text:
What We Sound Like
Doomsday Preppers
Simple Saturdays
The Covenant of God
The City of Man 1.0 (Genesis 4:17-26)
By Ian	— 3 years ago
So the last time we saw Cain, he was travelling eastward, into the land of Nod, the land of wandering. He can never stay in one place for very long. He has to move constantly and always be on his guard, because he can never be sure if the next person he meets will greet him — or try to kill him in revenge for his murder of Abel.
And as we catch up to him here we discover that he is married, verse 17: Cain made love to his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch.
And of course the question everyone asks at this point is: who did he marry? One of his sisters? And: what kind of woman would marry a murderer anyway?
I'll answer the second question first: probably Cain was already married before he murdered Abel. When God sent him into exile, his wife went with him, just as Eve went with Adam when they were driven out of the garden.
And as for who Cain did marry, he probably married one of his sisters, or a niece, or a cousin. Because Eve has certainly produced other sons and daughters, who have been producing other sons and daughters.
And, of course, when we hear that we say, "But…isn't that a bit weird?"
But if we asked Moses that question, he would think that we are a bit weird. He would say, "Yeah! Sure, he married his sister, or his cousin, or some other relative. But why do you care? If it was important I would have written it down!"
Because in the cultures of that time, kinship ties were the very foundation of a society. As much as possible, people married within the family, in order to preserve unity and wealth. Marrying cousins was very common — as it still is today among many tribal people — and even marrying sisters was considered okay until the time of Moses, when God, in his law, told his people not to do that anymore.
So Moses would be confused by our concern. And he would be concerned that we are missing the point. Because the point of saying that Cain has a wife who bears him a son is to show us that God's promise to Eve is has been passed on to her daughters: children are being born. God is gracious: he continues to give life through the women in these mens' lives, even though these men actually deserve death.
And at this point we discover that Cain is tired of wandering. He's tired of looking over his shoulder. So he builds a city, and names it after his son Enoch.
And this is a very important turning point in the history of redemption. It is also extremely controversial.
See, here's the problem: God cursed Cain to wander. Instead, he builds a city. So is he rebelling against God, or did God tell him to build a city?
If we say, "Obviously Cain is rebelling against God by building a city!" then we could also say that the city — as a concept — is an act of rebellion against God. Which means Christians should never live in a city, Christians should do their best to completely separate themselves from civilization, culture, the rest of sinful mankind. And many Christians have done this!
But, on the other side of the argument, some scholars have pointed out that God promised to provide protection and justice for Cain. In those days, cities were the centers of proctection and justice, just like our own cities today. So they argue that Cain building a city is actually the fulfillment of God's promise to protect him and give him justice. Now, if that is the case, then the city — as a concept — is actually good. It is a gracious gift from God, designed to protect the helpless and give them justice. Which means Christians should live in the city. We should be at the centers of civilization and culture and protection and justice.
So: what is the correct answer? Is the city good or bad? Should God's people completely separate themselves from the world, or should they engage with it?
Let's go on, and see if Moses answers this question:
[18] To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.
So, God's promise of life continues. The city is growing. And what we have here is the list of kings who ruled over that city, all descended from Cain.
— and I'm going to pause here to point out that probably this is not a complete list. These are just the high points. Moses is carefully selecting which names to include and which ones to leave out.
Why is he being so selective? Because Moses wants us to pay special attention to this guy Lamech. He has carefully constructed this list so that Lamech is the seventh name from Adam.
Why is that important? Well, as we noticed last week, in many ancient cultures, seven was a number that symbolized completeness. So for Lamech to be the seventh from Adam is Moses' way of saying, "This guy is the pinnacle. This guy is the perfected result of the whole breeding program, he is the best of the best!" This guy is the kind of guy all men wish they were. He is a man's man.
So, now that we're paying attention, Moses introduces Lamech to us: [19] Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah.
Mmmmmm. So, the first thing we learn about Lamech, the man's man, is that he has taken two wives. So he really is the kind of man all men wish they were!
— and I'm going to pause here again to address something. Some people have noticed that Moses doesn't say, "Remember, boys and girls, polygamy is very very bad!" And so they try to argue that God is not against polygamy. After all, Abraham, Jacob, David, all these great Old Testament heroes had many wives! — therefore it must be okay!
They are wrong. Moses did not have to say, "polygamy is bad!" because he expected his readers to notice that, from beginning to end, all the way through the Old Testament, polygamy always, always, always leads to bad things: jealousy, anger, incest, rape, murder, the degradation of women. There is not one single example of a "good" polygamous marriage in the whole bible.
Now, does God approve of the degradation of women? No, he does not. The degradation of women makes God furious. So is God in favour of polygamy, which always leads to the degradation of women? No, he is not!
So when Moses introduces Lamech to us as a guy with two wives, that's his way of saying, "Brace yourselves! This man is not a good man!"
Then he tells us a little more about Lamech by actually telling us the names of his wives: Adah and Zillah. Now remember, Moses does not like to waste ink writing down names that are irrelevant. He did not tell us anything about Cain's wife because her identity was irrelevant to the story. But these names are significant because they tell us more about what kind of man Lamech is. Adah implies "pretty face." Zillah implies "pretty voice". So what we are learning here is that, as a man's man, as a kings' king, Lamech has picked up a couple of trophy wives: a model and a singer.
But they aren't just pretty, they're also productive! [20] Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. [21] His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments and pipes. [22] Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah.
The boys' names all come from the same root word, the Hebrew word for "production". Lamech's wives are productive, and his sons are productive. Jabal is an administrative genius, he invents farming on a large scale: he feeds the city. Jubal is a creative genius, he invents music and the arts: he beautifies the city. And Tubal is a manufacturing genius, he invents metal tools: he protects the city and makes it even more productive.
And what about the daughter, Naamah? Is she special? Well, it is very unusual for daughters' names to be included in a kings' list, so…yeah, she must be special! Her name must tell us something more about this man and his family. So what does her name mean? Naamah means "pleasant, graceful, gorgeous". And while Moses doesn't tell us anything more about her at this point…she will turn out to be significant later on.
So what is going on here? Why Moses telling us all this? First, he suggests that Lamech is the ideal man, the seventh from Adam. Then he reveals that Lamech is a polygamist: he collects women, he degrades women — and not only that, he's a bit of a playboy: he only degrades the finest of women. Then Moses reveals that Lamech has a beautiful daughter and three very productive and powerful sons —
So is Lamech a good guy or a bad guy? Is he blessed by God or cursed by God?
Is this whole "city" thing working out? Is it the center of God's justice, or is it the center of rebellion?
Brace yourselves, friends: we're about to find out.
[23] Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. [24] If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times."
This song that Lamech sings is sometimes called The Song of the Sword. It is a song that glorifies power and violent revenge. And it tells us quite a bit about who Lamech is as the greatest king in the history of Cain's city.
The first thing we have to notice is that he sings this song out loud. What does that tell us?
Well, it shows us just how far Lamech has fallen in comparison to his father Cain, who had already fallen far below his father Adam. Adam tried to hide it his sin because he was ashamed of it. Cain was not ashamed, but he tried to hide his sin because he was smart enough to realize there would be consequences if he told the truth. But Lamech does not try to hide his sin. He is proud ot it! He believes he is above all judgment.
So what we are seeing here is the sin of pride — which began in Adam, and grew in Cain — we are seeing what pride looks like when it is full-grown. Complete. Pride Level: Seven.
The second thing we notice is that Lamech sings this song to his wives. What does that tell us?
Well, I think we all know that men like to look good in front of women. Lamech is strutting his stuff here in front of his ladies. And we've all done that, right guys? But sociologists have noticed that historically — and even today — men who boast about their violence to the women around them are trying to dominate those women. This is song is a not-so-subtle threat, telling his wives that they had better behave or else!
So what we are seeing here is the sin of degradation — the degradation of women. This sin began with Adam, who was supposed to protect his wife from danger and degradation, but instead stood quietly by while the evil one violated her. Now, seven generations later, Lamech is himself the violator of his own wives! What we are seeing here is what the degradation of women looks like when it is full-grown. Complete. This is Degradation Level: Seven.
The third thing we notice is that Lamech kills a man for wounding him. What does that tell us?
Well, by this point the people of Israel have learned God's law from Moses, and that law says that, in a conflict between people, if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
Now, I realize that when we hear this we think, "Ugh…! Really? That sounds barbaric!" But that's because, in our modern world, when we hear about hands being cut off, our only mental association is hands being cut off for stealing. But that is Islamic law, that idea is not found in Christian scripture. That is not what God's law teaches.
If we could travel back in time and see this law through the eyes of ancient Israel, we would be seriously impressed. Because what this law means is that the punishment should fit the crime.
And, of course, our response is, "Uh, ya think? Duh!" We don't realize how unusual this concept actually is. We don't realize that God's law here is actually the source of our modern idea that the punishment should fit the crime.
Israel, living under God's law, was extremely unusual when compared to the pagan nations around them. In the other pagan nations, the punishment was not designed to fit the crime, it was designed to fit your social status. So if you were high status, and you killed someone's slave, you paid a fine. But if you were a slave, and you accidentally wounded a high status person — spilled hot coffee on them or something — you could be tortured to death, along with your whole family.
So what we are seeing here, in Lamech's song, is the celebration of injustice. The city of Cain is not the center of God's justice, it is the premiere example — the foundational example — of all the pagan cities in the lands around Israel, where the law is not life for life, wound for wound, it is life for wound. What we are seeing here is what injustice looks like when it is full-grown. Complete. This is Injustice Level: Seven.
And the last thing we notice about Lamech's song is this strange boast: if Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times. What does that even mean? And what does that tell us?
Well, do you remember who promised to avenge Cain seven times if Cain got himself murdered? God did. When God said, "Anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over," that was a way of saying God will bring complete justice.
Now, Lamech is saying, "Cain was so pathetic he needed God to avenge him. But I am so great, I don't need God to avenge me! And when I bring vengeance, I don't bring a sad little 'seven times' to the meeting, I bring seventy times seven!"
He's basically saying, "If God brings 100% vengeance, I bring 1000%!"
So what we are seeing here, friends, is a man announcing to his wives and to the world that he is God. This is what self-actualization looks like when it is full-grown. Complete. This is Self-Actualization Level: Seven.
So Lamech is a very bad guy. Moses has carefully constructed this list of kings so that Lamech comes out as number seven from Adam. That was designed to catch our attention, and make us wonder if Lamech might be the best of the best. But then Moses revealed that no, he is actually the worst of the worst.
And this finally gives us our answer to last week's cliffhanger. Last week we were left wondering if Cain was repentant or still rebellious. He wandered for a while, which suggests that he submitted to God's judgement. But then he stopped and built a city, which left us wondering if that was good or bad.
Well, here, hundreds of years later — perhaps even thousands of years later — we see that Cain's sins have grown to monstrous proportions. God warned Cain that if he did not rule his sins, they would grow up to rule him. So here we are: Cain passed his sins on to his son Enoch, who passed them on to his son, each generation worse than the last, until we reach Lamech, the seventh from Adam, the image of a king completely ruled by pride, degradation, injustice, self-actualization.
So, going back to the questions we were asking at the start: does this mean that the city — as a concept — is the physical embodiment of man's rebellion against God? Should God's people never live in cities? Should we withdraw from civilization and culture and do our best to live quiet lives far away from the tyranny of evil men?
Well, so far that is what it looks like. Cities clearly embody the rebellion of Satan's children; therefore, as God's children, we should have nothing to do with that system at all!
But…the story of Cain and Abel is not quite finished. So before we draw any conclusions, let's read on a little further:
[25] Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, "God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him."
So here we find a spark of hope. God promised Eve that she would give birth to the Messiah. When Cain was born, she saw God's promise being fulfilled. She said, "With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man!"
But then Cain murdered his brother Abel. And when Abel died so did Eve's hope for a Messiah. Because clearly Abel is not going to produce any sons! And while Cain definitely produced some very productive sons, they were all productive in the wrong way. No Messiah is going to be born from such a corrupt line of men!
But now there is another son: Seth. Eve's hope of a Messiah has been restored. And this time, when she speaks, she says something different than she did before. When Cain was born she gave credit to God — but she also gave credit to herself: "With the help of the Lord I have brought forth…" This time she gives all the glory to God: "God has granted me another child…"
But we've been here before, haven't we? What if this kid also goes bad? Then what?
Well, let's cross our fingers and find out:
[26] Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh.
So…that's good. Seth has gotten farther than Abel did, anyway.
But…we still don't know if Seth is righteous like Abel, or corrupt like Cain. After all, Cain also had a son, and that did not turn out so well!
So, let's press on:
At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.
Soooo…that's good. Right?
Yes! Yes, that's good! It's good news! This book ends with good news! Adam failed to lead his wife into true worship. Cain failed to lead his younger brother into true worship. But Seth has succeeded in leading his son Enosh into true worship, and Enosh is now leading others into true worship.
And what does this true worship look like? It looks like people calling on the the name of the Lord.
But to be clear: this is not actually a reference to prayer. Moses is not saying that anybody who prays to the right God is therefore practicing true worship. No. This phrase "to call on the name of the Lord" is actually a way of saying that people began to call themselves by the name of the Lord. Today we would say that they took God's name as their surname, as if God was their father.
And that is the point Moses is making: true worship means accepting God as Father. True worship means faith in our Heavenly Father's promises, and repentance when we fail to have faith — because repentance is faith in our Father's promise of forgiveness. And the clearest mark of true worship, true faith, taking God's name as your name.
So Moses is deliberately setting up a contrast here between Cain and Seth. Cain had a son, Enoch, and he named his city after Enoch. Seth has a son, Enosh, but instead of naming a city after him, he names Enosh after God. The sons of Cain proclaim themselves to be gods. But the sons of Seth proclaim themselves to be the sons of God.
Cain built a civilization centered around the worship of his sons. But Seth is building a civilization centered around the worship of his Heavenly Father.
Here, in the last sentence, Moses is telling that there is hope.
And that's great! But how does that answer our question? Is the city — as a concept — good or bad? Should Christians live in cities, or not? Should we engage with the world around us, or should we separate ourselves and set up an alternative civilization dedicated to God?
And you should know, friends, that Christians have argued about this almost from the beginning of our faith. Many have said, "No! God calls us to be holy. We need to avoid being corrupted by the world!" But others have said, "Yes! God has called us to be salt and light in the world, not outside of it!"
And most of those conversations about culture begin right here, in this history of Cain's city. And that is why this passage is so important, and so controversial.
Those who think we should engage with culture say this: "Look, obviously Lamech was a bad guy. But his three sons did good things! This is the invention of farming, the invention of music and art, the invention of tool-making. Really, these three boys are the inventors of civilization and culture as we know it, and that is a good thing! So clearly Moses is trying to tell us that culture is a gift from God, and it is a mark of God's grace that he gives it even to corrupt people."
But that is when the other side says, "Aha! But, see, you're making our point for us! These are corrupt people. The three sons of Lamech were obsessed with power and wealth and that's why they invented factory farming and rock music and the assembly-line and all the other dehumanizing ills of civilization! So clearly Moses is trying to tell us that God's people should not work for large corporations, we should not be involved in music or the arts, we should not be involved in mass production or mass pollution or anything else. We should all throw away our TVs, cancel the internet, and just focus on keeping our community pure."
So…what's the answer?
Well, this is why it is always important to go back to the text, and do our best to try to understand it as the ancient people of Israel would have understood it.
See, our modern debate about engaging with the world is centered around culture: is culture good? is culture bad? or is culture neutral? And how we answer that question changes everything about how we engage with culture.
But the problem with our modern debate is this: Moses is not talking about culture. Moses is not talking about society. Moses is not even talking about the rise of civilization.
Moses is talking about the covenant of worship.
Ever since the beginning of Book 2, when the garden of Eden was introduced, Moses has been talking about worship: what true worship looks like, what false worship looks like.
True worship looks like faith in God's covenant promises and repentance when we fail. False worship is faith in your own promises, and the refusal to repent or ever admit that you're wrong.
True worship means calling yourself a son of God, as Seth and his sons do. False worship means calling yourself God, as Lamech does — and then worshiping that false god, as Lamech's three sons do.
See, when we read about Lamech's three sons, we look at their accomplishments and we think, "Ah, the invention of civilization and culture!" And then we argue about whether culture is good or bad or neutral.
But when the ancient people of Israel read about Lamech's three sons, they thought, "Ah, the invention of pagan worship!" And they knew, without having to argue! that this is very very bad.
See, ancient people knew something about cities that we have forgotten: long before cities became the centers of protection and justice and civilization, they were the centres of worship. Modern archaeologists have confirmed that the first cities built by mankind, 10,000 years ago, were temple complexes. Only the god-king and his priests would live there. The people lived outside, in villages, as close as they could to the protective presence of their god-king.
And what are the three things that every temple complex needs? Animal sacrifices. Music for worship. And metal tools for working with the fires of sacrifice. Jabal provided the animal sacrifices. Jubal provided the music. Tubal provided the tools.
Moses is not giving us a history of the rise of civilization. He is not trying to convince us that cities — as a concept — are bad. What Moses is giving us is a history of how Adam's sons responded to the loss of God's garden.
Seth and his sons settled down and lived in the wilderness just outside the eastern gate of the garden. They called themselves the sons of God, and they lived as close to God's presence as they could, looking to him for provision and protection, looking forward to the day when he would reopen the gates of his garden-temple and let them return. They had faith in their Father's covenant promises.
Cain and his sons rejected God's promises of provision and protection. They moved away from God's presence. And instead of trusting that one day God would let them return to his garden-temple — instead, they set up their own garden-temple, their own garden-city, centred around their own god-king Lamech. They set up their own system of worship, supplied and driven by Lamech's three sons, worship that probably involved their sister Naamah in some unspeakable way. They set up their own covenant system centred around Pride, the Degradation of women, Injustice, and the Self-Actualization of men.
And once we realize that this is what Moses was talking about, his message to the ancient people of Israel becomes obvious: don't do that!
And this was an important message for them to hear. Because as they wandered for 40 years in the wilderness just outside the eastern gate of the Promised Land, there would have been a tremendous temptation for each man to just take his family, slip away from God's people, move quietly into the Promised Land, join a pagan city and live happily ever after.
Through this story, Moses is telling his people, "Don't do that. It is better to die in the desert waiting for God to open his city to you, than to go and seek out a pagan city. At first you're going to think that you can worship the true God quietly in your heart and still participate in that society. But soon you will discover that in order to be promoted, in order for people to trust you, in order to be successful in that system you will have to perform public sacrifices to the god of that city. You will have to worship the gods of pride and degradation and injustice and self-actualization — and you will become what you worship."
So what, then, is Moses' application for us? Stay with God's covenant people, and avoid living in pagan cities?
Well, yes! and no. Yes, we need to stay with God's covenant people. Worship is communal, not individual, which means we do need Christian community in order to worship properly and be transformed into our Father's image.
However, our situation is different. In Moses' time each city had one god/goddess combo. One city, one temple, one god. So if and when you moved to a new city, you were not just changing your citizenship, your were changing your religion. That is why it was so important for the ancient people of Israel to live in Israelite cities, cities covenanted to the God of Israel.
Later on, with the rise of empires, it became common for cities to have several temples, several gods, in order to serve all the different conquered ethnic groups in that city. This was the situation during the time of Jesus, which is why it was possible for God's people to live in pagan Roman cities and still practice true worship of the true God.
And this is our situation now. We are living in a city here that is dedicated to a thousand different gods at least! and we are exactly where our Father wants us. We are not called to live physically separated from the world. But we are called to practice true worship while we live physically in the world.
And that is difficult, because the temptation to worship other gods is always right here with us. Oh, I don't think many of us are tempted to enter a mosque or a temple and participate in the worship there! But we are tempted to worship other, less obvious gods: the god of family, the god of ambition, the god of money, the god of ecological awareness…the god of food? We look around and we quickly realize that in order to be promoted, in order for people to trust us, in order to be successful in this system we really have to perform public sacrifices to these gods. If we don't worship these gods we get left out. We get left behind.
This is the hard truth, brothers and sisters: to practice true covenant worship in a modern city often means deliberately putting yourself on the losing side of things. Trusting God to provide often means choosing to remain in the wilderness while all your friends are busy building garden-city-temples of their own. It can mean waiting for the right girl, the right guy to marry when all your Christian friends have already settled for marrying non-Christians. It can mean slowing down your career to raise your kids when all your other friends work 120 hours a week to get ahead. And it is hard to make those decisions and then stand by them.
Why? Because we're afraid. Deep down we struggle to believe that our Father will provide for us. We struggle to believe he will protect us. We struggle to believe he is actually faithful to his covenant promises.
So what is Moses' application for us?
Moses called the people of Israel to remain faithful in the wilderness until God reopened the gates of his garden-city. And that is what he is calling us to do as well: remain faithful even when it looks like true worship means volunteering to live in the wilderness.
But we have one huge advantage over Moses' people, we have this Good News: God has already opened the gates of his garden-city! To the rest of the world we look like we are living outside the city gates, worshiping a loser Messiah who was crucified and killed outside the city gates. But the reality is reversed: we are actually inside, everyone else is outside. And one day that will be made clear. One day the veil will lift, and everyone will finally see things as they really are.
So if you are here today, and you have not yet accepted the promises of God in Jesus Christ, you have a decision to make. You can keep on building a city for yourself. You can put up walls and plant a garden, close your defensive gates and call it paradise. Or, you can admit what your spirit is already telling you: that you are foreigner and a stranger on this earth, that you are longing for a better country. You can believe, and you can let our Father carry you into the city with true foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
But if you are here today and you have already accepted the promises of Christ, then these are our Father's instructions for us: even as we live in this city dedicated to a thousand other gods, let us join our Saviour in the wilderness outside the city gates. Let us take his name upon ourselves, and suffer alongside him, because we know that all these shining towers are strictly temporary. We are looking for the city that is to come.
So, in conclusion: are cities the centres of false worship? Yes. Should God's people separate themselves from cities? No.
What should we do instead? Take the covenant name of Christ upon ourselves, and worship. This is how the Book of Hebrews describes it: through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise — the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
Let's do that.
The People of the Covenant (Genesis 2:18-25)
By Ian	—	3 years ago
God commissions a woman to act as helper to the high priest, to work him and protect him. But protect him from what?
The Cleansing of the Temple (Genesis 3:22-24)
Epilogue to Judgement Day: the priest and his wife are driven out of the temple to die in the wilderness. It sounds like a curse…but could it actually be a blessing in disguise?
The Consequences of the Covenant: the Woman (Genesis 3:16)
Judgement Day continues. The woman is condemned to experience pain in childbirth and the domination of her husband. Or is she? Surely something more must be going on here?
A Traveler's Guide for Christian Pilgrims 17
A Traveler's Guide for Christian Pilgrims 2nd Edition 7
Body Modification and the Gospel 5
Echoes of a Far-Off Country 8
How To Establish a Church 2
I am a Very Stylish Girl 10
Sermons About Sex 4
The Apocalypse of Daniel 15
The Apocalypse of God 5
The Apocalypse of Jesus 26
The Apocalypse of Noah 10
The Covenant of God 12
The Covenant With Abraham 19
The Covenant With Isaac 12
The Covenant With Jacob 12
The Inconsolable Secret 4
The Prince and The Dragon 41
The Search For Eve's Son 6
We're Allowed to Be Happy!…Right? 5
This Week's Bulletin
The Pillars of the Church (Titus 1:5-9)
The Foundations of the Church (Titus 1:1-4)
Echoes of a Far-Off Country (Esther 9:20-10:3)
©2022 Copyright Progression Studios


The next two Saturdays there are scheduled to be leftist protests, which I designed to be part of an overall media strategy to get Al Gore illegitimately installed as the 43rd President of the United States.
Normally, I don't like to go to rallies. I don't like showings. I don't really like these goofs who have nothing better to do than go to rallies. I'd rather be working.
However, it has become clear to me that these rallies are very different. These rallies are designed to directly undermine a legitimate election for President of the United States, and to undermine and eliminate the very republic itself. They are seeking to influence the electors of the Electoral College to dishonor their vow to do their duty as the citizens elected them to.
And as such, I believe they need to be met man per man, sign per sign, flag per flag.
I believe we may well have two choices. We can meet these liberal tools right here, right now, peacefully, and show the whole world, which may be watching, that we defend the duly elected President-elect of the United States and the United States Constitution. Or we can allow these people to work their conspiracy to overturn an election, undermine the Constitution, install an illegitimate President whose federal agents we will have to fight violence against violence. Perhaps, by meeting these individuals at these rallies, we can possibily help avert a civil war.
A caveat I issue here. I won't want any of you to engage in violence against these people. However, I have been informed that certain demonstrations have riots planned in them. If this is the case, and a rally turns violent, retreat, walk away and disperse. This is not the place to engage the enemies of freedom in battle. We may find ourselves with ample necessity to do that later on.
Even if you don't personally support George W. Bush or his government, I am still of the opinion that these leftist tools need to be met anyway.


text:
Q: Regnerating an execution plan - is this a valid approach? If I am optimizing a query, in order to ensure that this query does NOT uses cached execution plan I use OPTION (RECOMPILE) with the query. Is it a good approach?

A: OPTION (RECOMPILE) can change the execution plan.
For example if you try the below you will see a different plan with and without the hint commented out (on SQL 2008 SP1 CU5 and later) .
EXEC sp_executesql N'
SELECT COUNT(*)
FROM master..spt_values
WHERE @number IS NULL OR number =@number
--OPTION (RECOMPILE)',
N'@number INT', @number=1

If you connect via the DAC then the plans seem to be neither used from the cache nor saved to the cache without this optimisation side effect of RECOMPILE (which may be a practical solution if you are developing against your own instance).
Or failing that on 2008 you can at least be more surgical about just removing the specific plan as shown below.
DECLARE @plan_handle varbinary(64),
        @RC INT

SELECT @plan_handle = cp.plan_handle
FROM   sys.dm_exec_cached_plans cp
       CROSS APPLY sys.dm_exec_sql_text(plan_handle) t
WHERE  t.text LIKE '%@number IS NULL%' AND t.text NOT LIKE '%this_query%'
/*Needs to match some unique text in the query. Add a commented out GUID to it
  if there is no obvious candidate.*/

SET @RC = @@ROWCOUNT

IF @RC = 1
    DBCC FREEPROCCACHE (@plan_handle);
ELSE
    RAISERROR('Cache not cleared, %d matching rows found',11,1,@RC)

A: OPTION (RECOMPILE) tells SQL Server to discard the execution plan
You have no further need to clear buffers or caches: you are testing a query, not the IO stack to read data back into memory. If you're tuning a query that runs frequently, then data will be in cache most likely in real life. If it runs Sunday 3am once, who cares...?
And maybe you can't run these DBCC commands anyway unless you have sa rights...
Edit, Jan 2012
For SQL Server 2008+, you also have the OPTIMIZE FOR UNKNOWN hint (also see this) which gives a more general query plan

A: Standard procedure is to run...
DBCC FREEPROCCACHE
DBCC DROPCLEANBUFFERS

Recompile just updates the query plan for the specified procedure, doesn't clear cached pages etc.

A: Be aware of the impact that this will have on others on your system (don't do this in production!):
DBCC DROPCLEANBUFFERS
DBCC FREEPROCCACHE

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Pabellón Ciudad de Algeciras-Doctor Juan Carlos Mateo is an arena in Algeciras, Spain.  It is primarily used for team handball and is the home arena of Algeciras BM.  The arena holds 2,300 people.

Initially named as only Ciudad de Algeciras, on 10 May 2017, the pavilion changed its denomination by adding the name of Doctor Juan Carlos Mateo.

References

Handball venues in Spain
Indoor arenas in Spain
Sports venues in Andalusia
Sport in Algeciras

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Integrated Inspection & Surveying (IIS) was incorporated in Iraq with the aim of providing the Oil & Gas industry with the highest quality inspection services at very realistic prices.
Our range of services includes full range Crane & Lifting Equipment Inspection, Dropped Objects Survey, Drill Pipe & Tubular Inspection, Non-Destructive Testing (NDT), Calibration & Pressure Testing, Metering & Flow Measurement Services and Storage Tank Calibration and Survey. We also provide training courses focused on safety and technical competence.
Since its establishment, IIS has shown continual progress. Our mission is to provide high quality service and commitment to our clients' needs and requirements.


I am going to fit a pic rail to my Tikka T3 this weekend, it says it is T3 specific and comes with bolts and lug, now, I know there are the 4 grubs in the top of the action but what should I expect when I try and take these out?
I fitted one and a very easy job, screws come strait out, watch the length of the forward bolt , if to long it will catch the bolt when you try and load a round.
Grub screws only screw out a tad and just slightly proud of receiver rail, keep turning as though they have run out of thread but do not come out further, any ideas?
The blanking grub screws are tiny, they probably have just run out of thread. Bent a paper lip and push them from below as you turn them and they should fall out.


Whatever your taste, whatever your budget, there's plenty of food for thought when it comes to eating out in Aberdeen City and Shire.
The region offers every possible kind of dining experience – from traditional cafés to luxury restaurant establishments.
The common ingredient? Fine, fresh produce in a part of the world where you wouldn't expect anything less.
We're equally proud of our dining and catering facilities right here at AECC – we were the first establishment of our kind in Scotland to receive a Healthy Living Award in recognition of our commitment to provide healthier eating options.


text:
Verizon's records
Why we fear broad surveillance
The possibility of illegitimate pressure and false incrimination
by M.S.
WHEN the brouhaha over the Department of Justice reading the e-mails of James Rosen, a Fox News reporter, broke last month, I wrote that it seemed quaint to be outraged about the department getting a warrant from a judge for a specific target (and eventually disclosing the warrant) when other agencies can obtain secret authority for much wider surveillance. What I wanted to write was that the National Security Agency (NSA) was doing the same sort of thing all the time. But I couldn't do that because I didn't know whether it was true, such surveillance being, you know, secret. I assumed that the NSA had probably been routinely accessing vast amounts of electronic communications from millions of Americans ever since we first learned this was happening under the Bush Administration. With the agency building a $2 billion facility in Utah to process multi-yottabyte quantities of data from its Global Information Grid, complete with the world's fastest decryption supercomputer, one assumes it's doing so for a reason. But we didn't officially know anything about exactly what information the NSA was harvesting.
So now we know a tiny little bit. As my colleague outlines and the Guardian reports, on April 25th the NSA got a warrant from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court ordering Verizon to pass on records of all calls made on its network until July 19th. Verizon must give the NSA the numbers of the caller and the person called, the caller's location, and the time and duration of the call. There doesn't seem to be any reason to believe that Verizon is the only network the NSA is monitoring, or that April-July is the only period they're monitoring. (Dianne Feinstein, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, hints that this has been going on for seven years.) It seems entirely plausible that the NSA is simply recording everyone's calling data and locations, all the time, and that the court is approving warrants for them to do so.
This casts a bit of a new light on the controversy years back over the Bush Administration's warrantless wiretapping programmes. If the FISA court is willing to approve surveillance this broad, it's hard to see why the administration ever wanted to circumvent it. On the other hand, if the court is willing to approve surveillance this broad, and the NSA doesn't have to disclose the fact of that surveillance, it's hard to see what the point of subjecting such surveillance to a court is. Hopefully the court would be much more leery of approving a warrant allowing the NSA to actually pore through the contents of everyone's phone calls, and perhaps enforcing that barrier is the court's raison d'etre.
But one thing I haven't seen enough of in the coverage of the latest surveillance scandal is a reminder of what it is we're afraid of when the government collects such immense amounts of data in sweeps of our personal information. It's not the totalitarian fear that an agency that knows exactly where we are and who we're talking to at all times would find it easier to round us up; we're not a totalitarian state, and in any case, in modern America, if the police want to arrest you, they'll be able to find you. The legitimate fear boils down to two things.
The first is the possibility of illegitimate pressure based on information we didn't intend to be made public. Everyone has secrets; everyone has things they'd prefer not be publicly known. If a detective who suspects you of committing a crime knows that when your wife called you at 11.30pm on Wednesday you were at the apartment of your attractive co-worker, that detective is likely to threaten to release that information to convince you to sign a confession. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that when we say "the government", we are actually referring to huge numbers of different agencies and individuals, each of which have their own interests and will use whatever information resources they get their hands on to pursue those interests.
The second is the fear that a pattern of circumstantial activity will lead us to be falsely incriminated, or to suffer administrative penalties that don't even require any actual indictment. In the era of the no-fly list, it's not clear what set of activities are enough to get you to pop up on somebody's computer screen at DHS and turn your life into a Kafkaesque hassle-dome. Did you visit Qatar, then Pakistan, then Qatar again? Did you spray-paint artistic graffiti on a sidewalk that turned out to be too close to Dick Cheney's daughter's house? We don't know; our security agencies will never tell us. Giving the NSA a vast database of phone calls, and inviting them to search for correlations that might be predictive of terrorist activity, is likely to generate a massive number of false positives.
It's not just the government that we need to watch here; the phone companies themselves routinely store call and location data from your phone, aggregate it, and sell it to third parties. Hopefully the FCC will ban that practice except with user consent, when it votes on it later this month. It would also be a good thing if the NSA were blocked from routinely mining patterns from every phone call made in America in the hopes of finding something that matches up with terrorism. Another approach would be to see whether we can erect clearly enforced firewalls that prohibit the NSA from sharing its knowledge that you were in bed with your mistress with prosecutors. Then again, the fact that different intelligence agencies weren't allowed to pool their knowledge was precisely what outraged Americans in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks.
And as for reining in the data-gathering activities, I'm a bit sceptical that blocking the NSA's routine court-monitored requests will go very far towards curtailing their other mind-boggling data-harvesting efforts. A while back I had a conversation about this with a longtime digital-freedom hacktivist who had initially been a senior advisor in the WikiLeaks project. I asked him what he thought were the most important political projects to protect online privacy and organisational openness. He said that ship had sailed; it was too late to carve out a zone of electronic freedom. The architecture had already been defined; the telecoms corporations and the government can learn whatever they want about you, and there was no way to undo what had been built. So, I asked, how did he plan on protecting himself against America's crusade against WikiLeaks? He didn't, he said. He had a family to consider. He'd dropped out.
(Photo credit: AFP)
More from Democracy in America
Time for a Gang of Four?
The fifth Democratic primary debate showed that a cull is overdue
The great Kentucky horse race
The election for Kentucky's governor will be a referendum on Donald Trump
A state court blocks North Carolina's Republican-friendly map
The Ukraine affair
A soldier's word against Donald Trump's in impeachment inquiry
Third-party anxieties
Why Democrats are talking about Tulsi Gabbard
Thinning out the field of Democrats could focus minds on the way to Iowa's caucuses
Matt Bevin, the unpopular incumbent, hopes to survive a formidable challenge by aligning himself with the president
The gerrymandering fix could help Democrats keep the House in 2020
Testimony from Alexander Vindman, a decorated veteran, is hard to trash as partisan sniping
The low-polling presidential candidate has caused a stir

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


If you are looking for a commissioned portrait or maybe you are an artist starting back after a long break or could be an artist that has lost their way, we can help. We can also start you on your artistic journey, whatever it may be we are here to offer support and guidance without being prescriptive so that you can develop to your full potential.
Portraiture using your own choice of style and meduim. We will ensure that your portrait is tailor made to incorporate your vision, charachter and taste.
We teach Life Drawing, Watercolour and Mixed Media in the most beautiful surroundings of Willoughby Cottage and its gardens. Tuition by a fully qualified tutor who can offer you her own individual attention, a formula for moving forwards or in the case of the novice student, a tailor made program to help you through the early stages.


Stephen Hawking in front of sun with coronal mass ejections.
Enter Stephen Hawking with the not-so-glad tidings of a planetary disaster on Earth. The famous theoretical physicist said that a likely disaster on Earth is a 'near certainty' and linked this disaster to the ever-increasing risks due to advancing in science and technology.


Reporting to the Manager, Research Partnerships the Intellectual Property Analyst role will lay the initial ground work for commercialization of IP, including coordinating project-related disclosures, undertaking routine IP assessments, conducting research and market analysis, identifying potential commercialization prospects and partnerships, and assisting in creating/updating commercialization plans based on researched opportunities.
Provide effective, accurate and transparent research commercialization development services to researchers and be accountable to clients and partners, both internal and external.
Under the Supervision of the Manager, facilitate the expansion of the university's commercialization activities through the identification and coordination of potential opportunities for IP disclosures within UNB and licenses between the university and external organizations. Ensure all parties are aware of the opportunities and provide the necessary support to bring the opportunities to fruition.
Conduct routine IP market assessments, including sector-based research and analysis and IP competitive intelligence.
Advise and assist both faculty and the university's partners and clients in matters related to commercialization and IP documentation to ensure all agreements meet with current university policy.
Facilitate the building of the university's reputation as a research institution and will ensure that the reputation of the university is maintained by dealing with problematic research relationships in an expeditious manner.
A post-secondary degree in a relevant area from a recognized university and education/training/experience in an academic/research setting.
1-3 years' related experience in market research, competitive intelligence analysis, or product management would be an asset.
Demonstrated commitment to client service and excellent interpersonal skills required to work effectively with faculty, staff, and external partner/clients.
Excellent analytical skills, problem solving and critical thinking.
Excellent judgement, decision making and organizational skills, in particular, analytical written and verbal skills.
Computer literacy and ability to use modern office technologies and information systems.
Ability to multi-task and work in a team environment.
WHAT DO FOOD AND DRINK HAVE TO DO WITH BIO?


Many of my friends have recently announced that they are pregnant. This has given me some great opportunities to brush up on my maternity and newborn portfolios! I was excited to take maternity photos for Andrew & Bethany because I had done their engagement portraits as well as wedding photos previously. We always have a great time on photo shoots and this was no exception! We walked down under the swinging bridge at Glen Park and then spent some time in my home studio.
See the rest of this set!


Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog: Bhaira Mcwizu expecting first baby?
Seems so. The AMBO winner and actress told reporters this week that she got married recently and is expecting her first baby. Congrats to her!
Who's she? Never heard of her? Never seen her movies.
I have never heard of her before ,she has not finished building her career and she is getting married.
Congrats dear..i wish u a safe delivery.
A very good actress.I wish you a safe delivery.
she is a very good actress. First noticed her in super story.
Mr President clap for yourself...welldone!


Two dwarf trees and a weeping redbud, are surrounded by heuchera on this berm.
A "shrub island" is a grouping of shrubs planted in the middle of a lawn rather than shrubbery planted around the perimeter of a yard or as a hedge. A shrub island could be part of a regular garden bed planted flush with the level of the surrounding landscape, or planted in a raised bed, or on a berm. A berm is an embankment, ridge, or elevated area created with soil or soil or stone. A berm is different from a raised bed because it typically doesn't have an encompassing wall or other structure and has a gradual, rather than abrupt, change in elevation.
There are many reasons why building a berm can be useful. A berm may serve to divert water flow, draw the eye toward or away from certain areas, add elevation to a flat yard or raise plants above waterlogged areas. When topped with trees or shrubs, a berm may provide privacy and reduce noise and light pollution. Or a berm might just function as a handy way to use dirt that has been excavated when building a patio or sidewalk. A berm is an excellent location for planting a variety of shrubs to create a shrub island.
If you have a yard with a steep slope in an area with potentially heavy rainfall, you may want to install a berm to control water runoff and direct it away from your home. Orient an outlet from the berm toward a swale to carry water away from structures. A combination of a berm and a swale (a depression to direct water flow) gives a source of materials for building the raised berm when the swale is excavated. A series of berms arranged along a hillside creates multiple points for slowing water flow. The berm itself can be planted with plants, shrubs, or trees, and the cup of the berm can be planted with water-loving plants.
In dry climates, berms slow down runoff from heavy rainfall and allow more moisture to soak into the soil while also preventing erosion. A crescent-shaped berm, with the open side facing uphill, will hold water and sediment, allowing for more gradual absorption of the water and preventing the sediment from flowing into storm drains, streams or lakes. Trees and shrubs can be planted in the cup of the berm to take advantage of the additional water supply.
Berms are used most often to provide visual interest by breaking a flat space into an undulating space. A common place to see berms is a golf course. If you have ever golfed, you can picture how an undulating course filled with numerous berms is more visually interesting than a flat course. Because many yards are perfectly flat, even a small berm can add interest and dimension. A combination of berms and beds lends texture and height to any flat yard.
A large berm topped with shrubs and trees blocks out street noise and enhances privacy.
Chances are, you are not going to install 5-foot-tall embankments for privacy—but even a low berm can add to the privacy of your yard. A berm topped with dense shrubbery is a perfect privacy enhancer. For year-round privacy, consider evergreen shrubs and trees or a short fence running across the top of the berm. In areas where fence heights are restricted, a 6- or 12-inch-tall berm topped with a fence gives just that little bit of extra privacy. Berms and evergreens can also serve as blocks against headlights and street noise.
In colder climates, a berm can be used to create a slightly warmer growing area. The amount of warmth absorbed from the sun is affected by the angle of the exposed area. The southern face of a berm will absorb more heat on the angled surface, allowing for slightly earlier blooming of spring bulbs. Creating a protected area with a crescent-shaped berm can allow you to grow shrubs or perennials typically not possible in your hardiness zone.
A berm does not have to a huge earthwork. It can be as simple as a 3- to 4-inch elevation rise from surrounding areas. Don't just throw up a single ovoid berm. Think in terms of sinuous shapes, crescent shapes, or perhaps repeating or staggered small berms. You can use a berm to outline an area to set it apart. Curved, asymmetrical shapes are typically more appealing than square shapes, and placing the high point of the berm slightly off-center makes it look more natural. Plant berms with vegetation that progresses from shorter to taller as you move up the slope of the berm. This helps guide the eye upward.
What not to do! A tall, rectangular berm with deciduous shrubs looks out of place in this small yard and sad in the winter.
Consider which shrubs you want to plant on your berm before building the berm. If the shrub island is strictly for visual interest, you can go for a mono look—all the same color or all the same shape—or you can go for a mixed look. The mono look or mass planting can provide a more modern look that is suitable for a less natural-looking berm. For a less rigid and more natural look, mix shapes and sizes and colors. Include shrubs that are deciduous shrubs (drop their leaves) mixed with evergreen shrubs (keep their leaves). For example, a weeping blue spruce has a columnar shape with drooping branches and a blue color and keeps its needles year round. This could be at the top of the berm. Mix this with a rounder shrub and a creeping deciduous shrub hanging over a flat boulder below. Shape the berm to correlate with the shrubs you will be planting and any decorative elements you will be adding.
Half berm, half raised bed, this freshly planted island has proper planting distances. Fill in the extra space with perennials or annuals until the shrubs reach their mature size.
When designing the shrub island, pay close attention to the mature dimensions of the shrubs you are choosing. Your shrubs will start out small; there will seem to be too much empty space at first, but the shrubs will soon grow to fill in the spaces. Note that shrubs and trees labeled "dwarf" are dwarf in comparison to their standard size. Carefully note the mature height and spread, which might be as much as 10 or 15 feet. A common error is to plant shrubs and trees too close together, which means they become crowded as they grow. If you do not like the empty spaces, you can plant perennial or annual plants in the voids until the shrubs mature.
Water runoff—The berm should open uphill.
Sight lines—The berm should distract from undesirable views and direct toward desirable views.
Shade—Trees and shrubs planted on the berm should create desired shade.
Prevailing wind direction—The berm and plantings should slow down cold winter wind but shouldn't block cooling summer breezes.
As mentioned above, berms look best with curvy shapes and gradual slopes. An abruptly rising berm creates erosion problems and will be difficult to maintain. At a minimum, a berm should be four times wider than its height and five or six times longer—so an 8-inch-high berm should be at least 32 inches wide and 40 inches long.
Once you have established the location and shape of the berm, remove the sod or other existing vegetation from the area and discard.
Remove the topsoil from the berm area and reserve it. If you are creating a large berm, use coarser materials for the lower layers of the berm—quality topsoil is only needed for the top 8 to 12 inches.
Create the bulk of the berm with fill material such as rocks, concrete chunks, or less desirable soil, except in the areas where you will be planting trees and shrubs. Do not use asphalt or railroad ties (they are toxic) or wood or construction debris (wood will decompose and cause uneven sinking). Build up the fill to a level less than the final desired height to allow for replacing the topsoil.
Water the berm to encourage the material to settle and fill in gaps before adding topsoil.
Adjust the size and shape as desired and return the topsoil to the top of the berm. Remember that a gradual transition from surrounding areas to the berm is best.
Plants and shrubs will mature to fill in empty space. Make sure to plant according to mature sizes.
Plant the berm with the grasses, plants, shrubs or trees you have chosen. Follow the planting directions given on the plant tag.
In general, dig a hole only as deep as the container, but 2 to 3 times greater diameter.
Place the shrub in the hole still in the pot. The dirt level in the pot should match the surrounding dirt level. Add or remove dirt if needed.
Remove the shrub from the pot by cutting down the sides of the pot. Orient the shrub in the hole with the best side facing out. Replace the soil, then water and mulch the shrub.
Place occasional boulders or artistic features on the berm to attract the eye and to fill visual space until the plants mature. Mulch with shredded or large chip mulch that will not wash away as easily. Because water will flow off the top of the berm, moisture availability for plants along the top will be lower than for plants around the perimeter. Plan for increased irrigation of shrubbery along the top of a berm. New shrubs and trees should be watered daily for the first two weeks, every other day for the next 12 weeks, then weekly for the next year.
Many shrubs need regular pruning to look their best. Save the plant tags and refer to the grower's website or other sources for specific pruning instructions for your selected shrubs.


text:
Week in Review: Bank Axes CO Service, Contentious Biz Plan in Alaska & Concerns Over Potential AG
By John Schroyer
An Oregon-based bank retreats from the Colorado marijuana market, an entrepreneur reveals plans to open an unlicensed dispensary in Alaska, and the nominee for U.S. attorney general comes out against cannabis.
Here's a closer look at several notable developments in the cannabis industry over the past week.
Banking Bummer
Many marijuana business owners were disappointed this week when Oregon-based MBank decided to pull out of Colorado – just days after announcing its intention to enter the market.
Some observers speculate that the federal government was behind the move.
"This screams 'federal regulator calls MBank and says we're going to cut this off if you don't stop what you're doing,'" said Jason Katz, a partner at Denver-based LoPro Consulting.
"When I hear that they all of a sudden don't have the infrastructure, seven days after they decided that this is the way they were going to do business, something had to change at the top," Katz added. "Something significant that probably is related to politics and the federal government in some capacity. That would be my guess."
The news even spurred U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-OR, to send a letter to the FDIC requesting clarification on whether federal regulators interfered with MBank's plans.
"If this is true, it raises serious questions about the application of federal oversight," Blumenauer wrote to FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg, who also said he's troubled by allegations that the FDIC "appears to be governing by informal fiat."
Many companies are trying to solve the banking problem, but the issue likely won't be resolved unless there's a policy change in Washington DC.
"Until there's a real change – rescheduling (of marijuana) or change of banking policy at the federal level – none of this is going to surprise me. I actually think it's going to continue to be the standard," Katz said.
'Pretty Stupid' Move in Alaska?
Reporter-turned-cannabis-entrepreneur Charlo Greene is still good at making headlines, both in her home state of Alaska and beyond.
She first came to prominence last September, when she sensationally quit her television reporting job during a live broadcast to support Alaskan legalization efforts. Now, she's turning heads with her newest venture.
Greene essentially announced plans to open a psuedo-dispensary in downtown Anchorage on Feb. 24, the day possession and consumption become fully legal in the state. The club will operate as a nonprofit, and allow members to make a "donation" for MMJ edibles and cannabis.
She'll also allow recreational cannabis users to essentially exchange marijuana with each other.
Some industry insiders say that Greene's not only facing legal risks herself, but that she's also unnecessarily creating bad will with regulators who could have oversight of her business in the future.
"In my opinion, it's pretty stupid," said Zeta Ceti, owner of Green Rush Consulting in Oakland, California. "It's going to put her name in jeopardy, her business in jeopardy, and even possibly her business application in jeopardy."
Even though Alaskans voted last November to legalize recreational marijuana, state and local officials are still in the process of setting up regulations for cannabis stores. On top of that, MMJ dispensaries are still illegal.
Greene thinks she's found a legal way around that, telling the Alaska Dispatch News that she's sure she's on solid legal footing. Even so, observers say she should either wait for regulations to be established or start up an alternative business.
"We saw people pre-licensure open their doors, often against legal advice, and they got prosecuted," said Amy Margolis, an attorney in Portland, Oregon. "It's never a good thing to make yourself a target."
Nominee Not Ideal
When attorney general nominee Loretta Lynch told a U.S. Senate panel this week that she opposed the legalization of marijuana, cannabusiness owners started squirming.
If Lynch is confirmed, it will create a host of questions about federal marijuana policy.
Will the government look to crack down on the marijuana industry again or start meddling with states that have legalized some form of cannabis? Will Lynch stifle recent progress at the federal level on marijuana-related issues? Will her appointment dash hopes that the government will reschedule marijuana anytime soon?
There's little clarity on these questions at this point.
Outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder, though not an outright fan of the industry, has backed off the cannabis business in recent years. He stood aside when Washington State and Colorado decided to go ahead with recreational marijuana, and didn't pick a legal fight with the states even though he could have.
He also tried to make it easier for banks to work with companies that cultivate and sell cannabis.
If Lynch is confirmed and decides to take a firm stance against cannabis, she could definitely make life more difficult for those in the industry. Or she could simply be playing politics right now to make sure she's confirmed by the Senate, and then continue Holder's more moderate approach once she assumes office.
Of course, Congress recently forbid the DOJ from using federal funds to interfere with states setting up marijuana laws. That law may herald an end to federal intervention regardless of who takes the attorney general post. On the other hand, it might just be a simple legislative hurdle that a hard-line anti-marijuana attorney general could sidestep.
At the very least, Lynch's nomination shows that the industry isn't out of the woods yet by any means. As one New York Times writer blogged, "Lynch's statements serve as a reminder that the Obama administration's policy on marijuana could easily be reversed."
John Schroyer can be reached at [email protected]
IRS Memo Could Raise Cannabis Industry's Tax Bill by 'Millions and Millions' of Dollars
Guest Column: 5 Retail Design Tips for MMJ Dispensaries, Recreational Cannabis Stores
Delays, Uncertainty Leave Illinois Medical Marijuana Entrepreneurs in the Lurch
Alaska Medical Cannabis Business & Marijuana Legal News Alaska Medical Cannabis Business & Marijuana Legal News Colorado Medical Cannabis Business & Marijuana Legal News Marijuana Dispensary & Cannabis Store News Marijuana Legalization and Regulatory News for Cannabis Businesses Marijuana Sales, Funding & Banking News National Medical Cannabis Business & Marijuana Legal News Recreational Marijuana News
5 comments on "Week in Review: Bank Axes CO Service, Contentious Biz Plan in Alaska & Concerns Over Potential AG"
Windy City on January 30th, 2015 - 4:34pm
…I have confidence the both medical marijuana and industrial hemp will survive this most recent flurry as they do not appear to threaten the liquor industry to any great extent.
I would bank on the booze lobbyists to put a lotta cash money in the lawmakers pockets to see to it that their profits are not stifled by the introduction of a safer and healthier means of recreation.
Loretta Lynch may or may not have her pulse on the nation, but her firm resolve in keeping marijuana illegal only serves to profit an industry that has contributed more serious and damaging health maladies and deaths than marijuana ever will, considering that the innocuous plant accommodates our endocannabinoid system in helping to prevent the very diseases that liquor have been proven to cause.
Vigilance is important, but education of the public is more critical now than ever.
No more lies, no more propaganda, NO MORE PROHIBITION!…
…and I do think that the time may be more than ripe for an amalgamation of hemp and marijuana growers and merchants to attempt a bank or credit union of their own until such time as the Federal government comes to the realization that this industry is an honest and legitimate one that provides employment and income for many even now and taxes that help states sustain the economy in a most positive manner.
Once the prohibition is lifted, of course, there is no doubt that the economy will skyrocket…
Clifton Middleton on January 30th, 2015 - 5:14pm
The DOJ is a nest of ignorance and government bureaucrats who have been obstructing justice for 40 years, just to keep sucking checks. They say there is not enough science to make cannabis legal but where is the science that was used to make marijuana illegal? It does not exsist, the pot laws are all lies.
John Mcmahon on January 30th, 2015 - 7:58pm
Politics as usual. just pay attention to the doj hearings. Could be a lot of bluster just to get in
Scott Giannotti on January 31st, 2015 - 7:44am
Loretta Lynch is a fool. As a black woman she should be well aware that cannabis was made illegal by demonizing blacks and the entire case was built on lies formed out of racism. It was Louis Armstrong, the first well known individual to get arrested for marijuana and the police targeted black jazz musicians as a means to get whites to lobby against cannabis. Loretta Lynch…SHAME ON YOU LADY! You protect laws built on harm of your own people! Its well known blacks get jailed 4x more than whites for marijuana amd you want it illegal???? Lady, seriously…get it together.


GRANVILLE COUNTY – A grand jury in Granville County on Tuesday returned felony and misdemeanor indictments against a former Granville County elections worker. Joy Yvette Wilkerson, 41, of Henderson, is alleged to have altered voter registrations. The State Board of Elections says that the alleged misconduct was discovered and corrected before the 2016 general election.Wilkerson faces four counts of unlawful voter registration, a Class I felony, and one count of unlawful altering of voter registrations, a Class 2 misdemeanor. "The felony and misdemeanor counts in the indictments brought by the Granville County District Attorney's Office reflect the seriousness of the charges against Ms. Wilkerson," said Chief Investigator Joan Fleming of the N.C. State Board of Elections in a statement. "The State Board of Elections takes seriously any allegations of tampering with voter records, and will continue to actively pursue investigations of election officials alleged to have abused their positions of public trust." In late 2015, Wilkerson was screened and hired through a temporary staffing agency to work at the Granville County Board of Elections in preparation for the 2016 presidential election. According to the N.C. State Board of Elections, Tonya Burnette, Granville County elections director, determined in June of 2016 through a review of records that the voter registration records had been changed without authorization. Burnette notified the State Board of Elections, which investigated the matter and sent a full report about the case to the district attorney's office for Granville County for possible prosecution.


I really like the cover. It's so original, it's unlike most other covers out there and just like I love original stories I also love original covers. I also like the fact that there isn't one face, but it's scattered. The colour sceme also nicely matches the cover.
Wow after reading that blurb I am even more convinced I want to read this book. It sounds original and even though the blurb doesn't give much away it does make me curious about the book and makes me want to find out more.
You're right. It does sound interesting.
Although the blurb gives very little away, I am really curious about this book :).


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Health plan market share is an important measure of competitive positioning for insurers. Health insurance carriers often assess the number of people enrolled in their health plans at the state level or at a more defined geographic area to determine their market position. Companies not only look at their own market position but also routinely analyze competitor membership to evaluate relative market share. In this brief, Mark Farrah Associates (MFA) presents an overview of market demographics and market share data, with a focus on health plan market position in three Metropolitan Statistical Areas in Pennsylvania.
Health insurance competition can be assessed by using many performance variables with health plan enrollment and market share metrics being the most common. Enrollment can be divided into two core segments, commercial health insurance and government-sponsored programs. The largest segment within the commercial market is employer-based plans, also known as the group segment. The group segment includes fully-insured/risk-based policies or self-funded/ASO (administrative services only) arrangements with employers. Individual or non-group plans, including Marketplace products, are also part of the commercial segment. Government programs, Medicare and Medicaid, provide coverage for the elderly or people with disabilities and low income populations.
As of December 31, 2016, insurance companies provided medical coverage for approximately 264 million people, based on enrollment as reported in Mark Farrah Associates' Health Coverage Portal TM. The employer-based ASO and risk-based segments remained the largest sources of coverage in the industry, collectively enrolling 196 million people in the commercial segment. Medicaid and SCHIP programs enrolled nearly 75 million people and within this segment, approximately 51 million are covered by managed care plans. Approximately 57 million seniors were enrolled in Medicare programs at year-end 2016. This included more than 38.7 million people with original Medicare and 18.7 million members enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans.
To analyze health insurance competition, analysts often start with state-by-state assessments of competitor enrollment and market share. Data from statutory filings can provide valuable insights about state health insurance competition. Based on data filed in statutory financial reports from the NAIC (National Association of Insurance Commissioners) and the CA DMHC (California Department of Managed Health Care), Mark Farrah Associates' Health Coverage PortalTM is a tool widely used by health plans for easy access to market share data and financial performance metrics.
For the purposes of this brief, MFA first looked at the competitive mix in Pennsylvania's commercial market by analyzing state enrollment figures from the Health Coverage PortalTM. The chart below illustrates the leading companies in Pennsylvania's commercial health insurance market. Three Blue Cross Blue Shield affiliates and Aetna comprise the largest percentage of market share for the state.
While state level market share is an important metric, industry analysts often need to assess market share at the county or Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) level in order to gain a more complete competitive picture of the market. However, drilling down to county market share can be challenging for analysts because county level enrollment is not generally reported in statutory filings. State-wide commercial market share percentages often do not accurately represent the true distribution of plan activity across a state. For this reason, further analysis at the county or MSA level is often necessary for a more thorough representation of the market share in any given state. Mark Farrah Associates' County Health CoverageTM is a tool used to assess reliable estimates of health insurance enrollment and market share at the county and Metropolitan Statistical Area level.
The top three MSAs in Pennsylvania are Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Harrisburg/Carlisle. Working west to east, the Pittsburgh metropolitan region, with a population of nearly 2.4 million people is the second largest MSA in the state. Based on MFA's county estimates, the above chart provides an illustration of market share for the Greater Pittsburgh region. Highmark and UPMC command 71.8% and 20.1% of the market with only a small percentage left to be shared by a handful of national plans.
In the middle of the state, the Harrisburg-Carlisle metropolitan area with a population of nearly 561 thousand people is the third largest MSA in the state. Based on MFA's county estimates, the region is dominated by Capital Blue Cross with 46.4% of the market and Aetna with 40.7 percent.
The largest MSA, which is in the eastern part of the state, is the Philadelphia metropolitan area, with a population of nearly 4.1 million people. Based on MFA's county estimates, the above chart shows that Independence Blue Cross and Aetna are the commercial market leaders for the Philadelphia MSA region.
Commercial market share assessment at the county level can be particularly difficult because insurance companies, with the exception of some HMO plans, are generally not required to report local market membership except when mandated by state or federal regulation. The Pennsylvania MSA market data, as illustrated in this brief, demonstrates the importance of analyzing county and Metropolitan Statistical Area market share for business planning and marketing strategy. The source used for this analysis of commercial market share in Pennsylvania was MFA's County Health CoverageTM product. It is important to note that in some cases, estimates were based on enrollment reported by employer contract situs rather than state of member residence.
County Health Coverage™ provides reliable estimates of health insurance enrollment and market share at the state, county and Metropolitan Statistical Area level. Product features include company market share by county, company and state for the Private Risk, Private ASO, Managed Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, and PDP segments. Breakdowns by product type (HMO, PPO, etc.) are also presented as well as population demographics and interactive, visual mapping tools. To learn more visit the product page - County Health Coverage TM.
Mark Farrah Associates (MFA) is a leading provider of health plan market data and analysis tools for the healthcare industry. If your company relies on accurate assessments of health plan market share to support business planning, we encourage you to contact us to learn more about our products. Our portfolio includes Health Coverage Portal™, County Health Coverage TM, Medicare Business Online™, Medicare Benefits Analyzer™ and Health Plans USA™ - - www.markfarrah.com.


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Live results for Wisconsin, Minnesota, Connecticut, and Vermont primary elections
Candidates in critical 2018 elections for Senate, House, and governor will be picked in Tuesday's primaries.
By Ella Nilsen, Tara Golshan, Li Zhou, and Dylan Scott Updated Aug 21, 2018, 10:22pm EDT
Share All sharing options for: Live results for Wisconsin, Minnesota, Connecticut, and Vermont primary elections
Zac Freeland/Vox
Voters across the country will pick the candidates for some of November's most contested House, Senate, and governor's races in Tuesday's primary elections in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Connecticut, and Vermont.
Wisconsin Democrats will select the nominee they hope can finally take down Republican Gov. Scott Walker, as they get their fourth shot in 10 years to unseat him. Minnesota has a wide-open governor's race and some House districts that both Democrats and Republicans think they could win from the other party in the 2018 midterm elections.
In deep-blue Connecticut, Republicans still might have a chance to win the governor's mansion with a deeply unpopular outgoing Democratic governor. The Democrats hope they could turn the tables in Vermont, though Republican Gov. Phil Scott has enjoyed a healthy level of popularity over his first term.
Polls start to close at 7 pm ET. Vox will have live results for all the big races, powered by Decision Desk.
Wisconsin governor: Democrats have another shot at Scott Walker
Gov. Scott Walker is up for reelection again, and Democrats are hoping 2018 is the year they can finally kick him out of the governor's mansion.
More than eight Democrats have filed to run in Wisconsin's gubernatorial primary.
Tony Evers, the state's public education chief, is in the lead, but polling has been scarce, and several other candidates have pulled in notable endorsements and fundraising. Mahlon Mitchell, the president of the Professional Fire Fighters Association, has the support of California Sen. Kamala Harris, and Kelda Helen Roys, a former state Assembly member, has the backing of New York's Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (and Wisconsin's most famed indie band, Bon Iver). State Sen. Kathleen Vinehout (who has run in a Democratic gubernatorial primary before) and political activist Mike McCabe have also gotten progressive support.
Walker will be a formidable challenge, having won three elections in eight years in Wisconsin. But his failed 2016 presidential campaign tanked his popularity in the state, something he has been campaigning hard to fix. Polls show him in a tighter race this year with his Democratic challengers than in any of his past races.
Wisconsin Senate: a bitter Republican primary to oust a red-state Democrat
Sen. Tammy Baldwin is up for her first reelection, and Republicans are gunning for her seat. But a bitter Republican primary risks leaving the party bruised for the general election. The race is between state Sen. Leah Vukmir and former veteran/ex-Democrat Kevin Nicholson.
The Republicans have pushed each other to the right and embraced President Trump. Nicholson's history as a Democrat and Vukmir's initial resistance to embrace Trump in 2016 have been used against them.
Baldwin was supposed to be vulnerable, as a relatively low-profile Democrat in a state that voted for Trump. But early polling has shown her ahead of both Vukmir and Nicholson by 10 points or more — and it doesn't help that Republicans have spent months beating up on their own.
Wisconsin's First Congressional District: Democrats really want to take Paul Ryan's seat
Randy "Ironstache" Bryce has been declared the winner of the Wisconsin First Democratic primary.
Paul Ryan is retiring, and Democrats think they can flip his congressional district blue.
Two candidates — Randy Bryce, a populist ironworker and union organizer who goes by the nickname "Ironstache"; and Cathy Myers, a school board member and teacher — are in a bitter battle for the chance to win Ryan's seat in Congress.
Bryce gained a national platform after releasing a viral campaign ad in the summer of 2017, raking in donations and winning some high-profile endorsements, like that of Sen. Bernie Sanders.
But he's had media flubs and faced questions over past arrests for marijuana use and a DUI, and his past failures to pay child support. Myers, who has won elected office in the area, has been actively attacking Bryce's character and his lack of policy chops. It's made for an ugly race — and one that could damage both candidates for the general.
The Republican primary looks much more straightforward. Bryan Steil, a well-known local business executive with Ryan's endorsement, is the favorite to win the Republican nomination.
Also on the ballot: Self-described "pro-White Christian American candidate" and alt-right troll Paul Nehlen; Nick Polce, an Army Green Beret and first-time candidate; Jeremy Ryan, a pro-marijuana candidate whose campaign website features him taking bong rips; and Kevin Steen, a Christian business leader who has been endorsed by Pro-Life Wisconsin.
Wisconsin's Seventh Congressional District: an opening for Democrats in the north
Covering much of northern Wisconsin, this is the half-rural, half-urban kind of district Democrats are eying across the country in 2018. Health care is playing a major role in this race, after incumbent Republican Rep. Sean Duffy voted for the GOP's deeply unpopular Obamacare repeal bill last year.
Two Democrats — Margaret Engebretson, an attorney, veteran, and former railroad union worker; and Brian Ewert, a doctor at the Marshfield Clinic — are hoping they can unseat him.
Minnesota governor: Democrat Mark Dayton is retiring, leaving an open seat
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton is retiring, and there's a sizable field of candidates lining up to replace him. On the Democratic side, there's a competitive three-way race between US Rep. Tim Walz, state Rep. Erin Murphy, and state Attorney General Lori Swanson.
Walz and Swanson look like the frontrunners in this race: A July NBC News/Marist poll found 28 percent of Minnesota primary voters favored Swanson, 24 percent supported Walz, and 11 percent backed Murphy, a progressive candidate running on Medicare-for-all.
Walz represents a more conservative part of the state in Congress, and is being forced to reckon with his past stance on guns — one that had earned him an A rating from the National Rifle Association. Swanson is also facing allegations that she had staff in the attorney general's office do political work for her.
On the Republican side, the race is on between former Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former state Rep. Jeff Johnson, who ran for governor unsuccessfully in 2014.
On the Republican side, Pawlenty has more name recognition and campaign cash than Johnson, reflected in his 19-point polling lead in the NBC News/Marist poll. But the former governor also has some vulnerabilities; notably, his establishment ties (he's worked as a lobbyist after leaving the governor's mansion in 2011) and his disavowal of President Trump, which could hurt him with Trump voters in the state.
As for the general election — the nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates this a toss-up, but the NBC poll found Pawlenty trailing all three Democratic contenders.
Minnesota Senate: new Sen. Tina Smith vies for first reelection
Sen. Tina Smith, Minnesota's the former lieutenant governor whom Dayton appointed to Senate in wake of Al Franken's resignation after accusations of sexual misconduct, is running again. She's got some primary competition from former Bush administration official Richard Painter.
Two Republicans are vying for the spot to challenge Smith: State Sen. Karin Housley faces dental technician and first-time candidate Bob Anderson.
The polling so far looks good for Smith and Housley. As for the general election, this race looks to be pretty comfortably Democratic. Cook rates it Likely Democratic. Smith has kept her head down and voted with the Democratic caucus as a freshman senator, and she was already popular in the state before being appointed.
Smith has a 9-point lead in a hypothetical matchup with Housley, according to the latest polling average from RealClearPolitics.
Minnesota attorney general: Keith Ellison allegations hang over primary
Keith Ellison has been declared the winner of the Minnesota Attorney General Democratic primary.
There's a crowded five-person race for attorney general on the Democratic side. The attorney general race is usually pretty sleepy, but this one has been shaken up by allegations that Democratic candidate and US Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) abused his ex-girlfriend.
On the Republican side, former state Rep. Doug Wardlow and former state Sen. Robert Lessard are running.
There aren't many available polls for this race, but the state has only elected a single Republican attorney general since 1955 ... so it seems safe to say the eventual Democratic candidate is favored to win.
The big question mark in this race is Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress and a progressive firebrand. He's is easily the most recognizable name in the pack of Democrats, but he could be in trouble in light of new abuse allegations. This weekend, the son of Ellison's ex-girlfriend wrote a lengthy Facebook post alleging that Ellison had been abusive to the woman. The claims have not been independently verified, and Ellison has denied mistreating her.
Minnesota's First Congressional District: an open seat Democrats must defend
Iraq War veteran and Obama administration official Dan Feehan is running to replace Tim Walz, who is running for governor. He has widespread support from the state and national party.
But the main primary competition tonight is between two Republicans: former US Treasury Department official Jim Hagedorn and state Sen. Carla Nelson.
The First District is a fairly conservative region of the state that Walz has been able to get reelected in partially because of his moderate stances. Now that he's departing, it's not a given that Democrats can replicate his success.
Feehan has the imprimatur of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He's running as moderate — in favor of protecting the Affordable Care Act, the state's farmers, and the military. Hagedorn and Nelson are both running on conservative platforms and embracing Donald Trump.
Minnesota's Fifth Congressional District: a Muslim woman could replace Ellison
Ilhan Omar has been declared the winner of the Minnesota First Democratic primary election.
In the race to replace Ellison in this safely Democratic seat, Ilhan Omar sticks out: She could be one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress.
Minnesota's Seventh Congressional District: Republicans aim to take down a longtime Democratic representative
Longtime Democratic Rep. Collin Peterson (in office since 1991) is again facing a challenge from Republicans. Two are vying to compete against him in November: Air Force veteran David Hughes versus National Guard veteran and business leader Matt Prosch.
This district is a strange amalgamation: rated R+12 and yet still in Cook's Likely Democratic category. That's because Peterson has been in the House for a really, really long time.
He was first elected in 1990 and is the longest-serving House member in the Minnesota delegation. Peterson has a record to reflect that; he's a friend to farmers in a rural district dominated by agriculture and tends to vote more conservative. Hughes already ran against Peterson in 2016 and lost by 5 points.
Minnesota's Eighth Congressional District: Democrats hope to hold on to Rick Nolan's seat
Democratic Rep. Rick Nolan is vacating his seat to run for lieutenant governor, opening up a large field of candidates for this open seat.
Five Democrats are competing to win the primary on Tuesday: North Branch Mayor Kirsten Kennedy, state Rep. Jason Metsa, former state Rep. Joe Radinovich, former TV news anchor Michelle Lee, and progressive activist Soren Sorensen.
On the GOP sides, St. Louis County Commissioner Pete Stauber and Duluth school board member Harry Welty are facing off.
The Eighth Congressional District leans conservative. Now that Nolan is leaving, Republicans see a prime opportunity to win back control of a district Cook rates R+4.
There's a large field of Democrats running to be the nominee, and there isn't a clear frontrunner so far. The state party hasn't yet endorsed a candidate, although Metsa is leading the race in campaign cash. Stauber, the GOP frontrunner and a well-known local politician, has out-fundraised all the Democrats so far.
Connecticut governor: an open seat could flip from blue to red
Current Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy has opted not to pursue reelection, prompting a large pool of Republicans and Democrats to jump into the race. His dismal approval ratings as the state grapples with a sputtering economy aren't expected to help any potential Democratic successors.
Two business leaders — Bob Stefanowski and David Stemerman — established early leads on the Republican side, but the field has become more level in recent months.
A July poll gave Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, who also secured the Republican state party endorsement, the edge. Boughton has run for governor before and is leaning into his bipartisan bona fides: He's currently the Republican leader of a Democratic city.
Business executive Ned Lamont, the winner of the Democratic state party endorsement, is trying to make the case that voters should keep a Democrat in the governor's mansion. Voters may recognize Lamont's name from his successful progressive challenge of then-Sen. Joe Lieberman in the state's 2006 Democratic Senate primary. Lieberman ultimately ran as an independent in the general election, however, and ended up winning that race.
While Democratic candidates have dominated statewide offices in Connecticut as well as several recent presidential elections, historical patterns concerning the governor's mansion don't bode well for the party: It tends to switch hands when one party has been in control for a while. Cook Political Report considers this race a toss-up.
Connecticut's Fifth Congressional District: Esty's open seat is up for grabs
Rep. Elizabeth Esty is one of few Democrats leaving the House, with retirements less common on the left in 2018. She announced in April that she would not seek reelection after she faced enormous heat for allegedly mishandling accusations of sexual harassment against one of her staffers.
The district — which Clinton won by roughly 4 percentage points in 2016 — is being targeted by Republicans in the wake of Esty's departure.
Manny Santos, a former mayor of Meriden, has snagged the state Republican Party endorsement. He's argued that Democratic opposition to President Trump's policies has contributed to Connecticut's economic woes. Business executive Rich DuPont and former college professor Ruby Corby O'Neill are also in the running.
Former Simsbury official Mary Glassman earned the state Democratic Party's endorsement in May. Glassman has also previously run for lieutenant governor and is emphasizing her government experience as a selling point. Educator Jahana Hayes is on the ballot too.
Vermont governor: Gov. Phill Scott faces challenger, while Dems could make history
Christine Hallquist has been declared the winner of the Vermont governor Democratic primary election.
While Phil Scott has been a popular governor for his single term in office, his efforts to strengthen gun control have more recently prompted significant backlash among Vermont voters.
The bills he signed in April, after authorities apprehended a teenager allegedly planning a school shooting in Fair Haven, Vermont, raised the age required for gun purchases to 21, enhanced the scope of background checks, and banned bump stocks, while putting limits on gun magazines.
State Sen. John Rodgers, a Democratic write-in candidate, is among those who've said he thinks certain provisions of these laws infringe on established constitutional rights.
There's a crowded field on the Democratic side, include a few candidates who've been generating quite a bit of buzz. Ethan Sonneborn, a 14-year-old high school student who wants to see more young people engaged in politics, is among the contenders. (Vermont has no age requirement for candidates.) Christine Hallquist, a former electric co-op executive, is also on the ballot and could be the first openly transgender person nominated for governor by a major party.
Others on the docket include Brenda Siegel, an executive director of the Southern Vermont Dance Festival, and James Ehlers, an environmental activist. A July poll found that Hallquist had the highest name recognition of the plethora of Democratic contenders.
Despite the blowback Scott has faced, the Cook Political Report still rates the race — for now — as Solid Republican.
Midterms 2018: Jahana Hayes vs. Manny Santos in Connecticut's 5th District
In 2018, black women like Ayanna Pressley are fighting for political power — and winning
Women kept up a winning streak in Tuesday's primaries


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IISBR is a shared resource that serves as a scientific hub where researchers with common interests can exchange ideas, develop collaborations among a domestic and international network of scientists, and is staffed by professional technical and administrative personnel with specialties in coordinating research, managing laboratory operations, conducting salivary assays, and administering budgets. Our core faculty are from the UCI School of Social Ecology or the UCI Program in Public Health.
Jenna Riis, Ph.D.
Director, IISBR; Assistant Professor, Psychological Science
Michael Hoyt, Ph.D.
Director, IISBR; Associate Professor, Public Health
Elizabeth Thomas, Ph.D.
Operational Director, IISBR; Professional Researcher, Public Health
Kristina Uban, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Psychological Science
Alyson K. Zalta, Ph.D.
Kate Kuhlman, Ph.D.
Ilona Yim, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Psychological Science
Douglas A. Granger, Ph.D.
Former Director, IISBR; Professor Emeritus, Psychological Science
Laboratory and Administrative Staff
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Anthony Tette
Senior Financial Analyst


The perils of eating sugar…hype or hidden danger?
Find out how the enzyme lactase works in the body to help breakdown lactose in this fun, informative, three minute video.
Think only a few people take dietary supplements…you're wrong.