In July 2017, the Game Management Authority (GMA) engaged Pegasus Economics to conduct an independent assessment of the effectiveness of GMA's compliance and enforcement regime, the appropriateness of the operating model and the Authority's capacity and capability to deliver its compliance and enforcement obligations.
It is important to understand that although GMA supports in principle the 26 recommendations, several relate to matters of resource management or policy that are controlled by Departments other than the GMA. However, the GMA will work with the responsible bodies and seek to bring about change in these matters.
1.1 The GMA should work with land management authorities to develop more flexible arrangements for land access based on permit and ballot systems that are widely deployed in other jurisdictions. Regulatory reform will need to be led by policy agencies. Preliminary discussions held with Parks Victoria, the land manager, on opportunities to consider approaches to managing hunter densities.
1.2 Game hunting licences should include more stringent minimum mandatory requirements, including testing for knowledge of the game hunting laws and the obligations and responsibilities of safe and sustainable hunting. A new Game Licensing System is in development to cater for new Game Licence testing arrangements. An Expression of Interest (EOI) process has been conducted and a preferred supplier identified. A position description for a Project Officer to lead the development of a Game Licence Test has been prepared and will be released imminently. Following appointment, a project plan will be prepared and implemented. The GMA is exploring and evaluating systems and methods to conduct licence testing.
1.3 There should also be a requirement that prospective duck hunters demonstrate their attendance at a Shotgunning Education Program (SEP) prior to the issue of a duck hunting licence and that similar courses be developed for the holders of other categories of hunting licences. The GMA engaged an external supplier to conduct market research into barriers and perceptions limiting participation in the current Shotgunning Education Program. As a result, the GMA with the financial support of Sport and Recreation Victoria, has released an updated practical program titled Gamebird Hunting Essentials Masterclass. This program was recently launched with associated marketing aimed at increasing voluntary participation.
The attendance cost for juniors to attend was also subsidised to encourage greater participation. The GMA is currently exploring the logistics for all new duck licensed holders to complete a mandatory SEP.
1.4 Information and educational materials should be made available in languages that are relevant to the hunting community. Fact sheets on the arrangements for duck season were produced in five different languages (Italian, Greek, Maltese, Arabic and Lebanese) and placed on the GMA website.
1.5 The GMA needs to significantly expand its monitoring and information gathering activities, including by enlisting the support of hunting organisations, animal welfare organisations and land holders in undertaking active and passive monitoring of game numbers and the effectiveness of its compliance and enforcement activities. The GMA is exploring the introduction of a single point for reporting complaints of alleged illegal hunting. Two providers were spoken to in March 2019.
The GMA has responded to sightings of concentrations of rare and threatened species and coordinated counts to determine if any additional management action was required.
The GMA contracted NSW DPI to send two drone teams to Victoria for the opening weekend of the 2019 duck season to collect intelligence and test the use of drones under field conditions.
1.6 The GMA should review the priority it attaches in its compliance and enforcement activities to protestor management. The GMA is in discussions with Victoria Police to develop an MOU with respect to hunting and protestor compliance. Victoria Police has committed to being more active in protestor compliance allowing the GMA and its partner regulatory agencies to focus on hunter compliance.
1.7 The GMA should seek to engage more constructively with stakeholders across a broader range of interests and values. The GMA has consulted with hunting, conservation and animal welfare organisations over the arrangements for the 2019 duck season and possible wetland closures. The GMA has also consulted the RSPCA, Animals Australia and key duck hunting organisations over the development of advisory guidelines for the humane dispatch of downed waterfowl.
The GMA has developed and is implementing a stakeholder engagement strategy.
The GMA has recommended the establishment of a stakeholder reference group to provide advice to government on game management policy.
A Communications Officer has been appointed and a Facebook page has been created.
1.8 The GMA's stakeholder engagement strategies and programs should be more clearly directed to achieving the active cooperation of its stakeholders in supporting a respectful, responsible and compliant hunting culture. See 1.7.
The GMA coordinates the RESPECT: Hunt Responsibly program in consultation with the hunting industry, hunting organisations and partner government agencies. This program identifies initiatives to encourage sustainable, safe and humane hunting.
A guidance on humane dispatch of downed birds is being developed for hunters.
1.9 The GMA should improve the transparency of its reporting and complaint handling mechanisms and ensure that arrangements are in place for all complaints to be logged, reviewed by a senior officer and responded to. The GMA has met with Animals Australia and Department of Jobs, Precincts and Region's (DJPR) Prosecution Services on the merits and reporting needs for making formal complaints regarding alleged illegal hunting activities. An expert review panel has been established to review such complaints and includes expertise on animal welfare, legal, compliance and prosecutions.
2.1 The GMA's role as a regulator should be clarified and the independence of its licensing, compliance and enforcement functions protected. The GMA Board has developed a five (5)-year Charter, including Vision and Purpose Statements, that explicitly describe the GMA as a Regulator. A 2019-20 business plan based on the revised Charter has been prepared and approved by the Minister for Agriculture.
A review of the GMA's structure has been conducted and a comprehensive restructure, including the establishing new regional offices, has commenced. Recruitment for several roles as part of this restructure has also commenced.
2.3 The GMA should put in place appropriate governance arrangements, including operational separation, establishment of an Enforcement Committee and appropriate protocols, to provide additional transparency and protect the independence of its licensing, compliance and enforcement functions. The GMA has restructured to separate the compliance and intelligence functions from strategy and research and stakeholder and hunting programs functions and appointed a Director to lead the Compliance and Intelligence division.
Advice on the GMA's standard operating procedures has been sought from the Victorian Government Solicitor's Office. Advice on the outcomes of compliance complaints has been implemented.
A case management system is currently being considered and a single point to lodge complaints is being explored (see 1.9). A new Game Licensing System is being developed (see 1.2).
2.4 The GMA should develop a more dynamic approach to compliance and enforcement that is informed by improved information on hunters' understanding of their obligations and better targeted to secure improved compliance outcomes. A new Game Licensing System is in the early stages of development. A project officer position description has been prepared to appoint an officer to develop a new Game Licensing Test (see1.2).
A complaints hotline is being considered and a case management system for regulatory/compliance activities is being explored (see 1.9).
Maps clearly identifying where hunting is permitted have been developed and are available online.
A survey of hunters' understanding of hunting laws and ethical practices is being developed and will be conducted in the last quarter of the 2019-20 financial year. This will inform the direction of the compliance and education task.
2.5 The GMA should develop an annual compliance strategy that sets out specific compliance and enforcement goals, priorities, strategies and performance measures that are to be applied in the upcoming period, and the basis on which those priorities and strategies have been selected and are to be evaluated against. Regional compliance plans for the remainder of 2018-19 have been completed.
The GMA has been restructured and a Director Compliance and Intelligence appointed (see 2.3). The Director Compliance and Intelligence was recruited to increase the strategic skills for developing an annual compliance strategy. Work has commenced on development of a strategy that sets out specific compliance and enforcement goals, priorities, plans and performance measures for implementation in the 2019/20 financial year.
2.6 The GMA's compliance strategies should be informed by improved measures of the knowledge base and compliance posture of the hunters, game farms and other agents that it is seeking to regulate. See 2.4.
The purchase of intelligence services has been increased from 0.5FTE to 1 FTE. A regulatory case management system and a complaint reporting hotline are being explored as outlined above.
2.7 The GMA's approach to regulation should seek to incorporate a stronger emphasis on compliance-based strategies that positively influence hunter behaviours and opportunities for self-regulation and co-regulation where stakeholders can demonstrate their willingness and ability to comply. The GMA coordinates the RESPECT: Hunt Responsibly program in consultation with the hunting industry, hunting organisations and partner government agencies. This program identifies initiatives to encourage sustainable, safe and humane hunting.
Parks Victoria is working with hunting organisations on the opportunity to pilot the co-management of two State Game Reserves.
2.8 The GMA should regularly review and evaluate the effectiveness of its compliance and enforcement efforts against its intended compliance outcomes, and adjust its strategies as required to achieve better compliance outcomes. A regulatory case management system is being explored and the GMA's purchase of intelligence services has increased from 0.5 FTE to 1 FTE.
Metrics for the effectiveness of compliance efforts are being developed.
2.9 The compliance strategy should be supported by more transparent processes for tasking and coordination of compliance and enforcement actions and improved reporting on compliance and enforcement outcomes. The GMA has increased the resources dedicated to information collection and analysis to ensure that compliance operations are based on intelligence and targeted to where the greatest harms are occurring (see 2.5).
3.1 The existing operating model should be supported by a clear accountability and governance framework that provides a definitive statement of the accountability framework within which the GMA and its partner agencies are expected to work and detailed agreements between the individual agencies in relation to the identification of priorities, the allocation of responsibilities, resource sharing and dispute resolution. DJPR is coordinating the development of an accountability framework that recognises the role of all relevant government agencies in game hunting and game management.
3.2 The GMA should seek clarification of the Government's intent regarding the requirement that enforcement operations be undertaken with Victoria Police and, if necessary, refine and clarify the GMA's Standard Operating Procedure in which this policy is reflected. The Victorian Government Solicitor has been engaged by the Director Compliance and Intelligence to assist in its review of GMA's Standard Operating Procedures.
3.3 The GMA should encourage the participation of volunteer resources from hunting organisations, animal welfare groups and community organisations to assist in the collection of information on the effectiveness of its compliance and enforcement efforts and support safe, responsible and sustainable behaviours in the field. See 1.9.
A dedicated reporting hotline is being explored and the community is actively being encouraged to report any suspected illegal hunting activity through existing reporting channels (Customer Service Centre, online through the GMA's website).
The GMA regularly encourages the public to report illegal hunting through social media, media releases and the GMA's website.An expert review panel has been established to review such complaints and includes expertise on animal welfare, legal, compliance and prosecutions.
4.1 The funding model under which the GMA operates should be reviewed. This should include consideration of better ways of managing the demand for the GMA's services, its approach to regulation, and the balance of resources it allocates to protestor management and enforcement activities relative to persuasive strategies to encourage higher levels of compliance As part of its 2019 election commitments, the government has allocated an additional $1.5M per year recurrent to the GMA. This will assist to fund the restructure and the addition of new Game Officers, communications and research staff.
The restructure has been completed and recruitment for several roles has commenced. The new structure and additional resources will increase the GMA's capacity and capability to effectively regulate.
The GMA has developed a new five (5)-year Charter and the 2019-20 business plan. New regulations, testing arrangements and an improved approach to compliance (including systems and processes) and communications are aimed to improve hunter compliance.
4.2 The GMA needs to develop the capacity to develop high-level compliance strategies and to apply appropriate regulatory tools and capabilities to solve problems, prevent harm and influence behaviour. As already outlined in several points above, the GMA is working towards the implementation of an improved compliance division structure made up of a Director, Regional Team Leaders, Senior Game officers and Game Officers. This structure will allow the Director to focus more clearly on strategic management driven by gathered intelligence. The number of on-ground compliance staff is being more than doubled to eleven in total. The Director has been appointed and recruitment has commenced to fill the new positions.
Adoption of a case management system is being investigated to improve the management and tracking of all reported activities and the intelligence service has been increased from 0.5 FTE to 1 FTE. Standard Operating Procedures are currently under review and annual regional compliance plans are being prepared.
A Communications Officer has been appointed. New regulations have been introduced to require the immediate recovery of downed ducks and minimum salvage of at least all breast meat. New duck season opening times are being trialled and are currently under review. Drone technology has been trialled for adoption in compliance and waterbird monitoring. Programs delivered by the GMA will focus on influencing hunters across the compliance spectrum, from prevention, monitoring and surveillance and enforcement.
4.3 The GMA should consider completion of the Australian Government Investigations Standards (AGIS) or demonstration of equivalent qualifications training as a mandatory requirement for staff involved in investigations. Following recruitment of all compliance positions, staff will be required to undertake the appropriate training in both investigation and surveillance training. These skills will be maintained over time.
An improved system to track and record fulfillment of training and refresher requirements is also being introduced.
4.4 If the GMA is to continue to perform surveillance operations, it should ensure that staff have received appropriate training in safe and effective surveillance techniques. See 4.3.
4.5 The GMA should engage skilled and qualified communication and marketing experts who can engage effectively with a dispersed and diverse stakeholder base across a wide range of channels and communications media. A Senior Communications Officer has been appointed and a Communications Manager position has been advertised. An annual stakeholder engagement plan has been developed and will be reviewed annually. A Facebook page has been introduced and the GMA's You Tube site is being better utilised and new video clips to improved hunter compliance are currently being developed. The GMA website is currently under review to improve ease of use. The Game Hunting Victoria phone app has been shut down and replaced with hunting layers in the More to Explore app. A new online web-based mapping system has been developed and is now hosted through the GMA's website.
4.6 The GMA should seek to more effectively manage the demands on its resourcing, including by seeking tighter land access arrangements, examining the possibility of more selectively regulating some game species, exploring opportunities for co-regulation and by re-allocating resources away from relatively expensive enforcement activities toward more cost-effective activities such as information and education. Land access arrangements, setting regulations and legislation and co-regulation are matters for other responsible agencies and not the GMA.
GMA has restructured to provide greater focus on hunter education and skills development. A new Game Licence Test is being developed to ensure hunters have a minimum standard of knowledge of hunter laws and good hunting practise. A new Game Licensing System is being developed to accommodate the test. Social and web-based media will provide improved information and education aids to hunters to improve compliance and ensure safe and sustainable hunting.


Today is Pi Day: in US date format (month, then day) today is 3.14, the first three significant digits of Pi (π). Pi is of course associated with circles, whether great circles or just ordinary circles.
Purists will undoubtedly be revolted at the mixture of Pi—usually associated with radians when referring to angles—and degrees, but Pi radians east and west are the same meridian and Pi radians north and south don't even exist on a map so the map would be a LOT less interesting. If that's still disturbing, have some pie.


Fri., August 10, 2018 8:42 p.m. | Friday, August 10, 2018 8:42 p.m.
Antonio Brown visited about 50 children at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh to celebrate Friday's release of the latest Madden football video game featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver on its cover.
Brown took photos, signed autographs and offered words of encouragement to patients ranging from toddlers to early teens, including some in wheelchairs recovering from broken limbs and recent surgeries, and others who were bedridden and rolled in on stretchers.
Brown then played video games on a sofa alongside several patients at the hospital's Eat 'n Park Atrium before making a round upstairs to say hello to a couple dozen more patients too ill to leave their rooms.
"That was pretty cool of him. That was nice," said Grace Thurner, 14, who has a bandaged head and jaw from her procedure involving tissue expanders to help with a skin condition.
Grace hopes to head back to her North Washington home Saturday with her mom, Kate Thurner, who said she was elated by Brown's roughly 90-minute visit — even though hours earlier, they began to think he wouldn't show.
Fliers put out earlier in the day in the hospital had told patients Brown would be available to meet patients and play video games as part of a launch event for the "Madden NFL 19" game that hit stores Friday.
The event was scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
on a bed three times while some parents and grandparents with children not staying overnight decided to leave.
A Steelers spokesperson did not return a request for comment.
"It was a little bit of a damper at first, but all of the kids were so excited to see him and we hung out and played Madden and had a video playing and had pizza from Pizza Hut," said Mark Mares, child life specialist at the hospital.
Once he arrived, Brown made time to speak with each child individually, along with many of their family members.
He signed photos and memorabilia and took selfies. He also talked to several of their relatives and friends via Facetime.
"Nice smile!" Brown told one young girl after crouching down to take a photo at her level.
"Did you enjoy the pizza?" Brown asked another patient hooked to an IV machine.
Most of the patients who met Brown had conditions related to cancer, trauma and various forms of inpatient as well as outpatient care, Mares said.
"We felt really honored that he came and launched the game here with our kids. … It was really nice to everybody so happy in some situations that aren't so great.
Brown, who also volunteers with youth football and children's programs in Pennsylvania as well as Florida and Texas, said he considers giving back part of his role as an NFL player and is essential to his legacy as a person.
Brown's message for children, or anyone, really, going through difficult situations and challenges: "Always keep a positive attitude. Your attitude is everything. No more matter what you're going through, if you keep a good attitude, you can overcome it, and that's kind of the rules I live by as an athlete, and the same principles I try to inspire with my kids.


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Reliable Patriot
Putting 'kids in cages' is now the 'humane and moral' thing to do
A Biden White House rebrand
With the illegal immigration crisis getting worse every day at the southern border, the Biden administration is now taking the same approach as the Democrats once condemned under the Trump administration. They are completely rebranding the same measures.
What was once considered the awful and disgraceful locking of "kids in cages" under former President Trump is now being considered the only "humane and moral" thing to do, according to the new administration.
At the Monday's White House press briefing, White House press secretary Jen Psaki admitted the administration is managing the large increase of unattended children crossing the U.S.-Mexico border by reopening surge facilities dedicated to temporarily housing migrant children until they can be transferred to long-term facilities. But this, she said, is "safe and humane."
Jen Psaki just admitted to putting more kids into cages at the border and explained that it is a "policy decision as an administration." pic.twitter.com/U9ZUNXm99S
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) March 8, 2021
"We've made a policy decision as an administration that the humane and moral approach is to keep these kids safe and get them into facilities that are safe," Psaki stated, adding, "It is an area of policy discussion, how will we continue to accommodate, in a safe and humane way, these kids."
"Our objective remains moving them as quickly as possible out of the Border Patrol facilities," she continued. "in order to do that, we need to have shelter facilities that are safe, that have access to educational resources, legal resources, health and medical resources, and we need to ensure that we have capacity to do that."
Democratic lawmakers and immigration activists attacked Trump in 2019 when his administration opened a surge facility in Carrizo Springs, Texas, only for one month. Trump pointed out that it wasn't his administration that had even built the so-called "cages", it was the Obama admin, while Biden was serving as the VP.
Now these surge facilities are going to be used more than ever than during the previous administration. The Biden admin has been announcing very lenient immigration policies, as result the southern border has been overwhelmed with migrants.
Since unprepared to handle the increase, the admin has reopened migrant children housing facilities, and purchasing tickets to fly children to relatives' residences in the United States.
The Department of Homeland Security predicts 117,000 unattended migrant children will have illegally entered the U.S. this year, 45% more than any other-year on record. Just last week the administration was short by approximately 20,000 beds. It was also predicted that shelters will be at a full capacity by the end of the month.
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has recently ordered the Texas National Guard to help with the border crisis. He believes the Biden admin is not up to the task.
South Dakota celebrating International Women's Day with bill banning biological males from girls' sports
Higher Minimum Wage Leads to Higher Prices of Consumer Goods
Survey shows majority of Americans reject Build Back Better: More think Biden's infrastructure spending bill will hurt them more than help them
In a total inversion of what Democrats had expected, Americans have dismissed the expensive framework bill with gigantic social projects incorporated into it. Another survey shows that more Americans repel the Democrats' $1.75 trillion spending proposition than welcome it.
As indicated by another ABC News/Ipsos survey delivered on Sunday, public help for President Joe Biden's bills to expand spending on framework and social projects has blurred.
The overview tracked down that 32% of Americans feel that the spending bills would hurt individuals like them if they became law, while 25% said they accept the bills would help them. Close to 66% (64%) of Republicans figure the bills would hurt individuals like them, and 29% of free thinkers feel something very similar. In spite of being the significant system of Biden's administration, less than half of Democrats (47%) accept the two bills would help them.
A CBS News survey from recently tracked down that 36% of respondents said it would help them and their family versus 33% who said it would hurt their friends and family. The overview additionally said that 79% of review members said that expansion was brought about by supply and assembling issues after the pandemic and 66% said it was brought about by U.S. government strategy. "And when asked about potential causes of inflation right now, two-thirds cited U.S. government policy," the outlet stated.
The poll showed that just 37% of Americans thought that Biden and the Democrats were centered around issues they care very much about.
This sad survey for Biden and the Democrats shows up on that very days as a NBC News review that shows the president at unsurpassed lows. The NBC News surveys found that Biden was submerged interestingly of his administration – 42% endorsement rating versus 54% who object.
The survey likewise showed that 71% said the nation is "off on the wrong track" – including 48% of Democrats.
"When you see a wrong track of 71%, it is a flashing red light," Republican pollster Bill McInturff of Public Opinion Strategies said. "These folks are telling us that this is not going well."
That is a huge increment from one more survey in September that said 61% of Americans felt like the country has "pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track."
President Biden says the Pope advised him to continue to take communion and considered him a 'good Catholic'
President Joe Biden said that Pope Francis let him know he was a "good Catholic" and said he could keep on taking communion regardless of the complaints of numerous U.S. bishops.
Biden made the case after a private gathering with the pontiff at the Vatican on Friday.
"We just talked about the fact he was happy that I was a good Catholic and I should keep receiving Communion," Biden said about the gathering.
He added that the topic of abortion didn't come up in the gathering.
An assertion from the White House showed that Biden said thanks to the Pope for pushing for an "equitable global economic recovery" and for battling global warming.
"Biden thanked His Holiness for his advocacy for the world's poor and those suffering from hunger, conflict, and persecution," the assertion added.
The Vatican didn't affirm Biden's case in their official statement about their gathering.
Biden's claim will probably disappoint and outrage many conservative Catholics in the U.S. who have called for communion to be declined to politicians who stand behind abortion, which is in opposition to Catholic church teaching.
The issue will be taken up by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops following upon a vote during their June plenary meeting to address it generally. After Biden met with the Pope, they delivered an assertion saying that they would not single out a particular legislator if they vote to say something about the issue.
The Pope had recently reacted to the contention by approaching the diocesans to try not to politicize the congregation's most elevated holy observance, which would transform it into a "source of discord rather than unity within the episcopate and the larger church in the United States."
Here's additional info on the gathering between the Pope and Biden:
Gold Star father tears into Biden over supposed arrangement to give large installments to illegal migrant families
Gold Star father David Horton slammed President Joe Biden in a meeting Sunday, scrutinizing the Biden organization's accounted for plan to convey huge financial installments to some migrant families.
The Wall Street Journal announced last week about the arrangement to pay migrant families affected by previous President Donald Trump's zero-tolerance illegal immigration policies.
The Biden administration is in talks to offer immigrant families that were separated during the Trump administration around $450,000 a person in compensation, according to people familiar with the matter, as several agencies work to resolve lawsuits filed on behalf of parents and children who say the government subjected them to lasting psychological trauma.
The U.S. Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services are considering payments that could amount to close to $1 million a family, though the final numbers could shift, the people familiar with the matter said. Most of the families that crossed the border illegally from Mexico to seek asylum in the U.S. included one parent and one child, the people said. Many families would likely get smaller payouts, depending on their circumstances, the people said.
Among the issues pundits have raised with the arrangement, the greatest is that non-citizens remain to get additional cash from the U.S. government than gold star families if the arrangement becomes reality.
As of now, the U.S. government pays the group of fallen assistance individuals $100,000 in "death gratuity"; the installments are tax excluded. The families of service members additionally have the choice to gather a limit of $400,000 in extra security, however administration individuals need to pay into the protection intend to accept its advantages.
Speaking on "Fox and Friends," Horton — whose son, Army Spc. Christopher Horton, was killed in Afghanistan in 2011 — proclaimed the Biden administration's arrangement "an insult" and clarified it disrespects military families.
"I think it's another — yet another insult … against our military families and Gold Star families and veterans' families," Horton said. "It's just another another slap in the face. It's completely disrespectful."
"To compare an illegal person who has broken our country's border laws … they've broken the law coming in on our borders and to compare that with someone, a patriot like my son, who gave his all on the battlefield of Afghanistan, and to just say, 'Oh well, the value is more for someone who has broken our laws' … and now to say, 'Oh, we owe you money — and it's more money than we would pay a patriot — I am outraged," Horton said.
"You just wonder, where is the outcry against some of these policies that are just there? Unbelievable to me," Horton added.
Newest Reports:
Politics3 months ago
Jen Psaki's test comes back positive for COVID-19
Tucker Raises Some Savage Questions About the Pic on the Plane of Jill Biden
Biden Pulls The Trigger On The Supreme Court With New Executive Order
Biden loses as Supreme Court orders reconsideration of border wall funding
Politics10 months ago
More charged in voter fraud investigation, many non-citizen foreign nationals
Report: Biden admin refuses to acknowledge the border crisis while internally fully aware of the crisis and is in a complete frenzy. Suspected to have a surge of migrant children and a massive bed shortage. Republicans Put Pressure on Biden To Bring Home Former Marine Imprisoned By Russia Candace Owens takes a stab at California over proposed retail store ban of 'boys' and 'girls' sections Biden administration taking credit for Trump's accomplishments on vaccine partnership
JUST IN: Hunter Biden In BIG Trouble – Republicans Make The Request
Southern California Dems distancing from Biden admin on supply chain crisis, oil spill disaster
Trump Vows To Blow The Lid Off Global Pandemic
Biden is yet again a laughing stock to other world leaders
Copyright © 2019 Reliable Patriot

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Big Buck Bunny » Blog Archive » BBB goes Hollywood!
Yay! That's awesome that BBB is getting some more much-deserved publicity.
WOW! Congrats guys! This is a HUGE! leap forward! Well done!
Does this mean the people who work at Disney, Dreamworks, and Rhythm & Hues watch your presentations, or is it kind of an anyone can come sort of deal?
J: the presentations are accessible for very few people, so I've limited it to peach crew members. It is a great networking event for the crew, and when we show up with too many people it won't work.
Thanks for the answer Ton.
Congrats on all your hardwork. It's well deserved.
I am acting as one of the torrent seeds, and I notice that the torrents seem to be down for some reason. From the UK at at least.
I hope these screenings went well. I've just seen BBB through the Drawn! blog. I loved it: great movement and characterisation.


All Prices include Free World Wide Delivery!!!
EMF/EMR(Electromagnetic Fields/Electromagnetic Radiation) protection clothing (mainly for RF/MW, not for ELF magnetic fields) are currently very rare to find and are usually very expensive. In the past few years, we have been trying, testing and developing different solutions of personal RF/MW protection ware. Now we present our line of personal RF/MW protection ware that was created in order to allow EHS(Electromagnetic Hyper Sensitive) people to live, work and travel in today's world, of high RF/MW radiation levels, more freely and with reduced exposure.
Please note that RF/MW protection clothing does not block all the RF/MW from all directions, but it can reduce the exposure of an EHS person. When wearing the RF/MW protection clothing you must avoid using or carrying any RF/MW emitting device (e.g. using cellphones).
We also recommend using a Home Use EMF meter, like the CORNET ED88TPLUS, to find and remove all in-house RF sources, find and keep a safety distance from ELF sources, find penetration points of RF radiation and use RF Protection to block the RF radiation from coming into your house.
I believe that, for most people, the brain is the organ which is the most sensitive to EMF, especially to RFR. Therefore the brain is the most important part of the body to shield. If and when I can shield only one part of the body I use a hat to shield the had and brain. In addition, the hats and linings for the hats are relatively cheap, so I usually suggest to try them before trying our shirts, jackets or any other piece of clothing.
The RF Protection Clothes are for reducing user exposure to RF(Radio Frequency) radiation coming from the environment, not for blocking ELF (Extreme Low Frequency) magnetic fields!
Some of the RF/MW protection clothes are currently manufactured upon order and per request.
The cloth for all these items is cut, trimmed and stitch, especially for every customer. If an item is specially ordered (not from stock) we can't offer a money back guarantee for this item. For Hats, Jackets, and Pants that were ordered from our stock, we do offer a money back guaranty. Please read more on our return policy here.
Our products are For EHS(Electromagnetic Hyper Sensitive) people or for people who suffer from RF EMF/EMR exposure.
You should not put any battery or electric/electronic device inside the jacket, pants, Shirt or their pockets, as the fabric is conductive.
RF protective clothing are for EHS people only but some EHS people may actually feel discomfort when wearing them.
The fabric contains metals, and some may react to that. make sure you are not allergic to the type of fabric and fibers.
Some types of EMF/EMR may get through the clothing and in some conditions may cause problems.
We suggest you try one item (we suggest to start with a hat) and if you feel an improvement get more items.
USA, 09/2017 - "I am amazed at how much better my chest and my innards feel"
Hungary -7/2017 - Yesterday I received the product which proved to be excellent. Thank you.
05/2017 - Anti Microwave clothes that work!
USA, 03/2015 - The Lining arrived in a timely manner - like it "as is"
Israel, 03/2016 - Cap and Lining - "I feel, that it helps, from radiation from above"
Canada, 12/2014 - "I just love your clothes I have purchased from your company"
USA, 01/2015 - "The jacket has helped immensely"
6 Need help? Have a question?


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World Football Latest
James Milner stays true to his word by celebrating with a bottle Ribena
James Milner proved he is true to his word on Thursday as he celebrated Liverpool qualifying for the Champions League final by drinking Ribena. Milner, a strict professional, is teetotal.
Also in World Football Latest
Liverpool land in the United States for their pre-season tour
Liverpool have landed in Indiana, United States as they prepare to embark on a pre-season tour. They will face Borussia Dortmund at Notre Dame Stadium first.
Christian Eriksen and Toby Alderweireld set to take part in Tottenham's pre-season tour of Asia
Christian Eriksen and Toby Alderweireld are expected to take part in Tottenham's pre-season tour despite doubts about their futures at the club.
Liverpool News: Ex-Man United and Everton forward Wayne Rooney hails Klopp
The Reds boss lifted the Champions League just last month and also narrowly missed out on becoming Premier League champions. The German has been a huge hit with Liverpool fans.


• From The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf, as a stylized POP vinyl from Funko!
• Stylized collectable stands 3 ¾ inches tall, perfect for any The Lord of the Rings fan!
• Collect and display all The Lord of the Rings POP! Vinyls!
From The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf, as a stylized POP vinyl from Funko! Figure stands 3 3/4 inches and comes in a window display box. Check out the other The Lord of the Rings figures from Funko! Collect them all!.


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Q: Primefaces 3.5 DataTable Single Selection does not work with ContextMenu I tried to make a <p:dataTable> with <p:contextMenu> using primefaces 3.5 on Mojarra 2.2.1.
The ContextMenu Code :
<p:contextMenu for="actionnairesDT">
     <p:menuitem value="View" update="displayActionnaires" icon="ui-icon-search"                    oncomplete="actDialog.show()"/>
      <p:menuitem value="Delete" update="actionnairesDT" icon="ui-icon-close" />
</p:contextMenu>

the problem is that the dialog box is displayed empty.
I tried to show my object in the setter setSelecedActionnaire(), it displays nothing
not even null.
public void setSelectedActionnaire(Actionnaires selectedActionnaire) {
        System.out.println(selectedActionnaire);
        this.selectedActionnaire = selectedActionnaire;
    }

<p:dataTable> and <p:dialog> code is below. thank you in advance for your help !
<p:dataTable id="actionnairesDT"   paginatorPosition="bottom"
                             pageLinks="10" paginator="true" rows="20" value="#{actionnairesBean.actionnairesList()}"  var="actionnaires"
                             rowKey="#{actionnaires.nomAct}"  selection="#{actionnairesBean.selectedActionnaire}"  selectionMode="single"
                             >
                    <p:ajax event="rowSelect" update="actionnairesDT" oncomplete="actDialog.show()" />
                    <p:column  sortBy="#{actionnaires.actionnairesPK.codeAct}" headerText="N°">
                        #{actionnaires.actionnairesPK.codeAct}
                    </p:column>
                    <p:column headerText="Nom" sortBy="#{actionnaires.nomAct}">
                        #{actionnaires.nomAct}
                    </p:column>
                    <p:column>
                        #{actionnaires.quatiteAct}
                    </p:column>
                    <p:column headerText="Sicav">
                        #{actionnaires.actionnairesPK.codeSicav}
                    </p:column>
                </p:dataTable>
                <p:dialog header="Détail Actionnaire" widgetVar="actDialog" resizable="false"
                          showEffect="clip" hideEffect="fold" id="actDialog" closable="true" modal="true">

                    <h:panelGrid id="displayActionnaires" columns="2" cellpadding="4">
                        <h:outputText value="Nom Actionnaire"/>
                        <h:outputText value="#{actionnairesBean.selectedActionnaire.nomAct}"/>
                        <h:outputText value="Quantité"/>
                        <h:outputText value="#{actionnairesBean.selectedActionnaire.quatiteAct}"/>
                        <h:outputText value="Sicav"/>
                        <h:outputText value="#{actionnairesBean.selectedActionnaire.sicavs.libelleSicav}"/>
                    </h:panelGrid>
                </p:dialog>

A: In the end, I found the solution
I add <p:ajax> to the <p:dataTable>:
<p:ajax event="contextMenu"/>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Consult Station® integrating H4D solutions allows, beyond remote monitoring applications and teleconsultation, to pave the way for the preparation of real plans for the prevention and detection of acute or chronic diseases (hypertension, respiratory disorders, heart failure …), thanks to advanced certified professional sensors.
Consult Station® cabin integrates selected, certified professional, validated by tests, sensors, some of them connected by optic fiber (medical imaging for ENT and skin examinations ): Professional Scales – Medical height gauge – Thermometer – Blood pressure meter – Pulse oximeter (measures blood oxygenation rate and heart rate) – Electrocardiogram * – Stethoscope* – Otoscope * – dermatoscope* audiometric and visual examinations * (* depending on the version of the cabin).
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H4D, responsible and innovative company, is supported in its efforts towards research and development by several partners OSEO (financing), Eurobiomed, etc… H4D hasobtained the status of Young Innovative Company. In 2010, it was chosen to participate in the Shanghai World Expo, with already an international aim. In 2013, a first Consult Station® is installed at Cluny in Burgundy, France Another implantation, a Private Hospital in Paris Region: since the end of May 2014, the emergency department of this private hospital is based on a Consult Station® cabin to regulate and optimize its operations and contribute to a better management of patients. Measurements are automatically integrated into the patient record. The initial feedback is very promising. In the coming months, Consult Stations ® will be installed in city halls, fire stations, nursing homes or villages without a doctor. They will be available in the evenings and on weekends under the responsibility of a controller doctor. Other installations are planned in health services or emergency, nursing homes or isolated places (oil platforms, jails …). cabinss teleconsultation will then be managed by the referring medical team on site.
A transferable model in other countries: applications of Consult Station® are not limited to France. Its ability to adapt to many telehealth requirements, the high quality of its equipment, services that go with it, make it an innovative solution that already involves other countries in Europe and in the world. To be continued!


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text:
Great Job Internet
Read This: The story behind Star Trek's iconic, ceaseless sound effects
Joe Blevins
Star Trek: The Original Series
Great Job, Internet!
Star Trek: The Original Series (Screenshot: YouTube)
Very few programs in television history can be easily identified by their sound effects alone. The original 1966-69 run of Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek belongs in that select fraternity, thanks to the efforts of sound mixer Doug Grindstaff and other craftsmen who toiled on the classic science-fiction series, setting the tone for the multimedia franchise to come. The sound effects on Star Trek are as cool as they are relentless. This is, in short, a noisy version of space exploration. Despite the supposed lack of oxygen in the vast reaches of the cosmos, the onslaught of beeps, bleeps, pings, clicks, and whooshes never really stops during the average Trek episode. And that's wholly by design. Over at Audible Range, having interviewed Grindstaff and other experts on the topic, writer Mark Altman has assembled a revealing historical article entitled "Kittens, Kisses, And Razorblades: Behind Star Trek's Iconic Sounds." Here, to set the proper mood, is some genuine LBJ-era Trek ambiance.
According to the article, the show had "wall-to-wall sound effects" because Roddenberry wanted it that way. Cacophony was very much part of the Star Trek brand. In those early days, the TV series did not have the budget to compete with feature films, so sound effects helped create the illusion that scenes were taking place on strange alien worlds. Roddenberry wasn't aiming for realism but drama. So committed was Roddenberry to this idea that he even had Grindstaff add a sound effect to a scene in which Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) administers a shot. "Gene Roddenberry wanted to paint the whole show like you were painting a picture," Grindstaff explains.
Some tricks of the trade are also revealed here. Composer Alexander Courage, who created the original music for Star Trek, was hugely important in determining how the series would sound, working hand in hand with effects people to create weird, often electronic-based noises. Certain noises, however, were decidedly low-tech. When the Enterprise swooshes across the screen during the opening credits, for instance, that's Courage himself blowing into a microphone. The sound of the Tribbles, meanwhile, came from doves, while the parasites of "Operation: Annihilate" were represented by "sampling about a hundred kisses." Fascinating, Captain.
Recent from Joe Blevins
Pass the Combos: 18 foods you only eat while traveling
"Get out of bed!": Music that gets you going in the morning
NBC reaches out to red states with military pilot For God And Country


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text:
Let Louis the Child, BabyJake take you "Somewhere Else"
Their new song arrives with a breathtaking visual shot at Mammoth Mountain.
Image: Louis the Child official YouTube
Louis the Child have teamed up with BabyJake for their latest track "Somewhere Else."
The exuberant song arrived with a cinematic visual, directed by Chase O'Black, that captures the breathtaking scenery of Mammoth Mountain in California. The clip's storyline starts off with BabyJake—real name Jake Herring—hitting rock bottom before finding catharsis, courtesy of a television ad.
The narrative mirrors BabyJake's opening lines on "Somewhere Else": "I was sniffin' cracker out of C-notes / Kickin' back a dollar just so I could reach the remote / Thank God I'm on better things, knockin' down my free throws / Done with playin' Hollywood, I gave away my ego."
In October, Louis the Child dropped a 19-track mixtape in the form of Candy II. It followed the release of their debut album Here for Now that featured collaborations with Foster the People, singer Vera Blue and Canadian duo Bob Moses.
BabyJake, on the other hand, released the Don't Give Me Problems, Give Me Wine EP in July. More recently, he linked up with Dillon Francis for "Touch" and "You Do You."
Watch the video for "Somewhere Else" here:
Calvin Harris, Tom Grennan release new track "By Your Side"
The next feel-good hit of the summer.
Hear 박혜진 Park Hye Jin's hypnotic new single "Y Don't U"
Featuring Clams Casino and Take A Daytrip.
Skrillex rocks out with Swae Lee and Siiickbrain on "Too Bizarre"
See them mosh in an underground show in the music video.


In general, we tend to avoid kid-focused entertainment. Well, that's not exactly true. We go to the zoo, but I also like the zoo. We go to the park, but I also like the park.
Hmm, what I'm trying to say is that–at least for sightseeing–we try to see interesting things and find something the kids are interested in there. We went to Villa Torlonia, Henry found a palm frond. We went to the Vatican, Henry chased a pigeon. Things like that.
But the weather has been colder and wetter. Days have been darker. We have dipped our toe into some kid-focused entertainment.
I wouldn't recommend hitting these sights if you are just in Rome for a few days. But if you are in Rome for an extended period of time with kids, they may be worth investigating.
Explora is a children's museum. It is not too far from Piazza del Popolo and is right off the #19 tram line. I took the kids on a weekday morning.
It was a pricier outing. Everyone over three costs 8 euro; toddlers 12 – 36 months are 5 euro. They do offer an annual pass. If we lived closer to the museum, I might consider it.
Your entry buys you a 1 hour and 45 minute window. For example, we were there from 10:00 – 11:45 am. Timetables here.
I thought this would be a great rainy day activity, but you'd still get a little wet. There is a parking lot, but it is a bit of a hike to the entrance. And then the ticket office is in a separate building from the museum so you are exposed to the elements again to go between. Not a huge deal, but I figure good to know.
Explora was very interesting, and I think it would be even more so if your kid is older than age two. A lot of the stuff went over Henry's head. (Literally and figuratively.) I realized how toddler-centric my world view has become when I couldn't help but noting the hard concrete floors throughout the museum.
The museum focuses on role playing exhibits. For example, there was a car that you could fill up with gas. There was a garden where you could harvest veggies. (If I were craftier, I'd work on making something like this.) There was a supermarket with a checkout counter. There was a kitchen with play food. You get the drift.
There was also a pretty sweet water area. You moved levers and pumps that manipulated things in the exhibit. Henry didn't really get the cause and effect bit of that, but he did like splashing around.
On the second floor, things seemed more exhibit-y and less hands on. I only took Henry up there to try to distract him from throwing food at other peoples' heads. I don't care if he throws the fake food. Just not at heads.
There is also a separate area for the three and under crowd. Still concrete floors, but some mats and other squashy things to play with. Like this sweet instrument wall.
There were a few field trip groups making their way through the museum. It looked like fun. If you have an elementary school age kid, I might consider Explora. Not on a 3-day visit to Rome. But maybe on a month long visit.
On two rainy Saturday mornings, we headed over to Bimbilandia. A quick note on the name, which cracks me up. In Italian, a baby, or really baby + toddler, is a bambino. (Bambina if feminine.) Bambino is abbreviated to "bimbo." On the backs of cars you see "Bimbo a bordo" (baby on board) stickers. It cracks me up every time. And then if you have more than one bimbo, it is bimbi. So I'm probably still messing up the translation somehow, but I just think, oh, my, we're going to the land of the babies!!
Bimbilandia is a bit like Roman Chuck E. Cheese's. If Chuck E. Cheese also had an ice skating rink, coffee shop, and martial arts studio glommed on to it. No, really, the place looks like your Southern relatives just started putting up various outbuildings and squashed them together. (I can say that because I'm from South Carolina.) The result is a structure does have heat piping in, but is still drafty. The roof also leaks in certain places. Less than ideal in a place you are running around in without any shoes.
You have to drive to get to this one. Unlike Explora, adults get in free. Kids are 8 euro on the weekends (10:00 am – 1:00 pm and 2:30 – 7:30 pm) and only 6 euro on weekday afternoons (3:30 – 7:30 pm). They keep not charging us for Mac; I think kids under one year are free.
It is a pretty sweet place for kids. Enormous ball pit. Inflatable slides. Kid vehicles strewn around. Trampolines.
They do birthday parties here as well. You can see little "houses" with fenced in yards for each party. It looked like a neat setup.
We've only gone right when they open. It starts to fill up after the first hour and gets to be a bit much for the little kids. I could see this being even more attractive when the kids are a little older. You could sit calmly by the side with a cappuccino while watching your kids pelt each other with foam objects.
So there you have it. I don't think either of these will be in our regular rotation, but I'm glad to have the option!


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text:
Japan's Prime Minister Suga's visit to the United States — agreements on a range of important topics
Terence P. Stewart · April 17, 2021 · U.S.-Japan Alliance · Japan Prime Minister Suga, U.S. President Biden, U.S. Vice President Harris · No Comments
Japan's Prime Minister Suga was the first head of state to visit President Biden and Vice President Harris in Washington. There were a series of meetings on Friday, April 16 with a series of documents released afterwards reviewing the importance of the alliance to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and announcement of expanded future collaboration between Japan and the United States. The lead document is entitled U.S.- Japan Joint Leaders' Statement: "U.S. – JAPANGLOBAL PARTNERSHIPFOR A NEW ERA" which summarizes the major areas discussed and agreed. See White House Briefing Room, U.S.- Japan Joint Leaders' Statement: "U.S. – JAPAN GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR A NEW ERA" , April 16, 2021, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/04/16/u-s-japan-joint-leaders-statement-u-s-japan-global-partnership-for-a-new-era/. Regional security, human rights, joint efforts on innovation, response to the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and the Summer Olympic games in Tokyo in 2021, and people-to-people ties are some of the issues addressed. The Joint Leaders' Statement is copied below.
"President Joseph R. Biden is honored to welcome Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide for the first foreign-leader visit of his presidency. Today, the United States and Japan renew an Alliance that has become a cornerstone of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world. An ocean separates our countries, but commitments to universal values and common principles, including freedom, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, international law, multilateralism, and a free and fair economic order, unite us. Together we pledge to demonstrate that free and democratic nations, working together, are able to address the global threats from COVID-19 and climate change while resisting challenges to the free and open rules-based international order. Through this new era of friendship between the United States and Japan, each of our democracies will grow stronger still.
"Our historic partnership is essential to the safety and prosperity of both our peoples. Forged in the wake of strife, the Alliance has become a bedrock to each of our nations. The world has changed many times over; our ties have pulled tighter. Our democracies have flourished, our economies have thrived, and we have become leaders in innovation. Our cultural and people-to-people ties have grown ever-deeper, and together we have led in multilateral institutions, in expanding global commerce and investment, and in advancing peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. In celebration of our long-standing and close bonds, President Biden and Prime Minister Suga recommit themselves to an indelible Alliance, to a rules-based approach to regional and global order founded on universal values and common principles, and to cooperation with all those who share in these objectives. The United States and Japan will remake these commitments for a new era.
"THE ALLIANCE: FORGING A FREE AND OPEN INDO-PACIFIC
"The U.S.-Japan Alliance is unwavering, and we are more prepared than ever to address regional challenges. Our Alliance advances a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific based on our commitment to universal values and common principles, and the promotion of inclusive economic prosperity. We respect sovereignty and territorial integrity and are committed to peacefully resolving disputes and to opposing coercion. We promote shared norms in the maritime domain, including freedom of navigation and overflight, as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
"President Biden and Prime Minister Suga committed to further strengthening the U.S.-Japan Alliance to expand on this vision, and fully endorsed the March 2021 Joint Statement of the U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee. Japan resolved to bolster its own national defense capabilities to further strengthen the Alliance and regional security. The United States restated its unwavering support for Japan's defense under the U.S.-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security, using its full range of capabilities, including nuclear. It also reaffirmed the fact that Article V of the Treaty applies to the Senkaku Islands. Together, we oppose any unilateral action that seeks to undermine Japan's administration of the Senkaku Islands. The United States and Japan committed to enhance deterrence and response capabilities in line with the increasingly challenging security environment, to deepen defense cooperation across all domains, including cyber and space, and to bolster extended deterrence. We also highlighted the importance of strengthening bilateral cybersecurity and information security, a foundational component of closer defense cooperation, and of safeguarding our technological advantages. We remain committed to the implementation of the current arrangements on the U.S. forces realignment, including the construction of the Futenma Replacement Facility at Henoko as the only solution that avoids the continued use of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, the Field Carrier Landing Practice Facility at Mageshima, and the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps units from Okinawa to Guam. We resolved to conclude in a timely manner a meaningful multi-year Host Nation Support agreement to ensure the stable and sustainable stationing of the U.S. forces in Japan.
"President Biden and Prime Minister Suga exchanged views on the impact of China's actions on peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and the world, and shared their concerns over Chinese activities that are inconsistent with the international rules-based order, including the use of economic and other forms of coercion. We will continue to work with each other based on universal values and common principles. We also recognize the importance of deterrence to maintain peace and stability in the region. We oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East China Sea. We reiterated our objections to China's unlawful maritime claims and activities in the South China Sea and reaffirmed our strong shared interest in a free and open South China Sea governed by international law, in which freedom of navigation and overflight are guaranteed, consistent with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. We underscore the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and encourage the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues. We share serious concerns regarding the human rights situations in Hong Kong and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The United States and Japan recognized the importance of candid conversations with China, reiterated their intention to share concerns directly, and acknowledged the need to work with China on areas of common interest.
"The United States and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea, urging North Korea to abide by its obligations under UN Security Council resolutions, and called for full implementation by the international community. We intend to strengthen deterrence to maintain peace and stability in the region and will work together and with others to address the dangers associated with North Korea's nuclear and missile program, including the risk of proliferation. President Biden reaffirmed the United States' commitment to the immediate resolution of the abductions issue.
"Together, we will continue to work with allies and partners, including with Australia and India through the Quad, which has never been stronger, to build the free, open, accessible, diverse, and thriving Indo-Pacific we all seek. We support ASEAN's unity and centrality in the Indo-Pacific, as well as the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. We also concurred that trilateral cooperation with the Republic of Korea is essential to our shared security and prosperity. We firmly condemn violence committed by the Myanmar military and police against civilians, and commit to continue taking action to press for the immediate cessation of violence, the release of those who are detained, and a swift return to democracy.
"AN ALLIANCE FOR A NEW ERA
"Recognizing that our shared security and prosperity requires new forms of 21st century cooperation, President Biden and Prime Minister Suga have launched a new Competitiveness and Resilience (CoRe) Partnership. Our partnership will ensure that we lead a sustainable, inclusive, healthy, green global economic recovery. It will also generate economic growth guided by open and democratic principles, supported by transparent trade rules and regulations and high labor and environmental standards, and aligned with a low-carbon future. To achieve these goals, the partnership will focus on i) competitiveness and innovation, ii) COVID-19 response, global health, and health security, and iii) climate change, clean energy, and green growth and recovery.
"The United States and Japan recognize that digital economy and emerging technologies have the potential to transform societies and bring about tremendous economic opportunities. We will collaborate to enhance our countries' competitiveness, individually and together, by deepening cooperation in research and technology development in life sciences and biotechnology, artificial intelligence, quantum information sciences, and civil space. President Biden and Prime Minister Suga affirmed their commitment to the security and openness of 5th generation (5G) wireless networks and concurred that it is important to rely on trustworthy vendors. The United States and Japan will engage with others through our enhanced Global Digital Connectivity Partnership to catalyze investments and to provide training and capacity building to promote vibrant digital economies. We will also partner on sensitive supply chains, including on semi-conductors, promoting and protecting the critical technologies that are essential to our security and prosperity.
"The United States and Japan are committed to maintaining and further strengthening our robust bilateral trade relationship while advancing shared interests, including digital trade cooperation, the development of trade policies that support climate change objectives, World Trade Organization (WTO) reform, and promoting inclusive growth in the Indo-Pacific. We will continue to work together bilaterally, as well as within the G7 and the WTO, to address the use of non-market and other unfair trade practices, including violations of intellectual property rights, forced technology transfer, excess capacity issues, and the use of trade distorting industrial subsidies. We reaffirm our commitment to achieving prosperity and maintaining economic order in the Indo-Pacific region while engaging with other like-minded partners.
"Acknowledging that the climate crisis is an existential threat to the world, we realize that our countries must play a critical role in leading the global effort to combat this crisis. The United States and Japan are committed to taking decisive climate action by 2030, both aligned with efforts to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius and 2050 greenhouse-gas emissions net-zero goals. In recognition of this responsibility, President Biden and Prime Minister Suga have launched the U.S.-Japan Climate Partnership. This partnership has three pillars: first, Paris Agreement implementation and achievement of the 2030 targets/ nationally determined contributions (NDCs); second, clean energy technology development, deployment, and innovation; and third, efforts to support decarbonization in other countries, especially in the Indo-Pacific.
"COVID-19 has shown our countries and the world that we are not prepared for a biological catastrophe. To that end, the United States and Japan will also strengthen cooperation to advance health security, respond to future public health crises, and build global health. At the first-ever leaders' summit of the Quad on March 12, 2021, we established the Quad Vaccine Experts Group designed to expand safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing, procurement, and delivery for the Indo-Pacific region to supplement multilateral efforts. As we respond to COVID-19, we must also prepare for the next pandemic and strengthen global health security and bilateral public and private cooperation on global health. We will work together to reform the World Health Organization by strengthening its ability to prevent pandemics through early and effective prevention, detection, and response to potential health emergencies, and by increasing its transparency and ensuring it is free from undue influence. We will also support a transparent and independent evaluation and analysis, free from interference and undue influence, of the origins of the COVID-19 outbreak and for investigating outbreaks of unknown origin in the future. We resolved to take decisive action to help the Indo-Pacific build better regional pandemic preparedness, and will work together and multilaterally to build the capacity of all countries to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks, including through existing initiatives like the Global Health Security Agenda, and a new partnership coordinating on a health security financing mechanism, regional surge capacity, and triggers for rapid response. Furthermore, as we look toward a healthier and more resilient future, we will bolster our support for COVAX. We will also cooperate on global COVID-19 vaccine supply and manufacturing needs toward ending the pandemic.
"These new partnerships will harness our leadership in science, innovation, technology, and health at a time of extraordinary geopolitical change. They will allow us to build back better in the Indo-Pacific, leading the region to a more resilient and vibrant future.
"The charges we take up today are considerable, but we face them with resolve and unity. Together, we will ensure that our security relationship is steadfast, despite challenges to our regional vision; that our partnership fuels a sustainable global economic recovery, after a year of global grief and hardship; and that we cooperate with like-minded partners around the world to lead a rules-based international order, despite challenges to its freedom and openness. People-to-people ties form the bedrock of our friendship and it is through initiatives such as the Mansfield Fellowship Program that we will continue to build bridges between our two societies that will sustain our Alliance into the future. President Biden supports Prime Minister Suga's efforts to hold a safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer. Both leaders expressed their pride in the U.S. and Japanese athletes who have trained for these Games and will be competing in the best traditions of the Olympic spirit. Our governments will continue to meet at all levels, including to coordinate and implement our policies toward realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific. Above all, we renew our investment in the very idea of steadfast alliances – knowing that our partnership will make security and prosperity possible for both our peoples for decades to come."
Other documents released include:
Fact Sheet: U.S.-Japan Competitiveness and Resilience (CoRe) Partnership, April 16, 2021, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/04/16/fact-sheet-u-s-japan-competitiveness-and-resilience-core-partnership/;
U.S.-Japan Climate Partnership on Ambition, Decarbonization, and Clean Energy, April 16, 2021,https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/U.S.-Japan-Climate-Partnership.pdf;
Remarks by President Biden and Prime Minister Suga of Japan at Press Conference, April 16, 2021, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/04/16/remarks-by-president-biden-and-prime-minister-suga-of-japan-at-press-conference/.
Copied below is the Fact Sheet on the CoRe Partnership which reviews cooperation on innovation including research and development, securing supply chains, reviews efforts needed to solve the current COVID-19 pandemic and improve global responsiveness to future outbreaks, and reviews the joint efforts to address climate change through leadership and helping other countries achieve meaningful progress.
"The United States and Japan pledge to revitalize our Alliance and make practical commitments to fulfill its potential. Together we will advance innovation, end this pandemic and protect the world from future ones, combat the climate crisis, and enhance our people-to-people ties. Through these concrete initiatives, the United States and Japan will deliver results for our people, the Indo-Pacific, and the world.
"Competitiveness and Innovation
"Throughout our individual and shared histories, the United States and Japan have been global leaders in innovation. Our new partnership for competitiveness and innovation carries on that tradition, focusing on scientific and technological advances. Together, we will lead a sustainable, green global economic growth, guided by the principles of openness and democracy. This includes our cooperation on research and technology development across diverse fields: Cancer Moonshot, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, quantum information science and technology, civil space cooperation (including the Artemis program and asteroid exploration), and secure information and communications technology (ICT), among others. With this partnership between two of the world's leading economies, we will lead the globe in building back better and promoting sustainable growth in the future.
"Together, the United States and Japan will:
"- Advance secure and open 5G networks, including Open Radio Access Networks ("Open-RAN"), by fostering innovation and by promoting trustworthy vendors and diverse markets.
"- Strengthen competitiveness in the digital field by investing in research, development, testing, and deployment of secure networks and advanced ICT including 5G and next-generation mobile networks ("6G" or "Beyond 5G"). The United States has committed $2.5 billion to this effort, and Japan has committed $2 billion.
"- Build on successful U.S.-Japan cooperation in third-countries and launch a Global Digital Connectivity Partnership to promote secure connectivity and a vibrant digital economy while building the cybersecurity capacity of our partners to address shared threats.
"- Strengthen collaboration and information exchange between U.S. and Japanese ICT experts in global standards development.
"- Cooperate on sensitive supply chains, including semi-conductors, and on the promotion and protection of critical technologies.
"- Advance biotechnology for the global good by focusing on genome sequencing and the principles of openness, transparency, collaboration, and research integrity.
"- Reinforce collaboration and partnerships between research institutions on quantum information science and technology through joint research and exchange of researchers.
"COVID-19 Response, Global Health, and Health Security
"The United States and Japan have built a partnership to help the Indo-Pacific region recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, including through the landmark Quad Vaccine Partnership [LINK] with Australia and India, taking shared action necessary to expand safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing, and working to strengthen and assist countries in the Indo-Pacific with vaccination. We will also expand our partnership beyond COVID-19, building longer-term global health security to help prevent the next pandemic.
"- Enhance our support to the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, including the COVAX facility, and encourage others to do the same thereby collectively filling the financial needs to ensure equitable access to safe, effective, and affordable vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics particularly in developing countries.
"- Coordinate closely, through the Quad Vaccine Partnership, to facilitate production, procurement, and delivery of safe, effective, and affordable vaccines in the Indo-Pacific, including by expanding manufacturing capacity of COVID-19 vaccines in India.
"- In a new partnership, coordinate health security financing, regional surge capacity, and triggers for rapid response.
"- Establish regional pandemic response surge capacity, working with partners to promote manufacturing of personal protective equipment and medical countermeasures.
"- Work together and with others toward World Health Organization reform, including through the creation of swift triggers to respond to future biological threats, an independent oversight mechanism, and accountability for pandemic response.
"- Support a transparent and independent evaluation and analysis, free from interference and undue influence, of the origins of the COVID-19 outbreak, and for investigating outbreaks of unknown origin in the future.
"- Support the Global Health Security Agenda, as steering group members, to improve global capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats.
"- Exchange data and practical knowledge, including simulation data on virus transmission from supercomputers such as Japan's Fugaku and the United States' Summit to develop innovative and more effective methods and techniques for infection prevention measures.
"- Reinforce collaboration between research institutions such as the National Institutes of Health and Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development and cooperation for resilient medical supply chains to improve preparedness for future crises.
"Climate Change, Clean Energy, and Green Growth and Recovery
"The United States and Japan have launched a new partnership to address climate change and to promote green, sustainable global growth and recovery making full use of our technologies in the clean energy and other relevant sectors.
"The two leaders are committed to taking decisive climate action by 2030, aligned both with efforts to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius and with our 2050 greenhouse gas emissions net-zero goals. The United States and Japan will align official international financing with the global achievement of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions no later than 2050 and deep emission reductions in the 2020s, and will work to promote the flow of public and private capital toward climate-aligned investments and away from high-carbon investments.
"- Cooperate on Paris Agreement implementation, with a focus on achieving our respective 2030 targets/nationally determined contributions and 2050 greenhouse gas emissions net-zero goals.
"- Collaborate and support innovation, development, and deployment of such clean-energy technologies as renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, grid modernization, energy storage (including batteries and long-duration storage technologies), smart grid, hydrogen, Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage/Carbon Recycling, industrial decarbonization and advanced nuclear power.
"- Promote development and use of adaptive climate- and environment-friendly infrastructure related to grid optimization, demand response, smart grids, and renewable energy and energy efficiency.
"- Cooperate on other areas that contribute to climate change mitigation, clean energy and green growth and recovery, including ICT technology (such as smart cities, power saving ICT infrastructure, and digital solutions to infrastructure management), carbon neutral ports as well as sustainable and climate-smart agriculture.
"- Support developing countries, including those in the Indo-Pacific region, to rapidly deploy renewable energy, drive the decarbonization of our their economies, and accelerate diverse, ambitious, and realistic transition paths in the region, toward the realization of net-zero emissions globally no later than 2050, including through the newly established Japan-U.S. Clean Energy Partnership ("JUCEP") and other country-level climate and clean energy collaborative activities.
"Expanding and Renewing Our Partnership
"The United States and Japan will continue to add new dimensions to our partnership while cooperating in the fields of long-standing areas.
"The United States and Japan will strengthen our people-to-people ties. The next generation of leaders who will continue to strengthen the bonds between the United States and Japan are participating in our extensive international exchange programs, working together on joint projects and research. In this spirit, we are proud to announce the resumption of the Mansfield Fellowship program. Together, we will redouble our energies to build the next generation of American experts on Japan through a renewed two-year fellowship program. We are also expanding opportunities for American students that are historically underrepresented in education abroad – including, but not limited to, first-generation college students, students in STEM fields, ethnic minority students, students with disabilities, students attending minority-serving institutions, and community college students – by offering an additional 20 Gilman Scholarships for study abroad in Japan. Finally, like the United States, Japan recognizes the importance of addressing the root causes of migration from the Northern Triangle countries of Central America, and is committed to addressing those issues together."
The Indo Pacific region faces a lot of challenges including those flowing from China's territorial initiatives, human rights issues raised and coercive tactics on neighboring countries as well as the ongoing North Korea nuclear threat. The Biden-Harris Administration have been putting considerable focus on the Indo-Pacific region including by visits by the U.S. Secretary of State and U.S. Secretary of Defense to Japan, Korea and India (Sec. of Defense only), by the Quad Vaccine Partnership (U.S., Japan, India, Australia) for expanded production of COVID-19 vaccines in India for distribution in the Indo Pacific region, with outreach to leaders in the region by the President and others in the Administration and by yesterday's state visit by Prime Minister Suga.
The commercial issues of interest to the U.S. and Japan – technological leadership, secure supply chains, pursuing a green recovery and getting past the COVID-19 pandemic in an equitable manner for all — are important issues for all major trading partners. President Biden has put a focus on taking actions to show that democratic governments hold the key to the future of the world and not autocratic governments. He has also stressed the importance of alliances.
Yesterday's meeting between President Biden, VIce President Harris and Prime Minister Suga reflected an effort to make progress on the pressing global issues of the day within a framework of the President's agenda on climate change, competitiveness, and building back better from the pandemic. It was an important day and provides hopes for progress on many fronts in the months ahead while reinforcing the U.S.-Japan long-term commitment to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
WTO's April 14th virtual meeting to review COVID-19 vaccine availability