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Plant Safety
Risk Management under the Trump Administration
Amy WunderlinRonnie GarrettCarrie Mantey
With market globalization, industrialized and developing nations have embraced free trade as a means for opening markets and reducing consumer prices. Yet free trade is also blamed for a lot of the world's ills including human rights violations, harmful environmental impacts and unintended economic consequences.
The Trump administration appears to be striding toward protectionism to protect the United States from these impacts, but at the same time the potential of this taking place is causing outcry among some who fear it will close off trade from foreign countries, and raises consumer prices domestically.
Supply & Demand Chain Executive recently interviewed key people in the supply chain industry to gather their feelings on this subject, taking a look at the pros and cons of balanced versus free trade, and the Trump administration's policies when it comes to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and global trade uncertainties, immigration, polices and supply chain impacts, and the Border Adjustment Tax (BAT) and global trade impacts.
In our deep dive into Trump policy, SDCE spoke with: Harry Moser, founder of The Reshoring Initiative, an organization that helps manufacturers realize that local production, in some cases, can reduce their total cost of ownership of purchased parts; Doug Surrett, chief product strategist at BluJay Solutions, a provider of logistics and transportation software and services; Celeste Catano, global product manager and customs expert at BluJay Solutions, a provider of logistics and transportation software and services; David Spooner, a leader in law firm Barnes & Thornburg's International Trade Practice and former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Import Administration; Alan Behr, partner in the corporate and business law department, and intellectual property practice, and chairman of the fashion practice at Phillips Nizer; and Arun Pillai-Essex, senior North America analyst at Verisk Maplecroft, a global risk consultancy. Let's take a look at what our experts had to say.
Q: What are the potential risks of protectionism vs. free trade (or vice versa) on the supply chain industry?
Moser: "The U.S. has been the policeman, the sugar daddy, the bank, for the world ever since World War II. After the war, we were responsible for 50 percent of the world's manufacturing and now we're down to around 20 percent. Some of that was inevitable as other countries recovered, but some was brought on by our not protecting our market. And people have told me about cases where the tariffs on our products coming into another country will be 10 to 15 percent, and the tariffs on their products coming into our country is 4 percent. You've got an imbalance in the terms of trade. What I see happening [with the Trump administration] is an effort to restore that balance to where it should be."
Surrett: "The U.S. is the world's largest importer and second largest exporter, so we clearly carry a large stick when it comes to global trade. China is certainly the largest exporter in the world and the second largest importer, so it behooves the two countries to be on good terms. But I think a lot of the noise that Trump has been making, certainly in the campaign and even afterwards, was partly to set the table for establishing a more balanced global approach in relationships with more governments—so it's not just about protectionism or trade. My personal opinion is that the trade discussions, while they're a part of what he's trying to do, are simply a tool in his strategy to change the nature of a number of these relationships."
Catano: "The risk associated with [protectionism] is that other countries can retaliate, adding additional tariffs to our products trying to be exported into those countries, so long term, it may not be good, depending on the industry."
Spooner: "I think, more than anything else, supply chain executives cringe at unpredictability. Of course, everyone would like to have open markets instead of protectionism, but what really freaks people out, or what really makes it hard to plan, is not knowing what countries might have tariffs next year. Of course, generally, for companies that source globally, it's far preferable both to not have penalty tariffs in place, not to have protectionism and also not to have what are called non-tariff barriers (retaliation from other countries that might result in customs bottlenecks). Right now, with the talk of renegotiating North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and reevaluating other free-trade agreements, I think we won't see new tariffs or changes in the rules in the next six months. It won't happen that quickly, but I think it makes it hard for people to plan a year or more out. I think virtually all of the companies I work with are holding their breath. They would be opposed to new tariffs, but they also say there are things in old free trade agreements that they wish were better, and maybe this is a chance to fix the problems that we've seen in the past."
Q: Though the "Trans-Pacific Partnership" (TPP) fell almost immediately after Trump went into office, the way the new administration hopes to change the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) remain unclear. What is known is that President Trump believes the U.S. has been on the wrong side of this trade agreement for many years and that he has promised changes to it will be needed in order for it to stand. What are the potential risks posed by changing, or even ending, NAFTA and how might this impact global trade?
Spooner: "If you talk to global companies, business executives will quietly tell you that the world has changed in 25 years. And NAFTA really could use some updating. There really could be some positives out of renegotiating NAFTA. We could streamline things at the border and have rules that protect or at least regulate e-commerce among all the countries, etc. That could be a tremendous help to trade."
Pillai-Essex: "The Trump administration is expected to take a far more measured approach to reforming NAFTA than touted during the 2016 presidential race. U.S. negotiators will seek concessions from their Canadian and Mexican counterparts on protected industries in both jurisdictions, and will strengthen enforcement of U.S. intellectual property regulations. While reform to NAFTA provisions appears to be largely cosmetic, a draft reform proposal does include a call for treaty members to have the right to re-impose tariffs in the event of a flood of imports that cause 'serious injury or threat of serious injury' to the domestic industries of another member. This provision injects an element of volatility as it would allow NAFTA members to impose ad-hoc unilateral tariffs. While the imposition of selected tariffs could disrupt cross-jurisdictional supply chains, any tit-for-tat escalation between members is highly unlikely as it would threaten the entire accord."
Surrett: "NAFTA has clearly been good for the American consumer, [but] it's been terrible for the producers in America. You could make the argument that, for the average American, the price of the products we buy are much lower than they would otherwise be, so in that sense, it's been very good. But at the same time, it's taken a lot of manufacturing jobs and a lot of middle-class wages out of our economy. I'm not convinced that Trump is necessarily trying to undo all of that as much as he is trying to shape other policies and use the trade agreement as a way of bringing people to the table."
Catano: "The Trump administration wants to renegotiate NAFTA basically because a lot of pieces of NAFTA are not helping the U.S. government, or U.S. citizens, by taking away a lot of jobs, and bringing jobs to Mexico and Canada. We still haven't seen what parts of NAFTA that he wants to really change and whether that's going to have an actual effect long term. It may help companies short term by allowing them to build up their own companies, but long term it could really have a negative effect because all of the companies that rely on exports to, say, Mexico may not be able to export their products to Mexico, and they'll have to start finding other sources or other countries to export their goods to."
Q: If news reports are accurate, the Trump administration reportedly has dropped any support for a border adjustment tax (BAT) on imports. If enacted the BAT would have imposed levies on billions of dollars on imported goods. Though for now, this seems to be a moot point, we've already seen the administration go back and forth on proposed policies in other areas, so it's still a topic on everyone's minds. In your opinion, what are the potential risks of a 20 percent border adjustment tax and how would this impact global trade?
Spooner: "There's sort of an unresolved debate as to whether the border-adjustment tax would impact supply chains, but people are certainly concerned about it. It's probably not very helpful. We don't have a draft of the legislative text yet, but the border-adjustment tax in theory would not tax the corporate earnings from sales overseas and not allow companies to deduct from earnings costs spent on importing stuff. Basically, it would encourage exports and penalize imports. Most of the companies I work with are strongly opposed to the border-adjustment tax. They think it would make their corporate taxes go way up to the point of some of them becoming unprofitable. The corporate folks are fighting with the economists, who believe if a border-adjustment tax is imposed, the value of the dollar would adjust and it should have no net effect on corporate income taxes."
Moser: "The border-adjustment tax could provide roughly $1 trillion of tax revenue over 10 years, which is needed to offset the corporate tax rate reduction from 35 percent to 15 percent. Now some people say the dollar will go up enough to counterbalance its effects and it will not improve our competitiveness situation. I think they're wrong, [but] the only way to find out is to do it. There's a lot of concern that if you impose that tax, retail prices will go up by 15 or 20 percent. First, they won't go up that much because internal U.S. retail costs won't go up. So you don't have to raise the retail price proportionally. And there will be competition to maintain shares. It will go up a lot less than that, but still will have an impact on anybody who imports a lot."
Pillai-Essex: "The prospect of a border-adjustment tax—effectively a 20 percent tax on all global imports that would be put in place through a wider tax overhaul—is highly unlikely. The proposal has drawn significant opposition from Senate Republicans and industries contingent on imports. The Trump administration has, in turn, been lukewarm in its support of the proposal. If implemented, U.S. industries, particularly those reliant upon low-cost global imports, will be forced to make tough choices in order to absorb the higher cost. Increasing consumer prices is one option; the other one is to cut their workforce—neither option is particularly appealing to a White House that has promised to create jobs and improve living standards. The U.S. dollar would have to appreciate significantly to absorb the rise in import costs. If it fails to do so, the higher production costs will be passed on to consumers. Finally, foreign firms selling to the U.S. market would be at a disadvantage compared with their U.S. counterparts, as the higher tax burden would make their products less competitive."
Catano: "I think it's very similar to protectionism. If [the government] starts imposing a border tax, other countries are going to start doing the same and then the cost of the products coming from those countries will be prohibitive to the American people. Because Americans want those products, supply chains are going to have to start looking for other sources of those goods. Then if we want to do any trade with Mexico, we're going to have to price our products in such a way that it'll work; then the Mexican government will retaliate with their own tax. It could be very cyclical."
Q. On May Day, we saw rallies across the U.S. against the Trump administration's get-tough policy on immigration, a crackdown protestors claim preys on vulnerable workers in some of America's lowest-paying jobs. What are the potential risks of changes to U.S. immigration policies and how might this impact the supply chain industry?
Pillai-Essex: "One of the pillars of President Trump's America First policy is taking a stronger stance in limiting migration, both undocumented and legal immigration. This was exemplified by the administration's pledge to construct a border wall with Mexico, the release of an executive order on refugees and visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries, and the publication of plans to expand programs to locate and deport undocumented workers … Businesses voiced their concern over a stricter approach to immigration. Undocumented workers are one of the largest sources of labor across the U.S. Given their dependence on migrant and undocumented labor, sectors like construction, agriculture and retail could face higher operating costs and disrupted supply chains as a result of the stricter enforcement of current laws."
Catano: "If the immigration laws are tightened and fewer illegal immigrants come into the country, the industries that rely on illegal labor will end up having to raise their costs to hire legal residents [because] they would have to pay them more than what they typically pay illegal laborers, so I think we'll see an increase in cost. If we have to raise the prices here, then the cost of goods to global partners would end up increasing as well."
Behr: "People are justifiably worried about their jobs. When someone comes in and says, 'I'm so desperate for work. Forget the $15 minimum wage—give me $10,' I think the only way any of this can work with protectionism is still to protect the authenticity of labor, which is to say, you have to show up legally. You have to then be paid a fair wage, with benefits, on the books."
Surrett: "The supply chain industry is a very adaptive industry and it's going to find a way to work with whatever cards are dealt to it. [Immigration policy], naturally, is going to have an impact, but I would argue it'll probably be somewhat short-lived in that companies are going to find ways to do things with fewer people. They're going to look for automation; they're going to look for opportunities to do things more efficiently so that the rising labor cost can be mitigated. I have a lot of confidence in the folks in this industry that adapt and find ways to work within the confines of the laws and the policies established by any administration."
PULL QUOTES:
"The U.S. is the world's largest importer and second largest exporter, so we clearly carry a large stick when it comes to global trade." Doug Surrett, BluJay Solutions
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BACKGROUND: The status of a pregnant woman might add to the motivation to stop smoking. However, little is known about whether women who are pregnant for the first time (primigravidae) show a motivation to quit smoking that is different from women who are pregnant at least the second time (multigravidae). The goal of the current study was to compare smoking status, urge to smoke and intention to change smoking behaviour of primigravidae and multigravidae. We hypothesized that amongst primigravidae there are less current smokers, that the smokers consume less cigarettes per day, have less urge to smoke and that more stop smoking after delivery when compared with multigravidae. METHODS: Among 642 women postpartum who had smoked before pregnancy smoking status, the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence and intention to change smoking behaviour were assessed. The data were analysed with the Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney's U-test and the Sign-test. RESULTS: Primigravidae smoked less cigarettes (P < 0.01) and showed less urge to smoke (P < 0.05) than multigravidae. They did not differ according to the intention to change smoking behaviour (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Experience of first pregnancy does not seem to automatically induce more smoking cessation compared to multigravidae. Prevention measures are needed for primigravida women and multigravida women to the same extent.


iii) Engineering (biomedical, chemical, electrical and/or computer,etc.).
Given the number of applications that we have received lately, prospective students should have a GPA of at least 4.0 on the Canadian 4.5 scale (equivalent to a US GPA of 3.7 on the 4.0 scale), and prior work or research experience to be competitive for admission to the lab. International students who are from countries where the primary language is not English – regardless of the language of their instruction – will also require a minimum TOEFL iBT score of 100 out of 120 (equivalent to a TOEFL CBT of 250 out of 300, a TOEFL PBT of 600 out of 677, or an IELTS score of 7.5 out of 9.0). Finally, prospective students should familiarize themselves with the Physiology and Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program admission requirements to make sure that all of the criteria are (or will be) met before contacting us.
Please note that all students in the lab are paid a competitive stipend that covers tuition and living expenses. However, while lab-based funding for graduate study is sometimes available, students who are eligible for scholarships (see below) will be strongly encouraged to apply after talking to the lab director about potential projects. If you do not receive a fellowship, this does not preclude acceptance to the lab; however, applying for these funds is a good indicator of your commitment to joining the laboratory.
If you meet the above criteria and are interested in applying to join the lab, please email Chase Figley to introduce yourself, your previous research experience, and discuss how training in the Figley NeuroImaging Lab fits with your long-term goals. Please mention explicitly which program you are interested in applying through (MSc vs. PhD, and Physiology vs. BME) and remember to attach your CV, all unofficial transcripts, and your TOEFL/IELTS scores or certificate (when appropriate).
Finally, please make sure that your email and all of the supporting documents are written in your own words! For example, do not use a professional writing service or plagiarize examples from other cover letters on the Internet, as these may actually negatively impact your application. If you write sincerely and in your own style, we will review your entire application and get back to you…and, particularly if you are an international student, we would rather hear from you in your own words – even if your application contains a few spelling and grammar mistakes.
All members of the lab have strong foundations in natural sciences, health sciences and/or engineering. We are also generally interested in research that incorporates new method development, as well as the applications of these methods to help tackle complex neuroscientific problems. For examples about the kinds of projects that we are involved in, please take a look at our publications and the descriptions of the research projects that we are currently pursuing.
We are always interested in hearing from potential postdoctoral fellows. However, the trick in these situations is to find funding, which is not always straight forward and may require advanced notice to submit grant applications, etc. Therefore, anyone who is interested in doing a fellowship in the lab should contact Chase Figley (with a CV, research statement, and the contact information for three references) as soon as possible to discuss potential projects and grant opportunities.


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Tory backbenchers and campaigners are concerned, however, that the consultation has been rushed and that the result will be poorly drafted legislation, built on a weak evidence base, that could end up criminalising conversations between children who say they are transgender and parents, teachers and clinicians.
At the heart of the controversy is the inclusion of "gender identity" alongside sexuality in the legal change. Critics fear that the new offence could see therapists who do anything other than affirm an individual's statement that they are transgender fall foul of the law, even if questioning that statement might be in the best interests of the individual. The legislation would also introduce the concept of "gender identity" into UK law, which some fear could ultimately pose a threat to single-sex spaces.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Three Finalists for MCPS Teacher of the Year Announced
Three teachers have been named finalists for the 2017–2018 MCPS Teacher of the Year Award by the Marian Greenblatt Education Fund. They are:
Melissa Segal, fourth grade team leader at Luxmanor Elementary School in Rockville. She is an innovative instructor, willing to embrace new techniques and strategies to better meet the needs of her students. She maintains a classroom environment in which every student is valued and respected. She has implemented several mindfulness strategies into her daily routines, which help students clear their minds and focus their thoughts. In one of her assignments, fourth graders interview local business owners, then come up with their own business plans offering various services, which they present in a Shark Tank scenario. Under Segal's instruction, students displayed impressive improvements in their MAP-M assessments between fall and spring. She serves as a mentor and role model for her colleagues. Active in PTA and school-sponsored events, Segal can be found waiting tables at Run the Diner Night, scooping ice cream at Baskin-Robbins fundraisers, or planting flowers around the school.
"She teaches her students to strive for excellence, to love reading, and to fully respect each other," fellow fourth grade teacher Aaron Fairchild said of Segal. "She teaches all of us to give our best to our students, to wear a smile, and to never give up hope. And most importantly, she teaches us to remember that this profession, that we all have chosen, is a very important one."
Cherin Hershkowitz, math content specialist at Roberto Clemente Middle School in Germantown. Her teaching is described as superb, innovative and engaging. She explains concepts in a way that students can embrace the theories behind the algorithm. This earned her an opportunity to teach Continuing Professional Development classes to other Montgomery County educators. Her peers admire her ability to analyze grade-level data, and her students appreciate that she provides real-world experiences that bring the curriculum to life. Her efforts to build the capacity of her fellow mathematics teachers led to a 27 percent increase in the number of students earning a C or higher in Algebra. She designed schoolwide data monitoring tools to improve instructional decisions and placements. Beyond the classroom, she planned and facilitated Math Nights to help parents better understand Common Core. She is often present during Clemente community events, such as the school's first 5K; the Rock the World concert, where Clemente raised money for a sister school in South Africa; and a program to provide holiday gifts to families in need.
"I look up to Ms. Hershkowitz," one student reflected in a nomination letter. "She motivates me to excel beyond, and when I become a cardiac surgeon and win Doctor of the Year, I promise she will be right there, standing next to my mother crying with joy, because she will be the reason I am on that stage."
Nancy Shay, English resource teacher at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville. A National Board Certified teacher, Shay's energy is palpable and she brings a sharp eye to the needs and challenges of her students and the teachers she leads as the department's resource teacher. Her students know she is accessible and ready to help them. As the English Department head, she has elevated the work of other teachers through data analysis, sharing best practices and peer visits. She fostered a teacher-driven movement to teach literacy across the curriculum, and is a regular trainer at International Baccalaureate workshops around the country. Under her leadership, notably her own decision to teach 9th grade English rather than focusing solely on International Baccalaureate students, the minority student achievement gap has narrowed measurably at her school. Shay also co-leads the after-school Homework Club, which provides academic coaching, tutoring, mentoring and support for students, and coordinates monthly RichTalks, schoolwide conversations about race and culture.
"Her passion for the craft of teaching, respect for the content, and encouragement of all students to engage in discourse as a means to high levels of literacy and critical thinking are an inspiration to us all," said Richard Montgomery Principal Damon Monteleone. "There is no student she cannot teach. There is no adult she cannot inspire."
The Greenblatt Education Fund is also honoring Yecenia Morales, a Spanish teacher at Wheaton High School, and Amra Nansimbi, a fourth grade teacher at Glenallan Elementary School, as the 2017 Rising Star Teachers of the Year. This award honors teachers with less than five years of experience whose creativity and enthusiasm encourages students to stretch themselves and achieve more.
Finalists for the Teacher of the Year Award, who must have five years or more of teaching experience in Montgomery County, are interviewed by a panel of educators, Board of Education members, MCPS staff and representatives from the Montgomery County Council of PTAs, as well as a member of the Greenblatt family.
The teachers, along with other MCPS employees and partners, will be honored for their extraordinary work as part of the annual Champions for Children Awards Celebration hosted by MCPS and the Montgomery County Business Roundtable for Education (MCBRE). The MCPS Teacher of the Year will be named during the event, which will take place on Wednesday, April 26, at BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown.
The Marian Greenblatt Fund, named for a former Board of Education member, recognizes teachers that inspire their students to achieve, encourage younger teachers to be the best they can be, and help their school and community. The Fund awards each Teacher of the Year finalist a prize of $2,000, and the two Rising Star Teaching awardees $1,000 each.


BIO: Born and raised in Calgary, Alberta Jennifer Skroch is a very positive and motivated person, and is dedicated to her friends and family and the goals she sets for her self.
A motto that she likes to go by is that "you miss 100% of the chances you never take" she believes that you should always go after what you want no matter the obstacle that stands in your way.
Having both parents originally from the Czech Republic, she is fluent in both Czech and English, and loves to learn and meet new people of all ethnicities.
This past year she has travelled back home to Czech to see her family and also vacationed to Cancun in which she fell in love with the culture. Jennifer hopes to one day move to mexico for year and become fluent in spanish.
Currently a hair dresser, she enjoys being creative and is interested in all that is fashion. Her other interests include hiking, going for runs, reading and spending time with her friends and family.
Going to the gym daily Jennifer likes to maintain an active life style, she feels that it is very important to look good and feel good from the inside out.
Going into this competition and having little experience in pageants she feels that it is a great opportunity to experience something new and exciting as well as a chance to be able to represent her home country.
Czech was my first language and English was my second I am fluent in both.
I like to keep active so I go to the gym daily as well as kick box and go for hikes in the summer time. I just started to read again in which I am trying to teach myself spanish. I love to travel as well as meet new people and spending time with my family is also a big part of my life.
I have not had any special training except for taking dance for 2 years through my highschool which included hip hop, jazz, modern and salsa.
I currently do kick boxing and I use to be involved in long distance running in my Junior high school.
I would have to say my best friend Merima who has always been there for me, she is a strong person and has such a positive outlook on life no matter the things that have happened to her and I really admire that and have learned to always look at the glass half full rather than half empty. I believe the key to life is all about an individuals attitude and how they perceive and react to the obstacles and negativity in they're lives.
It would have to be going into the Miss Calgary competition prior to the Miss Universe Canada.
The most interesting thing that has ever happened to me would have to be when I was about 7 years old and my family and I went to Hornby Island to visit friends and after a massive storm. We found a baby seal, which after a couple of days, we decided to take it back to Calgary with us where we then took it to the zoo and got to be on the news.
I am currently a hair dresser in the city of Calgary which will become official when I write my exams amd gain my license. I also really want to travel to as many places as I possibly can around the world before I settle down in whatever I decide to do at that time.
I would like to be self employed and start my own clothing line, I feel that I am creative and have a lot of ideas that I can put forth in the fashion industry.
I was born and raised in Calgary but I have had several opportunities in which I got to travel to places such as the Czech Republic, where my parents are from, as well as Florida Mexico, Vancouver, Vegas ,Winnipeg and Seattle. I grew up in a very supportive home my parents have always been there for me in everything I did and I have always had a very exciting life style.
I have not had any unusual jobs but I have worked at Bernard Callebaut at the airport, Chili's Texas Grill and now at Avenue Hair.
I have not yet been involved in any major volunteering but would really like to become more hands on and familiar with it.
I know everybody has a unique talent but I just believe that I have yet to discover mine.
Out of some of my travels I really enjoyed Cancun I have been there twice and I love everything about it the culture, food , people as well as the beautifully colored ocean.
I have never really thought that far in advance but I would like to be married in ten years with hopefully still being able to occasionally travel and have a good career that I enjoy.


The last 12 months have seen some important events and actions regarding climate change both globally as well as in Bangladesh. The article will review some of the key events and activities over the last year and point to important upcoming events.
The most significant development on the science of climate change is the rolling out of the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The report of Working Group — 1 on the Science of Emissions is already out and the Working Group — 2 report on Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation will come out in March 2014 with the final Working Group Report in Responses coming out later in 2014. In addition to these IPCC reports there will also be the third international conference on Adaptation Science in Fortaleza, Brazil in May 2014.
Bangladeshi scientists have been playing a key role in the international science of adaptation and now loss and damage in particular. However, although a great deal of research gets done in Bangladesh, very little of it is of international quality. Hence, there is a need to improve the quality of the research in Bangladesh if it wishes to be taken credibly by the global scientific community.
The eighteenth conference of parties (COP18) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Doha, Qatar in December 2012 and COP19 held in November 2013 in Warsaw, Poland, saw a new global policy issue arise (in addition to the two existing ones on mitigation and adaptation) on Loss and Damage.
After tough negotiations on this topic in Doha and then even tougher one in Warsaw we have emerged with a new Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss and Damage which was our key demand from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Group. Bangladeshi scientists, experts, negotiators and civil society played a critical role in achieving this success in Warsaw.
Bangladesh has an opportunity to continue to lead other LDCs on this issue if we are able to seize the opportunity. It will require a concerted and collaborative effort from the government as well as research community and civil society.
Bangladesh is already widely recognized as a leader in the rapidly emerging field of Community Based Adaptation (CBA) where we have hosted a number of the annual international CBA conferences. The seventh International CBA conference (CBA7) was held in Bangladesh in April 2013 with nearly 300 international participants from over sixty countries. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the closing speech was given by Mary Robinson, the former president of Ireland.
CBA 8 will be held in April 2014 in Katmandu, Nepal where the theme will be "Reaching Global Adaptation Funding to Local Communities". It is expected that there will be attendance from the major adaptation funders including the Chairs of the Adaptation Fund (AF) and Green Climate Fund (GCF).
Bangladesh has an opportunity to take some more actions to support local level adaptation at home and share them at the second National Conference on CBA to be held in Dhaka in March 2014 and then to promote them at the international conference in Nepal in April.
At the national and local level the main activities have been the implementation of the BCCSA through the two climate change funds, namely the Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF) and Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (BCCTF). The former has several hundred million US Dollars from donor countries such as the UK, Sweden, Australia, Denmark and others, while the latter has several hundred million from Bangladesh's own resources.
Both funds have been supporting activities by government agencies and civil society as part of the BCCSAP. The experience of both these funds needs to be assessed and some longer-term ideas mooted on whether they should continue, be merged or replaced?
Looking forward at the national level, the world is now looking at Bangladesh as a pioneer in tackling climate change and we can indeed become an example for other countries. The positive aspect is that there is a very high degree of awareness of the climate change problem amongst all stakeholders and there is also very strong bi-partisan political support from all the political parties. Hence, the focus on climate change should be the same regardless of which political party is in power. However, on the negative side the difficult political circumstances make progress in tackling climate change difficult, as with everything else. The other negative issue to keep in mind is that it does not take much time to lose one's reputation if something does go wrong. Hence, it is important that we have some good monitoring and evaluation systems put in place to keep track of the country's climate change activities.
At the international level, in addition to those important events mentioned above, the main future event is the twenty-first conference of parties (COP21) to be held in Paris, France in December 2015, where the new treaty is supposed to be formalised. There will be two milestone events before then, namely, COP20 in Lima, Peru in December 2014 and the Climate Summit called by the United Nations Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-moon in September 2014 on the margins of the UN General Assembly.
Over the last few years Bangladesh has been slowly been able to turn around its reputation in the context of climate change from being one of the most vulnerable countries to becoming one of the most adaptive countries. It should continue to carry out activities, learn lesson and share them with the rest of the world.
The writer is Director, ICCCAD at the (IUB) and Senior Fellow at the UK based IIED. This post originally appeared here.


text:
Match Officials: Luton Town Home
The match official for Saturday's clash with Graeme Jones' Luton Town at Deepdale is experienced referee Gavin Ward.
Ticket Information: Luton Town Home
Gavin, from Surrey, is in his 13th season on the EFL lists, and although he has officiated the Lilywhites on eight previous occasions, although this is only his third at Deepdale, but his second in a couple of months.
His last was the 5-1 home thrashing of Daniel Stendel's Barnsley, the now Hearts boss' last game in charge of the Tykes.
As mentioned, in his 12 seasons on the lists, the referee has also taken charge of North End on eight previous occasions, including our late draw at Hull City in October 2018, our early season trip to Carrow Road to face Norwich City and our home clash with Sheffield United in April.
Prior to our trip to Norfolk early last season, the last game he officiated was at Elland Road against Leeds United in December 2015, Mathew Hudson that day making his debut for the Lilywhites.
We've Met Before: Luton Town Home
His other games in charge of PNE were at Brentford and in 2010 at Leicester City, and his first two in the space of a few months back in early 2010, at Bristol City and a 1-1 draw with Coventry City at the Ricoh Arena.
This will be his 14th game of the season, having so far issued 42 yellow cards and three red cards in his seven previous games, including two other Luton games, their 2-1 win at Blackburn Rovers and their 2-1 home defeat to Nottingham Forest.
On Saturday afternoon Richard Wild and Matthew McGrath will be the match official's assistants, whilst the fourth official will be Anthony Backhouse.
Preston North End vs Luton Town on 14 Dec 19
Luton Town Hatters


text:
Tim Flannery on Sign Stealing In Baseball
Kurt Russell makes his professional baseball debut
Don Drysdale's major league record streak of consecutiv...
Baseball Deals
On May 14, 1978, Dave Kingman of the Chicago Cubs hits three home runs, including a game-winning three-run blast in the 15th inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The game marks the second time in his career that "King Kong" has hit three homers and driven in eight runs in a game at Dodger Stadium. Tommy Lasorda gives a colorful interview after the game.
Listen to the Interview
In MemoriamTommy Lasorda (1927-2021) Hall of Fame manager of the Dodgers from 1976 to 1996. Led the Dodgers to four National League pennants and two World Series wins. Two-time Manager of the Year. Managed U.S.A. Olympic Baseball to a gold medal in 2000. Spent more than seventy years active in the Dodgers organization as a player, scout, manager, and in the front office.
The Blue Jays defeat the Indians, 8 – 1, as David Wells wins his major league-leading 16th game. Bartolo Colon takes the loss for Cleveland, despite striking out the first six batters to face him to tie Bob Feller's team record.
Jul 26, 2000 | This Day In Baseball |
On July 26, 2000 — The Blue Jays defeat the Indians, 8 – 1, as David Wells wins his major league-leading 16th game. Bartolo Colon takes the loss for Cleveland, despite striking out the first six batters to face him to tie Bob Feller's team record.
Baseball Reference July 26
PreviousIvan Rodriguez (.347, 27, 83) breaks his thumb when it is struck by Mo Vaughn's bat swinging on a third strike when the American League MVP attempts to throw out a runner stealing second base. The Texas Rangers' All-Star catcher will miss the rest of the season.
NextThe Rockies and Red Sox complete a seven-player trade. The Red Sox receive pitchers Rolando Arrojo and Rick Croushore, infielder Mike Lansing and an undisclosed amount of cash for second baseman Jeff Frye and pitchers Brian Rose and John Wasdin as well as minor league pitcher Jeff Taglienti.
1975 – Chicago's Ken Henderson homers from both sides of the plate during a 4 – 2 win over Baltimore.
In a twin bill against St. Louis, Joe DiMaggio hits three homers and drives in nine runs. The Yankee outfielder's offensive outburst contributes to the Bronx Bombers' sweep of the Browns in New York, 10-4 and 12-6.
2001 – Larry Dierker resigns as manager, ending a five-year run that can be argued as the most successful in team history. His winning percentage (.553) is tops for the franchise. His 448 wins rank second to Bill Virdon. The good news was four division crowns in five years. The bad news was a 2-12 post-season record, failing to escape out of the first round of the playoffs each year. But the numbers don't begin to capture Dierker's story, one as unique as the Hawaiian-shirted lanky Californian that has spent practically his entire adulthood with the franchise.
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Sonny Siebert fires no hitter June 10 1966 Full Radio Broadcast
On June 10, 1966 At Cleveland Stadium Sonny Siebert pitches a no-hitter against the Washington Senators and Leon Wagner homers off loser Phil Ortega as first-place Cleveland wins, 2 – 0. The right-hander strikes out seven batters, walking only one, in his Cleveland Stadium gem. It will be the only No Hitter of the season. More information about todays events, players, ball park, date and […]
Vin Scully on the Call May 14 1957 Dodgers vs Braves
More information about todays events, players, ball park, date and season - www.thisdayinbaseball.com Join our Baseball Community – Join a community of baseball fans just like you - https://thisdayinbaseball.com/join-the community Hosted by This Day In Baseball – Learn more about the hosts of todays show https://thisdayinbaseball.com/about-us/ Support this Show – Post or […]
Willie Mays Makes The Catch Game 1 1954 World Series
More information about todays events, players, ball park, date and season - (www.thisdayinbaseball.com) Join our Baseball Community – Join a community of baseball fans just like you - https://thisdayinbaseball.com/join-the community Hosted by This Day In Baseball – Learn more about the hosts of t More information about todays events, players, ball park, date […]
Lefty Gomez pitches the Yankess to the 1936 World Title
October 6, 1936 Yankees at Giants World Series Game 6 The Giants loaded the bases in the first off Lefty Gomez on a single and two walks before Mel Ott drove in two with a double, but Jake Powell's home-run after a two-out triple off Freddie Fitzsimmons tied the game in the second. Next inning, […]
Lou Brock hits one of longest homeruns in Polo Grounds history
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Jimmy Piersall hits his 100th homerun and runs the bases backwards
More information about todays events, players, ball park, date and season - https://thisdayinbaseball.com/jimmy-piersall-celebrates-his-100th-career-home-run-by-running-the-bases-backward/ Join our Baseball Community – Join a community of baseball fans just like you - https://thisdayinbaseball.com/join-the community Hosted by This Day In Baseball – Learn more about the hosts of todays show https://thisdayinbaseball.com/about-us/ Support this Show – Post or Personal donations https://thisdayinbaseball.com/sponsor-donation-program/ […]
Game 7 1934 World Series Dizzy Dean Faces the Tigers
On October 9, 1934, Dizzy Dean and the St. Louis Cardinals win the seventh game of the World Series 11-0, the Cardinals erupted for 7 runs in the 3rd inning. Dizzy Dean with 1 out doubled to left, Pepper Martin singled to first and stole second, then Jack Rothrock walked. Frankie Frisch lines a three […]
Don Drysdale dominates Yankees in Game 3 1963 World Series
October 5, 1963 Don Drysdale pitched a masterful three-hitter at Dodger Stadium in his complete-game win. Manager Walter Alston called Drysdale's performance "one of the greatest pitched games I ever saw." Jim Bouton, making his first World Series start, dueled Drysdale throughout, permitting only four hits in seven innings for a losing cause. The lone […]
Sandy Koufax Beats the Mets 1-0 on a 2 Hitter
On May 19, 1963 At Dodger Stadium Sandy Koufax fires a 2 hitter to beat Roger Craig and New York Mets 1-0 striking out 5, and walking 1. Craig collected 1 of the 2 Mets hits. Tommy Davis drives in Dodger Hall of Famer Jim Gilliam with their only run in the first inning. More […]
Game 3 1961 World Series Yankees at Reds Radio Broadcast
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Sonny Siebert fires no hitter June 10 1966 Full Radio Broadcast January 14, 2021
Vin Scully on the Call May 14 1957 Dodgers vs Braves January 10, 2021
Tommy Lasorda goes off after Dave Kingman beats Dodgers in 15th Inning January 10, 2021
Willie Mays Makes The Catch Game 1 1954 World Series January 7, 2021
Lefty Gomez pitches the Yankess to the 1936 World Title January 4, 2021
Lou Brock hits one of longest homeruns in Polo Grounds history December 31, 2020
Jimmy Piersall hits his 100th homerun and runs the bases backwards December 31, 2020
Game 7 1934 World Series Dizzy Dean Faces the Tigers December 28, 2020
Don Drysdale dominates Yankees in Game 3 1963 World Series December 27, 2020
Sandy Koufax Beats the Mets 1-0 on a 2 Hitter December 21, 2020
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Door Prizes and lots of in-store Specials & Sales! It would be a great time to get your Mother's Day shopping done! We also Gift Wrap for FREE!
Bike Night w/Bruce Day Live!
Come experience the unmatchable atmosphere of SingleSpeed Brewing Co. and enjoy some good tunes on the patio!
Tickets will be available to the public beginning April 1st at Columbus Catholic High School.


text:
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


If you haven't read this story, consider this a huge, bouncy rec with chocolate sprinkles. :D It's an AU, a mystery about a serial killer. Viggo is a detective on the case, Orlando is one of the victims (as of this writing, he's not dead yet [wink]), and various other LOTR cast and crew take other character slots. Go read it!
WARNING: DO NOT GO ANY FARTHER IF YOU PREFER TO ENJOY THIS STORY AS IT COMES, WITHOUT HEARING OPINIONS ABOUT WHAT THE "ANSWER" MIGHT BE, OR IF YOU PREFER TO FIGURE IT OUT ON YOUR OWN. IF THERE'S ANY CHANCE AT ALL THAT THIS DISCUSSION MIGHT SPOIL THE STORY FOR YOU, THEN PLEASE DON'T LOOK UNDER THE CUT, OR AT ANY OF THE COMMENTS!
OK, my guess is that the CK is Craig. Reasons?
Craig knows Viggo well. He knows that he's working on this case, how he goes about it, how he thinks. The killer knows that Viggo's "always thinking," which means he almost has to know him personally. This could be from observation over the year plus of the case, but it could also be because he lives with him and knows him quite intimately.
Craig knows ahead of time that Viggo's going to London, so he knew to mail him the pictures and coded message there. Let's look at who all knew Viggo was going to London -- his boss Barrie, Ian, Sean... and Craig. It might be Barrie, but we haven't seen or heard from him since the first chapter, plus there was no mention of him having been away from work long enough to kidnap and kill the first London guy and then kidnap Orlando, so making him the killer would be cheating. :) If it were Ian or Sean, one of them would have had to have been on extended leave from work recently, to have been in the US for all the time the CK case has been ongoing, or at least they'd have had to have been flying back and forth a heck of a lot. Nothing like that's been mentioned, so it really couldn't have been either of them, unless, again, the authors are cheating and I don't think they would.
Craig was away from home when the killer was at work in London. He told Viggo he was in New York on a business trip, but since they kept in touch by mobile, who knows where he actually was? I think he was in London. This would also explain why he seemed mildly surprised that Viggo thought he might've woken him up when he called, even though it was 6:00am "there," in New York; if he was actually in London then it's closer to noon and it makes sense that he wouldn't have expected a caller to apologize for waking him.
Craig rejected Viggo's offer to pick him up at the airport when he "arrived" in England. He had a good reason, a very sweet, boyfriendish reason, but that's not the only possible interpretation. I think he was already in London and didn't want to let Viggo know that.
Craig knew that Viggo was going to be staying with Orlando in a safe house, because Viggo told him. What I said in the open on the community board is true, a smart killer could have figured that out. But Craig didn't have to figure it out because he'd gotten the info right from the source. And there's no reason for him to be in a hurry to get Orlando back, because he can keep a vicarious eye on him through Viggo; Orli's not going anywhere, from Craig's point of view.
Anyway, that's what I think. I'm looking forward to hearing other theories, discussion, debates, all that sort of thing.


I fell in love with country life. The mountains. The friendly people. The awesome food. The deliberate slowing down of life in general. I even almost bought a super expensive Dirndl which I would have probably worn only once at the Oktoberfest and then never again. What happened to me?
Since the sun started to shine constantly I was on a permanent high, probably induced by the sudden availability of endorphines that lacked before, when there was only rain. But on day seven I also took a very nice trip to Europe's highest waterfalls – the Krimmler Waterfalls, which upped my mood even more. Those waterfalls are 380 meters high and you can walk up their full height. The walk up there is no picnic, but you will be rewarded with spectacular views and refreshing splash water.
After reaching the top you should definitely continue hiking in the Hohe Tauern National Park until you reach Veitalm (have a Raspberry water there, it's delicious and not too sweet). You will be walking in a beautiful scenery of rivers, mountains and meadows – honestly the most beautiful scenery I have seen so far.
On the last day of my holiday the hotel offered a so called "challenging hike", where we were supposed to overcome a difference in altitude of a 1000 meters. I was like "Let's do this!" – so I got up at seven am, had a hearty breakfast, put on a ton of sun screen, packed water, supplies and my very fashionable headband that prevents my forehead from getting burned and waited at 8.55 am at the hotel's entrance, ready and motivated. We were a group of approximately 12 people, all older than me and some of them not very sporty. The temperature had already risen to 25 degrees. Our guide predicted three to four hours for the ascent to Klingspitz, a timeframe that would have been totally fine for average weather conditions. But already after walking up an hour in the burning heat that got hotter by the minute a lot of the people in our group started to pant and feel dizzy. So our guide decided to change the route due to the heat – which was the right thing to do, obviously, but nevertheless I felt disappointed. I had really looked forward to this physical challenge on my last day. Fortunately, two crazy guys – Volker and Peter – wanted to climb the mountain anyway, despite the blazing heat. And so I joined them and we did it: we forced our bodies to take us up the mountain and reached the summit at half past twelve. And it felt awesome.
It was the perfect ending to a vacation that started not so perfect, but all in all turned out great. Even the rainy days – they provided time to read and write and contemplate some things that normally drown in the daily routine. Without the rain I probably would not have started writing these blog posts – and the world would have never known of beautiful Dienten, Klaus and Anneliese or where to get the best Kaspressknödelsuppe. So thank you, bad weather, your rough patches have made my vacation even brighter.
Lesson learnt: Things don't need to be perfect to be good, sometimes it's imperfection that leads to the best result.


As the Legislative Review into Australia's cloning laws finishes its hearings this week, a leading Australian scientist involved in the attempt to create cloned human embryos has joined overseas scientists in stepping back from the controversial practice.
Dr Robert Jansen is head of Sydney IVF, which is the only laboratory in the country to have attempted cloning since it was legalised in 2006. With cloning, an embryo is created which is the identical genetic twin of the patient in order to obtain stem cells from that embryo that exactly match the patient.
The reality has proven very different to the hype that swayed the Senate in 2006 to pass the cloning laws (by just a single vote). No laboratory anywhere in the world has managed to obtain even a single embryonic stem cell by cloning, and scientists who previously supported this technique are now talking down its prospects.
The 'newer ways' of producing 'pluripotent' stem cells that exactly match the patient refers to the discovery in 2007 by Japanese scientist Shinya Yamanaka of a way of transforming a skin cell into the exact equivalent of an embryonic stem cell – but without ever using a woman's egg or creating a human embryo, and thereby avoiding the ethical concerns. This method has proven immensely successful in obtaining the specialised stem cells that cloning failed to obtain.
As the Legislative Review prepares to report to Parliament on May 27, 2011 we hope that the report acknowledges the dramatically changed scientific landscape, where the failed science of cloning has been replaced by Yamanaka's entirely ethical technique of 'induced pluripotent stem cell' production.
There is public concern that the only scientist on the Review Committee is Professor Frazer, who so overstated the prospects for cloning in the lead up to the 2006 vote. There is further concern that the other prominent member of the Committee is Professor Loane Skene, who was Chair of the committee that recommended cloning to the Federal Government in 2005. There is certainly a perception of lack of balance on the Committee, given that the two dominant members are well known advocates of cloning. However, we trust that the Committee's report will acknowledge the diminished role for cloning in the field of stem cell science, and recommend that our Parliament restore the prohibition against creating cloned human embryos solely for research and destruction.


text:
import { Component, OnInit } from '@angular/core';

import { data } from './Data/scstcell.data';
import { GenerateBoxService } from "../Shared/Services/generate-box.service";

@Component({
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  providers: [GenerateBoxService]
})
export class ScstcellComponent implements OnInit {
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  ngOnInit() {
    this.generate.load(this.data);
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}


text:
Elections director asked to step down after 2,600 ballots not initially counted in Floyd County
FLOYD COUNTY, Ga. — The Georgia Secretary of State's Office says Floyd County missed 2,600 ballots during its initial count on election day.
The votes were discovered during the hand recount that is currently happening in every county across the state. Those ballots changed the margin in the state by about 800 votes in the President's favor, according to Gabriel Sterling from the Secretary of State's office. That change still leaves Biden in the lead by more than 13,000 votes.
Sterling says they are now calling for the elections director in the county to step down.
[SPECIAL SECTION: Election 2020]
"The secretary, since this was such an amazing blunder and they had issues in August, would like to see that elections director in Floyd County step down from his position," Sterling said during a news conference Monday evening.
Here is the unofficial breakdown of the ballots that weren't originally uploaded I Floyd. 1,643 votes for Pres. Trump, 865 for former VP Biden and 16 for Libertarian Jo Jorgensen. That is +778 for President Trump that will be reflected in the certified result. #gapol
— Gabriel Sterling (@GabrielSterling) November 17, 2020
Sterling says the votes are from an early vote box and likely were missed by human error, in which the card with those ballots was not put through.
[RELATED: Here's where Georgia counties stand on their hand recount of the presidential election]
He says they now have an investigator looking into what happened and why.
"It is the only county where we've had an issue like this," Sterling said. "It's unfortunate, but it's not an equipment issue. It's a person not executing their job properly ... This is the kind of situation that requires I think a change at the top of their management."
Channel 2 Action News Political Analyst Bill Crane said that's a problem that could grow even bigger.
"I think it gives fuel to the president and his campaign that may request a full second recount under the law in Georgia, if they can point to or demonstrate irregularities or the potential for fraud," Crane said.
GEORGIA VOTER GUIDE:
Key Dates for 2020 Runoff Elections in Georgia
These are the 7 races that are in a runoff in Georgia
Did you know? You can still register to vote in Georgia's U.S. Senate runoffs
How to vote by absentee ballot for Georgia's U.S. Senate runoff elections
Sterling said the math doesn't add up in the president's favor.
"Nothing is making us see any substantial change in the outcome," Sterling said.
Wednesday is the deadline for 159 counties to report their numbers.