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Preparing For Tomorrow's Consumers: Cool Fresh's Nic Jooste Returns To New York's Global Trade Symposium With Ideas Garnered From His Unique 'Market Match' Challenge
Predicting the future is very difficult because if we really knew what people would do in the future, we would do it now! Nic Jooste has taken on the difficult task of trying to understand the future and the way the produce industry can conduct itself to take advantage of what the future holds.
He has presented in New York, London and Amsterdam, always to wide acclaim. We've profiled these presentations in articles such as these:
The Disruption Of Established Markets: How Four Strategies Can Help Transcend Today's Dilemmas
Can Retailers Show A Little Love For Produce Marketing? Dutch Marketer Nic Jooste Will Share His Thoughts On Swimming Upstream At The Global Trade Symposium
PRODUCE AND GENERATION Z
Can We Make Our Pitch Effective In Eight Seconds Or Less?
There's a Dutch Saying… Amsterdam Produce Show To Bridge Cultures And Channel Innovation
Making Produce Marketing Everything It's Not: Creative, Innovative, In-your-face, Non-conventional, Digitally Driven, Attitude- And Adventure-oriented… Nic Jooste Of Cool Fresh Guides The Trade On How To Capture Gen Z And, Next, Gen Alpha!
Nic is up to disruption again… this time having participated in a unique program that brought together captains of the produce industry with the best and the brightest of university students. This program sought whether this combination of deep experience and youthful attitudes could imagine the future.
We asked Matt Ogg, Contributing Editor at Pundit sister publication PRODUCE BUSINESS to get into Nic's head and engage in a wide-ranging discussion as to the ideas that will inform Nic's presentation at the Global trade Symposium in New York.
Nic Jooste
Partner and Director of Corporate Communications, Marketing & CSR
Cool Fresh International
Q: The British writer L.P. Hartley coined the phrase: 'The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.' At Cool Fresh International, you make a point of not relying too much on past examples, but rather harnessing the ideas of university students as a kind of lens into the future. Could you please discuss the premise and applications of the Market Match program you launched this year, and how it helps future-proof your business?
A: The background is that in February 2018, I was invited to a so-called "Vice Presidents' Dinner." Some 10 senior executives from the fresh produce industry were invited. I had just turned 60, but I was the youngest at the table. The purpose of the evening was to listen to a presentation by a consultant who wanted to sell a project to us for doing research into the 'future of fresh produce, and how new consumer generations were going to see our products'.
At the end of the meeting, the chairman of the group asked us for our personal observations. I was last to go, and this was my response: 'I am surprised that WE are being asked for our opinion regarding the future. If I look around the table, I see people with a very limited future. Shouldn't we be asking the youth – who have a bright and statistically much longer future than all of us — what THEY think of THEIR future?'
My purpose was to get them out of their boxes, and man, did I succeed! There was a stunned silence. And then the reactions started coming. They said stuff like: "My company has been very successful for the past 50 years," "I have been on the board of innovation for 26 years," and "I have worked with many industry leaders on various supply chain projects."
These 'oldies' were all looking back in history over their shoulders, and they had real difficulty in understanding how difficult it is to fast-forward yourself into the future. In the end, I convinced them.
The premise of Market Match was to get together a group of industry leaders with vast experience and partner them with bright young minds from various universities, colleges and different fields of study, and see what develops. The idea was to see whether we could cross-pollinate by combining our practical business experience in the fresh produce industry with the 'no limitations' thinking of the youth.
My personal objective was primarily to see if we could get our 'dinosaur employees' to become enthusiastic about getting out of their boxes and start thinking creatively. For instance, these are some of the ideas:
Instead of seeing trucks, think drones.
Instead of seeing a leek, see a vegan taco.
Instead of seeing a human being at work behind a computer, think of artificial intelligence.
Instead of thinking mainframe, servers and Excel, think about blockchain.
The bottom line is rejuvenating the workforce, not only in terms of the age of our employees, but also of the youthfulness of how we think.
Q: How practical do you find the ideas these students bring to the table? Do the ideals or visions expressed always stack up with the economic reality?
A: With this question you are actually falling into the trap that most of the 'oldies' do. It is not about the economic reality as it stands right now; it is all about grabbing the opportunity to try to understand how future consumers will look at fresh produce.
Will they see pills instead of pepper?
Right now, we are not interested in a new smoothie or a different juice. We want to understand the psyche of the new generations specifically as it applies to food and fresh produce.
That being said, yes, we are seeing ideas with an immediate practical application. For instance, a range of veg-based breads. Or, in our case, single-garlic cloves packed in a convenient, hygienic packaging — this we have now given to a university food science and innovation laboratory to do the necessary research.
Q: And are there any other practical applications from Market Match that have been taken on board in your operations, or in discussions with suppliers?
A: The cooperation agreement with the partners in the Market Match program was that ideas and concepts would be linked to the most suited partner. Forty concepts were created, so we are still working through it.
Our range of partners in the project included banks and consultancy firms. We do know that two of the four prize winners have been approached to develop the concepts further, like the veg-based breads just mentioned, and a veg-based topping of sprinkles and confetti for pizza, lasagna or pancakes.
Another one is a fresh produce recruitment app based on Tinder.
Q: Now that's something different. Swipe right on the next candidate! How will that work exactly?
A: Let's take a step back first… One of the issues that we put to the students is that it's very difficult to get young people into the produce industry, and one of the reasons is that the whole recruitment process is still very traditional.
All these students also did a field trip. They visited a number of companies and they said "wow, this is really a cool industry." The particular group that developed the app, when they were doing their preparations, they said, "but we cannot find the passion and the excitement of the fresh produce industry in the recruitment processes," because it's all so traditional and doesn't inspire anyone to want to apply for a position.
So, they said you should make it sexy, friendly, more dynamic. It was basically the same principles as Tinder — applicants create a profile and they upload their story.
Q: Is that something they're going to be working on with these banks or consultancies to develop further?
A: Yes, and it was very interesting because for us we had taken a risk of forming the teams on the basis of diversity. We took people from the north, south, east and west of Holland and put them into one team. They didn't know each other at all. At the same time the mix was also taking people from university level to technical college level.
In the Tinder-style produce recruitment app team, it was a technical guy who put together this app on his telephone and he could demonstrate it to us while we were standing there. In some cases, you had people with really high levels of academic education taking the lead, whilst in others you had people from a lower academic level but with a social or technical insight taking the lead in the process.
I must also say that I haven't seen all 40 projects yet. I am asking for a summary of all of them so that I can give more insight. Because we had a number of partners within the project, we agreed on a specific way of working where the projects would go to the local government of Rotterdam first, and then we would have access to it.
Q: And will you be including more of those examples in your presentation at the New York Produce Show?
A: It depends on what comes out of it. My presentation in New York is a lot more built around the process and its background, because there's a three-year background with Cool Fresh. It's around how companies could use the inspiration of working with universities to create new thinking capacities.
Within the 10 groups I worked with in Market Match, I could probably give you more examples like the Tinder recruitment app, but I think one is enough. It's about the principle. At the moment, I have a university guy working on mobile commerce within my company. He is doing something that nobody else is even thinking about. He is Dutch-Chinese, so I've put him onto researching what is happening in China and how could the best practices in China be applied to the Netherlands.
Most fresh produce companies would take a young person and say, "here's a box of apples… let's take a look at how we can innovate it in packaging," for instance. We are doing stuff that's not even close to home, but only in doing that will we see where the future is moving.
What we are doing with the young people who are moving in and out of the company is to get the young guys to understand that, yes, they have unique insights and skills, but, no, they don't know everything. And for the older people, they have all the knowledge and all of the skills of trading etc., but don't know futuristic and strategic planning. So, we should keep both these groups and get them to work together.
Q: A couple of years ago, you spoke with the Perishable Pundit about the eight-second attention span of Generation Z shoppers. Like Olympic sprinter records, are these times getting shorter?
A: My youngest son turned 18 today. I spent the early morning drinking coffee with him, and the answer is a resounding yes! At the time of doing the Gen Z presentation, the average attention span on a mobile phone was eight seconds. I counted him swiping through at least four applications or pages in eight seconds.
My son of 21, who is a mobile whiz, says that in terms of advertising if a digital advertisement does not hit the spot within two seconds the youth simply swipes it away.
Q: As they're getting older, what has changed with the Gen Z consumer cohort and the industry's approach to them?
A: I do believe that the fresh produce industry has taken some cognizance of the changing face of the consumer. Are we doing enough? Absolutely not! Trading companies are under much pressure in terms of stock, and every day is a new challenge to move fresh produce as fast as possible.
But there is light at the end of the tunnel. Last night, I enjoyed a glass of wine with a very good friend who is the owner of an old fresh produce trading company. He is making a substantial investment in setting up a sushi factory, which produces all-vegan sushi products in the most amazing variety of sizes, styles and combinations.
My son of 21 says that this is where the answer lies for fresh produce companies: stop seeing ingredients and start visualizing food items that appeal to the new generations of consumers. Obviously, not every fresh produce company can set up a vegan sushi factory, but I firmly believe that every fresh produce company can take a step forward in terms of innovation.
Look at your product with different eyes. Take a look at what other industries are doing in terms of packaging and communication. Travel to your clients and take a look at the shopping behavior of their consumers. In other words, get off your chair and out of your box.
Q: What are some interesting retail campaigns targeting this generation, or others, that you've seen in the Netherlands or other European markets where the fruit and vegetables you import are traded?
A: That is the point — I have not really seen any! Other industries, companies like Vodafone, Axe and Adidas have implemented strategies aimed completely at Gen Z. In Europe, the most innovative approach that I have seen was a company using tattooed models in their B2B communication. I still believe that Cool Fresh International's 'gorilla video' showed what communication with Gen Z is all about.
Even with an actual content length of 21 seconds, I have yet to meet a Gen Zer who will swipe it away. This video was made to show that a 'simple' fresh produce company can actually produce a communication concept which talks to Gen Z.
Q: I'd like to chat about current trends. It's common to hear about an emphasis on local and sustainability, and I say both because they are often mentioned in the same breath. So as an importer, how does that direct your marketing strategy, as well as the actions you undertake?
A: Good question! We have been involved in CSI (Corporate Social Investment) for 15 years and have seen all the arguments come and go. And they keep on coming and going.
As the only fresh produce company in Europe with the high Level 4 standing in the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Performance Ladder management system, we continuously evaluate our operations against the latest developments. Yes, local is an important issue right now, but not the overruling one.
We are not yet able to grow pineapples or bananas in the Netherlands so we have to import. However, we are working with many local growers in Europe — such as Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France and Greece — in order to maintain a good balance between imported and local.
And remember, the market is really a seasonal one, with retailers demanding the best possible produce 365 days of the year. I have yet to find a retailer who will say to a consumer 'Sorry, we cannot supply you with mandarins right now because we refuse to sell imported ones'.
In terms of the sustainability aspects of our overseas products, I do believe that we have our ducks in a row. We focus heavily in the shortest, most environmentally friendly supply chain. We work with our growers on water and environmental issues. We have a really heavy focus on trading integrity and labor conditions.
Q: There has been a heated discussion for some time now about plastics in the ocean and a push, both from retailers and legislatively within the EU, to move towards recycled plastics. But on the other hand, a lot of the advancements in packaging technology have reduced food waste, and thus help conserve the input resources that go into producing fruits and vegetables. How do you see this trend and the apparent dilemma between these conflicting ideas playing out?
A: Don't get me started. Yes, the retailers are pushing for a decrease in 'traditional' plastics, and the packaging industry is doing great work with producing more and more packaging based on recycled plastics, yet in Western Europe, every time I visit a supermarket I see more and more pre-packed fresh produce.
This is largely due to high wages, with retailers minimizing the amount of handling required on the shop floor. Go to Eastern Europe, the Balkans and other areas where the modern retail modus operandi is not yet dominating, and you will see a vast percentage of fresh produce still being sold unpacked. I believe that these markets are doing more for sustainability with regards to packaging than most modern markets.
In the Netherlands we even have a 'packaging-free' store, where the consumer has to bring his or her own containers or bags. The specialists all agree that these types of stores do not have a realistic chance of survival. Why? Because of the power and reach of 'big retail'.
In the end, the retailer decides what is offered to the consumer. As suppliers, we have a duty to keep on pushing approaches and concepts that add to sustainability in the broadest sense, yet ultimately the retailers decide.
At the same time, the cost of the new generation of recyclable plastics is prohibitively high. A retailer will not absorb the extra cost of using such packaging, and neither will the consumer. In the end, the grower will wind up paying, and then we would end up in a totally different discussion.
One of the all-time Dutch football greats — Johan Cruyff — once said: "Every disadvantage has an advantage." If one reads the literature, different people and institutions offer different perspectives.
Q: Thinking about a simple practical example, just the other day on the other side of the world here in Australia, I did my weekly fruit shop at a specialty grocer and there were some great value promotions in black polystyrene trays. I have been trying to reduce my consumption of such packaging as I understand it's one of the slowest to biodegrade because of the thickness. However, this particular store had signs up offering to take the fruit out for you so they can re-use these trays in further promotions. I thought that was a marvelous idea – do you think there is more potential for policies like that amongst European retailers?
A: You know, probably in Western Europe, the supermarkets tend to have as few hands as possible within the store, and every single extra thing that needs to be done is costing money. That is my biggest dilemma. Yes, they're all talking about reducing plastics and reducing packaging and protecting the environment, but every time somebody comes with a practical or environmentally-friendly idea that is a bit more expensive, it cannot be done.
So yes, I do see that there's a willingness to think about these types of things, but they consider how it affects labor cost. In this example, the cashier actually has to do something else and another handling action is going to take more time, so we they need more cashiers.
I think it depends largely on the type of retailer. The bigger the retailer, the more difficult it is to get those practical things at store level done, because the bigger guys who need the big volume tend to go mostly for pre-packed products.
On my desk, I have probably 20 examples of those trays which are 100% organic, made from fruit pulp and I don't know what else, but it's 20% more expensive. So, at this point in time, the packaging companies don't yet have the economy of scale to produce a big amount, and it's too expensive right now.
It's something that won't go away, but as more and more retailers step into fully biodegradable packaging, the price will also come down. At the moment I think it's a case of who is going to take the first step. In the Netherlands we have one supermarket chain that is fully focused on sustainability at also an environmental level.
I am seeing for instance in Lidl, which is a main discounter in the Netherlands, that a lot of their fruit is not pre-packed. You go into the store, you take your five apples or your 10 apples, you don't even have to weigh it; it's weighed at the cashier, and it gets charged directly. The only problem is they still use plastic bags.
I'm still seeing a lot of the smaller chains that need to have a different story coming up with paper bags, for instance, which does have a cost effect, but you tend to see that consumers who go to specialty retailers don't mind paying five cents extra.
So, the difficulty of giving a clear commentary on something like this is simply because of the fact that we have such a wide range of retailers within our small country, and the bigger guys are into the lowering of labor costs, and the smaller companies need to have a different story.
Q: Yes, and this is one of those specialty stores. This is not one of the main supermarkets so that does fit with what you're saying.
A: We have wonderful things going on. One of the main items within our retail now is every single store has an orange juicing machine, so you put your bottle into the machine, the oranges get squeezed and you take it away.
But you end up with a whole lot of orange peels at the end of the day, so the smaller guys are doing all sorts of projects with people who are difficult to employ for whatever reason, and they are making marmalade or essential oils and all those types of things from the orange peels from the juicing machine.
Q: Another big macro trend is the shift towards online shopping. How do you feel this is changing the game of the produce industry? I'd be curious to hear particularly about what you're seeing in the Netherlands and neighboring countries.
A: As The Donald would say — "It is huge!" We are seeing new online concepts and companies being introduced regularly. Every day, I see small delivery vans from just about every supermarket in the vicinity of my village doing the rounds. The most talked about online supermarket with no stores is Picnic, which uses small electric vehicles to do their deliveries.
Already servicing consumers in 60 cities, including some in Germany, Picnic still has tens of thousands of consumers on the waiting list. From a personal perspective, this shopping option has changed my busy life. However, fresh produce remains a challenge, in the sense that the order picking for such perishable products remains a challenge. It is, however, just a matter of time before order-picking robots are also able to pick and handle fresh produce on the basis of freshness, color, etc.
We are also seeing a rapid growth in the online ordering of fruit for delivery to offices. The trend is moving towards offering companies a broad offering of 'healthy' products all in one basket: juices, nuts, fruit. I believe that this is a major opportunity for the fresh produce industry — we just have to get our distribution and communication models right. Loren Zhao of Fruitday in China is a real inspiration!
Q: Another fascinating topic in a similar arena is the trend towards convenience deliveries and meal kits — is this an area that the fresh produce needs to explore or is already exploring?
A: Again, from a personal perspective, I love this development. Whilst I consider myself to be a good hobby chef, my busy life has prompted me to use meal kits, specifically Marley Spoon, on a regular basis. Whilst the concept is great, the content in terms of fresh produce is still too low. Our major retailer Albert Heijn offers the same concept, delivered together with your normal groceries — good variety, solid volume, and really easy recipes. It is a salvation for busy people.
Another amazing development of the past two years is the so-called 'fresh packs' or 'meal packs'. These are packs that contain all the fresh ingredients necessary to prepare a healthy meal. Various types of soups and stews, chilis and curries — every retailer has jumped on the bandwagon, and I see this as a real innovation in getting consumers to 'buy and eat healthy'. It is simple yet brilliant. And where did it originate? With a packaging company. Makes you think, doesn't it?
Q: Moving away from these consumer trends, I'd like to go more macro. This is a Global Trade Symposium after all, and in the world right now we are seeing a lot of socio-political uncertainty, whether that be issues like Brexit, tense relations between major powers with tariffs, and fluctuating currencies. For a produce company like Cool Fresh International, how do you future-proof yourself for the supply-side and market challenges of this environment?
A: We have recently launched our 'Connecting Fresh' strategy. This is based on making the very best use of the extensive and really well-developed skills within our company. Instead of trying to maintain a grip on our position as importer and supplier of fresh produce, we now have positioned ourselves as a service provider, which is able to offer a solution across the entire spectrum of the supply chain.
The world has become completely transparent, making it unavoidable for a company to understand that it will only be awarded for adding value. In the 'old, non-transparent days,' companies earned a lot of money simply because growers did not know who the retailers were, and vice versa.
That has all changed, and as a result a fresh produce company has to change its game as well. In some instances, we act only as quality controller for an overseas grower; in another instance, we are the marketing partner for a grower and take all decisions jointly. We assist a major retailer with cross-docking, sometimes also selling a product to them.
In some instances, we supply a retailer with just one product, whilst in other instances we supply a full range of items which we source overseas and locally. Basically, we now have a full menu of possibilities that we offer to growers and retailers. Our main focus is never to say 'no', and to never have a client going to a competitor for something that we could have done. This strategy makes our lives a lot more complex and definitely never boring! It is all about keeping your clients close to you.
Q: I'd like to finish the topic by discussing your native South Africa. Now, the Western Cape has had issues with drought for a while now and it was only in April that people were talking about 'Zero Day' in Cape Town. What are you seeing as the effect of this drought on South Africa, and what do you think the implications of it will be?
A: It is estimated that farmers in the Western Cape had to abandon at least a quarter of their high-value vineyards and deciduous fruit orchards because of a lack of water for irrigation. This had a knock-on effect on rural employment, with the loss of about 30,000 seasonal farm worker jobs during the harvest season.
Academics think that the loss of this production would have a long-term impact on the agricultural sector. The consensus is this 25% reduction can only be incrementally salvaged if and when farmers can afford to replace those orchards and vineyards. For most farmers, it is impossible to suddenly reinvest in 25% of the farm. However, some friends in the fruit industry say that farmers usually replace their orchards and vineyards in cycles when the plants reach the end of their lifespan after 15 to 20 years.
There have been some effects on fruit exports since the drought became world news, but traders all agree that in some instances this also had a positive side on pricing.
To give a positive dimension to the discussion, it is clear that this crisis was a major wake-up call to the Western Cape in particular, and to the country as a whole. The national and local governments now understand that water is a key economic ingredient and should be treated as such. There have been many solid reports and advisory commissions on this subject, but in the past, nobody was confronted with a disaster of these dimensions.
Consumers also got the greatest scare of their lives. After centuries of turning on their taps and seeing water flow from it, all of a sudden even the affluent consumers had to fill up bottles and buckets. Let's hope that everybody will be respectful of water, although in this modern society I have my doubts.
In this regard, I must say that the problem does not lie in the disadvantaged areas (so-called townships), as most people there collect their water from a communal tap in any case. The problem lies in the affluent and middle-class neighborhoods, where people just view water as part of their privileges. I mean, the swimming pool should be refilled regularly, right?
Q: And on a more sensitive note, earlier this year the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was talking about confiscating land from white farmers. Now, my apologies if this topic hits too close to home, but where do you see this political issue headed, and what could it mean for the fresh fruit industry? And how should fruit growers and exporters respond?
A: It is an emotion-charged topic, and I do not have to go into South Africa's history to explain it. In September 2018, President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed a panel of heavyweights to advise him on this issue, including agricultural specialists. I have no single doubt that this panel will come up with a plan that will be 'good' for the country.
The outcome of the land reform issue will, however, depend largely on the position of power which President Cyril Ramaphosa will be able to exert on the ANC (African National Congress) leadership after the elections of 2019. If he is able to take firm control of the ANC – which currently is split into several camps – I am sure that the land reform plan will be honest, clever and of economic benefit.
If one reads clearly between the lines, Ramaphosa's plan will firstly focus on unused government land. In terms of the fruit industry, there have been recent discussions between Ramaphosa and representatives of the agricultural community. Whilst it was a preliminary discussion, the feeling was that Ramaphosa's focus was firstly and foremost on finding an equitable solution.
My opinion of Ramaphosa is that he is an extremely competent economist and statesman. If it comes to him, no fruit farmer should have fear. The big threat comes from the radical elements who want to see anarchy instead of 'Nelson Mandela's South Africa'. Let's hope and pray that Ramaphosa is able to turn them around!
The issue of the vegan sushi is another way of saying that as businesspeople we have to always be reassessing what our job or function really is. When this Pundit started in 1985 by launching PRODUCE BUSINESS magazine, we might have said our function was producing magazines.
In time, though, we reassessed and said that we did two things: First, we provided information and insight to the trade; second, we brought together buyers and sellers. We soon reimagined our business and said we can do those things in print, online and in-person.
With cooking and food consumption patterns changing and with consumers less interested in ingredients and more interested in meals, many industry executives may have to rethink their future in the produce industry.
The Global Trade Symposium is co-located with The New York Produce Show and Conference. Join us in New York to talk with Nic and dig deeper into the future of the industry so that you are able to capitalize on that future:
You can register for the show here.
If you need a hotel room, let us know what your needs are here.
You can find the New York Produce Show website right here
And email us here if you need help or have questions.
But come to New York, And SOAR into the future!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Three People Killed in Small Plane Crash in Ohio
A small plane from Indiana has crashed in northeast Ohio, killing three people.
MILLERSBURG, Ohio – A small plane from Indiana has crashed in northeast Ohio, killing three people.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the Holmes County sheriff say the Piper 23 was reported missing Monday night. The wreckage was discovered Tuesday morning not far from the Holmes County Airport near Millersburg, a village of about 3,500 residents.
Sheriff Tim Zimmerly says the plane was headed to Steubenville in eastern Ohio and apparently was diverted because of fog. He says the pilot and the woman and man flying with him died in the crash.
The sheriff says the plane apparently crashed between 4:30 a.m. and 5:30 am. Monday in a wooded area a few hundred yards from the end of a runway.
Investigators have no information on what caused the crash.
2nd home invasion trial begins in Connecticut
Suspect Arrested Over Alleged Murder of US Flight Attendant in Mexico, Family Says
As Low-Power Local Radio Rises, Tiny Voices Become a Collective Shout
Senior Prank Led to Pennsylvania School Lockdown
Coast Guard Officer Acquitted of Manslaughter
Police: Tampa mom covered children's dead bodies


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Alan Sugar
Lord Sugar investigated by police over complaint about 'racist' tweet
The Apprentice boss posted a picture of a crying Chinese child and joked he was upset for being told off after leaving an iPhone 5 production line
Jessica Best
13:09, 6 OCT 2013
Lord Sugar has been investigated by police after being accused a posting a racist message on Twitter.
The Apprentice boss posted a photograph of a crying Chinese child on the social networking site last week, and joked: "The kid in the middle is upset because he was told off for leaving the production line of the iPhone 5."
But shop owner Nichola Szeto, from Liverpool, was offended by the reference to the Asian factories where the smart phones are made, and complained about the "racist tweets" to the Metropolitan Police.
She was then contacted by officers and went to a Liverpool police station to make a statement.
The Amstrad founder's message was investigated by the force's specialist hate crime investigation team, who decided it should be classed as a "hate incident" but said no crime had taken place.
Ms Szeto told the Mail on Sunday: "I told the police I just wanted to let him know it was wrong.
"They said they take this very seriously, but I said 'just leave it, I've complained now'. But they phoned back, so I went to see them."
A police spokesman said: "Merseyside Police can confirm officers received a complaint in relation to the tweet sent on the evening of Sunday September 30.
"The communication has been examined by the force's specialist hate crime investigation team and at this time it has been recorded as a hate incident and no criminal offences have taken place.
"Officers from the specialist team will be contacting the person who made the initial complaint to discuss this."
Merseyside Police


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Story from Health
Demi Lovato Comes Out As Non-Binary: "I've Been Doing A Lot Of Healing"
Sarah Midkiff
Photo: Christopher Polk/E! Entertainment/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images.
During a recent episode of their new podcast, the singer Demi Lovato let their fans and the public in on their journey of self-discovery and acceptance by coming out as non-binary.
Before diving into the rest of the 4D with Demi Lovato episode, a deeply personal conversation with gender non-conforming writer and performer Alok Vaid-Menon, Lovato took time in the introduction to share their pronouns and what it's been like coming to this realization. "Over the past year-and-a-half, I've been doing some healing and self-reflective work. And through this work, I've had the revelation that I identify as non-binary. With that said, I'll be officially changing my pronouns to they/them," said Lovato. "I feel that this best represents the fluidity I feel in my gender expression and allows me to feel most authentic and true to the person I both know I am, and am still discovering."
In 2018, Lovato went through a terrifying wake-up call when they overdosed, an experience they shared in their poignant YouTube docuseries, Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil. Now, Lovato has gained even more perspective on that time in their life. "I feel like the reason why that happened was because I was ignoring my truth, and I was suppressing who I really am in order to please stylists or team members or this or that," they said. "Or even fans that wanted me to be the sexy, feminine pop star in the... leotard and look a certain way, you know?"
Every day we wake up, we are given another opportunity & chance to be who we want & wish to be. I've spent the majority of my life growing in front of all of you… you've seen the good, the bad, & everything in between. pic.twitter.com/HSBcfmNruo
— Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) May 19, 2021
Lovato added that it would "mean the world" to them if others "could start identifying me as they/them," before acknowledging that they understand if fans slip up and use the wrong pronoun. What means most to Lovato is others "making the effort" rather than getting it right every time. "I think it's important because I want to use these pronouns that feel right to me," Lovato continued. "I also just don't want people to be so afraid of messing up that they don't try to use them." In March, Lovato opened up on another podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, about being pansexual and feeling like they couldn't express that side of themselves for the longest time.
"This has come after a lot of healing and self-reflective work," Lovato tweeted alongside a video of their podcast. "I'm still learning and coming into myself, and I don't claim to be an expert or a spokesperson. Sharing this with you now opens up another level of vulnerability for me."
Demi Lovato Comes Out As Non Binary & Shares Pronouns
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He writes a weekly column for New Scientist.
He has held senior advisory roles for all three levels of government and consulted extensively. In 1988, Ian was named Australian Humanist of the Year and in 1991 delivered the Boyer Lectures for the ABC.
In 2000 Ian received the Queensland Premier's Millennium Award for Excellence in Science and the Prime Minster's Environmental Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement. He also received the Eureka Award for Promotion of Science.
Obviously knew the subject matter very well but also connected with the audience very well.
Ian captivated the audience through his great mannerism delivering an appropriate speech to the audience. Time flew by and many people would have listened to him much longer. He had supurb knowledge of the subject at hand. Great Speaker.


Around 1780, the London 'musical emporium' of Longman & Broderip (later bought by a consortium headed by Clementi after both partners were declared bankrupt, despite the firm's huge success, in 1795) issued "Book IV" in a series for organ, entitled "Twelve Voluntaries and Fugues for the Organ or Harpsichord with rules for tuning by the celebrated Mr Handel". Clearly, only the unwary were likely to fall for the simple device of implying that the music was by Handel, but equally clearly L & B were hoping to benefit from such naivety. Inside the book, the tuning rules are given pride of place at the front (most unusual in itself), and once again attributed to Handel. My feeling is that they were aiming at two markets, and wished to disappoint neither; in other words, the music was aimed at the general public, and if they cared to think it was by Handel, well so much the better - meanwhile, serious musicians would understand the need to 'wrap' the tuning rules in some notes (impossible to sell them separately), no doubt the best available, and would know what they were buying. The psychology here implies to me at least, that L & B themselves believed the rules to be genuine (and as being prepared to inlay their own names on instruments made by others for them, I would argue that they were perhaps *best placed of all* to judge 'just how much can be got away with'. Their firm's inability to pay its creditors seems to have had much more to do with the ongoing war with France, than through any fault of their own).
Here's a sample of Jorgensen's enthusiasm for the Handel temperament (from his 800-page tome published by Michigan State University Press in 1991): "The ease of tuning is not the only indication that the Handel temperament was composed by a master. By comparing [seven other given temperaments], one can see that whoever authored the Handel Temperament had more understanding of classical harmonic balance than had anyone else before 1780."
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Nigerian Studies
The Religious and Political System of the Yoruba, 1st Edition
By R. E. Dennett
Available for pre-order. Item will ship after 23rd June 2020
Originally written and published in 1910, Dennett's study of the Yoruba is designed to provide a clear and intelligble description of the beliefs and values which underlie traditional practices and customs among this Nigerian tribe. It seeks to provide an account of the religious institutions that are found in Yorubaland, and to relate these to some aspects of the political and economic life of the Yorubas. The book is based on information which the author collected from informants while in Nigeria, as well as on some of the first written material produced by Nigerian scholars themselves in the first decade of this century.
Dennett's study provies a valuable source of oral tradition, which he recorded meticulously, and a fascinating insight into the early attempts to describe and categorise African systems of thought.
Explanatory Chapter. 1. A Few Notes on the History of Yorubaland. 2. Creation and the Sacred Stones at Ife. 3. Death, Burial, and Departed Spirits Oro, Egungun etc. 4. The Four Great Estates in the Native Form of Government. 5. Jakuta: The Four Winds. 6. Odudua and the Four Days of the Week. 7. Obatala. 8. Ifa and the Four Walls of the Yoruba Kingdom. 9. Eshu. 10. Aganju, Yemoja, Their Offspring, and the Ogboni or Council. 11. Olokun Olosa and Fisherman. 12. Ogun, Oshowsi, and the Hunter. 13. Seasons. 14. Oke, Ojo, Ajeshaluga and Farming. 15. Odus of Ifa. 16. Shango-Oya-Oba-Oshun. 17. Land Laws. 18. Conclusion.
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Search in titles only Search in RN Free MUFC Discussion Forum only
RN Free MUFC Discussion Forum
Manchester United Academy/Youth Team/Reserve News/information - new thread
here we go again with a new thread.
[10] Andreas Pereira says he wants to focus on United and not on choosing an international future with either Belgium or Brazil.
"I want to focus on Manchester United in the first place. I haven't made my mind up,"
"If I ever have the chance to play for Brazil, I won't hesitate. But I've always played in the Belgian national youth ranks.
"And I did feel at home there, in contrary to what's claimed in Brazil. The door's not closed yet."
[23] Michael Keane will spend the rest of this season at Blackburn on loan
Michael Keane
"I've got a bit of experience now in the Championship and I know what it takes to play well in these games,"
"I'm looking to play well on Sunday and hit the ground running and keep that form up.
"I'm sure it will be a tough game but I'm confident we can get a result.
"I'm really looking forward to it. I hope it's my debut and I'll make sure I'm ready to do well."
Gary Bowyer (Blackburn manager)
"He is highly sought-after,"
"He has had a good education with Manchester United and he has got experience already in the Championship with his time on loan at two top clubs."
[24] United u18s drew 1-1 with Liverpool today
match report available here - http://www.manutd.com/en/Players-And...-under-18.aspx
[14] Uwe Rosler is happy with on-loan Nick Powell's contribution for Wigan against Sheffield Wednesday
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"His quality in that moment gave the whole stadium and the team a lift. Callum McManaman gave us some of those moments as well and Marc-Antoine Fortune worked as hard as he always does, he really helped us towards the end."
[1] Good luck to the United youngsters
The under 21s play in the Bolton Wanderers in the Lancashire Senior Cup quarter-final tonight at Moss Lane
[14] The u21s lost last night to Bolton on penalties after drawing 1-1 in the Lancashire Senior Cup
coach Warren Joyce talking after the game
"I've said to them that really, in 90 minutes, regardless of whatever frustrations we might have about the development and fact we didn't do well enough, we've still got a five-game unbeaten run,"
"We have to be a lot better on Friday than we were on Monday to get the right result.
"Obviously, I'm disappointed to go out because it's a competition we've won several times in the last few years but I'm more disappointed with the performance. We've had a good run of form and played slick football with a lot of energy about our play as well, but I didn't think that was there.
"Sometimes, you can have gut feelings before the game and, when I looked at them in the warm-up, I just thought one or two were not quite mentally as sharp as they should be and that showed in their play.
"This group obviously had disappointment in the UEFA Youth League and we've put some demands on them in the last few weeks. They responded really well but, at times when it's not going great for you, you have got to see games out. To concede in the way we did was really disappointing as it was just basic things."
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Carlisle manager Graham Kavanagh
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'Colin Cooper has been speaking with representatives from Manchester United over the last few days and a deal has now been confirmed to keep him in the north-east.'
full story at http://www.hartlepoolunited.co.uk/ne...n-1449056.aspx
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Davide Petrucci has agreed a loan move to Championship side Charlton Athletic until the end of the season.
David Moyes watches the under 21s last night as Jonny Evans manages 65 minutes and the kids win 3-0 over Aston Villa
David Moyes watches the under 21s as Jonny Evans manages 65 minutes and the kids win 3-0 over Aston Villa
the impressive James Wilson scoring as well as Joe Rothwell and Saidy Janko.
[14] Lingard on his hero
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"He is one of those flair players that excites fans. I like players who run at people and dribbling is one of my main attributes. People love to see it, you have to get the supporters out of their seats.
[15] Red on loan, Jesse Lingard has had a good loan spell at Brighton and wants to take that good feeling back to Manchester
"I'll go back to Old Trafford with sky-high confidence. Players out on loan have got to keep playing our own game and see where it takes us.
"The games left here are going to be tough but, if we take the mentality we had this week against Leicester and Charlton into these games, we are going to push on."


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Eyewitness accounts: The Moscow Trial was Fair
Posted on February 3, 2010 | 1 Comment
"Mankind can free itself from suffering only by the road pointed out by Stalin and with his help." Mao Zedong studying the writings of J. V. Stalin in the Yenan base area during the Chinese Revolution
The following was sent by a comrade as a contribution to The Marxist-Leninist's ongoing 'pro-Stalin ideological offensive', which kicked off with the article commemorating Joseph Stalin's 130th birth-anniversary, "Long Live the Universal Contributions of Comrade Joseph Stalin":
The Moscow Trial was Fair
By D. N. PRITT, K.C., M.P.
I STUDIED the legal procedure in criminal cases in Soviet Russia somewhat carefully in 1932, and concluded (as published at the time in "Twelve Studies in Soviet Russia") that the procedure gave the ordinal accused a very fair trial. Having learnt from my legal friends in Moscow on my return this summer that the principal changes realised or shortly impending were all in the direction of giving greater independence to the Bar and the judges and greater facilities to the accused, I was particularly interested to be able to attend the trial of Zinoviev and Kamenev and others which took place on August 1923.
Here was, born the point of view of a lawyer, a politician, or an ordinary citizen, a very good test of the system.
The charge was a serious one. A group of men, almost all having earned high merit for their services at various stages of the anxious and crowded history of Soviet Russia, still not two decades old, almost all having been under some measure of suspicion for counter-revolutionary or deviationist activities, and most of them having had such activities condoned in the past on assurances of the loyalty in the future, were now charged with long, cold-blooded, deliberate conspiracy to bring about the assassination of Kirov (who was actually murdered in December, 1934), of Stalin, of Voroshilov and other prominent leaders.
Their purpose, it seemed, was merely to seize power for themselves, without any pretence that they had any substantial following in the country and without any real policy or philosophy to replace the existing Soviet Socialism.
With all its difficulties and shortcomings, with all the opposition, military or commercial, of the outside world, Soviet Socialism has raised a terribly backward Asiatic State in some 19 years to a State of world importance, of great industrial strength, and above all of a standard of living which, starting somewhere about the level of the more depressed peoples of India, has already overtaken that of many races of Eastern Europe and will soon claim comparison with that of the most favoured of Western industrial people.
And the charge against the men was not merely made. It was admitted, admitted by men the majority of whom were shown by their records to be possessed of physical and moral courage well adapted to protect them from confessing under pressure. And at no stage was any suggestion made by any of them that any sort of improper treatment had been used to persuade them to confess.
The first thing that struck me, as an English lawyer, was the almost free-and-easy dameanour of the prisoners. They all looked well; they all got up and spoke, even at length, whenever they wanted to do so (for the matter of that, they strolled out, with a guard, when they wanted to).
The one or two witnesses who were called by the prosecution were cross-examined by the prisoners who were affected by their evidence, with the same freedom as would have been the case in England.
The prisoners voluntarily renounced counsel; they could have had counsel without fee had they wished, but they preferred to dispense with them. And having regard to their pleas of guilty and to their own ability to speak, amounting in most cases to real eloquence, they probably did not suffer by their decision, able as some of my Moscow colleagues are.
The most striking novelty, perhaps, to an English lawyer, was the easy way in which first one and then another prisoner would intervene in the course of the examination of one of their co-defendants, without any objection from the Court or from the prosecutor, so that one got the impression of a quick and vivid debate between four people, the prosecutor and three prisoners, all talking together, if not actually at the same moment — a method which, whilst impossible with a jury, is certainly conducive to clearing up disputes of fact with some rapidity.
Far more important, however, if less striking, were the final speeches.
In accordance with Soviet law, the prisoners had the last word — 15 speeches after the last chance of the prosecution to say anything.
The Public prosecutor, Vishinsky, spoke first. He spoke for four or five hours. He looked like a very intelligent and rather mild-mannered English business man.
He spoke with vigour and clarity. He seldom raised his voice. He never ranted, or shouted, or thumped the table. He rarely looked at the public or played for effect.
He said strong things; he called the defendants bandits, and mad dogs, and suggested that they ought to be exterminated. Even in as grave a case as this, some English Attorney-Generals might not have spoken so strongly; but in many cases less grave many English prosecuting counsel have used much harsher words.
He was not interrupted by the Court or by any of the accused. His speech was clapped by the public, and no attempt was made to prevent the applause.
That seems odd to the English mind, but where there is no jury it cannot do much harm, and it was noticeable throughout that the Court's efforts, by the use of a little bell, to repress the laughter that was caused either by the prisoners' sallies or by any other incident were not immediately successful.
But now came the final test. The 15 guilty men, who had sought to overthrow the whole Soviet State, now had their rights to speak; and they spoke.
Some at great length, some shortly, some argumentatively, others with some measures of pleading; most with eloquence, some with emotion; some consciously addressing the public in the crowded hall, some turning to the court.
But they all said what they had to say.
They met with no interruption from the prosecutor, with no more than a rare short word or two from the court; and the public itself sat quiet, manifesting none of the hatred it must have felt.
They spoke without any embarrassment or hindrance.
The executive authorities of U.S.S.R. may have taken, by the successful prosecution of this case, a very big step towards eradicating counter-revolutionary activities.
But it is equally clear that the judicature and the prosecuting attorney of U.S.S.R. have taken at least as great a step towards establishing their reputation among the legal systems of the modern world.
By PAT SLOAN
recently returned after 5 years in the U.S.S.R.
Whenever there has been a big trial in the U.S.S.R., there has been a flutter in the world Press. This is natural, for big trials in any country are News, and when the trial has the additional feature of being "Bolshevik" into the bargain, its possibilities of making the trial a pretext for any and every kind of anti-Soviet slander, credible or incredible.
And the trial which has just concluded is no exception. It is particularly sensational this time: (a) because a number of well-known ex-members of the Bolshevik Party were the chief accused; (b) because, in connection with the new Draft Constitution, the capitalist press of all countries has been longing to get additional copy for the purpose of minimising the significance of this important document; and (c) because the fascist offensive against Peace and Democracy is at a critical stage to-day.
As in all previous big Soviet trials, this one has been declared a "frame-up." But just as Mr. Alan Monkhouse's outburst in court, during the famous Metro-Vickers trial, that the trial was a "frame-up," was never supported by one iota of evidence; so to-day, the allegation of "frame-up" remains unsupported in the slightest degree.
The most serious statements which have appeared in the Press, and the most misleading, are: (a) that Stalin now stands alone, having "murdered" all the "Bolshevik Old Guard"; (b) that the trial was a "frame-up" because the accused all confessed their guilt; and (c) that this trial detracts from the significance of the new Draft Constitution.
If we just examine the present leadership in the Bolshevik Party, and the positions held by the leading personalities, we find that practically all are Bolsheviks of over thirty years standing. For nearly twenty years, therefore, they worked with Lenin. Just consider these:
Kalinin, President of the U.S.S.R. since 1922, was originally a metal worker. He joined the Party in 1898 (even before it bore the name of "Bolshevik"), and has been a member of the Central Committee of the Party since 1919. Molotov, Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars, has been a member of the Party since 1906, was a member of the Russian Bureau of the Central Committee in 1919, and Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union for the years following 1920, and one of Lenin's closest collaborators. Ordjonikidze, Commissar for Heavy Industry, has been a member of the Party since 1903, was elected to the Central Committee in 1912, and played an active part in the leadership of the Revolution in the Caucasus. Voroshilov, Commissar of Defence, was a worker who joined the Party in 1903, played an outstanding part in the Civil War, and was then elected to the Central Committee of the Party. Kaganovitch was a leather-goods worker, who joined the Party in 1911.
So that the youngest of these leaders had worked under Lenin's leadership for at least ten years, and most of them for twenty years, and have now been thirty years in the Party. So it is fair to say that Stalin remains alone, and the "old guard" has been killed off? Ah, but it may be argued that only those now remain in power who were in minor positions when Lenin was alive.
So let us look at two individuals who, up to 1917, worked in close contact with Lenin all the time. People who had leading positions. Let us examine the records of these persons. In 1917, when the Party was preparing the armed uprising, the two intellectuals, Kamenev and Zinoviev, opposed this uprising in a meeting of the Central Committee. When defeated, they carried their opposition into the public Press—and gave away the Bolsheviks' plans to the government. At that time Lenin wrote: "I should consider it disgraceful on my part if, on account of my former close relations with these former comrades, I were not to condemn them. I declare outright that I do not consider either of them comrades any longer and that I will fight with all my might, both in the Central Committee and at the Congress, to secure the expulsion of both of them from the Party. Let Messrs. Zinoviev and Kamenev found their own party from the dozens of disoriented people. The workers will not join such a party. "
So we find that two intellectuals, who were having "former close relations" with Lenin before October, 1917, and who are now hailed from "Daily Mail" to "Daily Herald" as the "Bolshevik Old Guard," were condemned by Lenin for their treachery at one of the most serious moments of the Revolution, and he tried to get them expelled from the Party. On the other hand, the Bolsheviks who are working in closest collaboration with Stalin to-day are working men, who have been in the Party for from 20 to 30 years, and who rose to power as a result of their activities in the Civil War, after Zinoviev and Kamenev had already discredited themselves.
And as for Trotsky, there is no claim that this man was with Lenin for years before the Revolution. Actually, he called Lenin the "leader of the reactionary wing of the Party" in 1903, and in 1917 he said that the "Bolsheviks had de-Bolshevised themselves" and that "Bolshevik sectarianism" was an "obstacle to unity." And to-day, in a recent interview with the "News Chronicle," he refers to the "new Conservatism" of the Soviet leadership—a direct repetition of his attack on Lenin as far back as 1903.
But even when inside the Party, between July, 1917—when it was clear that only the Bolsheviks could lead the masses to success—until his expulsion, Trotsky opposed Lenin, who was supported throughout by Stalin, on one issue after another. And in the leadership of the Red Army, for which Trotsky became famous, there were continual conflicts with the Party leadership and with Lenin and Stalin. But while Trotsky won fame by his speeches, Stalin was sent to one critical front after another as the representative of the Central Committee, and was determining policy by short and concise telegrams to Lenin.
And when Lenin died, Trotsky buried all his old quarrels with Lenin. No longer did he refer to his earlier accusations that the Bolsheviks had been "bureaucratic" and "reactionary" under Lenin, but introduced his attacks now on the "Stalinist bureaucracy," accusing Stalin of breaking with the policy of Lenin.
It is when the facts are seen in this light that the real position of Trotsky, Zinoviev, and Kamenev, to mention only three of them, can be understood. They are all three discredited ex-leaders, who
have lost the confidence of the masses, and therefore could never be elected back to the leading positions in the Party or the State. They are the Ramsay MacDonalds and the Snowdens and the Thomases of the Russian working-class movement.
But the Ramsay MacDonalds and the Snowdens and the Thomases were discredited under capitalism. Therefore, when they lost their leadership of the Labour Movement, when the workers threw them out, they could still find means of advertising their personalities—in politics or capitalist business according to choice—within the framework of capitalism.
But in the U.S.S.R., once the workers have power, a discredited "leader" has no capitalist class to give him a job or finance him for a political career against the workers. In the U.S.S.R. he must submit to work under the leadership of those very leaders who have replaced him. And a worker, as a rule, recognising the need for class discipline above all else, can recognise his mistakes and work in a minor position when defeated on an issue. But the revolutionary intellectuals, time and again in moments of crisis, have shown their tendency to put personal prestige before everything else, and to fight to the bitter end against political opponents, even if this sacrifices the very principles that they were verbally accepting.
Kamenev and Zinoviev had to accept Stalin's leadership—but it rankled. Their "independence" demanded that they should not submit to this domination by an elected leader with whom they did not agree. Therefore, from open opposition they started to fight in secret. And thus they came in contact with others fighting in secret—the fascist agents in the U.S.S.R.
Trotsky was expelled from the country. Since his expulsion he has never ceased to attack the "Stalinist bureaucracy." But if a bureaucracy rules the U.S.S.R.—then remove the bureaucracy, and Trotsky can return as a hero! It is therefore consistent with Trotsky's theory that the whole people of the U.S.S.R. are Trotsky was expelled from the country. Since his expulsion he has never ceased to attack the "Stalinist bureaucracy." But if a bureaucracy rules the U.S.S.R.—then remove the bureaucracy, and Trotsky can return as a hero! It is therefore consistent with Trotsky's theory that the whole people of the U.S.S.R. are dominated, against their will, by a small "bureaucracy," that only the "bureaucracy" need be removed, for him to be welcomed back as a liberator. Is it unreasonable to assume that Trotsky, putting this theory into practice, was working with all and sundry to put an end to the few individuals composing his "bureaucracy," as a way back to power?
But the allegation is then raised—that Stalin is a personal Dictator, without the support of the masses, and that this trial itself would bring mass struggles. Actually, no mass struggles have materialised except in the German fascist press, copiously requoted by the "Daily Herald" in the past few days. And two "aged mortals," students of the working-class movement for sixty years, have been studying the working of the U.S.S.R., and they too have asked the question: "Is Stalin a Dictator?" Here is the reply of Sidney and Beatrice Webb in "Soviet Communism":—
"First let it be noted that, unlike Mussolini, Hitler and other modern dictators, Stalin is not invested by law with any authority over his fellow citizens, and not even over the members of the Party to which he belongs. He has not even the extensive power which the Congress of the United States has temporarily conferred upon President Roosevelt." (p. 431.)
"If we are invited to believe that Stalin is, in effect a dictator, we may enquire whether he does, in fact, act in the way that dictators have usually acted?
"We do not think that the Party is governed by the will of a single person; or that Stalin is the sort of person to claim or desire such a position. He has himself very explicitly denied any such personal dictatorship in terms which, whether or not he is credited with sincerity, certainly accord with our own impression of the facts." (p. 432.)
"The Communist Party of the U.S.S.R. has adopted for its own organisation the pattern which we have described as common throughout the whole Soviet constitution. In this pattern individual dictatorship has no place. Personal decisions are distrusted and elaborately guarded against. In order to avoid the mistakes due to bias, anger, jealousy, vanity and other distempers, from which no person is at all times, entirely free or on his guard, it is desirable that the individual will should always be controlled by the necessity of gaining the assent of colleagues of equal grade, who have candidly discussed the matter, and who have to make themselves jointly responsible for the decision."
Well, so much for the allegations that Stalin personally now stands alone, having put an end to all the "Bolshevik Old Guard." Incidentally, this is the first time in its history that the "Daily Herald" and the "Daily Mail" have wept tears of salt in unison over the fate of "old Bolsheviks." And not as to the "frame-up." The actual question is: Why did sixteen accused men all confess guilty, participate in a lively way in the court proceedings, and show all their old capacity for public speaking and repartee, and yet plead "Guilty"?
It is not because they had been rotting in dungeons or anything of that kind. Actually, the most recently arrested of the accused were at liberty in the U.S.S.R. until May of this year. And anyway, if they had been maltreated in prison, surely some signs of this would have been visible to the public, or at least one of them would have made some sort of a statement on the matter!
No—the fact is this: The prisoners had four alternatives. First, to plead innocent. Second, to plead guilty—making political speeches against the Soviet government, the "Stalinist bureaucracy," and justifying their crime. Third, to plead guilty and say no more. Fourthly, to confess, and give a full account of their activities. Besides these possibilities, there was no other way open to them—except suicide, the way chosen by Tomsky alone.
To plead innocent was impossible because the proofs were overwhelming, and all these people knew this. They knew what additional evidence could be brought against them if they tried to prove their innocence.
To attack the Soviet government and the "Stalinist bureaucracy" was impossible—because for nearly ten years now these people have had absolutely no political policy to oppose to that of Stalin. The fact is that Stalin's policy is a success, and this has robbed his opponents of every excuse of a political attack. This fact is openly admitted by the accused.
Outside the U.S.S.R., from his refuge in Norway, Trotsky does issue an "opposing" policy. It is: (a) to proletarianise the non-proletarian elements in the U.S.S.R.; (b) to organise a Workers' Front, as oppose to a People's Front, in the capitalist countries. It seems that all the accused were sufficiently alive to political tendencies to realise that to put forward such a line in the court, as their political justification, would be worse than frankly admitting that they had no real alternative policy; that is, no political programme at all.
Actually, the policy of Stalin has consistently been to "proletarianise" the non-proletarian elements in the population, and the policy is now almost completely fulfilled. And internationally, to suggest the disrupting of the People's Front, and forming a Worker's Front in its place, hardly deserves mention.
And so, before all the men, against whom the proofs were overwhelming, who had no policy, there was the one possibility of pleading Guilty—with, or without, details of their crime.
Now it happens that not one of the individuals brought to trial has ever in his political career renounced the possibility of making a speech before the whole world. And they remained true to type. And in the court they made their speeches, showed signs of their old joy in "putting it over" and their old oratorical brilliance—and they told the truth to the whole world.
The newspaper, the "Observer" of August 23, no lover of the Bolsheviks, "old guard" or new, was bound to conclude:—
"Stalin is now the acknowledged leader of the unified Party, whose prestige in the country is now unquestioned.
"The defendants admitted frankly that they resorted to individual terror as a last resort, fully knowing that disaffection in the country now is not sufficiently strong to bring them into power in any other way.
"It is futile to think the trial was staged and the charges trumped up. The Government's case against the defendants is genuine."
And now, two final matters. First, it is said that the trial was "inopportune," it was a "political blunder" to hold it just now. Of course, if it was a "frame-up," specially staged by the Soviet government, that allegation would be true. But why should the Soviet government, at this most ticklish moment in international affairs, stage a frame-up calculated to run the risk of antagonising all that Liberal opinion all over the world that is more and more supporting the Soviet peace policy, but has a horror of death sentences, even against proven assassins? Three suggestions have been made. First, that the Soviet government wanted to prove that it is "becoming respectable." But the Soviet leaders are intelligent enough to know that trials for treason are never likely to gain a reputation for respectability in Liberal circles, while Bolshevism as such, can never become respectable to the reactionaries, whoever might be killed off. And the second suggestion is that it was to turn attention off Spain within the U.S.S.R.! When the Soviet Trade Unions have collected more money for the Spanish workers than has been collected in any other country!
A third suggestion is—that mass unrest was growing in the U.S.S.R. But is this were so, and if the men who were brought to trial were the leaders of this unrest, then it is absolutely inconceivable, with foreign journalists and radio microphones in front of them, that not one prisoner should have said one word to mobilise this unrest, to give the disgruntled populace courage, and to set a light to that flame of dissatisfaction which was creeping over the country!
It is only the realisation that the accused knew they had no mass support, as they stated in the trial, that can explain their complete lack of any attempt to mobilise opinion and action against the existing Soviet government.
And finally, about the new Soviet Constitution. Is there a single word in this Constitution that says that Terrorists, planning acts of terror in co-operation with fascists, against the leaders of the Soviet State, shall not be tried, and if necessary condemned to death? No—not a word. Because, so long as there are fascist and capitalist states, there will be fascist and capitalist agents in the U.S.S.R.; and so long as the use of violence is a principle of capitalism, carried to all forms of bestial terrorism under fascism; so must the Workers' State use force to suppress force.
In the Moscow trial the accused were offered the right to a defence counsel, and refused. They themselves pleaded guilty, and explained their crimes, because they had no better way of conducting themselves.
The old discredited leaders of the Russian workers, the MacDonalds and Snowdens of Russia, had no capitalist class to support their further political career, so they resorted to underground terrorism, and came into line with the capitalist class of Germany with its fascist agents.
The not-yet-completely discredited leader of the British workers, Sir Walter Citrine, who is already famous in the Nazi press for his attacks on the U.S.S.R., protested against the trial, asked for the use of "foreign lawyers" for the defence, and that there be "no shootings." The "Daily Herald," the not-yet-completely discredited "workers'" newspaper, has been quoting columns of false allegations against the U.S.S.R. It has invented the "disappearance" of Mme. Czersky, wife of the Soviet Trade Representative—who was on holiday in the country. It has given reports of "rumours in Moscow" as reported by a "German Press Agency." And the Nazis, in their radio broadcasts, have been quoting chunks from the "Daily Herald"!
The line-up of the discredited "leaders" in the U.S.S.R. with the Nazi Gestapo for purposes of terrorism—which is the only method of struggle now possible against the leadership of the united Soviet workers, can only be distinguished in degree from the line-up of the not-quite-completely discredited Trade Union "leadership" in Britain, the "Daily Herald," and the whole apparatus of Nazi propaganda. In both cases the enemies of the militant workers' movement, losing the support of the masses, are ready to go to any length to hold on to, or get back, their power. In the U.S.S.R. it is now a struggle of physical force, as in Spain. In Britain it is still only a conflict of propaganda.
The "Daily Herald," quotes Hitler's propaganda agencies, and Hitler is quoting the "Daily Herald." Their policy is the same.
Trotsky, Kamenev, Zinoviev and the others got assistance from the Hitler Secret Police, and worked with the help of the Nazi agents—their policy was the same.
This policy is: To weaken the Soviet Union by destroying its leadership, and to split the united struggle of the workers who are going forward in alliance with the middle class and peasantry of all countries to fight fascism—in fact, consciously or unconsciously, to strengthen the fascist offensive and its policy of suppression of the workers' movement in all countries and of wars of aggression all over the world.
Our task is to expose these plans, and to fight with all our strength against this "united front" of all the forces of reaction!
This entry was posted in Marxism-Leninism, Soviet Union and tagged Beatrice Webb, D. N. Pritt, fascism, Kaganovitch, Kalinin, Kamenev, Kirov, Lenin, Molotov, Moscow Trials, Ordjonikidze, Pat Sloan, Sidney Webb, Stalin, Trotsky, Vishinsky, Voroshilov, Zinoviev. Bookmark the permalink.
One response to "Eyewitness accounts: The Moscow Trial was Fair"
jeevindran | February 7, 2010 at 10:33 am | Reply
i disagree with the statement.because during that mao did not that stalinist is a bureaucracy.now CPN(M) rejects the idea of stalinist
What about Slavoj Žižek?


I heared this song first in africa when I was like 8 years old. I didn't even know the meaning of the lyrics. I could barely speak english. I didn't even know there was something called spanish but I liked the beat, how the lyrics sounded. Everything about this song is perfect. I forgot about this song for like 8 years because now am 16 years old till I heared this song in the begining of the movie called hot bubblegum so I just remembered the beat of the song so I closed the movie right away and searched for the movies soundtrack till I saw la bamba then I downloaded the song and listened to it all night even while sleeping. When iwoke up I continued to listen to it then I searched for the lyrics and then started writing to you. I believed this one song has changed more lives than a hospital have.
Thanks for correcting Los Lobos - La Bamba lyrics!


Created with sources by the top scientists in the world as its foundation, and a lead programmer with 14 years of experience. Focusing only on science, nutrition, facts instead of pseudoscience.
Using a food database created by USDA scientists and a database of flavor affinities for hundreds of ingredients from the top chefs around the world, SmoothieRecipes.com was born.
We at Smoothie Recipes believe in health over anything else, but we know flavor matters when it comes to having a smoothie daily. We knew we could be different and that you didn't have to add ice cream to your smoothie to make it good.
Our goal is to change the world's first thought when they see a green smoothie. We're here to make green look delicious.


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Q: Need to customize newdocset.aspx of document set in Sharepoint 2010 We need to customize newdocset.aspx of document set in SharePoint 2010. Currently reference is given to newdocset.aspx of _layouts folders application pages. Did lot of research, but I got no where.

A: Microsoft has a sample of how to do this on MSDN.  You would basically create an Application Page that serves the same function and then set the "new" url of the document set content type (or your custom one build on it) to that new page:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff512780.aspx

A: My team and I have found a custom solution that does not require a new feature or application page.
Using SharePoint Designer, create a new Edit form at the target Library. For this example, we'll call this form CustomNewDocSet.aspx
In SharePoint Designer, navigate to a List and create a New Form of type New item form. Then, take that markup and place it into "CustomDocSet.aspx". This will update the 'Type' of this form from Edit to New. At this point, you associate this form with the target Library's Document Set content type as the "New Form". Upon creating a New Doc set, you should be routed to CustomDocSet.aspx and realized there were no Save or Cancel buttons!
You can add these buttons adding the following snippet between the  &    tags:

Afterwards, navigate to the CustomDocSet.aspx page and Edit the page to add a Script Editor webpart for any custom .css and .js
So far so good, as I have not encountered any nuances or issues with this implementation.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


It is that time of the year again folks….the time when we gather with family, give thanks for all our blessings and focus on spending time with loved ones while shoving our faces full of delicious eats! There is so much to be thankful for and I am a firm believer in stating out loud…..so here you go!!
I am thankful for my parents….I wouldn't be here without them and wouldn't be as knowledgeable in this world without their guidance. They have taught me patience, gratitude and above all faith. For that I am forever indebted to them and carry their ideals with me always!
I am thankful for my amazing siblings who are there anytime I call! To Khalia, Tammy, Treasia, Barry, Harold, Maurice and Sherry in heaven…..I love you more than you can ever imagine. Although I have been on the West Coast for the past 10 years, you pick up anytime I call and listen to my whining. I need someone to listen and you are always there for me! Thank you for being opinionated like Mom, brash like Dad and sweet in your own ways. Thankful for my siblings doesn't even begin to describe my love for you all….you give me so much push and stride.
I am thankful for my blog that I just got serious about about a couple of months ago. Without this, I wouldn't have met so many people whom are like-minded as me and passionate enough to help me along the way. In three short months, I have done giveaways with two separate companies, collaborated with 4 different companies through sponsorship, created a media kit and gained more knowledge I could have ever dreamed of! The Maeday Chronicles has been my ideal type of WAHM position and I am just getting started!
Next Post Hiller Aviation Museum!
This was a lovely post. It's so important to remember and be thankful for the good things in life, like family and friends.
Yes it is!!! Its the most important part of my life!!


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Zachary Snowdon Smith, Forbes Staff
Former Las Vegas Casino Exec Sentenced To 1 Year In Prison In College Admissions Scandal
Gamal Abdelaziz Las Vegas MGM Resorts USC Wynn Resorts
Former MGM Resorts executive Gamal Abdelaziz was sentenced Wednesday to one year and one day in federal prison for bribing his daughter's way into the University of Southern California as a fake basketball recruit, marking an end to the first case in the nationwide "Varsity Blues" college admissions scandal to go to trial.
Gamal Abdelaziz arrives at federal court for trial on October 7, 2021, in Boston. ASSOCIATED PRESS/Josh Reynolds
A Boston-based judge also sentenced Abdelaziz, 64, to two years of supervised release, 400 hours of community service and a fine of $250,000, following his October conviction on one count of fraud conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, the Justice Department said in a statement.
Prosecutors say Abdelaziz paid $300,000 in 2018 to have his daughter admitted to USC, in a scheme that included creating a basketball profile complete with a list of falsified awards and athletic honors to portray his daughter as an athletic recruit, even though she had not played basketball in over a year and was never a member of her high school's varsity team.
Abdelaziz was an executive at Wynn Resorts and MGM Resorts, two major Las Vegas-based casino operators.
The DOJ said Abdelaziz paid his bribe to the Key Worldwide Foundation, a fake charity run by college admissions consultant William "Rick" Singer. Abdelaziz was tried alongside financier John Wilson, 62, of Lynnfield, Mass., in a four-week jury trial that ended with Abdelaziz and Wilson's convictions. Singer, whom prosecutors have identified as the ringleader of the largest prosecuted fraudulent college admissions plot in U.S. history, pleaded guilty in 2019 to a combination of charges including racketeering conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy, carrying combined penalties of up to 65 years in prison and $1.25 million in fines. Dozens of other parents and college officials have been charged in a wider DOJ investigation into the college admissions scheme—which federal officials call "Operation Varsity Blues"—including actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin.
Abdelaziz pleaded not guilty, and during trial, his attorney tried to persuade jurors that Abdelaziz was a victim of Wilson's deception.
Abdelaziz's penalty was heavier than those of several other parents implicated in the scandal, such as liquor magnate Marci Palatella, who was sentenced to just six weeks' imprisonment for paying Singer $500,000 to have her son admitted to USC as a phony football recruit. Abdelaziz was severely penalized because he was "intimately involved in the lies at every step of his daughter's fraudulent admission to USC," according to prosecutors. Prosecutors said Abdelaziz lied to college counselors to hide his daughter's admission to USC as a basketball recruit and oversaw the editing of his daughter's college application and essay. Plus, unlike many parents charged in connection with the scheme, Abdelaziz did not plead guilty.
"Ex-Casino Executive Gets 1 Year and 1 Day in Prison in College Admissions Scheme" (New York Times)
"Liquor Executive Sentenced To 6 Weeks For College Admissions Fraud" (Forbes)


Brace treatment is a long-term orthodontic treatment that can take up to two years or more. Getting a suitable set of braces can help you get used to the braces, and view the treatment with more enthusiasm.
If your dentist recommends braces to correct misalignment, the chances are that you will experience significant amounts of discomfort. The braces apply pressure on those teeth that are out of line; as they move, the stress causes pain in the gums and jaws, and sometimes minor headaches.
On the other hand, if your braces are meant to hold in line, weak teeth resulting from trauma to the teeth and jaws, then the pain will mostly be felt when you chew hard foods.
Here are some easy-to-follow tips to help you get the most comfort and results from your dental brace treatment.
Although metal braces are more traditional than ceramic braces, they are still in use. The latter are a preference of many, as they blend in with the natural color of the teeth. Dentists recommend metal braces for their durability and resilience to stress and friction. The metal brackets and wire can feel uncomfortable for the tongue before you get used to them.
Ceramic braces are a more attractive option; good quality braces are strong and durable as well, but they are a more expensive option. They work by elastic bands that adjust slowly as the teeth move into place, and they may be a bit uncomfortable at first.
Clear braces are not only the most attractive options for braces treatment; they are also the most popular, especially among teenagers. Adults opting for brace treatment also prefer them, as they can confidently do their business talks without the heightened self-consciousness of traditional braces.
Perhaps the best thing about clear Invisalign braces is that you can chew comfortably with them, or even remove them occasionally during the day; as long as you wear them for at least 8-12 hours or more a day. These braces, however, are the most expensive, since they need regular replacement over the course of treatment.
Dental braces are delicate to fix on the teeth, especially when treating a severe case of misalignment. Subsequent dental visits are essential to regularly adjust the braces as the teeth move into proper alignment.
Braces treat different dental complications; under-bites, over-bites, as well as misalignment. They are unique to the patient. Ceramic braces are rather uncomfortable for a patient with severe misalignment, as the moving elastic bands pull the teeth in place. Metal braces would be most appropriate in this case.
If you just fancy a better smile with no serious dental condition, then clear Invisalign braces are best for you. Just contact your preferred Invisalign provider such as Vita Dental, to get the best from your braces.
Occasional massage of the gums is a great pain reliever; it's highly effective in soothing the gums and increasing the comfort of wearing the braces. For the best massage results, use a block of ice to stroke the gums gently to reduce the irritation during the first days of wearing braces.
You heard right! Chewing on sugarless gum is a great way to exercise your gums. By chewing now and then, you improve the blood flow to the gums and teeth, and you also increase saliva in the mouth which in turn cleans out any food debris.
Soft, sugarless gum with mint is perfect for brace wearers and can be highly effective in reducing discomfort.
Your orthodontist will give you a box of dental wax alongside some essential supplies after your braces are in fixed in place. The soft tissues of the mouth may be sensitive during your first few days.
Scoop a pea size of the wax, just enough to cover the bracket where there's irritation. Locate the sensitive areas, especially the front teeth and the sharp wires at the back of the mouth; gently rub the wax on the bracket while you wait for your next visit.
Dental appointments provide the best avenue to point out any concerns you may have. If you have minor discomfort or swelling on the gums, your orthodontist will recommend an appropriate solution and also adjust the braces to a more comfortable fit.
It's also the best time to assess the progress of your treatment.
Food debris and sugar deposits in the brace brackets can increase sensitivity and discomfort and can even cause tooth decay. A regular professional cleaning can reach into the tiny bracket spaces that are hard to reach with a regular toothbrush.
Mouth guards are necessary for protecting your braces from hard impact, especially if you actively participate in impact sports such as boxing. Mouth guards prevent any breakage to the brackets, as wires can easily snap and irritate your gums even more.
These easy tips should help you get the right braces, and even take care of them to ensure extra comfort during your treatment period. Consult our Vita dentists for professional advice on the most comfortable option for you and your family!


This book, which takes the history of the Banyankore from earliest times to the year 1914, is the first history of this region to be published in English. The material, much of which was originally published in various volumes of Uganda Journal, has been brought together in one volume for the first time.
Dr H. F. Morris served for three years as a District Officer in Ankole, and studied the history and the language of the Banyankore. Morris is one of very few British officers who became thoroughly fluent in Runyankore. His profound knowledge of the language made his work in this field easier and enabled him to speak freely and to understand all verbal accounts of past events and history of the period up to 1890, which were given to him by elderly Banyankore who were proud to remember them and to pass them on.


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Q: How to set maximum value of float in the migration laravel? I want the maximum value entered into the field amount is 900000000
In the migration I set this :
$table->float('amount', 10, 2);

If I input data 900000000 in the mysql, there exist error :
Out of range value for column 'amount'

I give some example from my data amount :
900000000

800100200,2

1000300,32

10100000,44

etc

How an I solve this problem?


Rising gas prices over the coming decade may make public transportation significantly more attractive to Hoosiers, say three new reports from Ball State University.
In fact, ridership could more than double by 2035, meaning the customer base would expand well beyond the current "typical" users who are low income residents who are most dependent on Indiana's current 66 fixed route public transportation systems.
Ball State's Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) found that almost 70 percent of fixed-route bus riders are dependent on buses because they do not have access to a vehicle.
CBER also discovered that a 10-percent increase in gas prices over several years will increase bus ridership by 3.4 percent while a sudden 10-percent spike in gas prices is associated with a 1.15 percent increase in bus ridership in Indiana.
"Public Transportation in Indiana: An Analysis of Ridership Surveys," "The Effect of Gasoline Prices on Public Bus Ridership in Indiana" and "Fixed Route and Demand-Response Systems: Funding Methods, Benefits and Costs in Indiana" were produced by CBER for the Indiana Transportation Association. The studies may be found online.
Among survey respondents, 49 percent of riders had an annual household income below $15,000 while 9.6 percent of respondents' households have an annual income exceeding $50,000.
A third of transit riders use the bus system more than five days per week.
Sixty percent of transit users described the primary purpose of their trip as getting to work or school.
Indiana's public transit systems provided about 35.2 million passenger trips and logged about 46.6 million vehicle miles.
Survey responses indicate high levels of satisfaction with public transit among users.


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You are at:Home»News»Around the Web»Skype for Business Extends Global Reach with AT&T
Skype for Business Extends Global Reach with AT&T
By Let's Do Video on May 20, 2015 Around the Web
With its partnership with one of the world's largest carriers, Microsoft can take Skype for Business even further.
Story by Reuben Yonatan | No Jitter
AT&T will be joining forces with Microsoft to deliver Skype for Business to its global user base, AT&T announced earlier this month in a blog post from Abhi Ingle, big data and advanced solutions senior vice president. Available in different delivery modes to AT&T subscribers, Skype for Business will be a mainstream offering in more than 140 AT&T-supported countries.
With this new partnership, AT&T customers will now be able to conduct virtual meetings, connect and collaborate with remote employees and partners, and utilize enhanced VoIP calling (along with dial-in and dial-out as standard telephony), instant messaging, screen sharing and email integration services. This service can also allow up to 1,000 participants on a single Skype for Business call.