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Six Short Takes on Why Obama Came out Ahead in the Debate |
Six Short Takes on Why Obama Came out Ahead in the Debate
September 27, 2008Election '08
Joshua Holland:
In the first head-to-head debate of the 2008 campaign, the financial crisis dragged what the McCain camp had hoped would be fought in the GOP nominee's comfort zone -- foreign policy and national security -- squarely into the realm of domestic policy.
Moderator Jim Lehrer made a smooth transition to the voters' top concern in this election, saying that we were facing a potential meltdown of the global economy, which was by definition a matter of "national security."
What followed was a microcosm of the 2008 race: Barack Obama dominated John McCain when the focus of the debate was on the domestic sphere and a fast-deteriorating financial sector, but ceded an enormous amount of political space to McCain on national security, accepting much of the Arizona senator's overarching neoconservative narrative that the United States is surrounded by mortal danger and evildoers and has a moral duty to maintain our forces in Iraq and elsewhere in order to defend the homeland.
McCain appeared twitchy and out of touch as the debate began with the banking meltdown and the Bush-Paulson plan to reverse it. He blinked rapidly and avoided eye contact with Obama, Lehrer and the audience as Obama came out swinging against McCain for enabling the "root causes" of the crisis to develop during decades in the Congress, including a long stint on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.
Obama articulately condemned what he called a "philosophy that says that regulation is always bad," and blamed its pervasiveness for the economic mess. McCain, moments before saying that we have the "greatest workers in the world" (and that the United States is simultaneously the "greatest importer" and "greatest exporter" in the world), tried to shift blame from Wall Street to Main Street -- from predatory lenders and fast-and-loose brokers to those who find themselves with a home on the bubble today.
It's a losing strategy.
Obama, on the other hand, must be extremely confident that this election will be decided on the economy, as he failed to challenge McCain on his belligerent stance toward the rest of the world.
He conceded that the "surge has worked" -- it has not. He tried to go toe to toe with John "Bomb, Bomb Iran" McCain on the evils of Iran. He called Venezuela a "rogue state." He engaged in a bit of fearmongering himself, saying that while he supports missile defense -- a boondoggle if ever there was one -- the greatest threat we face is from suitcase nukes.
As Obama agreed with so much of McCain's worldview, McCain's discomfort disappeared, and he landed several good knocks on Obama. He repeatedly called him "naive."
But, in the final analysis, a day after Washington Mutual went down in flames, I doubt that it'll be enough to get McCain out of the hole in which he finds himself.
Don Hazen:
If you were an Obama champion and wanted McCain to fall flat, you were disappointed. McCain is a tough, pugnacious debater, and he tried to control the talk time, going on and on. He's knowledgeable, and as we know, he whipped all of the Republicans during the primaries. But the big picture is that McCain probably had to do better since he is behind on the momentum and had to beat Obama with his supposed strength -- foreign affairs -- and there is a consensus among the commentators that he didn't do that.
If you reflect more on the meta or emotional level, McCain spent most of his time talking about the past and focused on Iraq -- making sure everyone knew that we had to win. That was the most important point he needed to make. But if this election is about change, then McCain reinforced his role as part of the problem. For most of the public, Iraq is past tense. Sixty percent think the economy is the key issue. And in terms of bread and butter, the numbers that people are likely to remember are not the $18 billion earmarks discussion, but rather the fact that 95 percent of the population will get a tax cut with Obama -- everyone who makes under $250,000. Meanwhile, the figure associated with McCain is likely to be $300 billion in tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy, while we have a huge deficit. Obama had to make kitchen table points stick, and he seemed to achieve that, repeating these points several times.
The pundits were also speculating that independent voters didn't like McCain's condescension and repeating that Obama "doesn't get it." Here McCain could be seen as the cranky older guy, sounding a little insecure, while Obama didn't rise to the bait. In fact, Obama agreed with McCain a number of times, suggesting that Obama was more capable of working across the aisle.
McCain, by repeating that he wasn't Mr. Congeniality, seemed to undermine his message that he was a conciliator, something the independent voters seem to want more of.
Jane Hamsher from FireDogLake:
McCain controlled the debate tonight. He came off as a brittle, grumpy, mean-spirited old coot, but on the economy -- which should have been Obama's strong suit -- McCain managed to divert the conversation to tax cuts and kept Obama off the kitchen table issues, where he excels. McCain was allowed to paint himself as a crusader for reform, and no mention was made of the Keating 5 -- though Obama did manage to tie him to voting for all of Bush's budgets. (McCain's only rejoinder was to refer to himself repeatedly as "no Miss Congeniality." Huh?)
But the biggest problem for me was that McCain had a grab bag of adjectives he consistently used to characterize Obama -- "naive, inexperienced" -- and every time he repeated them, it was like money in the bank. He worked them in at every opportunity, and their cumulative effect wore into Obama as the evening went on. Obama missed the opportunity to do the same and characterize McCain as brittle, rash, impulsive and out of touch. His critiques were all over the place, and his failure to tie them together into a coherent narrative about McCain meant that he never really grazed the old buzzard.
The good news? Well, McCain sounded bitter and looked hunched over and mean. He wasn't likeable, and most of the Monday morning quarterbacks on my TV seemed to agree. Obama can definitely recover in the next debate -- he didn't have any kind of major falter. And on the plus side, I've had the feeling that up until now, Obama really didn't dislike the man -- not the way he did Hillary Clinton anyway. But behind Obama's superbly controlled mien tonight you could see that McCain's patronizing tone and open distortions were really pissing him off.
The anger seemed to focus Obama. His "ums" and "uhs" stopped, and he delivered his points with more conviction. Even if he doesn't give it full expression, being a little hot under the collar suits him.
The idea that you can run against a Republican for national office and remain above the fray was a nice one, but it isn't realistic. Obama needs to stop agreeing with McCain and reinforcing his message. It doesn't make him look statesmanlike; it makes McCain look right.
McCain really has nowhere to go except to get more obdurate and bellicose. If Obama can get his footing in the next debate and decide on a tactic for getting under McCain's skin, the cranky old hothead won't be hard to pin.
The Nation's John Nichols:
A blistering economic crisis may be the all-encompassing issue of the moment.
But the war in Iraq still defines the difference between John McCain and Barack Obama.
McCain remains the true believer in that occupation, the man who really does want to carry it forward until some ill-defined "victory" is obtained -- even if that takes a hundred years.
Obama remains the doubter who -- as he went out of his way to note in Friday night's first debate between the two men who would be president -- spoke out against launching the war six years ago and remains committed to drawing it down.
These were the bottom lines of a debate that could have been all about economics but that ultimately ended up being a very serious, and at times very edgy, discourse about war and peace. McCain called Iraq "the central issue of our time."
At the very least, it was the central issue of the debate.
The Republican said his Democratic rival "just doesn't understand" the importance of staying the course in the Middle East.
Obama argued that McCain lacks "the broader strategic vision" necessary to make the United States a functional player on the global stage -- and at home. And he suggested that the Republican's misread of the Iraq question all the way back in 2002, as well as his ongoing refusal to recognize his error, confirmed McCain's deficiency.
Read more of Nichols' take.
Blogger Taylor Marsh:
From the start of the debate, John McCain wouldn't meet Barack Obama's eye. At the end of it that hadn't changed, even as Obama gave McCain his due time and again, which the McCain camp has already turned into a video. It was the difference of someone being small, compared to someone revealing his confidence, while showing presidential temperament. On that alone, Obama "won" hands down.
Hillary Clinton weighs in:
Tonight Barack Obama displayed beyond a doubt that he understands both the gravity of the financial crisis facing America and the challenges we face in Iraq and around the world. Senator McCain offered only more of the same failed policies of the Bush administration. America deserves better.
I stood next to Barack Obama in 22 debates, and tonight epitomized why millions are joining me in standing with him and working hard to ensure he is the next president of the United States.
Obama's goal tonight was to simply become an equal to the "legendary" foreign policy man McCain. He accomplished that (live blogging here) while showing unending patience with his opponent, who continually displayed the politics of condescension, bordering on petulance that is unbecoming of anyone at this level of political prowess. I can't imagine that independents appreciated McCain's sniping, and I bet they also saw that he was about to pop about half of the time.
McCain needed a win, in my opinion. This was his "issue" night. He didn't get it.
Obama needed to stay even with the "legendary foreign policy expert." He did that and more, while remaining unruffled throughout.
McCain didn't get the knockout he needed. Obama held his own and showed the right stuff. Plus, McCain looks like yesterday. Obama represents the future. Good night for our side.
Musician Sheryl Crow from the Huffington Post:
I am still slightly dumbfounded by what I feel was an out-and-out victory for Barack Obama. Anyone who knows me knows I am an Obama supporter, but knowing I would be blogging for the Huffington Post tonight, I tried to watch this debate with complete objectivity. However, if I were to grade this debate on clarity, leadership qualities, values and a vast understanding of foreign affairs, I would have to give Obama a far higher grade. I think I feel the same as most Americans when I say I am beyond tired of hearing John McCain sell this war and passing it off as great leadership. Even on the issue of Russia, McCain tried to paint Obama as being unknowledgeable on foreign issues. It is clear that McCain is well traveled outside of the United States and has a vast understanding of foreign affairs; however, Obama did not give an inch.
On every question, I felt Obama answered with clarity and thoughtfulness. I felt McCain gave us a lot of his stump quotes when talking about the war and the failing economy -- quotes like "I'm not known as Miss Congeniality," and the two letters Eisenhower wrote illustrating accountability, and his reminding us that he is known as the "Maverick."
Obama clearly illustrated his in-depth understanding of foreign affairs. While McCain has an immense amount of experience in the military, there was never a moment that I perceived him as a level-headed peacekeeper but instead looked like the same kind of defensive leader we've had for the last eight years. While Obama was talking about Afghanistan, McCain was still selling the surge and the idea of "winning the war," a war that no one feels can be won. McCain's entire message revolved around Iraq. He seemed to be in complete denial that our country is in a much less secure status than before 9/11, while it is clear that we have thrown a rock into a beehive.
I never once heard McCain mention our failing educational system. He kept his mantra that Obama does not understand, which I felt only showed that McCain simply doesn't understand. McCain tried to wrap up the debate by saying Obama doesn't have the experience that McCain has or what it takes to lead this country. At that point, McCain talked about how we cannot have another leader who is not flexible; he completely disqualified himself. It was a cry of desperation from a man who has been historically linked to the failing policies of George W. Bush.
I think while both candidates successfully argued their positions on sitting down with leaders of rogue nations, I felt that Obama proved his point that the policies of the past have not served us. McCain seemed to promise more of the same, which continued to illustrate his "stubbornness and inflexibility" -- the words he later warned the nation about in choosing Obama as president. To me, McCain proved himself as the stubborn one. It felt like he was simply stuck in the past.


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Tales of a 21st Century Gypsy
August 19, 2006. Red Bay, Labrador - sort of
Red Bay is the last town along the paved road on the Labrador coast. It's not much of a road – sixty miles to the west in Labradaor, and perhaps another forty in Quebec. It's linked to Newfoundland by a ferry from St. Barbe across the Straits of Belle Isle to Blanc Sablon, just over the Quebec line from Labrador. And it's linked to the Canadian mainland by 330 kilometers of gravel road to Cartwright, a day-long ferry into Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and then several days of driving on isolated gravel roads into eastern Quebec. They are building a road from Cartwright to Goose Bay, which will certainly change things. And I
just heard on the radio that the Premier of Quebec is allocating one hundred million for a road to connect that bit of paved coastal road to much of the north shore of the St. Lawrence – though it still won't link them fully, as they haven't come up with the funds to bridge one of the rivers.
Canada must be the only modern country that still has communities as isolated as those of coastal Labrador. When they were built, everyone depended on the sea, and the lack of roads was not such a constraint. Now the sea has less to offer, we've used most of it up, and it no longer constitutes a way of life. But even when it was the way of life, it was a very hard one, and people who had alternatives were lucky. Jeff Wyatt, for decades the lighthouse keeper at Point Amour down the coast from Red Bay, was the wealthiest man in town, the first to bring in a car, and the first to construct himself an early version of the skidoos (snowmobiles, in the US) that now populate the area in winter. In Newfoundland, men eagerly left the sea for jobs in the US military bases opened in the mid twentieth century in Argentia and Gander; salaried work on land was much better than piecework on the water.
But still, the culture was formed by five hundred years of fishing, and now the fishery is gone. Looking at Newfoundland and Labrador, I thought of Jared Diamond's analysis of the Greenland Viking community that survived for five hundred years, but eventually died out because they couldn't change their ways to cope with a shift to a colder climate.
The Newfoundlanders lost the last remnants of their way of life in 1992 when the Canadian government closed the fishery. As in the case of the fourteenth century Vikings, the young people are moving to where the jobs are – Alberta mostly, it seems – and their parents
are left behind. As my mother's parents both moved to New York leaving their parents behind, and millions of Irish, Italians, Russians, Germans, and other Europeans left their communities behind. Europe certainly survived their loss. But Europeans – perhaps with the exception of the Irish – left because home was overcrowded, not because life was no longer possible at home. Those who left may have lacked opportunities, but only because they had been taken by wealthier or more privileged people. Whereas there simply aren't any opportunities in Newfoundland, as there weren't any for the Vikings in Greenland.
That's an exaggeration, of course. The Newfoundlanders won't die out like the Vikings. Some of their way of life certainly will die out – indeed much of it already has, and good riddance to being cut off for six months of winter, traveling on dog sleds and covering seventy five miles on a good day, five on a bad one, heating only with wood, and having no access at all to doctors or dentists or electricity. And some towns may die out in another generation – ones like Ramea, an outport on a tiny island off the southern coast, whose fish plant has closed leaving not much in the way of employment. But Newfoundlanders are adapting, too, trying to use tourism to help the fishing villages survive. And they are adapting by moving to their cities, as many already have. After all, while the outports are charming, life is still more exciting in the city. You know, nice place to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there.
I talked to a lot of young people about leaving or staying. Most want to stay in Newfoundland – but in St. John's, not the small villages where their parents
live. There are exceptions, of course, especially among the summer employees at Gros Morne Park, but they are biologists who want to be part of Newfoundland's natural resources. One young man said he figured he'd have to go west to find a job after college. He'd rather work in St. John's, but those jobs all go to more experienced people. Maybe when he builds up more credentials, he'll be able to return, but not for some years. Another girl, a native of the Labrador Coast working for the summer at the Point Amour lighthouse – now a provincial park – wrinkled her nose at her home town. She much prefers St. John's, where she is in school; home is boring.
An older woman working for Parks Canada at Red Bay said all the kids are bored now. She doesn't get it; when she was young, she said, they had lots to keep them busy. But she's one who didn't leave. Her family's roots in Labrador are strong; they have been the lighthouse keepers on the island in the harbor at Red Bay for a century. They were having a family reunion to celebrate that while I was there. The extended family was camping out on the island overnight, pitching dozens of tents, bringing food and drink and music and a rather impressive fireworks display. I visited the Red Bay museum on Friday, and as I was leaving I saw them heading out to the island in small boats with bags and boxes and backpacks and guitar cases.
The island is part of the Red Bay historic site – it's a former Basque fishing village, and they found a seventh century Basque boat submerged in the mud of the harbor a few years ago. In the morning I returned to visit it. I was the only tourist around, so the Park staff had to phone up their boatman to ferry me over. He promised he'd come back to pick me up on the island when he saw my bright yellow rain jacket on the dock – or if it started to pour, whichever happened first. The island was lovely, quiet, open, and windswept – like all of the Labrador coast, really. Gray clouds hung low in the sky, but it didn't rain on me as I followed the short trail, dutifully noting places where there had once been Basque fish processing facilities or houses. It would be lovely to stay out there for a while, pitch a tent and watch the twinkling lights of Red Bay just a short way across the water.
As I headed back towards the dock, the lighthouse keeper's family was packing up to return to the mainland. They had so much gear, you'd have thought an army had camped there for three weeks, not just one family for one night. It had been an exciting night, as it turned out. It had rained hard, tents had blown over in the wind, they had gotten soaked. But they were
all cheerful, and excited about one hundred years of their family keeping the lights burning on the island, even though the now automated and the current keeper will be the last one. The young people may not be staying in Red Bay, but still they all have roots there. And it's an exceptional place, the Labrador Coast, not some ordinary suburbia in middle America. At least from where I stand, it's extraordinary.
Continue to the next entry.
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Unless otherwise indicated, all text and photos on this page © Joy E. Hecht.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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False Claims Act does not protect former employees from post-termination retaliation
The anti-retaliation provision of the False Claims Act (FCA) does not apply to retaliation that occurs only after the employment relationship has ended, the Tenth Circuit ruled, affirming dismissal of a lawsuit brought by a former campus director who claimed she was unlawfully retaliated against for reporting her former employer's unethical practices after she resigned. After undergoing an exhaustive analysis of the statutory language, the appeals court found that the FCA's anti-retaliation provision unambiguously excluded relief for retaliatory acts occurring after the employee has left employment (Potts v. Center for Excellence in Higher Education, Inc., November 6, 2018, Phillips, G.).
Resigns, signs non-disparagement agreement. The employee had worked as a campus director for CollegeAmerica Denver, a predecessor of the Center for Excellence in Higher Education, Inc. She resigned in 2012, purportedly because she believed that CollegeAmerica engaged in unethical business practices by "actively deceiving" its accreditor. The parties entered into a written agreement by which CollegeAmerica agreed to pay her $7,000 and support her unemployment claim, and she agreed to refrain from filing complaints with any governmental or regulatory agencies and not to intentionally disparage its reputation.
Breach-of-contract lawsuit. Later, after she disparaged the Center in an email to a former coworker, it sued her in state court for breach of contract. She then sent a written complaint to the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) concerning the Center's alleged deceptions. After learning this, the Center amended its lawsuit to allege that she also breached her contract by filing a complaint with the ACCSC.
Suit dismissed. She then filed suit, asserting that the Center's lawsuit violated the FCA's anti-retaliation provision. The district court granted the Center's motion to dismiss, ruling that the FCA's anti-retaliation provision did not apply because she was a former employee whose allegedly protected acts had occurred exclusively after her employment ended.
What is statutory meaning of "employees"? Two key subsections of the FCA's anti-retaliation provision were at issue. Sec. 3730(h)(1) provides in relevant part that "Any employee . . . shall be entitled to all relief necessary to make that employee . . . whole, if that employee . . . is discharged, demoted, suspended, threatened, harassed, or in any other manner discriminated against in the terms and conditions of employment because of lawful acts done by the employee." Sec. 3730(h)(2) provides in relevant part that "Relief . . . shall include reinstatement with the same seniority status that employee . . . would have had but for the discrimination, 2 times the amount of back pay, interest on the back pay, and compensation for any special damages sustained as a result of the discrimination."
Timing of retaliation crucial. Addressing the crucial issue of who is protected under these two key subsections, the Tenth Circuit concluded that "employees" includes "only persons who were current employees when their employers retaliated against them." If that condition has been met, it won't matter whether the employee remains a current employee of the employer when suing. Thus, the label "former employee" itself means nothing—what matters is the employee's employment status when the employer retaliates.
Qualifying acts. The court reached this conclusion by examining the wording of Sec. 3730(h)(1), which set forth the qualifying retaliatory acts: "discharge, demotion, suspension, threats, harassment, or any other manner of discrimination in the terms and conditions of employment." Four of these six categories of retaliatory acts, by their nature or wording, must occur during employment (as must the protected activity). A former employer cannot discharge, suspend, or demote a former employee, nor can it discriminate against a former employee in the terms and conditions of employment.
Canons of statutory interpretation. Relying on the "associated-words" canon, the Tenth Circuit rejected the plaintiff's assertion that the subsection nevertheless protects former employees from "threats" and "harassment" by their former employers. This canon, which recognizes "the observed phenomenon that birds of a feather flock together," provides that when several words are "associated in a context suggesting that the words have something in common, they should be assigned a permissible meaning that makes them similar." In particular, "words grouped in a list should be given related meaning." As Congress "snugly embedded 'threatened' and 'harassed' within the other four retaliatory acts needing to occur during employment," the court couldn't apply "a different temporal range for those two terms than applies for their four neighbors."
The Tenth Circuit also applied the "ejusdem generis" canon because Congress "tacked on a catchall phrase at the end of an enumeration of specifics." Specifically, it read the subsection's residual clause as including "similar discriminations" to discharge, demotion, suspension, threats, and harassment. "We can't see why close cousins to threats and harassment would count only during employment (i.e., when in the terms and conditions of employment), but threats and harassment would continue to count years after employment ends."
The "series-qualifier" canon was also applicable. This provides that "when there is a straightforward, parallel construction that involves all nouns or verbs in a series, a prepositive or postpositive modifier normally applies to the entire series." Here, the six verbs were parallel (discharged, demoted, suspended, threatened, harassed, or discriminated against), and neither the prepositive "in any other manner" or the postpositive "in the terms and conditions of employment," made the verb string not parallel. Finally, Sec. 3730(h)(2) also supported the conclusion that "employees" under § 3730(h)(1) included only persons who were current employees when retaliated against because the listed remedies all related to an employment relationship.
Other statutes. The Tenth Circuit rejected the former employee's reliance on a DOL regulation interpreting the anti-retaliation provision in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which referred to employee as meaning "an individual presently or formerly working," explaining that the regulation might simply recognize "that a former employee could sue for retaliatory discrimination that occurred during employment." The court also rejected her reliance on the U.S. Supreme Court's conclusion that Title VII's retaliation provision applies to post-employment retaliation against former employees. Unlike Title VII, the FCA—by its list of retaliatory acts—temporally limited relief to employees who are subjected to retaliatory acts while they are current employees.


A view of the Vaillancourt Fountain in Justin Herman Plaza from above in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Aug. 14, 2017.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors made it clear Tuesday that it no longer wants the plaza at the foot of Market Street to be named for Justin Herman, the city's longtime redevelopment chief who is widely blamed for bulldozing the Western Addition.
Supervisor Aaron Peskin sponsored the resolution to rename Justin Herman Plaza, which sits on the Embarcadero across from the Ferry Building. Although the board has no legal authority to change the name, every supervisor co-signed the resolution, which passed unanimously.
It's now up to the city's Recreation and Park Commission to decide if it wants to strip Herman's name from the public space. Peskin suggested that it be known simply as Embarcadero Plaza for the time being.
Herman, who died in 1971, served as executive director of the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency under three mayors — George Christopher, John Shelley and Joseph Alioto. He was the architect of an urban renewal program that displaced thousands of mostly African American and Japanese American residents from the Western Addition and destroyed blocks of Victorians and other buildings. In retrospect, it is seen as one of the most shameful periods in San Francisco history.
But the push to rename Justin Herman Plaza isn't just about villainizing the man, Peskin said at Tuesday's board meeting. He described Herman as a nuanced and complicated person whose policies reflected the political ethos of his time.
"It's not just about Justin Herman. It was about a misguided policy known as urban renewal that decimated communities not just here in San Francisco, but throughout America," Peskin said.
He also noted that Herman's ideas didn't always lead to mass displacement. When Herman was put in charge of developing Diamond Heights in the late 1950s, he insisted on a mix of housing types, including homes for low-income tenants.
A lot has changed, locally and nationally, since Justin Herman Plaza opened in 1972. It has become a hangout for skateboarders and a starting point for protest marches, and it was a campground for the Occupy movement in 2011.
The Rec and Park Commission has never formally discussed the fraught symbolism of the name, but its members will debate the matter next month.
"I'm anxious to hear from people who have a horse in this race — what their motives are and why they want to do it," commission President Mark Buell said.
Notably, Buell has a personal history with Herman, having worked in his office in the late 1960s and in 1970. With the disclaimer that it was difficult for him to look back at Herman's place in San Francisco's history "in an unbiased way," Buell said he agrees with critics of Herman's policies in the Western Addition.
"I'm very much sympathetic to those who argue that this was the wrong approach. I myself think it was. It uprooted the community," he said.
"I wouldn't want him demonized for being a very good bureaucrat," Buell said.
It's unclear whether San Francisco residents feel as strongly as the supervisors about the name Justin Herman. Only a handful of people showed up to speak when the issue went before the board's Land Use and Transportation Committee earlier this month, and they had varying opinions on whether renaming the plaza was a good idea.
Mayor Ed Lee has not spoken publicly about the plaza's name, but he supports "a community process to rename Justin Herman Plaza," said his spokeswoman Ellen Canale.
Late Tuesday afternoon Peskin said he received an unsolicited text from developer Boston Properties, offering to pay the estimated $5,400 cost of a new plaque in the plaza, bearing a new name.
The supervisors also voted 6-2 to approve an ordinance allowing telecom companies to pay a fee instead of sprucing up their big sidewalk utility boxes with trees and artwork. The fee would be either $2,000 or $48 multiplied by the square footage in the box's surface area, whichever is greater.


Be careful what you leave inside your cars when enjoying that burger.
This is what Facebook user Nicole Vergara and family learned the hard way last night as one of the windows of their car was smashed.
Stolen from the car were a sling bag with a wallet containing P500, assorted credit cards, seaman's book, passport and a watch.
The incident happened in McDonald's in Barangay Pamplona I as they parked their vehicle by the side of the fastfood chain.
According to Vergara, they weren't even inside the establishment for one hour.
Given this, coupled with several stories inside our neighboring communities, let us all be more careful as these criminals are more brazen than ever.
Park your cars in well-lighted areas.
Don't trust all "parking boys" as sometimes they are the ones who give tips to the suspects and sometimes even be the ones who victimize vehicle owners.
Never leave your valuables inside your cars especially in plain sight as these dangerous individuals usually take a peek inside your cars before they strike.
Hopefully all establishments also post security guards in parking areas especially those not so well-lighted.
Passports, passports! Get them in Paranaque now!
Tsk tsk tsk. Hope the perpetrators get caught.


The beautiful soulful T.J. gaze that melts your heart!
T.j. & Trixie doing canine eclipse on "eclipse day!"
Teej is a special dog.. he has a calm, sweet exterior.. hes polite and affectionate.. He has a ton of dog pals and if after spending a fair amount of time with him you'd say hes a very easy going, extremely handsome and wonderfully soulful, friendly boy... & you'd be 100% right!
He is all that!!! We have also seen him when he worries.. we haven't figured out yet everything that concerns him... We know the usual dog phobias of thunder and fireworks but there's more.. and as yet we just aren't sure what sets him off sometimes.
When he worries hes always inside ... we've found that getting leashed and taken out for a walk easily resets his brain.. he goes back to being a wiggly soft smiley dog!
There have been mornings we have come in and found TJ inside a tiny coat closet that houses stacks of storage boxes... He finds ways to self soothe when he feels afraid but were concerned that his options are always safe ones! We've put a camera on him so we can watch him at night and 95% of the time hes fine!!
So our beautiful sweet TJ is a bit of a puzzle... we are picking away, doing our best to sleuth out the triggers, find ways to desensitize him as well as help him discover safe remedies for his fearful episodes!!
TJ is a fabulous dog who has a weird phobia that manifests from our perspective rarely but randomly! We are exploring all options including creating a somewhat soundproof crate ( anyone with ideas and experience in that please let us know) Stay tuned for updates !


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Coach Park quells rumors of new salary demands
By Nhan Dat &nbspJuly 9, 2019 | 05:58 pm GMT+7
Coach Park Hang-seo speaks to the press in Hung Yen Province, northern Vietnam, July 8, 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Nam Anh.
There has been no money talk in negotiations for a new contract with the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), Park Hang-seo said Monday.
The head coach of the Vietnamese men's football team told the press that he was concerned about recent media reports about his agent demanding huge salary in the contract renewal.
"My agent has only met VFF once, but on Vietnamese and South Korean media, I saw many incorrect articles giving negative predictions on my new contract with VFF.
"I hope the fans can understand my point. There was no money talk involved and no number has been mentioned. I'm worried that the fans may have misunderstood the salary issue," Park told VnExpress.
It was reported earlier that Park was demanding $100,000 a month, which would cost the VFF $2 million a year including tax and bonuses. He currently gets $20,000 a month.
Park said that in order to avoid any incorrect information being given out in the future, he and his agent plan to issue official statements to the fans.
"From now on, if there is any meeting between me and the VFF, my agent will make a press statement in English and send it to the media agencies. I hope they will use it to deliver correct information to the fans."
Park's contract expires on January 31, 2020 and negotiation to renew it started two weeks ago, with VFF hoping to secure a two-year deal. During his tenure, Vietnam were runners-up at the AFC U23 Championship in January 2018, finished fourth in the Asian Games last August, won the 2018 AFF Cup, and entered the last eight of the 2019 Asian Cup.
At the Tuesday press conference, Park also explained his selection of the U22 team, which takes place July 8-10.
"The reason I didn't call popular players up this time is because it can affect their clubs. The players that I have called up for this session are the ones who rarely get the chance to play or are playing in the first division. This is a suitable time to test their skills and ability.
In the next two months, I want to search for new faces, before calling up 30 players for the main training session in September," he said.
The U22 team will have five training sessions together from July to September. In October, the team will gather for 45 days to prepare for SEA Games 30 in the Philippines, which will take place from November 25 to December 11. After many successes under Park, Vietnam has set the target to win their first football gold at SEA Games after 50 years.
Reading: Coach Park quells rumors of new salary demands


text:
67 Songs, 5 Hours 1 Minute
To Be Continued (Box Set) Elton John
Elton John & Bluesology
Lady Samantha
It's Me That You Need
Your Song (Demo Version)
Rock and Roll Madonna
Bad Side of the Moon
Take Me to the Pilot
Border Song
Sixty Years On
Grey Seal
Elton John & Paul Buckmaster
Levon
Tiny Dancer
Madman Across the Water
Honky Cat
Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time)
Bennie and the Jets
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
All the Girls Love Alice
Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding
Whenever You're Ready (We'll Go Steady Again)
Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting
Screw You (Young Man's Blues)
Step Into Christmas
The Bitch Is Back
Someone Saved My Life Tonight
Philadelphia Freedom
I Saw Her Standing There (Live 1974)
Elton John & John Lennon
Elton John & Kiki Dee
I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford) [Live]
Mama Can't Buy You Love
Elton John & Thom Bell
Little Jeannie
Donner Pour Donner
Elton John & France Gall
Fanfare / Chloe
Empty Garden (Hey, Hey Johnny)
I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues
I'm Still Standing
Sad Songs (Say So Much)
Act of War (Single Mix)
Elton John & Millie Jackson
Candle In the Wind (Live In Australia) [Single Edit]
Elton John, James Newton Howard & The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Carla Etude (Live In Australia)
Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me (Live In Australia) [Single Edit]
I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That (12" Shep Pettibone Mix)
Made for Me (1990 Recording)
You Gotta Love Someone (1990 Recording)
I Swear I Heard the Night Talkin' (1990 Recording)
Easier to Walk Away (1990 Recording)
This Compilation ℗ 1990 Mercury Records Limited
More By Elton John
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Remastered)
Tumbleweed Connection (Remastered)
Diamonds (Deluxe)


Did you ever need a change? In your finances, in your career, in your life?
It can be a scary thing and most people have a hard time taking that first step. They find it easier to just put up with their misery, then to jump into the unknown. I am here to give you some ideas of where to start!
I don't want to hear anymore whining when there really is no need. See what I have to offer you.
Because we are human, life will always have ups and downs in life experiences. Sometimes you feel you are in a free fall, when people or things you had counted on let you down. Instead of bemoaning your circumstances, you look for help. I have found it!
How long do you think about it? Where do you look for help?
Do you go and talk to everyone you see their response? Do you research and find out all the information about it before you make that decision?
Do you try to talk yourself out of everything because you can't see what is around the next corner? So, you just whine and complain constantly about how bad it is!
You might get your hopes up only to find them dashed.
You might decide on where you want to go, and then not get there.
You might fall in love with a vision of the future and then discover it doesn't happen.
How much would that hurt? How much would it hurt to have those hopes, those decisions and that love turn out to be all for nothing?
Of course, it's not for nothing. If you learned from it.
In fact, those hopes, those decisions and that love is the foundation for a path worth pursuing. It's what makes us better.
Don't apply (to this or to anything else) just because you can, but, apply to something that matters to you, something worth dreaming about.
You might get rejected. So what? If you got value out of it.
Leap into the unknown. If you want it bad enough the solution and the answer will appear before you.
At what cost are you willing to sacrifice to get that change you so truly need.
There's a huge difference between the internal cost of being rejected (you feel bad, you feel like a failure, you feel like a fraud), and the external cost.
The external cost might be the time you wasted working on something that didn't work. It might be that you offended someone by asking wrong, or by spamming, or by being selfish.
You might be rejected because you wasted an opportunity by going for the long shot or the shortcut when you would have been better off settling in and succeeding in the long run. What will you be willing to let go of to allow more in and to succeed?
When the time comes and you have finally said "I Have Had Enough". You truly want to change, you are tired of just settling for what you have. Then I will give you that High Five.
The world is truly a place of opportunity and no one should be miserable. If you don't like something then tweak it or change it all together. Life should not be spoiled by hardship and disappointment.
OK, Now what do you do? I made the choice to change, what am I going to change it to?
I want you to think about who you are, what you like to do, and what you are passionate about.
Trying to decide if something you THINK is your passion is something you should turn into a career is not something rare. It's probably something every person goes through to a certain degree.
You have to stop thinking, and start doing. Get out there and take a class! Volunteer if you have to. Do anything you have to do to engage yourself in your passion. If you're just thinking about making it your career then you'll never know if it's something you should really do.
You have to bring passion to everything you do. Passion isn't going to just magically pop up in your life, you have to be passionate about things and you'll eventually find the one thing in which the passion doesn't fade away.
I have a solution for you to help you. I too didn't know what my passion was, or how I was going to make a career out of it, but you want to know what I found? I found a passion that I can call mine. I have found a way to do what it takes to get it done.
I found that blogging is the key to happiness. Researching and writing things down has bought a spark back to the everyday grind. It has opened up so many opportunities and brought me to so many people. Ones that make you think, ones that make you wonder, and ones that make you laugh or cry.
A Passion is "contagious", so if you start showing extreme passion for things in your life people around you will start being passionate as well. If adopt this attitude about things, opportunities will start falling your lap and your chances of "falling" into what you're supposed to do will be much greater!
Here in Sandy's Jar I have found that coming up with Ideas can be fun. I have come to realize that "there is no shortage of money, there is just a shortage of Ideas".
So my final question for you is? How bad do you want that change? What are you willing to do to make it happen? If I tell you, will you do it without question?
No more complaining, no more whining. Take the steps to get you on the road of your new life!
Awesome reminder … I was on a webinar training yesterday, and what hurt was the comment, "The number one thing holding you back is the fact that you don't want it enough!" I began to question myself … how much do I actually want this thing to work?
And I realised that I have this contrast thing going on. I'm pushing myself because I want it. I'm pulling away because I don't want it enough.
But every day I want it more – I'm excited about crossing the tipping point. Everytime I read something like this is takes me closer, so THANK YOU!
Your welcome. Yes I had to write it down to remind myself.


text:
Tolna er en af de 19 provinser i Ungarn. Provinsen har et areal på 3.703 kvadratkilometer, og et indbyggertal (pr. 2008) på 238.431. Tolnas hovedstad er Szekszárd, der også er provinsens største by.

Provinser i Ungarn

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Along with the considerations noted, many promoters of bodybuilding have sought to shed the "freakish" notion that most of the people has of bodybuilding and have successfully launched a more mainstream viewers to the sport of bodybuilding by together with rivals whose physiques appear way more attainable and reasonable. A bodybuilder's muscle mass are completely different from an athlete's.
If the prospect of chowing down six instances a day makes you are feeling queasy, start small. Lots of bodybuilders assume that doing cardio "kills beneficial properties," which is partially true, but it's additionally necessary to get your physique-fats share down as much as doable once you're first getting began. In case you're already lean and need to begin building up muscle , begin developing your power training routine, focusing on compound movements first, then working your approach as much as isolation workout routines, targeting the particular muscle groups you have recognized as needing work.
Planning and sculpting will probably be an ongoing course of, so it is good to sit down down and meet with different bodybuilders and trainers to speak about what elements of your physique to work on. He has by no means caught a chilly or been injured since he resumed bodybuilding at 50. Ache in the knees or elbows and stiff shoulders are additionally rarities for him. After reaching the highest of the bodybuilding recreation in Australia, 'king of the health club' Josh Lenartowicz is on a quest to beat the globe.
Bodybuilders spend years and years of their lives targeted on perfecting the human physique by way of proper coaching and vitamin. If you want to build your physique and you are, actually, a competitive bodybuilder, selections are simple. He started his bodybuilding career in 2003 below Jiten Kalita at Boko the place he lives along with his mother, younger brother, wife and daughter.


and a dynamic panel of K-12 technologists and educators (my personal favorite from the event).
All videos are available via CC BY, of course. I'd also like to point out that the Hewlett OER Grantees meeting is going on right now, which you can follow with the hashtag #oerhf.


simple bookmorph-based storybook with simple holder-based animation on some pages.
Estoy muy impresionado con tu labor en este proyecto. Es uno de las historias mas largas que he visto creadas con e-toys. Tus dibujos me encantaron. Me llamo mucho la atencion el cabinete lleno de alimentos y el Gordo Pooh me parecio muy chistoso. De nuevo te felicito y espero continues con tu imaginacion y creatividad.
I liked Tigger's tail the best! Nicely done!
This would be great for Spanish students as well as ESL students.
I am sorry I can't comment in Spanish. You wrote a very nice story about Pooh and his friends with many lively animations. Good job.
Great Story, I love Winnie the Pooh and always enjoy watching them.
The project opens on second page of the book. I could not get to the first page, not by the backward arrow and not by move to "first page" double arrow.
I don't understand the language, so I can't comment on the content.


KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — New vehicle sales in Malaysia rebounded last year after two straight years of contraction, thanks to a three-month tax holiday, but growth is likely to remain flat this year amid uncertainties over government policies, an automotive group said Wednesday.
A woman walks toward her car in a parking lot in Putrajaya, Malaysia, Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019. An automotive group says vehicle sales in Malaysia last year has rebounded after two years of consecutive contraction thanks to a three-month tax holiday but growth is likely to remain flat this year amid uncertainties over government policies.
The Malaysian Automotive Association said 598,714 vehicles were sold last year, up 3.8 percent from 2017. It said this was largely due to an upsurge in demand from June to August 2018 after vehicle prices dropped when a new government that took power in May's general election scrapped an unpopular consumption tax.
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's government declared a three-month tax holiday before reintroducing a sales and services tax in September. Malaysia is the third largest auto market in Southeast Asia after Indonesia and Thailand.
Association president Aishah Ahmad said sales in 2019 are projected to rise by 0.2 percent amid economic uncertainties, a weak ringgit and inflationary pressure. She said car prices have also edged up slightly under the new tax regime.
Changes under the new government have also caused a delay in the approval for pricing of new models. Plans to revise the national auto planning and develop a new "national" model also have raised uncertainties over future policies.
"We foresee 2019 will be another very challenging year," she said. National carmaker Proton, privatized in 2012 and partly controlled by China's Geely Holding Group Co. Ltd., has only a 10.8 percent market share — a far cry from the two-thirds share it held during its heyday. Proton, founded by Mahathir in 1983, suffered after tariffs that had been protecting from foreign competition were lifted.
Proton has launched a SUV based on Geely's popular Boyue vehicle that it hopes will boost sales and revitalize its stale brand.


text:
Testimonies from Alumni
Allyson Arrieta
Candidate for a Master of Education in Educational Administration (Higher Education) (Fall 2017)
Bachelor of Arts in Philippine Language and Literature (Ilokano) at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa (Spring 2015)
"Being a part of the Ilokano Program helped me strengthen my identity as an Ilokano. As former President of the Timpuyog Organization, I was able to build my leadership skills, help my fellow officers grow as leaders, and network with other Filipino organizations. I am currently pursuing my Master's Degree in Educational Administration (Higher Education) and my goal is to work with Ilokano students in a leadership capacity."
Steve Ryan Badua
Candidate for a Master of Arts in Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University (Spring 2014)
"I entered ILLP looking to fulfill graduation requirements but left with a better sense of ethnic identity, family, and community. The program has added perspectives of heterogeneity and multiplicity countering the meta-narrative of the homogenous Filipino-American. To that extent, this program has allowed me to further my studies focused on the experiences of the plural Filipino American students in the classroom and the communities and how relevant education may impact their experiences."
Loreto Coloma Jr.
Masters in Public Health at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa (Spring 2016)
Bachelor of Science in Microbiology at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa (Spring 2013)
"I initially had no idea about the Ilokano program until my second year at UH Manoa. I was glad to have found it in time to declare it as one of my majors. The Ilokano Language and Literature Program was a blessing in disguise. It has instilled in me the desire to remain close to the language and the people who speak it while also allowing me to research into my own family history. What I enjoyed most, however, was that the program gave me the courage and opportunity to have conversed with my late grandfather, asking him the questions I may never have had the chance to ask. In the same way as I was able to communicate with my grandfather, I plan to use the Ilokano language as a tool to communicate with others. As an aspiring physician, it will not only improve the experience of my Ilokano patients, but also improve the health of our aging Ilokano population here in Hawai'i."
Donnie Dadiz
Bachelor of Science in Travel Industry Management (Emphasis: Hotel Management) and Minor in Ilokano at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa (Spring 2011)
"The University of Hawai'i at Mānoa Ilokano Language and Literature Program and Timpuyog Organization prepared me in being a leader in the Hotel Industry. My previous management experience began in Housekeeping, where I was the Supervisor. Knowing Ilokano allowed me to give instructions on the duties that my Housekeeping team (Room Attendants, House Attendants, Public Area Attendants) needed to complete at a high speed and thoroughly. Now, being one of the Front Office Managers, also known as the Manager on Duty (MOD) has allowed me to make the calls on how duties and projects need to be done and how to make a guest's stay important. I make sure issues are solved and overcome. When the Housekeepers aren't too sure with what there project is, I'm there to instruct the associates in Ilokano. I'm glad I have expanded my knowledge on Ilokano compared to what I have known before joining the Ilokano program."
Dean Domingo
Master of Education in Learning Design and Technology at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa (Spring 2016)
"Going through the Ilokano program has helped me find, understand, love and respect the language of my ancestors. Ultimately instilling the knowledge of language, culture, and pride within me. Being involved with the Timpuyog Organization has also helped me with leadership and networking skills. Everything that I've experienced during my time in the program has prepared me to where I am today, as I am now part of the program as an instructor. I look forward to inspire incoming students to embrace their language and culture."
Almond Jaye Ereno
Bachelor of Arts in Philippine Language and Literature (Ilokano) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa (Both in Fall 2013)
"Being in the Ilokano program at UH Manoa, helped me get through nursing school. The program provided me with the tools to communicate with my clients in the community as well as in the hospital and it broadened my sense of self identity which allowed me to empathize with clients that have different cultural backgrounds. The program also opens up other opportunities for me to make a difference in the community with medical and legal interpretation, writing literature for children, and being able to teach different medical and nursing theories and processes easily to the Ilokano community."
Janelle Funtanilla
Master of Social Work at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa (Spring 2013)
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa (Spring 2009)
"My B.A. degree in Ilokano was extremely helpful when I went to do my social work practicum in the Philippines as part of my Master's degree requirements. I was placed in Baguio City and the language and cultural components really helped in the work that I did there with the Filipino youth."
Jessica Ignacio
Masters in Social Work at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa (Spring 2014)
Bachelor of Social Work and Minor in Ilokano at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa (Spring 2013)
"I initially entered the ILLP program with the goal of enriching my Ilokano speaking skills so I can better communicate with my elderly relatives and relatives in the Philippines. However, upon graduation and entrance into the field of social work, I realized that being in tuned with my culture and knowing how to speak the language can maximize my impact in the community."
Alycia Kiyabu
Candidate for Master of Arts in Education Administration at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (Fall 2017)
Bachelors of Arts in Psychology, Minor in Sociology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (Spring 2013)
"I would highly recommend to those who are harboring feelings of despondency towards their Filipino heritage, to seek out the Ilokano Language and Literature (ILL) Program, as well as its supporting Organization, Timpuyog. Both have played a significant developmental role in my academic and professional journey. The ILL program has allowed me the insight to effectively aide different student populations to achieve high academic success, as well as equip me with the necessary critical thinking abilities to see and navigate the world through culturally and politically sensitive lenses. In my personal life, the ILL program has been essential in enriching my understanding of my Filipino culture, language, and history. The education I received from the ILL program continues to be an positive and ubiquitous presence in all aspects of my life and without it, I would not be the woman who I am today."
Alan Manzano
"The Ilokano program has helped me get to where I am now because I am an Ilokano teacher. This program has helped me reconnect with my family. At one point I found out I was related to one of my students through my mom's side. My mom has no family on this side when she immigrated here. We later found out she wasn't the first to arrive. Now we have a larger family. This program has helped me help my mom in various ways with family, translating, and communication."
Valerie Ruiz
Juris Doctor at Arizona Summit Law School (Spring 2015)
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa (Spring 2010)
"Participating in the Ilokano program significantly impacted my life. Not only was I educated about my ancestral language and culture, but was inspired and encouraged to follow my ambitions and strive for success. This was not taught through pure lecture and class attendance, rather it was a message that was fostered in the application and experience of the curriculum as a whole."


text:
New Thematic Factsheet on Hate Crime and Hate Speech
The Council of Europe's Department for the Execution of Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights has just issued a new thematic factsheet on hate crime and hate speech. Here is a brief description:
'Hate crime is a criminal act motivated by bias or prejudice towards a person or group of persons while hate speech concerns various forms of expression directed against a person or group of persons on the grounds of the personal characteristics or status of the person or group of persons. When hate speech takes the form of conduct that is in itself a criminal offence – such as conduct that is abusive, harassing or insulting – it may also be referred to as hate crime.
The Court has noted that discriminatory treatment as such can in principle amount to degrading treatment within the meaning of Article 3 of the Convention where it attains a level of severity such as to constitute an affront to human dignity. When investigating violent incidents, State authorities have the duty to take all reasonable steps to unmask possible discriminatory motives. The Court has underlined that the authorities must do whatever is reasonable in the circumstances to collect and secure the evidence, and deliver fully reasoned, impartial and objective decisions, without omitting suspicious facts that may be indicative of violence induced by intolerance or discrimination. Treating violence and brutality with a discriminatory intent on an equal footing with cases that have no such overtones would be turning a blind eye to the specific nature of acts that are particularly destructive of fundamental rights.
The present factsheet provides examples of general and individual measures reported by States in the context of the execution of the European Court's judgments, concerning the combat against racially motivated hate crimes which may emanate from security forces, private individuals or groups targeting Roma and migrants, hate crime and hate speech targeting LGBTI persons and religiously motivated hate crime and hate speech.'
Geplaatst door Matilda Radoš
Call for Abstracts 'Heads and Tails': ECHR Admissi...
Online Course 'Introduction to the ECHR and the Co...
Podcast on the Importance of the Court
New Book on Litigation about Religion and the ECHR
New Issue ECHR Law Review
New Handbook on ECHR Law and Principles


text:
Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003
Pre-emption
Previous: Crossheading
Next: Crossheading
82Application and interpretation of sections 83 and 84
Sections 83 and 84 of this Act apply to any subsisting right of pre-emption constituted as a title condition which–
(a)was originally created in favour of a feudal superior; or
(b)was created in a deed executed after 1st September 1974,
and for the purposes of sections 83(1)(a) and 84(1)(b) of this Act the person last registered as having title to a personal pre-emption burden or rural housing burden shall be taken to be the holder for a right of pre-emption which that burden comprises.
83Extinction following pre-sale undertaking
(1)Where, in relation to any burdened property (or, as the case may be, part of such property)—
(a)the holder of a right of pre-emption to which this section applies gives an undertaking (in the form, or as nearly as may be in the form, contained in schedule 10 to this Act) that, subject to such conditions (if any) as the holder may specify in the undertaking, the holder will not exercise that right during such period as may be so specified;
(b)a conveyance in implement of the sale of the burdened property (or part) is registered before the end of that period; and
(c)any conditions specified under paragraph (a) above have been satisfied,
such right shall, on registration of such a conveyance, be extinguished unless the right is constituted as a rural housing burden in which case the title condition shall be taken to have been complied with as respects that sale only.
(2)Any undertaking given under subsection (1) above—
(a)is binding on the holder of the right of pre-emption; and
(b)if registered is binding on any successor as holder provided that the undertaking was registered before the successor completed title.
84Extinction following offer to sell
(1)If in relation to a right of pre-emption to which this section applies—
(a)an event specified in the constitutive deed as an event on the occurrence of which such right may be exercised occurs; and
(b)the owner of the burdened property makes, in accordance with subsections (2) to (6) below, an offer to sell that property (or, as the case may be, part of that property) to the holder of such right,
then such right shall, in relation to that property (or part), be extinguished unless it is constituted as a rural housing burden in which case the title condition shall be taken to have been complied with as respects that event only.
(2)An offer shall be in writing and shall comply with section 2 of the Requirements of Writing (Scotland) Act 1995 (c. 7) (requirements for formal validity of certain documents).
(3)An offer shall be open for acceptance during whichever is the shorter of—
(a)the period of 21 days, or where the right is constituted as a rural housing burden 42 days, beginning with the day on which the offer is sent;
(b)such number of days beginning with that day as may be specified in the constitutive deed.
(4)An offer shall be made on such terms as may be set out, or provided for, in the constitutive deed; but in so far as no such terms are set out, an offer shall be made on such terms (including any terms so provided for) as are reasonable in the circumstances.
(a)an offer is sent in accordance with this section; and
(b)the holder of the right does not, within the time allowed by virtue of subsection (3) above for acceptance of the offer, inform (in writing, whether or not transmitted by electronic means) the owner of the burdened property that the holder considers, giving reasons for so considering, that the terms on which the offer is made are unreasonable,
the terms of the offer shall, for the purposes of subsection (4) above, be deemed to be reasonable.
(6)If the holder of a right cannot by reasonable inquiry be identified or found, an offer may be sent to the Extractor of the Court of Session; and for the purposes of this section an offer so sent shall be deemed to have been sent to the holder.
85Ending of council's right of pre-emption as respects certain churches
In a scheme framed under subsection (1) of section 22 of the Church of Scotland (Property and Endowments) Act 1925 (c. 33) (schemes for the ownership, maintenance and administration of churches etc.), any provision made in accordance with subsection (2)(h) of that section (council's right of pre-emption) shall cease to have effect.
PrintThis Cross Heading only
PDF This Cross Heading only
Web page This Cross Heading only


Anyone who knows me knows that I love the Central Coast and will do practically anything to extend my stay whenever I'm up there. So, while driving back down to LA, I convinced Morgan to take a little detour to Monterey. We had been planning a trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for quite some time now, so this trip was perfect timing. They just re-opened their remarkable Open Sea exhibit that boasts a school of glittering sardines, tuna, mahi-mahi, barracuda and a stoic sunfish. Catch the Open Sea Feeding in the morning and you will not be disappointed. I swear it was one of the coolest things I have ever seen. The 90 foot tank amplifies the grace and coordination of the sardines and it's like your watching Planet Earth in HD. AMAZING!


text:
The expression by Jingo is a minced oath that appeared rarely in print, but which may be traced as far back as to at least the 17th century in a transparent euphemism for "by Jesus". The OED attests the first appearance in 1694, in an English edition of the works of François Rabelais as a translation for the French par Dieu! ("by God!").

The full expression is "By the living Jingo", substituting for the phrase "By the living God" (referring to the Christian belief that  Jesus Christ rose from the dead). "Living Jingo" refers to a legend attached to St. Gengulphus (Jingo for short) that after his martyrdom by being hacked to pieces, the pieces animated and hopped out to accuse his murderer. A version of the story appears in the Ingoldsby Legends.

The form "by Gingo!" is also recorded in the 18th century.

The expression "hey Jingo"/"hey Yingo" was also known in the vocabulary of illusionists and jugglers as a cue for magic appearance of objects (cf. "abracadabra"). Martim de Albuquerque in his 1881 "Notes and Queries" mentions a 1679 printed usage of the expression.

Origins have also been claimed for it in languages that would not have been very familiar in the British pub: in Basque, for example, Jainko or Jinko is a form of the word for "God". A claim that the term referred to Empress Jingū has been entirely dismissed.

The chorus of an 1878 song  by G. H. MacDermott (singer) and George William Hunt (songwriter) commonly sung in pubs and music halls of the Victorian era gave birth to the term "jingoism". The song was written in response to the surrender of Plevna to Russia during the Russo-Turkish War, by which the road to Constantinople was open. The previous year, Viscount Sherbrooke had applied the expression, then a popular schoolboy's oath, to the war excitement. The song's lyrics had the chorus:

The expression is used by the antagonist Carruthers in Arthur Conan Doyle's 1903 Sherlock Holmes short story The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist, as well as the 1984 TV adaptation by Granada of that same story.

Albert Von Tilzer's 1919 novelty song Oh By Jingo! was one of the biggest hits of the Tin Pan Alley era.

The 1970 song "After All" by David Bowie, from the album The Man Who Sold the World, also makes prominent use of the expression "Oh by Jingo". The original US release of the album additionally features the phrase on the back cover, spoken by a group of dancers.

In Chapter 6 of The Call of the Wild (1903), Jack London uses a dialectic form of the phrase "Py Jingo!" to describe Buck.

The phrase also appears in Chapter 16 of Robert Louis Stevenson's The Wrong Box when John recognizes his Uncle Joseph whom he had believed to be dead.

When Benito Mussolini was threatening to invade Abyssinia in 1935, the British comic magazine Punch published a parody:

Terry Pratchett directly references the original song in his Discworld book Jingo:

References

External links

Interjections
English words


Under a giant storybook in a cozy nook, Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price recently brought the "Twelve Sleighs of Christmas" and "Is it Christmas Yet?" to life with a special reading at Houston Street Toy Company in Sundance Square. The colorful toy store has been compared to the magical store in the fictional story Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium with surprises hanging from the ceiling and around every corner.
Holiday magic continues in Sundance Square with visitors stopping to chat with Santa Clause. Those anxious to make the most of their time in the plaza can enter a virtual line while waiting to see Santa Claus. Upon arriving in Sundance Square, guests can simply send a text to check in at Santa's Sleigh, allowing them to shop, eat, and relax until it's time to meet Santa Claus.
Every year, proceeds from photos with Santa Claus benefit the Fort Worth Sister Cities' Youth Program. Visits with Santa are $20 (cash only), which includes a photo with Santa, who will be in Sundance Square through December 23. Check www.sundancesquare.com for specific times.


text:
namespace IECore
{

/// A simple subsurface scattering implementation using a hierarchical pointcloud. Rather
/// than use the standard dipole approximation it allows the falloff to be controlled
/// explicitly using a spline.
/// \ingroup renderingGroup
class SimpleSubsurface : public IECore::RefCounted
{

	public :

		IE_CORE_DECLAREMEMBERPTR( SimpleSubsurface );

		SimpleSubsurface( ConstV3fVectorDataPtr p, ConstColor3fVectorDataPtr c, ConstFloatVectorDataPtr a, const SplinefColor3f &falloff );
		virtual ~SimpleSubsurface();

		Imath::Color3f lookup( const Imath::V3f &p, float radius ) const;

	private :

		typedef V3fTree Tree;

		struct PrivateData;
		boost::shared_ptr<PrivateData> m_privateData;

		void buildWalk( Tree::NodeIndex nodeIndex );

		inline void accum( const Imath::V3f &p, float radius, const Imath::V3f &sampleP, const Imath::Color3f &sampleC, Imath::Color3f &result ) const;
		void lookupWalk( Tree::NodeIndex nodeIndex, const Imath::V3f &p, float radius, Imath::Color3f &result ) const;

};

IE_CORE_DECLAREPTR( SimpleSubsurface );

} // namespace IECore

#endif // IECORE_SIMPLESUBSURFACE_H

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Bar Chart with multiple labels ggplot2 I am trying to plot a bar chart that will show the name, year and percentage as labels. I have been able to get the percentage a label but not the name and year
df <- data.frame(
name = c('John','James','Kayden','Catherine','Joy','Paul','Elize'),
score = c(99,91,87,82,78,72,65),
group = c('a','a','a','b','b','b','b'),
year = c(2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006)
)

 df$name <- as.factor(df$name)

 df$group <- as.factor(df$group)

 ggplot(df, aes(x = reorder(names, score), y = score)) +
 geom_col() +
 xlab("") +
  ylab("Percentage Score") +
 ggtitle("Test Score")+
 geom_text(aes(label = paste0(round(score*1,1),"%")), hjust = 2.5, colour = "Black") +
 scale_y_continuous(labels = function(x) paste0(x*1, "%"))+
  coord_flip()[enter image description here][1]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Dutch manufacturers were slightly less pessimistic in July than in June. The producer confidence indicator crept up from -4.1 to -3.5.
Producer confidence consists of three component indicators: manufacturers' opinions on their order positions, their opinions on their stocks of finished products and the projected output over the next three months. These figures are corrected for seasonal effects among other things. In July, manufacturers were considerably less pessimistic about their order positions than in June. Furthermore, they were slightly less negative about their future output. Opinions on stocks of finished products, on the other hand, deteriorated.
The Dutch manufacturing industry used 77.4 percent of its production capacity in July. The capacity utilisation rate was considerably higher than in April (75.6 percent). In the preceding quarters, the capacity utilisation rate had dropped.


text:
5 LGBT Things
5 LGBT things you need to know today, Oct. 23
Patrick Saunders
1. This is rich. A straight couple in Kansas has filed a motion to intervene in the case challenging the state's same-sex marriage ban using the argument that marriage equality would lead to the "taking of their property rights without due process of law."
2. Katie Couric interviews 14-year-old trans girl Jazz Jennings, who has co-authored a memoir aimed at children called "I Am Jazz."
3. Alaska Republican congressman Don Young offended high school students at a Tuesday morning assembly by talking about bull sex when asked a question about same-sex marriage and making insensitive comments about suicide just days after a student took his own life.
4. Bisexual film director Bryan Singer ("X-Men") is having a baby with best friend and "Queer As Folk" actress Michelle Clunie.
5. VIDEO OF THE DAY: VICE with a report on being young and gay in Belgrade.
bryan singerkansas gay marriagekatie couricmichelle cluniequeer as folkvicevice news
Georgia AG Sam Olens says marriage never meant 'as extending to same-sex couples'
What does the U.S. Supreme Court's DOMA decision really mean for Georgia's marriage lawsuit?
Simon Williamson: Finding homo
5 LGBT things you need to know today, Feb. 26
5 LGBT things you need to know today, April 24
5 LGBT things you need to know today, Dec. 8


text:
Home/Our Work/ Florida
Photo credit: Kevin L. McDonald/ Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
At The Trust for Public Land, we create parks and protect land for people – for you – ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come.
We believe all people need and deserve access to nature. We believe our work should span cities to wilderness. We believe that when we engage community, we create community. And we believe equity means everyone.
This is how we're working in Florida to make this vision a reality:
Providing public access to Florida's vast coastline. Residents and visitors alike are drawn to Florida's 1,350 miles of coastline, as well as its many bays, bayous and lakes. Water is key to life in Florida, and we have been working statewide since 1974 to protect our waters and provide access to our beaches and waterways for everyone.
Conserving land and building community by creating new parks close to home. As Florida's growth continues at an astounding rate new accessible parks are needed where people live. We have completed over 400 conservation projects from urban parks, fitness zones and rail trails to working forests and wildlife areas.
Adapting to Climate Change. Florida is ground zero for the effect of rising sea levels and parks are essential in responding to these impacts. We are creating resilient parks that filter stormwater, absorb storm surge, and provide a place for people to access the coastlines rather than placing people and property in harm's way.
Tallhassee
306 North Monroe Street| | Tallahassee, Florida 32301
Phone: (850) 222-7911 | Email Address: [email protected]
Support our work in Florida
A sport for "athletes of all kinds"
On the Gulf Coast, rebuilding parks is key to disaster recovery
Made you look: the art drawing attention to climate change
Florida projects
Projects (sorted alphabetically):
American Beach
In 2004, TPL purchased the historic Evans' Rendezvous nightclub at American Beach on Amelia Island and held it until Nassau County could acquire funds to protect it as a cultural center and historic park.
Broward House
In 2004, TPL conveyed the historic Broward House to the National Park System as an addition to the Timucuan Trail State and National Parks, where it will serve as a gateway to historic Fort George Island and the parks.
Captain Leonard Destin Park
During peak tourist season, the City of Destin's population can double as visitors flock to the white-sand beaches and busy resorts. There's not many quiet spots for locals to relax away from the hustle and bustle. That's why we teamed up with the City and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to build Captain Leonard Destin Park, a 3.4 acre park in a year-round residential neighborhood inhabited by the folks who hold the jobs that keep this town running.
We helped protect this historic zoo and botanical gardens in Naples, Florida. In addition to the 50 acres housing the zoo and gardens, the county protected 80 acres that will eventually be used as a "Central Park" for fast-growing Naples.
TPL works to conserve land to create new parks in areas that are park deficient, expand established parks, and obtain private in-holdings in existing parks to make them whole.
This 0.72-mile-long corridor, located north of Lake Highland and known as The Dinky Line, runs between the city's downtown urban core and Loch Haven Park—home to art museums, performing arts theaters and a science center.
Over the years, The Trust for Public Land has added 48,000 acres to Everglades National Park, permanently safeguarding critical habitat area from development.
Once an economic lifeline transporting goods and resources by rail, including even the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which wintered in southern Florida, the Sarasota Legacy Trail will now be extended north another 9 miles to Payne Park in downtown Sarasota.
Fort Brooke Park
The Trust for Public Land purchased this park land for downtown Tampa in 1999, the first site acquired as part of the city's plan to integrate its waterfront parks into a connected system.
Fort Mose
In 2004, TPL worked with the Fort Mose Historical Society, St. Johns County, and the City of St. Augustine to acquire an eight-acre addition to Ft. Mose Historic State Park
Innerarity Point Park
In April 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico. For an entire summer, the oil well continued to spill—an environmental disaster many called the worst in the nation's history. As part of the penalty for its role in the disaster, BP paid nearly $17 billion to fund restoration and land protection throughout the Gulf region. The Trust for Public Land partnered with Florida Department of Environmental Protection to use some of this funding to create Innerarity Point Park, a special place for people to connect with nature—and each other—and help the community rebuild.
Island View Park
This is the first of five new parks intended to compensate communities for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill's economic and environmental effects.
Keewaydin Island
Keewaydin Island is one of southwest Florida's largest unbridged barrier islands, popular for its pristine beaches and excellent fishing.
Key West Custom House
Using funds from the Florida's Conservation and Recreation Lands (CARL) program, TPL saved this historic landmark from development as a private yacht club.
Lake Eola Park
The Trust for Public Land is helping the city of Orlando expand the city's well-loved Lake Enola Park.
Landmarks and Historic Structures
From iconic theme parks to historic homes of Florida's founding fathers, TPL works with communities to protect these extraordinary places.
McKee Botanical Garden
The Trust for Public Land purchased the remaining 18 acres of this former tropical roadside attraction in a cooperative project with Indian River Land Trust.
Miami Fitness Zones®
The Trust for Public Land is partnering with the Miami-Dade Parks and Recreation Department to build new Fitness Zone® installations in West Perrine Park, Oak Grove Park, Leisure Lakes Park, and Martin Luther King Park.
The Miami Greenway's 5.5 miles of parks, playgrounds and pathways, once complete, will be perfect for strolling, cycling, or taking in the rhythm of the river.
Overtown Playground
In 2002, TPL purchased two vacant lots adjacent to a YWCA for the first new community designed playground, which the YWCA will maintain and operate under lease from Miami-Dade County.
Parks for People-Miami
The Trust for Public Land is working with local nonprofits and government agencies to create parks that will transform urban Miami into a green, livable, and healthy city.
Pinellas Trail
In 2005, TPL purchased a two-mile corridor from CSX Transportation, Inc. that brought the Pinellas Trail into downtown St. Petersburg, creating a safe, convenient route for bicyclists and pedestrians to travel in and out of downtown.
Salinas Park
In April 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico opening a hole on the seafloor that gushed an estimated 4.9 million barrels of crude over 87 days. It is considered the largest maritime oil spill and environmental disaster in the United States. For its role in the disaster, BP paid a nearly $18.5 billion penalty. The Trust for Public Land partnered with Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to invest over $2 million of these funds to expand and improve Salinas Park in Gulf County, Florida.
Snake Warrior's Island
In 1991 archeological excavations unearthed artifacts establishing Snake Warrior's Island as the site of the home of Chief Chitto Tustenugee, or "Snake Warrior," and his tribe, who inhabited the area in the early 1800s
St. Mary's Shoals
Residents of Florida's Baker County have long wanted improved access to the St. Mary's, one of Florida's cleanest rivers. So when a 1,600-acre riverfront property came on the market and was eyed by developers, Baker County asked TPL to help secure the land for a public park.
In 2003, TPL helped protect nearly 3 acres of beachfront as an addition to the Stallworth Lake Preserve, a popular destination on the beaches of South Walton County. This property also serves as a buffer for the fragile coastal dune lake ecosystem.
Located on Sugarloaf Key, the Sammy family's 2-acre property was home for decades to a small fishing camp and marina, and later, a filming location for the movie Miami Vice.
Thomas Creek
The Battle of Thomas Creek, the southernmost battle of the Revolutionary War, took place here in what is now Jacksonville, Florida.
In Florida and across the country, TPL works together with CSX Railroad to turn abandoned rail beds into trails for walking, biking, skate boarding, and other outdoor activities.
Florida boasts over 1,350 miles of coastline and protecting these shorelines is of the highest priority to The Trust for Public Land in Florida, and in fact, over 90% of our conservation work to date has been along our shores.
Weaver Park
Owned and managed by the City of Dunedin, Weaver Park opened to the public in 2011. TPL helped save this property, which features more than 12 acres of undeveloped coastal vista—some of the last in Dunedin—and serves one of the country's most densely populated counties.
West Perrine Park
The Trust for Public Land has been working to bring Fitness Zone® installations to parks across the nation and established the first one in Miami-Dade County in July 2012.
Wolfe Creek Forest
Longleaf pine forests once dominated the southern United States forest habitat stretching from Texas to Florida to Virginia. Today they occupy only about 5% of its historical range. Maintained by regular fire, they are one of the most threatened and ecologically diverse ecosystems in the world, with 900 species found nowhere else on Earth and 30 federally threatened/endangered species.


text:
Q: How to sum elements of a table in cypress I have a table with one of the columns having a numerical value. How to find a sum of all the values in that column and verify that it is equal to value from another column?

Total age

   144

    Firstname
    Lastname
    Age

    Jill
    Smith
    50

    Eve
    Jackson
    94

I need to verify that total age is equal to sum of ages.

A: You want to extract the 3rd cell of each row, map the elements to their text, convert to numeric, and reduce to a total.
Cypress provides the lodash library Cypress._ which has useful helpers

*

*Cypress_.map() for converting elements to text and text to numbers

*Cypress_.sum() for reducing an array of numbers to a total

See Sorting the Table for some background.
// Reusable helpers from lodash functions
const toStrings = (cells$) => Cypress._.map(cells$, 'textContent')
const toNumbers = (texts) => Cypress._.map(texts, Number)
const sum = (numbers) => Cypress._.sum(numbers)

cy.get('td:nth-child(3)')
.then(toStrings)           // use .then() to apply the helpers to all elements
.then(toNumbers)
.then(sum)
.then(cellsTotal => {
  cy.get('#totalAge')
  .then(toStrings)
  .then(toNumbers)
  .then(sum)
  .should('eq', cellsTotal)  // after data transformed, simple assertion
})

Flow
If you want to compose multiple functions into one, use Cypress._.flow()
const toStrings = (cells$) => Cypress._.map(cells$, 'textContent')
const toNumbers = (texts) => Cypress._.map(texts, Number)
const sum = (numbers) => Cypress._.sum(numbers)

const sumAgeValues = Cypress._.flow([toStrings, toNumbers, sum])

cy.get('td:nth-child(3)')
.then(sumAgeValues)
.then(cellsTotal => {
  cy.get('#totalAge')
  .then(sumAgeValues)
  .should('eq', cellsTotal)  // after data transformed, simple assertion
})

Filtering
You can also use lodash to select the numeric cells

*

*Cypress._.isFinite() checks text equates to a number

*Cypress._.filter() selects cells that meet the criteria

const isNumeric = (cell) => Cypress._.isFinite(+cell.textContent)
const filterNumeric = (cells$) => Cypress._.filter(cells$, isNumeric)

const toStrings = (cells$) => Cypress._.map(cells$, 'textContent')
const toNumbers = (texts) => Cypress._.map(texts, Number)
const sum = (numbers) => Cypress._.sum(numbers)

const sumAgeValues = Cypress._.flow([toStrings, toNumbers, sum])

cy.get('td')           // don't need exact column position
.then(filterNumeric)
.then(sumAgeValues)
.then(cellsTotal => {
  cy.get('#totalAge')
  .then(sumAgeValues)
  .should('eq', cellsTotal)
})

A: You can do something like this:
let sum = 0;
cy.get('td:nth-child(3)').each(($ele) => {
  sum = sum + +($ele.text())
})
cy.get('#totalAge').invoke('text').then((totalAge) => {
  expect(+totalAge).to.equal(sum)
})


text:
JON ZAL
Ye Olde Blog
'All we needed was a competent president'
On February 7th of this year, President Donald Trump, having been fully briefed on the danger posed by COVID-19, stepped to the podium in the White House briefing room and warned the American public that the virus was both airborne and lethal.
"You just breathe the air and that's how it's passed," he told the citizens he had sworn to protect. "It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flus. This is deadly stuff."
While striving to impress upon the public the seriousness with which they needed to take this threat, the president also reassured the country that, with their cooperation, and with the help of his medical experts, he would do everything he could to safely guide us through this crisis.
The briefing represented a critical moment for a country poised on the brink of a what could have been a catastrophic outbreak that, without Trump's calm, competent, honest leadership, may very well have spiraled out of control.
In the weeks and months that followed, the president continued to save countless lives and avert an economic collapse by using both the power and the visibility uniquely available to the president of the United States.
His decision to quickly leverage the Defense Production Act in order to provide frontline healthcare workers with critical PPE, and to employ a robust, nationwide strategy of testing and contact tracing, was pivotal in quickly containing the spread of the virus.
Additionally, Mr. Trump's implementation of a national mask mandate — which he reinforced with a lead-by-example approach that included wearing a mask himself during all public appearances — is credited with saving countless lives and all but snuffing out the virus in most states by late spring.
Worth noting also is that Mr. Trump — a man whose outsized appetite for the attention and adulation of his raucous supporters is well documented — did not hesitate to cancel all of his planned campaign rallies pending successful containment of the virus, an act that both surprised and silenced many critics who, in the past, had often accused the president of putting his own personal interests ahead of the nation's welfare.
No, I'm just kidding.
Donald Trump could easily have done all of those things. He most certainly should have done all of those things. Any minimally competent, moderately responsible president would have done all of those things. Unfortunately, this disaster struck at a moment when, for perhaps the first time in our nation's history, the man occupying the Oval Office is neither minimally competent nor moderately responsible; he is a monster.
As we now know, the February 7th quote at the top of this piece was one Donald Trump uttered not to the American public in order to save lives, but privately to a reporter — a reporter to whom, on March 19th, Trump went on to say of his ill-advised and incompetent handling of the virus: "I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic."
Yes, if there's one thing Donald Trump doesn't want to create, it's a panic — as evidenced by the following tweet he issued today, just hours after recordings of his aforementioned statements to journalist Bob Woodward had surfaced:
The Democrats never even mentioned the words LAW & ORDER at their National Convention. That's where they are coming from. If I don't win, America's Suburbs will be OVERRUN with Low Income Projects, Anarchists, Agitators, Looters and, of course, "Friendly Protesters".
Clearly the words of a man whose leadership style is guided by his overwhelming desire to instill in the American public a sense of peace and calm.
Of course, the most damning part of Trump's admission to Woodward is the revelation that, despite knowing all along just how dangerous and virulent is COVID-19, Trump continued for months to dismiss concerns about the virus as part of a politically motivated "hoax," characterized it as something that would just "go away," repeatedly held large gatherings where social distancing was not practiced and masks were not worn, and not only ridiculed the use of masks, but turned their use into a political issue that has spurred many of his supporters to not only refuse to wear them, but to verbally — and, sometimes, physically — assault fellow citizens who choose to do so, or who attempt to enforce mask mandates as part of their jobs.
Roughly 200,000 Americans are dead, millions are unemployed, and our economy has been ravaged because Donald Trump — a man who somehow got elected to the highest office on earth with a resume primarily comprised of bankrupting multiple businesses and pretending to be a successful tycoon on a reality-TV show — is a dangerously incompetent child who is neither equipped to do, nor interested in doing, the hard work of keeping America safe.
Late last month, just hours before Trump gathered hundreds of closely seated, unmasked supporters on the White House grounds where he proceeded to use the historic structure as a backdrop for a divisive, partisan campaign event, Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris accurately described the sitting president's handling of the virus thusly:
"Donald Trump stood idly by and, folks, it was a deadly decision. All we needed was a competent president. One who was willing to listen, willing to lead, take responsibility, have a plan, do their job. [But] Donald Trump has failed at the most basic and important job of a president of the United States. It's his obligation to protect us. Yet, he has failed miserably."
No lies detected.
Meanwhile, on the same day that Donald Trump was admitting to Bob Woodward that he had and would continue to downplay the danger of the virus, the man running to take Trump's job tweeted this:
The words of a president matter, and Donald Trump has used his to downplay COVID-19 and mislead the American people. He is unfit to lead us through this crisis. https://t.co/s7tnaR4G7p
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) March 20, 2020
Again: no lies detected.
Of course, it's easy to take shots at Trump in the midst of the pandemic — which is why this October 2019 tweet from Vice President Biden is particularly noteworthy for its prescience:
We are not prepared for a pandemic. Trump has rolled back progress President Obama and I made to strengthen global health security. We need leadership that builds public trust, focuses on real threats, and mobilizes the world to stop outbreaks before they reach our shores. https://t.co/1qqpgayUEX
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 25, 2019
Imagine how different things would be right now if Joe Biden had been in a position to guide the country through this crisis.
Imagine how different things will be if we elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to do just that.
I do not know what, if anything, it will take for Donald Trump's supporters to finally abandon him. It seems he was not wrong when he said during his 2016 campaign that he could "stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody" and not lose any voters. Is it possible that he could also carry out the negligent homicide of some 200,000 American citizens and not lose any voters as well? I hope not. I hope those who comprise the thus far unshakeable 40-plus percent of Americans who have been willing to metaphorically ride or quite literally die with a man who could not care less about their safety or well being will at last do the right thing.
We can not count on them to do so, however, and therefore must outnumber at the ballot box anyone who foolishly chooses to stick with a man whom they now know can not be trusted to tell them the truth, even when the life of every American citizen hangs in the balance.
Please visit VOTE.ORG and make sure you're ready to vote.
Filed Under: Politics Tagged With: coronavirus, COVID-19, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Trump
Patti Aliventi says
When I first started reading I was like "What….?" I thought we were living in different realities. You caught me, that's for sure.
robertleepotter500 says
Wonderful explanation of the situation. Well written and composed.
Martin Silvestri says
Jon… your eloquence is undeniable. Reading this piece today, October 2 … with this same man just admitted to Walter Reed Hospital as he tries to fend off this horrendous virus himself… takes on an ironic image
of gigantic proportions. You're so prescient…. perhaps you should write something now that we can look at in about a month?!!?! Thank you!
Have something you'd like to say? Put it here:	Cancel reply
An Open Letter of Apology to President Barack Obama
The long-overdue "Avengers: Endgame" review that literally no one has been waiting for. You're welcome.
There must be a reckoning
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I was born in 1970, raised just outside of Boston, and now live near Philadelphia. As a child, I thought I was going to be…
Read the rest »
RUTH FEIERTAG on There must be a reckoningJon, I could not agree more. You point to two of the most dangerous aspects of the last four years:...
Jon Zal on We did itThanks for the continued support, Robert. Always appreciate it! (And, yeah, meeting John Lewis will always remain an incredible memory,...
Jon Zal on We did itAgreed, Geoffrey. The Georgia win is huge. I didn't even let myself hope we'd get both seats. An unbelievably welcome...
Jon Zal on We did itI feel your pain, Christinne! Glad you found me. Thanks for writing! -JZ
Jon Zal on We did itHi, Ruth. Both the kiddos are very happy about the election outcomes, and horrified by what happened Wednesday. I share...
robertleepotter500 on We did itI so love that picture of you with Congressman John Lewis. What a lifetime memory! You are putting your words...
christinne on We did itI'm a newbie... So glad I found you!! Can't wait to read more but this has been/is the worst day...
Ruth Feiertag on We did itJon, I hope we can recover from the damage this administration and its supporters have wrought. I also hope your...
Geoffrey Dix on We did itAnd now it appears that Georgia has handed Biden the Senate as well. I believe Democrats will manage this advantage...
Erika T on R.I.P. E.V.H.This had me in tears.. I've been a fan for years & have been surprised at how much his death...
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Lots of losses this year, but I hope you're find
Thanks for getting it right, America. 🇺🇸🤘
Pre-gaming for Sammy Hagar's (virtual) Birthday
Just voted for Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and a who
Link to full tribute in profile. R.I.P. E.V.H.
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