text:
MLB Baseball Betting: Toronto Blue Jays at Kansas City Royals
The Toronto Blue Jays will try to get in front of the Baltimore Orioles atop the AL East on Saturday. Right now Baltimore and Toronto is tied for the divisional lead with the Boston Red Sox two games back. The New York Yankees are fading but they're still 'in the mix' just 7.5 game behind the O's and Jays. Toronto took a 4-3 win in Saturday's game and it continued the recent form of these teams. Toronto has been playing well winning 9 of their last 13 games. Kansas City hasn't, losing 11 of their last 14 games. The Royals have been a thorn in the Blue Jays' side in recent years particularly at home where they've won 7 of the last 10 meetings. This season, that hasn't been the case with Toronto taking a 4-0 record against Kansas City into Saturday's game.
Very good pitching matchup on Saturday's card–the Jays will start right hander Aaron Sanchez who has been solid all season and has pitched very well in his recent starts. For the year, the Jays have won 13 of his 21 starts including 7 of 11 on the road. He's got a 2.78 ERA and a 1.141 WHIP overall with a 2.23 ERA and a 1.070 WHIP on the road. In his last three starts he's put up a 1.29 ERA with a 0.810 WHIP and Toronto has gone 2-1 in these games. As well as Sanchez has been pitching–and his numbers are better–Danny Duffy is all of a sudden pitching better than any lefthander in baseball. Duffy has been a strong performer all season with the Royals going 12-3 in his 15 starts including 7-1 at home. Duffy has a 2.98 ERA and a 0.982 WHIP overall with a 3.69 ERA and a 1.079 WHIP at home. In his last three starts–all KC wins–he's been almost unhittable. He's got a 1.74 ERA and a 0.822 WHIP in 20.7 innings of work–that's 4 ER with 25 strikeouts against 3 walks. His last start was a masterpiece–8 innings pitched 1 hit, 0 ER and 16 strikeouts against just 1 walk.
Toronto has been mediocre against left handers this season (15-16) -6.1 units and averages a full run per game less against southpaws. They also hit 17 points fewer. No interest in getting in front of Davis after that last performance and even better we're getting him at plus money.
BET KANSAS CITY ROYALS +140 OVER TORONTO BLUE JAYS
July 1, 2016, in MLB
MLB Baseball Betting: Cleveland Indians at Toronto Blue Jays
Canada's Most Miserable NHL Season Comes To A Close
NHL Hockey Betting: Vancouver Canucks at Calgary Flames
December 19, 2016, in NHL
NHL Hockey Betting: Anaheim Ducks at Montreal Canadiens


VIVRE is the pure enjoyment of living. Imagine the carefree, yet put together individual. The individual who walks into a room and knows they command it. The individual who looks like they walked out of a magazine even when they're out on a simple coffee run. The individual who even when they don't look their best, they feel it. The individual who dares to always be different. And most importantly, the individual who makes the most out of life regardless of the circumstances. Is that you? Well then you might just be a VIVRE girl (or boy) and even if you feel that isn't you, we are here to remind you that it is.
Beauty should be effortless and makeup is simply an accessory to unlock the beauty that has always been within you. Life is too short to worry about not feeling confident in your beauty and our team here at VIVRE Cosmetics is here to help you realize that.
Our intent is to always deliver the highest quality products that are made cruelty-free and without harmful ingredients that no one should be putting on their skin. We work our hardest to meticulously test each product before it is released so that you can always look and feel your best. Let us focus on what goes on your skin so that you can focus on the bigger things in life - like getting that promotion, landing that big gig, or taking a much needed vacation, and lastly, looking damn good while you're doing ALL of them.
What are you waiting for? Go ahead and give VIVRE a try. We can't wait to hear all about it.


text:
loremipsum
Long Island Apartments For Rent
Looking for a Long Island apartment for rent? We can help. Long island is a diverse area. From the diversity in Brooklyn, to the sleepy town of Montauk on the east end, Long Island is home to a huge diverse group of people. Both Brooklyn and Queens are technically in Long Island, most people think about Nassau County and Suffolk County when talking about apartments for rent. Most of Long Island is composed of suburban communities, with a single family homes. The Long Island rail road makes it easy to get to New York City, and there's many cozy communities that provide a tranquil rest from busy NYC. It's one of the reasons Long Island apartments for rent are so popular.
Once you get to the eastern coast of Long Island, life changes – with the beach communities of the Hamptons. Bottom line, if you're looking for an apartment rent in Long Island, there are SO MANY options, depending on the community you want.
Apartments For Rent Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in New York. It begins, right after Manhattan Island ends, and extends eastward into the Atlantic Ocean. Long Island consists of four counties: Kings County, Queens, Nassau County, and Suffolk County. Geographically, Suffolk County occupies 2/3 of Long Island. More than half of NYC's residents live in Long Island: Queens and Brooklyn. Many people that live in NYC metropolitan area – refer to Long Island, and exclude Nassau and Suffolk County. Long Island extends 118 miles eastward from New York harbor to Montauk. It has a maximum north to south distance of 23 miles between the Long Island sound and the Atlantic Coast. It has a land area of 1401 square miles – which means a lot of apartments for rent in Long Island! Also, it's the 11th largest island in USA, and the 149th largest island in the world. During the 2017 census, the estimate of the population was 8 million, which means it represented almost 40% of New York state's population. Long Island is the most populated island in any US state, and its the 18th most populated island in the world.
Long Island is a super diverse area. Montauk Point is an iconic area in Long Island .This is the oldest lighthouse in New York, and was authorized by the Second Congress under President Washington in 1792. When you get a Long Island apartment for rent, you have a lot of beautiful locations, beaches, architecture, and stunning parks – to look forward to! Having said that, Long Island is very densely populated, and its a very busy area of New York. It has multiple counties, and is home to nearly 8 million people. It extends 118 miles, which makes it one of the largest islands in the country. It is also one of the most populated islands in the country. From the Gold Coast to Sag Harbor, to Oyster Bay, there's so many diverse and interesting areas to live in. If you are ready to be one of those residents, keep reading to learn about Apartments for rent in Long Island.
Things to do in Long Island when you rent a Long Island apartment
There are so many amazing places to go, and things to do in Long Island. It has some of the nation's best beaches. It's the nation's longest island, and there are miles of shoreline. Long Beach, for example, began as a resort area in the 1880's. It has an amazing boardwalk. It's a popular tourist destination, and is home to a variety of events, like beach tennis tournaments, film festivals, and more.
Jones Beach State Park has a boardwalk, more than 6 miles of beach, events, concerts, and more. Main Beach is a beach located in East Hampton. There's a lot of celebrity watching you can do in East Hampton if you rent an apartment in Long Island. Many famous people go to the hamptons in the summer. Non-residents must pay to use the beaches, and seasonal passes/parking is limited. This is also true for Coopers Beach, named best beach in America in 2010.
Fire Island is also something to look forward to when you have a Long Island apartment for rent. It's terrific, and less populated. You need a ferry to transport to the island, which has a great boardwalk, and there's also the historic Fire Island lighthouse. Montauk is great for surfing. Located at the eastern tip of the South Fork, it's been named one of the best surfing beaches in the USA.
What to consider before you get a Long Island Apartment For Rent
Long Island isn't a typical suburb. It's densely populated. Less than 40% of Long Island homes are detached. There are two cities on Long Island, Long Beach and Glen Cove. There are a lot of towns, hamlets, and villages. There are a number of enclaves, like Oyster Bay, Glen Cove, Sag Harbor, Port Jefferson – that resemble New England villages.
Long Island has a strong economy due to tourism and due to its proximity to NYC, it's one of the reasons why Long Island apartments for rent are so expensive.
by Gedanken on Apartment For Rent
Great listings
Best SEO Companies
Delancey Street has curated, reviewed, analyzed, and listed, the top…
Delancey Street is a premier, and trustworthy, invoice financing company.…

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Australian Yowie Research
Report A Yowie Sighting
Search AYR
AYR Videos
Witness Sketches
Yowie Signs
A Researchers Guide
Reports/Sightings
What Is A Yowie?
Yowie Art & Sculptures
Hartley, New South Wales 2007
Location: Hartley, New South Wales
Event: Yowie Sighting
(Blue Mountains)
At 2am, on her way home from work Becky turned off the Great Western Highway onto Cox's River Road and drove several Kilometres past Little Hartley.
"It was so bright outside, it didn't even look like night. At first it looked like a person standing out in a paddock (right hand side of the road and had a view of it from quite some distance). I thought that's a long time for someone to be standing out in a paddock at 2am in the morning. It looked like someone standing in black, near this barn. I looked at him and though 'Gee, you're a big bugger aren't you'.
You could see the frame of this door on the barn, and the head was well and truly above it. I looked at it again and it had moved and stepping over a fence, oh I don't know, maybe…. 50 feet in front of me, and I'm like, 'Oh ok, I've never seen anyone being able to step OVER a fence before'!
I slowed right down and lost sight of it, then suddenly it's on the side of the road walking straight across in front of me.
I couldn't see the top of it. I could only see its arms and torso (in the car headlight beams). I was gobsmacked by what I was seeing and there was no way that was a person in a suit. Nobody gets across a big lane road in 3 or 4 strides.
The hair…. I just couldn't believe the pelt on it. It was smooth hair, beautiful, like nothing I've ever seen. It was Smokey grey, black and white and it had a hump between its two shoulders. It never looked at me. It just walked across the road (up ahead), and disappeared.
I sat there for a few seconds thinking, I'm not drinking, I'm not drunk, what the hell did I just see. I really didn't want to hang about and find out what that was. As I drove up towards it, it was kneeling on the side of the road. I looked at it out the passengers window at the size of its shoulders and I could really see the hump on its back. It started to stand up and I thought 'I'm not waiting to find out what you are', and I went full peddle. It didn't look at me. I never saw its face, it was just shoulders and a head. It never made a sound or acted aggressively.
Its stride was huge. It lent a little bit forward. It was just walking along like nothing was bothering it. The arms were far longer than any Humans. I couldn't see its hands, I could only see its arms, its legs and its torso. The hair was long. It reminded me of rats fur, but it was really long and really thick.
I couldn't see a neck.
From the back of the head to the middle of its shoulders, maybe about 12", it just looked like this hump, and it was a brindle orange. It really stood out.
I'm about 5'2", this would have to had been 8 or 9 feet tall. It was solid, it was huge. When I drove passed, it was kneeling and I looked at the shoulders and went 'My God, you're NOT a man in a suit, are you'.
After that night, I avoided driving down that road at all costs.
It only took one stride to step over the fence. I kind of panicked, and the next thing I knew it was on the road walking towards me and only took 3 or 4 strides to get across the road and it was well and truly in front of the car. Then when I got closer, it was kneeling on the edge of the road, in the dirt. I don't know what it was doing. But when I got next to it and looked at it through the window, it started to stand up.
When I got home, I didn't even turn the car off. I went running and screaming into the house. My roommate said I was as white as a sheet.
I since moved to Jenolan's Cave Road, and every second summer, when it's really hot, there's something in the paddock that makes the most disturbing Devil screaming I've ever heard. Some people say 'Oh it's a Dog, or a Fox or a Wombat' – NO….. I've heard them all before, and it's not an animal….
A few times I've yelled at it and it's come closer and gotten really aggressive. There was one night it was doing it and I was by myself. It sounded like it was near the house and I was freaking out, and telling it to 'Shut Up'. Then I saw a set of Red Eyes turn and look at me, turned back, then turned and looked at me again and I heard loud running down the side of the paddock.
It made a very dominate guttural growling. Its really loud, and if you yell at it or tell it to 'Shut Up', it just gets louder.
We didn't hear it last Summer, so we expect to this Summer.
CLICK HERE for full AYR Witness Interview
© Copyright AYR
Australian Yowie Research - Data Base
www.yowiehunters.com
Back to Top | Desktop Site | Mobile Site
Copyrights © 2020.Australian Yowie Research All rights reserved.


Stand out in the crowd with these stylish Louis Vuitton Black Monogram Multicolore Slide Sandals that are a great addition to any wardrobe! These shoes feature signature coated Multicolore canvas and natural cowhide trim, complete with bows on each shoe giving any outfit a fun and flirty look. Shorter stacked wood heels make these easy to wear. This is a style any fashionista would not want to miss! .
The soles have minor signs of wear from gentle use. The leather has developed a nice patina. The soles have signs of wear and minor creasing.


Want fluffy, bouncy, Tracee Ellis Ross curls? Try out this super easy Twist n Curl routine using Camille Rose Naturals' Aloe Whipped Butter Gel and pink perm rods. With just a few twists and rods, you'll be rocking a beautiful head of weightless curls. Check out my tutorial for the easy steps for this style here or above.


If you have a weight problem, your mind likely already sees your body as beyond its control. They key to every weight loss success story is there was one "magic cure" that users truly believed in. Are all these "magic cures" real but only for a select few? No. The common thread in them all is self determination. The key is not finding the magic cure, but creating it within yourself. You can quite literally think yourself thin. Just in the same way Yogis are able to walk on hot coals without being damaged or slow down their own metabolisms to heal from within, you can lose weight based on brain patterns. Think it and you will be it. But thinking it isn't easy for some who have lived with the difficulty of an uncooperative metabolism for so many years. And unfair standards in the media only make it more difficult to appreciate yourself and feel healthy so you can be happy.
The ABSOLUTE most important aspect of weight maintenance is your mindset. If weight loss is something you go into as a battle, looking to defeat your own body through starvation and torturous unnatural dietary supplements (which often damage your digestive system), your body will rebel against you. If you think of weight loss as a burden, and exercise as a chore, you will be dissatisfied and tired before you even start. The only way to get your body to do what you want is to cooperate with it. No one's body wants to be unhealthy and lethargic. Our system teaches you how to love physical activity and keep loving it. A temporary diet yields temporary (if any) results. Don't gain the weight back. Get a new body AND a new mindset!
Are you self conscious and afraid to exercise? Our program helps with that by maintaining motivation. Reaffirmation reduces the seeds of self consciousness and creates a mentality conducive to self-discipline. Do you find yourself eating even when you're not hungry? Our program helps you reduce compulsive eating. Break the cycle by declaring this program a symbolic shift from your old ways. The entrainment program will do the rest. Are you one of those people who is just hungry all the time? Our program bends your brainwaves to reduce hunger. What would you do with a chance like this? What would you do if you had less hunger, less compulsive eating, less stress, and more compulsion to exercise and be active? You know you won't let yourself down. Act thinner and you'll be thinner. This is the one. This is the one that will change it all. Order now and live a better life starting today!
Binaural Beats- Sine wave generators were used to create two separate frequency waves which were introduced to each ear independently. The brain reacted by creating a third tone which was the difference between the two. This allowed the brain to directly tune into a frequency that the ear can not hear! Using this technology, the entire range of Alpha and Theta frequencies between 5-12 Hz were tested extensively in several studies. It was concluded that a specific combination of frequencies consistently caused a Shift In Consciousness and many users reported Decreased Hunger Levels!
Using these recordings is easy. Do not focus on your weight, or any negative feelings you may have about your body. Instead, imagine yourself having a healthy body. What would that be like? Don't focus on the negative, but rather use your imagination to think about all the things you'd love to do with your new body. Don't think of words such as "Weight," "Heavy," "Fat," or anything "Negative." Use positive terms such as "Now I have a healthy body," and "I look and feel great." Think in positive terms about your future, and your new lifestyle.
These recordings are made to assist you with the psychological aspects of weight loss. The distinct array of frequencies helps the brain obtain and maintain both motivation and satisfaction without the need to eat. It helps you cancel out the association of "food" being used as an unhealthy emotional fixation. Our recordings do work, and as such you will be able to feel this programmable state within minutes of the very first use.
Description: The prelude to the series. This recording gets the mind ready to focus on weight loss. OK by itself, but great when listened to with the others.
Description: This step helps you set the core values of your diet plan while building determination.
Description: And now the follow through. The actual implanting of the diet plan core values. Helps ensure the diet is followed!
Description: Get the Weight Loss Package, the entire motivation package, and the self hypnosis recording! All the tools you need to clamp down and do it!


COLOGNE, Germany -- Bavaria Film has set up a Berlin-based division to focus on the development and production of TV series and telefilms, the German production giant announced Friday.
Dirk Eisfeld -- formerly head of series, sitcoms and soaps at Berlin-based commercial channel Sat.1 -- will head up the new company, called Rubicon. Bavaria will hold a 90% stake in the company, with Eisfeld controlling 10%.
Bavaria already has a Berlin-based production house, Askania Media, which produces shows such as boarding school series "Schloss Einstein" and long-running crime drama "Tatort."


After wood or coal has burned in a fireplace over a period of time, the family is likely to be exposed to the dangers of creosote. Creosote is a chemical that is left behind on the fireplace and in the chimney after these materials have been burned. It is important for homeowners to be aware of this potential problem and to maintain their fireplaces accordingly.
If there is a possibility that the dangers of creosote are present, the first step is to look inside the chimney. It is easy to see an accumulation of this dangerous chemical inside of the chimney and the fireplace. If it appears to have built up to an amount of more than one eighth of an inch, it may be time for a good cleaning.
Of course, getting a good look inside of the chimney requires the inspector to climb up into the roof. The majority of creosote accumulation is going to be found near the top of the chimney, not at the base near the fireplace. For safety and convenience reasons, it is a good idea for homeowners to hire professional chimney and fireplace inspectors to handle this for them.
If the inspection shows that there is, in fact, a dangerous amount of creosote in the fireplace, this is not a cleaning job that homeowners should take on themselves. Cleaning a chimney is a complicated task and should be left to someone who is specifically trained for the job. An inexperienced person may not only put themselves and the chimney at risk, but they will most likely end up having to call a professional anyway.
The presence of creosote in a chimney or fireplace can pose a significant risk to the health and well-being of the family. A homeowner who is unsure as to whether or not they are at risk should call a professional to inspect their chimney. When taking care of a creosote problem, it is best to hire a certified chimney sweep.


Zenith Concrete Crushing Plant in Brunei. . China Cone Crusher Drawing manufacturers - Select 2018 high quality Cone Crusher Drawing products in best price from certified Chinese Sand Making Machine manufacturers, Crushing Machine suppliers, wholesalers and .
PEW Jaw Crusher PF Impact Crusher PFW Impact Crusher PY Cone Crusher .zenith lizenithne crushing and screen plants-CGM Machinery 10-30 TPH . Get Price China Lizenithne for Jaw Crusher Plant (PE-600X900) - China .
Zenith Crusher 250 Tph Sample Drawings - hs .
Stone Crusher Plant Prices - Alibaba. 33073 Results . Stone Crusher Plant Prices, Buy Various High Quality Stone Crusher . zenith low price easy handling rock crusher price for sale, stone ... crusher plant drawing mobile crushing plant for sand making stone crushing plant PCL250 impact crusher price .
Crusher Plant Civil Drawings 2013 Electrical drawing, . zenith jaw crusher drawings [ 4.9 - 4955 Ratings ] . Chat With Sales 600 Tph Crushing Plant Flow Sheet - .
Zenith Crusher Plant Civil Drawings . Zenith 200 tph crsuher and puzzolana crusher 150 tph. drawing of 200 tph mobile stone . Online Service; Zenith Crusher Plant Tph Layout Drawing vietfix..
zenith crusher plant civil drawings - Crusher Manufacturer zenith crusher plant civil drawings. The Political Jungle: D Crush the Castle 2 .
cad crusher plant drawing for sale - XSM - Mobile Crusher. . zenith supplied modular structures, crushing and screening equipment,. Get Price. crusher design with solidworks: Crusher Manufacturers Lists. US 9999-99999 Reliable cad crusher plant drawing with CE and ISO . Mobile Crusher.
zenith crusher 250 tph sample drawings zenith crusher plant 250 tph layout drawing 97 views china mining crusher drawing, . Grinding Mill China. Model Feed Opening .
zenith crusher plant civil drawings. aug drawing mobile crusher plant views the zenith is the professional mining mobile crusher drawings mobile crusher plant dwg . Read More. crusher plant civil drawings - rotaryunions.
drawing zenith crusher plant enmining drawings of stone crushing plant in india. zenith crusher plant 250 tph layout drawing, » Learn More. layout of crushing . Get Price And Support Online crushing plant case detailed drawing of a crusher plant manufacturer in Shanghai, China. crushing plant case detailed drawing of a crusher plant .
crusher plant erection drawing . civil works consruction in a stone crushing plant erection. The Zenith is the professional mining equipments manufacturer in the .
zenith crusher plant civil drawings - pochirajucoin,,quarry crushing, crusher designthe zenith crusher plant 250 tph layout drawing, plant in india, in other parts of the country that were . [Get More Info] hammer crusher drawing cad file spare parts.
Zenith Crusher Plant Tph Layout Drawing - theaxis. zenith crusher plant 250 tph layout drawing. As a leading global manufacturer of crushing, grinding and mining equipments, we offer advanced, reasonable solutions for .
drawing zenith crusher plant As a leading global manufacturer of crushing, grinding and mining equipments, we offer advanced, reasonable solutions for any size .
zenith crusher plant 100tph layout drawing - gyrf. zenith crusher plant 100tph layout drawing. zenith crusher plant 250 tph layout . Arabia · KenyaTPH Mobile StoneBelow let us learn one Mobile Crushing Line . Get Price And Support Online. rock crusher zenith crushers india 500tph.
zenith crusher plant civil drawings -, Crusher Plant Civil Drawings grinding mill equipment zenith crusher plant civil drawings The Political Jungle D Ltd is the largest jaw crusher supplier in China and .
zenith crusher 250 tph sample drawings,, zenith crusher plant 250 tph layout drawing Mobile Crusher crusher 250 tph sample drawings zenith 200 . stone crusher zenith 320 tph -, stone crusher zenith 320 tph Large Scale Stone Crushing Line Mobile Crusher Jaw crusher is the most commonly used primary crushing equipment zenith crusher .


With 100 recipes (all with colour photos, many full page), 24 shapes and 18 flavours this gluten free pasta making cookbook covers the basics and beyond. It will appeal not only to those on a gluten free diet but to all foodies who wish to make their own fresh pasta and sauces.
Minimal ingredients, quick recipes, step by step instructions - your 'go to' book at the end of the day. Monthly menu planner, mouth-watering photos of every recipe, pantry advice and that Holst reliability!
Awards: Winner of Gourmand World Cookbook Awards: Best Easy Recipes Cookbook 2014.


text:
I think from now on my default title whenever I can't think of one, such as in cases like this where I don't have a single overarching theme but am just cobbling together little tidbits of stuff, will be "Stuff". I can be creative at times but in this case the sheer effort no longer seems worth it. Of course, that might make people less likely to read the posts in question, but life is full of tradeoffs.
The first thing to announce, I suppose, even though Mormon readers will find it old news and non-Mormons may not find it particularly interesting, is that Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles died yesterday. It took me by surprise. It was only the day before that the Church announced his cancer was terminal, so I thought he had a few more months at least. He also acted more like a 72 year old than a 92 year old, and who knows how long he could have lived if he hadn't gotten cancer. But I think everyone would get cancer sooner or later if they lived long enough.
Unless my memory is very poor, which it is sometimes, the last time an Apostle died was nearly seven years ago. That was the same year the prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley, died at the age of 97. That took weeks to sink in. Every time I thought about it I had to re-process it as if I was hearing the news for the first time. I've been fortunate in that no one particularly close to me in "real life" has ever died, but I know that won't last and I'm not looking forward to it. But anyway, I'm happy for Elder Perry having moved on to the next stage of the plan of salvation, and interested to see who will fill the vacancy he left.
I realized recently that after God has made the same promise four or five times, I should start believing it. How terrible is it that while my faith in God's existence is unshakable, my faith in His omniscience and total goodness wavers with some frequency. Sometimes I treat Him like just any other person who means well and tries to give good advice but doesn't know me like I know myself. Sometimes I feel like He enjoys watching me fail. In the case of this promise, that was definitely starting to seem like the most plausible explanation. But I've decided to start trusting Him more regardless of how hard it is, and see where that gets me. I know, I know, Captain Obvious stuff here. I'm a slow learner, okay?
Every once in a while, purely by accident, I have a modicum of success with a woman. A case in point happened a few days ago. I was walking home from work when a woman got out of her car and headed for her house, coming the opposite direction toward me. I glanced at her and then, because she appeared to be an African (probably Somalian) Muslim, which aren't exactly commonplace around here, I did a double take without even thinking. Our eyes met. She smiled. As we passed each other I thought, "Only one more thing is needed to complete this moment." So I looked back, meeting her eyes again, as she was at her door now and already looking back at me. I was like, "Bazinga!" Just in my head, of course. I can't do stuff like that on purpose. It doesn't work. So I just have to take these happy accidents, few and far between, when I can get them. I just cherish them for what they're worth and feel gratitude that I didn't ruin them by speaking.
If I want to communicate, I do it in writing, like I'm doing right now, though this isn't communicating so much as writing a journal type thing that anyone else is welcome to read if they happen to be that desperately bored. But I did make a new friend on Facebook the other day. There was a time when I had to worry about being kidnapped by strangers on the internet, and now strangers on the internet become closer friends than the people I know in person. This particular one is from Quebec, which is crazy because I grew up just south of there, and now I'm in Utah and she's in Alberta so she's still directly north of me, albeit farther away. I told her about how I love Canada and grew up watching Kids' CBC and the Red Green Show. And she was like, "I've never heard of the Red Green Show." And then apparently she Googled it and showed me the clip she had found, which I am including here because it's as good an excuse as any to share a Red Green Show clip.
Possum Lodge Word Game - "Love"
As I was thinking of more things to say later on, and it occurred to me, "Ah, she must be a Tintin fan."
I thought, "But she's Quebecois, not Belgian."
I retorted, "Doesn't matter. All French people are Tintin fans. Watch." I brought it up and, indeed, she loved Tintin and owned all the comic books and watched the old cartoon series whenever it aired on TV and was sad that there were no new adventures to read (because Hergé has been dead for over thirty years). So yes, she was a Tintin fan. Linguistic profiling for the win! Tintin is, inexplicably, less popular in the United States. If you're unfamiliar with him outside of the recent Steven Spielberg movie, decent though it was, then you owe it to yourself to check out the comic books. They're phenomenal.
I got into a debate with another friend recently about whether humans are animals. I say "debate" even though there really was nothing to debate. An animal is "a living organism that feeds on organic matter, typically having specialized sense organs and nervous system and able to respond rapidly to stimuli." So, unless you don't eat food, you're an animal. I hope that doesn't bother you but I honestly don't see why it should.
Of course, one could get around this by creating their own circular logic definition that adds "except for humans". Other attempts to drive a wedge between humans and other animals tend to fail sooner or later. Humans are the only animals that use tools? Nope. Humans are the only animals that create art? Nope. Humans are the only animals that plan for the future? Nope. Humans are the only animals with self-awareness? Nope. Humans are the only animals that communicate with language? Not by a long shot. I suppose you could say humans are the only animals that inflict suffering and death on their own kind just for pleasure. That one might never be proven wrong.
Spiritually, of course, humans are different. We are children of God. And even physically we have the distinction of being made in His image. So there is a religious difference which is just as valid even though it's not scientifically quantifiable. But in terms of genetics, physiology, evolution and what have you, humans are far more alike with other animals than they are different. And that's not a bad thing. Last time I checked animals are pretty freaking awesome.
Ah yes, I did get the opportunity to pay forward my friend Cece's generosity (see last week's post) by housecleaning for another friend who has some kind of disease that prevents her from standing up for very long. I had never heard of it before but I believe her because she's had health problems before and she has enough prescription pills and powders and liquids to open a mini-pharmacy. She also has enough clothes and shoes to supply a small African nation. Well, not quite, but almost.
In conclusion, it's way too hot here today and I miss the overcast/rainy days that we've been blessed with for so long. Oh well.
God the Declutterer: Or, Thank You for Loving Me Enough to Boss Me Around and Throw Away My Stuff
Those who have followed this blog at its previous location, or those who know me in person, or those who see me posting in AMSSA and other lesser Facebook groups, will find it difficult to imagine that I have flaws. I hate to shatter your misplaced celebrity worship, but I feel I should point out that everyone has flaws. And I am no exception. Here's one of my flaws, which will come as no surprise to my parents if they happen to read this: I'm a slob.
There are a couple reasons for this. First, 90% of the world I live in is my own mind. My own thoughts are my most constant companions and being jarred out of them throws me for a loop. At its worst, physical things like eating, sleeping and exercising become little more than unwelcome distractions. So when I'm done using something, I don't often think to put it away in a specific place, but just set it down wherever I happen to be and come back to it the next time I need it, if I remember where it is.
The other main reason is that I'm a hoarder with a debilitating environmental consciousness. Throwing away wrappers or chip bags or other obvious "garbage" items isn't too difficult. If it's recyclable than I recycle it. But if it looks to me like it should be recyclable, but isn't, then I can't bear to throw it away. And if food goes bad, I can't bear to throw it away, because throwing food away just tears my heart in two. I also hold on to most of the papers I get from school or anywhere else, because they might come in handy someday and might have some nostalgia attached. It's kind of ridiculous how nostalgic I am for being just under 22 years old.
I had spent hours attempting to clean my room, and afterward it looked worse than before. What I did was go through picking things up and thinking, "Can I throw this away? Do I have a place to put this?" If the answer to both questions was "no", then I put it back and moved on. I did throw some stuff away but it didn't make a noticeable improvement.
Fortunately, salvation was on its way.
I wanted to hang out with my good friend Cece. Strangely, my good friend Cece wanted to hang out with me. I thought I would just go to her place again. Strangely, she wanted to come to mine. I panicked a little because I don't really have anything to keep guests entertained. The TV doesn't even belong to me. But I figured, whatever, if she gets bored we can just go somewhere else. "But you can't come in my room," I said, "because it looks like a garage sale exploded in it."
"Okay," she said.
So as soon as she got here, what did she want to do? She wanted to look at my room. And she wouldn't be satisfied until she did. So I showed her, expecting her to run away screaming and no longer have any respect for me. She didn't. She just got real quiet and stared and said, "Wow."
"Yep," I said. "Well, you've seen it. Let's go."
"Christopher, we need to clean this," she said. "I'll help you clean this. I think that when it's all clean, you'll feel a lot better and you won't be as stressed all the time."
That actually made a lot of sense, and sounded wonderful, but I panicked a little because I wasn't entirely comfortable with her touching my stuff. After she failed to find any trash bags in the house, I convinced her to hold off until next week. Instead we got permission to use the TV and attempted to watch "The African Queen", which I had gotten from the library, but the disc had this weird problem I'd never seen before where it skipped like five scenes at a time, so we watched "A Goofy Movie" instead.
"That was beautiful," I said when it was over.
"Why?" she asked.
"Because it was just touching how he and his dad reconciled, and how he learned that it's okay to be kind of 'goofy', and she loved him just the way he was and he didn't have to change for her."
"Yeah," she agreed.
If only real life was like that, I thought. Cartoons are so silly.
So, the next time we hung out I wanted to watch the other movie I got from the library, "Romancing the Stone", which from the release year and cover art was clearly an Indiana Jones ripoff but could still be decent. She was only interested in cleaning my room, though. So interested that she showed up ten minutes early before I was emotionally prepared for it, knocking to announce her presence and then entering the house before I could get to the door. I was in the middle of listening to Sheryl Crow.
There were still no garbage bags, but this time there was no dissuading her, so we took a detour to the store and got some. She did find something useful under the sink. "I'm using Landon's gloves," she said, showing me the purple rubber gloves that said "Landon's Gloves" on them.
Ah, yes. Landon the leper. He wore those to keep his hands from falling off. It didn't work. I'm sure all his germs are gone from them by now.
Just kidding. I have no idea who Landon was. Anyway, we started cleaning. I was in charge of the music. We finished listening to Sheryl Crow, then did some Eurythmics ("Here Comes the Rain Again" was very appropriate to our current weather), "Weird Al" Yankovic ("This is a weird song," she said. "That's why they call him Weird Al", I explained), David Arkenstone, and Ace of Base, which she enjoyed a lot so I left it on. Next time, I think, will be non-stop Roxette, one of my other favorite Swedish groups.
It was clear from the start who was in charge of this operation. She worked on some stuff while delegating the rest to me, but I was distracted by keeping an eye on her part. "Don't throw away any puzzle pieces! Hey, I still want that! Hey, that's recyclable!"
She made a few things clear at the beginning. The world wasn't going to stop turning if something recyclable got put in with the trash, and she was going to throw away a lot of papers that I thought I needed but actually didn't.
"Don't be mad at me," she said. "I know it's hard, but I'm helping you."
I realized she was right, so I decided to grin and bear it. She did agree to put the papers in a box and make me go through them to find which ones were important, but now I had lowered my standard of importance to match hers because I knew she was right. But I just hope she never decides to use her influence for evil. If she ever tries to make me try meth, I'm not sure I could say no.
Anyway, after a couple hours it was looking a lot better. She stood up and stretched. "Christopher," she said, "I never want to do this again."
I was stunned. "But - I didn't ask you do to it. You volunteered."
"I know," she said, "and I'm happy to help you, but I just don't want to do it again."
"Fair enough," I said.
I didn't sleep better that night. I actually slept worse because I was stressed about the possibility of having lost something important, like my flash drive or the Amazon gift cards from my grandmother or one of the two notes from the only female who knew me outside of the Internet and admitted to having an interest in me. But I think that was just a transitional phase. As soon as I get the trash bags out of the dumpster and go through them to double check for anything important - still holding to her standard of importance - I'll be fine.
This experience made me think about what God does to us, if we let Him. All of our lives are a bit cluttered and messed up, aren't they? We have things in them that shouldn't be there, things that we can hardly bear to let go of even though it would be for our own good. And God wants to take those things. But we have to let Him. He isn't quite as pushy about it as my friend, but He will not alter the plan or make exceptions for our comfort no matter how we plead, because He knows best.
Being a slob is only one of my flaws. There are others, worse ones, that I hold onto as a matter of personal pride. I need to let them go. We all do. If only it was as easy as parting with literal, physical junk.
And in fact, maybe this is one of those flaws. Whether or not it's true that cleanliness is next to godliness, maybe God knew I couldn't fix this on my own and so He sent someone to help me. "God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom." - President Spencer W. Kimball
Well, I feel bad making the spiritual takeaway so much shorter than the story leading into it, but that's really all I have to say about that and dragging it on would just kill the moment. (Insert your own quip about me having done that several paragraphs ago here.)
Testing, testing. Actually, I just want to make my feed link start working.


It was a tough contest, and there were many quality entries! Let me just say that the Dev's as well as the Community team were impressed by the caliber of all the entries and found it very hard to choose ranks!
We've totaled up your votes, and the Dev's and your Community Team have scored on Completeness, Readability and Accuracy.
But, only 3 could come out on top, and here they are!
Congradulations to all the contestants! Keep up the good work!
The top 3 winners can claim their prizes by PMing their mailing addresses to Quarion.
Well done everyone, but I want to throw out a special holla for my fellow Stormbringer, the dancing rogue. Way to go, Brenna - you make us proud!
Right Click until monster is dead.
I knew you had it in you MT!
Well done all from the background and setting of the game through class guides to quest and collectable guides and beyond this was a great collection.
Well as my guide suggests frequently, I have issues with what Turbine views as "Completeness, Readability and Accuracy" in regards to many issues.
I do concede that there were many guides more deserving of an award than mine. I am satisfied that it is a resource players can use and contribute to...and will continue to be.
While I would've (and did) pick a different #1, it was a good contest, and it was a nice way to highlight some contributions from the players. A number of these guides were really well written, and very useful!
Big congrats to Mystic Theurge and SableShadow! Notes from a Dancing Rogue is an excellent class guide and a very fun read, and Ask a Lore Master is brilliant. I am happy to be considered close to such caliber of work.
For all of the quest guide authors, I must say I thought all of them were excellent. I was honored to win the popular vote and am honored to place in the top three, but all ten of the finalist guides are extremely helpful.
The Lost Quest Guide is a continuing work that will grow as the game does. I plan to keep adding to it and updating it as we go. If anyone has any suggestions, additions or corrections they would like to make, please feel free to PM me or post on guide thread.
Unless I read it wrong, by winning, you just lost all rights to your guide. It is now under Turbine/DDO's responsibility to keep it up to date. You'd have to start whole new guides. Because of what you agreed to, I'm fairly certain you'll have to take them down off of your guild's web site now.
I'm not certain if the same applies to runner ups or not.
Hadn't really thought about it, just figured I would keep workin on it. I sent a PM asking Quarion to verify.
Popularity contest. We didn't even need to vote if Turbine was going to pick their favorite anyway.
The votes should not have been public and Turbine should not have made it look like our votes didn't matter in the end.
Good idea, bad implementation. See this in a lot of things around here.
Agreed. Read all of them, some seemed to be just lists, others very nice guides. That being said most players don't care about the lore. Sorry sad but true. The rogue, (blah thief) guide was a very good guide if you want to play a rogue. But why do you think the players voted for the complete quest guide...because it benefited everyone who plays the game.
Shouldn't have posted the vote totals if yours were going to weigh so heavily. Lol you post a players contest where the players vote but have very little to do with the outcome.
Congrats to the winners and all contestants, it was fun and informative to read most of your guides. Keep up the good work.
I dissagree. For example, some guilds have a whole lot of people. If one guild got organized, that could easily mean 100 votes for a guide that means very little, while some random player who writes something very comprehensive that helps everyone but is part of a small little friends only guide can get maybe 5 votes or so.
Emm... gee... is it a player vote or a How Many People Do You Know vote? With the Devs having weight with their votes, it can counter act the popularity for something useful. This is very similar to how the House and Senate in the US can make laws, President can Veto or accept. But if veto'ed Congress has the power via enough votes to over rule the veto.
Trust me he didn't win the vote because he has the biggest guild. Not by a long shot. Yes I agree it could have just been a "how many people are in your guild vote", but it wasn't. Of the three I think you would be hard pressed to defend the fact that the other two guides, while good in their limited scope (One on lore, and one on thieves) do not benefit all players on a whole. Everyone does quests, but not everyone cares about the lore, or plays a thief.
Emm.....yours was more useful to everybody than those two. Nothing against them, just that's all they were written to do.
It would be horrible if they made him take it off his website, sorry but I've seen how often turbine updates stuff.
Yeap, mine can be used by everyone, however, as this is a power gamer paradise, those guides were going to over shadow mine by far. While I'm annoyed, it is just how this game is. People tend to say forget the healer, just keep me going if you want your loot. *shrugs* Heck, my guide alone could give any healer based guide a run for their money as is given how incomplete most are.
I don't think it would be horrible. Such is the case of legaleese. They said the guide must be posted on the DDO forums, (which both Lost and Rowenheal's were not.) And that the winners may loose the rights to their guide.
"Winners may be required to execute an Assignment and Release to be provided by Turbine."
This was a result of winning that was posted in the rules. All contestants were given plenty of warning.
As announced in the very first official rules thread, winners were chosen by a COMBINATION of player votes, and Dev judging.
Again, congrats to all who entered!


Global Nexus Corporation is a leading distributor of black iron tubes and pipes in the Philippines. We have pipes and tubes in different sizes. It's a non-galvanized steel, but it doesn't take away the best qualities of black iron. Our durable black iron steel is ideal for various industrial applications.
It is hard and durable, and it got its name because of the dark-colored iron oxide coating. Furthermore, it possesses high-strength corrosion resistance, high malleability, superior strength, sturdiness, and durability. When building electrical systems, black iron is a good material to protect the wiring. We have it in round, rectangular, round, and oval, so you won't have to worry about using an inaccurate component.
As a highly malleable material, you will be able to bend and craft the black iron pipe material however you like. It's not a luxury from other materials, at least not with the ease of working with it. It's because this material, our material, comes only from state-of-the-art-mills.
At Global Nexus Corporation, we ensure the quality of our black steel tubes from the supplier level. We source our steel and iron from leading steel and pipe manufacturers locally and globally, and we handpick those who become our trusted partners. We only want the best for our clients, for many of them also provide metal supplies to builders of all kinds.
We can be your steady distributor of black iron for your upcoming projects, and we can provide for the largest operations out there. Whether you need just one kind or a variety of our black iron products, let us know so we can create the quickest delivery timeline for your supply request.
For quality materials, call the black iron pipe suppliers you can trust. Call or email Global Nexus Corporation today.


text:
UK coronavirus LIVE: Death toll jumps by nine as London faces 'critical' time in virus fight
Harriet Brewis
August 3, 2020, 11:24 a.m. ·1 min read
Londoners must not "bend the rules" on social distancing and good hygiene as the capital faces a "critical time" in its coronavirus battle, a world health chief has warned.
Dr David Nabarro told the Standard the risk of a Covid-19 surge in the city is now "extremely serious" after the latest figures showed a rising infection rate in 22 boroughs.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has hit out at Boris Johnson for failing to include him in key decisions, following reports the M25 could be used to seal off the capital in the event of a fresh virus spike.
The warnings come as the Government's Eat Out to Help Out scheme gets under way in England, with thousands of diners tucking into half price meals already today.
In other developments, two new "game-changing" tests that can detect both coronavirus and flu within 90 minutes are to be rolled out in a bid to prevent a second wave of the pandemic, and the death toll in UK hospitals has risen by nine.
Follow our live updates here...
Coronavirus: Toronto COVID-19 vaccine clinic pilot project to start Monday
A six-week vaccine clinic pilot project is set to start giving COVID-19 shots to frontline workers on Monday. While this clinic is not open to the public, the structure will help figure out the playbook for future vaccine sites. Katherine Ward explains how the rollout will go, and who is eligible.
Vaccination campaign gets underway in nine Cree communities in northern Quebec
Boxes of doses of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine arrived by plane in nine Cree communities in Quebec's James Bay region over the weekend and were immediately put to work to protect the community, the head of the regional health board said Sunday.Bertie Wapachee, the chairperson of the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay, said vaccination was already underway in many of the communities, with the rest of the vaccine centres opening on Monday. "In some ways, it represents a light at the end of the tunnel for us," he said in a phone interview."It's an added tool to defeating the virus as we move forward." Wapachee said he didn't know the exact number of vaccines received, but said the communities would be able to offer a first dose to any adult community members who want them. He said the remote Cree communities are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 outbreaks due to overcrowded housing conditions that make isolating difficult, as well as a limited number of local health-care workers.He said he was "confident" most of the community members would want the shot.The region has contended with at least one outbreak involving about 40 cases.While there are logistical challenges in delivering the vaccine to isolated communities, Wapachee said the area is well-served by regional airline Air Creebec, a strong team on the ground and a population that has done a good job respecting the health measures overall.Meanwhile, Quebec reported 50 new deaths due to COVID-19 on Sunday as well as a preliminary total of 1,744 new cases.The province said a delay in transmitting data from Quebec's labs means the number of cases is incomplete and will be adjusted in a future update.Hospitalizations declined for the third straight day, down 14 to 1,460. There were also 12 fewer people in intensive care, for a total of 215.While the number of new cases recorded in Quebec has declined slightly over the past week, Health Minister Christian Dube said on Twitter that it's too soon to describe the movement as a trend.He urged Quebecers to keep following health measures because the battle is "not yet won."The province administered just over 8,800 doses of vaccine on Saturday, he added.Quebec has reported a total of 242,714 cases and 9,055 deaths since the pandemic began.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 17, 2021 Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press
Biden indicates plans to cancel Keystone XL pipeline permit on 1st day in office, sources confirm
U.S. president-elect Joe Biden has indicated plans to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline permit via executive action on his first day in office, sources confirmed to CBC News on Sunday. A purported briefing note from the Biden transition team mentioning the plan was widely circulated over the weekend after being shared by the incoming president's team with U.S. stakeholders. The words "Rescind Keystone XL pipeline permit" appear on a list of executive actions supposedly scheduled for Day 1 of Biden's presidency. The list shown to stakeholders is a lengthier version of a list already reported in the media based on a memo released publicly over the weekend by Biden's chief of staff Ronald Klain. That publicly reported memo from Klain did not mention Keystone XL, but cautioned that the memo was not a complete list of planned actions. The Biden team has announced plans to sign dozens of executive orders in the incoming president's first few days in office. Climate actions planned for first day They include a raft of environmental policies to be enacted on the first day of his presidency, including re-joining the Paris climate accord. The note shown to stakeholders has led some to expect that the first-day climate actions will include the move to cancel the project to carry Canadian bitumen. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in his first conversation with Biden as president-elect in November, indicated that he wanted to speak further about some potential irritants — including Keystone XL and Biden's proposed Buy American policies. WATCH | Cancelling Keystone XL permit to be among Biden's first actions: sources: Biden foreshadowed such a cancellation months ago, announcing in a U.S. TV interview and through statements from his campaign team that he intended to cancel the $8-billion, cross-border pipeline. However, proponents of the project have been hoping that he might reconsider once in office. Federal Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole called on Trudeau to reach out to the incoming U.S. administration to ensure Keystone moves forward. "Keystone XL is a project of national significance that supports countless workers on both sides of the border," he said in an emailed statement. However, Green Party Leader Annamie Paul welcomed the news, calling Biden's potential actions a "contrast in leadership" to new offshore drilling projects greenlit by Canada's environment minister earlier this week. Former TC Energy executive Dennis McConaghy is not surprised the project is among the first decisions by the new administration. "I have consistently said Biden would indulge in this rescinding of the permit immediately because it's something he has to do largely to follow through for expectations of his political base and many of his donors," McConaghy told CBC's Kyle Bakx on Sunday. The decision would likely lead to disappointment in the Canadian oilpatch, even after so many other setbacks for the project over the last decade. "Ideally the project should have been completed and put into operation during the Trump administration," McConaghy said. "It's a very audacious thing that is being done here by the Biden administration." Ambassador says Canada continues to support project Kirsten Hillman, Canada's ambassador to the U.S., said in a statement sent to The Canadian Press that the pipeline expansion fits with Canada's climate plan. "The Government of Canada continues to support the Keystone XL project and the benefits that it will bring to both Canada and the United States," she said. "Not only has the project itself changed significantly since it was first proposed, but Canada's oilsands production has also changed significantly. Per-barrel oilsands GHG emissions have dropped 31 per cent since 2000, and innovation will continue to drive progress." Keith Stewart, senior energy strategist with Greenpeace Canada, suggested Canada's continued support of the pipeline was akin to "beating [a] dead horse." "The Biden administration offers us a fresh start on addressing the climate crisis with a willing partner, so let's not blow it by pushing pipelines," Stewart said U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders called the pipeline expansion a disaster in a tweet. "With all of the major crises facing America, we must never lose sight of the most existential threat facing our planet: climate change," he wrote. TC Energy said in a release late Sunday that the company plans to spend $1.7 billion US on a solar, wind and battery-powered operating system for the pipeline, hire a union-only workforce, sign Indigenous equity partners and establish zero-emissions operations by 2030, all with an eye toward securing Biden's approval. Canadian leg of pipeline under construction for months The Alberta government agreed last year to invest about $1.5 billion as equity in the project, plus billions more in loan guarantees. As a result, the Canadian leg of the project has been under construction for several months with around 1,000 workers in southeast Alberta. If completed, the 1,897-kilometre pipeline, first announced in 2005, would carry 830,000 barrels of crude a day from the oilsands in Hardisty, Alta., to Nebraska. It would then connect with the original Keystone that runs to U.S. Gulf Coast refineries. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has said previously he thinks Alberta could have legal options to recoup taxpayer money should the permit be cancelled. On Sunday, Kenney said in a statement posted to social media that he's deeply concerned that Biden may repeal the pipeline's presidential permit. "Doing so would kill jobs on both sides of the border, weaken the critically important Canada-U.S. relationship and undermine U.S. national security by making the United States more dependent on OPEC oil imports in the future," Kenney said. Kenney said should the U.S. repeal the permit, "Alberta will work with TC Energy to use all legal avenues available to protect its interest in the project." WATCH | Would Biden cancel Keystone XL? In 2016, TC Energy launched a lawsuit and a multi-billion dollar North American Free Trade Agreement claim against the U.S. government. The company changed course after the election of President Donald Trump. TC Energy could now take similar action in order to prevent walking away from Keystone XL empty-handed after a dozen years of setbacks, billions of dollars spent and thousands of pages of filings. "There are plausible legal claims. I think you have to say all of those are less than 50 per cent shots to get your money back. Whether it is the end of the road depends on whether the investors want to stick by it," said James Coleman, an associate professor of energy law at Southern Methodist University in Texas, told CBC. TC Energy has yet to respond to a request for comment from CBC News.
Windsor-Essex reports 270 new COVID-19 cases, no additional deaths
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) reported 270 new cases and no additional deaths on Sunday. Since the pandemic began, there have been 11,022 COVID-19 cases recorded in Windsor-Essex and 255 deaths, according to WECHU. Right now, there are 2,172 known active cases in the region. Among today's cases, 20 are outbreak-related, nine are close contacts of confirmed cases, three are community acquired and 238 are still being investigated. There are 102 people in hospital in the region, with 18 in the ICU. There are 48 ongoing outbreaks. Three are active at Windsor Regional Hospital, two on the Ouellette campus and one on a unit of the Met Campus. One community setting, Assisted Living Southwestern Ontario, has been in outbreak since Jan. 3. Outbreaks are active at 23 workplaces: Five in Leamington's agricultural sector. Four in Kingsville's agricultural sector. Four in Windsor's health care and social assistance sector. One in Leamington's health care and social assistance sector. One in Lakeshore's health care and social assistance sector. One in Windsor's food and beverage service sector. One in Windsor's manufacturing sector. One in a personal service setting in LaSalle. Three in public administration settings in Windsor. One in a retail setting in Essex. One in Essex's finance and insurance sector. There are 21 active outbreaks at long-term care and retirement facilities: Chartwell Leamington in Leamington with one staff case. Regency Park in Windsor with two resident cases and one staff case. Richmond Terrace in Amherstburg with two staff cases. Chartwell Royal Marquis, with one resident case and one staff case. Harrow Woods Retirement Home, with five resident cases and two staff cases. Seasons Retirement Home in Amherstburg, with three staff cases. Devonshire Retirement Residence in Windsor, with 31 resident cases and four staff cases. Chartwell Royal Oak in Kingsville, with three staff cases. Rosewood Erie Glen in Leamington, with 30 resident cases and four staff cases. Chateau Park in Windsor with four staff cases. Leamington Mennonite Home with seven staff cases. Augustine Villas in Kingsville, with 51 resident and 14 staff cases. Sunrise Assisted Living of Windsor, with 11 resident cases and eight staff cases. Huron Lodge in Windsor, with 44 resident cases and 26 staff cases. Sun Parlor Home in Leamington, one resident case and 10 staff cases. Banwell Gardens Care Centre in Windsor, with 115 resident cases and 53 staff cases. The Shoreview at Riverside in Windsor, with 28 resident cases and 11 staff cases. Extendicare Tecumseh, with 83 resident cases and 57 staff cases. Berkshire Care Centre in Windsor, with 94 resident and 60 staff cases. The Village at St. Clair in Windsor, with 150 resident cases and 122 staff cases. Village of Aspen Lake in Tecumseh, with 53 resident cases and 25 staff cases.
Shan't be forgotten: Latest TikTok trend is revitalizing the traditional sea-faring tunes
It's perhaps one of the more unusual trends to emerge from TikTok, the video-sharing app popular largely among teenagers and young adults, but a sudden interest in sea shanties has taken the internet by storm. Newfoundland musician Séan McCann had taken a break from writing music as he and his wife worked on a new book, but was eager to return to songwriting with a renewed focus on sea shanties. Initially, his kids were less than impressed. "I started to write some new shanties and I thought they were cool, and I sang a couple for my kids," said McCann, who began penning new music just before Christmas. "And I sang it for my kids, who are 15 and 13, and they were like, 'Dad, that's so lame. That's not cool. They're old songs.'" That attitude changed this week, said McCann, when his son showed him a TikTok video with millions of views, of a sea shanty. "All of a sudden, I'm the cool dad again," McCann said. "So now, apparently, I've got to get on TikTok to be super cool." What will we do with a trending sailor A far cry from the digital age, the traditional sea shanty dates back to the time of tall ships, and are perhaps seen in the popular imagination today as catchy tunes that were sung by sailors at work. Fergus O'Byrne says there's more to it than that. The Irish-Canadian folk musician said there are historically three distinct types of sea shanties: a capstan chant, a halyard shanty and one for a short-haul. Each of these, said O'Byrne, corresponded to a specific duty. "So, for example, for the capstan, for those people who don't know, a capstan was like a great big round wheel with spokes coming out of it to haul up the anchor back in those days," he said. Something as simple as hauling an anchor could take well over an hour, said O'Byrne, and so the capstan shanty was integral in keeping the work moving. "There'd be a whole bunch of men on the shanty on the wheel, walking around and singing," O'Byrne said. "So a song like General Taylor, for example, was a capstan, sometimes called 'a-stamp-and-go', and they'd stamp and they'd go and they'd walk around." Scroll the old chariot along While the origins of the sea shanty come as practical work songs, sung by sailors who were doing the physically demanding labour needed to keep their vessels moving, most sea captains didn't care what was being sung about so long as the work got done. While this led to a few X-rated songs, said McCann, shantys like General Taylor were also an opportunity for sailors to voice their opinions. "A lot of them were political too," McCann said. "We used to sing a song called General Taylor that we sang with great joy, and people love to sing along with it. But, the reality is, that song is not about celebration of a man, General Taylor, it's about people wanting to find and kill General Taylor." Though new to TikTok, McCann, a long-time champion of the traditional sea shanty, said it's an interesting fascination, and he can understand why this new trend has picked up, even if it's just another internet blip. "They've got strong melodies, they say things that matter and they help people work through difficult times," McCann said. "And I think that's why they're popular again. I think they have a role to play." Read more articles from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador


FILE - Opponents of DRC President Joseph Kabila have expressed concern that he wants to postpone next year's presidential vote in hopes of staying in office beyond his second term.
A leaked letter from the Democratic Republic of Congo's electoral commission says the commission has not received the funding it was allocated for upcoming elections, holding up preparations for the vote.
The letter from the Independent National Electoral Commission, known by the French acronym CENI, was a reaction to a government minister's statement that the commission had enough money to prepare for national, provincial and local elections between now and the end of next year.
But Hans Hoebeke, an analyst for the International Crisis Group who follows the DRC's electoral process, said that according to CENI's letter, it has received only 17 percent of the funds allocated to it since 2013.
Government spokesman Lambert Mende declined to comment on the figures. But he did say that the $1 billion-plus budget approved by parliament for CENI seemed excessive for a country with a total budget of only $8 billion, and was based on the assumption that external donors would help pay, which they now seem reluctant to do.
Hoebeke described the budget as monumental. He said the elections could be staged for a lot less, and that both the budgeting and the electoral process were far from transparent.
Hoebeke told VOA he visited CENI's offices in Katanga province recently and saw a risk for enormous waste. He said he saw dilapidated equipment and material and that the commission has vehicles that haven't been used since 2011. He also said ballot boxes from the last election allegedly were being widely used now as rubbish bins.
The letter from CENI's staff cast more doubt on the DRC's election process. The process had already suffered a blow this week when Abbott Apollinaire Malu-Malu, chief of the electoral commission, resigned, citing health reasons.
Opponents of President Joseph Kabila have expressed concern that he wants to postpone next year's presidential vote in hopes of staying in office beyond his second term.


text:
Blog by Sr. Mary Ellen Bennett, OP
Gun violence is shockingly omnipresent these days. Part of the blame for this goes to Congress, which has consistently opposed sensible gun control legislation. There was gun control legislation in the U.S. until 2004 when Congress failed to renew it. Their failure to act after the Sandy Hill Massacre in 2012 made it painfully obvious that Congress has higher priorities than ending human suffering.
There has been wide and consistent support for sensible gun control legislation and for a ban on assault weapons. The Dominican Sisters of Peace took a Corporate Stand on this issue in 2014. There has always been wide support for the right to bear arms, but with that right comes the obligation to handle them responsibly.
Not only have our legislators failed to enact gun control laws, but they have also gone so far as to introduce bills to encourage gun use, like proposals in Ohio for Open Carry, or laws in Texas that allow guns to be carried in houses of worship.
It is discouraging that Congress has fallen so far under the political and financial influence of the NRA and other gun lobbies. It is just as discouraging that the NRA's purpose has evolved from supporting the safe and controlled use of guns for sport, to knowingly supporting easy access to guns, even assault weapons. Arms purchase is unregulated at local gun shows and on the Internet. Now that we know that the NRA's leadership is corrupt, will they still be able to influence Congress?
What would it be like today if our legislators had listened to the supporters of sensible gun control legislation instead of being swayed by the NRA? According to a study by Stanford University professor John Donohue, the Assault Weapons ban alone, which was allowed to lapse in 2004, was associated with a 25 percent drop in gun massacres (from eight to six) and a 40 percent drop in fatalities (from 81 to 49). Mandatory gun locks and safe storage laws – which do not affect gun ownership in any way – could reduce youth firearm deaths by 6 percent. Innumerable people might not be maimed or dead, and street violence would not be so far out of control.
Posted in Peace & Justice Blog
Fifty Seven Years and Counting…
Blog by Sr. Pat Dual, OP
Last week, I watched news coverage and commemorated virtually my solidarity with those who commemorated the 1963 March on Washington, for jobs and racial equality, with a 2020 March on Washington protesting racial inequality. On August 28, 2020, thousands flooded the streets of Washington, D.C. once again to protest racial injustice, but with the added demand for police reform and to proclaim that Black Lives Matter.
Fifty seven years after Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. proclaimed his "Dream" of the Beloved Community before our nation, we stand in the same spot demanding not only racial equality—but the right NOT to be killed by those sworn to protect and to serve. In the midst of a pandemic, they came—masked and risking their lives to bear a wide variety of messages—calling for justice and equality with persistent reminders on signs and on their person—that human dignity applies to black and brown bodies too.
While many of the inequality issues of both the March in 1963 and the March in 2020 remained the same, there were some important differences. The most evident was the significant diversity of the mostly young protesters. In addition, the theme that they chose, "Get Your Knee Off Our Necks," might seem provocative, but it bears an image of truth about racism in America. Racism is the "knee" that systematically "chokes" the life out of black and brown people—economically, educationally and actually every aspect of life. Systemic racism can literally cost them their lives.
Whether America will more effectively acknowledge and address the entrenchment of systemic racism in our society this time, is still an open question for me. However, I do feel that the national and global consciousness of racism is in a place it has not been before. We are at a place where real change is possible, but not without uncomfortable and difficult dialogue and change.
Fifty seven years and counting—as a 68 year old Black woman, as a religious Sister, as a Dominican Sister of Peace—I often ask myself, how do I feel about this continuing struggle for human dignity? This may seem like an easy question, but sometimes, it is not. Certainly, it is a given, that I stand with those seeking justice and peace. But many times, to quote the recent words of former First Lady Michelle Obama and countless others, "I am frustrated and tired." Especially, when I hear of more violence and yet another shooting of an unarmed Black person by police. Or, when I hear the obvious lies and promotion of violence coming from the highest office in America. The list could go on and on, but you get the idea. Then comes the reality check.
The Atlantic photo credit Emily Jan.
I can always count on God to provide a reality check. It comes in different ways and sometimes, I wish it would come much sooner—but it comes. It comes in the form of hope, like an adorable picture of a baby sporting an indelible truth on his hat and his shirt. Or, it comes in the form of the 12-year old granddaughter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., standing in the very spot her grandfather stood in 57 years ago, talking about justice and speaking truth to power. Sometimes hope comes in the realization that the diversity and youth involved in the struggle for justice today, is indeed, a sign of progress. Hope came last week in the form of a peaceful march by diverse peoples to Washington, D.C. to commemorate earlier struggles for racial equality.
12 year old Yolanda Renee King, granddaughter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., speaking at March on Washington 2020 and with her father, Martin Luther King III. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
In whatever form God chooses to inspire me with hope during these times, I am grateful. How does God inspire you during these times?
Posted in God Calling?
Peace and Justice Updates, 9.2.2020
Webinar – September 3, 2020:
Following Jesus in Election Season – Christian Allegiance: Two Perspectives. Join our colleague, Fr. John Dear, on this webinar organized by The Global Immersion Project. Learn more and register here.
Stand Up For Families in Ohio
Please consider taking 5 minutes right now to sign and share this Ohio faith leader sign-on letter to Senator Portman. Sources indicate that it may be possible to convince the Senator of the importance of including mixed-status families in the financial relief offered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, we hope you will sign our letter urging him to cosponsor the "Coronavirus Assistance for American Families (CAAF) Act" and to support an expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit in order to provide economic stimulus and financial relief to families in need during this global pandemic.
The deadline for signatures is September 4, so please act now!
The Refugee Council USA is organizing Virtual Lobby Days this week. Please consider participating by contacting your senators and representative and urging them to hold the administration accountable and restore the U.S. refugee quota to historic levels.
By September 30th, the Trump Administration is required by U.S. law to consult with House and Senate Judiciary Committee leaders before deciding how many refugees can be resettled to the United States in FY 2021. Since 1980, the U.S. has set a ceiling of about 95,000 refugees each year. However, this number has dropped precipitously during the Trump administration, reaching a low of 18,000 for FY 2020, a decrease of more eighty percent.
The United States can and should resettle more refugees. By comparison, Germany, with a population about one fourth the size of the U.S., settled more than 800,000 refugees in 2015. Refugees are a great gift to our country. Many are working on the frontlines during the coronavirus pandemic, including 176,000 in the health care field.
NOTE: If your senator or representative holds a key leadership position (named below), a call to their office would be very helpful. The message is simple:
Please restore the U.S. refugee quota to at least the pre-Trump administration level of 95,000. The United States can and should welcome more refugees. They are a gift to our country.
Sen. Graham (R-SC), Chair, Senate Judiciary Committee: 202-224-5972
Sen. Cornyn (R-TX), Chair, Senate Immigration Subcommittee: 202-224-2934
Sen. Feinstein (D-CA), Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee: 202-224-3841
Sen Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member, Senate Immigration Subcommittee: 202-224-2152
Rep. Nadler (NY-10), Chair, House Judiciary Committee: 202-225-5635
Rep. Lofgren (CA-19), Chair, House Immigration Subcommittee: 202-225-3072
Rep. Jordan (OH-04), Ranking Member, House Judiciary Committee: (202) 225-2676
Rep. Buck (CO-04), Ranking Member, House Immigration Subcommittee: 202-225-4676
Posted in Peace & Justice Weekly Updates
Blog by Justice Promoter Sister Judy Morris, OP
What happened to the stories of children at the border, of babies in cages, of children never found after being separated from their parents? In the torrent of news around the pandemic, of protests, and of the mudslinging of the presidential campaign, those stories have disappeared. Not only are the stories missing from the front page, they cannot be found even on the back pages.
Outside of the traditional media, stories of abuse continue. A teenage girl with her baby fled Guatemala and arrived at the U.S. border this summer. She pleaded for help, stating that a man who raped her vowed to make her "disappear." Despite her pleas, she was taken into custody by the U.S. government and held for several days in a hotel, with little outside contact. According to Pro Publica, she was expelled from the country.
Like her, thousands of migrant children have been expelled by the Trump administration since March, without access to lawyers or family members.
The Trump administration cites the threat of COVID 19 as the reason for removing children as young as eight months from the border and returning them almost immediately. The word "deportation" is not used – and that's by design. A "deportation" is a proceeding based on years of established law – a legal action that mandates a formal hearing in immigration court. By "expelling" the refugee, the Administration takes away the most basic of human rights. There is no lawyer, no social worker and no family member available while in the United States.
Lisa Frydman, Vice President of International Programs at Kids in Need of Defense, an advocacy group for migrant children, states, "We are only reaching a tiny fraction of these kids, the rest are just gone."
According to a report from the Texas Tribune and Propublica, "Most children who now reach the United States are quickly flown back to their home countries, often to danger, forcing the intervention of international child welfare agencies to protect them from harm. Some children told advocates that they were sent to Mexico, in the middle of the night, even if they were not from there."
Imagine your child, your grandchild. Six years old. Alone. In a country that they have never seen.
Children disappeared.
Truth disappeared.


Canada's exports increased 6.3 per cent in June while imports declined 0.6 per cent. Export volumes rose 4.8 per cent and prices 1.5 per cent. For imports, volumes declined 0.9 per cent while prices were up 0.3 per cent. As a result, Canada's merchandise trade deficit with the world narrowed from $3.4 billion in May to $476 million in June. Exports to the United States rose 7.1 per cent to $34.2 billion in June. Exports to countries other than the United States increased 3.8 per cent to $10.4 billion. A $646 million increase in exports to the United Kingdom was partially offset by a $289 million decrease in exports to Switzerland.
The federal government has closed the book on what was once called the Canadian Wheat Board. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz says Ottawa has finalized the sale of the agency that marketed grain for western Canadian farmers since 1935 to G3 Global Grain Group. G3 says the board, known recently as CWB, will be combined with Bunge Canada to form a new company called G3 Canada Ltd.
In a communication addressed to all CN employees, Claude Mongeau, president and chief executive officer, advises that he will soon need to undergo surgery to remove a rare type of precancerous soft-tissue tumour located in the upper left part of his larynx. The medical treatment plan will call for a surgery towards the end of August or early in September, an expected month or so to heal properly, followed by around six weeks of targeted radiation therapy to completely cure the illness so the tumour does not recur in the future.
Canadian Pacific (CP) anticipates adding more trains to its Dedicated Train Program serving western Canadian grain shippers for the 2015-16 crop year, the Class I announced. CP is gearing up to offer "best-in-class service" to respond to greater demand to move grain and grain products from western Canada. Introduced last crop year, the DTP is designed to provide customers greater control of car supply to manage their supply chain, according to a CP press release.
The Surface Transportation Board announced the railroad industry's composite after-tax cost of capital has been calculated at 10.65 percent for 2014, down from 11.32 percent In 2013. The cost-of-capital figure represents the board's estimate of the average rate of return needed to persuade investors to provide capital to the freight-rail industry, according to an STB press release. The board calculates the figure annually, and uses it to evaluate the adequacy of an individual railroad's revenue each year.
Is Bakken CBR fading away?
"Bakken crude-by-rail (CBR) volumes are down this year and pipeline shipments are increasing as production levels off in the wake of last year's price crash," says RBN's Rusty Braziel. "The trend is encouraged by lower price differentials between domestic and international crude as well as new pipelines coming online. Since 2012 a combination of rail and pipeline has given Bakken producers ample crude takeaway capacity but pipelines alone have not had sufficient capacity on their own. However, with production slowing down, pipeline capacity is catching up, and by 2017 there should be enough pipelines to carry all North Dakota's crude to market."
A national cargo theft reporting program that started as a pilot program in Quebec and Ontario is being expanded to Atlantic Canada. The Insurance Bureau of Canada, the RCMP, and the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association are joining forces to run the program in the region. The Canadian Trucking Association says the theft of cargo is a $5 billion problem each year in Canada.
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne provided details on the design of the new Ontario Retirement Pension Plan. The ORPP was one of the Premier's initial election promises and the government claims the program will address the 3.5 million Ontario workers that do not have a secure workplace pension plan. The Premier added that the ORPP will be phased in. The hope of the provincial government is that every employee — even the self-employed — in the province would be part of the ORPP or comparable pension plan by 2020.
Just released figures from a previously unannounced one-day truck safety crackdown show inspectors in Canada found a fewer percentage of problems than in the U.S. According to results released Wednesday by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, which certifies truck inspectors, more than 6,300 trucks and buses were checked on May 6 in 32 Canadian provinces and U.S. states, along with Puerto Rico, as part of its Operation Airbrake.
After hitting a three-year low in May, FTR's Trucking Conditions Index rose to the highest level recorded in 2015. According to the data, the TCI measure for June jumped 56 per cent to 7.66 from May. FTR said that though freight growth slowed during Q2, it is on track for the sixth straight year of annual gains. The firm added that drops in fuel costs, "continue to be a positive for everyone involved" though with labour costs increasing, there is still pressure for rising rates.
The arrival of bigger, post-Panamax container ships which recently is good news for the struggling port of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The CMA-CGM Vivaldi stopped at the Halterm terminal carrying 8478 TEUs (total equivalent units) the largest container ship to call on the port. An even bigger ship, known as a super post-Panamax ship built for 9200 TEU is scheduled to arrive in Halifax next month. Both of these larger vessels are owned by CMA-CGM of France, the third largest container shipping company in the world with 445 ships.
Egypt has opened a major expansion of the Suez Canal, which deepens the main waterway and provides ships with a 35km (22 mile) channel parallel to it. At the inauguration, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi welcomed foreign leaders aboard a historic yacht as helicopters and fighter jets flew by. The expansion aims to increase the traffic handled by the canal.
The Canadian Government is set to invest $22.7m in enhancing the safety of marine transportation in the Arctic. As part of a five-year plan, the new investment will support the northern economy and remote communities as they depend on marine transport for supplies, fuel and economic development. Canada Transport Minister Lisa Raitt said, "The Government of Canada is proud to announce these improvements in marine transportation in the Arctic."
Maersk Line is adding Prince Rupert to its Far East-Alaska service. The revised service will call at Yokohama, Hakata, Busan, Dalian, Qingdao, Prince Rupert, Dutch Harbour, Yokohama, with the first call at Prince Rupert planned on Aug. 27 with the 1,732-TEURHL Astrum, reports Alphaliner. The service will turn in five weeks instead of four weeks to cater for the extra distance.
The shipping season at the Port of Oshawa is off to a wildly successful start, with shipments up by an "unprecedented" 93 per cent, the port recently announced in a press release. Since the start of the season in April, volumes on almost every type of cargo moving through Oshawa's port, from steel to potash to calcium chloride are all way up from the same time last year. "It is good news, and it's up really quite significantly," says Gary Valcour, chairman of the board of the Oshawa Port Authority.
Air China Cargo's new freight service between Shanghai and Edmonton, Alberta, is a "game-changer" for western Canadian trade with Asia, say officials. Starting Sept. 3, China's flag-carrying air cargo carrier, ACC, will fly high-capacity Boeing 777Fs on a Shanghai-Edmonton-Dallas-Edmonton-Shanghai routing. Shanghai's Pudong International Airport ranks as the world's third-largest cargo hub. The flight serves Edmonton six times per week, with three flights from Dallas and three from Shanghai.
Hamilton airport's new cargo terminal is wheels up. The $12-million Ontario facility was officially opened recently, even though its main tenant has been operating from it for a month. Airport president Frank Scremin said the new terminals, with a cooler, secured customs area and 16 truck bays, will open Mount Hope airport to tons of cargo it hasn't been able to handle before. "This will open access to the overnight express business in Hamilton to a lot of cargo operators," Scremin said. "This facility is going to be accessible for them."
The International Air Transport Association released data for global air freight markets showing a slowdown in growth for air cargo demand in June. Air freight volumes measured in freight tonne kilometers rose just 1.2 per cent compared to a year ago. This is consistent with falling trade activity and weaker than expected global growth. Regional performance varied widely. Asia-Pacific, North American and Latin American carriers reported year-on-year declines — -0.3 per cent, -3.3 per cent, and -1.6 per cent respectively — while European carriers reported that markets were flat.
Air Canada says it has a new policy, effective immediately, not to carry any shipment of lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros or Cape buffalo trophies worldwide as freight. The airline made the statement today in response to a query from CBC News. But you won't have trouble transporting some Canadian animal trophies, such as black bears or grizzly bears. Even polar bears can be shipped with the correct government permits.


text:
Q: How to disable remove data set and remove layers buttons in kepler.gl I want to disable the remove data set and remove layers buttons in the kepler.gl map
enter image description here
enter image description here
and here is my code
React.useEffect(() => {
    if (data) {
      dispatch(
        addDataToMap({
          datasets: {
            info: {
              label: "happiness index",
              id: "happiness index"
            },
            data
          },
          options: {
            centerMap: true,
            readOnly: false,
            mapStyle:{
              opacity:0.5
            }
          },
          config: {
          }
        })
      );
    }
  }, [dispatch, data]);
  return (
    <KeplerGl
      id="covid"
      mapboxApiAccessToken={process.env.REACT_APP_MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN}
      width={window.innerWidth}
      height={window.innerHeight}
    />
  );

How can I do it

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
"U.S. Intelligence" Expert looking at possible money laundering associated with the Sekisui House land fraud incident
Yasuyuki Onishi
Shinchosha Foresight
On March 17, 2020 Tokyo District Court sentenced Mike Uchida, one of the primary offenders for the "Sekisui House land fraud incident", to prison for 12 years.
A judicial decision has been made on the fraud incident where Sekisui House, a real estate professional, was deceived by a fraudulent landlord group including Mike Uchida and lost 5.55 billion yen.
However, the case is not yet over.
Where the 5.55 billion yen that Sekisui House had lost went is unknown. There is a team investigating this possible money laundering.
One of the slate directors
The team is in the U.S.
The team's contact for Japan is Mr. Christopher Douglas Brady. He is one of the slate directors in the shareholder proposal dated February 14, 2020 to Sekisui House by Mr. Isami Wada, former chairman, and Mr. Fumiyasu Suguro, director. The shareholder proposal seeks to replace the current management team of Sekisui House.
At the press conference of February 17, 2020, all the slate directors were present and answered questions by media reporters.
Mr. Brady's name is at the top of the slate and he was introduced as Chairman and CEO of Chart Group and Chart National, the U.S. investment firms. He was wearing an expensive looking suit.
He looks like a very good looking white person you will often see in Washington, D.C. His comment drew attention at the press conference.
In response to a reporter's question "Why did you accept a nomination to be a slate director?", he answered as follows.
"My specialty is national security and intelligence. The investigation report (Mr. Wada requested Sekisui House's investigation committee to produce after the land fraud incident / the current management of Sekisui House has been resisting to disclose) shows a number of indicia of money laundering. It often leads to terrorists' financing, but the current management of Sekisui House has not requested the police to investigate the case in this context.
In the U.S., there are 16 intelligence agencies and we are working with these agencies on the Sekisui House case.
In order to promote a governance reform for Japanese companies, you should not allow another Olympus incident where a whistleblower was ousted."
He was talking about Mr. Michael Woodford, former British CEO of Olympus who was a whistleblower and pursued to accuse its management team of accounting fraud but was ousted.
In the Sekisui House case, Chairman Wada (then) who was looking after the company's overseas business, established a third-party committee to investigate the incident. The investigation report concluded:
President Toshinori Abe (current Chairman) (who was responsible for domestic business and promoted the transaction) "should be heavily responsible."
And Mr. Wada pursued to dismiss Mr. Abe. However the motion to dismiss Mr. Abe did not get a majority vote and was rejected, and instead Mr. Wada was forced to resign.
His father was United States Secretary of the Treasury under President George H. W. Bush
Who is the CEO of an investment fund with specialty in national security and intelligence?
The land fraud was a fraud incident in Japan, and Mr. Wada's resignation seems to have been just as a result of an internal power struggle. Why does that relate to national security or intelligence?
The following comment by a member of Mr. Wada's team answered the question.
"Mr. Brady is a son of Nicholas F. Brady, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury under President George H. W. Bush."
He looks just like his father. His father was Secretary of the Treasury from September 1988 to January 1993. That Mr. Brady whose name is in "Brady Bonds" issued mostly by Latin American countries in the 1980s.
The ancestor who rejuvenated the Brady family is Nicholas Brady's grandfather, Anthony Nicholas Brady.
In 1857, Anthony Nicholas Brady, whose family was Irish, moved from Lille, France to New York at the age of 15, and started working at a hotel. At the age of 19 he went into business for himself, opening a tea store.
He went on to become a politically astute transportation magnate, and then became a dominant figure in the transportation systems of several American cities plus that of Paris.
He became the largest shareholder of American Tobacco Company by 1900, and a large shareholder of such companies as Thomas Edison and William C. Whitney, and became a member of the Consolidated Stock Exchange of New York.
Mr. Christopher Douglas Brady's great-grandfather is like a U.S. version of Eiichi Shibusawa and founded the basis of U.S. capitalism in late 19th century. The Brady family is very well respected in the U.S. as "a guardian angel of money."
The Chart Group that Mr. Christopher Douglas Brady founded in 1995 is an investment firm focusing on the defense industry and intelligence, and he serves as an advisor to companies in those areas.
Joseph Robert Wright Jr., who became Chairman of Chart National's Advisory Board, is a big name in the telecommunications industry and a former Chairman of Intelsat, the satellite company. He was appointed by President H.W. Bush to the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC). Admiral Timothy J. Keating who retired in 2009 as the Commander, United States Pacific Command is one of the Advisory Board members.
"FBI has contacted us"
Why is such a pedigree gentleman from the U.S. interested in the Japanese housing company involved in the land fraud?
Mr. Suguro, who will become president once the shareholder proposal wins a majority vote, is the person who first contacted Mr. Brady.
Probably the largest reason why Mr. Brady accepted the slate director nomination was because he sensed the possibility of money laundering in the land fraud transaction.
After 9/11 in 2001, the U.S. started an asymmetrical war with terrorism. In the war with somebody who is not a state, even if you kill a leader of an organization, as far as the organization has money to fight, they continue fighting against the U.S. It is of importance that you do not provide money to them.
It is like having missiles to attack money laundering via Japan, which is viewed by the western world as a loose path to terrorists. Therefore it is very understandable that Mr. Brady became interested in Sekisui House.
Mike Uchida, one of the primary offenders in the land fraud incident, may not be tied to terrorists like Islamic State or Al Qaeda.
However, the lost money in the incident may be used to maintain or strengthen the criminal organizations and their activities, which will lead to organized crimes and terrorism.
That is the international society's understanding of how money laundering works. Therefore the U.S. is very sensitive to underground money produced from gambling, prostitution, and fraud.
Subsequent to Sekisui House's announcement on March 5, 2020 of opposition to the shareholder proposal, Mr. Wada and his team held another press conference on March 11, 2020. At the press conference, they explained that bearer's checks, which are equivalent to cash, were used for the settlement of the large transaction of 5.55 billion yen, and that the transaction had the intermediary company named "IKUTA HOLDINGS" which was a shell company, and once again argued that the current management of Sekisui House is heavily responsible for the incident.
Sekisui House issued multiple bearer's checks and Mike Uchida and others cashed all of the checks immediately on the settlement day.
Some professionals wonder why MUFG (Mitsubishi UFJ) Bank accommodated the settlement by Sekisui House in a manner that makes it easy for the swindlers to divide the money among them.
Mr. Naoki Matsuoka, the lawyer representing the plaintiff for the shareholder derivative lawsuit, said:
"We have been contacted by the FBI of the U.S. on the possibility of money laundering in this case. We have not learned about the details of their investigation, but obviously they are interested."
What findings will Mr. Brady and his network help come out by the general meeting of shareholders scheduled for April 23, 2020? What decisions will the Sekisui House shareholders make based on the findings?
Fierce information warfare is going on in secret under tight schedule.
February 17, 2020 -- Slate directors who made a shareholder proposal seeking to replace the current management of Sekisui House. Christopher Douglas Brady (second from left). Isami Wada, former Chairman (second from right)(C)Jiji