This article was published in Attention magazine's April 2010 issue.
A mother is concerned about her eight year-old daughter, Taylor. While Taylor usually makes a good impression when she meets other children, it's extremely hard for her to develop lasting friendships. Mom wants to help her daughter develop deeper connections with others, but she doesn't know how to help. For Taylor, joining in a game or group activity is easy; maintaining friendships is not. Within minutes, it becomes clear that as much as Taylor likes to play, she likes to play her way. In her easygoing manner, she shifts the play toward something she'd like to do and assumes the other children will join her. When they don't, she becomes confused and frustrated. Time and time again, instead of ending up with a group to play with, Taylor winds up playing alone.
Brendan is an eleven year-old boy who continuously provokes others around him. He talks nonstop in class, preventing others from getting their work done. His desk is such a mess that his stuff always ends up on other classmates' desks. He blurts out answers in class, which frustrates the teacher. He taunts the girls at recess to get them to pay attention to him. When they walk away, he is disappointed and hurt. Brendan doesn't understand why the kids in class won't talk to him. The girls whisper behind his back, and the boys call him names like "Stupid" and "Big Mouth". Brendan comes home most days feeling hurt and confused.
Both Brendan and Taylor have ADHD. Like many children with ADHD, they struggle to make and keep friends. Brendan is not purposely trying to drive others crazy with his provocative behavior nor is Taylor intentionally driving kids away when she is bossy. In fact, they are desperately trying to make connections with their peers. They just don't know how.
I have spent the last twenty years as a social skills group therapist helping children make and keep friends. So many of the children I see in counseling have the same problem – feeling left out and lonely. I recall an eight year-old boy named Brian saying, "I feel like I live on my OWN planet, and everyone else lives on THIS one." I created a social skills training program for children and their parents in 1990 to help Brian and countless others make friends they so wanted.
Feeling alone and disconnected from peers is a distressing thing for a child to experience. And it's not only the children who suffer. As parents, you also feel frustrated and hopeless at not knowing how to help your children make the friends they so strongly desire. Children affected by ADHD, in particular, have unique social challenges that frequently get in the way of acquiring good social skills.
The child with ADHD frequently exhibits a constellation of characteristics that may interfere with successful social development.
The child with ADHD is often impulsive. When a child lacks the adequate pause between impulse and action, social blunders inevitably occur. Poor listening skills are a common byproduct in impulsivity. Because Brendan is unable to pause before speaking or acting, he's distracted and fools around during class. His peers and his teachers become annoyed by his constant verbal and nonverbal interruptions.
When Taylor's peers become frustrated with her controlling behavior, she doesn't heed their dirty looks and verbal pleas. Taylor's ADHD gets in the way of her being able to learn from the reactions of her peers. She struggles to go with the flow of others.
A child affected by ADHD can't control what captures his or her attention. Any internal or external stimulation can be distracting to a child with ADHD. Because Brendan tends to fade in and out of conversations, he frequently misunderstands directions and thus has difficulty following through on instructions accurately. This frustrates him as well as his peers.
Children with ADHD have a hard time learning from experience, whether the experience is positive or negative. When a child who does not have ADHD makes a social mistake and receives a hostile reaction from a peer, chances are high that the same mistake won't happen again. The child with ADHD, on the other hand, may make a mistake repeatedly before learning not to do it again. The child with ADHD has trouble applying past experiences to future problems and is unable to predict the consequences of his/her actions.
Even though Taylor is given feedback by her peers in the form of pleas, dirty looks, and distancing behavior, she continues to struggle to learn the errors of her ways. She doesn't change her behavior when it isn't working for her.
Children with ADHD may have a difficult time predicting audience response. A child who does not have ADHD is able to see himself or herself through another child's eyes. This self-reflection informs his or her behavior. Children with ADHD get themselves into social binds without being aware of their predicament or of how they got there because they lack awareness of the consequences of their social behavior. Taylor is unable to see that her bossy behavior may turn the other girls off. When they distance themselves from her, she is unable to see what she did to make that happen.
Some children can't learn social skills on their own – they need help. Your involvement as a parent is essential to help your child learn new skills and use them in a variety of settings. You already help your child to develop social skills by modeling good social skills yourself and by creating situations in which your child can practice. For example, when you invite children over to play or get your child involved in extracurricular activities, you are helping him or her build social skills.
Carefully arrange a supervised, time-limited date for your child to spend with other children to practice newly learned social skills. Many children with ADHD may be unable to spend hours playing with another child. It's too much time to negotiate the complicated interactions of play. Instead, set up a play date that is limited in length. Make sure the date ends on a positive note whenever possible. Children tend to remember more vividly the last fifteen minutes of an interaction.
Choose play activities that are intrinsically simple and enticing. Keep activities easy in terms of attention span and stimulation. Ask a friend to a highly attractive event like ice skating or a trip to the movies. These occasions minimize the need for intense social interaction, and thus increase the likelihood of social success for your child with ADHD.
Involve your child's teachers and guidance counselors in helping to reinforce social goals. For example, Brendan's teacher could use check-off sheets to give his parents daily feedback on his progress on his goal of decreasing his interruptions in class. This encourages accountability and consistency for Brendan.
Videotape or audiotape your child at home. Sometimes children affected by ADHD have trouble seeing themselves through others' eyes. Review these tapes with your child to increase self-observation and awareness.
Some children do need more individualized attention. If you are frustrated with your child's progress, there are other options you can pursue. First, consult with your school's guidance counselor. Many schools conduct social skills group to help children develop positive social behaviors. Although these groups are generally time-limited (meeting for less than eight weeks) and brief (usually a half hour long), they can be effective in reinforcing the skills you are teaching your child at home. In addition, a school group can work nicely in combination with an outside therapy group.
Social skills training programs like Stepping Stones are an important treatment option for the ADHD child. The experienced group leader uses group structure and dynamics to reinforce agreed-upon goals. The group becomes a microcosm for the social arena at school or in the neighborhood. Group members act as mentors for each other. They practice skills together through role play, give each other positive feedback and constructive criticism, and gain strength from knowing that they are not alone with their social struggles.
Before you enroll your child in a social skills program, research it thoroughly. Find out the experience level of the people leading the groups. Make sure the program is more than a few months long to ensure skills are learned. Choose one that includes parents so that you and your child can practice skills together in between sessions.
With concerted effort and diligent practice, children with ADHD can learn social skills and raise their social IQs. When children have good social skills, they get along better with their peers, develop positive self-esteem, and are more likely to experience both social and professional success as adults.
Attention magazine is a CHADD publication offering information and support for children and adults with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.


The third installment of our "Surrey Start-up Stories" features We Are Millennials (WAM), the platform dedicated to promoting millennial talent.
My business is a platform to promote and share millennial talent. We choose a new millennial each week to promote as well as constantly supporting them through advertising on our social media and website.
The Summer of 2015 whilst I was interning at Mass Challenge UK. MC is a business accelerator and on their cohort in the UK they had 90 different start ups working in the building in Shadwell. Being in this environment just made it evident that this is something I wanted to do and a running theme that I felt they all wanted to tap into were millennials and I felt that I had some insight or at least knew a good few amount of millennials too.
I received mentoring from Travis Lee Scott (external).
For the future we aim to establish a presence on YouTube and use this to help us trend. Beyond that we want to establish ourselves as the gateway to uncovered millennial talent and help integrate brands and resources with the correct millennials.
What has been the best/worst part of starting/running a business?
The best part is being able to see a vision you had in your head come to life and constantly been tapped into daily. The worst is when the business demands have no leniency on your personal life, e.g. exam period, so sometimes it is a stress to multi task.
Do you have any words of wisdom for budding entrepreneurs?
See it as an obstacle course, as things which can go wrong do often go wrong but everything can be overcome.


There are times when talking and working with a real person can provide a lot of relief. I'm here to help you succeed.
Schedule an appointment by phone or Skype to go over your questions together. We can discuss any topic and utilize screen-sharing so that it's almost like we are sitting in the same room.
Get hands-on help throughout the development of your website project. You handle whatever you're comfortable with, and I will take care of the rest. Never underestimate the power of teamwork.
If you can't find time to design the website yourself, then I can do it for you and hand the files back to you for ongoing maintenance — unless you'd like me to do that, too.
Optimize your website to give it the best opportunity to rank well in online searches. I implement SEO strategies that create real, measurable results, often in a short amount of time.
Have your website reviewed and proof-read before you publish. I will check every detail and page setting to make sure you haven't missed anything important before the website goes live.
Have your RapidWeaver theme modified to look the way you want. I can customize a theme's HTML, CSS, images and Page Inspector Styles to accomplish all kinds of needs.
I enjoy this method of consulting because live interaction facilitates learning and the exchange of ideas. If you want to get things done and learn while you do them, then you might be interested in this consulting service. By utilizing screen-sharing, I can see what you are working on, or you can even watch me do some work with your project. Either way, the experience is almost as good as sitting down next to one another to work on your project.
1-on-1 Consulting is available by appointment at $85/hour, and a typical session lasts 1-2 hours, though it can vary based on your needs. I utilize Skype or the free Join.me service for screen-sharing. If you are not a Skype user, then a phone call and screen-sharing via Join.me works great. In that case, you will want to visit Join.me in advance to download the free application that will be used during our consultation.
This service is catered to those who want to temporarily (or even permanently) hand-off their project to move the progress forward. I am happy to assist with your project as much or as little as you may need. I can complete a project from start to finish, or come along at any point in-between. The project can be handed back over to you after my work is done, or I can hold on to it and assist with long-term maintenance as well.
The primary difference between this service and the One-on-One service is that I do this work remotely, apart from a scheduled consulting call, though a combination of both services is common. All manners of work is available under this service, from complete website development, to theme modification, project review and any other type of development work. With the exception of advanced SEO services, all work is billed at a rate of $85/hour, though a more advanced level of support is available at discounted rates.
Projects and associated files are typically shared via Dropbox. This makes it easy to exchange files back and forth without having to dig through email and worry about large attachments not going through. If you don't already use Dropbox then you might benefit from my Dropbox Guide.
When are you available for one-on-one consulting appointments?
Weekdays between 11am-5pm Central typically work best for me. I do not schedule calls during weekends, but I can be flexible with times during the week if necessary.
Where are you located and what time zone?
I am in Texas which is in the Central time zone. That's 1 hour behind Eastern, and 2 ahead of Pacific. I work with many clients overseas as well, and a time difference of 6-8 hours is typical.
Can I schedule weekly consulting sessions?
Yes, I have clients who I meet with as often as 3 times per week. There is really no limit to the length or frequency of consulting appointments.
For one-on-one consulting appointments, I bill following the appointment by sending a PDF invoice by email, with a link to a page on this website where payment can be submitted via PayPal or credit card.
Typical project management services are also billed following completion of the work. For larger projects that are quoted, I require a 50% deposit in advance, with the remaining balance due upon completion and delivery of the project.
Nearly all of my services fall under the rate of $85/hour. The one exception is my advanced SEO service, which is billed at a rate of $125/hour.
A discounted hourly rate is offered with a Priority Support account.
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Home/Sports/Vincius Jnior reveals who Ronaldo considers the best coach he had
Vincius Jnior reveals who Ronaldo considers the best coach he had
Admin December 8, 2022 Sports Leave a comment 5 Views
photo: Nelson Almeida/AFP; Ramon Lisboa/EM/DA Press
Vincius Jnior, striker for the Brazilian national team, and Ronaldo, former striker for Brazil
Striker Vincius Jnior spoke very fondly of coach Carlo Ancelotti, who manages him at Real Madrid. Between one compliment and another, he revealed that former player Ronaldo, majority partner of SAF do Cruzeiro, considers the Italian as the best coach he had throughout his victorious career.
"I always meet Ronaldo, who always says that Ancelotti was his best coach. I believe that not only for the technical and tactical part, but also for the part of knowing how to live with the athlete and knowing how to deal with great players. I believe that he knows how to do this very well. I want to send him a big hug (Ancelotti). He always sends me many messages and I am happy for his affection", said Vini, this Wednesday (7).
Ronaldo worked with Ancelotti towards the end of his career, at Milan, between 2007 and 2008. The former striker suffered from repeated injuries, but had good numbers when he managed to enter the field. There were nine goals scored in 20 matches (16 as a starter). Afterwards, he went to Corinthians, the club for which he retired from the lawns.
In 2020, Carlo Ancelotti made reference to Ronaldo to defend James Rodrguez. The Italian coached Everton, from England, and said that the Colombian midfielder, criticized for his physical form, reminded him of the former number 9 of the Brazilian national team in his Milan days.
"When he arrived (at Milan), he weighed 100kg. Before the first game, I told him: 'You know I can't play you. You have to lose weight'. He replied: 'What do you Do you want me to do it on the field? Goal or run? If you're going to run, put me on the bench. If you're going to score, put me to play'. I put him to play. He didn't run, but he scored two goals. With James, the same thing".
Vini Gratitude
More than 15 years have passed, and Ancelotti is now loved by a new star in the Brazilian national team. Highlight of Brazil in the campaign in search of the sixth championship in the World Cup in Qatar, Vini Jnior was full of praise for the Italian.
"He always gave me the confidence I needed, he gave me the spur I needed at the right times, when I needed it. As if he were a father to me, he always gives me the necessary affection and gives me responsibility too. He does everything not just for me. me, but for all the young people and all the players he worked with," he said.
Together, Vini and Ancelotti won the Spanish Championship, the Champions League, the European Super Cup and the Spanish Super Cup.
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Fidley Watch: To Protect and Serve
Earlier this year Alaska State Representative Sharon Cissna, after submitting to the full body scan at Seattle's SeaTac airport, declined a subsequent pat-down by Transportation Safety Administration officials. The lawmaker's chief of staff says the Alaska legislator, who had been in Seattle for medical treatment, was ordered to submit to a "very intrusive pat-down or leave the airport."
The legislator chose the latter, eventually making her way home via rented car, small plane and, ultimately, a ferry from Prince Rupert, BC.
In a general statement, a TSA representative said the TSA is "sensitive to the concerns of passengers who were not satisfied with their screening experience and we invite those individuals to provide feedback to TSA."
We sympathize with Representative Cissna, but an "intrusive pat-down" seems like a walk in the park compared to the way Customs and Border Protection treats cruise passengers at the Port of Los Angeles.
On May 26th, the P&O Cruises Arcadia arrived at Los Angeles from Vancouver, BC on the 10th leg of a "five-star cruise" around America. The £10,000 (US$16,000), two-and-a-half month "Alaska Adventure" tour from the Arctic to the Caribbean had called at nine previous US ports, including San Francisco and Seattle, and the mostly elderly British passengers had already completed Electronic System for Travel Authorization forms, a standard visa waiver program for travel in the United States that's designed to facilitate multiple-entry trips.
Nevertheless, all 2,000 passengers were made to go through full security checks in a process which took seven hours to complete and included fingerprinting of both hands, retina scans and a detailed check of the passports as well as questioning as to their background.
The US Coast Guard reported no known security threats at the Port of Los Angeles for the period, and confirmed that the MARSEC level remained at 1. Passengers claim that the extra checks were carried out in "revenge" for what had been a minor spat over allegedly overzealous security, and have complained they were "herded like animals" and made to stand for hours in temperatures up to 80F with no food or water or access to lavatories.
Some are said to have passed out in the heat while others were left confused and bewildered.
"A couple of people struggled to control their bladders and someone said they'd suffered a prolapsed disc," said one passenger, who likened the experience to that of potential inmates arriving at Guantanamo Bay.
When reached for comment, Customs and Border Protection responded with their prepared statement, stating that the problem was caused by several factors.
The approximately 2,000 passengers were foreign nationals.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers are required to collect biometric data such as fingerprints and photographs for admission into the United States.
CBP experienced a "nationwide system slowdown" which greatly increased processing times.
The exit of the cruise ship passengers overwhelmed the CBP processing area.
Customs and Border Protection has nonetheless "instituted significant corrective actions and will [be] meeting with cruise line executives to ensure similar processing delays do not occur in the future."
The Port of Los Angeles is bleeding cruise revenue as travelers shy away from Mexican cruises because of continuing violence in that country. Meanwhile, more than 1,000 illegal immigrants cross the country's southern border every day, most of those into California.
Next time a group of well-off elderly Britons wants to visit Los Angeles, it might be safer to sneak in from Tijuana.
Chris Philips, Managing Editor
DGX Expanding Guam Facility
Dependable Global Express, Inc., which operates under the DGX banner, has announced that it is expanding its Guam facility to meet the growing demands on the island's logistics facilities due to the transfer of US military forces from Okinawa to Guam.
Set for completion in October, the project will expand the size of the DGX terminal by 65 percent, adding an additional 10,000 square feet of warehouse, office and trucking space.
The project will also see the construction of a freestanding, fully equipped mechanic's shop at the facility.
According to DGX, the multi-million dollar expansion program will allow the Rancho Dominguez, California-based freight forwarder to provide customers with an even greater range of services for their ocean and air shipments.
The Guam expansion project is being supervised by the Honolulu-based construction management company of Ventures West, Inc. Actual construction is being handled by the Isagani B. Baluyut Construction Company based in Guam's capital city of Agana.
"The Pentagon's decision to transfer 8,000 Marines and their dependents from Okinawa to Guam was the catalyst in our decision to enlarge our facility," DGX' Guam General Manager Paje Butler said.
"This substantial move by Marine Corps personnel will require massive logistics support. With our expansion program geared to meet the growing needs of the military here on Guam, DGX intends to play an important role in this effort," Butler said.
Butler added that anticipated cargo growth will not be confined simply to the military buildup.
"The entire economy of Guam is expected to show a meaningful increase. Civilian companies on the island will be revving up their operations to participate in this increased economic activity. They will require dependable delivery of goods to sustain their growth," Butler said.
One of the focal points of the Guam expansion program, according to DGX, is the freight forwarder's growing trucking operation on the island. Under the expansion project, the existing six truck bays at the DGX Guam facility will be doubled to twelve to take on new business with local trucking.
Enhancing this increased service will be increased service reliability due to the construction of the on-site mechanics shop, Butler said.
"With these additions, DGX can accept a higher volume of freight and offer more storage space for our customers," he said.
Dependable Global Express (DGX) is part of the "offshore" companies of the Dependable Company of Transportation Services, which also includes Dependable Hawaiian Express (DHX) and Dependable AirCargo Express (DAX).
DHX is the largest freight forwarder serving the Hawaiian Islands and also services Guam. DAX is an air freight forwarder serving both domestic and international shippers.
The "onshore" operating group of the Dependable Companies includes Dependable Highway Express (DHE), Dependable Distribution Centers (DDC) and Dependable Logistics Solutions (DLS).
DHX, DGX and DAX are based in Rancho Dominguez, Calif., while DHE, DDC and DLS are headquartered in Los Angeles.
CMA CGM Increases Investment In 'Eco-Containers'
French ocean carrier CMA CGM has boosted its pool of so-called 'eco-containers' to nearly 140,000 with the recent acquisition of another 18,000 new units.
These 'eco-containers' are produced using various techniques that work toward the goal of a minimized ecological footprint during both manufacturing and operations.
For many years, CMA CGM has been studying and implementing numerous innovative solutions to improve the eco-performance of a container.
A major focus of 'eco-container' manufacturing is the replacement of traditional container wood flooring – which has been linked to deforestation in parts of the world – with more sustainable wood products such as bamboo. CMA CGM has been offering containers with bamboo floors to its customers since 2005.
"The CMA CGM Group is still leading the way in the development of 'eco-containers.' We were the first to develop bamboo floors and are constantly on the look out for new technologies," CMA CGM's Senior Vice-President Container Logistics and Environmental Committee member Alexis Michel said.
"The Group's primary aim is to reduce the footprint of its activity on the environment while offering customers solutions that are adapted to their needs."
The flooring efforts, a result of a collaboration between CMA CGM and one of its main customers, meet two objectives: to limit the use of wood from primary forest and to improve the technical qualities of the containers. Today, more than 10 percent of the carrier's box fleet is equipped with bamboo flooring. In addition, CMA CGM is currently evaluating new synthetic resin flooring.
The carrier has also invested in a series of containers made from a high tensile steel with reduced weight. CMA CGM owns 4,500 of these Light Steel containers, which saves more than 1,200 pounds on a high-cube's tare weight without compromising its structural qualities. These require less fuel to transport and handle, thus cutting overall emissions.
Another investment has been in the high-efficiency reefers. CMA CGM has invested in 3,500 reefer containers fitted with low energy-use motors, which reduce electricity and fuel consumption by 300 percent. The carrier has also equipped 15,000 standard reefers, 20 percent of its entire reefer fleet, with software to optimize energy consumption.
The carrier also recently began testing a new water-based paint for on some 3,000 containers that will cut VOC (volatile organic compound) emissions during production by over 90 percent.
Labels: CMA CGM
Long Beach City Hall Formally Requests $17M Transfer of Port Funds
The Long Beach City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to formally request a nearly $17 million transfer of Port of Long Beach port revenue to support the city's Tidelands Fund.
The request, if approved by the port Board of Harbor Commissioners, would bring the total amount City Hall will receive from the port between November, 2010, and the end of fiscal year 2012 to more than $80 million – $41 million in direct port revenue transfers and $40 million in oil revenues generated from port oil wells.
A controversial ballot measure approved by voters in November, 2010 – Measure D – changed the formula for how the city's annual request for port revenue was calculated and also channeled all port oil revenue to City Hall.
These transferred and oil funds are controlled by City Hall but must be spent in the city tidelands areas on specific and well-defined maritime, maritime-related and maritime recreation uses. The transfer funds are maintained in a City Hall-controlled Tidelands Operating Fund (TOF) and the port oil revenues go into the city's Tidelands Oil Revenue Fund (TORF). Both funds, by law, cannot be co-mingled with the city's general revenue funds. A provision in the city charter, however, allows City Hall to move oil monies from the TORF into the TOF.
The Tidelands transfer of port revenue – set at the time as 10 percent of the port's net profits from the previous year – was devised as an emergency measure more than 15 years ago to help the financially strapped city. The city has requested the transfer, which has ranged from the low single-digit millions of dollars to more than $12 million, every year since and the port has never refused.
Under the new formula, the transfer is calculated as 5 percent of the port's gross operating revenue.
Last week, the port's five-member governing board approved an $822 million FY2012 budget. Under the gun to approve a budget by a July 3 deadline and with no formal request from City Hall for the annual transfer, the port board passed the port budget without including a line item to cover a potential Tidelands transfer.
Port officials at the time said they assumed, since no formal request for the transfer had been made, the influx of oil revenues to the TORF, and vis-a-vis the TOF, were sufficient for FY2012.
In a June 20 port board meeting agenda item bringing the FY2012 budget to a final commission vote, port staff said as much: "We have assumed that the city will continue to direct the port's oil revenue to the Tidelands Operating Fund and as a result the Tidelands Operating Fund will not need a Tidelands transfer."
This elicited angry communications from City Hall to the port, with Mayor Bob Foster later telling the local Grunion Gazette newspaper that it was not up to the port to determine if the city needed the transfer funds and that the only reason in the city charter for the port to not make the transfer is if the transfer would represent an economic burden to the port.
On July 7, port Executive Director Richard Steinke told the City Council's Budget Oversight Committee, that, "based on the action taken by the Council, we will be taking this [request for the transfer] to our board and I am sure that they will carefully consider the request by the City Council."
At the same hearing City Council and Budget Oversight Committee members Gary DeLong and Suja Lowenthal were told by city staff that major sources of revenue for the Tidelands Operating Fund "are insufficient to fully support the tidelands operations," and that, "without that transfer we would anticipate about a $12.1 million deficit [in the TOF].
DeLong and Lowenthal also were told that due to fiscal problems within the city, capital investment in the city's tidelands area has been minimal for many years. The city currently estimates that there is more than $300 million in backlogged maintenance and capital improvement projects in the city tidelands area.
Labels: Port of Long Beach
Hanjin Raises $150M In Bond Sale
South Korea-based shipping and logistics giant Hanjin Shipping on Wednesday raised $150 million from a sale of five-year convertible bonds, as the firm eyes expanding its fleet of more than 200 vessels and the acquisition of additional terminals worldwide.
Hanjin officials said the firm is moving to position itself as a global logistics leader. The firm has also been expanding its third-party logistics and ship repair yard business as part of its business diversification efforts. Hanjin Shipping currently operates out of four regional headquarters (Paramus, NJ; Seoul, S. Korea; Hamburg, Germany; and, Singapore), 200 overseas branch offices, and 30 local corporations.
The US dollar-denominated bonds carry a coupon and yield of 4 percent.
The conversion price was set at $27.85, which represents a 20 percent premium over the stock's closing price of $23.21 on July 6. The conversion premium was marketed in a range between 20 percent and 25 percent.
The transaction was launched with a base issue size of $150 million and an upsize option of $50 million, which can be exercised within the first 30 trading days.
The five-year offering will mature in 2016, but investors have the option to put the bonds back to the issuer on the third year. There is an issuer call after three years subject to 130 percent trigger. J.P. Morgan was the sole book-runner of the deal.
Hanjin announced in June that the firm planned to place an $845.9 million order for five new 13,000 TEU vessels, that will most likely end up in the Asia-Europe trade.
Labels: Hanjin Shipping
SoCal Ports Close Class 7 Truck Loophole
New drayage regulations aimed at countering scofflaws skirting clean truck rules in the two Southern California ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles took effect July 1, effectively banning about 500 older Class 7 trucks from servicing the two ports.
In January, the five-member Long Beach port commission approved closing a loophole in the port's clean truck program – a set of several regulatory bans which by the end of this year will all but eliminate pre-2007 model year trucks from servicing the port – that was being exploited by a growing number of drivers using Class 7 trucks. The original clean truck program only set model year regulations on Class 8 trucks – mainly because there were only a handful of the smaller Class 7 rigs in the port at the time and these smaller trucks cannot legally handle the weight of a fully loaded container.
However, the number of old Class 7 trucks calling at the port – some estimated to cost less than $5,000 each compared to a new compliant $120,000 Class 8 rig – exploded in the latter part of 2010. Estimates in early 2011 suggested that as many as 550 Class 7 trucks, representing 2 to 3 percent of all truck moves at both ports, were working in the Long Beach and neighboring Los Angeles ports' collective drayage fleet.
"Although the Class 7 rigs did not represent a big percentage of the drayage truck fleet there was still a matter of fairness to the trucking industry partners who got on board early and invested millions to buy cleaner, less polluting trucks," Long Beach Port Executive Director Richard Steinke said.
Officials from the Port of Los Angeles, who approved similar restrictions on Class 7 trucks in late December, 2010, estimated that the average age of a Class 7 truck recently brought into port service is about 12 years old, or roughly the average age of a Class 8 truck in the port fleet prior to the implementation of the two ports' individual clean truck programs in October 2008.
The two ports' new regulations close the loophole by applying the truck program model year restrictions to Class 7 trucks as well. Owners of Class 7 rigs had until July 1, 2011 to either upgrade their engines to meet 2007 model year standards or purchase new compliant vehicles.
In January, some trucking firms testified to the port board that while the firms wanted to remain compliant with the truck program rules, they were forced to begin using some of the smaller trucks simply to compete with those that had first brought in the Class 7 rigs.
Labels: Port of Long Beach, Port of Los Angeles, port trucking
Record Scrap Metal Exports Recorded at Port of Redwood City
Port of Redwood City Executive Director Mike Giari announced last week that cargo tonnage for the fiscal year 2010-2011 at the Port of Redwood City was 871,940 metric tons, up 3.5 percent over the prior year, due to record exports of scrap metal.
Sims Metals exported nearly 445,000 metric tons from July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011, mostly to the Far East. Giari credited Sims' record to strong demand abroad for scrap metal, the company's expanded staging area at the Port, and the fact that scrap now arrives by both truck and rail. This broadens the area from which the company can receive scrap metal from many sources, including old vehicles.
Sims Metal ahs been operating at the Port of Redwood City for 35 years, and the company's recycling facility is one of the largest exporters of recycled materials in the Bay Area. Over the past four years the company has invested $14 million in its Redwood City operation by improving "downstream" recovery of non-ferrous metals, adding concrete paving, and installing advanced storm water controls, and modern processing equipment. The new equipment allows the Port facility to increase efficiency and capture additional metals that were not possible just a few years ago – particularly in the area of separation of non-ferrous metals such as copper and aluminum.
The Sims facility employs 60 workers who shred, shear, screen, sort, bale and ship metallic materials of all kinds, to serve as raw material for the production of steel and other recycled materials. State-of-the-art equipment shreds and separates hundreds of tons of steel per day.
"The Redwood City facility isn't your grandfather's recycling facility or just some junk yard," says Steve Shinn, west regional president for Sims. "This is an advanced facility with multi-million dollar technology. Gone are the days of just crushing cars into blocks and shipping them to steel mills. Today, Sims is utilizing magnets, eddy currents, and optical sorting to reduce the need for landfilling as much as we can."
The Port in Fiscal Year 2011 that ended June 30 also imported 49,628 metric tons of bauxite, a 19 percent increase; 31,755 tons of domestic sand, up 2 percent; 160,378 tons of building material aggregates, down 7 percent; and 185,566 tons of imported sand, down 7 percent. Thirty-six vessels called on the Port during the FY 2011.
-PMM Staff
Labels: exports, Port of Redwood City, scrap metal
Crowley Expands with Acquisition of Puerto Rico Freight Systems
Crowley Maritime Corporation has announced the acquisition of the business and assets of Puerto Rico Freight Systems (PRFS), a Guaynabo, Puerto Rico-based logistics company specializing in freight consolidation and less than container load (LCL) transportation throughout the Caribbean.
The PRFS business will become a part of Crowley Caribbean Logistics LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Crowley, and will continue to operate from its existing headquarters under the leadership of Ayesha Diaz, director of Crowley's Caribbean logistics group, who reports to Carlos Rice, Crowley's vice president of logistics operations. Michael Padilla, owner of PRFS, will remain in a consulting role.
"Adding the business and assets of Puerto Rico Freight Systems to the Crowley family strengthens our position as a total shipping and logistics provider on the island and in the Caribbean," says Tom Crowley Jr., chairman, president and CEO of Crowley. "The acquisition will allow us to offer customers more complete solutions targeted to their needs."
PRFS, which has 46 employees, including office personnel and warehouse workers, coordinates shipments from Europe, Central and South America, Asia and the United States to Puerto Rico, and more than 19 destinations throughout the Caribbean Basin. The company provides pick-up service throughout Puerto Rico for LCL and full container load (FCL) shipments and one-carrier responsibility for all Caribbean destinations.
Other PRFS services include risk insurance, documentation, bills of lading to the Caribbean from international origins, hazardous material (HAZMAT) handling and shipping, US Customs bonded cartman's licensing, container freight station services, and more. The company also operates a protected US Customs bonded container station warehouse comprised of 51,000 square feet in the San Juan Free Trade Zone, which gives the company the versatility of a domestic freight station within the security of a free trade zone. The facility is specially designed to handle oversized cargo and employees use a triple-check system to ensure shipment accuracy. All of these services will be continued under the Crowley Caribbean Logistics name.
"This strategic acquisition [of Puerto Rico Freight Systems] helps to solidify Crowley as a market leader in the region, a benefit that will translate into better solutions for customers," said Steve Collar, senior vice president and general manager of Crowley's logistics group.
The PRFS acquisition is the latest in a series by Crowley designed to provide customers with more transportation and logistics options.
In September 2010, Crowley acquired Islandwide Air and Ocean to offer customers ocean and air transportation, trucking, transportation management and warehouse services in Puerto Rico. With the addition of Islandwide, Crowley is able to offer less-than-container-load (LCL) freight transportation from the US mainland to Puerto Rico from the company's Miami and Jacksonville warehouses, as well as from a new consolidation center in the Northeast. In January of this year, Crowley acquired Jarvis Freight International, Inc., a Houston-based freight forwarding, export packing and logistics company primarily serving the energy, oilfield and mining industries. The addition expanded Crowley's logistics services to new industries and geographic areas.
Labels: Crowley, logistics, Puerto Rico Freight Systems
Long Beach City Hall Formally Requests $17M Transf...
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Crowley Expands with Acquisition of Puerto Rico Fr...


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Roger Bacon alumnus starts #RBrising effort to restore field after flood
More than $400,000 needed to restore football/soccer field
Updated: 7:31 AM EDT Sep 2, 2016
The weekend flooding didn't just destroy homes, it also washed out the home of the Roger Bacon football and soccer teams.But a Roger Bacon and WLWT alumnus, Brad Evans, has inspired a new campaign to make the field usable again.Evans wrote a letter to the school and called out to other alumni, asking them to help raise the $400,000 needed to restore the field in time to play the last scheduled home football game, Senior Night, on Friday, Oct. 21. The school also rescheduled our annual Homecoming festivities and parade for the same evening.Steve Schad, principal of Roger Bacon High School, said, "It is truly overwhelming and heartwarming what Brad and our alumni are doing for the school and our current students. We are a family, and in challenging times, family members take care of each other. That is exactly what Brad is doing, and we sincerely appreciate his efforts and all the contributions."A copy of the article posted on Roger Bacon's website, and more information on how you can help can be found at http://www.rogerbacon.org/news/rbrising.
SAINT BERNARD, Ohio —
The weekend flooding didn't just destroy homes, it also washed out the home of the Roger Bacon football and soccer teams.
But a Roger Bacon and WLWT alumnus, Brad Evans, has inspired a new campaign to make the field usable again.
Flooded field leaves Roger Bacon High School with no place to play
Evans wrote a letter to the school and called out to other alumni, asking them to help raise the $400,000 needed to restore the field in time to play the last scheduled home football game, Senior Night, on Friday, Oct. 21. The school also rescheduled our annual Homecoming festivities and parade for the same evening.
Steve Schad, principal of Roger Bacon High School, said, "It is truly overwhelming and heartwarming what Brad and our alumni are doing for the school and our current students. We are a family, and in challenging times, family members take care of each other. That is exactly what Brad is doing, and we sincerely appreciate his efforts and all the contributions."
A copy of the article posted on Roger Bacon's website, and more information on how you can help can be found at http://www.rogerbacon.org/news/rbrising.


Members of the Association of culture, education and humanitarian work "Progress Centar" from Travnik distributed gift packages to drivers of motor vehicles last night at the traffic light in front of the Sarajevo City Center.
They shared Ramadan packages to drivers as a symbol and a way of promotion of nobleness, unity and universal human values in the days of the month of Ramadan and in this time of great happiness and joy, with the support of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Canton Sarajevo.
"We came up with the idea to distribute these packages as gifts to drivers in order to draw their attention to slow down and follow the traffic regulations. We are witnessing that more than 5,000 people lost their lives on our roads in the last ten years, and we came up with the idea to draw the attention of drivers on this fact and offer them an appropriate package in these days of joy, i.e. days of Ramadan. This is not our first activity of this type. We have already realized the same activity in Central Bosna and Zenica-Doboj Canton, and we left Sarajevo for the end. We distributed more than 500 packages today," said Abdulkadir Indzic, the president of the Association.
The drivers were pleasantly surprised by this gesture of young volunteers and they gladly accepted this Ramadan gift. This association is a non-governmental organization that has many years of experience and they are working in the field of affirmation of cultural values, education, and humanitarian work.


Amazon announced the all-new Fire HD 10, now with a 10.1" widescreen 1080p Full HD display with over 2 million pixels. The new Fire HD 10 is 30% faster with 2x the RAM and an ultra-fast quad-core processor, plus 32GB internal storage and up to 10 hours of battery life for only $149.99. The Fire HD 10 also introduces Alexa hands-free for the first time on a Fire tablet. Users can ask Alexa to play or pause a video, find music, dim the lights, set a timer, show your calendar, and more, simply by using their voice. The all-new Fire HD 10 is available for pre-order starting today.
The ire HD 10 comes with 32GB or 64GB of storage, plus up to 256GB of additional storage via microSD card. Fire HD 10 also includes For You, a new personalized page on the tablet home screen that makes it easy for customers to quickly get back to reading, watching, playing or listening—and to quickly find what's next. For You learns what a customer loves to do on the tablet, and then presents personalized recommendations across a variety of entertainment categories like books, videos, songs, and apps to help customers get the most out of their tablet. Customers can also quickly access family photos from Prime Photos and see their local weather right from the For You home screen. The new For You page is also now available for customers on previous generation Fire tablets.
You can also use Alexa hands-free on the new Fire HD 10 to control a range of smart home devices from SmartThings, Insteon, ecobee, Wink, and more. Dim the lights or adjust the thermostat using just your voice. Also, for the first time on a Fire tablet, you can ask Alexa to show you what's on your smart home security camera with compatible devices from Nest, Ring, and Arlo—new feature coming soon. Alexa hands-free will be available on the all-new Fire HD 10 via a free, over-the-air software update. The update will begin rolling out to customers starting October 11.


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Gazette Chicago
Around the Neighborhood
CAPS Meetings
Incumbents challenged in Congressional races
By Peter Winslow
Voters will determine the fate of 3rd and 7th Congressional district candidates on Tuesday, March 17, casting ballots to decide who will represent the Democratic and Republican parties to become members of Congress in Washington, DC, for the next two-year term. The general election will be Tuesday, Nov. 3.
3rd District (D)
Rush Darwish.
Rush Darwish is a former a sports broadcaster of ten years and founded his own multimedia production company, Rush Productions. Darwish served as an executive on the board of the American Middle East Voters Alliance Political Action Committee (AMVOTE PAC) and the Arab-American Business Professional Association and is involved with the Palestine Children's Relief Fund.
Darwish wants the country to transition gradually from a private-public healthcare structure into a comprehensive Medicare-for-All system.
Promising to work for campaign finance reform, he believes overturning the Citizens United Supreme Court decision on campaign financing is a step in the right direction. "I will continue to refuse all money from PACs, special interests, and lobbyists in this race and if elected to Congress," he said. Darwish supports a hard-cap finance model in which the Federal Election Commission would determine funding limits for Federal races, thereby ensuring no candidate has an unfair advantage.
To stimulate job growth, Darwish has proposed creating an Economic Development Center to "centralize resources for small businesses, unions, and workers looking to find employment with a living wage," he said. The center would assist lower-class families by providing information and a network to work their way into the middle class.
He supports pre-apprenticeship programs at high schools to set young adults on a stable career trajectory. "We need to institute programs that improve students' readiness to go into the workforce," said Darwish.
He wants to address the nationwide shortage of school teachers with incentives for prospective teachers and by working to make tuition free for aspiring teachers "provided they pledge to work in public education at least five years out of teaching school."
Darwish does not support a free national college tuition system, however. "I would work with the Department of Education to help design a program that would make college affordable," said Darwish. "I would pay for this in a similar way as PELL grants, through appropriations." He agrees the Federal government should assist with outstanding student debt loans for low-income students and make loans for middle class students interest free.
From his time at AMVOTE PAC helping those from underserved communities register to vote, Darwish understands how inaccessible voting can be. He would institute a universal, automated voter registration system nationwide and wants to make Election Day a national holiday. "Voting should be easy, not difficult," he said.
Darwish would support legislation to overturn the Muslim ban and the Trump administration's executive order that permits separating immigrant families.
To contact Darwish, visit https://rush4congress.com/ or call (708) 576-8013.
Charles M. Hughes.
Charles M. Hughes describes himself as a middle-class man willing to work for and support his fellow 3rd District constituents and shared his slogan, "You can't lose with Hughes because I'm working for you."
A former City employee and current Nicor Gas operation mechanic, Hughes tried to run for alderman in the 23rd Ward in 2011 and 2019 but was knocked off the ballot both times. He belonged to the 23rd Ward Regular Democratic Organization and is a former precinct captain from former Congressman Bill Lipinski's time in office.
Hughes supports and would protect the ACA, but he believes individuals also need more affordable healthcare options. Hughes envisions an Illinois plan similar to Washington DC's Health Link, a private-public partnership fostering competition and transparency within the private health insurance market to allow individuals, families, and small businesses to compare prices and benefits when purchasing affordable health insurance. "Some people need public and private healthcare, and I want to give them a real choice," said Hughes.
He supports campaign finance reform to level the playing field for candidates. He intends to advocate for a dollar cap for candidate fundraising.
To promote job growth, Hughes would support legislation creating more apprentice and vocational trade programs and work collaboratively with local high schools, community colleges, and four-year universities, as "not everybody fits into the college system."
Hughes wants to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2021. Despite that date being less than a year away, he said the change would be "gradual" to accommodate businesses. Hughes said he fears that, if government implements an immediate wage increase, Chicago would lose many of its small businesses. "You can't snap your fingers with that type of stuff," he explained.
To increase public school funding, he proposes cutbacks to what he deems wasteful government spending: specifically, the wall on the Mexico border and President Trump's controversial detainment of immigrants and asylum seekers. Hughes notes Americans' ancestors all were immigrants at one point and finds it hypocritical to spend money separating immigrant children from their families while the nation has the ability to allocate funds to improve children's lives through educational opportunities.
While Hughes believes student debt is plaguing this generation's children, he said free college education is just "wishful thinking." He supports no interest loans—"a flat rate, no more, no less," he said.
To contact Hughes, visit www.facebook.com/CharlesMHughesforCongress/.
Daniel Lipinski.
Editor's note: Incumbent Dan Lipinski failed to respond to Gazette Chicago's multiple requests for comment.
He has represented Illinois's 3rd Congressional District since 2005. Lipinski serves on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. He is known as a social conservative.
According to his campaign website, Lipinski favors immigration policy reforms, having co-sponsored the BRIDGE Act, a bill to protect immigrant children from deportation and those who have qualified for DACA status. He also opposes President Trump's Muslim travel ban.
Lipinski has come under fire from pro-choice and female reproductive rights advocacy groups due to his decision to sign onto the Republicans' amicus brief filed in the case of June Medical Services v. Gee, which seeks to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that made abortion a constitutional right. He was one of the only Democrats among more than 200 members of Congress to sign onto this amicus brief.
According to NARAL Pro-Choice America, he has supported 54 measures to restrict or outlaw access to abortion, and he voted seven times to defund Planned Parenthood and deny women preventive care and cancer screenings.
Lipinski does not support a single payer Medicare-for-All system. Although originally voting against the Affordable Care Act, he claims he now believes it needs to be strengthened and more affordable, not repealed. He also claims he will advocate for lowering prescription drug costs, healthcare premiums, and hospital visits.
Lipinski said he supports the Clean Power Plan, an Obama-era policy to combat anthropogenic climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Lipinski currently serves as a member of the House Climate Solutions Caucus.
To contact Lipinski, visit https://lipinskiforcongress.com/ or call (773) 284-8566.
Marie Newman.
Marie Newman has worked in advertising, consulting, and nonprofit advocacy. Her nonprofit organization, Team Up to Stop Bullying, addresses bullying among school children. She came close to ousting incumbent Dan Lipinski in 2018, having lost by a mere 2,145 votes, or about two percent.
Newman believes the ACA has made life easier and brought medical insurance coverage to thousands of individuals in the district, and she intends to push for more with a Medicare-for-All system. "Adopting Medicare-for-All will remove costs like doctor visits, ambulance trips, blood tests, and completely covers vision, dental, and prescription drugs as well," said Newman. She believes a single-payer system is the only way to reduce costs, eliminate restrictive networks, and provide the most security for families.
She finds it critical to reform voter suppression tactics and to overturn Citizens United. "I also support H.R. 1 and its efforts to convert our campaign finance system into a small donor public financing system," said Newman. H.R. 1, otherwise known as the For the People Act of 2019, is a bill that expands voting registration and access, limits partisan gerrymandering and private donor money's influence, and addresses election ethics.
To advocate for middle class working families and combat unemployment, Newman would encourage establishing workforce and short-term certificate training at local community colleges to create employment opportunities within traditional trades and a robust tech industry.
Newman strongly disapproves of Federal Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos's education privatization model and will focus on empowering public schools. "I believe schools should be treated equally across all ZIP codes and that funding should be allocated by number of students both equally and universally," said Newman. "Every school should have a social worker, psychologist, and comprehensive music and art curriculums."
To combat national student loan debt, Newman said Congress needs to intervene. She supports cancelling debt of up to $50,000 for individuals with outstanding loans and incomes lower than $100,000. She also would work to develop a "sliding scale" for those with incomes between $100,000 and $250,000. She supports a higher education system in which tuition eventually becomes free at state colleges across the nation.
Newman supports raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, with increases specific to variations in cost of living.
If elected, Newman said she will work to rescind immediately the Trump administration's "xenophobic" and "destructive" immigration policies.
To contact Newman, visit www.marienewmanforcongress.com/ or call (708) 328-8326.
3rd District (R)
Mike Fricilone.
Mike Fricilone, of Homer Glen, IL, is on the Will County Board, having won election starting in 2012; he belongs to the board's Executive and Finance Committees. He also works as executive director at Midwest Office Interiors Inc., an office furniture dealership in Woodridge, IL.
Fricilone would not support a single-payer healthcare system. He said he would work on a bipartisan basis for healthcare reform and intends on being "a staunch advocate for those with preexisting conditions," he said.
He advocates tax relief for those in the middle class and with lower income levels. "This piece of reform is essential to keeping our neighborhoods affordable and for families to stretch every dollar they earn," he said.
Fricilone believes in increasing the minimum wage only if it were tied directly with inflation, as it would be fair to workers and employers. "The calls for an immediate $15 minimum wage that are going on right now would be damaging," he said.
He opposes the Federal government paying for college education. "I believe in a system of state grants to help low-income students as well as better use of our community colleges," he said.
Fricilone is a fan of President Trump's tax cuts and sweeping regulatory reforms; however, he sees a problem with losing state and local tax deductions. He also would "urge the president to be very careful" with adding tariffs in the future, he said.
A supporter of voter ID laws, he said if one needs identification to fly then "certainly to maintain the integrity of the election it is fair to ask for an ID to vote."
Fricilone believes that "at the local, state, and Federal levels we should keep the promises we make toward education." He supports local control of public schools but is wary of increasing public education funding because "for far too long in Washington we have increased spending on everything," he said.
He believes the U.S. should make concerted efforts to reduce dependency on foreign oil sources and be more open to approaches toward clean and renewable energy, he said.
To contact Fricilone, visit https://mikefricilone.com/.
Arthur Jones.
Perennial candidate Art Jones won the Republican nomination in 2018, even though he is a self-identifying Nazi and a Holocaust denier who promulgates anti-Semitic and racist rhetoric. He has called the Holocaust an extortion racket and prides himself on his white supremacist views.
Jones believes lawmakers should replace the ACA with a program called the Medical Catastrophic Fund, a tax-supported program that would require every taxpayer in the nation to contribute ten dollars from their annual tax returns. The money held within the fund would assist Americans with medical expenses—but only when their private health insurance policies ran out.
He believes any campaign, from the aldermanic to presidential levels, should be funded exclusively through taxpayer contributions. "Take off a few dollars that go into a Federal fund for the Federal Elections Commission, and every candidate, once he is certified on the ballot, would get the same amount of money for a primary election and general election," Jones said.
Jones supports detaining and separating immigrant families and would lock down the U.S. borders. He believes illegal immigrants are stealing many jobs of Americans and that the southern border wall must be completed.
He does not support increasing the minimum wage but sees an alternate route to reduce economic disparity through eliminating taxes for individuals working for minimum wage. He claims this program would support businesses that cannot afford to hike wages while limiting the potential of layoffs.
To stimulate job growth, Jones intends to cut the amount of jobs outsourced internationally by major trade industries such as manufacturing and textiles. He supports President Trump's international economic sanctions and import taxes.
Jones sympathizes with a generation of students who have pursued college degrees and "been suckered into taking these loans," he said. He supports Federally funded trade scholarships and vocation programs.
To contact Jones, visit https://artjonestherebel.com/.
Catherine O'Shea.
Catherine O'Shea of Oak Lawn is a real estate agent who owns O'Shea Realty LLC. She served six years on the board of the Worth Township Schools Treasurer's Office. She declined to respond to questions about her candidacy, saying her decision resulted from two negative experiences with reporters from other publications "twisting" her words.
According to her campaign's Facebook page, O'Shea favors unions, as they support families while promoting skilled labor, living wages, and health benefits. She would fight for affordable housing and address solutions for the homeless.
She has expressed support for President Trump and favors further efforts to secure the nation's borders.
To contact O'Shea, visit www.facebook.com/OShea-for-Congress-100374691472100/.
7th District (D)
Anthony Clark.
Anthony Clark is back for a second run for Congress, as in 2018 Congressman Danny K. Davis defeated him in the Democratic primary in the 7th District.
A high school teacher at Oak Park and River Forest High School, Clark is an Air Force veteran. He founded Suburban Unity Alliance (SUA), a not-for-profit organization that provides resources to immigrants, DACA applicants, and sex trafficking victims and runs other community outreach initiatives. SUA helped pass the Welcoming Village ordinance in Oak Park, which oversees inclusiveness initiatives and established Indigenous Peoples Day in place of Columbus Day in Oak Park.
Clark supports a comprehensive Medicare-for-All healthcare program. A Bernie Sanders supporter, he stands with the senator on many issues. Clark believes the ACA was a slight improvement in providing access to healthcare options but is determined to move past the program because he wants to do away with private insurance companies.
He would advocate to eliminate the Citizens United Supreme Court decision immediately. A conservative political advocacy group won this court decision, which supports private corporations and unions making virtually unlimited expenditures in connection with Federal elections.
"Money often eliminates the necessity for candidates to go into the communities, specifically those that are black, brown, and impoverished," said Clark. "Instead of seeing politicians making connections with the people, going door to door, they show their faces every once in a while and with the help of ads." Clark also points to the Democratic debates' fundraising threshold demands as an example of too much focus on money, saying, "We have to have a level playing field."
Clark continues to support the Green New Deal and said moving away from fossil fuels will lead to investments in job creation, housing, infrastructure, and job training.
He finds the current minimum wage "ridiculous" and believes it should be tied directly to inflation, as "we would have a better barometer and ability to maintain livable wages for individuals," he said, noting he also supports Federal job guarantees.
College tuition and higher education expenses should be covered by federally backed funds, Clark believes. He also supports liquidating all student debt. "I believe when you combine those interconnected solutions it will inevitably invest in greater job opportunities," he said.
Clark expressed concern about the Trump administration's efforts to defund access to public education and is "100% against privatization of our school systems," he said, noting he does not blame parents who strive to place their children in charter and magnet programs because they want the best opportunities for their children.
Privately owned prison systems and Federal veteran assistance programs need major reforms, Clark said. He also wants to cut military spending by about 75% and reduce influence from the military-industrial complex.
The Chicago Democratic Socialists of America endorsed Clark.
To contact Clark, visit www.voteanthonyclark.com/ or email fight@voteanthonyclark.com.
Kina Collins.
Austin resident Kina Collins worked as a national organizer for Physicians for a National Health Program, a non-profit organization of 20,000 physicians and medical students advocating for a comprehensive, universal healthcare system.
While active in that role, Collins encountered individuals who cut blood pressure pills in half and rationed insulin due to struggles with other bills and expenses. "My fundamental belief is that healthcare is a human right," she said, noting that she is in favor of single-payer Medicare for All. "We are the only industrialized, developed country in the world that does not have a universal healthcare system, and I think we must do better."
Coming from a union household, Collins has seen reductions in manufacturing jobs in the district. She will fight for the return of those manufacturing opportunities and plans to implement vocational trade programs. "We should be training our students on how to code, how to install solar panels, and create wind farms in urban communities like mine," said Collins. "Or, how to operate community farms or greenhouses, turning abandoned buildings into greenhouses and vacant lots into community gardens. All of those things are trades they can take globally, not just here domestically. I'm thinking of a more robust economy that is sustainable and long lasting."
Collins works on gun violence prevention and criminal justice reform and has served as a leader in Generation Progress, a national organization that encourages young adults to address and promote progressive solutions to social and political challenges.
After the Trump administration disbanded the White House Council on Women and Girls in 2017, Collins worked to establish a State-level council, co-authoring for the State Legislature a bill that received bi-partisan support and became law in August 2018.
Collins believes the Department of Education should provide free public college tuition and stands in alliance with Bernie Sanders's position on eliminating student debt.
She will advocate for a minimum wage increase and believes the government should adjust and scale it to the cost of living as well as to where individuals live. Fifteen dollars per hour "doesn't work for everybody," she said.
Collins finds Trump's executive order on immigration unconstitutional and immoral. She wants to work to protect immigrants and DACA applicants and get rid of the travel bans.
"In a district that is 85% Democrat and overwhelmingly working class and 70% people of color, we deserve a working class champion, and I definitely think our campaign offers that solution," she said. "I am an organizer, coalition builder, and I've legislated," and she said she is now "ready to go to Washington, DC."
To contact Collins, visit https://kinaforcongress.com/ or email contact@kinaforcongress.com.
Danny K. Davis.
Incumbent Danny K. Davis has represented the 7th Congressional District since first elected in 1996.
Short-term improvements can be made to the ACA, Davis believes, especially concerning healthcare costs, accessible coverage, and overall efficiency. He considers adopting H.R. 1384, the Medicare-for-All Act (which he co-sponsored) the panacea for any problems with the ACA.
Davis supports small donor pubic campaign financing and wants limitations on individual campaign donations. He also wants to end "treating corporations and other artificial entities as persons" and to prohibit "such entities from spending money to influence elections," he said.
He will continue promoting legislation backing the Green New Deal to combat unemployment and bolster job growth. "Globalization, technological change, monopolization, attacks on unions all have been a part of changing the economic climate," said Davis. "All of this has been accompanied by the accelerating crisis of climate change." Combating climate change will in turn establish millions of jobs; invest in public infrastructure, housing, and industry; and address economic inequality, Davis added.
Davis will advocate for a minimum wage increase to at least $15 an hour, along with a rise in overtime salary thresholds. "Adjusting the minimum wage, along with reasserting the right to organize and bargain collectively, is the bare minimum required of government to ensure economic justice," he said. Davis has co-sponsored legislation that supports increased wages for individuals with disabilities and eliminates sub-minimum wages for tipped workers.
The Trump administration has proposed privatization education "reforms" opposed by Davis, who will continue to champion expansion of Federal protection for public school programs, "especially in low-income communities through Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act," he said. Davis supports enforcing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, including LGBTQ students' rights. He continues to call for federal efforts to upgrade and replace deficient public school buildings in the district.
In response to the national student debt crisis, Davis supports using taxes on the rich to eliminate undergraduate tuition, increased spending on work-study programs, and strengthened Federal grant programs for low-income students. "Such a plan could be utilized to liquidate most or all of the outstanding student debt," he believes.
Davis has opposed voter suppression consistently, having co-sponsored H.R. 1, which would expand voter registration and access, make Election Day a Federal holiday, and limit removing names from voter rolls.
To contact Davis, visit https://davis.house.gov/ or call (773) 533-7520.
Kristine Schanbacher.
Kristine Schanbacher is a senior managing associate at the law firm Dentons US LLP, specializing in litigation and dispute resolution. She co-chairs the National Immigrant Justice Center Junior Leadership Board, sits on the Greater Chicago Food Depository board, and remains an active member of the Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs and the Streeterville Organization of Active Residents.
Concerning the Trump administration's defunding of public education, Schanbacher said, "The Federal government needs to increase Federal funding of education. Money that we receive through proper corporate taxation and save by reducing our wasteful military spending can be used toward education." She noted the United States is not in the top ten in the pre-K, K-12, or post-secondary programs' rankings. "We need to re-prioritize education and adequately invest in our children, teachers, and schools," Schanbacher said.
The U.S. needs to take a more active leadership role in combating climate change, she said, noting, "We must also address environmental racism, ensuring that minority communities do not continue to disproportionately bear the cost of our failed environmental policies." She intends to work to erect urban green spaces and farming initiatives and fight for movement towards a net zero carbon footprint.
Schanbacher supports constitutional amendments that reform campaign financing. She advocates eliminating the Citizens United decision and believes "too many members of Congress receive the majority, if not the super majority, of their campaign funds from special interest groups, instead of from people."
Law makers should add a public option to ACA, she said, because it would create an accessible alternative to private plans, expand coverage, and accommodate millions of uninsured Americas who do not qualify for Medicaid. She would fight to enact measures reducing prescription drug prices and managing life-saving medicine availability.
Schanbacher endorses an immediate increase in the minimum wage. "We need to create incentives for metropolitan areas that have a higher cost of living to create a minimum wage that is adequate to live with dignity," she explained.
She acknowledges the need for Federally funded public college education but wants to incorporate private institutions into the discussion. "This system would give Americans a free college option while maintaining their freedom of choice between public and private education," she said.
Schanbacher would fight for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, calling Federal funds imperative to reduce hunger and stimulate the economy.
To contact Schanbacher, visit http://votekristine.com/ or call (312) 632-0929.
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Chants of "Undocumented, unafraid!" continued for several minutes as the strikers greeted and hugged those in the crowd.
Undocumented youths from the Campaign for the American Dream arrived here just a few days ago, and are already changing things.


When's the last time you sat down and pondered what number of applications naturally dispatch at whatever point you fire up Windows 10 on your work area or PC? You presumably can't recall, since it's not by any stretch of the imagination a thing the vast majority do. Yet, you should, on the grounds that you needn't bother with a bundle of pointless applications gobbling up your framework's assets for reasons unknown. In the event that you have an under powered PC, you're just exacerbating things. What's more, at least, having a pack of foundation applications is going to make Windows 10 take more time to stack.
In the event that the application resembles a smaller than usual application that causes you dispatch a bigger application you don't utilize constantly (for example iTunes Helper or Spotify), it's likely protected to cripple it.
In the event that the application needs to dependably be running for you to pick up the most profit by it (Dropbox, Razer Synapse, and so forth.), at that point you should presumably give it a chance to dispatch at startup.
On the off chance that the application makes your life winipucu somewhat increasingly advantageous by stacking out of sight (Steam, Battle.net, and so on.), treat these on a case-by-case premise. Do you truly require foundation downloads for diversion refreshes, for instance, or would you say you are fine having an application download these updates just when you dispatch it?
In case you're uncertain—on the grounds that an application has an extremely peculiar name or you can't tell what it is or what it's doing—utilize your most loved web index to get more data about what it is, the thing that it does, and whether it's fundamental. Windows 10 makes this much simpler, as you can right-tap on any application in Task Manager and select "Inquiry on the web" to do only that.
For a little help, you can likewise introduce an application like Should I Remove It, which utilizes "the shrewdness of the group (and obviously our specialized specialists)" to enable you to make sense of what may be protected to dump and what you should need to keep.
To kick you off, here's a speedy breakdown of a portion of the different applications I've empowered and debilitated on my PC (and why).
Battle.net — Only on the grounds that I don't care for hanging tight for diversion refreshes before I can play. I could have this not stack on startup and miss nothing.
bzbui.exe — This sounds out of control, yet it's in reality just Backblaze, my dependably on reinforcement instrument. In the event that it didn't keep running at startup, I'd truly be trapped.
Dropbox — Same arrangement as Backblaze; on the off chance that it doesn't run, it's not synchronizing documents to and from the cloud, so should have it load up at whatever point my PC begins.
Everything without exception Adobe-related — I don't generally require any assistance propelling Acrobat, PhotoShop, or any related updates.
Everything without exception iTunes-related — Same arrangement—it's never an issue to simply stack iTunes when I need it, so why have some peculiar "aide" application running out of sight?
Spotify — Similar to iTunes, I can simply dispatch this when I need it.
Macrium Reflect — I cherish the application, however I rarely need to get to this plate imaging device, so there's no need it load when Windows begins up.


For CEOs and other senior-level executives, being relevant on social media is hard. There can be ample risk – real or perceived – that keeps these busy professionals from adopting best practices and providing real value to their audiences across social media channels. The result sometimes is a watered-down approach that fails to engage or inspire an audience much like a traditional publisher would.
We know that getting it right on social media can have profound impacts, many of which have been well documented (here,here and here). Outcomes can include positive changes to one's reputation and trust, not to mention the ability to influence others to adopt a brand's purpose or get behind keystone initiatives.
They are personal. These leaders are sharing interesting articles, selfies, and shout outs to reporters, peers and celebrities. And they intuitively know to balance these with internal or company announcements. Because thought leaders are a part of their businesses; they're not interchangeable.
They have an editorial calendar. Did you know that LinkedIn has its own editorial calendar, its own selection of monthly themes? When LinkedIn Pulse bloggers write along these themes and use the relevant hashtags, the content is easier to find, and more widely read.
They post consistently. We actually scored each profile according to how consistently the author was posting – it could be every two days or every eight weeks, so long as it was consistent. We found a positive correlation between consistency and the number of followers. Translation? Plan posts in advance.
To read the full article, visit CommPro.


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Interview was conducted orally… I was attempting to type Lauren's responses in real time, so if she wasn't quoted correctly, you can blame me… and I had had several drinks at that point. But really, it was an admirable effort on my part.
1. Hello Lauren, how are you today?
LPG: I'm doing pretty well. I burnt my tongue on some soup earlier, but otherwise no complaints.
2. So… you've been pregnant for about six months. How do you feel physically?
LPG: I feel pretty good! Getting more tired now, and I've had some bad sciatica, but it's been thankfully pretty boring so far, and that's a good thing.
3. And how does it feel to know that in less than three months, you will be someone's mother?
LPG: It's kind crazy… but very cool!
4. What sorts of things do you feel need to be done before Tiny Baby arrives?
LPG: Well, there's a lot left to be done as far as the house. Need to do home improvement projects. Lord knows we won't have time to take care of those things once we're parents of a human baby, not just a beagle. Lots left to prepare–need to find a pediatrician, need to do lots left in terms of the act of having and raising a child.
5. Any preference on boy or girl whatsoever? Is there a pro or con to either? And what do you think it might be?
LPG: Well, I don't have a preference of boy or girl, no. Whatever variety comes out, they'll be wearing Vikings or Twins gear, and if you have your way I suppose they'll be wearing Chargers gear once in a while too. But, no matter what I'll be very happy if the baby comes out happy and healthy.
6. Are there any names you have in mind, or is it going to be one of those situations where you have to see the baby first?
LPG: Of course I have names in mind. Nothing I'm ready to share with the blog audience. But I don't think we'll pick a name for certain until we see the baby.
7. Do you think it will be tricky to raise a child with no family within 1000 miles?
LPG: …uh, of course? Kinda a silly question.
8. What do you miss most about living in Minnesota?
LPG: Oh being close to family, certainly. Being just a few short hours from the Glanzer Klan. It's not very often we get to see either side of our family. Occasionally I miss snow… very fleetingly. Remembering how we had to dig out of snowbanks, and how we had to start the car ten minutes before we left for anywhere, and scraping ice off the windshield… those things I don't miss so much. But it sure can be pretty. And I do miss just being able to hop on a bus, or just make a late afternoon decision to head to a Twins game and go! Of course, if we had a dog in Minnesota it would have been much different too.
9. How is work at Whole Foods going?
LPG: It's going pretty well! Just getting the hang of the new job, and now doing a lot to train someone else on how to do it for a while before we have the baby, and then trying to re-train myself on how to do it before I come back!
10. How is knitting going?
LPG: Great! Thanks for asking. I've been knitting quite a few things for the baby. Of course, living in Texas there's not much call for sweaters, but if things get chilly this baby will have plenty of them.
11. Well, thanks for joining us today Lauren. Any closing remarks?
LPG: It's been a pleasure, Ryan. Go Twins!
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Tune in every Sunday from 6:00-8:00 p.m., when host Jennifer Ramm brings you the best in bluegrass and related music. With roots in Celtic, country, folk and blues, bluegrass has a rich heritage that continues to grow thanks to a new generation of gifted musicians.From masters like Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs to contemporary artists like Alison Krauss and Ricky Skaggs, from rock-ribbed traditional to boldly progressive, you'll hear it all on Bluegrass Breakdown.Contact Jennifer RammWhere to buy bluegrass recordings for your musical libraryCounty Sales - for decades one of the best sources of bluegrass and old-time music.Elderly Recordings - a great place to find bluegrass, Celtic, blues, Cajun, singer-songwriters, and more.Amazon.com has huge selections of every kind of music, including bluegrass.Record LabelsTrack the latest bluegrass releases at:Rounder RecordsRebel RecordsPinecastle RecordsDoobie Shea RecordsSkaggs Family RecordsLearning more about bluegrass: books, videos and magazinesTo learn more about bluegrass music, we recommend:Bluegrass: A History by Neil Rosenberg (University of Illinois Press, 1985)Bluegrass: An Informal Guide by Richard Smith (Chicago Review Press, 1995)Can't You Hear Me Callin': The Life of Bill Monroe, Father of Bluegrass by Richard D. Smith (Little Brown, 2000)Bluegrass Breakdown by Robert Cantwell (University of Illinois Press, 1984)We also recommend the fine documentary High Lonesome (available on video from County Sales and other stores). You can keep up to date on the bluegrass scene with subscriptions to Bluegrass Unlimited magazines.Internet ResourcesWeb sites ibluegrass and Cybergrass contain a wealth of bluegrass information.For a lively, if sometimes rancorous, e-mail discussion group devoted to bluegrass, check out Bgrass-L.The International Bluegrass Music Association and the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America are on the web as well.
Meet The Musicians Behind Japan's Vibrant Bluegrass Scene
By Naomi Gingold
Bluegrass Police is a popular act at the Tokyo bluegrass club Rocky Top. From left to right are mandolin player Satoshi Hoshikawa (obscured), fiddler Yuuko Wakabayashi, bassist Tomonari Hiraizumi, banjo player Tatsuya Kuwahara and guitarist and vocalist Mitsutaka Sometaya.
When he was 17, Tatsuya Kuwahara picked up a banjo for the first time. It was supposed to be a one-off for a song he was writing; he normally played rock guitar and drums.
Now, we're out in the stairwell at a small club in Tokyo called Rocky Top, where his band Bluegrass Police has just finished its first set. Today, Kuwahara, now 29, is one of the hottest banjo players in the local bluegrass scene. And, in his country of Japan — which has the second-largest music industry in the world — the genre he loves is experiencing a bit of a revival.
Kuwahara's path to bluegrass and the banjo was not a straight line. In junior high, he started listening to a lot of punk, then British rock. And next, he says, he got really into Bob Dylan — which led him to American folk music, and then bluegrass. When he finally did pick up that banjo, he never looked back.
At first, it was hard to find like-minded listeners. "No one around me was interested in bluegrass," Kuwahara says. "My friends didn't listen to it. My family didn't know anything about it." He eventually met and started jamming with the musicians who now make up Bluegrass Police at Japan's long-running bluegrass festivals.
Japan's robust bluegrass scene — considered the world's second-largest, according to the International Bluegrass Music Museum — started with two brothers, Yasushi and Hisashi Ozaki. They formed the country's first bluegrass duo back in 1957. When I meet them, they're wearing matching sweatshirts. "Like twins," Hisashi says. They're not actually twins, but you can tell they're close by the way they speak and interrupt each other. Today, they're 85 and 83, still playing and still making each other laugh — constantly.
/ Naomi Gingold
Yasushi (left) and Hisashi (right) Ozaki formed Japan's first bluegrass duo, the East Mountain Boys, in 1957.
The Ozaki brothers fell in love with American traditional music when they were young. Their father, who had been studying and working in the U.S., came home with a record, "She'll Be Coming 'Round The Mountain" — not bluegrass music, but mountain music nonetheless — and the brothers have kept it to this day. But in 1930s Japan, it was becoming enemy music. It wasn't until after World War II that they got to listen to the country and roots music they loved on the new radio service set up for American soldiers in occupied Japan. They wanted to play but had no instruments and no money.
"We made a ukulele by my father's cigar case," Hisashi says. Yasushi bought shamisen strings, cut a round hole in the case and made a neck.
"Sounds terrible," Yasushi says, laughing.
A cigar box with strings from a traditional Japanese instrument just wouldn't do, so their mom — going against their dad's wishes — secretly sold her kimono to buy them their first guitars. They started playing country music for American GIs. Eventually, Hisashi bought a mandolin and they formed the East Mountain Boys, named after the Higashi, or East, mountain near their hometown of Kyoto.
They performed at a few big events and recorded a bit; their music even got played on American radio. Then work got in the way: Hisashi was sent to Nagoya with a big insurance company and Yasushi went with IBM to the U.S. The Ozakis were mostly forgotten — until they started playing again after they retired.
Folk music and then bluegrass had a bit of a boom in Japan in the 1970s. Then that, too, died down. Now it's coming back, and Rocky Top has been the bluegrass club in Tokyo for the last 36 years.
"Compared to the 1970s, the amount of people playing right now is amazing," Rocky Top owner and manager Nobuyuki Taguchi says. "It's kind of like a second revival." The number of young players, especially women, has shot up. Unlike in the 1970s, a lot are based outside of Tokyo, at universities in Hokkaido and in the northeast.
Tonight, Rocky Top is packed for the Bluegrass Police show. Only one or two bluegrass bands have a following like this. Onstage, the musicians banter and smile, but banjo player Kuwahara doesn't join in.
"Yeah, I don't smile," Kuwahara says offstage. "It's not cool for a dude to be overly smiley. They say samurai don't smile, right?"
I ask him if he's a samurai, and he laughs and tells me his family were never samurai. He's pretty reserved, almost shy. But while he may not go out of his way to smile onstage, he does finish the evening on a theatrical note, with a melodramatic and hilarious tale of lost love. Kuwahara satirically busts out some rock and Japanese traditional tunes on the banjo, and there's even a partial striptease. I won't ruin it, but let's just say the band puts on a good show.
You won't catch Bluegrass Police in the U.S. anytime soon: Kuwahara says he's a bit scared of long airplane rides. So if you want to see the whole band — and the rest of the burgeoning scene — you'll probably want to swing by Japan.
The X from NPR Illinois | 91.9 HD3bluegrassJapan
Naomi Gingold


Test your puzzle skills inside the rooms at Deciphered Roanoke.
Puzzle lovers will find their ultimate playground in Deciphered Roanoke. Located in the heart of downtown next to Wells Fargo Tower, this new business is run by three enthusiastic young men: Brandon Ford, CEO; Benjamin Shaw, president; and Luke Croft, creative director.
Deciphered has two puzzle rooms designed by Croft. The rooms are done in-house and updated frequently, providing a unique experience unlike any other escape room.
Thanks to the race against the clock, the fast-paced environment provides an "adrenaline-fueled experience" that is fun for individuals, friends and even professional teams–for example, a team-building exercise for your company.
The two rooms currently involve deep-space exploration and outdoor survival. Shaw and his team are excited to be the first escape room many people experience, and they are glad to provide such experiences for them. The reception has been "fantastic," with over 850 people escaping their rooms so far.