text:
Dem "traps" ready and waiting for Trump
Long before Donald Trump swatted away his Republican presidential rivals, his likely Democratic opponent and her allies began laying traps for him.
Priorities USA, the lead super PAC backing Hillary Clinton, has already reserved $91 million in television advertising that will start next month and continue through Election Day. In addition, Clinton's campaign and Priorities USA have both debuted online videos that cast Trump in a negative light — a preview of what voters will see on TV over the next six months.
So far, Priorities USA is the only group on either side that has rolled out such an ambitious advertising plan geared toward the general election. The group's leaders say they're trying to avoid what they see as the core mistake made by Trump's Republican rivals — not pushing hard enough against him until it was too late.
"There's a reason that we have a head start," said Justin Barasky, a Priorities USA spokesman, "and it's that we've taken Donald Trump seriously all along, unlike the Republicans."
The group's ad strategy will test what has been a hallmark of Trump's GOP primary rise: his ability to withstand — even thrive in the face of — tens of millions of dollars in attack ads.
An Associated Press review of Priorities USA's TV buys, collected by Kantar Media's Campaign Media Analysis Group, reveals a formidable 22-week advertising blitz through what the group considers key battleground states: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio and Virginia.
In those states, Priorities USA will start ads in major metropolitan areas, then broaden its outreach to smaller cities as the November election approaches. The group will also start ads on satellite TV in September.
According to the CMAG data, Priorities USA plans to spend about $4 million a week through most of June. The group then slows spending through July, taking off the weeks of the Republican and Democratic conventions, when widespread television coverage essentially provides free media time for the candidates.
Priorities USA returns to the airwaves in August and begins unloading $60 million in ads between September and Election Day. The week of the election, Priorities USA plans to spend about $8 million in the seven battleground states.
The heaviest concentration is in Florida, where the group has reserved $23 million in time, mostly in Orlando and in Tampa.
The group also plans to spend about $19.5 million in the traditional presidential bellwether state of Ohio. More than half is for Cleveland, Akron and Columbus.
There's no substantive GOP counterweight to the pro-Clinton effort — partly because Trump has repeatedly trashed big donors and called the outside groups that can raise unlimited money from them "corrupt."
As the presumptive GOP nominee, Trump is now beginning his outreach to donors. But even if he fully embraces outside help, he's far behind: One super PAC backing him, Great America, was almost $700,000 in debt at the end of March.
Another group that was a major player in the 2012 race, American Crossroads, is still "evaluating what our specific role will be," said spokesman Ian Prior.
Television ads are only one part of Priorities USA's strategy. It is putting at least $35 million into online advertising between June and Election Day, Barasky said. Those ads will largely aim to drive up turnout among core Democratic groups: African-Americans, Hispanics, women and younger voters, Barasky said.
Trump is already getting a taste of what some these ads will say.
On Thursday, Priorities USA overlaid audio of Trump talking about "unifying" the Republican Party with images of violence that has erupted inside and outside of his massive rallies. "I think we're going to win in November," Trump says at the end. "NOPE," reads text on the screen. "Vote for Hillary Clinton."
That follows an online video the Clinton campaign put out Wednesday that features clips of prominent Republicans, including his former rivals, bashing Trump in every possible way.
"He needs therapy," says former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at the end of the spot.
Lilly says
With me the more they try to stop him the more it makes me know that we that back Trump will continue to back him. Clinton and Sanders was behind all of the protesters and the violence. They even admitted it on Andrea Mitchels show right after the first one in Chicago. He was one of Sanders advisers. Let them try to keep him from getting the vote. The reason they are afraid of Trump is he is an outsider and they can't control him. I personally think that RINO Paul Ryan should excuse him self fron the Convention as he is not the right person to handle the convention with how he is acting. If you agree then pass this along
Killary has violent supporters as well as Bernie. Mr. Trump has had two that stepped out of line. Everything else is the fault of the dems and media. They instigate. It's all right there for us to see. Wtf do they think we can't see who provokes the violence. It's not the Trump supporters. These morons who only know what little bit they catch on these ronchy news stations need to not vote. Most of them have no clue why they plan to vote for either killary or bernie. The she bitch only because she has a vagina and the bern cuz of all the free goodies. Lmao!
No wonder people are ready to settle on Mars.
I've already written to Ryan twice to tell him how disgusted I am with him, along with millions of other voters, I'm sure. He's a disgrace.
Yep, the repugs spent 400 Million on trying the same thing, go ahead and waste your money stimulating the economy, we'll ignore you ignorant schmucks too. It's time for a clean-up of America and the politics that have brought us down
Jay Bell says
Billionaire, George Soros has been funding BLM and MoveOn for months. Apparently, sources inside the Soros camp say that Soros is planning a huge disruption in Cleveland (why is this not illegal?). Soros is Hillary's BFF this year and has been putting a huge amount of money into ads for her (he funded Obama in 2008). Another of Hillary's well-heeled fans is another billionaire, Hiam Saban, who said he is willing to spend "any amount of money to see that Hillary is elected". With her big bank and Wall Street connections, they will be pouring an extraordinary amount of money into attack ads and Hillary promotions. Hopefully, the American people will, in the main, be resistant to this kind of propaganda.
Please vote TRUMP 2016!
alexandron says
Money thrown away. Nothing is going to change the minds of Trump supporters, so this will be spent in hope that those opposed to Trump stay that way. Sooner or later, some of those that do not understand the allure for a man completely out of the box will realize he is worth more than all the elected representatives in Washington combined. He has "his" and has made his mark in life. Therefore, he may be doing all this for his family and the future of the entire Country. He realizes a socialist country cannot exist for long without capitalism, Someone has to make the money others are dependent upon. The Soviet Union, Greece and China are proof of this. Obama will "save" Cuba by allowing capitalism to support a failed regime. Trump knows that industrial production must be brought back to save us from becoming Venezuela.
Vince says
But you left out one very important fact.
Trump supporters don't care what anyone says or thinks we are behind him 100%
Richard Schwartz says
Hillary wants more uncontrolled immigration. Obama permitted felons in and they continued on their merry way murdering, raping, robbing and many other crimes. Is she going to protect us? Or will she permit these tragedies like Obama? Will she make a commitment to resign if any of these things happen? Police aren't permitted to do their job so who the hell is going to protect us?
When did she make a sound decision? Can anyone really expect this do gooder to make sound decisions? Lottsa luck
Obama has a 5% unemployment rate. How come 85+ million don't have jobs? Utilization of the jobs is 62% .5% growth of the economy?
Why is it every generation thinks they have all the answers yet all have failed for the same reasons. Kinda makes you think "YOU CAN'T FIX STUPID"
The Democrats think everyone is a moron, that we actually believe these fake unemployment rates which are actually over 20%. The economy is in the toilet and ObaMAO wants us all to think he resurrected the economy. He is a miserable failure, but what's worse, a terrorist sympathizer and a traitor!
"…Democrats think everyone is a moron…" That's because all of THEIR supporters ARE. Democrats believe what they are told to believe (over and over and over). In any other setting, this would be called "brainwashing". No wonder Hillarybots get this glassy-eyed stare when they talk about her.
It is really disgraceful that the Dems would spend that kind of money on attack ads. Do they not realize that money could go so far helping needy people, fixing roads, on and on. Makes them look Nasty and Selfish. Guess it will be down to "TRUMP or the FRUMP".
I like "Vote for Trump, NOT the Frump" better. ;-D
unionquickpicks says
To the Democrat "maggots" out there supposedly lying in wait to attack Trump: BRING IT ON!!
Trump's not going to hold anything back on Bill & Hitlary. NOTHING!!
And in the meantime, the FBI probe with the ever-deepening scandal/corruption it is uncovering is MILLIONS of FREE NEGATIVE NEWS that will be spread throughout the country.
To steal a line from a current best-selling T-shirt: Hillary for President? Please!! Instead, think Hillary for PRISON, 2016!!
And with that, LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!
It will be a good lesson to learn. Money should not be the means to elect our president.
America will chew up and spit such filthy-lie ads back in the Hill's face. We all know the protesters were anti-america scum organized by rivals who's only hope of winning is to do dispicable acts in attempt to block the people from hearing Trump speak the truth and then try to spin desperate lies. The videos are out there. The people who flocked to hear Trump were law abiding Americans passionate about America. The alleged Anti-Trump protestors were lawless scum gathered by pros to burn the flag of the United States, dress up as bandits and wave the flag of Mexico, defy and attack the police, riot in the streets, destroy public property, and pepper spray & beat American citizens who just wanted to hear presidential candidate Trump talk about what he would do for America. While others shoved their naked breasts in citizens faces to turn them away. Go ahead Hillary and align yourself with these protestors. Maybe you can be president of Mexico.
Kate Harper says
What is amazing to read are the comments from the Trump supporters. You do understand these ads will only reflect his own, divisive words which have come out of his mouth since he entered his candidacy. No one is making anything up about him, it is what he believes and he is a threat to this country and an abhorrent choice to our allies. I just hope and pray the GOP comes up with an Independent to step in as an alternative choice to this fraudulent egotist. Rand Paul would be a good choice.
You are as much of a disgrace as Ryan who is despicable for saying what he has said. Are you even a Republican? I voted for Romney/Ryan and McCain and Bush even though they weren't my choice in the Primaries. Why? Because I would never vote for a liberal Democrat nor allow one to try to win if I can help it. Trump has said nothing divisive. If being against ILLEGAL immigration is a bad thing and keeping Muslims from Syria and elsewhere out who are undocumented and pose a threat to our security is being divisive, than I guess they invented a new meaning for the word! Get a clue, please!
Ruth Schulz says
Right on and well said, Kimberly
Zinka says
For me, your Sir. Trump very arrogant type, attached all of the rows of people because of their aims to introduce it's family in the white house.
I no one is perfect, so you do not have a medal each has a face and becks. All what you promise in the campaign is a lie.
With candles height Sir. Trump need you a little you to climb among the people ????????
This comment makes no sense at all!
Randy says
What planet is Zinka from???
Do not want to vote for Trump…
Then don't. It's still a free country. (Although, if Hillary gets elected, who knows how long that will continue?) And you think Trump is arrogant? He doesn't begin to match Hillary Clinton in arrogance and presumption. ALL politicians tend to have healthy egos but Hillary thinks she is a queen. Did you know that she stole the silver flatware from the State Dining Room when she and Bill left the White House in 2000? They stole a bunch of other stuff too but were forced to give it back. They never returned the silver though. That's just a sample of her many misdeeds. Wake up and get a clue.
George Niwd says
What are Trump supporters going to do when no wall is built the job's he promised don't happen there is no wage increase . And then he blames the party for his failures.
Could the crazy liberals have picked a worse candidate than Hil-liar-y? I guess that old crochety Socialist, but he's probably not as crooked. Trump in '16! It's time to get these commie, terrorist-loving liberals out of office and get the country employed again by someone other than a community organizer.
Justin W says
This will probably be the roughest election season in our lifetime. Throughout the primary season Donald had no problem delivering caustic remarks toward his opponents. That is likely to continue. Unlike his primary challengers, the Clintons have a track record of destroying peoples' reputations.
By time election day arrives most voters may have concluded that neither Trump nor Clinton is fit to hold office.
oledia says
America , America, god shed his grace on thee, and he sent us Donald trump, thank you lord , now lets get him into office, go trump go
Marge says
HEY..HEY.
I think we need to find a way to change the House and Senate terms.
Four years..gone….then no need for corruption on getting funding for elections again….
The ratings are deplorable….send them home..they are useless to us.
Trump should get ammo on Dems, Hillary etc & fire back & take names down alone.
A-Z since the 50s alone.
Use history against the Dems esp since the Civil War ended
& 1960s Civil Rights.
Dont play nice, like them Play dirty.
A says
KEEP CROOK HIL-LIAR-Y OUT OF THE WHITEHOUSE. WE THE PEOPLE, DON'T NEED TO SUPPORT BILL'S WHITE HOUSE SEXUAL PLAYGROUND AGAIN!


JR is a church planter, activist, and missiologist. He founded [nlcf] and co-founded Kairos LA, The Solis Foundation, the Ecclesia Network, as well as the Missio Alliance. He is currently serving as the National Director for Church Planting with V3, a missional church planting movement in the United States. Click here for a more detailed biography.
Creating a Missional Culture (IVP, 2012).


text:
HomeSwiss Air overplays 'mistake fare' excuse
Swiss Air overplays 'mistake fare' excuse
Airlines sometimes make mistakes when filing fares — it's human and understandable. But when major carriers keep erring and then punish paying customers by unilaterally canceling tickets days or even weeks after their issuance, that raises questions about competence and responsibility.
In late September, Swiss International Airlines filed a first-class one-way fare from Burma, also known as Myanmar, to Canada that was between $600 and $800 after taxes, depending on the specific routing. Was that an obvious mistake? Under normal circumstances, an educated traveler would probably say that it was. But there is much more to the story.
That was not the first time such a low fare out of Burma had been published. Just five months earlier, Korean Air issued tickets at similar prices — they were later canceled, but the Department of Transportation eventually forced Korean Air to reinstate them. Although I noticed that fare at the time, I didn't bother to take advantage of it, suspecting it was, indeed, a mistake that wouldn't be honored…
Stories about Sharon Stone
Just after 3 pm on an unseasonably hot spring day, an elegant, black sports car pulls up in front of a posh, downtown hotel in San Francisco, and out steps Sharon Stone. Sporting a stylish red scarf, she takes off her sunglasses and walks towards a virile-looking man in a dark suit and cowboy boots. This is Phil Bronstein, her husband of two years and executive editor of the San Francisco Examiner.
Stone and Bronstein then sit down for their first interview together since their wedding on Valentine's Day, 1998. At the time, gossip columnists were quick to give their marriage no more than a year. They were wrong, but the couple acknowledge the difficulties of a marriage involving two of the most fickle of all professions.
"You work really, really hard at it, because that's what's required for a successful relationship," Stone says, once the waiters in the hotel's restaurant finally retire, having assured her of the pleasure of her presence…

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
EPA Proposes Ban On All Remaining Asbestos Use
April 12, 2022 – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed banning the use of chrysotile asbestos, the only known form of asbestos being imported into the U.S. Chrysotile asbestos, or "white asbestos," is a carcinogenic material that accounts for 95% of all asbestos…
Industry News | Regulation and Compliance updates
Oeko Final RoHS Exemptions Report (Pack 24)
March 23, 2022 – The Oeko-Institut has recently published a final report studying the renewal requests of eight (8) exemptions: 5(b), 18(b), 18(b)-I, 24, 29, 32 and 34 of Annex III and 34 of Annex IV of Directive 2011/65/EU (Pack 24). These studies and recommendations…
Event | Industry News | Regulation and Compliance updates
U.S. EPA Extends PIP (3:1) Compliance Deadline
March 9, 2022 – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) extended the compliance dates for PIP (3:1) to October 31, 2024. The EPA initially planned to have a full understanding of the impact of the prohibition prior to issuing the January 2021 final rule, however, that…
UK RoHS Updates
Feb 18, 2022 – On Feb 2, 2022, the United Kingdom released two important updates to its RoHS legislation. These updates include a renewal of the exemption of mercury to be used in ultrasound imaging systems and also an exemption for certain lead compounds and…
February 3, 2022 – The Oeko-Institut has recently published a final report on the "Study to assess requests for a renewal of nine (-9-) exemptions 6(a), 6(a)-I, 6(b), 6(b)-I, 6(b)-II, 6(c), 7(a), 7(c)-I and 7 (c)-II of Annex III of Directive 2011/65/EU" (Pack 22). The…
European Union SVHC Candidate List Grows
January 25, 2022 – The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has added an additional four substances to the Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC). This brings the total number of substances to 223. The SVHC Candidate list is published by the ECHA in…
EPA to Require PFAS Manufacturers to Provide Toxicity Data
January 24, 2022 – On December 28, 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted a petition to compel per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) testing by companies. PFAS are a group of manufactured chemicals that have been used in products since the 1940s. For a…
California OEHHA Announces Proposition 65 Updates
January 19, 2022 – California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has added several new substances to California's Proposition 65. California Proposition 65, officially known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, protects the state's drinking water sources from…
UK REACH to Distinguish Itself from Predecessor
January 18, 2022 – UK's REACH regulation, under the guidance of the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), has made its first steps towards distinguishing itself from EU REACH. The HSE's recommendation to add two new substances is one of the first clear signs of the…
Conflict Minerals Compliance | Regulation and Compliance updates
EMRT 1.02 Available for Download
December 23, 2021 – The Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) has released a new version of the Extended Minerals Reporting Template (EMRT), version 1.02. Importance of the EMRT Report Templates The EMRT is a free reporting template to identify issues and gather due diligence information for cobalt…


The Outer Hebrides' remote location on the western edge of the continental shelf means that this area experiences ocean currents which bring rich wildlife to these waters.
Whales, dolphins and sharks are regular visitors to the waters around the Outer Hebrides, supporting a strong local industry for wildlife watching and tourism. Angling and commercial fishing are also important for the local economy, as well as aquaculture which has increased on the islands over the last 20 years.
We will keep you updated on workshops for the Outer Hebrides project. This list will be updated when workshops have taken place.


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Bei den Nordischen Skiweltmeisterschaften 1984 gab es in der Nordischen Kombination der Männer nur den Teamwettbewerb, da dieser nicht zum Programm der als WM zählenden Olympischen Winterspiele gehörte. Dabei kam es zu folgenden Ergebnissen:

Teamwettbewerb 3 × 10 km

Team Normalschanze K90

Weltmeister 1982:  (Uwe Dotzauer, Gunter Schmieder, Konrad Winkler)

Datum: 17. März 1984 in Rovaniemi

Quellen
 Hermann Hansen, Knut Sveen: VM på ski '97. Alt om ski-VM 1925–1997. Adresseavisens Forlag, Trondheim 1996, s. 93, ISBN 82-7164-044-5.
 Ergebnis der Mannschaftsweltmeisterschaft NK, Fax von Jens Jahn am 25. April 2006

Einzelnachweise

Nordische Kombination Manner
Manner 1984
Sportveranstaltung in Rovaniemi
1984 Nordische Kombination Manner

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


ANGER has erupted after it was revealed permission will actively be sought for fracking to begin in North Yorkshire.
Gas development and production company Third Energy has announced it wants to start the controversial drilling method at a well in the Ryedale area.
The company promises full consultations and environmental impact studies will be carried out into its plans for the well at Kirby Misperton - which lies next to the Flamingo Land theme park - between Pickering and Malton.
But objectors are already calling for the fracking proposal – the first in the region - to be dropped, promising they will fight the scheme all the way.
And local Tory MP Anne McIntosh has also expressed concern and is already planning to meet company bosses to discuss their plan in more detail.
Third Energy originally drilled the well, known as KM8 and in its existing Kirby Misperton gas field, during 2013.
But to assess the commercial potential it now wants to use hydraulic fracturing – fracking - to stimulate gas flow from sandstone and shale between 7,000 and 10,000ft deep.
Chief executive Rasik Valand said: "Our analysis indicates that there could be a significant new gas reservoir in our North Yorkshire licence area.
Fracking involves pumping water-based fluid into gas reservoirs to open fractures and allow gas to flow through – and the company says once the flow has been stimulated operations are no different to other gas production.
However a spokesman for the campaign group Frack Free Ryedale, Chris Redston, pledged they would do "everything humanly possible" to prevent the proposal going ahead.
He claimed the "unavoidable" consequences would include pollution, an increase in HG V traffic and possible contamination of land and water supplies.
"If Third Energy are really interested in being a 'good neighbour', they would withdraw their intention to apply for a fracking licence immediately," he added.


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text:
Belgium in Brief: Quarantining The Un-Quarantinable
Belgium temporarily missed out on 2.5 million vaccines...
One in five businesses still restricting teleworking...
Cannabis plantation discovered in Liège, 14 detained...
Up to 60km/h winds expected in Belgium today...
Monks of Westvleteren will now deliver beer to...
One in five businesses still restricting teleworking
Cannabis plantation discovered in Liège, 14 detained
Up to 60km/h winds expected in Belgium today
Monks of Westvleteren will now deliver beer to your home
Germany tightens and extends coronavirus restrictions
Belgium's coronavirus reproduction rate rises above 1.0
Another man dies in Brussels police custody
How the Commission plans to beat COVID-19
Hospitality industry launches petition to support the sector
In Numbers: Where are Belgium's 285,000 vaccines?
Timeline: How 1 skier landed 5,000 people in quarantine
Belgian HoReCa needs an exit timeline, but not an exit date
New coronavirus strain discovered in Germany
Pfizer and BioNTech to give MEPs access to Commission contract
Vaccination will not be a condition for participation in the 2021 Olympics
91 cases of UK coronavirus strain confirmed in Belgium
1 in 8 people in England had coronavirus in December
Covid-19 vaccination strategy: Belgium's state of play
Belgium in Brief: Unaware of Zone 30
Credit: Belga/CC0/Federal Police
The big news of today, and of this week, will be moving in not in miles but in inches. That, however, is where we come in.
So where are we at with travel in the face of increasing levels of infection across places we can already visit.
To put it simply, we're getting there.
Quarantining arrivals from high-risk countries continue to be the plan for Belgium. All three regions have said they will seek ways to enforce a quarantine on travellers returning from high-risk areas, with Brussels hinting to the possibility of fines.
As for what those ways are, however, the country is struggling. When we know, you will.
With so much information, and so little time to catch up before it potentially changes again, here are some of the top stories from around the country to get you up to speed.
How can new tech best be applied to advance UN development goals such as reduction in poverty, conflict, and environmental destruction? Join our online debate today to find out.
Belgium in Brief is a free daily roundup of the top stories to get you through your lunch break conversations. To receive it straight to your inbox every day, sign up below:
1. Foreign Affairs announces new countries accessible to Belgian travellers
Foreign Affairs updated on Tuesday the list of countries where Belgian citizens are allowed to travel for non-essential journeys, and under what conditions.
Among the list of 31 EU+ countries (which includes the Schengen zone, the United Kingdom and the European Union), 20 are coded "green", seven "orange" and four are still inaccessible.
The travel notices for each destination can be consulted on the website of Foreign Affairs. Read more.
2. Brussels will quarantine high-risk returnees
Brussels and Wallonia will put travellers returning from areas with new flare-ups of the coronavirus on a mandatory quarantine.
Health authorities in Brussels said Wednesday that they would follow advice issued by the Risk Management Group (RMG) on Monday to quarantine and test high-risk returnees, mimicking a move by Flanders.
Walloon Minister-President Elio di Rupo had on Tuesday also said that it was "a given" that high-risk returnees would be expected to quarantine at home. Read more.
3. Brussels Pret A Manger safe from company closures
Brussels branches of British Sandwich chain Pret A Manger will not be impacted by the company's decision to close certain shops to make up for losses during the coronavirus.
While the high street chain announced on Tuesday that it would have to close 30 outlets in the UK, The Brussels Times has learned that there is no such plan to close the two stores that opened in Brussels in 2019. Read More.
4. Not wearing a mask on Belgian trains will face fines this summer
The police and Securail are stepping up their targeted checks on trains and in stations to make sure everyone respects the obligation to wear a face mask.
Since the wearing of a face mask became compulsory on public transport and stations on 4 May, SNCB's checks were mostly meant to raise awareness among travellers.
After two months of intensive awareness-raising, it is time to start enforcing the targeted checks, the company announced. People not wearing a mask will be fined, according to the police. Read More.
5. Congolese President travels to Belgium on a 'private visit'
A 10-day private visit to Belgium by Congolese President, Félix Tshisekedi, will see the leader speaking with Belgian and European politicians in the coming days.
Tshisekedi – who is also here to undergo a medical checkup – arrived on Sunday on his flight from Congo, and comes the week after King Philippe became the first royal to publicly apologise for the atrocities committed by the Belgian regime in colonial Congo. The apologies were made on the 60th anniversary of Congo's independence. Read more.
6. New coronavirus infections in Belgium stop decreasing
An average of 85.1 people per day tested positive for the new coronavirus (Covid-19) in Belgium, according to figures by the Federal Public Health Service on Wednesday.
The total number of confirmed cases in Belgium, since the beginning of the pandemic, is 62,123. The total reflects all people in Belgium who have been infected, and includes confirmed active cases as well as patients who have since recovered, or died from the consequences of the virus. Read more.
7. WHO acknowledges that 'evidence is emerging' of airborne Covid-19 transmission
The World Health Organisation (WHO) acknowledged on Tuesday that "evidence is emerging" on the airborne transmission of Covid-19, after a group of 239 international scientists sounded the alarm on this mode of contagion.
"We recognise that evidence is emerging in this area and therefore we need to be open to this possibility and its implications, as well as the precautions that need to be taken," said Benedetta Allegranzi, a WHO official, at a virtual press conference. Click here.
Jules Johnston


The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh is a young adult retelling of One Thousand and One Nights. Each night, Khalid, the mad Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride, who he has killed the next morning. Becoming Khalid's bride is a death sentence, but a young woman named Shazi volunteers for the role. Her best friend had been one of Khalid's brides, and Shazi sees this as her chance for vengeance. She will use the opportunity to get close enough to Khalid to kill him.
However, Khalid isn't the monster that Shazi expected. Instead, she finds a tormented boy king who finds himself caught in a very bad situation and is doing the best that he can under the circumstances. Khalid is captivated by Shazi, and chooses again and again not to kill her. And the more time Shazi spends with Khalid, the more she begins to question her desire to kill him.
One of the things that I really loved about The Wrath and the Dawn was Khalid's moral ambiguity. At first, you see him as a monster. He's a stereotypical villain. But then you start to get to know him, and you realize that everything he's done has been done for a reason. To me, that's a more realistic viewpoint, and adds a layer of complexity to his character. Complex villains/antiheroes make me happy.
While I loved Khalid and Shazi's story, I didn't love the point-of-view of Tariq, Shazi's former boyfriend. I get why Tariq is there though, and I think that his story is particularly important for teenage audiences; he and Shazi did have a strong connection, and were together for a lot of years, but things change and people grow apart. Tariq has a hard time accepting that Shazi has moved on, and feels possessive of her. He's trying to rescue her, but Shazi can take care of herself and doesn't need to be rescued. Learning when to let go is an important lesson.
As a whole, I greatly enjoyed The Wrath and the Dawn. The world that Renee Ahdieh creates in the novel is rich and imaginative. I loved seeing the relationship between Khalid and Shazi develop; both characters have suffered a lot in their short lives, and they find comfort in each other. But the story isn't without its flaws. I wish that the magic would have felt a bit more consistent; while it's present throughout the book, it has very little bearing on Khalid and Shazi's day-to-day lives, and so when it begins to take a more prominent role toward the end of the story, it feels abrupt.
I read The Wrath and the Dawn in one sitting, as I just couldn't put it down. I'd strongly recommend this one.


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We are constantly updating our practices in order to achieve the best outcomes for the students at Saint Paul's.
We have used a variety of Raising Achievement Programmes at Saint Paul's and we have introduced a Key Marginal Event for Year 11. Selected students will be assembled from a range of subjects across the school and invited into school to have conversations and provide support for these students who are currently appearing under their individual targets. Parents will be encouraged to book appointments similar to the Parents' Evenings in order to preserve time slots with the relevant members of staff.
Additional support can be located at the bottom of the page with subjects providing additional revision materials. If you are struggling to access these documents please contact the school and we can provide the information in a different format.
There are a variety of Revision Clubs taking place at Saint Paul's after school and during the holidays.
The innovative programme helps students to recognise and then realise their academic potential; it develops the confidence and skills essential for success at school, and beyond. Students are helped to reach their full potential by introducing intervention strategies such as mentoring.
The school found that the programme was successful last year with improved learning, motivation and engagement leading to a number of very positive outcomes for its students. Several students joined the programme who had been predicted to achieve poor GCSE results but, via the programme, and working with the students' parents, those students achieved much improved results.


Somehow, we got all three families packed up and out of our vacation house by our goal time of 8:30. We drove over to Hollywood Studios for our last character breakfast and our first time at DHS on this trip. We sent Doug off to grab Toy Story Midway Mania fastpasses, while the rest of us strolled leisurely over to meet him. Since we had gotten in close to park opening, the line was short and we decided to wait in the standby line so we could have two rides that day. We made our way into the Candyland part of the queue when Ann said "Aly's outside and won't come in." After a quick eye roll, I swam upstream back through the line where I indeed found Aly waiting by the entrance.
We had left this morning as our flex spot, and it was decided that we should use this time to visit Animal Kingdom and relive Will's terror of four years ago, when I had to spend nearly 15 minutes convincing him on the loading platform that he should ride Expedition Everest. I eventually won out over his tears back then, and he ended up loving the ride, along with the Webkinz that he earned for his emotional scarring. I think I expended as much effort convincing the cast members that, yes, we were just fine, and they could continue loading around us while Will bit his lip, wrung his hands, hemmed, hawed, fidgeted, stepped forward, then stepped back. He was excited to relive "Mount Everest" (I had to keep correcting him) with his "Coaster Bro" (that would be the author) as we arrived at the Animal Kingdom on a pleasant morning.
Day 3 began with a raucous drive over to EPCOT, where we entered the park and quickly bypassed Spaceship Earth and made the traditional "send someone to get soarin' fastpasses while the rest of us ride Test Track" – thanks Uncle Monkey!


text:
Tibet Support Groups must increase, expand their political impact
Yeshe Choesang, Dharamshala: – Tibet support groups (TSG) around the world must increase and expand their political impact on Tibet, Mr Kelsang Gyaltsen, Special Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Europe said during his address to the International Tibet Network's European Regional Meeting held in Basel, Switzerland, on 27 September 2013.
Mr Gyaltsen expressed his greetings to the participants on behalf of his colleague Mr. Tseten Chhoekyapa and the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). "As most of you may know Switzerland is today home to around 5000 Tibetan refugees constituting the largest number of Tibetans living in Europe," he said.
"He told the participants that this "initiative to bring Tibetan refugees to Switzerland for education and resettlement had significant and far-reaching positive effects for individual Tibetans involved as well as for the Tibetan community in exile as a whole. However, what is less known about the resettlement of Tibetan refugee in Switzerland is that this project has been initiated by few Swiss mountaineers as private persons."
"In 1959 a group of Swiss climbers in Nepal witnessed the first wave of Tibetan refugees fleeing Tibet to Nepal and were so moved by the plight of the refugees that they decided to help them. On their return to Switzerland they formed an association and lobbied successfully the Swiss government and the Swiss Red Cross to resettle a contingent of 1000 refugees in Switzerland. The association had also been tremendously successful in raising funds for the resettlement project reflecting the widespread sympathy of the Swiss people for the Tibetan refugees," Mr Gyaltsen added.
"He said this initiative is a good example of how and what difference individuals can make. These Swiss mountaineers created history in humanitarian tradition of Switzerland by making Tibetans the first refugees from outside of Europe who have been granted political asylum in Switzerland, adding that the beneficial impact of their initiative on the lives of individual Tibetans as well as a community with collective social, cultural and political aspirations continues to be of great significance and of far-reaching consequences till today."
"Obviously, individuals can make a difference," he added. "This is the lesson that we can learn from this history. And it is in this spirit and resolve that we have come together here for the next few days: To discuss how we can make a difference on how Europe reacts to the dramatic worsening situation in Tibet and how we can best persuade and move Europe to play a more proactive, constructive and helpful role in bringing about a peaceful resolution of the issue of Tibet."
"In our search for political support for Tibet cause, Mr Gyaltsen said "we need to face the reality that the political environment in which the Tibet movement has been operating has changed significantly in recent time. For most governments China has become today a very important international partner. Moreover, most governments in Europe are presently wrestling with economic and financial crisis that seems to leave little space for a more robust human rights policy vis-à-vis China."
In this context the challenge for the worldwide Tibet movement, he said there is two-fold- one to "increase public pressure on the governments to act decisively on the Tibet issue and another to come up with policy options that governments in Europe consider as non-confrontational, viable and practical and therefore deserving of support."
The Special Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama stressed that "a hard look at the present state of affairs of the Tibet movement reveals the following areas where improvement is absolutely necessary if we wish to make a significant difference in the attitude of the international community towards the issue of Tibet."
He urged the Tibet Support Groups, as saying they "must increase and expand their political impact and visibility nationally and internationally by becoming major and respected citizens movements with public standing and credibility."
"They must aim at becoming more professional in political and public relations work by employing or hiring qualified staff and maintaining permanent offices for sustained and focused political lobbying campaigns," he further added.
He said (TSG) "must seek to achieve greater impact of their political work by overcoming fragmentation and lack of coordination and by expanding networking and improving coordination and efficiency."
"Furthermore, in recent time some massive and impressive public solidarity rallies for Tibet have been organised in Europe," he added further into the speech, saying "these rallies conveyed some important messages. Firstly, it demonstrated to the national governments the strong support for the cause of Tibet and for His Holiness the Dalai Lama among its citizens. These public show of support and strength were, thus, also a strong call on the national governments to act on Tibet."
"Secondly, it made clear that the issue of Tibet cannot be ignored by the governments in the relationship with China. Thirdly, the rallies sent the message to the Chinese government that it may be sometimes able to exert pressure on governments but that it cannot bully the public and media in free and democratic countries into silence."
On the policy of the CTA "let me assure you and reaffirm that under the political leadership of Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay we remain committed to the path of non-violence and to the process of dialogue and reconciliation. Our position on a mutually acceptable solution is straightforward," Mr Gyaltsen added.
"We are not seeking separation and independence," said the Tibetan special representative . "What we are seeking is genuine self-rule for the Tibetan people. Our main concern is to ensure the survival of the Tibetan people with our distinct Buddhist cultural heritage and language and the natural environment of the Tibetan plateau that has sustained the Tibetan people since time immemorial. For this, it is essential that we Tibetans are able to handle our domestic affairs and to freely determine our social, economic and cultural development."
"The Middle Way Approach continues to be our genuine and enduring policy because it best serves the basic Tibetan needs and interest and comports with the international political reality," he said.
Special Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama Finally expressed his appreciation of participants' time and emphasized the importance of strengthening, saying "let me thank you as a deeply grateful Tibetan and as a representative of the CTA for your friendship. As friends in a common cause we have traveled a long and difficult way together and have experienced many twists and turns in the epic freedom struggle of the Tibetan people."
"The past has been a challenging time testing our endurance, determination and the strength of our conviction, solidarity and friendship. On this long march we shared with each other the joy and elation of battles won together and suffered together the pain and disappointment of political setbacks.
There is no amount of money or power that can buy such friendship, solidarity and commitment. This is the true strength of the just cause of Tibet and of our movement. Generations of Tibetans to come will cherish the friendship, support and solidarity you have extended to us in our time of greatest need."
(The Tibet Post International)
28 September, 2013 9:53 am


(NewsUSA) - The start of a new year is a great time to check in with yourself and think about how you want to improve for the year ahead. But unfortunately, many New Year's resolutions aren't realistic and wind up lasting just two to three weeks. Here's a resolution that's easy to stick to and can also make a big difference in your overall health and wellness: eat more fiber.
Fiber can play an important role in reaching your health and wellness goals in 2019. It's probably best known for its ability to help keep your digestive system moving, but there are other benefits as well - like helping to promote a feeling of fullness.
Even with fiber's well-known health benefits, nine out of 10 Americans aren't getting enough in their daily diet, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2015-2016. Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN thinks she knows why.
"Fiber can be confusing," Harris-Pincus explains. "I think many people have experienced tummy trouble when they ate too much fiber and it overwhelmed their digestive system. With a simple strategy of introducing fiber slowly, they can receive all the health benefits without any discomfort."
* Only increase your fiber intake by three to five grams each day. That way, you give your body time to adjust.
* Mix in high-fiber foods with your regular diet. As you're ramping up your fiber intake, start by adding fiber to foods you already eat. It could be as simple as adding a high-fiber cereal to a yogurt parfait or adding nuts and berries to your salad.
* Drink more water. Insoluble fiber doesn't dissolve in water, so make sure you drink plenty of fluids to help carry the fiber through your body. By eating more fiber and drinking more water, you're helping your digestive system do its job more efficiently.
* Find a great-tasting fiber you love. Instead of viewing fiber as a chore, or something you "have to" eat, find a high-fiber option that you can look forward to eating.
"I think everyone has this idea of fiber as bland and boring," Harris-Pincus says. "But what people don't realize is that there are tons of great-tasting, high-fiber foods. The easiest place to start is with your morning cereal."
Fiber One recently introduced a new fiber-rich cereal that, well, doesn't taste like a fiber-rich cereal. Fiber One Strawberries and Vanilla Clusters is made with real strawberries and sweet vanilla clusters, but still contains 35 percent of the Daily Value of fiber in every one-cup serving. No pills, nothing to stir, just real food that makes fiber something you can enjoy eating.
And for when you're ready to increase your fiber intake even more, Fiber One Honey Clusters has 40 percent of the Daily Value of fiber, and Fiber One Original Bran has 55 percent.
Beyond cereal, Harris-Pincus recommends eating whole fruits and vegetables, leaving the skin on things like apples and potatoes. Beans and legumes are another excellent source of fiber, so don't shy away from the black beans in your fajitas. For easy snacks, popcorn is another fiber-rich option with four grams of fiber in just three cups of popcorn.
"Fiber really is overlooked, which is a shame because it can be this great-tasting, powerhouse nutrient," Harris-Pincus explains. "New Year's resolutions are usually all about cutting calories or increasing protein, when in reality fiber can do all these amazing things for your body. You just have to start eating more of it to realize the benefits."
Comedian Cheri Oteri knows just how great fiber can taste.


text:
« I'd Rather Be Lucky Than Good | Main | Democrats' Latest "NewD irection" »
Novak "Would Hope" Bush Would Pardon Libby
Bob Novak took questions on C-Span today. Some highlights (and I am straining my TiVo here):
- Novak "would hope" that President Bush would pardon Libby. Whether a pardon should be given before or after the trial seems to be a point of contention amongst the people with whom Novak has discussed this.
- "Nobody gave me the name": Neither Armitage, Rove, nor CIA Public Information Director Bill Harlow gave Ms, Plame's name to Bob Novak - Mr. Novak repeated his story that he looked it up in Who's Who. I would urge folks to study the videotape (it should be right about the 2:46 mark of the 3 hour broadcast) - I thought Novak's demeanor changed markedly during this statement. He cast his eyes down and gave a grin that, to these skeptical eyes, could be read as "Is anybody believing this story?"
That said, he spoke with an air of self-mockery - he said, roughly, "In all those conversations nobody gave me a name. So being an intrepid reporter I got a copy of Who's Who and there it was, Valerie Plame." Maybe the idea of the high-priced investigative wiz relying on Who's Who just seems silly to him.
Well - if I were a human truth-detector I would be doing something else, probably involving the detection of truth...
- In response to a David Corn column wondering about the accuracy of Novak's recollections, Novak explained that he rarely takes notes in meeting with high-level people - he worries that they would find it off-putting, and that it would shatter the conversational mood Novak is hoping to create. However, as Novak explained in his recent column, he recreated the conversation shortly after it ocurred; his guess is that Armitage only pieced it together months later for the investigators.
- Novak and Armitage had a long, detailed discussion of the Wilson trip to Niger. Due to his respect for source confidentiality, Novak won't say whether Armitage thought the trip was good or bad. However, the fact that Novak framed the question that way narrows the choices and suggest the answer - Armitage was almost surely trashing the trip as an inconclusive waste of time, which was the State Dept. view before Wilson was sent and as captured afterwards in the famous INR memo.
As a bonus - a detailed discussion of the Niger trip might well have included the information presented by Pincus/Leiby on July 6 or Andrea Mitchell on July 8. Let's rehash that:
On July 8 Andrea Mitchell claimed that CIA sources told her that the Wilson trip was arranged by "some of the covert operatives in the CIA at a very low level".
And on July 6, Walter Pincus and Richard Leiby of the WaPo reported that
A senior administration official said yesterday that Wilson's mission originated within the CIA's clandestine service...
Novak stood by his claim that Armitage specifically said that Ms. Plame "worked in the CIA's Counter-Proliferation Division".
How Armitage would have known that is not clear - the CPD connection was not specifically noted in the INR memo. On the other hand, Armitage has a telephone and lots of Washington connections.
I think you could go two routes.
ONE: Provide Congress a chinese menu of
potential interrogation techniques and have them vote. For instance:
1. The use of LOUD MUSIC is allowed/not allowed to prevent the killing of another 3,000 Americans.
2. The use of TIME CONFUSION is allowed/not allowed to prevent the slaughter of American children.
You could vote all day.
Posted by: Patton | September 15, 2006 at 06:47 PM
Patton, everyone's a comedian today! LOL
The other choice is to not discuss the techniques, just the context:
1. Stress interogation is allowed as long as the government ordering it is a representative democray and not a dictatorship.
2. No interrogation is allowed to be used by known non-government entities such as terrorist organizations that represent no country.
3. Any nation that tortures a citizen agrees to have their capital nuked.
4. The world community and the UN from now on will recognize the moral difference between a representative democray that insures the basic rights of their citizens
and dictatorships and theocracies that are indifferent at best to human rights.
There could be the Pelosi torture,where terrorists are made to listen to the woman.
Up the scale a free viewing of "An Inconvenient Truth".
Howard Dean giving his yell outside the cell at four every morning.
John Kerry park his boat in front of them,they have fifteen seconds to run.
An evenings ride with Ted Kennedy.
If it is good enough for Americans,it is good enough for terrorists
Posted by: PeterUK | September 15, 2006 at 07:10 PM
Yesterday, I saw about 5 seconds of coverage of the torture debate.
One man (a senator on the floor, I believe) was making the argument that Muslim men being interrogated by female military personnel was insensitve to the muslim religion.
Did anybody else see this? Was he mocking that argument, or was he being a proponent of it?
Has Robert Novak specifically stated that he took it upon himself to look up V/J Wilson in Who's Who? (I know he says that is where he got the info, I want to know WHY he went directly to Who's Who?)
Is it possible that someone said (offhand of course) "Bob - take a look at Who's Who and you will get all the info you need". So someone refering him to that publication, has not technically sourced VP's name to him?
Posted by: Enlightened | September 15, 2006 at 07:19 PM
Enlightened- I think Bob Novak has been...odd in his discussions on her name. The only thing that is clear to me is that he doesn't want to discuss it.
My own personal guess is that he had a CIA source on that.
It's kind of a pointless issue anyway. I mean, its interesting because he might be hiding something. But there was no way he was going to write the article he did without her name coming out somewhere.
David Corn probably would have just blared her name out when he "asked" if she'd been outed.
According to the interview he did on CSPAN this morning ... he came back from his interview with Armitage and started writing up notes and working on his column. Armitage had not given him Val's name, just said she was Wilson's wife, the Ambassador's wife. So, when he was writing his column, he reached for a copy of Who's Who and looked up the Ambassador and found his wife's name was Valerie Plame. His words this morning, "So I used it."
I would think CSPAN would have the video.
I'm a bit skeptical of the idea that Armitage was completely unaware of the subject Woodward was trying to bring up. Unless Armitage immediatedly hung up whenever Woodward called, how likely is it Woodward couldn't make his basic intent known? And, if Armitage did immediately hang up, did he also hang up on every reporter who might potentially ask him about Novak? -- which would pretty much be every reporter. And if he didn't hang up on every reporter, and he didn't remember mentioning Plame to Woodward, why single out Woodward?
Posted by: MJW | September 15, 2006 at 07:47 PM
Is Bubba a JOM lurker or does he limit his curiosity to the Baghdad Bob blogs for his Fitz/Libby news?
Christy and I got to meet Bill Clinton at his offices in Harlem yesterday. Coming off our mutual victory scored in the ABC/911 fight it was something of a celebration. I can't remember a time when national political figures have picked up on a battle being waged in the blogosphere and managed so successfully to reverberate the message and force it into traditional media.
He was also quite interested in what was happening on the Libby/Fitzgerald front.
I've wondered if Novak was covering up another source for Valerie Plame's name, but there's a somewhat reasonable explanation for why he might have found it in Who's Who. When Novak talked to Armitage, he was aware of some basic facts about Joe Wilson, which indicates -- not surprisingly -- he'd already done a little background check. Since Wilson was an ambassador, Novak probably already looked him up in Who's Who. When Armitage mentioned Wilson's wife, it would be natural for Novak to recheck the Who's Who entry to find her name.
Is Who's Who a required reference guide for those "in the know"? Is a current edition pretty much on every shelf if you cover DC politics/society?
When Armitage mentioned Wilson's wife, it would be natural for Novak to recheck the Who's Who entry to find her name.
According to both of them, Harlow asked Novak not to use her name, which was available both in Who's Who and online. And I'd hope Novak would look Wilson up in something, if he were going to do a story on him. I'm having a hard time seeing a mystery here.
Posted by: Cecil Turner | September 15, 2006 at 08:19 PM
Who's Who is in many offices in DC. I recall years ago dealing with s guy in the DoS (rather low down) and even he had one in his office.
It's a DC white pp for a lot of people.
Assume Novak is telling the truth--after the conversationhe looked up her name. Then he had a question he could ask Harlow. He'd probably have gotten the run around ..He needed her professional name to go further.
capitano, I doubt he's lurking here. If he is in awe, it's that there's a new powerful disinfo weapon he hasn't yet used.
Novak would look Wilson up in something, if he were going to do a story on him. I'm having a hard time seeing a mystery here.
Me too! Can anyone else explain how Novak refreshed his memory or learned of ALL of Wilson's past (not just Agent 99) for verification purposes? One particularly useful function of Who's Who is it is supplied by the person, thereby the "mistake" in a column would be Wilson's, not Novak's.
Who's Who is everywhere and certainly every newspaper one has access to one. A columnist who has specialized in Washington politics would certainly want one on his office shelf.
This item from an older Wizbang post has me thinking:
"Later, Novak realized the significance of Skippy's (Army) slip when it started being passed around that Wilson's public accounts of his investigation -- that it turned up nothing -- were at odds with reports of his classified report. The notion that Wilson and his wife might have had their own agenda for his trip started looking more and more likely."
Am I reading this wrong? Did Wilson spew his crap prior to his Op Ed also?
Novak Column was in June - the above suggests Novak was hearing Joe's lies BEFORE he wrote his article about VP, because he was curious about the wife/CIA/Niger connection. But JW went into CYA in July in the Op Ed?
So Novak was onto something already? I do not think he looked up VP in W/W. I don't think it matters much, but for the niggling in my head that Novak knows more than he's letting on, and it is bugging the crap out of me that these guys just can't or won't pony up the goods and get it over with ferrcrissakes.
http://wizbangblog.com/2006/07/11/novak-finally-spills-his-guts-on-plame.php
MJW...says the Who's Who better...as usual
--Did Wilson spew his crap prior to his Op Ed also?--
--Novak Column was in June - the above suggests Novak was hearing Joe's lies BEFORE he wrote his article about VP--
Do you mean Novak's MEETING with Army was in June? If so, you are right.
The only reason I think Novak has been odd about her name is because I believe he went from saying he could have looked it up in Who's Who to saying he did look it up.
I could be wrong about that.
Enlightened--Wilson was talking to DoS people and two Congressional Committees and to Senators (among others) by his own admission in this period. It would not surprise me that an old hand like Novak's ears must have been picking up something.(Probably something from Scowcroft or others with whom he certainly had long relations.)
Re:Armitage hanging up on Woodward.
Am I alone in my speculation that it must have been similar hanging-up-on that caused the spat between Andrea Mitchell and Armitage?
I think he gave her a scoop, she wanted to question him about it, and he took his act to Greta instead. Greta didn't know that Armitage had been blabbing, so she couldn't ask him about it.
I am saying Novak gave an evasive answer. It was suggested that he had been a subject of the investigation. And he said he wasn't a target of the investigation. Those are quite distinct categories.
As for the rest, whatever. I qualify a claim when my confidence in it is qualified. I don't when it's not.
Sara's characterization of what Novak said about Who's Who is interesting. It might tell us what the focus of the questioning of Wilson's friend who ran into Novak was: whether Novak really did use "Valerie" with him on the street, since if he had, it would have blown his story about how he learned about Plame's name. And presumably the friend's testimony was that he could not vouch for Novak having used "Valerie."
==Am I alone in my speculation that it must have been similar hanging-up-on that caused the spat between Andrea Mitchell and Armitage?==
MayBee -- someone here (sorry someone, can't remember) posted a a report around relevant spanning time period that Andrea was PEEVed Armitage had shut here out and giving exclusive face time to others -- someone got an exclusive and she was ticked, ticked, ticked...as she had been requesting alot.
Correction, Novak column of July 14.
"In trying to figure out what was behind preposterous official conduct in DC, you can't go wrong by first considering ego (including bruised egos) and pusillanimity."
I think Fitzgerald's prosecutorial past may factor into the equation:
"Speaking at a nationally televised hearing, under oath, Fitzgerald went into great detail about how Ali Mohammed had been stationed at Fort Bragg, from which he trained "some of the persons who would later carry out the 1993 World Trade Center bombing," and how he had "arranged bin Laden's security in the Sudan" and later "lived as an American citizen in California, applying for a job as an FBI translator and working as a security guard for a defense contractor."
But what Fitzgerald didn't tell the Commission – or the American public, was that Mohammed had served as an FBI informant for five years from the 1993 World Trade Center bombing to the 1998 African Embassy bombings; that Fitzgerald had been unable to get Mohammed to cooperate; that Mohamed had been given a plea deal that somehow did not compel him to testify about al Qaeda, bin Laden, or what he might have known about the 9/11 plot."
http://www.peterlance.com/plrelease.htm
Interesting MM. I think there's a book to be written about a whole series of SDNY US attys ..I haven't read Lance's stuff but I know someone who sat thru those. Last week Quattrone was finally cleared of a preposterous obstuction chaege brought by Fits ,et c etc..
It is absurd that afte the Arthus Anderson neither the Courts nor Congress have made clear that intent to obstruct MUST be written into the Fed criminal law on obstruction.
It's time for a major OPR investigation..
I qualify a claim when my confidence in it is qualified. I don't when it's not.
Ok, Jeff. I think you are great but your confidence is very often based on your special ability to speculate more precisely than others.
Novak may very well have used his own special speculation skills and had complete confidence in his own opinion. Just like you, my dear.
Andrea was PEEVed Armitage had shut here out and giving exclusive face time to others -- someone got an exclusive and she was ticked, ticked, ticked...as she had been requesting alot.
Yeah, ts, I remember that. It came to a head when Armitage appeared on Greta VanSustern (sp?) rather than with Andrea on MTP. I suspect it is because Andrea refused not to question him about something for which he was the source- the Wilson stuff "everyone" knew.
No, Novak's meeting with Armitage was on July 8. The meeting with the Wilson "friend on the street" was that late afternoon, the column was on the wire July 11, and publication date was July 14.
If Fitzgerald was investigating stuff that WH people did that was before July 8, then it was not unreasonable for him to think that Armitage's blabbing after Libby blabbed was not so important. Of course the same logic goes now that we know that Armitage told Woodward about The Wifey before Libby even knew...
Posted by: cathyf | September 15, 2006 at 10:15 PM
Gee,
Is it possible that Novak, who does have sources, had an unnamed (and never to be named)source in the CIA. And that source told Novak who was responsible for Joe's trip to Niger. And that source called her Valerie Plame, because that's who she was at CIA. Before and after she married Joe. And Novak later found the reference in Who's Who and found it more prudent to go from, "I could have discovered her name in Who's Who", to I did "Get her name from Who's Who." Because, "I've got a secret source in CIA who told me the truth about Val, the not-so-secret agent", opens a can of worms, he doesn't want opened.
Posted by: Lew Clark | September 15, 2006 at 10:20 PM
Hmmm...this would not be because of that 5-year informant law type thing would it?
OH for the love of the _ there, but and so, by way of, hence forth, because, therefore, however, by way of, and so by which, of course, however, by way of which couldn't be - GWAD! Amen sistah!
And speaking of "Scary", Sue, how desperate must Kerry be if he had to quote Larry Johnson in the WSJ.
Posted by: Verner | September 15, 2006 at 10:52 PM
I've liked your posts and found them to be very informative. I am now thoroughly convinced that all these reporters knew and like Armitage were afraid they would be called in by Fitz so they just kept silent and let Libby take the rap. Andrea Mitchell's screw-up on Imus and her conversation with Russert make her one person who knew more than she let on. If you saw that Imus show her voice and body language gave her away as she started to backtrack. Some people are just terrible liars.
Val has used her training to make it appear she was uninvolved and not a player. My belief is that she was calling a lot of the shots with the hope that a Kerry presidency would resurrect her and Joe's careers. Armitage is a weasel covering his behind-I wouldn't trust anything he says at this juncture.
I'm having a hard time seeing a mystery here.
Vote Democrat and Die
Posted by: windansea | September 15, 2006 at 11:44 PM
I've liked your posts and found them to be very informative.
Ah, maryrose, you're very sweet. But I'm the biggest babbler here. I just like hanging out with greatness. :-)
Posted by: MayBee | September 16, 2006 at 12:19 AM
ps. Yes, Andrea Mitchell has been pretty interesting throughout all of this. Well, to us anyway. Fitzgerald seems not to have found her very interesting.
Did they interview both Armitage and Woodward for Hubris? or just Armitage?
If Novak's and Armitage's characterization of their meeting differs as much as it does, seems to me Armitage and Woodward might each have different 'recollections' of those attempts by Woodward to get Armitage to come clean.
Excellent point - without even checking the book, I will bet heavily that they got nothing from Woodward.
SO let's say Armitage at least told a plausible story; maybe it's even true.
I could have sworn that at one point, perhaps last summer, Novak said he *didn't* just look up Plame's name in Who's Who?
In an early column (Oct 2003?) Novak said the name was available in Who's Who. IIRC (and I am hazy here) he may have, in 2005, reminded people that just becuase he said it was available, he was not saying he had actually gotten it there. Or maybe that was other commentators making that point.
Well, what is his goal - to learn something, or to get the mood of "The Base"?
The firedogs are helpful for people who can't remember from one day to the next that Cheney and Rove are evil evil EVIL, and that Fitzgerald walks on water.
But if Clinton read Jeralyn Merritt or Next Hurrah, he'd be fine. Wrong on the organizing premise (the "Get Joe" conspiracy and cover-up), natch, but not hopelessly misinformed.
MayBee -- someone here (sorry someone, can't remember) posted a a report around relevant spanning time period that Andrea was PEEVed Armitage had shut here out and giving exclusive face time to others
IIRC, that was in the ABC Note on July 20, 2003 (I posted it in the last few days, or weeks anyway.)
And Novak later found the reference in Who's Who and found it more prudent to go from, "I could have discovered her name in Who's Who", to I did "Get her name from Who's Who." Because, "I've got a secret source in CIA who told me the truth about Val, the not-so-secret agent", opens a can of worms, he doesn't want opened.
I have been pushing that as well. If Novak has been told that the CIA arranged the Wilson trip, why wouldn't he call a contact at the CIA (and not just the press office)? Maybe he did and got "No Comment", or maybe he has a prime CIA source he will protect to his grave - Novak had only interviewed Armitage the one time but he kept that name quiet for three years, and only gave it to Fitzgerald (he says) when Fitzgerald showed him exactly three waivers.
What sort of loyalty would Novak have for a long-time source (Hmm, like Rove?)
Posted by: Tom Maguire | September 16, 2006 at 12:47 AM
Only real tidbit in the newest Libby filing, in defense of having their memory expert, is that they note - seemingly going out of there way to do so, which is undersandable in light of Hubris - that Libby described his early-June 1003 conversation with Cheney to the FBI in his very first interview. That doesn't quite settle it - Libby could have been confronted with his notes by the FBI in that very first interview - but it certainly is designed to suggest that Hubris got it wrong and Libby was forthcoming about the Cheney conversation, which he'd forgotten, from the outset.
Oh yeah, they're going to impeach Cooper because his notes don't confirm that Libby said something about Plame. Big surprise.
Posted by: Jeff | September 16, 2006 at 01:13 AM
Re the Toensing piece: Ms. Toensing repeats her view of the statutory meaning of " serving outside the United States or has within the last five years served outside the United States;", which is part of the definition of "covert" under the IIPA.
From Ms. Toensing:
She was neither covert at the time of publication nor had a covert foreign assignment within five years. He acknowledged so in his book: "My move back to Washington [in June 1997] coincided with the return to D.C. of a woman named Valerie Plame." As the Senate negotiator for this 1982 act, I know a trip or two by Ms. Plame to a foreign country while assigned to Langley, where she worked in July 2003, is not considered a foreign assignment. I also know covert officers are not assigned to Langley.
IIRC, the official lefty response to this - in tribute to EW I may start calling that the "moonbat" response - is to engage in a bit of foot-stamping and shout "Ignore The Rovian Hacks!"
Of course, since no one has ever been tried under the law, who knows?
However, I cling to the hope that one day someone will exploit the fact that, in this magnificent bureaucracy we call the US Government, there is a rule for everything; the notion of "service aborad" is not exactly limited exclusively to covert CIA operatives.
Just as an example, I did Google this up - it is from the U.S. Geological Survey Manual, which is pretty much my Go-To Guide on every key issue of the day:
Service abroad means service on or after September 6, 1960, by an employee at a post of duty outside the United States and outside the employee's place of residence if that place of residence is a territory or possession of the United States.
"Post of duty" - that pretty clearly rules out a flight to Jordan to chat with the local intel folks as "service abroad".
Of course, Ms. Plame was not going to chat about rocks. However, the military will have a similar definition - "serving" in a theater is different from traveling to it.
And I don't know why the Rocks people would be blazing their own trail on this - one might expect a harmonious definition across the agencies and arms of the government.
Well - someday someone may find a relevant definition from a more closely related handbook (I would pick State, myself, unless the CIA employee handbook is online.)
Meanwhile, notwithstanding Larry Johnson wishing it were otherwise, this little bit of evidence points in favor of Ms. Toensing.
I'd say that's pretty troublesome for Cooper.
JMH and Clarice
Shucks, thanks. But you all do it day after day after day. Thread after thread. It's a privilege to share the comments section at JOM with so many articulate and smart folks.
Posted by: Syl | September 16, 2006 at 01:34 AM
NYT Now Advising Reporters On How To Falsify Records In Order To Protect Classified Info Leakers
This is war.
Now let's see if the NY Times discovers the 2nd Ammendment. :)
"What sort of loyalty would Novak have for a long-time source (Hmm, like Rove?)"
Posted by: JM Hanes | September 16, 2006 at 01:44 AM
--MayBee -- someone here (sorry someone, can't remember) posted a a report around relevant spanning time period that Andrea was PEEVed Armitage had shut here out and giving exclusive face time to others
IIRC, that was in the ABC Note on July 20, 2003 (I posted it in the last few days, or weeks anyway.)--
Mind gone...but swear to budha there was also something MORE than "the note"-- and it was Lexis found.
--Oh yeah, they're going to impeach Cooper because his notes don't confirm that Libby said something about Plame. Big surprise.--
I cannot, after all the conspiracy you've held onto, discount this as a silly technicality. Jeff! You don't even make sense anymore.
And how about that Cooper prolific writing the last few, he was DROPPED from Time, if a similar situation were for Rove? Headlines of doom...your adeptness is impressive, your wishfull nuance sucks.
TS-- I'm thinking of this:
Media Mix-It-Up At State Department
By Lloyd Grove [Washington Post]
Sunday, July 20, 2003; Page D03
It can't be said often enough: Don't mess with Andrea Mitchell.
Last Monday afternoon, the State Department's public affairs shop e-mailed beat reporters that Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage had agreed to appear that very night on Greta Van Susteren's Fox News Channel show, "On the Record."
___ Past Columns___
The Reliable Source can be reached at leibyr@washpost.com, or c/o The Washington Post, 1150 15th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20071.
Here is an archive of his columns.
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Mitchell went ballistic.
"This is OUTRAGEOUS," NBC's foreign policy correspondent scorched the State Department flacks in an e-mail. "He [Armitage] can't answer telephone calls or REPEATED requests for backgrounders or an on-camera interview from the correspondent representing the most widely watched NETWORK newscast . . . and he's doing a FOX talk show that has no relationship to foreign policy?"
Mitchell vented: "I don't get it but it is very upsetting. It also defies any understanding of the difference between the NBC Nightly News, TODAY program, CNBC and MSNBC PLUS the nation's biggest Web site. Is the administration that desperate to appeal to a niche audience? If I sound upset, it's because I am."
Mitchell's e-mail was widely circulated to an appreciative audience and eventually came to us. State Department spokesman Phillip Reeker defended Armitage's level of accessibility. "He is well represented across the spectrum of this nation's and the world's electronic media." But Reeker declined to discuss Mitchell's complaints. "That," he said cheerfully, "would betray my relationship with Andrea Mitchell."
Mitchell, meanwhile, said: "I'm never going to apologize for aggressively trying to get the deputy secretary of state to come on NBC, especially since we have the biggest audience and do such extensive reporting on foreign policy."
More on "Service abroad" - this is from the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (p. 37 of 159 .pdf):
SEC. 504. 78 SERVICE IN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD.— (a) Career members of the Service shall be obligated to serve abroad and shall be expected to serve abroad for substantial portions of their careers. The Secretary shall establish by regulation limitations upon assignments of members of the Serv-ice within the United States. A member of the Service may not be assigned to duty within the United States for any period of continuous service exceeding eight years unless the Secretary approves an extension of such period for that member be-cause of special circumstances. (b) Consistent with the needs of the Service, the Secretary shall seek to assign each career member of the Service who is a citizen of the United States (other than those employed in accordance with section 311) 79 to duty within the United States at least once during each period of fifteen years that the member is in the Service.
Well, this would be nonsense if the service requirements could be fulfilled by a weekend trip abroad (or to the States).
However, I assunme this won't convince Larry Johnson.
Sorry, formatting awful on that one.
What more does Hubris say about her traveling to Jordan to meet with their intelligence officers? Did she travel as a CIA employee?
Or are we to believe that Jordan Intelligence agencies called an American energy consulting company, Brewster Jennings, to get the final word on the tubes? I mean, did they get the name Brewster Jennings in the phone book? Or did some US Agents recommend this really great energy consultant?
I don't buy it. I bet she went as a CIA employee to meet Jordan intelligence.
MayB's
Yes, that is the one...was this what the Note was referring to?
TS-
So we know Armitage is a hanger-upper when he doesn't want to be confronted by people to whom he's given sensitive information.
And we know Armitage started ignoring Mitchell.
And we know Mitchell used to seem to know more about Wilson and his wife.
I think her "I misspoke, I didn't know anything" translates into "Call me, Rich".
Also, Maybs'
The DATE - July 20th - the day of rage, yep, I say Miz Andrea had been trying real, real hard to get a follow up, closer to an ON THE RECORS to what she was already told by RA and so her frustration was on parade...why was he stonewalling now and going on Greta? Especially since she was all greased up for the scoopy exclusiveness since Tim was on vacation.
--However, I assunme this won't convince Larry Johnson.--
How can it? He's too busy responding to Plame's dog whistle.
I don't believe I've seen anything showing the name 'Plame' was ever spoken/written/whispered on the White House side.
In fact, we don't see it anywhere, actually.
'Flame' in Judy's notebook. Unknown source.
'Plame' in the Novak article.
'Valery Plame' is the biggest red.herring.ever.
I went over to TalkLeft to see if I could find a link to the Libby filing mentioned by Jeff. No luck, but I did notice a new "keep hope alive" theory being floated. It seems Armitage and Rove worked amiably together to get Powell confirmed as Secretary of State -- thus proving THEY WERE IN CAHOOTS TO OUT SUPER-SPY PLAME!
Posted by: MJW | September 16, 2006 at 04:14 AM
Good morning all
Just a thought? "The Niger Documents" chapter of the SSCI, page 58 states
None of the four CIA representatives recall picking up the documents, however, during the CIA Inspector General's investigation of this issue, copies of the documents were found in the DO's CPD vault.
State Department Headquarters received the Niger Documents first. Page 58...
Also on October 11, 2002, the U.S. Embassy in Rome reported to State Department headquarters that it had acquired photocopies of documents on a purported uranium deal between Iraq and Niger from an Italian journalist. The cable said that the embassy had passed the documents to the CIA'5 The embassy faxed the documents to the State Department's Bureau of Nonproliferation (NP) on October 15, 2002, which passed a copy of the documents to INR.
Do you think it's possible Armitage was privy to the Inspector Generals investigation?
Posted by: Rocco | September 16, 2006 at 06:37 AM
clarice... you've outdone yourself!
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/012/720lutwz.asp?pg=1>The Case of the
Missing Crime
The CIA leaker has been found. No law was broken. Why is the prosecutor still going after Scooter Libby?
by Clarice Feldman
09/25/2006, Volume 012, Issue 02
simply the best roundup ever... bravo!
Clarice ends her great piece saying "It's long past time for the president to call in the attorney general, seek an accounting of the case from Fitzgerald, and order him to dismiss the charges or be dismissed himself."
This needs courage. "It's long past time" perhaps because President Bush does not have the courage to blow the final whistle or he simply does not want to interfere with the Justice system however boneheaded matters seem to be. Or could it be that Fitzgerald is not on shaky ground that many would like to believe he is? That's why Libby's lawyers have not cried foul thus far?
Posted by: Birdseye | September 16, 2006 at 07:10 AM
After reading clarice's wonderful story about all the "lies" of plamegate, The NYT decides that the Pope telling the truth about mohammad, is what they find worth admonishing.
Once again, when reading http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/16/opinion/16sat2.html?_r=1&oref=slogin>The Pope's Words I get the feeling that Rosie O' is the editorial writer for today's cheap shot at Christianity!
The world listens carefully to the words of any pope. And it is tragic and dangerous when one sows pain, either deliberately or carelessly. He needs to offer a deep and persuasive apology, demonstrating that words can also heal.
Hopefully they'll read http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/012/720lutwz.asp?pg=1>clarice's article in the Weekly Standard, and offer up the same criticism of the abuse of Libby!
I thought so too Clarice. I need to read it several more times just to digest it all. Bravo!
Posted by: Jane | September 16, 2006 at 08:07 AM
I am a Weekly Standard subscriber and read Clarice's article this morning. An excellent documentation of this whole sorry case.
I agree that the case against Libby is disgraceful and should be halted. My only hesitation is that Tim Russert, in his interview with Cheney, seemed to be rooting for a Presidential pardon for Libby also. Perhaps I'm reading too much into the exchange, but I find it interesting that the key witness for the prosecution now seems so eager for the case to go away.
Should we let them off the hook so easily. Especially since the media coverage was so disgraceful and biased.
Clarice, I can't wait for the New Yorker to ask to run your Weekly Standard article as a feature. It deserves to be there. It's thorough, straight-forward, and compelling. It covers the full time line and breadth of the issue. It teases out those who have some explaining to do.
Yep. It's the sort of article that would do the New Yorker proud. ... And that I'd be proud to have the New Yorker run, if only to trumpet its rediscovery of what liberal really means.
Posted by: sbw | September 16, 2006 at 08:38 AM
Thanks. I waired and checked the site last night, thought they'd changed their minds and weren't publishing it after all, said damn and went to bed.
They made it publicly available so you needn't be a subscriber to read it.
I didn't know Russert had said that. I think journos think this case is wrong in their hearts, because if it stands it would cut off all their sources.
However, the military will have a similar definition - "serving" in a theater is different from traveling to it.
Posted by: Tom Maguire | September 15, 2006 at 10:17 PM
Yes, but........widespread practice in the Vietnam war was for desk jockey brass serving in the greater Southeast Asia theater to fly into the combat zone on the last day of a month, stay overnight, leave on the first of next month and thus qualify for two months' combat pay and other attendant bennies. If they were aircrew, two combat missions, too. A guy on a three year accompanied tour in Okinawa or RPI could do this six times a year and get continuous combat pay for three years. BOO! HISS!
Posted by: Larry | September 16, 2006 at 09:25 AM
that Libby described his early-June 1003 conversation with Cheney to the FBI in his very first interview. That doesn't quite settle it - Libby could have been confronted with his notes by the FBI in that very first interview
OK, maybe it is not 100% settled, but... how stupid would a person have to be to (a) hand over the notes, (b) not review them, and (c) not qualify one's testimony with "as best I remember not having checked my notes"?
OK, pretty stupid - Libby shoul dhave used line (c) throughout his testimony, and it is ptetty clear that his notes do not refer to his many other Plame encounters. Still.
Cooper had no notes about either Rove or Libby? I wouldn't say "surprise", but what a joke of a witness he'll be.
But since Libby didn't exactly deny talking to Cooper, where does that take them? Auto-answer - the perjury charge based on Cooper's testimony is vulnerable.
Yes, but........widespread practice in the Vietnam war was for desk jockey brass serving in the greater Southeast Asia theater to fly into the combat zone on the last day of a month...
Interesting, but... our involvement ended in 1973; maybe rules were updated.
Or maybe that only worked for folks "serving in the theater", as you noted. Or could folks fly from the States and do that?
With all these high flying suspects,nobody is considering Melvin the janitor at Langley and his brother-in -law Denzil the barman at the Press Club.
Posted by: PeterUK | September 16, 2006 at 09:56 AM
TM< I think it obvious that the investigators had not reviewed his notes when they questioned him. Don't you recall it was only after the indictment, in the discovery phase, that the SP indicated they could not read Libby's writing and asked that he provide them with a "translation"?
Tom, I have no direct knowledge of anyone doing that from the states. Seems like anyone with a semi-plausible reason for being "in country" could, though. I'd bet a lot that more than one Pentagoner did it.
Loved it! This bit especially, which had me rolling:
This blonde Emma Peel-tied-to-the-railroad-tracks-by-lying-warmongers version of the story (assisted by a timely leak from the CIA that Director Tenet had referred the case to the Justice Department) led to press and congressional demands for an investigation by an outside prosecutor.
Rules on this sort of thing tend to be fuzzy, and conflict specific. During the Gulf War, for example, crossing some arbitrary line (Kuwait border and some congruent offshore area, IIRC) entitled one to a combat action ribbon, which flew in the face of the issue regulations (and caused quite a bit of heartburn amongst those who actually got shot at).
But in any event I think the better analogy is to assignment policy, where anything less than a year is generally "temporary duty"; and an assignment to a station is from 1-3 years.
Posted by: Cecil Turner | September 16, 2006 at 11:47 AM
One question that has bounced around in my brain for a while ..
if Ms. McCarthy was "fired" from the CIA for unauthorized meetings with reporters .. what was Ms. Plame and Joe Wilson doing with Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times in May of 2003, weeks before here reported "outing" ? Kristof was interested why WMDs, a particular expertise of Ms. Plame duties with the CIA I'm told, hadn't yet turned up in Iraq ?
Had Ms. Plame damaged her position with the CIA prior to her "outing" ? Perhaps this explains the CIA's like warm defense given to Bob Novak and that "suspension" I've seem to remember reading about.
Brava, Clarice! I have to confess,though, "...This blonde Emma Peel-tied-to-the-railroad-tracks-by-lying-warmongers...", makes me need to go take a cold shower.
Posted by: Larry | September 16, 2006 at 12:16 PM
A very pithy and succinct piece,like dropping a bomb in a cesspool.
Larry,PUK,Thanks. (PUK Sometime you have to tell us exactly how many years you spent in juvenile detention..You seem to have so much knowledge of adolescent pranks.)
I'm the Peter Pan of Juevenile Crime.


text:
Joseph O'Brien hoping top three-year-olds can bounce back at Royal Ascot
Thunder Moon and Pretty Gorgeous both failed to fire in big Guineas races
Trainer Joseph O'Brien is not too disheartened over the run of Pretty Gorgeous in the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho
Tue May 25 2021 - 15:52
Joseph O'Brien is hopeful Royal Ascot can prove a happier hunting ground for his top three-year-olds after a frustrating Guineas campaign this month.
The Group One -winning colt Thunder Moon ran a shocker in the Newmarket 2,000 Guineas when finishing last behind Poetic Flare.
The Group One-winning filly Pretty Gorgeous missed Newmarket on the back of an unsatisfactory scope and subsequently failed to fire when favourite for Sunday's Irish 1,000 Guineas.
She has an option of going for next month's French Oaks but is more likely to stick at a mile for Royal Ascot's Coronation Stakes.
Thunder Moon will try to redeem his reputation in the St James's Palace Stakes after completely fluffing his lines at Newmarket.
That was the National Stakes winner's first race of the season and O'Brien is prepared to put a line through it.
"Nothing came to light after the race but he did get quite upset beforehand. He got quite colty so maybe on his first run back he was just a bit fresh. We'll put a line through it and regroup. The St James's Palace is the plan," he said on Tuesday.
Pretty Gorgeous started a 15-8 favourite at the Curragh on Sunday but a wide draw left her on racing on the outside of the field and after briefly threatening to take a hand in the finish she ultimately faded to seventh behind Empress Josephine.
"We are probably looking at the Coronation. She was wide, and even though she was pretty fit for a comeback run, a mile on heavy ground is a long way up the Curragh. So I wasn't too disheartened," O'Brien added.
The former champion jockey will hope for better Derby luck when his outsider Southern Lights lines up at Epsom on Saturday week.
Bookmakers generally rate the son of Sea The Stars as a 40-1 chance for a race his trainer won twice as a rider.
Southern Lights broke his maiden at Leopardstown and didn't enjoy a clear run when subsequently beating only one home in the Derrinstown Trial behind the Derby favourite Bolshoi Ballet.
O'Brien has opted to skip Sunday's €250,000 Group One Prix D'Ispahan at Longchamp with his two entries, Patrick Sarsfield and Baron Samedi.
The Ballydoyle runner, Armory, an impressive winner at Chester earlier this month, also holds an entry in the nine and half furlong highlight.
O'Brien is on the verge of reaching €500,000 in prizemoney for the domestic Flat season and will hope Gowran Park can pass an 8.0am morning inspection on Wednesday.
His half dozen entries include Faron who is bred to cope with testing conditions while Dilawara, twice a winner in France, makes her Irish debut under topweight in a handicap.
La Petite Coco's defeat of Belle Image at Killarney reads even better considering the latter's fourth-placed effort in Sunday's Guineas.
Paddy Twomey's runner has a pair of 92 rated opponents in a nine-furlong conditions event but she looks notably progressive.
In other news the Mark Johnston-trained Gear Up is on course to line up in the Derby despite a lack-lustre effort behind Hurricane Lane in the Dante earlier this month.
Connections of the colt who won the Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud as a two-year-old believe an extra quarter mile will be to Gear Up's advantage.
"Although he's a 33-1 shot, he deserves his place in the line up as a Group One-winning two-year-old and it would be no surprise to see him finish in the money," said Johnston's son and assistant, Charlie.
"I don't think he needs that kind of severe testing ground on which he won his Group One. It is more the fact it inconveniences other horses. The extra test of stamina will suit and we expect him to be a strong stayer at a mile and a half," he added.
Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column
Mark JohnstonJoseph O BrienPaddy TwomeyPatrick Sarsfield
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