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Argo Group Limited LSE:ARGO London Ordinary Share IM00B2RDSS92 ORD USD0.01
0.00 0.0% 20.00 18.00 22.00 20.00 20.00 20.00 1,118 08:00:14
Turnover (m)
Profit (m)
EPS - Basic
Market Cap (m)
General Financial 2.4 1.2 2.9 6.8 12
ARGO Group Limited Interim Results for six months ended 30 June 2021
Argo (LSE:ARGO)
From Jul 2021 to Jan 2022
TIDMARGO
RNS Number : 9848G
ARGO Group Limited
("Argo" or the "Company")
Interim Results for the six months ended 30 June 2021
Argo today announces its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2021.
The Company will today make available its interim report for the six months period ended 30 June 2021 on the Company's website www.argogrouplimited.com.
Key highlights for the six months period ended 30 June 2021
This report sets out the results of Argo Group Limited (the "Company") and its subsidiaries (collectively "the Group" or "Argo") covering the six months ended 30 June 2021.
-     Revenues US$1.6 million (six months to 30 June 2020: US$1.4 million)
-     Operating loss US$0.7 million (six months to 30 June 2020: US$0.4 million)
-     Loss before tax US$0.2 million (six months to 30 June 2020: profit before tax US$0.2 million)
-     Net assets US$22.6 million (31 December 2020: US$22.8 million)
Commenting on the results and outlook, Kyriakos Rialas, Chief Executive Officer of Argo said:
" Argo Group is pleased to present its six months results for the period ending 30 June 2021. Income derived from management fees remains stable reflecting assets under management but excludes any potential performance fees that would crystallise at year end provided the NAV of The Argo Fund does not fall below the highwater mark. Costs have gone up slightly due to some exceptional non-repetitive expenses but additional AUM are needed to comfortably cover running expenses.
Argo is currently focusing on its single Emerging Markets Fund with different share classes to reflect its strategies. A new share class was launched earlier this year to attract investors looking for distressed situations in Emerging market bonds."
Andreas Rialas
Panmure Gordon
Dominic Morley
This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (as amended) as it forms part of the domestic law of the United Kingdom by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (as amended) ("MAR").
The Group and its investment objective
Argo's investment objective is to provide investors with absolute returns in the funds that it manages by investing in multi strategy investments in emerging markets.
Argo was listed on the AIM market in November 2008 and has a performance track record dating back to 2000.
Business and operational review
For the six months ended 30 June 2021 the Group generated revenues of US$1.6 million (six months to 30 June 2020: US$1.4 million) with management fees accounting for US$1.2 million (six months to 30 June 2020: US$1.2 million). The Group does not accrue for performance fees until they are crystalized at the year end. Unrecognised performance fees at 30 June 2021 amounted to US$0.9 million (2020: US$ nil).
Total operating costs for the period, ignoring bad debt provisions, are US$2.0 million compared to US$1.6 million for the six months to 30 June 2020 . The Group has provided against management fees of US$0.4 million due from the Designated share class in The Argo Fund ("TAF") (six months to 30 June 2020: US$0.2 million). In the Directors' view these amounts are fully recoverable however they have concluded that it would only be appropriate to recognise income without provision from these investment management services once a liquidity event occurs in this share class.
Overall, the financial statements show an operating loss for the period of US$0.7 million (six months to 30 June 2020: US$0.4 million) and a loss before tax of US$0.2 million (six months to 30 June 2020: profit before tax of US$0.2 million). Net loss on investments of US$0.04 million (six months to 30 June 2020: net profit on investments US$0.2 million) and interest income of US$0.5 million (six months to 30 June 2020: US$0.4 million).
At the period end, the Group had net assets of US$22.6 million (31 December 2020: US$22.8 million) and net current assets of US$8.4 million (31 December 2020: US$8.8 million) including cash reserves of US$1.2 million (31 December 2020: US$0.7 million).
Net assets include investments in The Argo Fund ("TAF") at fair values of US$7.1 million (31 December 2020: US$6.8 million)
At the period end TAF owed the Group total fees of US$1.1 million ( 31 December 2020 : US$1.0 million). At 30 June 2021, a provision for US$0.9 million was made against this amount as the timing of the receipt of the fees from the designated share class in TAF is unknown.
TAF ended the period with Assets under Management ("AUM") at US$126.7 million (2020: US$130.4 million). The current level of AUM remains below that required to ensure sustainable profits on a recurring management fee basis in the absence of performance fees. This has necessitated an ongoing review of the Group's cost basis. Nevertheless, the Group has ensured that the operational framework remains intact and that it retains the capacity to manage additional fund inflows as and when they arise.
The average number of permanent employees of the Group for the six months to 30 June 2021 was 19 ( 30 June 2020 : 20).
The Argo Funds
30 June    30 June    2020
Launch    2021       2020       year                             Sharpe   Down
Since       Annualised
Fund                date     6 months   6 months   total   inception   performance   ratio    months  AUM
%          %          %       %           CAGR %                          US$m
-------  ---------  ---------  ------  ----------  ------------  ------  --------  -----
The Argo Fund                                                                                82 of
- A class         Oct-00        4.28       4.55    5.53      256.95          7.06    0.51       249   90.1
The Argo Fund
- Other classes                                                                                36.6
---------  ---------  ------  ----------  ------------  ------  --------  -----
Total                                                                                126.7
Following the wild gyrations in financial markets in the first half of 2020 due to Covid-19, the first six months of this year were relatively calm. Business sentiment and equity markets rose as vaccination campaigns got underway and then accelerated in most developed economies, especially in the US, UK and Europe. In addition, many governments also began to ease Covid-related mobility restrictions and activity levels picked up. Economic data in the period has generally been very strong, especially in the US, which posted an annualised growth rate of 6.4% in the first quarter. Although the eurozone economy contracted in the first quarter, indicators point to a strong economic rebound having taken place in Europe. After an estimated contraction of over 3% in 2020, the IMF have upgraded their global growth forecast to 6% in 2021, before moderating in 2022.
However, the reopening of economies and the quick rebound in activity that has followed has fuelled inflation in some countries. In June, the US consumer price index increased by 5.4% year on year, although some of the underlying details suggest that there are temporary factors at play, such as the rise in used car prices. The US Federal Reserve continues to see this inflation increase as transitory but has acknowledged that tapering is being discussed as are two rate hikes sometime in 2023. Notwithstanding the concerns about inflationary pressure, 10-year US Treasury yields have dropped by 50 bps from the end of March, falling to 1.25%.
The Covid recession has had - so far at least - less impact than the 2008 global financial crisis due to an unprecedented policy response in the major economies, combining accommodative monetary measures with the running of large fiscal deficits. However, some emerging market economies have been hit harder and are expected to suffer more significant medium-term losses, for example countries that rely on tourism and for those with limited policy space to respond. Efforts to relieve financial strain on these countries such as the Debt Service Suspension Initiative and the allocation of additional SDR reserves by the IMF together with enhanced vaccine rollout should help emerging markets growth to rebound towards the end of 2021.
The NAV of the Class A shares of the TAF increased by 4.28% in the first half of 2021, compared to a rise of 4.55% in the same period of the previous year; the benchmark JP Morgan EMBI+ bond index fell by 3.12% in the first six months. The fund benefitted from the effect of higher oil prices on several long bond positions but was held back by various macro hedges and the failure of Argentine sovereign bonds to attract a bid post-restructuring. Class A shares issued by TAF continue to be invested in a diversified debt and macro positions which seek to capture alpha through long and short investment in liquid EM corporate and sovereign bonds and FX. In addition, there are other share classes within the TAF master/feeder structure which offer investors exposure to distressed debt portfolio and also special situations where the timeline to investment realisation will be longer.
Dividends and share purchase programme
The Group did not pay a dividend during the current or prior period . The Directors intend to restart dividend payments as soon as the Group's performance provides a consistent track record of profitability.
The Board remains optimistic about the Group's prospects based on the transactions in the pipeline and the Group's initiatives to increase AUM. A significant increase in AUM is still required to ensure sustainable profits on a recurring management fee basis and the Group is well placed with capacity to absorb such an increase in AUM with negligible impact on operational costs.
Boosting AUM will be Argo's top priority in the next six months. The Group's marketing efforts continue to focus on TAF which has a 20-year track record as well as identifying acquisitions that are earnings enhancing.
Over the longer term, the Board believes there is significant opportunity for growth in assets and profits and remains committed to ensuring the Group's investment management capabilities and resources are appropriate to meet its key objective of achieving a consistent positive investment performance in the emerging markets sector.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF PROFIT OR LOSS AND OTHER
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
FOR THE SIX MONTHSED 30 JUNE 2021
Six months    Six months
ended         ended
30 June       30 June
2021          2020
Note      US$'000       US$'000
Management fees                                            1,250         1,227
Performance fees                                             283             -
Other income                                                 131           144
=============================================  =====  ===========   ===========
Revenue                                                    1,664         1,371
Legal and professional expenses                            (249)         (267)
Management fees payable                                    (157)             -
Operational expenses                                       (339)         (335)
Employee costs                                           (1,129)       (1,202)
Bad debt provision                              10         (365)         (203)
Foreign exchange profit/(loss)                               (4)           313
Depreciation                                    7          (103)          (97)
Operating loss                                             (682)         (420)
Interest income                                              519           409
Realised and unrealised (loss)/gain
on investments                                             (38)           205
(Loss)/profit on ordinary activities
before taxation                                           (201)           194
Taxation                                        5              -             -
(Loss)/profit for the period after
taxation attributable to members of
the Company                                    6          (201)           194
Items that may be reclassified subsequently
to profit or loss:
Exchange differences on translation
of foreign operations                                      (10)          (15)
Total comprehensive income for the
period                                                    (211)           179
US$           US$
Earnings per share (basic)                      6        (0.005)         0.005
Earnings per share (diluted)                    6        (0.005)         0.004
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION
AS AT 30 JUNE 2021
30 June   31 December
Note     US$'000       US$'000
Land, fixtures, fittings and
equipment                         7           386           484
Loans and advances receivable      10       13,837        13,645
================================  =====  ==========  ============
Total non-current assets                    14,223        14,129
Financial assets at fair value
through profit or loss            8         7,110         6,818
Loan and advances receivable       10           12            13
Trade and other receivables        9           351         1,669
Cash and cash equivalents                    1,236           675
Total current assets                         8,709         9,175
Total assets                                22,932        23,304
Issued share capital               11          390           390
Share premium                               25,353        25,353
Revenue reserve                               (79)           122
reserve                                   (3,065)       (3,055)
Total equity                                22,599        22,810
Trade and other payables                       333           415
Total current liabilities                      333           415
--------------------------------  -----  ----------  ------------
Trade and other payables           15            -            79
Total non-current liabilities                    -            79
Total equity and liabilities                22,932        23,304
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Issued                                  currency
share       Share     Revenue       translation
capital     premium     reserve           reserve     Total
2020        2020        2020              2020      2020
US$'000     US$'000     US$'000           US$'000   US$'000
As at 1 January 2020           390      25,353     (1,546)           (2,932)    21,265
Total comprehensive
Profit for the period
after taxation                  -           -         194                 -       194
Other comprehensive
income                          -           -           -              (15)      (15)
As at 30 June 2020             390      25,353     (1,352)           (2,947)    21,444
=======================  ==========  ==========  ==========  ================  ========
As at 1 January 2021                390      25,353         122           (3,055)    22,810
Total comprehensive income
Loss for the period after
taxation                             -           -       (201)                 -     (201)
Other comprehensive income            -           -           -              (10)      (10)
As at 30 June 2021                  390      25,353        (79)           (3,065)    21,599
============================  ==========  ==========  ==========  ================  ========
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Six months   Six months
ended        ended
30 June      30 June
2021         2020
Note      US$'000      US$'000
Net cash (outflow)/inflow from
operating activities                       12         (300)          195
=========================================  =====  ===========  ===========
Cash flows used in investing activities
Interest received on cash and
cash equivalents                                          1            3
Purchase of fixtures, fittings
and equipment                              7            (2)          (1)
Proceeds from sale of financial
assets at fair value through profit
or loss                                               1,001       11,779
Loan investments                                           -     (11,200)
Net cash generated from investing
activities                                            1,000          581
Payment of lease liabilities                           (119)         (44)
Repurchase of own shares                                   -            -
Net cash used in financing activities                  (119)         (44)
Net decrease in cash and cash
equivalents                                             581          732
Cash and cash equivalents at 1
January 2021 and
1 January 2020                                          675          863
Foreign exchange loss on cash
and cash equivalents                                   (20)            6
Cash and cash equivalents as at
30 June 2021 and 30 June 2020                         1,236        1,601
NOTES TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For the six months ended 30 June 2021
1.      CORPORATE INFORMATION
The Company is domiciled in the Isle of Man under the Companies Act 2006. Its registered office is at 33-37 Athol Street, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 1LB. The condensed consolidated interim financial statements of the Group as at and for the six months ended 30 June 2021 comprise the Company and its subsidiaries (together referred to as the "Group").
The consolidated financial statements of the Group as at and for the year ended 31 December 2020 are available upon request from the Company's registered office or at www.argogrouplimited.com.
The principal activity of the Company is that of a holding company and the principal activity of the wider Group is that of an investment management business. The functional currency of the Group undertakings are US dollars, Sterling and Romanian Lei. The presentational currency is US dollars.
Wholly owned subsidiaries Country of incorporation
Argo Capital Management Limited   United Kingdom
Argo Property Management Srl      Romania
2.       ACCOUNTING POLICIES
(a)     Basis of preparation
These condensed consolidated interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with IAS 34 Interim Financial Reporting. They do not include all the information required for full annual financial statements and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements of the Group as at and for the year ended 31 December 2020.
The accounting policies applied by the Group in these condensed consolidated interim financial statements are the same as those applied by the Group in its consolidated financial statements as at and for the year ended 31 December 2020.
These condensed consolidated interim financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors on 29 July 2021.
b)      Financial instruments and fair value hierarchy
The following represents the fair value hierarchy of financial instruments measured at fair value in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Financial Position. The hierarchy groups financial assets and liabilities into three levels based on the significance of inputs used in measuring the fair value of the financial assets and liabilities. The fair value hierarchy has the following levels:
Level 1: quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;
Level 2: inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly (i.e. as prices) or indirectly (i.e. derived from prices); and
Level 3: inputs for the asset or liability that are not based on observable market data (unobservable inputs).
The level within which the financial asset or liability is classified is determined based on the lowest level of significant input to the fair value measurement
3.      SEGMENTAL ANALYSIS
The Group operates as a single asset management business.
The operating results of the companies are regularly reviewed by the Directors of the Group for the purposes of making decisions about resources to be allocated to each company and to assess performance. The following summary analyses revenues, profit or loss, assets and liabilities:
Argo Capital     Argo Property   Six months
Argo Group       Management        Management        ended
Ltd              Ltd               Srl      30 June
2021             2021              2021         2021
US$'000          US$'000           US$'000      US$'000
Total revenues for
reportable segments
customers                               -            1,533               131        1,664
Intersegment revenues                    -                -                              -
Total profit/(loss)
for reportable segments                86            (316)             (193)        (423)
Intersegment profit/(loss)           (222)                -                 -        (222)
Total assets for
assets                             21,561            1,066               305       22,932
for reportable segments                 7              275                51          333
============================  =============  ===============  ================  ===========
Revenues, profit or loss, assets and liabilities    Six months
may be reconciled as follows:
US$'000
Total revenues for reportable segments                   1,664
Elimination of intersegment revenues                         -
==================================================  ===========
Group revenues                                           1,664
Profit or loss
Loss for reportable segments                             (423)
Elimination of intersegment loss                           222
Other unallocated amounts                                    -
Loss on ordinary activities before taxation              (201)
Total assets for reportable segments                    22,936
Elimination of intersegment receivables                    (4)
Group assets                                            22,932
Total liabilities for reportable segments                3,716
Elimination of intersegment payables                   (3,383)
Group liabilities                                          333
Argo Capital                      Argo Capital
Management     Argo Capital       Management   Six months
Argo Group       (Cyprus)       Management         Property        ended
Ltd            Ltd              Ltd              Ltd      30 June
2020           2020             2020             2020         2020
US$'000        US$'000          US$'000          US$'000      US$'000
for reportable
segments customers               -            120            1,227              144        1,491
Intersegment
revenues                         -            120                -                -          120
segments                       818              -            (423)            (201)          194
profit/(loss)                    -            120            (120)                -            -
segments assets             20,370            341            1,460              303       22,474
segments                         6             90              857               78        1,031
=====================  =============  =============  ===============  ===============  ===========
Elimination of intersegment revenues                     (120)
Total profit for reportable segments                       194
Elimination of intersegment loss                             -
Profit on ordinary activities before taxation              194
Elimination of intersegment receivables                (2,884)
Group liabilities                                        1,031
4.   SHARE-BASED INCENTIVE PLANS
On 14 March 2011 the Group granted options over 5,900,000 shares to directors and employees under The Argo Group Limited Employee Stock Option Plan. All options are exercisable at 24p per share within 10 years of the grant date.
The fair value of the options granted was measured at the grant date using a Black-Scholes model that takes into account the effect of certain financial assumptions, including the option exercise price, current share price and volatility, dividend yield and the risk-free interest rate. The fair value of the options granted is spread over the vesting period of the scheme and the value is adjusted to reflect the actual number of shares that are expected to vest.
The principal assumptions for valuing the options are:
Exercise price (pence)          24.0
Weighted average share price
at grant date (pence)          17.0
Weighted average option life
(years)                        10.0
Expected volatility (% p.a.)    15.0
Dividend yield (% p.a.)         10.0
Risk-free interest rate (%
p.a.)                          0.907
The fair value of options granted is recognised as an employee expense with a corresponding increase in equity. The total charge to employee costs in respect of this incentive plan is GBPnil (30 June 2020: GBPnil)
The number and weighted average exercise price of the share options during the period is as follows:
Weighted average   No. of share
exercise price       options
Outstanding at beginning of period         24.0p          4,115,000
Granted during the period                    -                 -
Forfeited during the period                24.0p         (3,865,000)
====================================  =================  =============
Outstanding at end of period               24.0p            250,000
Exercisable at end of period               24.0p            250,000
The options outstanding at 30 June 2021 have an exercise price of 24p and a weighted average contractual life of 5.6 years. Outstanding share options are contingent upon the option holder remaining an employee of the Group.
No share options were issued during the period.
5.      TAXATION
Taxation rates applicable to the parent company and the UK and Romanian subsidiaries range from 0% to 19% (2020: 0% to 19%).
Consolidated statement of profit or
loss                                     Six months     Six months
ended          Ended
30 June        30 June
2021           2020
US$'000        US$'000
Taxation charge for the period on Group            -              -
========================================  ===========    ===========
The charge for the period can be reconciled to the profit shown on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of profit or loss as follows:
US$'000      US$'000
(Loss)/profit before tax                                 (201)          194
================================================  =============  ===========
Applicable Isle of Man tax rate for                          -            -
Argo Group Limited of 0%
Timing differences                                           -            -
Non-deductible expenses                                      -            -
Other adjustments                                            -            -
Tax effect of different tax rates of                         -            -
subsidiaries operating in other jurisdictions
Tax charge                                                   -            -
Consolidated statement of financial
30 June     31 December
2021            2020
US$'000         US$'000
Corporation tax payable                     -               -
====================================  ========    ============
6.      EARNINGS PER SHARE
Earnings per share is calculated by dividing the net profit for the period by the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period.
Six months     Six months
Net (loss)/profit for the period after
taxation attributable to members                (201)            194
========================================  =============  =============
No. of         No. of
shares         shares
Weighted average number of ordinary
shares for basic earnings per share        38,959,986     38,959,986
Effect of dilution (Note 4)                    250,000      4,115,000
shares for diluted earnings per share      39,209,986     43,074,986
US$          US$
Earnings per share (basic)         (0.005)        0.005
Earnings per share (diluted)       (0.005)        0.004
==============================  ===========  ===========
7.      LAND, FIXTURES, FITTINGS AND EQUIPMENT
Fixtures,
Right         fittings
of use    and equipment                              Total
assets                       Land
USD'000000          US$'000   US$'000                  US$'000
At 1 January 2020                     808              260       179                    1,247
Additions                               -                -         -                        -
Disposals                               -                -         -                        -
Foreign exchange movement              25                6        17                       48
===========================  =============  ===============  ========  =======================
At 31 December 2020                   833              266       196                    1,295
Additions                               -                2         -                        2
Disposals                               -             (62)         -                     (62)
Foreign exchange movement               9                -       (5)                        4
At 30 June 2021                       842              206       191                    1,239
At 1 January 2020                     344              242         -                      586
Depreciation charge for
period                               188               10         -                      198
Disposals                               -                -         -
Foreign exchange movement              23                4         -                       27
At 31 December 2020                   555              256         -                      811
period                                99                4         -                      103
Disposals                               -             (62)                               (62)
Foreign exchange movement               6              (5)         -                        1
At 30 June 2021                       660              193         -                      853
Net book value
At 31 December 2020                   278               10       196                      484
At 30 June 2021                       342               18       181                      541
8.       FINANCIAL ASSETS AT FAIR VALUE THROUGH PROFIT OR LOSS
30 June 2021       30 June 2021
Holding   Investment in management       Total cost         Fair value
US$'000            US$'000
10      The Argo Fund Ltd                       -                  -
-                  -
========  =========================  ===============    ===============
Holding   Investment in ordinary     Total cost       Fair value
US$'000          US$'000
19,920    The Argo Fund Ltd*              5,511            7,110
5,511            7,110
========  =======================  =============    =============
31 December       31 December
2020              2020
Holding   Investment in management      Total cost        Fair value
US$'000           US$'000
10      The Argo Fund Ltd                      -                 -
100     Argo Distressed Credit                 -                 -
Fund Ltd
1      Argo Special Situations                -                 -
Fund LP
-                 -
========  =========================  ==============    ==============
*Classified as current in the consolidated statement of Financial Position
Note that some of the Argo Funds listed above may have investments in each other.
9.   TRADE AND OTHER RECEIVABLES
At 30 June     At 31 December
2021               2020
US$ '000           US$ '000
Trade receivables - Gross                1,306              1,292
Less: provision for impairment
of trade receivables                  (1,139)              (780)
--------------------------------  -------------  -----------------
Trade receivables - Net                    167                512
Other receivables                           47              1,062
Prepayments and accrued income             137                 95
================================  =============  =================
351              1,669
The Directors consider that the carrying amount of trade and other receivables approximates their fair value. All trade receivable balances are recoverable within one year from the reporting date except as disclosed below.
The movement in the Group's provision for impairment of trade and loan receivables is as follow:
Opening balance                    14,101             12,405
Bad debt recovered                      -                  -
Charged during the period             365                484
Foreign exchange movement           (417)              1,212
===========================  =============  =================
Closing balance                    14,049             14,101
10. LOANS AND ADVANCES RECEIVABLE
At 30 June                   At 31 December
2021                             2020
US$'000                          US$'000
Deposits on leased premises - current                  12                               13
Deposits on leased premises - non-current
(see below)                                          113                              111
Other loans and advances receivable
- non-current (note 14)                           13,724                           13,534
===============================================  =========      ===========================
13,849                           13,658
The deposits on leased premises relate to the Group's offices in London and Romania.
Other loans and advances receivable relates to a loan for $12.1 million (EUR10.2 million) principal made by Argo Group Limited to Argo Real Estate Limited Partnership in February 2020, an entity that is 100% owned by Andreas Rialas. The loan accrues interest at 9%.
The Group also has a balance receivable for $12.9 million (EUR10.9 million) from Argo Real Estate Limited Partnership that was assigned from Argo Real Estate Opportunities Fund Limited during the period. The carrying value of this balance is $nil.
11.    SHARE CAPITAL
The Company's authorised share capital is unlimited with a nominal value of US$0.01.
30 June     30 June    31 December   31 December
2021        2021           2020          2020
No.     US$'000            No.       US$'000
Issued and fully paid
Ordinary shares of
US$0.01 each              38,959,986         390     38,959,986           390
=======================  =============  ==========  =============  ============
38,959,986         390     38,959,986           390
The Directors did not recommend the payment of a final dividend for the year ended 31 December 2020 and do not recommend an interim dividend in respect of the current period.
12. RECONCILIATION OF NET CASH INFLOW/(OUTFLOW) FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES TO PROFIT/(LOSS) ON ORDINARY ACTIVITIES BEFORE TAXATION
30 June 2021        30 June
before taxation                                      (201)            194
Interest income                                       (519)          (409)
Depreciation on fixtures, fittings
and equipment                                            4              6
Depreciation on right of use asset                       99             91
Realised and unrealised loss/(gain)                      38          (205)
Net foreign exchange loss/(profit)                        4          (313)
(Decrease)/increase in payables                        (42)             97
Decrease in receivables, loans and
advances                                               317            754
Corporation tax paid                                      -           (20)
Net cash (outflow)/inflow from operating
activities                                           (300)            195
==========================================  ================  =============
13.    FAIR VALUE HIERARCY
The table below analyses financial instruments measured at fair value at the end of the reporting period by the level of the fair value hierarchy (note 2b).
At 30 June 2021
Level 1    Level 2    Level 3      Total
US$ '000   US$ '000   US$ '000   US$ '000
at fair value through
profit or loss                   -      7,110          -      7,110
========================  ==========  =========  =========  =========
At 31 December 2020
14. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Most Group revenues derive from The Argo Fund in which two of the Company's directors, Kyriakos Rialas and Kenneth Watterson, have influence through directorships and the provision of investment management services.
At the reporting date the Company holds investments in The Argo Fund Limited. These investments are reflected in the accounts at fair value of US$7.1 million (31 December 2020: $6.8 million).
At the period end, the Group was owed $13.7 million (note 10) by Argo Real Estate Limited Partnership, an entity that is 100% owned by Andreas Rialas. The loan carries an interest rate of 9% per annum.
During the period, a balance owed by Argo Real Estate Opportunities Fund Limited for US$12.9 million (EUR10.9 million) (31 December 2020: US$13.3 million (EUR10.9 million)) was assigned to Argo Real Estate Limited Partnership. These balances are carried at US$ nil (31 December 2020: US$ nil) in the financial statements.
15. TRADE AND OTHER PAYABLES
At 30 June   At 31 December
2021             2020
US$ '000         US$ '000
Trade creditors                          99              118
Other creditors and accruals            234              297
===============================  ===========  ===============
Total current trade and other
payables                               333              415
Trade creditors are normally settled on 30-day terms.
At 30 June    At 31 December
US$ '000          US$ '000
Other creditors and accruals                    -               79
===================================  =============  ===============
Total non-current trade and other
payables                                       -               79
RNS may use your IP address to confirm compliance with the terms and conditions, to analyse how you engage with the information contained in this communication, and to share such analysis on an anonymised basis with others as part of our commercial services. For further information about how RNS and the London Stock Exchange use the personal data you provide us, please see our Privacy Policy.
IR DZGZNVLNGMZM
July 30, 2021 02:00 ET (06:00 GMT)
1 Year Argo Chart
1 Month Argo Chart


text:
Q: Notification not coming up I am trying to make an android reminder app. where i am trying to show notification on a particular time.
I have seen a video on youtube and followed it perfectly. yet, my code is not working. Also, android studio is showing no errors.
The problem is that notification is not showing up at all. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance :)
Here is MainActivity:
package com.saipriyank.remind;

import android.app.AlarmManager;
import android.app.PendingIntent;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.EditText;
import android.widget.TimePicker;
import android.widget.Toast;

import java.util.Calendar;

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements View.OnClickListener {

    private int nid = 1;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

        findViewById(R.id.bt_set).setOnClickListener(this);
        findViewById(R.id.bt_cancel).setOnClickListener(this);

    }

    @Override
    public void onClick(View view) {

        EditText et = findViewById(R.id.et);
        TimePicker tp = findViewById(R.id.tp);

        Intent i = new Intent(MainActivity.this,AlarmReceiver.class);
        i.putExtra("notificationId",nid);
        i.putExtra("Todo", et.getText().toString());

        PendingIntent alarmIntent = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(MainActivity.this, 0,i,PendingIntent.FLAG_CANCEL_CURRENT);

        AlarmManager alarm = (AlarmManager) getSystemService(ALARM_SERVICE);

        switch (view.getId()){
            case R.id.bt_set:
            int hour = tp.getCurrentHour();
            int minute = tp.getCurrentMinute();

                Calendar startTime = Calendar.getInstance();
                startTime.set(Calendar.HOUR_OF_DAY,hour);
                startTime.set(Calendar.MINUTE,minute);
                startTime.set(Calendar.SECOND,0);

                long alarmStartTime = startTime.getTimeInMillis();

                alarm.set(AlarmManager.RTC_WAKEUP,alarmStartTime,alarmIntent);
                Toast.makeText(this,"Reminder has been set.",Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                break;

            case R.id.bt_cancel:
                alarm.cancel(alarmIntent);
                Toast.makeText(this,"Reminder has been cancelled.",Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                break;

        }
    }
}

Here is the AlarmReceiver.java
package com.saipriyank.remind;

import android.app.Notification;
import android.app.NotificationManager;
import android.app.PendingIntent;
import android.content.BroadcastReceiver;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.Intent;

public class AlarmReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver {
    @Override
    public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {

        int nid = intent.getIntExtra("notificationID",0);
        String message = intent.getStringExtra("Todo");

        Intent mainIntent = new Intent(context,MainActivity.class);
        PendingIntent contentIntent = PendingIntent.getActivity(context,0,mainIntent,0);

        NotificationManager nm = (NotificationManager)context.getSystemService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);

        Notification.Builder builder = new Notification.Builder(context);

        builder.setSmallIcon(R.drawable.icon)
                .setContentTitle("Reminder")
                .setContentText(message)
                .setWhen(System.currentTimeMillis())
                .setAutoCancel(true)
                .setContentIntent(contentIntent)
                .setPriority(Notification.PRIORITY_MAX)
                .setDefaults(Notification.DEFAULT_ALL);

        nm.notify(nid,builder.build());

    }
}

A: You need to give the method getSystemService another argument which is a channel.
define it like this then pass it to the method
public static String CHANNEL_ID = "MAIN_CHANNEL";
replace this line with yours
NotificationManager nm = (NotificationManager)context.getSystemService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE, CHANNEL_ID);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Modify VALUE inside LIST located in JSON DICTIONARY I would like to ask this is my JSON file. if I would like to change my 'c' to '9', how do I write for the data?
{
   'x': 4,
   'y': 5,
   'z': [
     {
       'a': 1,
       'b': 2,
       'c': 3
     }
   ]
}

import urllib.request
import json

data = ?????
myurl = "http://192.168.1.10:8888/testJSON"

req = urllib.request.Request(myurl)
req.add_header('Content-Type', 'application/json; charset=utf-8')
jsondata = json.dumps(data)
jsondataasbytes = jsondata.encode('utf-8')   # needs to be bytes
req.add_header('Content-Length', len(jsondataasbytes))
response = urllib.request.urlopen(req, jsondataasbytes)

The Solution provided by @BhagyeshDudhediya is working:
import urllib.request
import json

data['z'][0]['c'] = 9
myurl = "http://192.168.1.10:8888/testJSON"

req = urllib.request.Request(myurl)
req.add_header('Content-Type', 'application/json; charset=utf-8')
jsondata = json.dumps(data)
jsondataasbytes = jsondata.encode('utf-8')   # needs to be bytes
req.add_header('Content-Length', len(jsondataasbytes))
response = urllib.request.urlopen(req, jsondataasbytes)

A: Just do this: data['z'][0]['c'] = 9


The course runs on packed gravel, with short, rolling hills and exceptional views of the Columbia River. Each lap is exactly 1.55 miles long--two laps makes a perfect 5k distance. Racers will be (optionally) chip-timed for immediate and accurate results.
Exact routes are subject to change. Exact mileage and elevation may vary from other data sources or devices. This course is not USATF certified.
The Children's Cancer Association (CCA) knows that for seriously ill children and their families every moment is precious. That's why their programs leverage music, nature, friendship, and resources to create transformative moments of joy for 35,000 children, teens, and their family members each year. Unlike many organizations dedicated to the worthy goal of someday finding a cure for cancer, CCA is all about creating joy today.
Show up to the ride in your ingenious ensemble.
2019 prizes will be announced soon.
Park in the main parking lot and look for signs directing you to the event. Registration will be located in Blackberry Hall.


Complies with all Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and National Cooperative Highway Research Program 350 (NCHRP 350) regulations.
Bracket is made of 14 gauge, A36 steel with a black powder coating.
Flanges come pre-drilled with holes to facilitate easy installation and compatibility with various types of mailboxes.
Keep your mailbox sturdy AND safe for passing motorists with mailbox brackets by SHUR-TITE!
These brackets are the only ones on the market specifically designed for mailbox posts with a 2 ⅜″ outside diameter. The bottom cylindrical sleeve (made of 16 gauge, 1020 steel) is welded to the bracket, making for easy installation and a durable final product.
SHUR-TITE single brackets work by way of a pair of downwardly extending flanges formed on the long edges of each plate. To install, simply use the included hardware to attach any standard-sized metal mailbox to the bracket. Please note that brackets and support poles are sold separately.


text:
You are here: Home / TV / Check out season 2 of The Umbrella Academy
Check out season 2 of The Umbrella Academy
July 8, 2020 by Andrew Girdwood Leave a Comment💶 Links may earn commission
Netflix has released a trailer for season 2 of The Umbrella Academy, and while it seems like the family is talking to one another again, it appears to have cost them the world.
Season 2 kicks off on Netflix on July 31st and continues to the adaptation of Gerald Way and Gabriel Ba's comic book series.
In the show, we have a delightful cast in the form of Ellen Page, Tom Hopper, David Castañeda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, Cameron Britton, and Mary J. Blige.
The Umbrella Academy ha managed to avoid lockdown delays, but Studio71 Games announced last year plans to Kickstart an Umbrella Academy board game. We're halfway through the year, and there are no signs of that yet.
Here's the official synopsis;
Five warned his family (so, so many times) that using his powers to escape from Vanya's 2019 apocalypse was risky. Well, he was right — the time jump scatters the siblings in time in and around Dallas, Texas. Over a three year period. Starting in 1960. Some, having been stuck in the past for years, have built lives and moved on, certain they're the only ones who survived. Five is the last to land, smack dab in the middle of a nuclear doomsday, which — spoiler alert! — turns out is a result of the group's disruption of the timeline (déjà vu, anyone?) Now the Umbrella Academy must find a way to reunite, figure out what caused doomsday, put a stop to it, and return to the present timeline to stop that other apocalypse. All while being hunted by a trio of ruthless Swedish assassins. But seriously, no pressure or anything.
You're welcome to share observations about this article in the comments.
Filed Under: TV Tagged With: Aidan Gallagher, Cameron Britton, David Castaneda, Ellen Page, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Gerard Way, Mary J. Blige, netflix, robert sheehan, the umbrella academy, Tom Hopper, trailers
Be social and follow @GeekNative on Twitter.
"Science Fell in Love, So I Tried to Prove It" returns with Heart
Our first look The Yakuza's Guide to Babysitting
Adult Swim and Crunchyroll to air Shenmue the Animation on February 5th
Carn-evil: The Cuphead Show promises madcap adventures in the trailer
Bloody funny trailer for The Boys: Diabolical
"TTRPG news", murmured the dragon.
TV Amazon trailers The Boys 2
Tabletop & RPGs 20 years and 16 ENnies later: The Iron Kingdoms RP…

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Here it is – Episode 84 of The BibRave Podcast, brought to you by our sponsor, KT Tape. And, don't forget to check us out on Spotify – streaming all your favorite episodes!
This week, Tim and Jess welcome Dr. Tim Mirando back to the show! You might remember Dr. Tim from Episode 21 and Episode 61, and he's back this week with a ton of useful information about pain relief.
The three talk about commonly misunderstood, but often used terms like "knots," and what happens when you "crack your back." They also talk a lot about KT Tape, including how it works, why Jess loves it, some common misconceptions, and resources you can use to apply KT Tape yourself.
Enjoy this episode of The BibRave Podcast and make sure to share with family and friends! As always, don't forget to follow us on social – Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!


The Allies will not describe themselves, give their names or speak of their home worlds. For this expedition is functioning to serve humanity in secret, without the awareness or approval of greater powers, even without the awareness and approval, officially speaking, of the governments of their own nations.
It is a delicate situation. To understand this, you have to really consider the difficulty of establishing and maintaining freedom amongst greater powers, where freedom is suppressed and avoided. It is a problem that humanity will have to face as it proceeds, as the human family emerges into a Greater Community of intelligent life.
The free nations in this part of the universe seek to promote freedom wherever they can. They view your world as showing great promise because spirituality and religion have not been destroyed or forgotten here. They see that the power of Knowledge, the greater spiritual power, is still alive in individuals, despite humanity's grave mistakes and foolish activities.
Read more about the Allies of Humanity in Book Three of the Briefings.
One Response to "A Delicate Situation"
But the Allies briefings and the whole New Message are much more about what we need, rather than about what our mind wants.
It addresses to the part of us which is able to know the reality, rather than the part of us which is able to think about it and believe it… And this is quite frustrating for the mind sometimes !
The point is not to believe, or to make a nice collection of believers.
Our allies give us what we need, not what we want.
On the other hand, those races who want to seduce us will be interested in what we want more than in what we need. They are just interested in what they need and how to get it.
If we want names, they will give us all the names we want in order to make us believe in them.
Discernment is crucial here, between what we need and what we want.
A true friend will give us what we need first of all.


text:
<?php

namespace Fd\BackendBundle\Form;

use Symfony\Component\Form\AbstractType;
use Symfony\Component\Form\FormBuilderInterface;
use Symfony\Component\Form\FormTypeInterface;
use Symfony\Component\Form\FormEvent;
use Symfony\Component\Form\FormEvents;
use Symfony\Component\OptionsResolver\OptionsResolverInterface;
use Doctrine\ORM\EntityRepository;
use Fd\EstablecimientoBundle\Entity\UnidadOferta;
use Fd\BackendBundle\Form\UnaOrientacionType;

class SecundarioXType extends AbstractType {

    public function buildForm(FormBuilderInterface $builder, array $options) {

        $factory = $builder->getFormFactory();
        /*
         * si el rgistro ya está creado no se pueden cambiar la unidad_oferta
         * si es un registro nuevo el campo estàn disponibles para cargarlos
         */
        $builder->addEventListener(FormEvents::PRE_SET_DATA, function(FormEvent $event) use ($factory) {

            $form = $event->getForm();
            $data = $event->getData();

            $optionsUnidadOferta = array(
                'class' => 'EstablecimientoBundle:UnidadOferta',
                'label'=> 'Oferta Localizada',
            );

            if ($data->getId()) {
                //si el registro ya está creado no se pueden cambiar ni la unidad educativa ni el establecimeinto
                $optionsUnidadOferta['disabled'] = true;
            };

            $form->add(
                    $factory->createNamed('unidad_oferta', 'entity', null, $optionsUnidadOferta));
        });
        $builder
                ->add('anio_inicio', 'integer', array(
                    'required' => false,
                    'label' => 'Año de inicio',
                ))
                ->add('matricula', 'integer', array(
                    'required' => false,
                    'label' => 'Matrícula',
                ))
                ->add('orientaciones', 'collection', array(
                    'type' => new UnaOrientacionType(),
                    'by_reference' => FALSE,
                    'allow_delete' => TRUE,
                    'allow_add' => TRUE,
                ))
        ;
    }

    public function getName() {
        return 'secundariox_type';
    }

    public function setDefaultOptions(OptionsResolverInterface $resolver) {
        $resolver->setDefaults(array(
            'data_class' => 'Fd\OfertaEducativaBundle\Entity\SecundarioX',
        ));
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Beyond Tuition: Promises for Affordability, Quality, and Accountability in Higher Education
Report PDF (105 KB)
Fact Sheet Jun 20, 2018
CAP presents a new plan for tackling affordability, quality, and accountability in higher education through a racial and socioeconomic equity lens.
the CAP Postsecondary Education Team
Building an Economy for All, Education, Higher Education
Sarah Nadeau
Senior Media Manager
snadeau@americanprogress.org
A student studies on a campus in Washington, D.C., April 2011. (Getty/Matt McClain)
See also: "Beyond Tuition" by the CAP Postsecondary Education team
The Center for American Progress proposes Beyond Tuition, a sweeping vision for restoring the promise of affordable, high-quality postsecondary education for all and for reducing the burden of student debt. This plan will make college affordable for families from all walks of life, while emphasizing the need to overcome widespread inequity in opportunity and outcomes for students of color, those from low-income backgrounds, and other marginalized identities. It ensures that there will be supports along the way to get students to graduation. And it includes a strong accountability system that requires the federal government, states, institutions, and accreditors to fulfill their respective roles. These changes fulfill the promise of postsecondary education as a civil right.
Beyond Tuition would make three key promises to anyone seeking to earn a postsecondary credential:
Affordability: Students whose families earn below 150 percent of the federal poverty level—about $38,000 per year for a family of four—will have their tuition and fees covered and receive up to $10,000 for rent, food, books, supplies, and transportation expenses each year. At public colleges, middle-class families will pay no more than 10 percent of their income toward the cost of attendance, and no family will pay more than 20 percent. No student should have to borrow to pay for a college education, but should families not be able to afford their contribution, they can borrow an affordable federal loan.
Quality: To ensure that colleges offer students the education they deserve, they will conduct equity audits to identify gaps in policies, practices, and resources that may contribute to poor outcomes for students of color, low-income students, and other groups who are not traditionally well-served by higher education. Colleges will be expected to use the new federal funds from Beyond Tuition to bolster academic quality and nonacademic resources that can help close these gaps.
Accountability: Colleges, states, the federal government, and accreditors will sign performance contracts to ensure that each does its part in upholding the affordability and quality promises and in closing equity gaps. Colleges will be responsible for meeting performance benchmarks that are ambitious but tailored to their resources and student demographics—with reasonable time for improvement.
How Beyond Tuition compares with existing aid programs
Beyond Tuition will change the game for many American families. Table 1 and Table 2 demonstrate the benefits of Beyond Tuition across key groups of students and how it compares with what they experience today.
How Beyond Tuition compares with other affordability proposal
Beyond Tuition shares the goals of other bold plans that tackle college affordability. But it goes further than most by also addressing living expenses, as well as building in promises around quality and accountability. Table 3 shows how Beyond Tuition compares with other major free or debt-free college proposals, each presented with its lead sponsor.
The Postsecondary Education team at the Center for American Progress advocates for solutions to improve equity, accountability, and quality in higher education.
A Minnesota Tribal College Teaches Law Enforcement in Effort To Put More Native Americans 'Behind the Badge'
5 Things To Know About Debt Cancellation
Ella Azoulay, Jared C. Bass, Marcella Bombardieri, 1 More Bradley D. Custer
How Colleges and Universities Can Bring Pell Grant-Funded Programs Back to Prisons
Bradley D. Custer
The Case for a Longer Student Loan Repayment Pause
Bradley D. Custer, Marcella Bombardieri


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warmed up to45-50 today it stayed overcast all morning and tried to rain, about 4:30 sun came out we got 3/4" of rain. about dark the wind came up it is blowing 20-30 mph. I look for snow by morning. Cows had 3 calves during the cold and saved all 3 without any help from me.
K.C. we also had big warm-up, yesterday it was 60 degrees, today a bit cooler after the rain-storm last night. Everything is soggy. But I finally got my tornado shelter for my horses in place : I had bought a sturdy overseas shipping container and today we pushed it in a part of the barn. It sits about two feet in the ground and the part of the barn where we put it is constructed with heavy utility poles four feet in the ground.
Klaus- I'd be curious to hear how your horses will respond to a tornado shelter. Being flight animals, I'd be concerned they might injure themselves in the event of a tornado since their instinct might be to run when they sensed danger.
As you know, we live smack dab in the middle of tornado alley. We even had an EF-3 start, quite literally on top of our farm. We only lost an 80' tree and missed our home and barn. The twister then skipped over the ground a couple times before it burrowed down, leaving a path of destruction starting about 1/2 mile to our southeast. Once we emerged from the cellar, our animals were happily grazing on the wet grass in the opened pastures.
Anyways, during that event, we left all the interior gates connecting the pastures open (with the exterior gates closed so they couldn't run away and get lost), figuring the equines knew better than we did and wanted to give them as much safe ground as we could.
Im not saying our solution is the "right" one, but I would be interested to know what others may have as their tornado plan.
Brian, the idea is that in case of a tornado warning the horses stay inside. That is why I integrated the container in the barn so that it is easy to lead them in what they consider a familiar place. They will be fed in there on occasion. My horses come running when I call them.
If one has enough pasture for them to roam on,which I don't have, just a few acres, they might be able to escape a tornado, but when they are confined to a relatively small area, I think I need to provide a solid shelter.
May you never have to use your tornado shelter.
That's my hope. too, K.C., but it gives me a little peace of mind!
That is awesome Klaus. I hope that you never have to use it either. I understand completely the peace of mind it gives you. In 1985 a tornado hit a neighbor's barn. The barn fell onto cows in stantions. Many men worked with chainsaws to free the cows. They were caught with their heads down, pushed into the floor. I think all but one survived. It was a mess. I had that mental picture in mind when I built my new horse barn. I built it a bit stronger than needed perhaps, but I take comfort in hoping that I will never need to have worried in the first place.


text:
Intensive Care Medicine Experimental
Volume 3 Supplement 1
ESICM LIVES 2015
Long-term outcomes of adult patients admitted with sepsis to brazilian public hospitals: a national retrospective matched cohort study
LCPd Azevedo1,
C Toscano2,
AL Andrade2 &
AL Bierrenbach1
Intensive Care Medicine Experimental volume 3, Article number: A86 (2015) Cite this article
Although sepsis outcomes are relatively well known for developed countries, very few studies evaluated the long-term prognosis of septic patients at a national level in developing countries.
To determine the magnitude and duration of the effects of sepsis on survival of adult patients hospitalized in public hospitals in Brazil.
Retrospective cohort study using the national hospitalization database of patients older than 15 years admitted to public hospitals from 2005 to 2010. These patients were residents in 10 state capital cities comprising all geographic regions of the country. Sepsis episodes were identified according to sepsis-associated International Classification of Diseases codes (ICD-10) [1]. Patients with at least one episode of sepsis during their hospitalizations were matched by year of hospital admission, age group, gender and postal code to patients hospitalized due to other causes. Hospitalization records of sepsis cases and controls were linked through a deterministic linkage to records of the national mortality information system from 2005 to 2011. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression models were used to evaluate overall and long-term mortality. Long-term mortality was defined as occurring after discharge of the first hospitalization due to sepsis for cases or to other causes for controls.
We identified 33,552 patients with at least one episode of sepsis during hospitalizations, which were compared to 33,341 hospitalized controls. Patients were followed for a minimum of one and a maximum of 6 years. ICU admissions at least once during hospitalizations were 43.5% for sepsis cases and 4.6% for controls. Overall mortality rate was 62.1% for septic patients and 13% for controls (p < 0.001), with a hazard ratio of 4.2 (CI95% 4.0-4.3), after adjustment for ICU stay (figure 1).
Overall mortality. Long-term mortality rate was 17.4% for septic patients and 7.9% for controls (p < 0.001), with a hazard ratio of 1.4 (CI95% 1.3-1.5), after adjustment for ICU stay (fig. 2).
Long-term mortality ICU stay was a positive confounder, particularly for the overall mortality hazard ratio.
This study confirms previous findings of excessive mortality rates for sepsis in Brazil [2]. Moreover, septic patients who survive hospitalization in public hospitals have a higher mortality for subsequent years as compared to matched hospitalized controls.
Taniguchi LU, et al: Crit Care. 2014, 18 (6): 608-Nov 5
Conde KA, et al: PLoS One. 2013, 8 (6): e64790-10.1371/journal.pone.0064790. Jun 6
Hospital Sirio-Libanes, Sao Paulo, Brazil
LCPd Azevedo
& AL Bierrenbach
Federal University of Goias, Goiania, Brazil
C Toscano
& AL Andrade
Search for LCPd Azevedo in:
Search for C Toscano in:
Search for AL Andrade in:
Search for AL Bierrenbach in:
Correspondence to LCPd Azevedo.
Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits use, duplication, adaptation, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.
Azevedo, L., Toscano, C., Andrade, A. et al. Long-term outcomes of adult patients admitted with sepsis to brazilian public hospitals: a national retrospective matched cohort study. ICMx 3, A86 (2015) doi:10.1186/2197-425X-3-S1-A86
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/2197-425X-3-S1-A86
Septic Patient
Hospitalization Database
National Mortality


Almere is the second largest city in the Amsterdam Area. Located in the province of Flevoland, Almere was built on land that was reclaimed from the sea in a feat of Dutch engineering. Now, more than 40 years later the area has been developed into well-planned residential areas with parks, lakes, modern infrastructure and excellent transport connections.


SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jan.19, 2017 /PRNewswire/-- UBM's Advanced Design and Manufacturing portfolio is thrilled to announce that award-winning television personality and renowned special effects (FX) master, Jamie Hyneman, will take the Keynote stage at its Anaheim, CA trade show, the nation's most comprehensive advanced manufacturing event. Utilizing top speakers and celebrated content, UBM has helped some of the leading suppliers in the nation connect with over 20,000 engineers and executives for more than 30 years at its shows. As a celebrated Hollywood FX creator and co-host of the series Mythbusters®, Jamie will have the privilege of hosting the 32nd annual Keynote on February 7th at 12:00pm local time.
UBM's Advanced Design and Manufacturing event takes place on February 7-9, 2017, at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA and features Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) West, Automation Technology (ATX) West, Design & Manufacturing (D&M) West, Electronics West, PLASTEC West and West Pack.
"UBM is excited to share the news that Jamie Hyneman, a key Hollywood figure and an inspiration to many of our visitors, will serve as Keynote presenter at its 2017 Anaheim event," said Nina Brown, Vice President, Events, UBM Americas. "Jamie will start the year off strong for the Advanced Design and Manufacturing portfolio by bringing the fun, cool side of science into the spotlight through his years of on and off-camera experience."
Originally from Indiana farm country, Jamie's affinity for all things adventure, engineering and problem-solving developed from an early age, getting his start at 14 with formal survival training in the wilderness of Wyoming. As Jamie's skill set grew, he became intrigued with FX and the diverse skills required to work in the field. Within two years of starting as a shop assistant in the New York City area, he had worked on several feature films and dozens of commercials. This led Jamie to San Francisco, CA to perfect his craft on several effects-intensive feature films. Over the course of his 25 year career, Jamie has had his hand in producing FX for more than 800 commercials, hundreds of prototypes and dozens of feature films that include Robocop, Arachnophobia and Naked Lunch, among others. During his time in the FX industry, Jamie also utilized his skillset to develop M5 Industries (M5), a versatile FX business that he has run for more than 15 years in conjunction with FX powerhouse and master maker, Adam Savage.
In 2002, Jamie teamed up with his M5 colleague, Adam to film a television pilot for Mythbusters. The first episode aired in January 2003 and has remained one of the Discovery Networks highest rated shows since. Over the 12 years that the series ran, Jamie and Adam have busted over 750 myths, traveled the country to speak, and appear on numerous television programs including The Late Show with David Letterman, Good Morning America, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and many more. Following the final episode of Mythbusters, aired in 2016, Jamie is continuing to share his passion for FX through his work in television, film, custom builds, research and development projects and speaking engagements such as UBM's 32nd annual Anaheim Keynote.
Jamie holds a degree in Russian from Indiana University, an honorary degree in engineering from the University of Maine and an honorary doctorate of engineering from Villanova University, where he has an ongoing collaborative relationship to develop new safety concepts for the U.S. Military. Prior to his work in FX, Jamie worked as a cook on a cattle ranch, as a pet-store owner, a building inspector, a Slavic Librarian at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland and owner of a Caribbean charter sailing business, among other endeavors.


text:
Čachtice (, ) is a village in Nové Mesto nad Váhom District in western Slovakia with a population of 4,010 (as of 2014).

The village is situated between the Danubian Lowland and the Little Carpathians. It is best known for the ruins of the nearby Čachtice Castle, home of Elizabeth Báthory. The castle stands on a hill featuring rare plants, and the area was declared a national nature reserve (Čachtický hradný vrch) for this reason.

History
Prehistoric settlements from the neolithic, eneolithic, Bronze Age, Hallstatt period, La Tène period, Roman periods and the early Slavic period have been found here.

The first written reference to the village dates from 1263. Čachtice has received the status of a town in 1392, but it was later degraded back to a village. In 1847 the parsonage was the meeting place of the first Slovak national and cultural society Tatrín, at which the definitive decision to use the central Slovak dialects as the basis for the new standard of the codified Slovak language was adopted.

Castle

The castle was built in the 13th century in order to protect a trade route to Moravia. The most famous owner was the Countess Elizabeth Báthory,
whose bloody legends were based on rumors. There was national process against her. According to the alleged murders, the questioned witnesses answered that they just heard the stories by others. Elizabeth's four servants testified (under torture), and they were executed quickly. György Thurzó, and the soldiers found an alive "prey" girl in the castle, and there is no document that they asked her what had happened to her. There was no real confession against the Countess. Historians now agrees that the story was a discrediting, conceptual litigation. She was imprisoned in her own castle and died there in 1614. The castle was abandoned in 1708 and now lies in ruins. Recently, the castle has undergone minor reconstructions.

Genealogical resources

The records for genealogical research are available at the state archive "Statny Archiv in Bratislava, Slovakia"

 Roman Catholic church records (births/marriages/deaths): 1661-1921 (parish A)
 Lutheran church records (births/marriages/deaths): 1783-1922 (parish B)

See also
 List of municipalities and towns in Slovakia

References

External links

 Municipal website of Čachtice
 Slovakia Cachtice (Bathory) Castle
 Surnames of living people in Cachtice

Villages and municipalities in Nové Mesto nad Váhom District

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Republicans refute Michael Avenatti claims they ignored latest Brett Kavanaugh accuser
Ledyard King
WASHINGTON – Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee countered claims by lawyer Michael Avenatti that the panel tried to downplay and sidestep sexual misconduct allegations a third woman – Julie Swetnick – has leveled against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
In a statement released by Avenatti, Swetnick said that in the 1980s, she witnessed efforts by Kavanaugh and his classmate Mark Judge to get teenage girls "inebriated and disoriented so they could then be 'gang raped' in a side room or bedroom by a 'train' of numerous boys."
Mike Davis, the committee's chief counsel for nominations, issued a "Myth vs. Fact" press release Thursday in the hour before the panel opened a hearing to listen to another Kavanaugh accuser, Christine Blasey Ford.
In it, he tried to bat down key points Avenatti had raised in correspondence with the committee about Swetnick's allegations:
– Davis cited as false Avenatti's claim that the committee waited at least two days to get back to him about the allegations.
"Fact: (Davis) proactively reached out to Michael Avenatti within ten minutes after he tweeted out his vague and anonymous allegations against Judge Kavanaugh on Sunday night," the release said. "The committee staff have made six separate attempts to gather further information from Mr. Avenatti, and has repeatedly invited him and his client to a staff interview."
– Davis described as "myth" Avenatti's claim that the committee has not investigated the claims he raised.
Davis said investigators "immediately moved (to interview Kavanaugh) despite Mr. Avenatti's refusal to cooperate or provide any information so that more specific questions could be asked.",
During the interview, Kavanaugh " forcefully and unequivocally" denied all allegations, he said.
– Davis said Avenatti's demand that he allegations merit an FBI investigation is unnecessary.
"The Senate Judiciary Committee's investigators are more than capable of investigating the claims presented by Mr. Avenatti," Davis responded in the release. "Even if the FBI were to engage in a new background check to take into account these allegations, the FBI would simply report their interviews with the relevant witnesses. This is no more than the Senate Judiciary Committee has done and continues to do."
Avenatti also represents porn star Stormy Daniels, who has alleged a 2006 sexual encounter with President Donald Trump.
During a news conference Wednesday at the United Nations in New York City, Trump referred to Avenatti as a "low-life."
In an interview with MS-NBC Thursday morning, Swetnick said Kavanaugh should not be confirmed as the next Supreme Court justice.
"Brett Kavanaugh is going to have a seat on the Supreme Court for the rest of his life," she said. "If he's going to have that seat legitimately, all of these things should be investigated. Because, from what I experienced first -hand, I don't think he belongs on the Supreme Court."


text:
More on Why Romney Goes With Such Weak Stuff
Yesterday over at PP I argued that GOP obsession with "vetting" Barack Obama, and with a variety of ill-fated attack lines, comes from two things: the divergence of incentives between the Romney campaign and what my brother calls the "movement conservative marketplace"; and, the closed information loop that makes it difficult for insiders to have any sense of how outsiders would see these attack lines.
As Romney rolled out yet another of these insipid, implausible campaign talking points, however, it occurs to me that there's yet another reason that the GOP-aligned media makes it more likely that Romney will do these sorts of things, even if they don't actually move voters. I was thinking earlier that it was a case of the Republican press influencing the campaign: they keep talking about something, and Romney feels pressure to start talking about it too. But there's a laziness to all of this too, which is also a function of how easily influenced Fox News and the rest of them are. In the old days, a campaign would come up with a theme or a line-of-the-day, and then would have to work really hard to insert it into the (neutral) media. Oh, you could do it, but it took message discipline and some real effort.
But that's not true with campaigns right now and the partisan press -- and no question but that it's far more developed on the Republican side, although it certainly exists on both sides. All Romney's campaign has to do is pull out a sentence and call it a gaffe, and it instantly becomes one. It blows up on twitter, it goes straight to Fox News and most of the conservative radio shows...it's all over the place. Indeed, if it's in those places, it's also going to be in Politico and Buzzfeed, too. So on the one hand, it must encourage laziness to know that all you have to do is come up with something vaguely appropriate to movement conservatives in order to get that effect; on the other hand, it must just feel as if you're making something happen when you do it. And the more it hits the sort of things that the GOP-aligned media loves, the more you get the immediate effect. Really, for campaign operatives, it must be incredibly temping to do it.
There are even internal bureaucratic incentives. After all, it's never easy to measure whether some campaign line moved voters, but it's easy to measure how much it resonated in the press. And the more it appeals to movement conservatives in the media, the more you'll get that "hit." So if you're in the Romney press office, it's just incredibly easy to monitor the president's speeches, pull out a "gaffe," turn it into a firestorm, and show your bosses that you've been productive. Sure, it might blow over in 24 hours without actually having any effect at all on voters, but who is going to point that out...in the midst of a campaign, who will even know?
Such incentives exist when you're trying to directly score with the neutral press, too, but it's a whole lot harder, and so presumably there's more of an incentive to work hard at it -- and to save the effort for the ones you really think will work (on voters).
And even worse: campaign professionals within the nominee's candidacy may well find the prospect of working for Fox News a lot more appealing than either working in the White House or returning to the campaign trail with the next candidate -- and so pleasing the conservative-aligned media might be at least compete on even terms with winning the election as a personal career incentive for top campaign staffers.
So overall you have several institutional incentives all pushing Republican presidential campaigns towards, well, mediocrity. There's pressure from the movement conservative marketplace to create "products" (as David S. Bernstein puts it) that can be sold to the marks who they make money off of instead of points that will push swing voters; there's the danger of a closed information feedback loop which makes it harder for the campaigns to even see those swing voters; and there's the personal rush and career rewards that come creating and placing flaps in the press, whether they help the campaign or not.
Posted by Jonathan Bernstein at 10:45 AM
Labels: conservatives, media, Mitt Romney, Republicans
Excellent analysis.
ModeratePoli September 22, 2012 at 7:59 PM
Here's a little more analysis from a slightly different angle. When you have to avoid campaigning on issues, as I think Romney (and to a lesser extent Obama) is trying to do, you need to focus on other things.
However, the vacuum is even worse for the news outlets, because they have to fill the airtime. So gaffes are it.
I'm guessing that there are lots of people who spend their days trawling for gaffe material. This is not just people working for campaigns, but also for the Daily Show (obviously), cable news networks, researchers for talk radio shows, researchers for partisan blogs etc. And there are also the tens of thousands of volunteers who will forward what they find. How do you think Breitbart ended up with video of Shirley Sherrod? This is the modern equivalent of panning for gold.
The campaigns probably have their respective libraries of gaffes that they will release when the news cycle isn't going their way. Hence, the 1988 Obama audio about redistribution released this week in response to the 47% video. However, the management of gaffe release is complicated by all the free agents out there who probably won't adhere to a campaign's timeline.
It's too bad that this is what we're getting instead of substantive campaign coverage, but it's not largely the media's fault. Hopefully the debates will end the campaign-by-gaffe period and move us to an issues-based campaign. But I'm not betting on it.
zic September 21, 2012 at 11:01 AM
Jonathan, have you seen this Obama ad?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5X3LGAXVd80
It strikes me as the antidote.
It's almost as if Romney campaign staff senses they are going to be unemployed in two months, and so they are auditioning for Fox News gigs!
Drew September 21, 2012 at 11:10 AM
Great post JB. This is the kind of stuff I come to Plain Blog for.
And there's a response to the GOP campaign:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X3LGAXVd80
I love this Obama Ad; takes the Romney to school for their failing grade.
(second attempt at posting this; so please excuse if both show up.)
Thanks, zic. This is a very funny video. It's only 1.5 minutes, but feels like a breezy 30 second spot.
Rain Trueax September 21, 2012 at 11:30 AM
Obama said it well. Romney shoots and then aims. You see it time after time where he literally doesn't stop to listen or figure anything out for a true meaning. Heaven help us if he wins!
charlie September 21, 2012 at 11:44 AM
You're mostly on the spot here.
And yes, eager government beavers have learned you make a lot more money from Fox News than as a government official. Not that is new, but before you had to intern at the government for a while.
Also: this stuff used to work, maybe 10 year ago, but since 2000, not at all.
Kal September 21, 2012 at 11:56 AM
This latest gaffe creation makes the least amount of sense. "You didn't build that" or "The private sector is doing fine" at least supported conservative fears about an evil socialist or incompetent Obama. The notion that you need outside pressure to change Washington? I honestly have no clue where they are going with that.
massappeal September 21, 2012 at 12:16 PM
What's also interesting is the contrast with the Obama campaign:
*In the 2007-08 primary campaign, Obama's message was "Change We Can Believe In".
*In the 2008 general election, Obama's message was "Change We Need".
*Since April of this year, Obama's message has been "Forward.".
In each case, the slogan encapsulates the campaign's understanding of the election and what strategy will best help the candidate win.
And then the Obama campaign weaves all of its tactical actions (press releases, attack ads, "positive" ads, "comparison" ads, direct mail, online, conventions, debates, rallies, etc.) into and around that central strategic vision.
purusha September 21, 2012 at 12:49 PM
> So overall you have several institutional incentives
> all pushing Republican presidential campaigns
> towards, well, mediocrity.
It's worse than that. It is pushing them into Fantasyland.
Well, whatever Willard said, he musta drew blood, if you lefties are whining and chirping this wildly about it. ;-)
proterozoic September 21, 2012 at 3:54 PM
No, I think they're pointing and laughing.
So that's what you lefties call it now? ;)
JS September 22, 2012 at 1:11 AM
When Mitt Romney maneuvers himself into the position of the "Washington Insider" six weeks before the election... VOLUNTARILY???
You bet we're laughing, Romney built that gaffe all on his own.
If all you liberals really think that Obama is going to do any better a second time around, you all should get your heads checked. All I have seen from him is a failing economy, increased debt, rediculously expensive vacations, increased unemployment, lies, laziness, increased created animosity between ethnic groups, and increased abuse of government programs. Obama is a communist who is trying to destroy this great country. I don't need any news channel to show me these things
But you do need a news channel to convince other people. I should say another news channel because it appears that Fox News, much like the Romney campaign, is not up to the job.
Mike September 21, 2012 at 2:52 PM
I think "us leftist" are mostly just perplexed that this is all the Rs got. Unless the voter suppression tactics work better than anyone could have hoped for, we can stick a fork in this race. It's over.
longwalkdownlyndale September 21, 2012 at 4:33 PM
While it is easy to make fun of politicians like Pawlenty, he is by no means a light weight even if he did drop out early this cycle. He was Minnesota's most conservative governor in probably a few generations. In fact, the previous GOP governor, Arnie Carlson, was a popular pro-choice Republican who won in big landslides but did not pursue a right wing agenda at all. In addition, Pawlenty won re-election in a 2006 cycle that saw a Democrat, Amy Klobuchar, win her senate seat by more than 20%, saw a lot of legislative races go from red to blue and a high school history teacher name Tim Walz beat an entrenched Republican a what was considered a "safe" rural GOP congressional district.
So he's no light weight even if Ames didn't go his way. And it's not like you couldn't wait six weeks before selling out for a dump truck of special interest cash. It you wanted to be a high powered lobbyist, would you want to piss off someone who could be President in a few months? I wouldn't, Pawlenty's bailing on the mitterst is not exactly a vote of confidence.
I love they are doing this. While they fill up their minds with this "feel good" nonsense they are wasting news cycles.
Imagine how devastating Romney COULD have been had he put forward a somewhat credible set of plans and a real vision rather than all this vapor?
MN September 21, 2012 at 7:08 PM
When the Dems come out with an attack line I love, I'll be the first to admit that I haven't a clue as to how it will play out to the average persuadable American. Compared to them I am a hyper-partisan (for the truth), hyper-informed voters.
This is in response in to Anonymous written at 251p. I despise seeing comments like yours. It shows one thing when u make these rants and raves about President Obama. I'm not even going to take my time to correct all your faulty conclusions. As an example is your complaint about continuing debt. He was left with an excess of 3 trillion dollar debt. The country goes on living debt keeps occurring grandma and grandpa keep getting their Social Security checks, they keep going to the Dr. MEDICARE keeps paying the bills. That debt added to the 3 trillion already on the books, the million a day we're spending in Afghanistan daily.Debt added to debt is MORE debt. I see some personal snippets that make me think President's Obamas skin color might have a lot to do with your complaints. I see a man that puts in 20 hrs a day. U say lazy? Explain that. Expensive vacations? The President can't take a 2 Wm vacation? U need to get your news from a new source that is fact-checked and respected. Try NYTimes. Read Professor Krugmanscolumn. Easy to read.Can a person stop being racist? That would at the least take effort on your part.We're going to have more black Presidents. Get over the pettiness.
Captain Future September 21, 2012 at 7:51 PM
Glad to have analysis that looks at the rabid right machine that life is too short for me to follow. Fox is becoming comical, with their day-long riffs on Obama meeting with a pirate in costume but doesn't have time for Netanyahu, failing to note that the photo is from President Obama's 2009 correspondents dinner comedy stylings.
But I am noticing something different right now: the media is not taking the bait. The Romney campaign seems to have lost all credibility with the non-Foxandfriends media. Fascinating.
Good of you to acknowledge that the MSM is leftist.
Others but especially Gallup has previously documented that you hard lefties were the last holdouts on that score, and the rest of us, the supermajority, agrees on that point. You now make it unanimous, then. That's progress.
It was amusing in 2010, when the lefty MSM ignored the soon-to-come shellacking that November, which was obvious to any sentient observer. Those media degenerates pretty much lost all credibility in that cycle, and apparently even you now acknowledge that, which as I say is progress.
110+ rounds of golf, 17 vacations. Obysmal hasn't focused on a laser on jobs like he said he would - hasn't met with his job council in > 6 months. He just keeps taking while the serfs suffer. It is good to be king.
Liz September 22, 2012 at 4:48 PM
I can't believe that in all of the presidential campaign coverage I've watched I've never heard this (now obvious) fact pointed out. You really nail it. It seems like both camps but Romney's especially just picks a different theme each day in a random, kind of desperate way, hoping something sticks. It's like they feel responsible for providing journalists with something to write about (instead of having story ideas generated BY journalists).
You can see the effort this taking after months of primary campaigns and now this final push. I'm surprised that Romney PR staff have hung in there so long. I'd be exhausted. It's like they have devoted staff members watching President Obama's every move or word, waiting for something they can capitalize on. This is such a short-term way of running a campaign. Romney should be talking to voters, the people he needs to inspire, not promoting an "Obama Watch" reality show.
I remember seeing James Carville speak and while a lot of his presentation was total BS, I remember he said that in a presidential campaign, the candidate who presents the most optimistic vision of the future will be the one who wins. I realize how hard that is in this economic climate and I don't think either candidate is really delivering this. But I think Romney's focus on anti-Obama, rather than pro-Romney is just a fatal mistake on his part.
Carrington Ward September 22, 2012 at 7:56 PM
Another problem for Romney is that -- ironically -- its scattered tactical direction has itself become predictable, such that the Obama campaign will likely be having more and more fun using purported gaffes as a way to T up their own changes in emphasis.
Very plausibly, this most recent 'gaffe' (about 'changing Washington from inside') was a well-executed trap.
The interesting thing for me is that Romney 2.012 seems much the same as 2.008 -- I remember being disgusted by his pettiness, and worried that we'd eat it up.
Which suggests to me that this petty gaffe-chasing is 'overdetermined' -- a lot of these points you make seem plausible, but it's equally plausible that Romney is himself essentially a tactical campaigner.
He and his closest advisors have done little or nothing to provide needed strategic guidance for his staff, and so, as people hired to oversee operations at a tactical level, they simply do what they do best.
NB. Bill Clinton's 1992 maxim: "it's the economy, stupid" reflected the realization by his closest staff and -- presumably -- Candidate Clinton himself that a campaign's natural tendency is to descend into the tactical weeds.
JS September 22, 2012 at 9:42 PM
Might be worth noting that Romney is 1-2 as a campaigner. 2-2 if you include winning the GOP nomination this year, but that was hardly an epic contest.
In light of recent reports, Romney carpet bombing each successive 'not-Romney of the month' in the primaries may be the worst use of campaign funds since Hillary blew $36 million of her war chest grinding John Spencer to dust in her '06 NY Senate race.
Jonathan Bernstein September 22, 2012 at 11:47 PM
I disagree with one thing here: winning a presidential nomination is always an impressive accomplishment, full stop.
JS September 23, 2012 at 12:45 AM
Guess I'm forgetting my Invisible Primary here, because I'd say only Pawlenty, Huntsman and Perry were at all serious candidacies. And while Perry did achieve front-runner status, that was more based on anticipation than anything the Texas governor delivered.
Romney won with cash (which he should gets credit for raising), and the odd factor of Ron Paul running interference with all the not-Romneys. RP may have won a place in the good graces of the party for Rand Paul, but he sure didn't seem to get much of a 'thank you' from Romney.
Still feels to me like Mitt pulled the "You won 2nd place in a Beauty Contest, collect $10" Community Chest card.
I also wonder if the Tea Party wave of 2010 convinced some of the more notable players on the Republican bench to pass on the race.
Willard made it plain that he'd destroy all opposition, and he had the cash to do it. That's what he did in 2008, and he spent upwards of $55M of his own cash in the 2008 effort, which got his name in front of the electorate and made him the front runner this cycle.
So no, winning a presidential nomination is not always an impressive accomplishment. And this year is your proof of that. Neither of these 2 candidates accomplished anything impressive, imo. Given his failures, Obama would surely have faced a primary challenger this cycle, if he'd been a white man, so you can't call his nomination special in any way. And Romney is just an extremely well funded plastic hairdo. So any significant challenge was crowded out, in both cases.
Pro-tip: You might want to learn to stop arguing with the empty chair in which the fantasy president you've created in your imagination is 'sitting'.
That's just ugly, ugly rhetoric.
(P.S. - Just because trolls tend to come back with a juvenile retort of "yeah, but you didn't disagree with my point", I'll state for the record that I disagree with with your argument re: Obama as well.)
Well, I'd agree you are a "pro" hard lefty. ;-)
LosGatosCA September 23, 2012 at 10:57 AM
Since 2000, especially, the right wing ecosystem is like a country engaged in intellectual protectionism. It puts impossible barriers up for consider of NIH ideas to get considered on Faux News while allowing inferior ideas to have side exposure within the right wing ecosystem. Then when they try to export those ideas outside the ecosystem, they are finding them less and less competitive. The ecosystem has taken on the values and the operational effectiveness of a Stalinist state. The irony of the cries of soshulism are completely lost in their blind spots.
The other thing the right wing is slow to realize is that while a few years a go if Fox and AM radio beat the drum long enough on a manufactured story, that eventually the MSM would feel obligated to cover it, and in a manner that would lend the story credence. It seems they may have finally wised up after the wingers kept overplaying their hand.
Elsewhere/Housekeeping
Elsewhere: Obama/Bush, Senate Tea Party
Nixon's the One
About that Flip to Responsibility....
Inexplicable -- or Epistemic Closure?
Elsewhere, and Housekeeping
The 1980s: A Distant, Distant Era
Passing (Or Failing) the June Test
Romney's Tax Flip Towards Responsibility
A Quick Note on the Necessity of Spin
Early Voting and Polls/Predictors
Representation and Change
Late Changes and the Rally Effect
In a Sane World...
Hypocrisy and Sequestration
Beware the Poll Write-Ups!
Ignore The Electoral College! Follow-Up
"Fundamentals" Frustration
L'Shana Tovah (and Housekeeping)
Elsewhere: Romney budget, polling
Liberal and Conservative Impulses
Constitutional Goof
A Much Better Defense of "Dumb" Poll Questions
Kennedy Center Dishonors (2012 edition)
Romney and the Rally Effect
Elsewhere: Obama/Bush, Puzzled GOP
Party in the Presidency and Mitt Romney
Elsewhere: Ryan, Bouncing
Are the 1980s and 1990s Really That Long Ago?
Ignore (Sort of) Those Polls!
Watching the Conventions
Democrats Day 3
Day 3 Preview
More on No GOP Bill Clinton
The Gore-ification of Paul Ryan
Public Option? What's That?
But When He Talked To Me, He Said...
Monday Movie Post
Elsewhere, and Looking Back