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Climate Change – It's a Gas, Gas, Gas….
History, History Column
April 1, 2021 March 31, 2021 by oldtowncrier
Written by ©2021 Sarah Becker
"Climate change threatens all weather patterns," John Kerry, special presidential envoy for climate said on February 19,2021. "The planet is warming in large part because of greenhouse gas emissions that are pumped into the sky from power plants, cars, planes and industry. America is the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases [and] we have only a few years left to avoid a climate catastrophe."
Merriam Webster defines greenhouse gases as "any of the various gaseous components (such as carbon dioxide CO2 or methane CH2) that absorb radiation; trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to the greenhouse effect."
"Scientists told us three years ago we had 12 years to avert the worst consequences of climate crisis," Kerry detailed. "We are now three years gone, so we have nine years left." Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (76%), methane (16%), nitrous oxide (6%) and fluorinated gases (2%). The most abundant greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide is the product of burning fossil fuels.
"The time has come to inquire seriously what will happen when our forests are gone, when the coal, the iron, the oil, and the gas are exhausted, when the soils shall have been still further impoverished and washed into the streams, polluting the rivers, denuding the fields, and obstructing navigation," President Theodore Roosevelt [R-NY] told State Governors in 1908—113 years ago.
"Conservation of our natural resources, though the gravest problem of today, is yet but part of another and greater problem to which this Nation is not yet awake, but to which it will awake in time, and with which it must hereafter grapple if it is to live," Roosevelt continued. Carbon dioxide molecules, once emitted, remain in the atmosphere for almost a century.
"One distinguishing characteristic of really civilized men is foresight," Roosevelt concluded. "We have to, as a nation, exercise foresight for this nation in the future!"
"We must emphasize research on solar energy and other renewable energy sources," President Jimmy Carter [D-GA] commanded in 1977. Today his Georgia farm fields are packed with solar energy panels.
In 2017 President Donald Trump [R-NY/FL] announced he was pulling the U.S. out of the 2015, 190 nation Paris Climate Accord. The Trump administration [2017-2021] rolled back more than 100 environmental regulations. Incoming President Joe Biden [D-DE] rejoined the Paris Climate Accord on February 19, 2021. His administration celebrates Earth Day April 22, 2021, with more ambitious emission targets.
President Biden plans to spend $2 trillion over the next four years to increase the use of clean energies: in the transportation, electricity and building sectors. "He has set a goal of eliminating fossil fuel emissions from electricity generation by 2030 and has vowed to put the entire United States economy on track to become carbon neutral by midcentury."
"The big key levers for the 2030 pledge will be the auto and utility sectors," Biden's domestic climate adviser Gina McCarthy said on March 4.
"The 2015 pledges made by nearly every country on Earth to cut their planet-warming emissions will no longer cut it," Kerry explained. "Even if we did everything that every country set up to do in the Paris Agreement, and we're not, the Earth's temperature is predicted to increase something like 3.7o Celsius. That's obviously catastrophic, and that's why ambition is so critical."
"It is time to stop waffling and say that the evidence is pretty strong that the greenhouse effect is here," NASA climate change expert Dr. James E. Hansen concluded in 1988—33 years ago. "It is happening now."
Lyndon Johnson (D-TX) was the first U.S. President to concern himself with Clean Air and Water Quality. "There is no excuse for a river flowing red with blood from slaughterhouses," Johnson said in 1965. "There is no excuse…for chemical companies and oil refineries using our major rivers as pipelines for toxic wastes. There is no excuse for communities to use other people's rivers as a dump for their raw sewage."
President Richard Nixon [R-CA] established the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] in 1970: "We have the chance today to do more than ever before in history to make life better in America—to insure better health…better transportation, a cleaner environment…Let us be bold in our determination to meet those needs in new ways." The EPA first proposed "bold actions" to curb warming in 1989.
"We cannot dwell upon remembered glory," President Jimmy Carter said in his 1977 Inaugural address. "We cannot afford to drift…to lack boldness as we meet the future." Carter was the first president to openly criticize America's dependence on foreign oil; to install solar panels in the White House. Succeeding President Ronald Reagan [R-CA] removed the panels in 1986.
"[T]ogether, in a spirit of individual sacrifice for the common good, we must simply do our best," Carter concluded. To wear face masks in this pandemic age: to forego gas-guzzling vehicles.
Researchers at Melbourne, Australia's RMIT University—in an effort to curb COVID-19 pandemic waste—may "have developed a way to repurpose single-use [disposable face] masks into roads. A new study, published in Science of the Total Environment, shows that using recycled masks to make a 1-kilometer two-lane road would use up about 3 million masks, preventing 93 metric tons of waste from ending up in landfills." The pavement mixture consists of both shredded face masks and processed building rubble "designed to meet civil engineering safety standards and add stiffness and strength to the pavement."
Microsoft founder, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Bill Gates describes today's ongoing climate effort "as bigger than anything humanity has done to date." NOAA calculates that "From 1990—through 2019—the warming influence of all major human produced greenhouse gases has increased by 45%."
In his new book, How to Avoid Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need Gates claims "just a 2 degrees Celsius rise in ocean temperatures could kill coral reefs and destroy the food source for 1 billion people." UNESCO claims the coral reefs in all 29 reef-containing World Heritage sites "will cease to exist as functioning coral reef ecosystems by the end of the century if we continue to emit greenhouse gases under a business as usual scenario."
The United Nations estimates 17% of the food produced globally is wasted, approximately 1.03 billion tons annually. Researchers at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory are developing a way to convert U.S. food scraps into an energy-dense biofuel that powers trains, planes and heavy duty trucks.
"If we do not eliminate greenhouse gases within the next three decades the planet will be lost," Gates said. "Corporate America needs to make buying green—green aviation fuel, for example –a priority. And every day Americans must change the cars they drive."
"An international effort is required of all new autos produced around the world to achieve an average of at least 40 miles per gallon of gasoline," President George H.W. Bush's 1989 Environmental Protection Agency decided. Also: "To require all automobiles in industrial countries to install catalytic converters, like those required in the United States, to reduce gases from tailpipe emissions."
According to the Rhodium Group carbon dioxide emissions rose 2.7% in 2018, the second largest annual spike since 2000. "Much of the emissions spike was driven by the continued rise of transportation emissions, now the nation's top source of emissions."
What is the social cost of carbon? "It's approximately the damage done by driving from San Francisco to Chicago, assuming that about a ton of carbon spits out of the tailpipe over those 2,000 miles," MIT's Technology Review said. The Obama and Trump administrations numbers are "contentious"—depending "on how you value future damages."
"In the U.S. nearly one in two passenger cars sold today is an SUV," the International Energy Agency [IEA] reported in October 2019. "If SUV drivers were a nation, they would rank seventh in the world for carbon emissions."
"As the global fleet of SUVs has grown emissions from the vehicles have increased more than fourfold, from 2010 to 2018," the IEA report continued. "In that period, SUVs doubled their global market share from 17% to 39% and their annual emissions rose to more than 700 megatonnes of CO2. No energy sector except power drove a larger increase in carbon emissions, putting SUVs ahead of heavy industry (including iron, steel, cement and shipping), aviation and shipping."
The climate effort, Gates concluded, "involves reducing the 51 billion tons of greenhouse gases produced yearly; reducing [if not eliminating] the production of things such as cement, steel and plastic. And the public—especially car owners—must pressure their public officials to actively do something about the crisis." Lately it seems Alexandria's auto-related gains are few.
Volvo recently announced it is phasing out the production of all cars with internal combustion engines, including hybrids by 2030. As interesting, Consumers Reports annual April auto issue tells of its New Green Choice program, CR's first ever rankings of all-electric vehicles (EVs) and gas-electric hybrids.
"Just as a synthetic rubber corporation helped us win World War II, so will we mobilize American determination and ability to win the energy war," President Carter said in his 1979 Crisis of Confidence speech. "Every act of energy conservation is more than just common sense—I tell you it is an act of patriotism. We often think of conservation in terms of sacrifice. In fact…every gallon of oil each one of us saves is a new form of production."
All of us look forward to the District's National Cherry Blossom Festival [March 20-April 11, 2021]—a masked properly distanced stroll through the Tidal Basin's beautiful blooms. The National Park Service predicts Peak bloom to be April 2-5.
Did you know that the warmer temperatures associated with climate change are affecting the cherry blossoms? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, peak bloom dates for the cherry trees have shifted. Since 1921 peak bloom—defined as when 70% of Yoshino cherry blossoms are open—is approximately five days earlier.
Envoy John Kerry equates cleaner energy with opportunity: "For the greatest economic transformation since the Industrial Revolution." The Industrial Revolution [1760-1840] marks England and America's change from an agrarian and handicraft economy to one dominated by industry and machine manufacturing.
The success of any New Energy economy depends on clean tech—like batteries, solar and wind power. "Yet no fundamentally new energy technology has been discovered in nearly a century," The Manhattan Institute for Policy noted. The Biden administration is moving closer to approving the country's first full-scale off-shore wind farm, the [Martha's] Vineyard wind project.
Question: Given the recent Texas power debacle; the country's increasing dependence on clean tech, how will America's 2030 power, backup power grid be explained? So far the Biden administration has said only "the U.S. will use the government's buying power and natural carbon sinks—as well as tougher regulations" to meet its climate goals.
Answers to these and other environmental questions are expected on April 22.
Sarah Becker started writing for The Economist while a graduate student in England. Similar publications followed. She joined the Crier in 1996 while serving on the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association Board. Her interest in antiquities began as a World Bank hire, with Indonesia's need to generate hard currency. Balinese history, i.e. tourism provided the means. The New York Times describes Becker's book, Off Your Duffs & Up the Assets, as "a blueprint for thousands of nonprofit managers." A former museum director, SLAM's saving grace Sarah received Alexandria's Salute to Women Award in 2007. Email: abitofhistory53@gmail.com
A Rite of Spring – Pasta Primavera
"Don't Walk Away" by The Heavy Hours


Alcohol abuse occurs in teens and adults alike. When a person becomes dependent on alcohol, they change their way of life to revolve around it and often that means splitting friendships, cutting relationship ties and removing themselves from family activities. If you suspect your loved one of alcohol abuse, it is imperative you help them seek treatment and recovery before alcohol begins to take over their life.
When a person is abusing alcohol they engage in unhealthy and even dangerous drinking habits. This can include drinking every day or having multiple drinks in one sitting. Abuse can harm personal and professional relationships and even lead to trouble with law enforcement for drunk driving. Most individuals who suffer from alcohol abuse know what they are doing is wrong; yet they continue the behavior anyway. Long-term alcohol abuse will often lead to alcohol dependency, which is a serious physical and emotional disorder (also referred to as alcoholism).
Intervention for alcohol abuse and dependency are key in helping your loved one overcome their physical and mental dependency. Since alcoholism is considered a long-term chronic illness, it is not a matter of lack of willpower. Unfortunately, since alcoholism is a charted disease, it has a likely and well-documented pattern and those who do not receive treatment will suffer from long-term medical and psychological issues – some of which can be life-threatening. By performing an intervention, you can help your loved one get the support and understanding they need in order to overcome this physical dependency. In most cases, your loved one has already tried to quit and knows they have a problem, which is why hearing it from others and gaining the support from others to quit is the number one reason alcoholics turn their lives around.
Treatment for alcoholism is quite in-depth. Typically alcoholics enter into group and individual therapy sessions as well as alcohol education. Some individuals with severe dependencies will require some form of medication in order to cope with withdrawals. Treatment will not just deal with the dependency itself, but the reasons that caused the dependency to begin with. Unfortunately, even after treatment, individuals who overcome alcohol abuse will cope with staying alcohol-free for the rest of their lives, which is why it is important that they receive care and support from loved ones before, during and long after treatment.
If you are ready to help a loved toward the path of recovery, start with an effective intervention by the professionals at LifeLine Intervention. By calling 866-384-8411 now you can speak to a trained professional who understands the factors surrounding alcohol dependency and how it affects your loved one.
The first step in helping your loved one recover is getting the right information, so start in the right direction with LifeLine Intervention.


One side has a single full width bar and high density foam surface pad for hooking and pinning hooklinks up almost 30cm in length.
The opposite side is split into two full width sections. This allows greater storage of short rigs, with bars set for 12cm (top half) and 15cm (bottom half) rig storage.
Hook retaining wires are rigid stainless steel, and set into the durable black foam board.
Stiff, durable casing offers excellent protection to rigs in storage.
Supplied with 20 round head map pins for retaining rigs in position.
Zips fully open and lies flat – which is ideal when tying up rigs on the bank.


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Étienne Falgoux, né le , est un joueur international français de rugby à XV évoluant au poste de pilier gauche. Il joue au sein de l'effectif de l'ASM Clermont Auvergne depuis 2013, son club formateur.

Biographie

Jeunesse et formation

Étienne Falgoux naît à Issoire et grandit à Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise, au sein du massif du Sancy. Pendant sa jeunesse, il alterne alors entre ses deux passions sportives : le rugby et le ski. Il pratique ce dernier avec son cousin, skieur alpin, Rémy Falgoux. Au collège du Pavin de Besse, il fait partie de la section sport étude qui lui permet d'effectuer des compétitions de ski en Auvergne et dans les Alpes. Il commence une formation de monitorat en ski, mais après avoir rejoint le lycée Murat d'Issoire, il se consacre définitivement à la pratique du rugby après avoir intégré la section rugby de l'établissement, laissant alors de côté la pratique du ski qui présente trop de risques pour une possible carrière de rugbyman.

Auparavant, il commence le rugby au sein du Rugby Club Montaigut-Besse, puis rejoint ensuite l'US Issoire. Il est repéré à 16 ans par le centre de formation de l'ASM Clermont Auvergne. Il intègre ce dernier à 20 ans, en 2012.

En , il est retenu en équipe de France Universitaire pour affronter la Belgique, en compagnie de plusieurs de ses coéquipiers clermontois dont Paul Jedrasiak. Ils s'imposent 36-12 lors de ce match.

Il est champion de France espoirs avec l'ASM en 2014.

En parallèle du rugby, il effectue une licence d'histoire, qu'il obtient, au sein de l'université Blaise-Pascal.

Carrière professionnelle
Il dispute son premier match professionnel face à l'Aviron bayonnais en Top 14, en , où il remplace Raphaël Chaume en fin de rencontre.

En , il subit une rupture du ligament croisé postérieur du genou gauche, freinant alors sa progression.

Ce n'est quasiment qu'un an plus tard qu'il fait son retour à la compétition, puis connaît sa première titularisation à l'occasion de la troisième journée de Top 14 contre le Stade français lors de la saison 2016-2017. Il découvre également la Coupe d'Europe cette saison-là contre le club anglais d'Exeter Chiefs et est titularisé pour la première fois dans cette compétition contre l'Ulster. Il entre en jeu en finale de Coupe d'Europe contre les Saracens mais s'incline 28-17 avec son club. Quelques semaines plus tard, il remporte le Top 14, 22-17 contre le Rugby club toulonnais, avec son club formateur où il est remplaçant en finale. Durant cette saison, il s'impose alors comme le deuxième pilier gauche de l'effectif derrière Raphaël Chaume et devant Thomas Domingo, il joue vingt-huit rencontres dont onze en tant que titulaire et participe à toutes les rencontres de phases finales que l'ASM dispute dans les deux compétitions.

Dès la saison suivante, il continue sa progression et devient le pilier gauche ayant disputé le plus de minutes avec l'ASM devant Raphaël Chaume, portant son total de titularisations à seize en vingt-sept rencontres disputés.

Durant la saison 2018-2019, il réalise une bonne saison sur le point personnel, après le départ de Raphaël Chaume au Lyon olympique universitaire rugby, il est désormais le pilier gauche titulaire de son club. Il devient même international français durant le Tournoi des Six Nations 2019, venant alors récompenser sa bonne saison. Au mois de mai, il prolonge son contrat avec son club formateur jusqu'en 2023. Sur le plan collectif avec son club, il remporte le Challenge européen face au Stade rochelais (36-16), puis est finaliste du Top 14 contre le Stade toulousain. Il dispute vingt-huit rencontres dont vingt en tant que titulaire cette saison-là.

La saison 2019-2020 est perturbée par la pandémie de Covid-19 qui met fin au Top 14 avant le terme de la saison, avant cet arrêt Falgoux compte quinze titularisations en seize rencontres, confirmant son statut de numéro un à son poste. Durant l'été 2020, il fait partie des joueurs participant aux négociations sur les baisses de salaire au sein du club en rapport avec la fin de saison tronquée par la pandémie.

À partir de la saison 2020-2021, l'arrivée de Peni Ravai remet en cause son statut de titulaire après les bonnes performances de ce dernier. Début 2021, il se blesse gravement aux muscles ischio-jambiers, mettant alors un terme à sa saison. Plus tard la même année, en novembre, il est invité dans l'équipe des Barbarians français pour affronter les Tonga au Matmut Stadium Gerland de Lyon. Les Baa-Baas s'impose 42 à 17 grâce à six essais inscrits.

En fin de saison 2021-2022, avec l'émergence des jeunes piliers clermontois Giorgi Beria et Daniel Bibi Biziwu, Falgoux perd en temps de jeu en fin de saison.

Toutefois, il réalise un bon début de saison 2022-2023 et retrouve une place de titulaire. Ses bonnes performances sont récompensées et courant janvier il signe une prolongation de contrat de 3 saisons, le liant au club auvergnat jusqu'en 2026.

Carrière internationale
Étienne Falgoux est convoqué pour la première fois en équipe de France lors du Tournoi des Six Nations 2019 pour pallier le forfait de Dany Priso. Il joue trois matchs avec les Bleus, étant d'abord remplaçant contre l'Écosse et l'Irlande, puis titulaire contre l'Italie lors de la dernière journée.

Le , le pilier français est appelé dans la liste des 31 joueurs convoqués en équipe de France, en tant que réserviste. Ceci, en préparation de la Coupe du monde de rugby 2019 qui se tiendra au Japon. Néanmoins, Cyril Baille rejoint la liste des réservistes en juillet 2019 après le forfait sur blessure d'Étienne Falgoux.

Statistiques

En club
Au , Étienne Falgoux compte 158 matchs joués avec l'ASM Clermont, dont 125 en Top 14, 27 en Coupe d'Europe et 6 en Challenge européen, depuis 2014. Il a inscrit 4 essais dans sa carrière, soit 20 points.

Avec le XV de France
Au , Étienne Falgoux compte 3 sélections en équipe de France. Il a pris part à une édition du Tournoi des Six Nations en 2019.

Palmarès

En club

Espoirs

 Vainqueur du Championnat de France espoirs en 2014 avec l'ASM Clermont Auvergne.

Professionnel
 Vainqueur du Championnat de France (1) en 2017 avec l'ASM Clermont Auvergne.
 Vainqueur du Challenge européen (1) en 2019 avec l'ASM Clermont Auvergne.
 Finaliste de la Coupe d'Europe (2) en 2015 et 2017 avec l'ASM Clermont Auvergne.
 Finaliste du Championnat de France (2) en 2015 et 2019 avec l'ASM Clermont Auvergne.

En sélection nationale

Tournoi des Six Nations

Légende : v = victoire ; n = match nul ; d = défaite ; la ligne est en gras quand il y a Grand Chelem.

Notes et références

Liens externes

 Fiche d'Étienne Falgoux sur www.cybervulcans.net.

Joueur international français de rugby à XV
Joueur de l'ASM Clermont Auvergne
Joueur du Barbarian RC
Pilier (rugby à XV)
Étudiant de l'université Clermont-Ferrand II
Naissance en janvier 1993
Naissance à Issoire

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Living with cancer during Covid-19
A breast cancer patient shares her lockdown experience
By James Stent
Stress Fibers and Microtubules in Human Breast Cancer Cells. Created by Christina Stuelten, Carole Parent, 2011 (US National Cancer Institute via Unsplash)
Cancer patients appear to have a higher risk of dying of Covid-19 if they become infected with the new coronavirus.
Lauren has cancer and needs to attend a clinic for radiotherapy.
She describes the measures the clinic has taken because of the epidemic.
She also describes how her life has had to change during Covid-19.
Everyday Lauren* breaks her isolation to visit the clinic where she undergoes radiotherapy.
She is in her third week of this course of treatment, with a week to go. The radiotherapy uses radiation to target an area of tissue on the left of her chest. The laser is active for 15 seconds at a time, during which Lauren must hold her breath to shift the position of her heart and lungs in order to protect them from the harmful effects of the radiation.
Once the 15-minute session is complete, she returns to the home which she shares with her grandmother. She is six months into treatment for breast cancer. While at first it made her anxious, she tells GroundUp that she now likes going to radiotherapy: "It's good to have something to do every day."
Lauren, 30, had been in Dubai for three weeks when she found a lump in her left breast. She had just begun a new job. A visit to a Dubai oncologist confirmed that she had breast cancer. She returned to South Africa in October 2019 and began her first course of chemotherapy in November 2019, four sessions, one every fortnight. Side effects of this treatment were severe and included nausea and queasiness, fatigue, extreme light sensitivity, hair loss, stomach pain, menopause symptoms, and insomnia.
Her second course of chemotherapy involved a session every week for twelve weeks. Side effects included fatigue, carpal tunnel syndrome, hot flushes, nail loss, insomnia, and numbness and pins-and-needles in fingers and toes.
Meanwhile Covid-19 began to stretch out across the globe. When lockdown started in South Africa in late March, Lauren still had three chemotherapy sessions to go, then surgery, and then radiotherapy.
Lauren says that when Covid-19 entered the public consciousness, she wasn't particularly worried. And when the lockdown happened, she felt something close to relief. Cancer had placed her life on suspension, and it seemed as if the rest of the world had now caught up with her.
But that feeling did not last long. Family and friends could no longer support her in the same way. She couldn't go for walks with friends. Friends couldn't visit or help her cope with the side effects of her treatment. And the turmoil that Covid-19 has wrought on society in general meant that people had their own crises to weather.
She has not been able to work because of her treatment and moved in with her grandmother at the onset of the Covid-19 crisis so they could isolate together. They have all their groceries delivered to avoid the risk of shopping.
As the nature of the infection began to be understood, precautionary measures at the clinic changed. One week the windows of the chemotherapy treatment centre were open wide, the next they were closed, each decision the result of a new opinion.
A patient's last chemotherapy session is normally a moment of celebration. Family and friends come to the clinic, and the patient rings a bell to signal the end of the treatment. But as regulations designed to curb the spread of Covid-19 were instituted in hospitals, and visitors were barred from wards, the bell-ringing ceremonies were much more subdued.
Four weeks after the chemotherapy concluded, Lauren was scheduled for lumpectomy surgery. As hospital admissions dropped with the suspension of surgery which was not urgent, Lauren's procedure was advanced by two weeks. Her doctors were also concerned that if they waited, there would be more risk of her contracting Covid-19.
Her parents couldn't take her to the hospital or be at her bedside when she woke up. Instead, they met Lauren in the hospital parking lot and waved to her from inside their car as she was admitted for surgery.
One benefit of the lockdown was that there were far fewer people at the hospital. As she would walk around the hospital parking lots as part of her post-op physiotherapy, she noted how the usually bustling space was now empty.
Cancer patients require close monitoring from the doctors responsible for their care. On entry to the cancer care clinic, Lauren would have her temperature read by a digital thermometer, and nurses would watch as she washed her hands before she entered the chemotherapy clinic. The clinic insists on strict social distancing, and access to the clinic is restricted. Lauren has not needed to go for a Covid-19 test, as she has kept strictly isolated.
A month ago, her usual clinic was shut down for two days after a receptionist's husband- and then the receptionist herself - contracted Covid-19, and Lauren had to go to another clinic during that time.
Enduring breast cancer meant Lauren had to find ways to stabilise her mind - what Lauren calls "emotional regulation". Covid-19 removed many of these options - walks with friends, a night out with them, visits to the ocean, or spending time with her parents. She finds comfort in watching videos online, and playing games. The key for her is creating a routine to work through each day. "In the hard times, you're only as good as your systems," she says.
"Before Covid, it was simpler to be going through cancer. There was a light at the end of things - the promise of getting back to life, getting to swim in the sea."
For Lauren, what is scary - cancer and Covid - has become normal, and what was normal - a job, a night out, a swim in the ocean - is very far away.
*Name changed to hide the identity of the facilities she has been using

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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TAXline: October 2017
How much longer can we rely on the taxation of labour? - Wyman Symposium 2017
Ian Young reports on this year's Wyman Symposium, with the topic of How much longer can we rely on the taxation of labour? Speakers included Calum Chace, Helen Miller, Colin Ben-Nathan and Iain McCluskey and the event was chaired by Carl Bayley, chairman of the Tax Faculty
The 2017 Wyman Symposium took place on 14 September, rather later in the year than normal so that it could be held in the newly-refurbished Great Hall in Chartered Accountants' Hall. This year's topic was: How much longer can we rely on the taxation of labour?
The symposium considered the way society is likely to be organised in the future, what the role of work will be and how it will be taxed, looking both at the current tax position and what could be done now to improve it, and further ahead to the future and the impact of artificial intelligence (AI). We are already seeing fundamental changes in the way people work: how is that likely to impact on the fundamental role that labour taxes currently play in underpinning the public finances?
The audience of around 100 people provided a broad spread of tax professionals and other interested parties, including members of ICAEW, other professional bodies, HMRC and the tax charities. We were also honoured this year by the presence of Peter Wyman, a founding father of the Tax Faculty, after whom the series of symposiums/debates is named. This was the 17th event in the series: the first was in 1996 and after a few gaps the event has been held every year since 2003.
The event was chaired by Carl Bayley, chairman of the Tax Faculty.
The four speakers each gave their own take on what the world of work and tax will look like over the coming years. In the order of their presentations they were:
Calum Chace, an expert in artificial intelligence
Helen Miller, associate director, Institute for Fiscal Studies
Colin Ben-Nathan, partner, KPMG
Iain McCluskey, partner, PwC
Calum Chace
Calum entitled his talk The economic singularity: artificial intelligence and the death of capitalism. His main theme was the impact that AI is having, and is likely to have, on our world and the world of work.
He noted that AI had got the attention of the Chinese when Google's AlphaGo computer program beat the Go master Lee Se-Dol in March 2016. This is 20 years after the IBM Deep Blue supercomputer narrowly beat World Chess Champion Garry Kasporov.
AI is now operating much more like a human and is capable of learning from its previous inputs or mistakes, and it has the processing capacity to deal with dramatically more data that was previously possible.
Calum looked back to the transformation of the agricultural sector which was, in 1800, the domain of humans and horses. Mechanisation replaced both with machines, but humans have been able to use their brainpower to find other work whereas horses became redundant. As Calum put it, they ended up as dog food, although horse riders and horse racing fans in the audience may believe that horses have moved on to the leisure industry!
In more recent times the most common jobs in the US have changed from farmer/secretary in 1978 to truck drivers in 2014. There are currently five million truck drivers in the US and one million in the UK. The truck driver accounts for a considerable proportion, up to a third, of the cost of running fleets of vehicles. We are now on the cusp of introducing driverless vehicles which will do away with the need for quite a lot of those truck drivers.
In the agricultural revolution there were new jobs for those who lost theirs, but this time round there is not likely to be a 'magic jobs drawer'. Calum predicted that in a generation, half the population will be unemployable. This will cause enormous societal problems not least because we have defined human status and wellbeing by reference to work.
If people have no jobs and no income, could a universal basic income, a state subsidy to all citizens, be the answer? Calum thought not: it is either too little to be any good or too much to be affordable. He outlined four scenarios that could result from the impact of AI and loss of jobs, of which the fourth, the 'Star Trek economy', was a world of radical abundance where AI produces most of the goods and services humans need at very little cost and with very little work on the part of humans.
But Calum did confess he had no idea whether this was going to be possible, or how to get there. He emphasised that the rise of AI is an issue to be tackled now, to avoid panic when people realise how jobs will disappear. There need to be thinktanks working on these issues to chart a possible way forward.
If you want to find out more about Calum's views then you can read his book The Economic Singularity.
Helen returned us to the present where employment in the UK is at an all-time high and labour taxes make up almost half (44%) of total taxes.
The form and method of work has changed and over the past 10 years 40% of the growth in the workforce has come from the self-employed and owner-managers.
Matthew Taylor's recent report for the government, Good Work, analysed working practices and he concluded that the current system, and its taxation, is neither justified nor sustainable.
Helen suggested relevant considerations when trying to fix the tax system are: tax shouldn't distort production decisions; the cost of investment should be tax deductible; and capital and income should be taxed at the same rate.
She thought that in the main we should leave it to the market to allow decisions to be made but there can be market failures, which is why we have R&D tax credits to encourage entrepreneurship. Helen did think that the current R&D regime is poorly targeted and suggested that it was like a gardener whose pot plants are suffering but he or she then applies fertiliser to the whole garden rather than just the ailing pot plants.
On the subject of AI, Helen noted that technology has been replacing human effort throughout history; it has made life easier and is not to be discouraged. If we fix the problems in the current system we will be in a better position to tackle the challenges of AI. At the end, Helen reminded us that tax is not the only policy lever.
Her suggestion that capital and income should be taxed at the same rate was picked up in the Q&A session by Edward Troup, executive chairman of HMRC, who was in the audience. Edward observed that capital is highly mobile and will move to jurisdictions where there are favourable tax regimes for capital, so a low tax rate is necessary to attract inward investment to one's country.
Colin Ben-Nathan
Colin looked in more detail at the current tax system and recent attempts to change the taxation of different parts of the labour system, focusing particularly on national insurance contributions (NICs).
The chancellor proposed changes to the NIC paid by the self-employed in his March 2017 Budget, to reduce the gap in rates paid by the employed and self-employed and reflect that both have the same right to the new state pension. He then withdrew the proposal because it was contrary to the Conservative manifesto pledges; it was deemed to be premature as the Matthew Taylor review had not yet been published and there had been inadequate prior consultation.
There have also been suggestions from the Office of Tax Simplification about some alignment of NIC and income tax but that has not been supported by HM Treasury.
Colin looked in more detail at the 2017 Budget events and the HM Treasury calculations at the time, which showed that an employee on £32,000 would pay nearly £4,000 more than a self-employed person if employers' NIC is included in the calculation. The overall cost of lower NIC for the self-employed is estimated to be £5.1bn in 2016/17.
Colin looked at various options and the one which was picked up in a subsequent Q&A session was his third, for a greater alignment of NIC rates between the employed and self-employed and the replacement of the employers' NIC with a contribution geared to operating costs. In other words, 'decoupling' the employers' contribution from the status of the worker. The Q&A highlighted difficulties with the latter suggestion, such as what to do with outsourced work and costs, and Colin did not belittle the difficulty of making significant changes to a major part of our existing tax system.
Iain McCluskey
Iain suggested we might be entering a golden age of work which he called 'the platform artisan economy', but there will be challenges as to how you deal with AI.
Craft brewing was Iain's example of an artisanal part of the current economy – a move from global companies to "smaller, exciting, human-driven businesses". But it was likely to remain a small, niche part of the overall economy.
The large internet providers allow new types of business to operate and Iain cited people he knew who had been able to write and publish their own books, freelance, without involving a book publisher. Iain referred to the report his firm published recently, Workforce of the future: the competing forces shaping 2030 (which is available to download from tinyurl.com/TX-PwC-WOTF), which provides background to his comments.
Iain thought there needs to be support with a lower tax and NIC regime for the genuinely self-employed, the self-starter and the entrepreneur with protection for dependent contractors. The PwC research suggests that with such protection 41% of people would be more likely to take up flexible work.
Platforms, and technology, allow many more people to work from home and some find it feasible to work in one country for a business located in another. The international tax system may have to adapt to capture these new forms of working with a 'pay as you go' system for cross border working.
In the longer term Iain thought that when the tax take on labour is finally eroded, we might end up in a world of transaction and consumption taxes with taxation at source in real time.
Questions from the floor
The presentations were followed by a lively Q&A session which demonstrated how the presenters had captured the interest and imagination of the audience, so much so that the session was extended to fit in everyone who had comments.
In answer to one question Helen Miller reiterated the three key objectives of any tax system: provide funds for public goods such as education, hospitals and transport infrastructure; provide insurance against shocks; and redistribute resources from rich to poor.
One question was how do we sustain public pension arrangements when there are going to be fewer and fewer people of working age providing for more and more people of pension age. A related question from a younger member of the audience was whether there would be any public pensions at all by the time he came to retire. The answer to the second question was a bit more straightforward in that the age of entitlement to public pensions is advancing more slowly than the increase in life expectancy. But an ageing population is going to be one of the great future challenges to the public finances and while the demographic situation in the UK is not as bad as in other countries (Japan was mentioned), it will still be a major problem.
A theme that emerged was that there is always a political perspective to tax problems, and potential solutions, and quite rightly so. The best theoretical solution will never be adopted unless it is politically acceptable and practically achievable.
A final question, serious but put in a light-hearted way, was whether we would like to end our days being looked after by a robot. In the light of recent scandals about the quality of care in nursing homes several of the panellists thought there was considerable merit in being looked after by a robot that might be more sympathetic to their needs than a harassed and low-paid carer. One said a robot would be fine if it could play chess.
We began and ended with games, from Go to chess, but it had been a very stimulating symposium in between and was enjoyed by all who attended.
This article was published under the title: 'Society, work and the tax system' in the printed version of TAXline October 2017
Ian Young is technical manager with responsibility for international and tax policy matters at the Tax Faculty
Join the Tax Faculty
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text:
Putin says Ukraine crisis threatens nuclear war
March 17, 2015 Rich Winkel Leave a comment
According to a documentary aired Sunday on Russian public television, featuring interviews with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russia prepared for nuclear war after last year's pro-Western putsch on February 21-22 in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev.
After an all-night meeting with Russian security officials, Putin decided at dawn on February 23 to prepare the return of Crimea to Russia. Fearing that far-right Ukrainian nationalist militias would attack the largely ethnic Russian population of Crimea and the strategic Russian naval base at Sevastopol, Russia mobilized forces it stationed in Crimea, under the terms of Russia's lease of the Sevastopol base.
The Crimean population ultimately voted to rejoin Russia, and pro-Kiev forces in Crimea did not resist and were allowed to escape Crimea unharmed. "We monitored the situation and had to bring in our equipment," Putin said. "They would have been wiped out after the first salvo."
According to Putin, however, as the Kremlin and the Russian military began their planning, they did not know whether NATO would react by going to war: "This could not be understood immediately, therefore at the first stage of work, I was accordingly forced to provide guidance to our Armed Forces. And not just provide guidance, but issue direct instructions, orders regarding the possible conduct of Russia and our armed forces given any development of events."
Putin said he was ready for "the most adverse development of events." As the interview makes clear, this referred to all-out nuclear war with NATO. The Kremlin prepared to arm its nuclear forces, Putin said: "We were prepared to do this. I was talking with Western colleagues and saying to them that [Crimea] is our historical territory, that Russian people live there, that they were in danger, and that we could not abandon them." …
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2015/03/17/nucl-m17.html
Ballistic missile systems to be redeployed to Russia's westernmost region — source
http://tass.ru/en/russia/783204
Russian strategic bombers to be redeployed to Crimea amid snap check
Russian Airborne Force units on combat alert
Russia's Western Military District, Northern Fleet on combat alert
Russia Begins Air Force Tactical Drills in Siberia
http://sputniknews.com/military/20150316/1019545714.html
Crimea Blockade to Continue Until It Becomes Part of Ukraine – US Senators
http://sputniknews.com/us/20150316/1019578824.html
The U.S. State Department hinted on Monday that sanctions against Russia have no end in sight.
A year after Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea on March 17, State spokesman Jen Psaki said there are no plans on lifting the sanctions that began because of the Kremlin land grab.
"We reaffirm that sanctions related to Crimea will remain in place as long as the occupation continues," she said. "The United States continues to support Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and right to self-determination." …
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2015/03/16/u-s-basically-says-russia-sanctions-will-go-on-forever/
EVEN THE CFR IS HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS ON THE US COUP IN UKRAINE
http://thoughtcrimeradio.net/2014/08/even-the-cfr-is-having-second-thoughts-on-the-us-coup-in-ukraine/
Previous PostStratfor: US aims to prevent a German-Russian AllianceNext PostMy Gardasil Story – DANGEROUS VACCINE
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Is US-NATO Preparing to Wage War on Russia?
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Turn The Page or Lose Your Children to Indoctrination
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Alex Jones Jan 11 2021
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How do you extract insight, trends and meaning from all that big data in Hadoop? Getting relevant information in seconds (instead of hours or days) from big data requires a different approach. In a presentation at the 2014 Strata Santa Clara big data conference, SAS data experts demonstrated visual and programming-based approaches using SAS Visual Statistics and SAS In-Memory Statistics for Hadoop.


text:
package gwt.material.design.client.ui;

import com.google.gwt.core.client.Scheduler;
import com.google.gwt.dom.client.Element;
import com.google.gwt.event.logical.shared.HasSelectionHandlers;
import com.google.gwt.event.logical.shared.SelectionEvent;
import com.google.gwt.event.logical.shared.SelectionHandler;
import com.google.gwt.event.shared.HandlerRegistration;
import com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.Widget;
import gwt.material.design.client.base.HasType;
import gwt.material.design.client.base.JsLoader;
import gwt.material.design.client.base.MaterialWidget;
import gwt.material.design.client.base.mixin.ColorsMixin;
import gwt.material.design.client.base.mixin.CssTypeMixin;
import gwt.material.design.client.constants.Color;
import gwt.material.design.client.constants.CssName;
import gwt.material.design.client.constants.TabType;
import gwt.material.design.client.ui.html.UnorderedList;

import static gwt.material.design.client.js.JsMaterialElement.$;

//@formatter:off

/**
 * The tabs structure consists of an unordered list of tabs that have hashes corresponding to tab ids.
 * Then when you click on each tab, only the container with the corresponding tab id will become visible.
 *

 *
UiBinder Usage:

 *

 * {@code
 * <m:MaterialTab ui:field="tab"  backgroundColor="BLUE">
 *     <m:MaterialTabItem waves="YELLOW" grid="l4"></m:MaterialTabItem>
 *     <m:MaterialTabItem waves="YELLOW" grid="l4"></m:MaterialTabItem>
 *     <m:MaterialTabItem waves="YELLOW" grid="l4"></m:MaterialTabItem>
 * </m:MaterialTab>
 *
 * <m:MaterialPanel m:id="tab1">
 *     <m:MaterialTitle title="Tab 1" description="Tab 1 Content"/>
 * </m:MaterialPanel>
 * <m:MaterialPanel m:id="tab2">
 *     <m:MaterialTitle title="Tab 2" description="Tab 2 Content"/>
 * <m:MaterialPanel>
 *
 *     <m:MaterialTitle title="Tab 3" description="Tab 3 Content"/>
 * </m:MaterialPanel>
 * }
 *

 *
 * @author kevzlou7979
 * @author Ben Dol
 * @see Material Tabs
 * @see Material Design Specification
 */
//@formatter:on
public class MaterialTab extends UnorderedList implements JsLoader, HasType<TabType>, HasSelectionHandlers<Integer> {

    private Color indicatorColor;
    private MaterialWidget indicator;

    private ColorsMixin<MaterialWidget> indicatorColorMixin;
    private CssTypeMixin<TabType, MaterialTab> typeMixin;

    public MaterialTab() {
        super(CssName.TABS);
    }

    @Override
    protected void onLoad() {
        super.onLoad();

        load();
    }

    @Override
    public void load() {
        if (getWidgetCount() > 0) {
            getChildren().forEach(child -> registerChildHandler(child));
            $(getElement()).tabs();
            applyIndicator();
        }
    }

    @Override
    protected void onUnload() {
        super.onUnload();

        unload();
    }

    @Override
    public void unload() {
        clearAllIndicators();
    }

    @Override
    public void reload() {
        if (isAttached()) {
            unload();
            load();
        }
    }

    /**
     * Select a given tab by id.
     *
     * @param tabId Tab to selects id.
     */
    public void selectTab(String tabId) {
        $(getElement()).tabs("select_tab", tabId);
    }

    @Override
    public void add(Widget child) {
        super.add(child);
        reload();
    }

    protected void registerChildHandler(Widget child) {
        if (child instanceof MaterialTabItem) {
            MaterialTabItem item = (MaterialTabItem) child;
            item.getHandlerRegistry().clearHandlers();
            item.registerHandler(item.addMouseDownHandler(e -> SelectionEvent.fire(MaterialTab.this, getChildren().indexOf(child))));
        }
    }

    @Override
    public void clear() {
        super.clear();
        reload();
    }

    @Override
    public boolean remove(Widget w) {
        boolean value = super.remove(w);
        reload();
        return value;
    }

    @Override
    public void insert(Widget child, int beforeIndex) {
        super.insert(child, beforeIndex);
        reload();
    }

    protected void applyIndicator() {
        indicator = new MaterialWidget(getIndicatorElement());
        indicatorColorMixin = new ColorsMixin<>(indicator);
        setIndicatorColor(indicatorColor);
        clearAllIndicators();
    }

    protected void clearAllIndicators() {
        Scheduler.get().scheduleDeferred(() -> {
            for (int i = 1; i < $(getElement()).find(".indicator").length(); i++) {
                $(getElement()).find(".indicator").eq(i).remove();
            }
        });
    }

    public int getTabIndex() {
        return $(getElement()).find("li:has(a.active)").index();
    }

    public void setTabIndex(int tabIndex) {
        int i = 0;
        for (Widget w : this) {
            if (i == tabIndex) {
                if (w instanceof MaterialTabItem) {
                    ((MaterialTabItem) w).selectTab();
                    break;
                }
            }
            i++;
        }
    }

    public void setIndicatorColor(Color indicatorColor) {
        this.indicatorColor = indicatorColor;

        if (indicatorColorMixin != null && indicatorColor != null) {
            indicatorColorMixin.setBackgroundColor(indicatorColor);
        }
    }

    protected Element getIndicatorElement() {
        return $(getElement()).find(".indicator").last().asElement();
    }

    @Override
    public void setType(TabType type) {
        getTypeMixin().setType(type);
    }

    @Override
    public TabType getType() {
        return getTypeMixin().getType();
    }

    @Override
    public HandlerRegistration addSelectionHandler(SelectionHandler<Integer> handler) {
        return addHandler(handler, SelectionEvent.getType());
    }

    protected CssTypeMixin<TabType, MaterialTab> getTypeMixin() {
        if (typeMixin == null) {
            typeMixin = new CssTypeMixin<>(this);
        }
        return typeMixin;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
When Fearlessness and
Filmmaking Collide
By Jana Ritter
Mya B. is one of those fearless filmmakers who has not only set out to conquer one of the most uncertain career paths known to man, but whose films dare to answer the kind of questions that most of us are afraid to even ask.
"Afraid of Dark" is the title of her latest documentary and it attempts to answer one of the most controversial questions of all. "Why is everyone afraid of black men?" Mya's candid and thoughtful exploration of the black male stereotype takes us on a journey from the science of racism, through its turbulent history, to what Trayvon Martin's tragedy ignited in America today. That alone promises the provocative kind of documentary that people want to see but after talking to Mya B. herself, we're convinced it's that and a whole lot more.
Your latest film, "Afraid of Dark," takes on a subject that many filmmakers would not. What was your approach?
Honesty. Its what I love about documentary filmmaking, it's a quest for truth and if you as a filmmaker can connect with your subject, the camera makes people open up in ways they never even expected. Initially, I wanted to examine the two main black male stereotypes, the "Mandigo" and the "Brute" - how it started, how it has affected generations of black men and the black community as a whole.
I talked to a whole range of people from Dr. Cornel West, writers, entertainers, white females and gay males, but mostly black men themselves. It was their individual stories and personal struggles that taught me the most and the film kind of took on a whole other life in itself.
What initially inspired you to make this film?
My son, my brother and my father. I knew it would take a lot more than a film to break a stereotype that the media has been defining and reinforcing for so many years. But I wanted to at least give black men their own voice and a chance to define themselves as individuals...their greatness, their demons and all.
Now that it's finished, what do you hope people will gain from watching "Afraid of Dark?"
I want people to see black men as I know them to be. From my father who was a hardworking entrepreneur, my brother who embraced those qualities to become successful as well and my fifteen year old son who doesn't have any fear about dying because he knows he holds the key to his future - nobody else. I want people to see beyond the "angry black man" and "sexually aggressive" stereotypes, especially black men themselves. When it's all they're ever portrayed to be, many even play into the stereotypes and some even feel like their fate is already sealed. That fact is evident by the prison population and even more tragic, the percentage of young black men getting killed.
Trayvon Martin has certainly brought that to the forefront of everyone's mind.
Yeah and what's sad is that those cases and the whole issue of racial profiling has gone on since the beginning of time. The difference now is that when social media catches wind of something, the public becomes much more aware. I actually started making this film seven years ago and the final footage I shot was during the George Zimmerman verdict and the huge rallies it caused. But Trayvon Martin also represents the other awareness I want people to get from this film. He was a person, with a family and friends. He should be remembered for who he was in life, not just for how he died.
Is awareness your main objective as a filmmaker?
Definitely. I feel it's my duty as filmmaker to wake people up and tell the stories that haven't been told.
What story do you plan on telling next?
The next project I plan to direct is about the sex trafficking going on with young Native Americans and the absconding of Native Americans in South Dakota. I like to focus on racial issues, but also social issues that effect people as a whole.
You definitely have a unique edge as a filmmaker, but who would you ultimately compare yourself too?
Michael Moore style-wise...I really like to use the Participatory Mode of filmmaking. Spike Lee is who really inspired me to become a filmmaker in the first place and like him, I tackle on films that deal with the African American community in a way that is honest and from the heart. I also like Pratibha Parmar, she brings the compassionate, thought-provoking female aspect to filmmaking and I really feel that combination of soul and fearlessness in myself.
For further information visit: www.AfraidOfDarkTheFilm.com


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text:
Q: How to use the current solution of the master into the subproblem constraints in Benders Decomposition algorithm? I am working with Benders Decomposition and for the moment I am using the bendersatsp.py file in order to adapt this code for my own MIP problem.
The situation is that in my case the solution of the master takes part in some constraints of the subproblem, unlike this bendersatsp.py file.  That's means that for each current solution of the master I have to modify the coeficients of these constraints.
So, what I could/must write in order to use the current solution vector of the master into the subproblem?
For the moment I have write this block of constraints into the separate function but the optimal objective value is not correct.
Why this is not a good way?
Thanks in advance!

A: In BendersLazyConsCallback, the self.get_values method:

Returns the solution values at the current node.
In the case that the node LP is unbounded, this method returns a
  vector that corresponds to an unbounded direction, scaled so that at
  least one of its elements has magnitude cplex.infinity. Thus, often
  the vector can be used directly, for example to separate a lazy
  constraint. However, due to the presence of large values in the vector
  care must be taken to avoid potential numerical errors. If in doubt,
  rescale the vector, and use it as an unbounded ray rather than a
  primal vector.

The solution vector is passed into workerLP.separate and is used to modify the linear coefficients of the workerLP objective. Instead, it sounds like you would like to modify the constraints of workerLP in some way.
Rather than calling:
cpx.objective.set_linear(zip(thevars, thecoefs))

You would instead call methods in the Cplex.linear_constraints interface.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Posted on November 30, 2013 November 30, 2013 Movies
"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire": Planting the Seeds of Revolution
(Note: This review contains spoilers for the first movie but nothing major for the sequel.)
The Hunger Games movies represent a rarity among Hollywood franchises: uncommonly intelligent and socially conscious, littered with terrific performances and supported by unobtrusive special effects. Director Gary Ross' original is far from perfect, but it provides a compelling introduction to a post-apocalyptic world rife with commentary that rings true in our present moment, and Jennifer Lawrence's capable lead performance provides an unconventional and appealing lens for exploring media manipulation, reality television constructs, cultures of violence and oppressive powers. Though Ross' directorial ineptitude skewers the numerous action sequences and the PG-13 rating limits the onscreen bloodshed to the point of desensitization, The Hunger Games asks questions that other blockbusters, especially ones based on popular novels for young people, wouldn't dare touch.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, director Francis Lawrence's sequel to the 2012 megahit, is an altogether superior film, with tighter pacing and a stronger command of scale and tone. Despite its daunting running time, this movie's 143 minutes justify the methodical approach to the storytelling, which deals with the aftermath of Katniss Everdeen's actions at the end of the first movie before rushing headlong into the meat of this one. The original film's subversive spirit comes into stronger focus here, as the futuristic nation of Panem edges closer to full-on revolution. Even the performances, generally strong in the original, make a more powerful impact this time around. The result is the year's most satisfying blockbuster, marrying the thrills of big-budget Hollywood filmmaking with the thoughtfulness of an author's world-building instincts.
The movie dispenses with exposition early on, trusting the audience to remember the events of the first movie or intuit them from context clues. Katniss sets out with her co-champion Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) on a cross-Panem victory tour, accompanied by their mentor Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) and fashion advisor Effie Trinkett (Elizabeth Banks, even more delightfully sugary than last time). It seems the masses have latched on to Katniss' defiance of tyranny at the end of the 74th games, adopting her beloved mockingjay pin as a symbol of their collective restlessness. Though she empathizes with their plight, having experienced plenty of hardship in her pre-Games life, Katniss is reluctant to embrace the role of revolutionary leadership that she's accidentally thrust upon herself.
Now seems as good a time as any to praise Jennifer Lawrence to the heavens. She was good, even excellent, in the original, but her multilayered performance reaches another gear in Catching Fire. When Katniss steps up to the microphone in an attempt to atone for the death of her onetime ally Rue, I found myself suppressing a tear. In the hands of a lesser actress, Katniss could be a bland caricature of a "strong female character" or a hapless romantic unreasonably torn between her long-held affections for Gale (Liam Hemsworth) and her burgeoning attraction to Peeta. But Lawrence is far too smart to settle for one-dimensionality. Instead, she combines both impulses with a deeper sense of compassion for Katniss' tentativeness and a foundation of intensity that carries her through her journey's most challenging passages. Every tear, every emphatic cry of "PRIM!" and "PEETA!" and "NO!", every gesture of frustration and indifference and admiration and affection rings true because Lawrence is thinking, contemplating, acting even when she's not speaking. She won last year's Best Actress Oscar for Silver Linings Playbook. She'll never win for playing this part, but if she did, you wouldn't find me complaining.
Lawrence isn't the movie's only asset. Philip Seymour Hoffman was an inspired choice to play Plutarch Heavensbee, the new lead gamesmaker (R.I.P. Seneca Crane, but I didn't much miss Wes Bentley). Jena Malone and Sam Claflin make strong first impressions as Johanna Mason and Finnick Odair, two of Katniss' allies in the Quarter Quell. Even Josh Hutcherson, underwhelming and stiff in his recent stint on Saturday Night Live, provides Peeta with a touch more shading than the book's flat characterization suggests. (As for Liam Hemsworth, the jury's still out. Neither movie has given Gale a full-bodied subplot, and Hemsworth hasn't exactly set the screen on fire in his obligatory appearances thus far. His brother hails from the mythical Asgard, though, so hope remains.)
The aimlessness of the book's first half might have been even more tedious onscreen, but Lawrence and screenwriters Simon Beaufoy and Michael DeBruyn introduce enough potent ideas to sustain interest in the movie's quieter early sections. The welcome return of Caesar Flickerman affords Stanley Tucci another opportunity to show off his grade-A Ryan Seacrest interpretation – his interview with Katniss represents another series highlight. Meanwhile, the machinations of the malevolent President Snow (Donald Sutherland) chart a predictable course, but they lay important groundwork for the developments to come. Katniss' ongoing flirtations with Peeta and Gale threaten to devolve into Twilight-esque melodrama, but the movie's exploration of the blurred lines between media contrivance and genuine feeling ground the relationships in interesting dynamics.
Eventually Katniss and Peeta end up in the Quarter Quell, facing off against twenty-two former victors in an ingeniously designed arena that telsts both their physical and emotional willpower. The action sequences in Catching Fire represent a welcome step up from the chaos of the original, and Francis Lawrence appears more concerned with approximating the devastating impact of these Games on the faces and in the hearts of the competitors. The biggest flaw in Catching Fire remains the series' indifference to the consequences of horrific violence against children. Perhaps it's hypocritical to argue that a modern American movie isn't violent enough, but a movie that takes on the responsibility of critiquing violent culture ought not to chasten the impact of the violence for the audience's comfort.
Populist limitations aside, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire accomplishes the unenviable task of condensing the unconventionally structured middle installment of a beloved book trilogy into a satisfying and affecting movie on an enormous scale. I'm not inherently jazzed by the prospect of splitting the final book into two more movies. Nonetheless, the cliffhanger at the end of Catching Fire leaves me intrigued to see the rest of this story translated onscreen. In the final shot, Katniss stares into the camera with a vividly effective mixture of apprehension, recognition and revolution flitting across her face. Her story isn't over yet. The revolution is about to begin.
catching fire cinna Donald Sutherland Elizabeth banks finnick gale girl on fire jena Malone Jennifer Lawrence josh hutcherson katniss katniss everdeen lenny kravitz liam hemsworth movie oscar paula malcolmson peeta peeta mellark Philip Seymour Hoffman sam claflin sequel Suzanne Collins thanksgiving the hunger games woody harrelson
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Three Pop Culture Podcasts (Besides the M&M Report) Worth Your Time →


text:
By Brian Boyd and Thom Kiddle
Our very own dynamic duo, author Brian Boyd and story contributor Thom Kiddle, join forces to unveil (but not unmask!) the characters featured in the Grammarman comic strip.
He's the Correction Crusader, the Accurate Avenger and the Last Librarian. Grammarman came to Earth from a distant outreach of the universe and the far-flung future. His people, a peaceful race of knowledge gatherers known only as The Librarians, sent the infant Grammarman back through time to safeguard the English language. Now, as Verbo City's guardian of grammar, our hero operates from his hi-tech headquarters, The Vocabu-lair, in the heart of the busy, modern metropolis. Grammarman can detect errors, just as Spiderman's tingling 'spider sense' warns of nearby danger. He's also the world's greatest reader and can sometimes read thoughts. In a city where the never-ending tide of careless mistakes brings fresh challenges every day, Grammarman needs all the help he can get.
Syntax and Alpha-bot
Syntax and Alpha-bot are Grammarman's loyal and trusted friends and fellow fighters against linguistic infelicity. Alpha-bot is an android with a phenomenal understanding of grammar and lexis, and a knowledge store so big it makes the internet look like a cassette tape. Syntax is a visitor from a distant galaxy who came to Verbo City to improve his English. Not much progress there so far, as he generally emits nothing more than gurgling noises. However, the fact that he can communicate via telepathy makes his lack of language proficiency largely irrelevant and, with his elastic limbs, he is a fearsome opponent for Verbo City's grammatical ne'er-do-wells. Together, Alpha-bot and Syntax are Grammarman's guardian angels, getting him out of at least as many scrapes as they get him into, and solving complex language puzzles along the way.
The villains
The sewers, skyscrapers, suburbs and slums of Verbo City are awash with all manner of nefarious linguistic villains. There is high-class conman Percy Perfect, who has crafted all sorts of elaborate tenses to extort, rob and swindle, and the no-nonsense ruffians, Butch Clausidy and the Sentence Kid – phrase rustlers with a penchant for relative clauses. Watch out for the innocently destructive Article Ants, who leave a lack of determination in their wake, and the syntactically twisted deviants Luthor Lexis and The Wizard of Was. Beware the terrifying Auxilla, who leaves innocent verbs and citizens helpless, and don't be fooled by the punctuation pranks of Sammy Colon! You'll meet them all and many more besides as you help Grammarman and friends restore language law and order to Verbo City's unruly streets.
Brian Boyd has been writing and drawing Grammarman since 2005. The concept for the comic grew from a conversation with regular Grammarman collaborator, Thom Kiddle. If the English language had a hero with super powers defending it, who would it be? What would he look like? Which unusual villains would he fight? The basic idea was to harness their students' enthusiasm for comic books with a fun and engaging learning resource. To this end, they decided to incorporate a puzzle into every comic, focusing on a different language point each time. Upon finishing an episode of Grammarman, the reader is invited to help the Correction Crusader by re-reading the comic for clues and answers needed to solve the crime. From scribbled notes and doodles on scrap paper to digital colouring, lettering and finishing, creating an episode of Grammarman is a process lasting from five to ten days, although many story ideas develop over a much longer time as ideas are passed back and forth.
Throw into the mix New York native Mike Kloran, a talented illustrator and more recent Grammarman collaborator, and nowadays it's more common to have several episodes of the comic developing simultaneously.
The story contributor
Thom Kiddle is a long-time contributor to, and editor of, Grammarman episodes. He is a devoted user of the Grammarman comic and website with students and teachers and he has written about their use in ELT magazines such as English Teaching Professional. He believes that the power of Grammarman lies in its appeal on multiple levels – from students to teachers and from clear storylines to clever in-jokes – and the way it taps into Csikszentmihalyi's (1990) Theory of Flow: the story, characters and style carry the reader-learner through to the language puzzle with energized focus, involvement and enjoyment. Not only is it an innovative, engaging and non-threatening way to look at grammar and lexis in the classroom but it also offers a huge range of possibilities beyond the language-related focus of the individual puzzles. These possibilities include:
prediction: giving students part of the story and withholding either the ending or subsequent episodes in two- and three-episode story arcs;
adopting and adapting: developing alternative endings or spring-boarding into new stories;
personalization: students create their own villains who focus on their individual language weaknesses;
story-telling and genre manipulation: retelling the story in a different mode, media or style;
focusing on the dialogue: altering, translating or acting out;
and that's all in addition to the whole area of creative writing, drawing and project work.
Brian Boyd
Brian Boyd, author and creator of Grammarman, reveals all about the origins of his correction-crusading superhero and life in bustling Bangkok. He also admits that although he's a master illustrator, drawing diagrams on a whiteboard isn't necessarily his strong point!
Macmillan Dictionary
Free pragmatics lesson plans brought to you by Macmillan Dictionary as part of the Macmillan Year of Life skills.


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Successes Awards Awards Gallery 2015 Wireless intrusion detection system ...
Laboratory:
National Security Agency (NSA) Technology Transfer Program
Wireless intrusion detection system (WIDS)
The transfer of the National Security Agency's (NSA) patented Wireless Intrusion Detection System (WIDS) to Integrata Security stands as an excellent example of how disparate parts and value propositions can converge to not only move intellectual property from the lab to market, but also launch a company and commercialize technology from the best possible position.
The NSA WIDS technology is the world's most advanced cybersecurity solution for wireless local area networks (LANs). Unlike traditional WIDS, which channel-hop, leaving networks periodically exposed to undetected attack, NSA's technology continuously monitors all Wi-Fi channels. Its anomaly detection and alerting capabilities also exceed competing solutions, ensuring that security breaches are reported and can be acted on immediately to prevent or minimize harm.
This unparalleled level of wireless network protection is critical given the increasing numbers of sophisticated cyberattacks, particularly for the nation's defense as well as for financial, energy, health care and other high-risk industries. Many industry sectors have avoided any use of wireless networks due to risk exposure.
Patented in 2011, NSA's WIDS was invented by Kristen Matlock, a computer systems researcher in Secure Wireless Research, in response to a Department of Defense directive. It was transferred to Integrata in September 2013, just months after Integrata CEO Mike Geppi and his management team approached the NSA Technology Transfer Program (TTP) in search of federal cybersecurity intellectual property to commercialize.
Integrata was an ideal commercialization partner. Determined to launch a cybersecurity product-based company, the founders had the tenacity and expertise needed to succeed. A former banker, Geppi knew firsthand the strong resistance to use of wireless LANs in the financial market, while other team members had deep experience in systems architecture and large-scale project management. With the assistance of Linda Burger, then a TTP agent and now director of the NSA TTP, Integrata has leveraged its strengths to tap the numerous entrepreneurial resources within Maryland's Innovation Ecosystem. For example, Integrata participated in two area business incubators and connected with the Maryland Technology Corp. (TEDCO), ultimately receiving $100,000 of seed funding from the organization.
Just a year after signing an exclusive Patent License Agreement (PLA) with NSA, Integrata has secured $1.5 million in commercial preorders, fully establishing itself as a market leader in wireless network security. The company has also created 10 new jobs, with the expectation of adding additional high-paying positions before year-end, and strengthened state and regional economies through partnerships with area manufacturing companies.
Excellence in Technology Transfer
Award Year:


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Ordway to require proof of booster shots starting Feb. 1
Guests are also required to wear masks at all times when not actively eating or drinking. Cloth masks will no longer be acceptable.
Credit: KARE
Author: David Griswold
Published: 5:53 PM CST January 14, 2022
Updated: 5:53 PM CST January 14, 2022
ST PAUL, Minn. — The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts announced that it will not only be requiring audience members to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test, but starting Feb. 1, 2022, attendees will also need to provide proof that they've received a booster shot.
The Ordway is also requiring all guests and staff to wear masks at all times when not actively eating or drinking. Cloth masks will no longer be acceptable, according to the venue's updated mask policy. People will be required to wear N95, KN95, KF94 or surgical masks.
For more information on the current COVID protocols, visit the Ordway's website.
Last month, the Ordway canceled the final three performances of "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical" due to positive COVID cases within the show's crew.
The Ordway has two shows remaining in their Broadway series, including "An Officer and a Gentleman," which is scheduled from Jan. 20-Jan. 23, and "Waitress" from Mar. 8-Mar. 13.
Yes, employers can still require employees to get vaccinated or tested for COVID-19 after Supreme Court ruling
What you need to know about indoor dining COVID policies in Minneapolis, St. Paul
New COVID restrictions issued for indoor dining in Minneapolis, St. Paul


To preserve the beauty and integrity of each piece, avoid contact with liquids, perfumes & oils to prevent tarnishing and discolouring.
Please discontinue the use of jewellery immediately if you experience any allergic symptoms and consult your physician as soon as possible. I. A. P. W. understands that though uncommon, some users may experience an allergic reaction to certain types of metals. We strongly advise that users with sensitive reactions be fully aware. We will not be held accountable for any allergic reactions experienced and will not be able to offer any refunds or exchanges in these situations.
As we are trying our best to be plastic free, all our jewellery are kept in canvas dust pouches.
We thank you for supporting our initiative!
For any other queries, kindly message us with your order number at info@inaperfectworld.co and we will be glad to assist you!


Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into law a bill imposing criminal liability for public rehabilitation of Nazism. The law imposes a fine of up to 500,000 rubles or imprisonment for up to five years.
The relevant amendments have been made to the Russian Criminal and Criminal Proceedings Codes. The Rehabilitation of Nazism article has been added to the Criminal Code.
It reads: "Denial of the facts established by the international military tribunal for trying and punishing the main war criminals from the European nations of the Axis, approval of the crimes established by the said verdict, and the spread of knowingly false information about the Soviet activities during the Second World War, coupled with a public accusation of committing the crimes established by the said verdict, will be penalized by a fine of up to 300,000 rubles or imprisonment of up to three years."
Tougher sanctions are proposed for the same in the event of an abuse of public office or mass media, "as well as an artificial creation of the prosecution's evidence."


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TUSCULUM UNIVERSITY > News and Information > News > Quality Christian music available at weekly jam session on Tusculum's Greeneville campus
Quality Christian music available at weekly jam session on Tusculum's Greeneville campus
By Jim Wozniak on October 21, 2020
GREENEVILLE – Anyone who wants to listen to quality Christian music and even participate is welcome at Tusculum University Friday evenings.
Tusculum is kicking off The Community Jam Session at TU Friday, Oct. 23, at 6 p.m. in the lobby of Pioneer Arena on the Greeneville campus. The weekly event, which will last until 8 p.m., will feature a variety of Christian music and begin with selections from a group of local musicians.
Guests are welcome to bring their own instruments, and once the music begins, they can join the initiating group or perform a song on their own. Those who would like to sing along with the musicians or perform a solo are invited to come forward as well. People also have the option at any time to sing along from their seats.
Soft drinks, water and popcorn will be available for purchase for $1 each. In addition, The Grind, which is Tusculum's new coffee kiosk in the lobby, and Chick-fil-A will be open.
Admission is free, but donations will be accepted. Participants must wear face coverings and observe physical distancing in all areas of campus.
"We encourage the community to join us for fellowship and an opportunity to hear excellent music in a caring Christian environment," said Nicole Rader, development officer and director of special events for Tusculum. "With vibrant fall colors appearing on our campus, now is a great time to visit Tusculum for a relaxing evening as people conclude their work week."
For more information about the jam session, please contact Rader at 423-636-0565. To learn more about the university, please visit www.tusculum.edu.


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Coolidge named Harvard's Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year
January 24, 2023, 12:02 p.m. ·1 min read
Jennifer Coolidge arrives at the 80th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) (Invision)
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Jennifer Coolidge, who saw a career resurgence following her Emmy-winning turn as Tanya McQuoid-Hunt in the acclaimed HBO series "The White Lotus," was named the 2023 Woman of the Year by Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Theatricals on Tuesday.
The Pudding is the oldest theatrical organization in the nation and one of the oldest in the world. Since 1951, it has bestowed this award annually on women "who have made lasting and impressive contributions to the world of entertainment."
Coolidge, who also played Stifler's sultry mom in "American Pie" and sage manicurist Paulette in the "Legally Blonde" movies, grew up in the Boston area.
"We are so excited to welcome Jennifer Coolidge back to her hometown and to Harvard, the iconic setting of Legally Blonde," Man and Woman of the Year coordinator Maya Dubin said in a press release. "Her glittering personality and comedic presence are so Pudding."
Coolidge will be honored with a parade through Harvard Square on Feb. 4 followed by a roast when she will be presented her Pudding Pot.
Her other film credits include roles in "Best In Show," "A Mighty Wind" and "Shotgun Wedding" while she has appeared multiple television shows including "Seinfeld," "2 Broke Girls" and "Nip/Tuck."
Previous winners of the Woman of the Year Award include Meryl Streep, Viola Davis and Debbie Reynolds.
Bob Odenkirk was named the 2023 Hasty Pudding Man of the Year last week. He will be honored on Feb. 2.
Shiffrin must wait for record win 86 but takes slalom title
SPINDLERUV MLYN, Czech Republic (AP) — A shake of the head, lips pouting... but then all smiles. Mikaela Shiffrin was quick to take the positives after realizing she had to wait for at least five more weeks before tying the World Cup record for most career wins with victory No. 86. The American skier finished runner-up to Germany's Lena Dürr in a slalom Sunday, the last World Cup race before the world championships, and remained one victory short of Ingemar Stenmark's total on the all-time overa
'The timing is perfect': Trade to Canucks a fresh start for Beauvillier
Joining a new team amid a tidal wave of change doesn't intimidate newly minted Vancouver Canucks forward Anthony Beauvillier. The Canucks capped a whirlwind month with a mammoth trade Monday, dealing captain Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders for Beauvillier, prospect Aatu Raty and a protected first-round pick in this summer's NHL entry draft. The move came eight days after Vancouver fired head coach Bruce Boudreau and replaced him with Rick Tocchet. New personnel — both on the ice and behind t


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Spider-Man: No way home. The match between the characters of Zendaya and Kirsten Dunst
New images showed a match between Mary Jane and MJ, the characters of Kirsten Dunst and Zendaya in Spider-Man.
Every time there is less for Spider-Man: No Way Home hit theaters around the world. On December 17, many people will be able to witness the long-awaited multiverse. In the meantime, new images and previews of the film were shared. Through a behind the scenes, it was possible to see what will happen to MJ, the character that Zendaya plays. But the most curious thing is the coincidence that he shares with Kirsten Dunst.
In the trilogy of Sam Raimi, Kirsten Dunst was commissioned to give life to Mary Jane Watson, Peter Parker's love interest. When the new Tom Holland franchise came to light, it was revealed that Zendaya's Michelle Jones was the equivalent of the character Dunst brought to life. However, both women are very different from each other. The character in Holland's trilogy is much more reserved and has no interest in fashion. Whereas Mary Jane Watson was a popular girl, who dressed very girly and attracted everyone's attention.
The great coincidence
Recently, images about Spider-Man: No Way Home were shared during an interview Tom Holland conducted. There you can see that MJ works as a waitress, an occupation that Mary Jane Watson also performed in the Sam Raimi trilogy. Remember that the character is dedicated to this profession, while trying to be successful on Broadway.
In Spider-Man: No Way Home, We will see how Peter Parker asks Doctor Strange to erase his secret identity from public consciousness. However, when Peter realizes that doing so would alter MJ's memories of their time together, he decides to change the spell. This causes it to accidentally break through Earth's multiversal barrier in the process.
In this way, we will see different villains from the Spider-Man franchises. At the moment, it has not been confirmed if Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield will be part of the film. We will have to find out on December 17, when this long-awaited film hits the big screen.
We would like to say thanks to the writer of this article for this amazing content
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Bad Bunny: dates and places where he will give concerts in 2022
IT IS BEAUTIFUL LIKE LADY GAGA La Parole Errante La Parole Errante Wednesday January 5, 2022 – Universities


Following is the lyrics of 'Dil Kyun Yeh Mera Shor Karein' song from hindi movie 'Kites'.
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