text:
air travel consumer report
Caitlin Harvey
Email: caitlin.harvey@dot.gov
USDOT Air Travel Consumer Report Now Includes More Complete Airline Data
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) today issued its monthly Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR), which, for the first time since its inception more than 30 years ago, contains data on domestic flights that are marketed by the mainline carriers, but operated by the mainline carriers' regional codeshare affiliates.
Previously, numbers were only reported for domestic flights performed by reporting carriers with at least one-half of one percent of the total scheduled-service domestic passenger revenue. Flight performance numbers by reporting carriers continue to be included separately in the ATCR, but the report now also includes the addition of the airline service quality data by marketing carriers.
Airlines were required to begin reporting marketing carrier data to USDOT beginning with January 2018 numbers. However, the previous monthly reports did not contain the new data as the data was withheld in order to allow accuracy reviews. Today, the new data is available in the re-issued ATCRs from March 2018 (January 2018 data) through July 2018 (May 2018 data), along with the new August (June 2018 data) and new September 2018 (July 2018 data) reports.
The August and September ATCRs, issued today, includes June and July 2018 on-time performance, cancellations, and complaints data. The August ATCR includes second-quarter 2018 overbooking (bumping) numbers for branded codeshare flights. During the past six months, branded codeshare partners accounted for more than 25 percent of the passengers carried and more than half of the domestic flights. With this new ATCR, the flying public will see a more complete picture of the performance of scheduled passenger service, which will make the report even more useful to consumers.
Detailed information on airline on-time performance, cancellations, and tarmac delays is available from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
The full ATCRs and other aviation consumer matters of interest to the public can be found at http://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer. The full list of codeshare partners is available on page 5 of the ATCR.
July On-Time Performance
In July 2018, marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 76.0 percent, down slightly from the 76.4 percent on-time rate in June 2018. On-time numbers for marketing carriers were not reported in previous years.
Highest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates (ATCR Table 1)
Hawaiian Airlines Network – 91.5 percent
Alaska Airlines Network – 84.1 percent
Delta Air Lines Network– 81.9 percent
Lowest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates (ATCR Table 1)
Frontier Airlines – 59.7 percent
Allegiant Air – 67.0 percent
JetBlue Airways – 67.2 percent
In July 2018, reporting carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 75.9 percent, down from the 76.6 percent on-time rate in June 2018 and down from 76.9 percent in July 2017.
Highest Reporting Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates (ATCR Table 1A)
Hawaiian Airlines – 92.6 percent
Delta Air Lines – 83.4 percent
Alaska Airlines – 82.9 percent
Lowest Reporting Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates (ATCR Table 1A)
June On-Time Performance
In June 2018, marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 76.4 percent, down from the 79.2 percent on-time rate in May 2018. On-time numbers for marketing carriers were not reported in previous years.
American Airlines Network – 72.4 percent
In June 2018, reporting carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 76.6 percent, down from the 79.4 percent on-time rate in May 2018 but up from 76.2 percent in June 2017.
PSA Airlines – 61.6 percent
July Cancellations
In July 2018, marketing carriers canceled 1.8 percent of their scheduled domestic flights, equal to the 1.8 percent cancellation rate in May 2018. Cancellation numbers for marketing carriers were not reported in previous years.
Lowest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights (ATCR Table 6)
Hawaiian Airlines Network – 0.5 percent
Delta Air Lines Network – 0.7 percent
Alaska Airlines Network – 0.8 percent
Highest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights (ATCR Table 6)
Frontier Airlines – 3.8 percent
American Airlines Network – 3.0 percent
JetBlue Airways – 2.4 percent
In July 2018, reporting carriers canceled 1.7 percent of their scheduled domestic flights, equal to the 1.7 percent cancellation rate in May 2018 and up from 1.1 percent in July 2017.
Lowest Reporting Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights (ATCR Table 6A)
Hawaiian Airlines – 0.1 percent
Delta Air Lines – 0.1 percent
United Airlines – 0.7 percent
Highest Reporting Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights (ATCR Table 6A)
Republic Airline – 4.2 percent
Envoy Air – 4.1 percent
June Cancellations
In June 2018, marketing carriers canceled 1.8 percent of their scheduled domestic flights, up from the 1.3 percent cancellation rate in May 2018. Cancellation numbers for marketing carriers were not reported in previous years.
Spirit Airlines – 0.5 percent
Allegiant Air – 2.3 percent
In June 2018, reporting carriers canceled 1.7 percent of their scheduled domestic flights, up from the 1.2 percent cancellation rate in May 2018 and from 1.1 percent in June 2017.
July Tarmac Delays
In July 2018, airlines reported 29 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, compared to 25 such tarmac delays reported in June 2018 and 16 tarmac delays reported in July 2017. In July 2018, airlines reported one tarmac delay of more than four hours on international flights, compared to two such tarmac delays reported in June 2018 and seven tarmac delays reported in July 2017. Extended tarmac delays are investigated by the Department.
Domestic Flights with Longest Tarmac Delays Exceeding Three Hours (ATCR Table 8)
Delta Air Lines flight 3322 (operated by codeshare partner Endeavor Air) from Atlanta to Gulfport-Biloxi, Miss., 7/16/18 – delayed 3 hours and 41 minutes on the tarmac at Gulfport-Biloxi
American Airlines flight 1997 from Philadelphia to Los Angeles International, 7/22/18 – delayed 3 hours and 37 minutes on the tarmac at Philadelphia
American Airlines flight 133 from New York JFK to Los Angeles International, 7/27/18 – delayed 3 hours and 29 minutes on the tarmac at New York JFK
International Flights with Longest Tarmac Delays Exceeding Four Hours (ATCR Table 8A)
United flight 160 from Munich, Germany to Houston Bush, 7/28/18 – delayed 4 hours and 8 minutes on the tarmac at Boston after being diverted
There were no other international flight tarmac delays of more than four hours in July.
June Tarmac Delays
In June 2018, airlines reported 25 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, compared to 12 such tarmac delays reported in May 2018 and seven tarmac delays reported in June 2017. In June 2018, airlines reported two tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights, compared to four such tarmac delays reported in May 2018 and two tarmac delays reported in June 2017. Extended tarmac delays are investigated by the Department.
United Airlines flight 765 from New York LaGuardia to Chicago O'Hare, 6/28/18 – delayed 3 hours and 47 minutes on the tarmac at New York LaGuardia
JetBlue Airways flight 611 from New York JFK to Las Vegas, 6/24/18 – delayed 3 hours and 46 minutes on the tarmac at New York JFK
Delta Air Lines flight 3509 (operated by codeshare partner Endeavor Air) from New York LaGuardia to Omaha, Neb., 6/28/18 – delayed 3 hours and 39 minutes on the tarmac at New York LaGuardia
All Nippon Airways flight 109 from New York JFK to Tokyo Haneda, Japan, 6/24/18 – delayed 4 hours and 50 minutes on the tarmac at New York JFK
Norwegian Air flight 7015 from London Gatwick to New York JFK, 6/25/18 – delayed 4 hours and 37 minutes on the tarmac at New York JFK
Mishandled Baggage
In July 2018, the reporting carriers posted a mishandled baggage rate of 3.11 reports per 1,000 passengers, down slightly from the June 2018 rate of 3.16, but up from June 2018's rate of 2.80.
In June 2018, the reporting carriers posted a mishandled baggage rate of 3.16 reports per 1,000 passengers, up from both June 2017's rate of 2.66 and May 2018's rate of 2.59. For the first six months of the year, the reporting carriers posted a mishandled baggage rate of 2.82 per 1,000 passengers, up from the 2.56 rate for the same period last year.
Bumping/Oversales
Bumping/oversales data, unlike other air carrier data, are reported quarterly rather than monthly. For the second quarter of 2018, the 10 U.S. marketing carriers posted an involuntary denied boarding, or bumping, rate of 0.10 per 10,000 passengers, down from the marketing carrier rate of 0.15 for the first quarter of 2018. For the first six months of 2018, the marketing carriers posted a bumping rate of 0.13 per 10,000 passengers. See the August Air Travel Consumer Report for denied boarding numbers by airline.
For the second quarter of 2018, the 17 U.S. reporting carriers posted an involuntary denied boarding, or bumping, rate of 0.10 per 10,000 passengers, the lowest quarterly rate based on historical data dating back to 1995 and down from both the rate of 0.44 for the second quarter of 2017 and the previous lowest quarterly rate of 0.15 posted in the first quarter of 2018.
For the first six months of this year, the reporting carriers posted a bumping rate of 0.12 per 10,000 passengers, the lowest January through June rate based on historical data dating back to 1995 and down from the rate of 0.53 posted during the first six months of 2017.
See the August Air Travel Consumer Report for denied boarding numbers by airline.
Incidents Involving Animals
In July 2018, U.S. airlines reported no incidents involving the death, injury, or loss of an animal while traveling by air, down from the four reports filed in both July 2017 and in June 2018.
In June 2018, U.S. airlines reported four incidents involving the death, injury, or loss of an animal while traveling by air, up from the three reports filed in both June 2017 and in May 2018. June's incidents involved the deaths of three animals and injuries to one other animal.
Complaints About Airline Service
In July 2018, DOT received 1,665 complaints about airline service from consumers, down 12.7 percent from the total of 1,908 filed in July 2017, but up 12.8 percent from the 1,476 received in June 2018.
In June 2018, DOT received 1,476 complaints about airline service from consumers, down 8.2 percent from the total of 1,607 filed in June 2017, but up 33.9 percent from the 1,102 received in May 2018. From January to June 2018, the Department received 7,441 consumer complaints, down 17.6 percent from the total of 9,029 received during the first six months of 2017.
Complaints About Treatment of Disabled Passengers
In July 2018, the Department received a total of 83 disability-related complaints, down from the 92 complaints received in July 2017, but up from the 81 complaints received in June 2018.
In June 2018, the Department received a total of 81 disability-related complaints, up from both the 77 complaints received in June 2017 and the 66 complaints received in May 2018. For the first six months of the year, the Department received 399 disability-related complaints, down from the 410 filed during January-June 2017. All complaints alleging discrimination on the basis of disability are investigated.
Complaints About Discrimination
In July 2018, the Department received 14 complaints alleging discrimination – 11 regarding race, one regarding national origin, and two regarding color. This is an increase from the total of seven discrimination complaints recorded in July 2017 and the eight recorded in June 2018.
In June 2018, the Department received eight complaints alleging discrimination – seven regarding race and one regarding color. This is an increase from the total of three discrimination complaints recorded in June 2017, but down from the nine recorded in May 2018. For the first six months of this year, the Department received 45 discrimination complaints – 30 complaints regarding race, one complaint regarding ancestry/ethnicity, four complaints regarding national origin, four complaints regarding color, two complaints regarding religion, and four complaints regarding sex. This is up from the 44 recorded in January-June 2017. All complaints alleging discrimination are investigated to determine if there has been a violation(s) of the passenger's civil rights.
Consumers may file air travel consumer or civil rights complaints online at http://airconsumer.dot.gov/escomplaint/ConsumerForm.cfm, by voicemail at (202) 366-2220, or by TTY at (202) 366-0511. They may also mail a complaint to the Aviation Consumer Protection Division, U.S. Department of Transportation, C-75, W96-432, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590.
Consumers who want on-time performance data for specific flights should call their airline's reservation number or their travel agent. This information is available on the computerized reservation systems used by these agents. The information is also available on the appropriate carrier's website.


Palm Sunday: In today's Gospel, the Passion of Jesus shows how His enemies' cruelty knows no bounds. They condemned Jesus to the cruel death by crucifixion. In contrast, they clamoured for Barabbas, a murderer to be released. Do our hearts harbour hurts and hatred that destroy relationships and the dignity of people?
But as one man they howled, 'Away with him! Give us Barabbas!' In his desire to set Jesus free, Pilate addressed them again, but they shouted back, 'Crucify him! Crucify him!' And for the third time he spoke to them, but they kept on shouting at the top of their voices, demanding that he should be crucified.
Pilate then handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they pleased. As they were leading him away they seized on a man, Simon from Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and made him shoulder the cross and carry it behind Jesus. Large numbers of people followed him, but Jesus turned to them and said, 'Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep rather for yourselves and for your children'.
When they reached the place called The Skull, there they crucified him and the two criminals, one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.' Above him there was an inscription: 'This is the King of the Jews'. It was now about the sixth hour and the sun's light failed, so that darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. The veil of the Sanctuary was torn right down the middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice saying, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.' With these words he breathed his last.


Jennifer Weingart is a reporter and All Things Considered host. She holds a degree in broadcasting and journalism from Central Michigan University, prior work experience from WCMU in Mt. Pleasant, Mich. and WDET in Detroit. She likes stories that involve passionate people doing awesome things. Her work is heard on WVPE, the Michigan Public Radio Network, Indiana's regional journalism cooperative and a few times on NPR.
Jennifer believes that Public Radio is where the best stories go to get told.
When she's not chasing a story she can be found listening to NPR podcasts while running, baking recipes off Pinterest, doing something marching band related, or reading anything that stands still long enough. She also enjoys cats, dresses with weird prints, camping and TV shows with quality character development. She is a fantastic whistler.


text:
Yamaha World Superbike Team Unveil 2011 Livery
The 2011 Yamaha World Superbike Team has unveiled the livery they will run for the upcoming World Superbike season. The new design features a Yamaha blue corporate racing colour scheme. The livery takes its inspiration from both the famous Yamaha speed block design and also one of the colours of the current production model YZF-R1, giving the bike a modern sleek appearance whilst emphasizing Yamaha's racing image.
The team features an all new rider line up for the 2011 championship with 28yr old Italian rider Marco Melandri, a previous 250cc World Champion, stepping across from MotoGP to partner 24yr old rider Eugene Laverty from Northern Ireland who steps up from the World Supersport Championship. The new livery will feature prominently on the leathers of both riders.
The team continues its winter testing schedule on the 21st and 22nd February at the Phillip Island circuit in advance of the opening round of the championship in Australia on 27th February.
Extensive photography of the new Yamaha World Superbike Team livery including detailed technical images of the 2011 YZF-R1 Superbike are now available for download at www.yamaha-racing.com/wsb/photo

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Showing duplicates in columns of csv files I am trying to read a particular column ("Labels") of any .csv file in a path. Then I want to print each duplicate and the number of times that duplicate appeared.
import os
import csv
from collections import Counter

items = []

directory = os.path.join("c:\\","Users\Bob\Desktop\CSVs")
for root,dirs,files in os.walk(directory):
    for file in files:
       if file.endswith(".csv"):
           with open(file) as csvFile:
               reader = csv.DictReader(file)
               for row in reader:
                   items.append(row["Labels"])
                   print(row)

counted = dict(Counter(items))

print(counted)

I get the following error
  File "C:/Users/Bob/Desktop/CSVs/Dupe Check.py", line 14, in <module>
    items.append(row["Labels"])
KeyError: 'Labels'

The labels column is always the second column of the csv files.

A: The problem is you're reading in the file name and not the file object; therefore, it couldn't find the word key "Labels".
with open(file) as csvFile:
    reader = csv.DictReader(file)

Try replacing file with csvFile instead.
with open(file) as csvFile:
    reader = csv.DictReader(csvFile)

If you printed out the variable reader, you'll have a better understanding.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


A mountain ridge runs through Malaysia from north to south. This is the highest at the Thai border and disappears as you approach Singapore. In the north (below the Thai border) there is a road over this mountain range (East-West Highway).
The next road from east to west goes from Kuala Lumpur to Kuantan.
When Malaysia was still an English colony in the last century, British soldiers explored the interior of Malaysia. They discovered the Highlands, where the original population lived, namely the Orang Asli.
There were mountain peaks up to an altitude of 2000 meters. The cool climate in the mountains reminded the British of Europe and they withdrew during their leave. It was also possible here, in the cool climate, to grow the vegetables that were used to at home. Today it is a popular place for those who want to escape the heat of the warm plains. People go hiking or play golf.
THE MOST FAMOUS IS CAMERON HIGHLANDS, WHICH IS CALLED THE VEGETABLE DISH OF MALAYSIA. HERE YOU CAN VISIT TEA PLANTATIONS, ORCHID FARMS, BUTTERFLY FARMS. YOU CAN ALSO TAKE WONDERFUL WALKS HERE IN VARIOUS LEVELS OF DIFFICULTY OR PLAY A GAME OF GOLF.
Along the winding road to the Cameron Highlands, you can still visit Orang Asli settlements. The Senoi live here. The majority of this population works on tea plantations. The tea is only sold in Malaysia and surroundings. The plantations do not supply enough tea to also export to Europe. The production is too low to be able to export it to Europe.
Yet there is a company in Holland where you can buy BOH tea. It is available exclusively at Coffee World. You can choose from more than 20 blends. Website: www.coffeeworld.nl You can order your Boh tea here "online".
The Genting Highlands is known for its casino and amusement park. There are also numerous opportunities to play golf here. Many Chinese from Kuala Lumpur go to the casino here in the evening to gamble, which by the way is very impressive. The Chinese are real gamblers and it is nice to see how they gamble.
The amusement park is around a lake with the same attraction as in the Netherlands.
There are various hotels and various options for eating.
Fraser's Hillis a real destination for walking. There is a small village from which you can undertake wonderful trips. It is located at an altitude of 1200 – 1500 meters. At the odd hours you can drive up, at even hours you can go down in daylight! They are building a new way up. The old road is then only used downwards.
Bukit Larut (1250 m) is the oldest Hill Resort of the English. They called it Maxwell Hill. Tea was grown here for the first time. Unfortunately, that is no longer done. No private vehicles are allowed. You will be brought up in a 4-wheel drive jeep. You can rent a bungalow here, but you must reserve it in Taiping. Don't you stay the night? Then it might be a tip to walk down.
Bukit Tinggi offers French entertainment. It is a reconstructed French town (Colmar) with a hotel that consists of 8 blocks. A cozy square with terraces and entertainment make it very cozy. It is about an hour and a half's drive from the center of KL. There is also a golf course and a Japanese village.
Bukit Tinggi can also be an overnight stay en route from KL to Kuantan (or vice versa).
Queen of Arabian Sea – Kochi 2019 Travel, Kochi Best Places,Things to Do in Kochi!


text:
Q: How to get text under mouse in any open window I'm working on a project which is by C# language. I want to produce a Dictionary which is similar to Narcis or Easylingo that able the user to use the mouse and just move the cursor on the WORD in any application then the program detect the word and will find the meaning for that particular word.
My question is How I can detect the word which is under the Mouse Cursor on the screen in any application such as Microsoft office or Web browsers, etc.
I'm looking for any tips and guide or any Codes which can help me.
Your cooperation is highly appreciated.

A: You will need to fiddle with Win API capture the GDI calls that output text to the screen.
As suggested in this answer on SO,

Usually for GDI controls you can get the position and size of the control, and you can usually get the font info. For example, with static text controls you'd use WM_GETFONT. Then once you have that you can get the position of the mouse relative to the position of the control and use one of the font functions, perhaps something like GetTextExtentPoint32 to figure out what is under the cursor.

So try finding something in that direction.

A: You could possibly mimic the same features as Spy++ and capture WM_MOUSEMOVE events, pre-filter them and detect whenever the mouse is over a textbox or similar control.
It certainly won't be easy, and will take a lot of work and research!


Recent my mic would turn itself down so no one can hear me when I launch a game, specifically CS:GO and it will also turns itself down whenever I join a lobby in the Rainbow Six: Siege beta.
View and share your in-depth CS:GO statistics and overall leaderboards in CS:GO matchmaking. We can also scan your matchmaking demos to help you gain the edge over other players.
20/07/2016�� I recently had the pleasure of working as a back-end developer for a CS:GO gambling site. These controversial sites allowed Counterstrike: Global Offensive players to trade and gamble �skins�, which are basically in game models and art.


Sulla is persuaded to give Pompey his first triumph in Rome.
Pompey is granted his second triumph for his victories in Spain.
Pompey is granted his third triumph in Rome for his exploits in Asia.
Julius Caesar celebrates a triple triumph in Rome.
Vespasian and Titus celebrate a triumph in Rome following victory in Judaea.
Diocletian and Maximian celebrate a triumph in Rome for their victories in Britain and Africa.
Belisarius celebrates a triumph in Constantinople following victories against the Persians and Vandals.
211 BCE: Marcus Claudius Marcellus is given a triumph for his capture of Syracuse and victories in Sicily.
80 BCE: Sulla is persuaded to give Pompey his first triumph in Rome.
71 BCE: Pompey is granted his second triumph for his victories in Spain.
61 BCE: Pompey is granted his third triumph in Rome for his exploits in Asia.
46 BCE: Julius Caesar celebrates a triple triumph in Rome.
71 CE: Vespasian and Titus celebrate a triumph in Rome following victory in Judaea.
330 CE: Diocletian and Maximian celebrate a triumph in Rome for their victories in Britain and Africa.
534 CE: Belisarius celebrates a triumph in Constantinople following victories against the Persians and Vandals.


text:
Home News Industry News Modified 767 not seen as a replacement for the NMA: Boeing exec.
Modified 767 not seen as a replacement for the NMA: Boeing exec.
Steve Creedy
Boeing is not looking at a re-engined version of its venerable 767 as a replacement for the New Midsize Airplane (NMA), a senior executive has said.
Media reports have suggested the manufacturer might look at adding GenX engines to the 767 as a cheaper alternative to the NMA.
Boeing marketing executive Darren Hulst said the manufacturer was always looking at ways to make its products more efficient.
"But we don't have any plans for the 767 in terms of a replacement what we're looking at with the NMA or other products,'' he told a briefing in Sydney Australia Wednesday.
"I would say we're just continuing to look at what we can do with our existing products and what the market needs."
Analysis: Boeing 767-400 makeover does not make a 797.
Australia's Qantas is among a number of carriers that have expressed interest in the NMA, which Hulst said was "shooting the gap' between the top of the single-aisle market and the bottom of the widebody equivalent.
He said Boeing saw demand for the aircraft in three complementary market sectors.
There were markets that were dense today and had limited ability to grow due to slot constraints, capacity growth issues and infrastructure challenges.
Hulst said there as a need for an aircraft to break through what the single-aisle aircraft were offering without the inefficiency of a widebody,
The second type of market is these medium-haul markets that don't truly need the range of today's advanced technology long-haul planes but a medium-size solution.
From Australia, that could mean routes to South-east Asia orbit beyond as well as into high-density markets where a larger than single-aisle aircraft was really "a break-through value for revenue, productivity and profitability".
Going along with this was the ability to open new markets.
He pointed to the expansion of the long-haul networks with aircraft such as Boeing 787.
"If you have a tool that's 50 to 80 seats smaller than a widebody with 30 to 50 percent lower trip costs than a 787 or an A330, what does that enable airlines to do to create even more of these city-pair connections with even more opportunities,'' he said.
"I think it's three complementary spaces in the market and I think all of those exist here in this region as well; from trans-con, to the trans-Tasman all the way to finding new markets in Asia."
On the question of when a decision would be made on the NMA, Hulst said it would become more of a focus once the 737 MAX returns to service.
"In the meantime, there's still a team that's focused on it but the company's focused on the MAX,'' he said.
Asked how confident he was that the 737 MAX would re-enter service later this year, Hulst said the manufacturer believed it had done all it could from a software and hardware perspective with enhancements to the aircraft.
But it was really up to the regulators.
"It's the FAA, it's other global regulators … and their timing that dictates when the airplane will return to service,'' he said.
On other new planes, Hulst said the timetable for when the ultra-long-range 777-8 might enter service was still under service but he expected the first flight of the 777-9 and the plane's first delivery next year.
Qantas is looking at the 777-8 and as a contender in its Project Sunrise plans to launch non-stop flights to Australia's east coast. There has since been speculation Boeing will offer the bigger 777-9 with a reduced payload as an interim solution.
Hulst said Boeing was "absolutely committed to the 777-8 as a product and as a model: but when it would enter service depended on a combination of customer demand and how it aligned with the 777X program design and production system.
He said the manufacturer was committed to what the plane could do and working with Qantas to provide a solution that fitted the airline's needs.
"I don't have a specific date but we are absolutely committed to the 777-8 and think that it provides unique product capability that nothing else can on the market,'' he said.
Previous articleIs Qantas' Project Sunrise fading into the Sunset?
Next articleUltra-long-haul narrowbodies to disrupt low-cost intercontinental business


Fat Cat Exterminators knows all about disruptive pests and addresses our customers' need to rout this inconvenience quickly, effectively, and at a reasonable cost. We've earned our customers' trust because we offer the most up-to-date knowledge and technical expertise currently available. Our skilled technicians are bonded, insured, and licensed by the State of California. Fat Cat Exterminators stays current with the latest techniques and procedures –and pests. Each Fat Cat exterminator is wholly committed to providing meticulous and long-lasting pest control services to our customers.
Fat Cat Exterminators provides a preventative Integrated Pest Management (IPM) service that covers insects, rodents, bio-remediation, termite elimination, bird control and other urgent needs, plus sanitation review and consulting services. Integrated Pest Management involves a thorough, 14-point inspection, which identifies the conditions that have led to infestations.
We have completed successful pest control treatments for homes and other residences, manufacturing properties, retail facilities, office buildings, warehouses, power generation plants, school districts, government buildings, strip malls, hospitality and lodging properties and retirement homes in need of pest remediation.
Fat Cat Exterminators is a highly qualified and fully licensed CA State Contractor. This means that we can effectively repair structures that have been affected by termite damage.
Fat Cat Exterminators presents total pest control solutions that are custom-tailored to fit the needs of both residences and businesses in Orange County and the greater Los Angeles area. As a family-owned and operated company, we truly value our customer's business and show our appreciation with personalized attention and care. We work closely with our customers to create the most effective pest control services that eliminate current pests and prevent future pest-borne issues. Our inspection, monitoring, habit modification, and exclusion services ensure a complete pest solution solution every time. Each Fat Cat exterminator is fully licensed to perform all phases of pest control. We use state-of-the-art equipment and technologies, and provide our staff with ongoing training on pest biology, identification, and treatments methods.
If you have a commercial or residential pest control problem, know that our speedy, reliable services and superior extermination techniques will eliminate your pest issue. To go over your customized plan or schedule an appointment with an exterminator, please call (800) 797-7329 or click here to contact us today.
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text:
Q: Authentication failed on Laravel Vapor CLI I just installed Laravel Vapor today and am so excited to get started, but I've run into a wall with authentication from my Mac (using iTerm). I enter vapor login, then follow the prompts for Email Address: and Password:... and get Authentication failed. every time. I have triple-checked my email address, very carefully entered the password, checked caps lock is not on, and changed my password 3 times via the website and re-entered to see if it changed anything. I don't know what else I can do! Has anyone else run into this problem?? Any suggestions??

A: Upgrade to the latest version of laravel/vapor-cli which is v1.2.7. This version shows more details when the login authentication fails.
In my case, there was a problem with the openssl/cert.pem. Once I installed the certificate, I was able to login to vapor. You can install this certificate by using
brew install openssl


There are a lot of things that we have learned while owning this store and owning our animals and any information that we learn we love to share. Take a moment and look through the How To and find what you're looking for and if you don't email or call us and we will make sure we get you the information and we will also post to our website to share with the rest of the world. Enjoy and we hope the information is helpful.


1. Do I have to answer that?
We discovered that 42% of Australians have been asked an illegal question in an interview. What's more, of those who were asked an illegal question, 82% answered it.
41% of Australians think it's acceptable to stretch the truth during an interview, with the most commonly accepted lie being the reason they are looking for a new job. This lie was considered acceptable to nearly one in five (18%) job seekers.
Many Australians have taken pay cuts in the past, and most would consider it in the future. Interestingly, 31% of Australians have taken a pay cut before with the most common reason being for improved work-life balance.
More than half of Australians have felt the need to take a mental health day, but haven't actually done so. One in four have lied when taking a day off for their own mental health, despite most (83%) agreeing that their colleagues should be allowed mental health days.
34% of Australians expect to earn more than $83,000 in their first career job, signaling a potential disconnect between actual entry role salaries and expectations.
While 58% of Australians believe they are underpaid, two in three (66%) have never asked for a pay rise. Perhaps what's even more surprising is that 50% don't believe they ever will.
A large portion of job seekers are attending interviews in secret. One in five (20%) Australians will not talk to anyone about an upcoming interview, including their family and friends.
17% of Australians believe that the most stressful question to be asked in an interview is: 'What is your greatest weakness?'. This followed by 'Where do you see yourself in five years?' (13%) and ''Why do you think you're the best person for this role?' (11%).
10. SHOW ME THE...flexible working conditions?


Showing results for tags 'gamer of the week'.
As many of you all who voted last week are aware. Gamer of the Week Voting (36) has ended, and the winner was @DePemy However, during the voting, @DePemy contacted me explaining how he would be absent this week. And asked if I would place him in for the week after. I thought about it for awhile, and came to the decision that this was do-able, but I would have to remove the voting for next week. So instead of granting @DePemy the Gamer of the Week Position. I instead granted it to Gamer of the Week Runner-Up @Cupofrobots Before doing so, I emailed and Private Messaged both @Cupofrobots and @DePemy To let them know what is going on, and how this situation will be handled. Then I placed @Cupofrobots as the Winner of Gamer of the Week, for Week 36. And I have @DePemy set for Gamer of the Week winner of Week 37, and we have no voting for this week. Then I scheduled the Tweet and the CGN Post. "Congrats to our Gamer of the Week @Cupofrobots" After being viewed. This led to a fiery backlash by the community. Which makes perfect sense, because I was not able to inform you of my decisions in a timely fashion. Leading many to believe that I had chosen the winner out of pure favoritism. Which I can assure you, is not the case. I apologize for my actions, and I will do my best in the future to better inform the community of any and all decisions being made before they happen. I hope you all can forgive me, and I promise to do my best to amend for any damages I have caused between communities.


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Women's World Cup: Megan Rapinoe's heroics propel USWNT past France
USATSI
By Josh Schrock June 28, 2019 1:55 PM
Billed as the de facto Women's World Cup championship match -- the quarterfinal fit for a final -- USA versus France lived up to hype Friday.
Facing a crisp opponent locked on knocking the queens off their throne en route to what would be a historic win on home soil, the USWNT knew they'd need a memorable performance to get past the French.
A sloppy opening few minutes showed the Americans might not have their A-game, but Captain American arrived early at Parc des Princes. But instead of a shield and an iconic suit, Captain America arrived in Paris with pink hair and a deft touch.
Megan Rapinoe, who scored both goals in USWNT's Round of 16 win over Spain, struck early in the fifth minute Friday, skipping a free kick through Amandine Henry's legs and into the back of the net to give the Americans an early 1-0 lead.
DREAM START FOR THE USA! 🇺🇸@mpinoe's free kick gets past everyone as the @USWNT takes an early lead once again! #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/K5oHYnCyvD
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 28, 2019
Rapinoe had been in the news for the past few days after President Donald Trump scolded her for past comments about not wanting to visit the White House. The star midfielder stood by her comments, and then went and buried two in the back of the net against USWNT's fiercest foe, with the second marker coming in the 65th minute off a Tobin Heath pass to give the Americans a 2-0 advantage.
Megan Rapinoe is absolutely unstoppable. #USWNT leads 2-0.pic.twitter.com/TclYOGt1G5
— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) June 28, 2019
France outplayed the Americans for much of the match, but the USWNT's backline stood strong, and goalie Alyssa Naeher was solid in goal, allowing only Wendie Renard's 81st-minute strike that cut the lead to 2-1 -- the score the U.S. went on to win by, punching its ticket to the semifinals against England.
"Quadruple the amount of grit," Rapinoe said of her team's performance in the thrilling win. "You have to give it up to the French. I think they outplayed us for sure with the ball today, but we were so good defensively, so strong, We hit them where it hurts, we took our chances. This team -- just unreal amount of heart."
[RELATED: Hope Solo calls out USWNT for getting 'lucky' vs. Spain]
Rapinoe was undaunted in facing questions about Trump's tweets about her Thursday, making a quip about how her mother would disapprove of her language, and then pivoting to soccer and the tall task that lied ahead.
She arrived Friday at Parcs des Princes already an icon, both for her on-field ability and off-field activism. She left it, in the 87th minute, as a conquering hero. A savior of a superpower struggling to find its best.
But she, Megan Rapinoe, is USWNT's best. And she brought it when the team needed it most. Two strikes, one with each foot, delivered USWNT from disappointment and despair, and pushed the Americans past the one team most believed could be their undoing.
All champions eventually fall. Teams stumble, falter and fail when the moment gets too big or when fatigue sets in. This could have been that moment for USWNT.
Megan Rapinoe, Captain America, wouldn't allow it. And the Red, White and Blue of the USA is marching on, one step closer to completing their repeat dreams.
Tags: Josh Schrock, Team USA, 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, World Cup, USWNT, Megan Rapinoe
Aston Villa vs. Manchester City live stream: Watch EPL game online, on TV
By Ali Thanawalla January 11, 2020 11:28 PM
Manchester City are playing well right now and can move into second place in the Premier League with a win over Aston Villa on Sunday.
City is coming off a 3-1 win over rival Manchester United in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal, and enter Villa Park looking to pounce on a vulnerable opponent.
The Villans current sit 17th in the Prem and are in danger of being relegated. A win over City would put a little distance between Aston Villa and AFC Bournemouth, Watford and Norwich City toward the bottom of the table.
Here's how to watch Aston Villa vs. Manchester City live online and on TV:
When: Sunday, Jan. 12, at 11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT
Stream: NBCSports.com
Tags: English Premier League, Aston Villa, Manchester City
Liverpool set European record after outclassing Tottenham Hotspur
By Marcus White January 11, 2020 11:23 AM
Liverpool's march to the Premier League title continued unabated Saturday in a 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur, but the Reds also made European history Saturday in North London.
With 61 points after 21 matches, Liverpool set a record for points at this stage of a season in one of Europe's top five leagues (Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue Un). Paris Saint-Germain (2018-19), Juventus (2018-19), Manchester City (2017-18) and Bayern Munich (2013-14) shared the previous record with 59 points in 21 games.
61 - @LFC have won 61 points in the Premier League in 2019-20 - the most any side has ever registered after 21 games in a single season across Europe's big five leagues (assuming 3pts/win). Imperious. #TOTLIV pic.twitter.com/b9KvNnciEk
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 11, 2020
The reigning kings of Europe fittingly set the record against the foes they vanquished in June's UEFA Champions League Final. Liverpool beat Tottenham 2-0 on June 1 in Madrid, and the Reds dominated Spurs from beginning to end Saturday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Liverpool knocked on the door for the entirety of the first half, completely pinning Tottenham in their own half. Roberto Firmino's 37th-minute opener was a long time coming and happened as Spurs' back line -- featuring 20-year-old Japhet Tanganga on his Premier League debut -- finally wilted under the Reds' pressure.
1-0 THROUGH BOBBY FIRMINO 🔴 pic.twitter.com/18tqO5HhW5
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) January 11, 2020
Spurs struggled to get the ball out of their own half in the first 45 minutes. Squakwa Football noted that Liverpool central defender Virgil van Dijk completed more passes in Tottenham's half than any Spurs player even attempted on the other end.
Tottenham managed to fight back in the second half, with Son Heung-Min skying a shot over the bar in the 75th minute on a counter-attack sprung by second-half substitute Giovani Lo Celso. Lo Celso missed a volley in the 83rd minute on Spurs' best opportunity to equalize.
Spurs manager José Mourinho wasn't mad. It was just funny to him.
A near miss from Lo Celso, Mourinho can't help but laugh, Klopp is losing it 😳 pic.twitter.com/RLYzLPVafE
Liverpool laughed last, however, and have more history in their sights en route to the club's first-ever Premier League title. The Reds are 12 matches away from setting the league record for the longest unbeaten streak, and they've now played the equivalent of an entire Premier League season without dropping a match.
Liverpool have remained unbeaten in the Premier League for the equivalent of an entire season:
WWDDWDWDWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWDWWWWWWWWWWWW
🏆❔ pic.twitter.com/AIWnowFW5R
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) January 11, 2020
104 - @LFC have accrued 104 points across their last 38 Premier League matches (W33 D5 L0); this is a record total by any team across a 38-match spell in the competition's history, overtaking 102-point stretches by Man City (ending in 2018) and Chelsea (2005). Juggernaut. pic.twitter.com/r8PLzorzhJ
A legendary season for Liverpool, indeed.
Tags: Liverpool, Soccer, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur
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Christian's Music Musings
Celebrating music craftsmanship
Tag: Motown
The Temptations and Four Tops Shine On After 60-Plus Years
Iconic Motown acts deliver sweet soul music old school style and in perfect harmony at St. George Theatre on Staten Island, N.Y.
Nope, it wasn't just my imagination, runnin' away with me. On Thursday evening, I actually found myself at my first larger-scale indoor concert since January 2020: The Temptations and Four Tops at St. George Theatre, an old beautiful 2,800-seat performance venue on Staten Island, N.Y. I literally didn't make the final decision to go until the morning of the show. In the end, perhaps I'm weaker than a man should be, I can't help myself. One thing is for sure: It felt so damn good!
I've deliberately been avoiding large crowds since this bloody pandemic began, especially in closed rooms, so my decision to attend this show didn't come easy. In the end, I felt the risk was acceptable, given the Covid numbers have been trending down, I'm fully vaccinated and I was wearing a mask for additional protection. In addition, performance venues in New York require that all visitors provide proof of vaccination before they can be admitted. Frankly, I wish New Jersey would do the same. On to the show!
Yours truly at St. George Theatre, which first opened its doors on December 4, 1929. And, yes, there was a big smile behind that mask!
I trust none of these two iconic Motown acts need much of an introduction. The Temptations, who opened the evening, were formed in 1960 in Detroit, Mich. Initially called The Elgins, the original members included Otis Williams, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams and Elbridge "Al" Bryant. Not surprisingly, the group's composition has changed many times over the decades. Notably, Williams who just turned 80 on October 30, is still part of the current line-up, which also includes Terry Weeks (since 1997), Willie Greene (since 2015), Ron Tyson (since 1983) and Larry Braggs (since 2016). Braggs couldn't be there since he was under the weather, as Williams put it, but the four of them did a marvelous job on vocals.
Following are a few clips I took from their set. First up: Ain't Too Proud to Beg. Co-written by producer Norman Whitfield and Edward Holland Jr., part of the songwriting and production powerhouse of Holland-Dozier-Holland, Ain't Too Proud to Beg was first released as a single in May 1966 and also included on The Temptations' fourth studio album Gettin' Ready from June of the same year. The song became their fourth no. 1 on Billboard's Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart. It also reached no. 13, no. 32 and 21 on the mainstream charts in the U.S., Canada and UK, respectively.
For the most part, The Temptations presented their songs blending into each other, which made recording a bit tricky. Luckily, Setlist.fm included the song line-up from another recent show and, as far as I could tell, they replicated that same set. Here's the highlight of their show and perhaps the highlight of the night: Just My Imagination (Runnin' Away With Me) and Papa Was a Rollin' Stone. Just My Imagination, co-written by Whitfield and Barrett Strong, first appeared as a single in January 1971 and was also part of the group's 14th studio album Sky's the Limit. The song became their third to top the Billboard Hot 100 and reached no. 8 in the UK, one of their most successful hits there. Papa Was a Rollin' Stone, another Whitfield-Barrett co-write, with its edgy psychedelic soul sound set quite a contrast. Originally, this tune was released as a single in May 1972 by The Undisputed Truth, another Motown act. But it was the version by The Temptations from September that year, which turned the great tune into a major hit, both in the U.S. and internationally. Once again, it topped the Billboard Hot 100, reached no. 12 in Canada, and became a top 20 hit in the UK and various European countries.
The last tune from the group's set I'd like to call out was the closer My Girl, which Williams called The Temptations' anthem. Co-written by Smokey Robinson and Ronald White who also both produced the tune, My Girl became the group's first big hit and a signature song. First released in December 1964, it reached no. 1 in the U.S. on both the mainstream and R&B Singles charts, climbed to no. 8 in Canada, and peaked at no. 2 in each the UK and Ireland. My Girl was also included on The Temptations' sophomore album The Temptations Sing Smokey, which appeared in March 1965.
Here's the entire setlist (based on the aforementioned entry in Setlist.fm)
– Get Ready
– Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)
– The Way You Do the Things You Do
– Ain't Too Proud to Beg
– Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)
– I Wish It Would Rain
– Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)/Papa Was a Rollin' Stone (The Undisputed Truth cover)
– I Can't Get Next to You
– Is it Gonna Be Yes Or No
– Waitin' On You
– Treat Her Like a Lady
– My Girl
After a 10 to 15-minute intermission, it was the Four Tops' turn. That vocal quartet was first established as the Four Aims in 1953 in the Motor City. This means the group has been around for some 68 years, which I find absolutely incredible. What's even more amazing is that one of the founding members, Abdul "Duke" Fakir, who is turning 86 years in December, is still part of the current line-up! The other original members were Levi Stubbs, Renaldo "Obi" Benson and Lawrence Payton. That line-up remarkably performed for more than 40 years until 1997 without any changes. Apart from Fakir, the group's present members are Ronnie McNeir (since 1999), Alexander Morris (since 2019) and Lawrence Payton Jr., the son of original member Payton (since 2005).
Here's Baby I Need Your Loving, the Four Tops' first Motown single. Written by the aforementioned Holland-Dozier-Holland and released in July 1964, it marked an impressive start, reaching no. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and going all the way to no. 4 in Canada. The song was also included on the Four Tops' eponymous debut album from January 1965.
Similar to The Temptations, the Four Tops hardly left breaks between their songs and combined some in medleys. Here's a mighty triple combo of Reach Out (I'll Be There), Standing in the Shadows of Love and I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch). All of these three tunes, which formed the finale of the group's set, were penned by Holland-Dozier-Holland. First released in 1966, Reach Out was the second Four Tops song to top both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot R&B Singles charts. Also reaching no. 1 in the UK, no. 4 in Ireland, no. 6 in each The Netherlands and Canada, and no. 10 in Belgium, Reach Out became one of the group's biggest hits and one of Motown's best-known songs. Standing in the Shadows of Love couldn't quite match that enormous chart success, but still climbed to no. 6 on the U.S. and British mainstream charts. I Can't Help Myself marked the first no. 1 for the Four Tops in the U.S. on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot R&B Singles charts. In the U.K., it got to no. 23.
Here's the list of songs the Four Tops performed:
– Loco in Acapulco
– Baby I Need Your Loving
– Bernadette
– Same Old Song / Shake Me, Wake Me
– I Believe in You and Me
– I Got a Feeling
– Mack the Knife
– What's Going On (Marvin Gaye cover)
– When She Was My Girl
– Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)
– Reach Out (I'll Be There) / Standing in the Shadows of Love
– I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)
What else can I say? Other than sharing a 10-piece horn section, The Temptations and Four Tops were backed by excellent separate bands. One cool factoid the Four Tops' Fakir shared is that their backing band featured Earl Van Dyke Jr. on keyboards. He's the son of Earl Van Dyke, the main keyboarder for Motown's house band The Funk Brothers. Similar to Booker T. & the M.G.'s at Stax, The Funk Brothers can be heard on countless Motown recordings between 1959 and 1972.
Speaking of Stax, I've noted before that Motown introduced me to soul, which eventually led me to Stax, my favorite soul label these days. Having said this, while the Motown formula they used during the '60s can become repetitive, many of these songs were done incredibly well, thanks in part due to excellent studio musicians like The Funk Brothers. That's something I realized once again listening to this music on Thursday night.
The final thoughts in this post shall belong to Otis Williams, who was quoted on the website of St. George Theatre as follows: "When I tell people we are God's group…I don't mean it arrogantly. It's just that we have been tested time and again and keep coming back. We have suffered the death of so many legendary singers…Paul Williams, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin. Other's like Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, Ali-Ollie Woodson and Theo Peoples have left, and yet our unity is tighter, our sound brighter and our popularity greater. Someone has watched over this group. Someone has protected our integrity. Someone has said…just go on singing and it'll get better."
Sources: Wikipedia; St. George Theatre website; YouTube
Author christiansmusicmusingsPosted on November 7, 2021 November 7, 2021 Categories ConcertsTags Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Alexander Morris, Baby I Need Your Loving, Barrett Strong, Earl Van Dyke, Earl Van Dyke Jr., Eddie Kendricks, Edward Holland Jr., Elbridge "Al" Bryant, Four Aims, Four Tops, Holland-Dozier-Holland, I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch), Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me), Lawrence Payton, Lawrence Payton Jr., Levi Stubbs, Motown, My Girl, Norman Whitfield, Otis Williams, Papa Was A Rollin' Stone, Paul Williams, Psychedelic Soul, Reach Out (I'll Be There), Renaldo "Obi" Benson, Ron Tyson, Ronald White, Ronnie McNeir, Sky's The Limit, Smokey Robinson, Soul, Standing in the Shadows of Love, Terry Weeks, The Elgins, The Funk Brothers, The Temptations, The Temptations Sing Smokey, The Undisputed Truth, Willie Greene17 Comments on The Temptations and Four Tops Shine On After 60-Plus Years
Silent Night by The Temptations is my favorite rendition of a Christmas carol. Over the past few years, I've gotten into the habit to listen to this gem at this time of the year, even though I'm not much intro traditional Christmas music. But The Temptations and their magic harmony singing are truly in a league by themselves!
Silent Night (original German title: Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht) was written in 1818 by Austrian church organist and composer Franz Xaver Gruber, with lyrics by Joseph Mohr, an Austrian Roman Catholic priest and writer. The Temptations recorded it for their second Christmas album Give Love At Christmas released in August 1980.
No matter whether and how you celebrate it, I wish you peace and happiness!
Sources: Wikipedia; YouTube
Author christiansmusicmusingsPosted on December 24, 2020 Categories Clips & PixTags Christmas Carols, Franz Xaver Gruber, Give Love At Christmas, Joseph Mohr, Motown, Silent Night, Soul, The Temptations7 Comments on Happy Holidays!
My Playlist: Fab Four Covers
What do you do in music when you run out of ideas? Get "inspired" by the work of others and claim it as your own ingenious creation. And get good legal representation. Just ask Led Zeppelin!
For any first time visitors, I totally dig Zep and Stairway To Heaven. I'm glad they recorded that song, which probably is my most favorite rock tune. Messrs. Page and Plant just should have given credit where credit was due, even if ripping off Taurus by Spirit was a subconscious act. Okay, 'nuff going on a tangent, this is supposed to be a happy post. And guess what? It totally was my idea! 🙂
This morning, I watched a clip of a Paul McCartney appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. At some point, Colbert noted many other artists had done covers of Beatles songs, adding he believed Yesterday was the most covered tune. He then asked McCartney about his favorite version. Thinking about Yesterday, McCartney mentioned Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and his favorite, Marvin Gaye. Then I completely erased the clip from my memory.
Fast-forward 30 minutes. I'm sitting at my computer, and suddenly out of nowhere, a flash of ingenuity hit me. What if I did a playlist of Beatles songs covered by other artists? What a brilliant and original idea, I thought, so here it is!
Got To Get You Into My Life (Earth, Wind & Fire)
Essentially, this was an homage to Motown, which The Beatles recorded in 1966 for the Revolver album. In July 1978, Earth, Wind & Fire released a fantastic cover of the tune as a single. It also was part of the less than stellar feature film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Feel free to snip along!
Yesterday (Marvin Gaye)
I trust this song needs no further introduction. What you may not have known is that none other than the fabulous Marvin Gaye recorded a take of the timeless ballad. And when Marvin sang, magic happened most of the time. He included his version of Yesterday on his tenth studio album That's The Way Love Is from January 1970. Just listen to this – makes me feel like floating in space!
We Can Work It Out (Stevie Wonder)
We Can Work It Out is a non-album single The Beatles issued in December 1965 as a double A-side with Day Tripper. Stevie Wonder liked the song and decided to record a take for his August 1970 studio album Signed, Sealed & Delivered. Who can blame him? According to Wikipedia, Wonder performed the tune for McCartney on various occasions. Even if you're Paul McCartney, it's gotta be cool to witness Stevie Wonder playing one of your songs!
Eleanor Rigby (Ray Charles)
This is one of my all-time favorite Beatles tunes and another track from the Revolver album. I also dig this cover by Ray Charles, which he recorded as a single in 1968.
In My Life (Johnny Cash)
In My Life is one of the most beautiful and moving songs John Lennon has written and a standout on the Rubber Soul album, in my opinion. Gosh, I can't deny this tune gets me every time! At first, I wanted to feature the cover by Bette Midler, a fantastic vocalist. Then I came across this take by Johnny Cash, which blew me away. There's perhaps nobody better than the Man in Black when it comes to conveying raw emotion and vulnerability, especially during the later stages of his career. This take is from American IV: The Man Comes Around, a studio album released in November 2002, about 10 months before he passed away.
She's A Woman (José Feliciano)
José Feliciano is an artist I've admired for many years, not only because of his outstanding guitar-playing, but also because of great covers he has done and how he has made them his own. Check out this amazing version of She's A Woman, which The Beatles initially released as the B-side to their I Feel Fine single in November 1964. Feliciano's take also first appeared as a single, in 1969. I love how he gave it a Latin jazz type groove.
If I Needed Someone (Roger McGuinn)
If I Needed Someone has become one of my favorite Beatles and George Harrison tunes. And who better to cover it than Roger McGuinn, the man who after seeing George playing a Rickenbacker guitar on TV knew that jingle-jangle sound was made for him and The Byrds. If I Needed Someone is another gem on Rubber Soul. McGuinn recorded his version for his seventh solo album Limited Edition that came out in April 2004. Every time I hear that distinct Rickenbacker sound, I'm getting the same sentiment than listening to a Hammond B3 – I want one. So badly!
I'm leaving you with one more cover, which perhaps is the ultimate rock remake of all time: With A Little Help From My Friends by Joe Cocker. Cocker has recorded strong versions of various Beatles tunes, but this one from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the crown jewel. It became the title track of his debut album from May 1969.
Author christiansmusicmusingsPosted on December 27, 2019 February 14, 2021 Categories My PlaylistTags American IV: The Man Comes Around, Bette Midler, Day Tripper, Earth Wind & Fire, Eleanor Rigby, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, George Harrison, Got To Get You Into My Life, I Feel Fine, If I Needed Someone, In My Life, Jazz, Joe Cocker, Johnny Cash, Jose Feliciano, Latin, Led Zeppelin, Limited Edition, Marvin Gaye, Motown, Pop, Ray Charles, Revolver, Rock, Roger McGuinn, Rubber Soul, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, She's A Woman, Signed Sealed & Delivered, Soul, Spirit, Stairway To Heaven, Stevie Wonder, Taurus, That's The Way Love Is, The Beatles, The Byrds, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, We Can Work It Out, With A Little Help From My Friends, Yesterday6 Comments on My Playlist: Fab Four Covers
Multi-Part Harmonies And Seductive Grooves – The Magic Of The Temptations
When it comes to vocal groups, I can't think of a more compelling example than The Temptations. Their perfect multi-part harmonies have impressed me from the very first moment I heard them sometime during my early teenage years. I was reminded of The Temptations' mighty singing while listening to a Christmas playlist yesterday that includes their beautiful rendition of Silent Night. Since I'm a huge fan of great harmony vocals, I decided a tribute post was an order.
The story of The Temptations began in Detroit in 1960 when members of two other vocal bands formed a group called The Elgins: Otis Williams, Elbridge "Al" Bryant and Melvin Franklin of Otis Williams & the Distants, and Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams who came from a group called The Primes. Following an audition in March 1961, an impressed Berry Gordy signed the group to Motown imprint Miracle Records. However, there was one problem. The name Elgins was already taken by another band. According to Wikipedia, Miracle Records employee Billy Mitchell, songwriter Mickey Stevenson, Otis Williams and Paul Williams came up with the idea to call the group The Temptations.
In April 1961, the group released their debut single Oh, Mother of Mine. Co-written by Otis Williams and Mickey Stevenson, who also produced the track, the tune was not successful. Neither were the following seven singles The Temptations released. In January 1964, Al Bryant was replaced by David Ruffin, marking the start of "The Classic Five" era that would turn the group into superstars. In the meantime, Smokey Robinson had become their producer, and it was one of his tunes that became the group's first no. 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot R&B Singles charts: My Girl, released in December 1964. Every time I hear that song, I got sunshine, no matter how cloudy my day may be. By the way, that cool bass intro is played by the amazing James Jamerson. Feel free to snip and groove along!
While it would take The Temptations another four and a half years before scoring their second double no. 1 on the Hot 100 and Hot R&B Singles charts, they released plenty of other hits in the meantime, many of which topped the Hot R&B Singles. Here's one of my favorites: Get Ready, another tune written and produced by Smokey Robinson. I was going to feature an audio clip of the track but couldn't resist using the below footage instead, which was captured during a TV appearance in 1966. The song appeared in February that year. Even though none of the singing and music are live, just watching the dance choreography of these guys and the female backing dancers is priceless!
And then the era of The Classic Five came to an end after success and fame apparently had gotten to David Ruffin's head. His behavior led to friction with the other members of the group, and The Temptations ended up firing him on June 27, 1968. The very next day, he was replaced by Dennis Edwards, a former member of The Contours. The new line-up became what some called the group's "second classic line-up." But more changes were in store.
Norman Whitfield took over as producer, and The Temptations started adopting a more edgy sound, influenced by contemporaries like Sly & The Family Stone and Funkadelic. The group's four-year psychedelic soul period kicked off with their ninth studio album Cloud Nine from February 1969. The record climbed to no. 4 on the Billboard 200 and brought the group their first Grammy Award in the category Best Rhythm & Blues Group Performance, Vocal or Instrumental. Here's Run Away Child, Running Wild, a co-write by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. A shorter version of the tune was also released separately as a single and became another no. 1 on the Hot R&B Singles chart. Here's the full album version. That's one hell of a hot funky tune!
Even though The Temptations had come a long way from their oftentimes romantic songs that marked their early years, the group did not entirely abandon sweet ballads. Here's one of the most beautiful in my opinion, released in January 1971: Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me). Evidently, the public liked it as well. The song became the group's third and last to top both the Hot 100 and Hot R&B Singles charts. Interestingly, it was written by the same guys who penned Runaway Child, Running Wild. Perhaps appropriately, the track also appeared on an album called Sky's The Limit. Damn, these guys could harmonize – it's pure perfection and actually no imagination!
Writing about The Temptations' psychedelic soul era wouldn't be complete without including another epic tune: Papa Was A Rollin' Stone, another Whitfield-Barrett gem. Initially, it was recorded and released as a single in May 1972 by another Motown act called The Undisputed Truth – something I had not known until I did some research for this post. While their original is pretty cool, I still prefer The Temptations' version. Interestingly, it hit no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 but "only" peaked at no. 5 on the Hot R&B Singles chart. Here it is in its full 12-minute glory!
By the time of the release of 1990 in December 1973, The Temptations had become tired of psychedelic soul and wanted to move back to their more upbeat style and lyrics of the '60s. The album turned out to be the final record produced by Whitfield. January 1975 saw the release of the group's next studio album A Song For You. Wikipedia lists a hodge-podge of producers, including Berry Gordy, Jeffrey Bowen, James Anthony Carmichael, Suzy Wendy Ikeda, Clayton Ivey and Terry Woodford. The record was the group's last to top the Billboard Hot R&B LPs chart. It also featured their two last no. 1 singles on the Hot R&B Singles chart, Happy People and Shakey Ground. Here's the latter, a nice groovy tune co-written by Jeffrey Bowen, Alphonso Boyd and Funkadelic guitarist Eddie Hazel, who also played lead guitar on the track.
Following A Song For You, success dried up. After the release of The Temptations Do The Temptations in August 1976, the group left Motown and signed with Atlantic Records. That didn't change their trajectory, and after two albums, they returned to Motown in 1980. Two years later, they reunited with co-founder Eddie Kendricks and "Classic Five" era member David Ruffin for a tour, during which they recorded a studio album appropriately titled Reunion. Released in April 1982, the record marked a comeback of sorts, peaking at no. 2 on the Hot R&B LPs and a respectable no. 37 on the Billboard 200. Here's opener Standing On The Top, a funk tune written and produced by Rick James, who also contributed vocals and clavinet.
While success has largely eluded them since Reunion, The Temptations have released 17 additional studio albums. The most recent, All The Time, appeared in 2018. Here's Stay With Me, a cover of the beautiful pop soul tune by English songwriter and vocalist Sam Smith. In fact, when I heard this version for the first time, I thought it was Smith together with The Temptations, but apparently it's not. The tune is credited to Smith, James Napier and William Phillips, as well as Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne, following a legal settlement. After the song's release, Petty's published had noticed a similarity to I Won't Back Down and reached out to Smith's team.
Altogether, The Temptations have had an impressive 14 chart-toppers on the Hot R&B LPs, including eight in a row between March 1965 and February 1969 – I suspect this must be a record. The group also scored 14 no. 1 hits on the Hot R&B Singles chart and topped the Hot 100 chart four times. In 1989, The Temptations (Dennis Edwards, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, David Ruffin, Otis Williams and Paul Williams) were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone has ranked them at no. 68 on their list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
The Temptations are active to this day, with Otis Williams remaining as the only original founding member. The other current line-up includes Ron Tyson (since 1983), Terry Weeks (since 1997) and Willie Green (since 2016). Next year, the group will embark on a tour through the U.S., U.K. and Germany to celebrate their 60th anniversary. This includes two dates in May in my area. My wife and I saw The Temptations once in the early 2000s at The Apollo in New York City, together with The Four Tops. We both remember it as a great show, so we're thinking to catch them again. The current tour schedule is here.
Sources: Wikipedia; Temptations website; YouTube
Author christiansmusicmusingsPosted on December 26, 2019 Categories OtherTags 1990, A Song For You, Alphonso Boyd, Barrett Strong, Berry Gordy, Billy Mitchell, Clayton Ivey, Dennis Edwards, Eddie Hazel, Eddie Kendricks, Elbridge "Al" Bryant, Funkadelic, Get Ready, Happy People, I Won't Back Down, James Anthony Carmichael, James Jamerson, James Napier, Jeff Lynne, Jeffrey Bowen, Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me), Led Zeppelin, Melvin Franklin, Mickey Stevenson, Motown, My Girl, Norman Whitfield, Otis Williams, Otis Williams & the Distants, Papa Was A Rollin' Stone, Paul Williams, Psychedelic Soul, R&B, Reunion, Rick James, Ron Tyson, Run Away Child Running Wild, Sam Smith, Shakey Ground, Sky's The Limit, Sly & The Family Stone, Smokey Robinson, Soul, Standing On The Top, Stay With Me, Suzy Wendy Ikeda, Terry Weeks, Terry Woodford, The Contours, The Elgins, The Four Tops, the Primes, The Temptations, The Temptations Do The Temptations, The Temptations Sing Smokey, The Undisputed Truth, Tom Petty, William Phillips4 Comments on Multi-Part Harmonies And Seductive Grooves – The Magic Of The Temptations
Clips & Pix: The Temptations/Silent Night
Usually, I'm not much into traditional Christmas music, but this rendition of Silent Night by The Temptations is one of the most beautiful holiday tunes I know. It truly touches me every time I listen to it.
Silent Night (original German title: Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht) is a Christmas carol from 1818, written by Austrian church organist and composer Franz Xaver Gruber, with lyrics by Joseph Mohr, an Austrian Roman Catholic priest and writer. The Temptations recorded it for their second Christmas album Give Love At Christmas released in August 1980.
I feel The Temptations are in a category by themselves. There's simply no other vocal group I'm aware of, who can sing in perfect four or five-part vocal harmony like the legendary Motown quintet.
Sources: Wikipedia, YouTube
Author christiansmusicmusingsPosted on December 25, 2018 Categories Clips & PixTags Franz Xaver Gruber, Give Love At Christmas, Joseph Mohr, Motown, Silent Night, Soul, The Temptations5 Comments on Clips & Pix: The Temptations/Silent Night
What I've Been Listening To: Stevie Wonder/Talking Book
Stevie Wonder's 15th studio album is one of the many gems in his incredible catalog.
When it comes to an artist like Stevie Wonder, who has written, produced and released so much amazing music throughout a 50-year-plus career, it's hard to decide which album to highlight. Undoubtedly, one of the reasons I picked Talking Book is Superstition, one of my all-time favorite tunes.
Various things amaze me about Wonder's 15th studio album, which was released in Oct 1972. Even though he was only 22 years when he recorded it, Wonder already had a 10-year recording career under his belt. He also took the bold step to abandon the Motown template of radio-friendly songs that had brought him fame. As reported in this excellent NPR segment from 2000, Wonder called Talking Book a turning point, "his first real growth as a boy becoming a man…making all of the artistic decisions himself and relying less on Motown head Berry Gordy for direction."
But Gordy did convince Wonder to record one song himself, instead of giving it to his friend Jeff Beck: Superstition. And when you hear the tune's intro, it's not hard to see why Wonder had Beck in mind – it sounds very much like a guitar riff. In fact, I initially thought it was an electric guitar altered with some sound effect. Instead, Wonder used a Clavinet, an electrically amplified clavichord, and created a cool sound nobody had ever heard before.
Superstition came to Wonder while touring with The Rolling Stones. "The first thing that I put down were the drums and then after that I put the Clavinet down, and really, I just starting singing the melody," he told NPR. "I think that the reason that I talked about being superstitious is because I really didn't believe in it. I didn't believe in the different things that people say about breaking glasses or the number 13 is bad luck, and all those various things. And to those, I said, 'When you believe in things you don't understand, then you suffer.'"
Wonder's drums and the Clavinet, together with the tenor saxophone and trumpet parts played by Trevor Laurence and Steve Madaio, respectively, give Superstition a killer funk groove that immediately invites you to move. The tune, which became the album's lead single, hit no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973, and climbed to no. 11 in the UK in Feb that year. In 2011, Rolling Stone ranked it 73 in its 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Another standout on the album is the opener, You Are the Sunshine of My Life. Wonder's Fender Rhoades electric piano and the congas played by Daniel Ben Zebulon give this beautiful mid-tempo ballad a very relaxed feel. Wonder gets some support on vocals from singers Jim Gilstrap, Lani Groves and Gloria Barley. The tune became the second single from the album and Wonder's third no. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. In March 1974, it also won Wonder the Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
For the most part, the lyrics on Talking Book deal with love and heartbreak. A notable exception is Big Brother, where Wonder follows contemporary artists like Marvin Gave, Curtis Mayfield and James Brown with socially conscious lyrics – an approach he would further embrace on his next studio album Innervisions with songs like Too High and Living For the City. An excerpt: Your name is big brother/You say that you're watching me on the tele/Seeing me go nowhere/Your name is big brother/You say that you're tired of me protesting/Children die everyday/My name is nobody/But I can't wait to see your face inside my door ooh…The song is also notable for Wonder's use of a Moog bass synthesizer and a drum from West Africa – another testament to his fascination with new sounds.
"I felt that the Moog synthesizer enabled me to reshape the oscillator, having control of the ataxias and sustained release," Wonder explained to NPR. "I was able to really create various sounds, bass sounds and was able to bend notes the way that I heard them being bent, create different sounds of horns, string sounds and string lines and really arrange them in the way that I felt I wanted them to sound."
Talking Book was produced by Wonder with some help from Robert Margouleff and Malcolm Cecil, with whom he had also worked on his preceding album Music of My Mind. A multi-instrumentalist, Wonder played most of the instruments himself, including drums, Fender Rhoades, Clavinet, Moog bass synthesizer, TONTO synthesizer and harmonica. Notable guest musicians included Beck (electric guitar), Buzz Feiten (electric guitar), Ray Parker Jr. (electric guitar) and David Sanborn (alto saxophone).
The album has been well received by music critics. A Rolling Stone review by Vince Aletti called it, "an exceptional, exciting album, the work of a now quite matured genius and, with Marvin Gaye's What's Going On, Sly's There's a Riot Goin' On (an answer album?) and Wonder's own Music of My Mind, one of the most impressive recent records from a black popular performer." AllMusic's John Bush characterized the album as "a laser beam of tight songwriting, warm electronic arrangements, and ebullient performances."
Here is a clip of a fantastic live performance of Superstition.
Sources: Wikipedia, NPR, Rolling Stone, AllMusic, YouTube
Author christiansmusicmusingsPosted on May 6, 2017 June 24, 2017 Categories What I've Been Listening To...Tags Motown, Soul, Stevie Wonder4 Comments on What I've Been Listening To: Stevie Wonder/Talking Book
What I've Been Listening to: Marvin Gaye/What's Going On
Marvin Gaye's seminal 1971 album transformed him from Motown's most successful pop artist to a social singer.
The clip of Marvin Gaye performing What's Going On, which I posted on the blog last night, reminded me of his seminal record from 1971. The concept album, which pushed the envelope at the time with lyrics that remain eerily relevant to this day, is one of my favorite records from one of my favorite soul artists. Not only was it broadly acclaimed, it also became Gaye's and Motown's most successful record at the time, selling more than two million copies by the end of 1972.
In the spring of 1970, Gaye was in a deep depression. Singer Tammi Terrell, his duet partner on songs like Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Your Precious Love and Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing, had passed away from brain cancer at the age of 24. His marriage with Anna Gordy, an older sister of Motown founder Berry Gordy, was failing. And Gaye's younger brother, Frances "Frankie" Gaye, had returned from Vietnam, sharing with Marvin the horrors of war he had seen firsthand.
Then Obie Benson from The Four Tops handed Gaye a protest song, What's Going On, after his band and Joan Baez had passed on it. The tune had been inspired by police brutality against young anti-war protesters in Berkeley, Calif., which Benson had witnessed during a tour with his band. Gaye liked the song and initially had in mind to record it with Motown quartet The Originals. But Benson insisted that Gaye sing the song himself. It would prove to be the channel Gaye needed to express what was going through his mind and plant the seed for an entire album.
When Berry Gordy heard the tune for the first time, he reportedly called it "the worst thing I ever heard in my life." He was concerned the song was too political and would not sell. But Gaye didn't take no for an answer and refused to record anything else for Motown unless Gordy would change his mind. With the support of Motown executive Harry Balk and company sales executive Barney Ales, the song was released without Gordy's knowledge.
What's Going On became an overnight sensation and Motown's fastest-selling single at the time. Only during the first week, more than 100,000 copies were flying off the shelves. The song also climbed to no. 2 on the Billboard Pop Chart and hit no. 1 on the R&B Chart. A stunned Gordy told Gaye he could record whatever music he wanted, as long as he'd finish an album within 30 days. Gaye did not need any further prompting and returned to the studio.
In only 10 days, between March 1 and March 10, 1971, Gaye recorded eight additional tracks for what would become a concept album. Kicking off with the title track, most songs lead into the next and have a similar laid back groove that is in marked contrast to the lyrics. Gaye covered a broad range of "heavy" topics, such as social unrest (What's Going On), disillusioned Vietnam war veterans (What's Happening Brother) – a song about his brother Frankie; environmental degradation (Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)); and the bleak socioeconomic situation of inner-city America (Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)). The aforementioned songs are also the album's musical highlights, in my opinion.
Reflecting on What's Going On, Gaye told Rolling Stone, "In 1969 or 1970, I began to reevaluate my whole concept of what I wanted my music to say. I was very much affected by letters my brother was sending me from Vietnam, as well as the social situation here at home. I realized I had to put my own fantasies behind me if I wanted to write songs that would reach the souls of people. I wanted them to take a look at what was happening in the world."
Gaye dedicated the album to Marvin Gaye Sr., his strict father and a baptist minister, who had introduced him to singing through church music but also abused him as a child. Throughout his life, Marvin would seek his father's approval, but whatever he did wasn't good enough. During an excellent PBS documentary Marvin Gaye, What's Going On, Motown road manager Joe Schaffner explained: "Marvin went to buy his dad a Cadillac. He would send him all kinds of gifts…His father would accept them…But he would never come to grips and say, 'thank you,' or smile, or none of that!" Instead, he would tragically become the man who would shoot Marvin to death during a physical argument on April 1, 1984.
What's Going On was Gaye's first record to hit the top 10 on the Billboard Top LPs. It climbed to no. 6 and stayed on the chart for almost one year. The album also became Motown's and Gaye's best-selling record until his 1973 release Let's Get It On. The album was broadly hailed by music critics. It also received numerous accolades, including best album of all time, as voted by writers on British music weekly NME, and a no. 6 ranking on Rolling Stone's 2003 list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. It was also one of 50 recordings selected by the Library of Congress that same year to be added to the National Recording Registry.
As first reported by Variety in July 2016, another film documentary about Gaye and the making of What's Going On was planned by Noah Media Group and Greenlight. Production was slated to begin later in the year. Marvin, What's Going On? was to include contributions from Gaye's ex-wife Janis Gaye and his children Nona, Marvin III and Frankie Gaye – the first time his family supported such a project. Since I haven't seen any other reports, I assume the film has not appeared yet.
Here's a nice collage clip of Mercy Mercy Me.
Sources: Wikipedia; "Marvin Gaye, What's Going On" (PBS "American Masters" documentary, May 2008; Performing Songwriter Be Heard; Rolling Stone; Variety; YouTube
Author christiansmusicmusingsPosted on April 15, 2017 June 24, 2017 Categories What I've Been Listening To...Tags Marvin Gaye, Motown, WhatsGoingOnLeave a comment on What I've Been Listening to: Marvin Gaye/What's Going On
Clips & Pix: Marvin Gaye/What's Going On
A clip of the great Marvin Gaye performing What's Going On, a song that sadly hasn't lost any of its relevance, more than 40 years after its release in 1971 on Gaye's 11th studio album.
Sources: YouTube
Author christiansmusicmusingsPosted on April 15, 2017 May 22, 2017 Categories Clips & PixTags Marvin Gaye, Motown, Soul, WhatsGoingOnLeave a comment on Clips & Pix: Marvin Gaye/What's Going On
On This Day in Rock & Roll History: January 21 January 21, 2022
Albums Turning 50 This Year January 20, 2022
The Hump Day Picker-Upper January 19, 2022
Elvis Costello Revisits His Roots on Vibrant New Album January 18, 2022
Clips & Pix: U2/Pride (In the Name of Love) January 17, 2022
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Anthem Inc. and WellPoint Health Networks Inc. said Tuesday that they had completed their $16.5-billion merger after Georgia's insurance commissioner approved the deal earlier in the day.
The transaction -- creating the nation's largest health plan -- required both companies to clear more than a year's worth of regulatory hurdles. The combined companies will be renamed WellPoint Inc., and serve approximately 28 million medical members through Blue Cross, Blue Shield and non-Blue plans in more than 13 states.
"This merger enables us to increase our value to be better able to hold down our costs through stepped up technology investments," Larry Glasscock, president and chief executive officer of the newly formed WellPoint Inc., said during a press conference Tuesday afternoon.
Under the terms of the deal, shareholders of Thousand Oaks-based WellPoint will receive $23.80 in cash and one share of Anthem common stock for each WellPoint share. The stock will begin trading today on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WLP.
As for the deal's effect on consumers, it will help "slow the rate of increase of premiums," Glasscock said. "And we plan to do much more."
Such is the case in Georgia, where Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine refused to approve the merger unless the companies increased their investment in the state. The Georgia official signed off on the deal Tuesday, only after the companies agreed to investments that will provide more than $100 million over two decades for rural health care.
Oxendine followed the lead of California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi, who also rejected the deal until the companies agreed to invest more than $200 million in the state's health care system.
Other states, including Nevada, Texas and Wisconsin, did not ask for further concessions, much to the relief of the investment community.
"We're done," said Adam Miller, analyst with Williams Capital Group in New York. "It's a fair deal, and now the issue will be how the management team comes together."
Leonard Schaeffer, the chief executive officer and chairman of the former WellPoint, will now serve as chairman of the new company. Known as being more "magnanimous" than Glasscock, Miller said both executives "know the business very well, and I feel very comfortable with their respective positions."
In a prepared statement, Schaeffer characterized the deal as "a great strategic fit and geographic fit."
The new company will be based in Indianapolis and will employ approximately 38,000 people. There are no plans to close WellPoint's current headquarters in Thousand Oaks.
When asked whether layoffs were pending, Glasscock said, "I believe that the incredible majority of people will continue employment at our company." But analysts expect future departures as the merger sets in.
Among other questions, consumer groups continue to denounce the hundreds of millions of dollars WellPoint executives stand to receive in compensation packages from the deal.
"This merger means executives get rich, but it doesn't improve access to health care for consumers," said Jerry Flanagan of the Santa Monica-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights. "And when HMO executives are allowed to raid the health care system for their own enrichment, patients and small business owners lose."
The foundation has also filed a lawsuit against WellPoint Health Networks, saying the company is liable for hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid gross premium taxes.
WellPoint shares advanced $2.08, to close at $125.10, while Anthem shares rose $1.73, to $101.33, Tuesday on the New York Stock Exchange.


Wonderful self-guided driving tour of outstanding private West Bend area gardens. Be sure to stop at the Garden Marketplace on the corner of Main and Vine in West Bend for one of kind garden art and so much more. Ticket Information will be available closer to event.
Sunday, July 21st 12:00 noon- 3:00 p.m.


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Explores Anglo-American economic diplomacy in South America during the Second World War. Thomas Mills explores Anglo-American relations in the previously neglected region of South America during the Second World War to add a new dimension to our understanding of the two powers. He shows how these relations followed a very different pattern to the high-level discussions concerning the economic shape of the post-war world that were going on at the same time. In this way, he highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of the broader process of Anglo-American economic diplomacy. Based on extensive archival research and a thorough knowledge of the secondary literature, this is a major addition to the study of Anglo-American relations in the 20th century.