text:
You are at:Home»Festivals»Cinema Without Borders honored the legendary artist, Phil Mendez
Cinema Without Borders honored the legendary artist, Phil Mendez
By Luz Aguado on	 06/13/2011 Festivals
Cinema Without Borders and The Art Institute of California – Los Angeles, an educational institution for career preparation in the visual and culinary arts, recently held its inaugural animation event, The Ollies Animation Festival. The event, which is named after animation great Ollie Johnson, showcases work from aspiring filmmakers, industry professionals and animation legends.
The festival also honored industry pioneer and marvel Phil Mendez for his contributions as an artist and animation filmmaker to the industry with Cinema Without Borders Life Achievement Award 2011. Mendez has been writing, drawing, designing, directing and entertaining millions of people for over 40 years in film, television, publishing and theme park design for companies like Walt Disney, CBS, NBC, MGM and Hanna-Barbera.
Festival goers were also treated to works from seasoned professional Jorge Guttierez, creator of El Tigre. Additionally, the festival showcased student work from the Art Institute of Los Angeles media arts and animation program, including work from the institute's student-run production studio, Red Giant.
The night began with filmmakers, students, and audience members gathering on the patio of The Goethe Institute of Los Angeles to get to know each other, chat, and have a bite of wonderful Mediterranean food provided by Aroma Café. The festivities moved inside to the Goethe Institute Theater, and two AI students took the stage to begin the show.
Ekaterina Oloy and Raquel Orozco—the Student Producers of the event—kicked off The Ollies Animation Festival, which provided an entertaining evening complete with exhibitions of artists' works and a number of prominent speakers sharing their wisdom and insight at the podium. Artist and long-time-friend of Phil, Cliff MacGillivray was on hand to address the audience and introduce three industry speakers, who shared their memories of working with Phil.
The first industry speaker was Bruce W. Smith. Bruce began his feature film career on the Walt Disney Animation Studios production, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? He was Director on Bebe's Kids and the Co-Director of Animation on Space Jam. He has supervised animation on Disney's Tarzan and The Emperor's New Groove. He is the creator and executive producer of the television series The Proud Family. Smith recently completed work supervising the animation of the evil villain Dr. Facilier in The Princess and the Frog and currently he's the Supervising Animator of the lovable Piglet in Disney Animation's upcoming Winnie the Pooh feature.
Following Bruce was Mark Stephen Evanier. Mark is an American comic book and television writer whose numerous television credits include Scooby Doo, Plastic Man, Thundarr the Barbarian, The ABC Weekend Special, Richie Rich, The Wuzzles, and Dungeons & Dragons. He is most noted in animation for his work on Garfield and Friends, a seven-season series for which Evanier wrote or co-wrote nearly every episode and acted as voice director.
The audience was then treated to a third speaker, Tom Sito. Tom is a director, professor, lecturer, animator, storyboard artist and author whose screen credits include the Disney classics The Little Mermaid, Beauty & The Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Pocahontas, Dinosaurs and Fantasia. Other film credits include The Prince Of Egypt, Antz, Paulie, Spirit, Shrek, Yogi Bear and Hop! He has been awarded the June Foray Award by the International Animators Society ASIFA/Hollywood for his lifetime's work for the animation community and has been named to Animation Magazine's list of "the 100 Most Important People in Animation."
These wonderful speakers gave the audience some one-of-a-kind insight, straight from the heart of the Animation Industry. As mentioned, one of the missions of the festival is to honor an outstanding member of the Animation Industry for accomplishments and contributions to the field, and this year's inaugural honoree was Phil Mendez.
Bijan Tehrani, AI faculty member and Editor-in-Chief of Cinema Without Borders, was brought on to introduced Phil and begin his tribute. Phil Mendez is perhaps best known as the author of The Black Snowman. The revered coming-of-age story has sold over a million copies and won numerous honors, including the coveted Martin Luther King "Living the Dream" award. In addition to being a best-selling author, Phil is a multi-talented storyteller who has been writing, drawing, designing, directing and entertaining millions of people for over 40 years. Here is just a small sample from Phil Mendez' extensive background:
Television – For NBC, Phil created and sold two series – Kissyfur and Foofur. For Hanna-Barbera Productions, Phil was the lead character designer and layout artist on Scooby Doo, The Jetsons, Yogi Bear, Hong Kong Phooey, The Buford Files, Jabber Jaw, Magilla Gorilla and Charlotte's Web. For the French studio France 2 it was Donkey Kong. As character designer and director for Rainforest Entertainment, Phil helped create the CBS series The Adventures of Hyperman. He also created the sales presentation for Quincy Jones' Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Film – Phil was the character designer and director for MGM's Tom Sawyer, the character designer for Secret of NIMH II, and Mike Young Productions' Clifford the Big Red Dog. He was the concept supervisor and character designer for XD Productions' Pinocchio and King Arthur, and 310 Studios' The Secret to Thunderbird Pass. He was concept designer for two David Kirschner projects – American Tail and Hallmark's Rose Petal Place. Phil was a character designer and layout artist for the Hanna-Barbera feature, Heidi. He also left his mark at Walt Disney Studios on two enduring classics, Robin Hood and The Rescuers.
Theme Parks – As a Co-Founder of Landmark Entertainment, from 1980 to 1991 Phil led the animatronics design concept for all the Six Flags Parks, and won the Japanese Fellowship Award for best designed animation character for a theme park. He was also the character designer, writer, storyboard artist and children's book illustrator for Gary Goddard Entertainment's "The Deepo 3-D Fish Show at the Atlanta Aquarium. For good measure, Phil spent five years as concept and development designer for various shows and rides in Epcot's World Showcase.
Art – Phil's one-man fine art show Mendezia sold out on opening night. His poster introducing the Dumbo ride at Disneyland, is one of the most popular lithographs in Disney history. He illustrated the comics Three Musketeers, Sugar `N Spike, Top Cat, Peter Potamus, Magilla Gorilla and The Jetsons. Phil has two works on display in Paris' renowned Louvre, which is part of the Mickey Bear Les Micquets exhibition.
Commercial Success – Phil was an art director and was responsible for character development and storyboarding of Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample's Cheerios, Trix, Kixs, Lucky Charms and Cocoa Puffs accounts. He was also a plush toy designer for Dakin Toys for 2 years.
Mendez addressed the audience and was met with thunderous applause. Shelley S. Glickstein, Art Institute of California, LA Dean of Academic Affairs, and Mike Libonati, Chair of the Animation department, joined Phil on stage and honored him with an Ollies Animation Festival Certificate for his lifetime achievement in the field of animation. Toon Boom awarded Phil Mendez with Animate Pro and Storyboard Pro to show their appreciation for his work.
The Festival didn't stop there, of course. Phil Mendez remained on stage to announce the winners for the Student Film Awards, chosen by Cinema Without Borders' film critics.
The Third Place prize was awarded to Adam Rubin for "China Cat Sunflower". Adam got to take home an Animation Magazine Yearbook. Second Place went to Lars Ingelman for "Class". Lars was also given a subscription to Animation Magazine. The winner of the Best Student Film Award was "Spencer High" by Andrew Brumder. The award came with the prize of Toon Boom's Animate Pro, a $2,000 value. Kat Oloy received an honorable mention for her artistic vision in creating her short-animated film "Alaska" and she received an Animation Magazine Yearbook as well.
The inaugural Ollies Film Festival was a unique and memorable event which successfully showcased professional and student work from the realm of Animation. The event wouldn't have taken off had it not been for the hard work of AI staffers and students, including the efforts of Nick Kozis, an Art Institute of California, Los Angeles faculty member and a great filmmaker. The Ollies Animation Festival will return next year!
Photos by: Aaron Perez. Aaron is a professional photographer based in Hollywood, CA and the Production Designer for the South East European Film Festival. E-mail: aaron@seefilmla.org


text:
Q: How to store an ID number or Phone number as an integer without an error? Im having a bit of trouble trying to store an ID number, or even a phone number as an Integer value.
This is what ive tried:
begin
  InfoFile := TStringList.Create;

    ID := StrToInt(edtID.Text);
    PhoneNumber := StrToInt(edtPhone.Text);

I keep on getting ***** is not a valid integer value. First of all, I know the number is too big for an integer value, is there a way to compress or make it smaller somehow? Or should I just not use it as a variable? I dont really know if im making too much sense.
Any advice would be appreciated!

A: It should be obvious that you cannot compress a phone number. Compression has to be reversible. If you could compress the number so that, for instance, you could store, say, a 40 bit value in 32 bits, then your compression would not be reversible. There are 232 distinct values that can be stored in a 32 bit value. If there are more than
232 distinct telephone numbers, then compression cannot possibly help.
Probably the most expedient solution, if you must store as an integer, is to store the number as a 64 bit integer, Int64. Convert from string using StrToInt64. The largest value that can be stored in a 64 bit integer is 9,223,372,036,854,775,807.
You will clearly need to sanitise your string before you attempt to call StrToInt64. You'll need to remove spaces, hyphens etc. And are you sure that you can store the number as an integer. For instance, I might write a UK telephone number as +44 151 876 2765. What will you do with the +?
So, whilst Int64 gives you more range, you might wish to consider whether or not the value would be better stored in a string.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Share this Page: 2022 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Fastback
reload the page with a new Trim EcoBoost Fastback - $32,145 EcoBoost Convertible - $37,145 EcoBoost Premium Fastback - $38,445 GT Fastback - $42,135 EcoBoost Premium Convertible - $43,775 GT Premium Fastback - $49,365 GT Premium Convertible - $55,145 Mach 1 - $67,055
What is it? 4-seat Coupe
The OG of Detroit's pony cars, the Mustang enters its 58th year of continual production relatively unchanged for 2022, just adding a few new cosmetic packages to the lineup, which Ford breaks out as Fastback, Convertible, Mach 1, and Shelby.
Ford makes sure gearheads have a choice when it comes to powering their Mustangs, starting with the 310-hp, turbo 2.3L EcoBoost four-cylinder. A high-performance version bumps the pony count to 330. Mustang GTs come with a 460-hp, 5.0L V8 while the Mach 1's 5.0L puts out 480 hp. Al of these engines can be paired with a six-speed manual or 10-speed automatic transmission. The top dog Shelby GT500, which the company touts as the most powerful street-legal Ford in history, comes with a 760-hp supercharged 5.2L V8, exclusively with a Tremec seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
The rear-wheel-drive, 2+2 Mustang is about performance, not family-type practicality. Still, EcoBoost and GT models now come standard with Ford Co-Pilot360, a suite of driver-assist technologies that includes auto high-beam headlamps, rear-view camera, blind-spot information, lane-keeping and pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, forward collision warning and dynamic brake support.
Ford has yet to release 2022 model year pricing. 2021 MSRPs range from $31,895 for the EcoBoost-powered Fastback to $96,480 for the Shelby GT500.
What does EcoBoost Fastback come with?
4.2-inch, Colour
Audio, Phone
USB, Bluetooth, AM/FM
Analogue & TFT
Power Adjustable
A/C, Manual, - Zones
Cloth, Cloth
Bench/sports, Symmetrical
235/, 55, W, 17, All-season
LED, Projector Beam
2022 Ford Mustang - Gallery

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


If your Honda is 3 years or older, then you can take advantage of our two specialist service packages – the Honda 12 and the Honda 12+. They both consist of a thorough 35-point service to make sure your Honda stays healthy and happy. The 12+ comes with a few added extras.
Our additional cover allows you to build in the cost of any potential future work. For example, you might want to include cover for an air conditioning service, replacement brake discs, or an MOT.


Voltage optimisation (VO) is an established, proven and reliable technology that can not only help your business reduce both energy consumption and carbon emissions but will also save your company money.
One of the great benefits of voltage optimisation is that the energy savings and CO2 reductions are experienced immediately.
Savings will vary dependant on the individual site, but in our experience optimising your supply voltage to 225V or 220V can save between 5% and 15% in electricity consumption.
Installing voltage optimisation technology can make a huge difference to your business.
Want to find out more about our Voltage Optimisation services?


We've been to a circus before, and trust us; nothing will knock your socks off like the Electric Circus. Switch things up and go watch this unique live entertainment!
All awesome things are worth waiting for, and many have been with eyes out in wait for the Electric Circus at Truth. This electrifying (pun intended) performance is definitely something to look forward to.
It's all great to be at a circus, but even better to be at an Electric Circus. Not only is it a unique experience but it will leave you inspired and wanting to see more. Not forgetting that this year features artists, Dario D'Attis & Jean Bacarreza so you can definitely expect the unexpected.
Saturday, 27 April 2019 at 21:00 – 06:00.


text:
Home / Jackson Browne
Origin: Heidelberg, Germany
Genres: American Rock, Folk rock, Singer-songwriter
It's likely Jackson Browne was destined to become actively concerned with the US role in international politics. Browne was born October 9, 1948, in Heidelberg, Germany, where his father Clyde Jack Browne, an American serviceman, was stationed for his job assignment with the Stars and Stripes newspaper. So it's natural the young Browne was always destined to be concerned about human rights and other issues.
Browne and his family moved to Los Angeles when he was three years old and by the time he was a teenager, he had developed an interest in folk music. He began playing guitar and writing songs, which he sang at local folk clubs. He's produced 14 studio albums, now lives in Santa Barbara and has carried the responsibility for the "California sound" into the 80's and well into the 2000's.
Rolling Stone magazine charts Browne's achievements, and writes, "as if bedding both Nico and Daryl Hannah wasn't accomplishment enough, three of Browne's albums found their way onto Rolling Stone's Top 500 Albums of All Time. Plus, he's written songs for the Eagles, guest-voiced on The Simpsons and blazed the party trail with John Kerry and Ralph Nader."
JB says in the Rolling Stone interview, this generation lacks a great singer-songwriter (Sorry, Sufjan and Bright Eyes): "Sometimes I walk around thinking, 'Where's the next crop of brilliant writers? Where's the Leonard Cohen or the Warren Zevon when people don't really get played.' There isn't that engine of getting played on the radio. The ladder got dismantled." Umm, not quite.
This is where K-ZAP 93.3 FM and our internet stream come into play. We will go "early" on artists we believe in, which could help Mr. Browne smile again. The "California sound" and more is included in our approach, "50 years of rock, blues and more," 24-7 on K-ZAP.ORG/LISTEN!
Jackson Browne (1972)
For Everyman (1973)
Late For The Sky (1974)
The Pretender (1976)
Running On Empty (1977)
Hold Out (1980)
Lawyers In Love (1983)
Lives In The Balance (1986)
World In Motion (1989)
I'm Alive (1993)
Looking East (1996)
The Naked Ride Home (2002)
Time The Conqueror (2008)
Standing In The Breach (2014)


As digital advertising evolves, advertisers continue to increase their investment in programmatic buying. Programmatic teams have more opportunities than ever to increase the yield from their inventory. However, those teams that base their pricing decisions on a limited view miss critical insights into buyer behavior.
The importance of this is highlighted in a study from the Boston Consulting Group. While they found that fewer than 25 percent of publishers regularly translate advertiser data analysis into sales initiatives, those that did were better able to understand how and why advertisers buy and value different inventory, leading to higher yield and additional revenue. One publisher they studied makes an average of one extra sale per week from analyzing advertiser data and up-selling based on the results. Another increased CPMs by 30 percent.
With manual reporting, it's very challenging to aggregate and analyze data across these naming conventions. Because of the dynamic nature of naming conventions and the shear number of records, the process is both time-consuming and prone to numerous errors. However, if you can aggregate data across the SSPs, you'll reveal important insights that can drive smarter pricing decisions.
Maybe you notice that a buyer's ad purchases are stable in one SSP but declining overall. This insight suggests that you should look at the pricing and tactics across the different SSPs to understand what's driving this behavior and adjust pricing accordingly. To maximize your yield, you need to constantly be monitoring for these patterns in order to make the right pricing decisions.
Many programmatic teams base pricing decisions on customer buying at a given point in time. To understand the spending behavior of each advertiser, it's not enough to just build a report and sort by spend. Although this is the most readily-available view, pricing decisions made through this narrow view will miss important trends in buying behavior without a broader context.
Why do these broader buying trends matter? Most advertisers don't spend in a linear fashion (daily, seasonally, etc.). So, you need to look at your buyers' overall spending patterns, not just at one point in time. If you know a buyer's average quarterly or annual impressions and revenue, you can tell whether they are trending ahead or behind typical spending patterns. Does a travel company usually increase spend ahead of the busy summer travel season, but this year their spending is flat? Empowered with those insights, you can respond proactively, rather than realizing after the fact that you missed an opportunity with that buyer.
In another case, if you see that an advertiser is consistently spending a significant amount on programmatic inventory over time, you can reach out to that buyer to put a guaranteed deal in place. Because DSPs and SSPs each take a share of revenue with standard programmatic buying, shifting to a guaranteed deal benefits both advertisers and publishers. Advertisers save money with preferred terms. Publishers benefit from a closer relationship with buyers, which provides more predictable revenue.
Traditionally, programmatic teams base their pricing decisions on buying within programmatic inventory. If you can monitor trends across both direct and programmatic, it's easier to identify patterns that drive optimized pricing tactics for your inventory.
For example, if the sales team is going to pitch to a lead that has been buying through programmatic, they need to understand if the advertiser is just buying open auctions, or are they also doing private auctions or deals IDs.
In another scenario, with visibility across both direct and programmatic, you may see that an advertiser only buys video on direct. This may be an opportunity for the programmatic team to reach out to offer video inventory at a preferred price.
Or, you may see a drop in a buyer's direct spend, but you notice an uptick in programmatic spending. With visibility across both types of inventories, you can understand how the advertiser is pivoting their strategy. You want to align with your direct team, reach out to the advertiser and propose a guaranteed deal.
With a 360-degree view across buying platforms, you gain the insights to adapt to advertisers in real-time and optimize your channel pricing to boost revenue.
A 360-degree view of your buyer's behavior uncovers patterns that you would miss with traditional programmatic reporting. Empowered with a more complete view of buyers' behavior — and more accurate insights into spending — you can optimize inventory and maximize yield with better decisions.
Of course, the reason that most teams don't take the broader view is that it's very challenging to build the data infrastructure and reporting needed to provide this visibility. Burt's industry-leading reporting solution makes it easy to have real-time, 360 visibility into your buyer's spending. Talk to us today to learn more about how we can help.
A recent study found that poor data quality can cost organizations between 10 to 20% of their revenue. The good news is that just as there are real costs related to poor data quality, there are big gains for companies that strengthen processes for clean data. In this post we explore the specific challenges faced by publishers, as well as what they can do about it.


For those wet rainy days on the range, the CED/DAA RangePack Pro Backpack includes a rain cover neatly stored away in a concealed pocket, always at hand when needed. The rain cover is designed to protect the backpack while being worn by the user giving access to the shoulder straps, even when covered. One comes with each backpack, but we now offer replacement or additional Rain Covers for purchase.


text:
Home Technology Security robot drowns itself
Security robot drowns itself
K5 robot accidentally drowns itself in Washington. Photo Credit: Bilal Farooqui
WASHINGTON, DC- A security robot in Washington, DC's Washington Harbour development fell down some stairs on Monday, landing itself into a watery grave. The security bot, a Knightscope K5, had only been patrolling in its assigned complex for a few days before it fell into the water. These K5 robots have been in service for several years, and Knightscope disclosed that the robots are currently working for 24 clients around the nation. The robots are equipped with cameras and sensors, and are designed to supplement or replace human security guards.
Sebastian Anthony at Ars Technica reports:
The automation revolution, where most of our jobs are replaced by robots and we spend the rest of our days floating around on rubber rings sipping piña coladas, has hit a snag: a Knightscope K5 security bot appears to have fallen down some stairs and drowned itself in a water feature.
The scene, which took place at the mixed-use Washington Harbour development in Washington DC, was captured by Bilal Farooqui on Twitter. One local office worker reported that the K5 robot had only been patrolling the complex for a few days. Knightscope said in a statement that the "isolated incident" was under investigation, and that a new robot would be delivered to Washington Harbour this week for free.
We first wrote about the Dalek-like K5 back in 2014. The first bots were deployed on campuses and shopping complexes near the company's headquarters in Mountain View, California. By December 2016 the company had 15 security bots actively deployed in California, and earlier in 2017 it disclosed that it is "presently deploying its technology with 24 clients" in "five states and three time zones."
The K5, which is equipped with lots and lots of sensors, is ostensibly an interesting piece of high-tech kit. It has a 360-degree video camera array, sensitive microphones, air quality sensors, and even thermal imaging capabilities. The cameras can apparently scan up to 1,500 car number plates per minute; the microphones can detect gun shots and other notable sounds. Autonomous mobility is provided by a mix of lidar, radar, and the video camera array—but given that it missed the steps down into the Washington Harbour water feature, perhaps the software needs tweaking.
Knightscope's K5 can't yet make arrests, taser a criminal, or wade into a burning building, but it can phone the cops or fire off a loud siren. Basically, if your shopping centre or office complex had five patrolling security guards, the idea is to replace four of them with robots and leave the fifth in a central office that can respond to any issues.
Read more at Ars Technica.
Photos of the incident can be found at Bilal Farooqui's Twitter page. Farooqui was the first person to report the incident.
Previous articleFesta Italiana brings food and fun to Milwaukee
Next articleConfirmed: Paul Ryan has not held town hall in over 600 days
Volvo to phase out conventional engines by 2019
Walker signs bill to allow delivery by robots
UW-Madison pilots course on drones
Contract between Epic and VA stays in place
Facebook pledges to be 'hostile environment for terrorists'


Invercargill detectives are appealing for help in a bid to catch a person who sexually assaulted a young schoolgirl on her way to school.
Detective Aarron Dempsey the attack happened between 8am and 8.30am on Monday, February 4 as she was walking along Iona St.
The attacker is described as slightly built, wearing a black hoodie, black beanie or cap, black or dark jeans and black shoes.
Police are urging people to watch Police Ten 7 at 7.30pm on TVNZ 2 on Thursday night to see if they have information which may be of help.
Initially, police in their February 10 press release, as reported by the Otago Daily Times here, only stated they were investigating a "suspicious approach".
At the time they did not state a sexual assault had occurred.


This page shows examples for basic maps rendered with Google Maps allowing to search markers via an additional search field provided within the map.
searchmarkers / "empty string" (default), "all" or "title"
If an empty sting is provided this option will not be available.
Try searching on "Belgium of" or "fancy" in the examples provided below.


ONLY SERIOUS PURPOSALS FROM LAHORE ARE WELCOME.
Looking for a boy from a gentle well settled Kashmiri family, Sunni from Lahore city only. Preferable boy who born and have basic schooling from Lahore. Boy Age: between 29 - 32 Boy Height: 5'.8" - 5'.11" Non smoker. Qualification: Engineering (Non IT, Software/Hardware/Networking, Media), CA/ACCA, or MBBS. Looking proposal for daughter 27 year old, graduate, … [Read more...] about ONLY SERIOUS PURPOSALS FROM LAHORE ARE WELCOME.


text:
FMG Assurance
Pro Bono Efforts
Los Angeles - Downtown
Los Angeles - LAX
Los Angeles - Orange County
San Francisco - Downtown
San Francisco - Marin County
Automobile Dealerships
Commercial Property & Property Management
Construction Contractors and Owners
Distribution and Supply
Hospitality - Hotels and Restaurants
Nonprofits and Associations
FMG Trial Successes
FMG BlogLine
Attorney Recruitment
Non-Attorney Support Staff - Open Positions
Posts Tagged 'terminology'
Florida Employment Law and The Use of Consistent Terminology
By: Michael Kouskoutis
Florida's First DCA recently reversed summary judgment in favor of Florida A&M University (FAMU) in a contract dispute with the school's former head football and basketball coaches.
The coaches both had 4-year contracts with the University, each with a specific end date and permitting early termination only in specific circumstances. Well before their contractual end dates, both coaches received 60 days' notice of termination, with neither coach having committed any of the terminable offenses listed in the contract. The coaches filed suit, demanding (among others) payment on the remainder of the contracts. On FAMU's motion for summary judgment, the trial court agreed with the University, that the terminations were justified by the University's regulations, which permit employee termination upon 60 days' notice.
On appeal, the First DCA emphasized that FAMU did not use consistent terminology with respect to termination in its regulations and employment contracts, leading the Court to conclude that an ambiguity exists since different meanings may have been intended. Further, because the Court determined that the termination provisions were ambiguous, it also reversed summary judgment on the coaches' claims for fraudulent inducement and negligent misrepresentation.
As this case awaits trial, employers should be mindful of the terminology used among its employment and regulatory documentation. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Michael Kouskoutis at [email protected].
Let's Eat Grandma! Punctuation Matters
Posted on: July 19th, 2018
By: Ted Peters
California Corporations Code Section 1601 provides certain rights to shareholders of corporations doing business in California. Specifically, as the statute currently reads, corporations are required to open their books and records upon written demand from any shareholder as long as the purpose of the demand is "reasonably related" to the shareholder's interests. In 2016, the California Court of Appeal in Innes v. Diablo controls, Inc., 248 Cal.App.4th 139 (2016), held that Section 1601 did not require a corporation to produce records in any particular place; rather, the corporation was required only to produce records in the state where they were located, even if outside of California.
On February 13, 2018, California Representative Brian Maienschein (R) sponsored a bill that would amend Section 1601. In June, and without a single "no" vote against it, the California Legislature enacted the bill, AB 2237 (Maienschein). Governor Jerry Brown signed the bill into law on July 9, 2018.
A redlined version of the changes to Section 1601 clearly illustrates that the amendments, which go into effect next year, effectively reverse the holding from Innes. Specifically, when a shareholder demands an inspection, the records are to be made available for inspection "at the corporation's principal office in [California], or if none, at the physical location for the corporation's registered agent for service of process in [California]." The amendment also provides an alternative procedure which would permit the shareholder to elect to receive the corporation's books, records, and minutes by mail or electronically, as long as the shareholder agrees to pay the reasonable costs for copying or converting the requested documents to electronic format.
Thus, it is now clear that corporations doing business in the State of California will be required to produce records in California, regardless of where the records are maintained. The significance of this change is obvious enough, but wait, there's more… When amending the statute, the legislature made another minor change to the first sentence of the statute.
Previously, what was open to inspection were "The accounting books and records and minutes of proceedings…" As amended, what will be open to inspection will be "The accounting books, records, and minutes of proceedings…" The insertion of two commas seems innocent enough, but could lead to a heated debate as to the scope of shareholder inspections in general. The term "accounting" in the original statute could have been interpreted to modify just "books" or both "books and records." With the amendment, however, it would seem that "accounting books" and "records" are two separate things and a corporation might be justified in refusing to produce "accounting records" to the extent they differed from "accounting books."
Maybe the drafters of the amendment were simply sticklers for the proper use of punctuation and thought it best to tidy the statute up. Or maybe they intended to narrow the scope of what records corporations are required to produce. Or perhaps the change was intended to send no message at all. Why does it matter and who really cares? Well, punctuation does matter, even one little comma. At least grandmothers around the globe think so; there is a world of difference between "Let's eat Grandma" and "Let's eat, Grandma."
If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Ted Peters at [email protected].
California LPL
Commercial Litigation/Directors & Officers
Construction & Design Professional
Coronavirus – Construction & Design Professional
Coronavirus – Cyber, Privacy & Security
Coronavirus – Employment Law Blog
Coronavirus – Financial Services and Banking
Coronavirus – Government
Coronavirus – Healthcare
Coronavirus – HOA
Coronavirus – Insurance Coverage and Extra-Contractual Liability
Coronavirus – Professional Liability
Coronavirus – Tort and Catastrophic Loss
Coronavirus – Commercial Contracts and Risk Management
Cyber, Privacy, & Security
Employment Law Blog (US)
Employment Law Blog – CA
Employment Law Blog – FL
Employment Law Blog – GA
Employment Law Blog – KY
Employment Law Blog – MA
Employment Law Blog – PA and NJ
Financial Services and Banking Litigation
Immigration & I-9 Services
Insurance Coverage and Extra-Contractual Liability
Internet Defamation and Media Liability
New CARES Act
Professional Liability and MPL
Tort and Catastrophic Loss
Tort and Catastrophic Loss – GA
Coronavirus - Construction & Design Professional
Coronavirus - Cyber, Privacy & Security
Coronavirus - Employment Law
Coronavirus - Financial Services and Banking
Coronavirus - Government
Coronavirus - Insurance Coverage and Extra-Contractual Liability
Coronavirus - Tort and Catastrophic Loss
Coronavirus - Healthcare
Coronavirus - Commercial contracts and risk management
Employment Law (US)
Employment Law (CA)
Employment Law (FL)
Employment Law (GA)
Employment Law (MA)
Employment Law (PA and NJ)
Check Out Our Newsletter
Our newsletter, FMG LawLine, is published monthly. To read the latest issue, please click here:
News & Seminars
Copyright © 2014 Freeman Mathis & Gary — see Terms of Use.


LiveSupportAP - visitors communication software. Free tool for webmaster.
1) Add 'Chat Access Box' to your web page and any visitor will be able to click a button and start communicating with you immediately without having to download or install any software.
2) Your 'Chat Page' will be automatically created on our server when you fill in the form below. You can e-mail link to this page to your friends and they will be able to chat with you by clicking on that link without having to download or install any additional software.
Fill in the form below and click on the button "Generate Code".
It will generate 'Chat Access box' that you can add to your own web page.
their contents requires the advance permission of the Absolute Protect.
Altavista Google Webcrawler Northernlight Hotbot Lycos Excite Yahoo!


Golin Shel-la was the leader of the Ennis faction on the Olt System penal moon.
"Armistice": When the player returns to the moon, which is under attack from the Hur'q, Golin Shel-la comes to their aid and reveals that Opaka has brought peace between the Ennis and Nol-Ennis.
Golin Shel-la at Memory Alpha, the Star Trek Wiki.
Golin Shel-la at Memory Beta, the non-canon Star Trek Wiki.
Last modified: 6 June 2018 at 18:12.


text:
Harbour Cities: Entangled History and Transnational Context: Part 2
Contributions · Posted on May 17, 2021 August 9, 2021
Chinese Immigration – Provisional Belonging
Willa McDonald, Sydney
Figure 2: Pao, Chun-Jien, portrait from his pamphlet (1938). A Century of Sino-Australian Relations. Sydney: John Sands, p.6.
Image courtesy of National Library of Australia, https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1639912.
By 1938, Sydney, a busy trading port, had become the most populous centre in Australia for Chinese residents, with the ongoing primacy of the city nationally recognised by the relocation of China's consul-general from Melbourne to Sydney a decade earlier (Fitzgerald, 2008). At the time of the Sesquicentenary, Pao Chun-Jien was Consul General (Figure 2). His pamphlet, produced against this background of simmering racial inequality, was written to "enhance a closer Sino-Australian relationship" with the ostensible purpose of boosting trade between the two nations (Pao, p. 1). According to its foreword, only a limited number of complimentary copies were made available which were no doubt distributed to dignitaries and other important participants in Sydney for the Sesquicentenary celebrations, as well as to the press. Copies could also be bought with profits "remitted for the alleviation of the distressed non-combatant population of China".
China was deep at war with the Japanese at the time Pao was writing. Not surprisingly, the pamphlet emphasises China's devotion to peace and international co-operation. Pao takes pains to counter Australian-held stereotypes of the Chinese, while outlining the history of Chinese migration to Australia. The Chinese had been influential on Sydney from the beginning, with one of the reasons for the establishment of the First Settlement by the British to extend links with Canton (Guangzhou), the major trading port city of south east China (Fitzgerald, 2008). While some Chinese were brought to Australia as indentured labour, many more came out in the Gold Rush years from the 1850s. As gold petered out, they largely congregated in Sydney, often unable to return to China because of unfair and sometimes punitive immigration agreements, but were prohibited by racism from participating fully in Australian society (Fitzgerald, 2008). Pao's pamphlet takes up the story, pointing to the contribution the Chinese made to the development of the Australian nation:
…I can assert that the Chinese did help the Australians in developing this country, in overcoming Nature's obstacles, in subduing the terrors of the trackless bush and scrub. They helped to cultivate the land, open mines, build highways and railways, while they also took part in navigation and other means of communication…
(Pao, p. 6)
Between flattering references to Australia's future as a great nation, the pamphlet is direct in addressing Australian racism towards anyone of Chinese ethnicity; promoting China's non-aggressive stance; arguing the need for a treaty of friendship between the two countries; urging the relaxation of the White Australia Policy (which had been in place following Federation in 1901), suggesting the establishment of intellectual and cultural exchanges and, most of all, advocating for greater economic co-operation and trade. To Pao, economic co-operation was the path to peace:
To attain the status of Great Power, Australia needs only the reciprocal trade of china, a treaty of friendship and non-aggression with the same country, and the confidence that this Sino-Australian co-operation in itself is sufficient to maintain both nations at a high level of economic development (Pao, p. 29).
End of Part 2…
To be continued in an upcoming post on this blog: Entangled History and Transnational Context: Part 3
See also Entangled History and Transnational Context: Part 1
Entangled Histories, Guest Editors, Harbour Cities, Harbour Cities, Media, Space, Sydney
Harbour Cities, Transnational Media


In this episode, I discuss my growing obsession with building a Raspberry Pi data center.
Hosted by b-yeezi on 2017-02-27 is flagged as Clean and is released under a CC-BY-SA license.
Tags: Raspberry Pi, server, raspbian.
Hope this was enjoyable, if not, informative!
When you mentioned that the RPis are general computer computers, it really resonated with me that they are also ideal for an "always on" computer due to their low power consumption.
I'd have added an apostrophe to the plural of Pi, but it's generally thought to be wrong (even though espeak then pronounces it in the non-urinary way). I have seen someone suggest it should be "Raspberries Pi" but that seems silly.


text:
House lawmakers will now be screened by newly installed metal detectors when entering the House chamber in the #USCapitol, the acting House sergeant-at-arms said. https://www.theepochtimes.com/house-installs-metal-detectors-to-screen-lawmakers-after-capitol-breach_3654477.html
House Installs Metal Detectors to Screen Lawmakers After Capitol Breach
U.S. House of Representatives lawmakers will now be screened by newly installed metal detectors when entering the House chamber in the Capitol.
theepochtimes.com
More from The Epoch Times
Senate Committee Schedules Confirmation Hearing for Biden's Secretary of State Nominee
The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations scheduled a hearing for the confirmation of Antony Blinken, Joe Biden's nominee for secretary of state.
A Senate Committee scheduled a hearing for Jan. 19 for the confirmation of #AntonyBlinken, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for secretary of state. The hearing will take place 1 day prior to the #Inauguration. https://www.theepochtimes.com/senate-committee-schedules-confirmation-hearing-for-bidens-secretary-of-state-nominee_3654592.html
Sen. Tim Scott Opposes Impeaching Trump: 'Will Only Lead to More Hate'
Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) came out Tuesday in opposition to the push to impeach President Donald Trump. "President ...
"An impeachment vote will only lead to more hate and a deeply fractured nation. I oppose impeaching President Trump." Sen. #TimScott came out in opposition to the push to #ImpeachTrump. https://www.theepochtimes.com/sen-tim-scott-opposes-impeaching-trump-will-only-lead-to-more-hate_3654783.html
House Approves Fines for Members Not Wearing Masks
The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a rules amendment implementing fines against members who don't wear masks. ...
The House passed a rules amendment implementing fines against lawmakers who don't #WearAMask. The amount of the fines wasn't outlined. Reports indicated that violators would be penalized $500 for a first offense and $2,500 if they violate the rules again. https://www.theepochtimes.com/house-approves-fines-for-members-not-wearing-masks_3654827.html


text:
New IVF technology to debut at San Diego clinic
Automated technology aims to make process safer
Stephen Reusch
By: Jared Aarons
SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - The San Diego Fertility Center will be the first in the nation to deploy new robotic technology that will help store, track and maintain frozen embryos for In-Vitro Fertilization.
The TMRW Robot will be in use by next month at the center in Carmel Valley. It will take 17,000 measurements every day to make sure the embryos are kept in prime conditions.
It also codes each embryo and egg with a specific Radio Frequency ID to make sure scientists can track each one.
"There needs to be this level of trust between the mother and father and the caretakers of their embryos," says Dr. Michael Kettel with the SDFC. "I think this goes one step further in building that trust."
Since IVF treatment began, most of the storage and measurements taken on embryos has been done by hand, in tanks that hold up to 1,000 samples. The TMRW Robot will have room for nearly 20,000 embryos and make the process fully automatic. Doctors say that will remove any possibility of human error.
"We can't make a mistake," says SDFC Laboratory Director Bill Venier. "This machine will not let us make a mistake."
IVF mistakes have been in the news recently as families have filed lawsuits over embryos being given to the wrong parents. Venier says the TMRW Robot will all but eliminate the chance of that happening.
"We'll have 24/7, 365 (monitoring of) 17,000 data points to let us know everything is safe and is not going to be affected whatsoever," he says.
RELATED: Mother gives birth to other couples' babies because of IVF mix up
The technological leap forward was necessary as IVF pregnancies become more common. The CDC says 21 million people will use some kind of IVF method or storage by 2025. It also estimates that there will be 200-300 million babies born through IVF by the year 2100.
RELATED: IVF births expected to skyrocket this century
"I am certain you cannot go to a kindergarten class in San Diego where one of those children wasn't born through an IVF or some sort of fertility procedure," says Dr. Kettel.
For the San Diego Fertility Center, the new robot means they'll be at the forefront of the future of the industry.


The most entertaining business podcast IN THE WORLD.
Business Podcast in the World.
How do you measure and improve your own performance? Jill uses external measures but also uses her gut instinct. She also asks a few people what they think, because feedback can be helpful. How does one get better as a business owner?
Brad believes that it's a balancing act. As he gets better in one area, he gets worse in another. And as a business owner, you have to know so many things. But you can definitely hire out for things you're not so good at.
Meditating leader and company owner Rob Dube calls in. His company Image One was recently named a 2017 Small Giant by Forbes. But with all the good news, he really just has one problem: How does he manage the influx of email? Between his team and customers, it can be overwhelming.
Jill wants to know if he has any systems set up to filter through emails and he does have a filing system. Is response or reception the problem? Brad reminds Rob that email responsiveness is not a measure of effectiveness when it comes to being a CEO. Plus, the more emails you send, the more you get back. Not everything requires an immediate response. Jill thinks that Rob may be suffering from CEO anxiety and that he can practice not responding to people – no matter how much it hurts.
Rob Dube is the author of donothing, a book about meditation practices and leadership strategies.
Talk to us! Leave us a Google Voicemail or text us with your burning business question so that we can read it in a future episode at 708.872.7878. Or tweet at us using hashtag #jillnbrad. And leave us a review on iTunes — pretty please? Over here!
Get updates from the most entertaining business podcast IN THE WORLD.
...and get a free e-book to make you more productive. Score! Plus, we're throwing in free phone ringtones. You know you want 'em.
Leave Jill & Brad a voicemail. If you're lucky, we'll play it on the show.


Wink Men's Shorts designed for comfort whilst doing sport, yoga, dance, fitness, and acro. Made in the UK using the highest quality Meryl Sports fabrics, with double layer front for added support. Fabric is anti bacterial with moisture wicking properties to draw moisture away from the skin. Elastic free so no pinching.
Suitable for pole dancing, yoga, dance, swimming, running, gym. Can also be worn as an under garment whilst doing sport to provide added support and comfort.
Colours available: Black, Charcoal, Navy, Black/Red Red/Black, Navy/Turquoise, Charcoal/Black, Bespoke Colour.
As modelled by Mr Pole Dance UK Daniel Rosen.
Wink's dance fitness tops, shorts and leggings are ideal as yoga clothing too. Our yoga clothing works as a second skin providing style, comfort and support during your yoga workout and training session.
CRYSTALS - bling up your costume!


A Homeopathic Physician who has been in practice for 15 years, trained in Ozone therapy and Chelation Therapy with rich clinical experience. With over 10 years of clinical practice in Ozone therapy and Chelation Therapy, she has treated patients both local and abroad with good results in many conditions ranging from allergies, arthritis, and anti-aging to more serious illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, autoimmune conditions, and cancer.
She is also trained in Acupuncture from the International College of Acupuncture and Natural Medicine, New Delhi. She has been practicing Acupuncture for over 10 years and has helped many patients from Common Illnesses to severe Arthritis, Back Pain, Migraine, Sciatica, Paralysis, Digestive Disorders, Diabetes, Sinusitis and Infertility and other ailments from the root cause. She also does homeo puncture (dipping needles in homeo tinctures before putting to the patient) as she strongly believes in fusion medicine. She believes Acupuncture is prevention as well as cure, A natural way to boost the body's natural healing to avoid unnecessary operations and taking of drugs which may lead to harmful side effects.


The Dark Sky art contest caught the attention of students in all age ranges, to use their artistic skills at a chance of winning stellar prizes! The top 10 entries from each grade level category were displayed at the Community Center during the week leading up to the event. Here is a collection of all the wonderful artwork that was sent in. Congratulations to all the winners, and all the students who shared their skills with the community.
Prev Mark Your Calendar for March 30!


text:
Escambray ENGLISH EDITION
Suicide Terrorist Attacks Kill 37 in Egypt Christian Church
Given the magnitude of both outbreaks, the authorities expect the death toll to rise in the coming hours and days Two terrorist attacks with explosives that took place today against Coptic Christian churches in northern Egypt and claimed by the Islamic State left at least 37 dead and 138 wounded
Prensa Latina News Agency
9 April, 2017 - 6:29pm
Joe Biden's Approval Rating Plummets, Poll Shows
Uribe Eludes His Responsibility Regarding Extrajudicial Executions
Argentina Honors Cuban Diplomats Murdered during the Military Dictatorship
Given the magnitude of both outbreaks, the authorities expect the death toll to rise in the coming hours and days
Security sources reported that the makeshift artifact exploded in the first rows of temple seats. (Photo taken from PL)
Two terrorist attacks with explosives that took place today against Coptic Christian churches in northern Egypt and claimed by the Islamic State left at least 37 dead and 138 wounded people.
The second of the attacks occurred shortly after noon in the Egyptian Orthodox Saint Mark's Cathedral in the coastal city of Alexandria, killing 11 believers and wounding 66 others.
According to Angelious Izhaq, secretary of the Coptic Pope, Tawadros II, who at the time of the explosion was inside the temple, a suicide bomber detonated an explosive vest on the outskirts of the building.
According to a statement from the Interior Ministry, the suicide bomber had planned to detonate the explosive belt inside the church, but security forces stopped him before entering.
Hours earlier the detonation of an explosive device in the Coptic Church of St. George in the city of Tanta, also in northern Egypt, killed 26 people and wounded 72 others.
Security sources reported that the makeshift artifact exploded in the first rows of temple seats.
Given the magnitude of both outbreaks, the authorities expect the death toll to rise in the coming hours and days.
Following the events, the Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, convened an emergency meeting of the National Defense Council.
The injured were transferred to civilian and military hospitals in Tanta, while the Attorney General of Egypt ordered the opening of a process of investigation.
The onslaught against Saint Mark's Cathedral is the third of great magnitude against the Christian community in Egypt. On December 11, a suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest at the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Cairo, where 28 persons lost their lives and more than 40 were wounded.
The Islamic state later claimed the terrorist act, announced plans to attack the Christian community in Egypt and promised to 'free Cairo' from citizens of that faith.
Subsequently, in February, Islamic fundamentalists carried out eight attacks on Christians in the town of El Arish in northern Sinai where three Coptic citizens were killed.
Such events triggered an exodus of Christians from the Sinai to other Egyptian cities.
Tags: EGYPT ISLAMIC STATE TERRORISM TERRORIST ATTACK
Escambray reserves the right to publish comments.
Over 2 million Cubans have received anti-COVID-19 booster doses
Cuba will streamline foreign investment flows in 2022
Cuba with the lowest Covid-19 lethality rate in Latin America
Cuba's biotech complex bets on anti-Covid vaccines
Cuban Parliament Approves Economic Plan and State Budget for 2022
Cuban Minister of Public Health Calls to Change the Course of the Pandemic in Trinidad (+photos)
Trinidad Faced with the Specter of a "Perpetual Tourism Decline"
Cuban Baseball in 2021: Only one podium and Cultural Patrimony
Jasiel Rivero and Valencia Basket today in Spanish basketball league
About Escambray
Escambray. All Rights Reserved / ISSN 9664-1277


Well when I got home Chester had caught himself a grasshopper and was enjoying dinner. I thought this was a cool story after the story about it's that time of year. Believe me the moth balls do work. (they keep mice out too) I won't put any by Chester and we will see how big he will get.


You are going to have such a fabulously good time at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. While the dates for 2012 have not been announced the fun event is held on select dates at night between September and October. This Party is a Halloween-themed special event held on select dates in Magic Kingdom theme park. Purchase of an additional event admission ticket is required to attend Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. I would suggest checking back a bit closer to your departure. Since this is a popular event I would suggest trying to get tickets as soon as possible. During Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, Guests of all ages are encouraged to dress up in their favorite Halloween costumes. Even better, you can collect delicious candy as you trick-or-treat around Magic Kingdom theme park. It really is a great way to spend the spookiest days of the year!


let's talk about what is really important here...like this amazing vintage blouse that has leopards on it...haha who would have thought I would be wearing a blouse with full on animal heads...I think everyone needs blouse like this...just sayin.
oh and to all who saw my boudoir photos and read this post and have been voting for me...THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! Voting ends the 27th...so I promise I won't bug you anymore!
I am going to be doing a few giveaways for all of you to say thank you for your continued support and friendship! Love you guys!
Oh, dear, the blouse is blowing me over!!! It's such an incredible piece- why yes, yes, everyone should own one like that! I adore the pair with the pink jacket and vintage purse! You're so stunning, and I am so glad for you for pulling through with such challenge! You're awesome!!!
Wait, how did you thrift Dress For Success??? Shana???? Lol!
Another of my favorites! If you want to get rid of that blazer or those shoes I will take them off your hands, lol.


text:
Saints and Scroungers
Hanson/In Touch
Hanson/In Touch Saints and Scroungers
Subtitles Found! We found subtitles for the program Hanson/In Touch. Please scroll down to get them, or go here for a preview
Series looking at benefit fraud. A fraudster seeking asylum from Sierra Leone also claims to be a hard-working single mum. But she is suspected of running a sophisticated scam.
Browse content similar to Hanson/In Touch. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!
Dominic Littlewood
Beddows and Godbold
Rhoden/Carers
This programme tracks down cheats, exposes fraudsters and brings help to those who really need it.
This is the front line in the battle against benefit fraud.
This is Saints And Scroungers.
Saints And Scroungers is all about busting the benefit cheats who steal millions of pounds every year,
and the crack teams of fraud investigators determined to expose their scams.
We also shine a light on those who genuinely need the money
and the people who help them get it. They are our saints.
And, coming up on today's programme...
Living like royalty and hiding her husband.
-The bogus asylum seeker who wasn't quite who she seemed.
-I was now sure
that we were dealing with one person that was using two identities.
And the DIY training scheme that turns the unemployed into handymen
for pensioners and the disabled.
It's satisfactory for them, and I go away thinking, "I've helped someone out today."
But first, the scrounger who's been living like a royal,
courtesy of the benefit system, while we've been slaving away to pay our taxes.
What makes this country great is that we give money to people who genuinely need it.
The problem is, wherever there's money, there are people who want to steal it.
This shadowy figure goes by the name of Queen Hanson,
but clearly she's not one for making public appearances.
She claims to have come to the UK seeking asylum
from war-torn Sierra Leone, in West Africa.
She also claims to be a hardworking single mum who needs help paying the rent.
Croydon Council's anti-fraud team suspect that Queen Hanson
has been living like royalty.
What's more, we've all been paying for it.
She is suspected of running a sophisticated scam,
using dual identities to flout the immigration laws
and cheat the benefit system out of over £70,000.
I've come to Croydon to find out more
about this dodgy-sounding claimant.
This is one of London's biggest and most diverse boroughs.
The government's asylum screening unit is based here.
For many migrants, it's the first place they come, and they make it their home.
David Hogan is in charge of stopping benefit fraud for the council.
-Morning, David. Nice to meet you.
-Hello, Dom.
-Croydon, it's a big town, isn't it?
-It's a very big town.
You're talking about roughly 350,000 households here in Croydon.
-It's a huge melting pot here.
-It's a big, diverse mix. Yes.
-How many people claiming benefits and how much money are we talking?
-Well, we've 38,000 people in Croydon
that are claiming benefit of one type or another.
Um...the spend on that is just under £100 million.
-Woah, think about it weekly - that's nearly two million quid a week.
-It is. It's a huge sum.
-How much of a drain is that on the council? That's a lot of money.
-It is a lot of money,
and the council are responsible for ensuring that all of those payments are made correctly.
But, as we know, they're not always made correctly
because there are people out there who are looking to take extra money, or money they're not entitled to.
And David and the fraud team suspect that Queen Hanson is just one of those fraudsters.
In 2003, they received what looked like
a legitimate claim for housing benefit and tax credits.
In the case of Queen Hanson, she presented herself to the council as a single mum of two children,
working in a local supermarket.
She told us that she was a UK citizen and that
she was entitled to receive housing and council tax benefit and she was paid them, on that basis.
Queen Hanson might have been able to continue claiming benefit
if the council hadn't run a search on her name with other organisations.
Using sophisticated computer systems in a process called data matching,
they discovered she had thousands of pounds of savings.
Top investigator Gail Campbell was straight on to the case.
Well, this case came to the council after a data match,
and that was from the housing benefit matching service.
It advised us there was undeclared money held in a bank account.
Even though she was working, Queen Hanson had raked in
over £45,000 in tax credits, by claiming to be a single mum.
But clearly she didn't need the money to live on, as she'd opened
a string of bank accounts to stash it away in.
If you've more than £16,000 in savings, you're not entitled to benefits,
and if you don't declare it, you're breaking the law.
If you find out a claimant has got more than £16,000, what will you do about it?
It will automatically trigger a fraud investigation. We will look at trying to recover
all the money we've paid out, from the savings they've got.
-Every penny?
-Every penny.
-Interest as well?
-Interest as well, back to the taxpayer.
-Ouch!
The discovery of the claimant's secret savings were the starting point
of Croydon Council's investigation. Though she had thousands in the bank,
she was still claiming to be penniless
so she could carry on getting housing benefit.
And the fraud team were about to discover her domestic circumstances were more complicated
than she was letting on.
We checked to see whether there was any credit history,
and that brought back information that showed there was another person
er...making credit applications from the same address, and...
his name was Ekhator Ojo-Osagie.
Hold your horses! Queen Hanson told the council she was a single mum.
So who was this man living at her address?
If they were in fact a couple, her housing benefit form
would have been fraudulent.
When we did these credit checks,
we knew that Queen Hanson had made claims for housing benefit
and she'd made claims from three separate addresses in the borough. We made further checks
on these addresses and it showed the same male appearing on all the credit checks.
So it looked as if he'd been at the same address
at the same time as Queen Hanson.
Something didn't add up.
Queen Hanson had only qualified for benefit
because she claimed to be a single mum.
If it was now looking like she might not be single after all -
the team suspected the man she lived with was more than a lodger.
Was he, in fact, the father of her children?
Queen Hanson's benefit application
listed two children, and the children had the same surname, Ojo-Osagie.
And that linked into the male that we found on the credit checks,
and that was the surname that was coming up
on the other checks that we can make.
The evidence seemed to be stacking up that this was a family.
But they needed more.
Mrs Ojo-Osagie had started to claim income support.
So the Department for Work and Pensions
were now taking an interest.
Gail asked them to check if Mr Ojo-Osagie had a paid job.
The DWP were able to tell us that Ekhator Ojo-Osagie
was employed by the Royal Mail.
Queen Hanson had failed not only to declare that she was living with a man,
but that he had a full-time job.
A trip down to the Croydon sorting office
for a little chat with Mr Ojo-Osagie's boss
proved beyond doubt that they were in fact a family.
A period of paternity leave had been approved for Mr Ojo-Osagie, and the dates
of that paternity leave coincided with the birth
of one of Queen Hanson's children.
Everybody that knew him
was aware that he did have a wife, and he had children,
and he spoke about them a lot
while he was at work.
Gail now had evidence that Mr Ojo-Osagie and Queen Hanson were living together as a family.
All the pieces of the jigsaw were falling into place.
It was time to confront the suspected fraudster.
By this stage of the investigation it was quite clear that not only had she undeclared bank accounts,
but there was a strong possibility that she'd also got an undeclared partner,
who had an income, so it was felt that it was appropriate
to bring her in for interview.
At this stage, Queen Hanson was suspected of lying
about her circumstances so she could claim benefits.
But now she had a chance to give her side of the story.
She came to the interview and she brought a solicitor with her.
She "no comment"-ed on every question, even when I asked her
to confirm the names of her children.
And Queen Hanson's suspected husband, Mr Ojo-Osagie, wasn't particularly co-operative either.
He did say to me on the telephone
that he wasn't coming to the interview cos... it wasn't anything to do with him.
With this pair refusing to co-operate, the fraud team
were going to have to start digging deep.
What they didn't yet know was that Queen Hanson was hiding her real identity,
and if they couldn't unravel this complex fraud,
she could end up getting away scot-free.
Coming up,
The fraud team make a potentially vital discovery.
This wedding programme
was an excellent piece of evidence as it showed
the couple due to be married.
But will they be able to uncover
Queen Hanson's real identity?
From the scroungers defrauding the benefit system
to the people we call our "saints".
Individuals and organisations up and down the country
that go out of their way to offer help to those in genuine need.
Vulnerable pensioners and unemployed youngsters, two very different groups of people
that share a common denominator.
Both could do with a helping hand.
So, wouldn't it be great if there was a way of combining their problems
and helping both groups at the same time?
And that's exactly what a charity called In Touch sets out to do.
It teaches unemployed people DIY skills
and offers a handyperson agency to vulnerable old or disabled people.
We are working with
younger people, who've had long periods of unemployment,
and we're helping them back into finding work, and hopefully,
on to a more prosperous career in the future.
24-year-old Mark Morley from Larkfield in Kent
has been out of work for the best part of a year
after losing his labouring job in London.
'The training course was my last option.
'I was beginning to think, "I'm never going to get anywhere."
'The course started to look more promising.'
It looked like my sort of...
My treasure.
When we're looking at the employment of younger people,
um...we have to look at it in a way
which doesn't really take too much account of the skills base. Having the right attitude
makes all the difference.
After an anxious wait, things are looking up for Mark.
He gets that sought-after place on the training scheme.
I did feel king of the world. I felt like Muhammad Ali in the champions fight, like, literally.
It brings a sense of inspiration to yourself. You're going to get work,
you'll get certificates, and stuff. It makes life so much easier.
Getting a place on the training programme means that Mark
has been able to stop signing on
and now he's guaranteed a weekly wage for the next six months.
Today, Mark's heading out on a job with mentor Danny.
But I'm keen to see how he's getting on with life as a trainee handyperson
before he hits the road.
-Mark!
-Glad to meet you. I'm Dominic.
-How you doing? Nice to meet you.
-Now.
-You're one of the handypeople here.
-I am indeed.
-Tell me about the day
-you found out you got it.
-It was like being on heaven.
-Right.
It was brilliant. I thought, That's it. I've got myself a job. Six months of work.
That means I can then look after my little girl, I can provide.
-Yeah.
-I can be a dad, sort of thing.
-And they're going to train you up to do...
-Yep.
-Quite a good handyman.
-Yep. Basic DIY.
-It ain't hard stuff.
-You could be putting a shelf up, tap washers in. Little things.
-You like the work?
-I love the work. It's great. It gives me an insight
-into how to do little simple DIY for people.
-It's satisfactory for them.
Makes their life the world better. And I'll go away thinking, "Well, I've helped someone out today."
-You're a good talker. Am I holding you up?
-I have got customers to see.
-There probably is a muffin and a cup of tea waiting for me somewhere.
-Going cold.
-Probably going cold.
-Well get on with it!
-Come on. You should come out with us.
-OK.
-I'll show you how we do.
I'm heading off with Mark in his new company van.
We're going to be meeting mentor Danny at today's first job.
79-year-old Donald Lynch is a retired engineer
who suffers from muscular degeneration and has extreme difficulty getting around the house.
With DIY out of the question, Donald's reliant
on the handyperson service
for any adaptations he needs to his home.
And helping people like Donald gives Mark real job satisfaction.
I'm not just sitting at the dole office looking for jobs every day,
and seeing everybody else struggle. I'm actually out there making my life
and people around me's lives a bit easier.
Today's job is fitting a simple handrail by Donald's patio doors.
He's having trouble getting in and out of his garden.
He's got a half-step but he's struggling,
-still, so we'll pop a handrail up.
-It's the typical sort of job you do?
It's a typical sort of job there, so...Like I say, we've just done the screws and rawl plugs,
and Mark's going to fit it up for us.
While Mark and Danny crack on, I'm keen to find out just what the handyperson service means
to customers like Donald.
In Touch, as an organisation, how many times have you used them?
-Uh, five.
-OK, quite a few.
You trust them?
Yes, they're excellent.
They're effective, they're on time and they do what they say they will do.
For people like Donald,
knowing they're not being ripped off by rogue traders or cowboy builders gives peace of mind.
I was looking for help with this door
because the little wheel trucks had collapsed.
I looked in the local paper and this chap turned up, made no attempt
to inspect what was wrong. He just went outside, looked at it and said,
"It's ever so old. We can't do anything with it. You need a new door.
-"We do a wooden one for £1,750."
Then it struck me that In Touch had all the knowledge where they had contractors of their own.
So I rang up, asked if they could help.
-Yup.
-They gave me two telephone numbers. I rang the first one.
He came up, looked at it, gave a price on the spot.
-How much?
-£200.
-Instead of 1,700? You've rung the bell, haven't you?
But the handyperson service isn't just about turning up and doing the job.
Danny, Mark and the rest of the team are always on the lookout for other improvements they can make.
Donald's call to In Touch to assess his loft and new insulation led to another vital job getting done.
Whilst the young lady was here,
filling in the forms for the loft insulation,
he said, "I can smell gas. I think I'd better get a surveyor down."
He looked at the boiler, "How old is it?" And we worked out 17-22 years old.
-It was cream-crackered.
-Exactly.
"So I will submit that you need a replacement boiler."
Thanks to the scheme, Donald's boiler is safe again and his new handrail
is ready to use.
That is brilliant.
That makes it much easier.
And there's more good news - a permanent position has come up with the handyperson service.
Even though he's only been with In Touch for two months,
Mark's got the job.
-Mark, I hear things are looking up for you.
-Things are looking up.
I have got a full-time job
so I am now fully employed.
You keep clapping your hands like that, someone will chuck you a fish!
-Love it!
-You're excited?
-I am excited cos now I've got a full-time job.
That means constant work, constant pay.
It makes my life all the more easy.
Just a few months ago, Mark had almost given up hope of getting a job. Now he's graduated
to being a permanent member of staff, the future is looking much brighter.
It's an absolute pleasure for me to give you this certificate of achievement
-and really wish you a very long and prosperous career.
-Thank you.
-So congratulations, Mark.
-Thank you for giving me this opportunity.
-Well done.
THEY WHOOP AND APPLAUD
Mark's going to go a long way.
From when he first started training to where he is now,
I'm very proud of him. I know he's going to be a decent handyperson.
Helping the vulnerable and training up the unemployed.
Sometimes it's the simplest of ideas that are quite genius.
And it's projects like this that show exactly what can be done
when a bit of creative thought goes into tackling problems.
It's the best of both worlds.
And I for one hope it continues to flourish.
Now it's back to Croydon,
as the case against benefit cheat Queen Hanson hots up.
The council and the Department for Work and Pensions
suspect that by using a false identity,
she's been able to flout the immigration laws
and illegally claim over £70,000 of us taxpayers' money.
Posing as a single mum and using the name Queen Hanson,
this suspected fraudster was hiding the fact that she was living
with a man who had a full-time job.
But this enabled her to steal thousands of pounds of benefits
that she wasn't entitled to.
It was time to knock this fake queen off her throne.
Top investigator Gail Campbell of the Croydon fraud team
was leading the investigation.
Not only had she undeclared bank accounts,
but there was a strong possibility that she'd also got
-an undeclared partner.
-If true, this would have affected
her claim to benefits.
When Queen Hanson was brought in for questioning,
she answered "no comment" to all the allegations that were put to her.
The man Gail suspected to be Queen Hanson's partner
was also declining to be interviewed.
So, it was time to turn up the heat.
Mr Ojo-Osagie was arrested,
while the fraud team led a search of the house they shared.
By this stage, they'd suspected that Queen Hanson
wasn't who she said she was. They were hoping the proof they needed
would be in the house they both lived in.
Found in the bedroom upstairs were some certificates,
and these certificates were in the name of Adesuwa Ojo-Osagie.
Hang on a minute.
This was supposed to be Queen Hanson's house.
But investigators had just found a document in the name of a woman
who shares the same surname as Queen Hanson's partner,
Mr Ojo-Osagie.
Mr Ojo-Osagie was asked at the time to explain
who that person was and he said it was his sister.
Sister? A very unlikely story.
And no-one was convinced by this explanation.
Don't forget, the fraud team already know that Mr Ojo-Osagie took
paternity leave when Queen Hanson gave birth to her third child.
Gail was convinced that Queen Hanson was a false identity,
used by Adesuwa Ojo-Osagie to conceal her marriage.
I was now sure that we were dealing with one person
that was using two identities.
Now, this could start getting complicated
so let me break it down for you.
Queen Hanson comes into the UK as a single mum.
She starts working and claiming benefits.
It's discovered she has savings she hasn't declared
and there are three people registered as living in her house -
Mr and Mrs Ojo-Asagie and Queen Hanson herself.
But there was something else.
Documents with Mrs Asagie's name on
showed her to be Nigerian, whereas documents in Queen Hanson's name
from when she entered the country as an asylum seeker claim she was from war-torn Sierra Leone.
Now, as well as being
a benefit fraud investigation, this was now turning into an immigration case as well.
It was time for Gail and the Croydon fraud team to contact the UK Border Agency.
They're responsible for controlling migration into Britain and removing any migrants
who break our immigration laws.
Tina Lyonette is one of their top investigators.
To get to the bottom
of this identity puzzle, she began by checking back through the immigration records.
'So when Croydon Council came to me, they gave me three names to look at.
'We had Queen Hanson,'
Ekhator Ojo-Asagie and Adesuwa Ojo-Osagie.
Tina started with the name at the top of her list - Queen Hanson.
The records showed
that she'd first arrived in the UK almost 20 years ago on a Sierra Leone passport.
It was easy to find Queen Hanson.
There was a Home Office file on her that showed that she'd claimed asylum
back in the '90s and that had been refused initially.
Knowing she was eventually likely to be deported,
in 1997 she asked for her passport back,
explaining she wanted to get married.
For a while, Queen Hanson disappeared completely off the map.
So Tina's next step was to look into the immigration records
for Adesuwa Ojo-Asagie.
Adesuwa had applied for a visit visa in 2002,
and her husband, as well.
Her husband, of course, being named on the visa application as Ekhator Ojo-Osagie,
had a legitimate right to work in the UK.
Adesuwa was only allowed to enter as a visitor.
Soon though, she was hatching a plan to try and stay.
His wife, Mrs Ojo-Osagie, applied to become his dependant,
alongside her children. That application was refused.
So, in the name of Adesuwa Ojo-Osagie,
she had no leave to remain in the UK as a dependant.
Adesuwa's appeals for a visa failed in 2006.
But in the same year, Queen Hanson resurfaced,
pursuing her asylum claim.
She tells the Home Office that she's not received the decision
about her asylum claim.
The Home Office say to her, "You've been refused". She said, "I didn't get the letter".
So she puts in another application.
But Queen Hanson's determination to claim asylum supplied Tina with the vital piece of evidence she needed.
The photograph of Adesuwa matched the photograph that Gail had of Queen Hanson.
That shows a clear connection between the two identities.
At last, she'd cracked it.
Tina had proved that Queen Hanson and Adesuwa Ojo-Osagie
were, in fact, the same woman.
It was time for Gail and the fraud team to bring her in.
And even more evidence was about to turn up that proved Queen Hanson and Mr Ojo-Osagie were married.
We arranged for another arrest to be made of the couple
and a thorough search of the property and the most damning document that we found
when we searched the property was a wedding programme.
This wedding programme was an excellent piece of evidence
because it showed the couple that were due to be married,
it listed their named in full - the lady in the wedding programme was Adesuwa Ojo-Osagie
and we already knew this lady as Queen Hanson.
In July 2009, the council had all the proof they needed
to bring this fraud case before Croydon Crown Court.
Faced with the overwhelming evidence presented to the court,
she pleaded guilty to...
Mr Ojo-Osagie was charged with...
The charges were left on file.
She's used a false identity since 1991.
She's accessed benefit systems while she's been using that false identity.
I am quite thrilled that everything has gone our way and she's been convicted and rightly so.
Queen Hanson has been sentenced to eight months in prison, and there's more good news for Croydon Council.
Using the Proceeds of Crime Act, she's been ordered to repay the entire amount
that she's cheated out of the benefit system.
This case is a great example of the powers that local councils now have.
Not only can we get a successful conviction,
but we can confiscate assets that we say are the proceeds of crime.
Mrs Ojo-Osagie has also had her second appeal against deportation refused.
Dominic Littlewood presents a series looking at the work of fraud investigators searching out benefit thieves and meets the people they are stealing from - the genuine claimants.
A fraudster seeking asylum from war torn Sierra Leone in West Africa also claims to be a hard-working single mum who needs help paying the rent. But she is suspected of running a sophisticated scam using dual identities to flout the immigration laws, and cheat the benefit system out of over 70,000 pounds.
Plus an organisation that offers help to vulnerable, old or disabled people, and jobs for young people.
Download 16-hanson-in-touch.srt ⇓
Download 16-hanson-in-touch.ass ⇓


Using massive data sets, machine learning, and high-performance computing, health analytics and informatics is drawing us closer to the holy grail of health care: precision medicine, which promises diagnosis and treatment tailored to individual patients. The information, including findings from the latest peer-reviewed studies, will arrive on the desktops and mobile devices of clinicians in health care facilities large and small through a new generation of decision-support systems.
"There are massive implications over the coming decade for how informatics will change the way care is delivered, and probably more so for how care is experienced by patients," said Jon Duke, M.D., director of Georgia Tech's Center for Health Analytics and Informatics.
At Georgia Tech, health informatics researchers are partnering with both public- and private-sector organisations to develop and apply transformative technology that will connect incompatible systems and analyse vast data sets. This technology also will help clinicians track the latest research, potentially shortening the time required to move health care advances into practice.
"Our goal is to be directly involved with that health care transformation and to be one of the contributors focusing on what technology can do well," said Steve Rushing, senior strategic advisor for health extension services at Georgia Tech.
Georgia Tech's health informatics effort combines academic researchers in computing and the biosciences, practitioners familiar with the challenges of the medical community, extension personnel who understand the issues private companies face, and engineers and data scientists with expertise in building and operating secure networks tapping massive databases.
"It takes all of these components to really make a difference in an area as complex as health informatics," said Margaret Wagner Dahl, Georgia Tech's associate vice president for information technology and analytics.


I am writing after eating this actual meal for dinner for the third night in a row. All three times I was sitting at the counter while my baby sat across from me in her bumbo, eating the same thing. We both mmmmmm'd our way through it (actually I was the only mmmmm'er, which I do a lot of because it makes her laugh, but she loved it too).
I (we) enjoyed it so much that I am considering hitting up the Farmers Market again tomorrow for more tomatoes to make it for dinner when my husband comes home from his work trip. That's how good this is.
We're going to my family's summer cabin this summer and I'm feeling a little bit nostalgic. My husband has never been, my daughter obviously hasn't and (somehow?!) I haven't been in fifteen years. I can't wait, I hope it hasn't shrunk too much.
We had a deal growing up that for every book we read throughout the year, we got an Archie comic to save to read during the summer at our cabin. My sisters and I read a lot, which equaled a lot of Archie comics by the time the summer arrived. There was no electricity, so we would spend a lot of time reading Archies, reading books and becoming way too good at every card game ever invented. I still know how to shuffle like a blackjack dealer, it's sort of embarrassing.
As Promised, a post dedicated to lung health! Whether you live in the city or an area prone to forest fires, you or someone you know smokes, or whether you are experiencing grief or sadness (more on that later), there are many reasons to want to consider the health of your lungs.
This site is dedicated to heath-promoting foods, so that is where we are going to start. There are many other factors when considering the health of our lungs though, so we are going to get a bit wild and branch out today.


Posts relevant to interactivity, whether digital or physical. You can expect to read about web development, apps, gaming, and physical installations; from inspirational work, my own work or industry news.
This 10 day coding retreat is easily the best place to learn how to code HTML and CSS. Plus you can exploring the raw, exotic, natural beauty of Bali, Indonesia!
New Video about my New Website/Blog Redesign!
I've been hard at work redesigning and rebuilding my website from the ground up. To show the new design next to the old, I have put together a video comparing the two as well as a time lapse montage of the creation of the site.
Over the past few years, I've been exporting thousands of image assets for websites and other media by combining a feature within Photoshop that's been around for years. Read on to see how some creative thinking and efficient workflows can improve your daily design work!
What Makes Hyperlapse from Instagram so Hyper?
Earlier this week, Instagram released Hyperlapse, a very simple new app for recording videos with the intention of speeding them up.
6 years ago —whilst still at School— I designed a website for an quaint bed and breakfast style hotel located in the village where I grew up. It was awfully designed and extremely basic but did the job well. The time finally came to redesign and rebuild the site from the ground up. All in all, this one brief pretty much sums up all of my creative skills into one.


text: Huiswerk week 5

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
CIA on climate change
From The Australian:
World weather crisis can aid us
A dramatic shift in world weather patterns could mean an economic bonanza for Australia.
The inference is being drawn from a CIA report on a shift in global climatic conditions.
The report, released yesterday, is based on studies by several of the world's leading meteorologists and climatologists.
It warns that the world has already entered a phase of weather adverse to many densely populated countries and that it will cause widespread drought, famine and starvation.
The CIA goes as far as to suggest that the new global patterns considered likely to last at least 40 years and possibly centuries, could cause political and economic upheaval "beyond comprehension".
The climatic shift had started in the 1960s, but few had thought it would continue, the report said.
[Dr Reid A. Bryson, climatologist with the environmental studies department at the University of Wisconsin] said Australia, although not mentioned specifically in the CIA's report, had already seen some consequences of the climatic shift.
"The floods of 1974 were an indication that the climate was changing," he said. "Since then – and possibly in years just prior to these floods – there had been consistently high rainfall in outback areas."
The CIA report says the changes will mean India will suffer a major drought every four years, resulting in the possible starvation of 150 million people.
China will suffer major famine in five-yearly cycles and Russia will lose one million tons in grain production.
A former Pentagon research consultant, Mr Lowell Ponte, yesterday criticised the report for overlooking the possibility of nuclear blackmail by hungry nations.
Front page news from The Australian, 5 May 1976
No More Tolerating 'Nonsense'? Prove it
Just How Angry Was Our Summer?
The triumph of the individual over the hive mind
Viscount Monckton of Brenchley