text:
Trump Charges Outrageous $250,000 For Mar-a-Lago Forum Dinner
By Danielle Ong
Price tags for the forum range from $3,000 to $250,000
Couples paying $250,000 would have the option of purchasing a guest room at the resort
Proceeds from the event would fund Trump's Super Pac
Former President Donald Trump will charge guests a quarter of a million dollars to attend a forum at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, the proceeds of which will fund his own Super Pac.
A couple who pays $250,000 or an individual who pays $125,000 to attend Trump's "Take Back Congress Candidate Forum" on Feb. 23 will be guaranteed a private dinner, a picture with the former president, VIP seating and an option to purchase a guest room at the Mar-a-Lago resort.
Price tags for the forum descend to $100,000, $50,000, $25,000 and $5,000, according to a list shared by New York Times reporter and Trump watcher Maggie Haberman.
Quite a price tag to attend a candidate forum for congressional hopefuls and Trump, hosted by his super PAC pic.twitter.com/8jLRTCYB0Y
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) February 2, 2022
A couple paying $100,000 or an individual paying $50,000 will get a photo with Trump, VIP seating at dinner and priority seating at the candidate forum.
Couples paying $50,000 or a person paying $25,000 would get a photo with "endorsed candidates," priority seating at dinner with comments from Trump and reserved seating at the candidate forum.
A couple paying $25,000 or an individual paying $15,000 will also get a photo and dinner with "endorsed candidates," Trump commentaries and reserved seating at the forum.
Couples paying $5,000 or an individual paying $3,000 will only get dinner with endorsed candidates and comments from the former president.
The Mar-a-Lago event is aimed at promoting Republicans set to run at the midterm elections in November this year. However, the proceeds from the event would go to Trump's Super Pac. The former president has so far amassed $122 million for his campaign, having raised more than $51 million over the second half of 2021 and $82 million from January to June last year.
Despite having millions in his campaign war chest, Trump's leadership committee, Save America, has only declared donations of $205,000 to endorsed candidates over the second half of 2021, according to The Guardian.
Another Trump committee, Make America Great Again, Again!, has also reported spending $1.7 million on legal expense in investigations and congressional oversight into the former president and his business dealings.
Donald Trump left the White House a year ago but shows signs he will seek to come back in 2024 AFP / ALEX EDELMAN
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Trump Turns On Graham For Criticizing Plan To Pardon Jan. 6 Rioters
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According to HSE researchers, men with a high 2D:4D ratio (i.e. those whose index finger is longer than their ring finger) tend to be better educated. These findings are presented in the paper «2D: 4D and lifetime educational outcomes: Evidence from the Russian RLMS survey» in Personality and Individual Differences.


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Justia › US Law › Case Law › California Case Law › Cal. App. 3d › Volume 153 › Johnston v. Alexis (1984)
Johnston v. Alexis (1984)
[Civ. No. 22974. Court of Appeals of California, Third Appellate District. March 15, 1984.]
BETTYLEE JOHNSTON et al., Plaintiffs and Appellants, v. DORIS ALEXIS, as Director, etc., Defendant and Respondent.
(Opinion by Sims, J., with Puglia, P. J., and Sparks, J., concurring.) [153 Cal. App. 3d 34]
Ronald A. Zumbrun and Anthony T. Caso for Plaintiffs and Appellants.
John K. Van de Kamp, Attorney General, N. Eugene Hill, Assistant Attorney General, and Geoffrey L. Graybill, Deputy Attorney General, for Defendant and Respondent. [153 Cal. App. 3d 36]
SIMS, J.
In the court below, plaintiff class (plaintiffs), which consists of all persons whose vehicle registrations expired on December 31, 1981, and who paid their registration renewal fees on or before that date, argued defendant Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) fn. 1 illegally collected from plaintiffs new and increased renewal fees. Plaintiffs contended DMV was without legal authority to collect the fees before January 1, 1982. The parties filed cross-motions for summary judgment. The trial court denied plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment and entered summary judgment in favor of DMV. We conclude some fees were properly collected in 1981 and some were not. Accordingly, we reverse the summary judgment and remand to the trial court for further proceedings.
Factual and Procedural Background
Prior to the enactment in September of chapter 541 of the Statutes of 1981 (hereafter all chapter references are to the Statutes of 1981 unless otherwise indicated), total fees due for the registration of private and commercial vehicles consisted of the sum of several separate elements. One was a basic registration fee of $11 as set forth in Vehicle Code section 9250. fn. 2 (Unless otherwise indicated, all statutory references are to the Vehicle Code.) Another element, applicable to commercial vehicles only, was a graduated fee depending on the weight of the vehicle. (§ 9400.)
Section 25 of chapter 541 increased the basic registration fee from $11 to $22. fn. 3 Section 32 of chapter 541 increased the weight fees for commercial vehicles. fn. 4
Section 44 of chapter 541 provided, "This act [including sections 25 and 32] is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the [153 Cal. App. 3d 37] Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are: [¶] In order that an accurate estimate of funds available for transportation purposes may be made as soon as possible for transportation planning purposes by the state and by local and regional entities, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately." (Ch. 541, § 44, p. 2187.) The legislation was signed by the Governor and filed with the Secretary of State of September 17, 1981. (Ch. 541, p. 2167.)
However, section 43 of chapter 541 at page 2187 provided the increases in the basic registration and commercial weight fees "shall become operative on January 1, 1982."
In 1981, the Legislature also added a new fee required for the registration of vehicles. Chapter 933 added sections 9250.8 and 9250.9 to the Vehicle Code; these new sections provided for a $1 addition to the registration fee to be used to increase the uniformed field strength of the California Highway Patrol. fn. 5 New section 9250.8 explicitly specified the additional $1 fee for the Highway Patrol "shall be paid at the time of registration or renewal of registration of every vehicle beginning January 1, 1982, ..." (See fn. 5, ante.)
However, the new Highway Patrol fee was also enacted as an urgency measure: "This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are: [¶] In order to increase the number of on view California Highway Patrol enforcement units as a greater deterrent to potential law violators, and to enhance the total enforcement activities of the California Highway Patrol including placing increased emphasis on the needs of the motoring public, thus resulting in a balanced and versatile traffic safety program which deals with driver, vehicle, and use of the state highway system in the 1981-82 fiscal year, it is necessary that this bill take effect immediately." (Ch. 933, § 5, pp. 3521-3522.) [153 Cal. App. 3d 38]
Pursuant to sections 1651.5 and 4601, DMV registers vehicles on a staggered system whereby the registration years of vehicles expire on different days of the different months of the year. (See generally Halford v. Alexis (1981) 126 Cal. App. 3d 1022, 1024-1025 [179 Cal. Rptr. 486].) Thus, the registration year is not the same for all vehicles. Rather, California vehicles are divided into numerous groups, so that, for example, the registration year for one group may run from May 8 of one year to May 8 of the next year, or from October 24 of one year to October 24 of the next year, and so forth. There is no necessary correlation between a vehicle's registration year and the calendar year.
Plaintiffs are the owners of vehicles, including commercial vehicles, whose registration years ran from January 1, 1981, through December 31, 1981. Their registrations expired at midnight on December 31, 1981. By law, plaintiffs were required to renew their registrations before expiration. (§§ 4601, 4602.) At the time of renewal, however, plaintiffs were charged registration fees calculated pursuant to the provisions of chapter 541, "operative" on January 1, 1982, and also pursuant to chapter 933, which had an express commencement date of January 1, 1982. As noted, the trial court found DMV properly charged plaintiffs the increased fees and entered judgment in favor of DMV.
Plaintiffs claim they were illegally charged the increased registration fees provided by chapter 541 because the laws increasing those fees were not operative at the time plaintiffs were required to and did in fact pay their renewal fees.
[1] DMV contends we need not address the apparent conflict between the "effective" and "operative" dates of chapter 541. DMV argues plaintiffs were not legally obligated to pay renewal fees until January 1, 1982, when chapter 541 was "operative."
Contrary to DMV's contention, plaintiffs are correct that they were required to renew their registration prior to the expiration of their existing registration year. Section 4601 provides: "Except as otherwise provided in this code, every vehicle registration and registration card expires at midnight [153 Cal. App. 3d 39] on the expiration date designated by the director pursuant to Section 1651.5, and shall be renewed prior to the expiration of the registration year. The department may, upon payment of the proper fees, renew the registration of vehicles." (Italics added.)
Section 4602 provides: "Application for renewal of a vehicle registration shall be made by the owner not later than midnight of the expiration date, and shall be made by presentation of the registration card last issued for the vehicle or by presentation of a potential registration card issued by the department for use at the time of renewal and by payment of the full registration year fee for the vehicle as provided in this code." (Italics added.)
The foregoing makes manifest plaintiffs were required to renew their vehicle registrations and pay their registration fees before midnight, December 31, 1981. This analysis is buttressed by the fact that had plaintiffs failed to pay their registration renewal fees (whatever they lawfully were) prior to the December 31 deadline, they would have been assessed a late payment penalty (§§ 9553, 9554), which, together with the renewal fee, would have constituted liens against their vehicles. (§ 9800.)
DMV argues plaintiffs were properly charged the increased registration fees because plaintiffs were not liable for such fees until after the operative date of the increases. Relying on sections 4604 fn. 6 and 9708, fn. 7 DMV claims the duty to pay a registration fee does not arise until operation of the vehicle in the new registration year. We disagree.
DMV's argument renders meaningless (1) the clear language of sections 4000, 4601 and 4602 that fees must be paid prior to use of the vehicle on the roads and prior to the expiration of the vehicle's registration year, and (2) sections 9553 and 9554 which impose a penalty upon the failure to renew [153 Cal. App. 3d 40] a vehicle registration on time. Sections 4604 and 9708 are obviously designed to deal with a situation where registration on an inoperable or garaged vehicle has been allowed to lapse but is subsequently renewed. Sections 4604 and 9708 therefore constitute an exception to the general rule requiring renewal prior to the expiration of the current registration by providing that a late payment penalty will not be imposed in the unusual situation where a vehicle has not been operated, moved or left standing on a highway. These sections do not, however, alter the usual owner's legal duty to renew his or her registration by midnight of the end of the current registration year.
[2a] Since we have concluded that plaintiffs were legally obligated to pay their increased registration fees before midnight on December 31, 1981, we turn to the problem presented by the superficially conflicting "effective" and "operative" dates of the legislation. While chapter 541 was an urgency measure and thus effective immediately in September 1981 (Cal. Const., art. IV, § 8, subd. (c)(2)), the Legislature delayed the "operative" date of the increased registration fees to January 1, 1982. (Ch. 541, § 43, p. 2187.)
[3] "It has long been recognized that a statute may legally be framed to provide for an effective date and an operative date. (County of Los Angeles v. Lamb (1882) 61 Cal. 196, 198; Cline v. Lewis (1917) 175 Cal. 315, 318 [165 P. 915]; Callahan v. City & County of S.F. (1945) 68 Cal. App. 2d 286, 290 [156 P.2d 479]; People v. Hinojosa (1980) 103 Cal. App. 3d 57, 61-62 [162 Cal. Rptr. 793]; People v. Henderson (1980) 107 Cal. App. 3d 475, 488 [166 Cal. Rptr. 20] see also 15 Ops.Cal.Atty.Gen. 30, 32 (1950); 26 Ops.Cal.Atty.Gen. 141, 143 (1955); 57 Ops.Cal.Atty.Gen. 451, 454 (1974).) In the usual situation, the effective date and the operative date are one and the same; however, the power to enact laws includes the power to fix a future date on which the act will become operative. (See 2 Sutherland, Statutory Construction (4th ed. 1973) § 33.07, pp. 11-12.)" (Estate of Rountree (1983) 141 Cal. App. 3d 976, 980, fn. omitted [192 Cal. Rptr. 152].)
[4] The consequences attaching to an "effective" date and to an "operative" date of legislation are not the same. "It has been uniformly held in this state that a statute has no force whatever until it goes into effect pursuant to the law relating to legislative enactments. It speaks from the date it takes effect and not before. Until that time it is not a law and has no force for any purpose. [Citations.]" (People v. Righthouse (1937) 10 Cal. 2d 86, 88 [72 P.2d 867], italics added.) [153 Cal. App. 3d 41]
By way of contrast, the courts have, on occasion, allowed legislation (once effective) to have practical legal consequences in advance of an "operative" date. fn. 8 Thus, for example, in Ross v. Board of Retirement (1949) 92 Cal. App. 2d 188 [206 P.2d 903], the auditor of Alameda County sued in mandate to compel membership in the Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association. The county's ordinance establishing its retirement system was adopted pursuant to and in accordance with the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (then Gov. Code, § 31450 et seq.). (Ross, supra, at pp. 190-191.) A section of the statewide retirement law (then Gov. Code, § 31501) provided it would become "operative" in any county on either January 1 or July 1 following the adoption of a local ordinance but not sooner than 60 days after such adoption. (Ross, supra, at p. 191.) Alameda County adopted its local retirement ordinance on October 21, 1947, made it effective on November 20, 1947, and made it "operative" on January 1, 1948. (Ibid) Concluding that the "operative" date of January 1, 1948, (provided by both the statewide legislation and the county's ordinance) was "merely a date of convenience to the officers in charge of the retirement system for bookkeeping, retirement or other reasons" (id, at p. 193), the court held the auditor's rights in the retirement system vested on the effective date of the ordinance--November 20, 1947. (Id, at p. 195.) Ross' rationale has been followed in subsequent retirement cases. (See Wilson v. Board of Retirement (1957) 156 Cal. App. 2d 195, 205 [319 P.2d 426]; Thurston v. County of Los Angeles (1953) 117 Cal. App. 2d 618, 621 [256 P.2d 588].)
Ross and its progeny impliedly recognize that a provision in legislation delaying the "operative" date is simply a component of a statute subject to the usual rules of statutory construction and interpretation. Thus, in determining the practical legal effect to be given an enactment that contains different "effective" and "operative" dates, recent cases have been concerned with ascertaining and promoting the legislative intent of the enactment. (Estate of Nicoletti (1982) 129 Cal. App. 3d 475, 480 [181 Cal. Rptr. 137]; see Tevis v. City & County of San Francisco (1954) 43 Cal. 2d 190, 195 [272 [153 Cal. App. 3d 42] P.2d 757]; Estate of Rountree, supra, 141 Cal.App.3d at p. 980; Pople v. Hinojosa (1980) 103 Cal. App. 3d 57, 62 [162 Cal. Rptr. 793], and authorities cited therein.)
[5] In ascertaining the Legislature's intent in enacting sections 25 and 32 of chapter 541, we examine the language of the enactment in the context of the entire statutory scheme. fn. 9 (People v. Hinojosa, supra, 103 Cal.App.3d at p. 65.)
[2b] Sections 25 and 32 simply raised fees "for the registration" of vehicles. (See fns. 3, 4, ante.) The sections are vague with respect to what plaintiffs got for the fees they paid. However, other sections make clear that the increased fees were for the purpose of registering plaintiffs' vehicles for the registration year. Thus, section 4601 requires renewal "prior to the expiration of the registration year." And section 4602 requires payment of "the full registration year fee ...." (See also §§ 4604, 5903.) Because plaintiffs' registration year expired December 31, 1981, the fees they paid in December were for the registration year commencing January 1, 1982, (see § 4602) when the increased fees were "operative." In short, we conclude that the Legislature, by providing for an "operative" date of January 1, 1982, simply intended to raise fees for "registration years" commencing January 1, 1982, and that plaintiffs were properly charged these fees for their registration year of January 1, 1982, through December 31, 1982. A contrary conclusion would mean that, even though increased fees for the registration year January 1, 1982, through December 31, 1982, were "operative" on January 1, 1982, owners timely renewing vehicle registrations subject to that registration year would be exempt from payment of the increased fees, whereas those operating vehicles for the first time on January 1, 1982, and assigned the same registration year as plaintiffs, would pay them. fn. 10 (See §§ 4000, 4150, 9250, 9400.) [6] "[S]tatutes must be given [153 Cal. App. 3d 43] a reasonable and common sense construction in accordance with the apparent purpose and intention of the lawmakers--one that is practical rather than technical and that will lead to a wise policy rather than mischief or absurdity [citation]." (People v. Hinojosa, supra, 103 Cal.App.3d at pp. 65-66.)
The trial court properly concluded plaintiffs' attack on DMV's collection of fees under chapter 541 was without merit.
As noted, chapter 933 added section 9250.8 to the Vehicle Code. fn. 11 Subdivision (a) of section 9250.8 states in relevant part: "In addition to any other fee specified in this code and the Revenue and Taxation Code, a fee of one dollar ($1 shall be paid at the time of registration or renewal of registration of every vehicle beginning January 1, 1982, and ending December 31, 1985, ..." (Italics added.)
Chapter 933 is different from chapter 541 in an important respect. Chapter 541 used a delayed "operative" date to accomplish its purpose; as we have seen, that unfortunate legislative technique required us to resort to statutory interpretation in order to resolve the ambiguity inherent in the use of the delayed "operative" date. Chapter 933, by way of contrast, contains no delayed "operative" date; rather, the times at which acts are to be undertaken are clearly spelled out in the statute itself.
[7] In ascertaining the meaning to be given a statute, we turn first to the language of the enactment. (Moyer v. Workmen's Comp. Appeals Bd. (1973) 10 Cal. 3d 222, 230 [110 Cal. Rptr. 144, 514 P.2d 1224].) Where statutory language is clear and unambiguous there is no need for construction, and courts should not indulge in it. (Atlantic Richfield Co. v. Workers' Comp. Appeals Bd. (1982) 31 Cal. 3d 715, 726 [182 Cal. Rptr. 778, 644 P.2d 1257].)
[8a] We read section 9250.8, subdivision (a) unambiguously to require that a fee of one dollar be paid at the time of renewal of registration of every vehicle beginning January 1, 1982. We cannot and will not invent ambiguity where none exists. [8b, 9] Since plaintiffs were required to, and did, renew their vehicle registrations before January 1, [153 Cal. App. 3d 44] 1982, DMV improperly collected from them the one dollar fee imposed by section 9250.8. fn. 12
We shall reverse the summary judgment entered in favor of DMV. On remand, the trial court shall enter an order specifying that the following issues are without substantial controversy pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 437c, subdivision (f) (see 6 Witkin, Cal. Procedure (2d ed. 1971) Appeal, § 546, p. 4487):
1. That DMV properly collected from plaintiffs increased registration and commercial weight fees, pursuant to sections 9250 and 9400 (enacted by §§ 25 and 32 of ch. 541, Stats. of 1981) when plaintiffs renewed their vehicle registrations;
2. That DMV wrongfully and without legal authority collected from plaintiffs the one dollar fee imposed by section 9250.8 (enacted by Stats. 1981, ch. 933, § 2) when plaintiffs renewed their vehicle registrations and plaintiffs are entitled to a refund of such fees.
The judgment is reversed. The matter is remanded to the trial court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
Puglia, P. J., and Sparks, J., concurred.
FN 1. Although the named defendant is Doris Alexis, the director of DMV, for purposes of clarity we will refer to DMV as the defendant in this action.
FN 2. Another element consisted of a vehicle license fee computed at 2 percent of the market value of the vehicle. (Rev. & Tax. Code, § 10752.) The license fee is not at issue in this litigation.
FN 3. Chapter 541, section 25 at page 2181 amended section 9250, subdivision (a) to provide in pertinent part: "A registration fee of twenty-two dollars ($22) shall be paid to the department for the registration of every vehicle or mobilehome of a type subject to registration, except as are expressly exempted under this code from the payment of registration fees."
FN 4. Chapter 541, sections 31 and 32 at page 2182 respectively repealed former section 9400 and added a new section 9400 which provided in relevant part: "In addition to any other registration fee, there shall be paid the fees set forth in this section for the registration of commercial vehicles."
FN 5. Chapter 933, section 2, at page 3521 added section 9250.8. Subdivision (a) of new section 9250.8 provided: "In addition to any other fees specified in this code and the Revenue and Taxation Code, a fee of one dollar ($1) shall be paid at the time of registration or renewal of registration of every vehicle beginning January 1, 1982, and ending December 31, 1985, except those vehicles that are expressly exempted under this code from the payment of registration fees." (Italics added.)
Chapter 933, section 3 at page 3521 added section 9250.9. Subdivision (a) of new section 9250.9 provided: "All fees received by the department pursuant to Section 9250.8 shall be deposited in the California Highway Patrol Law Enforcement Account in the State Transportation Fund, which is hereby created. The money in that account shall be available upon appropriation by the Legislature for expenditure to increase the uniformed field strength of the Department of the California Highway Patrol, to the extent that revenue is increased."
FN 6. Section 4604 states: "When the registration of a vehicle has expired and the vehicle is not thereafter operated, moved, or left standing upon any highway, then any application for renewal made subsequent to the expiration of the registration and for succeeding registration years in which the vehicle has not been registered shall be accompanied by a certificate of nonoperation. The application for renewal of registration, whether or not accompanied by an application for transfer of any title or interest therein, shall be received by the department upon payment of the proper fees for the current registration year and without penalty for delinquent payment of fees imposed under this code ... provided, that the department receives the application and certificate of nonoperation within 20 days after the date the vehicle is first operated, moved, or left standing upon any highway during the current registration year."
FN 7. Section 9708 states "When the registration of any vehicle expires and the vehicle is not thereafter operated, moved, or left standing upon the highways, any subsequent application for partial year registration, or renewal thereof, shall be accompanied by a certificate of nonoperation. The department shall not collect any penalty imposed by this code upon receipt of the application and certificate within 20 days after the date the vehicle is first operated, moved, or left standing upon the highways."
FN 8. In People v. Henderson (1980) 107 Cal. App. 3d 475 [166 Cal. Rptr. 20], we had occasion to construe legislation (Stats. 1977, ch. 164, § 3) providing a mechanism to extend the commitments of mentally disordered sex offenders (MDSO). The MDSO legislation contained different "effective" and "operative" dates, as did the newly enacted determinate sentencing law (DSL). (Stats. 1976, ch. 1139, § 351.5; Stats. 1977, ch. 164, §§ 3, 6, 7; Henderson, supra, at p. 487.)
Rejecting defendant's claim that the new MDSO legislation constituted an ex post facto law, we concluded defendant had no vested rights under the not-then-operative DSL because, "An enactment is a law on its effective date only in the sense that it cannot be changed except by legislative process; the rights of individuals under its provisions are not substantially affected until the provision operates as law." (Henderson, supra, 107 Cal.App.3d at p. 488.) We have no reason to question Henderson's conclusion with respect to laws providing for criminal punishments; this is not such a case.
FN 9. Unhappily, we do not find the urgency clause helpful. That clause provides for immediate effectiveness "In order that an accurate estimate of funds available for transportation purposes may be made as soon as possible for transportation planning purposes ...." (Stats. 1981, ch. 541, § 44, p. 2187.) The desirability of an accurate estimate of funds to be received in the future does not shed light on whether fees should be charged beginning in December or in January; presumably, either month would give planning agencies adequate time to calculate future fees.
Vehicle registration fees collected pursuant to section 9250 end up in the Motor Vehicle Account of the State Transportation Fund (§ 42271) or, upon order of the Controller in the event of a monthly surplus, in the State Highway Account of the State Transportation Fund. (§ 42273.) Commercial weight fees collected pursuant to section 9400 are deposited with the State Treasurer, who, on order of the Controller, shall deposit the money in the State Highway Account. (§ 42205.)
FN 10. Pursuant to Evidence Code sections 452, subdivision (h) and 459, we take judicial notice of the DMV's Manual of Registration Procedures in effect at the time of the registration transactions in question. That manual indicates that the registration year assigned a new vehicle by DMV commences on the day the vehicle is first operated.
FN 11. Like chapter 541, chapter 933 was an urgency statute and thus effective immediately upon approval by the Governor. (Stats. 1981, ch. 933, § 2, p. 3521, eff. Sept. 29, 1981.)
FN 12. "'It is assumed that the Legislature has in mind existing laws when it passes a statute. [Citations.]'" (Bailey v. Superior Court (1977) 19 Cal. 3d 970, 977, fn. 10 [140 Cal. Rptr. 669, 568 P.2d 394], quotingEstate of McDill (1975) 14 Cal. 3d 831, 837 [122 Cal. Rptr. 754, 537 P.2d 874].) Accordingly, we presume the Legislature knew of the legislative scheme requiring those with registration years of January 1, 1982--December 31, 1982, to renew before 1982. (See discussion in part I-A, ante.) Nonetheless, the Legislature clearly specified that the one dollar fee be paid "at the time of ... renewal of registration ... beginning January 1, 1982, ..." (§ 9250.8, subd. (a).)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The European Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Course aims to provide air transport crews with a robust airlift tactics training syllabus in order to enhance interoperability between European air forces. It takes crews into a theatre-deployment mindset, exposing them to airland and airdrop missions in a tactically-challenging environment. Emphasis is put on aircraft operations and on application of procedures in a changing environment.
EAATTC 16-2 takes place at Orléans Air Base, France, from 22 May to 2 June. The event gathers six aircraft from three different countries (2 x CN235 (France); 1 x C130 (France) ; 1 x C160 (France); 1 x C160 (Germany); 1 x C130 (Spain) and over 80 personnel from different countries (France, Germany, Spain, Portugal) and organisations (EATC and JAPCC).


Why do I need this? That's what the Agency is for, isn't it?
Well possibly. Agencies are adept at writing job advertisements, based on a job description and a person specification. So the Agency will ask you for a job description, or at least ask you to describe what should be committed to a document.
Well, a good job description is a significant help in writing a job advertisement that will maximise the chances of attracting high quality candidates with the right skills and experience.
A poorly written job description will result in a vague job advertisement that can result a flood of responses from unsuitable applicants, or worse still, having no applications at all.
It gives shortlisted applicants full details of the job they are applying for.
It helps an interviewer understand the job they are recruiting for.
It provides an indication to applicants of what would be expected of them in the role.
It gives Hiring Managers a clear indication as to what they should be asking their staff to do.
It helps to form a company record of the different jobs within the organisation.
Describe the function and requirements of the job, not the function and requirements of the current jobholder.
The job description should be clear, objective and accurate. Don't be unrealistic and make it a wish list of every task that may come in useful.
Limit the job description to no more than two pages long.
Please note that, in conjunction with a Job Description, a Person Specification should be used to specify skills, experience and other personal attributes for the ideal candidate.


Today, Opera announced that their Opera Mini web browser for the iPhone has been approved for the App Store. It showed up in the U.S. App Store shortly after their announcement. I've tried it out and honestly, it's not very good.
The first site I visited on Opera Mini was my own (naturally) and needless to say it didn't render too well. All of the text is pushed off to the left and scrunched up. Compare this to Mobile Safari which renders it much better.
Next I tried to view Engadget in the browser. It rendered much better than I thought it would, but the text of each of the posts was also scrunched to the left. At this point I started to understand why Opera does this. Double tapping zooms in and the text happens to fit the width of the screen nicely. This way you don't have to do any horizontal scrolling to read a line. I personally believe that Apple's decision to render pages as they are coded is a better way to handle this sort of problem. I hope Opera changes their mind and starts rendering pages properly in the future.
But, speaking of zooming, there happens to be only two levels of zoom, zoomed in and zoomed out. This is a hindrance when your trying to zoom into a high-resolution image or trying to fit something on the screen perfectly — it just isn't possible.
There are some nice features in Opera, though. The ability to quickly switch between a search of Google, Amazon, eBay, Wikipedia, etc. in the search bar would come in handy when you are trying to find something specific on the web. I often find myself searching Google for "something wikipedia" while using Mobile Safari. I want information about that thing but would prefer to find it on Wikipedia. I'm sure the "Find in Page" feature will be used extensively, and I'm willing to bet that some people will consider it a killer feature. Unfortunately, I don't happen to be one of those people. Searching within a page is great but there are already bookmarklets available that enable the same feature in Mobile Safari.
Opera features a handy start page with up to 9 web pages listed for quick browsing. But as long as you close the last window the last time it was used, Mobile Safari will show you your bookmarks the next time it opens. And, I happen to find Mobile Safari's bookmark list more attractive than Opera's wonky-looking start page, especially with that "Recommend to a friend" link at the top.
Bookmarks, history, and tabbed browsing are all there, although bookmarks are hidden inside of the tools button and their tabbed browsing implementation is simply terrible. Why in the world do I have to tap the close button twice before a page closes? It just doesn't make any sense.
Web pages do load quickly, though. I can give them that. And, I'm glad to see a "Saved Pages" feature for offline viewing. However, Instapaper is my preferred way of reading while offline.
I don't think I'll be using Opera Mini again any time soon, but I'm certainly happy that it exists. Not only does this open the doors to other browsers in the App Store, it will also help push Apple to continue improving Mobile Safari.


text:
Hiawatha Water Company was founded in 1949 by Fay M. Clark. The water company was a privately owned company which served 11 customers at the time. It was purchased from Fay M. Clark by The City of Hiawatha in 1960. At that time the residents of Hiawatha voted to set up a Water Board of Trustee to operate the Water Department. Today, the Water Department operates 5 wells, an iron removal plant and two 500,000 gallon elevated storage tanks. We also maintain approximately 40 miles of water main, 400 fire hydrants, 800 water main valves and 2300 water meters. Our average daily demand is approximately 750,000 gallons per day which increases to 1.2 million gallons per day in the summer months. Along with removing iron, we adjust the fluoride, disinfect the water with chlorine and add polyphosphate for corrosion control.
Our office hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday.
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Nobody imagines that NFL locker rooms are drug free, but few would think that players on the best teams would be willing to risk their very lives to make it to the highest levels of the sport. That seems to be the case.
According to an investigative report posted on the Charlotte Observer's Web site on Sunday, a number of Carolina Panthers used a vast quantity and tremendous variety of performance-enhancing drugs during the team's 2004 Super Bowl season.
The newspaper looked at medical records and court documents released in conjunction with the federal steroids case against Dr. James Shortt, who last month was sentenced to one year and one day in prison for distributing steroids and human growth hormone.
"Several of [the players] were using disturbing, particularly alarmingly high amounts with high dosages for long durations -- some in combinations," said Dr. Gary Wadler, who prepared a report for the U.S. Attorney's Office that was used to prosecute Shortt. "This wasn't just a passing flirtation with these prohibited substances. When I see [prescriptions] 'renewed five times,' I say, 'What are you trying to accomplish?' "
Players' names were blacked out on Wadler's report, but the Observer reported that six Panthers -- and three of the five starting offensive linemen from the Super Bowl team -- were taking performance enhancers. And many reported adverse reactions.
Although studies have shown that steroids can affect blood flow and contribute to strokes and heart disease, one member of the Panthers ignored a family history of strokes and took the drugs anyway.
Another player complained of hair loss and shrunken testicles. Another was prescribed anti-estrogen drugs, which male steroid users ingest to prevent breast growth.
The Observer reported that two players were given prescriptions for a combined five substances banned by the NFL -- a week before the Panthers left Charlotte for the Super Bowl in Houston. Three of the substances -- injectable testosterone cypionate, the banned supplement androstenedione and the hormone DHEA -- had not been reported before.
Shortt reportedly also prescribed stanozolol and testosterone cream.
One player, who the Observer says was using HGH daily, received prescriptions from another doctor.
Wadler's report also reveals that two other NFL teams have ties to this particular steroid scandal. Two of the Panthers players received prescriptions for performance enhancers when they played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins, respectively.
Prosecutors have already identified two former Panthers -- defensive end John Milem and punter Todd Sauerbrun -- as part of their probe, but those players were not in Wadler's report.
Wadler told the Observer he worries about the players.
"There is no question I am concerned some of these drugs, when abused, will impact the long-term health of these athletes and manifest either in chronic illness, premature death or disability," he said. "These are not little minor medications that people are talking about. These are very substantial drugs."


text:
April 11, 2019 by Shyam G Menon
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM'S FIRST IRONMAN
Dr Madhav Manoj (Photo: Shyam G Menon)
A narrow, long state, Kerala's rivers are comparatively small.
They engage for the tiers of elevation they straddle despite short length.
The Karamana River which cuts through Thiruvananthapuram falls in this league. Wikipedia estimates its length at a mere 66 km; by then it reaches the Arabian Sea. Its source is however pegged at around 5250 feet in the nearby Agasthyakoodam hills (the Agasthyakoodam peak, second highest in Kerala after Anamudi [8842 feet] is around 6128 feet high). How many cities can boast of such variety in landscape? All that uniqueness is now, stuff of the past. There was a time when the river looked like one. Now, within the city, it stands hemmed in by Thiruvananthapuram's growth. Its waters have begun ailing from urban pollution. Once in a while when it rains hard; the Karamana – as indeed other rivers in the region – swells. Floods happen. That is when city remembers river in its midst. Water's capacity to damage and threaten is also when humans are reminded of the value in knowing how to swim.
In Dr Madhav Manoj's childhood, there was one such devastating flood when the Karamana breached its banks submerging adjacent settlements. Madhav's father K. Karunakaran – an advocate; in the early 1970s he served as mayor of Thiruvananthapuram – observed how depressing it was to see people rendered helpless before the deluge. His wife decided that their son should learn swimming. For those aspiring so in Thiruvananthapuram city, the place to train at was the Water Works Swimming Pool in Vellayambalam. Established in the early 1960s, the pool is an integral part of Thiruvananthapuram. Madhav who stayed at Nanthancode, not far from Water Works, headed to the pool to learn swimming. It would be the beginning of a journey.
From left: Rajashekharan (Raj) Nayar, Madhav and Santhosh J. K (Photo: courtesy Dr Madhav Manoj)
Born 1973, Madhav was seven or eight years old when he commenced swimming classes. He was good at the sport; good enough to be a competitive swimmer. His first national level competition was while he was still in sub junior category. By the time he got to juniors, he was South Zone champion and a silver medalist at the national level. His specialty was the butterfly stroke. But he was strong across styles in the short distance swims ranging from 50m to 200m. In his early years in college, he was a regular podium finisher at inter-university competitions. The going was good enough for the Indian Railways to spot him and enquire if he would be keen on a career in sports with them, job and all. But he opted to study further. He cleared his entrance exam to study medicine and joined the local dental college. With that, swimming took a backseat.
The hours offered by the city's pool – 6 AM to 8 AM – didn't work well for the schedule his studies followed. The evening hours on offer too, didn't work. " That was depressing because at the time I commenced studies to be a dentist, I was swimming 12-13 km at the pool daily. That sort of training and studies were difficult to manage. I had to choose,'' Madhav said. He shifted from swimming to playing cricket. National level swimmer became captain of the dental college cricket team. A few years later, that too ground to a halt. It was: goodbye to serious pursuit of sports.
After completing his post-graduation, Madhav joined PMS College of Dental Science & Research at Vattappara near Thiruvananthapuram. There, he got around to playing cricket with his students. Meanwhile he got married and settled into the process of raising a family. " All of a sudden, I found myself aged 42 and with two kids. I didn't know what happened in between,'' he said. It is typically around this time of life lost to established pattern that the odd blips and signals emanating from the human networks we are invested in; catch our eye. Madhav had kept in touch with his old school mates. As is typical in Kerala, many of them were overseas; some were in the US. From this lot, Santosh J.K, who was living in the US, was into running marathons. Madhav was aware of it. But a marathon is 42 kilometers done one kilometer after another – that's a lot, especially when viewed from the perspective of middle age blues. At a get together of his batch-mates from school that followed, Madhav reconnected with one of his classmates – Rajashekharan (Raj) Nayar. Raj used to be a plump person in school. Those days, Madhav – he was regularly swimming at the pool – was utterly fit. Now in his early forties, Raj was lean while Madhav seemed out of shape. Raj had gone into long distance running and martial arts. What he didn't tell Madhav right then was his journey into the triathlon alongside; he had already completed two Ironman events.
In Goa; from the swim in the sea (Photo: courtesy Dr Madhav Manoj)
The meet-up with Raj prompted Madhav to participate in the annual marathon in Thiruvananthapuram. He did a ten kilometer-run with his friend P. Vijayakumar who kept him company, advising him to run slowly. Santhosh then connected Madhav to Vishwanath Harikumar, a software engineer in Thiruvananthapuram who was into long distance running. Later, through Trivandrum Runners Club, Madhav also met Dr Kiran Gopalakrishnan, an ophthalmologist originally into cycling and then taken to running. During one of the runs they were on, Vishwanath introduced Madhav to the idea of attempting Ironman. The reason was simple. The triathlon – which is what every Ironman event is – is composed of swimming, cycling and running. In India, most people are familiar with running and cycling. Swimming is not only less popular; the ones who manage to perfect the technique are fewer still. Madhav was strong in swimming. From the perspective of triathlon that seemed more than half the prerequisites in place. The way in which the Ironman idea cropped up encapsulates the predicament.
" During a conversation with my friends, we discussed the need to train for swimming. I offered to coach because I knew swimming. That was when the whole Ironman idea fell into place. I seemed well placed to try it. I talked to Raj also about it. We decided that the best approach would be to first attempt a triathlon in India. There was a triathlon organized in Chennai by Chennai Trekking Club. It had triathlon of Olympic dimension and half Ironman dimension. I decided to try the half Ironman distance,'' Madhav said. Now he had to train.
Thiruvananthapuram has never lacked sports facilities. But probably due to the high importance given to academics and well settled life, the vast majority of people around conduct their life without ever setting foot in the city's stadiums, its swimming pools or stepping on to its athletics tracks. Once described as apt place to settle down after retirement, Thiruvananthapuram has since, slowly changed. It is still very much in the grip of the old but new generations and the presence of IT companies in the neighborhood have contributed to shaking off some of the inertia. For sure it isn't Kochi, which is more free spirited and has made a popular movement of running. Thiruvananthapuram is comparatively regimented. Free running on its roads for example, is still a distant second to appointment based running at locations like the local museum and zoo. Now slowly, in bits and pieces, the city is learning to relax, breathe free.
From the Langkawi Ironman (Photo: courtesy Dr Madhav Manoj)
Madhav bought a Scott Speedster road bike from Crank, a newly opened bike store in Thiruvananthapuram. For cycling, he and his friends counted on stretches of road like the one from city to Kovalam. Up and down that amounted to a circuit of roughly 40 km. Such outings came, courtesy Madhav's association with Trivandrum Bikers Club. For swimmer, running was the toughest activity to get used to. " I found it really difficult,'' Madhav said of the impact-free sport he loved and the impact-filled sport running is. One day, Madhav ran ten kilometers and then ended up in the pool for a swim. For the heck of it he swam 1500 meters that day. It was a wake-up call. He was doing breast stroke. Trying such distance after a long time, he got tired. " Every 300 meters, I had to take rest. I felt very bad because these are distances I used to swim at a stretch in the past,'' he said. The predicament also presented him with another issue to tackle. A triathlon requires sustained use of one's legs across three disciplines. You can't have your legs fried up doing one discipline and then crumble doing the next one. He needed to be efficient and good at a swimming style that spared his legs too much strain and kept them alive for the disciplines that followed. At this time, Madhav was teaching at PMS College. He was also consulting at a clinic in Male, Maldives. He cycled, ran and swam in Thiruvananthapuram; he ran whenever he could in Male too, at the local stadium.
Raj, who had taken on the role of planning Madhav's training schedules, would mail it from the US. Problem was finding adequate time for training. Madhav worked from 7 AM to 7 PM. On weekends he managed long runs of 15-17 km and 60-70 kilometers of cycling. Weekdays were a struggle. At the event organized by Chennai Trekking Club (CTC), he developed cramps while cycling. Then he briefly lost his way. Eventually he managed to complete the 1.9 km of swimming, 90 km of cycling and the half marathon in approximately seven hours, 20 minutes. After the CTC triathlon, Madhav spoke to Raj and communicated his decision to go for the full Ironman. Raj reminded that the full Ironman isn't the half doubled but much more for that is how the ramp-up works. Starting with training, it will consume significant chunks of time. Raj recommended that Madhav first talk to his family. They are the people closest to him; they are the ones he would be sparing less time for when training starts. Madhav's wife Manju is also a dentist. At that time when Madhav was contemplating the full Ironman, their daughter was in the eleventh standard. Having secured his family's support, Madhav committed himself to the training. For event, he chose the Ironman in Langkawi, Malaysia because he reckoned, the weather there should be similar to what prevailed in Thiruvananthapuram. He had roughly seven months to prepare.
Fitting the training schedule for the full Ironman into his teaching and travel schedules was difficult. By now, Madhav had also begun swimming in Male, where there was a pool marked out from the sea. He swam there after work. " The first time I swam in that pool I felt very uncomfortable because unlike in an artificially lit pool where you see all the way to the bottom, here it was dark. Then I got used to it,'' Madhav said. In March 2017, he went to Goa for a five kilometer-swim in the sea. This was his first real taste of open water swimming. He covered the distance in roughly 105 minutes. By June-July the monsoon was in full force in Thiruvananthapuram. So he acquired a trainer and did his cycling indoors.
Of all three disciplines required for the triathlon, cycling was toughest to train for in Thiruvananthapuram. Its undulating terrain makes the city great for training to do endurance sports. Aside from general apathy to the active life, the main problems are narrow roads and the growing Malayali propensity to announce well-being in the form of more and more vehicles purchased (some recently published figures of state-wise automobile sales, available on the Internet, position small Kerala among the biggest vehicle markets in South India). Result – roads fast choking with traffic. The city's roads – especially ones like the highway to Kollam, which Madhav used for long cycle rides – tend to fill with vehicles. Cars and buses squeeze out room for cyclists. " It was risky, cycling on such roads,'' Madhav said. On some of the long bicycle rides, he had family tagging along in a car behind, offering hydration support. In the last month leading up to Langkawi, PMS College allowed him to report for work an hour late so that he could use that extra time for training.
Three days before the event in November 2017, Madhav and Manju left Thiruvananthapuram for Malaysia. " It was a well-managed event,'' Madhav said of the Langkawi Ironman. The full Ironman entailed 3.8 km swim; 180 km cycling and a full marathon. The swim went comfortably for Madhav. Cycling in the hot sun was tough. The hydration he planned was inadequate. The run was alright. " Some parts of the course were dark and tad depressing. Otherwise everything was cheerful. In the end, they announced: Madhav Manoj, you are an Ironman – that was fabulous to hear,'' he said. Madhav took 15 hours, 50 minutes to complete the Ironman. Of 13 Indians who turned up that year for the event in Langkawi, six finished.
In the media, Madhav has been reported as the first person from Thiruvananthapuram to complete a full Ironman. According to him, in the months that followed, Sam Chandy, a chartered accountant from the city, completed the Ironman in Copenhagen. " I am not keen on repeating an Ironman because it is too expensive especially for somebody from India. An exception would be – if it can be combined with a family holiday. The triathlon definitely interests me,'' Madhav said. Going ahead, he would like to take up the full marathon as a distinct discipline, know more about the world of randonneuring in cycling and try his hand at swimming in the Masters Championships.
(The author, Shyam G Menon, is a freelance journalist based in Mumbai. This article is based on a conversation with Madhav Manoj.)
← THE LONG WALK TO TOKYO
AT A GLANCE / APRIL 2019 →


text:
Watch: Rishi Sunak asks homeless man if he 'works in business'
"No, I'm homeless. I'm actually a homeless person."
Rishi Sunak has come under fire for what critics called an "excruciating" exchange with a homeless man.
In footage from his visit to a homeless shelter in London on Friday, the Prime Minister can be heard asking a man he is serving food to: "Do you work in business?"
The man, called Dean, replies: "No, I'm homeless. I'm actually a homeless person."
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner tweeted the ITV clip and wrote: "Excruciating."
"Do you work in business?"
"No, I'm homeless. I'm a homeless person."
Excruciating.pic.twitter.com/mtd9pYBOt0
— Angela Rayner 🌹 (@AngelaRayner) December 24, 2022
The awkward exchange began when the multimillionaire Prime Minister was serving breakfast to the homeless man, who asked him: "Are you sorting the economy out?"
Dean then said he was interested in business, prompting Mr Sunak to ask him what kind of business.
When Dean replied finance, the Prime Minister said: "I used to work in finance, actually."
Mr Sunak then asked: "Is that something you'd like to get into?"
"Yeah I wouldn't mind. But, I don't know, I'd like to get through Christmas first," the homeless man said.
Mr Sunak asked: "What's your plan, what are you doing this weekend?"
Dean replied that he was hoping the homeless charity St Mungo's could help him get into temporary accommodation "so I'm not on the street".
Shadow levelling up secretary Lisa Nandy said: "How much more out of touch could this Prime Minister be?
"After the Tories crashed the economy, sending mortgages and rents soaring, homelessness is on the rise this winter. So perhaps Rishi Sunak should focus on fixing this crisis rather than posing for excruciating photo opportunities.
"The last Labour government nearly eliminated rough sleeping, the next one will finish the job and end it for good."
Related: Sunak says he's 'sad' as nurses union announce new strike dates
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text:
Trump Excuses the White Working Class From the Politics of Personal Responsibility
The Republican Party long insisted that the troubles of the inner city were cultural—but rather than apply the same logic to struggling blue-collar communities, Trump blamed their problems on external forces.
By Peter Beinart
Lucas Jackson / Reuters
Last week, Donald Trump advisor Stephen Moore, who has built his career advocating tax cuts for the rich and the privatization of America's welfare state, said something startling to congressional Republicans. He said Republicans are no longer the party of Ronald Reagan. "Just as Reagan converted the GOP into a conservative party," Moore reportedly declared, "Trump has converted the GOP into a populist working-class party."
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What does that mean? On its face, it seems fairly clear. Trump says he opposes NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership and will prevent companies from leaving the US. During the campaign, he came out against overhauling Medicare and Social Security. He's called for new spending on infrastructure. In each case, he ostensibly supports government intervention in the economy, which runs counter to the gospel of Reagan.
But when you dig further, the policy shift looks less dramatic. It's extremely unlikely Trump will prove able to renegotiate NAFTA. His infrastructure proposal consists not of government spending but of tax credits to investors. Georgia Congressman Tom Price, who Trump is reportedly considering for Secretary of Health and Human Services, supports turning Medicare into a voucher program. Trump is also reportedly planning income and business tax cuts that would overwhelmingly benefit the rich. In other words, Trump's plan looks a lot like the old Republican Party's plan: Shrink government programs and let the rich pocket the difference.
Moreover, personnel, as the cliché goes, is policy. If Trump really wanted to break from Reaganite economics, why did he choose Mike Pence, an orthodox economic conservative, as his running mate and head of his transition team? Why is he taking advice from Stephen Moore?
There's a different way of understanding the transformation that Moore describes. It's less about policy than rhetoric. It struck me as I was reading J.D. Vance's beautiful memoir about his Appalachian upbringing, Hillbilly Elegy. What makes Vance's book so striking is not the problems he describes: deindustrialization, drug addiction, single motherhood, a definition of masculinity that inhibits academic achievement. William Julius Wilson and Charles Murray made their reputations dissecting these ills 30 years ago. What makes Vance's book so arresting is that the people he's describing are white.
It's not that working class whites didn't suffer from these maladies in the 1980s. They clearly did, though perhaps not as starkly as they do now. But in the public discourse of the Reagan era, such problems were generally attributed to African Americans. They were attributed, in other words, to a population that did not vote for Republicans, and whom Republicans often slandered in their search for white votes. When Reagan denounced "welfare queens" and the "strapping young buck" who used food stamps to buy steak, everyone assumed he was talking about blacks.
Reagan era conservatives made two arguments about the pathologies of the inner city. First, that they were the result of culture, not economics. The root problem was family breakdown. Second, that because the problem was cultural, government programs aimed at helping the underclass would either prove ineffective, or downright counterproductive. The best thing the government could do was to exhort poor African Americans to get and stay married, and to abolish programs like Aid to Families with Dependent Children that made it easier for them to avoid doing so.
In this sense, Vance is something of a Reaganite. He describes his Appalachian friends and neighbors with deep affection. And he suggests that, at the margins, smart public policy might improve their lot. But he defines their problems as more cultural than economic. In the book's introduction, Vance describes a young man and his pregnant girlfriend who hold decent jobs at a local tile factory. Their atrocious work ethic gets them both fired. Vance describes food stamp fraud, white "welfare queens" and liberal state legislators whose efforts to eliminate predatory lending would actually harm the poor people they're designed to help. He acknowledges the decline of manufacturing jobs. But to hear him tell it, the biggest problem facing the white working class is "the feeling that our choices don't matter."
Trump never speaks this way. In fact, he speaks less about personal responsibility than any Republican presidential nominee since Reagan. He's the anti-J.D. Vance. Vance wants blue-collar whites to blame multinational corporations less for their woes. Trump blames them more than any Republican nominee ever has. Vance cautions that government can't save Appalachia. Trump, by promising a crackdown on immigrants and outsourcing, vows that it will.
This is the real shift Trump is bringing to the GOP. Under Reagan, Republicans demanded personal responsibility from African Americans and ignored the same cultural problems when displayed by whites. Under Trump, Republicans acknowledge that whites exhibit those same pathologies. Trump, for instance, spoke frequently during the campaign about drug addiction in white, rural states like New Hampshire. But instead of demanding personal responsibility, Trump's GOP promises state protection. Unlike Vance, who speaks about his poor white neighbors in the way Reagan-era conservatives spoke about poor blacks, Trump-era conservatives describe the white working class as the victims of political and economic forces beyond their control. Sounding a bit like Jesse Jackson defending the black underclass in the 1980s, Trump Republicans say that what the white underclass needs today is not moralistic sermonizing but government assistance and cultural respect.
In recent months, many readers have turned to Hillbilly Elegy in hopes of understanding why white working class voters flocked to Trump. Implicitly, Vance offers an explanation. But his explanation is disturbing. His Appalachian and rust belt neighbors, Vance suggests, want easy answers. They want someone else to blame. By ditching the language of personal responsibility, Trump has created a Republican Party able to tell them what they want to hear. He has done so even as his administration begins implementing a policy agenda that redistributes wealth upwards. This the new GOP populism that Moore describes. God help us when J.D. Vance's neighbors realize it's a scam.


text:
import onnxruntime as onnxrt
from polygraphy.tools.args import ModelArgs, OnnxLoadArgs, OnnxrtSessionArgs
from tests.models.meta import ONNX_MODELS
from tests.tools.args.helper import ArgGroupTestHelper

class TestOnnxrtSessionArgs:
    def test_execution_providers(self):
        arg_group = ArgGroupTestHelper(
            OnnxrtSessionArgs(), deps=[ModelArgs(), OnnxLoadArgs(allow_shape_inference=False)]
        )
        arg_group.parse_args([ONNX_MODELS["identity_identity"].path, "--providers", "cpu"])
        sess = arg_group.load_onnxrt_session()

        assert sess
        assert isinstance(sess, onnxrt.InferenceSession)
        assert sess.get_providers() == ["CPUExecutionProvider"]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
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Muttiah Muralitharan plans to retire after World Cup
Archive: Muralitharan takes 800th Test wicket
Legendary Sri Lanka off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has confirmed that he will retire from international cricket after the forthcoming World Cup in Asia.
The 38-year-old quit Test cricket last July after taking a record 800 wickets.
But he has remained in his country's limited-overs side and will bow out after the World Cup, co-hosted by Sri Lanka, which begins on 19 February.
However, he will continue to play in the lucrative Indian Premier League after signing for new franchise Kochi.
Muralitharan, who helped Sri Lanka win the 1996 World Cup and was a losing finalist in 2007, has taken 517 wickets in 339 one-day internationals in a career which has spanned nearly two decades at the top level and left him as the world's leading wicket-taker in both the major formats of the game.
MURALI'S INTERNATIONAL RECORD
Tests: 133 matches, 800 wickets, average 22.72
One-day internationals: 339 matches, 517 wickets, average 23.11
Twenty20 internationals: 12 matches, 13 wickets, average 22.84
"I'm going to retire from international cricket, totally, after this World Cup," he told BBC Radio 5 live.
Sri Lanka host West Indies in three one-day internationals before the World Cup, when they will face Canada, Pakistan, Kenya, Australia, Zimbabwe and New Zealand in Group A.
Crucially for Sri Lanka, the first five of those games will be played on home soil, before they face the Kiwis in Mumbai.
"Our preparation has been good, but I think we have a good chance because we're playing in Sri Lanka," said Muralitharan.
"There won't be a huge [home] advantage, but it will have a little bit of impact.
"It's very difficult to compare the 1996 team to this team, as it's two different generations.
"We have experienced players and young players, and our side has done very well for the last two years in one-day cricket.
"England are a very good side, but it depends on how they play in sub-continent conditions, which are very different to Australia or England as it favours spin bowling.
606: DEBATE
Thank you Murali for entertaining the cricket world
kingofsrilanka
"Graeme Swann has done really well for England, I think he's one of the best spinners in the world."
Meanwhile, he told reporters at a training session in Colombo that as well as signing to play in the IPL for the next two years, he was "also looking at similar work in New Zealand and perhaps England."
But he ruled out an immediate move into coaching, adding: "There are plenty of coaches and lots of talented people out there.
"I will take things as they come. For the moment, no coaching stints."
MURALI'S 517 ODI WICKETS
95 v Pakistan (in 64 ODIs)
74 v India (in 62)
68 v New Zealand (in 39)
56 v Zimbabwe (in 30)
53 v Australia (in 39)
49 v South Africa (in 32)
32 v West Indies (in 25)
31 v Bangladesh (in 31)
26 v England (in 17)
33 v others (13 v Kenya, 4 v Ireland, 4 v Netherlands, 3 v Africa XI, 3 v ICC World XI, 3 v UAE, 2 v Bermuda, 1 v Canada
Born in Kandy, Muralitharan's unique bent-arm bowling action, caused by a deformity from birth, has meant that he has courted controversy at times during his career.
Some umpires and former players have questioned his action's legality - notably in Australia, where umpires Darrell Hair and Ross Emerson no-balled him for throwing.
The mechanics of his bowling action have been investigated and cleared on more than one occasion by the International Cricket Council, although in 2005 the ICC amended its rules to allow bowlers to straighten their arms by up to 15 degrees.
Throughout much of his career, he battled with Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne for the title of the world's leading wicket-taker.
But Warne retired from internationals in 2007 with 708 wickets from 145 Tests, and 293 victims from 194 ODIs - although he, too, continues to play in the IPL.
"Murali", as he is known throughout the cricket world, has also earned praise for his humanitarian work, such as helping with reconstruction efforts after the Asian tsunami hit Sri Lanka in December 2004.
Archive - Murali takes 3-29 in World Twenty20 semi-final in 2009 (UK users only)
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Muralitharan's one-day career in photos
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Muralitharan reaches 800 landmark
22 Jul 10 | Sri Lanka
Reaction to Muttiah Muralitharan's 800
Muralitharan's Test career in photos
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Cricket legend Murali on retiring
22 Jul 10 | South Asia
Muralitharan to retire from Tests
Murali breaks ODI wicket record
05 Feb 09 | Cricket
Muralitharan breaks Test record
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Muralitharan - the record-breaker
Murali cleared by yet more tests
Cricket World Cup 2011 squads
19 Jan 11 | Cricket
Cricket World Cup 2011
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related bbc links:
Your say on Sri Lankan cricket - 606
BBC Sinhala Service
BBC Asian Network sport
Sri Lanka Cricket
International Cricket Council
Cricinfo: A statistical analysis of Muttiah Muralitharan's bowling in ODIs
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by entelechyasia February 18, 202111:32 am
Epic takes Apple battle to EU
Epic Games has upped the ante in its battle with Apple by filing an antitrust complaint in the European Union (EU). The move follows similar lawsuits in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Unlike its legal actions elsewhere, Epic is not seeking damages but fair access and competition that will benefit consumers and developers.
In the complaint, Epic alleges that "through a series of carefully designed anti-competitive restrictions, Apple has not just harmed but completely eliminated competition in app distribution and payment processes".
"Apple uses its control of the iOS ecosystem to benefit itself while blocking competitors and its conduct is an abuse of a dominant position and in breach of EU competition law," said the Epic statement.
The root of the legal tussle lies in Epic's attempt to circumvent payment via App Store with an update to its Fortnite game that includes its own payment system. This would prevent Apple from clawing a 30 percent commision from all transactions.
Apple has described the move as a "deliberate breach of the contracts" between the two companies.
Accordint to Tim Sweeney, Founder and CEO of Epic Games, what's at stake here is the very future of mobile platforms.
"Consumers have the right to install apps from sources of their choosing and developers have the right to compete in a fair marketplace. We will not stand idly by and allow Apple to use its platform dominance to control what should be a level digital playing field," he said.
"It's bad for consumers, who are paying inflated prices due to the complete lack of competition among stores and in-app payment processing. And it's bad for developers, whose very livelihoods often hinge on Apple's complete discretion as to who to allow on the iOS platform, and on which terms," he added.
It seems that Epic is not the only app developer that has filed a complaint with the EU against Apple. The European Commission is reportedly investigating Apple's conduct following complaints by Kobo, Spotify and Telegram.
Tagged with: Apple Epic Games complains to EU Epic vs Apple Fortnite payment system


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Pay up, court orders Chaudhry, Bidesi
Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry, has been ordered by the High Court in Suva to pay up the $2000 owed to the Attorney-General and the State since July 2017.
by fonua talei, suva
Fiji Labour Party leader, Mahendra Chaudhry
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Chaudhry filed another application to have another go on his attempt to stand in the 2018 General Election.
The first application was filed, but was struck out by the court eight months prior.
However, when the matter was called before Justice Kamal Kumar, Solicitor-General Sharvada Sharma informed the court that in July of 2017, Justice David Alfred had thrown out Chaudhry and party member Karam Bidesi's bid to contest the 2018 elections.
It was then that Justice Alfred had ordered the two to pay the State and the Attorney-General costs amounting to $2000. The payment has been pending since then.
Yesterday, Justice Kumar put a stay on proceedings for another bid by Chaudhry to stand for the election until Chaudhry and Bidesi pay the court costs, which were awarded in the 2017 matter. He further awarded $500 to the State for the delay on Chaudhry and Bidesi's part.
Mr Sharma has filed a strike out application on the substantive matter since the court does not have jurisdiction to hear the matter.
According to the 2013 Fijian Constitution a person cannot be a candidate in a general election if he or she has been convicted for a crime where the maximum penalty is a prison term of 12 months or more.
Edited by Naisa Koroi
Feedback: fonua.talei@fijisun.com.fj
Fiji Labour PartyJustice Kamal KumarKaram BidesiMahendra ChaudhrySolicitor-General Sharvada Sharma


QuickTime player is a free program developed by Apple and claimed as the best place to play any video and media clips from personal resource and internet. However, you may find that QuickTime player won't play your DVD movies. According to the QuickTime supported format list, DVD video format (like VOB, Video_TS, ISO or IFO) is not included. So if you want to play DVD in QuickTime, you will need to convert DVD to QuickTime playable format first.
To play DVD in QuickTime, a DVD ripping program is needed. Here the Aimersoft DVD to QuickTime Converter (Windows version) is highly recommended to help you rip DVD movies to QuickTime MOV, MP4 or M4V format with fast speed and high output video quality. In addition to QuickTime supported video format, it can also rip and convert DVD to all other regular video formats like MPEG, MKV, FLV, AVI, WMV, 3GP, VOB, etc. If you are using QuickTime on Mac (including 10.9 Mavericks), try Aimersoft DVD Ripper for Mac to convert DVD format.
Note that the quick start guide below uses DVD Ripper for Windows screenshots to show you how to convert DVD movies to QuickTime MOV in Windows 8/7/XP/Vista. The way to do the conversion on Mac OS X (Mountain Lion) is almost the same. Just make sure you've downloaded the right version.
Click the Load DVD button to load DVD movies to the program. The detailed information of your DVD movie will be displayed. You can then preview them and choose the chapters you want to rip.
Tips: If you want to embed metadata information (like DVD movie editor, actors, conver, descriptions, etc.) to the DVD video, just click the Info button to open the metadata editing window. Then enter the DVD movie name and click the Search button. Aimersoft DVD Ripper will find out all the information for you.
Click the "Profile" drop down list to select MOV (QuickTime playable format) as the output format. Then click "Output" drop down list to select a proper destination folder for output files if you want to change the current default output folder.
A. Crop - Crop the video frame size for better visual effects on the player.
B. Trim - Split the video clips to choose your favorite part of the DVD movies.
C. Effects - You can change the video parameters like brightness, saturation, contrast and more.
After all preparations, click the Start button to rip your DVD movie to QuickTime MOV. When the conversion completes, click Find Target to get the converted MOV files and play them with QuickTime freely.
Play DVD in QuickTime by converting DVD to QuickTime acceptable format on iMac or MacBook is also very easy and time-saving. Below are the detailed steps about how to play DVD with QuickTime by converting DVD video format on Mac.
Download and install Aimersoft DVD Ripper for Mac into your iMac or MacBook. Insert a DVD into your Mac's DVD drive. (For MacBook, you need to connect the external DVD drive first.) Launch the converter and click the "+" button to import DVD files. Another way to import DVD files is: Click "Files" > "Load DVD Files" on the menu bar on top of your computer desktop.
Tips: A DVD may have multiple titles and each title contains one or more chapters. After a DVD movie is loaded, its contents will be listed. Tick "Merge all videos into one file" then all the clips will be combined into a new video.
After successfully loading in your DVD videos, choose QuickTime supported format as the output format. Here MOV is highly recommended. On the right top of the format icon, there's a setting button, where you can customized detailed parameters of the output format as you like.
When all settings are done, click the Convert button to begin the conversion.
Tips: To play DVD on QuickTime with better visual experience, you can edit your movie files at will. DVD Ripper for Mac will help you to trim any clips or join several clips as you want. You can also cut off the black edge of your DVD movie to enjoy your movie in full screen by clicking the "Crop" tab on the editing interface. Video brightness, contrast, saturation and the audio volume can also be adjusted.
If QuickTime is the default media player on your computer, then you can double click the video and QuickTime Player will launch automatically and play the video files you choose.
Method 1: Find out the target folder and choose the video you want to play, right-click it and choose QuickTime as the open mode.
Method 2: Launch QuickTime and click "File" > "Open File", then choose the video you want to play.
Method 3: Directly choose and drag the files to the QuickTime player icon. After you releasing the mouse, QuickTime will launch automatically and open the videos you choose.


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The "linguistic turn" of the 20th century continues. While several new volumes—such as Religion, Language, and the Human Mind—explore the cutting edge of cognitive science and religion in general, as the title implies, Putting God on the Map: Theology and Conceptual Mapping chooses a more specific approach.
Authors in this collection of articles define "conceptual mapping" as "metaphorical mappings derived from our embodiment … Physical motion, for example, provides underlying conceptual mapping that guides much of our thinking about time, change, and actions … We conceptualize time as 'flying,' as 'ahead of us,' as behind' us, as 'stopping' …" (xii). Consider other "prime" metaphors such as "warmth is affection" or "good is up." These conceptual frameworks are built from real-life, embodied experience in the physical world—and we adopt them without even knowing it. This concept stems from a thesis of cognitive linguistics, namely that "words prompt for meaning rather than capture it. Language is an underspecified top of a giant iceberg of underlying and mostly unconscious cognitive processes of categorization and metaphorical mapping" (xii).
But Putting God on the Map's orientation goes further. One of the most sophisticated and interesting ways in which metaphors map meaning is through "double-scope blending." In contrast to single-scope, mirroring, and simplex, with double-scope blends "multiple—often disparate—input spaces play a role in framing the blend, giving shape and structure to new conceptual relations within the blended mental space …" (73). The authors frequently use the example of "the surgeon is a butcher." Note that "… neither clumsiness nor undesirable effects are found in the conceptual frames of either meat-carving or surgery" (73). Both semantic domains share similar ideas and contexts (steel tools, cutting, etc.). But when those two ideas are blended, a new space and concept emerges that wasn't initially there (clumsiness or crudeness).
To some readers, this may sound simple and perhaps uninteresting. But the implications of this process are the capacity to provide understanding on how meaning emerges (or doesn't emerge) and why we haven't been able to understand some phenomena. Consider the classic problem of "light as particle" and "light as wave." In the end, "[t]he cognitive mechanism behind Einstein's theory of relativity is the same blending that occurs in our everyday interactions with the world" (4). In a similar way, the notoriously complex issues of theology can be more profoundly understood. As Robert Masson writes in the foreword, "[f]ully and accurately charting the diversity of our religious topography calls for new kinds of theological mapping just as advances in medicine have required new ways of imaging and mapping the human body" (xii).
For example, the concept of human beings as God's images is diagrammed and analyzed as a blend between Neo-Babylonian Ideology (Marduk; might makes right; bringing order through violence; elites re-present creator's royal relation to creation/others; resting through forced labor, etc.,) and Israelite ideology (Lord God; pronouncements of good/bad; bringing order through speech; humans re-represent royal relation to creation; resting on seventh day from own labor). These two worlds blend into the new mental space of Genesis: image of God and knowledge of good and bad/evil belong to a shared human condition, a dignity; the "image" emerges vis-à-vis other mythologies; the "Lord God" is beneficent creator God but doesn't need violence to create (86-88; see Figure 4.2 here). The author then proceeds to explore how this re-blends into contemporary biological evolution to re-make "image of God" into evolving products and processes of nature.
Other essays bring this process to bear on stem cell research and ethics; sacramentalism in Roman Catholicism and the thought of Edward Schillebeeckx; Christology and kenosis on Paul. In every case study, one finds some form of metaphorical blending. Other essays focus on related issues such as Erin Kidd who, in the second chapter, provides important corrections to George Lakoff and Mark Johnson's faulty anti-theistic claims.
Three things struck this reviewer while reading the book. First, if metaphor is primary in language and human thought, to insist on the superiority of the propositional, quantifiable, and literal would inevitably result in a more meaningless society. (Owen Barfield essentially made this argument back in his 1977 book The Rediscovery of Meaning.) Books like Putting God on the Map provide analysis for larger social problems—like vanity in a modern world that prizes the "hard" sciences. Projects similar to those adopted by ultra-modernist intellectuals such as Sam Harris—who insist that religious symbolic systems can be wholesale replaced for secular, "fact-based" meaning-making systems—are doomed to fail.
Why? According to Ellen Feder, "… human kindship structures are symbolically organized, human space is symbolically organized, and human care or neglect is symbolically organized. If the human symbolic imagination is foundational to the structure of human relationality, the divine-human relationship is also structured according to human modes of symbolic imagination" (52). In other words, an attack on complex symbolism, metaphor, and narrative is an attack upon our species (60).
The second is how the book's focus explains some classic debates in theology. This was evident in Stephen Shaver's essay, "Eucharistic Spirituality and Metaphoric Asymmetry," which looks at some of the Reformation debates about the concept of "this is my body." Shaver argues that "Neither Luther nor Zwingli questioned an assumption they both shared: that only literal language is adequate to express proper truth claims … Both parties assumed that to agree that the words of institution contained a metaphor would be to agree that they were not, strictly speaking, true, but could rather be translated into an underlying literal equivalent" (150).
This gives rise to the third and most profound point: metaphors predominate because they are not interchangeable for literal equivalents. To extract a propositional, literal summary of John Keats's poetry would be to "kill the animal" so to speak. This is true of more than literary types; it's true for individual metaphors and conceptual frameworks. Blended linguistic concepts are frequently "inconvertible." As a theologian, this reviewer has always been disappointed by "analytic philosophy" and its attempts to put theological concepts into (literal) formulas of symbolic logic. This entire enterprise seems to be based on the same faulty assumption behind the debate between Martin Luther and Huldrych Zwingli—and (worse) it assumes that reduction to numbers and single-letter symbols indicates we understood it.
I enjoyed reading Putting God on the Map and consider it essential for getting a handle on some "first principles" of theology. The high price of the volume may limit it's audience, but the content and quality of writing might justify the cost. Putting God on the Map is exemplary theological prolegomena and a genuine example of how interdisciplinary studies can be beneficial.
Jamin A. Hübner is Professor and Research Fellow at several institutions and resides in Rapid City, SD.
Jakob Karl Rinderknecht is Director of the Pastoral Institute at the University of the Incarnate Word.