text:
St. Luke's Response to Media Coverage of the Federal Court's Findings of Fact
St. Luke's Blogs
St. Luke's Response to Media Coverage of the Federal Court's Findings of Fact
The St. Luke's logo on a frosted glass divider in the St. Luke's Nampa Emergency Department. St. Luke's opened its St. Luke's Nampa location in the summer of 2012. With its integration with Saltzer Medical Group, St. Luke's hoped to further improve care in Nampa while bringing down costs, but on Jan. 24, a U.S. District Judge ruled that the integration violated anti-trust laws.
BOISE, Idaho -- On Tuesday, Jan. 28, U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill released the findings of fact to support his Jan. 24 decision ordering St. Luke's Health System to unwind its affiliation with Saltzer Medical Group. Media coverage following that release focused on many points in the findings that were taken out of context. We believe that this led to misleading or inaccurate information in the media. Below you will find a response to some of the more prominent media claims following the Court's release of its findings:
Claim: St. Luke's would provide Saltzer physicians with a 30 percent raise.
The only compensation that the Saltzer physicians were guaranteed under the agreement with St. Luke's – and then only for the first two years – is income equal to the average compensation they received during the three years preceding the transaction. In other words, the only guarantee was that Saltzer physicians would continue to earn what they had in the past.
The 30 percent increase in compensation referenced by the Court was not guaranteed. Achieving that level of compensation was dependent on a number of factors, including productivity. The proposed compensation package offered to Saltzer physicians was consistent with compensation paid by St. Luke's to other physicians in the same type of practice. Two sets of third party experts analyzed the compensation that Saltzer physicians could earn under the St. Luke's agreement (including the potential 30 percent increase). Those experts came to the same conclusion: The compensation offered to Saltzer physicians was within fair market value for their services for patients.
Claim: St. Luke's receives the highest reimbursement rates from Blue Cross of Idaho (BCI), and the Saltzer affiliation would allow St. Luke's to pressure BCI to pay even higher rates.
St. Luke's believes that the allegations of BCI that St. Luke's has the highest reimbursement rates in the state are grossly misleading. BCI based its allegations on so-called "conversion factor reports" that BCI had generated. Despite objections from St. Luke's, BCI produced the conversion factor reports in a heavily redacted form and refused to provide all of the underlying data (such as data for the hospitals statewide against which St. Luke's was being compared). Without that information, it is impossible to fully examine the reports and evaluate their methodology.
Moreover, even the limited information that BCI chose to release concerning the conversion factor reports is, at best, ambiguous concerning St. Luke's reimbursement from BCI relative to other hospitals. These reports contain two columns of data, one a "simple average" and the other a "weighted average." The Court's findings are based on the "simple average" of hospitals' reimbursement, which suggests reimbursement to St. Luke's in Boise and Meridian increased relative to other hospitals from 2010 to 2012.
However, when the conversion factor reports are sorted by the weighted averages (which account for the different sizes of the hospitals being compared) reimbursement for St. Luke's Boise and Meridian facilities relative to other Idaho hospitals remains nearly unchanged from 2010 to 2012. In short, we believe that a fair evaluation of the data suggests that the St. Luke's reimbursement rates from BCI are on par with the rates received by other providers.
Turning to the claim that the Saltzer affiliation would allow St. Luke's to pressure BCI to pay even higher rates, this claim is simply inconsistent with the actual facts. BCI and St. Luke's entered into a two-year contract at the end of 2012, after the Saltzer affiliation had already been announced; not even BCI contended that the payments to St. Luke's under that contract are unfair or inappropriate.
Claim: St. Luke's could demand increased revenue as a result of "hospital-based billing."
The Court failed to put into context the role of hospital-based billing as it relates to market power. Under federal regulations, the Medicare program provides higher reimbursement for certain health care services when performed in certain hospital-owned facilities rather than separate physician offices or clinics. This approach is referred to as hospital-based, or "provider-based", billing.
A "provider-based" facility is required to, among other things, comply with very high standards for accreditation, satisfy federal requirements for handicapped accessibility, provide translation services for non-English speakers, and be subject to the same policies (including charity and financial assistance) that apply throughout the hospital. The higher Medicare payment to such a facility reflects a recognition of these costs and obligations, which are not required of a physician-owned office.
Provider-based billing for treatment of Medicare beneficiaries has no relationship to any level of market power. The federal government sets the rates to be paid for services billed to Medicare, including the rates paid for services provided in hospital-based settings. When a health system acquires a facility, the ability to bill services as "provider-based" depends solely on whether the provider complies with the federal "provider-based" facility regulations.
Claim: St. Luke's own analysis of the Saltzer transaction considered the possibility that it could increase commercial reimbursements by insisting that health plans pay higher "hospital-based" rates for routine ancillary services, such as X-rays and laboratory tests.
As would be expected with any large transaction, St. Luke's modeled the financial impact of integrating Saltzer into the St. Luke's Health System. With respect to the services of physicians, St. Luke's modeled the increased revenue to which St. Luke's would be entitled under the Medicare program if St. Luke's invested the resources to meet the requirements for provider-based facilities. As noted above, the potential for increased revenue from the Medicare program has nothing to do with market power. Significantly, St. Luke's financial modeling did not anticipate any increase in payments from commercial health plans for Saltzer physicians' services.
The only changes in payment for Saltzer's services by commercial health plans included in St. Luke's modeling related to so-called ancillary services, such as laboratory testing and diagnostic imaging (e.g., X-rays, MRIs, CTs). These services are called "ancillary" to distinguish them from "professional services" provided directly by physicians.
With respect to Saltzer's ancillary services, St. Luke's estimated the upper limit of potential reimbursement changes by applying St. Luke's existing rates to Saltzer's historical volumes of ancillary services. However, the documents and testimony indicated any such change would be the subject of negotiations with health plans and subject to contractual limitations on additional reimbursement. Thus, there was no assumption that the modeled changes in commercial reimbursement would materialize.
It is important to emphasize that St. Luke's did not anticipate or model any change in commercial reimbursements for adult primary care physicians' services – the only product of concern in the government plaintiffs' case. Moreover, none of this modeling played any role in how much Saltzer physicians would be paid or in how much St. Luke's would pay for Saltzer's assets.
Claim: Blue Cross of Idaho pays more than the average U.S. insurer.
The Court's findings with respect to hospital payment rates appear to suggest that, on average, commercial insurers across the country pay roughly 120 percent of Medicare rates for hospital services, while BCI pays 150 to 200 percent more than Medicare for inpatient services and 300 percent more than Medicare for outpatient services. There are two significant errors in this comparison.
First, comparison of prices as a function of Medicare rates is misleading because the Medicare rates themselves differ across regions. Idaho's Medicare rates are low compared to other regions of the country.
Second, no witness testified about the average that insurers pay for hospital services relative to Medicare. St. Luke's is not aware of any evidence from the trial that would support a comparison of BCI's hospital rates to national averages.
Claim: Costs went up in the Magic Valley after acquisitions by St. Luke's
The Court found that health care costs in the Magic Valley went up after certain acquisitions by St. Luke's – and that these increases suggest St. Luke's will raise prices in the Treasure Valley.
There is absolutely nothing to indicate prices in the Magic Valley rose above market levels following any acquisition by St. Luke's. The fact is that St. Luke's built a new state of the art hospital and recruited dozens of physicians into Twin Falls – which has attracted businesses to the Magic Valley and improved the availability and quality of care for patients. Any increase in price was designed to enable St. Luke's to provide the community with better health care locally.
The finding to the effect that St. Luke's was able to resist insurers' efforts to control physician fees in the Magic Valley is also misleading. At the end of the day, the evidence was clear that insurers pay the same for physician services in the Magic Valley as they pay in the rest of the State.
Claim: Unwinding St. Luke's affiliation with Saltzer is required by the antitrust laws
Unwinding St. Luke's affiliation with Saltzer is not required by the antitrust laws. The Court found that, if left intact, the Saltzer affiliation would "improve patient outcomes". Given this finding, it is difficult to understand why the Court would choose a remedy that would prevent this improvement, especially when there was no finding that an unwinding would introduce greater competition to the market.
Having concluded that the Saltzer affiliation could result in higher prices to insurers (a conclusion with which we strongly disagree), the Court could have ordered a variety of remedies. For example, it could have required Saltzer and St. Luke's to negotiate fee-for-service contracts independently of one another. It could have ordered St. Luke's not to charge provider-based prices to commercial insurers. It could have imposed other limits on the ability of St. Luke's to raise prices. But it chose the one remedy that will undercut the improvement in patient outcomes even the Court saw as both the intent and the effect of the transaction. Sadly, the result is a loss for the people of the Treasure Valley.


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Did you resolve to manage stress better this year? I think I resolve that every morning! I'm glad to introduce you to my friend and life coach, Beth Anderson. Beth has a passion for helping women make smart choices and move forward from where they are to where God has called them to be. Welcome, Beth!
I'm always hesitant to make New Year's resolutions. Seriously, how long do most resolutions last? Two weeks? Two months? The intentions are good and January 1 is also a great time to reboot but resolutions themselves, can cause stress.
Failing to succeed causes stress.
Humorous, yes, but something's gotta give!
My desktop Oxford dictionary defines stress as pressure; mental or emotional strain. Researchers estimate that at least 75 percent of all primary care medical visits are for complaints and conditions that are stress-related. Millions of people take medication for stress-related symptoms. Stress affects not only our mental health but also our physical health.
As a Christian woman, I have access to some answers. There are many wonderful scriptures in the Bible that can help us deal with stress. Check the Resources section below for a printable list of stress-busting scriptures.
Reducing stress takes intentionality. It takes a PLAN. If I fail to have a plan, I am planning to fail. It really is as simple as that. I'm trying to take time twice a week to plan and organize myself. It's only when I have a plan, that I can move forward, and keep on track toward my goals.
There are lots of articles on stress relief and ideas for lessening stress. But let's keep it fairly simple today. We've all got enough to remember!
P Pause and Pray –– It really helps! Sometimes I just need to stop and focus back on God, praying for wisdom, energy, strength, focus, and an unanxious mind.
L Lean In –– Rely on your relationship with God and get into His Word! Just spending some time with Jesus calms my mind and restores my soul.
A Acknowledge your stress. We all have stress. It's real. It's life! However, we don't need to wallow in it! Replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts. When I think about everything that's stressing me and overwhelming me, it's a downward spiral and it's hard to pull myself out of that pit. But, when I think about my blessings and the things that I have to look forward to and that make me happy, I can turn my focus and attitude around. Be intentional about making the choice to look for the positives and the blessings.
N Nurture yourself by making Smart Choices. Do what nurtures your mind, body, and soul. I need to be more intentional about this one. When I choose to eat healthfully and exercise, I am better able to handle daily stresses. Some other things that work for me are listening to music (right now I'm loving Jordan Smith from The Voice!), sharing a cup of coffee and conversation with a friend, watching HGTV (I love Fixer Upper!), and even spending a designated amount of time on Pinterest, looking at beautiful things. I also love to read and study. I love reading different versions of the Bible, and checking out extra commentaries and resources.
Another habit that nurtures my soul and reduces stress is observing Sabbath. God knew exactly what He was doing when He set this world in motion and created a day for recuperation and relationship. Sabbath is a time to focus on my relationship with God, family, and others. When I am conscious of setting aside that time as sacred, I give my mind and body a chance to renew and be ready for the next week and responsibilities. It enables me to practice the presence and peace of God more easily during the rest of the week.
Once again, planning is key in observing and celebrating Sabbath. What can I do ahead of time to prepare for Sabbath? Cleaning and tidying up the house helps me prepare mentally. Sometimes we even plan for a special meal or activity. Next is thinking about what I can do to stop, relax, and get to know God. What can I do to sense God's presence and be assured of His love for me? And, what can I do to draw close to God, forgive others, and grow love in my home and community?
It's difficult to slow down the frenetic pace of life. We are taught to work hard and be productive. But maybe we have an overinflated and false need to be productive. If Sabbath becomes a stress and another thing to check off our list, then we doing it all wrong! In Mark 2: 27, Jesus tells the Pharisees, 'The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.' The Sabbath is for our benefit, to have a respite from our cares and worries, to reconnect.
I know that 'Stressed' spelled backwards is 'Dessert' but I don't think that's the best answer! What can you do to plan for diverting stress? What Smart Choices can you make to nurture yourself and what ideas can you share with the rest of us who are always looking for stress relief?
Visit the New Year, New Thing page to see all of the posts and giveaways in this series!
Hi Christa, it was only when I trained as an EFT Master Practitioner that I realized just how much stress so many people, including myself live with on a day to day basis. Previously I hadn't thought of myself as being a stressed person, now if things are not going well, I immediately do some work on releasing stress. I've been amazed at the results.
That is so smart, Wendy. Sometimes we try to "manage" stress by just stuffing it in and pushing through. But that is definitely not healthy. Glad you found a way to manage your's!
What a wonderful reminder this morning! Love the printable with Ten Scriptures for Dealing with Stress. I am anxious to create a P.L.A.N. for me that will work! Thank you Christa and Beth!
Share your P.L.A.N. with us, Deje! I want to know what you are doing!
On December 26th I became very intentional about spending time with God daily in some way. Somedays I am only able to use the First 5 app because I am realistic and know life happens. I really like when I can use my devotional Bible, a devotion book and do some Scripture writing on a daily basis. I have noticed I do not get stressed out as quickly or as often as I used to.
I acknowledge when I am stressed and look for small ways to release it. Completing one small task often helps and I am learning to be thankful in all circumstances.
While I am currently not making any headway on an exercise plan, I do stay active chasing and playing with my preschoolers in the mornings. I bake, read and play the piano when I am able to. I like to spend time on Pinterest to help find ideas for my classroom, faith journey and the reworking of my craft room.
I love this PLAN for stress management. I always love acronyms as an easy way to get through something and stress is certainly something I struggle with.
What a great PLAN! I think creating resolutions that you can keep & managing your stress is SO important! I know I really need to work on that. One thing I really love is my Day Designer planner. It has a section for yearly goals and then it breaks it down to six and three months (where you should be on accomplishing your goals). My goals are to save money, pay off the rest of our credit cards and be healthier and get stronger this year!
Those are great goals, Alex. It sounds like your planner is a great tool to help you get there.
I love Planners! I'm trying the Happy Planner this year. It has a space at the beginning of the month for goals and plans. Best of luck with your goals this year!
I love this! I've struggled with stress a lot and these are great tips!
Is it OK to Monetize Your Christian Blog?


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text:
Home Sport Article
Needham Market top goalscorer Joe Marsden is fully focused on bid to gatecrash Southern League play-offs ahead of Halesown Town's visit
By Russell Claydon
russell.claydon@iliffepublishing.co.uk
Needham Market's Joe Marsden is within sight of his best-ever goals tally, despite alternating between defence and midfield, but he would happily surrender that for a run of points.
The 25-year-old has been revelling in more game time since leaving Leiston in the summer and sits at the top of the Marketmen's goal charts with 18 (15 league) after scoring twice in the 3-2 defeat at Evo-Stik League Premier Division Central leaders Kettering Town on Saturday.
His best return came at Wroxham where he managed 25, with the utility player having also being used in a substantial amount of games at full-back that season.
Football - Kettering Vs Needham .Joe Marsden celebrates his second goal of the day ..Photographer Ben Pooley. (7021701)
But although he would like to see if he can break new territory at a higher level this term, it comes very much secondary to the team's pursuit of a play-off place.
"I have always backed myself and to be on 18 playing out wide and full-back throughout the season is really pleasing, but if we are not winning games the goals do not mean as much," he said.
"I'd much rather us get three points than me score two goals and us not get any."
That was the situation on Saturday where only an injury-time goal prevented Needham coming away from the leaders with a point for their efforts.
Aaron O'Connor had given the Poppies the lead before Marsden's curling effort on the stroke of half-time.
O'Connor fired in his second in the 72nd minute for the dominant hosts.
Marsden's penalty soon after looked to have rescued the Suffolk visitors a point, but the Poppies scored a third in injury time through Lindon Meikle.
After Biggleswade Town moved back into 5th on Tuesday, it leaves Needham 7th and four points off the play-offs, having played a game more, ahead of hosting second-bottom Halesowen Town tomorrow (3pm). Their visitors ended a five-game winless run on Saturday.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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text:
Q: getting only one item from decoding json response iOS I've a response from MapBox API. I want to store each Feature object of features array in a array then want to display from that array to table view.
{
type: "FeatureCollection",
query: [
    "u"
],
features: [{
        id: "country.19678805456372290",
        type: "Feature",
        place_type: [
            "country"
        ],
        relevance: 1,
        properties: {
            wikidata: "Q30",
            short_code: "us"
        },
        text: "United States",
        place_name: "United States",
        matching_text: "US",
        matching_place_name: "US",
        bbox: [
            -179.9,
            18.8163608007951,
            -66.8847646185949,
            71.4202919997506
        ],
        center: [
            -97.9222112121185,
            39.3812661305678
        ],
        geometry: {
            type: "Point",
            coordinates: [
                -97.9222112121185,
                39.3812661305678
            ]
        }
    },
    {
        id: "country.12405201072814600",
        type: "Feature",
        place_type: [
            "country"
        ],
        relevance: 1,
        properties: {
            wikidata: "Q145",
            short_code: "gb"
        },
        text: "United Kingdom",
        place_name: "United Kingdom",
        bbox: [
            -8.74974065661991,
            49.802416901086,
            1.86276379960989,
            60.9093517989553
        ],
        center: [
            -2.36966957036279,
            54.2379333607472
        ],
        geometry: {
            type: "Point",
            coordinates: [
                -2.36966957036279,
                54.2379333607472
            ]
        }
    },
    {
        id: "country.11702916565595680",
        type: "Feature",
        place_type: [
            "country"
        ],
        relevance: 1,
        properties: {
            wikidata: "Q878",
            short_code: "ae"
        },
        text: "United Arab Emirates",
        place_name: "United Arab Emirates",
        bbox: [
            51.4160146192147,
            22.6282410017159,
            56.4814183948386,
            26.094609499407
        ],
        center: [
            54.2561723713588,
            23.8520599823879
        ],
        geometry: {
            type: "Point",
            coordinates: [
                54.2561723713588,
                23.8520599823879
            ]
        }
    },
    {
        id: "country.11871993712476590",
        type: "Feature",
        place_type: [
            "country"
        ],
        relevance: 1,
        properties: {
            wikidata: "Q212",
            short_code: "ua"
        },
        text: "Ukraine",
        place_name: "Ukraine",
        bbox: [
            22.1375690033684,
            44.3152913001972,
            40.2255909904191,
            52.3793529890401
        ],
        center: [
            31.3202829593814,
            49.3227937844972
        ],
        geometry: {
            type: "Point",
            coordinates: [
                31.3202829593814,
                49.3227937844972
            ]
        }
    },
    {
        id: "country.9140805109496660",
        type: "Feature",
        place_type: [
            "country"
        ],
        relevance: 1,
        properties: {
            wikidata: "Q77",
            short_code: "uy"
        },
        text: "Uruguay",
        place_name: "Uruguay",
        matching_text: "URY",
        matching_place_name: "URY",
        bbox: [
            -58.4891219951353,
            -35.0552819973662,
            -53.1014000735687,
            -30.0855740544354
        ],
        center: [
            -56.012396238658,
            -32.7996455126793
        ],
        geometry: {
            type: "Point",
            coordinates: [
                -56.012396238658,
                -32.7996455126793
            ]
        }
    }
],
attribution: "NOTICE: © 2021 Mapbox and its suppliers. All rights reserved. Use of this data is subject to the Mapbox Terms of Service (https://www.mapbox.com/about/maps/). This response and the information it contains may not be retained. POI(s) provided by Foursquare."

}
So, I create a model like this -
 struct Response: Codable {
      var features: [Feature]
 }

 struct Feature: Codable {
      var id: String!
      var type: String?
      var matching_place_name: String?
      var place_name: String?
      var geometry: Geometry
      var center: [Double]
      var properties: Properties
 }

 struct Geometry: Codable {
      var type: String?
      var coordinates: [Double]
 }

 struct Properties: Codable {
      var address: String?
 }

And Write this code -
var suggestedPlacenames: NSMutableArray = []
func doShowSuggestion(usersQuery: String) {
    let urlString = "\(mapbox_api)\(usersQuery).json?access_token=\(mapbox_access_token)"
    let url = URL(string: urlString)
    let task = URLSession.shared.dataTask(with: url!) { (data, response, error) in
         guard let data = data, error == nil else {
            print("Error in URLSeesion")
            return
        }
        if let result = try? JSONDecoder().decode(Response.self, from: data) {
            self.suggestedPlacenames.add(result)
            print(self.suggestedPlacenames.count)
        } else {}

But by this I always get 1 length from self.suggestedPlacenames whatever the length of the response in features. How can I get each features object separately in self.suggestedPlacenames?

A: In your code :
self.suggestedPlacenames.add(result)

You add only one element to your array.
You must append the an array.
// declare as an array of features
var suggestedPlacenames = [Feature]()

self.suggestedPlacenames.append(contentsOf: result.features)

or
self.suggestedPlacenames += result.features

A: You need to delcare
var allFeatures = [Feature]()
do {
   let result = try JSONDecoder().decode(Response.self, from: data)
   self.allFeatures = result.features
   print(self.allFeatures.count)
 }
catch {
   print(error)
}

Then

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
New Zealand NZ to require pre-flight COVID tests for Australian travellers
NZ to require pre-flight COVID tests for Australian travellers
New Zealand is further tightening travel rules for people heading across the Tasman from Australia. Photo: Getty
New Zealand will now require Australian travellers to produce a negative test for COVID-19 if they have recently been to Victoria.
COVID-19 Minister Chris Hipkins announced the new measure on Friday for anyone who has been in Victoria between May 20 and 25.
"While we don't see these travellers who have left Victoria prior to 25 May as a major risk to New Zealand, we want to ensure the risk is reduced as much as possible," Mr Hipkins said.
"A negative pre-departure test can give us a higher degree of confidence that a person will not be infectious upon arrival in New Zealand."
The travellers will need to take the test and return a negative result within three days of catching their trans-Tasman flight.
They include Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who is due to travel to NZ on Sunday for talks with his Kiwi counterpart, Jacinda Ardern. Mr Morrison's visit had been in jeopardy, because he visited Melbourne on May 20.
Mr Hipkins has told New Zealand media that Mr Morrison and his crew have already returned negative tests.
"His travel plans would not be affected," he said.
On Tuesday, NZ suspended quarantine-free travel from Victoria in response to the growing number of community cases. The outbreak that has thrown Victoria into a seven-day lockdown grew to 30 infections on Friday.
Roughly 5000 travellers from Victoria made it to New Zealand in the five days before the border closure.
Those people have been ordered to isolate and produce a negative test before they can return to the community.
New Zealand's border closure is in place until at least next Friday, June 4.
Australians from other states and territories who have not been at locations of interest remain free to travel to New Zealand.
New Zealand Scott Morrison
COVID patient transferred to Darwin ICU


Inst Nacl Pesquisas Espaciais, Lab Associado Sensores & Mat, LAS, BR-12201970 Sao Jose Dos Campos, Brazil Linkoping Univ, Dept Phys & Measurement Technol, S-58183 Linkoping, Sweden Univ Fed Rio Grande Sul, Inst Fis, BR-91501970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil CUNY City Coll, Dept Phys, New York, NY 10031 USA.
The electrical resistivity of the shallow double-donor system Si:P,Bi, prepared by ion implantation, was investigated in the temperature range from 1.7 to 300 K. Good agreement was obtained between the measured resistivities and resistivities calculated by a generalized Drude approach for the same temperatures and dopant concentrations. The critical impurity concentration for the metal-nonmetal transition for the double-doped Si:P,Bi system was found to lie between the critical concentrations of the two single-doped systems, Si:P and Si:Bi. [S0163-1829(99)11747-8].


There's something about X Ambassadors that makes you instantly want to dance. Grounded in hard rock, their sound stretches into soulful dimensions, giving it a unique edge all their own. With the debut of their full-length album, VHS, the New York-based Alternative outfit propels themselves onto the Rock scene through every note. The lead singer's high energy presence and guitarist Sam Harris' skillful musicianship are infectious, the ultimate crowd pleaser.
I first discovered the band back in 2012 while living in Virginia. The local alternative radio station, 96X discovered a group called "The Ambassadors" and I have to say I was intrigued. They began playing a track called "Litost" that quickly became a local favorite. They had such a big following in the area that the band was invited to open for The Lumineers, a current addiction of mine. I've been to more concerts than I can count but there was something special about that night as I stood in awe of this opening act. Fast Forward to summer of 2015 and X Ambassadors have come such a long way. They're drawing large crowds at festivals all over the country and getting national recognition for their new singles that have now manifested into VHS.
This album breaks all the rules, redefining what alternative rock is meant to be. The combination of rock, soul, and electronic elements gives the audience an entirely distinct listening experience. The record brings plenty of catchy hooks mixed with strong guitars and keyboard tones. I honestly can't think of another artist to compare them to. Sam's voice is similar to Bruce Springsteen yet the music is in a whole different place, let alone time warp. Label mates, Imagine Dragons and Jamie N Commons both are featured on the album, in case you wanted any other reason to check it out. VHS is already gaining a lot of attention from the singles "Renegades" and "Jungle," both of which have been featured in national commercials for Beats Headphones and Jeep, giving the guys a whole new way to reach new fans.
What I love about this album is how it covers every mood. The versatility of an album is such a rare find but they executed it flawlessly. "Jungle" is a powerful anthem that has hip-hop influence and on the complete opposite end of the spectrum, "Unsteady" is an emotional ballad that really hits home. Harris says he wanted VHS to feel like a movie as it tells the coming-of-age story of kids trying to escape their small upstate New York town. There are small sequences of family videos woven in-between each song that connect listeners to the artists at hand; a completely new concept to me. All of which culminates in the band members telling their own story of how they made it out of the clutches of their small town to the success they are at today.


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Bahamas native living in North Carolina sends care packages home after Dorian
Hurricane Dorian: How to help those affected by the hurricane
By WSOCTV.com
A Bahamas native living in Charlotte, North Carolina, is working to put together care packages for anyone in need after Hurricane Dorian.
Mary Morgan said a lot of her family is still on the islands but said thankfully, none of her family was hurt during the storm. However, she said she knows so many others who weren't as fortunate and that's why she wanted to help.
Morgan, along with her daughter and husband, packed up 50 bins Sunday that contain basic necessities like soap, towels, toothbrushes and lotion.
She first started collecting donations from friends and family, but when she saw how many people wanted to help, she said she decided to open it up to the public with a GoFundMe page.
Morgan said for some people who receive these packages, it may be the only thing they own.
"I just felt like I really wanted to be a part of assisting these families because there's nothing like never having to depend on anybody for anything and then all of a sudden, you lose everything in a blink of an eye," said Morgan.
Morgan will be bringing supplies to the Bahamian Consulate in Atlanta in a week, where they will be shipped to the island.
At least 43 people have died in the Bahamas, but the death toll is expected to rise as thousands are still missing after Hurricane Dorian hit the islands a week ago as the strongest storm to make landfall there.
WSOCTV.com


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« Voter suppression in Wisconsin
A pronoun lawsuit »
About dignity
Dec 21st, 2019 | By Ophelia Benson
Tags: Maya Forstater
CNN reported on the Forstater ruling and Rowling's shock-horror tweet.
LGBT rights charity Stonewall declined to comment on Rowling's statement, but addressing Forstater's case, a spokesperson told CNN: "This case was about the importance of dignity and respect in the workplace. Trans people are facing huge levels of abuse and discrimination with one in eight (12%) having been attacked while at work in the last year."
What about dignity and respect for women in the workplace? Have we just forgotten all about that whole thing entirely? If so, could that perhaps explain why women aren't entirely ecstatic about the "women are people who identify as women" cult?
More chilling though is what one of the lawyers says:
Commenting on the implications of the ruling, Louise Rea, senior associate at law firm Bates Wells, who advised Forstater's former employers,said in a statement to CNN: "A number of commentators have viewed this case as being about the claimant's freedom of speech.
"Employment Judge Tayler acknowledged that there is nothing to stop the claimant campaigning against the proposed revisions to the Gender Recognition Act or, expressing her opinion that there should be some spaces that are restricted to women assigned female at birth.
"However, she can do so without insisting on calling transwomen men. It is the fact that her belief necessarily involves violating the dignity of others which means it is not protected under the Equality Act 2010."
But trans women are men. Why can't we say so? Why is it called "insisting" when we say so? Why are we being told, by lawyers, that we can't say a true thing about a category of men? How is it that it necessarily violates the dignity of men who "identify as" women to say that they are not in fact women? What about violation of the dignity of women at the hands of men who "identify as" women and force women to agree in the workplace on pain of losing their jobs? Why does the dignity of the men who are saying a thing that is not true matter so much more than the dignity of the women who are saying a thing that is true? Why their dignity at the expense of our dignity?
Incompatible with human dignity
The idea that human dignity is innate
Dignity or prison, those are the choices
The stupidity of dignity
To uphold the dignity of human life
3 Responses to "About dignity"
At what point can we just say fuck off and stop making nonsense up? One in 8 were attacked in the workplace?!? Really? The UK did not report enough 'attacks' in the workplace in total across all populations to make that anywhere close to a coherent statistic if there are anywhere close to as many people in the trans population as Stonewall claims – the Stonewall definition presumably includes non-preferred pronoun use as an 'attack'.
Seth Greylyn
Misgendering when it applies to trans people: a violent affront to human dignity
Misgendering when it applies to butch lesbians: maybe they really *are* men after all, and getting their dust up about getting called a man is itself a violent affront to the human dignity of women who insist they're men
Publicly calling women cunts, luridly detailing fantasies about the violent murder of women, violently disrupting women's political and philosophical fora, and insisting that the entire world has a moral duty to (against the evidence of their own eyes) recite the received wisdom of obvious narcissistic bullies who claim that they are simply acting out of basic empathy for the most vulnerable people in the history of the world: fine
Am I playing the game right?
Lady Mondegreen
I certainly don't believe that 1 in 8 claim without evidence.
Unless they're using the word "attacked" to mean "misgendered" or at worst "rolled their eyes at me".
I'm certainly not inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt. The Transgender movement is The Boy Who Cried Wolf at this point. They lie about statistics all the time.


Making use of the Mail app to log in and sync up with email services like Gmail and Outlook has become very simple on the iPhone due to its easy to use OS. This is quite obvious with iOS 11 and though the exact procedure to do this is different from previous versions, it's still easy to accomplish.
Adding a new email account in iOS 11 is a little different from iOS 10. Before all you had to do was go to Mail from Settings and then tap on Accounts to access the option to add a new email. It was even possible to do so from the Calendar or Contacts settings.
However, in the new iOS 11, the Accounts tab is no longer in the Mail settings or in Contacts or Calendar. Instead, there is a new menu named 'Accounts & Passwords'. That's the only major change we see and adding accounts is still pretty much the same.
The first thing you need to do is open the Settings app on your iPhone and go to 'Accounts & Passwords' which should be right at the end of the list of options. Once there, simply go to 'Add Account' and select the email service you would like to add.
After selecting your preferred email service it is a simple matter of following on-screen instructions to sign in with your email and pass. The kind of permission prompts that will appear depends on the service you choose as well as making you aware of various application permissions that will be required.
Once you tap yes to all prompts you will see your accounts settings page and there will be the option to choose which apps can be accessed and sync with them. These can include Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, and Notes. After you have chosen which apps you want to sync your email with, select Save to end.
The procedure is as simple as that and if you ever feel the need to go back to your account's app permission settings, you can do so by accessing the 'Accounts and Passwords' option. From there just select your email and go through its settings page.
Next articleHow to Disable Screenshot Thumbnail Preview in iOS 11?


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What's it really like to be a property agent in the Cote d'Azur? Find out here…
Discover the answer in my interview with a Cote d'Azur-based property agent and why her dream job might suit you too!
Figure 1: A typical Cote d'Azur home that Leggett agent Jennie Tombs has in her "stable" of properties for sale
The answer to the question "what's it really like to be a property agent in an area of the world where many people dream of living" can only truly be answered by someone who has such a dream job. That person is Jennie Tombs who has been a property agent in the Cote d'Azur for almost four years with Leggett, the award-winning property agency, voted Best Estate Agency in France.
I recently had a chat with Jennie about her life, her background, what made her chose the Cote d'Azur as a place to work and why she would encourage anyone thinking of changing career, or developing their property career in France, to move to the Cote d'Azur.
Figure 2: Cote d'Azur property agent, Jennifer Tombs
Isabelle: "Jennie, what did you do before you worked with Leggett?"
Jennie: "I have a background in finance. I worked in London until 2004, when I moved to the Haute Savoie in the French Alps to open a restaurant. We didn't think twice when the opportunity came up to move to France.
Isabelle: "Why did you move from Haute Savoie to Provence?"
Jennie: "After eight years in the mountains, we headed south and moved to the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. The sun was calling more than the snow. A move to the South of France has given us the best of two worlds, with beaches and skiing within an hour. Having three children, we know that this was the right decision for us. Seillans, where I live, has a great, welcoming community; the children have settled happily into the local schools and we have many friends. I love this little corner of France: the lifestyle, endless summers and the wine. I can't think of a better place to live and work!"
Figure 3: The medieval village of Seillans in Provence, France
Isabelle: "How would you describe the area where you work as a property agent?"
Jennie: "I work in the Canton de Fayence, situated 35km from the beaches of Cannes and Fréjus, and 65km from Nice Airport. The valley is dotted with beautiful medieval villages, including Bargemon, Seillans, Mons, Fayence, Tourrettes, Saint Paul en Foret and Montauroux, yet we are less than 60km from the nearest ski resort in the Alps Maritimes. There are great transport links to the South of France, with Nice airport servicing both international and low-cost airlines, which are great selling points when I'm showing a potential property buyer the benefits of the area."
Isabelle: "What are the three main reasons that made you decide to become a Leggett agent in the Cote d'Azur?"
Jennie: "Actually there are four main reasons, which are:
I love the area and the people, therefore, I don't need to "sell" it to my clients.
It is one of the most desirable places in France to own a second home.
I work with lots of different international clients, from all walks of life.
Everything is a lot more enjoyable in the sunshine!"
Figure 4: Skiing in the French Alps is just 60km from the Valbonne
Isabelle: "How would you describe your work-life balance in the Valbonne now that you work full-time as a Leggett agent?"
Jennie: "I'm still trying to find the ideal balance! I love the flexibility the job affords because I have children and a dog. However, my nature means I find it hard to turn the job off. The fact that you can be in the mountains skiing one day and on the beach the next makes everything worthwhile."
Isabelle: "As with any place that looks like 'heaven on Earth' to outsiders, I wonder if there are any downsides to working in this part of France?"
Jennie: "The heat; we hit over 40°C this summer!"
Figure 5: The inviting beach at Cannes on the Cote d'Azur
Isabelle: "You could have chosen other companies to work for as a property agent in France. What is it about Leggett that makes you feel you made the right decision almost four years ago?"
Jennie: "I am proud to be part of the Leggett team. I particularly enjoy working for a company that has an excellent reputation and level of professionalism yet still manages to have a family feel. The whole team is supported by our head office staff, who are all very knowledgeable and completely approachable."
Isabelle: "Leggett has a recruitment fare coming up in Valbonne in the Cote d'Azur. If someone came to that fare but was undecided about applying to become a Leggett agent, what would be your number one piece of advice that might persuade them to join the team?"
Jennie: "I would recommend becoming a Leggett agent if you love meeting people, have excellent communication skills and are hardworking. The job fits to your schedule, but there is no doubt about it, you get out what you put in."
Your future too?
Are you looking for a new career path? Would you like the chance to fulfil your potential, working for yourself? Have you ever considered becoming an estate agent in France? Leggett Immobilier is looking to develop its team of agents in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in the South of France, particularly along the coast between Menton and Le Lavandou. Come to the Valbonne recruitment farethis Friday, 22 September and be inspired to change your life just like Jennie did almost four years ago!
This article is sponsored by Leggett Immobilier.


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News \ News \ Scene
Ten things to babble at strangers about this weekend
This week: Jamie Jones, Maceo Plex, Wiley, DJ Fresh, Adam Beyer, Crew Love, Autechre, Matthew Dear, Zedd and more
1. Let's start off in Ibiza this week, with the news that Hot Creations boss Jamie Jones (pictured) will again be holding down a residency at DC10 this summer. Guests lined up to join him for Paradise on Wednesday nights include Route 94, Dubfire, Martinez Brothers, Carl Craig, Stimming, Hot Since 82, Sasha, Nicole Moudaber, Richy Ahmed, The Black Madonna and many more.
2. Sticking with the White Isle for a moment, the line-ups have been announced for Maceo Plex's Mosaic by Maceo parties at Pacha on Tuesday nights. Guests will include Radio Slave, Maya Jane Coles, Roman Flügel, Cobblestone Jazz, DJ Tennis, Bicep, Scuba, Damian Lazarus, Michael Mayer, DJ Koze and Adam Beyer.
3. Speaking of Mr Beyer, congratulations are in order! The Drumcode boss married fellow techno DJ Ida Engberg last weekend - and the happy couple threw an after-party at Berghain for all their friends to celebrate. As you do.
4. Less happy news, sadly, concerning DJ Fresh. The Bad Company co-founder (real name Daniel Stein) revealed on Facebook this week that he's suffering from thyroid cancer, his second bout with the disease. Thankfully he also said that "My prognosis is very, very positive and I'm now in remission," but we're sure iDJ readers will join us in wishing him well anyway.
5. Ministry Of Sound are launching their own one-day festival to mark the iconic south London club's quarter-century. M25 will take place in Trent Country Park in north London on 7 August; details so far are patchy but we do know Erick Morillo and DJ Sneak are on the bill, with lots more names TBA, and that there are stages paying tribute to even more iconic clubs of yore Paradise Garage and Shoom.
6. Albums to look out for include new long-players from Matthew Dear, who'll be releasing his first Audion LP in over a decade next month, Trentemoller and Autechre. Audion's Alpha is out on !K7 on 10 June, Trentemoller's Fixion is due in September, while Autechre surprised fans with week with the release on Warp of a previously unannounced five-part, 21-track album called Elseq 1-5.
7. On the compilations tip, notable new and forthcoming releases include a fifth Collection set from Eskimo Records (The Yellow Collection, out today), a 17-track set of early hip-hop, rap and electro from Soul Jazz (Boombox, 3 June), a collection of Solomun remixes on Diynamic Music (the imaginatively titled Solomun: Selected Remixes 2009-2015, 1 July) and the return of Mark Farina's long-running downtempo series in the form of Mushroom Jazz 8 (22 July)
8. EDM star Zedd is the star of a new feature-length documentary that will premiere at the LA Film Festival on 2 June. Zedd: True Colors is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of his recent second album, also called True Colors.
9. From movies to books, with news that grime legend Wiley is writing his autobiography. The book, title TBA, will be out in November, just after his next album The Godfather which drops in September. There will also, apparently, be a film to coincide with the book that will feature Dizzee Rascal and Crazy Titch.
10. In tour news, the Dirtybird BBQ returns in August, with Justin Martin, Claude VonStroke and Ardalan playing dates in San Francisco, Seattle, New York and Miami, while Crew Love, the collective comprising Wolf+Lamb, Soul Clap and various partners-in-crime will be taking their brand of dirty house to 19 cities in seven countries this summer, including a show in Barcelona on 17 June where they'll be joined by legendary Afrobeat drummer Tony Allen and his band.
Tags: Jamie Jones, DC10, Paradise, Route 94, Dubfire, Martinez Brothers, Carl Craig, Stimming, Hot Since 82, Sasha, Nicole Moudaber, Richy Ahmed, The Black Madonna, Maceo Plex, Pacha, Radio Slave, Maya Jane Coles, Roman Flügel, Cobblestone Jazz, DJ Tennis, Bicep, Scuba, Damian Lazarus, Michael Mayer DJ Koze, Adam Beyer, Drumcode, Ida Engberg, DJ Fresh, Ministry Of Sound, M25, Erick Morillo, DJ Sneak, Paradise Garage, Shoom, Autechre, Matthew Dear, Audion, Trentemoller, Eskimo Records, Soul Jazz, Mark Farina, Mush
Sizz Nickhrome - Raisins Dipped In Honey
The deep house sound of Swaziland
Stimpy – Crispy EP
Dark, moody D&B from Russia via Rotterdam
Various Artists - Maai 2 EP
A six-track V/A from Lis Sarroca's Maai Records


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Sue Ganz-Schmitt is a published author of children's books. A published credit of Sue Ganz-Schmitt is Even Superheroes Get Diabetes.
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Bernardo Silva Talks Title Celebrations, Guardiola's Standards & FA Cup Final
To stand out in a team full of world class superstars takes something extra special, but ask any Manchester City fan this season to pick out a player who epitomises the talent, work rate and intensity of Pep Guardiola's squad and the name Bernardo Silva will be mentioned. As the midfielder looks to cap off the season with a domestic treble we sat down with him for a catch up.
On the back of a relentless charge towards the Premier League title after 14 straight wins to pip Liverpool to the trophy, Silva and his City side face Watford in the FA Cup final on Saturday hoping to become the first club to win all three major English titles in one season. For Silva, it's been a season to remember with influential displays and big game moments throughout.
Bernardo, congratulations on another league title. What were the celebrations like in the changing room after the Brighton game?
They were fantastic. To win the second Premier League title in a row meant so much to us. This season was so intense, so long and difficult because we were head-to-head with such a strong side like Liverpool for the whole time. To come back from that gap of almost ten points in December was amazing, so it was great to celebrate it with everyone on the final game, and now it's time to focus on the FA Cup Final.
You were singing Oasis songs with Noel Gallagher. Was that a bit surreal?
It was so much fun! We know that Noel is a massive City fan and whenever we win he always comes to celebrate with us. He's such an important person, not just for us but English music and Manchester in general so to be singing his songs with him after winning the Premier League title was special.
Today is gonna be the day 🎶💙 pic.twitter.com/4NYMooFdJV
— Bernardo Silva (@BernardoCSilva) May 12, 2019
There's a funny video circulating of the players receiving a City 'Stick of Rock' each from Brighton. You all looked a bit confused…
Yeah, I'll be honest, I thought it was a candle! I was actually doing an interview when everyone was receiving theirs but when I came back in there was lot of confused faces!
Last season you won the Premier League title with 5 games to spare. Is it more rewarding when you win it in more dramatic circumstances like on the final game of the season?
It was more emotional this season because the season was so much more tense because Liverpool were fantastic. Of course, last season was special because we broke all the records in terms of points and goals scored, but to win it on the last game this season after being so far behind in December, and to win it by only one point was unbelievable.
Did you ever feel pressure in those final ten games when Liverpool just kept winning?
Oh, of course. You definitely feel the pressure; I think everyone did. It's a good thing that you feel the pressure, if you didn't feel it then you're not normal. When you see that Liverpool win you just have to accept it and concentrate on your job, keep playing the same way and trust your ability as a team. We won 14 games in a row and that shows how strong this team is.
Most of the time Liverpool played before you. Did you watch their games?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Those are games that we cannot control, so if you get frustrated because they won it can wear you down and feels like you're playing more games than you are if you get so involved. It's much easier if you can stay relaxed and accept that you have to win your own games. Of course, it would have been nice if they dropped points, but they didn't, and we had to stay focused.
Sorry for being a champion, again.
Bernardo#DareToCreate #createdwithadidas @adidasfootball pic.twitter.com/41xKvppXZh
You had to win your final 14 games to win the league. Does that show how much mental strength this group of players has?
Yeah, I think so. To get 100 points last season and then retain the title by continuing to play at the same intensity is just a great achievement. It shows that even after a great season that this team still has the hunger to want more and to always be ambitious to win more titles. I think that mindset is what makes a top team, and hopefully next season we will keep it that way and try and go for even more success.
How would you describe the confidence that Guardiola gives this squad? How high are his standards?
He has a huge amount of trust in us and he knows that we trust him too. We like the way that we play so when that happens it becomes easier. When you have a manager like Pep it shows, and he's always pushing us harder to get better every day.
Guardiola has said that you were the best player in the Premier League this season. What does it mean to you when you hear him say that?
I don't know about that! What I know is that I'm very happy with the season that I've had so far, and I want to keep improving. I want to be better next season and I think I can be. I'm happy, I'm a Premier League champion for two consecutive years! 2 League Cups and a Community Shield with an FA Cup Final to come, it's been a dream so far.
Guardiola is often described as a perfectionist. Would you agree with that?
Yes, yes, yes. No doubts about that. He's never satisfied and that's a good thing. Even if we win by five or six goals, he always thinks that we can do better and he's always trying to find ways to improve and that's what makes him such an amazing manager. To be that demanding but also to create such a positive team spirit is a skill.
You have the Nations League in June but then you finally have some time off. How will you spend it?
I'll enjoy it with my family and friends and begin to prepare well for next season. I need some rest; it's been a long season and it's so important to chill out and begin to look ahead to new objectives for the new season.
It'll be nice to get some sun. When you arrived at Manchester Airport to sign for City you were wearing pink beach shorts and it was a grim day. Bet you haven't had much chance to wear them here…
No, never! I haven't worn them once! When I was moving to Manchester, I knew it would be cold but I thought in July and August it would be nice. I came straight from Ibiza and immediately realised I was wrong!
Before you get that holiday you've got the FA Cup final. A chance to be the first team to win all three English titles in one season. What would it mean to do that?
It would mean a lot to win the four titles. I say four because of the Community Shield too. If we do it it'll be the first time a team has achieved that and that's what this team is all about; we want to do big things, things that other teams have never done before. We want to make history.
Everything feels possible with this City team. Is that a feeling you and the players share?
Absolutely. We want to do even better next season and we want to win the Champions League, that's not something we're trying to hide. It's a target for us. This team is so hungry, you saw last season after winning the league the next task was to reach 100 points. When you have a team this young, we all want to be relentless.
Bernardo Silva will be wearing the adidas Nemeziz 19+ in the FA Cup final. Shop the full Nemeziz 19 collection at prodirectsoccer.com
adidas Nemeziz 19+ www.prodirectsoccer.com
adidas Predator 19+ www.prodirectsoccer.com
adidas X 19+ www.prodirectsoccer.com
adidas COPA 19+ www.prodirectsoccer.com
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Photography | 5 January 2018


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Syria and the National Interest
By Patrick J. Buchanan • August 30, 2016, 12:05 AM
Valentina Petrov / Shutterstock.com
The debacle that is U.S. Syria policy is today on naked display.
NATO ally Turkey and U.S.-backed Arab rebels this weekend attacked our most effective allies against ISIS, the Syrian Kurds.
Earlier in August, U.S. planes threatened to shoot down Syrian planes over Hasakeh, and our Iraq-Syria war commander, Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, issued a warning to Syria and Russia against any further air strikes around the city.
Who authorized Gen. Townsend to threaten to shoot down Syrian or Russian planes — in Syria?
When did Congress authorize an American war in Syria? Is the Constitution now inoperative?
That we are sinking into a civil war where we sometimes seem to be fighting both sides is a tribute to the fecklessness of the Barack Obama-John Kerry foreign policy and the abdication of a Congress that refuses to either name our real enemy or authorize our deepening involvement.
Our Congress appears again to have abdicated its war powers.
Consider the forces that have turned Syria into a charnel house with 400,000 dead and millions injured, maimed, and uprooted.
On the one side there is the regime of Bashar Assad and its allies — Hezbollah, Iran and Russia. Damascus buys its weapons from Moscow and has granted Russia its sole naval base in the Mediterranean. And Vladimir Putin protects his interests and stands by his friends.
To Iran, the Alawite regime of Assad is a strategic link in the Shia crescent that runs from Tehran to Baghdad to Damascus to South Beirut and Lebanon's border with Israel.
If Syria falls to Sunni rebels, Islamist or democratic, that would mean a strategic loss for Russia, Iran and Hezbollah, which is why all have invested so much time, blood and treasure in this war.
If they are going to lose Syria, Assad, Iran, Hezbollah and the Russians are probably going to go down fighting. And should we decide to fight a war to take them down, we would find ourselves with such de facto allies as ISIS and the al-Nusra Front, an affiliate of al-Qaida.
Have the hawks who want us to target Assad considered this?
The American people would never sustain such a war in the company of such allies, with its risks of escalation, to remove Assad, who, whatever we think of him, never terrorized Americans or threatened U.S. vital interests.
Years ago, Assad dismissed Obama's demand that he surrender power, then defied Obama's "red line" against the use of chemical weapons. He is not going to depart because some U.S. president tells him he must go.
As for the Syrian Kurds, the YPG, they have sealed much of the border with Turkey and fought their way ever closer to Raqqa, the capital of the ISIS caliphate. But what has elated the Americans has alarmed the Turks.
For the YPG not only drove ISIS out of the border towns all the way to the Euphrates; this summer, with U.S. backing, they crossed the river and seized Manbij.
Turkey's fear is that the Syrian Kurds will link their cantons east of the Euphrates with their canton west of the river and create a statelet that could give Turkey's Kurds a privileged sanctuary from which to pursue their 30-year struggle for independence.
If, when the war ends in Syria, the YPG is occupying all the borderlands, Ankara faces a long-term existential threat of dismemberment.
After recent terrorist attacks on his country, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recognizes that ISIS is a monster with which he cannot live. Thus, this weekend, he sent tanks and Arab troops to drive ISIS out of the Syrian border town of Jarablus.
Now Turkish troops and their Arab allies are moving further south into Syria to expel the Kurds from Manbij. Joe Biden, visiting Turkey, told the Kurds to get out of Manbij and back across the river.
How does the U.S. protect its interests while avoiding a deeper involvement in this war?
First, recognize that ISIS and the al-Nusra Front are our primary enemies in Syria, not Assad or Russia. Geostrategists may be appalled, but the Donald may have gotten it right. If the Russians are willing to fight to crush ISIS, to save Assad, be our guest.
Second, oppose any removal of Assad unless and until we are certain he will not be replaced by an Islamist regime.
Third, we should assure the Turks we will keep the Kurds east of the Euphrates and not support any Kurdish nation-state that involves any secession from Turkey.
America's best and wisest course is to stop this slaughter that is killing a thousand Syrians a week, use our forces in concert with any and all allies to annihilate the Nusra Front and ISIS, keep the Kurds and Turks apart, effect a truce if we can, and then get out. It's not our war.
Patrick J. Buchanan is a founding editor of The American Conservative and the author of book The Greatest Comeback: How Richard Nixon Rose From Defeat to Create the New Majority.
Marco Rubio's Absurd Foreign Policy
16 Responses to Syria and the National Interest
There's not much to contend with here for me.
Besides the usual complaint about Sec Clinton and her interventionist pals who advancing destabilization as policy I think this gets to matter at hand.
I would like to give the executive a hard time. But its now clear that his policy ambitions were undermined by those he brought on board. He will have to live with those choices.
JEinCA says:
Of course we should stay out of it. Had we stayed out of it in the first place maybe this horrific civil war Syria has endured might have never happened. It was Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the warmongering Senator McCain and their neocon bedfellows who wanted regime change in Damascus and saw the supposedly democratic "Arab Spring" as the perfect opportunity to fund and arm Sunni Islamist psychopaths and set them loose on Syrian soil. Of course Israel had a hand in it to get rid of an old enemy and to weaken Hezbollah and thus weaken Iran. The Wahhabist monarchies in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE saw an opportunity to weaken Iran and to deliver Syria to Sunni Islamic rule. The Turks saw an opportunity to plant their flag in former Ottoman lands and gain influence in the Sunni Muslim world while doing the bidding of their NATO allies. Bristol, Kagan, Wolfowitz are spitting mad that Russia derailed their plans.
That's quite possibly why the neocon's poster girl Victoria Nuland was at the center of the Ukrainian coup in 2014 that has brought us to the brink of war with the nuclear armed Russian Federation.
Kurt Gayle says:
The US has no "primary enemies in Syria" – none – and it is not in the US national interest to "use our forces in concert with any and all allies to annihilate" such imagined "primary enemies" of the US.
Neither is it in the US national interest to "use our forces" to sort out ISIS and Assad – the Kurds and the Turks – or any other Middle East players.
Rather than follow Pat's three-point to-do list for deeper US involvement – and "use our forces in concert with any and all allies" before the US finally begins to try to leave this quagmire – it is in our national interest to GET OUT NOW!
It's in our national interest to take the trillions of dollars that we've been wasting on these endless, counter-productive Middle East wars and to spend that money on REBUILDING AMERICA!
"America's best and wisest course is to stop this slaughter that is killing a thousand Syrians a week, use our forces in concert with any and all allies to annihilate the Nusra Front and ISIS, keep the Kurds and Turks apart, effect a truce if we can"
Very easy to say, but precisely how does Mr. Buchanan propose to do all this?
Joseph M. says:
Thank you sir. Conveying such a well crafted explanation of the US foreign policy fiasco to the electorate may be the key to defeating the former Sect. of State with the points:
1. US foreign policy is far too complex for any neocon Wolfowitz strategy.
2. Insofar as provoking Russia threatens global thermonuclear war, where everyone anywhere on earth ultimately loses, there is no wisdom in this sort of neocon strategy. Recall the effect that threat had on the Goldwater campaign of yesteryear. One televised commercial fits the bill.
3. The electorate should see the Secretary of State credential as a deterrent rather than anything indicating competency.
If the mainstream media cannot keep foreign policy off the table, the electorate just might sense that we should fear giving the nuclear trigger codes to the neocon former Sect. rather than to her opponent.
It was obvious from the beginning that the huge majority of Syrian rebels were genocidal jihadists. And their cause quickly became a world-wide jihadist cause, drawing 10s of thousands of foreign fighters. Our own government encouraged and supported these groups along with most other middle east Sunni governments, including Turkey. Its another classic case of a snake biting its handler. Time to support the Syrian government, Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah in their struggle against them. Not with direct military intervention, but with moral and material support. And its time to kick Turkey out of NATO, tell them and the other Sunni states to back out of Syria altogether, and no longer consider them our allies.
Of course; but discounted it immediately; as Israel has told them to…..Israel wants the US to hit Assad; not ISIS; just today their think tank acknowledge as much….
Rather than trying to establish an impossible truce; we should just GET THE HELL OUT NOW.
LarryS says:
The problem is that Syria sits on land that God promised to Abraham. Genesis 15:18
Ken Hoop says:
Larry, the Abrahamic Covenant was conditional-that is the traditional Christian doctrine, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant Reformed.
The condition after the Resurrection was conversion to Christianity.
JohnG says:
I agree with Mr. Gayle. I don't see any natural enemies here either, just a bunch of communities which can no longer live in the straightjacket imposed on them by Britain and France back in the day when they were superpowers.
I support just getting out of that nightmare and, if anything, offering diplomatic help in drawing the new boundaries, whether in a federalized Syria or outright breakup.
Everybody needs some safe space to live an no major ethnic group can tolerate being dominated by others any longer. That obviously holds for the Kurds and "Assad-ites" bit also, and very importantly, for the Sunni Arabs. Left at the mercy of the other two, they tend to turn to the most militant/extreme force, which is unfortunately a very unsavory bunch. Bombing them only aggravates the Sunni grievances and I really see no point, even if this is sold under the label of "fighting ISIS." Heck, if the Sunnis want to be ruled by Islamists for a while in order to recognize that this can only bring misery and oppression, so be it, why should we care?
Finally, Turkey is not facing an existential threat. If France could lose and not just survive but actually prosper after losing Algeria why should the loss of Kurdistan be a threat to Turkey. It will be painful but they'll get over it, can't stop history.
PS As the map of the ME gets redrawn, it will increasingly look like a quilt of different communities, languages, religions, a place in which Israel can finally have some justified hope for long-term peace and coexistence? Even more reason to get out and seek diplomatic solution among local groups and their external supporters, and everyone should give up something and get something in return. My 2c.
@JEinCA, thank you for your comment. It is more sincere than Patrick Buchanan's politically correct piece. Yes, "Had we stayed out of it in the first place maybe this horrific civil war Syria has endured might have never happened."
LouisM says:
Wasn't it Noam Chomsky that convinced Bush for massive regime change in the middle east thru military force and the shift to democracy.
Well now instead of Saddam and Assad we have ISIS/ISIL. Instead of a secular Turkey and Egypt, we have muslim brotherhood. Instead of a stable Libya we have north Africa in turmoil.
If the moderate muslims flee then who will be the moderate voice of reform to bring stability to these nations, who will have the knowledge and the skill to run the govt and the private sector.
If the radical militant muslims flee to Europe and bring with them their desire to murder, maim, assault, etc anyone who does not follow Islam and Sharia then Europe will be in civil war.
What is the real source? It is said that with Obama it is using Iran to act as a counterweight to Saudi Arabia.
It is said that with Noam Chomsky his seductive tongue said peace and democratization of the middle east but it really supported Israeli expansion and the weakening of Israels neighbors thru war and depopulation. Better they focus on civil war than focus on Israel's destruction.
It was sad that Iraq and Afghanistan and Pakistan were targeted to surround Iran.
If it was Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan yesterday; followed by civil strike in Egypt, civil war in Libya/Tunisia and now civil war in Syria…that only leaves Lebanon, Jordan and Saudi Arabia untouched. something tells me…not for much longer.
Thymoleontas says:
Fourth… Pull the plug on our support of client states who are in turn patrons of ISIS and company…
"Who authorized Gen. Townsend to threaten to shoot down Syrian or Russian planes — in Syria?" "When did Congress authorize an American war in Syria? Is the Constitution now inoperative?"
Excellent questions. Apparently, you presume that we are still operating as a democracy and not as a fascist, interventionist, imperialist state on behalf of war profiteers and unsavory allies like apartheid Israel and Wahhabi Saudi Arabia.
The neocon/Israel firsters: Paul Wolfowitz's 'preemptive strike' (illegal war of aggression) doctrine; Richard Perle and Robert Kagan's "Project for a New American Century" (PNAC); and the Israeli "Oded Yinon Plan," among others, are all focused on 'regime change' for Israel's Middle East neighbors and the balkanization of these countries through manufactured ethnic divisions and preemptive war.
In the case of Syria this is particularly awful because Syria is a secular, integrated country where citizens from many different cultures and religions have lived together in relative peace for eons.
Syria is Iraq "deja vu all over again" for the neocons. Only this time, as hard as they tried, they couldn't get American soldiers to give up their lives for their sick, illegal 'regime change scheme. Instead, they got the CIA to arm, fund, and train poor mercenaries from around the globe to gather in Jordan and Turkey and cross Turkey's border and fight illegally in the sovereign country of Syria.
It is because Syrians overwhelmingly like and are loyal to their democratically elected President Assad, and love their country, they have fought so valiantly against these mercenary jihadi invaders. Syrians have been fighting for almost six years.
Recall US Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill's description of the beating war drums for regime change in Iraq: "From the very beginning, there was a conviction that Saddam Hussein was a bad person and that he needed to go.…It was about: What we can do to change this regime? Day one, these things were laid out and sealed."
Ditto Syria. From day one it was "Assad has to go." "Assad has to go." "Assad has to go." Well, what for? Why? Isn't he keeping the lid on Syria that is home to some of the greatest ancient architecture on the planet? Perhaps the fact that 90% of our media has now been consolidated down to just six corporations has something to do with the neocon's ability to stay "on message" in their dirty effort to con the American public into another stupid Middle East war.
Also, our CIA has been spending over $1 billion annually training (in Jordan) and arming these jihadi head-chopping, woman-raping, liver-eating, 'moderate' rebels with our US taxpayer's dollars. What is going on here? We have a deficit that just exceeded 19 trillion dollars! The annual interest payments on our deficit will equal what we pay for BOTH Medicare and Social Security. Think about that. There's nothing like wars combined with tax cuts that takes down a country. I see the tripling of our military budget as an existential threat to ourselves. Whoever is behind these unnecessary wars combined with tax cuts is destroying our country.
Thank goodness for Russia! Let the Russians take care of ISIS. After all, the Russians are the only ones in Syria LEGALLY.
With "friends" like Israel and Saudi Arabia, who needs enemies?
philadelphialawyer says:
I agree with KG. Our national interest is best served by minding our own business. Who runs Syria just doesn't matter to us.
I would also point out that we have no moral right to decide that question either.
James ben Goy says:
The simple fact is some places need a Sadaam to maintain order. Or an Assad. This warning has repeatedly been made by highly qualified observers. My favorite, Sir Richard Burton, stated Arab youths were 'turbulent.' I would add to that every other aggrieved young male in much of the world today. The trend is not promising