The parliamentary Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee on Monday discussed two proposals on amending the Audio Visual Law, says committee member MP Ahmad Al-Fadel.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Al-Fadel pointed out that the current law contradicts constitutional stipulations on freedom and it was approved at a time the country was experiencing unusual circumstances.
Commenting on the Interior Ministry's decision to impound a vehicle if the driver uses mobile phone by hand while driving or if the driver and front seat passenger are not wearing seat belts, Al-Fadel said he supports the decision, adding that everyone has seen the effect of this move on the behavior of road users. He cited recent reports stating that 94 percent of accidents are caused by the driver's lack of focus on the road, especially when using mobile phone while driving. He said the driver's lack of focus on the road caused 1,282 deaths and the average in Kuwait is five deaths per day.
He asserted the Interior Ministry is not under pressure to cancel the decision — affirming that the lawmakers who are pressuring the ministry to take such a step will not succeed. On the other hand, MP Riyadh Al-Adsani said the government was not happy with the issue on vegetables and onions, so it came up with the idea of impounding the vehicles of those who use mobile phone while driving and those who do not wear seat belts.
He alleged the laws are not applied on some children of Sheikhs and MPs. He reiterated that if the acting interior ministry will return to the Cabinet, it will be an opportunity to correct mistakes in contracting with some companies.
He said he mentioned all these issues in the interpellation motion presented against HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah in a secret session earlier. He added the government intends to impose value added tax (VAT) due to the budget deficit despite the surplus in the State's treasury.
On another issue, MP Adel Al- Damkhi affirmed that lawmakers have not disregarded important draft laws which serve the homeland and citizens, asserting the MPs will continue working through the parliamentary committees in order to prepare bills for deliberation and voting in the National Assembly.
He added the MPs are waiting for formation of the new government before presenting draft laws to the Assembly. He clarified that delays in legislative work due to the long wait for the new government formation remain the responsibility of the government and the MPs have nothing to do with this disruption.


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Stomatepia mariae, noto comunemente come Nsess, è una specie di ciclidi haplochromini endemica del Lago Barombi Mbo nel Camerun occidentale. È presente nel commercio di pesci d'acquario. È classificata specie in pericolo critico di estinzione a causa dell'inquinamento e della sedimentazione dovuti alle attività umane. È potenzialmente minacciata anche da grandi emissioni di anidride carbonica (CO2) provenienti dal fondo del lago (vedi anche lago Nyos), sebbene gli studi indichino che a Barombo Mbo mancano quantità eccessive di questo gas.

Il nsess può raggiungere fino a  di lunghezza standard ed è predatore; a volte ruba la preda al granchio d'acqua dolce Potamon africanus .

Note

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni

Cichlidae
Fauna endemica del Camerun

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Western Waters Books
Title War for the Colorado River; The California-Arizona Controversy
Creator Terrell, John Upton
Subject Water rights; Water resources development; Water consumption; Rivers
Two volumes describing the California-Arizona controversy over the Colorado River. Part One - The Western Web; Part Two - The Three Ring Circus; Part Three - The Last Fight at the Legislative Water Hole
Publisher The Arthur H. Clark Company
Digitization Specifications Pages were scanned at 400 ppi on Fujitsu fi-5650C sheetfed scanner as 8-bit grayscale or 24-bit RGB uncompressed TIFF images. For ContentDM access the images were resampled to 750 pixels wide and 120 dpi and saved as JPEG (level 8) in PhotoShop CS with Unsharp Mask of 100/.3. Foldout pages larger than 11" x 14" were captured using a BetterLight Super 8K-2 digital camera back on a 4x5 view camera (100mm Schneider APO lens). Oversize images were resampled to 1500 pixels wide. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) by ABBYY FineReader 7.0 with manual review.
Relation Western Waters Digitial Library
Rights Management Digital Image Copyright 2005, Marriott Library, University of Utah. All Rights Reserved.
Holding Institution J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah, 295 S 1500 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0860
Source Physical Dimensions Book maps. 24 cm.
Metadata Cataloger Kristin Willmore; Seung Hoon Yoo; Becky Gonzales
Scanning Technician Backstage Library Works - 1180 S. 800 E. Orem, UT 84097.
Call Number LC: KF5590.C6
ARK ark:/87278/s68k780t
Setname wwdl_books
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s68k780t
96 WAR FOR THE COLORADO RIVER The Supreme Court had dismissed the 1931 Arizona bill on motion of the Federal Government and the other six basin states. It held the Project Act valid, but did not pass on the validity of the Compact, saying that Arizona was not a party to it. In 1934, Arizona had sought to perpetuate the testi- mony of the negotiators of the Colorado River Compact of 1922. Leave to file the bill was denied by the Supreme Court on grounds that the testimony would be inad- missible. In 1935, the United States sought to stop Arizona from preventing the construction of Parker Dam with military force, that is, Arizona State Militia. The in- junction was denied by the court, but legislation swiftly passed by Congress overcame the difficulty. In 1936, Arizona sued for an equitable apportion- ment of the Colorado River waters. Leave to file the bill was denied by the Supreme Court on the ground that the United States was a necessary party. This ruling was the basis of the present resolution to make the United States a party to a court suit to settle the controversy. Ely pointed out the three basic conflicts which stood in the way of an agreement between Arizona and Cali- fornia. The first was the controversy over how the water used by the states should be measured. Arizona contended she should be charged only for the amount her uses depleted the flow of the Gila River into the main stream of the Colorado. This was the "depletion theory," her own invention. California demanded that the "consumptive use theory" be used, that is, measure- ment of uses by diversions less returns to the river. The difference in result between the two theories amounted to
Identifier 098-UUM-WarColo1_page 096.jpg
Source War for the Colorado River, Vol. 1
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s68k780t/1129580

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Table tennis, or ping pong to some, is a popular sport that requires playershasbe fast and have excellent reflexes. Table tennis equipment includes a ball, a table, and a paddle. Choosing the right table tennis equipment will depend on your playing level. Are you a beginner, or do you plan to train as a professional? Some salespeople will try to convince you that an expensive table tennis table is required. This is not true if you are just playing for fun. On the other hand, if you do aim to become a professional table tennis player, it would be a good investment to put your money in quality equipment.
One important thing to consider when choosing the paddle is the blade. The most reliable brands are Butterfly, Stiga, and Double Happiness. With so many choices of table tennis accessories out there, sticking with reputable brands will save you a lot of headaches.
Ping-Pong Balls are rated from one to three stars, with the best ping-pong balls having a three-star rating. The better the ball, the more durable it is. Ping-Pong Balls can usually be purchased in packs of 3 or 12. Just like choosing the other table tennis equipment, the rating of the ball you buy depends on your playing level and needs. Are you playing for fun or are you training to compete? When choosing the right table tennis equipment, buy the ping-pong ball that suits your taste and playing level.


Issue on Info Record Transfer?
How to transfer info records from MM to EBP/SUS.If it is through Middleware which filter settings need to be set in SRM 7.0. i heard that this functionality is std functionality in SRM 7.0.
I know Info Record transfer to Catalog but I've never heard transferring it to SRM or SUS.
As per my knowledge we replicate only materials,vendors and locations ( plants ) from the backend systems.


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Calendar » See/Be Seen
Business for Dummies
Startup.com failure touts his new venture.
by Michael Gallucci , Cris Glaser and Zachary Lewis
The Mammals Kent Stage, 175 East Main Street, Kent 7:30 p.m. Thursday, January 20, $15 advance/$20 day of show, 330-677-5005
Startup.com star Kaleil Isaza Tuzman talks about his latest project, The Entrepreneur's Success Kit, on Friday.
FRI 1/28
The last time we saw Kaleil Isaza Tuzman, he was running his internet company into the ground. And it was all captured on film for the celebrated documentary Startup.com. Tuzman is back with a hefty book-and-CD package called The Entrepreneur's Success Kit, in which, ironically, he gives advice to budding executives on how to start and maintain a business. "I wanted to [create] something that was easy to use, but comprehensive," he says.
Over the past decade, Tuzman has raised more than $200 million of venture capital and founded three businesses (including govWorks.com, the subject of the 2001 movie). The Entrepreneur's Success Kit, which is subtitled "A 5-Step Lesson Plan to Create and Grow Your Own Business," comes with a guidebook, workbook, adviser cards, and two CDs' worth of Tuzman discussing business strategies. "There are a lot of different learning styles," he says. "But the first thing you need to do is study yourself. What really drives you?"
But his kit isn't just for newbies, he says. "I hope it's a useful survival kit for all entrepreneurs." Tuzman discusses life as a businessman at 8 p.m. Friday at Joseph-Beth Booksellers, 24519 Cedar Road in Lyndhurst. Admission is free. Call 216-291-2467 for more information. -- Michael Gallucci
Not So Funny
Despite its title, The Ha-Ha is a pretty somber book.
In his debut novel, The Ha-Ha, Dave King climbs inside the mind of a mute Vietnam vet who's left to care for an ex-girlfriend's nine-year-old son, despite the fact that the reclusive groundskeeper can barely function on his own. "My older brother was profoundly autistic," explains King, a former Clevelander. "He didn't speak. And after he died, I found myself thinking a lot about what his life would have been like if he had been more normally able, which is not something I thought about when he was alive. I took him for what he was. The book arose from thinking about that." Like Mark Haddon's brilliant The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Ha-Ha turns a disabled protagonist into a reluctant hero and narrator. "What does it mean to be 'normal' versus 'abnormal'?" asks King. "I wanted to deal with disability, language, and speech." King signs his book at 7 p.m. Thursday at Joseph-Beth Booksellers, 24519 Cedar Road in Lyndhurst. Admission is free; call 216-291-2467. -- Michael Gallucci
Add It Up
Count on this baritone to provide a good show.
The "one voice" at Wednesday's One Voice, Three Contexts concert belongs to Christòpheren Nomura (pictured), an internationally acclaimed baritone famous for his performances of Bach and Handel. The "three contexts" refer to the combo that will accompany Nomura at the performance: pianist David Alpher, the Cavani String Quartet, and the Modus Ensemble. "Two" might also have found room in the title, since the program spans a pair of centuries, the 19th and 20th, as well as a couple of continents, North America and Europe. And listen for "Dover Beach," a musical setting of gloomy Victorian poetry by Samuel Barber. Show time is 7:30 p.m. at the Cleveland Museum of Art's Gartner Auditorium, 11150 East Boulevard. Tickets are $18 and $20; call 216-421-7350. -- Zachary Lewis
SAT 1/29
It's no surprise that Inka Jatary (pictured) is headlining this year's Natural Planet Expo. In its native Ecuador, the band's name means "uplifting one's spirits." But if its blend of mandolins, flutes, and drums doesn't give you an energy boost, the expo also trumpets the virtues of health spas, yoga classes, and natural and organic foods. It happens from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at Cleveland Convention Center's Public Hall, 500 Lakeside Avenue. Admission is free; call 440-331-1694. -- Cris Glaser
See/Be Seen Columns Columns


In the beautiful, sprawling and lush Mission Valley set against the backdrop of the Mission Mountains, Ronan serves as the area's agricultural hub. Surrounded by spectacular scenery and minutes from Flathead Lake, Ronan offers year-round recreation with nearby lake and stream fishing, bird-watching, hiking, camping and golf.
Be sure to stop into the Ronan Visitor Center for the ultra-local scoop on things to do in the area. Time it right and you'll be greeted with freshly made pie.


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Goldman Prize
The Goldman Environmental Prize honors grassroots environmental heroes from roughly the world's six inhabited continental regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Islands & Island Nations, North America, and South & Central America. The Prize recognizes individuals for sustained and significant efforts to protect and enhance the natural environment, often at great personal risk. The Goldman Prize views "grassroots" leaders as those involved in local efforts, where positive change is created through community or citizen participation. Through recognizing these individual leaders, the Prize seeks to inspire other ordinary people to take extraordinary actions to protect the natural world.
Drawing on the power of youth activism, Kristal Ambrose convinced the government of The Bahamas to ban single-use plastic bags, plastic cutlery, straws, and Styrofoam containers and cups. Announced in April 2018, the nationwide ban went into effect in January 2020.
Attack of the Plastic Waste
The territory of The Bahamas encompasses 700 islands across 100,000 square miles of the Atlantic Ocean. Its famous coastline and beaches are central to the culture and livelihoods of Bahamians and features a vast array of marine life—from sea turtles to manatees to sharks and coral reefs. With more than 3 million tourists visiting the islands each year, tourism is a vital part of the economy.
In this marine oasis, plastic waste has become a ubiquitous scourge. Washing up in huge quantities on beaches and littering coral reefs, plastic pollution is threatening wildlife, fishing, and the entire food chain, as humans eat fish that digest plastic particles in the ocean. Critically for the nation, plastic contamination is projected to cost $8.5 million in tourism losses annually.
Globally, 8 million metric tons of plastic waste enters the ocean each year, killing millions of seabirds, mammals, and fish. Corals that come into contact with plastic have an 89% chance of contracting disease, compared with 4% likelihood for those not exposed to plastic. Fifty-one trillion microplastic particles litter the ocean, and, by 2025, there will be one ton of plastic for every three tons of fish in the world's oceans.
Additionally, in 2019, the production and incineration of plastic is projected to produce 850 million metric tons of greenhouse gases, equivalent to pollution from 189 500-megawatt coal plants.
Single-use plastic is particularly wasteful, accounting for one third of all plastic, with each piece used, on average, for a few minutes before being thrown away. It then persists in the environment for up to 1,000 years. The Bahamas does not have the capacity for recycling, and waste is disposed of in landfills and incinerators.
A Plastic Warrior for the Ocean
Once, while working at an aquarium in The Bahamas, Kristal Ambrose, 29, spent two days helping to pull plastic out of a sea turtle that had internal blockage. After this experience, she vowed, "I'll never drop a piece of plastic on the ground again." At age 22, Ambrose joined an expedition to study the Western garbage patch, the mass of marine debris that is part of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the north Pacific Ocean. Examining the waste, she noted that all the debris "were things that I was using at home—plastic bags, Styrofoam, plastic cutlery, straws." Ambrose returned from the expedition inspired to tackle plastic waste and, in 2013, founded the Bahamas Plastic Movement to develop solutions to plastic pollution and educate youths in The Bahamas.
Channeling the Power of Youth
In 2013, continuing her ongoing education on both oceans and plastic, Ambrose researched how plastic moves through the marine environment and onto Eleuthera Island, where she lives. Through the Bahamas Plastic Movement, she created numerous programs to engage, empower, and educate local youths, including tuition-free youth camps to train the country's next environmental leaders. During camp, students conduct surveys of plastics on beaches, trawl on boats measuring microplastics on sea surface, dissect mahi-mahi fish to determine stomach plastic content, and learn how lifestyle on land impacts ocean health.
Ambrose also designed an "upcycled" program that encourages students to think creatively about repurposing plastic waste, a "trashion fashion show" featuring student-created plastic clothing and accessories, and a Junior Plastic Warriors environmental education program with music, dance, and art activities for kids.
Convinced that a ban on single-use plastics was the strongest local solution, Ambrose set her sights on policy change. She drafted legislation to share with the government and conducted energetic outreach and advocacy on the issue across the country.
In January 2018, Ambrose and her students traveled from Eleuthera Island to Nassau to meet the environment minister. Students entered his office singing, "We are the change, we are the solution, we can fix this plastic pollution." They had a lively discussion on the environmental and economic impacts of plastic waste, and the minister agreed that he would address the issue.
On April 23, 2018, the environment minister officially announced a ban on single-use plastic bags, food utensils, straws and Styrofoam. The ban was officially adopted in January 2020 and will be enforced with fines in the thousands of dollars starting in July 2020.
Operating outside of the traditional power structures in The Bahamas, Ambrose used science, strategic advocacy, and youth empowerment to get her country focused on plastics; then she convinced the government to enact a nation-wide single-use plastic ban. This is the first Prize for The Bahamas.
Source: Goldman Prize


A mix of modern and traditional country with a dash of art, France is the city to have that. It is a home to many poets and artists. It is not only a romantic place for the couples but also a hub for fashion lovers. Walking along the path of ancient architectural buildings will take you back to its history.


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Published On: Wed, Jan 6th, 2016
Hometown News / Religion | By The Dispatch
Chicago's March for Life set for January 17
The 2016 March for Life Chicago will draw a diverse crowd from across Illinois and the Midwest. On Sunday, January 17, 2016, people from varied ethnic, social, and religious backgrounds will come together on Chicago's Federal Plaza to proclaim the sanctity of human life and call for an end to abortion as they march through the Loop beginning at 2 p.m. (Central).
Thousands turned out for the 2015 March for Life in Chicago, IL. to credit Lori Solyom, TC Public Relations.
Organizers anticipate the 2016 March for Life Chicago to draw more than 5,000 participants, making it largest pro-life event in the Midwest to date.
Chicago's Archbishop Blase Cupich returns to the March for Life Chicago after a well-received debut at last year's event. As he marked with sadness the January 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion in the United States, Cupich encouraged the pro-life crowd. He reminded listeners that, "We are here to do everything possible to make sure that the right to life is preserved." Chicago's highest ranking Catholic will share the March for Life stage with clergy representing Orthodox and Evangelical church leaders. Additional speakers include an abortion survivor who testified before the U.S. Congress.
"The theme for this year's March for Life Chicago is 'We Are Family,'" shared Emily Zender, president of March for Life Chicago, explaining, "We want every woman and man in an unplanned pregnancy to know that no matter what obstacles they may be facing, the pro-life 'family' is there to support them. We want everyone to understand that families are very diverse, including biological children, adopted children, downs syndrome children, single moms and single dads."
The 2016 March for Life Chicago encourages those facing an unplanned pregnancy to choose life for their family and assures them that those who proclaim the sanctity of human life are here to offer help and support.
WHAT: 2016 March for Life Chicago
WHEN: Sunday, January 17, 2016, from 2 to 4 p.m. (Central)
WHO: Thousands of individuals and pro-life groups from Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa, Ohio and Missouri.
WHERE: Federal Plaza, 50 W Adams, Chicago
MAP: http://goo.gl/maps/Zu1lI
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: www.MarchForLifeChicago.org
Emily Zender, Executive Director of the Illinois Right to Life and President of the March for Life Chicago
The Right Reverend Paul (Gassios), Bishop of Chicago and the Midwest, Orthodox Church of America
Reverend Corey Brooks, pastor of New Beginnings Church of Chicago
Most Reverend Blase J. Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, Roman Catholic Church
Dan Kulp, comedian and father of three adopted children
Eareen James "EJ" Yambao, Students for Life Illinois Student Leader, DePaul Students for Life
U.S. Congressman Randy Hultgren, 14th District (R-IL)
Melissa Ohden, abortion survivor who testified before Congress
Reverend Wilfredo De Jesús, Senior Pastor of New Life Covenant Church
Pat McCaskey
Firsthand stories from women whose lives were changed
Presenting organizations include:
Illinois Right to Life
• Orthodox Church of America Chicago Deanery
L.E.A.R.N. – Life Education and Resource Network
Students for Life of Illinois
Pro Life Action League
• CatholicVote.org
• Archdiocese of Chicago
Archdiocese of Chicago Respect Life Office
Lake County Right to Life
Catholic Conference of Illinois
• Couples for Christ Foundation for Family and Life
• Renovación Carismática Católica Hispana
Sponsors include:
Spirit Juice Studios
• Pro-Life Wisconsin
• Thomas More Society
Southside Pregnancy Center
Aid For Women
Families in Christ Jesus
• The Women's Center
abortionabortion deathabortion protestabortion rallyBlase CupichCatholic ChurchCatholicsChicagoCorey BrooksDan KulpIllinoisMarch for Lifepro-lifeRight to LifeThomas More Society


Biography: In 2013, Çağdaş Öngen became the first accredited Beer Academy Sommelier in Turkey. Turkey's beer market started to improve with the importation of global beer categories in 2013 and he's established field training programme modules for On – Trade outlet staffs in TÜRK TUBORG. He compiled the first Turkish Beer Dictionary to shape a better Turkish terminology for a comprehensive story-telling.
In 2016, he attended to Siebel Institute's programmes in Chicago and became the first accredited Doemens Beer Sommelier in Turkey. In 2017, he participated to The Scandinavian School of Brewing Craft Brewer programme in Copenhagen and got his diploma as the first one in Turkey. His graduation project topic was "Enhancing Flavors in terms of Culinary Pairings".
In 2017, he made his researches for the development of Craft Brewery scene in Turkey to understand Turkish flavour perception and worked closely with the brand team and R&D Crew for developing "Craft Beer Portfolio" for Türk Tuborg.
He focuses on flavours occured in brewing processess and creates gastronomic pairings on scientific bases. He has organised dozens of beer dinners especially focusing on Anatolian Cuisine for the growth of beer knowledge and culture in Turkey.


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CapitaLand Group - DBS Research 2019-09-06: Born To Fly
CAPITALAND LIMITED (SGX:C31) CAPITALAND COMMERCIAL TRUST (SGX:C61U) CAPITALAND MALL TRUST (SGX:C38U) CAPITALAND RETAIL CHINA TRUST (SGX:AU8U) ASCENDAS REAL ESTATE INV TRUST (SGX:A17U) ASCENDAS INDIA TRUST (SGX:CY6U) ASCENDAS HOSPITALITY TRUST (SGX:Q1P)
CapitaLand Group - Born To Fly
Making waves in Bangkok.
CapitaLand and family of REITs are well positioned to weather market uncertainties.
Be ready to pounce on opportunities; its REITs remain on an acquisition path.
Showcasing the best of CapitaLand and its family of REITs in Bangkok.
In August, we hosted the third instalment of our annual investor outreach conference in Bangkok for the enlarged CAPITALAND (SGX:C31) Group. Post consolidation with Ascendas-Singbridge (ASB), CapitaLand has eight managed REITs under its umbrella.
Apart from the ongoing merger between Ascott Residence Trust (SGX:A68U) and Ascendas Hospitality Trust (SGX:Q1P), discussions were generally focused on current market uncertainties, M&A opportunities, and scope for further portfolio reconstitutions.
Ability to capitalise on market opportunities.
The merger between ASB and CapitaLand drives value manifold. Apart from a 25% increase in AUM, CapitaLand benefits from gaining a portfolio that has lower cyclicality to business cycles. These enhanced characteristics should drive returns higher.
Catalysts for re-rating include delivery of ROE of 10% on the back of
improved and expanded earnings base,
revaluation gains on stronger cashflows for its investment properties, and
gains following divestments of up to S$3.0bn p.a.
REITs with resilience to hedge against market uncertainties.
While investors' sentiment has remained soft given the subdued macro outlook, we believe that CapitaLand-managed REITs are well positioned to overcome these macro headwinds. The group's retail-focused REITs (CapitaLand Mall Trust (SGX:C38U), CapitaLand Malaysia Mall Trust, CapitaLand Retail China Trust (SGX:AU8U)) offer resilience in the midst of regional uncertainties given their positioning mainly in the resilient suburban sector, while Ascendas REIT (SGX:A17U) and Ascendas India Trust (SGX:CY6U) continue to ride on the robust fundamentals in the business parks and IT parks sector in Singapore and India.
Portfolio renewals to drive income sustainability.
Ongoing repositioning and enhancement initiatives has enabled CapitaLand Commercial Trust (SGX:C61U) to gain a competitive edge to ride the next office cycle, as well as offer sustainable earnings. Investors can look forward to the proposed bigger Ascott Residence Trust-Ascendas Hospitality Trust combination which in our view should drive increased flows into the stock while potential indexation could drive further upside.
CAPITALAND LIMITED (SGX:C31)
Gaining access to a more diversified platform with more scale.
The merger with Ascendas-Singbridge (ASB) has brought a complimentary portfolio to CapitaLand. CapitaLand has gained from a 25% increase in real estate assets under management (AUM) to S$129.1bn as of 1H19. More importantly, we see increased stability from ASB's portfolio of warehouses and business parks which have on average longer weighted average lease expiry (WALE), thus improving the income stability for the group.
The group's earnings profile now has less volatility to business cycles, which in our view will drive share prices higher.
Hitting its ROE target of 10%.
A key strategy of the group is to achieve a sustainable ROE target of close to 10% and efficiently allocate its capital to its funds/REITs. The group has been quick to execute on its strategy to deleverage its balance sheet and in 1H19, divested or in the process of divesting S$3.4bn (100% basis) of assets, ahead of its annual target of S$3.0bn. There is still a myriad of opportunities for the group to realise value through its REITs and private funds which, in the meantime, will continue to drive inorganic growth and will be accretive to both.
Its residential business segment (China, Malaysia and Vietnam) continues to see strong pre-sales during launches. Unrecognised revenues of RMB 18.3bn (S$3.8bn) in China and S$726m in Vietnam underpin earnings visibility in the next 18 months.
Retail in China is turning around.
The group's retail properties in China continue to see improvement in tenant sales, thus driving yield improvements of 2.3% and 12.2% for malls in Tier 1 and Tier 2/other cities respectively. While concerns remain on the impact of e-commerce in China disrupting retail malls, we are seeing increased recent trend of online players taking up a physical presence in malls. This could imply that online players recognise the value of having an offline presence as well. That said, these online players have been selectively looking to set up and expand their presence in malls. Given the carefully curated tenant mix and with properties located at key residential districts or CBD locations mainly in Tier 1 and 2 cities across China, we believe that CapitaLand's portfolio stands tall to benefit from this trend going forward.
Private funds and REITs offer a scalable business.
The funds management business is highly scalable and one of the key focus of AUM growth for CapitaLand Financial. We see CapitaLand, as Sponsor for its managed REITs, supporting its growth through seeding with new potential acquisition pipelines and, at the same time, launching a suite of new private equity funds to target third party capital. Over time, the higher AUM will generate recurring management and promotion fees which are highly ROE accretive in our view.
Scaling up in Vietnam and India.
Building on the positive sales momentum at its residential projects in Vietnam, management remains positive and sees significant opportunities to scale up its business and targets for capital allocation to Vietnam over time. India is also a country where management sees the potential to scale up over time, riding on the robust fundamentals in the demand for outsource (IT parks) and logistics, driven by robust demand for warehousing space post the implementation of goods and services (GST) tax.
See CapitaLand (SGX:C31); CapitaLand Share Price; CapitaLand Target Price; CapitaLand Analyst Reports; CapitaLand Dividends; CapitaLand Announcements; CapitaLand Latest News.
ASCENDAS REIT (SGX:A17U)
Portfolio metrics remain resilient despite slowdown.
While the Manager is seeing tenants taking a more cautious stance in recent quarters, we believe that the Ascendas REIT's diverse exposure puts it in a good position to deliver earnings resilience despite an expected slowdown. Forward guidance is for rental reversions to remain flattish.
That said, Ascendas REIT continued to deliver respectable rental reversion of c.1.8% for the quarter ended June-19. Business parks/science parks and hi-specifications properties delivered the highest rental reversions. We believe that demand would remain stable going forward as these properties target tenants in the higher-end manufacturing sectors like IoT, advanced manufacturing firms, biomedical companies where there is still good expansionary demand.
At this point, Ascendas REIT has yet to see any substantial increase in demand coming from firms looking to relocate operations out of China into ASEAN (specifically Singapore). Over time, we believe higher end manufacturing firms (regional HQ, R&D firms, advanced manufacturing lines etc) could be attracted to relocate to Singapore given its highly qualified workforce, in-place infrastructure and eco-systems to attract them.
Introducing flexible workspaces in Industrial.
The Manager has started an innovative project called Workshop at Techplace II in Singapore and looks to replicate this to selected industrial properties in its portfolio. Catering mainly to start-ups and smaller firms in the industrial sector, take-up has been encouraging with occupancy rates > 80%. We like this innovative concept as it helps to address "sticky vacancies" at selected properties, in our view.
Longer term, this a scalable strategy to introduce flexible workspaces across its portfolio over time.
Acquisitions to drive material growth in AUM.
Ascendas REIT continues to remain on the hunt for assets and is looking at deepening its exposure in the UK and Australia. The uncertainty of Brexit has not materially impacted demand yet but the Manager has noted that decision making from existing tenants to renew/expand is taking more time to firm up.
Looking at the Sponsor's pipeline, we believe that Ascendas REIT may look to acquire either
portfolio of business parks in Singapore; or
suburban office properties currently on CapitaLand's books.
The combined pipeline amounts to over S$2.0bn, according to our estimates.
Cost of funds.
Given its strong credit rating and active capital markets management, Ascendas REIT has managed to keep cost of funds stable at c.3.0% over the past few years despite the rising interest rate environment and terming out its debt expiry profile to 3.5 years.
See Ascendas REIT (SGX:A17U); Ascendas REIT Share Price; Ascendas REIT Target Price; Ascendas REIT Analyst Reports; Ascendas REIT Dividends; Ascendas REIT Announcements; Ascendas REIT Latest News.
ASCENDAS INDIA TRUST (SGX:CY6U)
India – the global offshoring hub.
Ascendas India Trust offers investors a unique exposure to the robust demand growth for office / IT Parks and logistics properties across key cities in India. We continue to see strong demand from firms in the IoT, and technology sectors as they grow their operational footprint in India.
One of the key drivers for this offshoring trend is underpinned by the country's low-cost environment coupled with talent, especially in the IT sector. According to PayScale, the average salary for IT/software developers or programmers in India stands at US$6,000 p.a. which is below that of other competing and/or developed countries such as the US (c.US$74,000), Hong Kong (c.US$28,000), and Malaysia (US$11,000).
Steady operating metrics.
Ascendas India Trust's portfolio in 1QFY20 has continued to improve on a q-o-q basis. We note that this was driven by higher physical occupancies at aVance Pune (formerly BlueRidge II; 98% versus 78% in 1Q19) and ITPB (99% versus 94%). Overall portfolio committed occupancy now stands at 99%.
Acquisitions and strong organic growth to power distributions forward.
We remain excited on Ascendas India Trust's longer term growth potential. Ascendas India Trust recently announced a forward purchase agreement to acquire BlueRidge 3, and a seventh warehouse at the Arshiya Free Trade Warehousing Zone. Combined with previously announced forward purchases and redevelopment plans, total floor area should increase by 71% to 22.3m sqft by end-2023. In the near term, Ascendas India Trust has ample debt-funded capacity to fund its capital commitments but could tap the market for new equity in the future.
Furthermore, we see robust organic growth momentum based on recent transacted rents for Ascendas India Trust's various properties, which are 5-31% higher than current effective rents for similar properties. These factors should help Ascendas India Trust deliver robust 10% DPU CAGR over the next three years.
Competitive cost of funds.
An advantage for Ascendas India Trust is that it has been able to tap overseas debt capital markets, keeping its all-in cost lower at c.6.2%. This competitive funding structure allows Ascendas India Trust to execute on its unique "land-banking" strategy, which allows to trust to gain access to quality development projects.
Keeping 67% of its debt in INR, the trust has also been conservative in keeping an optimal natural hedge ratio.
See Ascendas India Trust (SGX:CY6U); Ascendas India Trust Share Price; Ascendas India Trust Target Price; Ascendas India Trust Analyst Reports; Ascendas India Trust Dividends; Ascendas India Trust Announcements; Ascendas India Trust Latest News.
ASCOTT RESIDENCE TRUST (SGX:A68U)
En route to be the largest hospitality Trust in Asia Pacific with total assets of S$7.6bn.
In Jul-19, Ascott Residence Trust announced the proposed S$1.9bn merger between Ascott Residence Trust and Ascendas Hospitality Trust with a gross exchange ratio of 0.836x. The merger will propel Ascott Residence Trust's position to be the largest hospitality trust in Asia Pacific with combined total assets of S$7.6bn, overtaking Regal Reit and Japan Hotel Reit. Both companies are expected to hold their EGMs in Oct-19 and target to complete the proposed merger by Dec-19.
The new combined Ascott Residence Trust will have 14 additional properties, giving the trust a total of 88 properties with more than 16k units from 11.7k units previously. As Ascendas Hospitality Trust's properties comprise largely freehold properties, the combined Ascott Residence Trust's freehold component will increase by 8% to 61%.
Next catalyst from potential inclusion into FTSE EPRA Nareit Developed Index in 1H2020.
Upon the completion of the proposed merger, the new Ascott Residence Trust will meet the criteria for potential inclusion into FTSE EPRA Nareit Developed Index given that
free float will increase by c.50% to S$2.4bn (vs threshold for index inclusion at S$1.7bn), and
EBITDA contributions from developed markets will increase from 75% to 82%.
Indications are that it could likely be included in 1H2020. We remain positive that the possibility of indexation will likely keep Ascott Residence Trust within the investment horizon of many institutional investors, include index funds which will result in higher trading liquidity and yield compression in the REIT over time.
Potential headwinds with a larger Australian portfolio.
While Ascott Residence Trust will benefit from a higher proportion of income stability with Ascendas Hospitality Trust's master leases (52% of Ascendas Hospitality Trust's NPI) which will increase the new Ascott Residence Trust's stable income component to 46% from 39%, Ascott Residence Trust will also triple its exposure to Australia to 18% from 3% of NPI.
Given the heightened supply concerns (addition of 7k new rooms to be completed over the next 4 years) in the Australian market especially Melbourne and Sydney coupled with that Ascendas Hospitality Trust's Australian portfolio comprises of all management contracts, we believe Ascott Residence Trust may see potential headwinds as the Australia market continues to soften in the near-to-medium term.
See Ascott Residence Trust (SGX:A68U); Ascott REIT Share Price; Ascott REIT Target Price; Ascott REIT Analyst Reports; Ascott REIT Dividends; Ascott REIT Announcements; Ascott REIT Latest News.
ASCENDAS HOSPITALITY TRUST (SGX:Q1P)
Australia hotels continue to see supply headwinds.
Ascendas Hospitality Trust's hotels in Sydney and Melbourne recorded RevPAR decline of 2.2% y-o-y in most recent quarter (1QFY20) on an aggregate basis. Supply headwinds would continue to impact both occupancy and ADR. Despite the challenges, the performance of Pullman Sydney Hyde Park improved on the back of stronger conference and events business in 1QFY20.
Management expects Sydney and Melbourne markets to remain soft in the medium term but believes that Brisbane may be on a recovery trend given that the supply peak has passed.
Japan hotels to ride on major events in 2019 / 2020; Korea benefiting from strong inbound tourism.
Despite some upcoming new supply in Tokyo and Osaka ranging from 2% to 5% p.a. up to FY2022, management remains optimistic of the Japan market riding on major events lined up in 2019 / 2020 including
Rugby World Cup 2019,
Olympics 2020,
Nintendo World, a new them park opening in Universal Studios Japan in 2020.
On the other hand, Korea is benefiting from strong inbound travel growth of 16.9% as demand from China recovers.
Bigger platform presents opportunities for economies of scale and portfolio repositioning for the future.
With the proposed merger, unitholders of Ascendas Hospitality Trust will be able to leverage on a bigger hospitality platform under Ascott Residence Trust and its Sponsor, The Ascott Group. With management contracts of its Australian portfolio expiring in 3 years, Ascendas Hospitality Trust's Australia hotels could be rebranded into the Ascott group brand, presenting opportunity to benefit from economies of scale.
In addition, with the current weak market in Australia, the new combined entity could take this opportunity to reposition its Australian properties for the future when the market turns more positive.
CAPITALAND COMMERCIAL TRUST (SGX:C61U)
Healthy rental reversions with lowest expiring rents in FY2020.
CapitaLand Commercial Trust continues to enjoy healthy rental reversions as average expiring rents are at its lowest level at S$9.60psf in FY2020 since the office upcycle started in 2018. The current average Grade A office market rent in 2Q2019 is S$11.30psf. As such, average rental reversions could still be in the double digit - at least 18%, if rents remain sustainable or continue to rise. The expiring leases are mainly from CapitaGreen, Six Battery Road and Asia Square Tower 2 which are newer buildings except for Six Battery Road which we believe CapitaLand Commercial Trust should have minimal risk in renewing or replacing the leases.
Despite a slight pick-up in office supply from FY2020F to FY2022F, we believe office rents could continue to remain elevated given that the level of new supply remains conducive to meet market demand. The planned new office completions averaging c.0.8m sqft per annum (based on a 5-year forecast) is comparable to the average demand of 0.8m sqft per annum (10-year cycle from 2009 to 2018). However, an emerging risk is a further slowdown in economic growth, which might clip a further acceleration in market rents.
Expanding overseas exposure with second acquisition in Germany - Main Airport Centre.
CapitaLand Commercial Trust announced its second acquisition in Germany with the acquisition of 94.9% stake in Main Airport Centre. The acquisition is priced at 4% yield based on committed occupancy of 90%. Management expects yield upside as occupancy heads higher. The long WALE of 4.7 years will improve income stability as it rides through some transitional downtime from expected AEIs.
With the second acquisition in Germany, contributions from German assets will increase from 5% to 8% of NPI and property value, which further improves its income stability.
Redevelopment to drive earnings growth from FY2021.
There are currently three redevelopment / refurbishment plans to improve the quality of its portfolio to drive earnings growth upon completion in FY2021 / FY2022. These are:
redevelopment of Golden Shoe car park into a Grade A office building, CapitaSpring, which is expected to complete by 1H2021 with committed lease of 25%;
upgrading 21 Collyer Quay, which will be leased to WeWork for 7 years from 2Q2021; and
Six Battery Road's AEI comprising the podium block and 8 levels of office space which is expected to complete by 3Q2021.
Pipeline assets for potential inorganic growth.
In addition, CapitaLand Commercial Trust continues to look for inorganic growth opportunities both in Singapore and overseas. Given its entry into the commercial property sector in Germany, management plans to expand its overseas exposure to potentially up to c.20%, diversifying its geographical exposure and enhancing its portfolio's income resilience. In Singapore, potential pipeline assets from its Sponsor include
call option to acquire the remaining 55% of CapitaSpring; and
79 Robinson Road (also known ass ASB Tower).
Overseas assets include
Japan commercial portfolio (4 buildings) with total NLA of 107k sqm; and
Korea commercial portfolio (4 buildings and 1 development project) with total GFA of 118k sqm.
See CapitaLand Commercial Trust (SGX:C61U); CapitaLand Commercial Trust Share Price; CapitaLand Commercial Trust Target Price; CapitaLand Commercial Trust Analyst Reports; CapitaLand Commercial Trust Dividends; CapitaLand Commercial Trust Announcements; CapitaLand Commercial Trust Latest News.
CAPITALAND MALL TRUST (SGX:C38U)
One of the fastest growing retail S-REITs.
The acquisition of a remaining 70% stake in Westgate at end-2018 and the recent relaunch of Funan on 28 Jun 2019 has thrust CapitaLand Mall Trust back under the spotlight as one of the faster-growing large-cap S-REITs with a 2-year DPU CAGR of over 3.0%.
Post-acquisition, Westgate has delivered some of the best rental reversions compared to CapitaLand Mall Trust's existing portfolio, driven mainly by initiatives to improve shopper accessibility and experience, as well as active tenancy remixing. Funan also delivered commendable performance on the pre-leasing front, with committed occupancies of 95% and 98% for its retail and office blocks, respectively.
We understand that actual occupancy for the retail podium was over 80% during its launch weekend. Meanwhile, the office portion will only begin to contribute more meaningfully in the coming months as physical occupancy ramps up, further anchoring earnings momentum into FY20F.
Supply factors swinging in landlords' favour.
2019 has proved to be a defining year for Singapore's retail scene, as new mega mall launches introduced bumper supply into the market, led primarily by Funan in the downtown core region and in the Eastern region, CapitaLand's iconic Jewel Changi and Lendlease's PLQ Mall, which has recently completed.
Despite the onslaught of new supply, leasing conditions appear to have picked up over the past twelve to eighteen months. In addition to strong take-up at new malls, we have seen an uptick in signing rents and improved tenant sales performances across CapitaLand Mall Trust's portfolio. CapitaLand Mall Trust is often viewed by investors as a proxy to Singapore's retail space outlook owing to the REIT's more balanced prime/downtown vs suburban market exposure.
While novelty factors could result in temporary shift in shopper trends, particularly for malls in the East, the limited supply pipeline of new retail floorspace bodes well for the general leasing environment and rent prospects ahead.
Value creation journey has only just begun; AEIs to further build on CapitaLand Mall Trust's premium positioning.
Amid the redevelopment of Funan, the Manager has also taken on several concurrent portfolio reconstitution and enhancement opportunities. Notable initiatives over the past year include rejuvenation works at Tampines Mall and recycling of proceeds from the divestment of Sembawang Shopping Centre into Westgate, that subsequently underwent a series of improvement works. The more efficient layout is set to strengthen the mall's competitiveness over the long-term, and in just a matter of months, has translated into higher rents.
CapitaLand Mall Trust's value creation story has only just begun - and remains a core part of the group's strategic focus. In 3Q19, CapitaLand Mall Trust embarked on infrastructure works for two of its anchor tenants at Lot One Shoppers' Mall, which should contribute positively to space and sales productivity upon completion.
Riding on this theme, we believe the next wave of organic growth for CapitaLand Mall Trust will likely come from larger-scale redevelopment opportunities, spurred by incentive schemes under URA's proposed 2019 masterplan - which would accord qualifying properties with additional GFA, for instance.
While the Manager has identified a few properties that could benefit from these schemes (IMM could be one), they have yet to provide further details pending approval from the relevant authorities. While this will take time to unfold, we see this potential development as highly transformational for CapitaLand Mall Trust over a three to five-year horizon.
See CapitaLand Mall Trust (SGX:C38U); CapitaLand Mall Trust Share Price; CapitaLand Mall Trust Target Price; CapitaLand Mall Trust Analyst Reports; CapitaLand Mall Trust Dividends; CapitaLand Mall Trust Announcements; CapitaLand Mall Trust Latest News.
CapitaLand Malaysia Mall Trust
Cautious tone on Klang Valley malls.
The focus during our meetings was on operating conditions in the Klang Valley area, which the Manager acknowledged to remain challenging in the face of oversupply of mall space. We understand that approximately 7m sqft of pipeline retail mall space will be added progressively over the next few years, which will bring total NLA of shopping malls in Klang Valley nearly 30% higher from c.24m sqft currently.
Occupancy at The Mines dropped 8ppts to 80.1% in 2Q19 following the departure of anchor tenant and supermarket operator Giant. The mall also turned in negative rental reversions of c.14.9%, mainly due to strategies aimed at raising underlying occupancy. The situation at Sungei Wang is similar, occupancy has fallen to c.75% from its peak of over 90% in 2014 when adjoining mall Bukit Bintang Plaza was still in operation.
But dominant malls continue to shine.
Overall, CapitaLand Malaysia Mall Trust's portfolio occupancy was fairly healthy at c.90.9% (though lower q-o-q from 92.5% in 1Q19), anchored mainly by its flagship assets Gurney Plaza in Penang and East Coast Mall in Kuantan, which we believe are leading malls in their respective sub-markets. These two malls in aggregate contributed c.75% of 2Q19 portfolio NPI and should continue to shine – particularly Gurney Plaza, whose premium positioning has proven to be popular with both tourists and locals alike.
Rental reversions for Gurney Plaza averaged 3.3% in 1H19 and while headline reversions for East Coast Mall posted a 7.0% decline, which was mainly tactical in nature following the amalgamation of two shop lots, and would have otherwise been positive.
Going forward, plans to bring its F&B component up to 30% of Gross Rental Income (GRI), in line with global trends, from c.20.1% in 2Q19 could help deflect some of the challenges from e-commerce, which currently represents c.4-5% of retail spending in Malaysia. Near term, we note that approximately 31.4% of CapitaLand Malaysia Mall Trust's NLA will come up for renewal in 2H19, and with Gurney Plaza constituting the majority (c.45%) of expiring leases, this could help drive a recovery in 2H19 rental reversionary trends vs 1H19.
Planned AEIs to position CapitaLand Malaysia Mall Trust for the long haul.
Negative impact arising from the ongoing AEI for Jumpa (NLA of c.112,000 sqft) at Sungei Wang Plaza has been largely reflected in 2Q19 DPU but is poised for a turnaround from end-3Q19 as ongoing works near completion. While pre-leasing commitment is estimated to be c.65%, we expect interest from prospective tenants to increase given its favourable location along the premier shopping belt, which should see occupancy heading back above 80-85% in the near-term, according to management.
Beyond Sungei Wang Plaza, there are plans to launch a value enhancement initiative for Gurney Plaza in late 2H19, which includes the reconfiguration of shop lots at level four to create a new food street (from home furnishing previously). The Manager is optimistic that the improved offerings would enhance the value proposition and growth profile of its crown jewel over the long-term.
CAPITALAND RETAIL CHINA TRUST (SGX:AU8U)
Focus back to core Tier 1 and 2 cities following successful CapitaMall Wuhu divestment.
CapitaLand Retail China Trust's assets are largely located in Tier 1 and 2 provincial capital cities - each serving a unique catchment area and generally well-connected via major transportation links. Underlying tenancies are tailored to the unique demographic profiles of each catchment area.
The Beijing (Tier1) properties, though fairly mature, helps augment DPU stability, and should continue to do well on the back of limited new supply around the third and fourth ring roads. Meanwhile, the group's less mature assets in Tier 2 cities should continue to benefit from higher capital inflows as international brands venture out and expand their retail footprint to capture positive demographic trends in these new geographies. Likewise, the group's three newly acquired properties - CapitaMall Xuefu, CapitaMall Aidemengfun and CapitaMall Yuhuating - will provide CapitaLand Retail China Trust access into the Harbin and Changsha regions come 3Q 2019.
Going forward, contributions from Tier 1 cities should continue to dominate as CapitaLand Retail China Trust maintains a disciplined approach towards AUM expansion and DPU growth. The gravitation towards dominant assets in higher growth markets is also likely to remain a recurrent theme going forward, which offers a balance between stability and growth.
Rising above e-commerce challenges.
Apart from RMB volatility, discussions on the retail landscape were mainly centered around the slowdown in headline retail sales growth in China and e-commerce related challenges.
To smoothen out exchange rate volatilities, we understand that at least 50% of distributable income is typically hedged forward by six months. Next, while the Manager observed that headline retail sales growth of c.6% in 2018 was notably lower compared to the double-digit levels delivered five years ago, attention was drawn to the enlarged retail sales base of approximately RMB38.1 tn in 2018 - an expansion of nearly 60% since 2013, which is commendable.
While e-commerce in China gained higher market share in 2018, expanding 3.4% y-o-y to 18.4%, physical channels still continued to dominate. The expansion of online retailers like Alibaba into physical space further illustrates the importance of having a balanced online-to-offline strategy and by extension, continues to underscore the relevance of brick-and-mortar concepts in modern consumerism.
CapitaLand Retail China Trust's portfolio of favourably located and well-managed malls positioned to necessity shopping have proven to fare better in this regard. Coupled with the introduction of more experiential-based concepts, shopper engagement initiatives, targeted tenant repositioning exercises and active tenancy adjustments, have enabled CapitaLand Retail China Trust to rise above e-commerce headwinds and deliver growth. This is evidenced by the group's strong tenant sales growth of 6.7% y-o-y for 1H19 and positive rental reversion of c.7.5%.
Replication of Rock Square success story, M&A to supercharge growth.
Proactive tenant remixing and repositioning opportunities post the Rock Square acquisition have translated into consistent double-digit rental reversions, ranging between 15.1% to 29.3%. The 26% y-o-y growth in tenant sales bodes well for sustainability of rents, and further demonstrates the Manager's ability to identify lucrative M&A opportunities and extract lasting value. CapitaLand Retail China Trust is likely to employ a similar strategy for its three newly acquired properties, which should feature positively in rental reversions and DPU growth over the medium term.
Management is keen to acquire especially assets with growth potential in tier 1 and 2 cities, which implies that scope for asset enhancements will remain a key factor when evaluating acquisitive opportunities that may arise in future. Meanwhile, from a geographical perspective, priority is likely to remain with provincial cities with positive demographic trends, particularly cities where the Sponsor already has a presence.
Riding on robust demand fundamentals and visible organic growth catalysts - which coupled with selective value-accretive M&A opportunities, could supercharge CapitaLand Retail China Trust's growth in the years ahead.
See CapitaLand Retail China Trust (SGX:AU8U); CapitaLand Retail China Trust Share Price; CapitaLand Retail China Trust Target Price; CapitaLand Retail China Trust Analyst Reports; CapitaLand Retail China Trust Dividends; CapitaLand Retail China Trust Announcements; CapitaLand Retail China Trust Latest News.
Analyst Report ASCENDAS INDIA TRUST (CY6U.SI) CAPITALAND COMMERCIAL TRUST (C61U.SI) CAPITALAND LIMITED (C31.SI) CAPITALAND MALL TRUST (C38U.SI) CAPITALAND RETAIL CHINA TRUST (AU8U.SI)


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Noburo Ofuji Award
Best Japanese Animated Shorts
Sangokushi
Strawberry Candy (いちご飴, 2020)
Strawberry Candy (いちご飴 / Ichigo Chigo, 2020) was the film that made the biggest impact on me at the Geidai Animation 11 Neo screenings in February in Yokohama. It is a powerful short film that tells sensitively tells the story of familial child abuse from the perspective of a young girl.
The film begins innocently enough with the central protagonist, a Chinese girl of about kindergartner age, talking about her likes and dislikes. She likes playing hide-and-seek with a cardboard box used for storing pears, she doesn't like the new telephone because her mom makes her call people; she likes her red marble that her father gave her on Children's Day, but she doesn't like the boys next store who took it from her; and so on.
As she continues telling us her likes and dislikes, the director, Nianze Li, masterfully builds a sense of unease. This innocent child is dealing with a secret that she doesn't fully understand. She is able to express her distress at the situation her finds herself in and Li's beautifully rendered animation shows how a child's animation can be a coping mechanism. The boundaries between dreams (or nightmares) and reality can blur together until it is difficult to distinguish one from the other.
It is a powerful film, that will no doubt be distressing to viewers with personal experience of domestic abuse, but it is a very important tale to tell. It reminds us that we really need to listen to the stories children tell us and take seriously when they express that something is wrong. The story is beautifully illustrated with colourful pencil drawings, in an elegant evocation of the most common medium of children's art.
According to her "Making Of" blog, the story came out not of personal experience but of research Li had done into the subject of child abuse. She studied films and books that gave her insight into the psychology of abuse, and wanted to give an empathetic portrayal from the point of view of the victim.
The film is playing this weekend and next at the Image Forum Festival where I will be watching it again. I am sure it will be picked up at other international film festivals around the world in the coming year.
Nianze Li (李 念澤, b. 1995) did her undergraduate education at the Sichuan Fine Art Institute New Media Art Department (2017) and completed her master's at Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School of Film and New Media earlier this year. You can follow her on twitter, Instagram, and Vimeo.
2020 Cathy Munroe Hotes
Posted by Cathy Munroe Hotes at 11:30 pm
Labels: drawn animation, Geidai, 女 HERstory
Watch: White Road (白の路, 2003)
Tomoyasu Murata (村田朋泰) has made his early independent film White Road (白の路 / Shiro no michi, 2003) available on YouTube for the first time. It is one of a series of short puppet animations with a pianist as the main protagonist. White Road brought Murata's work to a wider audience in East Asia because it was re-edited and used as a music video for popular J-Pop band Mr. Children's 2004 song Hero. Images from other animated films by Murata were projected onto screens during Mr. Children's 2004 Shufuku no Oto tour.
Memories of a boy and a girl. Even now, as an adult, I can't forget the memories and wistful pain. Like running through a white landscape forever.
男の子と女の子が短い秋に過ごした思い出。大人になったいまでも、忘れない記憶と切ない痛み。男は少年だったころの路を辿る。どこまでも真っ白な景色を駆けていくように。
The film has an elegiac tone. Instead of dialogue or narration, the story is told through character expression, puppet movement, sentimental music, foley effects (wind, the crunching of snow), silence and expressive use of colour. The predominant colour of the film is indeed the white of the title, but it is complemented by the use of blue light, which adds to the melancholy atmosphere.
White Road shows the nameless pianist returning to his rural childhood home in the winter. He is haunted by the memories of a young girl who had been his playmate and the puppy that they loved but died, possibly due to their unwitting neglect. The pianist's memories are evoked through flashbacks that sometimes involve him sharing the screen with his younger self. Particularly poignant is the scene in which he mourns the puppy and an adult ghost of the dog looks on as if forgiving him for his childhood mistake. We are also invited to share in the pianist's grief for his lost childhood friend, who moved away with her family.
For more information about the director see: https://www.tomoyasu.net/
Follow Murata's production company on twitter: @TMC_STAFF
2020 Catherine Munroe Hotes
Posted by Tanuki Press at 9:12 am
Labels: independent animation, puppet animation
The World of Ryōji Yamada / 山田遼志の世界
http://ryojiyamada.com/
https://vimeo.com/ryojiyamada
In the "before times", when we were still able to meet in small groups in Japan, I was able to attend one of the The World of Ryōji Yamada ( 山田遼志の世界) special screening events hosted by tampen.jp. The screening selection featured a mix of Yamada's acclaimed animated shorts and his commissioned works (music videos).
Waiter (2014)
Popping, Mixing (2012)
LaLaLa Brothers (2011)
Keita SANO's 'Mad Love' (music video, 2017)
King Gnu's 'Prayer X' (music video, 2018)
Doodle Project II (2019)
Kicell's 'Hitotsu dake Kaeta' / キセル「ひとつだけ変えた」(music video, 2018)
Natsu to Suisei's '27th' / 夏と彗星「27th」 (music video, 2020)
WONK's 'Cyberspace Love' (music video, 2017)
Hunter (2017)
handshake (2018)
Firehead (2019)
Yamada has an MFA in Animation from Tama Art University, and in 2018-2019 he had the opportunity to live in Germany as a Trainee Japanese Council Affair of Culture. During this time was a guest student of Andreas Hykade at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, and he was able to join us at Nippon Connection for a screening of his film Hunter.
I went to the event to see the film Yamada made in Germany, Firehead. I am glad that I did because I had never sat down and watched a selection of Yamada's films altogether before and it was interesting to see how his style has developed over the years. I was also impressed by Yamada's ability to adjust his style to suit the needs of his clients in the commissioned music videos.
Music is an integral part of Yamada's films and the music for his independent works are composed by his long time collaborator Makoto Takahashi. I purchased a CD of the music Takahashi composed for the films at the event and it came with a fold-out poster featuring Yamada's art.
Apart from Firehead, all the other films from the screening can be found online and I have assembled them for you below (plus the trailer for Firehead). The discussions with the director from the screenings can be found on tanpen's YouTube Channel (JP only)
Waiter from Ryoji Yamada on Vimeo.
Doodle Project II (2019) from Dante Zaballa on Vimeo.
HUNTER from Ryoji Yamada on Vimeo.
handshake from Ryoji Yamada on Vimeo.
FIREHEAD Trailer from Ryoji Yamada on Vimeo.
Cathy Munroe Hotes 2020
Posted by Tanuki Press at 3:40 pm
Labels: drawn animation, Germany, independent animation, Japan in Germany, music video, NC2019, Tamabi, TamaGra
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". . . it came in a language Untouched by pity, in lines, lavish and dark, Where death is reborn and sent into the world as a g...
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The star of "The Big Bang Theory" noticed people asking if she was pregnant in a recent Instagram photo, and she issued a fiery response.
"The Big Bang Theory" is coming to an end after 12 seasons, and the cast has come a long way. From Kaley Cuoco to Jim Parsons, here's the cast of "The Big Bang Theory," then and now.
Several of the most popular TV series this year have been established favorites like "The Big Bang Theory," "The Voice," and "NCIS." But the surprise hit of the year is ABC's controversy-drawing reboot of "Roseanne."
With most film and TV scenes filmed in the same rooms and from the same angles, it's hard to tell what's actually inside a character's house.
The former chairman of the Federal Reserve appeared on an episode of "The Big Bang Theory."
Alison Brie, Kate Hudson, and more looked great on the red carpet at the People's Choice Awards.


When you're trying to find Invisalign Broken Arrow you need to go to professionals. People who know what they're doing. So the next time you're trying to find Invisalign Bocanegra you need to go to the Web site KL Orthos. It's going to bring you to Kirkpatrick in Lia or the orthodontics and it's going to tell you all about them. They have tons of links. It tells you about their story their are invisible races that they have to offer their testimony as people are literally going crazy about people writing statements writing reviews saying how amazing and how satisfied they were with their how their teeth are now and they have five locations one is in Tulsa. Another is in Tahlequah Miami or Mogi and prior and if needed get a hold of them you call them at 9 1 8 7 4 7 1 3 4 6 and they also give back to charity. So it's probably unheard of for every new patient who starts treatment with them. They will donate $10 to the royal family kids birthday party and it's provides to help the children celebrate their birthdays which have often been forgotten going up as a child. None of my birthdays were forgotten and I can't say how bad this would have been if that was the thing. So this is a great charity and you need to get to know these people because when you're trying to find Roseline Bocanegra these people have the top notch quality and service and definitely qualified for it. Dr. Tom Dr. Doug as well as Dr. Joe.
Have all received doctors from the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry as well as are masters of science in orthodontics. Each one is a member of the American Association of orthodontists the Southwestern Society of the US and the Tulsa County dental society Dr. tamad Dr. Doug have all served as president of the Towson County dental society and all three doctors are past present at the Oklahoma orthodontic society. Now that was a mouthful and they have quite the resume. That's why whenever you're trying to find Invisalign Bocanegra you need to go to these people. These men these people they know how to take care of you. They know what they're doing. They've been in business for over 50 years they've been seen on the Tulsa World Fox 23 news as well as. Channel News a carrom Jay the radio station the Journal Record the CW channel and new 1:06 what their state of the art technology they're going to straighten the teeth 55 percent faster than the average or the dumbest can. Like I said they've had a proven track record for over 50 years been treating families in northeast Oklahoma to take my word for it. I said you go check out the testimonials.


text:
5 Podcasts to Boost Your Happiness
Now you can listen your way to a better day!
Happiness,	Self-Improvement,	Podcasts
People love to listen and that's why audio is still so popular today. It's always been that way. Before the advent of writing, storytelling was the first way of telling a people's history. And before television, radio was a popular form of entertainment and not just for news.
Podcasts are an easy way for people to be entertained – or to learn new things – while they commute, exercise, or relax in a comfortable armchair. Podcasts cover just about any imaginable topic from news to entertainment to self-improvement, like ways to boost your happiness.
Here are five podcasts from psychologists, authors, and spiritual leaders on how to become a happier person.
Adventures in Happiness
New York Times best-selling author Jessica Ortner guides you on a happiness journey as you explore tapping and other ideas to make you feel your best. She covers topics that include Feng Shui, spring cleaning, motherhood, tips to overcome anxiety, and much more. This episode covers the 3M's better known as meditation, mindfulness, and manifesting. Subscribe for free via iTunes, Android, Sticher or Rss. Each episode runs around 45 minutes.
(everst / Shutterstock.com)
Happiness Spells
Every episode provides a list of pleasures and joys in life set to soothing music. Some are serious and some less so. There is a collection of thoughts, daydreams, feelings, and more. In this episode, love is explored. There are two episodes a week and each lasts 5 minutes.
(fizkes / Shutterstock.com)
Live Happy Now
This podcast series is brought to you from Live Happy, a website that features ideas and research on how to live a happier life. The happiness podcast series consists of interviews with experts in psychology as well as the science of happiness. Some of the podcasts are about mindful dating from The Huffington Post blogger Ken Page and How to Live a Full Life by NY times bestselling author Merlin Thomas and The Swedish Art of Living a Balanced Life with Niki Brarantmark who writes an award-winning daily interior design blog. This episode is about bringing joy into the workplace with Alex Liu. Each episode lasts about 30 minutes.
(Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock.com)
The Action for Happiness Podcast
This series is an international initiative by the Dalai Lama. The podcast features interviews with luminaries mainly in the realm of mindfulness and meditation including Dr, Kelli Harding author of The Rabbit Effect and BBC's Simon Mundie speaks about" What Sport Teaches us About Life." Listen to the Podcast or watch the YouTube video. Each episode runs around 40 minutes.
(Nadezda Murmakova / Shutterstock.com)
This podcast series is brought to you by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Magazine Heavy on the science of happiness and positive psychology; the show features compelling topics like "How to be less hard on Yourself", "Finding Beauty in the Everyday", and "Making Kindness contagious". There are two podcasts a month. In this episode, "Who is Your Rock" Kai Koerber, a survivor of the Parkland mass shooting and now a student advocate thanks the person who gave him a voice. Each episode lasts about 20 minutes.
(Kotenko Oleksandr / Shutterstock.com)
9 Wellness & Mental Health Podcasts For a Better You
6 Scientific Ways to Increase Your Happiness
7 Incredible Self-Help Books and Podcasts You Need to Know