Interested in plotting the best path forward for industrial lubricants in North America? You've come to the right space.
To do so, we pick up where we left off in our Seize the Moment! blog post, which kicked off this topic with the brief global outlook.
By way of background, when we look out onto the horizon, the global road since 2000 has and continues to be flat for industrial lubricants – essentially flat volume growth. That applies to the constituent North American region too. But, within this otherwise level terrain, there are some peaks, AKA new opportunities. What are they? How can market participants access them?
What strategies and portfolios will deliver leading value in North American industrial lubricants?
We start by reviewing the gross margin pools in the global integrated lubricants business portfolio: (1) base oil refining; (2) specialty chemicals/additives; (3) lubricants marketing; (4) lubricants distribution; and (5) trade and services. Of them all, the leader hands down for margin opportunities is lubricants marketing, heading the pack since 2000 and continuing in the #1 position going forward. In fact, according to the latest 2017 data, lubricants marketing accounts for almost half of the $69 billion in total integrated gross margins.
Analyzing marketing value in North America reveals more. Based on 2017 data, the 2017 total margin pool is $6.4 billion. The average unit gross margin across all lines of business – consumer synthetic, industrial, consumer mineral and specialty and commercial – is 82 cents per liter. Industrial claims the biggest slice of the pie; it accounts for 34% of the whole, or $2.2 billion.
When we peek into the competitor bucket, we find multinational and national oil companies. They have broad product lines and command higher volume segments. They also leverage brand and scale. They largely are integrated with base oil production. And they typically dominate higher volume segments and are delivering in the range of 12-18% EBITDA.
Then there are independent industrial specialties and chemical companies. They dominate grease, metalworking and other niche application segments through in-house proprietary formulations. By leveraging their strong R&D, they develop close relationships to serve OEMs and end customers. And they are delivering within a broad range of 5-20%; it all depends on their portfolio mix and how they go to market.
Specialty chemical and additive companies take their place in the enablers column. They are integrating forward; however, conflict issues limit their scope.
Competitive headwinds are blowing in North America. These strong forces constrain organic growth in industrial lubricants. That leaves inorganic options. To that end, we are in the midst of a very active period of players seeking such transactional opportunities. We expect this situation to continue for the next few years… only interrupted by changes to our economy.
So where are the best opportunities now?
For the upside in North American industrial lubricants, we follow the signs to where innovation is driving the need for higher performing products. Synthetics is one of them.
A lot of strategic focus is on the North American greases and metalworking markets. It's for good reason. They contribute 50% of the total industrial margin pool. Plus, margin growth is projected to outpace the industrial business average. Although volume growth is slowing, the premium product mix means that unit revenues are 20-70% above the global average.
Innovation is fast at work for higher performing formulations. Calcium sulfonate and polyurea thickeners are growing; lithium thickeners are declining. Synthetics are needed for extreme pressure and temperature conditions in aerospace, automotive and high-speed manufacturing.
Innovation is needed to extend life and minimize waste treatment services. The same applies to the need for non-chlorinated paraffin EP solutions, and lower VOC products to reduce airborne pollutants. What's more, high-speed machining technology requires more semi-synthetics for durability.
It's true that the lubricants business has a mixed history of making money by providing services to customers. This is largely because they have lacked a competitive cost structure. That's changed.
Welcome to the new reality. It's full of digital and intelligent services. Opportunities build upon and connect with legacy digital processing, marketing models and supply chain systems. They optimize inventory costs. They guarantee on-time deliveries. And they do more.
There are representative investments to cite. Shell LubeChat, the first AI-powered chatbot for B2B lubricants customers and distributors, performs monitoring and maintenance. Fluid Vision Technologies LLC provides industrial fluid automated monitoring self-optimizing technology to support smart factories and reduce the cost of ownership. Yoshi Inc., a startup company, offers subscription-based, on-demand fuel delivery and mobile vehicle car care to B2B and B2C customers in 25 U.S. cities.
How far are lubricants players willing and able to move in this direction? How successful will they be in shedding their cultural heritage and building new capabilities? It remains to be seen.
Move into businesses you never imagined or considered. Adjacency enables players to leverage core strengths into trade channels (e.g., quick lube, workshops, auto parts distribution, service centers)… OR backward integrate into refining, chemicals and specialties… OR step into "the Blue Oceans" with a digital technology.
These activities require a lot of new learning. Savvy participants will bridge the challenges and succeed. They will seize the moment. And they won't procrastinate.


text:
Featured Opinion Our View
Our View: it's not the time for hospital management and unions to be bickering
By CM: Our View April 9, 2020 April 9, 2020 02060
Everyone turned on the state medical services' (Okypy) executive for Famagusta and Larnaca district, Giorgos Karotsakis for threatening to quarantine without pay any hospital staff who did not wear a face mask when coming into contact with Covid-19 patients.
Media pilloried him for "threatening the heroes" on the frontline in the war against the virus, while the unions said his threat was unacceptable and that hospital management was clueless.
Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou also intervened in an effort to appease the indignant unions, conceding that Karotsakis had crossed the line. He understood however that the executive's motivation was to "send a stern message staff to observe protective measures", which they were not doing. In a way, he had adopted the condescending, didactic style of many ministers, when issuing warnings about the virus, who speak to the public like they were addressing irresponsible and unruly children.
Karotsakis was justifiably angered seeing staff coming into contact with patients without wearing the protective masks. These doctors and nurses might not only contract the virus, but also pass it on to other hospital workers, putting resources under extra strain and forcing closure of hospital departments. There was already a significant number of hospital staff who had been infected and could not go to work, so it was imperative that workers took all the necessary precautions when in contact with patients.
While the threat of cutting the wages was uncalled for and Karotsakis did not have the authority to do such a thing, it was seized by the unions to step up their war against the management of the hospitals which was raging long before the coronavirus crisis. Unions were in dispute with Okypy over a range of issues including pay, so they decided to use Karotsakis' idle threat to put the management under more pressure.
Pasyki, the doctors' union, felt aggrieved that the work of its members was not recognised, while nurses' union Pasyno, in a letter to health minister, complained there was no communication among the workers at the hospitals and "protocols are not being observed". But was it exclusively the fault of Okypy that protocols were not followed, or were hospital workers ignoring them because they often do as they please?
In fact, one of the reasons for the ongoing dispute between the unions and the hospital management is because the latter has been trying to impose its authority and the former have been resisting.
As Ioannou said, everyone should "remain calm and focus on the common goal" instead of bickering over a non-issue. Union bosses should take a break from their confrontational tactics until the health crisis is over.
featuredpicks4
Coronavirus: New prisoner among 32 new virus cases
Coronavirus: Children more exposed to online danger during coronavirus lockdown
CM: Our View
CM Guest Columnist January 16, 2022 January 16, 2022
Cyprus' hidden shrines to Christianity
Paul Lambis January 16, 2022 January 16, 2022
Coronavirus: Stuck in a permanent 'state of emergency'
Theo Panayides January 16, 2022 January 16, 2022
Disy leader is right to focus on the future
Christos Panayiotides January 16, 2022 January 16, 2022

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Una Healy shares beautiful selfie of herself with her daughter
She's been branded her 'mini me'
Irish singer Una Healy shared a gorgeous selfie of her and her daughter on Instagram, and fans can't believe how alike they look.
Una, who recently split from rugby player Ben Foden, shared the snap last night with over 600 thousand followers as she and her daughter tuned into The Late Late Toy Show.
Una's daughter, Aoife Belle (6) cuddled up to the former Saturday's popstar as she smiled at the camera.
Una captioned the image: "tuning into the #latelatetoyshow online with my bestie tonight xx."
Fans doted over the picture, with some commenting how shocked they are at how alike Una and Aoife look.
One wrote: "she is your mini me, Una."
Another said: "she is a mini version of you."
Ben Foden and Una Healy to get back together? New York Rugby star hints he wants to be friends with ex-wife
Una and Ben split earlier this year, after allegations of Ben being unfaithful to Una came just weeks before they, alongside their children Aoife-Belle, and Tadhg, 3, were due to move to America after he signed a deal with Rugby United New York.


text:
Q: Unable to respond to script asking question inside emacs I am trying to adopt spacemacs for elixir development. As a first step, I have managed to enable elixir-mode, which means that I can run MIX (C-c a x). When I run MIX I want to use the phx.new option to create a new Phoenix project. Unfortunately, one of the first things this does is to ask me whether I want to install dependencies (which is something I do want to do). However, there does not seem to be a way of entering the 'Y' response inside the Emacs buffer that is showing the MIX command being executed. I have tried toggling read-only mode, but with no effect.

A: Try evaluating this:
(defun my-send-y ()
  (interactive)
  (process-send-string (get-buffer-process (current-buffer)) "y\n"))

And then hit M-x my-send-y to send y to the process in the current buffer.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


In order to reduce the dressing time, there seems to be a temptation to choose a larger depth of repair. This is a very wrong idea. The cutting piece must be trimmed by selecting the most appropriate trimming depth. Choosing too large a refining depth results in high cutting temperatures, reduced dresser life, and the removal of useful cutting sheets. The ultimate result is that both the trimmer and the cutting blade are damaged, which is counterproductive. The optimum dressing amount is that after several repairs, it can restore the geometry of the cutting piece and just produce a good grinding edge. With a single-point dressing tool, the diameter of the fiber cutting disc Chinese supplier should be contacted with a 10-15o axial inclination angle. This will cause the single-point dressing tool to produce a sharpening effect when it is rotated periodically. A dressing tool with multiple points of contact does not need to tilt this angle. Instead, use the entire end face of the dressing tool to make contact with the surface of the cutting piece.
The lateral movement speed is the speed at which the dressing tool passes through the surface of the cut sheet during dressing. It plays a key role in the surface roughness and metal removal rate required for machined parts. The lateral movement speed is too slow, which will block the cutting piece and damage the surface roughness and metal cutting rate of the part. Too slow lateral movement speed can also cause the cutting piece to vibrate and burn the surface of the part. The even and fast lateral movement speed can trim the surface of the good cutting piece, improve the grinding performance of the cutting piece, increase the grinding efficiency and reduce the surface roughness of the part. > The cutting-edge CNC technology content is wonderful and worthy of attention.
Proper use of coolant can speed up dressing and improve finishing efficiency. As a rule of thumb, a 3/8-inch diameter coolant is used to remove a large amount of heat from the dresser and extend the life of the dresser. As the diamond dressing tool passes through the cutting blade, a coolant nozzle is installed to fill the entire surface of the cutting blade or to continuously fill the coolant to the diamond dressing tool. When the dressing tool comes into contact with the cutting piece and begins to be trimmed, the dressing tool is never allowed to exit and exit from the coolant. Otherwise, the diamond dressing tool will crack or crack under extreme cold and hot temperature changes.
High-precision filtration of the coolant using a filter prevents multiple cycles of dirt or chips in the coolant. The contaminated coolant can quickly wear the cutting piece and increase the number of times the cutting piece is trimmed. The dry cutting of the cutting piece is only carried out during dry grinding (only in this case the cooling of the diamond dressing tool can be interrupted). Before turning off the work every day, after turning off the coolant, let the cutting piece idle for a few minutes. This prevents the cutting piece from breaking.
In the trimming of the cutting piece, it is essential to effectively reduce the vibration, avoid leaving trim marks on the surface of the cutting piece, colliding and damaging the dressing tool, and the like. This means that the cutting piece balance must also be maintained, which is determined by the structural characteristics of the cutting piece itself. The uneven density and the geometry of the entire cutting piece will affect the inherent balance of a cutting piece. Therefore, it is also important to choose a high quality cutting piece. If it is a high-quality cutting piece, it can maintain a good balance of the cutting piece with proper installation. According to the manufacturer's instructions from the manufacturer of the cutting blade, the cutting blade is marked with an upward arrow indicating the light end orientation of the cutting piece after rough balancing. The user can then follow the arrows to pay attention to trimming the cutting piece to achieve dynamic balance. The coolant is evenly filled and sometimes helps the cutting piece to maintain balance.
In order to further avoid vibration, it is necessary to ensure that the dressing tool is firmly clamped on the holder and maintain a minimum amount of overhang to ensure sufficient rigidity of the dressing tool. If the diamond tool is not firmly clamped, it will cause vibration, noise, ripples on the surface of the part, strain the surface of the part and damage the dressing tool.
A superabrasive blade must be shaped and sharpened before it begins to grind. Following the experience presented in this article will help your cutting piece produce the most abrasive results.


text:
Protected on Paper? An analysis of Nordic country responses to asylum-seeking children
Innocenti Research Report
(2018). Protected on Paper? An analysis of Nordic country responses to asylum-seeking children, Innocenti Research Report, UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti, Florence
Children and migration: rights, resilience, and protection
This research, commissioned by the Nordic National Committees for UNICEF, examines to what extent the rights of asylum-seeking children are respected and protected in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The report reviews relevant national legislative and policy frameworks; examines how these are implemented; documents good practices; and highlights gaps in national standards and their compliance to international standards. It makes some broad recommendations on how to strengthen and extend legal, policy and practice frameworks to ensure the full realization and protection of child asylum seekers' rights and entitlements in the Nordic region. It further provides country-specific detailed, practical recommendations on how to ensure protection and welfare for asylum-seeking children. It makes country-specific recommendations on how legal, policy and practice frameworks can be strengthened to ensure full protection of children's rights and entitlements.
migration law
migration policy
More in this series: Innocenti Research Report
Data Must Speak: Comprendre les facteurs de performance des écoles togolaises
Le gouvernement togolais, à travers le plan sectoriel de l'éducation (PSE) 2014-2025, vise à atteindre une éducation primaire universelle de qualité. A travers cet objectif, le gouvernement reconnaît les défis actuels en liaison avec l'accès et la participation à l'éducation primaire, ainsi que dans la rétention de tous les écoliers Togolais. Mieux comprendre les performances des écoles fait partie des actions nécessaires pour relever ces défis.
Inclusion Matters: Inclusive Interventions for Children with Disabilities – An evidence and gap map from low- and middle-income countries
In this publication we report our Evidence and Gap Mapping (EGM) of "Inclusive Interventions for Children with Disabilities in LMICs". It shows that research is lacking in many critical areas: awareness and non-discrimination, protection, adequate standard of living, family and community life, and empowerment – that represent critical areas of policy and programming in need of robust evidence to improve inclusion and participation. Specific areas overlooked include tackling harmful stereotypes, tackling abuse and violence and ways to reduce stigma; on improving accessibility to water, sanitation, hygiene, housing and food; and interventions that aim for children with disabilities to enjoy their right to be heard, to play and to have their views considered in all matters affecting them. Health research covers 3 in 4 of all studies in our EGM, but there is little evidence on improving access to general health services and accessibility for children with disabilities in healthcare settings. Inclusive education was moderately represented, but lacked the detail to understand how it was implemented or if inclusive education was effective in improving (or harming) academic outcomes, school readiness, graduation rates or the quality of educational services. The companion protocol for the EGM can be found at this link Please also see our EGM on Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Interventions
Tackling Gender Inequality from the Early Years: Strategies for building a gender-transformative pre-primary education system
Access to early childhood education has increased over the last two decades, with global enrolment rates showing gender parity in access among boys and girls. Despite this gender parity in access, the pre-primary education system does not always deliver on its potential to tackle gender inequities and address harmful gender stereotypes while they are being absorbed by the youngest learners. As such, this research explores the ways in which pre-primary education can become more gender-transformative at a system level and presents 11 key strategies to support this goal. The strategies are organized around five interconnected action areas: planning and budgeting; curriculum; workforce development; family and community engagement; and quality assurance. These strategies can help governments and policymakers to proactively incorporate gender-responsiveness into the design and implementation of their pre-primary education policy and programming, following a system-wide perspective.
On Call: Using Mobile Technologies to Measure Learning in Emergencies
How can we harness the power of mobile technologies to track learning in emergencies? Identifying ways to improve assessments in emergencies is incredibly important as there remains large gaps in understanding how children are learning in crisis settings. This report aims to provide practitioners with practical guidance and resources on using mobile technology to conduct learning assessments in emergency settings. It is the second of a two-part series on uses of mobile phones for education in emergency programmes and draws from a review of the existing literature as well as feedback from education in emergencies practitioners.


text:
Home Scotland
Science and Tech September 6, 2016
Fossil remains point to Scotland's frightening prehistoric sea monster
Meet the Storr Lochs Monster, a frightening sea monster that lived at a time when dinosaurs walked the face of the Earth. Although originally discovered in the 1966, the fossil was until now buried in a museum in Scotland, and have only recently been uncovered. Dating back to the Jurassic era, the dolphin-like creature possessed an…
The Amazing Realm November 3, 2015
Scotland will soon be home to the world's largest floating wind farm, called Hywind
When it comes to renewable energy, the United Kingdom seems to be winning the race. Currently, wind turbines and solar panels provide more than 25-percent of the nation's total electricity, making it one of the few places in the world where renewables are more widely used than coal. What is more, it will soon be…
The Amazing Realm June 22, 2015
The world's shortest commercial flight takes only 47 seconds to reach its destination!
Every day, the people of Orkney Islands, in northern Scotland, hop on a plane that takes them from Westray to Papa Westray and then back. Covering a distance of merely 1.7 miles (nearly 2.7 km) in less than two minutes, it is famous for being the world's shortest scheduled flight. However, under favorable wind conditions, the…
Geek-o-polis December 8, 2014
Scotland-based Harris Tweed Hebrides and Johnnie Walker team up to create the world's first whisky-scented fabric
Bored with your current wardrobe? How about a whiskey-scented jacket or a suit? Well, Scottish textile brand Harris Tweed Hebrides has teamed up with the iconic Scotch whiskey company, Johnnie Walker, to create a "smart" tweed fabric that possesses a uniquely intoxicating whiskey smell. What is more, its fragrance will be capable of enduring the…
The Amazing Realm October 23, 2014
Scientists find out the first act of 'sex' was committed 385 million years ago
An international team of scientists have stumbled upon an odd yet sensational origin story - the very first act of sex. And, as it turns out, it was committed by fishes with the seemingly apt scientific name of Microbrachius dicki. Now, before the biology expert inside you raises its eyebrows - yes, fishes are known for…
Architecture September 21, 2014
The conceptual Roost House by Benoit Challand, rises above the Scottish highlands
What happens when you are inspired by the works of two of the eminent architects of the past century - Le Corbusier and Santiago Calatrava? Well, if you are French visual artist Benoit Challand, the answer is - the Roost House happens. A conceptually futuristic yet sustainable habitat that is photo-realistically rendered in the rustic…
The Amazing Realm September 19, 2014
10 oddest national animals (and birds) of countries around the world
National animals (and birds) are supposed to be intrinsically related to the culture and eco-system of a particular nation. But oddly enough, some of these nationalistic 'specimens' have gone beyond the avenue of realism into the very realm of fantasy and memories (yes, one of them is literally extinct!). So, without further ado, let us…
10 interesting origins of country names from around the world
8 curious ways military forces use video game applications
8 potential uses of graphene – the 'elusive' wonder material
10 of the strangest weapons from Second World War
13 ominous 'visions' of late 21st-century futuristic cities by French artist Paul Chadeisson


There has been a lot of interesting discussion over the past ten years between quantum physicists, philosophers, free thinkers, new age buffs and even just normal guys talking over coffee on what has become known as 'The Matrix'—a hidden system of programming and control that dominates the world we live in. 'The Matrix' was coined after Larry and Andy Wachowski's 1999 film of the same name. Not wanting to rehash the whole thing here, let me at least mention that I find the film to be the perfect analogy of our world in relation to other dimensions. It's based in a future reality where humans live under a system of programming and control, while being used as an energy source for sentient machines. The Wachowski Brother's did their homework, as the movie is full of hidden esoteric messages and symbology that they expanded into a complete epic trilogy.
Moving beyond the film, one doesn't have to look too hard to see that the world we live in is much the same—full of endless systems of programming and control. Legal systems, government, military objectives, corporate structure, school systems, religion, endless bureaucracy, social groups, this policy and that regulation, on and on. We live in a left-brain dominated society that worships automated structure, routine and simulation. Nevermind the constant bombardment of advertising, news and endless forms of media that you can never seem to escape. The Matrix becomes obvious in the outer world around us.
What we discovered that is not so obvious, is that the Matrix also exists on an energy level as a complex holographic program of light and information. In the aluna spirit world, the Matrix can be seen quite clearly as a vast hexagonal grid. There is an endless amount of information running through it—codes upon codes of energy. The grid is designed to keep you from entering the celestial dimensions to gain any real information for yourself, as it is an energy field that feeds off of the etheric energy of humans. It doesn't want you to escape.
To journey into the spirit worlds and attain any real information, a person must move past this Hexagonal Matrix. At first, it seems like a virtually impossible task, as the hexagons are blocked with fast moving lines of energy. The grid spreads out in all directions, and there are no defined ends to it, up, down or either side. It is the membrane of a sphere. The Sphere of Control to be specific. To get past it, you have to find a hole in the grid, and then have the courage to move through it. When I first went through, the hole I found appeared in the bottom left, very much the way I've drawn it for you in the diagram above.
To really get a grip on how to move past the grid, one has to develop an understanding of the Matrix Codes—what they are and what they do. For all practical purposes, a code is any combination or sequence of things that has meaning, usually a secret or hidden meaning. Beyond that, one must understand that the Matrix Codes not only have meaning, they have an intent. A purpose. Usually one that is dark. They are stimuli designed to stimulate specific behaviors, reactions and outcomes—calculated ones. They are everywhere in the outer world, and they form the energy field of the hexagonal grid in the inner world. Understanding them can set you free of the prison they impose.


This is a placeholder page for Jens Jeppesen, which means this person is not currently on this site. We do suggest using the tools below to find Jens Jeppesen.
You are visiting the placeholder page for Jens Jeppesen. This page is here because someone used our placeholder utility to look for Jens Jeppesen. We created this page automatically in hopes Jens Jeppesen would find it. If you are not Jens Jeppesen, but are an alumni of Homer Hanna High School, register on this site for free now.


Wireless AC600 Dual Band High-Gain USB Adapter is a Network Adapters device. This driver was developed by D-Link Corporation. The hardware id of this driver is USB/VID_2001&PID_3318.
You can download from the link below the driver setup file for the D-Link Corporation Wireless AC600 Dual Band High-Gain USB Adapter driver. The archive contains version 1027.0.0612.2014 released on 2014-09-02 of the driver.
This driver was installed by many users and received an average rating of 3.8 stars out of 67385 votes.
The advantage of using DriverMax is that it will setup the driver for you in just a few seconds and it will keep each driver up to date, not just this one. How can you install a driver with DriverMax? Let's follow a few steps!
Take a look at the list of available driver updates. Search the list until you find the D-Link Corporation Wireless AC600 Dual Band High-Gain USB Adapter driver. Click the Update button.


Two-binary, one-quaternary (2B1Q) is a line code used in the U interface of the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) Basic Rate Interface (BRI) and the high-bit-rate digital subscriber line (HDSL). 2B1Q is a four-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM-4) scheme without redundancy, mapping two bits (2B) into one quaternary symbol (1Q). A competing encoding technique in the ISDN basic rate U interface, mainly used in Europe, is 4B3T.
If the voltage is misread as an adjacent level, this causes only a 1-bit error in the decoded data. 2B1Q code is not DC-balanced. Symbol rate is half of data rate.
B&Q plc, originally known as Block & Quayle, is a British multinational DIY and home improvement retailing company with headquarters in Eastleigh, England, United Kingdom. Founded by Richard Block & David Quayle in 1969, it is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Kingfisher plc.
B&Q was founded in March 1969 in Southampton, England, by Richard Block & David Quayle. The first store opened in the Southampton suburb of Portswood, and was originally called Block & Quayle, soon shortened to B&Q. The chain quickly expanded, and by 1979 there were 26 stores across the United Kingdom, by which time the first of the co-founders had left the business: Block left in 1976 & Quayle in 1982.
B&Q grew rapidly through a combination of mergers, acquisitions and expansions. In 1980, B&Q bought the Hampshire-based company Dodge City, and was itself acquired by the F. W. Woolworth Company. F. W. Woolworth's United Kingdom subsidiary (Woolworth's Ltd.) and B&Q were bought two years later by Paternoster, now known as Kingfisher plc and still B&Q's parent company. In the late 1980s, B&Q purchased Timberland DIY, based in the North East.


15/04/2016 Preliminary production figures for March 2016 show an average daily production of about 2 012 000 barrels of oil, NGL and condensate.
This is 51 000 barrels per day (about 2.5 percent) less than February 2016. Total gas sales were about 11.2 billion Sm3, which is 0.7 GSm3 more than previous month.
The average daily liquid production in March was: 1 594 000 barrels of oil, 382 000 barrels of NGL and 36 000 barrels of condensate. The oil production is about 4 percent above the oil production in March last year.
The oil production is about 0.5 percent above the NPD's prognosis for the month.
The total petroleum production for the first three months in 2016 is about 62.4 million Sm3 oil equivalents (MSm3 o.e.), broken down as follows: about 23.4 MSm3 o.e. of oil, about 6.1 MSm3 o.e. of NGL and condensate and about 32.9 MSm3 o.e. of gas for sale. The total volume is 3.6 MSm3 o.e. higher than in 2015.
Final production figures from February 2016 show an average daily production of about 1.626 million barrels of oil, 0.436 million barrels of NGL and condensate and a total of 10.5 billion Sm3 saleable gas production.


It is a beginner to intermediate level, multi-function, 61 standard piano-key electronic keyboard. This premium musical instrument by Hamzer is brand new and includes everything needed to play right out of the box. It uses 6 x D batteries or an accompanying, UL-approved adaptor. Featuring dual teaching modes and 11 notes marked for learning, this keyboard means that you can record and playback your music as you practice and toughen. It includes 100 timbres, 100 rhythms, 8 percussions, 61 keyboard percussions, and 12 demonstration songs. Play single-fingered and fingered auto-bass chords, manual bass, program percussion for playback all the way through performance, and utilize effects such as transpose, vibrato & sustain. Additional features include rhythm sync, fill-in, intro & ending, 46-level tempo keep watch over, and an auto-metronome that plays 1/8, 2/8, 3/8…to 8/8 beats (8 in total). 16-Stage master volume keep watch over is to be had in conjunction with 16-stage accompaniment volume keep watch over. 2 Built-in speakers offer flawless sound, stereo outputs and a headphone jack can be utilized to listen through external speakers or headphones, and a microphone may also be connected though the mic jack for making a song along. An LCD display clearly shows settings and a detachable stand is included to hold sheet music. Measurements: 35-1/2″ (Long) x 13″ (Wide) x 4-1/2″ (High). Standard keys: 61. Color: Black. Weight: 8 pounds. Includes: Keyboard, 120v UL A/C adaptor, sheet music stand, and owner's manual.


text:
Jeremy Clarkson Makes Revelation About Richard Hammond's Memory After Crashes
Jess Hardiman
Last updated 4:42 PM, Monday March 19 2018 GMT
Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May have been known to get into some slightly hairy situations, having hosted British car series Top Gear for over a decade together before moving on to The Grand Tour.
WATCH RICHARD HAMMOND DISCUSS LATEST CRASH:
And it seems that the fast and furious lifestyle has taken its toll on them - having left Hammond with a particularly dodgy memory, according to Clarkson.
"You can tell him something and five seconds later it is gone out of his head," he said, The Mirror reports.
"Well, it is not his fault, it is because he cannot drive and he went upside down and damaged his brain.
"He has no capacity for remembering anything and some of it is because he is not interested in anything and some of it is because he has had brain damage."
It may sound like Clarkson's just taking the piss out of his mate, but it's a pretty sad to find out that there have been such lasting effects to Hammond's everyday life.
Hammond, 48, said: "Basically, what's gone wrong is I keep getting injured."
While Hammond has been involved in countless accidents behind the wheel, one of the biggest was back in 2006, when a 288mph crash left him in a coma for two weeks.
Jeremy Clarkson Says Being Bullied Made Him 'Sharpen Up'
Jeremy Clarkson Looks In A Bad Way After His 'Most Dangerous Stunt Yet'
Clarkson Describes His View Of Hammond Crash: 'I Genuinely Thought He Was Dead'
Why Clarkson, Hammond And May Have The Greatest Bromance
Hammond, May And Clarkson Were Handed Nearly £36m To Make 'Grand Tour'
Jeremy Clarkson And Richard Hammond Reveal Where They're Filming Their First Studio Show, And How To Be There
Another of his sketchiest crashes took place when he was filming for The Grand Tour in Switzerland - where the Hamster lost control of a £2 million Rimac Concept One, which barrel-rolled down a steep hill and burst into flames.
Jeremy Clarkson Questions Richard Hammond's Driving Ability After His Crash
Speaking to Radio Times, he said: "I remember all of it, right from when maybe I was going too fast and went over the edge.
"Then sky, ground, sky, ground, like being in a tumble dryer full of bricks. I thought, 'Oh God, I'm going to die. This is it. I've had it'."
Credit: PA
He was rushed into hospital following the crash, where it was found that he had completely shattered his knee and had to undergo an operation. Miraculously, he didn't suffer any other serious injuries and took time out to recover.
Hammond, Clarkson and May's Top Gear successors also narrowly avoided serious injury this week, after the sports car they were driving set alight while the series was filming in Monte Carlo.
Chris Harris and Eddie Jordan were forced to quickly escape the £50,000 ($70,000) Renault Alpine A110 they were testing before it soon became a fiery wreck. Thankfully they managed to escape unharmed.
"I first realised I needed to get out when I opened the door and the flames went up my arm," Chris said as he commented on the incident. "Sadly the car was lost and it always makes me sad to see a beautiful car destroyed."
"Doing a stage of the Monte Carlo Rally was a dream come true for me," Eddie added. "The car was stunning - so light on its toes. It was dancing around the mountain and Chris was driving it beautifully.
"It's such a shame we didn't finish the test, but these things happen."
Featured Image Credit: PA
Topics: uk tv, richard hammond, james may, Entertainment, TV and Film, The Grand Tour, Jeremy Clarkson, Top Gear
Jess is a journalist at LADbible who graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics - indecisiveness at its finest, right there. She also works for FOODbible and its sister page Seitanists, which are both a safe haven for her to channel a love for homemade pasta, fennel and everything else in between. You can contact Jess at [email protected]
Follow @Jess_Hardiman


The ViewPoint theme offers lots of shortcodes and variations to those shortcodes. Some of them are: image slideshows, quote sliders, lightbox images, social shortcodes(all kind of social icons and even floating share box, columns, services, pricing table, slider, skills shortcode, etc.
ViewPoint can easily be translated in any other language you want, you can find the po and mo language files in the /languages/ folder, just translate them with PoEdit. By default the theme includes the default english translation and the Romanian files.


text:
DeAndre Smith signs biggest-ever Rivals League contract
Perry A. Farrell, Detroit Free Press11:09 p.m. EDT September 21, 2015
(Photo: Courtesy photo)
DeAndre Smith's stellar play in the Rivals Professional Football League has earned him the richest contract in league history.
Smith, a defensive back, quarterback and wide receiver, inked a deal with league owner Quentin Hines tonight that could pay him as much as $64,100 spread out over three years.
The contract is based on signing bonuses, roster bonuses and workout bonuses. Smith also will be paid on a per game basis.
Smith, a former star at Macomb Dakota, is the only two-time champion in the RPFL, both with the Detroit Cougars.
His deal is with the Pontiac Generals, the league runner-up this season and coached by Wendell Jefferson.
The RPFL, attempting to become the developmental league for the National Football League, Arena Football League and Canadian Football League, has sent seven players to the AFL, one to the NFL and three to the CFL in two years.
"DeAndre is just an outstanding athlete," Hines said.
Jefferson said: "He's just a superior athlete and a great player. Adding him to Ed Thomas, Kevin Smith and Shamon McGaughy to name a few will provide matchup problems for opposing defenses. I coached him last season and we won the championship and hopefully we'll be able to do the same thing in 2016. Having coached DeAndre I know his work ethic and will to win that he will bring. He leaves it all out there on the field. He is someone else's nightmare now."
The league is holding tryouts for the 2016 season from Nov. 5-25. Potential players can go to Rivalsnation.com to find details about the league and register for tryouts.
Hines, who has contacted the Detroit Lions about scouting games in the spring, said the minimum performance-based contract would be $10,500 for the upcoming season.


Tom Davison is president of the Oil and Gas Group at Huntington Ingalls Industries' Technical Solutions division. He is responsible for HII's work in engineering and design; commissioning and start-up; surveying and inspection; construction management; project and program management; operations and maintenance support; feasibility and economic studies; geospatial/geomatics services; and flow assurance.
Davison also serves as president of HII's UniversalPegasus International subsidiary and has more than 38 years of pipeline and upstream oil and gas experience. Domestic projects include major cross-country transmission pipelines and facilities as well as major crude oil developments, gas production facilities and CO2-enhanced oil recovery projects. His international experience includes projects in South America, Africa, India and the Middle East.
He is a 1978 graduate of Southern Illinois University.


TECA's Hydronic Systems Design manual with Hydronic & Combo Guidelines forms the basis of our Registered Designer program. Successful participants of the BCIT Hydronic Systems Design course are sent a form for optional registration with TECA.
Quality First™ Registered Hydronic Designers receive a numbered certificate, wallet card and optional stamp for submitting system drawings from the Guidelines to inspection authorities.
This section has been signed into law for all permits pulled after December 19th. No Longer will it be legal to run heating ducts up exterior walls.


text:
Tunes du Jour
An Appetizing Mix of Songs - Changed (Almost) Daily!
The Elton John Songbook: R&B Covers
Elton John has often professed his love for rhythm and blues music. Today's playlist consists of soul or r&b covers of songs composed by Sir Elton.
Click here to like Tunes du Jour on Facebook.
If you see Patti LaBelle today, wish her a happy birthday.
Nineteen seventy-five was a pivotal year for disco music. The genre was still very young; the name "disco" as a reference to the music genre was coined just two years earlier by journalist Vince Aletti. Disco music crossed over into the mainstream with more frequency, yet was not as ubiquitous a presence on the pop charts as it would become in the ensuing years of that decade. Artists who had their first top 40 singles in 1975 include Gloria Gaynor and KC and the Sunshine Band. In December of 1975, Donna Summer made her first appearance on the Hot 100 when "Love to Love You Baby" made its debut, having already been a smash in the clubs. The Bee Gees updated their sound in 1975 with "Jive Talkin'," which became their first top ten single since 1971. Ben E. King, who had hits in the early 1960s as a solo artist and as the lead singer of The Drifters scored his first top ten pop hit since 1961's "Stand By Me" with the funky "Supernatural Thing." As the lead singer of the trio named after her, Patti LaBelle scored her first top ten hit in over a decade with "Lady Marmalade." Veteran acts such as Frankie Valli, The Temptations, The Miracles, The Isley Brothers and Esther Phillips filled the dance floors. And it was in 1975 that the world was doing the hustle.
Today's playlist is made up of forty disco gems from 1975.
Click here to like Tunes du Jour on Facebook!
Follow Tunes du Jour on Twitter.
Nineties R&B
Today is Janet's birthday!
The most popular r&b group of the nineties was probably Boyz II Mej3y64t.,huy
Sorry. My head hit the keyboard. Just typing that group's name puts me to sleep. I find their music devoid of personality, emphasizing vocal histrionics over soul-felt passion. They should call themselves Boyz II Meh! Am I right, people? Tip your waitstaff.
Much of nineties r&b suffers from the same. Technique over feeling. Not all, though. I'm not damning a whole genre with a wide paintbrush, or whatever that expression is.
Today's playlist showcases twenty of the best r&b hits from last millennium's last decade, the decade being 1990 to 1999, for the purposes of this post. Nothing obscure this time. All of these songs received a fair amount of airplay back in the day.
If I missed any of your favorites, let me know in the comments section, unless it's a song by Boyz II Mebg;hev.
Click here to follow Tunes du Jour on Facebook.
It's Lisa Lisa's Birthday And I Need To Dance!
Throwback Thursday: 1988
A Mary J. Blige Playlist
Forty Years Of Glenn's Ten
A David Bowie Playlist
It's Sheila E's Birthday And I Need To Dance!
In Which A Group Of Multi-Millionaires Sings Of Wishing They Had A Little Money
This Is Not About Matt Lattanzi
A Hint Of Mint: U2's "One"
It's Alicia Bridges' Birthday And I Need To Dance!
Celebrating Prince
Let's Sing About Sex
Michael Jackson: Sixty At 60
It's Sinéad O'Connor's Birthday And I Can't Think Of A Headline
A Hint Of Mint: The Kinks' "Lola"
A Hint Of Mint Aretha Franklin Beck Bee Gees Beyoncé Blondie Bob Dylan Bruce Springsteen Chaka Khan David Bowie Diana Ross Donna Summer Elton John Elvis Costello Elvis Presley Erasure Eurythmics George Michael Gladys Knight & the Pips It's Friday and I Need To Dance! James Brown Janet Jackson Jay-Z John Lennon Kanye West Madonna Marvin Gaye Mary J. Blige Michael Jackson Paul McCartney Pet Shop Boys Prince R.E.M. Rufus Wainwright Stevie Wonder Talking Heads The Beatles The Miracles The Rolling Stones The Smiths The Supremes The Temptations Throwback Thursday U2 Whitney Houston
An R.E.M. Playlist (1-4-21) - Tunes du Jour on So Don't You Get Fresh With Me
Your (Almost) Daily Playlist (12-31-20) - Tunes du Jour on Not In The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame: The Replacements
Your (Almost) Daily Playlist (12-25-20) - Tunes du Jour on Merry Annie Lennox's Birthday!
Your (Almost) Daily Playlist (12-23-20) - Tunes du Jour on Eddie Vedder!
Your (Almost) Daily Playlist (12-22-20) - Tunes du Jour on Maurice and Robin Gibb
You can use a few enticing words and flaunt your capabilities that will attract future clients and encourage them to hire you right away.
Glenn Schwartz
Copyright © 2021 Tunes du Jour


text:
Sexual harassment reversal - Accused, victims back on job at TPDCo, but case still unresolved
Published:Saturday | November 30, 2019 | 12:37 AMLivern Barrett/Senior Staff Reporter
At the end of January this year, a manager at the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) and two female employees who accused him of sexual harassment were all placed on administrative leave with full pay to allow for an independent investigation into the allegations.
Nine months later, at the start of November, all three were asked to return to work although the women's claims remain unresolved, executive director of the state-owned company, Dr Andrew Spencer, has confirmed.
"The issue has not been resolved for the same reason the issue took as long as it did ... the lawyers having an issue with the clauses [in the disciplinary procedure for public bodies]," Spencer explained.
He said that the company has since taken the decision to refer the issue to the Attorney General's Department to have it resolved there.
In the meantime, Spencer assured lawmakers on Parliament's Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) that the manager and his accusers are "not working closely together".
Further, he explained that the decision to have them return to the organisation was based on the outcome of the formal probe.
"Having completed the formal investigation, we saw no reason to have them out of the organisation. So they are all back and reassigned," the TPDCo boss disclosed.
"The individual who has been accused ... is working on a special project on his own."
Spencer revealed that the management of TPDCo first brought charges against the manager in November last year.
However, he said that the accused manager, through his attorneys, raised a challenge to the disciplinary procedures for public bodies.
According to Spencer, the manager posited the view that the company should not have proceeded "because there was no reason for disciplinary action".
But the TPDCo boss said the state entity insisted on pursuing the case "because we take these things very seriously".
"Having pursued and insisted and said we are basing [the] charges on a preliminary investigation, the accused then asked for a formal investigation," he explained.
Spencer said that was what prompted the decision to place the accused manager and his two accusers on paid administrative leave effective January 31 this year.
"Everybody was asked to leave in the interest of sterilising the space and ensuring that we had the documentation that we needed to do the formal investigation," he explained.
Spencer said that when TPDCo got the report in the summer, attorneys for the accused manager again raised concerns that the process was flawed and "therefore they have a challenge with how the formal investigation was conducted".
"I must say that my own feeling about the HR (human resources) process during that time was that it was unfortunately inefficient," he acknowledged.
livern.barrett@gleanerjm.com
«Senator: Government to consider slashing GCT - Minimum business tax axed
Science class gets bubbly formula - Dancing Denbigh High teacher becomes Internet celebrity »
More Lead Stories
CMU axe to fall - PM hints senior managers may face chopping block amid scandal
Great quake escape - Tremor not centred on danger fault line, says expert
Cops deny 'robot' taxi driver killed in cold blood
Coronavirus, no problem, mon! - Travellers unworried about new super bug
China travel warning - Government urges freeze as coronavirus fears grow in Jamaica
West gears up to tackle coronavirus
Charles, Opposition spar as censure motion pushed back
Assault on Cornwall College dean of discipline draws condemnation
Health Ministry's handheld temperature machine stolen from airport
Sex strike - Gender activists call for withholding of pleasure to protest violence against women


text:
Baculovirus regulation of apoptosis
Lois K. Miller, William J. Kaiser, Somasekar Seshagiri
Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics
The baculovirus AcMNPV induces apoptosis in a host-specific manner which involves the activation of host caspases (cysteine-dependent, aspartate-specific proteases). AcMNPV carries a novel gene, p35, which encodes a stoichiometric inhibitor of active caspases, thereby blocking apoptosis. P35 is cleaved by caspases and the cleavage products form a stable complex with the caspase. Baculoviruses also carry genes known as iaps (inhibitors of apoptosis), some of which can actively suppress apoptosis by inhibiting the activation of caspases. Members of the IAP family are found in both viral and animal genomes and interact physically with a variety of proteins associated with apoptotic pathways including Reaper, Doom, TRAF2, and some caspases. The ability of baculoviruses to block apoptosis influences their pathogenicity and host range.
Seminars in Virology
https://doi.org/10.1006/smvy.1998.0149
10.1006/smvy.1998.0149
Dive into the research topics of 'Baculovirus regulation of apoptosis'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Baculoviridae Medicine & Life Sciences 100%
Aspartic Acid Medicine & Life Sciences 87%
Cysteine Medicine & Life Sciences 78%
Peptide Hydrolases Medicine & Life Sciences 69%
Apoptosis Medicine & Life Sciences 50%
TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 2 Medicine & Life Sciences 21%
Host Specificity Medicine & Life Sciences 17%
Viral Genome Medicine & Life Sciences 15%
Miller, L. K., Kaiser, W. J., & Seshagiri, S. (1998). Baculovirus regulation of apoptosis. Seminars in Virology, 8(6), 445-452. https://doi.org/10.1006/smvy.1998.0149
Baculovirus regulation of apoptosis. / Miller, Lois K.; Kaiser, William J.; Seshagiri, Somasekar.
In: Seminars in Virology, Vol. 8, No. 6, 08.1998, p. 445-452.
Miller, LK, Kaiser, WJ & Seshagiri, S 1998, 'Baculovirus regulation of apoptosis', Seminars in Virology, vol. 8, no. 6, pp. 445-452. https://doi.org/10.1006/smvy.1998.0149
Miller LK, Kaiser WJ, Seshagiri S. Baculovirus regulation of apoptosis. Seminars in Virology. 1998 Aug;8(6):445-452. https://doi.org/10.1006/smvy.1998.0149
Miller, Lois K. ; Kaiser, William J. ; Seshagiri, Somasekar. / Baculovirus regulation of apoptosis. In: Seminars in Virology. 1998 ; Vol. 8, No. 6. pp. 445-452.
@article{961e3374fc4047198a7245e312614ec2,
title = "Baculovirus regulation of apoptosis",
abstract = "The baculovirus AcMNPV induces apoptosis in a host-specific manner which involves the activation of host caspases (cysteine-dependent, aspartate-specific proteases). AcMNPV carries a novel gene, p35, which encodes a stoichiometric inhibitor of active caspases, thereby blocking apoptosis. P35 is cleaved by caspases and the cleavage products form a stable complex with the caspase. Baculoviruses also carry genes known as iaps (inhibitors of apoptosis), some of which can actively suppress apoptosis by inhibiting the activation of caspases. Members of the IAP family are found in both viral and animal genomes and interact physically with a variety of proteins associated with apoptotic pathways including Reaper, Doom, TRAF2, and some caspases. The ability of baculoviruses to block apoptosis influences their pathogenicity and host range.",
author = "Miller, {Lois K.} and Kaiser, {William J.} and Somasekar Seshagiri",
note = "Funding Information: This work was supported in part by Public Health Services Grant AI 38262 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.",
doi = "10.1006/smvy.1998.0149",
journal = "Advances in Virus Research",
T1 - Baculovirus regulation of apoptosis
AU - Miller, Lois K.
AU - Kaiser, William J.
AU - Seshagiri, Somasekar
N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported in part by Public Health Services Grant AI 38262 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.
N2 - The baculovirus AcMNPV induces apoptosis in a host-specific manner which involves the activation of host caspases (cysteine-dependent, aspartate-specific proteases). AcMNPV carries a novel gene, p35, which encodes a stoichiometric inhibitor of active caspases, thereby blocking apoptosis. P35 is cleaved by caspases and the cleavage products form a stable complex with the caspase. Baculoviruses also carry genes known as iaps (inhibitors of apoptosis), some of which can actively suppress apoptosis by inhibiting the activation of caspases. Members of the IAP family are found in both viral and animal genomes and interact physically with a variety of proteins associated with apoptotic pathways including Reaper, Doom, TRAF2, and some caspases. The ability of baculoviruses to block apoptosis influences their pathogenicity and host range.
AB - The baculovirus AcMNPV induces apoptosis in a host-specific manner which involves the activation of host caspases (cysteine-dependent, aspartate-specific proteases). AcMNPV carries a novel gene, p35, which encodes a stoichiometric inhibitor of active caspases, thereby blocking apoptosis. P35 is cleaved by caspases and the cleavage products form a stable complex with the caspase. Baculoviruses also carry genes known as iaps (inhibitors of apoptosis), some of which can actively suppress apoptosis by inhibiting the activation of caspases. Members of the IAP family are found in both viral and animal genomes and interact physically with a variety of proteins associated with apoptotic pathways including Reaper, Doom, TRAF2, and some caspases. The ability of baculoviruses to block apoptosis influences their pathogenicity and host range.
U2 - 10.1006/smvy.1998.0149
DO - 10.1006/smvy.1998.0149
JO - Advances in Virus Research
JF - Advances in Virus Research


Douthat's argument about moral responsibility takes the following abstract form: because X was the empirical cause of bad thing Y, X bears more moral responsibility for Y rather than an equal moral bad, Z, that X could have prevented but did not directly cause. This is a denial of the principle of negative responsibility: the idea in the classic case of a person drowning in the middle of a lake, a bystander who could save the drowning person is as morally responsible for the person's death if they choose not to save them as the person that pushed the drowner into the lake in the first place.
I think this is intuitively obvious when one starts to consider real world examples. Does anyone seriously think that the United States bears just as much responsibility for the horrors of the Congolese civil war (which we "let fester," in Feaver's phrase) as it does for the post-invasion violence in Iraq?
But intuition alone is a notoriously unreliable guide both to morality and non-moral truth. We intuitively assume many false premises about Newtonian physics, and people used to think it was "intuitively" obvious that whites were morally superior to non-whites. Reasonable people can also disagree about what intuitions they have in the same case: I, for example, find negative responsibility intuitively plausible (set aside questions about whether I'm reasonable for the moment).
Further, intuition can go both ways depending on how you structure the question. If, instead of Douthat's examples, one had asked about the drowning case referenced above, or "do we think the United States would be as morally responsible for the Holocaust if it had stayed out of World War II as it was for deaths caused by its sale of arms during the Iran-Iraq War?," I suspect most people's intuitions would have been different. The fact that this result might have something to do with the special role the Holocaust occupies in our collective historical consciousness sharpens the claim that intuitions are in part culturally produced.
So if instead of assuming that we all share Douthat's intuitions, we instead consider the issue logically, the denial of negative responsibility appears incoherent. In principle, it's hard to see any difference between "choosing to actively inflict X" and "choosing to allow X to happen when one could have stopped it." In both cases, one is making a choice to take a particular course of action: there is nothing logically intrinsic to inaction to distinguish it from any other possible course of action. If no logical distinction can be made between inaction and other actions, then we have no reason to believe inaction is anything but a particular subset of action. Any intuition that the two are morally distinct likely tracks cognitive biases rather than moral truth.
If I'm right, and Douthat's reliance on intuition in this case is highly suspect, then his claim that strong moral responsibility attaches to the United States (or any other state) if and only if intervention takes place falls apart. If inaction is the same as action, morally speaking, then policymakers who refuse to take action on Libya are as morally responsible for whatever comes to pass there as they would be if they chose to intervene. The fact that policymakers chose or did not choose to drop bombs in Libya makes no difference to the moral question of whether they should have dropped any in the first place.
A brief addendum: Douthat claims that my position would "multiply American obligations beyond reason" by making the U.S. responsible for every global catastrophe. This is a silly argument. Just because a moral principle implies things we don't like doesn't mean we should reject it. Further, the mere fact that American leaders would be morally responsible for failing to intervene to Libya, the Congo, or any other place does not necessarily imply that they must take action in Libya. One still has to weigh the moral costs, including the costs associated with taking on too many military engagements at once, against the costs of inaction.
As a utilitarian/consequentialist I very much agree with this, at least in general. We should be weighing the costs/benefits of action vs inaction, and opting for the best strategy based on available evidence. Choosing inaction does not absolve us from this responsibility.
I think there is a caveat, however. It's not practical to make cost-benefit calculations every time we make a decision, let alone every time we *don't* make a decision (and therefore don't act). That's why we create rules (for ourselves and for each other), and in this context it does seem reasonable to me to insist on a more robust analysis in the case of action than in cases of inaction. There are just too many of the latter for this to be practicable.
In the case of Libya, though, I don't think this really applies. The fact is that there is so much attention being focused on this issue that the "you can't analyse everything" argument rings very hollow in this case. So whatever stance we might take on the merits or drawbacks of action, I agree that the idea that action would make us "more responsible" is flawed.
One can agree with Zack that intuition is not a good reason for rejecting negative responsibility. But this does not imply that its rejection is not justified.
Imagine that we lived in a world where the intentions of all persons and all of the consequences of their actions or inactions were known by all – we might in this case conclude that there was no intrinsic logical difference inaction and the host of other possible actions.
In the real world, however, there are real differences between actions and inactions.
1. the question of intention – applies to actions but does not, outside extreme cases, apply to inactions.
2. the likelihood that the consequences of inaction are generally even harder to foresee than those of specific actions – I can mount a realistic hypothesis on the possible consequences of one action, but how can I mount one for the consequences of unspecifiable inaction ?
3. An action often entails other actions – in the case of Libya, for example, intervention entails a longer-term commitment to the welfare of its people. This does not seem to be the case with inaction.
Anthony, count me unpersuaded that any of the differences you list are capable of generating a morally relevant distinction in kind between action and inaction. Even if I spot you all three of those, I still don't see how that makes inaction, morally speaking, anything other than an empirically peculiar sort of action. But I also think inaction entails all three of things you list.
Intention: surely, when we choose not to act, we are intending to bring about a particular state of affairs – namely, the state of affairs in which the proposed action does not take place. When, for example, I choose not to aim a gun at you, my intention is to not point a gun at you, not scare you by threatening force, etc. So long as there is a choice between action and inaction, there will always be some aim intended by the choice of inaction. This seems clear to me – perhaps we're operating under different definitions of intention?
Predictability: I don't see why there's a reason to believe that the consequences of not acting are any more or less predictable than the consequences of acting. It's not like inaction is unspecifiable in any meaningful sense – it's simply a continuation of the status quo. If one can make judgments about what's happening in the status quo, then one can make consequences about the consequences of inaction. If anything, one would think that acting would have less predictable consequences then not acting (that's certainly been the assumption made by the critics of intervention in Libya, and intervention more broadly).
Entailment: I also don't see this as being the case. Choosing not to act in a particular circumstance can lock you in to a course of action in the future as securely as choosing to act. For example, if I decide not to attend one friend's birthday party, that might lock me in to not attending another friend's birthday party as well for fear of offending the first friend.
Predictability: agreed, you are right – the consequences of my intervening in Libya are perhaps as unpredictable as those of my non-intervention. However, in interfering in a sphere outside my authority where my knowledge of what is really happening is limited, am I not more likely to miscalculate? Evidence from interventions in the past suggests to me that this is often the case.
I guess this is why Ross Douthat (rightly, in my view) puts the "onus of proof" on the proponents of intervention.
"in interfering in a sphere outside my authority where my knowledge of what is really happening is limited, am I not more likely to miscalculate?"
I think a better question is: "in this particular case, is the result of inaction more or less predictable than the result of (a certain proposed) action." it's not really clear to me that this was the case. Not of course that predictability is the only criterion: in this case one could say that the consequences of inaction were all too depressingly predictable.
"empirically it is easier to get sucked into unforeseen conflicts through intervention than throughout non-intervention". The examples given all relate to military interventions, so I think we need to distinguish between the general ethical issue and the specific case of military interventions. Another way to interpret those examples is that military interventions tend to go badly. But then that is an argument against military intervention, not an argument in favour of linking responsibility to intervention.
Regarding intention, I think a fairer comparison would be between jumping in to save a person from drowning and deciding not to. You do not become more responsible for saving the person by deciding to jump in.
A large and important facet of this debate that has been mostly ignored is the importance of visibility and press coverage on the international stage. There are many gruesome conflicts occurring at this moment but Libya is one of the conflicts that has received international attention and due to that attention has been made most urgent, regardless of its relative severity or the frequency of atrocities around the world. Regardless of the 'moral' implications of acting or not acting, most nations, I would argue act in the ways that befits the image they wish to project to the international community. The moral implications are secondary because if we were to adopt a solely deontological outlook, nations would intervene in every major conflict. This is obviously not possible.
"If we were to adopt a solely deontological outlook, nations would intervene in every major conflict. This is obviously not possible."
Because it is not possible, it would not be the outcome of such a "solely deontological outlook". Instead nations would choose to intervene in those conflicts where they can be most effective. But I agree that in practice nations tend to act in ways that befit the image they wish to project to the international community. It's not perfect, but at least there is an international community. If there wasn't, it would be pure realpolitik, and the nation that didn't play by this rule would lose.


text:
Daily Devotion for August 5, 2011
Heavenly Lord, I know I am not alone saying these prayers or reading your Word this morning, but many people unknown to me, from all stations of life, have joined together in this brief moment of devotion. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be among the community of all who pray in the name of Christ this morning, and remain among us always.
He who is surety for a stranger will suffer,
But one who hates being surety is secure.
Acts 21:1-7 (NKJV)
Paul's Journey to Jerusalem [1]
Now it came to pass, that when we had departed from them and set sail, running a straight course we came to Cos, the following day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. And finding a ship sailing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.
When we had sighted Cyprus, we passed it on the left, sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload her cargo. And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days. They told Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.
When we had come to the end of those days, we departed and went on our way; and they all accompanied us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city. And we knelt down on the shore and prayed. When we had taken our leave of one another, we boarded the ship, and they returned home.
And when we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, greeted the brethren, and stayed with them one day.
Once again, today's verses are mostly a travelogue, a first-person account of a ship voyage through the southeastern Greek Isles 2000 years ago. After a couple of short hops on small coastal ships, Paul and his companions find a Phoenician freighter traveling all the way from Patara to Tyre, one of the great Phoenician trading ports, just north of the Hebrew colony of Galilee (Israel).
Paul's third and greatest journey is really finished at this point. He and his companions left Antioch five years earlier and traveled the length of southern Anatolia, stopping to visit the little churches he founded on his second journey. This leg ended in Ephesus, where they founded a great church. From Ephesus, they ventured out into "Asia" to a number of unnamed towns and villages. (See Daily Devotional Map.)
He then more or less retraced his second journey through Greece, to visit and strengthen all the churches he had started there in his second journey; however, instead of sailing home from Greece, he circled back until he was just outside of Ephesus, to the smaller port of Miletus. There he summoned the elders of Ephesus and bid them farewell, and then sailed to Tyre; from here, he will make his way by land to Jerusalem.
In the second journey, Paul and Silas were in virgin territory and founded numerous churches in Turkey and Greece. In the third journey, his primary accomplishment was to revisit all of these seedling churches and build them up, especially in the great city of Ephesus, where he had previously only spent a day. In fact, it was the second-generation missionaries Aquila and Priscilla who really started the church in Ephesus.


text:
Background and Context: Online Reference Sources
Home: General Works
Background and Context: Online Reference Sources: Home: General Works
This Guide features useful online encyclopedias and other reference sources organized by subject.
Foreign Language Dictionaries
Music, Performing Arts, and Film
Political Science and Government
Psychology and Counseling
Interdisciplinary Resources
Mobile version available. Contains the complete encyclopedia, as well as Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary and Thesaurus, the Britannica Student Encyclopedia and the Britannica Book of the Year. Also includes an Internet directory with more than 300,000 links to Web sites selected, rated, and reviewed by Britannica editors.
Gale Reference Library consists of 307 volumes of reference titles as of 3/17. The titles are individually listed in the catalog but can be searched here as a group. Titles range across sciences, social sciences, business, and humanitites.
Oxford Reference Online
Includes over 200 titles, updated regularly, in the Oxford Companions and Oxford Dictionaries series. The collection covers a wide variety of subjects from the sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
Access to the definitive dictionary of the English language. Revisions and additions ongoing.
Sage eReference Books
This collection includes online encyclopedias from a variety of disciplines, primarily in the social sciences.
Search Reference Universe
Search the indexes and article titles in subject encyclopedias and other reference sources in a variety of disciplines.
Why use these resources?
Using a reference source can save you time by equipping you with a context and a vocabulary for understanding your topic. Additionaly, many reference source feature helpful guides to further reading that can point you to some of the most important resources for your topic.
Next: Humanities >>
URL: https://libguides.gwu.edu/ref
Subjects: Reference


text:
News Release | TexPIRG Education Fund | Democracy
NEW REPORT: Texas still among Leaders in Report on Transparency of Government Spending
The report graded each state's transparency website from "A" to "F" based on its content and user-friendliness. This year, for the first time, we worked with focus groups to see how well the ordinary Americans could navigate the sites. With that new standard, most states' grades dropped from our previous report.
"When states are transparent about how they spend tax dollars, we all win: the state saves money, it can operate more efficiently and effectively, and citizens can feel more confident in their government," said Bay Scoggin, TexPIRG Ed Fund State Director, "That's why we are so pleased to highlight Comptroller Hegar's leadership on this issue."
Read more about NEW REPORT: Texas still among Leaders in Report on Transparency of Government Spending
As Electric Cars Revolutionize the Vehicle Market, New Study Helps Cities Address Infrastructure and Parking Challenges
With electric vehicles (EVs) hitting U.S. streets in record numbers, a new study by TexPIRG Education Fund, Environment Texas Research and Policy Group, and Frontier Group highlights best practices to help local officials make their cities as EV-friendly as possible. The new report, "Plugging In: Readying America's Cities for the Arrival of Electric Vehicles," includes local and state data for Dallas and Texas about the projected number of electric cars expected on the road in coming years, and how cities can accommodate these new EVs with enough places to park and recharge.
Read more about As Electric Cars Revolutionize the Vehicle Market, New Study Helps Cities Address Infrastructure and Parking Challenges
Plugging In
The adoption of large numbers of electric vehicles (EVs) offers many benefits for cities, including cleaner air and the opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Electric vehicles are far cleaner than gasoline-powered cars, with lower greenhouse gas emissions and lower emissions of the pollutants that contribute to smog and particulate matter. The number of EVs on America's streets is at an all-time high. Throughout 2016, sales of plug-in electric vehicles increased nearly 38 percent. In 2017, sales of electric vehicles were up again, increasing 32 percent over the year. The introduction of the Chevy Volt, Tesla's Model 3 and other affordable, long-range electric vehicles suggests that growth in EV sales is just beginning. In fact, Chevrolet's Volt EV was named Motor Trend's 2017 Car of the Year. But with more EVs on the road, and many more coming soon, cities will face the challenge of where electric vehicles will charge, particularly in city centers and neighborhoods without off-street residential parking. The good news is that smart public policies, including those already pioneered in cities nationally and internationally, can help U.S. cities lead the electric vehicle revolution while expanding access to clean transportation options for those who live, work and play in cities.
Read more about Plugging In
Report | TexPIRG Education Fund and Frontier Group | Solid Waste
Trash in America: Moving from Destructive Consumption to a Zero-Waste System
Texas' recycling rate of 22% is well below the 34% national average, according to a Trash in America: Moving from Destructive Consumption to a Zero-Waste System, a new TexPIRG report detailing the effects of overconsumption in America, including water contamination, air pollution, habitat destruction, and global warming. The report also examines how good policies can minimize the proliferation of waste and incentivize reduction, repairs, reuse, recycling, and composting.
Read more about Trash in America: Moving from Destructive Consumption to a Zero-Waste System
News Release | TexPIRG Education Fund | Solid Waste
Austin Leads Major Texas Cities in Recycling Rate, Statewide Rate Lags Behind National Average
AUSTIN – Texas' recycling rate of 22% is well below the 34% national average, according to a Trash in America: Moving from Destructive Consumption to a Zero-Waste System, a new TexPIRG report detailing the effects of overconsumption in America, including water contamination, air pollution, habitat destruction, and global warming. The report also examines how good policies can minimize the proliferation of waste and incentivize reduction, repairs, reuse, recycling, and composting.
Read more about Austin Leads Major Texas Cities in Recycling Rate, Statewide Rate Lags Behind National Average
News Release | US PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection
CONSUMER GUIDE RELEASED FOR VALENTINE'S DAY: RESEARCH SHOWS SOME LIPSTICKS CONTAIN HARMFUL CHEMICALS
We should be able to trust that the products we buy are safe — especially ones our families use every day, applied directly to our lips. However, today U.S. PIRG Education Fund released a consumer guide entitled "Kiss Off," which contains examples of lipsticks, lip balms, and children's lip products which contain ingredients linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and reproductive problems. Popular brands such as Maybelline, L'Oréal, and ChapStick made the list.
Read more about CONSUMER GUIDE RELEASED FOR VALENTINE'S DAY: RESEARCH SHOWS SOME LIPSTICKS CONTAIN HARMFUL CHEMICALS
Report | US PIRG Education Fund | Public Health
Kiss Off: A Consumer's Guide to Saying "No" to Toxic Lip Products
Lip products are used by most Americans every day. In fact, 81 percent of women and 39 percent of men use lipstick or lip balm products. Unfortunately, the ingredients in these products are barely regulated, and many major brands use toxic chemicals in these products. This consumer guide includes some potentially dangerous examples and a few "safer" alternative products that do not contain these toxic ingredients. With so many lip products that contain toxic chemicals, it is hard for the average consumer to know what is safe to use and what is not.
Read more about Kiss Off: A Consumer's Guide to Saying "No" to Toxic Lip Products
Media Hit | Democracy
State representative facing ethics questions
In what appears to be a clear-cut ethics violations by a longtime state legislator, Bay Scoggin, TexPIRG Director highlights how there is no way for State Rep. Jim Murphy to represent his constituents as a taxpayer-funded representative and a taxpayer-funded lobbyist at the same time.
Read more about State representative facing ethics questions
News Release | TexPIRG | Solid Waste
After Apple Slows Phones, Interest In Repair Spikes in Texas
A new survey released by TexPIRG shows that interest in additional phone repair options surged as battery issues with iPhones made headlines.
Findings show that we throw out 33,300 phones each day in Texas, highlighting need for expanded access to repair.
AUSTIN, TEXAS -- A new survey released today by TexPIRG, "Recharge Repair," found a surge in consumer demand for phone repair following the revelation Apple was slowing phones with older batteries. "Recharge Repair" identifies the barriers to battery replacement and phone repair that add to long repair delays for consumers. The findings support the need for Right to Repair reforms to grant consumers and third parties access to the parts and tools to repair cell phones and other electronics.
Among the findings were:
- We surveyed 164 independent repair businesses nationally who reported a 37% increase in weekly battery replacement service requests since Dec. 20
- Self-repair interest surged as well – traffic from Texas residents to iPhone battery repair instructions went up 141%. 14,297 people from Texas viewed instructions in between Dec. 20 and Jan. 22
- eWaste is a growing concern. Texas throws out an estimated 33,300 cell phones per day, our share of the 141 million phones tossed each year.
"We should be free to fix our stuff," said Bay Scoggin, TexPIRG director. "We should be working to reduce needless waste – repairing things that still have life -- but companies use their power to make things harder to repair. This survey shows that people are clearly looking for more options to repair their phones."
Read more about After Apple Slows Phones, Interest In Repair Spikes in Texas
News Release | TexPIRG | Antibiotics
New Campaign Calls on McDonald's to Hold the Antibiotics from Their Meat Supply Chain
AUSTIN, Thursday, January 25, 2018: The consumer and public health advocacy organization TexPIRG Education Fund is calling on McDonald's to commit to a concrete timeline to phase out routinely using medically-important antibiotics in its beef and pork supply chains. The TexPIRG Education Fund and its partner groups are singling out the iconic fast food company because McDonald's has an outsized influence as the biggest purchaser of beef in the United States, and it has a vague long-term antibiotics plan. Health experts, including the World Health Organization and American Academy of Pediatrics, warn that the routine use of antibiotics on animals that aren't sick fuels drug-resistant bacteria, a major health threat to humans.
"Protecting antibiotics requires action, not reaction. If we don't act now to preserve the effectiveness of these medicines, we'll face a world in which common infections once again kill" said Bay Scoggin, TexPIRG Education Fund. "The Big Mac can make a big dent in stopping the misuse of antibiotics in our food system."
"Many hospitals now purchase meat and poultry produced without antibiotics because of the growing number of problems associated with overuse of these medicines in food production. Using antibiotic-free meat helps to both preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics and move our food system towards a healthier and more sustainable future," Diane Papillion, MPH, RD. Texas Physicians for Social Responsibility
Read more about New Campaign Calls on McDonald's to Hold the Antibiotics from Their Meat Supply Chain


text:
Protesters in Halifax call for peace amid growing tensions in Middle East
More than 100 people attended 'No War with Iran' protest in Halifax on Saturday
Masuma Khan, along with No Harbour for War, the Halifax Peace Council, the Nova Scotia Voice of Women organized a rally in protest of escalating tensions in the Middle East
By Sam Gillett
Days after 57 Canadians were killed following an Iranian missile strike on Ukrainian Airlines flight 752, more than 100 people gathered at Victoria Park in Halifax to call for peace.
Many hoisted cardboard signs reading "No War with Iran," while others around the square held banners with pro-peace messages.
For Masuma Khan, one of the main event organizers, the rally was a chance to remember the cost of fighting wars amid increased international tensions. Khan is originally from Afghanistan.
"We have these rallies all the time, we have these action events, and then we forget about it all," Khan said before the rally. "But the people who remember are the people who have family members dying back home. For me I have to bear the brunt of the death of my people every day."
Halifax Islamic community speaks out against Trump's immigration policy (January 27, 2017)
New collective gives platform to black, Indigenous and artists of colour in Halifax (January 13, 2020)
Other community members addressed the crowd by megaphone. Isaac Saney, a professor at Dalhousie University and member of Halifax-based group "No Harbour For War" denounced America's aggressive military presence around the world. He addressed the crowd through a megaphone, stating that "We need a government in Canada that stands with genuine peace."
Amber Tucker (left) and Tina Oh (right) were one of many peace activists who brought their own banners and handmade signs displaying anti-war slogans. Sam Gillett
Many who attended the event were students like Owen Maitzen from Dalhousie University. He was there with multi-page printed pamphlets on solidarity with Iran that he made this week.
"Not only do I want to send a message, I want to help build connections with people on the ground and pave the way for further action," said Maitzen.
In between songs and chants, Khan remarked on the tragedy of the missile strike which killed 176 people. Of the victims, 138 were headed to Canada and 57 were Canadian citizens from across the country.
Vigils and memorial services are being held across Canada to honour the victims, five of whom had connections to Halifax. Dr. Sharieh Faghihi was a dentist in the city for many years. Maryam Malek and Fatemeh Mahmoodi were masters students at Saint Mary's University. Masoumeh Ghavi, an engineering student at Dalhousie University, was on the aircraft with his sister Mandieh Ghavi.
Khan's friend Mohammad Asadi Lari, an MD/PhD student studying at the University of Toronto, was one of those who died in the crash. She said for people from the Middle East, the tragedy of war is ever-present.
"I don't want people to forget about this because this is going to continue. This is not over," Khan said in an interview before the event. "There is no justification for war, no matter what."
After the U.S. assassination of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani on Jan. 3, Iran retaliated with airstrikes on a U.S. military base in Iraq. On Jan. 8, Iranian military officials mistook the Ukrainian Airlines plane as a missile after it took off from Tehran's airport.
In a media release Saturday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that Canada will press for a "complete and thorough investigation" into the circumstances of the missile strike.
Sam Gillett
Sam calls Orillia, Ontario home. When he's not chasing Signal stories, he can be found sketching in cafes, watching soccer or following news about professional motocross.


text:
Guillem Balague News
Guillem Balague
Spanish Football Expert & Columnist @GuillemBalague
Guillem Balague discusses Barcelona, Real Madrid and transfers in his weekly column
Last Updated: 04/04/17 7:20am
Guillem Balague discusses Real Madrid's pursuit of David de Gea in his latest column
Barcelona, Real Madrid and the latest transfer talk is on the agenda as Guillem Balague answers your questions in his weekly column....
It's that time of the year when the top players involved in the Champions League seem to give a little bit less in the league.
I'm not sure it's a conscious decision, it's probably just self-preservation because they don't want to get injured at this vital part of the season, they do not want to spend too much energy. Around the quarter-finals and the semi-finals of the Champions League, there are fewer niggly injuries and that's not by chance.
Get Sky Sports for £18
Upgrade to Sky Sports now and get 12 months for just £18 per month!
Sometimes the effort required to win games just drops a little bit and that was certainly the case for Real Madrid, perhaps even for Atletico Madrid.
Real Madrid show killer instinct
There were three phases to Real's win. They passed the ball and controlled the game, then they lost control of possession, before showing their killer instinct at the end.
It wasn't a 3-0 result against Alaves, who in Mauricio Pellegrino have a manager that maximises the potential of the team. Most people think he is going to renew his contract but I have the impression he won't.
He has offers from other clubs and he has taken Alaves as far as he can. They are in the Copa del Rey final, in the top 10 of La Liga and have managed victories against the likes of Barcelona and Villarreal with up to 12 new players.
Atletico drop off
Atletico Madrid have recovered their strength defensively and they showed that against Malaga. But they seem to have lost the fluidity in attack they had in the past. It may be a consequence of the team dropping a little bit deeper but it could also be the case that they have an eye on the returning Champions League.
The players' focus naturally turns to that and there's a real fear of injuries.
Paco emerges for Barca
Barcelona had a really good game. Luis Suarez was magnificent, both doing his own job and assisting as well. He held the ball up really well, created havoc in the final third and enjoyed his duel with Guillermo Ochoa.
The goalkeeper was excellent for a lot of the match but made a mistake in the way he came out after a wonderful pass by Jordi Alba. That gave Luis Suarez the possibility to lob and he did so superbly.
Highlights of Barcelona's win over Granada in La Liga
After the injury to Rafinha, who could be out for a month or more, the other good news from the game is Paco Alcacer played well out of position. He scored one and assisted one on the left side of the attack.
The result keeps the pressure on Real Madrid and the next four games will be key. Real play Atetico in the Madrid derby as well as the Clasico, with the Champions League quarter-finals to contend with too.
It's still all to play for at the top.
Sevilla slow down
Sevilla have dropped off massively for both physical and psychological reasons. Steven N'Zonzi and Samir Nasri have lost form and they are key players.
Sevilla midfielder Samir Nasri has suffered a drop in form says Guillem Balague
It has left them playing a little predictably with opponents defending deep. That situation requires quick, sharp, incisive play in the final third and Sevilla just haven't managed it recently.
They have failed to win in five games and don't seem to have a striker with the goals needed to challenge further up the table. It's a shame because they have everything else.
After the general success through the season for Jorge Sampaoli, people within the club are now questioning whether he should continue. The president wants him to carry on and to ignore any potential offer from the Argentina national team.
And now for your questions...
Anything in reports Real Madrid are interested in Arsene Wenger either as boss or sporting director? (@goona245)
I can guarantee you that's not the case. They don't want him as a coach or as a sporting director. There was a couple of times a few years ago when Real Madrid tried to get Wenger but it didn't happen. He decided to stay at Arsenal.
Is it true Man Utd want Toni Kroos as part of a player-plus-cash deal for David de Gea? (@Shanatanu3196)
My understanding is there is no link between the two. Real Madrid have enquired about a price for David de Gea and they have done the same to Chelsea for Thibaut Courtois.
Would Hazard fit at Madrid?
Guillem Balague takes a statistical look at how Eden Hazard could fit in at Real Madrid.
They want one of the two but Toni Kroos has nothing to do with the deal. By the way, with Mourinho in charge of Manchester United I see very unlikely that he would let De Gea go.
Are Liverpool keen on James Rodriguez? If yes, do you think they have a chance? (@Mattpaisley1)
Of course they are, but they aren't the only one. Liverpool are realistic and I think they realise James is looking for a different type of team.
But he is leaving the door open to all possibilities because he knows Real Madrid want to get rid of him. He would like to go to a club like Chelsea or Manchester United and he has offers from England and Italy but we will have to wait and see.
Real Madrid saw off Alaves to extend their lead at the top of La Liga with a 3-0 win at the Bernabeu
How important has Neymar become for Barcelona and do you think we could see him in the Premier League soon? (@emc100)
I don't think Neymar will be coming to the Premier League anytime soon. After two or three years? Who knows. But he will definitely be at Barcelona next season and he's become very important. He's in the best season of his career and I believe he is now only behind Lionel Messi as the best player in the world.
There are some who argue he is even ahead of Messi, but I don't see that.
Will Real Madrid sell Alvaro Morata if a decent offer comes in? (@CraigoooT)
Real Madrid don't want to sell Morata but he wants to go. It's an issue that needs resolving this summer.
Do you think if Manchester City signed Marc-Andre ter Stegen or Keylor Navas, they'd just be another Claudio Bravo? (@dompowell26)
I'm not sure what 'another Bravo' means. You have a player that I think has not been able to deal with the pressure for psychological reasons.
But are you saying any other foreign player that plays out from the back is going to have the same problem? Is that what you mean? I don't think so.
They are completely different goalkeepers anyway. Ter Stegen, Navas and Bravo have got different skill sets and I would not put them in the same boat. Ter Stegen will stay at Barcelona anyway and City are not interested in Keylor Navas.
Any update on the Barca manager situation? (@ablxu)
Barcelona's second coach Juan Carlos Unzue has been touted as a replacement for Luis Enrique
Juan Carlos Unzue keeps being suggested within the club and even some players would be happy if he continued.
I think he would guarantee similar decisions to Luis Enrique but the approach would take Barca closer in style to Pep Guardiola. There would be more possession-based football but he needs the players for it.
Barca stroll past Granada
'Neymar has proved Barca right'
Euro papers: Wenger to Real?
Aspas talks Liverpool
There are decisions to be made in terms of the squad because five key players are reaching the age of 30.
Valverde is feeling, 'If they come for me great, if they don't it's not a problem'. But he feels his time at Athletic Bilbao is over. A renewal offer will be forthcoming but I think he feels it's time to move on.
Shi: Wolves will invest in squad
Awesome De Villiers seals Middlesex win
Taylor concerned over Bolton situation
Klopp wants long Liverpool stay
The Transfer Show: PL round-up
'It feels like a Barca car boot sale!'
Trippier: I always wanted to play abroad