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Cuba, Capital of Solidarity
April 1, 2020 Elio Delgado Legon	7 Comments
By Elio Delgado Legon
Cuban doctors arriving at a hospital in Andorra. Photo: Diari d´Andorra
HAVANA TIMES – "If Cuba carries on like this, it will be the capital of unity." This was the statement Pope Francis made in February 2016, after his historic meeting in Havana, with his Holiness Kirill, Patriach of Moscow and all of Russia.
And Pope Francis wasn't wrong. Cuba is the capital of unity, solidarity and humanism, there's no doubt about it.
It was unconceivable that Cuba would follow the suit of many other countries, including the US, and deny the British cruise ship MS Braemar entry to its port, which had five confirmed cases of COVID-19 onboard and some 40 potential cases. It was a simple operation if protocols established for these extraordinary situations were complied with: take them off the cruise ship, take them to the airport and put them on charter flights back to the UK. It was a success.
There were people who were against the cruise ship docking in a Cuban port. Some were genuinely concerned, others were being malicious, when they refused Cuba's solidarity in this instance. I wonder: Could Cuba really cease to show solidarity to this group of humans, many of whom would die out at sea if they didn't receive any help?
Cuba will never stop showing solidarity to those who ask for help. And this appeal for help came from the British government no less, certain that Cuba wouldn't fail them, like so many others had.
As I write this piece, over 40 countries have asked Cuba to send medical aid to help fight COVID-19 and brigades have already left for 15 countries, mainly in Latin America and the Caribbean, although a brigade of Cuban doctors was also sent to the Lombardy region in Italy and another to Andorra.
The US government's attitude is outrageous and sometimes hard to define, but it is pressuring other countries to refuse Cuba's solidarity during this global pandemic and its own grim situation.
Recent weeks have been emotionally overwhelming, because in spite of the US government's miserable attitude, there have been many messages of thanks from other countries where Cuba has sent doctors in an act of solidarity.
Ever since 1963, over 450,000 doctors have helped other countries and saved over 7 million lives across the globe. Thousands of doctors, nurses and other health professionals are always ready to go anywhere they are requested. When there was the Ebola virus epidemic in Africa, over 12,000 people were willing to fight the disease, even when they knew the risks this entailed, which emphasises the Cuban people's and medical professionals' spirit of solidarity and altruism.
Many of these messages of gratitude have come from Lombardy, in Italy, where a brigade of Cuban doctors are working. One said the following: "It is with a lot of pride and admiration that we have a brigade of Cuban doctors and nurses here to help our country; now, every newspaper will speak well about Cuba, let's hope that given the current situation, the world can be a little more proper and sincere with a country that has always shown a lot of solidarity with other countries."
Another message points out that "in spite of the serious difficulties caused by the US' criminal blockade on the island over many years, Cuba has helped countries with a great deal of generosity and represents what a socialist society is today more than ever before."
Of course there is no denying that Cuban aid workers are working in adverse circumstances right now, at risk of becoming infected themselves, but determined to help the countries they have gone to, which are already 15 as part of the Henry Reeve contingent, as well as professionals already in other countries, who have joined the fight against COVID-19.
In a few weeks or months, the COVID-19 pandemic will just be a sad memory, because of the thousands of lives it is taking, but many countries will remember Cuba as the capital of solidarity.
← Standing Tall during the Coronavirus Outbreak
Times of Quarantine →
7 thoughts on "Cuba, Capital of Solidarity"
Carlyle MacDuff
Douglas W Runyon will undoubtedly read more from Elio Delgado Legon. The Propaganda Department of the Communist Party of Cuba has limitless resources and Elio mirrors it's spoutings with remarkable precision!
Douglas W Runyon
I am glad to see Elio back and look forward to more from him.
"Thousands of doctors, nurses and other health professionals are always ready to go anywhere they are requested."
Do they have any choice? After all, their education was fully paid by the Cuban government so they "owe" a significant debt to their master. And, the government is more than happy to advertise their medical services around the world to whichever country asks. Of course, the government reaps the financial reward for such required services while the front line medical staff receive a small fraction and risk their lives.
Some – many? – even decide not to return to the "capital of unity" so to speak. Do we ever hear about those who decide not to return and why they make that decision after you paint such a rosy, auspicious, public picture: "Cuba is the capital of unity, solidarity and humanism, there's no doubt about it."
Fair enough I suppose if one is living in a communist country and the government decrees his/her services anywhere it requires. I wonder, if given the choice, all these thousands of medical staff would leave their home country to go to a plagued foreign country and risk their lives for the betterment of idealistic home grown propaganda?
The Cuban health system is a complete embarrassment for a country that prides itself in telling the world otherwise. Absolutely, it produces some of the best educated doctors and nurses in the world but why must they work in unhealthy, unsanitary, decrepit, medical facilities when the Cuban government can easily use the money it makes from foreign medical missions to provide ordinary Cubans with the necessary health care they rightly deserve. Wasn't that the bargain for the Revolution? Complete mystery to most outsiders.
"In a few weeks or months, the COVID-19 pandemic will just be a sad memory…" Not likely. Have you been reading the world news outside of Cuba?
Weeks? Months? This pestilent pandemic is only beginning (this is April 2/'20) to take its frightening death toll in the United States, Canada, Russia, and elsewhere. Countries are working diligently and hoping to flatten the curve. This pandemic, perhaps in the distant future but certainly not in the time frame you suggest, will be a sad memory. Those optimistic time frames you state are not realistic as postulated by expert medical health authorities in Western countries.
Even in Cuba this pandemic is only going to, sadly and unfortunately, proliferate because ordinary Cubans who deserve better do not have access to quality health care facilities they absolutely require and should be entitled to as citizens; health care and health care facilities which, sadly, are provided, undeterred and shamefully, to foreign paying tourists who ironically brought the virus to your country in the first place.
Elio fails to mention that the Cuban "generosity" he writes about comes at a price. To very few poor countries does Cuba send Doctors for free. In the same way, Cuba "generously" sends rum and cigars all over the world, they send Doctors and other medical staff. 'Pimping out' their Doctors is big business for Cuba.
Up pops Elio, perhaps rejoicing prematurely about Cuban success. Elio and his fellow Cubans have yet to see the results or consequences of decisions made by his non-democratically elected government about the COVID 19 pandemic. Yes, Cuba has contracted as a critical source of revenue, to provide medical services in other countries, and yes, doing so and allowing those involved to receive rather less than a fifth of the charges made, has more than substantially increased their incomes. But the consequences of COVID 19 in Cuba and the regime's actions are unknown. That will come later!
But saving " more than 7 million lives across the globe" is without substance. That is the figure used by the Propaganda Department of the Communist Party of Cuba, whose statements and figures are faithfully and inevitably replicated by Elio.
It is absolute bunkum to suggest that Cuba is: "a country that has always shown a lot of solidarity with other countries." Where was Cuba when the brave people of Hungary took to the streets against the oppression of the USSR, only to be mown down by the Soviet tanks rolling in? Where was Cuba when in 1968 the people of Czechoslovakia revolted against the Soviet communist rule? It was Elio's hero Fidel Castro Ruz who said in criticism at that time of the Alexander Dubcek led freedom fighters:
"certain measures were taken such as the establishment of a bourgeois form of freedom of the press. This means the counterrevolution and the exploiters, the very enemies of socialism, were granted the right to speak and write freely against socialism."
The answer Elio is that Cuba under the dictatorship of Fidel Castro was opposed to freedom, for it and communism are directly opposed. You Elio, have freedom of expression when writing in Havana Times, but when will such freedom be granted to write with views contrary to those of the communist regime in Cuba within Cuba?
So-called "solidarity" is newspeak for acceptance of communist thought and action.


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The History Corner
Here we will be posting articles and photos that originally
appeared in the 'History Corner' section of The Plainview News.
7. 1958 - A Year Packed Full of Plainview Memories
This week's photo shows Plainview's main street about 1958, showing the familiar Cook's Plainview Hardware on the left, with the hotel, minus its reconstructed balcony, center stage. The shadow of city hall dominates the street, while cars and people are unaware they are being captured on film for future historians to relish.
1958 began the move into the new elementary school building with 440 students moving books and desks and making the new space 'home'. St. Joachims new school building opened around the same time in January with 34 religion classes instructing 412 pupils.
It was "Family Night" at the GEM theater where for one meager dollar the whole family could enjoy a night out (parents and unmarried children), and Friday night shopping was introduced, sponsored by the Plainview Commercial Club, ending the many years of Saturday night outings for area shoppers.
In May a "Clean Up Day at Carley" was held at Carley State Park and over 7000 trees (white and red pine, maple and oak) were planted.
The Plainview JC's were organized with lawyer John McHardy as president. Later that fall the Mrs. JC's would follow suit. Neil Lance was appointed Plainview's official new Post Master just in time to see postal rates soar to 4 cents first class, 3 cents postals, and 7 cents for air mail.
The Minnesota State Centennial Train made its appearance in Wabasha, and on Tuesday, June 13th Plainview held its annual community picnic at Whitewater State Park.
In July the paper announced 'Ladies Day' at Dr. Galbe's Swimming Pool, located on the north edge of the city. Coast to Coast stores remodeled their facility and it was noted that Gold Bond stamps were now offered in five Plainview stores, enabling Plainview lady shoppers to fill those coupon books even faster!
September 4th-7th was the annual "Fall Festival" held on Plainview streets and a time for everyone to come together and celebrate the fall season. Geo. Dickman and his wife Emma celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary, quite an accomplishment for any married couple.
And last but not least, the Farm Bureau was busy getting the fire number identification system in shape for rural residents.
There were other events in 1958 that could have been added to this article, but perhaps this is enough for now to mull over and enjoy. If you were a part of this era, take time and share your 1958 memories with someone, and enjoy the photos of Plainview's main street making its own memories for this week's readers.
Below is a small gallary of photos of mainstreet from 1958.
Scan35_edited
8. When the Movie Makers Came to Plainview
It was thirty years ago when filming crews invaded Plainview for two days to produce a promotional video of the area. It was spearheaded by the Plainview Economic Development Committee and part of the Star City Program. The video would highlight the town's offerings and be made available to help promote the town to prospective business and industry.
Chick McKuen, a former WCCO anchorman, was hired to write the script ad narrate the production, and to prepare himself for the task, the man with the "gallop along voice" paid a visit to Plainview in April on a fact finding mission. It was a session of talking and listening for McKuen, and the small town Iowa boy went away with a good feel for the community after spending an enjoyable time probing and nudging and asking over and over again "Why do you like Plainview?".
The crews from Master Video Productions based in Minneapolis arrived in August for two days of recording. Residents were urged to come to town for a chance to "star" in the Plainview film. The first day was dubbed "Movie Day in Plainview" by the local paper and the day was spent with location shots and interviews of individuals, wrapping up at a Lions Club meeting in the evening.
The crew returned on Sunday of Corn on the Cob to capture Plainview's unique celebration and when taping was finished, Chick McKuen told the city "we've had a good day for filming and met some great people. The crew has captured the atmosphere and feeling of the town.".
Shown in this week's photo are the crew and McKuen setup in front of Boyd's Barbershop. The filming strategy was usually the same: put the people in front of the camera and have McKuen off to the side asking questions. And as Lavern Boyd was put through the paces, facing the same question others had faced: "Why do you like Plainview?" McKuen finally go the "gem" of a reply he was looking for. Boyd put it this way: "Well you know if I walked the streets of the Twin Cities and said 'Hi' to everyone I saw like I do here… well they'd probably lock me up!" That got a chuckle from McKuen and summed up one more reason why people liked Plainview.
The video that was shot to promote the town has, thirty years later, taken on a new characteristic. Now it is a unique glimpse into Plainview's past and a fantastic documentary of a segment of the town's history. It may not have been a Hollywood production, but it captured the heart and soul of a small town, and it is now remembered as the time the movie makers came to Plainview!
9. 1973 - A Very Busy Year in Plainview
Covering the highlights of 1973 isn't an easy task, but this week's photo, taken that summer as several businesses along the south side of Broadway underwent a transformation with the addition of a nearly half block facelift, gives inspiration to wondering what else happened that year.
"Music Under the Big Top", the school's pop concert, under the direction of Don and Jan Fiskum, played to two full house audiences that year in February. Ownership of the local golf course, a mere five years old, went from the Elgin-Plainview Golf Corporation to George Mason. Along with new ownership came a name change from Windcrest to Piper Hills.
First National Bank (now Foresight Bank) bought the Kruger-Murphy building and made plans for the construction of a new facility. Alfred Schuchard retired and 51 ½ years in the sand and gravel business, selling to Marty DeVries. At the time, Schuchard was the oldest businessman in Plainview.
1973 was also the 5th anniversary of the nursing home that opened with its first patient June 26, 1968 and over the five-year period had over 250 admissions.
Bill Markus, recent high school graduate, undertook a 1,500 mile twenty-day bike tour through Canada. And Plainview, annual celebration, Corn Day, hosted a crowd of 2,000. The even included a horse show, garden tractor pull, and of course, a parade.
Nathan Langum, a 39-year businessman who came to the area in 1939 from South Dakota and engaged in the produce and show business over the many years of his career, sold out to Terry LaBare.
One of the hottest issues of the year caused a one-hour debate at a city council meeting. The topic: angle parking in Plainview. By 1973 the last block of angle parking in town, along 3rd St NW was down away with, citing overcrowded and dangerous conditions. The headlines declared "Angle Parking in Plainview Abolished". It was the end of an era for area drivers.
Dutch Elm disease continued to spread through the city with four trees tagged for removal. In a few years, all the elm trees would disappear.
Jerry Eckstein was honored as State Athletic Director of the Year. Coming to Plainview in 1941, Jerry wore many 'hats' as he served his community over the many years.
1973 also saw the beginning of a Plainview Ambulance Service with Bill Wohlers as director. And after 30 years as a volunteer on the Plainview Fire Department, John Appel retired as Chief of the organization.
1973 was a busy year with many other noteworthy events happening that year, but for now, enjoy this week's photo of a 1973 remodeling project and a few of the highlights from that year.
10. The History of the Plainview School
Plainview's first "graded school" was built in 1868. It contained 2 tons of nails and 500 lights of glass. Lumber was hauled from Wabasha by wagon. It was build for a total cost of $12,750. The bell for the tower was from an old abandoned steamboat. Stories have been told that you could sit in the bell tower and shake the whole building.
In 1903 a new building, costing $36,000 for the 100 x 66 foot structure, was built directly in front of the old building. Students could reach out the windows and almost touch the new building going up. When completed, the former building was sold at auction for $631 and torn down. Souvenir plates with photos of the buildings were sold by a local jeweler.
1903 Building
The 1992 Elementary School Addition
On Lincoln's birthday, February 29th, 1924, the Plainview school building was consumed by fire. It was discovered by the janitor when he tired to enter the building that morning. The only thing surviving the fire was a teacher's hand bell, which is on display at the history center. Faulty wiring was blamed for the blaze.
Built in 1924 at a cost of $160,000 the new 124 x 136 foot structure was of the Gothic style trimmed with Kasota stone containing over 9 tones of plaster mix. The building was finished one month ahead of schedule.
In 1957 after many rural school districts consolidated with Plainview, and addition was built to the west of the 1924 building with many houses moved to make way for the expansion. The high school gymnasium was actually constructed right in the middle of Liberty St (6th St), which had been closed for the expansion.
In 1970 a $13 million wrap around addition was added to address over crowding. The new addition contained eight elementary class rooms, and elementary gym, kitchen, locker rooms, science labs, music area, and shop complex.
In 1991 a bond for a $42 million elementary wing, multipurpose room, elevator and high school basement remodeling project passed by 63 votes. Four houses were cleared off the site before discovering soft soil conditions, forcing a delay of several months while sand and gravel were hauled onto the site. Classes moved into the building in March of 1994.
There have been other changes to the school besides the ones that we've listed, but we decided list the ones that resulted in massive changes that were visible to the outside public. We have included a number of photos to go along with the events and buildings.
11. Up, Up and Away! Plainview from the Air!
This week's photo demands sharp eyes and a magnifying glass to get the full value of its details. Taken in 1986, some landmarks remain the same, but some, like the familiar water tower, the Shell gas station, and the "warehouse" behind the old Cook's Hardware store have disappeared.
There was a lot going in 1986. A mandatory seat belt law went into effect, dictating drivers, front seat passengers, and children under the age of 11 in the back seat be buckled in. 911 swung into the full service county wide and the shuttle accident was fresh on people's minds.
There was plenty going on in local news as well. The Miller-Harrington and Peoples agencies merged, forming the new Greenwood Agency, headquarting themselves in their new office space in the former Cook's Hardware Building. Schad & Zabel became partners with their business on Broadway, and Randy Doughty, from Winthrop, joined the Plainview police force.
There were some farewells too. Ray Blowers retired from city employment after 29 years. From 1957 until 1970, he was a one-man city crew, plowing streets and doing whatever had to be done, doing his part to make Plainview a great place to live.
Haimes Chevrolet closed after nearly 40 years in the car business. Don Haimes sold out because of health concerns and declining sales, leaving Plainview without any care dealerships for the first time since the turn of the century.
Marian Elgin retired from Hillcrest Nursing home after nearly 40 years in nursing. Many remember her working in Dr. Mahle's office for 19 years. She was a familiar and caring face to those needing assistance over the years.
Frances Buringa was named "Mom of the Year" in the second annual event sponsored by local merchants, and Mead Klavetter, 13-year-old son of Bob and Julie Klavetter, received the Eagle Scout award. He was the first scout in almost 20 years to do so.
And then there was Plainview's first and last bank robbery.
Custodian Stanley Wood was over powered at night and the thief made off with several bags of quarters, each containing nearly $600 dollars weighing more than the villain bargained for. He ended up stashing some of the loot under a rhubarb patch in a nearby neighbor's garden. A police stakeout captured the culprit the next night, and all of the money, about $1,800 worth, was returned, making the motto "crime doesn't pay" a reality for the would be robber.
It wasn't that long ago, but 1986 was a busy and interesting year full of some forgotten memories. There were many more events that year, but these are enough to get you started in searching out the details from the week's photo taken up in the air.
12. Theaters, Water Towers, and Aeroplanes – an Interesting Plainview Story
The captivating photo of Plainview would have gone undated except for one small clue on the marquee of the GEM Theater. The words "Golddigger" and "Broadway" stand out clearly, advertising the upcoming movie.
A lot of "digging" uncovered the desired information. For on Monday, and Tuesday, June 22, 23, and 24, 1930 the show "The Gold Diggers of Broadway" was the feature film at the GEM, with "Nuff Sed", a comedy, "Heading South" and Paramount News all featured with shows Sunday at 2:30, 6:45, and 8:45 and Monday and Tuesday shows at 8:00. Prices were 10 and 40 cents for matinee and 20 and 50 cents for night shows.
And do you know what the patrons were probably talking about while waiting for the feature to begin? Read this excerpt from the Plainview NEWS and find out:
"Aviators will have no trouble getting their bearings over Plainview in the future. The Village Council has replaced the old weather vane on top of the water tower with an aviation wind indicator, a cloth bag, which fills and flows with the wind. It indicates to some extent the strength of the wind and adapts itself readily to the wind's direction. Its color is yellow to make it easily discernible.
On the roof of the tank, yellow stripes are painted and lettered N and S to indicate the north and south direction. At the base of the indicator staff they have placed a 250-watt electric light to show the direction stripes and wind indicator at night. On the sides of the take 'Plainview' is painted in large letters. The action is advocated by aviation interests and as Plainview is not far off two of the main air routes the directions may save some planes considerable time. There have already been occasions this spring when planes had to do considerable flying over the city to get their bearings."
The airplane craze was flooding the town with the sale of tickets for a giveaway Curtis-Kobin cabin aeroplane worth $4000 at the upcoming 10th Annual First District Legion Convention to be held in Plainview in the end of June. Money raised from the sale of tickets would benefit disabled and needy veterans and their families.
Max Conrad, of Winona flying fame, was on hand for the convention giving free rides and doing stunts. Thousands attended the Plainview sponsored event and at the end of the festivities, the anticipated drawing was held.
Thomas Benson, a farmer living four miles south of Rushford and ex-serviceman, was the winner. Whether he ever flew over the Plainview water tower to check it out is unknown. In fact, there is probably a very good story out there about Mr. Benson and his aeroplane.
But for now, we'll have to be satisfied with this photo of Plainview and "The Gold Diggers of Broadway" and the story of the aeroplane craze and Plainview's water tower in 1930.
Sorry for the low quality picture. We were unable to locate the original.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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🇲🇹 TES Preview: Pep and sparkle for Emma Muscat in her second rehearsal
05/05/2022 05/05/2022 3 min read Isabelle S
Today second rehearsals for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 continued. Countries rehearsing on Day 6 for the second time include Iceland, Norway, Armenia, Finland, Israel, Serbia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Malta and San Marino. Next to rehearse today was Malta's Emma Muscat.
Emma Muscat's second rehearsal
Today we got to watch Emma's' second rehearsal from the online Press Centre. We got an in-depth preview of how her performance will look on TV on Thursday 12th May, when she performs in the second Eurovision semi-final. You can watch a small clip of their second rehearsal here!
What did we see from Malta's second rehearsal?
Emma is taking inspiration from the Great Silver Dress Movement of 2021 in a mirrored mini that transforms her into an elegant disco ball. She leaps onto the piano to "take a stand," singing her heart out, and is joined by four backing dancers to uplifting effect.
What happened in Emma's first rehearsal?
After Emma's first rehearsal, Jazzi gave her initial thoughts on the snippet that we saw. You can see how she felt about her first rehearsal by checking our TikTok here:
#stitch with @eurovision Next up to rehearse today was Malta's Emma Muscat! @Jazzi Dibben gives her thoughts on Emma's staging #Eurovision #EurovisionTikTok #Malta #EmmaMuscat #fyp #foryou
♬ original sound – thateurosite
About Emma Muscat
Emma has been active in the European music industry since 2016, when she released her first song "Alone" on her YouTube channel. In 2018, she participated in Italian TV show Amici di Maria De Filippi, and reached the grand final. Despite not winning, she achieved a deal with Warner Music Italia, and since then has collaborated with a number of major European artists including Shade and Junior Cally. Alongside this, she released her EP "Moments" in 2018.
Outside of her music, Emma lives in Italy and also works as a model.
Malta's Eurovision Journey
Malta made its Eurovision debut in 1971, with Joe Grech performing "Marija I-Maltija" (Maria the Maltese Lass), finishing 18th with 52 points. Malta did not participate in Eurovision from 1975 until 1991. That year they returned with the song "Could It Be" by Paul Giordimaina and Georgina, finishing 12th with 32 points.
Since then, Malta has been at every Eurovision and finished in the top 10 an impressive 12 times. Their best result so far is second place, which they've achieved twice. The first time was in 2002, when Ira Losco sang "7th Wonder," and the second time in 2005 with Chiara's "Angel." Malta's most recent Eurovision entry was 2015 Junior Eurovision winner Destiny, who scored 255 points and finished 7th with the song "Je me casse."
What are your opinions on Emma Muscat's second rehearsal? What changes would you make? Let us know in the comments or on social media. Be sure to follow 'That Eurovision Site' on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
News Source: EBU
Photo Source: EBU/ Nathan Reinds
Emma Muscat, esc, esc 2022, eurovision, eurovision 2022, eurovision song contest, eurovision song contest 2022, I am what i am, italy, Malta, pala alpitour, rehearsal, second rehearsal, tiktok, turin
🇬🇪 TES Preview: Show within a show for Circus Mircus in their second rehearsal
🇸🇲 TES Preview: A whole load of bull for Achille Lauro
🇦🇱 More Festivali i Këngës 61 details revealed
🇦🇲 Rosa Linn releases a re-imagined music video for "SNAP"
🇦🇲 Rosa Linn releases the Italian version of "SNAP" with Alfa


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Procter & Gamble Co – '10-Q' for 9/30/03
On: Tuesday, 10/28/03, at 1:51pm ET · For: 9/30/03 · Accession #: 80424-3-167 · File #: 1-00434
Previous '10-Q': '10-Q' on 4/29/03 for 3/31/03 · Next: '10-Q' on 2/3/04 for 12/31/03 · Latest: '10-Q' on 4/23/19 for 3/31/19
As Of                Filer                Filing    For·On·As Docs:Size
10/28/03  Procter & Gamble Co               10-Q        9/30/03    5:49K
Quarterly Report — Form 10-Q
1: 10-Q        Quarterly Report -- jas0310q                          14     73K
2: EX-11       Jas03 - 10-Q - Exhibit 11                              1      6K
4: EX-31       Jas03 - 10-Q - Exhibit 31                              2     15K
5: EX-32       Jas03-10-Q - Exhibit 32                                2      9K
10-Q — Quarterly Report — jas0310q
Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K
Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders:
2 Item 1. Financial Statements
8 Item 2. Management Discussion and Analysis
10 Item 4:. Controls and Procedures
11 Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders:
12 Item 6. Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K
QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the Quarterly Period Ended September 30, 2003   Commission file number 1-434
Ohio                                   31-0411980
(State of incorporation)           (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
One Procter & Gamble Plaza, Cincinnati, Ohio                     45202
(Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code (513) 983-1100
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was
required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing
requirements for the past 90 days. Yes [X] No [ ]
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as
defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes [X] No [ ]
There were 1,296,726,604 shares of Common Stock outstanding as of September 30,
PART I.  FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1.  Financial Statements
The Consolidated Statement of Earnings of The Procter & Gamble Company and
subsidiaries for the three months ended September 30, 2003 and 2002, the
Consolidated Balance Sheet as of September 30, 2003 and June 30, 2003, and the
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the three months ended September 30,
2003 and 2002 follow. In the opinion of management, these unaudited consolidated
financial statements contain all adjustments necessary to present fairly the
financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods
reported. However, such financial statements may not be indicative necessarily
of annual results.
THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF EARNINGS
Amounts in millions except per share amounts
2003             2002
---------------  ---------------
NET SALES                                          $12,195          $10,796
Cost of products sold                          5,879            5,489
Marketing, research, administrative
and other expense                           3,673            3,128
-------          -------
OPERATING INCOME                                     2,643            2,179
Interest expense                                 141              144
Other non-operating income, net                   40              103
EARNINGS BEFORE INCOME TAXES                         2,542            2,138
Income taxes                                     781              674
NET EARNINGS                                       $ 1,761          $ 1,464
=======          =======
PER COMMON SHARE:
Basic net earnings                           $  1.33          $  1.10
Diluted net earnings                         $  1.26          $  1.04
Dividends                                    $  0.46          $  0.41
AVERAGE COMMON SHARES
OUTSTANDING - DILUTED                        1,398.9          1,407.3
See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Amounts in millions
September 30     June 30
ASSETS                                                               2003           2003
-------------  ------------
Cash and cash equivalents                                   $      4,049   $     5,912
Investment securities                                                330           300
Accounts receivable                                                4,134         3,038
Materials and supplies                                         1,275         1,095
Work in process                                                  358           291
Finished goods                                                 2,903         2,254
Total Inventories                                                  4,536         3,640
Deferred income taxes                                                876           843
Prepaid expenses and other receivables                             1,748         1,487
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS                                                   15,673        15,220
Buildings                                                          5,065         4,729
Machinery and equipment                                           18,642        18,222
Land                                                                 611           591
24,318        23,542
Accumulated depreciation                                         (10,664)      (10,438)
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT                                      13,654        13,104
NET GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS
Goodwill                                                          15,222        11,132
Trademarks and other intangible assets                             4,066         2,375
NET GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS                               19,288        13,507
OTHER NON-CURRENT ASSETS                                                1,881         1,875
TOTAL ASSETS                                                     $     50,496   $    43,706
=============  ============
Accounts payable                                            $      2,957   $     2,795
Accrued and other liabilities                                      5,986         5,512
Taxes payable                                                      2,583         1,879
Debt due within one year                                           5,286         2,172
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES                                              16,812        12,358
LONG-TERM DEBT                                                         11,993        11,475
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES                                                   1,370         1,396
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES                                           2,950         2,291
TOTAL LIABILITIES                                                      33,125        27,520
SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Preferred stock                                                    1,567         1,580
Common stock - shares outstanding Sept 30   1,296.7                1,297
June 30   1,297.2                              1,297
Additional paid-in capital                                         3,070         2,931
Reserve for ESOP debt retirement                                  (1,293)       (1,308)
Accumulated other comprehensive income                            (1,830)       (2,006)
Retained earnings                                                 14,560        13,692
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY                                             17,371        16,186
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY                       $     50,496   $    43,706
Amounts in millions                                         September 30
2003            2002
-----------     -----------
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF PERIOD       $    5,912      $    3,427
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net earnings                                       1,761           1,464
Depreciation and amortization                        407             410
Deferred income taxes                                108             142
Change in:
Accounts receivable                            (295)            (44)
Inventories                                    (174)           (105)
Accounts payable and accruals                   (76)            (15)
Other operating assets & liabilities            (57)             65
Other                                                (68)             93
TOTAL OPERATING ACTIVITIES                                1,606           2,010
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures                                (364)           (281)
Proceeds from asset sales                             88              62
Acquisitions                                      (5,035)              0
Change in investment securities                       11              24
TOTAL INVESTING ACTIVITIES                               (5,300)           (195)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Dividends to shareholders                           (623)           (565)
Change in short-term debt                          3,555            (306)
Additions to long-term debt                            0             678
Reduction of long-term debt                         (788)            (12)
Proceeds from stock options                           89              31
Purchase of treasury shares                         (274)           (350)
TOTAL FINANCING ACTIVITIES                                1,959            (524)
AND CASH EQUIVALENTS                                (128)            (15)
CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS                      (1,863)          1,276
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF PERIOD             $    4,049      $    4,703
===========     ===========
1.   These statements should be read in conjunction with the Company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003. The results of
operations for the three-month period ended September 30, 2003 are not
indicative necessarily of annual results.
2.   Comprehensive Income - Total comprehensive income is comprised primarily of
net earnings, net currency translation gains and losses, impacts of net
investment and cash flow hedges and net unrealized gains and losses on
securities. Total comprehensive income for the three months ended September
30, 2003 and 2002 was $1,937 million and $1,360 million, respectively.
3.   Segment Information - The basis for presenting segment results generally is
consistent with overall Company reporting. The primary difference relates
to partially-owned operations, where segment reporting reflects such
investments as consolidated subsidiaries with applicable adjustments to
comply with U.S. GAAP in the Corporate segment. The Corporate segment also
includes both operating and non-operating elements such as financing and
investment activities, certain employee benefit costs, intangible asset
amortization, certain restructuring charges, segment eliminations, prior
year results of certain divested businesses and other general corporate
items. Additionally, for interim periods certain non-recurring tax impacts
are reflected on a discrete basis for management and segment reporting
purposes, but are eliminated in Corporate to arrive at the Company's
effective tax rate for the quarter.
SEGMENT INFORMATION (Amounts in millions)
Three Months Ended             Fabric &         Baby &       Beauty       Health         Snacks &
September 30                  Home Care       Family Care     Care         Care         Beverages      Corporate        Total
-------------------------- ---------------  ------------- ------------ ------------  --------------  -------------  --------------
2003                 $   3,393        $   2,607     $   3,753     $  1,728     $    896        $  (182)       $  12,195
2002                     3,132            2,426         3,123        1,410          822           (117)          10,796
Earnings Before Income Taxes
2003                       832              472           913          406          162           (243)           2,542
2003                       562              295           616          276          109            (97)           1,761
2002                       547              241           548          196           91           (159)           1,464
4.   Acquisitions - In September 2003, the Company completed the acquisition of
a controlling interest in Wella AG (Wella). Through a stock purchase
agreement with the majority shareholders of Wella and a tender offer made
on the remaining shares, the Company acquired a total of 81% of Wella's
outstanding shares, including 99% of Wella's outstanding voting class
shares, for a total purchase price of 4.67 billion Euros, excluding
acquisition costs (approximately $5.1 billion based on actual exchange
rates on the date of the transactions). The Wella business consists of
professional hair care, retail hair care, and cosmetics and fragrances
divisions with over $3 billion in annual net sales. The operating results
of the Wella business are reported in the Company's Beauty Care business
segment.
The acquisition of Wella's shares has been accounted for as a purchase
business combination in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards (SFAS) No. 141, "Business Combinations." Accordingly, the
Company's consolidated financial statements include the results of Wella
from the date on which the Company acquired control (September 2, 2003).
The Company is in the process of obtaining independent appraisals for the
purpose of allocating the purchase price to the individual assets acquired
and liabilities assumed. This will result in potential adjustments to the
carrying values of Wella's recorded assets and liabilities, the
establishment of certain intangible assets, the determination of the useful
lives of intangible assets, some of which may have indefinite lives not
subject to amortization, and the determination of the amount of any
residual value that will be allocated to goodwill. The preliminary
allocation of the purchase price included in the current period balance
sheet is based on the best estimates of management and is subject to
revision based on final determination of fair values. The Company also is
completing its analysis of integration plans that may result in additional
purchase price allocation adjustments.
The following table provides pro forma results of operations for the three
months ended September 30, 2003 and 2002, as if Wella had been acquired as
of the beginning of each fiscal year presented. The pro forma results
include certain adjustments, including adjustments to convert Wella's
historical financial information from International Accounting Standards
(IAS) into accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of
America (U.S. GAAP), estimated interest impacts from funding of the
acquisition and estimated amortization of identifiable intangible assets.
However, pro forma results do not include any anticipated cost savings or
other effects of the planned integration of Wella. Accordingly, such
amounts are not necessarily indicative of the results that would have
occurred if the acquisition had occurred on the dates indicated or that may
result in the future.
PRO FORMA RESULTS (Amounts in millions)
Three Months Ended September 30
2003              2002
-------------     -------------
Net Sales                              $12,711           $11,572
Net Earnings                             1,732             1,463
Diluted net earnings per                  1.24              1.04
common share
5.   Goodwill and Intangible Assets - Goodwill as of September 30, 2003 is
allocated by reportable segment as follows (amounts in millions):
Fabric &       Baby &                      Health       Snacks &
Home Care    Family Care   Beauty Care      Care       Beverages     Total
---------    -----------   -----------   -----------   ---------     -----
Goodwill, June 30, 2003                    $460          $884        $ 6,600        $2,908        $280      $11,132
Acquisition (Note 4)                        -             -           3,820           -            -         3,820
Translation & Other                         -             12            253             5          -           270
Goodwill, September 30, 2003               $460          $896        $10,673        $2,913        $280      $15,222
The increase in goodwill is primarily due to the preliminary allocation of
goodwill related to the acquisition of Wella, which is subject to revision
based on final determination of fair values.
Identifiable intangible assets as of September 30, 2003 are comprised of:
Gross Carrying     Accumulated
Amount        Amortization
--------------    ------------
Amortizable intangible assets                   $2,190             $463
Non-amortizable intangible assets                2,508              169
Total identifiable intangible assets            $4,698             $632
Amortizable intangible assets consist principally of patents, technology
and trademarks. The non-amortizable intangible assets consist primarily of
certain trademarks. Gross amortizable intangible assets increased by $883
million during the three months ended September 30, 2003, primarily due to
the estimated value of intangibles from the Wella acquisition.
Non-amortizable intangibles increased by $842 million during the three
months ended September 30, 2003, primarily due to the estimated value of
intangibles from the Wella acquisition. These estimated allocations of the
Wella purchase price to specific assets acquired, including identifiable
intangibles, are subject to revision based on the final determination of
fair values.
6.   Pro Forma Stock-Based Compensation - The Company has stock-based
compensation plans under which stock options are granted to key managers
and directors at the market price on the date of grant. Grants were issued
during the three months ended September 30, 2003 under stock-based
compensation plans approved by shareholders in 2001. In prior years, the
majority of grants to key managers were issued in the quarter ended
September 30. The Company will issue the fiscal 2004 key manager grants in
the quarter ended March 31, 2004. Grants issued since September 2002 are
vested after three years and have a ten-year life. Grants issued from 1999
through 2002 are fully exercisable after three years and have a
fifteen-year life. The Company also makes other grants to employees, for
which vesting terms and option lives differ.
Pursuant to SFAS No. 123, "Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation," the
Company has elected to account for its employee stock option plans under
APB Opinion No. 25, "Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees," which
recognizes expense based on the intrinsic value at date of grant. As stock
options have been issued with exercise prices equal to the market value of
the underlying shares on the grant date, no compensation cost has resulted.
Had compensation cost for all options granted been determined based on the
fair value at grant date consistent with SFAS No. 123, the Company's net
earnings and earnings per share would have been as follows:
2003       2002
--------   --------
As reported                       $ 1,761    $ 1,464
Pro forma adjustments                 (82)      (104)
Pro forma                           1,679      1,360
Net earnings per common share
As reported                       $  1.33    $  1.10
Pro forma adjustments               (0.06)     (0.08)
Pro forma                            1.27       1.02
As reported                          1.26       1.04
The assumptions used to calculate the fair value of options granted are
evaluated and revised, as necessary, to reflect market conditions and
7.   Guarantees - In conjunction with certain transactions, primarily
divestitures, the Company may provide routine indemnifications (e.g.,
retention of previously existing environmental, tax and employee
liabilities) whose terms range in duration and often are not explicitly
defined. Where appropriate, an obligation for such indemnifications is
recorded as a liability. Generally, a maximum obligation is not explicitly
stated. Because the obligated amounts of these types of indemnifications
often are not explicitly stated, the overall maximum amount of the
obligation under such indemnifications cannot be reasonably estimated.
Other than obligations recorded as liabilities at the time of divestiture,
historically the Company has not made significant payments for these
indemnifications.
The Company has entered into several multi-year service contracts for
services estimated at $3.6 billion. The biggest of these went into effect
during the quarter ended September 30, 2003, while the remainder will go
into effect in future periods.
8.   Other New Pronouncements - In January 2003, the FASB issued FASB
Interpretation No. 46, "Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities," which
addresses consolidation by a business of variable interest entities in
which it is the primary beneficiary. In October 2003, the FASB deferred the
effective date of FIN 46 to interim periods ending after December 15, 2003
in order to address a number of interpretation and implementation issues.
The Company does not expect the adoption of the final interpretation to
have a material impact on its financial statements.
Item 2.  Management Discussion and Analysis
For the quarter ended September 30, 2003, the Company had double-digit volume,
sales and earnings growth despite strong base period comparisons and heavy
competitive activity in certain of the Company's core categories. Going forward,
business and market uncertainties could affect results. For a discussion of key
factors that could impact and must be managed by the Company, please refer to
the Management Discussion and Analysis section in the Company's Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003.
Unit volume increased 12 percent, with all business segments and all geographic
regions reporting unit volume growth. Double-digit increases in Health Care,
Beauty Care and developing regions helped drive the volume growth. Excluding
acquisitions and divestitures, primarily the recently completed acquisition of
Wella AG, unit volume increased nine percent.
Net sales increased 13 percent to $12.20 billion. Foreign exchange had a
positive impact of three percent, partially offset by mix of one percent and
pricing investments of one percent. The foreign exchange impact reflects the
strengthening of the Euro, Canadian Dollar and British Pound partially offset by
weakening of the Venezuelan Bolivar and the Mexican Peso. Mix was driven, in
part, by higher than expected growth in developing markets, including strong
growth in China, and the continued portfolio expansion into mid-tier brands.
Pricing investments were directed toward activities to drive top line growth in
multiple businesses and to respond to competitive activity on Crest Whitestrips
and continued high competitive promotion levels in the bath tissue and kitchen
towel categories.
The Company reported net earnings of $1.76 billion, an increase of 20 percent
versus the prior year quarter. Earnings growth was primarily driven by volume
impacts, the completion of the prior year restructuring program, which had $113
million of after-tax charges in the base period, and lower manufacturing costs,
despite inclusion of ongoing costs for restructuring-type activities to maintain
a competitive cost structure. These improvements were partially offset by
marketing investments to support base business and new product growth.
Net earnings per share were $1.26, an increase of 21 percent. Net earnings in
the prior year quarter were $1.46 billion or $1.04 per share. Wella did not have
a significant impact on net earnings.
Gross margin was 51.8 percent for the quarter compared to 49.2 percent for the
same quarter of the prior year, an increase of 260 basis points. The increase in
gross margin was primarily driven by lower cost of products sold due to the
scale effect of volume, the reduction of before-tax charges related to the
completed restructuring program of $88 million in the prior year quarter and
material cost savings, which more than offset certain commodity price increases.
Other base business and restructuring savings in the quarter more than offset
the pricing investments discussed previously.
Marketing, Research, Administration and Other Costs (MRA&O) for the quarter
increased to 30.1 percent versus 29.0 percent in the prior year quarter. The
increase was driven by marketing spending and the impact of the Wella
acquisition, which more than offset the reduction in prior year restructuring
program charges. Marketing investments were made to drive growth on the base
business and in support of initiatives such as Crest Whitestrips and Night
Effects, Olay Regenerist, Swiffer and Prilosec OTC. The addition of Wella
contributed approximately one third of the basis point increase due to higher
MRA&O spending as a percent of sales and initial post-acquisition costs.
Operating margin increased 150 basis points to 21.7 percent for the quarter,
compared to 20.2 percent in the same quarter year ago. The improvement was
driven by the reduction in prior year restructuring program charges and lower
cost of products sold, partially offset by the impact of higher MRA&O spending
discussed in the previous paragraph.
The Company entered into several multi-year service contracts for services
estimated at $3.6 billion. The biggest of these went into effect during the
quarter ended September 30, 2003, while the remainder will go into effect in
future periods.
The following provides supplemental information on the underlying drivers of net
sales changes:
JULY-SEPTEMBER NET SALES INFORMATION
(Percent Change vs. Year Ago) **
With        Without
Acquisitions/  Acquisitions/                                            Total   Total Impact
Divestitures   Divestitures        FX          Price    Mix/Other      Impact          Ex-FX
FABRIC AND HOME CARE           8%            8%          3%           -1%          -2%          8%             5%
BABY AND FAMILY CARE           6%            6%          3%           -1%          -1%          7%             4%
BEAUTY CARE          21%            8%          3%           -1%          -3%         20%            17%
HEALTH CARE          23%           23%          3%           -2%          -1%         23%            20%
SNACKS AND BEVERAGES           3%            3%          3%            1%           2%          9%             6%
TOTAL COMPANY          12%            9%          3%           -1%          -1%         13%            10%
** These sales percentage changes are approximations based on quantitative
formulas that are consistently applied.
FABRIC & HOME CARE
Fabric & Home Care volume was up eight percent behind strong growth in global
fabric care led by the developing regions and double-digit growth in global home
care, with the continued success of the Swiffer WetJet and Duster, Dawn Power
Dissolver and Dawn Complete and Febreze Anti-Allergen initiatives. Net sales
increased eight percent to $3.39 billion. A three percent positive foreign
exchange impact was offset by pricing and mix effects. Pricing reflects the
continuation of pricing investments taken on select fabric care segments in
North America, markets in Western Europe and on the Swiffer brand. Mix reduced
sales by two percent driven by double-digit growth in developing geographies,
including the expansion of Tide in China, and the expansion of mid-tier brands,
including the growth of Bold in Japan. Net earnings increased to $562 million,
or three percent versus a strong base period of 22 percent growth. Earnings were
impacted by mix effects and increased marketing spending to support product
initiatives. Fabric & Home Care earnings growth is expected to improve over the
remainder of the fiscal year.
Beauty Care volume increased 21 percent, including the benefit from acquisitions
and divestitures, primarily Wella. Excluding acquisitions and divestitures,
Beauty Care volume increased eight percent despite heavy competitive activity in
North America. Net sales increased 20 percent to $3.75 billion, including a
positive foreign exchange impact of three percent. Negative mix of three percent
was driven by the impact of Wella and developing market growth. The solid base
business results were driven by continued global strength of the Pantene, Head &
Shoulders, Always/Whisper and Olay brands. Net earnings for Beauty Care
increased 12 percent to $616 million driven by volume growth and lower
manufacturing costs, partially offset by increased marketing spending to defend
against competitive entries in the hair care and skin care categories. Marketing
spending also increased to support initiatives, including Pantene Daily Moisture
Renewal in Japan, the expansion of Olay Regenerist and continued support of
Tampax Pearl.
BABY AND FAMILY CARE
Baby and Family Care unit volume increased six percent. Baby care volume growth
was primarily driven by continued momentum in the Baby Stages of Development
line in Western Europe and North America, growth in Japan and the broadening of
the diaper product line in Latin America. Net sales grew seven percent to $2.61
billion, including a positive foreign exchange impact of three percent,
partially offset by pricing investments of one percent and mix of one percent.
Pricing was driven by continued high competitive promotional activity in North
America family care. Earnings increased 22 percent to $295 million, due to
strong volume growth and lower costs including the scale effects of volume.
Health Care delivered volume growth of 23 percent driven by the Prilosec OTC
launch in September, the continued success of Actonel, Crest Whitestrips and
Night Effects tooth whitening products and base business strength. Net sales
increased 23 percent to $1.73 billion, as a positive three percent foreign
exchange impact was offset by mix and pricing, primarily the actions on Crest
Whitestrips taken in November 2002. Although Prilosec OTC was an important
contributor to the quarter results, even without the launch, Health Care
delivered double-digit volume, sales and earnings growth. Net earnings increased
41 percent to $276 million as strong volume, sales and lower product costs
funded marketing investments behind base business growth and new product
introductions. While double-digit top line growth is expected for the fiscal
year, results in the remaining quarters are expected to return to consumption
levels following the one-time pipeline impact from Prilosec OTC. Additionally,
although Prilosec OTC volume was particularly strong with the launch, associated
marketing expenses will continue throughout the year.
SNACKS AND BEVERAGES
Snacks & Beverages volume was up three percent reflecting growth in the Pringles
and Folgers brands, partially offset by volume declines in the juice category.
Net sales were $896 million, an increase of nine percent, reflecting the
benefits of a three percent impact from foreign exchange and three percent from
price and mix impacts. Positive pricing includes a partial pass-through of
higher commodity costs. For the balance of the fiscal year, the Company expects
pricing will have a neutral or slightly negative impact on sales based on the
aggressive pricing environment of the coffee category. Net earnings increased 20
percent to $109 million behind volume and sales growth and margin expansion due
to base business savings.
Corporate includes certain operating and non-operating activities, as well as
eliminations to adjust management reporting principles to United States
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP). Current quarter results
primarily reflect lower restructuring program charges partially offset by
one-time items in the prior year quarter, including the impact of the Vicks
divestiture.
For the three months ended September 30, 2003, cash generated from operating
activities totaled $1.61 billion compared to $2.01 billion in the comparable
prior year period. The decrease in cash from operations is due to increases in
working capital, as well as base period impacts due to dividends received from a
joint venture. Accounts receivable grew slightly ahead of sales since June 30,
2003. The year-over-year accounts receivable increase of $0.3 billion is
attributed to sales growth, particularly the timing of the Prilosec OTC launch
in September, offset to some extent by an underlying improvement in days sales
outstanding. These trends follow a two-day improvement in receivables days
outstanding in the prior year period. Inventory increased primarily due to
initiative-related activity, shipment trends and capacity utilization planning.
The slight increase in inventory days on hand (approximately two days, excluding
inventory acquired from Wella) compares to a seven day decrease in the prior
year period.
Investing activities used $5.30 billion of cash year-to-date compared to $0.20
billion used in the prior year period. The acquisition of Wella is the key
driver accounting for approximately $5.10 billion. The Company's acquisition of
Wella is discussed in Note 4 of the financial statements. There was no
acquisition activity in the comparable prior year period. Capital spending
increased to $364 million in the current year versus $281 million in the
comparable prior year period. Capital spending as a percent of net sales was
three percent, one percentage point below target.
Financing activities provided $1.96 billion in cash for the current fiscal year
versus using $0.52 billion in the comparable prior year period. This generated a
net cash increase of $2.48 billion driven primarily by short-term debt to
support the Wella acquisition, partially offset by a decrease in long-term debt.
RESTRUCTURING PROGRAM UPDATE
In 1999, concurrent with a reorganization of its operations into product-based
global business units, the Company initiated a multi-year restructuring program.
This program was substantially complete at the end of 2003. At June 30, 2003,
there was a reserve liability balance remaining of $335 million for the program.
This liability is expected to be settled by the end of 2004 through cash
payments primarily for separations.
The Company continues to undertake projects to maintain a competitive cost
structure, including manufacturing consolidations and work force
rationalization, as part of its normal operations.
Item 4:  Controls and Procedures
The Company's Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive, A.G. Lafley,
and the Company's Chief Financial Officer, Clayton C. Daley, Jr., have evaluated
the Company's internal controls and disclosure controls systems as of the end of
the period covered by this report.
Messrs. Lafley and Daley have concluded that the Company's disclosure controls
systems are functioning effectively to provide reasonable assurance that the
Company can meet its disclosure obligations. The Company's disclosure controls
system is based upon a global chain of financial, staff and general business
reporting lines that converge in the world-wide headquarters of the Company in
Cincinnati, Ohio. The reporting process is designed to ensure that information
required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits
with the Commission is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the
time periods specified in the Commission's rules and forms. Consistent with SEC
suggestion, the Company has formed a Disclosure Committee consisting of key
Company personnel designed to review the accuracy and completeness of all
disclosures made by the Company.
In connection with the evaluation described above, no changes in the Company's
internal control over financial reporting occurred during the Company's first
fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to
materially affect, the Company's internal control over financial reporting.
PART II.   OTHER INFORMATION
Item 4.  Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders:
At the Company's 2003 Annual Meeting of Shareholders held on October 14, 2003,
the following actions were taken:
The following Directors were elected for terms of office expiring in 2006:
Votes                        Non-
Votes For         Withheld     Abstentions*    Votes*
NORMAN R. AUGUSTINE      1,095,498,571      55,660,156        N/A           N/A
A.G. LAFLEY              1,122,537,182      28,621,545        N/A           N/A
JOHNATHAN A. RODGERS     1,128,107,962      23,050,765        N/A           N/A
JOHN F. SMITH, JR.       1,112,078,976      39,079,751        N/A           N/A
MARGARET C. WHITMAN      1,081,266,138      69,892,589        N/A           N/A
* Pursuant to the terms of the Notice of Annual Meeting and Proxy Statements,
proxies received were voted, unless authority was withheld, in favor of the
election of the five nominees named.
In addition, the following Directors continued to serve as Directors after the
Bruce L. Byrnes
R. Kerry Clark
Scott D. Cook
Domenico DeSole
Joseph T. Gorman
Charles R. Lee
Lynn M. Martin
W. James McNerney, Jr.
Ralph Snyderman
Robert D. Storey
Ernesto Zedillo
A proposal by the Board of Directors to ratify the appointment of Deloitte &
Touche LLP as the Company's independent auditors to conduct the annual audit of
the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 2004, was approved by the shareholders. The shareholders cast
1,093,908,754 votes in favor of this proposal and 44,160,612 votes against.
There were 13,088,974 abstentions.
A proposal by the Board of Directors to adopt The Procter & Gamble 2003
Non-Employee Directors' Stock Plan was approved by the shareholders. The
shareholders cast 547,793,338 votes in favor of this proposal and 399,273,556
votes against. There were 20,325,540 abstentions and 183,766,292 broker
non-votes.
A shareholder resolution proposed by Evelyn Y. Davis was approved by the
shareholders. The proposal requested that the Board take the necessary steps to
reinstate the election of directors annually. The Board opposed the resolution.
The shareholders cast 531,392,175 votes in favor of the resolution and
413,962,786 against. There were 22,037,243 abstentions and 183,766,523 broker
A shareholder resolution proposed by Lenore Goldman and four co-sponsors was
defeated by the shareholders. The proposal requested that the Board of Directors
adopt a policy to identify and label all food products manufactured or sold by
the Company that may contain genetically engineered ingredients. The Board
opposed the resolution. The shareholders cast 71,424,105 votes in favor of the
resolution and 813,263,496 against. There were 82,731,129 abstentions and
183,739,997 broker non-votes.
Item 6.  Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K
(a)      Exhibits
(3-1)   Amended Articles of Incorporation (Incorporated by reference to
Exhibit (3-1) of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the year ended June 30, 2003).
(3-2)   Regulations (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (3-2) of the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June
30, 2003).
(11)    Computation of Earnings per Share.
(12)    Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
(31)    Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certifications.
(32)    Section 1350 Certifications.
(b)      Reports on Form 8-K
During the quarter ended September 30, 2003, the Company did not file
any Current Reports on Form 8-K. During the quarter ended September 30,
2003, the Company furnished reports on Form 8-K pursuant to Item 9
("Regulation FD Disclosure") dated July 16, 2003, relating to the
Company's intent to explore strategic alternatives with respect to its
Sunny Delight and Punica juice drink brands; and dated September 4,
2003, relating to updating previously issued guidance for the
July-September 2003 quarter. The Company also furnished reports on Form
8-K containing information pursuant to Item 12 ("Results of Operations
and Financial Condition") dated July 31, 2003, relating to the
announcement of earnings for the quarter and fiscal year ended June 30,
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
/S/ JOHN K. JENSEN
(John K. Jensen)
Vice President and Comptroller
Exhibit No.                                                          Page No.
(3-1)   Amended Articles of Incorporation (Incorporated
by reference to Exhibit (3-1) of the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
June 30, 2003).
(3-2)   Regulations (Incorporated by reference to
Exhibit (3-2) of the Company's Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2003).
(11)    Computation of Earnings per Share.                          20
(12)    Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed
Charges.                                                    21
(31)    Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certifications.                 22-25
(32)    Section 1350 Certifications.                             26-27
This '10-Q' Filing
6/30/04 11 10-K, 11-K, 8-K
3/31/04 6 10-Q, 8-K
Filed on: 10/28/03 13 4
10/14/03 11 8-K, DEF 14A
For Period End: 9/30/03 1 12 11-K, 8-K
9/4/03 12 8-K
9/2/03 6
7/31/03 12 8-K
6/30/03 2 14 10-K, 11-K, 4, 5, 8-K
9/30/02 2 6 10-Q, 13F-HR, 8-K, 8-K/A, NT 11-K


It is not as if Sunao Tsuboi needs another reminder of his violent encounter, as a 20-year-old university student, with a "living hell on earth". The facial scars he has carried for seven decades are proof enough. But, as if to remind himself of the day he became a witness to the horrors of nuclear warfare, he removes a a black-and-white photograph and points to the shaved head of a young man looking away from the lens.
The location is Miyuki Bridge, Hiroshima, three hours after the Enola Gay, a US B-29 bomber, dropped a 15-kiloton nuclear bomb on the city on the morning of 6 August 1945. Between 60,000 and 80,000 people were killed instantly; in the months that followed the death toll rose to 140,000.
In the photo, one of only a handful of surviving images taken in Hiroshima that day, Tsuboi is sitting on the road with several other people, their gaze directed at the gutted buildings around them. To one side, police officers douse schoolchildren with cooking oil to help soothe the pain of their burns.
As Japan prepares to mark the 70th anniversary of the first nuclear attack in history, Tsuboi and tens of thousands of other hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) are again confronting their own mortality.
"People like me are losing the strength to talk about their experiences and continue the campaign against nuclear weapons," says Tsuboi, a retired school principal who has travelled the world to warn of the horrors of nuclear warfare.
The average age of the 183,000 registered survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki attacks rose just above 80 for the first time last month.
While each has a unique recollection of the morning of 6 August and its aftermath, near disbelief at the scale of destruction is a theme that runs through hibakusha testimony.
Tsuboi remembers hearing a loud bang, then being blown into the air and landing 10 metres away. He regained consciousness to find he had been burned over most of his body, his shirtsleeves and trouser legs ripped off by the force of the blast.
"My arms were badly burned and there seemed to be something dripping from my fingertips," said Tsuboi, who is co-chair of Nihon Hidankyo, a nationwide organisation of atomic and hydrogen bomb sufferers.
"My back was incredibly painful, but I had no idea what had just happened. I assumed I had been close to a very large conventional bomb. I had no idea it was a nuclear bomb and that I'd been exposed to radiation. There was so much smoke in the air that you could barely see 100 metres ahead, but what I did see convinced me that I had entered a living hell on earth.
"There were people crying out for help, calling after members of their family. I saw a schoolgirl with her eye hanging out of its socket. People looked like ghosts, bleeding and trying to walk before collapsing. Some had lost limbs.
Since then Tsuboi has been hospitalised 11 times, including three occasions when doctors told him he was about to die. He takes drugs for several illnesses, including two cancer diagnoses, which he says are connected to his exposure to radiation.
While the A-bomb survivors' testimony is now a matter of historical record, the hibakusha are trying to ensure that their experiences don't die with them, at a time when the world is facing nuclear threats from North Korea and Russia.
Earlier this year one of the most active branches of Hidankyo announced it would disband after its members, most of whom are in their 80s and 90s, conceded they were too old to continue their activities.
"In 10 years, I'd be surprised if there are many of us left," says Hiroshi Shimizu, a Hidankyo official who was three years old when the Hiroshima bomb exploded a mile (1.6km) from his home.
Hiroshima and Kunitachi, a small city in western Tokyo with a small population of A-bomb survivors, have tried to preserve the hibakusha legacy by setting up "storyteller" courses open to people who have no direct experience of the attacks and no A-bomb survivors among their relatives. Hidankyo, meanwhile, has started reaching out to the children and grandchildren of hibakusha.
Last month, Yoshiko Kajimoto, an 84-year-old survivor, recounted her experiences via Skype to dozens of members of the British parliament, and a delegation of hibakusha recently took part in a 24-country "voyage for peace" with the Japanese NGO Peace Boat.
As of August 2014, the number of people recognised as having died from the effects of the two atomic bombs stood at more than 450,000: 292,325 in Hiroshima and 165,409 in Nagasaki, which was bombed three days later. On 15 August, Emperor Hirohito announced Japan's surrender to a shattered nation.
"I won't be here in 10 or 15 years' time, so the question we're all asking is how to continue sending our message," said Hiroko Hatakeyama, who was six in 1945.
Tsuboi, who went on to have three children and seven grandchildren, will make his annual pilgrimage to Hiroshima Peace Park on 6 August. That evening, he will release a lantern along the Motoyasu river – where thousands fled to escape the heat of the nuclear blast – to "guide" the spirits of the dead.
In his role as one of the world's most active A-bomb survivors, Tsuboi will have a brief conversation with Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, whom he has criticised for attacking the country's postwar commitment to pacifism.


Actively experience a working New Zealand dairy farm with a stay at The Clubhouse Farmstay. You'll learn about New Zealand agriculture and farming techniques amidst beautiful rolling Waikato countryside, or you may choose to stay in private studio.
Get up close to over 300 dairy cows at our Waikato farm.
Fly into Auckland Airport, pick up your rental car and drive one hour south for a truly unique New Zealand farming experience. You'll milk cows and get up close and personal with our farm animals on our beautiful 250-acre working dairy farm. Carry our seasonal farming activities and feed baby calves and lambs on this uniquely New Zealand farming experience.
You may choose to stay in our private Studio apartment, tea,coffee and breakfast supplies all ready for your use ..Dinner can be servered by arrangement.
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Christie pardons Philly mom arrested for her concealed weapon in New Jersey
Mary Katharine HamPosted at 9:21 pm on April 2, 2015
Shaneen Allen, a single mother of two young children, had a concealed carry permit in her home state of Pennsylvania. But when she crossed the line into New Jersey and was pulled over for a minor traffic infraction, the ensuing discovery of her weapon, which she disclosed to the officer, meant she was facing a mandatory 3-5 year sentence in prison if convicted. Allen worked as a phlebotomist in Pennsylvania and had been robbed twice during the course of the year, leading her to purchase a firearm to protect her family. She had no prior convictions.
Gun activists rushed to her defense upon her arrest. She made bail after 40 days and then awaited a possible felony charge. The county in question agreed to let her attend a pre-trial intervention class— an alternative to prosecution for first-time offenders—setting a useful new precedent that will now allow those who are legal gun owners in other states to use this alternative route instead of being turned into felons when they cross the state line.
Today, Gov. Chris Christie pardoned Allen:
Gov. Chris Christie has granted a pardon to Shaneen Allen, the Pennsylvania mother and gun owner who was arrested in October 2013 for carrying a concealed weapon into New Jersey.
Her attorney, Evan Knappen, of Eatontown, said the Allen case lead to the Office of the Attorney General issuing new guidelines that allow people who are legally entitled to carry firearms in their home states to enter diversionary programs instead of heading directly to a Garden State prison if charged with violating state law.
"It was quite a fight for her down there in Atlantic County, and it led to significant changes," Knappen said. "Hundreds of folks were helped by her case…It's a little absurd to take someone who's a law abiding citizen in their home state but then put them into a New Jersey state prison for a mandatory 3 to 5 year sentence and make them a felon."
Christie, in signing the pardon, cleared Allen on the gun possession charge as well as a related ammunition charge.
Charles C.W. Cooke:
Christie's pardon represents the end of the saga. It is, Christie wrote, "a full and free pardon for all criminal charges and indictments arising from the arrest occurring October 1, 2013." Thus has the slate been wiped clean. Hurrah. Now to change those laws . . .
Congrats, Shaneen Allen, after a very rough couple of years of uncertainty and fear and good job to all the 2nd-Amendment and other activists who kept the prosecutor under pressure.


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This is a New Year's letter (like a Christmas letter, but later). We are no longer even pretending to write a Christmas letter each year, but we really appreciate those who do, especially value those who take the time to do it by snail mail. Your cards and letters decorate our home. We do hope you had a joyous holiday, and that exciting things (all positive) await you in the coming year.
There were three highlights for us in 2018, all including family: two weddings and a birthday.
Early in the year, Michele's nephew Devon Morgan was wed to Alison at a fairy tale castle. Opportunities for all four siblings to be together are rare, so it was special for me.
In the summer we traveled to Hawaii for granddaughter Joanna's "wedding." She and Michael had married earlier at the courthouse, thinking a traditional wedding was unnecessary. After having a change of heart, they decided on a love "celebration" that evolved into a real wedding, although it was still a non-traditional event, with the wedding guests standing in the ocean for the ceremony and dancing in the park until dark.
We traveled to Southern California later in the year where the granddaughters had planned an 80thbirthday party for Gary. Granddaughter Elizabeth, who has her own restaurant, provided all the food for the weekend. Yum! Yum! Granddaughter Joanna arranged for a photographer to accompany us on a casual walk around the Cal Tech campus, Gary's alma mater. Gary shared memories and the photographer shot both candid and posed photographs so everything is documented, in the old-fashioned way. And granddaughter Phoebe flew in from Texas, matching Gary pun for pun. We went to the zoo with our great-grandson (almost cancelled because of the nearby fires), played games, and ate and ate and ate. It was a joyous time and we have many warm memories to get us through the winter and beyond.
granddaughter Phoebe (with the buds of her new hair after chemo).
In other big news, Gary retired again. After twenty years as President of the Fiske Genealogical Foundation, he stepped down when he turned 80. He is still doing cataloging for them and helping with the transition to new leadership. Recognitions from Fiske, the Pioneer Association of Washington, and the national DAR accompanied his decision and acknowledged his achievements.
Our Christmas cactus, that usually puts out maybe a half-a-dozen half-hearted blossoms at Thanksgiving, bloomed abundantly this Christmas and the "peace" plant sent out new blooms. We are taking those as glorious signs that all will be well. As long as we have such wonderful friends, I am sure that will be the case. Peace to all!
When I was a child, my mother came into my bedroom one summer night and gently shook me awake. In the moonlight creeping through the Venetian blinds, I saw her finger across her lips in that universal symbol of silence. She took my hand and guided me into the living room while my father, brother and sister slept.
We watched while the last few states polled their delegates and announced their votes, in the middle of the night, after the television set had usually gone dark. I was never sure why she woke me, and no one else in the house.
I knew why it mattered to her. She was raised in Massachusetts, as was Kennedy, with an accent so strong her children teased her about it until she left us. She was by then a Catholic living in the state of Mississippi where Catholics (perhaps because of Klan activities through the years?) were only 2% of the population. And a Catholic had never been President, an issue that surfaced during the campaign as a potential problem.
His win was of more than the usual historic importance when a presidential candidate is nominated. As is Hillary Clinton's this week, the first woman nominated by a major political party.
I recalled that moment during this week's Democratic Convention. I remembered waiting to learn the final count of votes from each state in conventions of years ago, to learn who would be the candidate. I remembered the roll call where a state's representative might say something like, "We are proud to hail from the State of. . .the largest producer of. . .in the world" then list all the state's positive attributes. "We cast this many votes for Candidate A, this many votes for our native son (rarely a native daughter), and this many votes for the next President of the United States of America. . ." Drama to the end, drama carried by the networks in prime time—and beyond.
Then I began to wonder if this is part of what has helped to weaken our democracy. I thought of all the people for whom conventions used to mean something important about our country, before the results were so assured that the convention became only a dramatic production by the political party. We have lost part of the democratic process and are left with only the hype. Prime time coverage, for most networks, is only one hour, so we see only the highest drama, drama that is staged as entertainment. There is no genuine drama, no horsetrading, no feeling of participation by the viewer.
I wondered what it might be like to have once again the tension of wondering if there were enough votes for our favored candidate. Would we be more interested in the democratic process? Would we watch with baited breath to learn the outcome? And would the news organizations carry the voting in prime time? If that were the case, perhaps more citizens would vote, and perhaps the conventions would stop being massive marketing events for the winner (even before the convention votes are cast). Perhaps they would return to being exercises of citizenship and perhaps our large color television sets would illuminate our living rooms with democracy.
Cokie Roberts has written about women from various periods of American history. Her most recent book, Capital Dames, tells the story of women in Washington, D.C. around the Civil War era. I had never considered how fearful the people of D.C. were during that time period, sure that they were to be attacked at any moment. Nor had I seen a sympathetic portrayal of First Lady Mary Lincoln. In history books she is presented as a confused, ineffective wife and mother, but Roberts shows her wielding power behind the scenes, one reason she was so disliked.
Prior to the war women were largely responsible for the social life of the city and they were honored for their efforts. They received preferential admittance to the galleries of Congress, discussed politics at their parties, and swayed their husbands.
During the years leading up to the Civil War, one of the women who ruled the city was Varina Davis. She held aspirations for the position of First Lady—and she was successful, but not in her beloved Washington. She was First Lady of the Confederate States of America. It was not a choice she might have mad,e as leaving D.C. was a difficult event for her.
During the war women's roles shifted from managing social functions to public service. It was women who organized hospitals, cared for the wounded, and raised funds to provide services to veterans. As a result of women's work during the war, nursing became a profession for women. This was the age of Clara Barton and Dorothea Dix. Barton organized hospitals and nursing in Washington D.C. and then provided medical care in field hospitals. Dix was Superintendent of Army Nurses.
It was a time when Anna Elizabeth Dickinson, was invited to speak before the United States Congress. A gifted orator, she spoke on the need to abolish slavery and the chambers were packed. Later Clara Barton would testify before the Joint Committee on Reconstruction, perhaps the first woman to speak before a congressional committee. She lobbied (successfully) for funds to help locate missing soldiers and identify their remains.
Women did not hesitate to lobby for their positions, in their homes and at political conventions. They worked to have their husbands, fathers, and friends elected to office. After the war some, like Varina Davis, advocated for the release of their Southern husbands from prison; they knew their ways around the city from before the war when they had been some of the movers and shakers in Washington society.
Roberts makes the argument that the changing roles of women during the Civil War led to the suffrage movement's resurgence after the war. It occurs to me that this is similar to World War II when women took on unconventional roles and, rather than go back to their domestic pursuits, began the women's rights movement.
The stage was bare except for a chair and the simple backdrop. Yo Yo Ma settled and began a simple, repetitive, partita by Turkish composer Ahmet Adnan Saygun. When the short piece ended, the cellist's bow hung in the air over the cello, as if the vibrations from the instrument that we could no longer hear kept it airborne. No one breathed, respecting the musician's artistic breath before applauding. But then the bow lowered to the strings and a vibrant unaccompanied Bach cello suite rumbled out from the belly of the cello and floated around and into the ears of those in the seats.
I was breathless and it took some time before I realized that the breathing of everyone else in the theater was also suspended. I have never been in a more silent audience. In a season ripe with colds, there were some quiet coughs during the evening but each time, the offender sounded almost embarrassed, muffling the body's expression that was just as natural and explosive as the sound of Ma's cello.
The applause arose from the hearts of the audience and extended down their arms into their hands. A communion of unspoken words. Yo Yo Ma patted his heart. There were no words, but we all heard them. "Your joy, your approval is what makes my heart beat." He then applauded the audience and bowed, acknowledging reciprocal affection.
Ma then paired Mark O'Connor's "Applachia Waltz" with another Bach suite. and finally he paired Chinese composer Zhao Jiping's "Summer in the High Grassland" with a third Bach suite.
At the end of the concert, the audience stood in unison and demanded an encore. It has long puzzled me that audiences effectively says to a musician, "Gee, you played really well. You did your very best. So, now we demand more." Good job, but it's not enough? Ma closed with a Catalan folk song made famous by Pablo Casals, "Song of the Birds," a song of freedom. At the end he once again touched his heart, applauded us, and made a special point to acknowledge the people in the balcony seats.
A reception for major donors followed the concert and we whizzed into the room with the special stickers on our lapels, provided by our benefactor. When Yo Yo Ma entered he acknowledged the skills of the musicians who were playing, high praise for a group of university students. His tribute to the accomplishments and importance of liberal arts education to our society was stirring. Then he spoke individually to each of the elderly ladies who waited to greet him. He held their hands in both of his, bowed to hear their words, as if the rest of the room had disappeared and they were the only person he wanted to engage. Finally he hugged each warmly.
I floated home, carried certainly on the notes still ringing in my head, but also buoyed by the grace and magnanimity of this artist. Yo Yo Ma embraces each person he meets, each audience he enthralls, each culture he visits. He combines the music and civilizations of the world.
It feels like a path for peace.


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DEVOUR THE DAY album/tour news
Posted on November 12, 2013 by Devour The Day
Wanted to share this news about DEVOUR THE DAY, as detailed in the attached letter (OK to post online) from bassist/songwriter Joey " Chicago " Walser.
Further news about the 2014 re-release of the band's critically acclaimed debut album, TIME & PRESSURE (Fat Lady Music/Caroline Distribution) is forthcoming. Remixing and remastering the album is legendary producer Brian Malouf, who has worked with Michael Jackson, Queen, Brian Wilson, Dave Matthews Band and many others.
"Good Man", the first single from TIME & PRESSURE, has sold over 50,000 singles and the official video has over 635,000 YouTube views. It's been heating up the radio airwaves since its release and as a result, it's been consistently on SiriusXM Octane's weekly "Big Uns" Top 10 countdown, it reached #10 on the Billboard Active Rock chart and #9 on the Mediabase Active Rock chart.
In touring news, DEVOUR THE DAY is joining up with In This Moment, Butcher Babies and All Hail The Yeti to be a part of In This Moment's "The HELLPOP Tour II," which is set to launch January 2 in Portland, OR at the Wonder Ballroom.
Iconvsicon.com described TIME & PRESSURE as a "…powerful wall of sound," while Metalholic.com noted, "TIME & PRESSURE does justice to their reputation for crafting great rocks songs with an empowering message" and Ampkicker raved, "This is a brutally good record." And Emurg.com agrees: "TIME & PRESSURE is an album filled with in-your-face lyrics, guitar driven tracks, and an energy that keeps the listener on their toes throughout the entire duration of the album."
www.devourtheday.com
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DEVOUR THE DAY Release New lyric video
Live Photos of DEVOUR THE DAY at Val Air Ballroom
DEVOUR THE DAY Debut Album, 'Time & Pressure,' Out Now
DEVOUR THE DAY LIVE – Val Air Ballroom, West Des Moines, IA – June 16th