication from the Commission on Impact Assessment, COM(2002) 276 final. http://ec.europa.eu/governance/impact/docs/key_docs/com_2002_0276_en.pdf.
European Commission (2001) European Governance: A White Paper, COM (2001) 428 final, http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/com/2001/com2001_0428en01.pdf.
European Council (2006) Review of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy (EU SDS) – Renewed Strategy, 10917/06, http://sd-net/pdf/quarterly%20reports/EU_SDS_final_version_2006_June26_en.PDF.
European Council (2001a) Presidency Conclusions – European Council Meeting in Laeken, 14-15 December 2001, http://ec.europa.eu/governance/impact/docs/key_docs/laeken_concl_en.pdf.
European Council (2001b) Presidency Conclusions – Göteborg European Council, 15-16 June 2001, http://ec.europa.eu/governance/impact/docs/key_docs/goteborg_concl_en.pdf.
IEEP (Institute for European Environmental Policy) (2004) Sustainable Development in the European Commission's Integrated Impact Assessment for 2004, Final Report, IEEP, London.
Paredis, E. et al. (2006) Methodology and Feasibility of Sustainability Impact Assessment. Case: Federal Policy-making Processes, Belgian Science Policy, Brussels, http://www.belspo.be/belspo/home/publ/pub_ostc/CPgen/rappCP46_en.pdf.
Pope, J. (2003) "Sustainability Assessment: What is it and how do we do it", Institute for Sustainability and Technology Policy, Murdoch University, Austrialia http://www.sustainability.dpc.wa.gov.au/conferences/refereed%20papers/Pope,J%20-%20paper.pdf.
Pope, J. et al. (2004) "Conceptualising Sustainability Assessment", Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 24, pp. 595-616.
Renda, A. (2006) Impact Assessment in the EU: The State of the Art and the Art of the State, Centre for European Policy Studies, Brussels.
Swiss Federal Council (2002) Sustainable Development Strategy 2002, Berne, http://www.are.admin.ch/themen/nachhaltig/00262/00528/index.html?lang=en.
Tamborra, M. (2005) "Impact Assessment at the European Commission and the Contribution of EU Research", Presentation at the EASY-ECO Conference, Manchester, UK, 15-17 June 2005, http://www.wu-wien.ac.at/inst/fsnu/manchester/presentations/tamborra.pdf.
Wachter, D. (2006) "Nachhaltigkeitsbeurteilung: Erweiterung oder Konkurrenz zur Umweltprüfung?", Paper presented at the UVP-Kongress, Paderborn, 14-15 September 2006.
Wachter, D. (2005) "Sustainability Assessment in Switzerland: From Theory to Practice", Presentation at the EASY-ECO Conference, Manchester, UK, 15-17 June 2005, http://www.wu-wien.ac.at/inst/fsnu/manchester/papers/Wachter.pdf.
Weaver, P.M. & Rotmans, J. (2006) "Integrated Sustainability Assessment: What? Why? How?", MATISSE Working Paper 1, http://www.matisse-project.net/projectcomm/uploads/tx_article/Working_Paper_1_03.pdf.
Wilkinson, D. (2004) Impact Assessment, Policy brief for the EP Environment Committee, EP/IV/A/2003/09/01, http://www.europarl.europa.eu/comparl/envi/pdf/externalexpertise/ieep/impact_assessment_brief.pdf.
2 Additional information on SA in Switzerland was provided by Daniel Wachter from the Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE).
3 Additional information on SIA in Belgium was received via email by Kristiaan Henrix from the Federal Planning Service Sustainable Development (PODDO).


text:
Thousands in checks taken from E-town mailboxes
Updated: 11:15 PM EST Feb 22, 2017
WEBVTT BILLS. >> I MADE OUT MY BILLS, THERE WERE SIX OF THEM TOTAL.I PUT A RUBBER BAND AROUND THEM,STUCK THEM IN THE MAIL BOX WITH THE FLAG UP.>> REPORTER: AND THAT, ACCORDINGTO POLICE, IS WHAT CAUGHT THE EYE OF 44-YEAR-OLD DAVID MULLINS, ACCUSED OF STEALING MAIL, DOCTORING CHECKS, AND THENCASHING IN. MULLINS IS FACING FORGERY AND IDENTIFY THEFT CHARGES IN NEARBYJEFFERSON AND BULLITT COUNTIES BUT IN RECENT WEEKS, ELIZABETHTOWN POLICE OFFICER JOHN THOMAS SAYS MULLINS, WHO HEDOES NOT BELIEVE IS WORKING ALONE, HAS TARGETED HARDIN COUNTY.>> WE HAVE AT LEAST A DOZEN VICTIMS, BUT THERE ARE PROBABLY MORE OUT THERE.>> REPORTER: ALICE, WHO ASKED NOT TO BE IDENTIFIED, ONLY REALIZED HER BILLS HADN'T MADE IT PAST HER DRIVEWAY WHEN SHE RECEIVED A LATE NOTICE LAST MONTH FROM THE WATER COMPANY. THAT CHECK HASN'T SURFACED BUT ACCORDING TO POLICE, MULLINS DOCTORED HER CABLE BILL, AND ALICE SAYS IT WASN'T MUCH.>> 127.06.>> Reporter: MAKING IT PAYABLE TO HIMSELF,WRITING AT THE BOTTOM IT WAS FOR'HOUSEPAINTING", AND HEADING TO A BANK LOCATED INSIDE THE KROGER. >> WE CAPTURED HIM ON BANK SURVEILLANCE.HE HAS SIX ACTIVE WARRANTS IN THREE DIFFERENT COUNTIES FOR SIMILAR ACTIVITIES, SO IT'S NOT HIS FIRST RODEO.>> REPORTER: IT'S WHY ALICE AND OTHERS, WHO WERE TARGETED TO THETUNE OF SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS, HOPE MULLINS AND THE OTHERS POLICE BELIEVE ARE RESPONSIBLE, ARE CAUGHT SOON. >> IT'S CAUSED ME A LOT OF TROUBLE AND A LOT OF HASSLE, ANDWE WORK HARD FOR OUR MONEY.HE NEEDS TO GET OUT AND GET A JOB LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. >> DETECTIVES HAVE HAD 12 VICTIMS COME FORWARD BUT BELIEVETHERE ARE MANY MORE.THAT'S WHY CITIZENS ARE BEING ASKED TO CHECK THEIR BANKING RECORDS AND NOTIFY POLICE WITH ANY INDISCREPANCIES. POLICE ARE ALSO RECOMMENDING, IF
Police need the public's help locating one of the suspects tied to a series of mailbox thefts and identifying others possibly involved. The thefts were reported beginning in December 2016 but have continued in recent weeks, with another victim contacting police Wednesday. So far, 12 victims have stepped forward and police say David Mullins, 44, caught on bank surveillance, has been connected to at least 4 of the cases. He's accused of stealing mail, doctoring checks, and then cashing in. Mullins is facing forgery and identity theft charges in nearby Bullitt and Jefferson counties. But Elizabethtown Police Officer John Thomas said Wednesday Mullins has recently targeted areas in Radcliff and E-town. "We have at least a dozen victims thus far but there's probably a lot more out there that we don't know about and that's what's most concerning about us. We don't know how many victims we have out there," Thomas said. One of the victims living in Elizabethtown, a woman named Alice, requested we not use her full name. Alice said she only realized her bills had not made it past her driveway last month when she received a late notice from the water company. "It's caused me a lot of trouble and a lot of hassle and we work hard for our money," she said of the ordeal. While the check for her water bill has not yet surfaced Mullins, according to police, doctored her cable bill, made it payable to himself, writing at the bottom it was for 'house painting' and then cashed in at a bank located inside the Kroger on Towne Drive. "We captured him on bank surveillance. He's been involved in this activity before. He has 6 active warrants in 3 different counties for the same type of activities. So this is not his first rodeo," Officer Thomas said, adding Mullins was also recorded on surveillance at the Woodforest Bank in Walmart. Thomas estimated Mullins, who he believes is not working alone, has taken at least several thousand dollars' worth of checks. Another victim, who lives on Pawnee Drive in E-Town, told WLKY the checks taken from just her mailbox totaled nearly $1,000. She and other victims like Alice are frustrated at the thief's brazen acts. "That's terrible, targeting hardworking, innocent people. He needs to get out and get a job like everyone else," Alice said. Citizens are being asked to check their banking records and notify police with any in discrepancies. Police are also recommending residents take their bills to the Post Office or a drop off box to be mailed. David Mullins is so far the only suspect identified. He's known to live in Hardin County. Anyone with information on his whereabouts or other possible suspects is asked to contact E-town Police.
HARDIN COUNTY, Ky. —
Police need the public's help locating one of the suspects tied to a series of mailbox thefts and identifying others possibly involved.
The thefts were reported beginning in December 2016 but have continued in recent weeks, with another victim contacting police Wednesday. So far, 12 victims have stepped forward and police say David Mullins, 44, caught on bank surveillance, has been connected to at least 4 of the cases.
He's accused of stealing mail, doctoring checks, and then cashing in. Mullins is facing forgery and identity theft charges in nearby Bullitt and Jefferson counties. But Elizabethtown Police Officer John Thomas said Wednesday Mullins has recently targeted areas in Radcliff and E-town.
"We have at least a dozen victims thus far but there's probably a lot more out there that we don't know about and that's what's most concerning about us. We don't know how many victims we have out there," Thomas said.
One of the victims living in Elizabethtown, a woman named Alice, requested we not use her full name. Alice said she only realized her bills had not made it past her driveway last month when she received a late notice from the water company.
"It's caused me a lot of trouble and a lot of hassle and we work hard for our money," she said of the ordeal.
While the check for her water bill has not yet surfaced Mullins, according to police, doctored her cable bill, made it payable to himself, writing at the bottom it was for 'house painting' and then cashed in at a bank located inside the Kroger on Towne Drive.
"We captured him on bank surveillance. He's been involved in this activity before. He has 6 active warrants in 3 different counties for the same type of activities. So this is not his first rodeo," Officer Thomas said, adding Mullins was also recorded on surveillance at the Woodforest Bank in Walmart.
Thomas estimated Mullins, who he believes is not working alone, has taken at least several thousand dollars' worth of checks. Another victim, who lives on Pawnee Drive in E-Town, told WLKY the checks taken from just her mailbox totaled nearly $1,000.
She and other victims like Alice are frustrated at the thief's brazen acts.
"That's terrible, targeting hardworking, innocent people. He needs to get out and get a job like everyone else," Alice said.
Citizens are being asked to check their banking records and notify police with any in discrepancies. Police are also recommending residents take their bills to the Post Office or a drop off box to be mailed.
David Mullins is so far the only suspect identified. He's known to live in Hardin County. Anyone with information on his whereabouts or other possible suspects is asked to contact E-town Police.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I make things I love to make which I hope people love to buy.
I make handmade, often personalised items at a low price.
I come from a crafty family; I was taught how to mend and amend things from an early age and how to use tools so I've always enjoyed making things for myself, friends and family.
I was at a bit of a crossroads with my career. I had been able to leave full-time admin work and move to temp instead, which was much more enjoyable but still not what I want to spend my life doing. My former employer runs a scheme for ex-employees which offers free training courses and one of these was a "starting your own business" course. I talked a lot about it with my husband, family and best friend, who told me about the course in the first place, and decided that I wanted to try and make my hobby into a career.
Every product is different. If I'm making something on commission I show the customer examples of other things I've made and talk to them about what they would like their product to be like.
I then cost out materials, give them a quote and start making when they have confirmed they are happy with the product and price. Depending on the item and what it is made from, this process can take from a few days to a couple of weeks. I always make sure the customer has the correct expectation for how long something will take based on their requirements.
If it is a stock product I'm making to sell, the process is slightly different. I'll see something that inspires me, like an old map, think about what I could do with the material and then experiment with different ideas until I'm happy with the item I've made.
Inspiration often comes from events such as Christmas. I made a lovely set of wine glasses decorated with Santa, Rudolf etc at Christmas and I'm currently working on a couple of stock items for Valentine's Day.
I have a Facebook page which I sell online from. I'm currently in the process of building a website to do online sales from also. But I like to get out and see customers when I can so I often have a stall at a regular Craft Fair on a Tuesday at Hexham Abbey. You can see me and my Glamourous Assistant (my Mother!) there at least once a month.
I lucky to have a lot of very talented artists as friends so I've always had crafters in my field of view. The amount has possibly risen in general with younger people having to stay at home or in rented accommodation more and finding craft as an outlet for their creative side, where traditionally our parents' generation let out their creativity via decorating their own homes.
I also think that the enforced 'make do and mend' era that some of them grew up with turned trends around to everyone wanting 'new' and 'machine-made', something immediate rather than something worked for to make. Now people are tired of everyone having the 'same thing' and want individualism again. The internet has helped crafters present their work to a larger audience, sites like 'Etsy' and 'not on the high street' are very popular.
I think actual craft fairs are on the rise now as well though as customers like to see and feel handmade items and going to the fair can be considered an outing when on holiday somewhere new, for example.
Very hard work and very difficult to turn into a career rather than a hobby. The impression is that you get to sit at home or in your studio and mess around with paints or sewing all day but that's a very small percentage of what makes up having your own business.
In order to be able to afford to 'play' at what you love, you have to sell it too. This means going to fairs, promoting your business online and in person. There are so many talented crafters out there that you have to try and make yourself heard above everyone else.
Your prices have to be competitive, your stall has to have something that attracts the eye. It's often sacrificing evenings or weekends, which isn't fun if the rest of your family is '9-5' and it can be soul destroying to spend 6 hours in a cold hall, watching parents let their children take the free chocolates you've put out and not have the decency to even say thank you, never mind actually look at what you're selling. But, if you're lucky, it also means that you can have your work arranged around your life, not the other way around.
I think if you can read the answer above and think 'yep, I can live with that over how my life is now' then go for it. Make sure you have a supportive family and a way to pay the bills before you start making money yourself and give it a try. You'll never know if you could have done it if you don't try it.
You can find my handmade creations and also my "Blue Flamingo" pre-loved range on my Facebook Page Or in person at the Tuesday Morning Craft and Beauty Fair, Hexham Abbey.


text:
Certs and Compliance
Our Technology Partners
IaaS & OpusCloud
Enterprise Colocation
Hybrid Cloud & Multi-Cloud
Cloud Monitoring & Management
OPUS INTERACTIVE NAMED TO FASTEST GROWING PRIVATE 100 COMPANIES AWARDS 2015
Hillsboro, OR – Opus Interactive (www.opusinteractive.com), a leading provider of cloud, colocation, and managed services, announced today that it has been named by Portland Business Journal as one of the 2015 Fastest Growing Private 100 Companies. As a Business Journal award recipient, Opus Interactive shares growth success alongside organizations such as Ruby Receptionists, Iovation Inc., Kinesis, Revant, Sockeye, and Opus Agency.
"We are thrilled to be recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in the region," says Eric Hulbert, CEO. "It's really a credit to our team. They're committed to delivering amazing solutions for our clients. It's an honor to be recognized and we're excited to see the growth in the region is across the board. If you look at the list of Top 100, it's not any one industry that's represented. It's everything from coffee to software to real estate. That's exciting."
In order to qualify for the Fastest Growing Private 100, companies must have generated revenues of at least $250,000 in 2012 and achieved growth during the past three years. They must also be an independent, privately held corporation, proprietorship or partnership with headquarters in Oregon and/or S.W. Washington.
The full list of companies can be found online at http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/event/117191
About Opus Interactive
Founded in 1996, Opus Interactive has earned a reputation for custom IT solutions that fit unique requirements for security, scalability, cost, and future growth needs of its customers. An accredited member of the International Managed Services Provider Alliance, the Company operates from Tier III+ data centers located in Hillsboro, Portland, Dallas, and Northern Virginia. Through close partnerships with industry-leaders and a commitment to customer satisfaction, Opus delivers custom solutions for Cloud Hosting & IaaS, Colocation, DRaaS & Backup, Object Storage, VDI, and Public Cloud Monitoring & Management.
Opus Interactive is a woman and minority-owned enterprise that has worked closely with VMware and HPE partnership programs since 2005. With past performance that includes more than 20 years of proven results and current compliance with PCI-DSS, HIPAA, FedRAMP Moderate Ready and SSAE 18 SOC 2 Type II, OPUS helps customers reduce cost and optimize resources using efficient operations.
For more information about Opus Interactive, visit www.opusinteractive.com.
How IT Modernization Initiatives are Impacting Federal Agencies
Connectivity: Bridging the Digital Divide in America
Creating Opportunities for Women in IT (it starts with STEM)
Unlocking the Secrets of the Hybrid Cloud
2019 Healthcare IT Trends
Opus Interactive is a woman-owned cloud, colocation, and IT services company based in Portland, Oregon.
We've spent over 20 years building strong partnerships and honing a service mix that we deliver from Tier III datacenters located in Oregon, Texas, and Virginia. A member of VMware and HPE partnership programs since 2005 and PCI-DSS, HIPAA, FedRAMP Moderate and SSAE18 SOC 2 Type II audited, the company's past performance includes proven results since 1996.
8135 NE Evergreen Parkway, Suite 1220, Hillsboro, OR 97124
Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Hosting
IaaS – Infrastructure-as-a-Service
Evolution and Connectivity in the PNW Tech Industry
Our privacy statement has changed in order to provide you with more information on how we use personal data and to meet the requirements of the new EU General Data Protection Regulation, which comes into force on 25th May 2018. Please take time to read our updated Privacy Policy and note that this site uses cookies. Find out more.


A puppet of the deep state, groomed for a top job. Has overseen a rollout of police state tactics such as torture, mass surveillance and assassination.
Promised "change you can believe in", and although the US public believed in it, no change was forthcoming.
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is the 44th president of the United States having won the US presidential election of November 4, 2008. He took office as the 44th president on January 20, 2009. Obama was re-elected president in November 2012, defeating Republican nominee Mitt Romney, and was sworn in for a second term on January 20, 2013.
In an age where the college records of presidential candidates are generally released to the public. Barack Obama stands alone in keeping his college records sealed. In June of 1981, right after moving to NYC with almost no money, Obama was able to travel to Indonesia and Pakistan despite Pakistan being on the US State Department's "no travel" list in 1981. In Pakistan, Obama went on a partridge hunting trip with Muhammad Soomro, who went on go on to become acting president of Pakistan in 2008.
As a loyal member of the cabal, Obama has continued the deep state's policies of the militarisation of US Society by assisting the rollback of civil liberties, and ramping up the war on terror while continuing the unhampered mass surveillance. Nobel peace prize not withstanding, his foreign policy has been to escalate conflicts abroad and to try to reignite a new cold war. Bob Franken remarked in 2011 that "In spite of the promise of "Change you can believe in," it looks like things are basically UNchanged" . While talking the talk of open government, his administration has been the most secretive in U.S. history.
Obama has continued the US government's policy of terrorising people both within the US and overseas. A couple of days before collecting his nobel peace prize, he announced a "surge" (i.e. an increase, what was referred to in the less image-conscious days of the Vietnam War as an "escalation") in troop numbers in the ongoing US invasion of Afghanistan.
Murder without pretense of judicial process has become a routine part of US foreign policy under Obama. Not long after becoming president, he arranged what senior US officials called "Terror Tuesdays" in which he personally selects people for assassination by drone strikes. Jeremy Scahill noted that "One of the enduring legacies of Obama's presidency is how he has normalised assassination as a central component of what is called America's national security policy" Obama is reported to have told his aides while discussing drone strikes that he's "really good at killing people".
On 22 January 2009, Obama signed an order to suspend proceedings at the Guantanamo military commission for 120 days and shut down the detention facility that year. Wikipedia suggests that the prevention was hindered by an unnamed "military judge at Guantanamo" who on 29 January 2009 rejected the request in the case of Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri. On 7 January 2011, President Obama signed the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act, which, in part, placed restrictions on the transfer of Guantanamo prisoners to the mainland or to foreign countries, thus effectively preventing the closure of the facility. In the 2014 National Defense Authorization Bill, a $69 million upgrade to the facility was proposed.
Obama has pledged to reduce the world's stockpile of nuclear arms, whilst seeking to increase funding for nuclear weapons research. In 2010 he sought to expand the US nuclear budget and in October 2013, his Assistant Defense Secretary Madelyn Creedon told a panel in the U.S. House of Representatives that "modernization work of this kind is expensive, but there is no doubt that the investment ... is necessary", explaining why multi-billion dollar expenditure was needed to modernize the US nuclear arsenal in pursuit of President Barack Obama's goal of reducing it.
Under Obama, public acceptance of torture is higher than it was under George W Bush in 2001. His admission that "we tortured some folks" has been followed by a marked absence of discussion about legal actions as a result - which are mandated by the United Nations Convention against Torture, to which the US has long been a signatory.
Obama has been the subject of allegations (not backed by the commercially-controlled media) that he was not born in the US, and as such is not eligible to be a US president. Donald Trump has vocally supported the claims of those who doubt Obama's eligibility, stating "This may go down as the greatest con in the history of American politics". On October 24, 2012, Trump offered to donate five million dollars to the charity of Obama's choice in return for the publication of his college and passport applications before October 31, 2012. Obama did not take him up on the offer.
Loretta Fuddy, the Hawaii official in the dispute over Barack Obama's birth certificate who lifted state restrictions to allow the White House to present the document to the public died in a plane crash on December 12th, 2013. The other passengers walked away virtually unscathed (according to eyewitness reports) or had only minor injuries.
The whitehouse released a PDF file which it claimed to be a scan of Obama's birth certificate, but doubts have been raised about its authenticity. In March 2014, the Alabama Supreme Court voted 7-2 to render "no opinion."
In January 2014, Florida state House candidate Joshua Black tweeted about Obama: "I'm past impeachment. It's time to arrest and hang him high." Apparently referring to the murder of Anwar al-Awlaki, he stated further: "I think the appropriate punishment is death.... (Obama) shouldn't be allowed to kill Americans without a trial", adding "I make no apologies for saying that the president is not above the People. If ordinary Americans should be executed for treason, so should he."
In 2017, Obama was reported to have secured a $400,000 fee for a single keynote speech with Cantor Fitzgerald.
United States Department of Defense 13 January 2012 28 April 2014 The plaintiffs challenged the 2012 NDAA contending that indefinite detention on "suspicion of providing substantial support" to groups such as al-Qaeda and the Taliban was so vague as to allow unconstitutional, indefininte detention of civilians based on vague allegations. The Court of Appeals struck down an initial agreement, and the US Supreme Court concurred, arguning that the plaintiffs could not prove they would be affected by the law, so had no standing to contest it.
Margaret Hamburg Commissioner of Food and Drugs 22 May 2009 1 April 2015 Loosened conflict of interest rules about FDA expert advisory panelists.
Document:Seymour Hersh Says Hillary Approved Sending Libya's Sarin to Syrian Rebels Article 28 April 2016 Eric Zuesse The commercially-controlled media won't inform the public when a US Secretary of State, and her boss the US President, are the persons actually behind a sarin gas attack they're blaming on a foreign leader the US aristocrats and their allied foreign aristocrats are determined to topple and replace. Is this really a democracy?
Document:The Trump Administration's Syria Gas Attack Narrative Continues to Unravel Article 18 April 2017 Michael Krieger United States Government: "They Lied About Iraq; They Lied About Libya; They're Lying About Syria."
File:Barack Obama - the Unauthorized Biography.pdf book September 2008 Webster Tarpley A sharp analysis which clearly showed Obama to be more more than a puppet long before most people had noticed there was only rhetoric behind his promises of "change you can believe in".
↑ "Obama said he's really good at killing people"
↑ "Obama Issues Directive to Shut Down Guantánamo"
↑ "Closure of Guantanamo Detention Facilities"
↑ "Judge rejects Obama bid to stall trial"
↑ "Obama signs Defense authorization Bill"
↑ "Obama Budget Seeks More Money for Nuclear Weapons"
↑ "U.S. nuclear arms overhaul needed to ensure reliability: officials"
↑ "In Hiroshima 71 years after first atomic strike, Obama calls for end of nuclear weapons"
↑ "The Nobel Peace Prize 2009"
↑ "Obama: 'Peace requires responsibility'"
This page was last edited on 19 April 2019, at 06:27.


text:
Amphibia Amphibians
Anura Frogs
Microhylidae Narrow-mouthed Frogs
Microhyla
butleri Boulenger, 1900
Butler's Rice Frog (English)
Butler's Ricefrog (English)
Butler's Narrow-mouthed Frog (English)
Katak Padi Butler (Malay)
Painted Chorus Frog (English)
Tubercled Pygmy Frog (English)
Microhylidae
© USM
Microhyla butleri is a frog species that has toe tips with distinct small discs bearing median notch and cleft of upper surface of discs. This species has two metatarsal tubercles and its toes are about one-third webbed. Its tympanum is not visible. This species has dark mark on the back which usually distinct or broken into symmetrical spots. This species can grow up to a snout-vent length of 22.5 – 26.0 mm. Its inhabits primary forest, freshwater wetland, cultivated area and grasslands. It can be found along open logging trails, forest trails and under forest litter. The altitudinal range of this species is at about 0 - 1000 m. The distribution of this species can be found in Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
Kelantan 2
Awang Noor Abd. Ghani (Prof. Dr.)
Amphibians (Ecology), Biodiversity, Data Analysis, Economics, Ecosystems, Environment & Forest
Mohamad Rosni Bin Othman (Dr.)
Turtle, Tortoise, and Terrapin
Amphibians, Coral Reefs, Turtle, Tortoise, and Terrapin, Amphibians, Law and Policy, Management & Marine & Coastal
Mohammad Shahfiz Azman (Mr.)
Amphibians, Mammals, Birds, Awareness, Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecosystems, Environment, Forest, Landscape, Law and Policy, Management, Protected Areas, Science & Systematics
Faradiana, N.M.F., Shahfiz, M.A., Kaviarasu, M., Nor Hazwani, A.R. & Alwani, N.Z. (2019). Checklist on small vertebrates at Bukit Tarek Forest Reserve, Selangor. Journal of Wildlife and Parks 34
Shahriza, S. & Ibrahim, J. (2014). A Preliminary Checklist of Amphibians of Ulu Paip Recreational Forest, Kedah, Malaysia. Check List: Journal of Species Lists and Distribution 10 (2): pp. 253-259
Shahrudin, S. & Ibrahim, Jaafar (2014). The Amphibian Checklist of Bukit Larut, Perak, Malaysia. Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science 37 (1): pp. 87-99
Savage, A.E., Chan, K.O., Grismer, J.L., Quah, E.S.H., Mohd Abdul Muin, M.A., Norhayati, A., Lenker, M., Lee Grismer, L., Zamudio, K.R. & Shahrul Anuar, M.S. (2011). First Record of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Infecting Four Frog Families from Peninsular Malaysia. International Association for Ecology and Health (EcoHealth) 8 (1): pp. 121-128
Ibrahim, J., Hurzaid, A., Shahriza, S., Ibrahim, N.H., Awang, Z., Majid, N.A. & Zaaba, N.H.C. (2013). Updated Checklist of Amphibians of Pulau Jerejak, Penang, Peninsular Malaysia. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 91: pp. 36-40
Norhayati, A., Mohamad Ruzi, A.R., Senawi, J., Daicus, B. & Chan, K.O. (2008). A Checklist of Amphibians at Taman Negara Kelantan National Park, Kuala Koh, Peninsular Malaysia. Journal of Wildlife and Parks 25: pp. 1-7
Mohd Abdul Muin, M.A., Quah, E.S.H., Shahrul Anuar, M.S., Azman, N.M., Shafie, N.J., Omar, M.Y., Rahmad, Z. & Asyraf, M. (2017). Annotated Checklist of Herpetofauna of Gunung Basor Forest Reserve, Pergau, Kelantan. : pp. 80-85
Lee Grismer, L., Chan, K.O., Grismer, J.L., Wood Jr., P.L. & Norhayati, A. (2010). A Checklist of the Herpetofauna of the Banjaran Bintang, Peninsular Malaysia. Russian Journal of Herpetology 17 (2): pp. 147-160
Ibrahim, J., Shahrul Anuar, M.S., Norhayati, A., Nor, S.M., Shahriza, S., Nurul 'Ain, E., Nor Zalipah, M. & Rayan, D.M. (2006). An Annotated Checklist of Herpetofauna of Langkawi Island, Kedah, Malaysia. Malayan Nature Journal 58: pp. 1-15
Nurulhuda, Z., Senawi, J., Musa, F.H., Daicus, B., Chan, K.O., Nor, S.M. & Norhayati, A. (2014). Species composition of Amphibians and Reptiles in Krau Wildlife Reserve, Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia. Check List: Journal of Species Lists and Distribution 10 (2): pp. 335-343 — [ Adobe PDF (PDF)	]
Shahriza, S. & Ibrahim, J. (2012). The Amphibian Diversity of Bukit Jana, Taiping, Perak. Tropical Life Sciences Research (TSLR) 23 (2): pp. 49-57
Shahriza, S., Ibrahim, J. & Shahrul Anuar, M.S. (2011). The Amphibian Fauna of Lata Bukit Hijau, Kedah, Malaysia. Russian Journal of Herpetology 18 (3): pp. 221-227
Shahriza, S., Ibrahim, J. & Shahrul Anuar, M.S. (2013). Amphibian of Tupah Recreational Forest, Merbok, Kedah, Malaysia. Malaysian Applied Biology Journal 42 (2): pp. 71-75
Taylor, E.H. (1962). The Amphibian Fauna of Thailand. The University of Kansas Science Bulletin , Vol. 43 (8): pp. 265-599
Lee Grismer, L., Sukumaran, J., Grismer, J.L., Youmans, T.M., Wood Jr., P.L. & Johnson, R. (2004). Report on the Herpetofauna from the Temengor Forest Reserve, Perak, West Malaysia. Hamadryad 29 (1): pp. 15-32
Ibrahim, J., Yap, C.H., Hurzaid, A. & Abu Bakar, A. (2014). Amphibian Density and Diversity in a Disturbed Habitat in Belum Temengor Forest Complex, Perak, Malaysia. Journal of Wildlife and Parks 28: pp. 141-143
Abdul Rahman, A.R., Mohd Nasir, A.H., Mohamed Zin, Y., Richard, A.M. & Latiff, A. (2013). Banjaran Bintang Gunung Inas, Kedah: Pengurusan Hutan, Persekitaran Fizikal dan Kepelbagaian Biologi. Jabatan Perhutanan Semenanjung Malaysia, Malaysia. pp. 245.
Norhayati, A., Senawi, J. & Lim, B.L. (2005). A Pocket Guide: Amphibians of Ulu Muda Forest Reserve, Kedah. Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia, Malaysia. pp. 120.
Norhayati, A. (2017). Frogs and Toads of Malaysia: Malaysia Biodiversity Information System (MyBIS). Penerbit UKM, Bangi, Malaysia. pp. 101. — [ eBook (EPUB)	] — [ | Adobe PDF (PDF)	]
Nik Ahmad Irwan Izzauddin, N. H., Suhaila, A.H. & Zarul, H.H. (2019). Royal Belum-Temengor Rainforest : The Hidden Treasure of Perak. Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia and Kementerian Air, Tanah dan Sumber Asli. pp. 300.
TRAFFIC Bulletin, Vol. 32 (2), 10/2020. TRAFFIC
Frost, D.R. (2020). Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.1. American Museum of Natural History, New York. Retrieved October 23, 2020, from https://amphibiansoftheworld.amnh.org/index.php
Laporan Program Kajian Inventori dan Pengurusan Hidupan Liar Tahun 2017, Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya. Perbadanan Putrajaya & PERHILITAN, Malaysia.
Royal Belum-Temengor Rainforest : The Hidden Treasure of Perak (August 2019)
Frogs and Toads of Malaysia: Malaysia Biodiversity Information System (MyBIS) (December 2017)
Species composition of Amphibians and Reptiles in Krau Wildlife Reserve, Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia. Check List: Journal of Species Lists and Distribution 10 (2), 2014
Acknowledgements :- Mr. Abdul Razak Mohd Nor Rasid, Ms. Aida Salihah Binti Abu Bakar, Ms. Ainul Aqilah Binti Mohd Nasir, Ms. Ajla Rafidah Baharom, Ms. Anis Syafiqah Binti Mohamad Amir Hamzah, Mrs. Aziemah Binti Kinan, Mr. Badrul Amin Bin Jaffar, Mrs. Juriah A/p Nibong, Mr. Kaviarasu Munian, Mr. Muhammad Izzuddin Bin Hazan, Ms. Nor Liyana Binti Hassan, Ms. Norazah Binti Norddin, Ms. Nurfadzilah Bt Azmi, Mr. Tan Kok Kiat & Mr. Yasser Mohamed Arifin
Citation :- Microhyla butleri. Malaysia Biodiversity Information System (MyBIS). https://www.mybis.gov.my/sp/19588. Downloaded on 16 January 2022.


christmas stamps Christmas rubber stamps can add originality and traditional glamour to your wrapping this year, so why not pick out the best Christmas stamp for you? See more. Amazon. com: merry christmas and happy new year stamp.
Wishing You and Yours A Very Merry Christmas Happy New Year Rubber Stamp. by Stampabilities. Find great deals on eBay for Merry Christmas Rubber Stamp in Mounted Rubber Stamps. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR Wooden Rubber Stamp by Stampabilities 2" X 3.
Find great deals on eBay for merry christmas rubber stamps. Shop with confidence. Skip to. Stamp, Christmas Saying, Merry Christmas& Happy New Year. Brand New. $8. Sep 08, 2018 · Merry Christmas& Happy New Year Hi stampers, Happy Saturday to all.
It's a typical Saturday for me. Uptown Rubber Stamps (1) Valentine's Day (42. Deep Red Stamps are the finest quality rubber cling stamps for crafters. Our beautifully detailed deep etch rubber stamps are made with our proprietary blend of high grade natural gum rubber. Merry Christmas& Happy New Year: H-542 Stamp image size: 1-1/8 h x 3-3/4 w MOUNT TYPES:  Each Rubber Stamp image is available in the following: Rubber Stamp/Wood Mount (Mounted) =.
Shop Merry Christmas& Happy New Year Rubber Stamp created by DesignerMadeStamps. Personalize it with photos& text or purchase as is! Joy And Love - Christmas Cling Rubber Stamp by Stampendous" May the joy and love you feel this holiday season extend to every day throughout the New Year". A happy. This is a wonderfull rubber stamp for greeting tags, merry christmas cards etc.
its not a custom stamp, its ready made stamp. paper card not included The stamp size: 2. 4X1(6*2. 5cm) I am shipping.
Shop for Hero Arts Mounted Rubber Stamps-Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Free Shipping on orders over $45 at Overstock. com - Your Online Scrapbooking Shop! Get 5% in rewards with Club O! Find all of your stamping needs with Merry Christmas rubber stamps from Zazzle!. Merry Christmas Happy New Year Name& Address Self-inking Stamp. $26. 35. I4906 Wavy Lower Case Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Find great deals on eBay for Merry Christmas Rubber Stamp in Mounted Rubber.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR Wooden Rubber Stamp by. Joy And Love - Christmas Cling Rubber Stamp by Stampendous" May the. " A very Merry Christmas and all the best wishes for a Happy New Year" See More. Small Christmas tree stamp set of 3, Handmade New Year, winter holiday stationery. Happy New Year 1447H Beeswax Rubber Stamps Unmounted, Cling.
Christmas postage stamps and postmarks, rubber stamps for craft, card making Christmas cards. Verses. and a Happy New Year stamp, vintage style; £1. 75. I4906 Wavy Lower Case Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. $8. 00. J4907 Simple The Magic Of Christmas. $8. 50. D4909 Script Merry Christmas. $6. 50. Shop Hero Arts Rubber Stamps at the Amazon Arts, Crafts& Sewing store.
Hero Arts Woodblock Stamp, Little Greetings Happy Birthday · 4. 9 out of 5 stars 21. Merry Christmas Curved. CH0147-E. The wood measures. Holly Merry Christmas. CH0149-F. The wood measures. Happy New Year. CH0162. The wood.


FRESNO, California— A wildfire raging along the northwest edge of California's Yosemite National Park gained strength Saturday, as officials cleared brush and set sprinklers to protect two groves of giant sequoias.
"All of the plants and trees in Yosemite are important, but the giant sequoias are incredibly important both for what they are and as symbols of the National Park System," said spokesman Scott Gediman.
The blaze, which started a week ago, held steady overnight at nearly 200 square miles (more than 500 square kilometers). But a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says firefighters didn't get their usual reprieve from cooler early morning temperatures Saturday.
More than 5,500 homes are threatened, four have been destroyed and voluntary and mandatory evacuations are underway.
The fire is burning toward the Hetch Hetchy reservoir, where San Francisco gets 85 percent of its water and power for municipal buildings, the international airport and San Francisco General Hospital. California Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency because of the threats.
Officials with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission are running continuous tests on water quality in the reservoir that is the source of the city's famously pure water.
The commission also shut two hydro-electric stations fed by water from the reservoir and cut power to more than 12 miles (19 kilometers) of lines. The city has been buying power on the open market.


Designer Anna Karenina, who launched her career at 16, has grown up design-wise. In the past, her pieces have been rather young. Now 21, her Spring collection is mostly focused on eveningwear with a more adult touch. The dresses were indeed pretty. A body-hugging white number with flared pink sleeves and mesh ruffle that cut across the thigh was a standout, as was a red dress with tiered, layered ruffles at the waist. Amidst pieces like that, a mesh bodysuit with a waistband emblazoned with Front Row Only appeared try-hard, and an oversize denim jacket could have done without the superfluous embellishments on the arms.
Karenina has future plans beyond designing. She is looking to disrupt the industry and introduce fashion coins, a concept similar to Bitcoin, that will allow consumers to purchase her looks using the currency. A novel concept, to be sure. She's someone to keep an eye on.


In fly fishing rods are generally between 1.8 m (6 ft) long for freshwater fishing and up to 4.5 m (15 ft) long for two-handed fishing for salmon and so on, or for certain species in small streams.
On average, a rod for freshwater or saltwater is around 9 feet (2.7 m) long and weighs between 3 and 5 ounces. A recent trend, though has been for lighter, shorter rods for fishing smaller streams. Another trend is that of longer rods for small streams. But the rod you choose very much depends on local conditions, the types of flies you plan to cast and, in general, your personal preferences. Everyone has a different approach, style and technique, after all.
When actively fishing, you will to use the index finger of your casting arm to keep the fly line lightly pressed against the rod handle. You will use your free arm to pull line from the reel or to retrieve line from the water. If a fish strikes, you can pinch the line with you index finger against the rod handle and lift the rod tip to set the hook.
Style, and grace under pressure - that just about sums up what fly fishing rods are all about.


Dentures can be uncomfortable, irritating and embarrassing. Many people struggle to chew comfortably and even say that their self-confidence has been undermined by wearing a denture. With advances in implant dentistry, here at Portman Dental & Implant Clinic in Maidenhead we now have many innovative techniques for denture stabilisation.
Dentures are then fitted on top, to replace your missing teeth. Your Maidenhead dentist will carefully match the colour of your crown to your natural teeth.
If you're missing more than one tooth, there are a number of options available to you at Portman Dental & Implant Clinic.


Michael Cohen paid a technology company in 2015 to attempt to rig online polls in favor of then-candidate Donald Trump, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Thursday that details the payments.
Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, was reimbursed by the Trump Organization for his payment to the company, run by Liberty University official John Gauger, to the tune of $50,000, according to the story. Gauger claims he never received the full amount owed.
The story contains startling details: Gauger claims that he walked into Trump Tower in 2015 and was handed a Walmart bag containing about $12,000 to $13,000 in cash and a boxing glove.
Cohen denies that the payment was made in cash and told the Wall Street Journal that "all monies paid" were by check.
Federal investigators have interviewed Gauger about his dealings with Cohen, according to the report.
Cohen was sentenced in December to three years in prison after pleading guilty to a number of tax and campaign finance charges. According to the Wall Street Journal, none of those charges were related to the payments to Gauger.
In a tweet on Thursday morning, Cohen placed the blame for his actions on Trump.
As for the @WSJ article on poll rigging, what I did was at the direction of and for the sole benefit of @realDonaldTrump @POTUS. I truly regret my blind loyalty to a man who doesn?t deserve it.
A Globe request for comment from the White House was not immediately returned.


You forgot "Macaroni Hair" for Will (it's from "The Purple Piano Project; I got it from this link here if you want to check).
^Thanks- added it. Most of the wiki pages aren't well updated.
And also Santana calls Sebastian Fievel with a Wannabe Disney Prince haircut.
'Glee' season finale scoop: Celeb judges set for Regionals!
Jane named her dog after Olivia Newton John!
BuddyTV: Glee: Previewing Episode 12 "Mattress"


Declaration of Sentiments the document signed in 1848 by 68 women and 32 men in connection with the first women's rights convention.
declarative making a statement, assertion, or declaration.
declarative sentence a sentence that makes a statement. There are many examples of declarative sentences, such as, "It is raining outside."
declared war an armed conflict that is precipitated by a formal declaration of war.
declassify to remove the security classification, such as "top secret," from (an official document, information, or the like).
decoct to extract a flavor or essence from, by boiling.
decolonization the process or act of freeing a colony or eliminating colonialism.
decolonize to set free (a colony or colonies) from colonial rule.
decompose a number In mathematics education, to separate a number into its component place values. For example, to decompose the number 231 you would write "200+30+1".


As Koh Tao is an island filled with fresh new scuba divers, most of whom are diving for the first time in their lives, we're constantly being quizzed about the oceans and the marine life that can be seen underwater. As you can imagine, most questions are inevitably along the lines of "Where is Nemo? Can I find Nemo? Can I Kiss Nemo? Does Dory live here? and other stuff related to that legendary Disney documentary..
- Where's the beach? Is the sea next to it?
- How long does an hour massage last?
- How does Koh Tao not float away, is it chained to the floor?
- How do I know when to breathe?
- If it's high tide on this side of the island, then it's low tide on the other side right?
- How many fish will I see?
- If it rains too much will the fish die?
- I have a phobia of boats, the open ocean and fish. Do you think diving's a good idea for me?
- How deep do you have to go to dive under the island?
- If I run out of air can I not just blow into the tank to refill it?
- Does it rain underwater?
- How come the freediving isn't free? You should change the name.
Big Blue Diving, giving idiots the chance to open their mouths without thinking for 26 years and counting. Never stop guys!


text:
Donny is the seventh studio album by Donny Osmond, released in 1974. The album reached No. 57 on the Billboard Top LPs chart on March 1, 1975. Two singles, "Where Did All the Good Times Go" (No. 18 UK) and "I Have a Dream" (No. 50 US), were released from the album. The album was certified Silver in the U.K. on March 1, 1975.

Track listing

Certifications and sales

References

1974 albums
Donny Osmond albums
Albums produced by Mike Curb
Albums produced by Don Costa
MGM Records albums

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Over the past few years, Lu Liang has been dedicated to creating what he calls "empty scenes" without figures. The scenes he depicts are based on his personal experiences. Liang uses techniques of classical painting to express contemporary concerns.
Lu Liang has exhibited work at Creek Art Center, Beijing and Eslite Gallery, Taipei. His work is in the collection of the National Art Museum of China.
Lu Liang, Coal Storage, 2007-14, oil on canvas, 1125/8 × 189 in. (286 × 480.06 cm).
Lu Liang, Night Road-Willow, 2009-11, oil on canvas, 8513/16 × 1523/4 in. (217.98 × 387.98 cm).
Lu Liang, Angkor Marsh, 2011-13, oil on canvas, 1125/8 × 189 in. (286 × 480.06 cm).
Lu Liang, Dreaming of the Tiger Spring, 2012-13, Oil on canvas, 1243/8 × 20411/16 in. (315.98 × 519.94 cm).
Jess Johnson's drawings and installations are influenced by the intersections of language, science fiction, culture and technology. In her drawings, she depicts complex worlds that combine densely layered patterns, objects and figures within architectural settings. Johnson's drawings are often displayed within constructed environments. Her recent video collaborations with Simon Ward have involved translating her drawings into animated videos and virtual reality, enabling audiences to have simulated experiences of her drawings.
Jess Johnson was born in Tauranga, New Zealand in 1979. After ten years of living and working in Melbourne, she relocated permanently to New York City in 2016. Her work has been exhibited internationally in solo and group exhibitions at Jack Hanley Gallery, New York; Art Basel Hong Kong; Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh; Centre CLARK, Montreal; National Gallery of Victoria, Australia; Museum of Contemporary Art Australia; and Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu, New Zealand. She is represented by Jack Hanley Gallery, New York; Darren Knight Gallery, Australia; and Ivan Anthony Gallery, New Zealand.
Jess Johnson, Milxyz Wae, 2016, Acrylic paint, pen, fibre tipped markers and gouache on paper, 3911/16 × 29 in. (100.84 × 73.66 cm).
Jess Johnson, Transkin, 2016, Acrylic paint, pen, fibre tipped markers and gouache on paper, 3911/16 × 29 in. (100.84 × 73.66 cm).
Jess Johnson, Worldweb Allthing, 2016, Acrylic paint, pen, fibre tipped markers and gouache on paper, 3911/16 × 29 in. (100.84 × 73.66 cm).
Jess Johnson, We Float, 2017, Acrylic paint, pen, fibre tipped markers and gouache on paper, 3911/16 × 29 in. (100.84 × 73.66 cm).
Antonia Low's installations, sculptures and photographs are inspired by infrastructures that underline everyday life, such as work spaces, storage rooms, construction sites and archaeological excavations. When she exposes a room's wiring or presents medieval walls on semi-transparent fabric, she is only rarely concerned with a critique of that specific site. Instead, her interest is in a spatial reconstruction of how the recollections and after images of spaces become fixed in one's mind and superimposed on an actual space.
Antonia Low has had solo exhibitions at K21 Kunstsammlung NRW Duesseldorf; Palazzo Altemps, Museo Nationale Romano; Kunstverein Braunschweig; Kunstmuseum Bonn; and most recently at Eigen&Art Lab Berlin and Gingko Space Beijing. Her work has been presented in art institutions such as at Irish Museum of Modern Art Dublin; Marres Maastricht; MUDAC Lausanne; Den Frie Udstillingsbygning Copenhagen and MACRO Testaccio, Rome.
Antonia Low, Rooms in Chapters, 2017, mixed media installation, 156 × 312 × 468 in. (396.24 × 792.48 × 1188.72 cm).
Antonia Low, Status of Lost Imagery, 2016, mixed media installation, 21 × 275 × 787 in. (53.34 × 698.5 × 1998.98 cm).
Antonia Low, A Room Recalls, 2014, mixed media installation, 216 × 432 × 504 in. (548.64 × 1097.28 × 1280.16 cm).
Antonia Low, Skulpturendepot, 2014, mixed media installation, dimensions variable.
Antonia Low, Electric Return, 2010, installation, dimensions variable.