Mr. Speaker, my colleague shot down many of the arguments presented by the Liberals, who do not want to completely expunge the criminal records of individuals who have been convicted of simple cannabis possession. One of those arguments was economic in nature. The Liberals are saying it would cost too much. However, I think that we can further refute their argument by reminding them that individuals who were convicted of simple marijuana possession and who will still have a criminal record, because it will not go away completely and could be reinstated, will find it harder to get a job and will therefore be less able to contribute to the economy than someone who has no criminal record.
Does my colleague agree that that further refutes the Liberals' economic argument?
Mr. Speaker, the member for Hochelaga made an excellent point, which, frankly, I had not thought of before. The cost benefit of this is staggeringly in favour of expungement. If people cannot get jobs, they are likely to be collecting some sort of social assistance, employment insurance, or the like. Whereas, if they can get jobs, because one no longer has a criminal record and can say that truthfully to the employer, then obviously the benefit to the economy and to individuals, their self-worth and so forth, is self-evident. I could not agree more with the member's helpful suggestion.
April 8th, 2019 / 1:35 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, it gives me pleasure to rise today to speak to the Liberals' latest pot plan, Bill C-93, an act to give pardons to people who were charged with possession of an illegal substance in years past.
I would like to salute the NDP members for their ability to bring pressure to bear on the Liberals and force them to address this issue. The government did not respond until after the NDP brought this forward in the House, calling for action. They need to be recognized for forcing the government into acting.
The Liberal government of course has said that it has always had a plan. However, it sure seems to have been rushed for something that was a long time in the planning.
In the public safety committee, we have the Liberal government's plans that are poorly developed, they lack consultations and they often miss the point or have negative consequences and unintended impacts on the Canadian public. The Liberal government has proven that virtue signalling is a bad way to manage a country because it creates more problems than it solves.
Bill C-93 makes its first mistake on the very first line of the bill, "An Act to provide no-cost, expedited record suspensions." While I am sure the Liberals meant no-fee record suspension, there is no such thing as a no-cost record suspension. The process of suspending a criminal record costs the taxpayers money, $630 specifically. It is a cost recovery process in that an individual pays for the administrative costs for an application. Taxpayers will be on the hook for each pardon request, each suspension request. While providing the record suspension for an individual with historical convictions for a minor offence is not a big issue, allocating taxpayer money to the cost of that at a time when millions of Canadians are saying that everyday costs are out of reach, just shows how out of touch the government is to the everyday working Canadian.
This can hardly be called a priority for Canadians and the average Canadian family. That is the main issue I hear from many in the justice and policing community. The priorities of the government seem to be out of step with the needs of Canadians, the needs of our country and the needs of community safety, whether it is in the cities fighting gangs or in rural areas, providing police response to support and fight the rising crime rates. As I have said many times in this place, it must be the top priority of the House of Commons to put protections of Canadians ahead of political priorities, parties and election. Protecting Canadians is far more important than one's political fortunes.
Clearly, this is not the case for the Liberal Prime Minister, his senior cabinet ministers and staffers. While we can draw this conclusion from their priorities in the public safety portfolio, the SNC-Lavalin scandal brought this in clear view.
The Prime Minister, the Clerk of the Privy Council, the Minister of Finance and senior staff, including Gerald Butts and Ben Chin, noted that elections were more of a priority than the independence of our judicial process. Intervening in a criminal prosecution, quite possibly attempting to obstruct justice, and undermining the independence of our justice system was not as important to them as helping out their friends from a Montreal-based employer. "I'm an MP in Quebec" the Prime Minister is said to have responded. Sadly, the few jobs that might have been impacted, and SNC-Lavalin says almost no jobs would be impacted, pales in comparison to the tens of thousands of jobs lost in my province of Alberta in the energy sector.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. We are talking about an issue that is very important and has been raised by many people in my community, and that is the issue of pardons in the context of cannabis legalization.
There is an issue of relevance here as to what the member across is speaking about, which is not at all about the bill before him. I would ask if he could be directed to speak about the bill. It is an important bill and I would like to hear his thoughts.
I thank the hon. member for Toronto—Danforth for raising the point of order. Members will know, of course, that relevance is indeed one of those standing orders. It is a limit, if you will, on debate in the House. I recognize that the hon. member for Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner is only about five minutes into his 20-minute speech. I will assure the hon. member that I will listen carefully, and of course, he will be reminded that this is something he will do in the course of his remarks to ensure that they are on the subject that is before the House.
The hon. member for Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and yes, I would ask my hon. colleague to be patient. I will get to my point forthwith.
The priorities of Canadians are not the priorities of this Liberal Prime Minister and his government, and this could not be more clear than when two former cabinet ministers were removed from their party. They were banished last week, and there was a breakdown in trust. Sadly, the fault lies clearly with the Prime Minister and his cronies, while the penalties continue to be placed on the members who were removed.
The Prime Minister has offered one falsehood after another trying to it explain away. Quite bluntly, it has been painfully obvious to the rest of the country that he put politics ahead of the best interests of Canadians.
The Liberals have tabled their bill for taxpayer-funded records suspensions. There it is; I am back on the issue. How does this align with the needs of Canadians? In general, how does it fit with public safety? The many issues facing our country in protecting our communities and ensuring a strong, fair justice system go well beyond the Prime Minister trying to interfere with the independence of the former attorney general or the director of public prosecutions.
We know where Canada is struggling with public safety. According to Statistics Canada information, Canada has a gang problem in our cities. We have a justice problem, with backlogged courts and court appointments for judges. We have a rural crime problem. We have a sentencing and recidivism problem, with revolving doors in the justice and jail system. We have evidence-lab challenges and RCMP police-resourcing challenges. Stats Canada has shown that gang-related shootings are primarily responsible for recent increases in violent crime in this country, and to date, the only Liberal response has been unfulfilled promises.
Instead of action, the Liberals' legislative changes, like Bill C-71, for example, went after licensed firearms owners instead of criminals. As the Department of Public Safety noted in its own consultation document, the vast majority of licensed firearms owners are not involved in crime. In fact, statistics provided to the public safety committee suggest that it is under 1%. The Liberals' legislative response to gang violence and illegal weapons has been to crack down on less than 1% of the problem and to ignore the 99%.
What would help? I know a number of items that could help improve public safety and reduce violent crime. First is spending the money the government promised for policing and to go after organized crime. Second is to put more resources into public prosecutions, courts and evidence labs. These have all been shown to be under-resourced, especially with the recent court decision to limit trial length. Third is to stop softening sentences for violent criminals, as proposed in Bill C-75. Serious crime needs serious punishment for reform to work, and all these ideas have evidence to show that they are needed and would have an impact.
What will not have an impact is a taxpayer-funded pot pardon. No one would be safer because of this policy. A very small number of Canadians would benefit from it. The truth, from my experience, is that most individuals likely to seek record suspensions may have a number of other convictions as well. While they may receive a single free record suspension, their other charges may not be so free. Possession might be only one of the many charges on a person's record.
Where would Bill C-93 leave this House and Canada on the constant effort to combat crime in an ever-changing and evolving world? After three and a half years of Liberal mismanagement, we have a strained legal system that sees more and more criminals going free, rather than facing charges, or pleading to significantly less-serious charges.
Prisoners will now have access to needles whenever and wherever they want in prisons. As our correctional officers have told us and have pointed out more than once, even in Europe, which the Liberals claim to be copying, the needles are never in the general population; they are in the hands of medical staff. Rather than dealing with the cause of crime, most often addiction, the Liberal plan is to continue the addiction.
Under the current Liberal government, we have seen a horrific record of protecting communities from returning ISIS fighters. When we asked the committee how many outstanding monitoring warrants were placed on the 60 ISIS terrorists who have returned, the number was zero.
While I have no doubt that teams at CSIS and the RCMP are working to keep tabs on these individuals, and are doing a great job, limited by the legislation from the government, the red tape and oversight rules proposed under Bill C-59 would no doubt make it harder to watch known radical extremists who have participated in horrific, hate-based crimes. To me and many Canadians, a desire to join ISIS is itself an admission that someone supports violence.
The Prime Minister is happy to talk about being opposed to radicals and extremists, but none of his actions suggest that he is serious about combatting the sources of radicalization or the threat of domestic terrorism. Words matter, but actions have impacts.
We have seen a radical and damaging string of policies that have increased drugs in our communities and have not helped make anyone safer. Whether it was the poorly thought-out and rushed legislation on marijuana, which ignored reasonable requests from police and medical professionals, or the unnecessary risk of drug-impaired driving, to my knowledge, we still do not have a reliable roadside mechanism to test for drug impairment or to increase supervised injection sites.
Nothing so explains the potential harm of the Liberal approach to crime as the issue of rural crime, which we are dealing with in rural Canada. My riding has a small city and an expansive rural region. Across Alberta, Saskatchewan and other parts of our country, we have heard from Canadians about the rampant, escalating crime in rural communities committed, for the most part, by urban criminals victimizing rural Canadians where police response is minimal, delayed, or in some cases, nonexistent.
Canadians have told us heartbreaking stories of violent encounters, financial hardship and trauma from repeated thefts and victimization. Canadians have spoken of fear, alienation and abandonment. That is not Canada. That is not my Canada, but it has become an unfortunate reality in the Prime Minister's Canada.
With Bill C-93, the government is proposing a no-fee, no-waiting-period record suspension without any enquiries or reviews of personal history or conduct. The reason we have a Parole Board, both the administration and the regional organization, appointed to conduct hearings is to exercise discretion in the review of individual cases. Parole hearings can uncover vital information about convictions, such as a plea deal with lesser charges despite the person having been involved in serious and violent crimes.
While there are likely to be a very limited number of cases like this, such cases may be separated from simple possession issues. Moreover, some plea deals may have been arranged with lesser charges but with specific instructions, such as an agreement to have no record suspension, as appropriate to the person's personal history.
This means that these pardons would be granted as a matter of process, and the board would take up no inquiry of the person and would have little or no opportunity to exercise discretion. This means that even in cases where it was patently obvious that the person continued a criminal lifestyle but did not have a conviction entered against him or her, a pardon would be granted.
The police in this country have raised some concerns about Bill C-93. They suggest that our officers need to feel confident that individuals who are a threat to public safety and the public order are going to be popping up on CPIC, even if they have been convicted of simple possession.
Here is a scenario as an example. There are many individuals who have been charged with more than one serious criminal drug offence, but once they have gone to court and worked out a plea deal for simple possession for a multitude of possession charges, these charges are then reduced for multiple reasons, such as to ease a court backlog, to save witnesses from testifying or to secure testimony for the conviction of a bigger criminal player, etc. The plea to a simple possession charge would be used by the Crown with the understanding, as I said previously, that the conviction would still be a permanent part of that individual's record, ensuring that any future investigation of a similar nature could be appropriately linked and applied to that person's own personal history.
This does not serve the best interests of officer safety or community safety. It does not promote the rehabilitation of those entrenched in the criminal element, the ones who threaten to be repeat offenders.
I appreciate the fact that we cannot hold unproven facts against individuals. That would be unfair. However, we cannot ignore the circumstances that would lead to the arrest, charging and conviction of individuals using the available laws and the discretion of the day, which is key. The Crown and the courts would not have accepted the lesser pleas knowing the proposal today. This itself would affect the administration of justice.
There are two very different scenarios at play here: one person who is stopped and charged for carrying a dime bag of marijuana versus a person who is caught up in a drug ring and pleads to a simple possession charge. They are two very different people, but the proposed changes would treat them the same way. One is not a danger to police or the community, and the other continues to pose a risk. That is what should be screened. There should not just be blanket pardons.
While the Liberals are happy to talk about there being discretion in our justice system, they have removed the discretion of the public service at the Parole Board as well as the discretion of the Parole Board itself. It is important to keep in context the arrest charges and plea deals, especially since many plea deals would never have considered the possibility of a future government legalizing drugs and imposing record suspensions without any review or context.
The House should consider that no individuals would benefit from this act who would be excluded otherwise, and I can see no way to make that happen without an appropriate review.
I hope that members of the committee are not prevented from making minor and common-sense amendments to the legislation that would ensure public safety. Already we have seen too many pieces of legislation from the Liberals that ignore common sense and public safety in favour of policy and division.
To be clear, I know, and I believe members know, that these are not the public safety priorities of Canadians. This bill would not help victims recover from the trauma of violent crime. It would not prevent criminals from victimizing rural Canadians. It would not stop gang violence or deter youth from joining gangs. It would not address illegal firearms in our country. It would not address the many concerns and challenges faced by prosecutors and police across the country.
I see Bill C-93 as a continuation of the Liberals' plan: more minor gestures without the requisite actions to combat addiction, crime and poverty to improve public safety. It is a plan that would provide a benefit to a select and small group of Canadians at taxpayers' expense, a plan that would double down on legalizing marijuana while ignoring real, serious and important threats to Canada's public safety. These are not the priorities of Canadians. This bill does not address the issues, and from what I have heard from police and prosecutors across the country, it does not address their concerns.
I can only assume that Liberal MPs will once again be called on to vote in blind faith with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Safety, because today more and more Canadians are seeing clearly that the priorities of the Liberals are not the priorities of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, it has been a pleasure to be on the public safety and national security committee with the member across the way. At committee, we worked together on a joint report on record suspensions, which was tabled in the House in December. We all agreed in the report that a criminal record has a negative impact on a person's ability to find employment, housing and education, to travel and in the adoption and custody of children. We recognized that an applicant's financial situation and ability to pay may be a barrier to applying. In fact, we asked the government to review the record suspension system and the cost of it. Therefore, I was actually very surprised to hear the member now speak from what seems to be a position that is contrary to the report he agreed to when it was put forward in the House.
Perhaps the member could explain why it makes sense for people to face a financial barrier in achieving a record suspension for something like simple possession.
Mr. Speaker, it is important to realize that there is no dichotomy in what I have said and what I support at committee. I fully appreciate that when moving on in life, an individual's record could limit his or her ability to acquire appropriate employment, housing and all those things. We need to approach this in a manner that is fair and just. That does not mean the taxpayer foots the entire bill. It means there is a balance that has to be struck.
Not once did I suggest that the record suspension should not be considered. I think it is something that needs to be considered. However, we need to look at this. We need to be open to amendments to the current legislation. We need to understand its implications. We need to make sure we do not give record suspensions straight across the board because someone has a minor possession. We need to have the Parole Board continue to examine each file and, where appropriate, issue those suspensions potentially, but not completely, at the taxpayers' expense. As a government, we need to look at that.
Mr. Speaker, I have seen a pattern of behaviour by the current government and it is too little too late. It is a lazy approach. It is half-measures. I do not understand the concept the Liberals are proposing now, when the member for Victoria proposed a reasonable bill that had support and could have run through this House. Mediocracy and a lack of willingness to work on things is what really exemplifies the current government.
Here is an example where we have some unification in the House and some half-forward progress presented in front of us and the government has refused to do it. Housing is a good example. It is something that is serious for people. This bill is not going to help people who have been affected by this type of a record historically. I would ask the member to highlight that, because it is a very significant consequence. Again, I cannot understand the half-measures.
Mr. Speaker, we do see the impact one's past can have on one's present and future.
Although I am new to the House, at times I often wonder why as parliamentarians we cannot come together on legislation of this importance to find a common ground and to be accepting of amendments from all parties who have the best interests of Canadians in mind. I am hopeful that when the bill is sent to committee, the government members will be open to amendments that are designed to better the lives of Canadians.
There will be six minutes remaining in questions and comments when the House next undertakes this topic.
Mr. Speaker, 3,500 people in Quebec are at risk of losing their jobs because of the SNC-Lavalin saga. However, in Ottawa, the parties do not care, as we see from the pathetic legal squabble between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.
The Conservatives are spreading falsehoods without any regard for the 3,500 workers, all of whom they labelled as corrupt last week.
How did the Prime Minister react to all this nonsense? Accused of political interference in a court case, he finds a way to legally interfere in a political case. This is childish. This is not even something you would see in a school yard, and I have seen lots of school yards in my life.
Quebeckers deserve better from the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition than a cat fight. The Conservatives must stop trying to score political points on the backs of the workers. As for the Liberals, they must stop their legal grandstanding and take action to protect SNC-Lavalin workers.
It feels as if hate and Islamophobia will be a regular part of life forever. My younger brother will have to grow up witnessing even more hate and bigotry. He will have to grow up with the impact of Islamophobia hitting harder than ever.
Let's make it a priority to unite and connect with each other, to understand each other and to take down adversities caused by hate within our schools, communities and our world.
Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House and of the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief, I would like to bring the House's attention to the unjust imprisonment of Dennis Christensen, a prisoner of conscience.
Mr. Christensen is a Jehovah's Witness and a Danish citizen. In May 2017, he was arrested in Russia along with other members of his faith community. The charges related to nothing more than the peaceful practice of his religion. In February, after appearing in court more than 50 times and a detention of over 600 days, he was sentenced to an additional six years imprisonment for "continuing the activities" of an extremist group.
His arrest is one of the many measures Russia has taken to crack down on Jehovah's Witnesses, which include Russia's Supreme Court officially banning it as an extremist organization. This is a gross violation of article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Will the Liberal government put the spotlight on Mr. Christensen's imprisonment and oppose this grotesque assault on religious freedom in Russia?
Mr. Speaker, pulmonary fibrosis is a very serious lung disease that affects far too many Canadians.
Over 20 years ago, Parvinder Maloni watched as his mother died from this disease. One can imagine how he felt when he was diagnosed with the same disease five years ago. His outlook was not good, and as his condition deteriorated, he received, on Mother's Day of last year, a life-saving donor lung. Parvinder firmly believes that was by fate of his mother's intervention.
To honour her, he and his brother Narinder have set up the Parkash Kaur Ahluwalia Maloni Legacy Fund, and to date they have raised $70,000 for the Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation.
I invite all members of the House to join me in congratulating the brothers on the wonderful work they have done to support this excellent cause.
Mr. Speaker, since we learned from the Panama papers the enormous scale of overseas tax evasion three years ago, $1.6 billion has been recovered globally, yet there has not been any charges or any convictions in Canada. The minister never tells us how much she has actually collected.
Last week, the Parliamentary Budget Officer said he cannot get the CRA to give him the data to measure how much we are losing to tax evasion and has threatened to take the Liberals to court.
Tax experts agree that my private member's bill, Bill C-362, would help but again the government is silent.
Will the Liberals please get serious about our tax evasion crisis?
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about our government's climate action plan.
Canada, as scientists have told us, is warming at twice the rate of the global average. It is important that governments take bold steps. Our government has shown leadership by making polluters pay, while providing a climate action incentive to Canadians. This, according to the former Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, is the right thing to do.
Ironically, while the Conservatives cry that the price on pollution will create havoc, it was Stephen Harper who, in 2008, proposed a carbon tax of $65 per tonne. Ours is only $20 a tonne. Talk about hypocrisy.
Eleven years ago, British Columbia introduced its carbon price and now it has outpaced the rest of Canada in reducing emissions and increasing its economic growth. This is proof that a price on carbon works.
Mr. Speaker, it has been a stretch of bad news for Canadians, all brought on by the Prime Minister and his tax-and-spend government that has delivered another $20-billion deficit.
This deficit will push each and every Canadian, every senior, every newborn, every veteran and every student over $500 further in debt. Now the government has doubled down with a punitive carbon tax, a tax that will hit hardest on seniors with fixed incomes and young families that are struggling to balance their household budgets.
It is a tax that will take money out of people's pockets but will do nothing to take pollution out of the air. I have heard from the people in my riding of North Okanagan—Shuswap, and 90% of them are opposed to this carbon tax grab.
It is time for a Conservative government that will end the carbon tax, a Conservative government led by a responsible leader who respects hard-working Canadians, a Conservative government that will let Canadians keep more of their money in their pockets.
Mr. Speaker, on the weekend of International Women's Day, I attended the world's largest mineral conference, the PDAC in Toronto. I was reminded of an unsung Canadian hero, Nellie Cashman.
In 1869, Cashman was one of the only active women prospectors, and she became one of the most influential voices in the industry. Unfortunately, her amazing story has been sadly forgotten.
Cashman prospected in Canada, the United States, Mexico and South Africa for 52 years. She gained a reputation for bravery and leadership by leading a crew on a 77-day rescue mission, braving snow over 10 feet deep in rugged terrain to help 100 ill prospectors and miners. Her entrepreneurship funded her own prospecting adventures and grubstaked many others.
I stand today, and I hope members will join me, in recognizing Nellie Cashman and calling for her name to be added in the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame.
Mr. Speaker, I recently had the pleasure of visiting the 710 Ste-Rose Air Cadet Squadron in Laval, where I attended the commanding officer's parade. The squadron's cadets perfectly executed a musical program in preparation for the annual parade to be held on May 18.
As a former air force major for the air cadet camps at CFB Bagotville, I know that the work of the squadron's commanding officer, Captain Mélanie Paquette, is very important, and I sincerely thank her for her efforts.
I commend all the cadets I had the pleasure to meet for their commitment. I want to repeat for them loud and clear the motto on the badge that they wear so proudly: "Never give up".
Mr. Speaker, On April 1, the Prime Minister once again increased taxes on Canadians. This time he added another tax, which was, as members can guess, the carbon tax. My constituents in Niagara West and Canadians across the country are now paying more for virtually everything: gas, propane, groceries, home heating and much more.
Because of the carbon tax, gas has already gone up by 5¢ a litre. In a vast riding like mine, where public transit is limited, constituents have no choice but to drive their kids to practice after school or to work.
What are the Liberals going to do with all this new carbon tax money from my constituents and ordinary Canadians? Well, today the Liberals gave us a sneak preview of things to come. They gave $12 million of it to Loblaws stores so that the stores could retrofit refrigerators.
It seems like the Liberals have no problem raising taxes on ordinary families, only to give the money to their corporate billionaire friends. It is obvious that the carbon tax is a cash grab, plain and simple.
Make no mistake: A conservative government will scrap the Liberal carbon tax and help Canadians keep their hard-earned dollars where they belong, which is in their wallets.
Mr. Speaker, on April 24, we remember and honour the lives of the more than 1.5 million Armenians who were killed during the Armenian genocide.
In remembering this atrocity, we work to recognize, understand and prevent genocide around the world today. All nations must recognize genocide and hate as an issue for humanity, one that we must confront.
The victims' memories are desecrated by many people who actively deny that these horrific events occurred and who perpetrate hate today. We must recommit ourselves to making genocide history, never to happen again.
I want to say to the Armenian community in Cambridge and across Canada and to Armenians around the world that I stand with them in recognizing, remembering and proclaiming, "never again".
Mr. Speaker, today in Ottawa we celebrated the annual Vaisakhi on the Hill. On April 20, in my riding of Surrey—Newton, half a million people from all backgrounds will come together to celebrate the birth of Khalsa. As the host MP for the largest Vaisakhi and Khalsa Day parade outside of India, it is my honour to recognize this important occasion.
This annual event, championed by Dasmesh Darbar Gurdwara, shows the strength of our diversity and our country. It is moments like these that I want celebrated across Canada, with the passage of my bill to recognize April as Sikh heritage month.
As Canadians, we are one people, with one history and a shared future. On April 20, I invite all members of the House and all Canadians to join me in celebrating this unique and amazing event.
Mr. Speaker, last week, 338 young Canadian women sat in this place. Although a small Conservative cohort was chosen, these principled, intelligent, articulate Conservative women made their mark with grace and tenacity in the midst of adversity.
Along with her colleagues, Kaitlyn Kitzan, a University of Saskatchewan agribusiness student and third-generation cattle and grain farmer from my riding of Yorkton—Melville, made us proud. She spoke to the plight of our farmers facing international trade disputes, transportation issues and harmful environmental policies.
It is time that the Liberals admit they have ignored the world-class sustainable practices of our Canadian farmers. Their transportation policies are not helping our landlocked resources and products. The Liberals fail to champion the high quality of our canola because of their ineptness on the international stage. Our farmers are gearing up, ready to seed, and they have had the ground pulled out from under them.
This is another international debacle, another blow to Canadian agriculture in another failure for the Liberal government.
Mr. Speaker, April is "BeADonor" Month.
April 7 is recognized as Green Shirt Day in Canada in honour of Logan Boulet. He gave the ultimate gift and helped save six lives by donating his organs and inspiring 100,000 people to register as organ donors.
Each year, 200 Canadians on the organ recipient list die waiting for a second chance. However, a hero emerged in Logan. Facing unspeakable loss, the Boulet family saved lives.
Many individuals and families live with pain and anxiety every day, hoping that a selfless act will allow them a second chance. I ask all Canadians to take charge, find their courage, channel their inner hero and have this conversation at the kitchen table with their family.
There are no more excuses. It takes two minutes. Please register to be a donor today.


The USD 250 Board of Education is in its final stages of the search for a new superintendent and expects to have someone selected by the end of this week.
This Wednesday, March 14th, and Thursday, March 15th, our final two candidates for superintendent will be in town; one on each night.
From 4-4:30pm on the 14th and 15th, students, teachers, parents, and the general public are invited to hear from the candidates at the Staff Development Center (300 E. 13th Street) next to Pittsburg Community Middle School.
This is a session to learn about the candidates and will last 30 minutes.


This really is such a cool and bright looking stone. I really love the nice broad cut corners on this stone. The over all shape is very pleasing to the eye as well.
This stone is priced like a Fancy Yellow due to the Strong Blue flourescence. The fluorescence also helps to create a slightly greenish hue in normal lighting. The stone is an eye clean SI2. Combine the clarity with the fluorescence and you get a very well priced stone. Not to mention that it really looks great in person!
The setting a beautiful Platinum and 18Karat Yellow Gold custom made ring. The gorgeous center stone is set in yellow gold. The two colorless trillians as well as the remainder of the ring is set in platinum.
The trilliant diamonds are a perfect size in my opinion. They are beautifully cut and add a touch of sparkle as well as a lovely contrast in color.
This is a nice heavy platinum ring and at a great price!


text:
DEA Announces Fall Date for Next National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day
July 16, 2015 by Partnership News Service Staff
The next National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day will be held on September 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced.
The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.
Collection sites will be announced on September 1, the DEA said.
During the ninth Prescription Drug Take-Back Day last September, DEA and its partners collected 209 tons of pills. That brought the total amount of drugs collected over four years to 2,411 tons, or 4,823,251 pounds.
According to the DEA, unused prescription medications in homes create a public health and safety concern, because they can be accidentally ingested, stolen, misused, and abused.
When the DEA began hosting National Prescription Drug Take-Back events, the Controlled Substances Act made no legal provision for patients and their caregivers to rid themselves of unwanted controlled substance prescription drugs except to give them to law enforcement. The law banned pharmacies and hospitals from accepting them.
Most people flushed their unused prescription drugs down the toilet, threw them in the trash, or kept them in the household medicine cabinet. This led to a contamination of the water supply and the theft and abuse of the prescription drugs, the DEA noted.
Last September, the DEA announced it would allow unused narcotic painkillers such as OxyContin to be returned to pharmacies. Consumers are also permitted to mail unused prescription medications to an authorized collector, in packages that are available at pharmacies and locations including senior centers and libraries. The new regulations are designed to curb the prescription drug abuse epidemic, the DEA said.
Tags Prescription Drug Abuse
Many Pharmacies Don't Provide Instructions on How to Dispose of Unused Opioids
Many pharmacies don't provide patients with instructions on how to properly dispose of unused opioids and antibiotics, according to a new study.
Misuse Increases for Gabapentin and Baclofen, Used to Treat Chronic Pain
The drugs gabapentin and baclofen, both of which are sometimes prescribed instead of opioids for chronic pain, are increasingly being misused, according to a new report. The drugs are being used in a growing number of suicide attempts.
Judge Reduces Johnson & Johnson Opioid Verdict by More Than $100 Million
A judge in Oklahoma has reduced a verdict against opioid maker Johnson & Johnson by more than $100 million, NPR reports.
Report Finds Total Cost of Opioid Epidemic Reaches $179 Billion Annually
The total cost of the opioid epidemic is $179 billion per year in the United States, according to a new report by the Society of Actuaries.
MaryLou Rainwater
I work in a small city that participated in the DEA Drug Take Back Program. IT WORKS!
IT IS SUCCESSFUL NATION WIDE. We need to work to get the government to fund this program so it will be brought back on a semi annual schedule. It gets the drugs out of the house, and prevents use and/or abuse by the wrong person. It prevents drugs from being flushed or thrown in the trash, which can enter into the drinking water supply. Tests have shown prescription drugs being found in drinking water thru out the US. This problem will affect all Americans. The solution has a proven success record. Let's hope we can get the government to do what is right.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Come and sing to the Lord! The choir leads worship for the Traditional Service on the 2nd Sundays of each month, and for the Contemporary Service on the 4th Sundays of each month. We also prepare and perform a Cantata for Christmas and Easter. We'd love to have you - the more the merrier in choir!


text:
Q: How to implement shifted variable weighting for default Unicode collation? The default Unicode collation element table defines four-level weight elements for Unicode characters, where the first three levels define the essential part of the sort order and the fourth level is essentially the character code, which is used for tie-breaking.
The section on variable weighting defines the "shifted" option (the default option), which defines a different fourth level based on the first three levels. This is used to sort punctuation characters.
How should these be combined? Should comparison be done with five levels, where the fourth level is the fourth generated by the shifted option, and the fifth is the character code as the tie-breaker?
The Unicode Technical Standard #10: Unicode Collation Algorithm doesn't explicitly specify this, and a web search turned up nothing.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


PARIS: Telecom equipment maker Alcatel-Lucent on Friday said it had chopped the compensation due to its former chief executive after the 14-million-euro ($15.8 million) payout caused an uproar in France.
The French-US company said its board of directors and former CEO Michel Combes had agreed to reduce his compensation to a maximum of 7.9 million euros.
The payout, coming as Combes jumps ship to a telecoms operator while troubled Alcatel-Lucent's buyout by its Finnish rival Nokia has not been completed, sparked a storm in France where executive compensation is a sensitive issue as unemployment hovers around 10 percent.
Combes had insisted that most of the compensation was not a golden parachute but instead a reflection of the increased value of the company's stock following the Nokia buyout, as like most executives he received shares as compensation.
He had renounced in April a 2.4-million-euro payment due to him when leaving the company.
However, the exit package not only provoked criticism from ministers in France's Socialist government but probes as well.
Alcatel-Lucent said it took into account recommendations from two government bodies as well as trade associations, including cutting a planned 3.1-million-euro payment as part of a non-competition agreement into line with the level prevalent in France.
Some of the compensation will also be made contingent on the successful completion of Nokia's purchase of Alcatel-Lucent.
But the French government kept up pressure on Combes.
Spokesman Stephane Le Foll said Combes had only gone half way and that "the figures certainly need to be adjusted some more" as he "had done something unacceptable".


Seven years after its onset, communities across the country are still grappling with the aftermath of the foreclosure crisis: More than 6 million homeowners are still underwater, and local governments are faced with the plague of vacant and abandoned properties and the loss of assets in many neighborhoods. Furthermore, difficulty qualifying for mortgage loans has contributed to an increased demand for rental units, which has resulted in escalating rents in a market already characterized by a shortage of affordable rental housing. Housing affordability is a pervasive problem among renters and owners. About 39 million households spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing expenses and nearly 18 million are severely burdened, paying more than 50 percent... Read full report.


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Wesleyan in the News
by Lauren Rubenstein • November 26, 2018
In this recurring feature in The Wesleyan Connection, we highlight some of the latest news stories about Wesleyan and our alumni.
Recent Wesleyan News
The Washington Post: "Major Trump Administration Climate Report Says Damage is 'Intensifying Across the Country'"
Gary Yohe, the Huffington Foundation Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies, was widely quoted in the media about the fourth National Climate Assessment, the first to be released under the Trump Administration. "The impacts we've seen the last 15 years have continued to get stronger, and that will only continue," Yohe, who served on the National Academy of Sciences panel that reviewed the report, told The Washington Post. "We have wasted 15 years of response time. If we waste another five years of response time, the story gets worse. The longer you wait, the faster you have to respond and the more expensive it will be." Yohe was also quoted on the report in The Hill, The Verge, Al Jazeera, and many other news sources. He is also professor of economics, and professor, environmental studies.
2. The Hill: "If Brits Don't Want a Redo on Brexit, They Should"
In this op-ed, Richard Grossman, professor and chair of economics, writes that Brexit, or Britain's "divorce" from the European Union, is anticipated to "reduce Britain's economic prospects in both the short and long run and leave the country poorer than it would have been had it remained within the European Union." He writes: "There is a way out of this mess," but the difficulties are political, not legal.
3. The New York Times: "How Democrats Can Deliver on Health Care"
Paul Krugman based his latest column on findings from the Wesleyan Media Project's research this election season: "A tally by the Wesleyan Media Project found that the 2018 elections stand out not for how much Democrats talked about the tweeter in chief, but for how little: Not since 2002 has an opposition party run so few ads attacking the occupant of the White House. So what did the campaigns that led to a blue wave talk about? Above all, health care, which featured in more than half of Democrats' ads."
4. Harper's Magazine: "The Present is Constant Elegy"
Harper's published a poem by Peter Gizzi from a manuscript in progress to be published by Wesleyan University Press in 2020.
Recent Alumni News
The Washington Post: "One Key Scene Helped Cement 'Hamilton' as a Broadway Legend. The Team That Crafted It Explains How."
Washington Post theater critic Peter Marks interviews Lin-Manuel Miranda '02 ("the man at the vortex of a team of cyclonic talents"), Thomas Kail '99, Alex Lacamoir, and Andy Blankenbuehler to discuss their art of collaboration. Marks notes that the Kennedy Center is recognizing the four with a unique award as the creators of Hamilton, and this conversation "was an opportunity for them to reflect on the profound psychic-income aspect of their group achievement and the ineffable bond that feeds artistic success."
2. The New York Times: "Opinion: What a Kenyan Slum Can Teach America About Politics"
Kennedy Odede '12, cofounder with partner Jessica Posner Odede '09 of Shining Hope for Communities, draws on his experience growing up in Kenya to urge readers to rely on grassroots organizing and local activists rather than elected officials. "Real change has to start locally," he writes.
3. The New York Times: "Jerry Frankel, Prolific Broadway Producer, Is Dead at 88"
Jeffrey Richards '69, longtime producing partner with Jerry Frankel, recalls their Broadway history, including the revival of Glengarry Glen Ross, for which they shared a Tony in 2005. "We had an instinctive kind of mutual understanding about people and talent," Richards told writer Richard Sandomir.
4. American Bookfest.com: "Award Winner: 2018 Best Book Awards Health: Psychology & Mental Health"
It's Not Always Depression: Working the Change Triangle to Listen to the Body, Discover Core Emotions, and Connect to Your Authentic Self by Hilary Jacobs Hendel '85, LCSW, was selected in this 16th annual awards compilation. The judges noted: "Jacobs Hendel provides navigational tools, body and thought exercises, candid personal anecdotes, and profound insights gleaned from her patients' remarkable breakthroughs. She shows us how to work the Change Triangle in our everyday lives and chart a deeply personal, powerful, and hopeful course to psychological well-being and emotional engagement."
5. Fox News: "Will the Florida Recount Produce Election Results?"
When a judge gave Florida's Palm Beach County five extra days to tally their ballots after this year's election, Orlando Fox News turned to Steven Meyer '86, who had been the attorney for the Palm Beach County Democratic Party in the 2000 ballot recount. In an on-air interview, Meyer offers insight and perspective.
Tags:alumni business alumni publications economics environmental studies Erika Franklin Fowler Gary Yohe Government Department Grossman media hits The New York Times Wesleyan Media Project Wesleyan University Press
← Sumarsam Named Honorary Member of the Society for Ethnomusicology
Campus Celebrates International Education Week; Guiney '77 Speaks on Cambodian Exhibit →


In 2019 Washington state was one of the first states to publish school-by-school spending data. You can explore the Washington state report card by clicking the link to the right or by following the directions below by clicking each question to find specific details about your school.
How does my school spending compare to district and state averages?
How does my school's spending on services compare to district and state averages?
Is that more or less than other schools with the same student demographics?
How does your school spending on services compare to that of schools with similar demographics?
How do your school's outcomes compare to schools with similar demographics?
Is spending equitable across your district?
Is there a school(s) your school can learn from?
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JAMIE'S NEW BOOK
KySportsStyle.com Magazine
VIDEO: Calipari's USA U19 Squad Captures Bronze Medal With 96-72 World Cup Victory Over Spain Su
A balanced scoring effort featured four players in double figures as the USA (6-1) cruised to a 96-72 victory over Spain (5-2) in the bronze medal game of the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup for Men on Sunday, July 9 in Cairo, Egypt. UK mentor John Calipari served as the head coach of the USA U19 squad, which also included two Wildcats -- P.J. Washington and Hamidou Diallo.
© 2020 by KySportsStyle360, LLC


Haworth Tompkins has renovated Bristol's Grade I-listed Old Vic theatre – the oldest continuously working theatre in the English speaking world – to create "a public room for the city".
The architecture studio has replaced a large side extension designed by British architect Peter Moro, which was added to the Georgian theatre in 1972, with a new large public space.
"The 1970s alterations, although conceptually clear and skilfully realised, divided the audience into two unconnected foyers, closed off the theatre's public facade and over formalised the arrival and circulation spaces via the converted Coopers' Hall," said Haworth Tompkins.
"As a consequence [it] could no linger fulfil its historic purpose as a public room for the city."
Haworth Tompkins' renovation focused on opening up and revealing the original spaces. The new foyer has been conceived as "an informal extension of the street", occupying the space freed up by removing the 1970s studio theatre.
A structure of timber and glass frames the original brick facade of the Georgian auditorium, into which new openings have been made.
On the street, a new facade abuts the Grade I-listed Coopers' Hall, incorporating a series of movable, sun-shading shutters that double as a public art work.
Operated by hand, these shutters feature the text of the inaugural address given at the theatre by David Garrick in 1766.
The "direct and informal" foyer detailing was chosen to create the sense that the entryway is a mediator between the street and the historic auditorium.
"Materials have been chosen for their durability and capacity to mature and change over time," said the practice.
The wooden structure is built from Douglas Fir, which will darken over time, and an oak lath screen in the foyer is designed to bend organically.
Inside the adjacent Coopers' Hall the new studio theatre occupies the ground and basement levels, leaving the original historic wall structure exposed. Ground-level windows provide natual light.
Above, the first floor has been converted back into a grand public room, able to act as either an extension of the foyer or a private function room.
Steve Tompkins, a founder at the practice, was recently named the most influential figure in British theatre in The Stage magazine's Theatre 100 listings.
As well as Bristol Old Vic, the practice has recently completed The Bridge theatre in London, designed new spaces for the Donmar Warehouse and done work on the UK's National Theatre.
The architecture studio's Liverpool Everyman Theatre was awarded the 2014 RIBA Stirling Prize.
Photography is by Philip Vile.


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Popular Online Site Provides Refuge For Friends, Family After Shooting
April 18, 2007 4:56 PM by Tom Whipple
Facebook, a popular social networking website, was a refuge for concerned students at Virginia Tech and frantic family members during the chaos and disorder of the first few hours of the shooting incident on the university campus Monday.
Students were able to utilize the highly-trafficked site and others like it to contact family and friends while cell phone lines were overloaded and unresponsive and let people know they were safe in their dorms or within locked buildings away from Norris Hall where the violence the majority of the violence occurred.
Facebook.com was launched in February of 2004, part of a new breed of website such as "MySpace" and "Friendster" dedicated to keeping friends and associates in touch through social networks—including schools, companies, and regions—online. Facebook.com claims over 19 million registered users across 47,000 networks.
These sites have become popular for planning events and making political statements, but this ability to stay so closely connected to the increasingly widespread member base served the Virginia Tech community well during Monday's tragedy and the ensuing mayhem.
In a virtual reproduction of Sept. 11 where family members posted flyers of missing loved ones at on walls at Penn and Grand Central Stations in New York City, students at Virginia Tech used the Facebook group system to post inquiries about roommates, siblings, and friends that were unaccounted for, in hopes that someone had seen or heard information that would help to locate them. Students were also able to post their whereabouts and status for loved ones and friends to see.
In a Facebook group entitled "I'm ok at VT," students encouraged each other to update their Facebook profiles to reflect their status as accounted for and safe, so cell phone lines would stay open for true emergencies and for more efficient notification of out-of-area acquaintances.
Caroline Neyland, a freshman from Falls Church majoring in University Studies at Virginia Tech, reported that she was able to make contact with her parents by phone, but "most contact with my friends was made through Facebook.com."
In some cases however, the service is serving a more somber purpose. Facebook is also serving as a virtual memorial site for those who were lost in the tragedy, as well as a way to coordinate real-world vigils and memorial ceremonies.
In the hours and days after the initial violence, hundreds of groups with members from all over the world have formed to show solidarity with the affected families and the school community. At present, the group entitled "A tribute to those who passed at the Virginia Tech Shooting" has over 150,000 members and is growing by the second. Sunny Senedara, a freshman at Virginia Tech from Falls Church, described herself as the 16th member of the group "April 16, 2007 – A Moment of Silence." Membership reached 5,000 only four hours after she joined, and as of press time, membership in this same group is approaching 40,000.
Friends and family are also using these groups to update the condition of those who have been brought to area hospitals.
Messages of support and prayers for the injured and for those who suffered a loss fill the discussion boards along with the tributes. A typical message came from Alexandra Hellquist of Brown University: "Stay strong. We're all Hokies at heart, for these few days." Notes like this number in the tens of thousands across the site.
Those who lived through the fear the day brought continue to post their stories publicly as well, on Facebook, student blogs and the website vtincident.com.
The ability to post information almost immediately on the Facebook site has led to its increasing popularity with news media establishments that do not normally have direct access to victims' hospital conditions and family members so soon after an event.
Major news organizations like CNN and MSNBC have devoted considerable amounts of time and personnel to covering the online beat of networking sites, blogs and the popular video site YouTube; CNN repeatedly aired a video submitted via the internet from a student's camera phone that recorded audible gunshots and police activity.
Other Facebook groups include school specific titles such as "Alabama has Virginia Tech on its mind" and "UGA is praying for Virginia Tech." The latter has reached almost 3,000 members.


text:
Q: php 5.3 ereg_replace to preg_replace $this->Settings = array( "host" => $host , "user" => $user , "pass" => $pass );
    $this->db = $db;
    $this->Settings["name"] = ereg_replace  ("_", "", $this->db);
    $this->init();

I have an application that can't work after migrating to php 5.3 from php 5.2.
Even after i changed the ereg_replace line above to
$this->aSettings["name"] = preg_replace("/_/", "", $this->db);
It still doesn't get the settings from the db.

A: There's no particular reason why your preg_replace() wouldn't work, but you could simply use str_replace() instead.
$this->Settings['Name'] = str_replace('_', '', $this->db);

This statement interests me though:
$this->db = $db;

Where is $db set? Follow that trail until you find where the real issue is,


We are looking for individuals to create an account and post pictures, videos, articles and other content to a new Social Network and interact with other users and start building a network.
You will also be required to share 8 posts per day from specified accounts.
Work must be done daily and you will be paid $1 per day to start.
If you are strong at building a large engaging network future projects will be available.
I have experienced creating and maintaining social media accounts such as Facebook Instagram Pinterest etc. and I believe that I am the right person for this job. If I would qualify I will do my best for this job.


text:
Laolu Senbanjo Creates Art With an Impact
By Sofía Paloma Juárez | November 12, 2018 | Culture
Art lives within the everyday consciousness of Laolu Senbanjo. The Nigerian-born and raised visual artist, musician and activist grew up with a keen interest in his Yoruba heritage, one rich in revealing the tradition and mythology through expressive forms and symbols.
Artist Laolu Senbanjo speaks to an audience at Belvedere's NYFW event at The Whitney Museum of American Art.
Following grade school, Laolu followed through with his parents wish for him to attend law school, though all the while, Laolu couldn't help but fill his thoughts and notebooks with a visual language that was so innate to his core. He vividly recalls his grandmother teaching the narratives of the Orishas, or deities, with her pictorial storytelling and tattooed arms, revealing detailed symbols of Yoruba mythology. So after several years working at the Human Rights Commission as a human rights attorney, Laolu could no longer suppress the artistry and creative aspirations that lived within—it was time to move to New York and, at last, fulfill his deep desires. Since his daring leap of faith in 2013, Laolu's artwork has been featured in Beyoncé's Grammy Award-winning visual album "Lemonade," he's collaborated with Nike, and designed a perfume bottle with BVLGARI, to name just a few projects that have brought his lifelong dreams to fruition. Continuously creating, Laolu spends his time writing songs, performing with his band Laolu and the Afromysterics, decorating clothing, sneakers and objects for commissions, traveling to Nigeria for an upcoming documentary series, and preparing to release a collaboration with Starbucks. High on life and thrilled with his decision to trust his inner guide, Laolu is fully booked with projects until 2020.
This month, Laolu celebrates the release of his limited-edition global collaboration with Belvedere Vodka, who has given the artist free reign to design the bottle which is inspired by his Yoruba culture. "His philosophy is 'Everything is my canvas,' says Rodney Williams, President and CEO of Belvedere Vodka. "So we wanted to give him as much leeway as we possibly could to let him express himself." To top it off, this project comes full circle for Laolu—for every bottle purchased, (Belvedere) RED contributes to the Global Fund to help eliminate HIV/AIDS in Africa—a cause Laolu vehemently supported during his legal tenure in Nigeria.
The limited-edition collaboration premiered during New York Fashion Week at The Whitney Museum of American Art, with a runway show that included Victoria's Secret model Martha Hunt and the legendary Helena Christensen. We had the opportunity to sit down with the renowned artist to discuss his creative process, future aspirations, and most recent collaboration with Belvedere Vodka.
How has your work as a Human Rights Attorney informed your art?
LAOLU SENBANJO: In every project I work on, I see the human angle—how does this benefit people, how does this inspire people, how does this translate into something the everyday person can be linked to?
As a human rights attorney, I worked with women and children, and the beautiful thing about the Belvedere collaboration is that proceeds of every bottle will be donated to women and children in Nigeria, giving free medication to those living with HIV/AIDS. That's the same community that raised me. One of the best things for me is to create a piece of art, and in turn, for that piece of art to contribute to humanitarian work in Nigeria. That for me is a win-win.
When you made the leap to move to New York, what was your initial impression?
LS: It was one of wonder. I've been to Paris, Germany, Johannesburg—nowhere compares to New York. There's this energy you cannot explain. It's not that it's all good—but there's a drive here that you cannot find anywhere else. It reminds me of my city, Lagos. It's like there is this bus, where if you're invited to put your foot on the ground and do the work, there's a possibility.
Everybody here is walking around with a pocket full of dreams. People tell you their dreams everyday. People have jobs, but they have dreams. Everybody comes here to chase something. And everybody here has a backstory. Many people come from different places, so it makes it very amazing to meet people from other places. That was the thing for me—the possibilities are here.
Which aspects of New York do you most admire?
LS: One of the major reasons why I stayed in New York were the art stores—they were mindblowing. When I went to Blick or Michaels, I just said 'Wow, I can do this with this' so my head just kept spinning. And slow to fast, I left my old life and came into this new one, looking out for collaborations and working with other people, and it's been amazing. From times of not having enough and just trying to survive, to now.
As for your recent collaboration with Belvedere Vodka, what was your inspiration, and how did you instill Belvedere's rich history into the design?
LS: Working with Belvedere was the icing on the cake. I've collaborated with Nike and created a bottle for BVLGARI, but I hadn't yet worked on a vodka bottle.
This collaboration is unique in the fact that it gives back. I'm born and raised in Nigeria, so I used a lot of Yoruba mythology and symbols to interpret the content of the bottle.
Belvedere seeks balance between rye and water, so I included waves of water and triangles to represent balance. You can see passion in the hearts, which stand for the 600 years Belvedere has been crafting their product. If that's not passion, I do not know what passion is!
And the bottle is an art piece when it stands alone. This is something I want people to look at, enjoy the product, and then put the bottle on their shelves as art. To collaborate with Belvedere, who understand what I am about, want to share my art, and give me free reign to make my own masterpiece—I am grateful for that.
When you began creating art in New York, where did you begin and how did you generate momentum?
LS: When I first moved to Brooklyn, there were many artists that I admired, so I joined Flatbush Artists, and I didn't stop creating. I started using my Instagram to post my process of drawing and I began to teach people the meaning behind my art. I also started a YouTube channel, a Facebook page—I started putting stuff out.
Working as a lawyer, I never had the time to make art the way I wanted to make it. So when I moved here, it was more of a release—I felt alive. I had this in me for a long time.
When people see my art, they say 'Wow! You're doing a lot,' and I'm like no, I'm not doing a lot, art is who I am. This is me. I feel alive, and I want people to feel that energy—that's exactly what I live for. Forget money, people feel this art and connect with it emotionally. This is my main philosophy.
And then one day you were creating art as usual, and you received an email from Beyoncé asking if you might be interested in collaborating on her Lemonade visual album. How did you feel at that moment?
LS: I felt it was a lie! I thought my friends might be pulling tricks on me and they would then say 'Yeah, we got you!' I did not think I would walk in and receive a call from Beyoncé for a music video. But once we began communicating and I received the list of collaborators on the project, I just said 'OK, this is real!'
I'd love to discuss your performance art ritual, The Sacred Art of the Ori. How was this style born and how do you evoke the essence of your muses?
LS: I've created The Sacred Art of the Ori by tapping into Yoruba mythology, art and culture. My grandmother played a very important role in teaching me about these traditions.
I take different elements from different Orishas or deities—for instance, Oshun, a sensual and graceful woman similar to Venus in Greek mythology, or Shango, a masculine warrior similar to Zeus or Thor. These deities who have been around for generations have symbols and art associated with each of them. So when subjects tell me stories about themselves, I take these different elements and put them on the skin. Balance, inner beauty and passion—these are qualities of the Orishas I translate onto the human body, any canvas, and also the Belvedere bottle.
You're also a musician. How do these two art forms contribute to one another?
LS: It's the same mindspace. I love to create—I love poetry, rhymes, making beats, sounds and tones. It's like painting a picture—it's all one to me.
When I finish a piece of art, I can move to the piano and play some chords—I can feel this energy and transcribe that into notes, close my eyes and imagine. I know not everybody can—it's a gift and I recognize that. It's something so fluid, so natural, like a default for me. I can draw my art, sing my art, and art my songs.
Might you be able to share a few words of wisdom from your mentors?
LS: Even before the Beyoncé project, Swizz Beatz called me to his studio and spoke with me for almost six hours—it was one of the best nights of my life. He was teaching me about art and artists, and lessons he's learned about life and within the art industry.
He advised me to conserve. While the optics of driving a luxury car can be cool, it's not everything. And he was a supporter from the beginning. Anytime I have ideas, I send him a message, and he invites me to discuss with him. He is very passionate, welcoming and supportive. I look up to him and Alicia Keys. For them to hold me high, have me teach their kids about Yoruba culture, and paint on their kids for events, they encourage me and wish for my success. They taught me that you are nothing without people's love.
And the first time I met Taraji P. Henson in the Empire studio in Chicago, she was jumping from room to room—I was so excited. We talked and talked. That's a moment in life where you understand you never know whose heart you're going to touch, or who is going to vibe with you. Keep doing what you're doing and the right people will come. Be patient, stay in it, be in it for the long haul, and be ready, because anything is possible.
We love your mantra, 'Make your own magic happen'. What's your advice for those interested in interrupting the status quo to pursue their dreams?
LS: Be patient. Patience is something I had to learn because for many young artists, people want things to happen now, and if things don't go the right way, it's easy to get frustrated. But frustration is not a bad thing, because sometimes you have to be in the process, be in the present, and continue working on yourself.
Ask yourself, if this didn't pay, would I do it? Are you passionate enough? Does this make you feel happy? If these answers are yes, just keep doing it.
Life is going to throw many things at you. But if you love what you're doing, this will keep you on. Sad days, good days, happy days, bad days—I'm on, I can draw. Drawing for me me is a way of existence—it's how I live and breathe. And that itself is a state of happiness when I'm in that process.
As you continue creating, what are your future hopes and aspirations?
LS: I want to paint on a spaceship—dream outside the norm and create work that is extraordinary to inspire people, because we do not have all the time. I use the mantra 'Everything is my canvas,' because I want to paint on everything.
This is all a process; this is a journey. I am taking every step as it comes. I'm not in a hurry—I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing, focus on the process, make amazing work and showcase my gift and my talent to the world. And what a better place to do it than in New York!
Tags: art artists collaboration belvedere vodka
Photography by: Photography by Andrew Toth & Cindy Ord for Getty/Belvedere Vodka


Eduardo Fuentes defended his PhD thesis on November 27 in Montpellier. This is the first Agtrain student to be graduated. Agtrain is the European PhD programme jointly organised by a consortium of AGRINATURA members.
The topic of the PhD thesis was: "Exploring alternatives for milk quality improvement and more efficient dairy production in a smallholder farming context – Case study: Mantaro Valley (Peru)". The research leads to the identification and test of systems recognising quality in the milk supply chains of the valley, especially for small and unorganised farmers.
The Jury included representatives from the two co-supervision institutions, Montpellier SupAgro (Dr P-Y Le Gal) and UC Cork (Dr S. Onakuse), and from the partner university in Peru, University la Molina (Dr Carlos Gomez). The President of the Jury, Charles-Henri Moulin, warmly congratulated the candidate for the original combination of sciences involved in his work and also for the concrete contribution to exploring innovation pathways that can improve the livelihood of the farmers of the Montaro Valley in Peru, where the research took place.
AGRINATURA is proud to congratulate Eduardo, who is now doctor of both UC Cork in Ireland and Montpellier SupAgro in France.


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The science of sifting through the big data, analyzing different variables to generate obvious conclusions, predictions or novel solutions previously not known is known as data science. This branch of science includes other departments such as mathematics, information science, computer science, analytics and strong business acumen. Data scientists are highly valued for these skills and are relentlessly creative.
The two most prominent programming languages preferred by data scientists are Python and R. Technically, R programming has its homecourt advantages such as data visualizations and statistical tasks. The latest TIOBE index (i.e., April 2018) verifies the increasing popularity of R programming, currently ranked 12th.
Data scientists sift through the big data. This is known as data wrangling. The golden package for both data wrangling and analysis is dplyr. Dplyr is the enhanced version of plyr and is most preferred due to its easy command line interfaces such as filter(), arrange(), select(), rename(), mutate(), transmute(), summarize() and sample_n(). The beauty of dplyr is heightened with the %>% operator.
The next package which further assists in data wrangling is data.table. data.table is a glorified version of data frames and is not limited to just subsetting rows or variables. One main advantage of data.table is that it is programmed to retain the primitive arrangement of groups. The function Keyby() arranges the groups in ascending order if required. Chaining expressions is also possible here.
Tibbles package is an evolved form of data frames and is constantly modified to abandon obsolete features. Tibble has been programmed keeping the performance in mind. It creates data frames, binds objects into tibbles and is uncompromising in subsetting and partial matching.
The next step data scientists undertake is to pictorially represent this data. This is known as data visualization. The two best R packages for this are ggplot2 and plotly. Ggplot2 is used for static graphs and produces print quality graphics. Ggplot2 allows more advanced features and refined personalisation and is preferred if you want a quick exploratory view.
Plotly is inherently interactive and offers different fonts and works on Python, MATLAB, Excel etc. Another plus point is that ggplot can be converted to plotly.
Tables are another way to visualize data and so, gmodels package allows you to create contingency tables swiftly.
Since R programming is not the only language used for statistical purposes, the foreign package becomes crucial to import data stored in Minitab, S, SAS, SPSS, Strata etc formats. Foreign package translates the outside data into R language.
For programmers who know both R and C++, using Rcpp packages must pose no problem at all. This seamless back and forth usage of R and C++ makes writing new codes easy and accelerates the integration of independent libraries.
The next R package recommended to data scientists for importing and exporting data is google sheets. This package saves the trouble of analysing and filtering the data, printing it and then reopening it in Google Sheets. This package provides an access road in between and connects with your Google account. After allowing your file to access your google drive, you can seamlessly load data from Google, amend data and recreate Sheets.
Finally, to create your own packages, devtools package is an elegant way to do so. You can use dplyr and ggplot2 functions for building your new package, and in order to do so, you need to import these two packages too. Devtools allows you to create new functions, document them and your package and finally installs it using devtools::install() command.
This blog post written by Nirmal Patel. The opinions expressed in this post are based on his personal view.


Achal Enterprise is the foremost construction company. They are based at Chandkheda in the Indian state of Gujarat. The flagship house building troupe is one of the most reliable estate retailers in Gujarat. They are trading in buying & selling of properties in the state. From its headquarters in Ahmedabad, Achal Enterprise has earned credible status in the western region of India. Contact Achal Enterprise for more information.


Management (MSM), Electronic Business Concentration, M.S.
For further information, consult the Master of Science in Management Program page.
The six required core courses shown below provide an 18 credit foundation upon which students can pursue cutting-edge specializations within the degree program. These core courses expose students to the disciplines required of a professional manager. Students who have taken these courses elsewhere or previously at the School of Engineering, or who have had equivalent experience, may apply to substitute elective courses for such core courses; however, all students are required to complete the MSM degree's 36 credits.
Core courses should be taken as early in the program as possible.
Students must formally choose and declare a 15 credit area of concentration, which can be from among those listed below or, with the MSM Program Director's pre-approval, a set of courses that meet individual needs through a custom MSM concentration. A minimum of four courses must be selected in any one concentration area. Courses in all the available concentrations are shown below.
, is recommended for a student's final semester. In special cases, MG-GY 997X MS Thesis in Technology Management may be substituted for students wishing to produce a major dissertation in a specialty with the permission of the MSM Program Director and the TM&I Chair. Such a student must follow the Master's Thesis course requirements.
Each MSM concentration sequence comprises a minimum of five courses totaling 15 credits. Substitutions may be made with the MSM Program Director's pre-approval in any concentration area.
The Electronic Business Management Concentration focuses on the arena of electronic business and the Internet. Students study the process of digital-intensive market creation and the key aspects for managing a firm that operates increasingly in digital space. Relevant methods and concepts for effective electronicbusiness decision making are explored and applied.
Select three 3-credit courses of interest (for nine credits) with an "MG" or "FRE*" prefix.
* FRE courses may require pre-approval from the FRE Department.


Abstract : East China's Jiangsu has unveiled 519 projects that were included in the provincial Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) projects by the end of April this year, according to Jiangsu Department of Finance.
BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) - East China's Jiangsu province has unveiled 519 projects that were included in the provincial Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) projects by the end of April this year, according to Jiangsu Department of Finance.
These projects are expected to involve a total investment of 1.07 trillion yuan.
Of these projects, 270 ones, with a total investment of 544 billion yuan, have been put into operation, accounting for 52.02 percent of the total.


Who else is loving this amazing weather! I am dusting off my sandals and showing off my blinding legs here and I couldn't be happier. Even with the arrival of spring it can tend to be a bit chilly at times. This lightweight jacket is the perfect combo with this ensemble to keep off the chill and to add a urban edge to the look.
The shoes I have on I got on major sale last fall so I wasn't able to wear them that much before the cold set in; so I can't wait to pair these with so many more outfits! They are extremely comfortable and add a great casual tone to any dress or skirt combo.
What pieces are you excited to wear this spring that you didn't get to last year?


Can You Spot Elder Abuse? - Evans Law Firm, Inc.
Statistics reflect that 1 in every 7 senior citizens will fall victim to elder abuse. Unfortunately, elder abuse attorneys note, that very often it's a family member or close family friend that is the abuser. In fact many victims of elder abuse refuse to report it because of this very reason. Many elderly abuse victims feel scared, isolated, or may even financially depend on their abuser.
Physical abuse is the most common amongst the elderly community. This can include but is not limited to: beatings, poor nutrition, poor sanitation conditions, and lack of medical treatments or necessary medications. But many abuse attorneys remind us that elderly abuse is not only physical, it can also be financial and mental. Although financial and mental abuse may be harder to spot this does not make it less prevalent. Signs of financial abuse can include but are not limited to: large withdrawals, signatures on checks or important documents that do not resembling the senior's signature, and large contribution to organizations or charities that could be fraudulent. Mental abuse is perhaps the hardest of the three to spot, due to the lack of physical evidence. Yet mental abuse can include but is not limited to: intimidation tactics such as yelling, blaming, ridiculing, humiliating, and even isolation from friends and family.
Attorneys advise people to speak up if they suspect or see any patterns of abuse. Children and the elderly community are the most vulnerable within society and therefore should be protected.
Evans Law Firm, Inc. has offices in Sonoma, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, and handles elder abuse and financial elder abuse lawsuits throughout the Bay Area. If you or a loved one have a potential elder abuse claim or suspect physical, financial, or mental abuse don't hesitate to contact one of our Abuse Attorneys at Evans Law Firm, Inc. for a free consultation at 415-441-8669 or via email at info@evanslaw.com.


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Your source for Gen Z insights, expertise and musings, presented by UNiDAYS.
Three questions brands should ask before speaking out on social issues
Conscious capitalism, or the idea that brands need to stand for something other than profits, has reached critical mass. Here are some things you should keep in mind before embarking on a socially-conscious marketing campaign.
Conscious capitalism is on the rise. And brands are increasingly feeling the pressure to speak out on social and political issues. In fact, a full 83% of retailers believe that failing to take a stand can negatively affect their bottom line.
But, tempering this enthusiasm are numerous examples of socially-conscious brand campaigns that have been met, at best, with mixed reviews, and at worst, all-out, nightmarish PR backlash. Take Pepsi's Kendall Jenner ad, Dove's body-positive packaging and Gillette's The Best Men Can Be ad, just to name a few.
A recent survey by UNiDAYS x Ad Age found that Gen Zs are very mixed on whether or not they trust brands more when they take a stance on political issues—34 percent answered yes, while 40 percent said no.
So what does this mean? By no means should it discourage brands from speaking up. But it does mean that brands should think long and hard about the topics they choose to speak out on—and why. If you're thinking about taking a stand, ask yourself these three questions before you do, or you might become one of marketing's cautionary tales.
What is your brand narrative?
When it comes to formulating a point of view on social issues, your brand narrative is the best place to start. One of the keys to finding relevance with Gen Z is being crystal clear on what your brand stands for, and weaving that identity into everything you do. If you don't have clarity on what you value, how can you expect your customers to be clear on what you stand for?
Billie, a Gen Z-focused, direct-to-consumer shaving company, has a very strong, female-centric brand narrative. Built into the very core of their brand is their fight against the "pink tax", a "sexist pricing strategy" whereby women pay more for certain products, like razors and personal care items, solely based on their gender.
Another example of a socially active brand with a well-defined narrative is Patagonia. Given that this outdoor apparel company was founded by a rock climber, environmentalism has always played a key role in the company's mission. Patagonia's passion for protecting the planet's natural resources permeates everything they do, from their sustainable business practices to their support for environmental volunteerism.
Can your brand speak authentically on the issue at hand?
When it comes to taking a stand, it's important to to choose an issue that aligns closely with your brand narrative. Customers are more likely to perceive your brand as credible and authentic when you take a stance on issues that align with your brand's mission and reputation in the market.
For example, when Billie launched Project Body Hair, a campaign that speaks out about the way female body hair is portrayed (or rather, intentionally not portrayed) in shaving ads, it was a natural extension of their brand narrative. So, no one batted an eyelash.
Going even further, Patagonia's The President Stole Your Land campaign ventured into political territory. While getting entangled in politics could have been extremely controversial, it worked for Patagonia because it was a natural extension of the company's values. (You can imagine, however, that if they spoke out on female body hair, they'd be a little less credible.)
Is the issue important to your core audience?
At the end of the day, it's important to choose a cause, not just because it is trending in the media, but because it is a shared concern of both your company and your consumer. One of the key differences between Billie and Gillette is that Billie's audience is made up of like-minded consumers who applaud their approach, whereas in attempting to reposition their brand, Gillette seems to have alienated a portion of their current consumer base.
The lesson here is that if your brand is regularly controversial, you might be able to get away with featuring Colin Kaepernick in an ad. However, if you typically shy away from making headlines, you might want to stick to less emotionally-charged subjects that are still hyper-focused on what matters to your audience. It simply depends on the particulars of YOUR brand.
Why some brands speak out and succeed, while others speak out and fail
The Pepsi and Dove ads mentioned above were highly criticized because they weren't credible. While both companies spoke out in different ways, the campaigns had one thing in common: they both felt more like marketing tactics than real activism. Both came across as having an ulterior motive, rather than being true outward expressions of business values.
As for Gillette, while they succeeded with some audiences, they clearly missed the mark with one of their core demographics. The jury seems to be out on whether this was an overall success or a failure—only time tell will tell.
At the end of the day, standing up doesn't have to be political or extreme. It does, however, have to be driven by values that are true to your brand and shared with your audience—not by next quarter's revenue targets.
As one Patagonia spokesperson said, "You can't reverse into a mission and values through marketing."
Jacqi Levy
Senior Manager, US B2B Marketing at UNiDAYS
US | UK
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Crazy antics or crazy smart marketing? How Taco Bell attracts Gen Z
When it comes to quick service restaurants, Gen Z has their favorites, and Taco Bell is among the top. But their popularity isn't based solely on what's on their menu. Here's what Zs love about the brand.
Why Gen Z loves the resale shopping market
Shopping secondhand makes a lot of sense for sustainability-minded, financially-savvy Gen Z.
Joni Sweet
Jul 2, 2019 12:12:36 PM
Gen Z marketing is gender fluid: What brands can learn from beauty
Gen Zs love to express themselves, and what better way than with makeup? Makeup offers Gen Zs the ideal product to represent all sides of themselves—free from gender norms and stereotypes. But non-beauty brands can also embrace gender fluidity in their campaigns. It all begins with an open mind.
Jun 27, 2019 1:31:04 PM
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Looking for a water removal company in Mesa, Arizona might feel a bit strange for some consumers. Living in the hot, arid climate of Mesa, most Arizona homeowners would not expect the elements to give them a cause to call on a water damage specialist. However strange it may seem, water damage can occur in any climate and its effects are long reaching without the proper after care.
Though dry and exhibiting desert conditions through most of the year, Mesa Arizona does experience monsoon season through much of the summer and early fall. Monsoon season is known for causing dust storms, but it also brings with it heavy rains and high humidity levels. Consumers that do not have a proper working air conditioning unit or even a dehumidifier can find themselves fighting a losing, unknown battle against water damage.
One of the most common effects from water damage from humidity is mold. Mold can grow with just a food source and moisture, and the moisture from humidity is the perfect breeding ground for the resilient spores. Areas of high humidity in the home, such as over the stove top and in the bathroom, are especially prone to mold growth throughout the year but especially during monsoon season. This type of water damage can sometimes be hard to fight because it might not be as noticeable.
Finding the best water damage company in Mesa, Arizona will help solve mold damage in any home. A water damage company can clean up existing, easy to spot mold, and also perform a mold inspection to find other, unknown spots of mold or even point out areas that might be prone to it down the line. A great water damage company not only reverses mold damage, but helps to prevent it as well.


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Long-Lasting Marriages Increasing in U.S.
Jim Liebelt | Senior Writer, Editor and Researcher for the HomeWord Center for Youth and Family at Azusa Pacific University | Thursday, May 19, 2011
Americans may be postponing marriage, and fewer are wedding at all. But what about the people who do get married? They're staying together longer than they have in years.
Three in four couples who married after 1990 celebrated a 10-year anniversary, according to census statistics reported Wednesday. That was a rise of three percentage points compared with couples who married in the early 1980s, when the nation's divorce rate was at its highest.
One reason for the increase, said demographers and sociologists who study families, is that people are marrying later in life, after they have completed their education. Not only are they more mature, but they also are more financially secure.
Researchers increasingly are finding a connection between marriage and education. In 2009, 31 percent of brides had a college degree, up from 21 percent in 1996.
"Marriage has become a much more selective institution in today's society," said W. Bradford Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia. "People who are college-educated, more affluent or more religious are more likely to get married and stay married. People who are not are less likely to get married in the first place, and if they do marry, they're more likely to divorce."
The Marriage Project has found that people without a college degree are three times as likely to divorce in the first 10 years as those with a college degree.
Source: Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/number-of-long-lasting-marriages-in-us-has-risen-census-bureau-reports/2011/05/18/AFO8dW6G_story.html?hpid=z4