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Facebook and Instagram Reject PrEP Ads for Being "Political"
Though Mark Zuckerberg refuses to ban fake political ads, Facebook has made it difficult to run PrEP awareness campaigns.
By Michelle Kim
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Facebook and Instagram rejected an ad promoting the awareness of HIV prevention medication PrEP last week for being "political," VICE reports.
Apicha Community Health Center — a New York primary care center that serves LGBTQ+ people, Asian and Pacific Islanders, and individuals living with and affected by HIV/AIDS — attempted to run a targeted ad campaign about PrEP on its Instagram account. A a pop-up message indicated they were denied the ability to run the campaign because the center "hadn't been authorized to run ads about social issues, elections or politics."
"They said the copy was the problem but were unable to tell us what part of the copy was too political," said Phillip Miner, Apicha's Director of Grants and Communications told VICE. "It's incredibly frustrating to encounter these sort of road blocks." Representatives for Facebook and Instagram did not immediately return them.'s requests for comment.
The campaign, which is viewable on Apicha CHC's Instagram account, features artwork and interviews by "queer API NYC-based artists who created artwork that reflects their relationship with PrEP, stigma, and representation." One of the posts that spotlights an illustration by Marcos Chin features a caption that reads: "What I remember is being raised in a way where if we didn't talk about something, then it didn't exist. And so I wonder if taking this pill challenges that way of thinking & uproots or subverts that denial."
According to VICE, Apicha CHC wanted to run the ad campaign to specifically target API men who have sex with men and hopefully decrease the number of new HIV/AIDS cases within the demographic. The annual number of new cases among all New Yorkers has dropped by almost 31 percent since 2012, the year that FDA approved Truvada for use of PrEP. However, API New Yorkers have seen relatively the same amount of new diagnosed cases in the same time frame in comparison to their Black, white, and Latinx counterparts, whose number of cases have dropped. The Instagram ad campaign would have been funded by the New York State Department of Health's AIDS Institute, as part of the Institute's PrEP Aware initiative.
Facebook told British news site PinkNews that the ad had been denied because the members of Apicha CHC needed to be verified in order to run "political" campaigns. "We've had a policy for some time that requires US advertisers running ads about social issues, elections or politics to complete an ad authorisation process before they can run ads targeted to people in the US," a spokesperson told PinkNews. "We have this policy to ensure that we prevent foreign interference in elections and provide more information about who is behind ads on Facebook. Apicha had not completed the authorisation process, which meant some of their ads were rejected."
However, Miner told VICE that Facebook requires every single member of Apicha CHC to go through the verification process before allowing them to potentially run the ad campaign. According to Miner, that wouldn't be possible because one of his staffers "uses a name on Facebook that does not match their government ID for undisclosed matters of personal privacy and security."
Last week, Mark Zuckerberg appeared in a hearing before the House Financial Services Committee and was grilled by Democratic representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez about his refusal to take down political ads with false information in them. "In most cases, in a democracy, I believe that people should be able to see for themselves what politicians that they may or may not vote for are saying and judge their character for themselves," Zuckerberg said. He also addressed the matter during a speech at Georgetown University earlier this month: "Banning political ads favors incumbents and whoever the media chooses to cover."
However, Facebook does approve ads that ask users to join a class action lawsuit against Gilead, the makers of HIV drugs Truvada and Genvoya, as The Body's Matthew Rodriguez pointed out in a story this August. "For those who may see the ad and are not on the drug, these ads potentially induce worry that they, too, may one day experience harmful side effects," Rodriguez writes.
Apicha CHC has recently faced roadblocks when trying to run the same ad for Twitter, which initially rejected the campaign on grounds of a supposed violation of its "Adult Sexual Content policy." However, Apicha CHC was eventually able to successfully appeal the rejection, and the ad is now running.
It's unclear if the campaign and others that aim to raise awareness of PrEP will continue to be welcome on the social media platform, though. Last night, Jack Dorsey announced that Twitter will stop running political ads, including issue ads, which Twitter characterizes as ads that "advocate for or against legislative issues of national importance." He said more information about the policy will be issued on November 15, and Twitter would enforce the new policy starting November 22. them. has reached out to representatives for Twitter for further comment.
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PrEP Without a Prescription Could Save Lives, But It's Still Not Enough
A new California law will make the drug available without having to see a doctor. It's an important step forward, but there's still much more to be done.
By Steven Blum
I'm Deleting Facebook Until It Learns to Respect Queer Users
"While Facebook purports to connect people and build community, time and again it has put its own profits and public image ahead of the authenticity, safety, and integrity of its users."
By Lil Miss Hot Mess
Jack Dorsey's Plans for Twitter Should Worry LGBTQ+ People
Twitter's CEO says he is thinking about providing "alternative viewpoints" to reduce "echo chambers" on the app.
How Facebook and Grindr Compromised Queer People's Privacy
"This isn't just about privacy — it's about our right to exist in public as queer people on our own terms, and the right to do so safely."
By Jason Gurevitch


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Marlies Kick-Off Season With 4-1 Win
Game Recap:
The Toronto Marlies opened the 2019-20 season with a convincing 4-1 win over the visiting Belleville Senators.
The Marlies looked comfortable right from the drop of the puck and were granted an early opportunity on the man-advantage as former Marlie, Michael Carcone was called for hooking. Toronto converted just seconds into the power play with Egor Korshkov burying the opening goal at 4:17 of the first period. Adam Brooks and Jeremy Bracco picked up the assists on the power play goal. Penalty trouble cost the Senators again later in the frame when Timothy Liljegren fired a one-timer from the top of the circle, giving the Marlies a 2-0 lead with their second power play goal of the game. Bracco and Korshkov assisted on the goal. The Marlies held a 2-0 lead heading into the second period.
The Senators solved Kasimir Kaskisuo at 13:14 of the second period when Alex Formenton found the back of the net to cut the Marlies' lead in half. Carcone and Christian Jaros assisted on the goal. The Marlies saw an opportunity on the power play late in the frame but were unable to capitalize on the man-advantage. The score remained 2-1 heading into the last period.
Jordan Schmaltz restored the Marlies' two-goal lead at 14:36 of the third period, wiring a shot past Marcus Hogberg from the high slot on a delayed penalty. Bracco picked up his third assist of the game on the goal and Brooks his second. Minutes later, Pontus Aberg found the empty net to give the Marlies a three-goal cushion en route to a 4-1 win.
Next up the Marlies will travel to Manitoba for back-to-back games against the Moose on Friday and Saturday before returning home to host the Hershey Bears on Wednesday.
GAME SUMMARY | GAME SHEET | PHOTOS | SCRUMS
Belleville: A. Formenton (1) (M. Carcone, C. Jaros)
Goaltender: M. Hogberg (29/32)
Toronto: E. Korshkov (1) PP (A. Brooks, J. Bracco), T. Liljegren (1) PP (J. Bracco, A. Korshkov), J. Schmaltz (1) (J. Bracco, A. Brooks), P. Aberg (1) EN (P. Engvall)
Goaltender: K. Kaskisuo (30/31)
ON THE SCORESHEET
Egor Korshkov recorded the first goal of the 2019-20 Toronto Marlies season at 4:17 of the first period on the power play. He picked up the secondary assist on Liljegren's first period power play goal. This was Korshkov's first AHL regular season goal. In nine Calder Cup playoff games last season, he scored one goal.
Timothy Liljegren registered the game-winning goal with the Marlies's second goal of the game on the power play at 12:32 of the first period. This was Liljegren's first game-winning goal in 88 career AHL games.
Jordan Schmaltz had the Marlies third goal of the game at 14:36 of the third period. Schmaltz had nine points (1 goal, 8 assists) in 36 games last season with the San Antonio Rampage.
Pontus Aberg scored on the empty net at 17:38 of the third period.
Adam Brooks picked up the primary assist on Korshkov's first period goal and the secondary assist on Schmaltz third period goal. Brooks registered 40 points (21 goals, 19 assists) in 61 games last season.
Jeremy Bracco collected the secondary assist on Korshkov's goal and the primary assist on Liljegren's goal, both in the first period. He picked up his third assist of the game on Schmaltz's third period goal. In 2018-19, Bracco had seven games where recorded three or more points.
Pierre Engvall recorded his first point of the season with the sole assist on Aberg's empty new goal.
Kasimir Kaskisuo stopped 30 of 31 shots he faced. Kaskisuo is now 1-0-0-0 on the season with a .968 Save Percentage and a 1.01 Goals Against Average.
This is the Toronto Marlies' 15th season. The Marlies are 11-3-0-1 in their home opener and have outscored their opponents 56-35.
Toronto was 4-for-4 on the penalty kill and was 2-for-5 on the power play.
Toronto had a 33-31 edge in shots in all situations. Pontus Aberg led the Marlies with six shots on goal.
Belleville was awarded a penalty shot at 50 second into the second period which was stopped by Kasimir Kaskisuo.
The Marlies are 1-0-0-0 against North Division opponents and are 1-0-0-0 against the Senators. This is the first of 12 contests against Belleville this season.
Goals: P. Aberg, E. Korshkov, T. Liljegren, J. Schmlatz (1)
Assists: J. Bracco (3)*
Points: J. Bracco (3)
PPG: E. Korshkov, T. Liljegren (1)
Shots: P. Aberg (6)
+/-: A. Brooks, B. Harpur, J. Schmaltz (+2)
PIMS: P. Aberg, E. Korshkov, M. Read, J. Schmaltz (2)
RECORD WHEN…
The Marlies are 1-0-0-0 when leading after the first period and 1-0-0-0 when leading after the second period.
Toronto is 1-0-0-0 when outshooting their opponent.
The Marlies are 1-0-0-0 in Saturday games and are 1-0-0-0 in October.
CURRENT POINT STREAKS
No current streak
MARLIES UPDATES.
Kenny Agostino (head) left Toronto's game in the first period against Belleville and did not return.
No recent transactions
POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH SHELDON KEEFE
On what he's looking for from his team in the next game:
I really liked our third period the fact we were able to clean up our game. And obviously to that point, it wasn't very good. We asked the guys for a little more purpose and structure in what we're doing and once we did that, I thought we really played to the strengths of our team. This is a unique team, different than the others that we've had, where I think we're really going to have to rely on structure to really wear on teams and use the size that we have. The skill I think you know it's going take some time to come out, but we have the ability to really wear on teams physically, but we need to do that with good structure, and once we did that in the third I thought the game was pretty well taken care of.
On Bracco's multi-point night:
He just picked up right where he left off. [On] the power play, [he] gets us going, he scored in the first five or ten seconds. He just delivers the puck to the net and [Korshkov] does a good job. It's a different look for us on the net front than we had last season, but he just gets the puck there for us. When the door opens, Braccs is going to make a play and give us opportunities to win games. It was really good and obviously very important for us to get going here and Braccs led the way for sure.
On Kaskisuo continuing his strong play from the 2019 playoffs:
I think in the first two rounds of the playoffs in particular, which, when I spoke to him this week letting him know he was going to get the start in game one, it was to keep going where we left off. He reminded me that he wasn't all that thrilled with how he actually finished in the Charlotte series, but the first two series he felt really good and was the backbone of our team and he was again today. We want to continue to make sure that both he and our team continue to get better, though. I think Kaz had an excellent first game down in Utica to open the season last year, so lots of reason for us to continue to work and make sure that we don't look back.
October 11 at Manitoba – 7:00 p.m. CT
October 16 vs Hershey – 7:00 p.m. ET
October 19 vs Cleveland – 4:0 p.m. ET
October 20 vs Cleveland – 4:00 p.m. ET
Game Preview:
The Toronto Marlies return to action today to kick off the 2019-20 regular season. The Marlies host the Belleville Senators as the Battle of Ontario returns to Coca-Cola Coliseum for the first of 12 meetings between these North Division rivals.
The Senators had the Marlies' number last season, winning eight of their 12 meetings during the regular season series. Despite this success, the Senators narrowly missed the 2019 Calder Cup Playoffs and will be hungry as they look to bounce back this season.
The Marlies are coming off a successful 2018-19 campaign that saw two series sweeps before they secured a spot in the Eastern Conference Final against the eventual Calder Cup Champions, the Charlotte Checkers.
With such a revamped roster that boasts a lot of depth, building chemistry will be a key focus for the Marlies as the 2019-20 season gets underway and the team looks to find their groove. Some familiar faces in the lineup include Adam Brooks, Pierre Engvall and last year's leading scorer, Jeremy Bracco. Welcome additions include Matt Read, Kevin Gravel, Ben Harpur and Jordan Schmaltz who all bring recent NHL experience. Kasimir Kaskisuo and Joseph Woll will share duties between the pipes this season.
Puck drops at 4:00 PM on Leafs Nation Network, and fans across Canada can also stream the game live in the official Toronto Maple Leafs App.
Head to Head (2019-20 Regular Season)
0-0-0-0 Overall Record 0-0-0-0
4-4-4-0 Head To Head (18-19) 8-2-1-1
– Streak –
– Goals For –
– Goals Against –
– Power Play Percentage –
– Penalty Kill Percentage –
– Leading Goal Scorer –
– Leading Points Scorer –
– Wins Leader –

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Lately, going out just to eat and drink has become a bit boring. I always try to find new places and search for small activities that can be fun and chill.
It is one of my favorite chilling places. It is located in Jal El Dib where you don't actually expect to have crowded places at night. People are super cool at Prana. You can visit it to play board games especially Catan (their baby). You can as well color mandalas or just have a chill talk with your friends while enjoying some homemade sandwiches or crepes and a very large selection of amazing tea or some milk and cornflakes just like home!
The concept of this place is very charming. It is a hidden gem in Achrafieh. It is actually an apartment that was transformed by the owners to welcome people. It has a large variety of board games suitable for all group sizes. Plus they have a large list of books. Every Tuesday night, they have a live performance done by a beautiful voice, Serge Jamo.
It is located in Gemmayzeh. It is one of the oldest chilling places I know. They offer themed nights like quiz games, coloring for adults, board games as well as do-it-yourself workshops (Dream Catcher, Snowmen, Crochets, etc…). They support lots of Lebanese designers. So you can buy some fashionable stuff while visiting.
Another quiet place in Hamra, when you reach there, you forget that you are in Beirut. It is surrounded by little nature. It is by far one of the places that encourages reading books. They have themed nights as well. One of my favorites is the one of storytelling.
It is a cute place in Achrafieh that is mainly known for wine lovers. They have a concept of wine tasting where you recharge a loyalty card and you can try several wines using machines. At the same time, they have themed nights either related to wine or other like Movie Club & Live Band Nights. You can as well play board games there.
That's all folks! Let me know what other places you are chilling in these days!
Cheers to Happy & Healthy Days! Keep Curling!
P.S.: The feature image is taken from Prana Chilling Space Instagram Page.
I lived 11 years in Beirut and I never heard of any of these nice places. Too bad I am not around. I remember I used to struggle to find these places. Your curl is definitely helpful. I foresee more startups of microbreweries, and restaurants where you can play board games, trivia, discuss a book or a movie, and bars with their local musical band.
Thank you for your comment Alex! 🙂 I agree we need more of such places! I bet we will have more and more in the future!


Splitsville Luxury Lanes will be opening its doors soon at Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort. A lot of progress has been made to the spectacular 40,000-square-foot, two-story venue!
The development team is creating a lively, yet comfortable atmosphere for guests of all ages to enjoy. The environment will fuse modern elements with a mid-century vibe, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, an expansive outdoor patio, two state-of-the-art kitchens and 20 bowling lanes interspersed throughout!
Splitsville Luxury Lanes will be opening soon at Downtown Disney District. Stay tuned for more details!


.925 sterling silver money clip with Brutus EID-MAR .999 fine silver coin.
The EID-MAR or "Ides of March" is one of the most historically and politically significant coins in history. The Roman denarius commemorates the assassination of dictator Julius Caesar in 44 BC. EID-MAR signifies the date that Caesar was assassinated "March 15th". the two daggers representing the two assassins, Brutus and Cassius. Between the daggers is a slave freedom cap, the cap was a symbol of liberty opposing dictators like Caesar.


We run two care facilities for elephants – the Malur and Marakanam Rescue Centres respectively. The latter is run in collaboration with the Tree Foundation. Together, we house 5 elephants rescued from different commercial captive situations. Keeping an elephant healthy, well cared for and with ample space to move around, requires large amounts of regular funding support. To support the care of our Family of Five, please keep checking in to see the latest campaigns we are running, or you can donate directly here.
Description – This campaign was launched with Milaap, a crowd funding platform, to raise funds for Lakshmi, a recently rescued elephant who has spent 60 years in commercial captivity in Palani, Tamil Nadu. Held in a dark room, used for commercial activities,she is suffering from one of the worst cases of foot rot documented in captive elephants, as she was provided no medical care. Her previous owner, preferred to keep Lakshmi in pain so that she would be easy to control. She is presently recovering slowly in a transit facility, to help her become strong enough to take the 18 hour journey to WRRC's rescue centre in Malur, which will be her permanent home. The campaign was a success and raised 5,45,000 (INR) which were the target funds of this campaign to cover the cost of her transport, fodder for the journey, costs of the accompanying team of handlers and veterinarian and will also go towards the construction of a large enclosure for her at Malur, where she can sleep chain free for the first time in 6 decades.


The 2017 Tokyo Auto Salon recently opened its doors to companies looking to showcase their latest and greatest products. This year, Tokyo-based 3D Design—a popular Japanese company—presented to the public an outstanding M2 project.
Painted in the most expensive colour from BMW, the Pure Metal Silver shade, the M2 project looks spectacular. It also features an aero kit that includes a front lip spoiler made of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer, on top of which you can add a set of new side skirts and the Type III forged wheels in 19- or 20-inch sizes, for a look even more amazing.
Would you like to discuss this further? Visit us!


So we had an absolute blast at EL TRAFFICO – LAFA vs the LA Galaxy in the new LAFC home next to USC's Coliseum. The crowd was electric as we stood in the supporters section for LAFC. LAFC got off to a tremendous start with a goal off a header in the 5th minute then another just 30 minutes in. But the Galaxy behind my man Ibra came to life late as he assisted one goal, nearly scored twice and nearly set up another down the stretch before the Galaxy tied it in the 90th minute. Talk about drama!! It was up and down football – both teams attacking at breakneck speed in the last 30 minutes. A great comeback for the Galaxy and a disappointment for the home fans but man what an atmosphere – I was repping my Indy 11 – as you can see in the pics below. Great times at EL Traffico in LA! Check out some of these videos from the stands – like I was in Europe!
So with the world Cup wrapped up its time to turn our attention to MLS, here are the midseason grades as the MLS Allstar Game is just wrapped up. Some surprising teams on top of the divisions as defending champs Toronto and Seattle sit near the bottom in each division and teams like the NY Red Bulls and Philly Union battle amongst the top teams. Of course as surprising as anyone is new expansion team LAFC lead by former US boss Bob Bradley and the guy who I still think is the best soccer coach the US has produced. His LAFC is battling for first along with Dallas (Carmel High Matt Hedges) and Sporting Kansas City. In the east its last season's expansion surprise Atlanta United – at the top with NYCF and the Columbus Crew. This weekend we get Atlanta United vs Toronto Sat on ESPN at 4 pm, while Sunday gives us New York Red Bulls vs LAFC Sun at 6 pm on Fox Sports 1 and both coaches Bob Bradley and Chris Armas appreciate each other.
The Indy 11 will travel to Louisville FC on Sunday at 5 pm on MyIndy TV 23 in 1 of their rare road game coverages and of course on ESPN+ or join the BYB in Broad Ripple at Union Jack. Congrats to GK Fon Williams as his steady play in the win at Bethlehem led to his making the USL team of the week. Our Boys in Blue return home Wed Aug 15 and of course discount tickets below $15 are available Click here for Discount Tickets for the Game and enter 2018 INDY as the promo code.
Huge Congrats to the US Ladies who bring home the Tournament of Nations Cup with their huge win over Brazil 4-1 Thursday in Chicago. The ladies finished 2-0-1 overall and outscored Australia in overall goals to win the trophy. Next up on the ladies side – the U20 Girls are in the U20 World Cup starting next week on Fox Sports 2. (see schedule below on the OBC). Speaking of US Soccer – the US Men are playing Mexico in Nashville on Sept 11 Tues 7:30 pm – anyone interested in going down that night – I have access to American Outlaw Tickets behind the Goal.
So Croatia ran out of both luck and energy in the final as France showed their young but true class in a 4-2 win. The final had it all – a VAR call, a PK, goals off set pieces and more, but in the end France and that midfield held steady in limiting Luka Modric and company. Of coure Modric still rightful won the Best Player award, while Mbappe took home the Silver Ball for young player of the tourney. Cortouis (SP) won the golden glove in a close one over the finals GKs. That dribbling gaff may have cost Loris the Golden Gloves – fortunately for him it didn't cost him the game. In the 3rd place game – Belgium's Golden Generation of course overpowered a VASTLY OVERATED English team that could only score on set pieces and PKs. Congrats to Harry Kane for winning the Golden Boot for scoring no goals with his feet in the run of play. In fact 3 of his tourney leading 6 goals were PKs. I was all about the feel good of England but lets be real they backed into the Semi-Finals and got beaten by the only 2 decent teams they played there. Still it was a young team and Southgate did a fine job coaching up the set pieces. Let's see if they get out of the group stage of the Euro's in 2 years before we crown this team just yet however. Man the Euro's should be good in 2 years by the way – a pissed Italy, Dutch, Germany, Spain along with England, Croatia, France, and Belgium WOW!
I meant to include this last week – this was my favorite World Cup Song-One World the one with RedOne, Adelina & Now United – BeIN Sports has been using it all month – much better than the official 1 I think than the Official Live It Up with Will Smith and Era Istrefi. Overall I thought Fox did a fine job of covering the World Cup in this first go round. Too bad of course the US was not in it which cost them ratings for sure – but the coverage with 1 hour pre-games, often 30 minute post games, a 1 hour late night show each night along with a highlights show and multiple replays on Fox Sports 1, 2 and Fox Soccer. The US watched in droves – especially the final 8 on. Of course having exciting soccer with goals scored in Extra time and shootout, no nil-nil ties, and a 4-2 Final don't hurt.
So how about the official announcement that World Cup 2022 in Qatar will be from Nov 21 – Dec 18 – or right in the middle of football season. Interesting how that will do in the US – one of the great things about the World Cup is it takes place during the DEAD Sports Summer Time – no football, no hoops, just boring baseball and WORLD CUP. Also how will that affect the major European Leagues – they can't be happy about this – as that will shut down the leagues from early Nov – till the end of December. Should be interesting. Start saving up now for the US games in 2026 – tickets are expected to cost between $400-$600 each.
Finally congrats to all those making their respective high school teams across the area – Carmel FC is proud to be so well represented on High School rosters across town including the 11 boys who made the Freshman boys team, 2 on JV and 1 on Varsity at Carmel High and the many who made the CHS Ladies teams, Guerin High, University and more. For those who did not make it – please don't give up on soccer – its soooo hard to make the Carmel teams with so very many students trying out. Carmel FC with Travel and Select Teams – and of course Carmel Dad's Club with Rec Soccer is still here to help you play the game you grew up loving!!
US Ladies Defeat Brazil 4-1 in Chicago to Win Tournament of Champions!
World Cup Tourney Top 11?
Project Russia: Has VAR been a success at the World Cup?
Indy Eleven face Louisville City FC for the second time in the 2018 USL campaign on August 5. The first meeting between the two rivals took place in Week 8 when the "Boys in Blue" defeated Louisville 1-0, at Lucas Oil Stadium.Indy Eleven (9W-7L-4D) are currently sixth in the Eastern Conference with 31 points. The "Boys in Blue" downed Bethlehem Steel FC in their previous outing on the road, 1-0. The match seemed destined for a draw until Zach Steinberger's 86th minute corner kick found an unmarked Jack McInerney who headed the ball home. The goal is McInerney's fourth of the season, placing him in a three way tie for top scorer with defender Ayoze and forward Soony Saad. Indy goalkeeper Owain Fon Williams also recorded his eighth clean sheet in 2018, earning him a spot in the USL Team of Week in Week 20. The victory marks Indy Eleven's second win in their last five matches, three of which have been on the road.Louisville City FC (10W-4L-5D) is currently fourth in the Eastern Conference with 35 points, just four points in front of sixth placed Indy. Louisville defeated struggling Ottawa Fury FC, 3-0, in their last fixture. Louisville captain and midfielder Paolo DelPiccolo opened the scoring in the 13th minute after he finished a corner played into the box with a diving header. Defender Paco Craig scored the second in the 47th minute and midfielder Devon Williams scored the third of the match and his first of the season 10 minutes later. Louisville goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh recorded his sixth clean sheet of the season in the shutout. Louisville defender Alexis Souahy will be unavailable for the fixture against Indy Eleven as a result of a red card received in the 77th minute.The "Boys in Blue's" match at Louisville will be the last of a stretch of four games on the road. Indy head coach Martin Rennie will hope to return to Indy with at least half of the available points from the four-game stint away from home.
Indy Eleven midfielder and captain Matt Watson influenced the match against Bethlehem Steel FC for a full 90 minutes, arguably having his best performance of the season despite not directly influencing the scoreline. The Englishman's dominance in the midfield can easily be accredited as a key reason "Indiana's Team" brought back three points from Pennsylvania.Watson completed over 90 percent of his passes throughout the game and created two opportunities for teammates. The 33-year old veteran midfielder displayed his defensive abilities, netting four interceptions and a tackle. Indy will need another dominant midfield performance from Watson in order to hand Louisville only their second loss at home.
Louisville City FC midfielder Oscar Jimenez currently leads the team in assists with six. Two of those assists came in the previous fixture against Ottawa Fury FC. The 28-year old has only averaged a 72 percent passing accuracy so far in 2018, which lived up to the billing against Ottawa as he averaged 71 percent, but what makes Jimenez dangerous is his set piece ability.Jimenez's assists against Ottawa both came from dead ball situations. The first was an in-swinging corner kick played right into the edge of the six yard box that left the goalkeeper stranded in no man's land. The second was an in-swinging free kick from near half field that found the feet of defender Paco Craig near the penalty marker. Indy defenders will need to be weary of Jimenez's perfectly weighted passes from set pieces in order to defeat Louisville.
The "Boys in Blue" shut out Louisville City FC the first time the two teams played in Indianapolis. Now, Indy travels to Kentucky to face a LCFC side that has scored the fourth most goals and possesses the third best goal scorer in the Eastern Conference. Indy goalkeeper Owain Fon Williams kept another clean sheet in Indy's previous match against Bethlehem Steel FC. The 31-year-old recorded four saves on his way to shutting out the third highest scoring team in the Eastern Conference with a stellar record at home. Now in Week 21, Fon Williams faces Louisville City FC, another team with an incredible home record and high powered offense. The Welshman tallied two saves and a punch against the Kentucky based team the first time around. He'll need to repeat his Team of the Week performance from Bethlehem against a Louisville side that has scored 20 goals at home this season.In order to add his ninth clean sheet to his 2018 USL season total, Fon Williams will have to stop the power house that leads the Louisville City offense, forward Cameron Lancaster, from finding the back of the net. Lancaster wasn't able to net against Indy in Week 8 or against Ottawa Fury FC last time out, but has tallied 10 on the season so far. That tally sees him as joint owner of third most goals scored in the Eastern Conference and sole owner of most goals scored on Louisville City FC. Lancaster came on as a sub in the fixture against Ottawa, but expect the 25-year-old Englishman to play the full 90 minutes as he did in Week 8 against Indy Eleven.
UPDATE: The official announced attendance was 72,317, breaking the record for the highest attendance at a standalone MLS All-Star Game and becoming the second-largest attendance of any All-Star Game across North American sport leagues.Major League Soccer announced on Wednesday afternoon that the 2018 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target is sold out. Some standing-only tickets were still available through Ticketmasterat the time of the announcement for the Mercedes-Benz Stadium-hosted event, pitting the squad representing MLS against defending Serie A champions Juventus. This means that the 2018 edition of the annual match is expected to surpass the prior attendance record, set in 2010, for a standalone MLS All-Star Game. The 2010 match in Houston, which pitted the MLS All-Stars against Manchester United, drew 70,728 fans. The record for MLS All-Star Game attendance remains 78,416, set at the inaugural edition of the match in 1996 — part of a doubleheader that also featured Brazil's national team vs. the FIFA World Stars. Atlanta United already has hosted the top five single-game crowds in regular season MLS history, most-recently breaking their own record for largest such crowd when 72,243 watched their 1-1 draw with the Seattle Sounders on July 15.
The United States concluding the Tournament of Nations last night in resounding fashion with a 4-1 victory over Brazil that secured a first place finish in the event. Here are four things we learned from these matches.
The US spent some time in the weeds over the past couple years, in a period of 'experimentation' that often felt ill-considered and poorly executed. During that period, the players often appeared lost, playing well below their intrinsic ability, and struggling to impose themselves on games. The offense in particular was far more stagnant than it had any right to be considering the personnel available. And whatever stability was occasionally found was quickly disrupted as key players fell to injuries or loss of form. The results weren't terrible, but the performances were far below what US fans have come to expect. Despite endless promises of a new, silkier, more possession-oriented style of play, success always seemed to be just beyond the horizon, with old habits dying hard: play getting shuttled around the midfield, and offensive buildup remaining stagnant. In the last year, however, they've generally settled into a system—a relatively straightforward 4-3-3, with a defensively-minded holding player at the pivot of the midfield, and with attacks generally being led by quick movement down the wings. This system is hardly the most innovative, but when you have the best players in the world, innovation can be less important than simple effectiveness. That's particularly true when your head coach is a good player manager, and tolerable when it comes to broad themes, but not particularly strong on intricate design.Moreover, by settling the style of play, this new approach finally seems to have created some space for the creativity of the players to shine through. The US is still relying on speed and athleticism, but it's also increasingly giving its more technical players opportunities to shine. This is still not Guardiola's Man City or Sasaki's Japan, but the US is now dominating not just by force by also sometimes by style. They're controlling possession, creating channels with off-the-ball movement, and moving the ball quickly through tight spaces. Witness the interplay between Heath and Lavelle against Brazil or the emerging relationship between Dunn and Rapinoe on the left.This is still very much a Jill Ellis team, which means intense focus on racing up and down the wings and a midfield that's more focused on disruption than possession. But it's far more successful iteration of the model.
Each of these is achievable. And while they won't prevent this sort of attack entirely, they'll do a bit more to manage the risk.
After a difficult season in 2017, the US women were teetering on the edge. The gap between them and the rest of the world seemed to have closed entirely, or maybe even shifted to the other side. They had sputtered in She Believes and the Tournament of Nations and seen some of their key rivals expose their frailty in the process. The mystique of the US was gone.One year later, things seem to have settle back into familiar patterns. At this point, it would be exceptionally hard to argue for anyone besides the US as the world's top team—after a year in which they have gone undefeated while running a gauntlet of matches against virtually every serious competitor.The performances haven't always been pretty, but the results have been good. And increasingly the style seems to be filling in behind the results. The US decisively outplayed their opposition this week, exposing Brazil and Japan as far weaker teams than one might have guessed from their rankings, and putting Australia under serious pressure as well.The level of parity in women's soccer has never been higher, and it would be foolish to treat success as a foregone conclusion, especially in a single-elimination tournament. After all, the US nearly lost to Australia this week, in a game that they actually played quite well. But all things considered, the US remains the team to beat.
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (AP) Julie Ertz, Tobin Heath and Alex Morgan scored second-half goals and the United States took control to beat Brazil 4-1 on Thursday night for the Tournament of Nations title.Heath's curling goal in the 62nd minute put the United States up 3-1 and gave the team the margin it needed to edge defending tournament champion Australia. The Matildas edged Japan 2-0 earlier in the day at Toyota Park, putting pressure on the Americans to beat Brazil by two goals to finish atop the table.Morgan helped secure the title with her 90th international goal in the 77th minute and the Americans extended their undefeated streak to 19 matches. The United States has not dropped a match since losing 1-0 to Australia in the Tournament of Nations last year.There was concern in the final moments when Morgan was stretched off with an apparent injury, but she was on her feet for the trophy ceremony following the game. Morgan had four goals in the tournament."Brazil's so technical, so we knew that they were going to bring it. There's a lot of things that we can learn as well," Ertz said. "This tournament was huge for use in terms of progress, obviously with qualifying coming up. We're got to tweak a few things but I'm just so proud of this team and how hard we work for each other."The United States, ranked No. 1 in the world, is gearing up for World Cup qualifying in October. The Americans hope to defend their title next summer at the World Cup in France.Brazil, ranked No. 7 in the world and led by five-time FIFA World Player of the Year Marta, has already qualified for France.The Brazilians struck first with an own goal that hit Tierna Davidson in the 16th minute. But Lavelle tied it with her third international goal in the 33rd minute."I think we knew we couldn't take our foot off the pedal, even though they got that goal. We knew we still had to keep being aggressive and be on our front foot and attacking and not let it get to us," said Lavelle, who started. "Thankfully it worked."Ertz pulled the United States in front with a sliding goal off Heath's cross to the far post in the 53rd minute before Heath added her own goal.Alanna Kennedy and Sam Kerr each scored for Australia in the opening game at Toyota Park. The eight-ranked Matildas have a secured a spot in the World Cup.Japan, ranked sixth, has also qualified from France.
"The build-up to Timothy's goal against Bayern was remarkable. Now he must use this quality not just for himself, but also for the team in order to become a dangerous, confident and professional player: these are the next steps for Timothy to take. "He is intelligent and wants to learn, so Timothy holds all of the cards here."However, with a number of stars, including Neymar and Kylian Mbappe still making their way back to the team Weah will have his work cut out for him if he's going to see the field for PSG this season. He may have another opportunity to impress on Saturday with Neymar's status unknown and Mbappe still away from the team.
Adam Lallana believes "the signs are really good" for Liverpool to "get to the next step" and win a trophy under Jurgen Klopp.Liverpool have reached three major finals since Klopp took charge in October 2015 and although they've lost all three they've made major strides forward over the past 12 months with back-to-back top four finishes in the Premier League and finishing runners up in the UEFA Champions League in 2017/18.So what's the goal for this season? Lallana was asked if Liverpool are the biggest contenders to reigning champs Manchester City for the PL crown in 2018/19.That's not for us to say, that's for other people to speculate. But, of course, we are going to be in the pack who want to chase down City," Lallana said. "Hopefully, Liverpool and three or four of the other top teams can squeeze a few more points out of City this year. That would make it more interesting."Lallana's optimism is certainly shared by neutrals, pundits and supporters of the Anfield club, with Liverpool's impressive summer spending set to give them a whole new dimension this season.With Alisson arriving in goal, Fabinho in holding midfield, Naby Keita in central midfield and Xherdan Shaqiri as a back-up attacking midfielder, Klopp has upgraded in key areas and added plenty of strength in-depth.Sure, it's cost him $325 million over the past 12 months (if you count Virgil Van Dijk's $100 million arrival in January) but Liverpool now look like genuine title contenders and they certainly gave Man City plenty of problems in their record-breaking title campaign last season.The pressing and pace of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino totally threw off City in a 4-3 defeat at Anfield in the league, while Liverpool beat them 5-1 on aggregate over two legs in the UCL quarterfinals to assert their dominance.Although Lallana is correct to hope for help from the other title contenders in taking points off City, Liverpool must take care of business against bottom feeders in the PL. Last season they lost against Swansea and drew with fellow-relegated teams West Brom (twice) and Stoke.For all of their high-pressing and speedy forward play, Liverpool must develop a Plan B this season if they're going to chase down City. With Keita, Shaqiri and Fabinho on board, their options in midfield have been bolstered and with Alisson (the most expensive goalkeeper in history) in goal they should eradicate costly errors.
Arsenal will finish top four because….the new signings gel and add strength in depth to what is an already very strong squad. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hits the ground running in his first full-season at the club with 20 or more goals, partnering at times with Alexandre Lacazette or trading spots with him between the heavy workload of matches. More importantly, the summer signings of Sokratis, Lucas Torreira, Matteo Guendouziand Stephan Lichtsteiner help shore up Arsenal's leaky defense after a few months of struggles to start the season. Torreira, affectionately called "pac-man" for his ability to eat up attackers all over the field, morphs into the best defensive midfielder Arsenal has seen since the days of Patrick Vieira.
Liverpool's move for Alisson Becker triggered a massive reaction among supporters. This was the clearest indication to them that Liverpool meant business at last, perhaps even enough to end a 28-year league title drought.That seems presumptuous, though, completely ignoring the reigning champions and their 100 points. And Manchester City haven't stood still either, signing Leicester's Riyad Mahrez. They've sold nobody and can look forward to a full season from Benjamin Mendy this time around. Liverpool already have a fair amount of ground to make up.The Reds' latest big move will add around £60 million to what was already a significant increase in Jurgen Klopp's spending at the club. It's almost like he's served his apprenticeship. Even his success at Borussia Dortmund and two cup finals for Liverpool in his first eight months weren't enough to prise open each club's coffers.Having significantly improved Liverpool since the cup final, it's now been deemed time to cut loose and spend whatever it takes so Klopp can make the crucial next step forward. Before Alisson, the ambition might still have been consolidation. It was unlikely they'd get to the Champions League final again but reaching another knockout stage would've been acceptable. Remaining in the top four of the Premier League would have been the priority, assuming Chelsea and Arsenal would make serious attempts to clamber above the Reds.Without challenging for the title yet, Klopp has moved Liverpool into a similar position to Gerard Houllier in 2002, Rafa Benitez in 2009 and Brendan Rodgers in 2014; runners-up who were spoken of as future title winners. That's why some supporters will hold fire on the supercharged optimism, for now at least.Liverpool's spending indicates a seismic shift in ambition, but it's wiser to reflect on what they also lost in 2018. As team carried on performing well for the second half of last season, it's almost forgotten they sold Philippe Coutinho in January. As the squad looked tired and depleted by May, his absence was felt more. There were also times Liverpool found themselves deadlocked in matches and looked around in vain for some Brazilian magic from outside the area.They've also lost Klopp's trusted assistant Zeljko Buvac, and no-one knows how much that will influence the team in the future. Emre Can left for Juventus and there's been sad news about Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who's now expected to miss virtually all of the coming season because of injury. Adam Lallana had a poor, injury-ravaged campaign in 2017-18 and it wasn't a given he would return to his previous excellent form under Klopp.Loris Karius' mistakes against Real Madrid in the Champions League final pretty much demanded a change of goalkeeper anyway. If it hadn't been Alisson, it must surely would be somebody else.Given all these departures, absences and failures Liverpool couldn't afford to do nothing. Football is unforgiving and you need to keep spending just to remain at par. Progress requires much more.There is also the theory that their amazing forwards dragged Liverpool beyond their true level last season. A huge 91 goals were scored collectively by Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane. It's so rare that people were bound to speculate on whether the Reds could count upon it again. Salah may re-join the ranks of the mortals next season, although that was often predicted throughout his miracle debut year and he was only eventually stopped by Sergio Ramos' wrestling hold.It's great to see fans bumptious and optimistic, but a calmer more clinical analysis on what's happened in 2018 may avoid disappointment further down the line. Of course, if Liverpool aren't done spending yet and Lyon's Nabil Fekir also came, forget trying to stifle optimism. It would gain express-train momentum by then and probably couldn't be stopped anyway.Liverpool's ability to keep opponents from scoring was the biggest headache last year. Record fees for a centre-back and goalkeeper are real statements of intent. Is simple expenditure enough? Last season, Klopp needed to affect minor change in game management, where Liverpool were a few goals ahead but still clung desperately to victory before the final whistle — not always successfully. Meddling with a working formula has its dangers. Klopp may just opt out, claiming superior footballers in positions once considered weak improves matters anyway.But whether you're preaching caution or telling Liverpool to make more space in their trophy cabinet, you can't deny how exciting the new season looks. The manager has been backed properly and few can complain about lack of spending now. It's not Manchester City levels certainly, but there was never a chance of that happening.Gradual improvement, the sale of Coutinho and a lucrative Champions League run brought all this about and Klopp deserves this belated acknowledgement of his excellent efforts.
If he does not have another good season, it will come as a major shock. In fact, much more than "good" will be expected.
There were plenty of obstacles that almost took Alisson, starting goalkeeper for Brazil, off the pitch. Now 25, he has dealt with issues regarding his weight, height and his family's finances, while also challenging his initial choice as a player, in order to become the player he is today. This is his story, as told by those who saw him as a child, rising in the football world.Alisson was born in Novo Hamburgo, in the Porto Alegre metropolitan region. Alisson Becker carries German genes in his DNA. His grandparents even live on a street named after his great grandfather: Gustavo Becker.That last name, which actually means "Baker" in Portuguese, became a symbol for the family, which proudly took on the tradition of producing (and tasting) lots of baked goods. And that's where Alisson's first big challenge started."Alisson was a glutton," Antonia, Alisson's grandmother, says with a laugh. "As soon as he went home, he was headed straight to the kitchen. He asked me to bake some sweet bread for him. I prepared those with cinnamon, sweet herbs and the like. It was so delicious, and he loved it all."Alisson had a sweet tooth and all of his grandmother's recipes became a real temptation."He loved to taste homemade dough, and he asked me to do it for him," Antonia continued. "However, he loved to eat everything fried; whether it was dough, cheese, rice, everything. He also loved candy. During his vacations, I used to take him and [his brother] Muriel to the market. I bought chocolate and I told him: 'Alisson, that's not for you to eat!' To which he said: 'Oh, Grandma, please let me have a taste here, since mom's not around!'"The problem was that the eating habit he developed as a small kid was also present when he started to play football. He already had an issue with his height; despite the fact he was actually taller than other kids defending the posts on the field, he was shorter than the rest of the keepers. Considering he was also struggling with the scale, it was logical that he would end up being relegated when he started to play at Internacional.
Let's forget for a second about that calm and composed Alisson we are used to seeing between the posts nowadays. In front of his family, especially in those days, he showed an emotional side that he kept away from the public. He used to cry a lot."During those days, he used to cry a lot because of his weight problem. We used to tell him that he needed to lose some pounds. If he didn't, he wouldn't play football ever again. Sometimes, he would return from practice in tears," said Leandro Becker, the newly minted Liverpool keeper's uncle.Becker saw up close how Alisson was born to play football. However, his initial stints on the pitch were away from the goalkeeping position."He tried out to be a winger with Internacional," Leandro says. "However, it was a matter of a few matches. Let's say that, during the first or second week, I can't recall exactly, his coaches asked him to play as a keeper since he was taller than the rest of the goalies there."Alisson's inspiration to become a goalie was already at home. His father used to play the position in pick-up matches with friends. His brother, Muriel, five years his senior, was already a strong presence in the Internacional system. Alisson's first taste of the red was when he saw his brother train at the pitches then located next to the Beira-Rio Stadium."I had the chance of meeting Alisson before he started to play," recalls Daniel Pavan, goalkeeper coach at Internacional and credited by Alisson himself as the person who discovered his talents. "He used to join Muriel at his practices. Then, someone used to hand him a football, so he could play and have some fun. Then, he started to show a lot of interest in his brother's position. The inspiration for Alisson to become a keeper was seeing his brother training.From the age of 10, he became a part of the Inter system. He already started to show technical skills which put him apart the rest of kids his age." Pavan, who also attempted to become a keeper when he was younger, joined Internacional in 1995, when he was just a student. He did not train Alisson during his first two years at Internacional; however, he was there alongside him since he turned 13 and was there with him at a crucial time in his surging career."He was quite chubby," Pavan recalls. "It was a matter of genetics, combined with the fact he loved to eat. He loved to have a soft drink and a cookie. As soon as the training session was over, he already had one of each in his hands."At the same time, his development was a bit slower than usual. He was a bit shorter and chubbier. He wasn't a starter or a first substitution, either. However, people could see he had technical abilities which made him stand out from the rest. Thanks to our department's studies on him, we knew he was going to grow up and gain some height and, with that, he would become leaner."However, since his parents started to see that he did not play in the matches, they wanted to take him away from football. They thought he did not have a future as a player. They thought it was just a waste of time. Sometimes, in order to join some tournaments, he had to lose school time. That happened back when he was 12 years old and about to turn 13. They went and had a chat with me. They thought Alisson should dedicate himself to his academics, since they saw Alisson in here every day and they thought he was not having any benefits from it."To make things even worse, Alisson's dad, Jose, was unemployed.Jose worked at a shoe company, which went out of business. Since he was making a considerable financial effort in order to have his two children training in Porto Alegre every day, his money constraints reinforced the idea that maybe it was better to have his youngest son removed from football."Despite all that, I managed to convince [his parents] that things would get better, that Alisson would mature as a player and that he had a huge technical upside and potential," Pavan says. "Thank god, they listened to me."Suddenly, it all came together. A year-and-a-half, about two years later, Alisson stretched out. He gained 16 centimetres in height and won his battle against the scale. He went on to become a starter at the base team, and then he joined the Brazilian national side at his age category. It was the start of a successful career."Because of Pavan's involvement in such an important moment in Alisson's life and in his role in the national team, both remain friends to this day. They exchange text messages and words of encouragement and root for each other's success.Nowadays, Pavan, Antonia and Leandro are all proud to see that the short, chubby kid from Novo Hamburgo, who used to cry a lot, is now the first name mentioned whenever the Selecao play. They hope that, one day, he will return with a World Cup for Brazil in his hands.
What's the long-term plan for MLS, USL, and USL D-III?
The Premier League previews have yet to begin, Major League Soccer is on its All-Star break, and international soccer is gone for a spell, so allow this writer to take you on a tangent.For about as long as the promotion and relegation war cry has methodically danced around social media, I've had a difficult time believing Major League Soccer expansion would stop anywhere short of a similar system to the one employed by the rest of the world.
So MLS "stops" at 28 teams. There's 20-26 in USL, who will announce promotion and relegation between it and D-III. USL D-III will have another 20, and the way out of that place will be promotion.That's where the experiment begins, with USL teams and the American soccer landscape seeing if pro/rel really is something that drives crowds.
This happens out-of-the-way of MLS, as owners continue to build up reserves to eventually serve as parachute payments for relegated teams. That money becomes available because MLS lifts its cap and entire salary structure. Teams like the LA Galaxy, Red Bulls, and NYCFC can spend and sell as much as they like and are buttressed by their academies.This lifts parity, once considered the jewel of the league, and makes the race to avoid the bottom a real thing. The MLS teams are still superior in salary and talent to the USL teams, so instead of Bottom 3 down, Top 3 up, MLS deploys some sort of promotion/relegation playoff similar to Germany.Naturally, the teams toward the bottom of MLS are going to be the ones who refuse to spend. So, yeah, it could be a San Jose having to deal with upstart FC Cincinnati for the right to get a top flight spot? Something tells me the spending will increase. Fight or flight (back to the bottom).Can it all be so simple? I really do think so. Maybe MLS can continue to expand, a couple of markets at a time, for 10 years. It can add to the schedule, maybe 40 games, but there's a finite number of games it can add and have each team play home-and-away.
And wait til you tell a team owner from the East that it might not see Zlatan Ibrahimovic for the two or three seasons he's here because of an unbalanced schedule. I don't want to be in the room for that.MLS is growing in renown, and will continue to do so for some time, but it's not going to reach its potential without building legitimate powers via letting big spenders spend. The Supporters' Shield will become a bit less interesting for some clubs, but the final playoff spots and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup will become even more prestigious. As for the pro/rel part, it's one of the things keeping nascent leagues alive with hope, and clubs/fans outside its system refusing to play ball. It makes too much sense and, over time, we'll find out it was the plan all along. And the arguments from the peanut gallery, including this King Peanut, will keep things buzzing while it waits for its roll out. The longer the league waits, the better chance a competitor tries and it gets some momentum. With the NASL lawsuits on the stove now and NISA without a leader, there's no competition. That's not to say an upstart rival league couldn't be squashed by MLS, but why risk it?It's going to happen, really. Otherwise, why would Alexi Lalas say things like this to his boss?
← 7/13/18 World Cup Finals Set France vs Croatia 11 am Sun on Fox, 3rd Place England vs Belgium Sat 9 am, CHS Soccer Camps next Week !!


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CPPIB commits up to $600m to India's infrastructure fund
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) is investing up to US$600 (€540m) in the Government of India-backed National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF).
In a joint statement, NIIF and CPPIB said CPPIB will commit US$150m in the NIIF Master Fund and co-investment rights of up to US$450m in future opportunities to invest alongside the NIIF Master Fund.
CPPIB – which manages the C$400.6bn (€274.6bn) funds of the Canada Pension Plan – will also become a shareholder in National Investment and Infrastructure Fund, NIIF's investment management company.
CPPIB joins Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, AustralianSuper, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, Temasek, Axis Bank, HDFC Group, ICICI Bank and Kotak Mahindra Life Insurance as investors in the NIIF Master Fund, alongside Government of India.
The CPPIB investment lifts commitments into the NIIF Master Fund to US$2.1bn, in line with the fund's initial target size.
In addition, NIIF Master Fund investors have co-investment rights of US$3bn, which will enable the NIIF Master Fund to invest at the scale required for India's large infrastructure requirements.
The NIIF Master Fund invests equity capital in core infrastructure sectors in India, with a focus on transportation, energy and urban infrastructure.
Sujoy Bose, managing director and CEO of NIIF, said: "CPPIB is a prominent and established investor in India, and their investment demonstrates the alignment of the NIIF Master Fund's investment strategy with what large international investors seek in the infrastructure sector in India.
"With this fourth close of the NIIF Master Fund, we are pleased that the fund has achieved its initial target size of US$2.1bn with domestic and international investors of the highest reputation and quality."
Scott Lawrence, managing director, head of infrastructure, CPPIB, said: "The opportunity to invest in, and alongside, NIIF complements our existing direct investment strategy in Indian infrastructure.
"Through this investment in the NIIF Master Fund, we are also able to deploy capital in additional projects and sectors across the country, providing further long-term opportunities for CPPIB to invest in Infrastructure in India."
Canadian Investors
CPPIB
HDFC Group
Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board
DP World and India's infrastructure fund to invest $3bn in projects
The platform to invest in ports, terminals, transportation and logistics businesses in India
ADIA commits $1bn to become first investor in India's infrastructure fund
Sovereign wealth fund takes first place in National Investment and Infrastructure Fund


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The Griffon 108th
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From the Commanding General
Greetings Griffon Team! I'm thrilled to have my first opportunity to communicate with you through this exceptional magazine, The Griffon. On 15 October 2018 I was assigned as the 108th Training Command's Commanding General, and a few days later was honored to have CSM Priest officially welcome me to the command in a patching ceremony at our headquarters in Charlotte.
Relevant Tags: Griffon108, From the Commanding General
From the Command Sergeant Major
To be given special trust and confidence to serve as a leader in the United States Army is an honor and privilege. I am humbled to "get to be" the Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the 108th Training Command (IET). It is with great responsibility and passion that I serve and represent the Soldiers, Department of the Army Civilians and Families within our command. I look forward to serving with each of you and appreciate the opportunity to share a few of my operational principles and framework.
Relevant Tags: Griffon108, From the Command Sergeant Major
Recruiting Their Own
Army Drill Sergeants train, mentor, and mold the United States' future warriors, and getting the best qualified, most motivated Drill Sergeants is essential. That is where the 108th Training Command (IET) Army Reserve Drill Sergeant Recruiting Team comes into play.
Based out of the 108th Training Command headquarters, the Recruiting Team is formed of existing Drill Sergeants from across the Divisions, the command career counselor, and several members of the Human Resources section.
There are multiple ways the team ensures they get the best candidate. The team follows leads, shares their stories and contacts Soldiers at transitions points and different events identifying possible interested personnel to share the 108th TC mission with. Then the team works together to conduct phone interviews, background screenings and record reviews ensuring interested Soldiers qualify as candidates.
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AUSA Warrior Corner
With the 108th Training Command (IET) partnered with U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) and the U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training (USACIMT) to support the mission to turn approximately 150,000 Civilians into Soldiers, the recruiting mission becomes paramount to the ability to build a a lethal, ready, combat ready force with an appropriate leader to led ratio. Critical to that mission are the Drill Sergeants and Instructors of the 95th, 98th and 104th Training Divisions.
Recently, several of our top Drill Sergeants joined 95th Training Division Commander, Brig. General Andrew Bassford and members of the 108th Training Command recruiting team at the annual AUSA (Association of the United States Army) Conference in Washington, D.C. to represent the command and their mission.
From the 95th Training Division (IET) Commander
When I took command of the 95th Division almost three years ago, I told everyone that I was the most fortunate person in the entire Army Reserve. The years since then have unquestionably proven how true that statement was. My time with the Soldiers of the 95th Division has been successful and rewarding beyond all expectations!
Relevant Tags: Griffon108, From the 95th Training Division (IET) Commander
Spring Calls for a Little R&R in Gulf Shores
Enjoy spring in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Warmer temperatures, lots of sunshine, turquoise blue waters and care-free days are waiting for you on Alabama's white-sand beaches. Spring also brings a variety of renowned events for all interests and ages.
Pick up a one-of-a-kind masterpiece to add to your art collection, experience local culture as the Poarch Creek Indians perform colorful tribal dances, and savor delicious Gulf Coast seafood at Ballyhoo on March 2.
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From the 95th Command Sergeant Major
My, how time flies when you are having fun! It seems like just yesterday when then Brig. Gen. Christian extended me the offer to serve as the 95th Division Command Sergeant Major. Of course I accepted the position. The distinct honor and privilege to serve as the Division CSM of such a highly regarded unit was overwhelming. To be a part of Iron Men of Metz again led to many rewarding experiences, as the Iron Men of Metz continued to set high marks and do the undoable.
Relevant Tags: Griffon108, From the 95th Command Sergeant Major
Honoring Those Who Serve(d)
The ground was frozen but the campfire crackled with heat as competitors and spectators gathered in the early morning dawn for the 4th annual Ruck and Run in Republic, Missouri, November 10, 2018.
Sgt. 1st Class George Fuller, a drill sergeant with Bravo company, 1- 354th Regiment, 95th Training Division (IET) currently on orders in Washington D.C. as the Army liaison for combat and non combat injured from overseas, Is the creator, organizer and race director for this annual event.
Fuller found himself increasingly concerned with the commercialization of Veterans day and Memorial day as well as the loss of honor and respect he perceived.
Equal Opportunity Officer Retires with over 33 Years of Service
On October 21 at the 95th Division Memorial located in the 95th Training Division (IET) Headquarters building, Lt. Col. Michael D. Eckart retired from the United States Army Reserve after serving more than 33 years.
Many Soldiers, family members, friends and former members of the division filled Snow Hall to honor the retiree.
MUTA 8 Done Right
CAMP RAVENNA, Ohio — Soldiers and Drill Sergeants of the 1st Battalion, 390th Regiment (1-390th), 3rd BDE, 95th Division have spent the "inter-months" between Fiscal Year Basic Combat Training mission cycles honing their skills to support 1st Engineer Brigade at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. A key component of that preparation has been the capstone Multiple Unit Training Assembly 8 (4 day) field training exercise held at Camp Ravenna, Ohio in May 2018. The battalion uses lessons learned provided by 1st Engineer Brigade during the last FY17 BCT mission cycle and nested company battle assemblies to culminate in a focus on perishable combat engineer tasks and team building. The 1-390th's capstone field exercise ensured an internal stamp of excellence before releasing its Drill Sergeants to Fort Leonard Wood this summer and is now its benchmark for future Drill Sergeant pre-mission certification.
Iroquois Warriors, as you read this article, our Division is decisively engaged at the Army Training Centers in Fort Benning and Fort Jackson. Our drill sergeants are conducting Infantry One Station Unit Training, Cavalry One Station Unit Training, Basic Combat Training, Chaplin Basic Officer Leader Course, and Navy Individual Augmentee Combat Training. Meanwhile, they are also preparing for the Infantry OSUT expansion and implementation of the new Army Combat Fitness Test. With this high OPTEMPO, I want to take a moment to reflect on this past year - a year that has been filled with many firsts - a year in the Band of Excellence.
98th Training Divison (IET) Change of Command Ceremony
Keeping the Memory Alive
It all started in 2001 when Professor John Weiss, Cornell University, approached the Ithaca Police Department with a request to borrow a weapon.
The professor was inquiring if the department had, or knew of a civilian who had, an M-1 Garand he could borrow to help his teach his students about military history.
2/417th, 3rd Brigade Kicks Off 'Best Company' Competition
This was no ordinary Battle Assembly Training weekend at Fort Dix, New Jersey for the 2/417th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 98th Training Division (Initial Entry Training). Sure, the four-day BTA was unusual in that it started on a Saturday and ended on a Tuesday. However, it was so much more than that. Lt. Col. Matthew Darcangelo, who assumed command of the battalion in May, offered a challenge to battalion staff and company leadership alike. Tapping into the experience and skillset of the plans and operations section, Darcangelo set in motion his vision for some friendly competition among the companies: the battalion's inaugural Best Company Competition for the soon-to-be coveted Mohegan Warrior Trophy.
4th Battalion, 323rd Regiment Drill Sergeant Receives Fort Jackson Command Coin
On a cool November morning, rain was rolling in on Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 13th Infantry, 193rd Brigade—a Basic Training Company at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. The trainees were in the end stages of Blue Phase and were nearing a victorious completion of the first chapter of their soldiering careers. And yet being so close, only days away in fact, the young recruits were weary.
While most people look forward to seeing the Olympic Games every couple of years, one U.S. Army Reserve Soldier is looking to do more than watch the games, she wants to compete in them.
Staff Sgt. Sandra Uptagrafft, a medical logistic specialist with Bravo Company, 4/518th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 98th Training Division (Initial Entry Training), is actively on the mission to earn a place on the U.S. Olympic Team, specifically to compete in both the Women's 10m Air Pistol and Women's 25m Sport Pistol events.
We recently experienced the cheer of the holidays and the conclusion of another year. For me, this time of year is always special. This time of the year offers me an opportunity to spend time with my Family, enjoy our favorite dishes, and express our gratitude to each other and the many blessings we have received. In the spirit of gratitude and the meaning it has to my life, I want to thank every single Soldier of the 104th for their hard work and dedication. Gratitude is defined as, "the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness."
Relevant Tags: Griffon108, From the 104th Training Division (LT)Commander
From the 104th Command Sergeant Major
As my first article to the Griffon after being selected as the 104th DIV CSM in July of this past year, I want to personally thank BG Edwards and CSM Priest for giving me this opportunity to serve the Timberwolf Soldiers. I couldn't be prouder to be a part of an organization that has such an honorable and historical lineage. A reflection of one's career tells me that I wouldn't be here without the support of my Family, Leaders, and Soldiers who all played a significant part in my development. Thank you for always pushing me to do better and be better.
Relevant Tags: Griffon108, From the 104th Command Sergeant Major
Around the Command
Relevant Tags: Griffon108, Around the Command
Campus Report: Fall Semester Draws to a Close
The continuous cycle of academia cruises by at a pace that many of us seem to hardly be able to keep up with. Quarters and semesters slip right through the cracks of time with the only audience giving them any attention being that of students and staff. ROTC is no exception to the rule. It is too easy for us to get so caught up with the hustle and bustle of our every day lives, that we tend to forget the awesome things that are taking place at the college campuses across the U.S.
Meet Your Family Readiness Group
On behalf of the 4-413th SROTC Battalion Family Readiness Group (FRG), we'd like to introduce ourselves, share some important information, and ask for your ideas as we plan for 2019.
What does the IG Assistance function entail?
Assistance is the process of receiving, inquiring into, and responding to complaints or requests for information presented to an Inspector General. Anyone, regardless of status, may make a complaint or request for information to any Army Inspector General concerning matters of Army interest affecting health, welfare, and/ or personal readiness. As the commander's representative, IG's role is to resolve issues within the limits of the IG system by enforcing standards and regulations.
108th Griffon Association, Inc.
Your 108th Griffon Association continues to serve the command with a varied of support activities. To fund this support, the annual golf tournament was held on 24 September, 2018, at the Pine Lakes Country Club near Charlotte, North Carolina. After a full day of golf, eating and socializing, $12,824.49 was raised. This amount will be put to good use for the command and to varied veteran organizations. The 2019 tournament is scheduled for 30 September at the same location. There is plenty of time for all interested to either play golf or to contribute as a sponsor. It is hoped that maximum attendance and contributions will result.
Nine Tips to Improve Your School Transition
It's the letter that military families can dread. Just as they get acclimated to their latest post and develop roots in the community, the orders come from headquarters that it is time to pack up and move to another base, across, or sometimes out of the country.
Relevant Tags: Griffon108, Military Transition Resources
Online Degree Options with Placement Rates That Will Put You to Work
If you're investing time and money in an online bachelor's degree that syncs with your military life, do the homework before you enroll.
TDP Helps Maintain Overall Health, Dental Readiness
Research increasingly shows connections between good oral health and one's overall wellbeing.
This information is changing the way dentists and physicians view and treat oral conditions such as gum disease, which can contribute to an array of health problems including diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disease and other chronic conditions.
Panama City Beach for Your Fun Getaway
Panama City Beach (www.visitpanamacitybeach.com) is located in Bay County, Fla., in the Northwest part of the state. The destination is best known for its more than 27 miles of white sand beaches edging emerald-green waters where the Gulf of Mexico and St. Andrew Bay converge. With an average 320 days of sunshine annually, the region has long been favored by travelers seeking an affordable beach vacation with year-round offerings for families, couples, groups and adventure-seekers.
Aim Higher For Your Next Vacation
When it's time for a family vacation you want to make it the best it can be. Universal Orlando Resort™ makes planning it easy with three incredible theme parks, spectacular hotels and a mind-blowing nighttime entertainment complex that offer a complete vacation destination with everything you need for an epic time together. Now Universal is showing its appreciation to service members with a special four days for the price of one ticket offer available at your participating ITT/LTS Office*.
World of Speed Presents Mario Andretti: Racing Royalty
With 80-100 vintage and historic race cars, motorcycles, and hydroplanes always on display, World of Speed Motorsports Museum is a must-see destination for racing enthusiasts of all types. Located in Wilsonville, Oregon, just 20 minutes south of Portland in the scenic Willamette Valley, the Museum is filled with exhibits and interactive activities that provide hours of fun for the whole family.
Taste the Best of Hendersonville at Cider, Wine and Dine Weekend
In Hendersonville, North Carolina, apples reign supreme. A ride along back roads outside of town reveals slopes covered in orchards. Cool nights in summer and bright, sunny days in winter, provide ideal growing conditions for apple trees. This time of year, delicate pink and white blooms blanket branches, containing the hope of a big harvest this fall.
National Army Museum Marches to Completion
The National Museum of the United States Army is rapidly taking shape at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Since ground was broken in 2016, Museum construction has charged ahead at a quick clip — now over 90% complete and set to open in 2020.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Headlines Sevierville's 15th Annual Bloomin' BBQ and Bluegrass Festival
The iconic and profoundly influential Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, often cited as a catalyst for an entire movement in Country Rock and American Roots Music, will headline Sevierville's 15th Annual Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass festival.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band will take the stage at Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass on Saturday, May 18, 2019 beginning at 8 p.m.
Chattanooga: Trolley Tours, Street Parties, Music Festivals and More
Chattanooga is the Gateway to Tennessee and is nestled along the banks of the beautiful Tennessee River and surrounded by the spectacular scenic beauty of the mountains and the Cumberland Plateau.
You will enjoy a newly revitalized green riverfront city, first class attractions, great Southern hospitality, rich Native American and Civil War history, outdoor adventures and locally owned restaurants and cafes, a thriving arts and music scene with plenty of annual festivals and events that offer year-round fun.
Cedar Hill Features the Best Hiking in DFW
If you're looking for some great hiking near Dallas, there are some excellent options in Cedar Hill. Whether you want a shorter stroll to enjoy the natural beauty or something longer and more challenging, hiking trails in Cedar Hill are abundant. We've got a list of the top ones right here, so you can choose the one you like the best or try them all.
The Griffon Issue 42.4 Winter 2019
Commanding General (43)
Command Sgt. Major (46)
Chief Executive Officer (3)
Command Chief (3)
Chaplain (29)
Office of G-6 (1)
Office of Internal Review (2)
Retention Office (3)
Transitions (105)
Surgeons Office (2)
Business Transformation Office (2)
Office of Staff Judge Advocate (2)
DETC/AMCSUS/GoArmyEd (7)
MyCAA (4)
GSA/DoD (4)
Home Schooling Options (49)
Got Your Back (3)
The 108th Training Command got its start as part of an elaborate deception prior to Operation Overlord, the D-Day Invasion of France in World War II. The Division was a "phantom" division created on paper and assigned to the First United States Army Group under the command of General George Patton. We were the original Institutional Training (IT) Division and remain one of seven training divisions for the Army, Army Reserve and National Guard. The Griffon is in its 30th publishing year as an award-winning authorized publication written in the interest of the men and women of the 108th Training Command.
The Griffon is written and published quarterly in the interest of the 108th National Training Command. It is shipped directly to member's homes and to Training Command bases throughout the U.S.
The Griffon is regularly recognized by the Pentagon with their highest rating of Four Stars as one of the largest and most informative authorized publications in the Army.
Our members use The Griffon for prescreened, approved resources and opportunities for themselves and their families.
The Griffon is required reading material with a message straight from the General.
Military Transitions
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text:
Trapped in a devil's bargain
30 March 2011 — Erich Weingartner
Christopher Hill - photo by US Mission Geneva
Christopher! My white knight in shining armor! What have you done, my champion of reason? For years I have admired you from afar, engaged in battles against irrationality and iniquity! Tell me you haven't abandoned your quest! Tell me you haven't succumbed to the notion that reason and compassion have no place in geopolitics!
I'm old enough to know better, but there's a hidden region of my brain (right next to the amygdala) where I still maintain a private pantheon of heroes and role models. That's where my image of Christopher resided. Until recently, that is. It's very painful when one of my idols falls off their pedestal.
If only it were as easy to distinguish good from evil in real life as it is in vintage Wild West movies, where the good guys wear white hats and the bad guys wear black. Alas, reality wears camouflage. Black can turn out to be good; white can turn out to be evil. Like brilliant white snow in a spring thaw, Christopher's image has turned a slushy shade of gray.
Though I have never met him, my admiration for Christopher Robert Hill dates back to his role in the Dayton Accords. This agreement was the beginning of the end of the conflict that tore apart my birth-country, Yugoslavia. I cheered when George W. Bush (with a strong nudge from Condoleezza Rice) appointed Hill as chief U.S. negotiator in the Six Party Talks in 2005. And although he was constantly badgered and undermined by hawks in the Bush administration, Hill pushed the North Koreans farther down the road of denuclearization than anyone had managed to do since the Agreed Framework of 1994.
You don't get far in negotiations unless you have an open mind, unless you are able to think yourself into your opponent's mind, unless you understand what they need from you in order for them to be able to give to you what you need from them. It's an exercise in extracting clarity from ambiguity. Except that ambiguity—especially in inter-cultural and inter-ideological relations—is the bedrock of reality, and clarity, in all its beauty, is always ephemeral.
My ideal Christopher knew that. He certainly knew how to convey ambiguous clarity in the many press conferences he held over his 33 years in the Foreign Service. There was a certain magic in the way he led journalists to believe he was disclosing insider information about the Six Party Talks, whereas he was really using them to soften up American perceptions in order to extract concessions from his political bosses in Washington that were necessary to overcome obstacles in the Six Party process, all while trying to avoid the impression that he was negotiating via the media—something he knew from his Bosnia days could derail any progress made.
I thought he might teach these tricks of the trade to his students when he took up his current job as Dean of the Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver. I thought he might use his two-year experience as a young Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon to teach them how perception is influenced by prior experience, how easy it is to confuse right and wrong.
Alas, it turns out this was merely a figment of my fevered fancy. The real Chris Hill has been doing his best to debunk the legacy of my imaginary Christopher. The real Chris Hill has been making statements that strike my imaginary Christopher as uncharacteristically irresponsible.
There was the incident in January when he told an audience at Stanford University's Center for Security and Cooperation that there is "absolutely no value" in restarting Six Party Talks, because "the North Koreans lied to the United States." [Six Party Talks: The Least Bad Alternative by Mike Chinoy. See also, "C. Hill, 6PT Useless," in The Nelson Report, January. 27, 2011.]
They lied? You mean, as long as they keep executing hungry people for petty theft, as long as they keep torturing women and children in labor camps, as long as they keep lying to their own people, you'll keep talking to them, but you draw the line when they lie to you?
And if that wasn't enough of a disappointment, I found a Chris Hill article on Al Jazeera, in which he speculates about whether South Korea should use starvation as a weapon to bring down the North Korean regime. [Food for thought in North Korea by Christopher R. Hill.] This is usually the sort of discussion you hear over a bottle of soju among the lunatic fringe of armchair human rights enthusiasts. You know, from the same corner as the "let's nuke the daylights out of them" school of thought.
I don't deny that mistaking wrong for right has never been so easy. Witness the conflict that has broken out between two other favorite white-hat heroes of mine: the human rights and the humanitarian communities.
Village in Popdong, DPRK - photo E. Weingartner
"The North Korean people are suffering," say humanitarians. "Children are malnourished because agriculture lacks fertilizer, machinery, and know-how. Parents are unemployed because industry lacks energy, technology, and raw materials. The country is in dire need of development assistance."
"The North Korean people are suffering," say human rights activists. "Children are malnourished because an uncaring government squanders resources on the military instead of feeding its people. Parents are unemployed because they cannot participate in decisions that affect their lives, not to speak of the draconian punishments that await dissenters. The country is in dire need of regime change."
Both are right, of course, and their disagreements usually remain at the level of academic discussion. Human rights advocates continue their work of naming and shaming; humanitarians continue to deliver assistance to those in need. Both use their respective information advantage to sway donors toward the rightness of their cause.
Unfortunately, a theoretical question can quickly turn into a question of life and death during a time of crisis. Last November, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization warned that North Korea's food shortages will be more severe this spring than they have been in years.[Special Report, FAO/WFP Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission to the DPRK, November 16, 2010.] After an in-country assessment in February, five American aid agencies corroborated a dire need of food.[Aid Agencies Complete Needs Assessment in North Korea, February 28, 2011; and Food Security Assessment by 5 US NGOs, February 28, 2011.]
But will donors respond? North Korea's nuclear weapons program and military aggressiveness have soured the international community's generosity. The largest donors of food during the "great famine" of the 1990s (United States and South Korea) have withdrawn aid and imposed draconian sanctions this past year. So has Canada, another major food donor. Donors detest ambiguity, and readily gravitate toward those who can provide clarity—a commodity that is in short supply when it comes to the DPRK. If we deliver food, will it go to those who are most in need, or will it be diverted to the military, or siphoned off by the elite, or stockpiled for use during celebrations of the 100th anniversary of Great Leader Kim Il Sung's birth in 2012? Considering that the world's food reserves are at a low point and food prices at a high point, donors are susceptible to any rationale that will help them strike a country or region off their long list of global emergencies.
"To feed or not to feed?" is a real question, and a reasonable question at that. Those who have been most closely involved in humanitarian assistance to North Korea have long insisted that food aid is not the answer. Fertilizer deliveries produce far more food at a far cheaper price than food deliveries. Modernizing North Korean agriculture with appropriate technology, information sharing and capacity building would be better yet. But that is out of the question, not only because of sanctions, but also because of the accepted wisdom that such assistance would help to stabilize the Kim Jong Il regime, and therefore prolong the North Korean people's suffering.
"Would food aid help to ensure the survival of a state whose treatment of its own citizens is among the most abysmal in the world?" asks Chris Hill. He goes on to speculate whether "denying food aid would result in a famine that the North Korean regime could not withstand."
He doesn't answer his own question. He just commiserates with the government of South Korea, whose responsibility it will be to make this "Sophie's choice." The rest of us, presumably, should wait and follow South Korea's example.
"In the coming weeks," writes Hill, "South Korea's government will confront one of the toughest choices that any government can face: whether the short-term cost in human lives is worth the potential long-term benefits—also in terms of human lives—that a famine-induced collapse of North Korea could bring."
Wonsan Nursery, DPRK - photo E. Weingartner
On reading these words, my Christopher idol came crashing to the ground. We've been through this before. I spent almost 3 years helping to stem the scourge of famine in North Korea. The first to die are the wretched of the earth: the outcasts in the most remote countryside, the prisoners in labor camps, the families that depend on a depleted distribution system, the elderly, the women and children of insufficient songun, even the youngest soldiers of the lowest ranks. The ones who manage to survive are the Pyongyang elite, the ranking military officers, the Workers' Party bosses, the black market operators, the snitches, the thieves, the cheaters, and the murderers.
And from the likes of these you expect the miracle of regime change, Christopher?
Never mind the reality that a mere decade ago the DPRK regime already survived the last great famine of the 20th century. The fact that a respected, knowledgeable advocate of good in the face of evil would lend credibility to such an abominable juxtaposition of immoral alternatives shows me that we have lost our ethical compass. A "famine-induced" collapse? Whatever happened to "a hungry child knows no politics?" Did my virtuous knight allow himself to be tricked by a devil's bargain?
Christopher! Don't abandon your legacy to the jackals that have always snapped at your heels. Stand up and tell the world that despite your inability to tame the rabid dragon with your own hands, the positives of negotiation and compassion outweigh the negatives. It is better to talk than to fight. It is better to offer assistance than to crush the outstretched hand.
South Korea's Humanitarian Dilemma by Professor Victor Hsu (CanKor.ca)
To feed or not to feed? (CanKor.ca)
Posted in 6-Party Talks, Human Factor, Human Rights, Humanitarian & Development, UnCommonSense. Tags: Aid, Christopher R. Hill, DPRK, Food and Agriculture Organization, Food security, North Korea, Six Party Talks, United States. 4 Comments »
4 Responses to "Trapped in a devil's bargain"
Martin Paulus Says:
How is a starving population supposed to overthrow a system that has abided many major calamities already: from all-out war to fierce famine?
The author rightly questions the validity of seeking revolution from the government-sponsored elite. Because even from an egoistic perspective: what power could be gained by a coup? Surely, the responsibilities far outweigh the wins.
Only a true humanitarian would dare to take Kim Jong-Il and Kim Jong-Un's place and take on the responsibility of resurrecting the DPRK's economy, and with it the people's welfare.
Miranda Weingartner Says:
Indeed, antagonism from foreign sources seems to solidify rather than erode loyalty to the regime. Thanks for your comment Martin.
Feed vulnerable North Koreans say Brookings' Cohen and Abramowitz « CanKor Says:
[…] Trapped in a devil's bargain […]
D. Epps Says:
Weingärtner echoes the sentiments of many of us who long for leadership and statesmanship in the world of diplomacy as an alternative to the inevitability of armed conflict. Hill gave us hope that his work would prevail, not that of "defense" strategists' continual joint-military maneuvers that have kept Korea and the Northeast Asia region on red alert for nearly half a century. Hill never was exactly my idol, but he did keep alive the hope that even governments may be capable of reason. In this season of rhe "Arab Spring" and as the the annual joint military games are being prepared in South Korea we could use more diplomats like Hill was (and perhaps in his heart of hearts still is).
« South Korea's Humanitarian Dilemma by Victor Hsu
Books: "Getting to Yes in Korea" by Walter C. Clemens, Jr. »


After a tremendous effort from all involved, the Headwater Sport Relief team total came to an impressive £1,129.30 !
The 'Round Cheshire in 80 Ways' didn't just raise money, it also raised a few eyebrows and provided lots of laughs for the places where we stopped.
Stilts, motorbikes, canoes, roller skates, space hoppers and wheelbarrows were just a few of the ways used to travel around the county!
A big thank you to all who contributed their time, effort and especially money to make the day such a success!


You are here: Home / Scoliosis Articles / Adult Scoliosis – Is there help for me?
Adult Scoliosis – Is there help for me?
A lot of our articles are geared towards children because it is the moment in development where it is the easiest to stop the progression of a scoliotic curve, with at times, minimal effort. However, thanks to new methodologies, we do have solutions for our older patients as well.
At South Florida Scoliosis Center our oldest scoliosis patient currently receiving treatment is 83 years young! He is getting great results and is very happy because he can play golf once again. As is no surprise, scoliosis treatment is different when regarding older patients. The amount of muscle rigidity already present must be determined and taken into account. How much arthritic process is in the joints also needs to be measured, any possibly limiting movements, and a patients' overall tolerance for performing the necessary exercises.
At South Florida Scoliosis Center we recognize that each patient is an individual with his or her unique set of variables and responses and thus require a treatment plan customized to their individual needs in order to treat Adult Scoliosis successfully.
The physical exam is a very detailed in and of itself and probably unlike any you may have experienced, as we check a multitude of components. Later we move on to take the series of spinal X-rays which will establish your current position. This fulfills your first visit.
The doctor now studies the physical exam findings plus the spinal x-rays to evaluate the severity of the curve and determine which solutions will be the most favorable and will garner the greatest results for this patient.
On the follow up visit, together patient and doctor discuss the x-rays and exam findings and propose the steps devised that will work best. We then commence a series of protocols maximized to achieve the most benefit and produce the maximum results in order to effectively test how a patients' spine will react and respond to the scoliosis treatment. At the end of the series, we again run tests to determine how much our protocols can actually change the patients' scoliotic spine.
At the conclusion of this visit we are able to show the patient what can actually be achieved and review realistic expectations. Any reduction to the scoliotic curve that can be achieved will now be visible on the post X-ray. Given these results a customized treatment plan options are then discussed.
https://www.southfloridascoliosiscenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/03-08-13-adult-scoliosis-help.jpg 290 300 admin https://www.southfloridascoliosiscenter.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/sfsc-logo.png admin2013-03-08 06:01:322015-07-04 14:41:03Adult Scoliosis – Is there help for me?
That Was Then… This is NOW! – New Hope for Scoliosis Patients Spring your Spine Health into Spring!


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> a means to that end.
practical way to satisfy both sets of criteria in a single representation.
for that level of abstraction, than to try and construct a "universal"
close to this state of affairs.
> in plain text format.
> more knowledge on that matter will have to address it.
and thus has not seen wide deployment except in specal purpose applications.
weekend. I'll report back next week with some more detailed comments.
> you have strong input, then you should definitely contribute.
That's why I've jumped into the discussion after lurking for a while :).


text:
UPDATE: Police Operation, Froom Crescent
BreachFirearms and Weapons related
On Friday, July 29, 2022, the Regina Police Service notified the public of a police operation in the 400 block of Froom Crescent, including the information, at 2:55 p.m. that the enforcement operation was concluded. Now a 34 year-old Regina male is facing numerous charges as a result of that investigation.
On Friday, July 29, 2022, the Regina Police Service executed a search warrant on a residence in the 400 block of Froom Crescent. Police were acting in the belief that there were firearms in the residence, so members of the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) were authorized to assist in the enforcement operation. Initially, the people inside the residence refused to come out, but eventually complied with police demands to exit the residence. A 34 year-old male was among them. This individual was wanted on a warrant out of British Columbia on charges of aggravated assault. The suspect was taken into custody without further incident. A search of the residence yielded a loaded, sawed-off .22 calibre rifle, as well as a bag with various types of ammunition.
Thirty-four year-old Eric Philip STEVENS, of Regina, is charged with:
Possession of a Firearm Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized, s. 92(1) CC;
Possession of a Prohibited, Restricted Firearm with Ammunition, s/ 95(1)(a);
Store Firearm Contrary to Regulations, s. 86(2) CC;
4 X Possession of Firearm or Ammunition Contrary to Order, s. 117.01(1);
Breach of Probation, s. 733.1(1) CC;
Fail to Comply with Conditions of Release Order, s. 145(5)(a) CC.
STEVENS made his first court appearance on these charges in Provincial Court at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 2, 2022.
Categories: Breach, Firearms and Weapons related August 2, 2022
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