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With billions of public money at stake, this N.J. agency said 'yes' to mostly everything
Updated: Jan. 16, 2020, 8:52 p.m. |
Published: Jan. 16, 2020, 4:35 p.m.
A new report says the state's Economic Development Authority appeared predisposed to say 'yes' to companies seeking tax breaks.Reena Rose Sibayan | The Jersey
Ted Sherman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
They were basically "Yes Men," presiding over billions in tax breaks given out by the state.
A new report by a governor's task force on the state's troubled Economic Development Authority charged that the agency had a culture with a less-than-rigorous approach of evaluating applications by companies vying for New Jersey tax incentives.
And part of the problem, it said, is that the award of tax credits were tied to the authority's own revenues.
"Although we have not identified any instance in which the EDA willfully awarded incentives in clear violation of legal requirements, we have observed numerous instances of the authority working to 'get to yes,' as more than one EDA employee described," said the Tax Incentive Task Force in an 88-page report released Thursday.
At the same time, the task force said the EDA's manner of administering of New Jersey's tax incentive programs "failed to maximize the intended economic benefits to the state."
The task force was appointed by Gov. Phil Murphy last year after a critical report by the state comptroller concluded the EDA may have "improperly awarded, miscalculated, overstated and overpaid" credits to a number of companies involving literally billions in state funding.
Those awards were intended as incentive packages aimed at encouraging companies to move to New Jersey, create new jobs, or keep businesses from moving out of state. But abuse was long pervasive in the program.
Much of the focus of the task force has been on incentives that went to businesses tied to South Jersey power broker George E. Norcross III. Attorneys for the task force have charged that legislation meant to spur economic development in the state was re-written in part to benefit Norcross interests in Camden.
According to the new report, shortcomings in how the agency evaluated tax incentive applications may have resulted in improper awards to companies.
"The EDA's institutional approach, set by senior management, is generally pre-disposed towards approving projects and granting relatively higher awards, an attitude that trickles down through the organizational structure within the EDA," the report said. In fact, the report said investigators found EDA underwriters were warned against or even criticized for asking "too many questions" of an applicant.
The task force pointed again to the approval of nearly $40 million in incentive payments to Cooper Health System, which it has repeatedly questioned in the past. Norcross is chairman of Cooper.
"The EDA failed to subject Cooper Health's application to an appropriate level of scrutiny, and the result was that Cooper Health was awarded millions in incentives for which the health system did not qualify," the report said.
"The EDA had such inadequate processes and procedures for evaluating applications that it overlooked open and obvious red flags," the report said, adding that based on improper conclusions, Cooper Health's award ballooned from $7.15 million to $39.9 million.
The report charged that the EDA failed to accurately determine whether other applicants were actually at risk of locating jobs outside of New Jersey if denied incentives.
"Due to the agency's deficient evaluation process, companies applying for tax incentives may easily misrepresent their relocation intentions without fear of likely consequences. There is evidence that certain companies obtained millions of dollars in awards based on assertions that they would move to out-of-state locations that were never genuinely under consideration," the report said.
Noting that the vast majority of companies that applied to the EDA for tax incentives retained consultants who are well aware of the shortcomings in the EDA's "at risk" evaluations, it said many were willing to exploit those failings. The issue was raised in an October task force hearing, in connection with a food service company who was advised to include an alternative site outside of New Jersey in its Grow NJ incentive application when, in reality, the company had no actual intention of relocating.
Cooper Health officials have said the hospital system's tax incentive award was appropriate, justified and legitimate, and Norcross firmly defended it during testimony before a state Senate committee hearing in November.
The task force in its report cited his testimony. Norcross told the committee Cooper Health had been "clear" with the EDA "from the start" that none of its jobs would be relocated outside the state. The report disputed that, noting that Cooper as part of its application provided the EDA with a proposal letter for the health system to lease real estate in Philadelphia.
Cooper officials said they were told to do that by an EDA staffer. But the task force said the EDA employee in question denied the allegation.
In a statement, Norcross said the report "reads as a justification by someone who has billed state taxpayers in excess of $11 million and is defensive about being sued by the same companies he's smearing," referring to Jim Walden, a lawyer and former federal prosecutor who serves as lead counsel to the task force.
"The award of tax incentives to my firm was previously investigated by the United States Attorneys Office, which determined no further action was warranted," he said. "We — my firm and its partners — have always complied with the letter and the spirit of the law. Nothing in today's document changes that fact."
Tim Sullivan, the current CEO of the Economic Development Authority, said the agency has already taken a number of steps to address issues identified by the new report, as well as the earlier report the task force issued in June 2019.
"Our foremost obligation is to be stewards of taxpayer resources, and the work of the Governor's Task Force has been integral to our efforts to improve the EDA's performance," said Sullivan.
Murphy has been an outspoken critic of the state's economic incentive program, which he maintains "wasted far too much taxpayer money and created far too few jobs."
The key incentive programs expired in June, but the Legislature has been seeking to extend them. Murphy has called for reforms, including incentive caps which are opposed by the Legislature.
Proposals to reform the programs have been stalled between the legislative leadership and the governor for months.
READ THE TASK FORCE REPORT
Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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Browse through our Interesting Nodes on Academic Institutions in Greece Read the Convention Relating to the Regime of the Straits (24 July 1923) Read the Convention Relating to the Regime of the Straits (24 July 1923)
Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot Press and Other Media, 99-12-28
Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>
TURKISH CYPRIOT PRESS AND OTHER MEDIA
No. 239/99 -- 28.12.99
[A] NEWS ITEMS
[01] Talat a candidate.
[02] Denktash attends ceremony in Ankara.
[03] Cakmakoglu: Cyprus policy does not change daily.
[04] Demirel stresses reality of ``TRNC''.
[01] Talat a candidate
According to illegal Bayrak radio (27-12-99) the Republican Turkish Party has announced that party leader Mehmet Ali Talat is a ``presidential candidate''. CTP Secretary General Ferdi Sabit Soyer, stated in a news conference that Talat is not only his party�s candidate, but the common candidate of those who favour an acceptable solution in Cyprus and who want to take part in the EU.
Addressing the news conference Talat said that new relations are needed in order to enable the Turkish Cypriot people to occupy a just position in a new world. Noting that the EU goal has become a reality, Talat said that even the sectors which in the past posited conditions for joining the EU or refused to consider joining the EU without Turkey, must now see and properly assess the EU reality. This process, he said, will inevitably affect all sectors and determine their positions.
Talat said that the confederation proposal does not suit the new conditions. He said: The continued insistence and obstinacy in this regard is far from being realistic. The proposals should concentrate on questions such as how do we protect the interests of the Turkish Cypriot people during the EU accession process, what kind of steps are we to take in this connection and how are we to prepare the people. Any new proposals must be put forward bearing in mind the new conditions. Talat underlined the importance of protecting the interests of the Turkish Cypriot people in this process ensuring that they occupy a place within the EU after reaching a secure solution.
Talat explained that within the framework of these new concepts, it is necessary to distance oneself from Denktash�s current attitude, which consists of fighting with the entire world, trying to provide answers to Clerides and the EU institutions and presenting the community with an attitude that accords top priority to the interests of the Turkish Cypriot people and protects their rights. He added: ``we need a `presidency� which protects the rights of the Turkish Cypriots, which integrates with the world, which trusts its own people, and which respects peace, democracy and human rights; a presidency in which the decisions will be made in Cyprus and in which the relations with Turkey will be conducted on the basis of mutual respect and interests.''
[02] Denktash attends ceremony in Ankara
Ankara Anatolia (27.12.99) reports that Rauf Denktash went Ankara yesterday (27.12.99) to attend the celebrations for the 80th anniversary of Ataturk�s visit to Ankara.
[03] Cakmakoglu: Cyprus policy does not change daily
According to Ankara Anatolia (27.12.99) Sabahattin Cakmakoglu, Turkish National Defense Minister stated that Turkey�s policy on Cyprus is not drawn on a day to day basis, but it is a policy based on realities and which has been developed through the years.
Speaking on his arrival in the occupied area, Cakmakoglu said that Turkey�s policy on Cyprus recognizes two states, two communities and the sovereignty of two peoples.
Cakmakoglu further said that the mistakes committed in the search for a permanent solution between the two states on Cyprus, have to be corrected. He added that the incorrect view that ``the Greek Cypriot side represents the whole of Cyprus'' has to change.
[04] Demirel stresses reality of ``TRNC''
``The Greek Cypriot side in southern Cyprus does not have any jurisdiction over northern Cyprus. If the reality of northern Cyprus is accepted, there will be many openings in the way to the solution''.
According to Ankara Anatolia (27.12.99) the above statement was made by the Turkish President Suleyman Demirel during a reception. Earlier Demirel received Rauf Denktash. Demirel said that everybody in Turkey is in agreement regarding the Cyprus problem and praised Denktash, saying that he handles the issue as an epic hero despite the adverse conditions.
President Demirel expressed the hope that a permanent and a just solution on Cyprus is not far away, adding that Turkey and ``TRNC'' have always acted with good will.
Turkey, he said, has never caused difficulties, but a just and permanent solution on the island is necessary. He claimed that there are two separate states and two equal sovereignties on the island and it does not seem possible to find a solution without taking into consideration the ``de facto situation''.
Turkey, he said, is trying to explain this to the world together with Rauf Denktash.
Speaking after President Demirel, Rauf Denktash pointed out that Tureky�s candidacy to the European Union is an opportunity for Turkey to explain the Cyprus problem in a more effective way.
Citing US President Clinton who said that ``there is no return back on Cyprus'', Denktash said we have to start from the point we left off. He reiterated his assertion that there are two national societies on the island which have been governing themselves for 36 years.
The main thing, he said, is to determine the fields in which the two peoples can cooperate and live as good neighbours.
Recalling his confederation proposal Denktash said he defended this view in New York.
Like everybody says, Denktash went on, a give-take procedure can start in the third round in June. ``If there is to be peace, the embargo has to be lifted on the ``TRNC''. ``We want a strong agreement, based on sovereignty rights and which will not collapse'', Denktash added.
From the Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office (PIO) Server at http://www.pio.gov.cy/
tcpr2html v1.00 run on Tuesday, 28 December 1999 - 11:04:22 UTC

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


If you are a woman that tends to enjoy neutrals when it comes to fashion, probably winter is 1 of your favorite seasons of the year? With blogging platforms such as Instagram, Tumblr, WordPress, and other sharing web sites, bloggers have emerged as specialist fashion commentators, shaping brands and possessing a excellent effect on what is 'on trend'. From Psychological Point of View: Distinct folks have distinct perceptions about different colours, fabrics, and fashion. Quite good men's fashion lens… I guess I'm far more of a classics type of guys…. some of these fashions are crazy… it really is virtually like they cater men's fashion for gays… where's the stuff for us regular female loving guys. Most of the political events and laws are affecting fashion in a way of creating fashion trend.
Sick of the privations and restrictions of war, a lot of ladies found the flowing, feminine style to be really attractive and the New Appear ultimately won out, to influence women's fashion properly into the next decade. Maintain in mind layering is the crucial word in fashion this season… You will notice most of the fashions under are on the classic side – it is up to you to mix it up, and produce your personal particular look, a signature appear all your personal. It will bring your fashion style game to a complete new level other individuals will wonder.
Historians, including James Laver and Fernand Braudel , date the commence of Western fashion in clothes to the middle of the 14th century , 9 ten even though it must be noted that they have a tendency to rely heavily on contemporary imagery 11 and illuminated manuscripts have been not widespread ahead of the fourteenth century. Shoes became an important fashion accessory thanks to the increasing hemlines of the dresses. Flapper fashion speaks volumes about the new independent woman who emerged throughout the Roaring 20s. Altering laws regulating clothes production, factory regulations, and labor fees, whilst not directly affecting garments have led to a dramatic alter in American fashion. Fashion is what tends to make you appear very good in a way that flatters you, akin to a peacocks' tail.
Modern fashion got strength for the duration of Renaissance time Aristocrats of Renaissance time have been excellent patrons of fashion. This is evident not only from television shows straight spotlighting the fashion industry, but also films, events and music videos which showcase fashion statements as well as market specific brands by way of item placements. Employment: Fashion has grow to be an sector and thousand of individuals are employed in this market as researchers, marketers, developers, companies, laborers, and many more. Fashion trends are influenced by several aspects such as political, economical, social and technological. Once more, fashion production is now a quite profitable course in colleges and universities. She's also caught the lucrative acting bug with guest stings on Royal Pains and Law & Order: SVU. You do not want your fashion to go out with the season you want to hold it going all year about.
Claudette Colbert's racy get-ups in her function as the Queen of the Nile inspired the fashion planet with its bias reduce dresses, Egyptian collars, and lotus flower motifs. Numerous big retailers also seek fashion buyers who can perform with designers about the world to get new clothing options into the stores for buyers. Mia Farrow appeared in this classic tale of paranoia wearing baby-doll style mini dresses, neat tailored minis, and tent dresses with Peter Pan collars. What with the hardships of war and general disapproval of Paris, the fashion sector moved to New York with the American look.


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CHARITY BEGINS OVERSEAS
Posted on March 16, 2018 by mikeelphick
It was a sunny Monday afternoon, and Faith Edwards was knitting in her front room. Seated in a wooden rocking chair with a giant yellow cushion on the seat, she flashed the steel needles rapidly while drawing from a ball of blue wool in her lap. Patches, her Calico cat, was curled up on a wooden chest in front of the window, warming herself in the sunshine and watching passersby outside. Bonnie, her son's black-and-white Collie dog, crouched on the front lawn waiting for her master to return from school.
Suddenly, Bonnie barked and ran to the gate to greet young Tommy. The boy patted Bonnie and latched the gate behind him. The dog chased after him as he entered the house via the back door for which he had a key. After grabbing a glass of juice and giving the dog a treat, he found his mother in the front room.
"What are you knitting, mum?"
"This will be a pair of socks, son."
"Great, I need some new socks–mine all have holes in them."
"They're not for you Tommy. They're for a charity."
"Oh! What charity?"
"They're for the shoeless natives of Antigua."
"That's weird, mum. If they're shoeless why do they need socks? Do they run around on the beach wearing just socks?"
"No, Tommy. We also contribute whatever we can to buy shoes for them."
"Wow, mum! Grandma should have named you 'Charity'. Like they say, 'you have faith, hope and charity, but the greatest of these is charity'."
"Be nice son. You have to be ready to give to people in need. And you have to learn to take care of yourself. I'll show you how to darn the holes in your socks."
A couple of days later, the front door bell rang with the sound of church bells (a chime chosen by Faith's husband Charles, who was a bell ringer in the local Anglican Church). Standing on the doorstep were a tall man in a grey suit, and a woman in a police uniform. Both showed their identification cards, and the man made the introductions:
"Good morning ma'am. I'm Detective Inspector Nigel Johnson, from Scotland Yard, and this is Constable Kathleen Connor from your local CID. We're investigating some narcotics smuggling linked to local gang activity. We have a few questions, as you may be able to help us with our inquiry."
"Certainly, come inside. But we don't have any major criminals in this town. The last celebrity crook from Redhill was the fellow who organized the Great Train Robbery about forty years ago."
"Well things may have taken a turn for the worse Mrs. Edwards. Do you know a fellow named Juan Gonzalez?"
"I don't think I've ever met anybody with that name. How am I supposed to know him?"
"Well, we have a check for five pounds, signed by you and made out to Juan Gonzalez."
"Oh, now I remember. That was a contribution to a church charity, and they told us to make out the checks to Mr. Gonzalez."
"In the memo column it says, "For AA". What is that, Alcoholics Anonymous?"
"No, it's Antigua Aid. The money buys shoes for the shoeless natives."
"What church organized that charity?"
"It's called the Unitarian Universalist Society."
"What denomination is that?"
"It's not any denomination, its ecumenical. They take people of all faiths: Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, etc. It's more like a social club than a church. I used to go to Saint John's with my husband, because he's a bell ringer there. But I didn't like some of the policies of their
Women's Institute. So several of us left and joined the new church. I found out about it from my friend Rachel Bierman. She is Jewish but all her friends are Christians. So she felt more comfortable in the Universalist church."
"Well, Mrs. Edwards, the new church may not be as charitable or as innocent as you believe it to be. The Customs authority detained Senor Gonzalez at Gatwick Airport for smuggling some hashish from Antigua. Your charitable contributions seem to have partially financed this operation."
"What happened to the socks?"
"Socks…?"
"Yes. We knitted socks for the shoeless natives of Antigua."
"Really? The gang probably just dumped them. Though, come to think of it, some of the boxes of hashish were labeled "Socks." But customs X-Rayed the boxes and saw tablets and vials inside. So they opened the boxes as they thought they might contain opiates—which are a major concern right now."
"Are these gangsters dangerous?"
"Yes. Though I don't think they will harm you as you're not really a threat to them. However, we'll have the local police watch your house and patrol the neighborhood regularly. Here's my card. I'm staying locally for the next couple of weeks. Give me a call if these thugs bother you, or if you think of anything that might be helpful."
That afternoon started out as usual. Faith was knitting again, but this time she was making smaller socks—the right size for Tommy. The cat was curled up in front of the window, and Bonnie the Collie was waiting for her master on the front lawn. Then Faith heard a loud 'Rat-tat-tat-tat' which she later learned was gunfire from an automatic rifle. The front window collapsed, and Faith dove for the floor, crawling away from the window. The cat scooted towards the back room. Just before she dropped to the floor, Faith glimpsed a black vehicle with tinted windows speeding away from her house.
Trembling with fear, Faith pulled out her smartphone and dialed the number the Scotland Yard detective had given her. He hit her with a barrage of questions: "Is anyone hurt? Did you get the license number of the black SUV? Did you call 999? Did your boy get home from school yet?" After getting a series of "No" replies, Detective Johnson said, "Don't worry about it. We'll take it from here. We'll be there in about five minutes."
A few minutes later, Johnson arrived in a squad car, with Constable Connor driving. Also, there was a second police car with two uniformed officers in it, plus a van with two criminal investigation technicians– who started to track all the bullets littered on the lawn. When Faith ventured out of the house, she was horrified to find that the dog was dead—its head had been blown away by the intense gunfire.
The two detectives went to their car to make some phone calls. They wanted to track down the SUV by checking local security cameras.
Faith started to feel very lonely. She and her husband had always been rather independent. They attended different churches, and at election time they stuck up posters for opposing political parties. But now she wished she had Charles's shoulder to cry on. He worked in the City. But this week, he was attending an economics conference in Germany. She phoned his hotel in Frankfurt, but he was not in his room. So she left a long message explaining everything that had happened. The final two words were, "…Never Again."
Posted in Fiction, Stories	| Leave a reply
Posted on October 24, 2015 by mikeelphick
Squadron Leader Frank Beswick gasped as the Teleprinter spat out the latest radar results from Central Command: "500 PLUS ENEMY PLANES HEADED TO LONDON AND POINTS NORTH. LAUNCH ALL SQUADRONS IN GROUPS 11, 12 and 13."
"Jeez," he muttered. "Goering must have committed his entire Luftwaffe to this one mission." Hitler had, in fact, ordered Goering to destroy the RAF bases and aircraft and take out the radar stations around Britain's coast, in preparation for the planned invasion of Britain known as Operation Sea Lion. That had to be accomplished in less than a month, before the autumn weather made the Channel too rough. So the Battle of Britain had just begun with a big bang.
Beswick figured he'd better soften the news slightly to make the situation seem daunting but not hopeless for his pilots. He sounded the alarm and, in the most commanding voice he could muster, he spoke through the loudspeakers and radios:
"This is a big one, fellows. The Jerries are sending over 250 planes and we have to stop them before they wipe out all our airfields and radar stations. Climb to 20,000 feet and use an inline astern formation. This time we attack them head-on. Let's go for it!"
The usual strategy against German bombers was to climb above them and attack them from behind–preferably with the Sun behind our fighters. This time, however, there were so many planes that most of the bombers would have done their damage before we started to attack from behind. A frontal attack was probably more effective against the bombers, anyway, because it destroyed the morale of the bomber pilots. For the fighter planes, however, it was a different story. If a Spitfire pilot suddenly found himself face-to-face with a Messerschmitt 109, anything could happen.
Because he was handicapped, Doug Bader was allowed to park his Spitfire right outside the dispersal hut where he slept along with the other pilots in his section. He liked to remove his two false legs before retiring. The three camp beds for Doug, Bill Perring and Roy York, the members of the Red section of the 12-man squadron, were all close to the door of the hut. When the alarm sounded, Bill and Roy helped attach the legs to Doug's stumps. Then two mechanics in the ground crew rushed in and carried Doug out to his plane, while Bill and Roy ran to their planes parked nearby. Lifted by the mechanics onto the rear of the wing, Doug grabbed the sides of the cockpit and levered himself into his seat.
As de facto squadron leader, Doug decided that he and Bill would attack the first two bombers, while Roy would cover their tails and chase off any Me 109's that got too close. The German bombers at the front were Junkers 88s flying at 18,000 feet, while Me 109s were circling about 500 feet above them. To the surprise of the Red section, the Me 109s didn't see them when they first arrived. So Doug caught the first bomber by surprise and shot it down. Meanwhile, Bill damaged the second Ju 88 and one engine was smoking. The plane started dumping its bombs and getting ready to turn back to France. Roy figured he would help Bill by attacking the second bomber.
That was a mistake, because the crippled Ju 88 had finally attracted the attention of the Me 109s. The next thing he knew, Roy was face-to face with a Me 109. Both pilots pressed their gun buttons at the same time. Then the two planes collided, with Roy hitting underneath the bandit. Roy's engine seized straight away, the cockpit filled with smoke, and flames licked around the engine. He reached to open the hood so he could bale out. But his propeller had struck the front of the windscreen, and the whole fixture was so twisted he couldn't move the hood.
He felt like a trapped animal—with a slim chance of survival. After his Spitfire slammed into the German fighter, he had no engine and no radio. The cockpit was filling with smoke and there were flames around the engine. He was surprised to find he still had oxygen. But though that prevented him being choked by the acrid smoke, he could still be burned alive, with oxygen as an accelerant. He prayed that the flames were merely an oil fire and that the fuel tank has not been ruptured by the collision. The broken propeller had jammed the canopy, so he couldn't bail out. He would just have to go along for the ride.
Roy figured he was heading inland, with an air speed of about 100 mph. Suddenly there was a terrific jerk, and Roy was tossed left, then right, and finally pitched hard forward on his straps, which fortunately held fast. He'd hit the ground in an open field where anti-invasion posts had been installed to destroy enemy gliders. The plane ploughed through those and finally came to a halt. The remains of his ammunition was going off in a series of pops, and the flames were getting very near the cockpit. Impact with the posts would have ripped open his fuel tank, so he prayed it had stayed behind with the broken wings. Roy hurriedly turned off his oxygen and ripped off his mask. Fortunately, the impact with the posts had loosened his canopy slightly. He could slide it back enough to let smoke out of the cockpit, but not enough to let him climb out. A fierce stabbing pain in his left thigh, and blood streaming out of a gash on his forehead appeared to be his only injuries. He brushed the blood out of his eyes with the sleeve of his flying jacket. After unhitching his chute, he managed to find the plane's emergency kit. Inside he found a small adjustable wrench with which he was able to jimmy open the canopy and break open the windshield. He also found some first aid supplies, so he brought the kit along as he climbed out of the cockpit.
Roy ran from the plane wreck as fast as he could, though his injured leg slowed him down. When he looked back he saw that the Spitfire was blazing furiously in the middle of a corn field and had left a trail of broken posts and pieces of wing and tail. A woman came out of a nearby house and asked if he'd like a cup of tea. Roy asked if she had anything stronger. She phoned the local police and they called the nearest RAF base. Soon an ambulance arrived to take him to a hospital near the base.
While Roy was having his solo adventure, Bill finished shooting down the damaged Ju 88. Out of ammunition, he returned to Northolt, with Doug as his wing man, only to find that a German bomb had left a large crater in the middle of the main runway. Forced to land on one of several neighboring grass airstrips, they were unable to refuel, rearm and rejoin the fray.
The temporary loss of Roy reminded Frank Beswick he urgently needed more trained pilots. So he assigned Doug to finish training three rookie pilots. Doug gave the kids a short lecture and planned to take them aloft after the runway had been repaired.
A kid named Billy Cook was the first trainee to fly with Doug in a second Spitfire. Bader wanted to show him some tactical maneuvers. But soon after they took off, their radios sputtered the message: "German bomber approaching, escorted by two fighters." Almost immediately, they saw one of the Me 109's, with a Dornier 17 behind it. Billy fired the guns when he had the German fighter in his sights. Streams of tracer bullets hit the plane, which immediately went into a spiraling dive. "I got my first kill," Billy shouted into his radio. "Very good," said Doug. "Let's go back to base now."
As Billy walked away from his plane after landing, the armaments sergeant shouted: "Hey, you got lucky Billy. Did you know your plane was unarmed?"
Posted in Fiction, Historical, Stories	| Tagged Air Combat, Battle of Britain, Doug Bader, Messerschmitt, RAF, Spitfire, WWII	| Leave a reply
THE SUICIDE SONG
Singer-songwriter Beth Remington was having a bad day. Her Facebook comment that morning read: "Just got my period and the car needs fixing."
Actually, the car was still running, but it was due for the state emissions test, and performance had fallen way below Beth's demands. She dropped off the car at a local service station called Auto Specialists. They were expensive: Their labor charge was $125 per hour, and they inflated their parts costs—"It's difficult to get parts for these old cars, and you have a lot of custom parts," they explained. But they did good work, and they knew how to hot-rod cars. In fact, they had upgraded Beth's vintage Firebird.
Beth lived alone, except for occasional overnight stays by lovers. Some of those lovers were men, some were women. Beth summarized her lifestyle in one of her many Facebook messages: "I let the love boat sail on by years ago, so I could ride the sexy train for the rest of my days." Her ballsy singing style and physical appearance reminded older fans of Janis Joplin. But she had a stronger voice and a more soulful style than Joplin. Beth didn't have a manager. She booked and promoted her own gigs, and did much of her own studio work. For recording, mixing and editing, she used a software package called Audacity. It wasn't the best music software available, but it was free—and she liked the name.
After she returned home, Beth decided to finish a song she'd been writing. The first line of the song was: "Lately I've been feeling, what's the use." The official title would probably be "What's the Use?" But Beth thought of it as "The Suicide Song." She wasn't feeling suicidal, but she knew that suicide songs were becoming increasingly popular with teenagers. By the time she had finished paying "those greedy mechanics," she would sorely need another hit song. Beth recorded a demo—playing her own keyboard accompaniment. Then she emailed the finished demo and lead sheet to her publisher in New York.
Next day, Beth picked up the Firebird at Auto Specialists, and gave "the crooks" a check for $932. Then she rolled onto the highway to check out the car. Almost immediately, a Mustang drew alongside and gave the well-known "VROOM…VROOM" invitation to drag-race. The driver looked barely old enough to drive. Normally, Beth would have told him to get lost. But this time, she thought it might be interesting to check out her re-tuned car under actual racing conditions. "The chick is gonna whip your sorry ass," she hollered. Then she floored it.
At around 95 mph, she was surprised to see the Mustang still alongside. "It's been souped up," she figured. With closely matched vehicles, the race would go to the boldest driver. The two cars were approaching a curve, and would be forced to slow down. Beth decided to push her car towards the rival car thus forcing it to slow down first. Unfortunately, Kurt in the Mustang had decided to use the same strategy!
<KERBAM—SCREECH—BAM—CRUNCH—SCREECH>
The Mustang slammed headlong into a tree. Beth's car slid along on its crushed roof. The Firebird was soon wrapped in flames.
A paramedic pulled a blanket over Beth's unrecognizable face. "She's gone!" The cop shook his head. "What about the kid?" he asked. "He should survive, but will probably lose that leg".
The music publishing company saw they had a potential blockbuster with the suicide song. So they slanted the press release and biography accordingly. A tabloid headline read: "Suicidal Rock Star Dies in Fiery Crash."
Posted in Fiction, Music, Stories	| Tagged drag racing, Facebook, Firebird, music software, Mustang, singing, song writing	| 1 Reply
BANNED BY THE BBC
Posted on October 9, 2015 by mikeelphick
The variety show started with its usual act. Around the middle of the last century, the "Monday Night at Eight" show on BBC TV started every week with a song from a large red haired woman named Regina Gibson. Apparently, the BBC had an unwritten law: "The show cannot begin until the fat lady sings." Regina specialized in patriotic and religious songs, and scraped a living singing the national anthem before various sports events. This particular week, her chosen song was "Amazing Grace." That rather odd choice was presumably intended to segue into the next act of the show—a magic exhibition by The Amazing Manzoni.
Manzoni's act included a lot of juggling and some sleight-of-hand tricks with playing cards and colored balls and scarves. However his concluding stunt never failed to impress audiences of all ages. He produced a white dove singing in a glass cage. Then he covered the cage with a large black shroud. When he whipped the shroud away a minute later, the cage and the bird had disappeared. Even people who knew how the trick was done were impressed when it was done well. The bird was trained to fly into a pocket in the magician's robe when the door of the cage was opened. Then the "glass" cage, actually constructed of sheets of transparent plastic, collapsed into a flat pack which was then slid into a pocket inside the shroud. If the bird failed to exit the cage on cue, then it would be crushed when the cage collapsed. So any performance in which a bird was not crushed was considered a success. Manzoni wowed the audience and triumphed on the night in question.
The next act featured Lonnie Donegan—a guitarist, banjo player, and blues, folk and rock singer. He was a mediocre instrumentalist, but he was a good-looking guy with a "bad boy" persona. So he appealed more to women than to men. On that specific night, he sang three songs—"Frankie and Johnny," "House of the Rising Sun," and "Rock Island Line." In between the songs, he titillated the audience with patter about whore houses in New Orleans, though he had to be careful not to be too raunchy because this was an 8PM show when the kiddies might be watching.
The star of the show, and closing act, was Max Wall—a stand-up comedian and movie character actor. He had a reputation for doing "blue material," and had been banned from the BBC for a couple of years. His triumphant return was responsible for the show's exceptionally large audience that night. People were curious to see whether he would be banned again, or whether he had wimped out and stopped telling dirty jokes. Of course, back then (around 1950), almost any reference to sex was considered blue material—especially on the BBC and on an early evening show. However, "Monday Night at Eight" was broadcast live without a time delay.
Most of Max's jokes were unexciting. He had fallen back on mother-in-law jokes and regional jokes ("Anybody here from Newcastle?"). The response from a disappointed audience was muted. It wasn't clear whether Max had decided to wimp out and then changed his mind at the last minute, or whether he was merely saving his best stuff for the end. But his last joke was a deal breaker for the BBC. It went something like this: "For my holidays, I went mountain climbing in Northern Spain. I was working my way along a two-foot ledge, with a vertical rock face on my left and a sheer drop of several hundred feet on my right. Then I rounded a corner and saw a blonde bombshell coming towards me. What should I do? Block her passage or toss myself off…"
TV screens went black for about 30 seconds. Then the MC made a brief appearance, mumbling an apology, and the credits started rolling. Max was subsequently banned from the BBC for life. But, of course, the publicity was invaluable for his night club and movie activities. And the BBC had record ratings for his final show.
Posted in Fiction, Stories	| Tagged BBC Variety show, Comedy, Magician, Max Wall, music	| 2 Replies
LOTUS AND THE DRAGONS
Posted on August 25, 2015 by mikeelphick
The Panda House was a small restaurant in New York's Chinatown–with chipped Formica tabletops and folding metal chairs. It was also a window into the Chinese underworld. The building was owned by the largest Triad in the US, a gang that called itself the Flying Dragons. It housed the gang leaders, and many of the prostitutes who were periodically shipped to massage parlors throughout New England. The restaurant provided a way to launder money and communicate with pimps, dealers and escorts. The Dragon leaders knew law enforcement tapped their phone lines, so they often communicated with messages hidden in the Panda House's fortune cookies.
Lotus Luo looked out of place in the restaurant. A beautiful tall Eurasian woman with long black hair and a perfect complexion that required almost no makeup, she wore a maroon evening dress with a diamond-studded brooch for her upcoming date at the Metropolitan Opera that evening. But she was an escort working for an agency operated by the Dragons. For lunch, she ordered a bowl of wonton and received her usual fortune cookie. But when she read the paper message she froze—it said 'KILL HIM TONIGHT.' She ate the message, pounded the cookie with her fist into a pile of fragments, slumped across the table, and burst into tears.
Lotus didn't want to kill anybody. Least of all, she didn't want to kill Kingsley Wilson, whom she affectionately called 'King.' He was the British ambassador to the United Nations in New York. During the year or so she had been dating him, Lotus had become very fond of King. He treated her as a real escort, taking her to concerts, theater, opera and night clubs.
Wilson's career included roles as both an MI6 agent and a diplomat. Most of his recent activities had been diplomatic, but he still carried a high MI6 rank. The Dragon leaders didn't have a beef with Wilson. But they had a very lucrative contract from Chinese intelligence—which wanted to kill Wilson with plausible deniability. MI6 agents in China had identified the Chinese hackers who had cracked the Pentagon. And Wilson was scheduled to meet with top CIA leaders to negotiate what action to take.
Lotus knew that if she didn't kill King, the Dragons would kill her. After agonizing for a while, she decided to tell Wilson everything, so she got a cab to his apartment in Gramarcy Park.
She buried her head in his chest:
"They want me to kill you, King."
"I know I have a dangerous job, but I didn't want to drag you into it. Why don't we get married, Lotus, then I can protect you as a British citizen with diplomatic immunity?"
"You don't want to marry a whore with underworld connections. That could get you fired–or worse."
"Don't worry about it, Lotus. I've done weirder things than that in my checkered career."
Kingsley then took Lotus to the British consulate. He made a succession of phone calls, pulling all the necessary strings. Then they got married in a registrar's office using the chauffeur and a street hooker as witnesses.
But there was no honeymoon.
"I have to meet with the CIA leaders tomorrow, so I'm going to send you to London tonight and I'll join you there later in the week, "he explained.
A limousine with tinted windows then left the British consulate, carrying Lotus but not King, and headed for the charter section of JFK airport. Meanwhile, the Dragon leaders had figured out that Wilson was still alive. They didn't want to expose their people in the Customs and Immigration Service at JFK–they were essential to the gang's drug smuggling and human trafficking operations. But the Dragons had no alternative to using them as it appeared to be the last opportunity to kill Wilson.
The Dragon-controlled agents at JFK commandeered a CIS wagon and some weapons. When they saw the British limousine enter the airport, they wanted to make the assassination look like an accident. So they started firing automatic weapons at the vehicle's tires. But the AR-15's weren't accurate enough. Then they unleashed all their firepower–but the limousine was armored and bullet proof. In desperation, they pulled a launcher off the rack and fired an RPG at the limousine. That was the kill shot. The limousine overturned, skidded into the front of a hanger and exploded in a ball of fire.
Next day, Wilson met with top CIA and FBI officials in the Carnegie Endowment building across the street from the UN. He was very angry.
"Last night the US Customs and Immigration Service killed a brave woman who just happened to be my wife. You people should get the gangsters out of your government before we try to get the hackers out of China."
Posted in Fiction, Stories	| Tagged Chinese gangsters, CIA, CIS, drug smugglers, escorts, MI6, pimps, UN	| Leave a reply
SEEING SANTA
Tina was not yet quite five years old, but she feared Mr. Binkley was up to no good when she saw him in her backyard at three o'clock in the morning. It was Christmas Eve, and she couldn't sleep because she kept looking forward to tomorrow and all the gifts and food. Or maybe she was asleep and was just dreaming about the gifts and food.
There was a full moon, and peeking through her small bedroom window, Tina could see everything very clearly. That was how she was able to recognize Mr. Binkley. There was no fence separating her house from the one next door where Mr. Binkley lived. Instead there was just a hedge formed from a row of shoulder-high evergreen bushes that looked like Christmas trees. Tina thought Mr. B was a strange man sometimes, but she wasn't afraid of him. If he had been coming toward her house, she would have called her mother. But he was walking towards his own garage—but on her side of the hedge. It was almost as though he didn't want to be seen from his own house, but didn't care if anybody else saw him. He entered the side door of his garage and disappeared.
A dim light glowed through the window of the Binkley garage, and a few shadows passed across the window. Then the light went out, the door opened, and Santa Claus came out carrying a sack filled with colored boxes. Now Tina figured she must be dreaming. She pinched herself on the arm. It hurt! She wasn't dreaming! After she calmed down, she looked more carefully and realized that "Santa Claus" was really just Mr. B dressed in a Santa costume and with a false white beard. "Santa" then walked back on Tina's side of the hedge and went into the back door of the Binkley house. It wasn't a white Christmas, so there was no snow to capture footprint evidence. But Tina had eyewitness evidence.
***.
On Christmas night there was heavy snowfall. The next day, snow had piled to about a foot. It was now a white Christmas. So all the local kids swarmed to the park at the end of the street, where they could throw snowballs at each other or sled down the small hill at the edge of the park. There was also a small pond, but skating was forbidden because of the thin ice. Tina soon spotted the bright blue and red plastic sled of her next door neighbor Marie Binkley—Mr. B's daughter. Marie was a couple of years older than Tina. Though they were neighbors, they mostly saw each other on holidays, because they went to different schools—Marie went to parochial school, while Tina went to public kindergarten. Tina figured she would tease Marie and find out if she still believed in Santa Claus.
"Hey Marie, did Santa Claus bring you some nice gifts?"
"There is no Santa Claus. My dad dresses up as Santa and then leaves the gifts under the tree. He thinks I don't know, but I saw him last year. This year he gave me this sled—Santa Claus and my dad are both Giants fans."
"That's a nice sled though. I still have this old wooden toboggan from last year. I don't believe in Santa Claus either. My pop just leaves toys under the tree without bothering to dress up. Got some good stuff this year. This hoodie I can wear without a hat whenever it snows or rains. And I got a Barbie puppy doll. It's nice, but I'd prefer a real puppy. Maybe they will get me one next year."
"I'm too old for Barbie dolls, but 'Santa' gave me a Bratz doll dress set. That lets you dress Barbie as a tomboy or terrorist or whatever. Apparently, now women can marry other women, it is okay for us to be tomboys. But you're lucky, Tina, 'cos you don't have to wear a uniform to school. At St. Lawrence's we have to wear uniform plaid skirts. Dunno what plaid has to do with religion. I saw on the Internet that the Christmas tree wasn't really Christian either but was part of some Pagan deal. It's weird the way grownups make us believe in Santa Claus and all those traditions when we can just look up stuff on line."
Posted in Fiction, Stories	| Tagged Christmas Pagan parochial Barbie Bratz, plaid, Santa Claus	| Leave a reply
RAVE AT THE TROC
Posted on July 8, 2015 by mikeelphick
"Rock Around the Clock is playing at the Troc," was the police constable's explanation for the huge traffic jam that had paralyzed most of London. The offending cinema was the Trocadero in the Elephant & Castle section of South London. We were driving from West London to Soho, so that we could hang out at the Nucleus—a basement club where jazz musicians jammed all night. At first, it seemed incredible that a single film showing could tie up traffic so completely. But thick fog limited visibility to about thirty yards. And the Troc was a huge grey stone building that occupied an entire city block–with a seating capacity of around 3500.
Several years later, we heard that the Troc had closed and was soon to be demolished. That gave us a crazy idea. We had been running parties in vacant buildings ranging from houses to large barns. If we could take over the Troc before it was demolished, we would have our biggest rave yet.
Three major players were involved in the criminal enterprise. Stan, the group's intellectual, was responsible for organization and promotion. Ken, a big muscular guy, did all the heavy lifting—both literally and figuratively. He was our expert on breaking and entering. Lastly, I organized the music and transportation.
A couple of weeks before the event, Ken broke into the Troc to check it out. The place had been left unlocked for the convenience of the contractors preparing for demolition. The only security was a few chains and padlocks. The seats on the ground floor had all been removed–which would be okay for dancing, though the floor sloped somewhat. Most of the power had been cut off, but there was a temporary supply to provide light for workers and to power their tools. That meant we might have to use musical instruments such as horns that did not require amplification. For lighting we could use kerosene lamps, including a huge red lantern we had stolen from the bridge connecting Eel Pie Island to the shore of the Thames.
After we decided on a date, Stan started promoting the event via the usual grapevine. But because this was going to be our largest rave ever, he decided to promote it on a pirate radio station as well.
The rave started out just fine. There was enough electricity to power the amplifiers for the guitars and singers, and the kerosene lamps provided enough lighting—but with an appropriately spooky atmosphere. A couple of hundred people arrived before the cops shut us down.
Surprisingly, none of the three conspirators were arrested. I had slipped out to get some food and booze for the musicians. When I returned, the place was cordoned off by the police. Early arrivals were detained for questioning. By threatening them with arrest for trespassing, the cops hoped to get them to identify the organizers. Most of the people had merely heard about the rave at their local coffee shop or on pirate radio. A couple of the musicians identified me as their contact—but I wasn't there and I wasn't the only named contact. Ken pretended to be just a dancer and to be too dumb to understand the questions.
When the cops arrived, Stan climbed into an empty storage attic over the projection room. He took a bottle of Scotch and a couple of reefers. The police did a pretty thorough search of the building. But they didn't feel inclined to climb into the attic. Instead, they shoved a police dog up there. The dog found Stan and licked his face. Then Stan filled the ash tray with Scotch and the dog drank it. So Stan kept refilling the ash tray. Pretty soon, the dog got drunk and fell asleep. Eventually, the cops climbed into the attic and dragged out Stan and their dog.
"If you hurt that dog, you can go to jail, because it is the same as assaulting a police officer," said the police inspector. "In that case, Constable Rover is in big trouble, because he got drunk on the job," replied Stan. Though the police were pretty sure Stan was an organizer of the rave, they finally released him because they knew his story about the dog would merely amuse a judge and jury.
Posted in Fiction, Stories	| Tagged jazz, movies, music, Trocadero	| 1 Reply
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Nebraska Today
Agronomy and Horticulture seminar series starts Jan. 29
Nevin Lawrence, assistant professor of agronomy and horticulture at Nebraska, will present this spring's first Agronomy and Horticulture Seminar on Jan. 29.
The spring Agronomy and Horticulture Seminar Series will begin at 3:30 p.m. Jan. 29 with "Management of Herbicide-Resistant Palmer Amaranth in Minor and Specialty Crops Within the High Plains," presented by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Nevin Lawrence via Zoom.
Lawrence, assistant professor of agronomy and horticulture, will present on herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth's recent arrival in Nebraska's Panhandle and surrounding regions and how many of the crops grown within the region have limited herbicide options. Lawrence will review the previous five years of research and extension efforts he has undertaken to better understand Palmer amaranth, and to provide stakeholders with options to manage a difficult but increasingly common weed species.
This seminar will be streamed and recorded. The series will continue every Friday. Dates and topics are listed below.
• Feb 5: "Oil Palm Production and Conversation of Natural Resources: Can We Get It All?," Patricio Grassini, associate professor and cropping system specialist, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
• Feb. 12: "Soil Health: How Management is Affecting the Pulse of Soil," Alan Franzluebbers, USDA-ARS, Raleigh, North Carolina.
• Feb. 19: "Coexisting with Fire in Rangelands," Victoria M. Donovan, postdoctoral research associate, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
• Feb. 19: "People, Fire and Global Biome Divergence in the 21st Century," Rheinhardt Scholtz, affiliate in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
• Feb. 26: "Aerial Application in the United States: Best Practices and Future Directions," Bradley Fritz, agricultural engineer and research leader, Aerial Application Technology Research Unit, USDA-ARS, College Station, Texas. Note: This presentation will not be posted to the website.
• March 5: "Teaching Landscape Systems," Dan Uden, assistant professor, School of Natural Resources, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, Center for Resilience in Agricultural Working Landscapes, University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
• March 12: "The Summing Up: One Person's Life with Small Grains," P. Stephen Baenziger, professor, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Nebraska Wheat Growers Presidential Chair.
• March 19: "The Physiological Basis for Greater Growth and Improved Persistence of Alfalfa Fertilized with Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K)," Jeffrey J. Volenec, professor, Department of Agronomy, Purdue University.
• March 26: "How Can Transferable Biology and Breeding Contribute to Improving Food Systems and Climate Change?," Edward Buckler, professor, USDA-ARS, Cornell University.
• April 2: "From Plant Proteins and Metabolites to Protein Networks and Metabolic Pathways," Sophie Alvarez, research associate professor, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, director of the Proteomics and Metabolomics Facility, Nebraska Center for Biotechnology, University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
• April 9: Ruth Wagner, head of data science and analytics, Bayer Crop Science. Note: This presentation will not be posted to the website.
• April 16: "Management of Herbicide-Resistant Weeds: Challenges and Opportunities," Rodrigo Werle, assistant professor and extension cropping systems weed scientist, Department of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• April 23: "Increasing Pasture Productivity and Quality to Support Grazing Livestock," John A. Guretzky, grassland systems ecologist, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
• April 30: "Expanding the Breeding Toolbox to Develop Soybean Cultivars," Asheesh Singh, professor, Department of Agronomy, Bayer Chair in Soybean Breeding, Associate Chair for Discovery and Engagement, Director of Graduate Education (Plant Breeding), R.F. Baker Center for Plant Breeding, Plant Sciences Institute, Iowa State University.
For questions, contact Kaye Wolfe, digital support associate. Learn more about the series here.
Nevin Lawrence
Khalimonchuk, Wilson named AAAS fellows
LGBTQA+ Center celebrating 15th anniversary
Far away from home, Ho finds community at Nebraska U
Glow Big Red is chance for Husker Nation to support students, academics
Nebraska-based drought center expands global outreach
Agriculture & Environment Science & Technology On Campus
Researchers building statewide consensus on educational equity
Society & Culture On Campus
Spring pre-session provides honors credit, fun for Hauxwell
Science & Technology On Campus
Herman to lead interactive 'Art of Perception' workshop on Feb. 15


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Pope's reform could threaten the very heart of the Knights of Malta
Members of the Order say its 900-year-old constitution is now in jeopardy.
Wed Feb 8, 2017 - 5:02 pm EST
Pope Francis with former Grand Master Fra' Matthew Festing, whose resignation the pope demanded last month
By Jan Bentz
Follow Jan
ROME, February 8, 2017 (LifeSiteNews) – Pope Francis' reform of the Knights of Malta could gut the very "heart" of the Order and up-end its 900-year-old constitution.
Members of the Order who spoke to LifeSiteNews under condition of anonymity say such drastic fears have been stoked by the Pope's unprecedented intervention in the Order in the last month.
Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Giovanni Angelo Becciu as his special delegate to the Knights of Malta and entrusted him the task of reforming the lay Order's religious branch of professed Knights, called the "First Class," who take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
Members of the Order say the reform could overturn the 900-year-old practice of having a professed Knight of noble lineage at the Order's helm. Instead, the role of Grand Master could be opened to members of the Order's non-professed Second or Third Class. It would be conceivable that a change of that nature could also be achieved by a Papal dispensation.
That would allow German nobleman Albrecht von Boesalager, who the Vatican has just reinstated to the Sovereign Council and given even greater power, to run for the post. Or another German noble of the same mindset could be placed in the position.
That a change in the eligibility for Grand Master would be opened up is further supported by the fact that as of now, only 10 other members of the Order would be possible contenders for the post - a majority of them of very old age.
However, the First Class members, called the "Knights of Justice," have constituted the heart of the Order from its very beginning in the 12th century and have been key to upholding its moral character.
"The professed knights give the Order its unique character as a Catholic lay religious and chivalric community. They are the continuous historical thread that binds us together through 900 years of history and are major bulwark of legitimacy against the claims of false orders who misuse our name for their own purposes," a Knight, who wishes to remain anonymous, told LifeSiteNews on February 7.
Archbishop Becciu is endowed with an exceptional responsibility: It will be his job to re-establish peace between the Vatican and the Order, and between the internal factions of the Order, namely Boeselager with his supporters – primarily German nobles – and the professed religious knights. One of Becciu's powers would be to review possible constitution changes according to the intentions of the Pope.
Archbishop Becciu is the Substitute for General Affairs of the Vatican's Secretariat of State and was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI on May 10, 2011. He is the closest collaborator of Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and counts as his associate.
Pope Francis expressed his trust in his personal delegate in a published Vatican letter written to Archbishop Becciu dated February 2. In it Pope Francis urges him to work closely together with Fra' Ludwig Hoffmann von Rumerstein, the interim head of the Order. This follows Fra' Matthew Festing's resignation as Grand Master on January 24, now accepted by the Order's own Sovereign Council.
In a heated press conference on February 2 with Albrecht von Boeselager and two other high ranking officials, it emerged clearly that Pope Francis wishes for a "reform" of the religious branch of the Order and that a new Grand Master will be elected around the end of April at the end of Becciu's visitation.
In light of the upcoming election of the Grand Master, members of the Order who spoke to LifeSiteNews anonymously said it is possible the reform could open the high government of the Order to non-professed.
"The Order's sovereignty, which is so useful in our global charitable activities, is greatly enhanced by having a professed knight as Grand Master. We recognize that such a leader is called by God to that role and is not simply one of the rest of us," the Knight told LifeSiteNews.
"I am not an expert in canon law, but I find it difficult to conceive of a situation where men who have taken vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience report to a man who has not."
As the oldest chivalric order, the Knights of Malta also are endowed with the oldest medical mission in the world. The Order has 13,500 members, 80,000 permanent volunteers, and 25,000 professional staff – mostly doctors and paramedics who help in humanitarian crises giving relief for refugees, in war zones, and in areas hit by natural disasters as well as in hospitals.
Were the religious members ostracized from the central government, then the Order would be transformed into nothing more than a Catholic NGO, of which there are already many. Possible corollaries would also include the discernment of many Knights and Dames as to whether or not to remain part of this hitherto unique entity or rather join another one of the widespread Catholic charitable entities that may be much closer to their home.
Also, as stated in the Feb. 2 press conference, Becciu will be the chief link between Pope Francis and the Order. This sidelines Cardinal Raymond Burke in his function as patron of the Order.
The Pope wrote to Becciu: "I delegate to you all necessary powers to determine any issues that may arise concerning the implementation of the mandate entrusted to you."
As Cardinal Patron it is part of Cardinal Burke's office to represent the Supreme Pontiff to the Sovereign Order of Malta. His special authority is in charge of promoting the spiritual interests of the Order and its members as well as the relation between the Holy See and the Order.
With Becciu's appointment, Cardinal Burke will cease to have influence in exactly the two domains that make up his special and unique office, thereby being de facto discharged.
catholic, knights of malta, pope francis
Pope's reform could threaten the very heart of the Knights of Malta Pope's reform could threaten the very heart of the Knights of Malta News By Jan Bentz


It was pretty obvious, a couple of weeks ago, that oil and gas were finally going to break down [see: Once More With Feeling.] The trick was how to accomplish it without tanking stocks in the process.
This morning, VIX tagged our downside target – the bottom of the long-term yellow channel. The 38% plunge since May 29 has (so far) easily offset the damage that the oil and gas breakdown would have done. Now that the channel has been tagged again, will we revisit the 2017 strategy of daily algo nudging? All those dips below the yellow channel bottom (signified with yellow arrows) were instrumental in getting and keeping SPX back above 2138 (the 1.618 extension of the 2007-2009 crash.) We should find out soon enough whether the 2.24 extension at 2703 is equally important.


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Home News Scottish News Man walking home from club attacked with bottle in homophobic incident
Man walking home from club attacked with bottle in homophobic incident
By Guest -
POLICE are hunting a thug who threw a bottle in a man's face in what is being treated as a homophobic attack.
The victim was walking home from a nightclub with his partner in Edinburgh's city centre in the early hours of Sunday morning when a man confronted them and made homophobic remarks.
The man then threw a bottle in the victim's face, leaving him with cuts and "the possibility of permanent scarring," police said.
Eight days ago two men were attacked in the same part of town in another homophobic incident.
The victim of Sunday's attack had left the CC Blooms nightclub and was walking down Easter Road at around 1am.
As the reached the first bus stop on the street, they saw a man holding a bottle approach them.
The man confronted the victim and his partner and made homophobic remarks before throwing the bottle, which hit the victim in the face and smashed on the ground.
He then made off towards London Road.
The suspect is described as male, white, 5ft 10in with broad shoulders and light dirty blonde hair,
He is in his early 20's, is clean shaven with round face, has a Scottish accent, and was wearing a dark woollen round neck jumper.
DC Chris Harding from Police Scotland said: "This attack left the victim with cuts to his face and the possibility of permanent scarring.
"We are treating it as a homophobic attack and are keen to trace any witnesses to this incident, or anyone who recognised the description of the attacker."
In the early hours of Saturday 14 September two gay men were subjected to a vicious assault after they left the Planet Out bar, which is near CC Blooms.
A 26-year-old man was knocked to the ground, and when his 27-year-old friend approached to help a man told him ""Are you a f****** p*** as well then?" before punching him in the face.
The victim, who asked not to be named, said: ""I heard screaming and shouting and turned round to see my friend lying on the pavement.
"I ran over and found him knocked out cold.
"I had tunnel vision for my friend so I hardly noticed this man come up to me. He made a homophobiccomment then punched me twice."
Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland on 101, or make an anonymous report through the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Previous articleScotland is being over-criminalised by new laws, study warns
Next articleScots actor Robert Carlyle reveals stripping for the Full Monty was the most embarrassing moment of his career
"Disgusting" Ryanair tell cancer patient he can change details on £115 tickets – if he pays £230
Bizarre moment road rage motorists roll around a London street as passers-by try to split them up
Debenhams send baffled banking manager sparkly trainers for five-year-old rather than formal black shoes he ordered
http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2013/09/23/man-walking-home-from-club-attacked-with-bottle-in-homophobic-incident/


The Basic Science Program (BSP) pursues independent, multidisciplinary research programs in basic and applied molecular biology, immunology, retrovirology, cancer biology, and human genetics. Research efforts and support are an integral part of the Center for Cancer Research at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research.
The goal of BSP is to gain new knowledge and understanding of biological processes relevant to cancer and other diseases, and to develop cutting-edge tools to accelerate progress. Areas of focus include cancer, retrovirology, basic biology, structural biology, informatics, cellular mechanisms, and the genetic factors that influence disease susceptibility and progression.


Dubai is one out of seven emirates in the country United Arab Emirates which is in the persian gulf. Dubai is located in the northeast coast of United Arab Emirates at 25.2697? N 55.3095? E in the globe. Dubai covers an area of 4,114 km? and is 16m above the mean sea level.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a Middle Eastern federation of seven states situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia on the Arabian Gulf, bordering Oman and Saudi Arabia.
Dubai offers something for every visitor due to diversity of it's attractions .Tourism is an important component of Dubai's economy. The city has a clean and safe street and an excellent transporation system. List of Dubai's attraction includes miles of immaculate beautiful beaches, the richly exotic Arabian heritage,inspiring majesty of the desert, lively international bars, restaurants and nightclubs – a visitor to Dubai is guaranteed an incredible experience.
Dubai has a multicultural population of around 4 million with 25% of local Emratis and balance expatriates from more than 150 countries consisting of British, Indians, Iranians Philippines, Pakistanis etc. Arabic is the national language, but English is most often used for business purpose.


text:
US Law Week
LGBT supporters demonstrate outside of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019.
Photographer: Alex Wroblewski/Bloomberg
It's Gotten Better to Be LGBTQ in Big Law, but Struggles Remain
By Stephanie Russell-Kraft
LGBTQ lawyers see more acceptance at work
Challenges acute for trans lawyers, attorneys of color
Anne Tompkins thought her sexual orientation would cut her off from certain job opportunities when she started her legal career in the early 1990s.
"People would say, 'Too bad you're gay because you would make a great U.S. attorney, but that would never happen,'" Tompkins told Bloomberg Law.
In 2010, she became the second openly gay U.S. Attorney when President Barack Obama appointed her to serve in Charlotte, North Carolina. "It seems quaint now," said Tompkins, who has since become a partner at Cadwalader. "We've come so far so fast."
The Supreme Court ruled in a landmark June decision that federal law bans workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The decision, coupled with the court's marriage equality ruling in 2015, represents a monumental shift.
In more than a dozen conversations with Bloomberg Law, LGBTQ attorneys from Big Law and across the legal profession spoke about the tremendous progress that has been made towards inclusion in the last several decades. They also spoke about the many barriers that still remain.
Transgender and nonbinary attorneys in the legal industry face especially high risk of experiencing bias at work and fear that coming out could damage their careers. And LGBTQ attorneys of color say they experience additional marginalization and discrimination at work because of their race.
Chip Cannon was one of only a handful of members in his school's new gay law school association in the early 1990s. When he applied for jobs, he didn't dare mention his involvement with the group on his resume.
"There was probably no faster way to not get an interview," said Cannon, now head of the energy regulatory practice at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld.
He began to notice a cultural change in Big Law in the early aughts. "All of a sudden I started noticing that people were putting OutLaw and other LGBTQ organizations on their resume," he said.
Alex Touma, partner at White & Case, graduated law school in California in 2009, in the two-year period during which the state's Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage, was in effect.
"Despite the fact that I was graduating from a law school in the Bay Area and working in a very liberal community, there was still apprehension about whether we should come out in the workplace," he said. "Some of us were at firms where there were people who were openly supporting Prop 8."
Some lawyers say they still feel reluctant to be out in job interviews or in the office, though they say the climate has improved.
Only 1% of U.S. lawyers identified as LGBT in 2004. Fifteen years later, that number tripled, according to the National Association of Law Placement. And among the newest generation in Big Law, the numbers are higher. In NALP's 2019 survey of U.S. law firms, only 2% of partners identified as LGBT, whereas 4% of associates and nearly 7% of summer associates did.
'A Lot of Barriers'
Many Big Law firms now tout their inclusiveness through creating affinity groups, filing amicus briefs in favor of gay rights causes, and holding annual Pride celebrations. But extra hurdles still remain in the workplace for some LGBTQ lawyers.
"Big Law is much more inclusive than probably most other industries for gays and lesbians, but I think that for our transgender and nonbinary communities, there are still a lot of barriers." said Cannon. "In some ways we as a society are just starting to educate ourselves on the other groups within the LGBTQ community."
Claire Bow, former executive director of the Texas State Office of Risk Management, began practicing law in 1983 but did not feel comfortable coming out as transgender until shortly before her retirement in 2014. "I just never saw a pathway for me to be out," said Bow. "I never felt safe enough that I could have come out in any of those workplaces."
Now a transgender rights activist, she said she knows others who have decided they don't want to come out or don't feel safe doing so.
Detailed statistics regarding transgender lawyers are scarce. In 2018, NALP reported 35 transgender graduates at 28 law schools. According to the organization, those graduates were twice as likely to work in public service, which includes jobs in government, public interest, and judicial clerkships, than in firms.
Kristen Prata Browde, co-chair of National Trans Bar Association and president of the LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York, said most of the other trans attorneys she knows work in advocacy or public service law. Browde said she knows of only two trans lawyers in Big Law above the associate level.
Part of the challenge, according to Browde, is that coming out as transgender can be a highly visible act, particularly for a mid-career attorney. "Somebody who says, I'm gay or I'm lesbian, if they choose to say it, they're going to look the same and nobody outside their immediate circle is going to have any idea," she said. "If you come out as trans, you oftentimes will look different from the day you walked in the door."
Lawyers of color who are also LGBTQ said they faced additional challenges and biases.
"Some of the most outspoken people and the most visible people [in the legal LGBTQ community] tend to be the White guys, and I don't necessarily find that there's a lot of empathy for the Black experience or being a person of color and being gay," said Bobbie Wilson, a litigation partner at Perkins Coie.
In 2019, only about 9.5% of U.S. law firm partners and 17% of all attorneys were people of color, according to NALP. Only about 2% of partners and less than 5% of associates were Black.
"You walk in the room and no one makes negative assumptions when you're the White guy in the suit," Wilson said. "But I walk into depositions sometimes and people think I'm the court reporter, sometimes the defendant."
Wilson said racism has been a much bigger problem for her in the law than homophobia. "It's almost as if they can't see past the brown to learn about the gay," she said.
A New Generation
All of the LGBTQ lawyers who spoke to Bloomberg Law said the legal industry still has progress to make, but many were encouraged by the newest generation of lawyers entering the profession.
"They seem to be much more comfortable being their authentic selves in the office," said Wilson.
"I have struggled with challenging older LGBTQ attorneys at the firm," said Kyle Kessler, an associate at Orrick. "There's a lot of pushback because they think we're going to rock the boat too much."
Young attorneys, she said, "come from the perspective of no, if [the firm is] supportive they should be completely supportive."
Kessler, like many other associates who spoke to Bloomberg Law, identifies as queer, a term she considers to be more inclusive than gay or lesbian.
Toni Lambert, an associate at Orrick, identifies as a Black queer woman and said her appearance is nonbinary. She said she's encountered "a lot of assumptions" about who she is.
"I think that people are less likely to engage when they're uncomfortable, and oftentimes they're uncomfortable not because they're actively homophobic but because they're uneducated in the issues," Lambert said.
The downside, Lambert said, is that education on issues of race and gender tends to fall on the shoulders of LGBTQ associates of color, who "do a lot of heavy lifting."
"When you add that to billable hours," she said, "It's a lot."
To contact the reporter on this story: Stephanie Russell-Kraft in New York at srussellkraft@gmail.com.
To contact the editor on this story: Rebekah Mintzer in New York at rmintzer@bloomberglaw.com; Chris Opfer in New York at copfer@bloomberglaw.com
Stephanie Russell-Kraft
Gorsuch Draws Rebuke From Right Over LGBT Worker Rights Ruling
High Court's LGBT Jobs Ruling Eases Path for Health Bias Fight
LGBT Workers Shielded From On-Job Bias, U.S. Supreme Court Says
Akin Gump
Perkins Coie
sexual orientation discrimination
education legislation
employment interviews


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text:
Thelma Myers is congratulated by Chief Steward for the Gympie Show Cookery section, Anne Long, for her many years of dedicated service to The Gympie Show. Contributed
How the Gympie Show recognised these stalwarts
by Donna Jones
THE Gympie Show Society took pleasure in awarding honorary membership to several of their long-term volunteers last Wednesday night.
At the April general meeting, held on the 10th, three key volunteers in the cookery and fancywork areas of the Show gained recognition for their diligence and commitment to The Gympie Show.
Thelma Myers, who has been a steward for the Mary Valley Show for more than 30 years, was awarded an honorary membership for her many years of service to the Pavilion and Cookery areas.
Kate Edwards is congratulated by Chief Steward for the Gympie Show Cookery section, Anne Long, for her many years of dedicated service to The Gympie Show. Contributed
Kate Edwards and Kay Morrison also received recognition for their work in the areas of cookery and fancywork, respectively.
A spokeswoman for the Gympie Show Society said the committee was pleased to grant recognition and memberships to these three women, all aged in their 70s and 80s, who are but a handful of many dedicated volunteers.
Kay Morrison (left), was nominated for an honorary membership to the Gympie Show by Maureen Perry, for her many years of dedication. Contributed
"The Gympie Show Society are proud to recognise their involvement and honoured to have the benefit of their talents for so many years.
"...volunteers like this are the backbone of the Gympie Show Society.
"These ladies put together the beautiful exhibits you see in the Pavilion and they also deal with sponsors, judging, prizes, and exhibitors.
"The ongoing success of our Show in celebrating our community is because of the dedication of Stewards just like Thelma, Kate and Kay.
"We are also looking for new volunteers that can assist in all areas of the Show including committees like Cookery, Fancywork, Horticulture etc.
"Like these ladies, our volunteers form a real community, make lifelong friends and develop new interests as part of their work with the Show.
"As Thelma commented on receipt of her award, it gets in your blood," the spokeswoman said.
If you would like to become a volunteer contact the Gympie Show Office on 5482 1721 during regular business hours.
The Gympie Show will take place at the Show Grounds between May 16 and 18.
Tickets are available to purchase online from www.gympieshow.com.au where you will also find a schedule of events over the three days.
community news gympie show 2019 gympie show society gympie volunteers volunteer award


BEIJING: German automaker Volkswagen today said it plans to introduce 15 indigenously made models of new energy vehicles in China in the next three to four years to address the country's environmental protection needs.
China is Volkswagen's largest market worldwide. Volkswagen Group China and its two joint ventures delivered 2.85 million automobiles in the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong in the first three quarters, up 10.7 per cent year on year.
"These models will be released in the next three to four years to address the environmental protection needs in Chinese market," Li Xiaoxin, a public relations manager with Volkswagen Groug China said in Tianjin, where a joint venture project of the company is under construction.
According to Volkswagen CEO Matthias Muller, digitalisation and environmental needs are the major factors that drive the transfer of automobile industry.
To adapt to the change, the automaker has planned to introduce 30 models of electric cars by 2025 to the world market.


Who doesn't absolutely obsess over backyard tent weddings!
But better yet, on their family farm. The entire immediate family including the bride and groom have their own home on the property. Everyones dream? or just mine? haha.


text:
Q: Differential equation/Grönwall's inequality I have 2 Integral equation: $$y(t)= e + \int_1^t y(s) + e^s ds$$
$$z(t)= e + \int_1^t sin z(s) + e^s ds$$
The solution for the first one ist $y(t)= te^t$
Now I want to calculate $$|y(t) -z(t)|= |\int_1^t y(s) + e^s -sin z(s) - e^s ds |\leq \int_1^t |(y(s) -sin z(s) ds|  $$
Now I can use the following $| (y(t) -sin z(t) | \leq \frac{|y|^3}{6}$, so I get:
$$|y(t) -z(t)|\leq \int_1^t \frac{|y|^3}{6} ds =  \int_1^t \frac{|e^tt|^3}{6} ds$$
How can I apply  Grönwall's inequality now?

A: Using $|y-\sin y|\le \frac{|y|^3}6$, you get that
$$
|y-\sin z|\le|\sin y-\sin z|+|y-\sin y|\le \min(2,|y-z|)+\frac{|y|^3}6.
$$
By the Grönwall inequality, the exact solution of
$$
u(t)=\int_1^t\left(u(s)+\frac{s^3e^{3s}}6\right)\,ds\iff
u'(t)=u(t)+\frac{t^3e^{3t}}6,~~u(1)=0,
$$
will be an upper bound for $|z(t)-y(t)|\le u(t)$. This gives
$$
(e^{-t}u(t))'=\frac{t^3e^{2t}}6\implies u(t)=\frac{e^{3t} (t-1)(4t^2-2t+4)}{48}+\frac{e^{3t}-e^{2+t}}{48}
$$

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
The Worst Album Covers Ever Created
Amanda Cartwright
Album covers have been around for some time. They are the front packaging we use to sell any new music that comes out. And these covers are usually creative, somewhat telling the story of the music being played. They've been around as early as 1910's in a rather, let's say 'primitive form', used for 78-rpm records. But then, during the 1960's album covers began having a photograph in order to further enlarge the artist's public image. This was the time of The Beatles, Bod Dylan and Rolling Stones.
Then came the Gatefold covers. These were folded double covers that also had inserts. These inserts usually comprised of lyric sheets, and which made the covers works of art in their own right. Others even had a dozen perforated postcards like the Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street. Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon had lyrics, no title, a poster and some sticker inserts.
Many graphic artists made their names and created their fame through the use of album covers, knowing full well how many people will have access to their works through this medium. Drawings, images, puns, photographs, and all sort of other things were used to create them.
And as you can imagine, many of these album covers have since become collector's items. But not all of them were as successful as the others. Some of those, less successful ones are here. So, without any further ado, here are some of them. Please feel free to tell us your opinion about them in the comment section below.
Here are some other stories you might like:
Hunting Down Original Album Cover Locations In London
Scary Illustrations That Will Haunt Your Dreams
Forgotten Girl Bands From The 70s & 80s That Never Quite Made It
Previous articleINFOGRAPHIC Shows The Best Vegetarian Protein Sources
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1.1 Should I buy skates or rent them?
ice skating FAQ: Should I buy skates or rent them?
1.2 Should I buy figure skates or hockey skates?
ice skating FAQ: Should I buy figure skates or hockey skates?
1.3 Why are there different kinds of blades for figure skates?
ice skating FAQ: Why are there different kinds of blades for figure skates?
1.4 How often do I need to sharpen my skates?
ice skating FAQ: How often do I need to sharpen my skates?
1.5 Are hand-held sharpeners useful?
ice skating FAQ: Are hand-held sharpeners useful?
1.6 Will figure skates give me enough ankle support?
ice skating FAQ: Will figure skates give me enough ankle support?
1.7 How do I know my skates are worn out?
ice skating FAQ: How do I know my skates are worn out?
1.8 What is skating leg, free leg, outside edge, inside edge, LFO, RBI, etc.?
ice skating FAQ: What is skating leg, free leg, outside edge, inside edge, LFO, RBI, etc.?
1.9 Why do I skate mostly on my inside edges?
ice skating FAQ: Why do I skate mostly on my inside edges?
1.10 Why do most skaters spin and jump counterclockwise?
ice skating FAQ: Why do most skaters spin and jump counterclockwise?
1.10.1 Is there an easy way to tell what my "natural" spinning direction is?
1.11 Why can I do X on my right leg but not my left?
ice skating FAQ: Why can I do X on my right leg but not my left?
1.12 What's the difference between a crossover and a progressive?
ice skating FAQ: What's the difference between a crossover and a progressive?
1.13 Turns. What's a counter, rocker, bracket, 3-turn?
ice skating FAQ: Turns. What's a counter, rocker, bracket, 3-turn?
1.14 Turns. What's a mohawk, choctaw?
ice skating FAQ: Turns. What's a mohawk, choctaw?
1.15 Are spin trainers any good?
ice skating FAQ: Are spin trainers any good?
1.16 Will inline skating improve my ice skating?
ice skating FAQ: Will inline skating improve my ice skating?
1.17.1 Should I join ISI or USFSA?
ice skating FAQ: .1 Should I join ISI or USFSA?
1.17 What are USFSA, ISI, Skate Canada, NISA, etc?
ice skating FAQ: What are USFSA, ISI, Skate Canada, NISA, etc?
ice skating FAQ: What are MITF?
1.19 Sessions; freestyle, dance, open, public, patch ; what are they?
ice skating FAQ: Sessions; freestyle, dance, open, public, patch ; what are they?
1.20 How do you make an outdoor rink?
ice skating FAQ: How do you make an outdoor rink?
1.21 Why does my music sound terrible in the ice rink?
ice skating FAQ: Why does my music sound terrible in the ice rink?
1.22.1.1 Should I tip my instructor?
ice skating FAQ: .1.1 Should I tip my instructor?
1.22.1.2 What are the rules for taking a coach to competitions?
ice skating FAQ: .1.2 What are the rules for taking a coach to competitions?
1.22.1 What are the guidelines to deal with coaches?
ice skating FAQ: .1 What are the guidelines to deal with coaches?
1.22 How do I find a suitable private instructor?
ice skating FAQ: How do I find a suitable private instructor?
1.23 Is there a painless way to leave my coach?
ice skating FAQ: Is there a painless way to leave my coach?
2.10.2 Where does the name "mohawk" come from?
ice skating FAQ: the pay-off!