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Destination Designers Consider: Is HBO's 'Westworld' Really the Future?
May 16, 2017 — Ben Cober
Categories: Brand Destinations, Bringing the Outside In, Hospitality, Themed Entertainment & Attractions
– By Ben Cober, director of business development and research
"The newcomers are just looking for the same thing we are; a place to be free, to stake out our dreams, a place with unlimited possibilities."
Dolores, played by Evan Rachel Wood, reflects in HBO's hit first season of "Westworld" what the park's guests seek; and coincidentally, what many of today's theme park guests seek. But how possible is author Michael Crichton's vision of theme parks to come? (I'm still waiting on Jurassic Park…) PGAV's business developer lends his thoughts on the possible and improbable of 'Westworld'…
What is Westworld?
For those who haven't yet seen the show, the first season of Westworld premiered on HBO last October, garnering the network's highest viewership ratings for a premiere since True Detective in 2014, and ranks as the most-watched first season of an HBO original series ever. Created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, based on the 1973 film written and directed by Michael Crichton, Westworld envisions a Wild West themed park of the distant future catering to the most affluent members of society. Arriving for an undetermined amount of time, guests may take on the role of heroes, villains, or nobodies in a fully-immersive outpost in the historic American West. They may interact with the park's "hosts" – robotic AI indistinguishable from real people – however they like without fear of repercussion, from developing amorous relationships to murder. To tell you anymore besides the fantastic performances by Ed Harris and Anthony Hopkins would make me Mayor of Spoiler City. Here's the trailer:
Realer Things
Guest Experience is #1
The first thing Westworld gets correct straight off the pitch is the laser focus on the guest experience being the number one priority. Today's theme parks and resorts make the guest experience, from before arrival until after departure, the number one importance for every aspect of the park. From every attribute of the booking process – down to the curve of the "Order" button online – to the specific script front desk operators use, to the flow of guests, to the type of heirloom tomatoes served in the café salad – everything has to come down to elevating the guest experience. Countless conversations throughout the TV show discuss the importance of the guest experience, and the park operators working as hard as they can to remain invisible throughout it all. Park owners, operators, and designers will only continue to uncover new ways to improve the guest experience, and it will certainly remain the central driving force of park innovation.
Storytelling is Queen
In Westworld, two of the most important and irreplaceable staff positions are those given to the creators of the park's narrative. The complex storylines of each individual character, and how those connect with each other, are carefully woven into greater stories of the park as a whole. Seamless, expert storytelling is part of the foundation of authenticity, and an immersive experience is nearly impossible to create without it. One of the largest conflicts of the park is when stories need to be rewritten, reallocating resources and leaving loose ends on storylines.
The richest, most memorable experiences at destinations are often the greatest stories they tell and how they are told; and this too is unlikely to change, but only to grow in its intricacy and impressive ability.
Westworld also takes a note from video game story design here as well, as the catalyst for storytelling. As guests to the park enter the main town of Sweetwater, they're approached by bounty hunters, sheriffs, proprietors, and more to accompany them on certain tasks. Accepting one of these launches an entire story-line, which could be a guests' complete experience in Westworld. For anyone who's played hit video games like Skyrim, World of Warcraft, or Fallout, cities within these games are often the hubs of NPCs (non-playable characters) who offer the same kinds of quests that lead to hours of story and gaming.
The Wild West is Popular
While there are many fan theories about where future seasons of Westworld will go, the series premiere set the park in the American Wild West – a popular and exciting frontier. We know for a fact that the Wild West is a remarkably popular theme – not just in the United States, but abroad as well.
Salou, Spain's Port Aventura is themed in regards to various countries and settings around the world. When PGAV Destinations designed the park in the 1990s, we surveyed thousands of potential future guests about which settings would be most exciting for them to visit. Over and over again, the number one setting on the survey was the American Wild West. This is why Spain's number one theme park features the "Far West" zone, complete with the Hotel Gold River, Stampida, and other Wild West attractions.
Practical vs. CGI
The events and visuals of Westworld are practical. For its guests, there are no touchscreens, movies, 3D glasses, or audio recordings. Their weapons are real, the fire is real, and the animals and 'hosts' are physical, breathing, moving robots.
As PGAV's Visualization Designer Steve Mohesky said a recent blog post: while the current frontier of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality is exciting, it's not without numerous limits and challenges. This technology will certainly continue to innovate, advance, and find its various places throughout destinations; however, for the foreseeable future, practical effects and experiences still provide the most authentic thrills, and will probably remain the backbone of destinations for quite some time. This may certainly remain true for authentic, historic attractions.
Truth in Safety
In Westworld, it's almost impossible for guests to be hurt. If they find themselves in a shootout, the hosts fire blanks or rubber bullets. Explosions are carefully timed and distanced as to not hurt the guests. Knives and poison have no effect, although the guests can get in physical tussles with the hosts and sustain some bruises.
For the most part, this is true now and could be continued to be refined as parks advance. Park Wild West shootouts currently fire blanks; exciting shows like Waterworld at Universal Studios carefully time and distance real fire explosions as to not hurt anyone. And although he's big and buff, Disney World's Gaston is not allowed to wrestle with anyone.
In Westworld, this knowledge of safety causes guests to take risks and actions they wouldn't otherwise, knowing that they'll be fine, no matter what. This strengthens the experience, and helps them become more immersed in the park, finding their true inner hero (or villain). However, in today's parks, safety warnings are posted at every turn, and reinforced by layers of regulators and employees. On one hand, this "dilutes" the experience, especially as guests enjoy rides that take them through "dangerous" stories, such as Jurassic Park or the Tower of Terror, while knowing they're perfectly safe. On the other hand, we've seen that these warnings and barriers can sometimes "dare" guests to take risks the park doesn't wish them to take, therefore suffering catastrophic injury from climbing fences or riding rides despite physical safety warnings. Westworld has it right – theme parks can protect guests from nearly everything except themselves.
Where are the Staff?
It's true that much of the Westworld park is automated, and the "attractions" within the park are all robots. However, there should be far more staff operating throughout the park behind the scenes. As the largest employer in Orange County, Disneyland roughly employs 23,000 people, with an additional 3,500 contract workers [citation]. At any given time in Westworld, we see about a dozen people in the control room, double that in the repair and programming laboratories, and a small board of directors. While the future's automation will certainly lead to reduced labor forces, as the Economist discussed shortly before the show's airing, it's unlikely we'd see such a massive reduction in this setting. It's true that the ideal day capacity of Westworld might be lower than Disneyland's; however, with a much larger footprint and the fact that we can't distinguish guests from hosts, we the viewers don't truly know.
Where's the Regulation?
In Westworld, it seems that the only oversight the park has is the Board of Directors. This doesn't seem quite accurate. With today's public constantly pushing for more transparency, it's unlikely that a paid destination of this magnitude would have such little investigation and oversight. Today's theme parks are reviewed and influenced by:
Guest posts on social media
Guest reviews on numerous travel sites
Informal media like industry bloggers
Formal media such as trade, city, state, and national publications
Operational regulation by OSHA
Industry standards from national organizations like IAAPA, the American Society for Testing and Materials, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission
Food quality standards by the FSIS, FDA, and CDC.
While many business managers might salivate at the idea of little regulation and oversight, this is a pretty unlikely future scenario for theme parks operating so independently and clandestinely.
Fully Autonomous Hosts
Of course the main allure and excitement of Westworld are the 'hosts:' Robots infused with artificial intelligence and human "reveries" that make them nearly indistinguishable from real humans. They engage in conversations and activities completely independent from the guests, but can engage them at any time in philosophical conversation or practical activities – from farming to bank robbery.
Unfortunately, this seamless creation of human-like life, indistinguishable from the real, and quickly repairable, is probably the farthest off innovation Westworld dreams up. While there have been remarkable advances in autonomous (technically programmed) robots – from the University of Science and Technology of China's Jia Jia, to Boston Dynamics' BigDog, to Honda's Asimo – all of these are quite far from what Westworld presents us with. While theme parks will continue to have real and CGI hosts – from digital projections to the pirates in Pirates of the Caribbean – Westworld's hosts will remain the thing of fiction for now. Not to mention the ethical and transcendental crises of AI achieving singularity, as Stephen Hawking warns and Terminator portrays.
Westworld demonstrates an exciting, creative, beautiful world for the future of theme parks; and while some ideas are strongly rooted in today's reality and will continue to advance, some are just the things of wonderful imagination. What do you think? What innovations of Westworld may come to pass? Which do you think we'll never see?
**Special thanks to PGAV Destinations' Director of Zoological and Aquarium Planning and Design Stacey Ludlum for her assistance in the "Truth in Safety" reflection.


Aikido is considered to be one of the best forms of self defense to all who apply themselves.It is not limited to the young or strong, anyone can(through practice ) become a efficient Aikido practitioner.
Aikido has its roots in many ancient Japanese Martial Arts,primarily Jiu-Jitsu and Iaido. Aikido is based on using an opponent's own aggression against them.
Aikido of Riverside offers real and practical training. Although for beginning students it is a must to practice fluid movements and learn how to deal with restricted attacks for the development of principles of Aikido (Weight under side , keeping one point , Extension , Relax completely) as students progress they will learn how to deal with free form attacks. We believe in real world attacks, and for students as they progress ,will build confidence in, (if necessary) dealing with all attackers.
Aikido of Riverside offers weapons training (Jo , Bokken , Knife or Tanto , Tori and Waza , also Gun take away.


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The 2012 IIHF World Championship Final was played at the Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland, on 20 May 2012 between Russia and Slovakia.

Russia won the gold medal by defeating Slovakia 6–2.

Background
Slovakia and Russia faced each other in the 2002 Championship final; that game ended 4–3 in favour of the Slovaks, who captured the team's only gold medal in World Championship history.

The 2012 final was Slovakia's third final in history, and their first since 2002. Russia made their fourth final appearance in five years. Russia had won twenty-five gold medals (three as Russia) previously.

Road to the final

Match

Summary
The first period had only lasted one minute before Slovakia captain Zdeno Chára fired a hard shot from the blue line to open up the score. Russia would then dominate the rest of the period, and at 09:57 Alexander Semin received a pass from Washington Capitals teammate Alexander Ovechkin on a breakaway and tied the game 1–1. Russia continued to pressure the Slovaks' net, but a solid-playing Ján Laco and good defensive play by the Slovaks kept the game even. No penalties were called during the game's first 20 minutes.

In the second period, Russia grabbed a three-goal lead. In a tangled situation in front of Slovakia's goaltender, Alexander Perezhogin put the puck in the net and gave Russia their first lead of the game at 26:10. Then at 33:31 Sergei Shirokov passed to assistant captain Alexei Tereshchenko on a two-on-one situation and Tereshchenko scored to give the Russians a 3–1 lead. Less than two minutes later, Pavel Datsyuk stole the puck in the Slovak zone and passed to Alexander Semin who netted his second goal of the game, giving Russia a three-goal lead. Shortly thereafter, at 35:43, Zdeno Chára was given the first penalty of the game, a tripping penalty. The Russians were unsuccessful in converting on the power play. Russia outshot Slovakia 16–8 in the second period.

At 43:55 in the third period, Pavel Datsyuk sealed the game for Russia with his first goal of the game. Shortly after this, Slovakia's goaltender Ján Laco was pulled and replaced by Peter Hamerlík. Slovakia was given an opportunity on the power play following a slashing penalty on Alexander Ovechkin at 48:47, Russia's first penalty of the game. It took 50 seconds on the power play before Zdeno Chára scored his second goal of the game on a one-timer in front of the net to cut the deficit to three goals. Evgeni Malkin finished the game off at 58:02 by scoring his eleventh goal of the tournament to make the score 6–2.

The game ended 6–2 for Russia, who captured the team's twenty-sixth World Championship gold medal in history (fourth as Russia). Slovakia earned their second World Championship silver medal.

After the game had ended, several Slovak players donned Pavol Demitra jerseys backwards to honor his memory. Demitra had died on September 7, 2011.

Evgeni Malkin was named the MVP of the tournament.

Details

References

External links
Official website

Final
Russia men's national ice hockey team games
Slovakia men's national ice hockey team games
W
IIHF World Championship Finals
International sports competitions in Helsinki
2010s in Helsinki

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Friends of IDF Search, Rescue Unit 669 To Hold New York Gala Event
September 14, 2019 — New York … American Friends of Israel Defense Forces Search and Rescue Unit 669 will be holding their second annual gala event in New York on November 13.
Co-founder and CEO Bar Reuven of Friends of IDF Unit 669 said that the event will be held at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York's Battery Park at 6:30 p.m.
The event will be hosted by Bill Cohen, Vice Chairman of AFU 669 with opening remarks by Ambassador Dani Dayan, Consul General of New York. Speakers will include Arie Belldegrun, M.D., Chairman of AFU 669, former head of IDF's Medical Evacuation Unit, Smadar Shechter, first commercial flight captain and Noam Gershony, former IDF combat pilot and gold medal winner London Paralympics.
Members of IDF Unit 669 and the Cat Alumni Association are an elite team of people who dedicate their time in risking their lives for the search and rescue of civilians and military personnel in Israel.
The IDF 669 CAT Alumni Association's mission is to help the Unit's veterans while utilizing their contributions of "human wealth" for the general good of Israeli society.
IDF Airborne Combat Rescue And Evacuation Unit 669 is the Israel Defense Forces heliborne Combat Search and Rescue extraction unit, subordinate to the Special Air Forces Command of the Israeli Air Force. It is one of the four premier elite units of the IDF.[ Combat and support-staff jobs are multi-ethnic, and non-combat jobs are coed. It is the Israeli equivalent to Pararescue of the US Air Force.
IDF Unit 669 was founded in 1974, following the 1973 Yom Kippur War, when an ad hoc medevac unit made over 5000 extractions. Its initial mandate was to extract and provide initial medical treatment to downed (and possibly injured) pilots behind enemy lines. Today the unit also participates in the extraction of soldiers of other branches of the Israeli Defense Forces, especially the Sayeret (Special Forces) fighters in operations beyond enemy lines and seamen in distress.
Category: News Tags: Arie Belldegrun, Bar Reuven, Bill Cohen, Cat Alumni Association, Dani Dayan, gala event, heliborne Combat Search and Rescue, idf, idf special forces, israel, israel air force, israel defense forces, jewish, joel leyden, Noam Gershony, search and rescue, Smadar Shechter, unit669
Netanyahu Meets with UK PM Johnson at 10 Downing Street in London
London — September 5, 2019 … Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson today at 10 Downing Street in London.
At the start of their meeting Netanyahu said: "Boris, it's always a pleasure to see you, but especially now in your role as Prime Minister.
I want to say that you've been a great friend of the Jewish people and Israel. I applaud your staunch stance against antisemitism and your support for Israel's security. Our relations are at an all-time high: economically, trade, technology, defense cooperation. These are all great things.
It's not that we lack challenges. We have the challenge of Iran's aggression and terrorism, and I'd like to talk to you about how we can work together to counter these things for the benefit of peace. And I want to thank you for this opportunity to do so."
Johnson met Netanyahu in London as the Israeli prime minister continued a critical campaign to urge European leaders to abandon the Iran nuclear deal and impose fresh sanctions on Iran.
Netanyahu also acknowledged that Donald Trump may meet Iran's president at the United Nations this month but said America should keep up economic pressure even if the unprecedented talks take place.
"I can't tell you when or whether the talks will take place between President Trump and Rouhani," Netanyahu told reporters in London. "Today I think what is needed is more pressure and the leverage which will come from that pressure on the regime in Iran."
The meeting between Netanyahu and Johnson came as Iran said it would announce a third tranche of nuclear deal violations this Saturday. The new breaches are likely to include bringing new nuclear centrifuges online and expanding atomic research.
Category: News Tags: iran, israel, jihad, Johnson, netanyahu, nuclear, nuclear deal, nuclear terrorism, nuclear weapons, Rouhani, terrorism, uk

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Home Blog How will the World's First Electric Mine change the way that society perceives mining?
Goldcorp's Bordon mine https://www.goldcorp.com/English/portfolio/development-projects/borden/default.aspx is being recognized by the Canadian government as a disruptive innovation identifying the development as game changing. The development taps Canada's Clean Growth Program (CGP), a $155M investment fund for clean technology research, development and demonstration.
The Bordon project has a strong element of Canadian manufacturing with MacLean Engineering https://www.macleanengineering.com/ of Collingwood providing a fleet of secondary mobile equipment, all electric.
It's difficult it imagine an underground mine with significantly lower noise levels and no diesel fumes in the air.
The development is one of the best examples of disruptive change in the industry and pushes further on Canada's theme of mining sustainability.


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DOJ Internal Watchdog Opens Investigation Into Roger Stone Sentencing
(RepublicanInformer.com)- The case of Roger Stone just never seems to end.
While Stone's fight in court is over, an internal watchdog at the Department of Justice is opening an investigation into the intervention by Attorney General William Barr in the sentencing recommendation.
The move in question is Barr's involvement in February where he apparently asked prosecutors to seek a lighter sentence for Stone. Prosecutors and an acting U.S. attorney had already submitted a seven- to nine-year prison term recommendation, but Barr asked them to lower it.
All four of the prosecutors on the case resigned from the case following that incident, with one resigning from the department altogether. Stone was a long-time adviser to President Donald Trump, and many have questioned whether Barr was pressured to lighten the sentencing recommendation.
A jury convicted Stone on seven felony counts.
Barr has said that he intervened in the sentencing recommendation only to make sure that it was a reasonable recommendation based on the facts in the case. The originally recommendation of seven to nine years was "obviously excessive," he said. A judge ultimately handed down a sentence of three years and four months, which seemed to vindicate Barr's statement.
Still, many have questioned Trump's influence in the case. He tweeted heavy criticism of prosecutors' original sentencing recommendation, and then Barr intervened. Barr said the recommendation was changed after Trump's tweet, but he had told colleagues to revise it before Trump made his thoughts public.
Stone was serving his sentence in home confinement for only a few days before he was set to report to federal prison. But Trump commuted the remainder of Stone's sentence, and he never served a day in prison.
In June, Aaron Zelinsky, one of the prosecutors on the case, testified before Congress that a higher-up told him to change the recommendation because of Trump's relationship to Stone.
Timothy Shea, who was U.S. attorney at the time, was "receiving heavy pressure from the highest levels of the Department of Justice to cut Stone a break, and that the U.S. Attorney's sentencing instructions to us were based on political considerations," Zelinsky said.
The comments Zelinsky made during his testimony is what triggered the office of the inspector general to open an investigation into the matter, a source told NBC News. There is no indication as of yet as to how far the investigation has developed at this point, including who they've interviewed or whether they've found any evidence of wrongdoing.
For his part, Barr defended his actions when he gave testimony to the House Judiciary Committee back in late July. One of the reasons Barr gave for high lighter sentencing recommendation was that Stone, at age 67, didn't deserve to receive such a long sentence for a crime that was nonviolent.
As he said in his testimony:
"I agree the president's friends don't deserve special breaks, but they also don't deserve to be treated more harshly than other people."


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Copyright © 2019, San Diego Union Tribune
SANDAG's transit plan draws protests
Ramona Community Planning Group members Jim Cooper and Dan Summers talk with a Cal Fire representative at the "Stop the TransNet Raid" press conference County Supervisors Dianne Jacob and Kristin Gaspar and others held in Lakeside on June 5.
(Beth Edwards)
By Karen Pearlman
During a wildfire in the backcountry, one scary scenario on state Route 67 foretells a gridlocked graveyard where people in cars trying to flee will be trapped with nowhere to go.
That possibility weighed heavily on the minds of elected officials who gathered off state Route 67 in Lakeside June 5 to speak out against a broad transportation plan envisioned by Hasan Ikhrata, executive director of the San Diego Association of Governments, the region's planning agency.
Local politicians on SANDAG's executive board, including County Supervisors Dianne Jacob and Kristin Gaspar, Poway Mayor Steve Vaus and San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones, have been railing against Ikhrata's proposal to steer billions in TransNet funds to high-speed rail and other transit programs at the expense of promised road improvements.
Jacob said elected officials are well aware that mass transit needs to be fixed, "but public safety must come first."
Jacob said she fears for residents if there are mandatory mass evacuations. She said the deaths from the fires in Northern California last year were in part because there were "too many folks on too few roads."
Jacob also pointed to the California Highway Patrol report that said that in the past 10 years, there have been 1,614 collisions on the stretch of Highway 67 between Lakeside and Ramona, and that nearly 700 collisions involved injuries, with 16 deaths.
"We don't want this road, this lifeline, to become a graveyard," Jacob said. "It's already a major hazard."
Vaus gave a brief history of Highway 67, noting that when it was built in 1913, it was known as "the Julian road," its designation 22 years later as Legislative Route 198, and its 1964 renumbering as state Route 67.
"More recently, especially among first responders and locals, the road has a different name: Blood Alley," Vaus said. "It's one of the most dangerous roads in the county."
Dan Summers, a member of the Ramona Community Planning Group, joined Jacob, Gaspar, Vaus, Cal Fire Authority Chief Tony Mecham, David Leonhardi, president of the Deputy Sheriffs' Association and other elected officials to express concern about long-promised road projects not being fixed, including Highway 67. TransNet tax promised the construction of four-lane freeway from Route 125 to Route 6.
With trucks and cars whizzing by the busy, winding road that connects Lakeside to points north, Summers recalled how the wildfires that hit eastern San Diego County in 2003 and 2007 turned the freeway into a nightmarish parking lot "for as much as eight hours." Summers said that putting aside planned improvements for the freeway will put the lives of nearly 50,000 Ramona residents at risk.
"This isn't complicated," Summers said. "The community of Ramona (is growing), yet 67 has not grown an inch. It has grown obsolete and dangerous. In Ramona, our issue is life safety, not mass transit. And life safety should always take priority over mass transit."
Ikhrata has been making the rounds throughout the county to talk about his plan, which has yet to be flushed out or given a pricetag. He spoke at the Lemon Grove City Council meeting Tuesday, was scheduled to be on a panel at the La Mesa-Foothills Democratic Club Wednesday and has presentations planned at other East County cities later this month.
He said he stands by his commitment to mass transit. He said he had some questions for the politicians calling him and his transit-oriented plan out. "The fires happened in 2003 and 2007, what have they done about it?" he said. "If it is such a critical issue, where are the supervisors? We need to fix it, but does it take 13 years? Fifteen years? We elect leaders to fix things, and it shouldn't take 15 years to fix a critical issue. If they knew it was an issue, why have we seen zero, zilch, nada?"
Ikhrata said he believes adding lanes to freeways does not help. He said improving transit means that "everyone in the system benefits," and that providing a choice of high-speed rail will mean taking thousands of cars off the roadway, "freeing capacity for everyone."
Jacob said that for years, "we've urged SANDAG to make Highway 67 safer" and that conditions have been so bad for so long that the California Department of Transportation has put up signs cautioning drivers to "Take Care Getting There" and "Arrive Alive."
Jacob said the latest TransNet half-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2004 was supposed to make state Route 67 wider with improved intersections and lane barriers, and that Ikhrata's "my way or the highway" attitude gives her one choice.
"I'll pick the highway," she said.
In a statement the next day, Jacob said, "Mr. Ikhrata, your comments are outrageous and continued arrogance is appalling. I suggest you do your homework next time before you sound off. Many of us have fought tooth and nail for years to get SANDAG to deliver on critical and promised improvements to SR-67, SR-94, SR-78 and other hazardous highways. Public safety must always come first."
Gaspar said that "people are angry, they're waking up and they're fed up with broken promises" and directed those who want to weigh in on the matter to visit a website launched last month — stoptransnetraid.com. People have been opining there from "all parts of the county, representing a silent majority that's growing by the day."
Karen Pearlman writes for The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Karen Pearlman
Sheriff's Reports: July 7-14
Among reports filed in the sheriff's Ramona station: Sunday, July 14 Male, 43, arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance, 23600 block San Vicente Road.
Hit-and-run collision causes power outage
A power outage in a portion of San Diego Country Estates began when an unidentified driver crashed a Chevrolet Equinox into a San Diego Gas & Electric Co. fuse cabinet on San Vicente Road at 1:30 a.m.
County closer to buying 160 acres of open space
The county on Wednesday took the first step toward the purchase of 160 acres of open land near Poway's Iron Mountain.
County E. coli cases reach 10 confirmed, one probable
The county's E. coli outbreak involving children who attended the San Diego County Fair and did not wash their hands after visiting the animal exhibits stand at 11 confirmed or probable cases, one of which was fatal, health officials said Friday.
Rockhouse Road brush fire quickly snuffed
No structures were threatened and no injuries reported after a small brush fire erupted on Rockhouse Road near state Route 67 on Friday, July 12.
Rib & Chicken Fest hits high mark
Ramona Senior Center's 14th Annual All-You-Can-Eat Rib & Chicken Fest "may be the best year yet," said Lora Cicalo, the center's executive director.


Symmetrical triangles are interesting formations, and one of the reason is they may provide forecasting information to the trader. These formations combine both ascending and descending trendlines. While ascending and descending triangles are formed on a trending markets, symmetrical triangles may also occur during periods when no previous trend is clearly visible.
array of local maximums, where each of them is lower than the previous one, and a set of local minimums, placed consequently on higher levels. For a symmetrical triangle to be properly formed, at least 2 local maximums and 2 local minimums are usually required - it is not uncommon to see e.g. 6 local touching points, 3 for each trendline.
Sometimes, if the symmetrical triangle is properly formed, one may use the first touching point at the widest part of the triangle, and draw a straight line until it reaches the support line. This line/distance should later be applied at the breaking point of the formation. This new level (the sum of the breaking level and the length of the line) is sometimes the level a price will reach after breaking the formation.


In short, I couldn't sleep until I started creating this website.
I simply had to follow my "soul urge." The quiet stirring in my heart that grows the more I connect with my own heart.
And you know what, I don't get many of these kinds of strong soul urges. But THIS was one of those strong urges. Whereby it kept calling and calling. And calling. Drove me nuts!
Actually, the idea came into my head before friends and clients I'd been working with suggested that I do. So you could say it was a "coincidence." I feel the word "synchronistic" sits perfectly here.
And then soon after, another complete "stranger" I spoke with for only 10 minutes began telling me excitedly that I could start sharing with more people on something like Google Hangouts.
I was bewildered with all the "timely" advice I was getting.
It was a little struggle for me to say "Yes, I'm going to do this," even though I was fully aware that was really my next step.
Because I wasn't usually vocal. But the thing was, my soul wouldn't let me sleep until I said, OK, I'll do this and started taking action.
And then when I did make my first steps to create it, I stopped getting the nagging feeling to do it. My soul didn't nudge me to do it anymore!
So back to why this website was born.
At my deepest core, I want to share what brought me true peace.
You see, from my earliest memories of my childhood, I felt really sad. Even when I wasn't physically at home hearing and seeing my parents and the housekeeper fight louder and louder night after night, I replayed that familiar scene even when I wasn't home.
Being an unhappy kid made other kids avoid me. It was pointless to share my feelings anyway, because no other kid seemed to have such an unhappy family. They were always finding something to play, something to have fun about. Not me. I was too sad to engage.
Plus it didn't help when a kindergarten classmate at the time insisted that "God lived in that statue" and I replied, "God is in everyone." She was angry at my answer and it just made me feel even more different and unloved.
Oh and I felt the worst on weekends because that's when my working parents had time off (to quarrel even more!).
That craziness lasted for a good 11 years before I left Singapore to do my bachelor's in the US.
Besides, an in-depth reading of my birthdate and time with a top-notch astrologist overseas had reported that I would have a better fate in the US. I so wanted to believe that. I was desperate for it to come true.
Then, after completing my bachelor's from Williams College (not in a happy state), I decided to take off again, because I still hung on to the hope that being overseas would bring me happiness.
This time, to Australia for a Master's in biotechnology in one of the top universities, eventually topping my cohort. Of course, subconsciously it was my way of extending my running-away sabbatical, although I wouldn't want to admit it to anyone at the time.
So towards the end of my Master's course in Australia, I was presented with 2 choices. Either A) stay in Australia and find a job (easy!) and be a Permanent Resident (yay!). Or B) return to Singapore with a heavy heart and truly face whatever I'd been running away from (of which I didn't really know but felt it was going to be a really hard).
Perhaps like you, I had this gnawing knowing that all I'd done by studying overseas was simply to run away from facing the misery inside. I played out the long-term scenarios of both option. I saw in my mind's eye that I would be happy on the outset with A. But over the long run (pun coincidental), I would still be questioning why the heaviness in my heart is still there.
With option B, I would be miserable. After all, I was scared of not knowing what I had to face. I just knew I had to face something. But not knowing what that was terrified me. It felt like a black hole. Plus there wasn't a real "guarantee" that I'd really get to the bottom of solving the mystery of my heavy heart. It could be a forever-never journey. With option A, at least I could have some fun and not HAVE to see the madness of my parents quarrel all the time.
After much agonizing, I bit the bullet and took on option B, and moved back to Singapore. Fortunately enough, I got a well-paying job in one of the top pharma companies.
It looked to most people that I was happy.
Nothing could be further from the truth. I made a lot of effort to project the image to just about everyone that everything was just fine in my life – after all, isn't that what I'm supposed to be as an adult who's been through the best educational institutions and now working for a Fortune 500 company? The truth was, I felt totally hopeless as I re-witnessed my parents' hellish fights and the poor housekeeper suffering my mum's vents, AND my own sea of emotions.
I was so dejected and embarrassed by my emotions that I sought the help of a therapist. I couldn't believe her when she eventually concluded it was my childhood affecting me. Yet I could feel the truth of her words. I knew it was true that the ferocity of the fights were so deeply imprinted that it lurked and lived there even 'til adult life.
Before seeing this therapist, I'd always assumed that the one who caused all the misery in the whole household, was my mother. As such, I never let her get close to me for a good 20+ years of my life and piled hatred upon hatred against her. I called her "wicked" and "cruel" and used to tell my best friend in high school, all the nasty things she'd done to my father and how she mistreated each and every housekeeper. (I've lost count of how many worked and left.) I would push her hand away every time she wanted to give me a pat on my back. I was so angry and irritated with her.
"Huh? Nothing to do with me? I can do nothing about it? I can't help them?" I thought. That helplessness was precisely what was holding me back.
It took about 3 years for me to accept the wisdom of that therapist. At last, I was able to fully let go of the pain that I felt (turns out it was coupled with deeper emotional abuse that nobody consciously realized was happening, that's a story for another time…). I finally came full circle within myself. I came to accept incrementally deeper and deeper, that I'm NOT my emotions, and I can let my thoughts be just thoughts. With this realization, the heaviness in my heart started softening, and eventually dissolving on its own. I began to feel freer and freer, and more and more at ease to express myself, and appreciate myself for who I am.
Taste of true peace at last. So much so that it didn't bother me when my parents started their "rounds" anymore even when they reached their 60s.
And it didn't bother me any more when other people had their own fights. I wouldn't feel helpless around them or feel the need to fix the situation like I used to. Sure, I would feel compassion, and a readiness to lend a listening ear and offer my 2 cents, but only when I felt he / she was ready to hear a different perspective.
Since the turnaround, I found I could talk to my mother and say wholeheartedly to her that I love her for who she is. I even see her as really adorable and kind. Except when she's blinded by false beliefs, like any regular human being. I can accept her in all her colors just as I've accepted mine, and accept the motherly love from her that I'd hurtfully rejected in my younger days. I remember her tearing when I gave her a hug, as she knew I had finally accepted her touch, when before, I saw every single attempt as a nuisance.
Some of my closest friends who have known me since I was a kid have been surprised at the complete turnaround.
I am eternally grateful for the whole journey that brought me to this point. Grateful to myself as well for following my knowing to choose Option B. I only say Thank You to all who have guided me and Thank You to all the experiences that I have been through that led me to this point.
Looking back, there wasn't just 1 turning point. There were actually several pivotal turning points. Actually, I had been seeking and apprenticing with masters all over the world since I was a child. I experienced blissful peace both through arduous ascetic practices sitting cross-legged with my eyes and ears closed over thousands of hours cumulatively. And I've also experienced similar profound peace through gentle, peaceful means under "normal" ordinary life conditions.
All the different approaches led to one common realization that, to this day, keeps deepening and expanding me and my life. That is, when I finally realized (repeatedly) that I wasn't broken to begin with, that I am already complete. That there was no need to search for peace. That I can grow peace within me, simply by opening my inner eyes and recognize that the peace I seek is already present around and within me. That I don't need to fix anything outside of me to be at peace with myself and the world.
After recognizing the truth surrounding that we're all perfect and whole to begin with, my outer reality started changing spontaneously in kind. In addition to reconciling finally with my mum, a strange rheumatism that I started noticing in my teens left my body. My work performance improved. I made new, supportive friends. People started feeling closer to me, and me to them as well. Unexpectedly as well, I met my absolutely loving husband. Or rather, I wasn't looking – it just happened without my having any intention to look!
Sure, there are many times when action is called for in order to make an outcome more harmonious. But basically, I realized that, when we ourselves come to a place of peace first, and then act from there, it is way more peaceful than relying solely on physical action or other people's behavior in order to produce a desired outcome. And far more efficient too!
So my soul has given me "Soul Powered Peace" as the name for this website to describe what I can share of my own journey – the kind of peace that lasts independently of what others do (or not). Peace, as powered by the Soul. The kind of peace that is already rooted deeply within ourselves. It's already there, waiting to be uncovered. It tends to gets covered by overthinking. But it comes back and draws us in unexpectedly.
You know, like when we walk along a river, and hear the gentle gurgling of the brook… or when we hear the waves lapping on the shore… or when we find ourselves mesmerized looking at a sunset, and the experience takes us away spontaneously to a totally different place even though we haven't teleported ourselves … when all of a sudden, for a split second, our mind chattering stops, we are taken over by a feeling of pure beauty, of peace in our hearts… and for those few seconds that feels like there is no time, All is truly Well.
So here in this virtual home and at talks I'm going to give in person in Toronto, I'll share my journey of coming to a place of inner peace and the biggest takeaways. In time, you'll see it doesn't take much to experience your own fountainhead of ever lasting peace.


Essay article at Aeon online magazine.
The existentialist philosophies of Simone de Beauvoir and Frantz Fanon offer important insights into the nature of prejudice.
Short article at Aeon online magazine.
We are not the puppets of inherited ideologies. We can actively reshape the outlooks that quietly guide our behaviour.
Short article on the OUP Blog website.
Interview with Nigel Warburton at Five Books website.
Central themes of Rethinking Existentialism in the form of reading recommendations.
The International Encyclopedia of Ethics, ed. Hugh LaFolette, John Deigh, and Sarah Stroud, second edition. Wiley, 2020.
Sartre's theory of self-deception succeeds where Freud's fails, but Beauvoir's existentialism might do even better.
The Meaning of Life and the Great Philosophers, ed. Stephen Leach and James Tartaglia. Routledge, 2018.
Simone de Beauvoir offers a single argument that authenticity is morally required and that immoral behaviour is absurd.


You are here: Home / Blog / Products and Services / A SILVER BULLET IN MY RESURFACING ARSENAL!
Under the wings of Hawk Research Labs LLC, Eager Beaver has an extended offer of products and services available!
A SILVER BULLET IN MY RESURFACING ARSENAL!
Hawk Research Laboratories, LLC is an American based company delivering the products for refinishers since 1978.
It is a privilege to be among the first UK refinishing companies to use their line of products.
In the next series of articles, I will be describing their high-quality coating systems and what benefits made me trust in their solutions.
Their innovative solutions as the one below, deserve to be described in details. It's another feature that put my service unique among the competitors in Britain.
Silver has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, and it has been used throughout the centuries to help with infections and in healing wounds. People used to eat, drink from and even consume a silver (colloidal) itself.
This precious metal is non-toxic, natural and free from bacteria.
I am very proud to introduce this unique silver technology to my refinishing range.
The antimicrobial silver protection can be added to ALL of my application range. The surface is protected from product damaging bacteria thanks to silver ions.
Wet household areas like the bathroom and kitchen are a friendly environment for microorganism grow. This unique feature of my bathtub or kitchen sinks resurfacing service shall be a strong attribute to consider.
Mould, Mildew and other microorganisms can be a cause of discolouration, odours and have a negative impact on our health and wellbeing. Now it can be dealt at source – with Sterlion technology, any resurfacing jobs by Eager Beaver maintains sterile for longer!
One of my recent jobs. Highest craftmanship standards, now improved by even better products!
How do the silver ions kill bacteria?
What microorganisms it is effective against?
It protects the surface from a growth of unwanted microorganisms such as mold, mildew, fungus and bacteria. It is effective versus over 50 different organisms as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Legionella, Mehicilling Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) etc.
Does it affect the human body?
It is neutral to the human body and does not have any negative effect.
No, it will not affect a colour of the top coat applied. The presence of the silver technology can be detected with laser indicator but it's not visible by bare eye.
How long the silver ions stay active?
It has only to be applied once and protection will remain active for the lifespan of a topcoat applied.
What surfaces can be protected with Sterlion?
It is available for the surface of bathtubs, tiles, countertops, shower pans, floors, walls, sinks, cabinets, and many other. Virtually any hard surface that can be resurfaced has an ability to add a Sterlion silver protection.
On-site bathtub enamelling – what it is not?


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Pope Francis mourns melted Iceland glacier… the nation which aborts almost 100% of babies with Down syndrome
Iceland's prime minister attended the funeral.
Mon Aug 19, 2019 - 3:40 pm EST
An Icelandic glacier shutterstock.com
By Dorothy Cummings McLean
Follow Dorothy
ICELAND, August 19, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) – Iceland, which aborts nearly 100 percent of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome, has held a funeral for a glacier.
The glacier, known as Okjökull or "Ok," covered 6.2 square miles in 1890. However, by 2012, it had shrunk to less than 0.3 miles, and in 2014 Icelandic scientists decided it was no longer moving.
An Icelandic geologist, Oddur Sigurðsson, told Agence France-Presse that "...We made the decision that this was no longer a living glacier, it was only dead ice, it was not moving."
Therefore about 100 people, including Iceland's prime minister, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, and Ireland's former president Mary Robinson, held a ceremony where the glacier used to be on Sunday to commemorate its passing. A bilingual Icelandic-English plaque entitled "A letter to the future" was affixed to a rocky outcropping.
"Ok is the first Icelandic glacier to lose its status as a glacier," it reads.
"In the next 200 years, all our glaciers are expected to follow the same path. This monument is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it."
According to Breitbart, Sigurðsson "brought a death certificate to the memorial service to bring attention to the 'climate crisis'."
Pope Francis alluded to the extinct glacier earlier this month when he was interviewed by Italian newspaper La Stampa. While explaining the relationship between his encyclical Laudato Si' and the upcoming Synod on the Amazon, Francis said, "The other day, I read about a huge glacier in Iceland that melted almost completely: they built a funeral monument."
But one sad irony about the disappearing Icelandic glaciers is that babies with Down syndrome regularly disappear from Iceland. In fact, almost everyone with Down syndrome is aborted before he or she is born. In 2009, only three babies in Iceland were born with the genetic condition. By 2017, no Down Syndrome baby had been born there in five years.
In 2017, Breitbart reported that an Icelandic geneticist had boasted about the eradication of Down syndrome from his country.
"My understanding is that we have basically eradicated, almost, Down syndrome from our society – that there is hardly ever a child with Down syndrome in Iceland anymore," said Kari Stefansson.
Helga Sol Olafsdottir, a counselor at Landspitali University Hospital, indicated that she didn't think the abortion of babies with Down syndrome was wrong.
"We don't look at abortion as a murder," she said. "We look at it as a thing that we ended."
climate change, down syndrome, down syndrome abortion, environmentalism, glacier, iceland, katrín jakobsdóttir, laudato si', okjökull, pope francis
Pope Francis mourns melted Iceland glacier… the nation which aborts… Pope Francis mourns melted Iceland glacier… the nation which aborts almost 100% of babies with Down syndrome News By Dorothy Cummings McLean


The Clovis Museum will continue its tradition of honoring 59 Clovis Gold Star Heroes and all veterans at its monthly "Let's Talk Clovis" program on Nov. 14, 7 p.m., at Clovis Veterans Memorial District. The public is invited to join.
WWI: We entered the war on April 6, 1917, and the armistice was signed on Nov. 11, 1918. We remember our 10 Gold Star Heroes. At the time, Clovis had a population of 1,357 with 22 graduates from Clovis High. John Cecil Cox, only son of Clovis High faculty member Professor J.M. Cox, was our first Clovis Gold Star Hero.
WWII: We entered the war on Dec. 7, 1941, and it ended on Dec. 31, 1946. By then, Clovis had a population of 1,626. Of the 28 Gold Star Heroes, 14 were graduates of Clovis High. The first verse and stanza of "America the Beautiful" was the foreword for the 1943 Clovis High Cavalcade. David Lancaster and Hugh Norenberg (1943 graduates) became Gold Star Heroes.
Korean War: We entered the war on June 25, 1950, and the armistice was signed on July 27, 1953. Our two Gold Star Heroes: Antonio Lopez was killed in action at age 18 on Oct. 17, 1951, and Richard Caster (1950 Clovis High graduate) died in combat June 6, 1951. Caster was the only son of Grover and Grayce Caster. His father, Grover, was a shop teacher at Clovis High.
Vietnam War: We entered the war on Jan. 2, 1963, and the war ended on May 7, 1975. Of the seven Gold Star Heroes, Ronnie Pendergraft (1966 Clovis High graduate) was killed in action Jan. 6, 1968, after serving less than three weeks in Vietnam.
Desert Storm-The Gulf War: We joined a worldwide coalition under the United Nations to liberate the country of Kuwait on Jan. 15, 1991. Cease fire was issued on Feb. 27, 1991. Terrorism continued and Gold Star Hero USAF Capt. Leland Haun was killed July 25, 1996 by terrorists at Khobar Towers in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
Iraq War: The United States led a multinational coalition invasion of Iraq on March 20, 2003. The conflict continues. Of our 11 Gold Star Heroes of the Iraq/Afghanistan wars, eight were graduates of Buchanan High School. Childhood buddies Jared Hubbard and Jeremiah Baro joined the Marines together and died together Nov. 4, 2004. Jared's two brothers, Jason and Nathan Hubbard, enlisted in the Army after Jared's Death. Nathan was killed in a Blackhawk crash on Aug. 22, 2007. It was a stunning loss for the Hubbard family and our community.
Each family member was registered and stamps were issued. Processed food, sugar, meat, butter, cheese, coffee, shoes and tires were among the rationed items. It was a criminal offense (10 years imprisonment or $10,000 fine) to make a false statement.
The Clovis Museum has a veterans room that is dedicated to all veterans and our 59 Gold Star Heroes. They protected us and are a vital part of our rich heritage.


If you're heading to Brisbane Showgrounds for a special event or to discover the King Street dining hub, Alpha Mosaic Hotel Brisbane offers a range of hotel rooms and apartments for one night stays with extra special rates if you stay 3 or more nights! Book in advance and you will receive an extra 15% off.
The Brisbane Showgrounds is a world-class events and lifestyle precinct located just a 13 minute walk or a short drive from Alpha Mosaic Hotel, 1.5km from the city's CBD and 15 minutes from Brisbane Airport. It's home to the state-of-the-art Royal International Convention Centre (Royal ICC) and vibrant King Street dining hub. Host to Queensland's largest event the Royal Queensland Show (Ekka), search all upcoming events at the Brisbane Showgrounds and Royal International Convention Centre here.
Sitting between the airport and the CBD, Alpha Mosaic Hotel Brisbane is just 1.5k from Brisbane city and a 15 minute drive from the airport. Brisbane Showgrounds and Royal International Convention Centre is only a short drive or a 13 minute walk from the hotel.
Alpha Mosaic Hotel is located approx. 1km to Brisbane Showgrounds. Travelling to Brisbane Showgrounds is generally easy by foot and generally takes only 13 minutes, or 5 minutes by car. Parking is available for a fee at the Brisbane Showgrounds. Public transport is also available.


There are many repairs that need to be completed during a car's lifetime. It's not only important that the repairs are completed timely, but also that they're completed by a person who is trained to perform the job. Of course, there are many qualified individuals who know how to complete car repairs, but not all of them are ASE certified. ASE stands for Automotive Service Excellence, which is given by an independent non-profit institution using the most advanced automotive technology to assess a technician's knowledge.
ASE certification is used by dealerships to protect service centers, as well as the technicians. It is not mandatory to be ASE certified to become an automotive technician; however, dealerships choose those who are, simply because ASE certification provides peace of mind for quality work.
Herb Chambers Maserati of Warwick has many ASE certified technicians staffed at our service center. Schedule your car repairs or maintenance by making an appointment soon!


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Home Top News ViacomCBS Fires Nick Cannon, Citing Anti-Semitic Podcast Remarks
ViacomCBS Fires Nick Cannon, Citing Anti-Semitic Podcast Remarks
Martin Gray Jul 15, 2020 0 Comments
The television star Nick Cannon was fired by ViacomCBS on Tuesday for making anti-Semitic remarks during a the latest podcast in which he talked about conspiracy theories about Jewish folks and praised a minister notorious for anti-Jewish reviews.
ViacomCBS is the mum or dad company of MTV and the cable channel TeenNick, equally of which prominently showcased Mr. Cannon for yrs on different platforms.
Mr. Cannon, 39, had worked as an government producer and chairman of TeenNick, a spinoff of the community Nickelodeon geared toward young people. He had also been a host and executive producer of the MTV comedy clearly show "Wild 'N Out."
A ViacomCBS spokeswoman stated in a statement that the enterprise categorically denounced all forms of anti-Semitism.
"We have spoken with Nick Cannon about an episode of his podcast 'Cannon's Class' on YouTube, which promoted hateful speech and spread anti-Semitic conspiracy theories," the statement mentioned. "While we assistance ongoing education and dialogue in the struggle against bigotry, we are deeply troubled that Nick has failed to accept or apologize for perpetuating anti-Semitism, and we are terminating our partnership with him."
In a tweet on Monday, Mr. Cannon stated, "Anyone who is familiar with me is aware of that I have no detest in my coronary heart nor malice intentions."
A agent for Mr. Cannon did not straight away reply to a ask for for remark on Tuesday night time.
Mr. Cannon, an actor and a musician, is also a host on the Fox exhibit "The Masked Singer." It was not promptly apparent if Mr. Cannon's relationship with the community was becoming re-evaluated. Fox did not react to requests for remark on Tuesday night.
READ Google is testing in Australia to not show news sites in search
Mr. Cannon's dismissal by ViacomCBS came just after the star large receiver DeSean Jackson was fined and disciplined by the Philadelphia Eagles last 7 days for sharing an anti-Semitic quotation attributed to Hitler.
On the June 30 episode of the podcast, Mr. Cannon was interviewing the rapper Richard Griffin, known as Professor Griff, about his dismissal from the hip-hop team General public Enemy in 1989.
Mr. Griffin left the group after he mentioned in an job interview with The Washington Moments: "The Jews are wicked. And we can confirm this." He also mentioned that Jews ended up accountable for "the greater part of wickedness that goes on across the world."
Speaking to Mr. Cannon, Mr. Griffin doubled down on his past remarks about the influence of Jewish individuals on the songs and media industries.
"I'm hated now due to the fact I told the truth," Mr. Griffin reported.
"You're speaking points," Mr. Cannon reported. "There's no motive to be terrified of anything at all when you are speaking the reality."
Mr. Cannon claimed it was an honor to have the "legend" Mr. Griffin on his podcast. He also explained it was a shame that Louis Farrakhan, a minister regarded for his heritage of anti-Semitic comments, had been silenced on Fb.
Responding to Mr. Griffin's competition that 6 dominant media corporations have been managed by Jewish folks, Mr. Cannon claimed it was similar to the power of the Rothschilds, the banking scions who are a emphasis of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.
"I locate myself wanting to debate this notion and it receives true wishy and washy and unclear for me when we give so significantly electrical power to the 'theys,' and 'theys' then transform into illuminati, the Zionists, the Rothchilds," Mr. Cannon stated later on in the podcast.
READ Trump cancels Republican convention pursuits in Jacksonville
He also echoed Mr. Griffin's remarks about how Black people today are Semitic folks by definition and that Semitic men and women are not white.
"You just cannot be anti-Semitic when we are the Semitic persons," Mr. Cannon claimed. "That's our birthright. So if which is really our birthright, there's no despise associated."
Abreu launches campaign with destinations for Brazilians


Download Pedometer Step Counter and Weight Loss Tracker App vp5.8.1 is an intriguing Health and Fitness application for android gadgets which has been produced under the flag of Pacer Health. You can likewise download the Calm Pro Meditate Sleep Relax. from our site.
This is awesome android application to transform your telephones into your own wellbeing and weight reduction tracker. Its the best to use on advanced cell, I telephone or tablets with straightforward instinctive interface. The downloading technique is exceptionally one of a kind with opposite interface. You may likewise have the capacity to every day practice gets ready for wellbeing objectives, patterns show day by day steps, calories, loads or more. You can contend in occasions for inspiration to walk and lose heart and can follow steps, action or calorie consume and so forth. Through and through this application has amazing substance.
Fascinating Health and Fitness android application.
Capacity to transform your telephone into your own wellbeing.
Get day by day practice gets ready for wellbeing objectives, patterns show day by day steps.
Can contend in occasions for inspiration to walk and lose heart.
Able to follow steps, action or calorie consume or more.


LendingCrowd offers peer-to-peer investors the opportunity to lend to British businesses and earn a target rate from 5.6%* a year or more. Remember your capital is at risk when you invest.
Becoming an investor is easy. Create your account and complete the verification check using your passport or driving licence.
LendingCrowd offers a range of accounts for different ways to invest. All can be held within our Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA) for tax-free** returns.
The Growth Account is aimed at investors who want a quick and simple method of creating a diversified portfolio of asset-backed P2P loans. It automatically diversifies your investment across the loans available on our Loan Market and the minimum investment is £1,000. Your interest and capital repayments are reinvested in additional loans, diversifying your investment further.
The Income Account is for those seeking to generate a consistent level of income from a lump sum without eating into their capital. Like the Growth Account, your minimum investment of £1,000 is spread across our Loan Market. The key difference is your interest transfers to a separate account for you to withdraw – with no fees – while your capital repayments reinvest automatically.
The Self Select Account is for experienced P2P investors who have the time to hand-pick which businesses they want to lend to, making sure borrowers match their appetite for risk. To achieve good returns, you'll need to reinvest your capital and interest repayments on a regular basis. The minimum investment is £20 and you can lend to businesses at rates between 5.95% and 14.25%*** based on our Credit Bands.
Read more about the different accounts.
Whichever account you choose, you need to add funds to your account before you can get started. You can do this by debit card or bank transfer. If you choose to invest in our IFISA, you can also transfer existing ISAs to us.
If you've opened a Self Select Account you can choose your investments in our Loan Market, where there are two types of loans listed.
New loans go into an auction where investors choose how much they'd like to lend and at what interest rate.
Existing loans can be bought from other investors. There's no bidding involved and you can invest instantly.
If you've opened a Growth Account or an Income Account, your funds will be invested on your behalf across all the loans available on our Loan Market. No more than 5% of your money will be invested in any one loan.
When you invest with a Self Select Account, you'll receive monthly repayments of capital and interest from each of the businesses you've lent to. You can then reinvest this money into other loans to keep earning returns.
Repayments into a Growth Account or Income Account will be automatically reinvested into other loans for you, continuously diversifying your investment portfolio and ensuring that your money keeps working for you. If you've chosen the Income Account, your interest payments will be transferred to a separate account for you to withdraw.
*As an investor, it's important to remember you're lending to businesses so your capital is at risk. The target rate is variable, net of ongoing repayment fees, estimated bad debt and before the 1% capital withdrawal fee. LendingCrowd and its products are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
Download our guide to LendingCrowd and peer-to-peer investing.
The most frequently asked questions by our loyal investors.


Image Title: Adult Stress Relief Coloring Pages Printable For With Inspirations 0. Post Title: Stress Coloring Pages Printable. Filename: adult-stress-relief-coloring-pages-printable-for-with-inspirations-0.gif. Image Dimension: 1275 x 1650 pixels. Images Format: jpg/jpeg. Publisher/Author: Judah Harber. Uploaded Date: Tuesday - February 05th. 2019 19:00:05 PM. Category: Coloring Page. Image Source: decoist.com. Grown Adult Printable To Cogu Pages Floral Idea 101 Du Designs Coloring Stress Prepare With Regarding 186 Inspirations You Sheets Print 17. Free 2. Etsy In Plans And Anti Zen 15. Regard Decorations 7. Vector Within De 6. For Co Animals How Do Page Zentangle Awesome Colouring Meilleures Tableau Lion FREE Hamsa Inside 13. Ups Hand 12. Images Motifs 19. 11. Book Adults 8.


DAVID LE/Staff photo. Palazola's on Main Street in Gloucester had racks of clothing, shoes, and sporting goods out in front of their store during the Sidewalk Bazaar in early August. The store will be closing in September of 2015. 8/7/15.


Today (19 November) is International Men's Day, which aims to highlight issues around male health and promote gender equality across the globe. Social video experts AOL's Be On has chosen the top five brand videos that shine a light on what it means to be a modern man.
Japanese car manufacturer, Toyota, addresses why dads often draw the short straw when it comes to Father's Day. Created off the back of research finding that people spend approximately $7bn less on Father's Day compared to Mother's Day, the spot highlights the need to go the extra mile for those you love. Paradoxically, while most of the people that feature in the video don't usually celebrate the occasion, or even buy a gift, they express great affection for their fathers and praise them for being their role model. Toyota encourages people to make #OneBoldChoice and recognises their dad's hard work.
According to 90% of men around the world, they say that their caring side is part of their masculinity and strength. Dove Men+Care takes a moment to appreciate this and demonstrate why #RealStrength is a true sign of masculinity. This video mashes up young children and adults as they call out their dad's name, showing just how much they rely and depend upon their fathers. With over 6.6m views since being released at the beginning of 2015, #RealStrength beautifully captures those intimate moments that often go unnoticed and tackles preconceived notions of masculinity; all in just sixty seconds.
The Campbell Soup Company challenge parental stereotypes and demonstrates why its fare is made for #RealRealLife. The spot opens with the familiar scenario of a dad attempting to feed his baby by navigating a spoon like a Star Wars spaceship and singing the theme tune, when a second dad enters the frame. Both fathers try their hand at impersonating the legendary Darth Vader, as they say 'I'm your father', to which the other responds 'No, I'm your father'. Simple, but effective, the video makes the viewer consider the assumptions they make when it comes to gender and parenting in a comical way. The spot proves that subtlety can be used to make a point.
Pot Noodle last month showed audiences that they can achieve their goals, whatever they may be, in the campaign, #YouCanMakeIt. The TV spot tells the story of one young boy chasing his dreams. He aspires to be in the boxing ring, but not in the role viewers might presume. Good old fashioned hard work and dedication helps the ad's star realise his modern-day dream of becoming a Vegas ring boy, displaying the round numbers to the crowd. Pot Noodle use a similar tactic to Campbell Soup, leveraging the element of surprise to create authentic reactions from the viewer and tell a more relevant kind of narrative that appeals to the modern man.
Number one on Be On's top five, Guinness takes the top spot with 'Never Alone', featuring former Wales captain Gareth Thomas. Part of a wider campaign in the run up to the Rugby World Cup this year, Guinness bravely steered away from the usual lad culture that often surrounds alcohol brands and instead encouraged men to talk openly about their emotions. Thomas shares his personal experiences coming out to the world and his team as a gay man and the feelings of loneliness, isolation and rejection he had to overcome in the process.


Summary: When Emma wakes up to find a stranger in her kitchen, normally she would call the cops. But her cat suggests otherwise.
Like I said, this is simple and it's a one shot, so I don't want to say too much. I mean, seriously it'll take maybe 5 to 10 minutes to read, but this is days later and I'm still giggling over it so…yeah. It's worth the read and worth leaving her some love or kudos. Sheesh all these fanfic platforms are different!!!
(And DUUUUUDE!!! I just saw she wrote a follow up so yeah I'm definitely finishing this quick and heading over to read that one! Ahhhhh!!!!) Enjoy lovelies!


The Wibit—42′ x 6′ inflatable obstacle course. Please note: Participants can wear lifejackets if needed but parents must go through course with their child if they are wearing a life-jacket.
Pool toys—beach balls, foam noodles, diving rings, etc. (toys must stay in shallow end).
Diving well*—one meter and three meter high dive springboard diving boards.
All children aged 12 and under MUST be accompanied by an adult. Unsupervised children will not be permitted into the facilities.
$3 WMU students (w/ Bronco ID) Children-12 and under.
Under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
Cost: CASH ONLY! $4 Adults, $3 Children-12 and under.


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The European Commission opens in-depth investigation into tax treatment of Nike and Converse in the Netherlands
Posted on January 10, 2019 | By European Commission | No comments
Category: EU State Aid, Hearings and Investigations | Tag: Converse, Intellectual property, License agreement, Netherlands, Nike, Royalty fee payments, Selective advantage, Tax ruling
The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation to examine whether tax rulings granted by the Netherlands to Nike may have given the company an unfair advantage over its competitors, in breach of EU State aid rules.
Margrethe Vestager, Commissioner in charge of competition policy, said: "Member States should not allow companies to set up complex structures that unduly reduce their taxable profits and give them an unfair advantage over competitors. The Commission will investigate carefully the tax treatment of Nike in the Netherlands, to assess whether it is in line with EU State aid rules. At the same time, I welcome the actions taken by the Netherlands to reform their corporate taxation rules and to help ensure that companies will operate on a level playing field in the EU."
Nike is a US based company involved worldwide in the design, marketing and manufacturing of footwear, clothing, equipment and accessories, in particular in the sports area.
The formal investigation concerns the tax treatment in the Netherlands of two Nike group companies based in the Netherlands, Nike European Operations Netherlands BV and Converse Netherlands BV. These two operating companies develop, market and record the sales of Nike and Converse products in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (the EMEA region).
Nike European Operations Netherlands BV and Converse Netherlands BV obtained licenses to use intellectual property rights relating to, respectively, Nike and Converse products in the EMEA region. The two companies obtained the licenses, in return for a tax-deductible royalty payment, from two Nike group entities, which are currently Dutch entities that are "transparent" for tax purposes (i.e., not taxable in the Netherlands).The Nike group's corporate structure itself is outside the remit of EU State aid rules.
From 2006 to 2015, the Dutch tax authorities issued five tax rulings, two of which are still in force, endorsing a method to calculate the royalty to be paid by Nike European Operations Netherlands and Converse Netherlands for the use of the intellectual property.
As a result of the rulings, Nike European Operations Netherlands BV and Converse Netherlands BV are only taxed in the Netherlands on a limited operating margin based on sales. At this stage, the Commission is concerned that the royalty payments endorsed by the rulings may not reflect economic reality. They appear to be higher than what independent companies negotiating on market terms would have agreed between themselves in accordancewith the arm's length principle.
In particular, a preliminary analysis of the companies' activities found that:
Nike European Operations Netherlands BV and Converse Netherlands BV have more than 1,000 employees and are involved in the development, management and exploitation of the intellectual property. For example, Nike European Operations Netherlands BV actively advertises and promotes Nike products in the EMEA region, and bears its own costs for the associated marketing and sales activities.
In contrast, the recipients of the royalty are Nike group entities that have no employees and do not carry out any economic activity.
The Commission investigation will focus on whether the Netherlands' tax rulings endorsing these royalty payments may have unduly reduced the taxable base in the Netherlands of Nike European Operations Netherlands BV and Converse Netherlands BV since 2006. As a result, the Netherlands may have granted a selective advantage to the Nike group by allowing it to pay less tax than other stand-alone or group companies whose transactions are priced in accordance with market terms. If confirmed, this would amount to illegal State aid.
Nike BV Netherlands
TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.50 The following examples illustrate an important element of the definition of low value-adding intra-group services, namely, that they should not include services which are part of the MNE's core business. Services that may seem superficially similar in nature (in the example, credit risk analysis) may or may not be low...
TPG2022 Chapter I paragraph 1.72 Risks can be categorised in various ways, but a relevant framework in a transfer pricing analysis is to consider the sources of uncertainty which give rise to risk. The following non-exclusive list of sources of risk is not intended to suggest a hierarchy of risk. Neither is it intended to...
TPG2022 Chapter IV paragraph 4.151 Tax administrations might additionally rely on general domestic authority to administer taxes as the authority for entering into APAs. In some countries tax administrations may be able to issue specific administrative or procedural guidelines to taxpayers describing the appropriate tax treatment of transactions and the appropriate pricing methodology. As mentioned...
TPG2022 Chapter VI Annex I example 12 39. The facts in this example are the same as in Example 9 with the following additions: By the end of Year 3, the R brand is successfully established in the country Y market and Primair and Company S renegotiate their earlier agreement and enter into a new long-term licensing...
TPG2022 Chapter VI Annex I example 26 92. Osnovni is the parent company of an MNE Group engaged in the development and sale of software products. Osnovni acquires 100% of the equity interests in Company S, a publicly traded company organised in the same country as Osnovni, for a price equal to 160. At the time of...
TPG2022 Chapter IV paragraph 4.143 APAs, including unilateral ones, differ in some ways from more traditional private rulings that some tax administrations issue to taxpayers. An APA generally deals with factual issues, whereas more traditional private rulings tend to be limited to addressing questions of a legal nature based on facts presented by a taxpayer....
TPG2022 Chapter VI Annex I example 27 97. Company A is the Parent of an MNE group with operations in country X. Company A owns patents, trademarks and know-how with regard to several products produced and sold by the MNE group. Company B is a wholly owned subsidiary of Company A. All of Company B's operations are...
TPG2022 Chapter II Annex II example 7 34. Company L, a resident of Country L, and Company M, a resident of Country M, are part of an MNE group, LM Corporation. Companies L and M offer international trade facilitation, freight forwarding and customs broking services to unrelated customers. Together, Companies L and M, provide customers with services...
EU report on financial crimes, tax evasion and tax avoidance In March 2018 a special EU committee on financial crimes, tax evasion and tax avoidance (TAX3) was established. Now, one year later, The EU Parliament has approved a controversial report from the committee. According to the report close to 40 % of MNEs' profits are shifted to tax havens globally...
The European Commission vs. Nike and the Netherlands, July 2021, European Court of Justice Case No T-648/19 In 2016 the European Commission announced that it had opened an in-depth investigation to examine whether tax rulings (unilateral APA's) granted by the Netherlands had given Nike an unfair advantage over its competitors, in breach of EU State aid rules. The formal investigation concerned the tax treatment in the Netherlands...
European Commission vs. The Netherlands and Starbucks, September 2019, General Court of the European Union, Case No. T-760/15 In 2008, the Netherlands tax authorities concluded an advance pricing arrangement (APA) with Starbucks Manufacturing EMEA BV (Starbucks BV), part of the Starbucks group, which, inter alia, roasts coffees. The objective of that arrangement was to determine Starbucks BV's remuneration for its production and distribution activities within the group. Thereafter,...
European Commission vs. Netherlands and IKEA, Dec. 2017 The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation into the Netherlands' tax treatment of Inter IKEA, one of the two groups operating the IKEA business. The Commission has concerns that two Dutch tax rulings may have allowed Inter IKEA to pay less tax and given them an unfair advantage over...
European Commission vs. UK, April 2019, European Commission, Case no C(2019) 2526 final Back in 2017 the European Commission opened an in-depth probe into a UK scheme that exempts certain transactions by multinational groups from the application of UK rules targeting tax avoidance. The EU commission concluded its investigations in a decision issued 2 April 2019. According to the decision the UK "Group...
The European Commission vs Fiat Chrysler Finance Europe, November 2022, European Court of Justice, Case No C-885/19 P and C-898/19 P In 2012, the Luxembourg tax authorities issued a tax ruling in favour of Fiat Chrysler Finance Europe ('FFT'), an undertaking in the Fiat group that provided treasury and financing services to the group companies established in Europe. The tax ruling at issue endorsed a method for determining FFT's remuneration for...
European Commission vs. Luxembourg and Fiat Chrysler Finance Europe, September 2019, General Court of the European Union, Case No. T-755/15 On 3 September 2012, the Luxembourg tax authorities issued a tax ruling in favour of Fiat Chrysler Finance Europe ('FFT'), an undertaking in the Fiat group that provided treasury and financing services to the group companies established in Europe. The tax ruling at issue endorsed a method for determining FFT's...
The European Commission vs. Ireland, December 2021, European Court of Justice Case, AG Opinion, No C-898/19 P (ECLI:EU:C:2021:1029) At issue in this case is whether the arm's length principle as described in the OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines can be applied by the EU in determining if state aid had been granted. In 2012, the Luxembourg tax authorities issued a tax ruling in favour of Fiat Chrysler Finance Europe...


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China introduces new age rating system
The new guidelines, currently in pilot phase, will see games rated across three age categories: 8+, 12+, and 16+
Regulation body China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association introduced a new age-based rating system for games in the country this week.
Under these new standards, games will be divided into three age categories, each represented by a colour: 8+ (green), 12+ (blue), and 16+ (yellow). Games must display these labels on their website and "other relevant materials," the South China Morning Post reported.
The new guidelines were announced at the Chinese Games Industry Annual Conference, held in Guangzhou, on Wednesday. The new system has been crafted by giants Tencent and NetEase, as well as 52 other organisations, and is called the 'Online Game Age-Appropriateness Warning'.
The new guidelines are currently in a pilot phase, said first deputy chairman of CADPA Zhang Yijun, adding that the aim is to provide "positive guidance for underage consumers."
Niko Partners senior analyst Daniel Ahmad pointed out in a Twitter thread that the new age rating system has been revised 41 times before being agreed on.
The new policy expands upon measures taken last year to protect minors. These guidelines included an obligation for players to register in a game under their real name to be able to verify their ages, as well as spending and playtime limits depending on age. For instance, minors were restricted to an hour and a half per day.
But there wasn't any official age rating system implemented across China until now. Back in 2019, Tencent pushed for the creation of a publisher-driven age-rating system, which was recommending games to be split across four age categories: 6+, 12+, 16+, and 18+.
EU fines Valve and five publishers €7.8m for geo-blocking practices
Valve alone was fined over €1.6 million, having refused to cooperate with the European Commission
Riot Games and Bungie file joint lawsuit against cheatmakers
The lawsuit targets GatorCheats, which sells cheats for Destiny 2 and Valorant


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Fiber media converters are also called fiber links, fiber modems, fiber transmitters/receivers, or transceivers. They convert video, audio, data, or control signals (analog or digital) into optical signals, which are then converted back to electrical signals at the remote end. The following is a list of vendors that provide various types of converters.
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Copyright Princetel, Inc. All rights reserved.


text:
Step 1: President
a) Shall be the Chief Executive Officer of United OPSA-USA.
b) Shall preside over all meetings of United OPSA-USA.
c) Shall have the overall responsibilities for the activities and programs of United OPSAUSA.
d) May call any special meeting of the officers.
e) Shall name persons to appointed positions subject to approval by the NEB.
f) Shall serve as the official spokesperson for United OPSA-USA.
g) Shall represent United OPSA-USA at external events involving other organizations
h) Shall be one of the signatories to the bank account of the association at the national level
i) In consultation with NEB and the general assembly, shall be in charge of the overall business of United OPSA-USA.
j) Shall be a member of the By-laws committee.
k) Shall coordinate the educational activities of the association and provide information to members concerning new developments in all interested fields
l) Shall coordinate outreach programs and see into it that the association's objectives of advancing the professional, social, and economic welfare of her members are being met.
m) Shall coordinate activities and businesses between United OPSA-USA, and other OPSA associations general
Step 2:- Vice President
a) Shall be vested with all the powers and shall perform the duties of the President in case of the president's absence, resignation or disability.
b) Shall perform such duties connected with the association at the request of the president.
c) Shall work in close collaboration with the president.
Step 3:- National Secretary
a) Shall record, at the national level, the minutes of all proceedings of meetings of members and officials.
b) Shall keep a proper membership book showing the names of each member of the association.
c) Shall set-up and maintain a national directory, an accurate record of all association related correspondence.
d) Shall be the official custodian of the ratified bylaws and other documents of the association.
e) Shall document all United OPSA-USA history, past and present.
f) Shall be a member of the By-Laws committee.
g) Shall serve as the official communication director of the association.
h) Shall perform duties connected with the association at the behest of the president.
i) Shall be responsible for developing and maintaining a web site for the association.
Step 4: Vice National Secretary
a) Shall be vested with all the powers and shall perform the duties of the Secretary General in case of her absence, resignation or disability.
b) Shall perform such duties connected with the association as she may undertake at the suggestion of the president.
c) Shall perform duties as delegated by the National Secretary
Step 5: Publicity Secretary
a) Shall be responsible for promoting the value or significance of the Association to the general public. b) Shall be responsible for publicizing programs and events through the best available media. c) Shall work with the national secretary in announcing and promoting events and other activities concerning the association.
d) Shall perform such duties connected with the association as she may undertake at the suggestion of the president.
Step 6: Social Secretary
a) Shall be responsible for overseeing events which the association will be participating in. b) Shall work with the hosting branch during occasions where every other branch is going to be present such as the ANC.
c) Shall work with the publicity secretary and SG in the course of planning and coordinating social gatherings/events for the association.
d) Shall also perform other duties concerning the association as suggested by the president.
Step 7: Treasurer
a) Shall be the official custodian of the funds of the association, which shall be deposited in a bank account under the name of the association.
b) Shall issue in the name of the association, all checks with the authorization of the officials.
c) Shall account for all receipts, disbursements and balances in the bank account.
d) Shall be one of the signatories of the association's bank account.
e) Shall inform the NEB of members who are financially delinquent and therefore not in good standing.
f) Shall present the financial record to the NEB and auditors upon request.
g) Shall submit a budget report at each National Executive Meeting of United OPSA-USA.
h) Shall perform such duties connected with the association as she may undertake at the suggestion of the president.
i) Shall be a member of the fund-raising committee.
Step 8: Financial Secretary
a) Shall work with the treasurer as needed to maintain the financial records of the association.
b) Shall receive and deposit all funds of the association in the bank.
c) Shall make all deposits and forward receipts to the treasurer.
d) Shall keep a record of all the expenditure of the association.
e) Shall draw-up a budget for the association each year.
f) Shall be a member of the fund-raising committee.
g) Shall perform such duties connected with the association as she may undertake at the suggestion of the president.
Section E – Finances
Chapter 1 – Management
a. The Treasurer and Financial Secretary shall be responsible for the finances of the Association. The Financial Secretary shall receive, document and deposit all funds of the Association in the bank selected by the Executive Officers and forward all receipts to the Treasurer. The Financial Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain a service account and a project account. Funds from the service account shall be used to run the day-to-day activities of the Association, while the project funds shall be used only to finance approved projects.
b. The Financial Secretary shall keep proper records of the Association's funds.
c. One or more Auditors may be appointed at any time by the NE to audit the financial records of the organization. The Auditors shall not be the Treasurer or Financial Secretary of the Association. The Auditors shall have complete access to all the accounts and financial records of the Association.
Chapter 2 – 1. Generation of Funds
The funds of the Organization shall be generated from the following sources:
a. Membership dues: National Registration fee: $100/member. $50 for Administrative purposes and $50 for projects. All National dues should be in by March 31st deadline.
b. Project funds
c. Fundraising activities
d. Donations from Corporate Sponsors and individuals.
Chapter 3- President's discretionary fund:
501.Cs should support other 501.Cs. Expenses should be OPSA related.


Illinois State Board of Education 100 N. First St.
Thank you for your interest in understanding the financial challenges facing Chicago Public Schools. You wrote that your sincere hope is to "identify opportunities for actions to be taken that will improve the financial condition of Chicago Public Schools, 'avoid certification of financial difficulty,' and, most importantly, result in fiscal stability." We share the very same goals, since stabilizing CPS' finances is essential to giving Chicago's children the education they need for the bright futures they deserve.
To that end, we are happy to provide you with the materials you requested, so that you can better understand the depth and magnitude of the crisis that has reached our students" classroom doors, as well as the need for a solution from Springfield for students living in poverty all over the state – whether it"s Chicago, Decatur, Elgin, East Moline or countless other cities.
Chicago's school crisis did not happen overnight, and it clearly won"t be solved overnight. The solution is a shared one, and it cannot be reached without equitable funding from the State.
●	Acknowledge that "the first step in the process is to start funding our schools at higher levels" (WREX-TV, 2/22/16).
We hope that these materials will also clear up unfortunate misunderstandings about CPS' finances, particularly the claim that CPS receives more money than the rest of the state through special block grants. The reality is that CPS students receive less than $3 for every $4 that students throughout Illinois receive from the State.
For the sake of our children, we are not waiting to address our finances until the State reaches the solution needed for children living in poverty in Chicago and beyond. In fact, we are taking aggressive steps now, cutting hundreds of millions of dollars from our budget and reducing the FY17 budget deficit by nearly 30 percent. We are doing everything in our power to continue to invest in our children and minimize cuts to the classroom.
As you know, in order to offer bonds, CPS was required by federal securities law to provide a true and accurate picture of its current financial situation through its Official Statement. Much of the material you requested is drawn directly from this document. CPS also provided materials to investors in presentations, which are available publicly and included as attachments to this letter. In addition, materials are also taken from the CPS web site, which has volumes of relevant information.
Finally, a note on our budget projections and financial plan. CPS is making strong progress toward addressing our financial issues. We have made and plan to continue to make sound managerial and financial decisions. At the same time, it is conjecture to make definitive projections about our finances in the absence of a state budget, plan to fix the funding formula or state education spending projections for the next three years.
We'll update projections based on the best information we have in our FY17 budget, to be released this summer. In order to adequately project the information you requested over the next three years, we need the State to provide us with its projections.
We are providing hard copies of the materials you requested in an attachment, as well as links to where the material can be found on our web site. We are happy to meet with you at any time to walk you through CPS" financial condition in greater detail and to discuss how we can work together to achieve our shared goal of putting it on a stronger financial path going forward.
These audits, conducted by independent outside firms, are available on the CPS web site.
The attached statements include the monthly bank reconciliations for the first quarter of the fiscal year, which ended in September.
Cash statements on an annualized basis are included within the CAFR.
CPS will provide this information when the FY17 budget is finalized.
As with bank reconciliations, CPS reconciles its trial balance on a quarterly basis. The most recent available information is from the first quarter. We have included an interim draft and unaudited trial balance.
CPS will publish an FY17 draft budget this summer with projections reflecting the budget's assumptions.
CPS addressed this request in its letter.
Chicago Public Schools posts the District's full Employee Position File quarterly. This lists the names, job, titles, departments and salaries of all full-time CPS employees.
Contract awards are posted on CPS' web site. We have included hard copies of contracts that are $30 million or greater.
Labor contracts are posted on CPS' web site.
Attached please find a summary of CPS health care costs for the past several years.