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Articles Posted in Antitrust Compliance Policy
Antitrust for Kids: The Temptations of Trade Groups
Author: Molly Donovan
Every spring, the Trooper Girls sell cookies in their town. Although they're all members of the same group, the girls compete against each other to be the top cookie seller of the season. The girls hold regular meetings with rules set by the troop leader based on an antitrust course she took in law school:
Discussions should stay focused on personal safety guidelines for selling cookies, and how cookie sales are going generally.
No agreements to fix cookie prices—each girl is supposed to price her own cookies individually. That's part of the fun of competing.
No agreements to divide markets—deals along the lines of "you take this street and I'll take that street" are prohibited. Members should vigorously compete in all relevant locations.
Any applicant under the age of 15 can be a member of Trooper Girls upon completing the online forms and having them signed by a parent or guardian.
["I like these rules," thinks the antitrust lawyer. The membership criteria are clear and can be fairly and objectively applied, and the meeting discussions seem appropriately restricted to legitimate subjects]
At the first meeting of cookie-selling season, the Trooper Girls were in distress. Practically no cookies had been sold because, unforeseeably, the Ranger Boys had started selling ice cream—a treat much more popular than cookies of late given the unseasonably warm weather.
The de facto ringleader of Trooper Girls—Tina—announced at the meeting, "We all know cookie sales aren't going well and we all know why. We need to get on the same page, and reconsider cookie prices until the weather returns to normal and this crisis is over."
The troop leader interrupted, "Tina, I think that's enough on that. Let's change the subject."
["Uh oh," thinks the antitrust lawyer. Tina's comments sound like an invitation to collude. I'm glad the troop leader spoke up, but the damage may be done.]
Tina winked at her Trooper Girl friends and they all basically knew what to do. Meanwhile, the specifics were worked out in whispers during social time after the meeting, and during one-on-one phone calls and text exchanges. Of course, nobody said exactly what price to charge and nobody wrote down any sort of formal agreement—the rules clearly don't allow that. Instead, the discussions were more along the lines of "let's think about a 10%-20% discount," which can't constitute an "agreement," right? Specific prices weren't even discussed.
["Wrong," says the antitrust lawyer. "Agreements" don't have to be explicit at all. A wink and a nod could suffice. Similarly, specific prices need not be discussed—agreements about the general direction of pricing could raise antitrust scrutiny.]
The next day, each member of Trooper Girls cut their cookie prices, all in the 10-20% range, though some a little bit more and some a little bit less.
Suddenly, the weather cooled again and cookie sales took off. The Ranger Boys went out of business completely, unable to compete with the reduced price of the Trooper Girl treats.
Immediately thereafter, the Trooper Girls communicated to one another—in various ways—that it was no longer necessary to keep prices low, each member could do as she pleased, though continued cooperation to return to normal prices was appropriate.
And that's what happened.
["Oh no, again." This could be deemed another anticompetitive agreement, now with indefinite and potentially long-running effects.]
Rick, a member of the Ranger Boys was very sad. For one thing, he was left with a freezer full of ice cream—couldn't give the stuff away. For another, he had nothing to do on weekends with the Ranger Boys now essentially defunct.
Wisely, Rick did two things. He called an antitrust lawyer, suspicious that something unfair had occurred. And he petitioned the Trooper Girls to join their group.
Although the girls initially refused the application, the antitrust lawyer changed Rick's life (as antitrust lawyers do) by threatening to sue the Trooper Girls and their individual members for violating the Sherman Act, including by refusing Rick's application for anticompetitive reasons contrary to the membership criteria.
The Trooper Girls relented—paid Rick not to sue and admitted him in the group. Rick used the settlement money to start his own business making ice cream sandwiches. He used the ice cream leftover in his freezer and Trooper Girl cookies for the sandwich ends (genius!). In the process, Rick sold a lot of ice cream and a lot of cookies—everyone was happy.
THE MORALS OF THE STORY:
*For the Trooper Girl Types and Their Associations: In addition to having clear membership criteria, have a written antitrust compliance policy and train all members to issue spot.
Posted in: Antitrust Compliance Policy, Antitrust Counseling, Antitrust for Kids and Trade Associations
Updated: May 4, 2022 1:37 pm
A Pandemic Slow Down Is a Good Time for an Antitrust and Competition Check-Up
Crises that disrupt distribution chains and cause supply shortages tend to prompt discussions among competitors about how to survive. Discussions may begin as relatively innocuous information exchanges but become risky when they turn to coping strategies. This topic can sometimes lead to conversations amongst competitors such as, "We're all in the same boat, so joint efforts ought to be made to stabilize prices," or "We, as an industry, should stay on the same page and base future price increases on the rising costs of material costs and/or distribution downstream." As we know from history (earthquakes, tsunamic, floods), those sorts of discussions are real and prompt DOJ investigations. As difficult as it has been for some businesses, the COVID-19 pandemic will not be a defense to cartel conduct.
So now that at least some aspects of business have returned to normal, it's an excellent time for in-house counsel to survey the relevant business units to assess whether any potentially anticompetitive conduct occurred over the last couple of years. Counsel can do this inquiry with minimal cost and minimal disruption to business: a few key interviews, a high-level but strategic sweep of emails, and a big picture look at pricing and production figures. Top leadership can deliver messages that make it clear that whistleblowers will be protected (consistent with federal law). Companies can set up a message box so employees can self-report anonymously.
Posted in: Antitrust Compliance Policy, Antitrust Counseling and Criminal Antitrust Issues
Updated: May 2, 2022 11:40 am
Practical Advice for In-House Counsel Amid the Antitrust Sound and Fury
Author: Pat Pascarella
The press is awash in reports on proposed amendments to the antitrust laws and heightened, and in some instances targeted, enforcement agendas at the DOJ, FTC, and state AGs' offices. While the specifics of each may be fascinating to antitrust attorneys and law professors, the sole question on most general counsels' minds is whether there is "anything I need to do right now to better protect my client?" The answer is an unequivocal "not really, but…"
To start, proposed legislation, presidential orders, and enforcement agency guidelines and statements of interest are not the law. That does not mean however that one should entirely ignore this current antitrust craze. Plaintiff attorneys and certain government enforcers certainly won't. And I expect an uptick in lawsuits and investigations based on, to be polite, creative interpretations of the antitrust laws.
What it does counsel is that, at present, the most important focus should be on ensuring that internal antitrust guidelines and procedures target not only actual violations, but also conduct that could create the appearance of a potential violation. Price increases, production slow-downs, announcements about future business plans, communications or information exchanges with competitors, and dealer or supplier terminations, are the usual suspects. But care should be taken in any instance in which an action or strategy might appear to be inconsistent with unilateral self-interested behavior in the absence of a conspiracy—or where it will have a significant impact on competitors, suppliers, or downstream market participants (a/k/a plaintiffs).
This of course is not to say that businesses should forego legal strategies or actions for fear of a frivolous antitrust investigation or complaint. But it does mean that in the case of certain activities, there likely will be steps that enable the company to avoid, or at least extract itself more quickly from, lawsuits and investigations based on overly aggressive interpretations of the antitrust laws. Sometimes the solution will be as simple as documenting the business rational for a particular activity, while at other times it could involve active and ongoing oversight by antitrust counsel.
That of course raises its own set of problems for in-house attorneys—i.e., convincing their clients to come to them before taking certain actions. Having been an in-house antitrust attorney myself for many years, I can offer a few suggestions. First, get loud and clear officer-level signoff on any new guidelines or procedures. While you may be the clients' lawyer, those clients are far more inclined to pay attention to a directive from someone who controls their advancement and salary. Second, market yourselves. Communicate to your clients that you understand their needs both in terms of your substantive guidance as well as in the timing of that guidance. Your clients have targets and goals they are trying to achieve. They need to believe that engaging with Legal will not delay the achievement of those goals and will only result in a "no go" opinion after every viable option has been exhausted.
Plus, as I often told my clients, some day you are going to be called up to the general counsel's office and asked, "who approved this?" How the rest of your day goes will be significantly determined by whether your answer is "me" or "our antitrust counsel."
Posted in: Antitrust Compliance Policy, Antitrust Counseling, Antitrust News and Politics and Antitrust
Updated: September 1, 2021 5:13 pm
The Department of Justice Antitrust Division's Leniency Program
Author: Jon Cieslak
In 1993, the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division created its Leniency Program by issuing its Corporate Leniency Policy. The Leniency Program provides means for a company to avoid criminal prosecution for violating federal antitrust laws—such as price fixing, bid rigging, and market allocation—by self-reporting the illegal activity to the Antitrust Division.
Since then, the Leniency Program has been a major impetus for criminal antitrust cases in the United States. In fact, because the Antitrust Division's criminal prosecutions are almost always followed by civil litigation filed by private plaintiffs, it is widely understood (though not always confirmed) that some of the largest antitrust cases of the past thirty years started with leniency applications, including In re TFT-LCD ("Flat Panel") Antitrust Litigation and In re Sulfuric Acid Antitrust Litigation.
Although some have lately questioned the Leniency Program's effectiveness, the Leniency Program is widely considered a success and a key part of the Antitrust Division's enforcement toolbox. Accordingly, any time a company discovers that it may have engaged in conduct violating the antitrust laws, it should consider participation in the Leniency Program.
How does a company qualify for the Leniency Program?
The Leniency Program provides two ways in which a company can obtain leniency, commonly referred to as "Type A" leniency and "Type B" leniency. The key difference between the two is that Type A leniency is only available before the Antitrust Division opens an investigation of the illegal activity, whereas Type B leniency can be obtained even after an investigation is opened. Flowing from this key difference, the requirements to obtain each type of leniency vary slightly.
To obtain Type A leniency, a company must:
Report the illegal activity before the Antitrust Division receives information about the illegal activity;
Take "prompt and effective" steps to end its involvement in the illegal activity as soon as it was discovered;
Report the illegal activity "with candor and completeness" and cooperate with the Antitrust Division's investigation;
Confess to its wrongdoing on behalf of the company, "as opposed to isolated confessions of individual executives or officials;"
Provide restitution to injured parties if possible; and
Not be a ringleader or originator of the illegal activity.
Type B leniency shares some of these requirements, but has several of its own. To obtain Type B leniency, the following conditions must be met:
The company is the first "to come forward and qualify for leniency;"
The Antitrust Division does not already have evidence against the company "that is likely to result in a sustainable conviction;"
As with Type A, the company ended its involvement in the illegal activity;
As with Type A, the company cooperates with the investigation;
As with Type A, the company confesses its wrongdoing;
As with Type A, the company provides restitution; and
The Antitrust Division determines that leniency "would not be unfair to others" under the circumstances.
What are the benefits of the Leniency Program?
While the Leniency Program's requirements are considerable—it is no small thing to self-report and admit to an antitrust crime—the program offers substantial benefits to those that qualify. First and foremost, a successful leniency application means that the Antitrust Division will not bring criminal charges against the company for the reported activity. Although there are other ways to avoid charges, such as a deferred prosecution agreement, the Leniency Program provides the surest path to immunity.
In addition, if a company qualifies for Type A leniency, all company directors, officers, and employees who admit their involvement and cooperate with the Antitrust Division's investigation will likewise receive leniency. Under Type B leniency, the Antitrust Division will evaluate leniency for directors, officers, and employees on an individual basis, but still commonly grants leniency.
Finally, a successful leniency application provides benefits in any related civil litigation pursuant to the Antitrust Criminal Penalty Enhancement and Reform Act (ACPERA). An upcoming article will discuss those benefits in detail.
How does a company participate in the Leniency Program?
A company's participation in the Leniency Program can vary depending on the facts and circumstances of the illegal activity and, in particular, how the Antitrust Division chooses to investigate it. But there are a few common steps you should plan on at the outset.
Posted in: Antitrust Compliance Policy, Antitrust Counseling, Criminal Antitrust Issues and Department of Justice
Updated: July 1, 2021 4:03 pm
Deferred Prosecution Agreements and Effective Compliance Programs in the Antitrust World: The New Married Couple
Authors: Luis Blanquez and Jon Cieslak
Deferred prosecution agreements ("DPAs") in the antitrust world have been a hot topic on this side of the Atlantic during the past two years. DPAs seem to be slowly becoming an efficient instrument for the Department of Justice to tackle antitrust conspiracies, and we expect this trend to continue.
What is a DPA?
A DPA is a legal agreement between a prosecutor and a defendant where the former eventually drops any charges against the latter, if the terms of such agreement are met. In other words, a DPA is a contract to resolve a criminal enforcement action without the prosecution of charges.
If the defendant––either a company or an individual––complies with all the terms of the DPA during a period of time (usually two to three years), despite being initially charged, the prosecutor will dismiss the charges and the defendant will avoid a conviction. DPA terms commonly require a defendant to pay a fine, implement certain remedial measures to alleviate the wrongdoing, or take steps to ensure future compliance.
While DPAs are almost universally considered a positive outcome for the defendant, they do carry some risk. By agreeing to a DPA, a defendant admits to wrongdoing and waives any right to challenge a set of agreed facts that are sufficient to sustain a conviction. Accordingly, if a defendant fails to comply with the terms of a DPA, it will face prosecution and almost certain conviction.
The Role of DPAs in the DOJ Criminal and Antitrust Recent Guidelines
Until recently, if an antitrust defendant did not win the race for leniency, the DOJ Antitrust Division's approach was to insist that the company plead guilty to a criminal charge with the opportunity to be an early-in cooperator, and potentially receive a substantial penalty reduction for timely, significant, and useful cooperation. This all-or-nothing philosophy highlighted the value of winning the race for leniency.
But all that changed in July 2019, when the Antitrust Division announced a new policy to incentivize antitrust compliance. These new guidelines were presented by AAG Makan Delrahim on July 11, 2019, at the Program on Corporate Compliance and Enforcement at the New York University School of Law: Wind of Change: A New Model for Incentivizing Antitrust Compliance Programs.
Delrahim explained that, unlike in the past, corporate antitrust compliance programs will now factor into prosecutors' charging and sentencing decisions, allowing companies to qualify for DPAs or otherwise mitigate exposure, even when they are not the first to self-report criminal conduct.
In particular, Delrahim highlighted three important points.
First, that the adequacy and effectiveness of a compliance program is but one of the ten factors the Justice Manual directs prosecutors to consider when weighing charges against a corporation. Among the "Factors to Be Considered", four in particular stand out as hallmarks of good corporate citizenship: (1) implement robust and effective compliance programs, and when wrongdoing occurs, they (2) promptly self-report, (3) cooperate in the Division's investigation, and (4) take remedial action.
Second, that the DOJ's new approach would allow prosecutors to proceed by way of a DPA when "the relevant Factors, including the adequacy and effectiveness of the corporation's compliance program, weigh in favor of doing so." DPAs, as the Justice Manual recognizes, "occupy an important middle ground between declining prosecution and obtaining the conviction of a corporation."
Third, that the mere existence of a compliance program does not necessarily guarantee a DPA. Instead, "Department prosecutors are directed to conduct a fact-specific inquiry into "whether the program [at issue] is adequately designed for maximum effectiveness in preventing and detecting wrongdoing by employees. In making a charging recommendation, Antitrust Division prosecutors will evaluate the compliance program's effectiveness or lack thereof, and holistically, consider it together with all the other relevant Factors."
This marked a substantial policy shift for the Antitrust Division, which previously never considered DPAs as an option to resolve antitrust conspiracy cases. Under the DOJ's existing leniency program, the antitrust Division was allowing full immunity exclusively to leniency applicants.
That's not the case anymore––but make no mistake––only so long as the offending party has, as explained above, a truly robust and effective compliance program in place. And for that purpose, the recent Revised Guidance from the Criminal Division issued in June 2020 on the Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs is the last piece of this puzzle. The new Guidance provides additional information to assist prosecutors––both in antitrust and other investigations––in making informed decisions as to whether, and to what extent, a corporation's compliance program was effective at the time of the offense. You can read more about it on our previous post:
The Department of Justice Policy and Guidance on Antitrust Compliance Programs and Antitrust Criminal Violations
A Detailed Look at the First Eight DPAs Under the New Policy Incentivizing Compliance
As a result of the new DOJ's guidance on antitrust compliance programs and criminal investigations, we are starting to see an increased use of DPAs by the Antitrust Division. Let's have a close look at the ones made public so far.
Posted in: Antitrust Compliance Policy, Criminal Antitrust Issues and Department of Justice
Updated: April 21, 2021 10:45 am
A Federal Antitrust Investigation Can Cause an Antitrust Blizzard
I am from Minnesota, so I am quite familiar with blizzards. They may be interesting to watch through a window from a room warmed by a fireplace, but you don't want to get caught in one. The same is true for an antitrust blizzard: They are interesting to watch, but they can destroy you. Like driving a car through a winter blizzard, you have to pay close attention, make sure you do the right thing, and in the end, you could crash.
In case you get hit by one, you should be prepared: Create and follow an antitrust compliance policy. You may even get bonus points from the Department of Justice if you have (and follow) the right antitrust policy.
Posted in: Antitrust Compliance Policy, Class Actions, Department of Justice and Per Se Antitrust Violation
Updated: June 30, 2021 11:49 am
Author: Luis Blanquez
If you read our articles regularly, you know an antitrust compliance policy is a strong tool to educate directors and employees to avoid risks of anticompetitive conduct. Companies articulating such programs are in a better position to detect and report the existence of unlawful anticompetitive activities, and if necessary, be the first ones to secure corporate leniency from antitrust authorities.
Antitrust Compliance Programs in the US and the European Union
But make no mistake––not any antitrust compliance policy is sufficient to convince the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) that you are a good corporate citizen. You must show the authorities how your compliance program is truly effective and meets the purpose of preventing and detecting antitrust violations.
And how do you do that? As a start, you should get familiar with the following key documents.
The DOJ's new Policy for incentivizing antitrust compliance;
S. Dep't of Justice, Antitrust Div., Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs in Criminal Antitrust Investigations (July 2019);
S. Dep't of Justice, Criminal Div., Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs (June 2020);
DOJ updated Justice Manual.
Make sure you read them carefully because they have significantly changed the way DOJ credits compliance programs at the charging stage; and how it evaluates them at the sentencing stage. But that's not all. For the first time, they also provide public guidance on how DOJ analyzes compliance programs in criminal antitrust investigations.
In this article, we focus on the new DOJ Policy for incentivizing antitrust compliance, as well as the 2019 and 2020 Guidance Documents. We also provide an overview of the most recent Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPAs) and indictments from DOJ.
If you also want to review the new changes to the Justice Manual, you can see them here. In a nutshell, the new revisions impact the evaluation of compliance programs at the charging and sentencing stage. In the past the Justice Manual stated that "credit should not be given at the charging stage for a compliance program." That text has now been deleted. The new additions also impact DOJ processes for recommending indictments, plea agreements, and the selection of monitors.
If you discover or suspect your company is under investigation for antitrust violations, you should, of course, consider hiring your own antitrust attorney.
The 2019 DOJ New Policy for Incentivizing Antitrust Compliance
In the past, if a company did not win the race for leniency, the DOJ's approach was to insist that it plead guilty to a criminal charge with the opportunity to be an early-in cooperator, and potentially receive a substantial penalty reduction for timely, significant, and useful cooperation. This all-or-nothing philosophy highlighted the value of winning the race for leniency. The new Policy departs from this approach.
In July 2019, the DOJ announced the new policy to incentivize antitrust compliance.
Antitrust News: The Department of Justice Wants You to Have a Strong Antitrust Compliance Policy
The new policy was presented by AAG Makan Delrahim on July 11, 2019, at the Program on Corporate Compliance and Enforcement at the New York University School of Law: Wind of Change: A New Model for Incentivizing Antitrust Compliance Programs. Delrahim explained that, unlike in the past, corporate antitrust compliance programs will now factor into prosecutors' charging and sentencing decisions and may allow companies to qualify for deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs) or otherwise mitigate exposure, even when they are not the first to self-report criminal conduct.
Updated: November 11, 2020 4:14 pm
Department of Justice Civil Investigative Demands and Hidden Risks
The United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division recently announced changes to its Civil Investigative Demand (CID) forms and deposition process. While these changes are cosmetic—the Antitrust Division acknowledges that the changes "are consistent with long-standing division policies"—they serve as a good reminder of risks that always exist when communicating with the government.
Background on Civil Investigative Demands
Updated: September 24, 2020 10:34 am
Invited to Your First Trade Association Meeting? Here Are Important Antitrust Tips
So you have been invited to your first trade association meeting. Sounds like fun, right? You get a chance to mix and mingle with others in your industry, maybe swap notes with your counterparts at competitors who face the same pressures you do. What could go wrong?
A lot, from an antitrust perspective. While trade associations can provide tremendous benefits to members, by definition, they are meetings among competitors. Communication with competitors can lead to "agreements," whether explicit handshakes or implicit winks and nods. And some of those agreements, like most related to competitive pricing, are automatically illegal and subject to severe penalties for both you and the company. Here, antitrust law follows Adam Smith's admonition that
People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices.
So even if you remember your company's training from when you joined years ago and know enough to spell "antitrust" without a hyphen, you still need to remember these tips.
Learn from others in your company
You might not be the first in your company to attend an association meeting. Contact your lawyer or boss to see if your company has rules or other guidance for attending them. Follow that guidance. Some companies even require such reporting before attending. Others in your company might know this particular association and have some suggestions on how to make your attendance both safe and productive for you and your company.
Antitrust policy?
If you need to vet the association, start by asking to see its antitrust policy. All associations of competitors should have one and should be willing and able to share it with you quickly. Most post it online. The policy should acknowledge the necessity to follow all applicable antitrust laws and briefly describe how the association does just that. Frankly, the details are not as important as the fact that the association has one and can quickly provide it. An association executive who responds to your request with "Anti what?" should set off alarm bells.
Posted in: Antitrust Compliance Policy, Antitrust Counseling and Trade Associations
Updated: June 14, 2022 1:32 pm
My Company Is Under Investigation: Do I Need Separate Counsel?
When a law enforcement or regulatory agency—such as the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)—investigates potentially illegal business conduct, it may not be targeting just the company under investigation. Oftentimes, authorities are also targeting the company's employees who engaged in the illegal conduct, and corporate officers and other employees are frequently indicted alongside their employers in antitrust and other cases. See, e.g., United States v. Hsiung, 778 F.3d 738 (9th Cir. 2014). Indeed, in 2015, U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates issued the so-called "Yates Memo" that reaffirmed DOJ's commitment to seek "accountability from the individuals who perpetrated the wrongdoing."
While the company typically hires outside counsel with experience defending the potential claims, one area that is sometimes overlooked is whether the employees involved in the investigation need their own lawyers. Employees may think the company's lawyer represents them as well, but that is rarely the case and employees should be quickly disabused of the notion. Both the Supreme Court in Upjohn v. United States, 449 U.S. 383 (1981), and legal ethics rules compel corporate lawyers to clarify when they do not represent individual employees when conducting internal investigations. See, e.g., Model Rules of Prof'l Conduct R. 1.13(f).
So when does an employee need her own lawyer?
While there is no bright-line rule, considering some key questions can help you make the right decision.
First, is the employee a target of the investigation, or merely a witness? During an investigation, investigators will talk to many potential witnesses in addition to the individuals whom they suspect of illegal conduct. When confident that investigators believe an employee is only a witness to the potentially illegal conduct, the need for separate counsel is significantly reduced.
Second, does the employee face personal consequences as a result of her conduct? Consequences may include criminal penalties such as imprisonment or fines, suspension or loss of professional licenses, personal liability for civil damages awards, or employment consequences such as demotion or termination. While even a small chance of criminal penalties merits separate counsel, as the likelihood of any of these consequences grows, so too does the importance for an employee to have her own lawyer. Keep in mind, too, that individuals involved in some illegal conduct—such as an antitrust conspiracy—can be jointly and severally liable for all the harm caused by the conspiracy, so could face an enormous civil damages award even if their role was minimal. See Texas Industries, Inc. v. Radcliff Materials, Inc., 451 U.S. 630, 646 (1981).
Third, was the investigation initiated by a law enforcement or regulatory agency, or is it purely an internal investigation by the company itself? In general, separate counsel is less important in internal investigations. On the other hand, when the government is investigating, separate counsel can benefit both the employee and the company. Not only will the employee's interests be better protected, separate counsel will also help insulate the company's lawyers from potential disqualification and allegations of obstruction. Separate counsel is particularly important when an employee will be interviewed directly by law enforcement agents, who are more likely to trust a witness's independent attorney.
Fourth, and most importantly, does the employee have any actual or potential conflicts of interest with the company and, if so, how severe are they? When both the company and the employee are targets of a government investigation, there will almost always be at least a potential conflict between them. A company usually has substantial incentives to cooperate with a government investigation, such as the potential for amnesty under the DOJ's Leniency Program and credit for cooperating under the Sentencing Guidelines. To fully cooperate, however, the Yates Memo requires companies to "completely disclose . . . all relevant facts about individual misconduct." Meanwhile, an employee involved in the conduct may want to seek immunity in exchange for testifying against the company or other individuals. Even less severe conflicts, however, can warrant separate counsel. If an employee disagrees with the company's view of the facts or feels pressure to testify in a certain way, separate counsel may be needed to protect the employee's interests.


While growing up in the city of Ibadan in Oyo State, the talented singer has been hooked to music from a tender age listening to great musicians who have influenced his music orientation.
However, it was not until the year 2012 before he would branch out as a professional and since then, he has not looked back. Watch Fabulous Icekid's new video below.


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WCSD Gears Up for First Day Back to School with Expo
It may be hard to believe but on Monday, school is already back in session for the Washoe County School District. Superintendent Traci Davis says district officials have been working nonstop this summer, preparing for it.
Friday, August 3rd 2018, 3:27 PM PDT
Jacqueline Ramirez-Neri, a 5th grade teacher at Libby Booth elementary puts the finishing touches on her classroom, Friday. Miss Ramirez says, "I have been getting ready for the past couple of weeks." She's expecting an incoming class of about 25 kids.
This year, she's trying something new, it's called flexible seating. Miss Ramirez, adding yoga ball seats to her classroom, says it helps with students' attention spans and behavior, "Some prefer to stand, some prefer to sit on the ground."
While students were able to take the summer season to relax, Davis says, "No, no break for us. We worked all summer." That includes putting $20 million of WC-1 bonds to work. Davis adds, "They were much-needed repairs, as you know the average age of our schools is 50-years-old."
Now, it's time for parents to get their kids back in the swing of things. Davis says, "[Get them] back on a good regimen of going to sleep on time, eating breakfast."
To make the summer to school transition a little bit easier for parents and students, the district is hosting their first ever Back to School Expo on Saturday, August 4th, at the Meadowood Mall.
It brings the resources parents need to a one-stop shop. Davis says, "You can find out about transportation, if there's anything particular in student support services you need to ask questions about."
Miss Ramirez encourages that streamlined communication between parents, teachers and other school officials, saying it benefits the kids greatly, "It helps a lot with the students if there's that communication between the three [of us]."
This year, the district's enrollment is up almost 1,000 students, bringing their student body up to about 64,000 across their 100+ schools.
The Back to School Expo will run tomorrow from noon until 4 P.M. inside the Meadowood Mall. If you'd like more information, click here.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Do you know what your child's most annoying phrase is? It's probably, "summer is over." This is the time when back-to-school sales kick off long before classes do. If you know what you need in advance, you'll be able to save significant money by taking advantage of these sales.
To do well in school, students must have all of the necessary supplies. Students can't buy their own supplies, which means, at least to a certain extent, their success is dependent on their parents.
Different teachers request different supplies, making it difficult to have all the right supplies. However, you can buy certain staples that will definitely be used when classes begin. We've listed here school supplies needed for all grades to help parents and guardians ensure that their child has all the basic supplies needed to start school.
There are some items, like pencils and paper, that every student needs, regardless of age. These items are no-brainers, but there are also certain items unique to specific stages of student life. Some of these items are listed below by grade.
Please put Your child's name or initials on ALL supplies.
Note: High school supplies are not listed, as different subjects require their own sets of supplies. It is advised that High School students should carry a folder or binder, notebooks, wide-ruled loose-leaf paper, and, of course, writing utensils during their first week of school. All teachers generally provide students with list of required items by the end of the first week of school.
Have any question about school supplies? We suggest you visit your school's website or email your child's class teacher. They will be able to guide you better.
The back-to-school season brings a test of sorts for parents, who have to buy the supplies. They often have to make their budget stretch far enough to meet the needs of multiple children in multiple classes, and they must remain sane in the process.
Before going any further, let's address a serious issue. Some families are already struggling to make ends meet, and they flat out can't afford school supplies. If that is your case, there is help available. The first source of help is the school itself. If you contact the main office of your child's school, you'll likely find that the school has a program to help families in need. In some cases, this is called SOS, or "sharing of supplies," where all families are encouraged to donate extra supplies to be given to the less fortunate. In addition to the school, there are many charitable causes around the USA that host back-to-school drives.
Even if you can afford to purchase your own supplies, you'll want to save as much money as possible. Before you set foot in a store, take personal stock of the supplies you already have. Can a book bag make it through another semester? Do you have enough left-over pencils from last year to make a brand-new pack? To learn more about how you can save some cash during back-to-school sales, read on.
Isn't that how the song goes?
Well, summer is dwindling away. This is probably the last thing a student wants to hear, but it's the truth.
It's back to pencils. Back to books. What about the teacher's dirty looks? One way to avoid annoying the teacher on the first day of school is to be prepared with all of the necessary supplies. Of course, young students can't buy supplies on their own. That's where the parents come in.
School supply shopping can be just as much of a pesky chore for parents as going back to school can be for children. There's a lot of confusion about how much to buy. The school might publish a general list, but what if your child's teacher requires more specific items? If your children are with you when you go to purchase school supplies, you'll find that they can be very picky. They want a certain type of pencil because it erases better. They don't want that kind of notebook paper because it rips easily. They want this brand of markers because the colors are brighter. If your children are very young, they often prefer whatever brand of folder has their favorite characters plastered on the covered, which will always cost more.
So, what should parents do? Read this guide to help make school supply shopping a stress-free endeavor.
Supplies are very important. Your little student needs them to excel in school, but your child also needs clothes, lunch, tuition, transportation and a host of other more important expenses that come along when going to school. School supplies are not the expense you want to break the bank on, and unlike other fixed costs, such as transportation of school lunches, you can actually save money on school supplies.
School supplies don't have to be brand new. There is no expiration date on pencils or paper. Take inventory of the supplies you have in your home before purchasing anything new. Has your child used up all of their supplies from last year? If not, use up old supplies before you purchase more. You probably have extra supplies lying around your home, especially common supplies, like pencils. Why not send those supplies to school with your child rather than purchasing completely new supplies?
If you don't have any extra supplies at the home this year, here's a long-term plan to be sure you have them next year. There are certain things that every student will need regardless of what grade they are in. Pencils, notebooks, folders, paper, and binders are almost always going to be included on school supply lists. Office supply stores operate on the principles of supply and demand. Demand is highest for school supplies during the back-to-school season, so you might end up paying extra during that time of year. Keep an eye out for sales all year long. When common supply like pencils and notebook go on sale, stock up and save them for the next year.
If you keep a close watch out for sales, you can stretch your dollars even further. One store might have a great sale on paper. Another store might have a great sale on calculators. No store will have a great sale on all of the supplies you need. If you choose to buy everything on your supply list from a single store, you're going to overpay for a lot of items.
Going to several stores for school supplies may seem like an unnecessary hassle to save a few dollars, but consider this: If you're buying school supplies, new shoes, new clothes, and new electronics, aren't you going to need to go to more than one store anyway? In your quests for everything needed for going back to school, you will likely pass, or at least come near, more than one office supply store. Plan your route to save you money.
Also keep in mind that, while office supply stores are more likely to have school supplies, they are not the only stores that sell these items. Sometimes you can get deals on school supplies from unlikely places.
There are endless benefits to watching out for good sales! If a sale is really, really good, you're probably not the only one who has seen it. Sometimes items sell out, especially at office supply stores that sell supplies for less than a dollar! Plenty of big box department stores like Walmart and Target, accept competitor coupons. If one store is sold out, check around for other stores that will accept competitor coupons. Of course, you'll have to save the sales papers and bring them with you.
Keep in mind that Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon never charge sales tax.
As you can see, along with the above 5 U.S. states without a statewide sales tax, only 17 of the 50 states participate in this event. If you don't live in one of these states, it's worth considering whether travelling to one to do your back-to-school shopping makes sense for your family. The savings may be worth the minor inconvenience, especially if you live within a short driving distance to one of these states.
If your child wears uniforms to school, clothes shopping is a whole different ball game. While many parents sing the praises of uniforms because it adds simplicity to shopping for clothes, you should be aware that there's still a potential to pay too much. You can find khaki pants and polo shirts in almost any store that sells clothing, so don't limit yourself to uniform specific stores because they often have an extra markup on their prices.
Do not buy all of clothes at the beginning of the year. Buy enough to get through the first semester, and then buy more later. This serves a twofold purpose.
Believe it or not, dress codes can change rather frequently. Due to weather or other factors, your child may begin to be allowed to wear something midyear that would have been a dress code violation at the beginning of the year. After spending a year at a school, you will begin to know the school. Some dress codes are set in stone, but there are some that seem to change with every complaint made against it.
The second reason for buying only a semester's worth of clothes is that children grow way quicker than adults. By the middle of the school year, your child may have grown out of the clothes you purchased at the beginning of the year. Some parents buy clothes a little larger than their child's size to combat this issue.
At the very end of back to school season (late September, early October) retailers realize that the demand for their leftover back to school items is incredibly low and won't get any higher until the next year, so they start selling things dirt cheap.
Of course, there are some items that you will have to purchase at the beginning of the school year, but there are other items that you know your child won't need until later on in the year. How do you know when your child will need the item?
Some supplies are marked as first semester items and second semester items. Other times, you can see that some items are most likely to be used for specific projects rather than day-to-day classroom activities. If all else fails, you can simply ask your child's teacher if there are any supplies that won't be needed right away.
Although it's hugely beneficial, saving sales papers can be a real pain in the neck. Target makes the process a little bit simpler because the major retailer publishes coupons online that you can print out. Target is known for having plenty of back to school coupons, so it's worth making that store one of your stops on your back to school shopping journey.
As was mentioned earlier, it's important to shop around. Major retailers, like Target, are definitely a great source for discounts, but don't forget to visit a few office supply stores along the way.
Since office supplies is all these stores sell, they are very likely to have insane deals on school supplies if you shop during their sales season. Why? These stores have a constant backlog of pencils, pens, paper, scissors, etc., and they bulk up their stock during the back to school season. Big box stores on the other hand, often place special orders of school supplies that they either don't usually sell or don't usually sell in large quantities.
Since office supplies stores have copious amounts of school supplies on a regular basis, they can afford to offer even bigger discounts than the big box stores. Office supply stores are the most likely stores to have deals like colored pencils for a quarter, or notebooks for fifty cents.
There is one caveat to the amazing deals that you can find at an office supply store. The deals are so good that everyone wants them, and these stores are notorious for selling out of their cheapest items pretty quickly. If this happens, your trusty friend "the sales paper" comes in handy. Lots of big box store honor coupons from competitors.
Next to a fancy calculator that will be needed for algebra and calculus in high school, backpacks are probably the single most expensive item on a back to school supply list.
Backpacks are another area in which you should shop around your house before you shop in the store. Although backpacks take a lot of wear and tear throughout the school year, there is a chance, slim as it may be, that last year's backpack could still be in functional quality. Perhaps, you only need to wash the backpack to get it looking brand new. If you can avoid purchasing a new backpack, you have significantly reduced your total cost of back to school shopping.
Perhaps the single most useful tip in purchasing a backpack is this: Never pay for a name. Paying for a name can include paying for a brand name or the name of a character or celebrity. A quality black backpack is a quality black backpack, but if that black backpack is made by Nike or Adidas, you'll pay double the price for the very same function. Sometimes, popular brands like JanSport have good deals, like 50% off or 25% off. In these instances, it might be a better bargain to go with a name brand.
Don't skimp on quality. You might find a good deal on a quality backpack, but, in many instances, you get what you pay for. One brand that seems to be cheap but is of sufficient quality is Rockland. Rockland is also sold in most major retailers, and your kids will be happy because Rockland doesn't look cheap.
If a certain brand is always way, way cheaper than all the other brands, you might need to ask yourself why. Is it made of inferior products? Backpacks need to be extremely durable because students are going to test their strength all year long. Textbooks are very heavy, and students carry at least one of them home every day. It's also not uncommon for students to further test the limits of their backpacks by stuffing jackets, lunchboxes, and instruments into their small compartments.
As mentioned earlier, children are often very picky. They want the Frozen backpack and the BTS folder. They want Crayola crayons and Ticonderoga pencils for $6.99 each even though the Office Depot brand is only fifty cents.
One of the best ways to avoid unnecessary stress is to leave your kids at home when you do your back to school shopping. If the children aren't there, they can't insist on their favorite brands. If you simply bring them what you bought, they are less likely to even have an opinion about the brand of pencil you buy than they would if they were in the store with you.
Will your first grader really use 4 boxes of Kleenex in the first three months of the school year? Will your middle or high school child even need those four extra binders that are listed as second semester supplies until the second semester? The answer to both questions is obviously no.
School supply lists, especially for younger grades, are often rather exorbitant. Sometimes, teachers ask parents to buy way more supplies than any student could ever use to help stock the class with extra items, such as tissues and hand sanitizer for other students to use. At times, teachers ask all parents to buy way more than what's necessary so that there will be enough supplies on hand in the classroom to give to students whose families couldn't afford to purchase supplies.
While both of these efforts are very worthy causes, this still does not mean that you need to buy supplies in bulk at the beginning of the school year. If you're worried doing so will make you seem like a stingy parent or a parent who doesn't send their child to school with the right supplies, have a conversation with your child's teacher. Let them know that you'd be more than willing to bring in more supplies as the year goes on, but you'd prefer to only purchase what is absolutely necessary when it becomes necessary. If the class needs more Kleenex in January, the teacher can contact you in January. Depending on the age of your child, this is also a great way to build responsibility and self-advocacy. If your children are old enough to recognize a need and speak up, they will let you know when supplies run out.
Some of the items that are usually essential all year long are calendars, reusable water bottles, a backpack, a lunch box, and shoes. Children are going to get thirsty throughout the school day, and they won't be able to take a trip to the water fountain as many times as they need to re-hydrate to stay healthy. Instead of continuously buying hundred of packs of bottled water throughout the school year, you can buy a reusable water bottle and a home water filter once. For a one-time cost, your child can have clean accessible water all year long. Packing lunch is another great way to save money, and be more health conscious, all year long.
School supplies for college are a whole different ball game. The supplies are far more expensive, and you almost always need to buy the supplies on the list. You'll never be asked to supply communal supplies for the whole class in college.
Although college is expensive, there are still plenty of ways to save.
If you have proof that you are a college student, you should never pay full price for electronics while you're a student. Most of these retailers accept a college transcript or students identification card as proof, so you need to have one of those before you're ready to make your purchase.
Look for the Dell University section on its website to get student pricing on laptops and desktops.
Have you ever wondered why so many public schools can afford iPads and MacBooks for the classroom? Apple has a special Apple Education Pricing section on its website where they offer reduced prices for gadgets like iPad and Macbook. Apple extends these deals to anyone who can prove that they are a college student.
If you want to go to a store, Best Buy has deals specifically for college students. For some laptops, students can get up to $150 off the retail price. To see the most up to date list of current deals being offered, go to the Best Buy's College Student Deals page.
If you ask an employee at your on-campus bookstore, you'll be given the impression that you will absolutely be at a disadvantage if you purchase your books anywhere else. You'll be told that your professor recommends all students purchase books from the bookstore.
There are very rare cases where this is actually true. In some instances, a school will order their own special edition of a textbook that might include different chapters than the normal textbook would. To find out if this is your case, ask your professor. The professor does not benefit if you purchase the book from the campus bookstore, so the professor is a great source for the truth.
If there is no special edition of a textbook for your school, you can usually find the book much cheaper online. Make sure you're purchasing the right edition of the textbook because most textbooks have several editions. Be mindful of whether or not your textbook comes with an online code. If you need an online code with your textbook, you must purchase it new, and you must be sure that the version you are buying includes a code.
Can You Rent Your Books?
Is it absolutely necessary for you to purchase your books? Depending on your degree program, you might need your textbooks from each semester until you graduate. If that's not your situation, consider renting your books.
When you rent, you pay a fraction of the cost of the book, but you must return the book in good condition. Some great online sources for buying or renting textbooks are Amazon, Google Play Store, Chegg, eBay, and Book Finder.
One of the perks of being a college student is that you can get a student discount. There are plenty of national chains, local stores and restaurants that offer student discounts. Sports teams have even been known to sell student tickets at a discount.
To take advantage of these great deals, you'll need a valid student ID card, so make sure yours is renewed and stayed with you constantly. This tip applies during the back to school season and beyond.
Most college students are not simply going to school. Many are living on campus or at least living away from mom and dad for the first time. College students also juggle work, school, internships, extracurricular, and volunteer opportunities at the same time.
College students have a huge need that younger students don't necessarily have, and that need is organization. If it can keep you sane, it's worth, spending a little extra on a desk calendar, a personal planner, and closet and desk organizers.
You may also need to buy more expensive clothes, hardier lunchboxes, and more expensive book bag (because you're carrying a computer and books that are much heavier) for college. College students have a unique set of needs, but many of them are also strapped for cash. This creates a reason to carefully identify needs and wants. Reserve funds for the things you absolutely need and buy some of the things you want if there is money left over.
All of the tips above, such as keeping track of sales papers, are absolutely applicable to shopping for college.
Whether it's first day of kindergarten or first day of college, here are a few more tips that can help you without breaking your bank.
Set a budget. You will always overspend if you don't have a goal in mind.
If either your credit card company or the store offers special deals or cashback incentives, use a credit card for back to school purchases. Make every dollar count!
Many stores offer deals for customers who order online and pick up in the store. If stores near you offer these savings, take advantage of them.
When comparing prices, consider using online resources, such as Google or ShopSaavy to check on prices rather than wasting gas going from store to store.
If you can find a group of friends or family with similar needs, consider making back to school shopping a group effort. Sometimes buying in bulk can result in savings for all. For this to be truly beneficial to all involved, you need to have a budget, a well thought out plan, and an agreement of exactly how much each person will contribute. Written agreements are best to avoid any discrepancies.
Especially for more expensive purchases, like electronics and calculators, make sure there is a return policy and you know the length of it. Don't open these items until you are sure you are going to keep them. This allows you to keep on looking for better deals even after you've made your initial purchases.
We strongly recommend reusing school supplies when possible. We hope that our Back-to-School Shopping guide will help you save time, money and hassle.


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Speaking on July 14, A. Bonar Law, British Colonial Secretary, announced that the Entente Allies have already occupied 450,000 square miles of German colonial possessions. Add Turkish possessions in Asia in the hands of the Entente powers, and the total reaches 500,000 square miles.
Two outstanding facts are that this transfer, if permanent, will change the destiny of all Africa and Asia, and that, for the first time in history, the oversea dominions of Britain have initiated and carried on wars of conquest, Australia and New Zealand, in union, having already taken 100,000 square miles of German colonies in the Pacific; while the Union of South Africa has conquered German Southwest Africa.
In other parts of Africa, France and Belgium are co-operating with English imperial forces, while in East Africa and on the Persian Gulf the brunt of the fighting is being borne by British Indian troops and troops provided by the Princes of India. The movement now in progress will, if completed, give the Entente powers the whole of Africa; will give Britain all Southern Asia, from the Mount Sinai peninsula to Siam; and will, in all probability, make the Entente powers heirs of the whole Eastern Hemisphere. These immense territories are the ultimate stakes of the battles in France, in Poland, on the Dardanelles. We lose sight of them, perhaps, in the details of local fighting. In reality, nothing less is being effected than the re-mapping of the whole eastern hemisphere.
On Aug. 1, a year ago, German colonial possessions in Africa totaled over a million square miles, in four regions Togo, Kamerun, Southwest Africa, and East Africa. Togo, running from the north shore of the Gulf of Guinea, is wedged between French and English colonies. In August, France and England joined in attacking it, and on Aug. 26 their occupation was complete, a rich area of 33,000 square miles thus passing from Germany to the Entente powers.
On the 7th (May) we had a trying experience. Our company commander went out with myself and another subaltern and about forty men. We crossed the Mungo River in canoes, and then did a long and very difficult march all through the night in absolute dense forest. However the guides managed it passes comprehension.
About 5 in the morning, when it was just getting light, our advance party were just on the point of stumbling on to the German outpost, when what should happen but an elephant suddenly walked in between and scattered our opposing parties in all directions. I was in the rear of our little column, and was left in bewilderment, all our carriers dropping their loads and every one disappearing into the bush. After a few minutes we got our men together and our scouts went forward again, and found the Germans had bolted from their outpost, but soon returned and opened fire on our scouts.
I hope you have heard ere this of our capture of Duala and Bonaberi, and our further advance along the Duala Railway to Tusa, and along the Wari River to Jabassi. The heat and climate are very trying. It's awfully hot, far hotter than the last coast place I was in; a drier heat and sun infinitely more powerful, and yet the rains are full on and we get terrific tornadoes. The nights, however, are cooler.
We are surrounded by mangrove swamps, and they breed mosquitos, and consequently malaria and black-water fever.
This is quite a pretty little place (Duala) with some jolly houses, typical German of the Schloss villa type; nice inside and out. The country is pretty, the soil good. A good deal of timber and rubber. I found some beautiful tusks the other day, worth a good bit. Elephants abound. The native villages around are totally different from other West African ones here their houses are mostly one long mud or palm erection, with thatched roof, and are divided into compartments instead of the smaller separate huts one is accustomed to see in these parts.
The notices all over the place are strangely reminiscent of, say, the Black Forest—'Bäkerei," "Conditorei," etc., and yet it is the heart of tropical Africa. None of the natives, strange to say, talk German; all pigeon English. The Hausa boys are splendid chaps, as different from the Duala boys or Sierra Leone boys as chalk from cheese. Smile and make an idiotic but beautiful remark, they rush with a roar of laughter for the biggest load.
We get some beautiful sunset effects here. At sundown night before last, on the sea near mouth of river, it was absolutely gorgeous with the purple mountains standing clear out against the orange and emerald sky and tho dark gray shapes of our ships lying sombrely in the background, talking to each other in flashing Morse. The great mountain, Fernando Po, standing up out of the water to starboard and the Peak of Cameroon (13,700 feet) wreathed in mist to port; Victoria invisible, as also Buea—both hidden behind the clouds as we passed disdainfully by and entered the estuary of the Cameroon River.
As an added detail for West Africa, it should be recorded that, on March 19, a combined French and Belgian force occupied Molundu in the German Congo territory, and Ngaundere on June 29.
III. WITH BOTHA IN SOUTHWEST AFRICA.
The German dominion of Southwest Africa has ceased to exist. I ask the House to testify to the admiration of the whole empire for its gratitude to the illustrious General who has rendered such an inestimable service to the empire, which he entered by adoption and of which he has become one of the most honored and cherished sons, and to his dauntless and much enduring troops, whether of Burgher or British birth, who fought like brethren, side by side, in the cause which is equally dear to them as to us—the broadening of the bounds of human liberty.
The event which the British Premier thus read into the minutes of history marks the end of a campaign begun by General Botha on Sept. 27, when troops of the Union of South Africa first entered German territory. On Christmas Day Walfisch (Whale) Bay was occupied, and on Jan. 14 Swakopmund, a military railroad joining them being finished a month later.
The occupation of Windhoek was effected by General Botha's forces. North Damaraland forces working along the railway from Swakopmund. At the former place General Vanderventer joined up with General Botha's forces. The force from Swakopmund met with considerable opposition, first at Tretskopje, a small township in the great Namib Desert fifty miles to the northeast of Swakopmund, and secondly at Otjimbingwe, on the Swakop River, sixty miles northwest of Windhoek.
Apart from these two determined stands, however, little other opposition was encountered, and Karibib was occupied on May 5 and Okahandja and Windhoek on May 12. With the fall of the latter place 3,000 Europeans and 12,000 natives became prisoners.
The wireless station—one of Germany's most valuable high-power stations, which was able to communicate with one relay only with Berlin was captured almost intact, and much rolling stock also fell into the hands of the Union forces.
The advance from the south along the Luderitzbucht-Seeheim-Keetmanshoop Railway, approximately 500 miles in length, was made by two forces which joined hands at Keetmanshoop. The advance from Aus (captured on April 1) was made by General Smuts's forces. Colonel (afterward General) Vanderventer, moving up from the direction of Warmbad and Kalkfontein, around the flanks of Karas Mountain, pushed on after reaching Keetmanshoop in the direction of Gibeon. Bethany had previously been occupied during the advance to Seeheim. At Kabus, twenty miles to the north of Keetmanshoop, and at Gibeon pitched battles were fought between General Vanderventer's forces and the enemy. No other opposition of importance was encountered, and the operations were brought to a successful conclusion at Windhoek.
A part of the German forces had retreated to the northward, intending to carry on guerrilla warfare in the hills. General Botha went in pursuit. A Reuter's telegram, dated June 26, announced that Otjivarongo, approximately 120 miles north of Karibib, on the Otavi Railway, was occupied on that day by General Botha, the enemy having retired northward during the previous night. General Botha's movements have again been characterized by rapid and extraordinary marching through dense bush country, which is almost waterless. The retirement of the enemy was more suggestive of a flight than a strategic retreat.
This morning, July 9, General Botha accepted from Governor Seitz the surrender of all the German forces in Southwest Africa. Hostilities have ceased and the campaign has thus been brought to a successful conclusion.
The newly conquered territory, which is half as large again as the German Empire, is destined to become a part of the South African Union. As a great part of it is 5,000 feet above sea level, it is well adapted for white settlers. Its chief resources are diamond mines and grazing.
General Botha's force is likely to be divided between the European seat of war, to which the South African Union has up to the present sent no troops, and German East Africa, much of which still remains in the hands of the Germans.
The fighting in British East Africa (immediately north of the German colony) may be said to have really begun toward the end of September, 1914, when the Germans made a determined attempt to capture Mombasa, the commercial capital of British East Africa and the terminus of the Uganda Railway. Previous to this somewhat half-hearted attempts had been made by them to wreck the railway line at various points, destroy the telegraph, and occupy Voi and Mombasa. The Germans, who were in strong force, were, however, for various reasons, unable to cut the railway or even to destroy the bridge across the Tsava River, and they were beaten back both at Voi and the post at Taveta.
The attack on Mombasa itself was repulsed at Gazi, some twenty-five miles to the southwest. The German plan of action was to move up the road from Vanga to Mombasa, arriving at the latter place somewhere about the time the Konigsburg was expected to arrive and bombard it from the sea. The Konigsburg was, of course, prevented from doing this by the proximity of British warships, and the land attack was also frustrated.
The Germans were held at Nargerimi by a mere handful of Arabs and King's African Rifles—about 300 men all told—until the arrival of the Indian troops strengthened our position and the enemy was beaten back to his original lines.
The next big actions were the British attack on Tanga and Jassin very early in November; this was the direct outcome of the German attack, on Mombasa. Tanga is a post of considerable importance in German East Africa, and lies midway between Zanzibar and Mombasa. It is the seaport of an important railway line which connects it with Moshi, lying among the foothills of Kilimanjaro (18,700 feet) and which taps most of the intervening country.
The force dispatched for the attack on Tanga consisted of 4,000 Indian Imperial Service troops, 1,000 Indian regulars, together with 1,000 white regulars. The force took no kit of any kind except rations. It was disembarked from the troopship near Tanga, and then moved against the position.
The day the British attacked, however, 1,000 Germans had been rushed up from Moshi and then took up a position to the right of the town. With them were great numbers of quick-firing guns of various sorts. This unexpected reinforcement made the capture of Targa almost impossible by the forces present. During the fight many casualties were incurred on both sides.
As regards the advance against Tanga and Jassin, the German forces which had previously advanced on Mombasa were, up to as recently as January, maintaining themselves in the valley of the Umba River. To drive them from their positions a column of 1,800 men, composed of Indians and King's African Rifles, with artillery, was dispatched.
After gaining Jassin and leaving a garrison of 300 men, the post was attacked and subsequently surrendered to a force of 2,000 Germans. The minor operations along the Anglo-German frontier include the attack on Shirati—a German post on the southeast shore of Lake Victoria Nyanza—on Jan. 9.
Fighting also took place near Karunga in March, and on this occasion the German force was driven back in disorder and with heavy loss into their own territory, while Kisu—which had been captured by the Germans—was reoccupied after the defeat of Karunga. On Jan. 10 the large Island of Mafia, off the coast of the German colony, was taken by the British and is being administered by them.
Further details are now to hand of the operations which have been taking place west of Lake Victoria Nyanza. It will be remembered that the general scheme for the attack on Bukoba was to be a simultaneous advance on the part of two forces, one starting from the line of the Kagera River, south of Uganda, the other starting on steamers from Kisumu.
The junction of the two forces was successfully accomplished, and the attack took place on June 22. During the action the enemy received reinforcements which brought his force up to 400 rifles, and he made a most determined resistance, the Arabs especially fighting most bravely. They were, however, heavily outnumbered, and eventually the whole force broke and fled, utterly demoralized. * * * Our troops distinguished themselves greatly, both in the arduous march from the Kagera and in the subsequent fighting. A telegram was sent on June 28 from Lord Kitchener to Major Gen. Tighe, commanding the troops in British East Africa, congratulating him on the success of the operations.
V. THE PERSIAN GULF AND MESOPOTAMIA.
Turkey's entry into the war has had four results: 1. The annexation of Cyprus (previously a protectorate) by Britain on Nov. 5; 2, the British expedition against Turkish territory on the Persian Gulf two weeks later; 3, the loss of Turkey's suzerainty over Egypt, which became a British protectorate under a Sultan on Dec. 17, and, 4, the attack on the Gallipoli Peninsula, still in progress.
The Shatt-el-Arab, (the united Euphrates and Tigris), for the greater part of its course, forms the boundary between Persia and Turkey. Some twenty miles below Basra (or Bussorah) it is joined by the Kasun, near whose course, about a hundred miles from its mouth, are the Anglo-Persian Company's oil fields.
The effective protection of these is necessarily an object of vital importance. It was also of considerable importance to create a diversion which should cause the Osmanli Generals to feel uneasiness as to a possible advance up the Euphrates. Whether more than the occupation of Basra and the protection of the oil fields was or is intended cannot, of course, be at present definitely stated.
The expeditionary force, under Lieut. Gen. Sir Arthur Barrett, consisted—apparently—of three Indo-British infantry brigades, a brigade of Indian cavalry, and artillery and auxiliary services in proportion in all probability some 15,000 to 18,000 men. It included at least three British battalions—the Second Dorsets, the Second Norfolks, and the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry.
The advanced brigade reached the Shatt-el-Arab on Nov. 7, and after a brief fight occupied Fao, a few miles up the river. On the 9th a night attack was made upon it by a force from Basra, which was easily beaten off. Shortly afterwards the main body of the expeditionary force began to arrive, and by the 16th it had entirely disembarked at Saniyeh, a place above Fao.
The weather was wretched. Rain converted the alluvial flats into a wilderness of mud. The men were drenched and caked with the riverine clay, the very rifles were often choked.
Meanwhile the advance guard carried out a reconnaissance up the river and located the enemy in position at Sahilo, about nine miles distant. They numbered about 5,000 men, with twelve guns, under General Subr Bey, the Vali (Governor) of Basra. The reconnaissance carried an advanced position with a loss of sixty killed and wounded, and withdrew unmolested to report.
On the 17th General Barrett paraded for the attack the bulk of his force. After a trying march through a veritable quagmire, the troops sometimes up to their waists in slush, the division at about 9 A.M. came within range of the Turkish position, and the leading brigade, the Belguam, (Major Gen. Fry), deployed for attack.
The ground was absolutely open, and the Turks had a perfect field of fire. On our side the men had the greatest difficulty in getting forward through the clayey mud-beds and the worn-out horses could not bring up the field artillery. Nevertheless, the Belgaum brigade steadily advanced, and the attack being presently supported by other troops and assisted by the first of the two gunboats on the river, at last closed upon the Turkish intrenchments and carried them, capturing two guns and one hundred prisoners, besides inflicting a very heavy loss in killed and wounded.
The retreat of the enemy was assisted by a mirage which disconcerted our gunners. Subr Bey retreated on Basra, but he had no hope of being able to hold the big spreading place with his small force, and evacuated it. He retreated to Kurna, where the Tigris joins the Euphrates. There he intrenched himself. His main body was in Kurna, a large village encircled by palm groves, in the marshy angle formed by the two rivers, with a strong detachment in the straggling village of Mazera, on the left bank of the Tigris.
On Dec. 7 General Fry advanced upon the Kurna position. The defenders of Mazera made a hard fight of it, assisted by the strength of their position among a maze of pottery works backed up by the ubiquitous palms, but in the afternoon the village was carried.
Kurna was now isolated, but its capture presented great difficulties. All through the 8th General Fry bombarded it from Mazera, while his infantry were slowly ferried over higher up. This was prepared by some daring sappers, who swam the broad river and fixed a wire rope by which the boats were worked backward and forward, and an advance was made against Kurna from the rear.
Subr Bey had lost very heavily at Mazera, so he accepted the inevitable and surrendered. So a brilliant little episode came to a victorious conclusion. Subr Bey was returned his sword and complimented on his stubborn defense.
The capture of Kurna secured the possession of the Basra region. Since then operations have been directed to securing it against Turkish attempts at recovery.
It is announced from Simla that on the morning of May 31 a further advance up the Tigris River was made by the British expeditionary force in close co-operation with the navy. Notwithstanding the excessive heat the troops advanced with great dash and determination, and successively captured four positions held by the enemy. As far as reported we suffered only a few casualties. Valuable work was performed by our aeroplanes. The operations are proceeding.
The British force at the end of June had reached Shaiba.
VI. THE "UNREST" IN INDIA.
The splendid work done by Indian regulars and Indian imperial forces (the forces supplied by native Princes) in Europe, in Africa, in Egypt, in Mesopotamia is a sufficient answer to the suggestion that British influence in India has been weakened by the war. The enthusiastic formation of volunteer corps, both of Europeans and of natives, is a further proof that the peoples of India, now more than ever, realize the benefits of liberty and security which they enjoy. In India the torpedoing of the Lusitania made a profound impression, as the native press proves.
A notable trial, the Lahore conspiracy case, disclosed the curious fact that almost the only case of "unrest" in India was "made in America" by returned emigrants from Canada and California, who, on their way back, were interviewed by the German Consuls at Chinese ports and advised to stir up an insurrection. This they tried to do, using bombs made of brass inkpots, and bombarding the houses of well-to-do natives, seeking in this way to raise money to finance the rising.
The Pioneer Mail (Allahabad) gives an interesting account of the trial of these peculiar patriots, half of whom seem to have informed on the other half. It appears that they, or others like them, were instrumental in causing the recent riot at Singapore, in which some twenty European men and women were killed.
VII. GERMAN ISLANDS IN THE PACIFIC.
A curious result of the world war has been the expeditions initiated by the great oversea dominions of Britain and by India. The work of two of these, in Africa and Mesopotamia, has been already described. There remain the joint Australian and New Zealand expeditions against the island colonies of Germany and the great semi-continental area of New Guinea.
The expedition called at Noumea to pick up the French warship Montcalm, also the Australia and Melbourne of ours. Noumea had been very worried since the war began, lest the German fleet from Samoa would come along and bombard the place. Had notices up to the effect that five shots would signify the arrival of the Germans, and that every inhabitant was then to grab rations and make for the horizon. The welcome the French handed to us would have stirred the blood of a jellyfish.
Samoa proved a walk-over. Not a gun, not a ship, not a mine. A bunch of schoolboys with Shanghais and a hatful of rocks could have taken it. The German fleet that was supposed to be waiting to welcome us hadn't been around for eleven months. Seemingly the German fleet has gone into the business of not being around.
The Minister for Defense (Mr. Millen) has received the following' further information by wireless regarding the operations at Herbertshohe and Rabaul, from Admiral Patey: The Australian naval reserve captured the wireless station at Herbertshohe at 1 P.M. on Sept. 12, after eighteen hours' bush fighting over about six miles. Herbertshohe and Rabaul, the seat of Government, have been garrisoned and a base has been established at Simpsonshafen.
Have prisoners: German officers, 2, including commandant; German non-commissioned officers, 15; and native police, 56. German casualties about 20 to 30 killed. Simpsonshafen swept and ready to be entered Sept. 12.
Naval force landed under Commander Beresford of the Australian Navy met with vigorous opposition. Advanced party at dawn established landing before enemy aware of intention. From within a few hundred yards of landing bush fight for almost four miles. Roads and fronts also mined in places, and stations intrenched. Officer commanding German forces in trench 500 yards seaward side of station has surrendered unconditionally.
Our force have reconnoitred enemy strength holding station. Have landed 12-pounder guns, and if station does not surrender intend shelling. Regret to report following casualties: 4 killed, 3 wounded.
Later a wireless message from Rear-Admiral Sir George Patey informed the Minister for Defense (Mr. E. D. Millen) on Monday, Sept. 14, that, as a result of the operations of the Australian Expeditionary Force, Rabaul, the seat of government in German New Guinea, had been occupied. The British flag was hoisted over the town at 3:30 on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 13, 1914) and it was saluted. A proclamation was then read by Rear-Admiral Patey, formerly setting out the occupation.
Apia (Samoa) had been occupied by British forces on Aug. 29. The Caroline Islands, first occupied by Japan, were turned over to New Zealand. The Marshall and Solomon Islands were likewise occupied on Dec. 9, thus completing the tale of Germany's colonial possessions in the Pacific.
There remain large areas in Kamerun and East Africa, but in both cases the coast line is in the possession of the Entente powers.
IX. FIGHTING IN THE CAUCASUS.
"When our armies scattered the forces of Halil Bey and gained marked successes in the western part of Azerbijan, the question of taking Van and the more important towns on Lake Van arose. At the same time we received news of the desperate situation of the Christians (Armenians) of the Van vilayet, who had been compelled to take up arms against the Kurds.
"Our division was directed to go to Van through the Sanjak of Bajazet, crossing the Tatar Pass under fire of Turkish regulars and Kurds. In spite of the Spring season, the whole pass was covered with a thick carpet of snow, in places up to our men's belts. At the highest point of the pass, 10,000 feet, we were forced to halt. After a brief rest we reached Taparitz and were immediately in contact with the enemy, who attacked with shell and rifle fire, but we soon silenced them with our rifles and machine guns. Scattering, the Turks and Kurds hid among the rocks and sniped at us.
"From Taparitz we advanced much more rapidly along the Abaga Valley, then turned to the west along the River Bendimach-Su, the best route to Van. We were informed that Begri-Kala was strongly occupied by Turks who were determined to defend it to the last.
"They began an irregular fire, which soon developed into a hotly contested battle. We were compelled to reply with bullet and bayonet. We took several mountain guns, many rifles and cartridges and much ammunition. Many of the enemy threw up their hands and surrendered. We liberated several dozen Christian girls who had been captured by the Kurds at the time of the Turk and Kurd raid on the Armenian villages.
"We then resumed our march on Van, after driving the Turks from the Village of Sor. The enemy gathered in the Town of Janik, one march from Van, on the northeast shore of Lake Van. To take Janik cost us several days' fighting. The Turks fought desperately, undaunted by enormous losses, their dead falling in heaps on all sides. The Turkish infantry fought a brave and honorable fight, but the Kurds are foul fighters, murdering and looting.
"Attacking directly with only a part of our forces, we sent the rest by a long detour around the enemy's position, taking the Turks in flank; then our men charged with the bayonet, and the fight was over.
"The fall of Janik decided the fate of Van. On the night of May 5 (18) the Turks evacuated Van, leaving twenty-six guns, 3,000 poods (a pood equals 36 pounds) of powder, their treasure and documents; they went so silently that the inhabitants did not know of it until the next morning.
"On May 6 (19) the birthday of Czar the streets and decking our soldiers with Nicholas II., we entered antique Van, the centre of the large and once wealthy vilayet of the same name, amid extraordinary rejoicings, the entire Christian population coming forth to meet us, strewing flowers and green branches in the streets and decking our soldiers with garlands.
"The capture of Van is as important politically as it is strategically. The advance on Mush and Bitlis is a necessary consequence."


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21 Best K-Pop Songs?
At the last World Economic Forum in Davos, where global leaders of government and big business mingle in the Swiss Alps, France was woefully under-represented. Despite the fact that David Cameron of the U.K., Angela Merkel of Germany, and many other world leaders were present, Hollande—a Socialist president who must appeal to the unions—skipped it entirely.
Representing France instead was Fleur Pellerin, 41, the brilliant minister of Internet, small businesses, and innovations. Pellerin is unusual: born in Korea and abandoned at birth, she was adopted by French parents. Now she is trying to carve an energetic niche for New France, one that can encourage and use its talent to compete with the Brazilians, Chinese, Indians.
"Education is so vital," she says, in perfect English.
But Pellerin is only a junior minister (at present, anyway—my prediction is that she will end up being the next Lagarde), so there is a limit to her influence, even if she has caught Hollande's eye with her brashness and vitality.
Mikeymikez's Blog
SPIN LISTS
The 21 Greatest K-Pop Songs of All Time
June 1 2012, 9:15 AM ET
by David Bevan and Chuck Eddy
From lapsed '90s metalheads to the glossiest Girls of today's Generation, the best of the sublimely shiny sound that's sweeping the world
Twenty years after its birth, Korean pop music has made its way from Seoul to Singapore to San Antonio to São Paulo and back again, "outbubbling" — as SPIN's Chuck Eddy phrased it last year — its Western counterpart by tweaking and perfecting the formula on which both have long been based. It's music that demands to be mainlined (hooks come sharper, choruses larger, visuals brighter), its gloss equaled only by the aggressiveness with which it's been delivered to the international marketplace in recent years. By now, K-pop's catalog of classics is deep enough to…
February 1, 2013 JiniEvents - beyond SDAdoptee, Davos, France, Korean, Minister
2 thoughts on "21 Best K-Pop Songs?"
rhemaw
YAY~ Candy by H.O.T is #1 😀 These are all awesome songs!
mikeymikez
Glad you like them! 🙂
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Q: What was the reason for lseek function to return file descriptors as long integer? According to the book Advanced Programming in the Unix Environment :-
"The character l in the name lseek means ''long integer.'' Before the introduction of the off_t data type, the offset argument and the return value were long integers. lseek was introduced with Version 7 when long integers were added to C. (Similar functionality was provided in Version 6 by the functions seek and tell.)"
We know that there is a limit on the value of file descriptors.That value lies in the range 0-OPEN_MAX-1.So,if earlier versions use long integer for file descriptors ,then this could mean that the maximum number of files which can be opened per process must vary according to the system word format(32 bit or 64 bit),and this means that the number of available file descriptors could be of the order of 10^18.Am I right?

A: lseek's long parameter and return value are both offsets in the file; the addition of long didn't have any impact on file descriptors.
Varying word size did have an impact on the size of usable offsets; see lseek64 for a workaround.

A: I believe this is a misunderstanding.
The complete quote from the book is

The three symbolic constants—SEEK_SET, SEEK_CUR, and SEEK_END—were introduced
  with System V. Prior to this, whence was specified as 0 (absolute), 1 (relative to the current
  offset), or 2 (relative to the end of file). Much software still exists with these numbers hard
  coded.
The character l in the name lseek means ''long integer.'' Before the introduction of the
  off_t data type, the offset argument and the return value were long integers. lseek was
  introduced with Version 7 when long integers were added to C. (Similar functionality was
  provided in Version 6 by the functions seek and tell.)

Nowhere in the text does it say anything about the return value being a file descriptor at any point in time.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Blackouts and bedlam: Gazans left in the dark about their future
Gazans are forced to use expensive and temporary solutions to deal with the cold winter temperatures and the constant power cuts
Thousands of people demonstrate in north Gaza, demanding an end to the power crisis on 13 January 2017 (MEE/Mohammed Asad)
Mousa Tawfiq
Published date: 25 January 2017 18:21 UTC | Last update: 3 years 11 months ago
GAZA STRIP - At the tender age of 10, the only life Mohammed Yasin has known has been one of living under siege and power cuts. Born in Gaza in 2006 when Hamas won the Palestinian legislative election, triggering the 2006 sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority by Israel, the young boy has become accustomed to economic hardship and darkness.
"I don't remember a day without power cuts," he told MEE, as his mother lit a candle for him and his sister.
'I don't remember a day without power cuts'
Mohammed was born after the beginning of the electricity crisis in 2006, when an Israeli air strike by an F16 fighter jet hit the sole power plant operating in the Gaza Strip. Since then, the plant has been working at minimal capacity and only when the Strip can purchase electricity from Egypt and Israel.
"I'm getting better at lighting the candles, and sticking them on plates with my mother's help," Mohammed said, adding that he does very well in school, despite the power cuts.
Mohammed and Noor Yasin study their lessons on candlelight in Gaza City on 17 January, 2017 (MEE/Mohammed Asad)
Mohammed's six-year old sister Noor interrupts him to tell a joke.
"Two aliens were surprised while watching earth. Do you know why? Because they saw Gaza's lights turn on and off repeatedly," she said, as they both laughed.
Gaza's blackouts reached their peak late last month, as Gazans usual supply of power plunged from eight hours to around three or four hours a day.
'Our life is on hold'
The power cuts have drastic consequences for Gaza's residents. Ahmed Abu Salama lost the freedom to move around his own home because he could no longer charge his electric wheelchair.
"When my wife isn't at home and the electricity goes off, I stay in bed for hours because I can't reach the lights and when I try to, I fall on the ground," Abu Salama said.
Abu Salama and his friends were hit by an Israeli air strike while they were walking home from school in Jabalia refugee camp in February 2008. Abu Salama, who was 16 years old at the time, was the only survivor, but he sustained severe skull fractures and was partially paralysed in his right hand and leg.
When he could not get the treatment he needed in the impoverished Strip, his health deteriorated and now he cannot walk at all.
Last month, a local charity provided Abu Salama with an electric wheelchair, which was exhilarating for him.
"When I drove my new wheelchair for the first time, I felt that I was alive," he said with a smile. "I can go wherever I want at any time. I'm free again."
Yet with the constant power cuts, Abu Salama said that he felt like his newfound freedom was being stripped away from him. In order to work for two hours, the wheelchair needs to be charged for six hours.
"I prefer to stay at home rather than taking the risk of running out of battery on the street. It happened once and I was very embarrassed to have to ask people for help. Moreover, it will cost me more than $200 to buy extra batteries, and I can't afford them," he said.
Small businesses in Gaza, already struggling with the siege, have also been hit hard by the power cuts.
Yousef al-Jaro, 52, a carpenter in al-Daraj neighbourhood in the east of Gaza City, said he now has to close his shop most of the day, as all his work requires electrical machines.
The hard-working carpenter proudly said that he used to open his shop at 7:30am and never closed before 7:30pm, but now with the power cuts, he can barely work.
Mohammed al-Jaro, 24, Yousef's son, has been working with his father for seven years and has never seen his father so depressed and frustrated.
"I have seven sisters and a brother. My father's responsibilities are growing and we try our best to help him overcome the situation," he said.
A group of men gather around a makeshift fire to keep warm, during the power cuts in Gaza City on 16 January, 2017 (MEE/Mohammed Asad)
After the sun sets, a blanket of darkness covers Gaza City, with no lights on the streets glowing anywhere. Desperate to stay warm, people can be seen gathering around small makeshift fires.
A temporary solution
Earlier this week, Qatar donated $12 million (£9.9 million) to buy fuel for Gaza's power plant, easing the crisis and providing electricity for around six hours a day. Though it is a welcome respite to the crisis, it is only expected to provide electricity to the enclave for three months.
Gaza's energy authority said the Qatari-funded fuel would power a third generator at the power plant and help provide electricity in eight-hour cycles for three months.
Residents in Gaza are expecting the power cuts to increase again after the fuel finishes, as many say that this is just a temporary solution to quell the anger of two million people in Gaza who are suffering from the power outages.
Last week, protests against the power cuts turned violent when security forces fired shots in the air and reportedly attacked journalists. Thousands of people had marched to the headquarters of a local electricity company run by Hamas, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007.
Man holds a sign saying "we want electricity" during a protest in north Gaza on 13 January, 2017 (MEE/Mohammed Asad)
Gaza has a demand for 450-500 Megawatts (MW) of power a day, but it is receiving barely a third of that. About 30 MW is produced by its one ageing power plant, while 30 MW is imported from Egypt, and 120 MW is supplied from Israel.
The Palestinian Authority, which pays for power supplied by Israel and Egypt, normally transfers fuel to Gaza and exempts it from most taxes. But because of its own financial constraints, it is no longer offsetting all the taxes, angering Hamas.
The high demand for power, as temperatures drop to four degrees during winter, pushed more people to use electric heaters and radiators in an effort to stay warm. This also played a part in the power shortage.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum has said that Hamas is open to solutions, and accused the Palestinian Authority of using the crisis as a means to "damage Hamas's image and sanction Gaza's people".
Expensive alternatives
For years, people in Gaza have been been trying to find ways to cope with the continuous power cuts, such as using small generators, but most people cannot afford to run diesel generators for 20 hours a day.
Sufian Ahmed owns a big generator in the west of Gaza City and he connects it to many houses in the area. In order to get each family connected to the generator, they must pay $50 in advance, which many families cannot afford.
"Some families pay $20 a month, while others pay $150. Some people use the generator electricity just to watch TV and to turn on the lights, while others use it for all their electrical devices."
Ahmed and others like him know that their service is expensive, but they justify it with the high price of fuel.
"On normal days, when people receive eight hours of electricity from the Gaza power plant, I pay $400 a day just for fuel for the generator to provide people with electricity for the rest of the day. But during this situation, people receive three hours of electricity, so I pay $530."
Others use solar cells for their power needs, as it is cleaner than generators, but much more expensive.
"It costs $2,600 to have solar cells installed in your house, and in addition, every year you'll need to buy new batteries, costing $200," said Jamad al-Banna, an electronics engineer.
These are all quite expensive and temporary solutions for Gazans, as they hope for a permanent resolution to the constant power cuts and a brighter tomorrow.
This article is available in French on Middle East Eye French edition.
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