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Assassins Creed: Syndicate gives players just what they want
Posted bywutriangle November 24, 2015 June 28, 2022 Posted inOpinionTags:Video Games
Staff Writer Danny Stueber
Last year, Assassins Creed: Unity was a glitchy mess that was not fun to play and had multiple things in game making you feel that you had to pay real world money to unlock them. This year, Assassins Creed: Syndicate fixes many problems from last years game while also adding new features to make this the best game in the series since Assassins Creed 4: Black Flag.
Since 2007 there have been nine main games in the Assassins Creed franchise but since Assassins Creed 3 in 2012 it has not mattered if you have played the other games. Syndicate is kind of a sequel to Black Flag but only in the way that they mention it a few times in dialogue.
Syndicate takes place it the late 1800s during the industrial boom in London. You play as Jacob and Evie Frye, twin assassins whose goal is to eliminate the villainous group known as the Templars whom the order of Assassins has been fighting with for generations. Along the way you will meet and interact with Charles Dickens, Karl Marx, Thomas Edison, and even the Queen of England herself.
The city itself looks pretty good all considering and I never got tired of running around it for the 20 hours I spent in it. You see children workers, crime in the streets; carriages with police escorts and more, that all make you feel like you are in the correct time period. Unity last year might have been bad but it did look amazing being set in France which I give credit to over Syndicate. The city is nice but very dreary and not as graphically pleasing as Unity was.
Everything looks how it should though and that is all you can ask for. The animations of characters also look very nice. When you're fighting and are surrounded by many enemies your character never moves in a jerky motion. It is always smooth and nice to watch and play.
I will say however that this game is not free of glitches entirely. Over my week of playing this game I had more bugs than I have ever seen in a game I have played before. Sometimes characters would not move with me so I would continue to walk and see my arm stretch all the way across the road. Sometimes my character would jump onto the street and crumple like paper almost falling through the world. I exited a cut scene and my character was totally invisible for almost five minuets while I was still able to play until I reset the game. None of this ruined my time though and were just quick laughs. The extreme happened though when the game hard crashed three different times in two days where I had to end up resetting my Xbox every time. That kind of thing should not happen and not as frequently as it did.
Playing the game feels a lot like any other Assassins Creed game before it. You run, hide, climb, etc. to assassinate your targets and take over the city. The climbing and movement in general is smooth but just like any other game in the franchise you will find your character flying off in a direction you didn't intend and you just curse to yourself about it. The one change is the addition of a grappling hook to help you climb and cover gaps faster which now that I have used it I will never be happy with another game in the franchise without it.
Like I said at the beginning, you play as twins, which means you can change between the brother and sister anytime you want. Even though the game tells you Jacob is more for fighting and Evie is more for stealth however I never found them to play too differently. Other than missions that made you play as a certain one I would just stick with Evie because she was a better character over her brother (he is just annoying and hard headed compared to her) and because they felt so similar to control.
The whole gang aspect also was not that appealing to me. You could have members of your gang help you in situations like fighting and escaping but the combat was so easy that I never felt like I needed the help. Really, you're just over powered the whole game as long as you do not try to rush through the story. It was nice to have the option of help though and your gang growing really helped you feel that your power was progressing.
The story is enjoyable and when I finished it all I felt like I had a good run and had a lot of fun. At the end of the day that's what you hope for from a game is that you had fun with it. The characters don't vary enough to constitute being different, the real world aspect that is shoe horned in is dumb and makes no sense to new players, the bugs were everywhere, and the city itself is kind of forgettable compared to past locations. It is fun to play though and rewards you every step of the way so you always have something to look forward to. I can say that Syndicate is in the top three of the series and shows that even though the ball was dropped with last years installment this franchise can still find ways to be new and fun.
Assassins Creed: Syndicate 8/10 (Xbox One version)
StUeBs13 = Xbox Gamer tag
Stuebs_13 = PSN account
Edited by Rob Gay
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Probably the most appropriate and best-known Christmas show of all, thanks mainly to the iconic Bing Crosby/Danny Kaye movie that gets regular tv outings at this time of the year, this is more than just a showcase for Irving Berlin's wonderful music. While the plot may be slight and contrived, the underlying sentiments of the importance of having loved ones around you is what contributes most to the longevity and undying popularity of the show.
For those not familiar with the tale, it's Christmas 1954, and two ex-service buddies, Bob Wallace (Steven Houghton) and Phil Davis (Paul Robinson) have made a career as a song-and-dance act. Intent on heading for Florida, Phil encounters the singing Haynes Sisters (Rachel Stanley and Jayde Westaby) and swaps the train tickets so he and Bob can follow them to Vermont, where the girls have been booked to play at a struggling hotel. Said hotel just happens to be run by their old commanding officer, General Waverley (Graham Cole) and manager Martha Watson (Wendi Peters). So, in the best showbusiness tradition, the boys rally the troops to put on a show in the barn and save the business from ruin.
But the simplicity of the plot leaves room for the real business – and that's the classic songs and the spectacular dance routines. A show full of memorable music: Blue Skies, The Best Things Happen When You're Dancing and of course White Christmas itself. But the showstopping moment comes at the start of the second act, when Paul Robinson, Jayde Westaby and the dancers brought the audience to their feet with I Love a Piano. Hats off to choreographer Randy Skinner and all concerned, and to MD Andrew Corcoran and the Orchestra. Faultless all.
While the leads all have big shoes to fill, the cast are uniformly excellent, with particular praise for Steven Houghton and the vivacious and sparkling Rachel Stanley, who lead from the front.
Coupled with top class production, suitably loud costumes, and a sense of the spirit of hope that pervaded those post war years, it all comes together to make this the ideal Christmas night out, whether or not your Christmas is white.
Jim Welsh
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Research Symposium 18' at Northshore College of Business & Technology (NSRS 18') was successfully held on 01st September 2018 at the College premises. Over 100 students from 04 disciplines (Civil Engineering, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Software Engineering and Business Administration) showcased research findings from their 03rd year and 04th year undergraduate projects with the participation of all academic staff, external project supervisors and their colleagues. This symposium was introduced to further enhance students' experience at the College and is expected to disseminate research findings uncovered while undertaking their individual projects.


As with any job, the way a web designer works can vary extremely from person to person. Are you a morning person or do you work at night? Work in small bursts or do long intense sessions? Regardless of how you work, the overall set up of the day is similar.
Regardless of whether one is a morning person or not, the hours are long. Getting work in on schedule and at a professional level means that many designers, as is the case in the art world, are perfectionists. Along with working, a freelance web designer has to answer emails. A lot of them. There are always clients requesting more work, things to be changed, added and new jobs offered. Some days it appears the a web designer wont even get a chance to do any web design at all. A huge part of designing is listening to what the client wants, and as mentioned this can be time consuming: meetings, phone calls, emails all take up a large portion of the day. It is important, though, because if the client doesn't like the work being done, it only has to be done again, therefore wasting more time.
As a web designer there are many clients all requiring different styles of sites. All of these have to be planned out, designed, developed and eventually created. Most designers work on multiple sites simultaneously, including their own. All will require their own unique design, colour scheme, planning and research. And then they have to be actually created. Depending on how high a level the designer has reached, they may have a team to which they can delegate tasks. But this still means that all the work has to be checked to make sure that everyone is following the design brief set out by the client.
In addition, many designers spend their remaining spare time brushing up on techniques, software knowledge and other types of research in an effort to constantly improve, learning new designs and techniques to add to their work and websites.
Overall, a web designer has a long and consuming day. It is not for the faint of heart, but the rewards at the end of it are well worth the work.


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Beyond the Stratosphere Ascends to New Heights
Brian C Scott December 29, 2016 Reviews No Comments
As a reviewer, it is my job to be unbiased and objective in my opinions. In the case of Beyond the Stratosphere, currently in production by the Oklahoma City Theater Company at the Civic Center Music Hall CitySpace Theatre, it would seem on the surface that I might be incapable of maintaining my objectivity, for two reasons. First, the playwright, La'Charles Purvey, is a very close friend of mine, like a brother in fact. Second, I was part of the original cast of Beyond the Stratosphere, in which I portrayed Dunk. Besides the fact that the two reasons would effectively cancel each other out (one might slant me towards it while the other might bias me against it), there is yet a third reason that I was able to take on this task with absolute objectivity: The current production of Beyond the Stratosphere is completely unique, fresh, and unlike my own Stratosphere experience, yet it remains true to the story while upping the emotional ante with stellar performances across the board. Before getting into the particulars, let me make a painful admission: This version of Stratosphere is a better production than the one in which I was involved. There, I said it.
The story revolves around five men infected with the HIV virus in 1992 and perfectly captures the essence of the era, including the stigma associated with the then-mysterious virus that was primarily thought to be a "gay disease." That misconception is tackled head on in Stratosphere, with each of these men coming from vastly different walks of life. Led by a PhD candidate, Scotty Young (played brilliantly by Jerrod Mitchell), who is himself infected with the virus, the group consists of enterprising teen and aspiring astronomer Mixtape Boy (G'Angelo Peterson), ex-con and street hustler Dunk (BC Randolph), drag queen Sunday Mourning and her male alter ego Reggie (Phillip Rideout II), and gospel comedian Demetrious "D" Little (Thonie Lee).
Augmenting the cast of men superbly are "Scotty's Fine White Girlfriend" social worker Penny (Alicia Ann Working) and prostitute/"actress" January (Amara Brady), Mixtape Boy's mom, whose reckless living and addiction resulted in her son's affliction, a fact she laments without ever fully acknowledging responsibility.
There are no weak links in the cast of Stratosphere, each a shining star in an immaculately constructed constellation worthy of gazing upon through Mixtape Boy's binoculars. Standout performances are given by Randolph as the street savvy Dunk, who is bold enough to confront the Almighty and accuse him of traits Dunk ironically possesses himself, and Peterson as Mixtape Boy, who maintains an inextinguishable optimism despite the odds stacked heavily against him at every turn. Thonie Lee does a remarkable job as D. Little, who also maintains an unlikely optimism, although his is not rooted in reality and ultimately appears to be little more than veiled denial fueled by religious zeal. Lee's performance is even more noteworthy considering he was a late addition to the cast, replacing Ron Marshall midway through the run. Though playing a drag queen is not a stretch for Rideout, a real-life self-described female impersonator whose alter ego is Gizele Monae, Rideout brings Sunday Mourning to life in a way that makes us believe in her history and pain. Brady conveys January's cynicism and indifference to near perfection, yet lets her empathy shine through just enough to let us feel her humanity. Working provides balance as Penny, and makes us believe in the love she has for Scotty, as well as the frustration she experiences with his lack of fortitude. For his part, Mitchell, as Scotty, is the perfect referee, diverting attention from himself to those whom he selflessly serves, separating the players like prizefighters when low blows are thrown, but letting them duke it out when necessary, while inwardly losing his own battle at the same time. Together, the group embarks on a roller coaster ride for which none of them signed up, and takes us along for every twist, turn, slow climb and steep drop.
Surprisingly, despite the dark subject matter, Beyond the Stratosphere is a holiday story that warms our hearts and inspires hope, reconciliation and resolve to all, not just those fighting against the plight afflicting the men (and woman) of Stratosphere. Only two opportunities remain to see this masterpiece, December 29th and 30th at 8pm. Don't miss this incredible performance, as Purvey and his brilliant story are undoubtedly headed for galactic heights in the future. Kudos to director Callison Coburn for a fresh, original interpretation of a great script, and to the cast and crew of Stratosphere for a job well done.
Get tickets online at okcciviccenter.com or in person at the Civic Center Music Hall box office.
Beyond the Stratospherela'charles purveyslider
Brian C Scott
Brian C Scott is the founder and Executive Editor of Culturocity. He is an author, poet and stage actor. He is a true lover of the arts in all forms, as well as a staunch advocate for the African American community. He is also a professional software engineer with over 24 years of industry experience. He holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Information Systems. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, he resides in Edmond, Oklahoma.
Black Girl Magic-No Longer Hidden
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J.Cole Shares His Intimate Thoughts on Love and Black Liberation


Yet another superb and diverse line up of acts are set for our Live Sunday Sessions in June. From the soulful Sarah Stone to the muti talented Lauren Bruce into the fierce Dakara Dirt boys and then stripping it back to the excellent country rock duo Deep Creek Road we have all tastes covered on these unique 1 hour live in the studio sets that occur every Sunday afternoon on Southern FM. Not just an artist playing straight to the mic but a fully blown in-studio free concert which gives a true account of the talents of these fine musicians.
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Ghost Republic Somaliland
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Biography: Chantal Heijnen (The Netherlands, 1976) is a documentary photographer and a devoted educator for the community programs at ICP & Lantern Community Services in NYC. She passes on her passion for Black & White Darkroom photography to... read on
1 of 19 © 2020 Chantal Heijnen
Numerous monuments have been erected throughout Somaliland since 1991. This Somali army jet was placed in the heart of Somaliland's capital Hargeisa in memory of the 1988 bombing by the dictatorial Siad Barre regime which killed thousands of civilians. When the Somali central government collapsed in 1991, the Somaliland government - formed by the all-encompassing traditional Somali council of clan elders (guurti) led by the Somali National Movement (SNM) - declared independence from Somalia.
In 1993 the National Charter – the first main Constitutional document of independent Somaliland – was written and signed by the Conference of the Somaliland Communities at the Sheikh Ali Jahar Secondary school in Borama. The prototype was followed by Somaliland's first Constitution in February 1997. A teacher, who was part of the Conference, shows the classroom where the National Charter was written in 1993. He was part of the birth of his nation's Constitution. The teacher points out all the rooms and areas where the Conference gathered – sometimes for days at a stretch, he recollects with visible pride.
Supreme Court justices, appointed to the highest judicial institution in the country, also make up the Somaliland Constitutional Court which deals exclusively with constitutional matters. In 2008, suicide bombings in Hargeisa killed 30 people in the city and caused part of the building's roof to collapse. No groups have taken responsibility for the attacks; they were widely considered to be directly aimed against Somaliland's nationhood and the institutions representative of the new state. The Court lacks the funds to repair the building, or even to acquire official togas: until a promised international shipment arrives, the judge wears informal attire.
Erigavo is one of the three larger cities in the northeast of Somaliland. The estimated population of this fast growing city is 180,000. Mayor Ismail Haiji Nuur explains that Somaliland does not have the means to build the infrastructure needed to connect the country's larger cities. To reach Erigavo from Hargeisa means to travel two days through the desert, on dusty tracks, once a road constructed by the British to suit trucks during World War II.
Launched in 2000, the government-controlled national station, broadcast daily from 6PM to midnight. In 2012, Somaliland supports three television stations in Hargeisa and two additional international Somali stations elsewhere in Somaliland. With no infrastructure in place, it is difficult for Hargeisa-based newspapers to reach the villages. Satellite television has given people in rural areas the kind of media access that was previously unthinkable.
As a former soldier in the Somali National Movement (SNM) army, Achmed Nuur personally fought for Somaliland's Independence. In the aftermath of the 2008 suicide bombings on Hargeisa Nuur began work as a security guard escorting foreign travelers in Somaliland, a precaution mandated by the Somaliland government to guarantee the safety of its visitors.
Mural painting on fence of police station in Burao. Burao was the site of Somaliland's unilateral and internationally unrecognized declaration of independence on May 18, 1991. Burao is Somaliland's second largest city, with approximately 400,000 inhabitants. Like the other cities in the northern part of the country, Burao has been rebuilt with limited outside aid. The city has boomed economically with people from rural areas moving there.
Burao International Airport is the largest of three airports of Somaliland, the other two being Egal International Airport in Hargeisa and the airport of Berbera. Lack of asphalting on the runway does not prevent flights taking off to their international destinations in Ethiopia, Djibouti and Dubai.
Immigration officer at Burao International Airport. To enter the Republic of Somaliland all foreign travellers, except ethnic Somalis, need an official Somaliland visa.
10 of 19 © 2020 Chantal Heijnen
As per annual local tradition, members of Abdi Hamud meet with their king in the village of Hamaas, a small town near Maid. Abdi Hamud is a small faction of the Isaaq clan. With a total population estimated between 2 to 3 million, the Isaaq clan dominates the population of the five major cities of Somaliland: Hargeisa, Burao, Berbera, Erigavo and Gabiley. Although Somaliland tribes are traditionally animal-grazing nomads, the Isaaq are famous for their historical trading links with Arabia and India. In the rural areas outside Erigavo farmers are able to grow enough corn, potatoes and limes to feed themselves and their families.
Daylight finds its way to a caretaker inside the tomb of Sheikh Isaaq in Maid. A small coastal village is all that remains today of Maid, the region's former main seaport that once bordered the Gulf of Eden in
north-east Somaliland. The architectural beauty of the tomb indicates the importance of its eternal tenant. Sheikh Isaaq from Arabia, one of the Prophet Muhammad's early descendants, is considered to be the founding father of the Isaaq clan in the 12th/13th century. Four of the sheikh's sons are laid to rest in the tomb with him, as are the two Arabic architects who designed the structure - a tribute to their craftsmanship reminiscent of the pharaohs of ancient Egypt.
In the increasingly arid inland region around Maid the tomb of another clan ancestor, Sheikh Issa, is a holy place. The white of its dome, reflected by the sun, serves as a bright beacon for weary pilgrims. The Issa clan is one of the four major clans of Somaliland. Isaaq is the largest of the four, followed by the Harti, Samaroon and Issa clan.
Abdirahman Libaan Fohle, head of police in Burao in 2009 and former member of the Somali National Movement (SNM) army, sits behind his desk; a Somaliland flag adorns his sparsely furnished office. Today (2012), Fohle is the deputy police commissioner of Somaliland. The Somaliland Police Force is part of Somaliland's internal security forces,
subordinate to the military.
Weeds overgrow former army barracks in Burao. The barracks, like many buildings in Burao, sustained heavy damage during Somaliland's fight for independence. Structures like this one, riddled with bullet holes and in various stages of disrepair, stand throughout the city as silent witnesses of the cumulative damage incurred by years of war.
Radio Hargeisa's studio was completely destroyed by the bombings in 1988. During the remaining years of Somaliland's independence war with Somalia Radio Hargeisa was unable to broadcast. The Somaliland
National Movement (SNM) thus built its own pirate radio station in May 1989. Broadcasting from a bunker in Hargeisa, the station reached the
Somaliland people. In January 1991, four months before the end of the war and a declaration of independence, the Somaliland station was
renamed Radio Hargeisa.
Newsreaders present live news from the studio of Radio Hargeisa. In 2000 the Somaliland Government rebuilt the radio station. Radio Hargeisa is currently the only radio station in Somaliland, broadcasting ten hours a day in Somali, English, Arabic and Amhari. Broadcast media, especially radio, is the primary source of news and information for the population
since a majority (55 percent) of Somalilanders is still illiterate.
Axmed Yuusuf Dirir, Executive Director of the Berbera seaport, is in charge of all export and import in the harbor. Berbera's main exports are sheep, camels and myrrh, with the main markets for exports in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Livestock has traditionally been at the heart of Somaliland culture and the Somaliland economy; the 2.8 million live animals that Somaliland exported from Berbera in 1997 represents the largest number of animals exported from a single port in the world that year.
Berbera, the former capital of Somaliland, has been the main commercial seaport of Somaliland since its completion in 1962. Livestock exports makes up approximately 65 percent of Somaliland's gross domestic product. It plays a major role in the Somaliland economy as a source of employment, income, foreign exchange, government revenues and food imports. A gateway to Ethiopia, its strategic location next to international oil shipping lanes means Berbera is a booming seaport. It boasts the only sheltered harbor on the south side of the Gulf of Aden.
Hargeisa, capital of Somaliland, 2009
Public Story
Credits: chantal heijnen
Date of Work: 04/01/09 - 02/01/11
Archived as: Community, Documentary, Mixed Medium, Peacekeeping, Photography, Photojournalism, Portraiture
Ghost Republic Somaliland: democracy against all odds
Very few people have heard of Somaliland. Officially still part of Somalia, Somaliland declared itself an independent republic on May 18, 1991, and has been building its nation ever since.
Somaliland has everything one would expect any "normal" democracy to have, with the exception that it is situated within, and officially still part of a country that has absolutely nothing of the sort: Somalia. One of the most volatile and violent countries in the world today, Somalia is tarnished by its ongoing civil war, unmatched brutalities and absence of government.
Photographer Chantal Heijnen's fascination with Somaliland started in 2009, when she and her Somaliland born friend Fatma Ali traveled to this democratic enigma within what is essentially a failed state. In the two years that followed, they began documenting the Somaliland people who are building the democratic institutions of governance in their unrecognized republic.
Ghost Republic Somaliland: Democracy against all odds is a photo document focused on the Somalilanders who are organizing, maintaining and governing a nation that is effectively cut off from the rest of the world.
Chantal Heijnen Stories Ghost Republic Somaliland
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By Chantal Heijnen —
House of Xtravaganza
By Chantal Heijnen — G Xtravaganza (35) gets ready for a ball at 'House of Yes' in Brooklyn and inspects the shoe collection below his impressive clothes..
Uncle Gil
By Chantal Heijnen — This ongoing documentary series is about a most remarkable man living in the Bronx. Gilbert (67) is a retired special education teacher originally..
The Divided States of America
By Chantal Heijnen — The Divided States of America is a photo essay on the upcoming midterm elections. How are Americans feeling about Trump's divided..
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Rockies' Ben Paulsen: From court jester to knight in shining armor
By Patrick Saunders
Ben Paulsen, Carlos Gonzalez, DJ Lemahieu, Troy Tulowitzki, Walt Weiss
Rockies first baseman Ben Paulsen celebrates after hitting a walk-off single to lift the Rockies to an 8-7 victory over Texas Monday night at Coors Field. (David Zalubowski, The Associated Press)
Just when you think you've seen everything at Coors Field … along comes Ben Paulsen.
As Rockies fan Jacob Lucy tweeted at me after the game: "Paulsen went from court jester to knight in shining armor" in the span of five innings during Colorado's raucous 8-7 victory over the Texas Rangers Monday night at Coors Field.
ICYMI, here's how it went down:
In the Ranger's game-changing, three-run fifth inning, with one out and two men on, Prince Fielder grounded out to Paulsen, who stepped on first. Thinking he had recorded the third out, Paulsen began jogging to the Rockies' dugout. Meanwhile, Texas starting pitcher Nick Martinez scored from third, and Rougned Odor, taking advantage of Paulen's mental lapse, scored all the way from second, sliding home to beat Paulsen's late throw. Fielder was officially credited with two RBIs on the strange play.
Earlier in the inning, Rockies right fielder Carlos Gonzalez tried to throw out Odor at the plate. Odor was safe, but in Paulsen's brain, there were two outs.
"That's exactly what happened," Paulsen said. "I thought CarGo threw Odor out at the plate, and I went back and I was holding up two fingers. I didn't even think to look at the scoreboard. Maybe next time I can put three rocks in my pocket and take one out with each out."
Sweet redemption arrived in the bottom of the ninth when Paulsen scorched a game-winning single into the gap in left-center for the first walk-off hit of his career.
That prompted manager Walt Weiss to quip: "I think that's the first time I've see two walk-offs in one night."
With two on and one out, Paulsen pounced on a 2-2, 96 mph fastball by reliever Tanner Scheppers, driving in pinch-runner Drew Stubbs.
"I was just concentrating on having a good at-bat," Paulsen said. "I wasn't thinking, 'Oh, I have to get a hit here.' I just thought if I put a good swing on it, good things can happen."
Paulsen called his mistake a "bonehead play," and said it had never happened to him before.
"I don't think I have ever done that, and it was really bad that men were on base," he said.
It was a crazy night of baseball in LoDo. Here are some other things you might have missed:
* The Rangers tied the game 7-7 in the top of the ninth on a single by Adrian Beltran off Rockies closer John Axford. Axford had intentionally walked the dangerous Prince Fielder one batter before.
"It's pick your poison right there," Weiss explained. "I know putting Fielder on was the go-ahead run, but both men are great hitters and great RBI men. I wanted to give 'Ax' a a couple of pitches to Fielder to see where we are at. Then I was going to make my decision.
"I didn't want (Axford) to give into Fielder. I wanted Ax to make Fielder hit his pitch. But once he got to 2-0, I went ahead and had him put Fielder on. I didn't want Fielder in good counts."
* Monday was the Rockies' fourth walk-off win of the season, and their fifth consecutive win at Coors Field.
* By surrendering a 7-0 lead, the Rockies blew their biggest lead of the season. In fact, it was their largest blown lead since surrendering an eight-run lead on May 30, 2008 at Chicago. The Rockies had never won a game in which they surrendered a lead of seven or more runs.
* Charlie Blackmon has hit safely in 23 of his last 28 games since June 16. He is batting .351 (39-for-111) with 19 runs, seven doubles, three triples, four home runs, 21 RBIs and 13 walks over that span.
* DJ LeMahieu extended his hitting streak to 11 games with an RBI triple in the second inning. It's the longest active hitting streak in the majors. During the streak, LeMahieu is hitting .432 (19-for-44) with two doubles and three RBIs.
* Troy Tulowitzki extended his on-base streak to 41 games (since May 26) with a two-run home run in the second inning. It is the longest active streak in the majors and tied for the second-longest in franchise history. Michael Cuddyer's 46-game on-base streak in 2013 holds the top spot.
* During the streak, Tulo is batting .365 (57-for-156) with four doubles, 10 home runs, 34 RBIs and 18 walks. He's recorded a hit in 38 of his past 39 games.
Categories: General Rockies, Rockies Recap
Troy Tulowitzki explains why 41-game streak made him better
Jon Gray performs well in front of Rockies farm director Zach Wilson


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What is Parole?
In criminal justice systems, parole is the supervised release of a prisoner before the completion of his/her sentence. This office does not supervise "parolees." For more information, please contact the Georgia Board of Pardons and Parole at 404-656-5651 or visit the
Georgia Department of Corrections website.
1. Can my probation be transferred to another county?
Yes, upon approval of the court, and the receiving agency.
2. Does my officer know I am here?
If you have signed in to the office then yes, your officer knows.
3. Do you take checks?
We do not take personal checks. Credit/debit cards are only accepted in on-line payments. Money orders made out to E.C.P.O (Effingham County Probation Office) and cash, in the exact amount, are the methods of payment. Change will not be made, so please plan ahead.
4. How do I contact a Felony Probation Officer?
The Felony Probation is in Statesboro, GA. Their office is phone number is 912-871-1119.
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8. Necesito un programa de DUI en español, ¿me pueden ayudar?
Hablamos español. - Las evaluaciones y los programas de tratamiento disponibles en español. - Primera vez y varios delincuentes
The Sanctuary Recovery Center (El Santuario)
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*Póngase en contacto con Frank Núñez, Director
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- Work faithfully at suitable employment insofar as may be possible.
- Do not change their present place of abode, move outside the jurisdiction of the Court, or leave the State for any period of time without prior permission of the Probation Supervisor.
- Support their legal dependents to the best of their ability.
- The Probationer shall, from time to time upon oral or written request by any Probation Officer, produce a breath, urine, and/or blood specimen for analysis for the possible presence of a substance prohibited or controlled by any law of the State of Georgia or of the United States.
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General conditions may include maintaining employment, abiding to a curfew, living where directed, abstaining from unlawful behavior, following the probation officer's orders, not absconding, and refraining from contact with other individuals, who may include victims of the original crime (such as a former partner in a domestic violence case), potential victims of similar crimes (such as minors when the crime involves child sexual abuse), potential witnesses, or those who have partnered with the offender in the earlier crime.
13. What is the phone number to the Adult Misdemeanor Probation Office
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We at TribeSound are excited to announce that we have just acquired a Telefunken U-47.
For those of you unfamiliar with this microphone, it has been an industry standard mic for more than half a century. It has been the preferred microphone of such artists as Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Johnny Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls, Frank Zappa, Green Day, and the list goes on and on.
This mic offers an incredibly vibrant, detailed tone, and is an extremely versatile addition to our continually growing gear list.


The major sell of Suunto's new multisport watch follows in the slipstream of the Coros Pace and its impressive battery life.
You'd have struggled to make the 17hr Ironman cut-off with previous versions; with the Suunto 9 you have 25hrs in 'performance mode' and up to 120hrs in simple GPS mode. Real life matches the marketing and equally impressive are the 'smart reminders' based on your activity history, which ensures you're fully charged for your next session. Around £500 for a big battery is elaborate in anyone's books, though, especially when, at its heart, this is a souped-up Suunto Spartan. So what else is going on?
The main 'advancement' is improved GPS thanks to a twofold development: adopting a Sony chipset over their previous GPS chipset and what they term 'FusedTrack' – an algorithm that combines GPS and motion-sensor data to improve accuracy, which also extends battery life. On paper it makes sense; in practice, it's pretty good, too, yet not notably an improvement on past efforts.
It also features chunkier buttons than before – we like them but it's definitely subjective – and retains the sapphire-crystal screen that makes the information ping. And you're given a huge amount of feedback to ping including sleep tracking, barometric altitude and heart rate, although the optical sensor is erratic at best (an extra £50 bags you a more proven chest belt). All the data can be sent to Suunto's Movescount/SportsTracker apps, which are only adequate.


text:
International weekly journal of science
Nature | News
US panel redefines chronic fatigue syndrome
Recommendation to change name to systemic exertion intolerance disease ignites controversy.
Sara Reardon
11 February 2015 Clarified:
The mysterious disease known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has long defied classification, because the symptoms vary greatly in the millions of people who are affected by it. Now, a panel commissioned by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has produced what is sure to be an influential report on how the disease should be diagnosed. The guidelines come with a new moniker: systemic exertion intolerance disease (SEID).
The report, released by the US Institute of Medicine (IOM) on 10 February, says that the new name better reflects the key symptom of the disease — the body's inability to tolerate any exertion. It argues that other symptoms, such as cognitive impairment, are secondary. But some experts are already challenging the changes.
Leonard Jason, a psychologist at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, expects that patient advocacy groups will find fault with the name, and feel that they were not adequately consulted. "As a community psychologist who values citizen participation in critical decisions, I think this was a strategic mistake," he says.
By contrast, members of the IOM panel say that the name should help people who are affected by the disease, the existence of which has long been doubted and even mocked. "If I never hear another person say 'I'm chronically fatigued too', it won't be too soon," says committee chair Ellen Wright Clayton, an expert on law and genetics at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.
Widespread scepticism
Research has shown that even many physicians are sceptical about the existence of CFS, and most do not know how to diagnose it1. More specific criteria should address that problem. "That will in the end get more people cared for and treated," says Peter Rowe, a paediatrician and chronic-fatigue expert at Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore, Maryland, and a member of the IOM panel.
The report also attempts to simplify the diagnostic criteria, addressing concerns that previous definitions were too complex. For instance, people who have a mental illness can be diagnosed with SEID; they had been excluded from a CFS diagnosis because fatigue is also a symptom of depression.
Patients and researchers are universally thrilled about one aspect of the report: its definitive statement that the disease is real. It even recommends that SEID be entered into the International Classification of Diseases — the book that physicians around the world use to make diagnoses. A patient at the IOM press conference described that as "the best thing that's happened to me" since her CFS diagnosis years ago.
Still, Derek Enlander, a physician in New York City who specializes in chronic fatigue syndrome, worries that the revised criteria are too broad, and will result in too many patients being diagnosed. And the new name, he says, is bound to confuse patients, physicians and researchers, especially those who are not familiar with the condition.
Enlander says that the HHS, which spent US$1 million on the report, is likely to adopt the new definition. But the debate over the diagnostic criteria is sure to continue. "This is round one," Jason says.
doi:10.1038/nature.2015.16905
Follow Sara on Twitter @Sara_Reardon
Clarified:
An earlier version of this story implied that psychological diseases are not real. This implication has now been removed.
Bayliss, K. et al. BMC Fam. Pract. 15, 44 (2014).
Related stories and links
From nature.com
The scientist who put the nail in XMRV's coffin
XMRV paper withdrawn
Chronic fatigue syndrome: life after XMRV
Virology: Fighting for a cause
From elsewhere
IOM report
Sara joined Nature in 2013 and writes about biomedical research and policy. She has previously written for New Scientist and Science, and has a master's degree in molecular biology from the University of Washington.
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text:
Sens' fans encouraged to wear orange as team recognizes National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
The Senators hosts the Toronto Maple Leafs for a preseason game at the Canadian Tire Centre, Wednesday.
Mike Vlasveld
Sep 29, 2021 11:24 AM
Ottawa Senators recognizing National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Photo/ Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators will recognize Canada's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation when the team kicks off the home portion of its preseason schedule.
Prior to the warm-up for Wednesday night's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, a traditional land acknowledgment will take place while a summation of the day's importance will detail the tragic story of residential schools and their place in Canadian history.
Members of both the Senators and the Leafs will wear orange 'Every Child Matters' t-shirts as part of pre-game off-ice preparations and locker rooms will include orange nameplates for players on both teams. Many of the game's players are expected to use orange tape on their sticks. An 'Every Child Matters' helmet decal will also be worn by players on both teams. Both Ottawa and Toronto bench coaches will wear orange ties.
Ahead of the opening faceoff, an honour song will be performed by members of the Eagle River Singers, a nine-member group from Kitigan Zibi, Quebec, while the Canadian national anthem will be sung by Indigenous singer Mary Nahwegahbow in three languages, English, French and Anishinaabemowin.
In conjunction with First Assist, a local Indigenous charitable organization, the Senators will welcome 50 elders and youth from Indigenous communities to the game.
In addition to encouraging all those coming to Wednesday's game to wear orange, fans of both teams can support programs and initiatives to enhance the lives of youth in Indigenous communities by purchasing 50/50 tickets, both online and at Canadian Tire Centre as proceeds from all three pre-season contests' 50/50 totals will be directed to Indigenous charities.
This past June, the Government of Canada passed legislation to render the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation a federal statutory holiday, on September 30.
About the Author: Mike Vlasveld
Mike Vlasveld, Digital Editor, CityNews Ottawa & the Valley


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text:
How many EWC codes are there?
By Malcolm Wardle Posted on November 3, 2022
650 different codes
The European Waste Catalogue is made up of approximately 650 different codes divided into 20 chapters, each of which contains a number of sub-categories.
What is the European waste Catalogue EWC code used for?
What is mixed municipal waste?
What is mixed construction waste?
What are 3 types of waste?
What is mixed C and D?
What are the 3 categories of waste?
What is mixed hazardous waste?
What does mixed recycling include?
How do you dispose of C&D waste?
What is the European Waste Catalogue (EWC)?
What are dry mixed recyclable materials?
The EWC is a list of waste types, established by the European Commission Decision 2000/532/EC1, which categorises wastes based on a combination of what they are, and the process or activity that produces them. It provides a standard framework for the comparison of waste data (statistics) across all member states.
What are European waste codes?
The EWC code provides a standardised description of different wastes which enables waste to be recorded and monitored effectively. Classifying the waste will help you to decide on the most appropriate treatment process. In addition, the code will also: identify the controls that apply to the movement of the waste.
What is a EWC code UK?
the waste classification code, also referred to as LoW (List of Waste) or EWC (European Waste Catalogue) code – classification codes for common types of waste are in the relevant parts of this guidance. whether it's hazardous or POPs waste. the type of premises or business where the waste was produced.
About Mixed Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) MSW is what most of us refer to as garbage. It consists of a mixture of waste from all kinds of places. It includes general household waste, office waste, waste from retail stores or other businesses, other miscellaneous, and non-hazardous waste.
Mixed construction wastes are non-mineral substances from construction activities that also have slight fractions of other substances. Examples of typical construction site wastes include building aids, construction supplies or packaging waste.*1.
What is classed as mixed municipal waste?
This waste code allows for the disposal of mixed municipal waste including mixed packaging. Allowed: "Dry" waste made up of organic waste and mixed packaging. Note: Please use 'Dry Mixed Recycling' (DMR) for cardboard and boxes, paper, newspaper, plastic bottles, plastic films, hard plastics, steel and aluminium.
What is dry mixed recycling?
Dry Mixed Recycling is a broad term used to describe a range of different types of clean recycling waste that can easily be reused or reformed into other goods, products, or broken down into their core materials.
Sources of waste can be broadly classified into four types: Industrial, Commercial, Domestic, and Agricultural.
Industrial Waste. These are the wastes created in factories and industries.
Commercial Waste. Commercial wastes are produced in schools, colleges, shops, and offices.
Domestic Waste.
Agricultural Waste.
Related Definitions Mixed C&D waste means C&D waste containing both recyclable and nonrecyclable C&D waste material that has not been separated.
Is mortar mix hazardous waste?
Because it hardens when exposed to water, mortar should not be disposed of in drains because it can block water flow. In addition, it contains harmful chemicals. It should be treated as hazardous waste.
What is dry waste and wet waste?
Dry waste includes wood and related products, metals and glass. Wet waste typically refers to organic waste usually generated by eating establishments and are heavy in weight due to dampness. Waste segregation is different from waste sorting. Waste segregation is the grouping of waste into different categories.
The ROE presents three indicators to provide information on trends in waste generation and management: RCRA Hazardous Waste, Toxic Chemicals in Wastes, and Municipal Solid Waste.
Mixed waste contains both radioactive and hazardous waste components. As a result, both treatment and regulation are complex. Mixed wastes are regulated by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Atomic Energy Act (AEA). In general, the requirements of RCRA and AEA are consistent and compatible.
How do you handle mixed waste?
The simplest way to handle a mixed waste is to remove one of the hazards….Handling Mixed Waste
Adding bleach or another EPA-registered disinfectant to destroy a biohazard, leaving the radioactive hazard or the chemical hazard.
Letting a radioactive isotope decay so that all that is left is the chemical or biohazard.
What can you put in a dry mixed recycling bin?
What can be put in a dry mixed recycling bin?
Plastic Bottles (clear and coloured plastic bottles)
Tin and cans (clean and empty food and drinks cans)
Glass bottles.
Glass jars.
Hard plastics (not bags or films)
Plastic bottles (lids removed)
Rigid plastic containers.
Drinks cans.
Food tins.
Aluminium foil.
Recycling C&D Waste It is only through the introduction of a washing plant for your C&D waste that you will maximise material recovery and maximise the removal of the various contaminants that will otherwise restrict the final destination for your recycled sand and aggregate products.
What is the EWC code for mixed waste?
EWC 20 03 01 Mixed Municipal Waste Including Mixed Packaging This waste code allows for the disposal of mixed municipal waste including mixed packaging. Allowed: "Dry" waste made up of organic waste and mixed packaging.
Is there an EWC code for DMR (dried mixed packaging)?
It is still unusual to see glass bottles allowed in the mix, but that may also be allowed by some. Waste Transfer Notes demand an EWC code, but there is no EWC code for DMR. There is one for mixed packaging and several for individual materials, but none for a combination of packaging and non-packaging.
The European Waste Catalogue is made up of approximately 650 different codes divided into 20 chapters, each of which contains a number of sub-categories. Wastes that are considered to be hazardous are denoted by an asterisk in the list.
This Dry Mixed Recyclables category tends to allow for a mix of different dry recyclable materials including cardboard, newspapers, office paper, plastic bottles, cans, plastic cups and even plastic film and wood in some cases. It is still unusual to see glass bottles allowed in the mix, but that may also be allowed by some.
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text:
One Arm Tied behind Our Backs? Assessing the Power of the United States to Combat Global Threats
By: Dr. Leo Blanken , US Naval Postgraduate School
Dr. Jason Lepore, California Polytechnic State University
Americans were left bewildered in the wake of the Vietnam War (1964–1975). "How is it that the 'greatest power in the world' could suffer defeat at the hands of… [bandits] 'in black pajamas?'" 1 A phrase, both explanatory and palliative, was often proffered for this puzzle: We fought with one arm tied behind our backs. The imagery of this term is compelling: a pugilist who is struggling not only against an opponent but also against unfair constraints has the weapons he needs to win but cannot bring them to bear. Over the last decade, many Americans have found themselves dealing with similarly overwhelming feelings of frustration. The United States currently spends massive amounts of money on national security to produce the most professional and technically advanced force the world has ever seen.2 Why, then, does this colossal investment seem unable to produce desired outcomes against barely trained, meagerly resourced, seemingly ad hoc opponents around the world? Does the country indeed fight with one arm tied behind its back?
In this article, we postulate that liberal states are increasingly bound by normative limitations on the acceptable uses of force3 and that this effect is exacerbated in discretionary wars (i.e., wars of choice). In other words, a state may have a fully "combat effective" national security apparatus that it cannot bring to bear due to socially constructed norms of acceptable behavior.4 If these points are valid, then they have enormous implications for the strategic assessment efforts undertaken by a liberal democratic nation engaged in a landscape that consists of noncritical threats. A state may have an exceedingly impressive national security apparatus that remains "tied behind its back." Therefore, we suggest that anyone tasked with analyzing US power in the current global threat environment must be very sensitive to these points and temper their analysis of US capabilities accordingly.5
We develop this argument in three parts: First, we critically examine the literature that links investment in military forces to the concept of national power. Second, we look at the "arm tied behind the back" puzzle more closely by identifying increasingly constraining normative expectations on the use of violence. Third, we describe the implications of this argument for making realistic assessments of US capacity to successfully engage the current global threat environment. In doing so, we show that any net assessment of non-state actor threats must be reconsidered to take into account normative constraints on force and avoid the danger of miscalculating capacity. We conclude by linking this discussion to specific policy concerns and call for new approaches to operations planning.
Military Force and the Concept of Power
As a starting point, we need to discuss why some nations are regarded as "powerful" and why this concept is considered by many theorists to be paramount to the functioning of the international system. It is standard to assume that the international system is anarchic.6 If it is true that no higher authority exists above system actors, then these actors must secure themselves to survive. The common narrative for this process is that states—the key actors in the global system—maintain sovereignty over a given territory and population, from which they extract resources and build a military force.7 This ability to leverage authority and resources thus determines the relative power of the actors in the system.8 The question then is, how is military force linked instrumentally to the political fortunes of the state? Despite the myriad weapons and tactics that have been utilized across time and space, most scholars agree that actors get utility out of military forces through two basic means: their actual use (fighting) or their potential use (threatening). In other words, actors either wage war to achieve desired outcomes, or they engage in bargaining with implicit or explicit threats of war in the background as leverage.9 In fact, for those who profess the worldview known as Realism, it is the underlying distribution of military power that provides the structure necessary for the international system to function at all.
Lurking behind the scenes, unstated but explicit, lies the military muscle that gives meaning to the posturing of the diplomats. … Coercion, therefore, is to a political framework what a political framework is to a market: the necessary but not the sufficient precondition for its effective functioning.10
Furthermore, this is frequently assumed to be a positive relationship: "the more a state allocates to the military, the stronger it becomes ceteris paribus and the more likely it is to prevail in any conflict." 11 For the Realist, investment in military forces promises both victory in war and successful negotiation in peace. If this line of reasoning is valid, then the United States today should be able to prevail over almost any threat it confronts.12
Does this parsimonious model seem sound? Or are there conditions under which increasing the allocation of resources to the military fails to increase the power potential of the state? Critics such as David Baldwin argue that military forces are often unable to shape outcomes in the system due to the fact that military forces are far less fungible than is commonly believed. This goes beyond the argument that resources are being allocated inefficiently ("using the wrong strategy") but says that the instrument of military might itself is simply unusable in many arenas of competition. Offering a simple but evocative analogy to illustrate his point, Baldwin observes that it is not a case of "'he had the cards but played them poorly,' but rather, 'he had a great bridge hand but happened to be playing poker.' " 13 In other words, weapons and soldiers do not radiate an intrinsic and inexorable "power" but are instruments whose utility is extremely context-dependent. We agree with Baldwin's assessment and focus in the next section on one emerging aspect of contextual constraint: norms of acceptable behavior.
Normative Constraints on the Use of Force
The Realist argument sketched in the previous section is predicated on military force being used without constraint, a condition that accords with a strict adherence to the assumption of anarchy. Carl von Clausewitz's early thinking on the topic emphasized the unlimited nature of war in an anarchic environment where, all things being equal, the more extreme application of violence would prevail: "The impulse to destroy the enemy … is central to the very concept of war. … War is an act of force, and there is no limit to the application of that force."14 This position was articulated almost comically by the colorful Victorian British Admiral Sir John "Jacky" Fisher:
The essence of war is violence! Moderation in war is imbecility! … If you rub it in both at home and abroad that you are ready for instant war … and intend to be first in and hit your enemy in the belly and kick him when he is down and boil your prisoners in oil (if you take any) … and torture his women and children, then people will keep clear of you.15
This quote is striking in its anachronistic feel. Such an idea simply could not be articulated today by any type of democratic state official (who intends to keep his or her job). Why is this the case?16
The "Liberal Dilemma" is a well-documented phenomenon: nations that nominally abhor war as a tool of policy must at times engage in it because "the role of enlightened reason will not be disseminated throughout the world through the peaceful operation of some hidden hand. It needs muscle behind it."17 This tension lies in the liberal state leadership's need to accomplish policy goals while maintaining the popular support necessary to stay in power.18 Thus, these leaders must consider the opportunity costs of any potential military action. Undertaking military actions that contravene accepted norms can create substantial costs and undermine the fortunes of political leadership by (1) alienating the global community and inciting international disapproval, and/or (2) raising domestic disapproval and lowering domestic political support. In the first case, a state that is highly integrated into the global community in terms of economic activity and international security must consider these international norms very carefully because transgressions affect international relationships. In the words of political scientist Martha Finnemore, "Force must be coupled with legitimacy for maximum effect. … The goal must be seen as legitimate, and force must be viewed as a legitimate means to that goal."19 In the second case, the internal political institutions of the democratic state are paramount to policy makers. Democratically elected leaders are highly sensitive to maintaining a foreign policy that is palatable to their domestic constituents.20 Under such circumstances, it follows that norms will be more constraining in liberal states.21
Constraining norms become even more difficult to observe in discretionary "wars of choice." Lawrence Freedman, a foreign policy and defense expert, explains why this is the case.
When the security of the state is threatened by a large and self-evidently hostile enemy, then all social and economic resources can be mobilized in response. When, by contrast, there is a debate to be had about the nature of the threat and whether matters are made better or worse by direct military action, military operations appear to be more discretionary and national mobilisation on even a modest scale becomes more difficult.22
In other words, when threats are seen as nonexistential, normative constraints loom larger. Domestic constituents are willing to bear fewer direct costs, and critics at home and abroad are less circumspect in their censure:
The intervening states' apparent sympathy for the population should lead them to take extra precautions to protect it during the prosecution of the war... On the other hand, if the political leaders justify the wars by reference to altruistic motives rather than to national interest, they may find it difficult to permit any unnecessary risk to their own country's soldiers.23
Thus, liberal countries' wars of choice generate contradictory pressures: the need to minimize target nation casualties while simultaneously minimizing their own forces' casualties, all while executing complex and demanding missions against a relatively unconstrained enemy. This point of view is expounded most directly by Gil Merom, an international security specialist who argues that "democracies fail in small wars because they find it extremely difficult to escalate the level of violence and brutality to that which can secure victory." 24 If this is true, then we can expect that liberal states faced with nonexistential threats will find it increasingly difficult to gauge their ability to apply adequate resources and affect outcomes in the international system. We now turn to the difficulties of assessing threats and outcomes for liberal democracies.
The Challenge of Assessment
The ability to realistically assess potential outcomes is a fundamental requirement for actors in an anarchic system because bargaining over any issue is done with the specter of conflict, however remote, in the background. Each actor must regularly calculate how its forces would fare in a prospective conflict, a reality that conditions the scope of national ambitions, the weighing of recalcitrance and acquiescence, and the ultimate choice of whether to resort to violence. These positions can be founded only on assessments of each actor's relative power.25 Combined with the normative constraints on policy described in the previous section, it follows that creating a valid assessment scheme for the United States in its current threat environment is going to be difficult in the extreme.
Some areas of competition are relatively symmetric and straightforward; others can be more complicated. The naval arms racing of the pre-carrier capital ship era, for example, provided relatively straightforward metrics of national power.26 As strategist Emily Goldman points out, however, when competitors choose to offset, rather than match, their opponent's investments through asymmetric weapons and tactics, things become more complex.27 The current global security environment, characterized as it is by fluid networks of nefarious non-state threats, epitomizes such "off-setting" strategic contests. Fringe actors seek to dethrone the liberal world order in a number of arenas—political, social, cyber, and cultural—yet not in battlefield dominance, where US strength lies. This profound asymmetry makes assessing relative power problematic. In the parlance of net assessment, the relevant attributes of "red" (the opponent) are not easy to compare to those of "blue" (ourselves).28
The difficulty of measuring this environment goes beyond mere complexity, however. Building on our preceding discussions, the capacities of liberal states are further limited by their inability to bring their military investments to bear on many types of threats. This problem is compounded by the fact that wealthy liberal states, such as the United States, have increasingly relied on advanced technology and stand-off weaponry to dominate battlefields, but wars are being fought in cities and villages, not on traditional battlefields.29 Current internal assessments of military capability are skewed to heavily weight such expensive platforms and their supporting systems. As we noted earlier, however, such weapons can play only a minor role against the security threats that liberal democracies currently face. Therefore, standard assessment frameworks may be heavily biased toward overestimating the capacity of such states to effect outcomes in the international system, and lead to overly ambitious policy and the ready resort to force.
The United States finds itself in a world full of concerns, none of which currently threatens the existence of the nation. Our discussion highlights the fact that, ironically, the lack of an existential threat creates its own host of problems for policy makers. More specifically, in such an environment, a "powerful" liberal nation, such as the United States, may be essentially powerless to bring its national security investments to bear on the existing threats. We demonstrate that the militarily most powerful nation in the world is indeed struggling with one arm tied behind its back, a fact that policymakers and planners must bear in mind. What are some of the implications of this situation?
First, the constraint of social and political norms on military execution is a fundamental consideration in any decision regarding the discretionary uses of force. Simply basing decisions on the array of impressive assets available to policy makers has and almost surely will lead to grief. Normative constraints should be acknowledged at the outset of mission planning, yet the nuts and bolts of operations are normally developed in a vacuum, divorced from the broader social and political context. This situation needs to change.
Second, if, after careful consideration, military force remains the best option, then the types of units selected for missions are critical. On the one hand, conventional military forces are purpose-built to effectively destroy enemy units in an unconstrained environment. But on the other hand, the current array of irregular conflicts is not merely a "lesser included" subset of such missions. Small packages of specially selected and trained forces may not only be more effective than larger conventional units at operating in complex "human terrain" but also are less likely to garner the media attention that mobilizes normative critics.
Finally, using military force as a policy tool in today's threat environment requires a fundamental reworking of our outdated, Cold War–legacy planning mechanism. A new perspective on military planning is necessary to build and equip forces that can operate in politically constrained settings against non-state opponents. Such a new approach should consider combat effectiveness as only one attribute of a viable force structure, while simultaneously taking into account normative political constraints. In doing so, we can avoid building expensive arms that remain tied behind our back.
Dr. Leo Blanken associate professor in the Defense Analysis department of the US Naval Postgraduate School.
Dr. Jason Lepore associate professor of economics at California Polytechnic State University.
This is a work of the US federal government and not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Foreign copyrights may apply.
David A. Baldwin, Paradoxes of Power (New York: Blackwell, 1989), 132.
For the global context of US defense spending, see the descriptive analyses produced by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute: https://www.sipri.org
We follow Michael Doyle's treatment of the concept of liberalism. See Michael W. Doyle, "Liberalism and World Politics," American Political Science Review 80, no. 4 (December 1998): 1151–69.
This is distinct from arguments that are commonly put forward regarding strategy choice. See, for example, John A. Nagl, Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife: Counterinsurgency Lessons from Malaya and Vietnam (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005).
The problem with overestimating force capabilities is further exacerbated by the problem of incentive misalignment and conflict assessment in wars of choice. For a treatment of this issue, see Leo J. Blanken and Jason J. Lepore "Performance Measurement in Military Operations: Information versus Incentives," forthcoming (n.d.) in Defence and Peace Economics: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10242694.2014.949548#.VZHHRGAk_dk . On metrics challenges across a broader array of conflict environments, see Leo J. Blanken, Hy Rothstein, and Jason J. Lepore, eds., Assessing War: The Challenge of Measuring Success and Failure (Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press, 2015).
For critical assessments of this assumption, see David A. Lake, "Anarchy, Hierarchy, and the Variety of International Relations," International Organization 50, no.1 (Winter 1996): 1–33; and Alexander Wendt, "Anarchy Is What States Make of It: The Social Construction of Power Politics," International Organization 46, no. 2 (1992): 391–425.
See, for example, Bruce D. Porter, War and the Rise of the State: The Military Foundations of Modern Politics (New York: Free Press, 1994).
See Kenneth N. Waltz, Theory of International Politics (Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1979).
The classic treatment is still Thomas C. Schelling, Arms and Influence (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1966).
Robert J. Art, "The Fungibility of Force," in The Use of Force: Military Power and International Politics, 7th ed., ed. Robert J. Art and Kenneth N. Waltz (Lanham, Mass.: Rowman & Littlefield, 2009), 4–5.
Robert Powell, In the Shadow of Power: States and Strategies in International Politics (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1999), 4–5.
Recent work by Blake Allison suggests that military power has less impact on outcomes than previously believed. Specifically, a marginal increase in military capabilities may have no impact on the outcomes of noncooperative bargaining games. See Blake A. Allison, "Do Players Prefer to Bargain Noncooperatively in the Shadow of Conflict?" (lecture, University of California, Irvine, Department of Economics Theory, History, and Development Seminar Series, Irvine, Calif., 13 October 2014).
Baldwin, Paradoxes of Power, 133.
Quoted in Azar Gat, A History of Military Thought: From the Enlightenment to the Cold War (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001), 225. Clausewitz's later work, however, emphasized that most wars are limited in nature. For a detailed analysis of this tension, see R. Harrison Wagner, "Bargaining and War," American Journal of Political Science 44, no. 3 (July 2000): 469–84.
Quoted in Diana Preston, A Higher Form of Killing: Six Weeks in World War I that Forever Changed the Nature of Warfare (New York: Bloomsbury, 2015), 18.
We neglect international law here, though there is reason to link it to our discussion of norms, since international law has no third-party enforcement mechanism. See Michael Howard, "Constraints on Warfare," in The Laws of War: Constraints on Warfare in the Western World, ed. Michael Howard, George J. Andreopoulos, and Mark R. Shulman (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1995).
Michael Howard, War and the Liberal Conscience (New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 1978), 6. See also John M. Owen, Liberal Peace, Liberal War: American Politics and International Security (Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 2000).
On this assumption, see Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, Alastair Smith, Randolph M. Siverson, and James D. Morrow, The Logic of Political Survival (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2003).
Martha Finnemore, The Purpose of Intervention: Changing Beliefs about the Use of Force (Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 2003), 16–17.
See Michael W. Doyle, "Three Pillars of the Liberal Peace," American Political Science Review 99, no. 3 (August 2005): 463–66.
On this point, see the concluding chapter of Leo J. Blanken, Rational Empires: Institutional Incentives and Imperial Expansion (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2012).
Lawrence Freedman, The Transformation of Strategic Affairs (London: IISS, 2006), 7.
Matthew Evangelista, Law, Ethics, and the War on Terror (Malden, Mass.: Polity, 2008), 131.
Gil Merom, How Democracies Lose Small Wars: State, Society, and the Failures of France in Algeria, Israel in Lebanon, and the United States in Vietnam (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2003), 15.
See Branislav L. Slantchev, "The Principle of Convergence in Wartime Negotiations," American Political Science Review 97, no. 4 (November 2003): 621–32.
See John Jordan, Warships after Washington: The Development of the Five Major Fleets, 1922–1930 (Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, 2012).
Emily O. Goldman, Power in Uncertain Times: Strategy in the Fog of Peace (Redwood City, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 2010).
For a detailed discussion of the "color" metaphor in national security, see Lawrence A. Kuznar and Carl W. Hunt, "The Blue-Green-Red Metaphor in the Context of Counterterrorism: Clarifications and Anthropological Emendations," in this issue of CTX.
See Michel Fortmann and Stéfanie von Hlatky, "The Revolution in Military Affairs: Impact of Emerging Technologies on Deterrence," in Complex Deterrence: Strategy in the Global Age, ed. T.V. Paul, Patrick M. Morgan, and James J. Wirtz (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2009).


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Texas through 1845: A Survey of the Historical Literature of Recent Decades
Texas through 1845: A Survey of the Historical Literature of Recent Decades Smith, F. Todd -- (Foster Todd), -- 2010-07-06 00:00:00 "Incident on the Prairies" from Narrative of the Texan Santa Fé Expedition, comprising a description of a tour through Texas, and across the great southwestern prairies, the Camanche and Caygüa hunting-grounds, with an account ofthe sufferingsfrom want offood, lossesfrom hostile Indians, and final capture of the Texans, and their march, as prisoners, to the tity ofMexico (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1844) by Geo. Willems Kendall. This image shows a party ofwhite travelers surprised by Comanche buffalo hunters. Many current scholars argue that the Comanches were the dominant political entity in Texas around 1845, refuting the idea that Anglo Americans such as the travelers in this image easily hegemonized the region after Texas won its independence from Mexico. Image courtesy of the Rare Book and Texana Collections, University of North Texas Libraries. Texas through 1845: A Survey of the Historical Literature ofRecent Decades By F. Todd Smith* BETWEEN THE 1Q20S AND îgÔOS, HISTORIANS, WITH VERY FEW exceptions, explained the era prior to 1846 in terms of the triumphant conquest of Anglo-American civilization over supposedly inferior races. Despite the fact that Indians had inhabited the region for at least 1 5,000 years, and that Texas was a Spanish colony http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Southwestern Historical Quarterly Texas State Historical Association http://www.deepdyve.com/lp/texas-state-historical-association/texas-through-1845-a-survey-of-the-historical-literature-of-recent-SyAFqfgOjk
Smith, F. Todd -- (Foster Todd), --
, Volume 113 (3) – Jul 6, 2010
/lp/texas-state-historical-association/texas-through-1845-a-survey-of-the-historical-literature-of-recent-SyAFqfgOjk
Subject Areas /
Arts and Humanities /
Texas State Historical Association
Copyright © The Texas State Historical Association.
"Incident on the Prairies" from Narrative of the Texan Santa Fé Expedition, comprising a description of a tour through Texas, and across the great southwestern prairies, the Camanche and Caygüa hunting-grounds, with an account ofthe sufferingsfrom want offood, lossesfrom hostile Indians, and final capture of the Texans, and their march, as prisoners, to the tity ofMexico (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1844) by Geo. Willems Kendall. This image shows a party ofwhite travelers surprised by Comanche buffalo hunters. Many current scholars argue that the Comanches were the dominant political entity in Texas around 1845, refuting the idea that Anglo Americans such as the travelers in this image easily hegemonized the region after Texas won its independence from Mexico. Image courtesy of the Rare Book and Texana Collections, University of North Texas Libraries. Texas through 1845: A Survey of the Historical Literature ofRecent Decades By F. Todd Smith* BETWEEN THE 1Q20S AND îgÔOS, HISTORIANS, WITH VERY FEW exceptions, explained the era prior to 1846 in terms of the triumphant conquest of Anglo-American civilization over supposedly inferior races. Despite the fact that Indians had inhabited the region for at least 1 5,000 years, and that Texas was a Spanish colony
Southwestern Historical Quarterly – Texas State Historical Association
Published: Jul 6, 2010
Smith, F.-. (2010). Texas through 1845: A Survey of the Historical Literature of Recent Decades. Southwestern Historical Quarterly, 113(3), 310-341.
Smith, F. Todd -- (Foster Todd)--. "Texas through 1845: A Survey of the Historical Literature of Recent Decades." Southwestern Historical Quarterly 113.3 (2010): 310-341.


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By Charlotte Knobben It's not easy calculating the cost for most loans. Many lenders have hidden fees, different interest rates, or even annual charges. Understanding how…
By Jon Davis The top tech and healthcare PR firm, Macias PR, has released its 4th quarter report that details the number of media placements the firm secured for its clients from September to December 2016. Macias PR secured a record number of TV placements for its clients in the 4th quarter – a total…
By Luis Gómez Finance Monthly has announced the 2016 winners for the best global firms in public relations, accounting, legal, taxation, banking and finance, asset management and consulting. The magazine named KPMG Taxation Firm of the Year, Macias PR Financial PR Firm of the Year, Deloitte Business Outsourcing Firm of the Year, UBS Wealth Management Investment Firm…
By Jon Davis Finance Monthly has announced the 2016 winners for the best firms in public relations, accounting, legal, compliance, consulting and banking. This year,…
Top Financial PR Firm of the Year – Releases Milestones
The top financial PR firm, Macias PR, has released its media milestones for the months of March and April 2016 – and once again, the NYC public relations firm has secured multiple stories for its clients with Barron's Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Reuters, The Financial Times, MSN Money, The Street, Kiplingers, US News & World Report,…
Always On Content forms a collaborative partnership with a top tech PR firm in NYC
By Dimitri Van Raemdonck The content marketing agency, Always On Content, has formed a collaborative agreement with the top tech PR firm, Macias PR, allowing both agencies to leverage their expertise, talent, resources and technology. Content marketing is the fastest growing area for business development. An effective content marketing campaign can increase a company's online…
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By Jon Davis A news story is one of the fastest ways to scale any business, but many entrepreneurs and business owners don't know where to begin when it comes to public relations. On Thursday, March 17th, Provident Loan Society of New York will be devoting its monthly SPEAKeasy series to the power of public…
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By Jon Davis Finance Monthly has named Macias PR the top "PR Consultant Firm of the Year – USA" in 2015 based on the firm's media deliverables, expertise and innovation in PR. Among the firm's accomplishments in 2015, Macias PR launched a publicity mobile app for business owners, a communications app for consumers and it…


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The American Red Cross is assisting two people who were displaced after a fire burned a mobile home in North Long Beach Saturday afternoon, Capt. Jack Crabtree said.
Long Beach firefighters responded to the fire shortly before 12:30 p.m. at the Friendly Village Mobile Home Park near Paramount Boulevard and Candlewood Street.
"The first unit reported a fully involved mobile home fire at the mobile home park," Crabtree said.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze within about 10 minutes, according to Crabtree. One person suffered minor burns, but did not need to be transported to a hospital.
Long Beach Fire Department investigators are still determining the cause of the fire.


1. The Issuer's Series C Preferred Stock has no expiration date, is convertible at any time, in whole or in part, at the election of the holder, into the Issuer's common stock and will convert, without the payment of additional consideration, into the Issuer's common stock upon the closing of the Issuer's initial public offering using a calculation defined in the Issuer's Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, based on the initial purchase price and the conversion rate in effect at the time of conversion. The preferred stock will convert on a 1-for-5.7778 basis and such conversion is reflected in the amount of common stock underlying the security.
3. Reflects a 1-for-5.7778 reverse split of the Issuer's common stock effected on September 26, 2012.
4. These shares are held of record by by OrbiMed Private Investments IV, LP ("OPI IV"). OrbiMed Capital GP IV LLC ("GP IV") is the general partner of OPI IV and OrbiMed Advisors LLC ("Advisors") is the managing member of GP IV LLC. Samuel D. Isaly ("Isaly") is the managing member of and owner of a controlling interest in Advisors and may be deemed to have voting and investment power over the shares held by OPI IV noted above. Mr. Silverstein is a member of Advisors.
5. Each of GP IV, Advisors, Mr. Isaly and Mr. Silverstein disclaims beneficial ownership of the securities reported herein for purposes of Rule 16a-1(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), except to the extent of its or his pecuniary interest therein, if any. This report shall not be deemed an admission that the Reporting Persons are beneficial owners for the purpose of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, or for any other purpose.
(5) take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required by the undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in such attorney-in-fact's discretion.
The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power and authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney and the rights and powers herein granted. The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the Company assuming, (i) any of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act or any liability for the undersigned's failure to comply with such requirements or (ii) any obligation or liability that the undersigned incurs for profit disgorgement under Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
This Power of Attorney does not revoke any other power of attorney that the undersigned has previously granted.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to be executed this 3rd day of October, 2012.


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International grocery store to open soon in Algonquin
Construction is underway on the new Deli 4 You at 1601 S. Randall Road in Algonquin, just east of JOANN Fabrics and Crafts, near Bowlero. Rick West | Staff Photographer
A rendering of the new Deli 4 You under construction in Algonquin. Courtesy of Deli 4 U
Amy E. Williams
Posted10/28/2019 11:12 AM
An international grocery store is coming to the Randall Road corridor, bringing with it the tastes of Eastern Europe.
Deli 4 You is under construction in the Galleria of Algonquin, on the east side of Randall Road near JOANN Fabrics and Crafts.
With only three other stores in the Chicago area, the grocery store is expected to be a destination stop for food lovers up and down the Randall Road corridor looking for hard-to-find items, as well as food on their regular, everyday shopping list.
The 18,000-square-foot store is expected to open this year, Algonquin village officials said.
Store officials could not be reached for comment, however, a post on its official website thanks residents for being patient and says they cannot wait to be a part of the community.
"As far as I know, they are anticipating having the exterior done before winter and opening around Christmas," said Russ Farnum, community development director for the village of Algonquin.
The store bills itself as a European grocery store stocked with gourmet staples from Eastern Europe, along with everyday items.
It will have a full-service bakery with breads and pastries baked fresh daily.
It also is expected to feature many prepared foods, including rotisserie chicken, grilled meats, smoked fish, appetizers and more made daily in the store's kitchen.
Deli 4 You will also will be offering catering services featuring many beloved foods, especially Polish favorites.
Presently, the store has locations in Prospect Heights, Schaumburg and Norridge.
This is its first expansion west to the Randall Road corridor.
On to the next one:
With Halloween coming this week, there are still chances to get Halloween costumes at some of the temporary stores along the Randall Road corridor, including at Spirit Halloween at 341 N. Randall Road in Batavia, and 486 S. Randall Road in South Elgin.
But by next week, those stores will be closing, and the next holidays will be filling the stores up and down the Randall Road corridor.
Many local retailers are already planning their Christmas sales and events.
The folks at Geneva Commons are supporting one that will help others this season. On Nov. 23, they will help support the Mooseheart Holiday Lights 5K at Mooseheart, a neighbor further to the south near Batavia, off Route 31.
The race begins at 5 p.m. on the pre-Thanksgiving weekend. It will benefit Mooseheart Child City and School, which helps care for 200 children 18 years and younger whose families cannot care for them.
For information on the race, visit www.moosecharities.org/.
Diving right in:
At the Barnes and Noble at 102 Commons Drive in Geneva, Christmas activities will begin this weekend.
On Nov. 2, they will be hosting their first Christmas-themed storytime of the season.
The event begins at 11 a.m. and features The Crayons' Christmas story. Attendees will hear the story and do activities based on the book, which highlights various ways to celebrate the season.
Throughout November and December, there will be many more holiday-themed storytimes and activities at the store.
For information, call (630) 262-8568.
• Amy Williams' column covers all the news of business along the Randall Road corridor from Batavia to Crystal Lake. Contact her at randallbiz@comcast.net or mail to randallbiz@comcast.net or (847) 894-5036.
Williams, Amy
Food Newsletter


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Asia Argento won't pay sexual assault accuser Jimmy Bennett remainder of $380,000 settlement
Ben Arnold
Yahoo Movies UK 5 September 2018
Asia Argento (Credit: Getty)
Asia Argento's lawyer has said that the actress will not pay the remainder of a $380,000 settlement to Jimmy Bennett, the former child actor who claims that she sexually assaulted him.
Bennett has already received $250,000 of the sum, which is claimed was in relation to an incident in 2013, when Bennett was 17.
"Her relationship with Bennett was never sexual, but rather the relationship was a long distance friendship over many years," said attorney Mark Jay Heller (via The Wrap).
"Asia recognizes that this may very well inspire Bennett to make further false allegations against her and attempt to besmirch her reputation and diminish her credibility in her accusations against Harvey Weinstein.
"However, Asia's courage to originally make the accusations against Harvey Weinstein has not waned and she believes that whether or not the public finally realizes that she did nothing wrong and was herself a victim, that Phase Two of the #metoo movement dictates that the voice of a victim, even one with a history that may be in question, should be heard and she is hopeful that in the Court of Public Opinion it will ultimately be determined that Asia never initiated an inappropriate sexual contact with a minor, but rather she was attacked by Bennett and might even be suffering the fallback of a smear campaign by those already accused who may have a vested interest in their accusers being denied credibility."
In a report published in the New York Times, Bennett, who first met Argento when he played her young son in the 2004 movie The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things', said that she sexaully assaulted him in a hotel in California in 2013.
He was 17 at the time, under the legal age of consent in California, while Argento was 37.
Anthony Bourdain and Asia Argento (Credit: AP)
Argento has denied the accusations, but has said that she and her then boyfriend, the late Anthony Bourdain, agreed to settle the issue privately out of court.
"Subsequent to my exposure in the Weinstein case, Bennett – who was then undergoing severe economic problems and who had previously undertaken legal actions against his own family requesting millions in damages – unexpectedly made an exorbitant request of money from me.
"Bennett knew my boyfriend, Anthony Bourdain, was a man of great perceived wealth, and had his own reputation as a beloved public figure to protect," Argento said in a statement.
"Anthony insisted the matter be handled privately and this was also what Bennett wanted. Anthony was afraid of the possible negative publicity that such a person, whom he considered dangerous, could have brought upon us."
Her lawyer added that she does not intend to try and have Bennett prosecuted for making the claims against her.
Since the accusations, CNN has pulled old episodes of Bourdain's show Parts Unknown which feature Argento.
She has been dropped from the judging panel of the Italian version of The X Factor.
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