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Straight edge (skraćeno sXe ili SxE) predstavlja supkulturu okupljenu u i oko hardcore punk glazbe. Osobe koje sebe smatraju strejterima ne puše, ne piju, ne uzimaju droge kao ni druge opijate.

Kasnih sedamdesetih i ranih osamdesetih nekolicina bendova/pojedinaca je započela nešto što je kasnije rezultiralo pokretom unutar punk hardcore scene, iako je termin pokret nekako nepriličan za straight edge jer se u biti podrazumijeva način života.
Vjerojatno mnogi od njih nisu bili svjesni da će ono što su upravo stvarali biti toliko utjecajno u budućnosti. Straight edge je niknuo kao alternativa toj masovnoj bezidejnoj autodestruktivnosti i nihilizmu koji se pojavio tada na sceni. Tada se počinju koristiti i iksevi (XXX), koji su u biti bili oznaka za one kojima se u barovima nije smjelo poslužiti piće zbog dobne granice.

Glavni moto

(I) Don't smoke
(Ja) ne pušim
Don't drink
 Ne pijem
Don't do drugs
 Ne drogiram se
At least I can fucking think
Barem mogu razmišljati

Povijest

Pjesma "Strait Edge" američkog sastava Minor Threat, značajan u hardcoreu, je dala ime struji unutar pokreta. Pod utjecajem Minor Threata i drugih washingtonskih sastava poput The Teen Idles ili SOA, bostonski sastavi poput SS Decontrol i DYS šire prisutnost sxe ideja unutar sve razvijenije hardcore scene. Inspirirani istim idejama, uskoro se i na zapadnoj obali pojavljuju sastavi Unity, Uniform Choice, 7 Seconds. Svi ovi sastavi bili su aktivni u razdoblju od 1981. – 1984. kada je sve stalo. Tada se pojavljuju Youth of Today, koji su promijenili straight edge zauvijek i pretvorili ga u onaj obrazac koji je danas opće poznat. Can't close my eyes je album koji je sve korijenito izmijenio. YOT, zajedno s ostalim sastavima kao što su Gorilla Biscuits, Bold, Judge, Side by Side stvaraju jednu okosnicu koja će kasnije nadahnuti čitav niz glazbenih skupina.

Youth Crew era je trajala do kasnih osamdesetih, kada straight edge zbilja postaje globalna pojava u hardcoreu. Kasnih 1980-ih i ranh 1990-ih mnogi bendovi postaju sve više i više politički angažirani i sve rasprostranjeniji u Americi ali i svijetu. U Kaliforniji Inside Out, Insted, Chain of Strength, Outspoken, No for an Answer, Carry Nation, Chorus of Dissapproval i Unbroken, a na istočnoj obali bendovi poput Turning Point, Mouthpiece, Crud, Battery i Lifetime.

Sredinom 1990-ih mnogi straight edge sastavi postaju angažirani za životinjska prava. Jedni od nosioca tih ideja, iako po mnogima militantni, no bez prave osnove su Earth Crisis. Osim što je izričaj bendova u mnogočemu angažiraniji i "teži", samim time i muzika postaje prlično metaliziranija i žešča. Neki od protagonista te nove struje bili su One King Down, Strife, Snapcase, Brother's keeper.

U ovom razdoblju dogodio se i youth crew revival u sastavima poput In my Eyes, Atari, Better than a 1000 (side projekt Ray Capo-a,frontmena Youth of Today).

Straight edge danas

Danas je straight edge scena prilično zapostavljena u odnosu na neka prošla vremena. Ipak sastavi poput Bane, Bleeding Through, Casey Jones, Champion, Eighteen Visions, Throwdown, With Honor nastavljaju reanimaciju straight edge duha.

Vanjske poveznice

 Out of Step: Lica Straight edgea
 alt.punk.straight edge sXe FAQ
 Catalyst Records
 Ženska Straight Edge Zajednica
 BBC-ev audio dokumentarac o straight edgeu

 hardcore punk
 supkultura i kontrakultura

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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← English cardinal welcomes Theresa May as new British prime minister
Syrian refugees, all Muslims, graduate from Caritas-run schools in Jordan →
Communications 'the ministry of my priesthood,' says longtime editor
Posted on July 13, 2016 by Newsroom
Msgr. Owen Campion, left, a priest of the Diocese of Nashville, Tenn., for 50 years, laughs with Cardinal Edwin F. O'Brien, then archbishop of Baltimore, before a 2009 Mass at St. Mary's Seminary and University at Roland Park in Baltimore. (CNS photo/Rick Musacchio,Tennessee Register)
By Andy Telli Catholic News Service
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CNS) -– Throughout his life, Msgr. Owen Campion has had a fascination with words.
That fascination led him into the Catholic media as a reporter, writer and editor, a mentor to Catholic journalists, and as a liaison between the Vatican and Catholic media around the world.
"It's been the ministry of my priesthood," said Msgr. Campion, a native of Nashville and a priest of the Diocese of Nashville for 50 years.
That ministry wound to a close June 30, when his retirement as associate publisher of Our Sunday Visitor, based in Huntington, Indiana, and as editor of The Priest magazine, where he has worked since 1988, became official. He called his work at Our Sunday Visitor, and the view of the Catholic Church in America it has provided him, "very fascinating."
Msgr. Campion's path to journalism began as a youth. The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia who were his elementary school teachers "taught me how to use the English language. … That's where I learned to love words," he told the Tennessee Register, Nashville's diocesan newspaper.
His interest continued at Father Ryan High School in Nashville where he was editor of the school newspaper and yearbook, and in college as a seminarian.
He was ordained on May 21, 1966, and as a young priest serving in east Tennessee first began working for the Tennessee Register.
At the time, the Nashville Diocese covered the entire state, and the Register had a representative in each division — east, middle and west Tennessee — to collect news and write stories. (The Memphis and Knoxville dioceses were created in 1971 and 1988, respectively.)
The Catholic Church and American society were undergoing huge changes. The Register's editor, Joe Sweat, asked Msgr. Campion to write stories and analyses about the changes happening in the church in the wake of the Second Vatican Council.
Nashville's bishop at the time, Bishop Joseph A. Durick, wanted his diocesan newspaper to approach the news in the fashion of a secular newspaper, Msgr. Campion said. "Bishop Durick saw the mission (of the paper) … not as his mouthpiece but he saw it as a mirror of life in the diocese and life in the modern church," he said. "He wanted to give (readers) an idea … of what was going on that was important."
That included not only developments in the church, but also the civil rights movement. Bishop Durick was among the most prominent Catholic leaders in the civil rights movement nationally, and his vocal support for the movement was often met with opposition from his own flock.
Sometimes the paper's "whole op-ed page would be letters," Msgr. Campion recalled. "Some of the letters would be quite critical of him."
Bishop Durick believed Catholics had a right to express themselves in the diocesan newspaper, even if they were critical of him, the priest said. "That was the general philosophy of the Catholic press nationally at that time."
During the Vietnam War, he said, Bishop Durick "wanted editorials to be very strong and to the point and illuminating and advocating for these positions the American church was taking," Msgr. Campion said. "He was never out of step with the other bishops or the Holy See."
Another of Bishop Durick's interests was ecumenism, and Msgr. Campion, who succeeded Sweat as the Register's editor in 1971, covered that issue as well.
Msgr. Owen Campion, right, a priest of the Diocese of Nashville for 50 years, is seen at the 1986 Catholic Press Association convention in Chicago with the future Cardinal John P. Foley, who was editor of the Philadelphia archdiocesan newspaper. (CNS photo/courtesy Tennessee Register)
As a young editor, he found support from friends in the secular press as well as the Catholic press. He became active in the Catholic Press Association, which he served in several roles, including as president from 1984 to 1986. In 1988, he left the Register and Nashville for Our Sunday Visitor.
In 1989 Pope John Paul II appointed him as ecclesiastical adviser to the International Catholic Union of the Press, or UCIP, which at at that time was the official, worldwide organization of Catholic publishers and journalists.
One of his first missions was helping the Catholic Church in Eastern Europe establish newspapers after the fall of communism.
"Communism had dealt a terrific blow to the church," Msgr. Campion said. Bishops in Eastern Europe wanted to revive Catholic communications but "they didn't know whom to turn to, what to do. So much time had elapsed … since the church had been able to speak in public."
Working with the CPA and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Msgr. Campion organized teams of U.S. editors to travel abroad to lead workshops on how to operate a diocesan newspaper.
"Somebody would talk about writing feature stories. Somebody else would talk about boosting circulation. Somebody else would talk about advertising," said Msgr. Campion, who noted that during one year he was in Poland five times.
He traveled to Latin America and later Hong Kong on behalf of UCIP. From Hong Kong, he branched out to other places in Asia.
His term with UCIP ended in 1998 after nine years. In 2000, Pope John Paul designated him as a member of the Synod of Bishops for the Americas and he addressed the synod on communication issues.
During the synod, he was invited twice to be part of a group of people dining with the pope. "It was very thrilling of course, but also revealing because you could see him in another context," Msgr. Campion said. "I never knew he was so witty, for one. And I never knew how utterly aware of the world's geography he was."
The pope would always break the ice at the dinners by going around the table asking each person who they were and where they were from, Msgr. Campion said. The pope would ask detailed questions about each person demonstrating a deep familiarity with their home countries, he said.
When told Msgr. Campion was from Tennessee, the pope asked "Nashville or Memphis?"
"I said 'Nashville.' He mimed playing the guitar and said, 'You play the guitar then.' I said, 'No Holy Father, I only listen.'
"By the time dessert was served everybody was laughing and talking and he was in the middle of us," Msgr. Campion said. "You kind of felt like you were with your uncle."
From 2006 to 2012, Msgr. Campion served on the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, whose 50 members from around the world consulted with the Vatican about mass communications.
Catholic media is facing challenges related to the declining influence of the Catholic Church — and religion in general — in Western societies, and the fracturing of media as social media platforms continue to multiply, making it harder to reach a broad swath of the people, Msgr. Campion said.
Msgr. Campion's own vocation was inspired by the priests who were his teachers at Father Ryan. His heroes in his teenage years "were not athletes and movie stars," he said, but those priests, who "always "were there for me."
Telli is managing editor of the Tennessee Register, newspaper of the Diocese of Nashville.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The next generation of memorabilia, by the influencers, direct to the fans.
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Sell your experiences, items or memorabilia for raising charitable dollars to causes. You can set up charitable items right in the Membilia app.
Invite friends and fans to this new network the real deal. There's no better way to share the story than by selling the legacy.
Download the app, start selling today.


The Chamberlin Bridge, once an open span, was covered in 1881. Standing high over the South Wheelock Branch of the Passumpsic River, it was one of the few spans not carried away by the great flood of 1927. The white gables bridge still serves light traffic.
Our thanks to the Town of Lyndon and the Village of Lyndonville for allowing the posting of the Vermont Covered Bridge Society Welcome patch. For more information about the Lyndon area visit their website at www.lyndonvt.org.


We've all set some goals for ourselves during our lives, be it the infamous New Year's resolution or a basic to-do list at the office. On the surface, goals are an admirable and useful tool for any professional, especially those in real estate. However, goals have to be approached in the right way in order to be effective.
How can you find success in the real estate industry? For budding professionals and veterans alike, it can be challenging to navigate the current housing market, but thankfully, there are plenty of effective ways one can get ahead.
As a real estate professional, you may have created a website for your business. This is a good first step on the path to more clients, but what you need now is a strong marketing strategy.
Over the past few months, conditions weren't too bad for home sellers - inventory was still on the way up - so any homes listed had a fair number of potential buyers - Americans had more confidence in the economy and home prices were climbing. However, many of those seller-friendly trends are starting to wane.
How you present yourself is incredibly important in the real estate industry. From meeting with clients to giving a speech in front of a group of colleagues, you'll need to come across as experienced, professional and confident. And that means knowing what you are doing.
Stress is a very real problem that we all face. As a real estate professional, letting stress take over your career can have serious effects, from getting in the way of your growth to hampering your client interactions. On the other hand, taking charge of your stress levels will provide a positive boost to your career.
A high number of foreclosed houses can be indicative of a struggling housing market. Thankfully for all those involved, this doesn't appear to be the case any more. While foreclosure sales were prominent only a few years ago, this key metric has continued to decline in recent memory.
SEO, or search engine optimization, is a trendy buzzword today. It has affected the marketing strategies of many businesses across plenty of industries, including real estate. For the average real estate professional on the ground, however, turning to SEO for personal marketing needs might sound a bit overwhelming.


Darragh Lenihan is aiming to finish the season strongly after making his return to action in Blackburn Rovers' weekend defeat at Aston Villa.
The Republic of Ireland international made a return to the starting XI in the West Midlands as Tony Mowbray's side fell to a 2-1 defeat.
And although he ended up on the losing side, the 25-year-old admitted it felt great to be back and he believes there is more to come from him and the team in the closing weeks of the season.
He said: "I didn't expect to play, never mind 90 minutes, but I feel good so I'll do my best in these coming days to get fitter and stronger.
"To come through against Aston Villa is a positive on an individual note.
"It's not nice being injured."
The defeat at Villa Park leaves Rovers 16th in the Championship table with seven games remaining.
They have an 11 point buffer to the bottom three and Lenihan is hoping Rovers, who have won just one of their last 10 games, can get back to winning ways when Stoke City visit Ewood Park on Saturday.
"The team hasn't been doing so well but that's part and parcel of football," added the Irishman.
"We had a great run in January and then we just had these difficult moments.
"We didn't get any points on Saturday so it's how you respond to them next week at home to Stoke.
"The international break has come at a good time as it's allowed me to get another week's training under my belt and not rushing."


These 13 yellow post sites are individual camping sites. Each campsite is available on a first-come-first-serve basis. No reservations.
Each site is limited to a maximum of 8 persons at any one time. There is limited parking at these sites for 2 vehicles. Amenities includes 1 picnic table and 1 fire ring. There are no restroom facilities. There is no drinking water.
Campfire permits are required for any type of fire use - campfires, or stoves. Campfires may not be allowed certain times of the year. Click here for current fire restriction information.
Contact the Big Bear Discovery Center for current fire restriction information and road conditions. (909) 382-2790 (closed Tues/Wed).
These yellow post sites are on dirt roads, north and south of Big Bear Lake. Please refer to the yellow-post site map available below pick one up at the Big Bear Discovery Center. High-clearance vehicles are recommended and four-wheel drive vehicles may also be required to reach these sites, depending on current road conditions. RV's and trailers are not recommended.
Yellow Post Sites that are located on the south side of Big Bear Lake are not accessible by vehicle during winter months. Yellow Post site 54 is located via Forest Service Road 2N93, which is also included in the winter/seasonal road closures. Accessing the Yellow Post Sites on the north side of Big Bear Lake during winter months should be taken with caution. Please call the Big Bear Discovery Center for current conditions. Please see current fire restrictions for an explanation. California Campfire Permit required.
Adventure Pass is not required.
8 person maximum. 2 vehicle maximum. Avoid parking on grasses and vegetation at all times. Yellow post campsites have a 14 day camping limit.


Here are some links that have been gathering dust around the house.
Aaron Newton is trying to move his family's 200-year-old homestead in South Carolina before a highway is built through the parlor. But he needs to generate some "public outcry" to get permission for the move. You can sign the petition even if you've never heard of this place called "South Carolina."
Here's a great Flickr photo pool of United States county courthouses (and here's an index by state). I always like to case a joint before I visit.
Speaking of Flickr, the Library of Congress is posting some of its photos there and asking the public to tag them. I'm tagging this one "earwax."
Megan is getting ready to award her 100th Honoring Our Ancestors Genealogical Grant in February, and is looking for an especially worthy recipient. If you're reading this, Megan, I could really use a new iPod.
Mrs. Smolenyak Smolenyak also has a very cool video up at Roots Television explaining her duplicate surnames. I just thought I was seeing double.
The impatient John Newmark of Transylvanian Dutch found out that the Chicago VRs promised for January won't be available until maybe possibly July. Bureaucratically speaking, that means that we'll see them online around the time the Cubs win their next World Series.
The caption for the 'earwax' photo to which you link illustrates quite nicely the importance of proper punctuation usage.
"Jack Whinery, homesteader, with his wife and the youngest of his five children, Pie Town, New Mexico."
That is a mighty strange thing to name a child, don't you think?
No stranger than the Revolutionary War pensioner from Deer Isle, Maine, whose name was "Newport Rhode Island." Muster rolls confirm the name.
In Chicago, our motto is "Wait till next year."
Welcome back, Chris. Life's been rather boring without you.


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With a blend of pure authenticity, professional but approachable accessibility, and intuitive down-to-earth nature Kim helps you find the answers you've been searching for. Her enthusiasm, humor, insights and passion for life combined with her practical experience and applications can show you how to make your life the best it can be. She will help you find the path to a life that is happier and more enriched than you ever even imagined possible!


Cut the sandwich lengthwise. Spread the Tzatziki on both halves.
Cover with finely chopped lettuce, Ganda Ham and Le Larry goat cheese.
Finish with the slices of courgette and tomatoes, some parsley and olives.


Saturday Night Live: Denver April 14, 2019 News and notes from the mile high supercross.
Saturday Night Live: Nashville April 7, 2019 News and notes from Music City.
Saturday Night Live: Houston March 31, 2019 What really happened in the Lone Star State.
Saturday Night Live: Seattle March 24, 2019 Everything you need to know from an eventful twelfth round.
Saturday Night Live: Indianapolis March 17, 2019 Everything that went down in Indy.
Saturday Night Live: Daytona March 10, 2019 Eli Tomac earned his third career Daytona win in the premier class.
Saturday Night Live: Atlanta March 3, 2019 Excellence in execution again.
Saturday Night Live: Detroit February 24, 2019 Eli Tomac win goes two-for-three in the second Triple Crown of the season.
Saturday Night Live: Arlington February 17, 2019 Big Closeness.
Saturday Night Live: Minneapolis February 10, 2019 Freight Train of Fury.
Saturday Night Live: San Diego February 3, 2019 Everything you need to know from the fifth round of Monster Energy Supercross.
Saturday Night Live: Oakland January 27, 2019 What really happened at the fourth round of Monster Energy Supercross.
Saturday Night Live: Anaheim 2 January 20, 2019 What else can happen?
Saturday Night Live: Glendale January 13, 2019 What went down at the second round of Monster AMA Energy Supercross.
Saturday Night Live: Anaheim 1 January 6, 2019 What really happened at the first race of 2019.


Will we need the following?
Is insurance required for pickup?
Enter in the number of electronics.
Note: We accept all computer-related cables of any quantity.
No techno trash: CDs DVDs and manuals. No stand-alone speakers.


Leader farm equipment. Ffordes photographic equipment.
On February 15, 2010, the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) received an urgent request from the World Food Program to help the people of Daman District repair their canals that had recently been damaged by severe flooding. If not repaired within three weeks, all of the year's crops would be lost, risking serious economic instability. USAID's Food Insecurity Response for Urban Populations (FIRUP) program stepped in to help, quickly mobilizing 6,600 laborers, and 15 excavators to clear hundreds of kilometers of critical canals. The rapid response saved Daman District's crops and the livelihoods of many of its local citizens.
With a largely rural population of 90,000 people, most of Daman's men work in the agriculture sector. According to local farmers, the canal left unrepaired would result in a lack of irrigation forcing them to grow poppy to support their families. In response, the Kandahar PRT organized a shura with the Daman District leader and district elders, led by Kandahar Provincial Governor Tooryalai Wesa, in order to develop an emergency plan.
The emergency program repaired 320 kilometers of critical irrigation canals in just 16 days. When insurgents attempted to interfere with the project, local elders successfully resisted them. The repairs successfully spared any damage to Daman District's crops.
In addition to saving the district's farms, the activity provided short-term employment opportunities, while making cash available to purchase necessary agricultural supplies such as seeds and farming equipment. The project reinvigorated the local economy to ensure a plentiful harvest this growing season, and paved the way for future rehabilitation work to ensure the sustainability of the district's irrigation network.
USAID's FIRUP program promotes stability through temporary employment and income generation opportunities in targeted populations to reduce the number of food-insecure and/or unemployed Afghans joining the insurgency.
From Wikipedia: Cockshutt was a large tractor and machinery manufacturer based in Brantford, Ontario. Originally founded as the Brantford Plow Works by James G. Cockshutt in 1877, the name was changed to the Cockshutt Plow Company when it was incorporated in 1882. After James died his brother William Foster Cockshutt took over as president. He remained until 1888, when another brother Frank Cockshutt became president of the company. In 1910, Henry Cockshutt took over the leadership of the company. Under his direction, the company was able to obtain financing for acquisitions and expansion. Known for quality designs, the company became the leader in the tillage tools sector by the 1920s.
Since Cockshutt did not have a tractor design of its own in 1929 an arrangement was made to distribute Allis-Chalmers model 20-35 and United tractors. In 1935 Cockshutt took on the Oliver tractor line. During the war years, Cockshutt was able to design its own tractor. It was the Cockshutt 30 tractor and was the first modern production tractor built in Canada. After the model 30, Cockshutt added the smaller model 20, and the larger 40 and 50.
In 1958, Cockshutt introduced a complete new line of tractors at the same time: the 540, 550, 560, and 570. The sheet metal of the 500 series was designed by Raymond Loewy, an automobile designer of the era. The design set a new standard in modern styling.
Also in 1958, the company was taken over by outside interests and the farm equipment division was sold to White Motor Company in 1962. White had previously acquired Oliver in 1960 and subsequently bought Minneapolis-Moline in 1963.
Starting in 1962, White opted to rebrand the Oliver tractors as Cockshutts. Thus, a Cockshutt 1650 was the same tractor as the Oliver 1650, but painted red instead of green.


January 9, 2018 Township Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m.
Present: Chair/Supervisor Scott Mead, Supervisor Lee Kaplan, Supervisor Don Swanstrom, Treasurer Ray Barnes and Clerk Lita Wallace. Others in attendance: two residents and one non-resident.
Clerk's Report: Minutes of December 12 meeting was presented and reviewed. Motion by Mead to approve the minutes, Swanstrom second. Mead yay, Kaplan yay , Swanstrom yay, motion carried.
Kaplan motioned to approve the December Treasurer's report, Swanstrom seconded. Mead yay, Kaplan yay , Swanstrom yay, motion carried.
Mead stated that if we create a Comprehensive Plan, it would be what we would like but could not be less restrictive than the county's Comprehensive Plan.
Wallace reported that one Supervisor position is open for the Town Election in March. Deadline to submit Affidavit of Candidacy is January 16. Clerk's office will be open for filing from 1:00-5:00 p.m. on January 16. Election will be held on March 13 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at Pequaywan Firehall. Election Judges are Lita Wallace, Katherine Sluka and Robert McDonough.
Mead met with KTM on December 4 to discuss an updated patch work for West Branch Road and was told that a new estimate will be submitted.
Kaplan motion to approve the January 2018 claims including $13,500 levied for Pequaywan Fire & Rescue, second by Swanstrom. Mead yay, Kaplan yay , Swanstrom yay, motion carried.
Mead motion to approve a request from St. Louis County to cross the corner of the township land in their process of setting up timber sale in Sections 18 and 20 of the county land, second by Kaplan. Mead yay, Kaplan yay , Swanstrom yay, motion carried. Form to be signed by Mead and mailed to St. Louis County with stipulation to leave slashing where access could be had from Rossini Road in order to prevent motor vehicles from entering township property.
Mead requested if the township could help pay for the seminar he is interested in attending. Topic is Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) held on February 28 to March 1 in the Twin Cities. Seminar registration is $170.00. Swanstrom motion to approve up to $300 expense reimbursement to include seminar and part of hotel expenses, Kaplan second, motion carried. Mead yay, Kaplan yay , Swanstrom yay, motion carried.
The Fire Chief of Pequaywan Fire & Rescue reported on the activities of the fire department last year. Fire Department is requesting that $13,500 be levied for 2019 again. The supervisors unanimously agreed to table this until the Annual Town Meeting.
Motion to Adjourn: Kaplan motion to adjourn at 8:20 p.m., second by Swanstrom. Mead yay, Kaplan yay , Swanstrom yay, motion carried.
← December 12, 2017 Township Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m.


text:
Takeover Defence Strategies
What Is Takeover Defence?
Takeover defences incorporate all activities by directors to oppose having their firms acquired. Endeavours by target managers to overcome extraordinary takeover proposition are strong types of takeover defences. Resistance likewise incorporates activities that happen before a takeover offer is made which make the firm harder to acquire.
Two Types Of Defence Strategies:
Preventive Measures:
The preventive measures are those which lessen the probability of a likely takeover. The preventive measures, otherwise called pre bid defence strategies are the actions taken by target firm before any takeover endeavour is made on the firm, with the perspective of long-haul defending interest of the firm. the short-term strategies are viewed as an attempt to overcome the bidder in its attempt to take over the firm or to give strength against such an attack.
Reactive Measures:
The reactive measures are those which are brought into execution if any activity of takeover happens on the target firm. Reactive measures famously known as the post-bid defence mechanism are those which are embraced in case of a takeover attempt on the objective firm by a bidder. The long-term defence instruments are considered to be a method of making the target unappealing for takeover by a bidder, with the goal that the company's administration can channelize their assets and spotlight on powerful running of association's activities and worth creation.
Commonly Adopted Defence Strategies
Staggered Board: This protection includes a correction of the by-laws of the organization to make a staggered board of directors. A staggered board is a board whose individuals are chosen in various years or as such just a part of the board comes for elections every year. In India, Section 256 of the Companies Act actually requires companies to maintain staggered boards by default.
Execution of a staggered board might make an acquirer need to sit tight for a considerable length of time or possibly till the following yearly general meeting before it controls the board of directors. Since the acquirer would not control the board at first, the acquirer would not have the ability to change the corporates or the organization's strategy. Likewise with the other pre-tender offer defences, courts will permit correction of the sanction to make an amazed top managerial staff gave the revision is permitted under the concerned corporate law for the right business reason.
Blowfish: One of the defence instruments took on by firms which joins a system by which the organization centres around purchasing new resources to develop its resource base and driving the firm towards development in a manner lessening the liquid resource base of the firm and expected overabundance cash exchange at hand.
The essential rationale behind this defence system is that the higher firm worth might possibly threaten the bidder from seeking after their course of obtaining, since the expanded (higher) firm worth would prompt a more exorbitant cost and along these lines premium to be paid over the span of procurement. Further, the diminished liquidity of the resources fills in as an optional guide in rebuking the acquirer by restricting the appeal of the target organization.
Poison pill: poison pill is a procedure that attempts to make a safeguard against a takeover bid by one more organization by setting off a new, restrictive expense that should be paid after the takeover. There are many poison pill ways that have been utilized by organizations against hostile takeovers and corporate bandits. For instance, offering a favoured investment opportunity to current investors permits them to practice their buy freedoms at a colossal premium to the organization, making the expense of the procurement out of nowhere unattractive.
Another technique is to take a debt that would leave the organization overleveraged and possibly unrewarding. A few organizations have made employee stock ownership plans that vest just when the takeover is concluded. Another model is to offer a progression of freebies for organization leaders. This could likewise make the takeover of the organizationrestrictively costly the purchaser had intended to supplant the top administration.
At last, one non-monetary technique for a poison pill is to amaze the appointment of the leading group of an organization, causing the getting organization to confront an antagonistic load up for a delayed timeframe. At times, this deferral in overseeing the load up (and subsequently the votes important to support specific key activities) is an adequate impediment for a takeover endeavour. An outrageous execution of a poison pill is known as a self-destruction pill. Poison pills raise the expense of mergers and acquisitions.
On occasion, they make a sufficient disincentive to dissuade takeovers by and large. Organizations ought to be cautious, be that as it may, in building poison pill techniques. As a methodology, poison pills are just compelling as an obstacle. At the point when really put into impact, they regularly make devastatingly significant expenses and are typically not in the best long-haul interests of the investors.
White Knight And White Squire:
White Knight and White squire methodologies are based around the possibility that the target organization is more open to a friendly firm and in this way to a cordial takeover when contrasted with an unfriendly takeover attempt by an acquirer. White knight is an essential merger that doesn't include a change in control and relieves the target's administration of the obligation to look for the best price accessible.
Buyback Of Shares, Open Market Repurchase, Self-Tenders:
Critics of the buyback techniques contend that the prejudicial effects on target shareholders will overcome value increasing bids. Open market buys will in general contort shareholder inclination and rout value increasing bids. In a model given by Bradley and Rosenzweig the aftereffect of open market buys is that it adds up to an exceptional profit pay out to selling investors that contorts shareholder decision.
Anyway, selftenders can be protected on the ground that buyback makes an auction for the organizations' assets among contending management teams. Defenders contend that they will in general value diminishing offers and not value expanding ones. Target management is spending the shareholders' money and not its own funds.
Crown Jewels:
These are valuable resources of the objective regularly named as Crown Jewels, which draw in the raider to bid for the organization's control. On confronting a hostile bid the organization sells these resources at its own drive leaving the remainder of the organization flawless and consequently eliminates the motivator for which bid was advertised. Rather than selling the resources, the organization may likewise lease them or mortgage them so that the fascination of free assets for the predator is smothered. By selling these gems the organization eliminates the prompting that might have caused the bid.
Golden Parachutes:
This defence expects the executives to arrange employment contracts between the administration and key representatives to build their post work pay in case of a hostile takeover. At the point when Golden Parachutes are made for the executives and key representatives, an organization turns out to be less alluring to the acquirer in light of the fact that payments to department management and workers could monetarily exhaust the company.
Greenmail:
Greenmail, is the buyback of the shares possessed by a specific investor of the target who has made a takeover bid. The greenmail payment is commonly at a higher cost than expected market cost. An enormous square of share is held by an unfriendly organization, which leaves no other option for the target organization to repurchase the stock at a significant premium to forestall the takeover. The investigate of this hypothesis is that the administration, which has fumbled the objective's resources, pays greenmail to propagate its capacity to take advantage of the targets. As indicated by this view greenmail ought to be disallowed on the grounds that it diminishes shareholders wealth and discriminates unreasonably.
Corporate Restructuring:
Asset removals declaration by the target firm that parts of its current business will be sold off, e.g., offer of subsidiaries, the removal of possessions in different organizations, sale of resources like land or property, de- merging of totally irrelevant organizations, choice to focus on centre organizations and hiving off non-centre interests and so on Thusly the objective tries to make the organization less alluring for an expected acquirer.
Lawful/Political Defences:
Where the target firms look for the mediation of the regulatory bodies or enjoy political campaigning to repulse the hostile bidder. This may be as an appeal yo the competition regulatory bodies that the resultant entity would disregard the antitrust standards. in nations like India, political/legal interventions can create impressive setbacks which can either baffle the initial bidder driving it to pull out or expenses might heighten such a great amount because of postpone that the bidder might be compelled to pull out on reasonable monetary considerations.
Joint Holding (Or) Joint Voting Agreement:
At least two significant investors may go into an arrangement for block voting or sale of shares instead of discrete voting. This arrangement is entered into with the collaboration and endowments of Company's management who likes to have a control.
Pac-Man Strategy:
This is only a counter offer. The target organization endeavours to take over the hostile raider.20 This generally happens when the target organization is bigger than the predator or is willing to leverage itself by raising funds through the issue of junk bonds.
Defences against Hostile Takeovers are the modes or strategies to secure the interest of the organization and that of Shareholders,and are used by the organizations to save themselves from being acquired against their will.
See The Companies Act � 256 (1956
Available at https://www.biryuklaw.com/hostile-takeover-defenses(Last visited on September 9, 2022)
Available at https://businessjargons.com/golden-parachute.html(Last visited on September 9, 2022)
Available at https://taxguru.in/corporate-law/hostile-takeover-defences.html(Last visited on September 9, 2022)
Available at https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/deals/poison-pill-shareholder-rightsplan/(Last visited on September 9, 2022)
Offensive and Defensive Strategies for Hostile Takeovers


It's Grand National weekend again, which means it's time for us to use some ever-so-slightly spurious behavioural science to help you choose a horse that's been underrated by the bookies.
It works like this: imagine there are two horses in the race. One's called The Winner, the other's called The Loser. The first horse is likely to attract more bets, even though the name won't make it a better horse. So if you're a savvy gambler, you'll back The Loser. Better odds, equal chance of winning.
The difference here is there are 40 horses in the race. So we've got to get a bit creative about how we rule them out. Let's get started.
And out of those, our money's on Up for Review. The ideal name for downplaying expectations. And at 25-1 as we write, a pretty good bet too.


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"THE EPIC OF EVEREST"— Newly Restored on Blu Ray
Newly Restored on Blu Ray
"The Epic of Everest" is now newly restored in 4k by the British Film Institute. It features truly breathtaking images of the Himalayas. This is silent travelogue that depicts the 1924 historic expedition to the summit of Mount Everest by climbers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine, whose untimely deaths resulted in uncertainty as to whether the men had indeed reached the peak of the mountain. Captain, John Noel, inspired by his long-time interest in Mount Everest, created a stunning visual document of the journey that also presented valuable, early-filmed records of life in Tibet.
More than 90 years after its release, this documentary has undergone a painstaking restoration that brings the film to new audiences in its entire original splendor. All of intertitles have been reconstructed and restored from the original film and along with the original color tints and tones. This edition features a newly commissioned music score by Simon Fisher Turner.
The 1924 Everest expedition ended with the deaths of two of the finest climbers of their generation, George Mallory and Andrew Irvine, and brought about an ongoing debate over whether or not they did indeed reach the summit. This film is an awe-inspiring travelogue of their perilous journey.
It was filmed in brutally harsh conditions with a specially adapted camera by which Captain Noel captured images of breathtaking beauty and considerable historical significance. The film is also among the earliest filmed records of life in Tibet and features sequences of Phari Dzong (Pagri), Shekar Dzong (Xegar) and Rongbuk monastery. But what we really see and feel here is the vulnerability, isolation and courage of people living and persevering in one of the world's harshest landscapes.
The restoration by the BFI National Archive has transformed the quality of the surviving elements of the film and reintroduced the original colored tints and tones. Revealed by the restoration, few images in cinema are as epic — or moving — as the final shots of a blood-red sunset over the Himalayas. There are new special features that include
"Introducing "The Epic of Everest" with Sandra Noel",
"Scoring 'The Epic of Everest' with Simon Fisher Turner" and "Restoring "The Epic of Everest" with BFI curators" and a trailer.
"The Epic of Everest," is a film that depicts the incidents in the valiant attempt, in 1924, to conquer the summit of Mount Everest. The last sight of the two men who died is revealed on the screen, the scene having been taken by a telescopic lens from a distance of 3,000 yards at an altitude of 22,000 feet.
We learn of the heights at which the different camps were established, the affect the atmosphere had upon human beings see that the wind is the mountaineer's chief enemy, and that the peak of Everest is lashed by a continuous 100-mile-an-hour gale. Long before reaching the summit this wind was such a handicap to the explorers that they had to lie down and grip the ice to prevent themselves from being swept to their death.
There are several film stretches that were taken from a distance of a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half. It's not until the film's final few moments that "The Epic of Everest" becomes beautifully poetic and even mythological when we hear how the native Nepalese both revere and worship the mountain that so many Westerners have traveled to conquer. This is an astonishing historical document. The film frequently transcends mere documentary status with its images of the imposing mountain face that are sometimes dotted with minuscule human figures.
This entry was posted in Film on August 31, 2015 by Amos.
"COFFEE TALK 2—Football"— Being True
"COFFEE TALK 2—Football"
Being True
I just watched any amazing shirt film about gay college football player Cage who didn't check out his new teammates. His flamboyant roommate Larry wants him to be true to himself. Here is what the official blurb says:
"A gay college football player's first day at the team. Is he courageous enough to flirt with his teammates?
Cage, a gay college football player, would tell if somebody asks about his sexuality, but his flamboyant roommate and college friend Larry is upset that Cage didn't dare check out his new, hot teammates just to avoid trouble. Can he motivate him to overcome his self-restraint?"
"'Coffee Talk 2 – Football' seems to reflect the zeitgeist: In 2013, professional soccer player Robbie Rogers came out and blazed a trail as one of professional sports first openly gay athletes. In the same year, Jason Collins became the first active openly gay basketball player of the NBA. And finally, Michael Sam became the first publicly gay football player in the history of the NFL. And in 2014, Chip Sarafin became possibly the first publicly gay college football player".
"Young players are often scared of coming out to their teammates, because they think they are not allowed to play anymore. In this respect, professional gay athletes act as role models for youth. Their and our short film's message is clear: Don't be afraid of who you are. You can succeed as a gay athlete. And you have more friends than you think".
This entry was posted in Uncategorized on August 31, 2015 by Amos.
"CAPTIVATED: The Trials of Pamela Smart"— Sex, Drugs and Betrayal
"CAPTIVATED: The Trials of Pamela Smart"
Sex, Drugs and Betrayal
The trial of Pamela Smart was the first fully televised court case. In 1990 in a small New England town Pamela Smart, an attractive blond teacher was having an affair with one of her students. She was accused of plotting her husband's murder. Jeremiah Zagar in this new documentary looks at how the media coverage manipulated the case and sealed Pamela's fate. The Pamela Smart trial shook the consciousness of America. America tuned in and reality TV was born with this case. The trial, the non-stop media attention surrounding it, and the events that caused it have inspired over 20 years of television, books, plays, and movies.
It seems that it was not enough that Smart slept with a student but she also talked that student into murdering her husband. Here was fodder for a pop culture phenomenon that lost the truth of who Smart was and what actually happened. "Captivated" closely examines the impact of the media frenzy but manages to steers clear of giving an opinion on the guilt or innocence of Smart. It provides a penetrating indictment of the public's guilt in feeding the news sharks. It's an incredibly relevant discussion in our reality television obsessed age.
Zagar was given surprising access to the life-without-parole prisoner Smart and most of the major players surrounding the trial and media circus. He discovered some intriguing new revelations and perspectives. Zagar began making this film with the hope to shifting perceptions on Smart. The problem is that no matter how poorly Smart was treated at the time or how exaggerated the story became in the media, or how guilty her teenage associates seemed to be, some of the evidence contradicts it all and it's very hard all these years later to find the truth. There's no question that Pamela Smart's trial was far from fair yet her innocence remains questionable and when Zagar hits a dead end, he changes his focus to blaming the preconceptions of his viewers. The filmmaker isn't necessarily wrong on all counts, but his ending just seems to be cheap and inappropriate. Nonetheless, there's still a great deal to enjoy and admire about the film but be prepared to become frustrated.
The film rewinds the facts. It probes whether the media's insatiable storytelling combined with Pamela Smart's demeanor and naiveté settled the verdict long before the case was even argued in court. We begin to question everything we're told as the line between news and entertainment continues to blur. The authorities talked the three teenage boys who were responsible for actually killing Smart's husband into 'plea bargaining'. They were told that if they gave evidence at Pamela Smart's trial, they would only be charged with 2nd Degree murder. Smart, who however, who was not present when the actual murder took place, was still charged with First Degree murder. The boys would end up serving a fixed time sentence before being freed, where she would face life imprisonment without parole. This is just one of the many disturbing facts that Zagar's documentary uncovered.
Another example of what we learn in the film is Smart's teenage intern, Cecelia Pierce, who had been coerced to being a witness had been fitted with a 'wire'. The tapes she made while she was talking to Smart were almost completely unintelligible but the prosecution had them greatly enhanced without the involvement of a licensed audiologist that the defense offered to provide. This made a media star out of Pierce who also pocketed $100,000 for her life story and it further locked Smart in prison.
Two days before the trial even started Smart's story was turned into TV movie starring Helen Hunt with the local newspaper reporter playing himself. Despite this and the daily deluge of coverage by a hostile media that had already convicted Smart in newsprint and on air, the Judge refused to sequester the jury and they went home every night and heard broadcast after broadcast. Never before had the media been so instrumental in shaping how the American public learned about a small-town murder case, and they yelled for Smart's blood.
It took only eighteen days to convict Smart and put her in the Bedford Correctional Facility in New York for being an accomplice to first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and witness tampering. She will never ever be released unless she receives a personal pardon from the Massachusetts Governor. Each of the young men involved in the case received lesser sentences, two have already been released and the other two are up for parole in 2015.
There have been two movies based on the story. One stars Nicole Kidman— 'To Die For' but it was the earlier TV one that had the most effect. One of the teenagers who had accompanied the murderers that fatal night was set to re-confirm his original statement that the Police had suppressed as it had supported Smart's claims of innocence, but he now reneged on this and all he could remember, word by word, was the fictional movie version. Zegar tries his best to get beyond what he presents as a travesty of justice and in effect puts the media on trial for its coverage. In doing this, he is in fact adding yet another layer of speculation and opinion making. Here is another case of media manipulation.
"Blood and Dirt: A Russ Morgan Mystery" by Lloyd A Meeker— A Family Feuding
Meeker, Lloyd A. "Blood and Dirt: A Russ Morgan Mystery", Wilde City Press, 2015.
A Feuding Family
I have always felt that family arguments are the worst in the world and I really used to stay away as far as possible when I sensed that one was about to begin. Looking back, I miss them now—there is very little family left and those of us who are still would rather relax than argue. Our psychic private eye Russ Morgan soon finds himself right in the middle of a family feud while investigating a vandalized marijuana field in Colorado. Five siblings are fighting over Ellis Ranch, the family property that is soon to go bankrupt if not saved by marijuana sales. However, it seems as though more people choose to Visit this website to purchase their marijuana than by visiting the farm. Of course, as we all know from our own experiences, no one agrees and there is one who is willing to do what it takes to make his point.
As if this family is not enough of a headache for him, Russ is dealing with his own personal issue; his relationship with Colin Stewart who is younger than him by half his age. On one hand he feels that this relationship will only break his heart but on the other hand it has grounded him and it is a good partnering.
For those of you who are not aware of Lloyd Meeker's writing, this is his second book in his Russ Morgan series. Before this came "Enigma" and it was there that we learn about Russ's uniqueness as a private eye. It is not necessary to read the prior book in order to enjoy "Blood and Dirt" but in doing so, you will better understand Russ.
Evan Landry has hired Russ to investigate the marijuana incident at the ranch. It is there that he meets the five siblings—Stanford Sr. and his adult children Stanford Jr., Marianne, Billy, Evan and Sarah. It is impossible not to notice the sibling rivalry but it is actually more than just rivalry. Russ is soon caught up in the whole mess and that includes dealing with Stanford Senior, the father, who questions whether he did the right thing. Soon the destruction of the property leads to murder and Russ realizes that he is involved in this whole business more than he had planned and it is not easy for him to be around people who are so vindictive and greedy.
Deputy Sheriff Heath Baker enters the story to investigate the murder. There is something put-offish about him and even though he flirts with Russ, he does not want his help on the case. Russ does not take this so easily and he uses some of his psychic ability to let Sheriff Heath know who he is.
I mentioned earlier Russ's relationship with Colin and now we see that Colin really wants to be with him while Russ thinks that they both could become hurt. Russ is also a bit scared of the fact that Colin is so much more mature than others his age. Colin and Russ are careful with their feelings for each other and it is clear that neither man wants to hurt the other in any way.
Now some of you are wondering why I so quickly dropped the case and wrote about Russ and Colin. If I had said anymore about the ranch and the family, I might have given something away that would ruin the read for others. Meeker gives us a wonderful read with fascinating characters written in excellent prose and I do not want to spoil anyone's read and enjoyment. But I might add that if you are interested in growing medical marijuana, this is a good place to begin reading about it.
This entry was posted in GLBT fiction on August 31, 2015 by Amos.
"PURPLE SKIES"— Pain, Trauma, Hope, Happiness
"Purple Skies"
"Purple Skies" is made up of stories of pain, trauma, hope and happiness of lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in India and what we see is an evocative, endearing tapestry of contemporary Indian LBT lives. Some of the stories are sad and some are very painful to hear but there are also happy stories and funny ones too. We hear from those whose lives have been victimized and subjugated by law, family and society as well as hopeful stories of younger LBT persons who have managed to overcome barriers to live openly with dignity.
What makes this film so special is that homosexuality has recently been made a criminal offense in India and now the community there has to fight against stereotypes, gender and sexual bias, rigid family values and a law that makes them criminals.
"Purple Skies" is a feature documentary by award winning filmmaker Sridhar Rangayan, weaves together heartrending stories of LBT people. The film is seen in the context of the historic struggle of the LGBT community in India and by juxtaposing personal stories with critical analysis of issues by activists and advocates; we get a compelling inside view of Indian LBT lives. It features interviews with Betu Singh, Maya Lisa-Shanker, Sonia Singhal, Maya Sharma, Jaya Sharma, Sumathi Murthy, Sunil Mohan, Shobhna S. Kumar, Siddhant More, Anand Grover, Meena Gopal, Raj Kanuajiya, Ushma, Sonal Giani, Upasana Nathani, Prashansa Gurang, Sapana Mhatre, Vineeth, B.T.Venkatesh, Ruth Vanita, Shohini Ghosh, Chayanika Shah, Ketaki Ranade.
"MESSI"— The Best Soccer Player in the World
The BestSoccer Player in the World
Lionel Messi is considered to be the best soccer player in the world. Director Alex de la Iglesia tries to tell us how that happened in his documentary feature. However, it is unfortunate that Messi is not fascinating enough to have a film made about him.
We enter a restaurant where most of the tables are occupied by people from Messi's past and present. His primary school teachers are at one table, at another, are Messi's childhood pals from his Rosario neighborhood in Argentina and they reminisce over photos. At another table are Barcelona teammates Iniesta, Pique and pals. There are other tables with club trainers, football journalists and even his doctor. But neither Messi nor members of his family are there. Instead we have actors pretending to be those people.
We learn something of Messi's problematic move from Argentina to Barcelona and learn that he nearly played for Spain. Maradona, is not actually in the room, but he does make a cameo appearance telling Lio how much he loves him. However, he leaves the question of who is the better player up in the air, believing the question should be discussed at the end of Messi's career. There is some archive footage of both players scoring goals, with the pundits pointing out the uncanny similarities between them.
It is clear that Iglesia wanted to come up with a new format for getting information out of his guests, and you can see that a gossiping about someone in a restaurant over a few bottles of wine might work. However his seating plan could have been much improved and interesting facts could have come out of that. No one is there to push the speakers into giving more information, no interviewer probing the interviewees.
The movie about Messi is messy. There's very little in the film that we don't already know, if you follow soccer. The goals and the technique look great, but Iglesia keeps cutting back to his own biopic fragments, insisting on their relevance. One of the journalists even admits that Messi is a dull subject to interview.
"American Dream" by Michael Derison— A Techno Thriller
Derison, Michael. "American Dream", Boylston Press, 2015
A Techno Thriller
While playing baseball game at a boys' camp in Maine, the body of a murdered woman is found. The victim was identified as Doctor Sarah Litel who was a chemistry scholar and involved with the Ion Disruptor, a weapon that has the power to vaporize matter on a devastating scale. It just so happens that the detective on the case, Marc Halvers, the Maine detective initially investigating Litel's murder, had been involved in an affair with Litel some eight years earlier when he was her bodyguard in Asia. Litel was them working for Anders Research Institute. She had been brought in to assist U.S. Army technicians testing the Ion Disruptor.
Almost right after the investigation has begun, the FBI stepped in an took over while simultaneously, the Federal Internal Security Trust, a Department of Homeland Security agency also became interested in what was going on.
—also takes an acute interest in the case. It also just happened that the United States was also in the midst of crisis when the middle class fell apart and Congress was forced to stop working and the population of our middle class split into smaller factions. Before anyone realized what was happening, an international incident was evolving.
Politicians, senior military officers, capitalists, operatives of the National Security Agency and former commandos fight for control of both the Ion Disruptor and the government of the United States. Halvers now finds himself along with Adam Pershing, a former colleague of Litel in a struggle against terrible odds from enemies that are corrupt.
Derison has written a novel with great action and a romantic subplot. He writes with a detail that only someone who knows the places where the story takes place could do. At times it is a bit difficult to follow what goes on but eventually all falls into place and we get a fascinating and well-written read. You might ask if this is a book with a gay plot and to that I answer that it certainly is but that is just part of the story. In fact, as we read the romantic sections of "American Dream", almost all else falls into the background as it waiting for us to return to the story. We become much more interested in the future of this country than the romance and whether or not a democracy can ever take place again.
"SECRETS OF WAR"— Three Children
Three Children
Tuur (Maas Bronkhuzen) and Lambert (Joes Brauers)are best friends who live in a Nazi-occupied Dutch village. They spend their days playing soldiers and they love to go exploring in the local caves. They also make fun of the war that seems to be much farther away than it really is. Maartje (Pippa Allen) joins their class and everyone notices that she is different from the ret of her classmates but the loves immediately invite her into their company and the three children form a very special friendship and bond. They share adventures, secrets and mischief. It does not take long until the realities of war get to them and Lambert's father who is a Nazi sympathizer, becomes mayor of their town. Tuur discovers his own father and brother have joined the resistance, and now the two best friends are at odds with each other. Maartje, we learn, has a secret of her own, one that not only threatens to tear the new friends apart, but also could lead to terrible consequences for anyone involved in keeping it. The film lets us see both the danger and the humanity of wartime friendships where three children must face extraordinary circumstances but do so with maturity that exceeds their years.
We actually have two stories. The first is about the ways a friendship between two newly-adolescent Dutch boys, Tuur and Lambert is tested, first by Maartje, a girl that they both like and then by World War Two, something neither child initially understands. The second story is an anti-war treatise that shows the ways war tears apart uninvolved lives.
All three young actors are very good, especially Allen who convincingly shows us her secrets long before the screenplay has her tell them to us. The real scene-stealer is Loek Peters, who plays Tuur's father. Peters (and the other grown-ups in Tuur's family) is the vehicle through which director Dennis Bots and writer Karin van Holst Pellekaan show us the horrors and tragedies of World War Two, but without much dialogue which means communication about the seriousness of the situation is related non-verbally.
It is the talent of the young actors (their facial expressions convey genuine emotions), the wonderful musical score and the skillful work of director Dennis Bots in giving us a look at a friendship that makes this film so special.
"Secrets of War" is a period piece. Lambert's father is collaborating with the invading Nazis, while Tuur's father quietly works to maintain independence. The boys are not separated by politics but instead by Maartje, the new girl in town who is said to be visiting family, but we are able to understand what her secret is. This is a very strong movie that has a great deal to say to both youngsters and adults.
This entry was posted in Film, Judaica on August 30, 2015 by Amos.
"Lethal Elements" by Joel Gomez-Dossi— Rocky Ground
Gomez-Dossi, Joel. "Lethal Elements", Bold Strokes Books, 2015.
Rocky Ground
Tom Burrell and his husband Roman are going through a rocky phase in their relationship. When Tom receives an offer to do mineral studies in the Adirondack Mountains, he quickly signs on. However, while doing the tests, he gets lost in the wilderness and is chased by someone who wants to kill him. Now Roman has to find a way to rescue his lover. However before he can do anything he has to find out what caused Tom's disappearance and he has to understand the goals of the company that Tom is working for. If he can't then Tom will ultimately die and therefore be eternally lost. The same is true of the ecosystem that Tom was working on.
It is interesting when we bring gay life and ecology together because it shows us as people who care about how and where he live and it also challenges the idea that so many uninformed people have of us—-that we live to have sex. Joel Gomez-Dossi writes with enthusiasm and knowledge of his subject and I love that he chose to use short chapters to tell his story. I did find the story to be almost unemotional making it difficult to identify with the characters but it is a fast read that is well written and paced well. But then the story is really not about the characters as it is about crime and how international organizations are able to move their operations wherever they need to be. Political power and money protects them and they will do whatever it takes to achieve what they want.
"The Heart's Eternal Desire" by David Holly— Preserving Love
Holly, David. "The Heart's Eternal Desire", Bold Strokes Books, 2015.
Preserving Love
It is not easy to hold on to love when facing enemies that want to see that love dead. Seaton French and Dustin Marley face just that—there is a conspiracy and they want to find out who the conspirators are and expose them. As things get really bad, Dusty experiences a shift in personality and Seaton has to deal with his lover who has become of many different personalities. Soon both men go through psychological states as conspiracies threaten their very existence and they become weird and continually make less and less sense. As out two lovers try to understand what is happening, they find themselves exploring strange religions and very secret societies that could prove fatal to them. Ultimately they are able to get to the source of the problem but this means that they have to learn to survive from minute to minute and there is not much they can do. The only redemption they seem to be able to find is with each other.
I am just not sure how I feel about this even though it is a provocative read. The characters seemed to be well developed until I got them mixed up. I am familiar with David Holley's work but this was unlike anything else of his that I have read and I found myself frustrated trying to follow what was happening.


text:
Q: how do you fix a modal window? My modal window closes with any clicking. But it should close only when you click past the modal window. What am I doing wrong?
I did 'overlay' when I clicked on which window it should close. Now I can't even write anything in the form.
Can you help me, please? I'm still a newbie.
This is what I was able to write myself.

class App extends React.Component {

    constructor(props){
        super(props);
        this.state = {isShow: false};
        this.showHidePopup = this.showHidePopup.bind(this);
    }

    showHidePopup(){
        let isShow = this.state.isShow;
        this.setState({isShow: !isShow});
    }

    render() {
        return (

sign up

                    {this.state.isShow ? <Authorisation /> : null}

        );
    }
}

const styles = {
    afterClick:{display:'none'},
    beforeClick:{display:'block'}
}

class Authorisation extends React.Component {
    constructor(props) {
        super(props);
        this.state = {
            isClickedOutside: false
        }
        this.handleClickBackground = this.handleClickBackground.bind(this);
    }

    handleClickBackground = () => {
        this.setState( {isClickedOutside: !this.state.isClickedOutside})
    }

    render() {
        return (

Вход

                    <button className="vk">Вконтакте</button>

                        <input required="required" type='email' placeholder="Почта"/>
                        <input required="required" type="password" placeholder="Пароль"/>
                        забыли пароль?

                    <button className="enter-button">Войти</button>

Зарегистрироваться

        );
    }
}

ReactDOM.render(
  <App />,
  document.getElementById('container')
);
.overlay {
    top: 0;
    bottom: 0;
    right: 0;
    left: 0;
    z-index: 1;
    margin: auto;
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
    position: fixed;
    background: #999;
}

.login-form {
  width: 300px;
  height: 300px;
  border:1px solid #000;
  background:#777;
  z-index:3;
  margin:auto;
}

A: Change your implementation of handleClickBackground to the following:-
handleClickBackground = (e) => {
    if(e.target.className==='overlay')
    {
        this.setState( {isClickedOutside: !this.state.isClickedOutside})
    }
    }

This ensures that your target is the only one responsible for setting the state. When you were clicking on Login form, it also triggers a click event which bubbles up to the overlay and triggers it's onClick.

A: You can check which element is being clicked with associated class
 isOutside = (element) => {
   return element.classList.contains("overlay");
 }

 handleClickBackground = (event) => {
  const element = event.target;

  if(isOutside(element)) { // or any other logic
    this.setState( {isClickedOutside: !this.state.isClickedOutside})
  }

 }

Or if you like refs

  constructor(props) {
      super(props);
      this.state = {
          isClickedOutside: false
      }
      this.handleClickBackground = this.handleClickBackground.bind(this);
      this.overlayRef = React.createRef();
  }

 isOutside = (element) => {
   return element === this.overlayRef.current;
 }

 handleClickBackground = (event) => {
  const element = event.target;

  if(isOutside(element)) { // or any other logic
    this.setState( {isClickedOutside: !this.state.isClickedOutside})
  }

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Life After Baseball: Because You Love These Pics!
Because You Love These Pics!
It's a slow day around here so thought I would share this picture with you. How CUTE is she?
how come when you click on the pictures, they stay small? On charisa's site you clikc and the pictures are enlarged?
I don't know...I did it from the office so I'm probably just uploading it wrong.


text:
Daniel Gabriel Pancu (Iași, 17 augustus 1977) is een Roemeens voetballer. Hij speelt als aanvaller bij FC Voluntari.

Carrière
Pancu begon zijn carrière bij Politehnica Iași, waarmee hij in 1995 zijn debuut in de hoogste Roemeense voetbalklasse maakte. In de winter van 1996 werd hij voor $200.000 getransfereerd naar Rapid Boekarest. Hij was op dat moment de meeste dure speler die Iași verkocht. Na twee en een half seizoen vertrok hij naar AC Cesena uit de Italiaanse Serie B. Maar na een jaar in de Serie B keerde Pancu terug naar Rapid Boekarest waar hij voor twee seizoenen zou blijven. In deze periode bekwam hij zijn eerste selectie voor het Roemeense nationale team. In 2002 werd hij gekocht door Beşiktaş voor $2.250.000. In de winter van 2005-2006 keerde hij terug naar Rapid op leenbasis. Daarna trok hij naar Bursaspor.

Hij werd vooral bekend omdat hij in de Istanbulse derby tussen Besiktas en Fenerbahçe in het doel van de uitgesloten keeper (die reeds een geblesseerde keeper had vervangen) mocht gaan staan. Hij stopte de penalty niet maar Besiktas won de derby met 4-3 en het volgende seizoen kreeg Pancu het truitje met rugnummer 1 bij Besiktas. Hij scoorde ook eenmaal tegen de Spaanse club Valencia in de UEFA cup, toen hij bij Besiktas speelde.

In 2008 keerde hij voor de vierde keer terug naar Rapid Boekarest. Na een half jaar verliet hij de club om te voetballen bij het Tsjetsjeense Terek Grozny. Voor Gronzy scoorde hij tien keer in drieëndertig competitieduels. Begin 2010 volgde een transfer naar het Bulgaarse CSKA Sofia. Het seizoen 2010/11 vatte hij weer aan in de Roemeense competitie bij FC Vaslui. In 2011 keerde hij echter weer terug naar Rapid Boekarest.

Erelijst
 Rapid Boekarest
Roemeens landskampioen: 1998/1999
Roemeense beker: 1997/1998, 2001/2002, 2005/2006
Roemeense Supercup: 1999, 2002

 Beşiktaş JK
Turks landskampioen: 2002/2003

Roemeens voetballer


The air was damp and cool in the dim early morning light. Helena stood stone still over the proceedings, her thoughts a million miles away, refusing to fully accept the scene before her.
The body, wrapped in long strips of cloths was released from where it had previously been lain amongst the ancient, twining branches that formed a sort of ledge. A few colored strips were left loose so they fluttered as the body fell, descending in to the deep, thick darkness below. The chasm was a sacred place, kept clear of branches and obstructions; it was one of the rare places where one could see down into the depths, unobscured. After a while, the body faded from view, a memory against the blackness.
He was gone. The finality of it hit her hard, a choking feeling deep in her chest. She gasped, and looked up, refusing to feel, to linger on that feeling that caused her breath to catch and rasp in her throat. As she did so, she caught the eye of Betrean, standing across the chasm with his mother. He gave her a sympathetic smile, and turned to help his mother and leave her to grieve, as did everyone else. She slumped back against a thick branch, her eyes clenched shut and let herself think on the future, rather than the past, or the pain of loosing her father.
Her thoughts went to Betrean, and the fact that soon she would be living in his house under the watch of his mother, the Elderwoman Rosslean. She had grown up with the young Betrean. He was a charmer, that one. He had such a way with people.
When they were growing up, her father was often called to aid Beteran's ailing father. Despite the fact that she was a starchild, Betrean treated her as an equal, as if she were just another of the children that frequented the large house. They played endlessly amongst the twining vines and branches of that old, intricately woven old house. They played hide and seek, immidated bird calls, and had climbing races, which Betrean would always win, despite the barbed gloves and other tools her father had made for her to adapt.
While other children avoided her, Betrean never shied away from Helena, the tribe's starchild. People of the stars were rare, and for the tribe to have adopted a single abandoned child of the stars, it made her a strange and rare oddity. While she held a place of value and significance, it did not make her life one of ease. Her father and mother, before their passing treated her as if she was a normal Teagean child. Well, as much as they were able, and did their best to helper adapt and fit in. Despite their best efforts, she was still different, and shunned by many of the children and she lead a life of isolation.
As she stood in silence by the deep, dark chasm, a voice called out to her.
Helena smiled. It was Dialeana, a girl younger than her, who was one of the other few rare youths that would even dare speak to her.
"And I am whom I am…" Helena said softly, watching the lovely Dialeana with her long, silky brown locks, streaked with green. Her hair caught in the breeze that rose up from the chasm, much like those trailing ribbons of her father's death dressings only a short time earlier. Dialeana was everything a Teagean should be: long limbed, limber with dark, mottled skin and lovely, long tapered fingers and toes. When Dialeana met Helena's wistful gaze, Helena's eyes dropped to her own stubby toed and woefully flat feet.
"I would trade you, if I could," her voice was a barely audible murmur.
"And I you…" Helena replied.


There's two interesting little stories in this idea that Saudi Arabia is going to go bust in a couple of years as a result of the sagging oil price. Both are more general economic ideas than just the story of that oil price. The first is that mono-anything in economics is something we don't really like. We certainly don't like either monopolies or monopsonies, but we should also be very careful of an economy that relies on any one product or even supplier. The perils of resting an entire economy on the production of just the one commodity should be obvious here. But the same could and should be said about reliance upon any one supplier in an economy as well. We want diversity, always, of producers and suppliers. The second is that this is an object lesson in why most economists don't really believe in the idea of predatory pricing. Sure, it's possible for a dominant supplier to try to lower prices and drive others out of the marketplace. The idea is that once they've bankrupted those others then they can sweep back in, raise prices and thus enjoy monopoly profits having killed the competition. There's an element of Saudi having tried this, trying to kill off shale. And it's not working: and economists have never really seen anyone making this tactic work. Which is why they don't really believe in it as anything other than a theoretical possibility.
Bank of America BAC -0.34% says OPEC is now "effectively dissolved". The cartel might as well shut down its offices in Vienna to save money.
If the oil market had had its old structure, where projects take a decade or more to even bring into production and then produce for decades more, at vast capital cost, then the sort of tactic that Saudi used might have a chance of working. If by flooding the market for a year or two Saudi can cast doubt on the financing of the next wave of such large projects then they might be able to enjoy a decade or more of high prices. Those high prices more than making up for the lost income in that period of undercutting those projects. Maybe.
In the past, observers and analysts viewed resource production as an extraction business in which costs and prices rise over time as the better low-cost prospects tap out. Fracking has changed the situation completely. Fracking is manufacturing or, perhaps better, "manufRacturing." It is not resource extraction. Historically, manufacturing is characterized by increasing productivity and falling costs.
Furthermore, manufacturing typically begins in more advanced industrialized nations and then spreads over time to other countries. Cotton ginning started in the United States after Eli Whitney invented the first modern mechanical gin in 1793. The practice then spread to other countries. Advanced steel production began in the US after World War II and then took hold in Germany, Japan, South Korea, and China. Industrial revolutions move from high-cost countries to low-cost nations. We expect crude oil manufacturing to do the same.
The problem for the Saudis is that US shale frackers are not high-cost. They are mostly mid-cost, and as I reported from the CERAWeek energy forum in Houston, experts at IHS think shale companies may be able to shave those costs by 45pc this year – and not only by switching tactically to high-yielding wells.
Advanced pad drilling techniques allow frackers to launch five or ten wells in different directions from the same site. Smart drill-bits with computer chips can seek out cracks in the rock. New dissolvable plugs promise to save $300,000 a well. "We've driven down drilling costs by 50pc, and we can see another 30pc ahead," said John Hess HES +1.59%, head of the Hess Corporation.
It was the same story from Scott Sheffield, head of Pioneer Natural Resources PXD +2.13%. "We have just drilled an 18,000 ft well in 16 days in the Permian Basin. Last year it took 30 days," he said.
So, Saudi Arabia opened the pumps to try to kill off shale: the end result is that shale keeps working and any price rise will be met by increasing production from them.
As I say, economists tend not to believe in predatory pricing as being a useful real world technique for exactly this reason: it doesn't so far as we've ever seen, lead to a profit for the predator. And, as AEP points out, this is going to cause terrible problems for Saudi Arabia in the near future. To balance their budget they need oil at $106 per barrel. And it's extremely unlikely ever to reach that level again, given that fracking has transformed the industry into something much more akin to manufacturing than resource extraction.
Some of this is of course detail about the oil industry. But the real story here is, well, what does an economy do when 90% of it is indeed oil based and the price of oil has more than halved and looks as if it will never recover?
Quite, diversity in an economy is to be desired.


We have experience of providing acquisition programme support throughout the life cycle of the project. We have a reputation for providing cost effective, evidence based advice and impartial input to our clients activities.
Requirements management is an essential component in order to analyse and elicit the objectives of an organisation. We have extensive experience of working with a range of stakeholders to elicit and manage requirements, integrating requirements, identification of attributes, relationships with other information and the changes for these so that their requirements can be expressed effectively to decision makers.
e of stakeholders to elicit and manage requirements, integrating requirements, identification of attributes, relationships with other information and the changes for these so that their requirements can be expressed effectively to decision makers.
We have a proven ability to manage requirements by working with stakeholders to understand and refine them in order to produce a requirements set that traceable, set in context, well defined, aligned and can be readily understood by all stakeholders involved. We have supported the management of requirements for numerous acquisition and capability deployment programmes across defence, helping to ensure that all requirements have been identified and managed in support of the objectives of the capability owners.
Providing the decision maker with the ability to monitor key processes and performance in real-time is essential to making timely and accurate decisions. Dashboards provide the decision maker with powerful, flexible and intuitive displays of the key information they required in an easy to understand graphical format. With just a couple of mouse clicks you can immediately drill down to the identify the root cause of any issues and take any corrective action required.
Supports quantitative analysis techniques, application of metrics and key performance indicators.
Complex interrelated projects require effective management to ensure overall programme goals are achieved. An effective programme manager needs to identify and manage cross project dependencies, manage risks, and solve issues across projects and major Lines of Development (LoDs).
We have significant experience of supporting government organisations in the identification of non-aligned projects and requirements as well as providing recommendations for remedial action. We also assist our clients in relation to the management of suppliers, providing a combination of programmatic support and relevant subject matter expertise.
There is nothing more powerful than an idea. But an idea that can't be shared is in great danger of being misunderstood or lost altogether. Effective engagement with key stakeholders, augmented by innovative techniques for representation of new concepts, enables the production of clear, powerful descriptions and visualisations. These can be utilised to assist in the expression of coherent concepts to decision makers to achieve "buy-in".
We have a proven ability to take a draft concept, work with stakeholders to understand and refine it in order to produce visualisations that clearly convey the originator's message in a manner that can be readily understood by the target audience. Our experience includes the production of visualisations to express capability concepts, operational concepts, mission scenarios, technical solutions, lessons identified and issues.
Effective communication of complex concepts to non-specialist audience.
Fosters dialogue and a common understanding of the concept between disparate stakeholder groups.
Powerful and intuitive graphical based formats.
Increased meaning, emphasis and context to added to concepts.
Operational deficiencies are often not identified until delivered equipment is in the hands of the end user. Such problems could be identified prior to delivery, at latest, during the Test and Evaluation (T&E) phase. T&E is, therefore, a key and critical phase in any equipment programme.
Our team has in-depth and current experience throughout the T&E phase covering the full spectrum of our capability areas. We believe that the adoption of robust and rigorous processes, coupled with lessons identified during the various international programmes we have supported, will ensure a high level of success. However, we temper this with a pragmatic approach to ensure a cost effective outcome.
Our team has in-depth expertise and up to date experience across all T&E disciplines, covering the full spectrum of our capability areas. We adopt a pragmatic approach and use international best practice in advising our customers on the best way forward to achieving a successful outcome in their T&E activities. Our approach to T&E has a proven reputation of delivering high quality and cost effective independent support to the customer and end user community.
A Capability Roadmap is a comprehensive plan of the current and future development of the enterprise. It captures strategic aims and intent, refines these into capability requirements, and charts the evolving state of the enterprise as it strives to meet them.
Aligns acquisition activity to strategic plans and goals.
Identifies capability gaps, shortfalls and overlaps.
Supports the comparison of solution options against strategic requirements.
Fosters dialogue and a common understanding of the evolution of the enterprise between disparate stakeholder groups.
IO Management is the means by which IO issues are crucially understood and, where possible, overcome. Both national and international activities need to be harnessed in support of IO management. Nationally, a process is required which promotes the development and sustainment of IO enablers based on sound operational requirements whilst having an eye on IO with legacy platforms. From an international perspective, IO management involves the sharing of ideas and information in different fora and the adoption, or not, of associated results nationally.
We have been involved in the promotion of interoperable solutions from the enterprise level down to specific equipment. We use a range of processes and tools to support the evaluation and management of IO, from an EA approach down to iSMART for TDL IO management. We strive to find novel ways of employing these tools and processes to increase their effectiveness in the management of IO.
A major factor in the achievement of IO is the employment of national and international standards. Standards management is the process of evolving those standards to correct deficiencies and to support the introduction of new capabilities required by different communities of interest. This activity requires strict configuration management of data, linked with the ability to optimise changes and understand their impacts.
JCSys has experience of supporting organisations in the development and implementation of standards management processes. Furthermore, our team possesses unparalleled technical and operational expertise which we have employed in the management of many international and national standards. JCSys can assist your organisation in Standards Management as part of an effective IO management strategy.
Effective management of IO requires authoritative policy which is endorsed and enforced by an organisation of empowered stakeholders who each understand and execute their responsibilities. Experience has taught us that a good IO process without policy will result in a sub-optimal solution. JCSys consultants have provided advice on policy and have developed sustainment directives and processes for a number of nations, directed towards specific national needs.
Perhaps the greatest danger to sustainment is a fragmented approach solely based on individual platform needs and enacted using processes which are hidden from the remainder of the community (including the central authority); in these circumstances, system of system needs are lost. Having a defined national process does not necessarily constrain individual systems from achieving what they want but it does ensure that decisions can be made at the network level thus mitigating any negative impacts of changes at the platform level. Whilst the international processes involved in TDL sustainment inevitably impose demands, having well-defined and widely understood interaction with them offers the potential to realise benefit as well as ensuring a full and productive part is played in these key international activities and forums.
Ensuring you have the right tools to do the job is always at the forefront of our training delivery, Acquisition Management is a specialised area and you can often only develop effective skills in this area through project exposure and experience. Our consultants have over twenty years' experience of supporting complex aquisition projects, from the concept phases, through to operational testing and through-life support. It is in these areas that we feel that we can transfer our knowledge to you, ensuring you are better prepared for your challenging time ahead. Whether it is; Capability Integration Capture, Requirements Management, Business Process, Procurement Strategy, Assessing Competitive Bids, Systems Interoperability or Stake Holder Management, we can provide you with a tailored package that will support your acquisition training needs.
Effectively identifying your training needs through personal engagement.
Gain understanding in areas where experience is normally the only source.
Improving your knowledge and understanding of acquisition management through experienced based training.
Fosters a higher level of acquisition knowledge thus reducing program risk.


Have a question? Browse through our frequently asked questions to see if it's been answered.
Powerful cooling potential in a compact body, the G-2C Countertop Cooler is your go-to POP solution for your Dr. Pepper Snapple Group products. Designed with creativity, ingenuity, and usability, the G-2C Countertop Cooler is powered by a forced air evaporator system. This system uses natural refrigerants to quickly pull down temperatures and keep your DPSG beverages refreshing. Each cooler is outfitted with the latest in eco-friendly hardware, ensuring complete energy efficiency. High impact graphics and an illuminated canopy promote marketing and branding to enhance sales and ROI by bringing in more point of purchase profits.
Our parts and component materials are designed specifically for longevity and durability. In the event your unit should malfunction, IDW technicians are standing by to support you. Our technical assistance team and spare parts inventory will keep you up and running with a minimum of downtime. Fill out the form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.


text:
Casino's Rigged. Don't Forget Because They Say It Ain't.
By Charles P. Pierce
Let us, for the moment, accept as something at least semi-gospelish the notion that the problem with the current system of international finance, the eight-gozillion-horsepower engine that is pulling the caboose of political democracy toward the cliff at 200 miles an hour, is not that there is corruption in the system. It is that the corruption is the system. The system cannot function without systemic corruption. This puts everyone in a bind. Millions of homeowners find themselves without homes, and millions of free-market conservatives find themselves standing helplessly out in the rain, their ideological umbrellas in tatters. And it leaves the rest of us wondering if we just ought to bury a bunch of gold coins out in the yard and learn to skin squirrels for dinner.
If you want an illustration of the basic conservative conundrum, here's a piece from The Weekly Standard, suggesting that Willard Romney be born-again as a Wall Street reform superhero. (I'll pause here while you retrieve your jaw from the bowl of Wheatena into which it just fell. There you are. We continue.) The author is admirably outraged at the perfidy of the big banks and the inherently catastrophic phenomenon of Too Big To Fail. He even sticks up for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which guarantees that he'll be the pinata at the next Objectivist's Picnic in Galt's Gulch. However, you will note that he also proposes that Romney come out for rigid financial reforms without the benefit of strict government regulation, which is always, and in every case, bad. I don't know how he plans for Romney to enforce those reforms in a deregulated environment. His inherent charisma? His dark powers to shape men's minds?
On Tuesday, while lecturing the Senate to get its act together, Ben Bernanke took some hits about the Fed's response to the mushrooming LIBOR scandal. In response, Bernanke said that the LIBOR system was "fundamentally flawed." At this point, pointing that out is about the same thing as saying that the Titanic had a little buoyancy trouble. As a matter of demonstrable fact, the LIBOR system was a rigged game, and it had been for some time, and the only relevant question is how long did the people who rigged it get fat off their crimes before it all hit the fan this summer? Bernanke spent a great deal of time warning the Senate that inaction this year would damage the fragile economy by undermining consumer and business "confidence" in the system. This is to laugh.
What confidence was he talking about, exactly? It's been four years since the crooks tanked the Wall Street casino, stealing most of the national wealth and leaving the rest in sticks and splinters. Everybody in the country knows what happened; there have been HBO movies and Oscar-winning theatrical features on the subject, and a whole passel of best-selling books. And yet, because the thievery happened in rough coincidence with the Supreme Court's deregulation of political bribery, and with the accelerating prion disease that is eating through the brain of the Republican party, everybody knows that nothing substantial is going to happen to anyone above a certain level of power and influence, and that nothing has really changed. Even the tepid Dodd-Frank reforms are back under assault. If Ben Bernanke thinks that the great mass of Americans who are living through the Great Recession caused by the avaricious and amoral gombeens with whom he has lunch still has any confidence that they will do anything except steal with both hands, he really does need to get out more.
People may have very little confidence in the government's competence, but they have absolutely none in the financial system's honesty. People may have very little hope that government can fix things to even out the losses, now that all the serious people agree that the national economy should be run as though at were one of Sheldon Adelson's casinos in Macao, but they have no hope at all that the financial system even has any intention at all of reforming itself. Even though it's been ignored by most of the U.S. mainstream press, LIBOR is a significant tell. The people who rigged it, and the people who profited from the big fix, did so while the entire world financial system was tottering on the verge of utter ruin. These crooks knew exactly what the other crooks had done, and they were very aware of the consequences of what they were doing, and they organized their criminal profiteering anyway. This is a level of amorality that is almost staggering. But, once you accept that corruption is the system, there is a kind of mad logic to it. After all, does Adelson care about the poor schmucks gambling themselves into a hole at the blackjack tables? Caveat emptor, bitches.
And so Ben Bernanke goes up again before a House committee on Wednesday to sling more bullshit and to pretend he doesn't know what his job really is. "We are very committed to ensuring, or at least doing all we can to ensure, that we continue to make progress," he says. In the rigged casino that he and his friends have made of the world, Ben Bernanke is the cooler.
Charles P. Pierce Charles P Pierce is the author of four books, most recently Idiot America, and has been a working journalist since 1976.
More From Politics With Charles P. Pierce
Republic Will Die Until Republicans Say Biden Won
This Execution Answered One Atrocity With Another
Lindsey Graham Should Really Just Shut Up
Windows Weren't the Only Things Broken in Congress
Politics With Charles P. Pierce
The Man Who Dresses the NBA Will Now Be Dressing You
The Greatest Story Never Told


To rent equipment for your group please complete the form below. If you have additional questions regarding the Group Equipment process, please contact us via email. Based on availability, your group can reserve equipment for on-campus or off-campus events. The pick-up and return dates will be determined on an event-by-event basis in accordance with availability. Pick-up and return of equipment will occur at the RPAC Sport Shop. Group Rental Requests must be requested at least two weeks in advance of the requested pick up date.
Student Life Recreational Sports reserves the right to determine the potential harm to equipment and may reject said request.
The scheduling of equipment availability will be based on approval by Student Life Recreational Sports.
Student Life Recreational Sports must be given the appropriate contact for each request.
Groups renting equipment are required to observe all applicable policies of the Student Life Recreational Sports and The Ohio State University and all local, state and federal laws.
Student Life Recreational Sports will apply a fee of $5 for each day the equipment is unreturned.
If Student Life Recreational Sports assesses a fine, the individual who is specified in the Group Equipment Check Out form will be responsible for payment.
The individual who is responsible for late fees will be suspended from facility access, programs and services until the fee is paid.
Damaged or unreturned equipment will result in the assessment of replacement cost.
Priority is given to one-time events. Requests for weekly reservations will be accommodated as available.
Requestors must be able to transport all equipment to/from the Sport Shop inside the RPAC. Student Life Recreational Sports is not responsible for transportation, delivery or pick-up of equipment.
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