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By Malwina Roczniak
The new eSIM-only iPhone: one small step for Apple, one giant leap for telecoms
This is big news! Last night, Apple has started the end of the physical SIM card by announcing the new iPhone 14 lines as eSIM-only. The company announced it at the Apple Event in Cupertino yesterday that eSIM will be the only way the iPhone 14 series authenticates with wireless carriers in the US.
It will be a key driver of eSIM adoption as operators will have no choice but make sure the appropriate communications and education tools are available for customers – ensuring they can successfully onboard their service and set up their devices using eSIM.
Significance of the eSIM-only iPhone
The move will be momentous for the telecommunications industry as a whole, as Apple typically sets the standards in the industry. But Apple is not the first original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to release an eSIM-only smartphone. Motorola revealed its RAZR model back in 2019 but it didn't receive half the hype that Apple has so far.
Adapted from: Counterpoint
Even though other manufacturers may be able to launch something first, Apple's initiatives are far more notable and see faster adoption, and we've seen it happen before. The first Apple iMac was notable because it did not have a variety of serial ports like other PCs; it only used USB. While Apple wasn't the biggest PC maker, this still drove the adoption of USB on a large scale. Years later, Apple would drop the headphone jack from its iPhone 7. While it was a contentious move, it is without a doubt, that wireless headphones have since become cheaper and more ubiquitous in response.
eSIM adoption
We believe the same will happen with eSIM. So far, eSIM has been experiencing a slow uptake in the consumer market. After a very quiet period in 2017-2019, the momentum for eSIM technology has accelerated in 2020. The number of times eSIM profiles were downloaded to consumer devices increased by over 300% year-on-year, however, only to reach 2-3% of all connections globally (source: GSMA Intelligence). This is not enough to consider eSIM as a widely used technology and to treat it as the standard in the industry.
But with the new iPhone 14s, this could all change. This could set the precedence for eSIM-only phones to become the new norm in the mobile device market.
The future of eSIM in the consumer market
eSIM awareness
The low adoption rate may be caused by low eSIM awareness amongst customers. Based on a consumer survey at the end of 2020 in 17 major markets around the world, shows that on average, only 20% of consumers are aware of eSIM. By the end of 2021, this number has risen to 23%. Interestingly, there is a wide disparity in some key markets.
Up until now, only 14% of telcos have launched eSIM offerings worldwide. And based on our research, the promotional activity of those offerings is negligible. Sadly, many SPs do the bare minimum to promote their eSIM products. It could be argued that this was an intentional move due to the perceived risks surrounding the ease of operator switching that eSIM enables. But consumers may see it as the opposite. With the launch of eSIM-only iPhones, things will have to change.
By driving the adoption, the new iPhone will also drive customer awareness. And, in doing so, will force more SPs to launch their own eSIM offerings. This will result in the telecoms market becoming more competitive and providing more options for customers, as with eSIM it's much easier to switch providers. A negative experience with one provider may prompt them to switch to another. In doing so, this will improve the quality of services for a better price for consumers, giving them more bang for their buck.
Apple is a pioneer in customer-centrism. As Steve Jobs once said, "You've got the start with the customer experience and work back toward the technology, not the other way round." The company has historically followed this through with all their products. And that's what it's continuing to do with the new eSIM-only iPhone 14.
eSIM has plenty of benefits for end-users that make it superior to the traditional physical SIM card:
Convenience – Everything can be done online – onboarding, ID check, subscription management, customer support and many more.
Flexibility – Switching providers does not require the hassle of swapping plastic SIM cards.
Choice – eSIM allows phones to store more than one operator profile at the time
Security – eSIM is fully digital which removes the threats related to device loss or theft.
Time-saving – Digital onboarding saves the waiting time for physical SIM to be shipped and collected from the POS (point of sale).
Cost-saving – Reduced costs associated with some of the current in-store provisioning or activation processes.
We believe that once there is an increase in awareness of eSIM and its benefits amongst consumers, the main point of differentiation or competitive factor between SPs will be customer experience – which historically, has been the weakest point of SPs. And these days, customer experience in telecom is now a major key to attracting and retaining customers in the digital age.
Now is the time to catch up with the unique experiences provided by companies like Apple. By putting customers in the centre and working from there. Refusal to adapt will mean trouble for SPs.
eSIM - The service provider business case
Contrary to some industry experts' opinions, the release of the eSIM-only iPhones was not a question of "if", but more "when". For now, Apple will test its iPhone 14 in the US only. However, we predict that Apple will remove physical SIM trays from its iPhones for the rest of the world next year. This will have a substantial effect on the whole telecoms industry, but we'll discuss this in our next blog posts. What we can say now is that SPs need to act fast if they want to capitalise on eSIM. And not get left behind.
Don't know where to start? Find out more about eSIM as a Service or get in touch with us.


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UK Parliament to vote on Trident replacement next week
10.07.2016 - London, United Kingdom - Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Vote Out Trident - CND protest, London 13 April 2015 (Image by CND UK)
David Cameron has used a speech at the NATO summit in Warsaw to announce that the long-awaited vote on Trident replacement will take place on Monday 18th July. It isn't yet known whether MPs will be asked to support replacement in principle, or whether they will be asked to consent to the building of four new submarines, at a cost of £41bn. CND analysis has shown that the lifetime cost of Trident replacement will be at least £205bn
Opposition to Trident is growing both inside and outside Parliament. MPs from every major party are expected to oppose the Government proposals.
On Wednesday 13th July CND and other organisations are holding a mass lobby of MPs in Westminster to make the case against trident replacement. This will be the last chance to talk to your MP before they vote. Please make every effort to come along and tell your friends. You can sign up through the CND website, though you don't need an appointment to attend. Contact the CND office more more information.
There will be a range of events in the run up to and on the day of the vote. Check the CND website for more information.
Categories: Europe, Peace and Disarmament, Press Releases
Tags: CND, nuclear weapons, Trident, United Kingdom
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament campaigns against the UK and other countries' possession of nuclear weapons and other WMDs. www.cnduk.org
Number of Entries : 15

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Tucson Daily Photo ~: 2nd image for "Where is this?"
Our most recent winner of the "Where is this?" contest is a multiple winner and decided to forfeit her prize and give it to the next person who can identify this Tucson site. The contest was launched yesterday but no one made a guess so here is a second image.... Where is this? Good luck!


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KPMG | Research | Hospitality & Travel
An overview of KPMG research in Asia in the Hospitality & Travel industry:
Government to push Thailand as premier medical tourism centre The Thai government is putting in place infrastructure and mechanisms to promote medical tourism in the country, with a programme of special class visas being instituted.
More KPMG news
Women Corporate Directors launches new chapter in Sri Lanka The world's leading advocacy group for female board representation – the Women Corporate Directors foundation – has established a new chapter in Sri Lanka.
Rogue Company's Season 3 Kyoto Job supported by KPMG The third season of Hi-Rez Studios' Rogue Company series is set in the Japanese cultural centre of Kyoto – the result of a collaboration between the city and games company supported by KPMG.
How e-discovery and digital forensics can help tackle cybercrime More than 80 per cent of APAC organisations suffered a cyber-attack last year, and according to recent research, the region is touted to become the new "hot" target for cybercrime and information the
KPMG Malaysia partners hit with US$5.6 billion government suit Dozens of current and former partners of KPMG Malaysia have been hit with a mammoth legal suit in relation to the 1MDB affair, with the government seeking more than $5.6 billion in damages.


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Category: Match Report
Club News, Match Report
by Bulldogs Media • January 11, 2022
AFTER the festive break, Bradford Bulldogs returned to action for 2022, the Under-18s back with a two-game weekend in North One, while our Under-10s hosted a four-team cross-ice tournament. The Bulldogs are 18s are doing it tough at the minute, though, their losing streak being extended to eight games when they followed up a 9-3…
Club News, Match Report, Senior, U14
by Bulldogs Media • December 21, 2021
HAVING been soundly beaten on home ice in the first leg of their NIHL North Two Cup semi-final by Telford Tigers, an injury-hit Bradford Bulldogs faced an uphill battle to turn the tie around when the two sides met 24 hours later in Shropshire. And so it proved, the Tigers emerging convincing winners for the…
Club News, Match Report, Senior
by Bulldogs Media • December 8, 2021
SAME opponents, different outcome. After feeling hard done to when losing 8-5 at Hull Jets seven days earlier, Bradford Bulldogs were able to exact some swift revenge when the two teams mets at Little Horton Lane on Saturday, Back-stopped by the impressive Samantha Bolwell on her starting netminder debut, Andy Brown's team ran out deserved…
BRADFORD BULLDOGS came close to inflicting a first defeat of the season on Yorkshire rivals Hull Jets, but ultimately ran out of steam on the east coast as they went down 8-5 in the NIHL North Cup. Despite preparations being hampered in midweek through illness, head coach Andy Brown was pleased with the efforts of…
Bulldogs' ball hockey teams rip it up in Rotherham
by Bulldogs Media • November 29, 2021
IT was a successful day for Bradford Bulldogs' three ball hockey teams, all excelling at the second qualifying event for the Ball Hockey UK Nationals in Rotherham – and pocketing two trophies in the process. Winners were the Under-13s and Under-10s, while the Under-16s finished runners-up in their event, all three teams making the Nationals…
Weekend review: Seniors on a roll, 14s strike back, 18s edged out in Nottingham
ANDY BROWN was delighted to see his Bradford Bulldogs team execute their gameplan to perfection as they extended their winning streak to three games with a comprehensive 8-2 victory at Altrincham Aces in the NIHL North Two Cup. The Bulldogs had been made to work hard for their 4-3 win by the same opponents on…


Saturday's Karaoke party was a mixed bag of emotions. Technology failed on two counts: Friend BC skyped in, but couldn't see us. We could see her, but hearing was difficult. Via text, I suggested we try the FB video chat. She texted back there was an error issue on her end and it wouldn't install. Maybe we should have given this a trial run the night before, to make sure everything worked?
And my new camera failed me a little. I recorded 6 videos of the others, but it quit recording after only ten seconds of Pride, Close my Eyes, and I Will Be. So I deleted most of them, and was able to get Cher's song and Black Cat recorded. But when I looked at at them last night, the lighting is very dark. So I may not upload them until I have a chance to play with the lighting. I was a little warbly on YHSTLOM.
I overslept on Sun, making it to church in time for the 9am practice.
Posted in Uncategorized	| Comments Off on Christmas Countdown: 2 Days!


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Trump voters say men are discriminated against more than gays, minorities
People who voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election believe men are discriminated against more than LGBTQ people, women and most ethnic minorities, according to a new poll conducted by YouGov and The Economist.
The survey asked 1,500 adults across the U.S. a series of questions on topics ranging from politics to baseball from Oct. 14 to Oct. 16. One question asked, "How much discrimination do the following people face in America today?" Respondents were then presented with a list of different demographic groups and could choose "none at all," "not much," a fair amount" or "a great deal."
Forty-nine percent of Trump voters surveyed said men face either "a great deal" (18 percent) or "a fair amount" (31 percent) of discrimination in America today. By contrast, this same group found 41 percent of LGBTQ people, 30 percent of women, 38 percent of African-Americans and 42 percent of Mexican-Americans faced either "a great deal" or a "fair amount" of discrimination.
Of those who voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016, only 11 percent said men face discrimination in the U.S. The vast majority of Clinton voters said LGBTQ people (92 percent), Arab-Americans (91 percent), African-Americans (90 percent), Mexican-Americans (90 percent), women (88 percent), Muslims (95 percent) and immigrants (92) face either "a great deal" or "a fair amount" of discrimination.
In reaction to the responses from Trump voters regarding discrimination, Zeke Stokes, the vice president of programs at GLAAD, a nationwide LGBTQ advocacy group, took aim at the president.
"Since taking office, President Trump has been the bully-in-chief, with egregious attacks including ongoing efforts to ban transgender soldiers from openly serving in the military and revoking nondiscrimination protections for transgender youths at school."
Transgender people are particularly susceptible to discrimination, harassment and violence, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality. The organization's U.S. Transgender Survey, released in December 2016, found 46 percent of transgender respondents were verbally harassed in the previous year due to their gender identity, and 10 percent were physically attacked during that time period.
In response to the survey results, released Wednesday, Peter Boykin, founder of Gays for Trump and a Republican candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives, said, "I think we are all being discriminated by each other."
However, Boykin did share a sentiment that appeared to shine through among the Trump voters surveyed.
"Right now, the market is more open for people to be of color or gay," he said. "The tables now have turned where it's now hurtful to your personal prosperity to be a plain, cisgender white male."
The YouGov/Economist survey results coincide with Spirit Day, which is celebrated on the third Thursday in October. During the annual campaign, LGBTQ allies "go purple" in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youth and against bullying. According to the latest data from LGBTQ youth advocacy group GLSEN, 85 percent of LGBTQ students report being verbally harassed and 58 percent said they feel unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation.


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EditorialNegative Camber
Is F1's hybrid the right direction?
I may talk a lot about Formula 1 cars but that most likely only adds to the white noise about the current direction the series is heading in. However, when a guy like Adrian Newey speaks about cars and engines, I tend to sit up and take notice. As F1's most successful car designer, he knows a thing or two about that of which he speaks.
The interesting issue is that F1 has taken a hard left turn into the global movement of being a hybrid, eco-friendly series. This has always been a mission of the FIA since Jean Todt took the helm from Max Mosley and even Max was sharing the same narrative in his waning presidency. Todt and Mosley were not alone as Renault and Mercedes both threatened to leave the sport if it didn't become more road-relevant and hybrid.
As we wade into a second year with the new power units, there is not doubt the technology is astounding and ground-breaking but it has left many fans nonplussed as to the sound, power and type of racing that F1 now seems to offer. One wonders if the world's collective frustration wasn't somewhat muted by the championship win for fan-favorite Lewis Hamilton? Had it been Romain Grosajean in a Renault, would the world have reserved such criticism or would they have pounded the table with both fists?
As for Newey, he has taken a step back from the daily grind of designing Red Bull Racing cars and the reasoning could be tied to a lack of innovation space:
"Hopefully you can always improve, the problem is the limitation of the regulations and apart from the small change to the nose rules the regulations have really been stable over the winter," he said. "They are unfortunately becoming a very restrictive set of regulations, so much so that the car is designed for you."
The restrictive regulations over chassis design are certainly one main element but as Newey points out, the new engines make it very difficult to overcome a deficit through creative chassis design:
"In my opinion, Formula One should be a blend of the performance of the driver, the chassis and the engine, and I think the current regulations have swung too much in favour of the engine and a very restrictive set of regulations on the chassis. If an engine manufacturer derives a benefit it's difficult for a chassis manufacturer to make enough of a difference to overturn it. That's not to say that there isn't a difference between chassis, of course there is, but it's more difficult to find that last little bit."
Some in F1 seem to recognize the need to make changes to the current formula. Most notably Niki Lauda who, ironically, is part of the Mercedes leadership team has stated a desire to make F1 difficult again and return to 1,000bhp turbo engines and wide tires. Ferrari's new team boss, Maurizio Arrivebene agrees.
So what should F1 do? One answer might be centered on F1 asking what it wants to be. Is it a proving ground for road-relevancy for the manufacturers who are participating? Manufacturers have placed serious pressure, along with cultural movements, on Formula 1 to try and become more green in its approach to racing and therefore a good testing ground for new and innovative hybrid technology. One assumes this is the way all cars will be going and with the US standards set to rise to north of 50mpg, perhaps they are right.
However, last year 16.5 million light vehicles were sold in the US and of those, the top three were all internal combustion engines (ICE)—just 0.7% of the total vehicles sold were electrics hybrids. So can we say with series-changing effect that this is, indeed, the way the entire world is going? Is that a future-confirming percentage?
Internal combustion engines may seem outdated but they do most of the lifting, pulling, traveling and climbing in this world and there is a real innovation block for much more efficient engine design such as the Achates Power engine with its opposed-piston and two-stroke ICE design.
The US department of Transportation doesn't see the ICE going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, it sees the ICE as the main power for transportation for the next several decades. I had argued at the time that F1 could be more beneficial to the road car industry by innovating the ICE to it maximum of fuel efficiency and power delivery—it must be said that they had reached a level that was incredible by the end of 2013 so I don't want to marginalize their achievements but I believe there was still more that could be done.
It was my position that developing an ICE in F1 that could be more efficient would be an immediate impact to the road car industry. A petrol-powered car is able to harvest 18% of the fuel to move the car forward while 82% of it is burned off as waste energy. For diesel, 45% of the fuel is used to propel a vehicle with 55% of it being burned off as waste heat. Surely a real innovation block there, right?
I am not privy to F1's ICE effective fuel use percentage but one would presume they were higher than 18%. Had the sport achieved the maximum in ICE fuel use percentages? Are there no gains to be made from here? I believe that F1 could have made the ICE a much more efficient product and as it isn't going anywhere anytime soon, wouldn't this be a much bigger impact on the environment and trickle-down technology for road cars than using hybrids and stating that the series now uses 30% less petrol over the course of a season?
In the end, F1 is using an ICE along with a turbo and a hybrid system so I can't be to hard on them and the technology they have created is astounding in scope, it really is. Will it help Mercedes and Renault and even Ferrari develop hybrid systems for road cars? Most likely it will but getting road cars to 40mpg will reside on the shoulders of the ICE with electric or natural gas putting cars over the 54.5mpg goal line set for 2025.
Ultimately the increase in ICE efficiency could reduce usage down from 90 million barrels per day to possibly 70 million due to the steep increase in mpg requirements. For me, F1 could have been a leader in creating ICE efficiency that would achieve these higher efficiency ratings and designed the ICE for the next 20 years.
Having said that, it's not hard to see that manufacturers wanting to achieve 54.5mpg know they need an ICE and hybrid system in order to do so and F1 seemed a good place to design a hybrid system that could deliver the performance needed to meet the demands that will be placed on the power units in the next 20 years too.
All of that said, has anyone remembered that we're supposed to be racing here as a sport?
Hat Tip: ESPN F1 and WSJ
Formula1blog.com Podcast #406
Pre-season Testing – Jerez Day 3


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Entertainment News | Karen Clark
Russell Simmons' Daughter Accepted To Harvard At 16 Without Any Bribes!
Kimora Lee Simmons' and Russell Simmons' daughter, Aoki Lee Simmons, has been accepted to Harvard at the age of 16! The proud parents both shared the good news on social media earlier this week. And both of them took digs at the college admissions scandal. Kimora's post read: "Yaaayyyyy @aokileesimmons!! She's on her way to #Harvard!! We […]
Entertainment News | Jodi Berry
A Reboot of "Def Comedy Jam" Is On The Way
Do you remember Russell Simmons Def Comedy Jam? The show ran between 1992 and 1997 (and for a brief run in 2006). Def Comedy Jam helped launch the careers of Bernie Mac, Dave Chappelle, Chris Tucker, Martin Lawrence, Cedric the Entertainer, Katt Williams, Bill Bellamy just to name a few. Simmons has retitled the show […]
Aoki Lee Simmons Gave The Most Intelligent Clapback Of 2016
Russell and Kimora raised such a upstanding young woman.
NEWS ROUNDUP: Simone Biles Reveals ADHD Diagnosis After Hackers Release Medical Records…AND MORE
The World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) revealed Russian hackers released the confidential medical records of certain U.S. Olympic athletes, including Biles.
Jesse Williams And More Speak Out On The Acquittals In The Freddie Gray Case
When the disappointing and outrageous news broke today that all of the officers tried in the Freddie Gray murder case had been acquitted, most people were shocked, saddened and disheartened by another injustice of a black man being murdered with no one held accountable. However it wasn't just regular citizens who were highly upset, as […]
NEWS ROUNDUP: Black Lives Matter Protesters Host Demonstration At DNC…AND MORE
Scores of protesters walked 6 miles to spread awareness about police misconduct and the negative impact it has on our nation.
Kimora's Twin! See Ming Lee Simmons' Prom Photo
The young lady is currently in high school and looks just like her mother.
The Nation Of Islam & The Anti-Defamation League — Now Is The Time To Mend Fences
Being friends with the Minister has always been a litmus test on whether you are suitable to partner with or befriend members of other communities (especially certain segments of the Jewish community).
NEWS ROUNDUP: Black NYPD Officers Pressured To Arrest People Of Color File Lawsuit…AND MORE
About a dozen Black NYPD officers filed a lawsuit against their department claiming they were pressured to implement racism in their practices.
NEWS ROUNDUP: President Obama Makes History On "The Ellen Show," Recites Poem For FLOTUS…AND MORE
President Barack Obama appeared on The Ellen Show on Thursday; making history as the first sitting president to stop by for an in-studio visit.
Photos | foxync Staff
16 Photos Of Ming Lee Simmons Through The Years
Find Out The Child Support Payments Of Your Favorite Music Artists


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You are here: Home » Canada » Canada-U.S. 2018-19
Written by Diana Thebaud Nicholson // July 10, 2019 // Canada, Trade & Tariffs, U.S. // No comments
See also Canada-U.S. 2015-2017
USMCA (formerly known as NAFTA)
Trudeau needs to get 'Buy America' exemption to stave off job losses: premiers
Canada's premiers want the federal government to take a more active role in negotiating an exemption from the United States' Buy America Act to avoid further job losses like the 550 layoffs at Bombardier's Thunder Bay facility this week.
In Saskatoon, where Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is hosting his fellow premiers for the Council of the Federation meeting, Moe and Quebec Premier François Legault said the policy is directly responsible for the Bombardier layoffs.
"The problem that was raised by Bombardier today was about the Buy America Act," said Legault. "They had an important contract in the U.S. that is ending and they had a rough time getting more contracts in the United States because of the Buy America Act.
20-21 June
Trudeau figures out how to get things done in Washington
By Laura Dawson, director of the Canada Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington.
When Mr. Trudeau's plane landed in the U.S. capital this week with little public fanfare, an astonishing number of Washington's most powerful influencers attended a welcoming reception for him at the Canadian Embassy. … To be received as an equal by many of Washington's most connected decision-makers is a clear signal that the Prime Minister and his team have figured out how to get things done in a town that does not tend to value loyalty or friendship. … Mr. Trudeau's people have learned how to align themselves with the powerful Americans who can mobilize jobs and votes in the U.S. while also helping to advance Canada's interests. … Even though Mr. Trudeau might not feel personally inclined to help a president who has treated him so poorly, his performance in the White House this week is a lesson in doing the right thing for the relationship, even if you have to swallow your pride to do so. The President's subsequent commitment to help Canada manage diplomatic rifts with China is proof that Mr. Trudeau's U.S. engagement strategy is working as intended.
Trudeau speaks in Washington following a day of meetings with Trump, top politicians
(Globe & Mail) U.S. President Donald Trump vowed Thursday to press Chinese President Xi Jinping on Canada's behalf over Beijing's detention of two Canadians in apparent retaliation for Canadian authorities serving an American arrest warrant on a Chinese telecom executive.
In an Oval Office meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Mr. Trump said he would help Ottawa in the dispute, in which China is also punishing Canada economically.
"Anything I can do to help Canada, I will be doing," the President said when asked if he would help Mr. Trudeau get face time with Mr. Xi at next week's G20 summit in Japan to push the Chinese leader on the detentions.
Trudeau to meet Trump at White House to talk trade, Canadians detained in China
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on June 20 at the White House to seek his help pressing China to release two detained Canadians, and to co-ordinate the ratification of the new continental free-trade deal.
Mr. Trudeau, who also hopes to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Group of 20 summit in Japan at the end of this month, wants to co-ordinate with Mr. Trump on the issues to be raised at the meeting of major industrialized economies.
A top priority for the planned meeting is enlisting Mr. Trump's help pressing Mr. Xi to let entrepreneur Michael Spavor and former diplomat Michael Kovrig walk free.
Colin Robertson: The G20 summit will be a crucial test of Justin Trudeau's foreign-policy mettle
… A third test for Mr. Trudeau will be whether he can persuade U.S. President Donald Trump to live up to his promises of closer North American co-operation, which were raised at the last G20 and reiterated by Vice-President Mike Pence during his recent Ottawa visit. Now that the U.S. threat of tariffs on Mexico has been suspended, the three countries need to move in tandem on legislative ratification of the new NAFTA.
Mr. Trudeau should corral Mr. Trump and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador for an informal Three Amigos mini-summit to discuss the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, as well as Venezuela; Mr. Trudeau should speak on the useful work of the Lima Group. That multilateral coalition could also provide assistance in Central America, as flight from countries such as Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador is the primary cause of the latest U.S.-Mexico border crisis, and it deserves the kind of constructive hemispheric attention that the Lima Group could provide.
Obama, Trudeau meet at Ottawa brewery
(The Hill) Obama delivered a speech to thousands of attendees in Ottawa on Friday night, where he weighed in on life after his presidency and remarked about having "a little bit of a love affair with Canada," according to the CBC.
His meeting with Trudeau comes as the Trump administration pushes Congress to pass the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement, which would replace the North American Free Trade Agreement. President Trump has strongly advocated for the plan, but Democrats have concerns about its labor and environmental provisions.
Abortion, China, new NAFTA mark meeting between Trudeau and Pence
(Canadian Press) The relationship between the two countries is stronger than it has ever been, thanks to the leadership of both Trump and Trudeau, declared the vice-president, who is widely seen as a more even-tempered and diplomatic White House emissary than his outspoken and unpredictable boss. "I want to assure the people of Canada that the prime minister drove a hard bargain, as did our president," he said during Thursday's earlier event. "I want to assure you that we're making energetic efforts to move the approval through the Congress of the United States this summer."
Mike Pence is coming to Ottawa — but why hasn't Trump made a state visit to Canada yet?
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is coming to Canada next week to meet Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to discuss what the U.S. embassy calls the "swift adoption" of the new NAFTA trade agreement — but there's no sign of U.S. President Donald Trump planning a state visit north of the border.
Trump paid a working visit to Canada last year: the president arrived June 8 and left the following morning after attending the G7 summit in La Malbaie, Que.
Trump's visit to Canada was a diplomatic train wreck. It also broke with recent tradition; Canada was not the first, or even the second country Trump visited after being elected, but the 17th. And the visit came almost a year and a half into his mandate.
"It's a gesture, but maybe the Canadian government is secretly relieved that Trump hasn't accepted the (formal) offer yet," said Roland Paris, associate professor of public and international affairs at the University of Ottawa. He was a foreign policy adviser to Trudeau before returning to academia in mid-2016.
Lawrence Martin: Trump has put Trudeau in a bind, again
The Trudeau government wants Donald Trump to remove his punitive steel and aluminum tariffs – and pronto. Instead of seeing the President of the so-called free world cozying up to authoritarian leaders, the latest being Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Ottawa wants that goodwill sent the way of the best friend and neighbour.
But to hear Canadian diplomats tell it, chances of the levies being lifted are dwindling. They were recently optimistic, but no longer. In fact, the Chinese dictatorship likely has a better chance of having the tariffs eliminated, a prospect which has the Canadian side understandably incensed.
The Trudeau government would like to move ahead with ratification of the new continental trade deal, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). And soon, as well. Time is short. It has to introduce enabling legislation for the pact's approval by early April if it wants the deed done before parliament adjourns in June. Otherwise all is put off until after the federal election in October, and who knows who will be in power then.
But the news is bleak here as well. Congress is not prepared to move on ratification for a long time, quite possibly until 2020. Officials at the Canadian embassy's congressional-liaison office have been told by Democratic House leaders that, sorry, there's a raft of other issues that have to be taken care of before the USMCA gets even close to the radar
Canadians, Others Brace As U.S. Shuffles Green Card Deck
(Forbes) U.S. immigration policy is threatening to cut out access to green cards for Canadians, as well as for others. This will be of special concern to Canadian managers, executives, IT workers and snowbirds.
The threat comes in the form of an alarming amendment introduced by Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-KS) that has been included in the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill for FY 2019. The Yoder Amendment, which aims to eliminate the per-country cap for employment-based immigrant visas, will adversely impact Canadians and a good number of immigrants from other countries. The Yoder Amendment seeks to replace the current immigration policy of allocating immigrant visas based on the country of origin of high-skilled workers, to allocating immigrant visas based on wait times instead. This shift in prioritization by adopting wait times as the selection method instead of country of birth, means that these immigrant visas will be doled out on a first-come-first-serve basis instead of by country of birth.
Canada's relationship with Trump reaches a 'new level of frustration' over Huawei comments
(CBC) Canada's relationship with Donald Trump has reached a "new level of frustration" after the U.S. president's comments this week on the arrest of Huawei's chief financial officer, says a senior source.
Canada recently detained the chief financial officer of the Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei, Meng Wanzhou, on an extradition request from the U.S. She has been released on $10 million bail.
The Americans are hoping to have Meng extradited on claims she tried to bypass American trade sanctions on Iran and lied to U.S. banks.
Canada has argued that the request to detain Meng was made at the officials' level and was not politically motivated.
President Trump, however, has said publicly he's willing to intervene in the case if it would help further his country's interests with China on security or trade — a statement that many saw as tainting the extradition process.
Life After NAFTA: Rebuilding the Canada-US relationship, now with USMCA
By Christopher Sanda
(Open Canada) With a new deal reached, Canada and the US face the challenge of repairing a bilateral relationship damaged by the unprecedented negotiations seen over the last year.
For Canada and U.S., 'That Relationship Is Gone' After Bitter Nafta Talks
(NYT) Canadians are mostly relieved that Nafta 2.0, now called the U.S.M.C.A., was signed and that Mr. Trump's threats of economic ruination for their country are over. But if he thinks the argument with his neighbor is all patched up, then he is terribly wrong.
"The president insulted our country, our prime minister and even our chief negotiator," said Frank McKenna, a former premier of New Brunswick and a former Canadian ambassador to the United States.
"He not only used rude language, he threatened our economic welfare," Mr. McKenna said. "And he seemed to do it with great glee. People won't forget that. I think that's now deep in our psyche — the way we were treated by this president."
In the days before signing the deal, Mr. Trump announced that he had purposely snubbed Mr. Trudeau by refusing to meet with him at the United Nations and declared that he didn't like Canada's trade representative — presumably Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland — "very much." (Mr. Trudeau's office said no request for a meeting was ever made.)
Trump dumps on Canada, says he rejected NAFTA meeting with Trudeau
(Canadian Press) U.S. President Donald Trump let Canada know how he really feels Wednesday — sharpening his tariff threat, calling out Chrystia Freeland and claiming he denied Justin Trudeau a bilateral meeting, all because of the federal government's hard bargaining on North American trade.
Trump warns he could cause the 'ruination' of Canada
(Toronto Star) Canadian economists do not think U.S. auto tariffs would "ruin" Canada, but they have predicted a severe economic hit. A TD Economics analysis in June forecast a job loss of 160,000, almost all of them in Ontario. Scotiabank said the tariffs could reduce Canadian growth by more than a quarter.
Canada exported $57 billion (Canadian) in automobiles and $15 billion in auto parts to the U.S. last year, according to Canadian data, more than four times the value of the steel and aluminum exports Trump has already subjected to tariffs.
Trudeau's government warned in July that it would retaliate against any auto tariffs. Canada has numerous U.S. allies on the issue: Trump's proposal to use a "national security" law to impose tariffs on foreign cars has been opposed by every major segment of the U.S. auto industry, from domestic automarkers to dealership owners.
Trump tariffs on Canada would directly harm the "Detroit Three" U.S. automakers. General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler plants make up a major percentage of Canadian auto production.
Andrew Cohen: Singlehandedly and stupidly, Trump turned free trade with Canada into a crisis
(Ottawa Citizen) Geography has made us neighbours, but alas, Trump is defying nature: He is making us enemies.
If the Americans do not yield, Canada now has a choice: Sign a deal that may not have a satisfactory dispute settlement mechanism; that may have a sunset clause, even if it is longer than five years; and that requires concessions in dairy (not a bad thing) and other areas. Or, risk a trade war with an economy 10 times our size that we will lose.
U.S. trade commission kills duties placed on Canadian newsprint
The U.S. International Trade Commission has overturned the duties imposed on Canadian newsprint by the U.S. Commerce Department earlier this year.
The five commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday that imports from Canada of uncoated groundwood paper, used for newspapers, commercial printing and book publishing, do not injure U.S. industry.
The U.S. Commerce Department had imposed anti-dumping and countervailing duties of various levels on Canadian producers including Resolute Forest Product, Catalyst Paper Corp., Kruger Inc., and White Birch Paper.
A 'safe country' dilemma for Canada
Understanding the recent wave of migrants crossing into Canada requires an explanation of the Safe Third Country Agreement. Celine Cooper lays out its origins, impact and the various reasons many are now calling for its repeal.
(Open Canada) Is the United States a safe country for refugees?
The question isn't new. But the rapidly evolving political, legal and policy context for asylum seekers in the United States under President Donald Trump has lent it an unprecedented urgency.
The Safe Third Country Agreement between Canada and the US has been in effect since December 2004. In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the two countries entered into wide ranging discussions around border control. In exchange for agreeing to cooperate on information sharing and other enhanced border security measures, the US consented to enter into a STCA with Canada.
In Canada, there is mounting pressure from refugee advocates, academic and legal experts, and a number of prominent civil society organizations — including the CCR, the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers (CARL), Amnesty International and the Canadian Council of Churches — for Canada to revisit or suspend the STCA with the US.
Calls to repeal the STCA existed long before Trump came to power, in part because of procedural and outcome discrepancies for asylum seekers between the two countries. For example, Canada has officially recognized gender-based persecution under the definition of a refugee since 1993 while the US does not. Refugee claimants in Canada also have greater access to government-funded services and can apply for work and student authorization while their claims are processed.
Paul Krugman: How to Lose a Trade War
Trump's tariffs are badly designed even from the point of view of someone who shares his crude mercantilist view of trade. In fact, the structure of his tariffs so far is designed to inflict maximum damage on the U.S. economy, for minimal gain. … almost none of the Trump tariffs are on consumer goods
Canada's picture is complicated by its direct response to aluminum and steel tariffs, but those industries aside it, too, is following a far more sophisticated strategy than the U.S.:
Except for steel and aluminum, Canada's retaliation seemingly attempts to avoid messing up its engagement in North American supply chains. In broad terms, Canada is not targeting imports of American capital equipment or intermediate inputs, focusing instead on final goods.
And like China, Canada is clearly trying to inflict maximum political damage.
Canada Strikes Back! Here Is a Breakdown
Ottawa's push to share more border-crossing data with U.S. raising red flags over privacy
Bill C-21 would result in the collection of data on all Canadians entering and leaving the country
The bill quietly cleared the House last week and is awaiting Senate debate in the fall. Once enacted, it would allow the government to keep tabs on just how long someone was outside the country — information that could be used to claw back social benefits like Old Age Security (OAS), Employment Insurance (EI) and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) from those who have been away too long to qualify.
The information collected under C-21 also could be used to track whether prospective citizens — permanent residents — have met strict residency requirements. The data could help the government keep tabs on high-risk travellers for national security purposes, or track down foreign nationals who have overstayed their visas.
In particular, sharing all this data with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is a "big concern."
"We have seen in the past sharing information with the U.S. has led to horrific human rights violations, in the case of Maher Arar, and others … It was all from sharing erroneous, inaccurate information with U.S. agents and governments that practised torture," Anne Dagenais Guertin, a research and communications coordinator at the group, told CBC News.
Conrad Black: Take heed Canada: the U.S. would win a true trade war
Behind the peeling façades of Norman Rockwell and Walt Disney, the United States is a monster, and not always an amiable monster.
(National Post) If Canadians are blinded by their visceral dislike of Donald Trump, as the antithesis of Canadian criteria for likeable public figures, they will be exposed to the ruthless pursuit of the national interest that in his own career propelled him from technical insolvency to immense wealth and celebrity and then, against all odds, to control of a great political party and to the headship of the most powerful country in the world. If these talks blow up, the U.S. doesn't have to settle for WTO rules; it can impose outright protectionist measures. Justin Trudeau has been agile, and the country has responded admirably. But Canadian policy-makers must understand that they are playing for almost mortal stakes with potentially dangerous protagonists who have no sense of fair play and no interest in what Canada thinks of them.
A Trumped-up charge against Canadian dairy tariffs
(Brookings) President Trump and his Administration have based their public spat—and that is putting the term mildly—with Canada on that country's "270 percent" tariffs on U.S. dairy imports. Some facts would help to put this claim in perspective.
First, Canada's props up its dairy industry by using both import quotas and domestic production quotas. As part of this system, Canada has negotiated import quotas with each of its major trading partners. The U.S. has obtained a favorable quota and, as a result, exports more dairy products to Canada than it imports from Canada. In 2017, Americans sold $792 million in dairy products to Canada, while Canadians sold $149 million in dairy products to the U.S., creating a tidy trade surplus for the U.S. of nearly $650 million.
Second, Canada only imposes high tariffs on imports above the quota, not on all the dairy products U.S. producers sell to them. For example, Canadian tariffs on dairy products within the quota are often zero and never more than a few percent. Above the quota, tariffs on dairy products range from 200 percent to over 300 percent. As a practical matter, no dairy products are sold to Canada outside the quota, so no U.S. exports really pay a high tariff.
Third, in addition to subsidizing domestic dairy production, the U.S. also uses a quota system to elevate prices for many farm products, including dairy. U.S. import quotas for dairy products are so low, and tariffs for imports above quota are so high, that, except for cheese, imports of dairy products account for less than one percent of domestic U.S. sales. Canada's tariffs on U.S. dairy products are based in part on the value of U.S. quotas and tariffs. This practice is the kind of reciprocity that the President claims he wants in all U.S. trade deals—but on dairy trade between the U.S. and Canada, it's already happening.
Diplomacy Trump-Style: Understanding Narcissism
by Don Lenihan
Trump's team is not arguing that Trudeau said something new or different at the press conference. Their claim is that at the bilateral meeting everyone agreed to move on, but that Trudeau then cheated on the agreement. This was the trigger for Trump's tweets.
(National Newswatch) Trudeau defends his performance at the G7 press conference by noting that he didn't say anything there that he had not already said publicly or privately to Trump.
Trump advisor Larry Kudlow think this sidesteps the real issue. He focuses on the bilateral meeting where the two leaders discussed trade. According to Kudlow, "they were getting along famously…We were very close to making a deal with Canada on NAFTA…"
CBC's Rob Russo provides further details. At that meeting, he says, Trump unexpectedly waived his demand for a sunset clause, which was the main obstacle to an agreement. Suddenly, the logjam broke and a deal was within reach. When Trump took off for Singapore, the understanding was that the NAFTA negotiations would quickly resume. Everyone was optimistic.
Kudlow believes that at this meeting Trump and Trudeau effectively made an agreement to move on from their differences, but that Trudeau then violated it at the press conference.
In Trump's mind, the decision to waive the sunset clause had been a generous act of reconciliation. Yet Trudeau publicly denigrated him just to score political points with Canadians.
Sorry, Canada: Americans apologize for their President's words
Americans have written dozens of letters to The Globe and Mail reacting to Donald Trump's conduct at the G7 meeting of world leaders in Quebec. Here are 22 of the letters:
Trump's 'Bully' Attack on Trudeau Outrages Canadians
(NYT) It takes a lot to rile people in this decidedly courteous nation. But after President Trump's parting shots against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the day he left the Group of 7 summit meeting in Quebec, the country reacted with uncharacteristic outrage and defiance at a best friend's nastiness.
Trudeau takes his turn as Trump's principal antagonist, and Canadians rally around him
(WaPost) President Trump has helped bring together the most bitter of Canadian enemies, as he lashed out at Trudeau following the Group of Seven meeting in Quebec, and even the country's most staunch conservatives have publicly backed up their Liberal prime minister for taking a tough tone in the U.S.-Canada trade conflict.
"I think sometimes, you know, you have to tell the schoolyard bully that they can't have your lunch money. And I think that's what the prime minister did today," said Jaime Watt, a Toronto-based conservative political strategist. "I think most Canadians would say that they were proud of their prime minister." …
Harper himself took to Fox News this weekend to criticize Trump's actions at the G-7. Another high-profile Canadian conservative also tweeted support of Trudeau: Doug Ford, the brother of late Toronto mayor Rob Ford and who this week was elected leader of the province of Ontario. "We will stand shoulder to shoulder with the Prime Minister and the people of Canada," Ford wrote.
Trump Economic Adviser Ties G-7 Pullout to North Korea Meeting
(NYT) President Trump's top economic adviser said on Sunday that Mr. Trump had pulled out of a joint statement with allies at the Group of 7 meeting over the weekend because a "betrayal" by the Canadian prime minister had threatened to make Mr. Trump appear weak before his summit meeting on Tuesday with North Korea's leader.
The adviser, Larry Kudlow, said that Mr. Trump had no choice but to take the action after the prime minister, Justin Trudeau, said in a news conference that Canada would not be bullied by the United States on trade.
Mr. Trump "is not going to let a Canadian prime minister push him around," Mr. Kudlow said, adding, "He is not going to permit any show of weakness on a trip to negotiate with North Korea." …
'The gig is up': Trump demands Canada dismantle supply management or risk trading relationship
'We don't want to pay anything, why should we pay anything?' Trump says of Canadian tariffs on dairy products
(CBC) U.S. President Donald Trump says Canada will have to dismantle its supply-managed dairy system or else Americans will dramatically curtail its trading relationship — a shot across the bow at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has vocally defended the country's existing agricultural policies in the face of U.S. opposition.
"No tariffs, no barriers, that's the way it should be and no subsidies. In other words, let's say Canada, where we have tremendous tariffs. The U.S. pays tremendous tariffs on dairy, as an example, 270 per cent … we don't want to pay anything, why should we pay anything?" Trump said, referencing the Canadian tariff imposed on U.S. and foreign milk imports.
Canada levies a tariff of 270 per cent on milk, 245 per cent on cheese and 298 per cent on butter in an effort to keep U.S. and other foreign dairy imports out.
(iPolitics) Dairy 101: The Canada-U.S. milk spat explained (April 2017)
Lawrence Martin: Get ready for an extended, destructive trade war
U.S. President Donald Trump promised Prime Minister Justin Trudeau he would not impose steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada. It happened not just once over the last few months but on three separate occasions, Canadian officials say.
So much for presidential promises. So much for the idea that playing nice with the mercurial man works. Canada got slammed with the tariffs anyway. It didn't matter that the United States has a large surplus in steel trade with Canada. It didn't matter that the national security rationale for the tariffs, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rightly pointed out, is bogus. The attempts to be reasonable, to temper the retrograde Hoover-era protectionists in Washington failed.
The Trudeau government couldn't sit idly by in the face of Mr. Trump's aggression. Mr. Trudeau has played kid-gloves diplomat with nothing in return from this President for long enough. For self-respect and for economic justice, he had to hit back hard and his retaliatory measures are strong.
Canada hits back at U.S. with dollar-for-dollar tariffs on steel, aluminum, maple syrup
Tariffs of 25% on imported steel and 10% on aluminum announced by U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross
(CBC) The government is soliciting public comments on its plans until June 15. The new Canadian tariffs would kick in July 1.
Trudeau called the Trump administration's national security argument "inconceivable" and called the tariffs "an affront to the Canadians who died" alongside Americans in battle.
Canada 150 research chairs draw scientists fleeing Trump, guns and Brexit
The haul of prominent scientists attracted to the new chairs suggests that a predicted brain gain for Canada owing to reactionary politics in the United States and elsewhere is having an impact and that scientists are indeed voting with their feet
A total of 25 Canada 150 research chairs will be established at Canadian universities under the one-off program, supported with $117.6-million in federal funding. Four chairholders were already named late last year, including computer scientist Margo Seltzer who, like Dr. Aspuru-Guzik, is leaving a faculty post at Harvard to come to Canada.
"I think it speaks to what Canada is doing here in science," federal Science Minister Kirsty Duncan said. "We're in a global competition for talent."
Several of the appointees who spoke to The Globe and Mail before Thursday's announcement were enthusiastic about what they perceive to be a collaborative, pro-research culture in Canada. But many also expressed a sense of relief when speaking about what they were coming from.
Donald Trump admits making up 'facts' in trade meeting with Justin Trudeau
US president told donors 'I had no idea' when he complained to Canada's prime minister over (non-existent) trade deficit
(The Guardian) Donald Trump bragged that he made up facts in a meeting with the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, according to an audio recording obtained by the Washington Post.
The office of the US trade representative states that the American goods and services trade surplus with Canada was $12.5bn in 2016.
'Canadians should understand that we are under attack,' says Canada's former trade ambassador
(CBC Radio) Speaking to The Sunday Edition's Michael Enright, Gordon Ritchie accuses Trump of willful ignorance and says Canadians should not underestimate the damage he can cause on both sides of the border.
"We are under attack. And the result of Mr. Trump's occupancy of the White House will be that Canadians will enjoy a lower standard of living, lower rates of growth, and lower employment than otherwise would be the case. And that's almost irrespective of how it plays out — just the threats alone are enough to chill investments in Canada and encourage companies to look at the big market, where there's less border risk, than to put stuff in Canada."
Canada suggests a deal on softwood lumber may lead it to drop WTO case against U.S.
(National Post) "We are aware that the U.S. is concerned by our litigation. And to those concerns, I have a very clear response and a clear offer, which is: let's sit down and let's negotiate a softwood lumber deal," the [Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland] told reporters following her earlier appearance with Lighthizer and their Mexican counterpart, Ildefonso Guajardo.
A big challenge in reaching a softwood deal is that it's not entirely up to the governments of Canada and the U.S.
As part of any deal, the American lumber industry would need to sign off on the right to sue Canada again for punitive duties — and there's no indication that's happening.
Bombardier wins bid to overturn 292% tariffs at U.S. trade body
U.S. International Trade Commission says C Series planes do not harm U.S. industry, Delta welcomes decision
(CBC) Bombardier Inc. has won its fight against almost 300 per cent duties applied to U.S. imports of its C Series aircraft.
The U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington, D.C., ruled Friday that "100- to 150-seat large civil aircraft from Canada do not injure U.S. industry."
Boeing had claimed it stood to suffer harm by the planes, even though aircraft destined for U.S. customers are now slated to come from a new assembly line near the Airbus facility in Mobile, Ala.
Cross-border aircraft rivals Bombardier, Boeing clash in trade hearing
Trump presidency turns one: Our year of living vulnerably
One year into Trump's term, what has Canada learned as it adjusts to life 'strapped to a madman?'
By Stephen Marche
(Open Canada) Is Trump America? Is America Trump?
For Canada, these seemingly abstract questions are eminently urgent and practical, because they affect essential matters of foreign policy and trade. In the short term, how should we negotiate with Trump? But also, how should we negotiate with an America so divided against itself? In the long term, are the Trump years merely an interruption in an otherwise more or less wonderful relationship? Or are they the signal of collapse, the first crack of a deeper sundering? …
Perhaps because of his essential unpredictability, which makes strategy itself less viable, the Trump presidency has brought out the best in our political class as a whole. The multi-pronged and bipartisan approach to these recent NAFTA negotiations has been one of the most well-prepared and well-executed diplomatic movements in Canadian history. Personalizing the relationship to Trump while nonetheless subverting his negotiating power has been a fine line to navigate; it has required an immense coordination of different parties and multiple levels of government and previous governments with current governments. The urgency and obvious national importance of NAFTA — 78 percent of Canadian merchandise exports go to NAFTA countries — has unified the country's politicians in an unprecedented way. We should be collectively grateful.
Canada Attacks U.S. Tariffs by Taking Case to World Trade Organization
(NYT) Canada has filed a sweeping trade case against the United States at the World Trade Organization, lobbing a diplomatic grenade at the Trump administration's "America First" approach amid an increasingly embattled trade relationship between the longstanding North American allies.
The trade case could exacerbate tensions between the two nations, which have frayed in recent months as the countries wrestle with trade disputes and attempts to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. Canada's case challenges the United States' use of tariffs to punish unfair trade practices and protect its markets, saying those actions violate World Trade Organization rules.
Canada has borne the brunt of several United States trade actions, including a decades-long dispute over lumber and recent cases against Bombardier airplanes and Canadian newsprint.
It is already a fractious time for the two nations. Canada, Mexico and the United States will reconvene in Montreal on Jan. 23 for the next round of Nafta negotiations.
One of the most contentious issues is an American proposal to do away with a part of the pact known as Chapter 19, which allows Canada and Mexico to appeal America's anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs.
The United States argues that these appeals compromise its sovereignty, while Canada has refused to entertain the idea of eliminating their ability to appeal decisions.
Canada has not been targeted as frequently by the United States' anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs as some other nations, notably China. But they often become major public issues in Canada and a significant source of irritation between the countries.


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State/College
Oldham Era
Henry County Local
Pioneer News
The Anderson News
Sentinel News
Spencer Magnet
Come unload with SongFarmers of Anderson County
Pay Your Subscription Bill
Bearcats win road test to extend win streak
Anderson County MatCats qualify for State Duals
Lady Bearcats lose to neighboring Franklin
WKU's Dwight Smith's legacy of basketball great…
Matthew Maynard plays the fiddle at a gathering.
Katie Powell
Songfarmer gathering at Maynard Studios.
SongFarmer gathering inside Heavens to Betsy.
By Katie Powell
The hills of Anderson County are alive with the sound of music. The music of guitars, banjos, voices, and the hum of cicadas on a summer night. The music of the SongFarmers.
The SongFarmers of Anderson County meet on the third Monday of every month to play music, sing, and get to know the community. Anyone is welcome to join the group, and you don't have to be a talented musician to come.
As Annette Brady Fugal, founder of the Anderson County SongFarmers group, said, "It's for any age, any skill level." The group currently meets at 7 p.m. inside Heavens to Betsy, but they will probably relocate when warmer weather comes.
SongFarmers, as a whole, is an international movement to get communities to connect through music. The movement was started by Michael Jonathon, founder of WoodSongs, the most wide-spread musical program in the world. A recent press release stated, "In fact, the WoodSongs broadcast is described on-air as a multi-media front porch. He [Michael Jonathan] conceived and created the national community of SongFarmers, artists and musicians faced with the post pandemic collapse of the music world and redirecting their efforts into their home towns and communities. Already there are 89 active chapters from Australia, across America and Ireland."
As Fugal said, "Michael Jonathan is absolutely convinced that…one way to save the world is if we start getting along, and music on the front porch is better than a device…"
The Anderson County branch of SongFarmers began in June of 2021. A few months before that, Annette Brady Fugal had gone to the annual Gathering of SongFarmers in Renfro Valley, KY. During the event, classes were given on how to start your own SongFarmers group. Fugal already loved music, and her "little band" of kids had moved out. As a result, she decided to try to start a group in Anderson County.
When Fugal got back home, she asked the library about holding the group there, but it didn't work out. Not knowing what else to do, she decided to walk over to the Anderson County History Museum.
Inside the museum, Fugal met Robbi Morgan who turned out to be just as excited about Songfarmers as Fugal. Together, Fugal and Morgan were able to get the group going. Morgan got permission to hold the event at the blacksmith shop, Maynard Studios. When it got cold the Maynard's suggested meeting at Heavens to Betsy where they are now.
Overall, Fugal feels that gathering with the community to make music is just good for people. "Music, this kind of music that we used to have all over the place in the south, was better than a psychologist, said Fugal. "It's where you could kind of unload…"
SongFarmers is a way to do this as well as to bring back our musical history. "We are living among the first generation in human history that gets its music and art as a flat screen, cell
phone, digital tsunami of ones and zeros," said Michael Jonathan. "The real front porch, organic world of music and art is fading away."
When asked what her favorite part of SongFarmers is, Fugal said, "My favorite part is being there." She went on to add, "My best part is when I'm actually sitting there, and then we just go on for 2 hours."
If you come out to SongFarmers, be sure to bring your instrument and some songs to play. However, SongFarmers is not a concert, and songs should generally be 3 chords or less.
If you're interested in joining the group, you can visit their Facebook page, SongFarmers of Anderson County. If you're interested in attending the annual Gathering of SongFarmers in Renfro Valley, the next event will be on May 12 & 13 of this year.
Songfarmers Group
Annette Brady Fugal
Michael Jonathan
Lawrenceburg Bourbon Company to release first batch
KSP investigates fatal stabbing between brothers
BOZA discusses barrelhouse construction by event barn
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text:
Posted inNational Politics
Chris Cuomo says he urged brother Andrew to resign, denies he was official adviser
by Tribune Content Agency August 17, 2021 August 17, 2021
Andrew Cuomo (left) and Chris Cuomo (right) Credit: AP
NEW YORK — In his first night back from a miraculously timed vacation, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo tried to paint himself as just a good brother.
A week after his brother, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, promised to resign after Attorney General Letitia James's office found that he had sexually harassed 11 women, the younger Cuomo faced the camera and claimed he told his brother to step down.
"I was there to listen and offer my take. And my advice to my brother was simple and consistent: Own what you did. Tell people what you can do to be better. Be contrite. And finally, accept that it doesn't matter what you intended. What matters is how your actions and words were perceived," the 51-year-old host said Monday night at the top of "Cuomo Primetime."
"While it was something I never imagined ever having to, I did urge my brother to resign when the time came."
Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation last Tuesday, effective in 14 days, but has reportedly not handed in an official resignation notice.
Chris, meanwhile, defended reports that he was serving as an adviser to the governor as the allegations piled up against him.
"I'm not an adviser. I'm a brother," he said.
"As you know, back in May when I was told to no longer communicate with my brother's aides in any group meetings, I acknowledged it was a mistake. I apologize to my colleagues and I stopped and I meant it was a unique situation being a brother to a politician and a scandal and being part of the media."
At the time, CNN insisted that the Cuomos had maintained a firewall, but admitted that even the optics were bad.
"Chris has not been involved in CNN's extensive coverage of the allegations against Governor Cuomo, on air or behind the scenes," the cable network said in a May statement. "In part because, as he has said on his show, he could never be objective. But also because he often serves as a sounding board for his brother.
"However, it was inappropriate to engage in conversations that included members of the Governor's staff, which Chris acknowledges. He will not participate in such conversations going forward."
James' report detailed a series of instances in which Chris collaborated with his brother's team, including helping to draft a Feb. 28 statement from the governor about the mounting allegations.
Kate Feldman, New York Daily News
Tagged: andrew cuomo, chris cuomo, CNN, national news
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Abstract: The main focus of these lectures is on those aspects of deep inelastic scattering that can be derived directly from QCD using quantum field theory, without recourse to phenomenological models. The emphasis is on spin dependent scattering, but the theory of spin averaged scattering is also discussed. A detailed analysis is given for the case of spin 1/2 targets, with a brief discussion of higher spin targets at the end. The QCD derivation of the Callan-Gross relation, the longitudinal structure function $F_L$, and the Bjorken and Ellis-Jaffe sum rules is presented. I also discuss the Wilczek-Wandzura contribution to $g_2$, and why the Gottfried sum rule does not hold in QCD.


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Q: Is there a way to override the browser's default behavior for clicking on hashes? When I have the following:

...and load it in a browser, I can append #test to the URL and the browser will scroll so that the  is at the top of the page.
However, I would like to change this behavior (using JavaScript if possible) so that using the hash does not scroll the page - I'd like it to simply do nothing.
Is there a way to do that without removing the  element?

Update: I need the browser to still send onhashchange() events but without scrolling to the  element. The reason being that I want to override the scrolling while retaining the event notification.

A: A quick dirty hack, but it's something you can build upon:
var curScroll = prevScroll = $(window).scrollTop()

$(window).bind('scroll', function() {
  prevScroll = curScroll
  curScroll = $(this).scrollTop()
}).bind('hashchange', function() {
  $(this).scrollTop(prevScroll)
})

I used jQuery here to make it work across browsers and keep the page's onhashchange and onscroll handlers intact. One problem I spotted is that if you click the same hashtag twice it scrolls anyway.

UPD. I just figured out a better solution:
$('a').live('click', function() {
  if (this.href.split('#')[0] == location.href.split('#')[0]) {
    var scrollTop = $(window).scrollTop()
    setTimeout(function() {
      $(window).scrollTop(scrollTop)
    }, 0)
  }
})

A: Well, you can try to be brutal:
var i, elems = document.getElementsByTagName('a');
for (i = 0; i < elems.length; i++) {
    elems[i].removeAttribute('name');
}

It has to be run after the DOM is ready but before it gets rendered so you have to put it in the right place. It won't work for 'id' attributes - only with
Does it do what you want?

A: Try this:

$( 'a[href="#"]' ).click( function(e) {
  e.preventDefault();
} );

A: A kind-of hacky technique would be to just automatically scroll to the top of the page if there's a hash in the url:
if (window.location.hash) {
    window.scrollTo(0, 0);
}

A: perhaps you need to use a bit of jquery and string manipulation
removeHashPartFromString = function() {
 ...
}

$('a').each(function() {
    this.attr('href') = removeHashPartFromString(this.attr('href'));
});

Or find the elements with the hash and remove the name hash attributes from those elements.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Companies buying their own shares could fuel the next market rally
Published Fri, Oct 12 2018 7:23 AM EDT Updated Fri, Oct 12 2018 9:48 AM EDT
Bob Pisani@BobPisani
Companies tend to buy their own shares when their stock price is down.
About 80 percent of companies have programs set up so they can automatically buy back their shares even during blackout periods.
J. P. Morgan Chase and Apple were actively buying back stock before their earnings reports.
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images
With stocks down significantly, corporate buybacks could help stabilize the market.
Buybacks have been one of the big stories supporting the market this year. DataTrek estimates that in the last 12 months, the companies in the S&P 500 have purchased $646 billion of their own stock, 29 percent more than the previous 12 months.
And there's plenty of "dry powder" left. One firm estimates at least $350 billion of buybacks that have been planned for the year and are just waiting to be put to work.
And no, it is not just Apple that is buying its own stock. More than 300 large-cap companies have active buyback programs.
Unfortunately, some traders are resurrecting an old chestnut to help explain the current market weakness. They say we are entering a "blackout" period, when corporations cannot buy their stock because they are about to report quarterly earnings.
It's a neat explanation, except there's not a lot to it.
"Buybacks do occur during blackout periods," Ben Silverman at InsiderScore told me. "Buyback volume does often decline in the first month of the quarter due to some buyback blackouts," but companies can, and do, continue to buy back stock, he told me.
Another trader (who declined to be identified) confirmed Silverman's point. Corporate buybacks decline in the month before earnings, but only marginally. He estimated the decline is 30 percent or less.
Here are the facts about buybacks and "blackout periods:"
1. Most companies have policies about insider buying and selling. To avoid accusations that companies and their executives are trading on insider information, most companies restrict or will not allow trading in their stock in the immediate period prior to an earnings release. There is no federally mandated blackout period. Companies decide themselves when and if they want to restrict corporate and insider buying or selling. The rules vary by company, but Silverman noted that a typical trading window closes two weeks before the quarter ends and stays closed until just after earnings are released.
2. Companies can continue to buy back stock even during a blackout period. Under SEC Rule 10b5-1, corporations are permitted to trade providing the companies have set up a plan to buy back stock on a regular, defined basis. There are certain restrictions, like not being able to buy in the last 10 minutes of trading.
If they follow these guidelines, they are afforded a "safe harbor" against any insider trading accusations.
And that is exactly what many companies do.
Take J. P. Morgan, which reported earnings on Friday. In its 2017 annual report, the company said it bought back 47 million shares in the fourth quarter of 2017, averaging 16 million shares in each of the three months in that quarter. Here's how the share buybacks broke down by month:
JP Morgan: Q4 2017 buybacks
October: 14.2 million shares
November: 19.4 million shares
December: 14 million shares
Source: company filing
Last year, J. P. Morgan reported its third quarter earnings on October 12, 2017. The 14.2 million shares it bought in October was less than it bought in November, but about the same amount it bought in December.
The company explained in a filing: "The Firm may, from time to time, enter into written trading plans under Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to facilitate repurchases in accordance with the common equity repurchase program. A Rule 10b5-1 repurchase plan allows the Firm to repurchase its equity during periods when it would not otherwise be repurchasing common equity - for example, during internal trading blackout periods."
The company is telling you that it likely had a 10b5-1 plan and stuck to it, even buying through the "blackout period."
I'll give you one other example from one of the biggest buyback monsters, Apple.
In its second quarter report, Apple told us exactly how much stock it bought back, and when, during the three months that ended on June 20th.
It shows Apple was a big buyer of its stock in the period immediately before it reported earnings on May 1.
Here are the numbers from its regulatory filing:
From April 1 through May 5, Apple bought 67,707 shares at an average price of $170.46.
From May 6 through June 2, it bought 22,026 shares at an average price of $187.56.
From June 3 through June 30, it bought 23,045 shares at an average price of $187.78.
Notice something important: Apple bought back more shares in the month before it reported earnings (May 1) than it did in the two months after the earnings release.
Apple not only bought back shares, it bought them smartly. It bought more during the period when the stock price was lower (April 1 to May 5), and bought back less during the periods when it was higher (May 6 to June 2 and June 3 to June 30).
The $350 billion in unused buybacks is a lot of "dry powder" for the market. That is a significant amount of money that could be allocated back into the market, particularly with share prices down.
Corporate buyback plans typically work on a dollar basis, meaning corporations will seek to buy back a certain amount of dollar value of their stock on a daily basis. With prices down, corporations can buy back more stock, and they may even get more aggressive.
When does the music stop? I don't know, but American companies are generating enormous free cash flow. Cash and cash equivalents are still high. We are not seeing aggressive leveraging up of balance sheets to buy back stock — most are not issuing debt to buy back stock.
Unless companies can find an attractive use for all that excess cash, such as hiking dividends or using cash for M&A, I'm betting companies will still funnel the majority of their excess cash to buybacks.
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The Ghastly Ones (1968)
*. When going over the Something Weird Video catalogue — and let me say up front that I love the work they do — it's hard to pick a "worst movie" or "worst filmmaker." I don't think anyone, least of all the people responsible for this crap, were under any illusions about it being crap. But of all the "major" titles Something Weird has brought out, surely Andy Milligan's The Ghastly Ones (also known as Blood Rites), a movie that Stephen King dismissed as being made by "morons with cameras," would be hard to top (or bottom).
*. That said, I actually liked this movie a little more this latest time around. Given how bad I knew it was, perhaps I was more in the mood for enjoying whatever good there was in it. So, for example, while Milligan's camerawork is awful, the editing is brutal, the sound inaudible, and the lighting hopeless, he does manage to pull off some interesting compositions with the faces in his cast. It's not Bergman, but it shows he had an eye.
*. There's also some camp charm, supplied mainly by the talky and sometimes funny script. I like the nod about living in "sexual harmony" at the estate, and the inexplicable business with Walter ("a man of abnormal tastes" who reminded me of the similar role played by Stefan's "mother" in Daughters of Darkness). Meanwhile, the costumes and décor (get a load of that wallpaper!), which I think fascinated Milligan, do make it all seem a bit different.
*. As so often (or always?) with the Something Weird DVDs, listening to the movie with the commentary is preferable. Here it's provided by actor Hal Borske, who plays Colin. He doesn't actually say much about the movie though, preferring to indulge more general reflections on Milligan. There was an uptick in interest in Milligan after a biography came out, but it seems to me that the best that could be said about him is that he was a character. Most of the time he appears to have been a really miserable shit.
*. The acting is wretched. The leads can't even seem to kiss properly, looking more like they're trying to push of against each other. But there is one exception. That would be Maggie Rogers as Hattie, who gets to go full Betsy Palmer at the end quite effectively.
*. What was that stuff coming out of the lawyer Dobbs' nose? Hair? Boogers? A combination of both, I guess.
*. I like the "head in a pot" gag, but wouldn't it be obvious to everyone that Hattie had to be the killer seeing as she was the one who brought the pot out and set it on the table? I mean, wouldn't she be the one putting the lid on in the kitchen?
*. I can't recommend this, as it really is a piece of garbage. I'm not even sure what the point was. Did these films make money? Were they useful as a calling card to greater things? Still, if you're a fan of junkhouse cinema of the period you may want to check it out. Otherwise I don't think there's any reason to waste your time.
This entry was posted in 1960s on April 24, 2021 by Alex Good.
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34 thoughts on "The Ghastly Ones (1968)"
fragglerocking April 24, 2021 at 4:09 am
Hmmm. I can only ask who put the money up for this, and why?
Alex Good April 24, 2021 at 4:14 am
Apparently had a budget of $13,000 (not a typo) so I think he might have raised it among friends. Actually I seem to remember them talking a bit about this on the commentary but I don't recall the details.
Anyone can make a movie, Fraggle!
Yes, all you need is a phone cam and some pals.
Alex Good Post author April 24, 2021 at 4:25 am
You could do a Get Carter remake! And a better one than the Sylvester Stallone version because you could shoot it on all the original locations.
I'm really looking forward to this!
But the car. park has been demolished!
Disappointing to be sure, but time takes some locations away and provides new ones. Now you can shoot the climax on that giant Condorman statue! Just think of the possibilities!
Well I'll have to watch the movie first and do a feasibility study, ~i'll get back to you on it.
Over-The-Shoulder April 24, 2021 at 4:27 am
Something Weird DVDs? That's a little zany, no? What's your library called, Wacky Industries? Sorry, this film looks far too *bad* for my liking.
They actually do a good job putting out these ultra-low-budget exploitation flicks from this time, usually with commentaries with the director (that are more interesting than the movies themselves). Their best stuff are the Herschell Gordon Lewis movies. But some of it is so dreadful you don't want to bother.
Well, Something Weird seems a little hit and miss. Do appreciate low budget films, but some truly are dreadful.
You really need to have a sweet tooth for sleaze. I'm glad though that they did the Lewis movies. And Basket Case is their other big release. At some point I'll be posting on Bat Pussy (1973). Can't resist "the worst pornographic movie ever made."
Sweet tooth for sleaze – that's going to be the title of my memoirs. Bat Pussy sounds excellent. I'll twiddle my thumbs right here till I get the review.
It may be a while. You might want to binge watch another series in the meantime.
That I can do. Going to rewatch Better Call Saul right now…
That's another one I want to get to sometime.
Another excellent show. What are you doing with your time Alex? These should be priorities!
Too much TV, too little time. Like I say, it takes me a couple of years to go through a full series. I did watch The Sopranos, Mad Men, The Wire, and Breaking Bad. Still getting through The Walking Dead.
Add Homeland to your list too, that's a best ever series.
That was going to be the next one up!
I'm also part way through American Horror Story, but since every season there is a different standalone miniseries I sort of stalled out after season four I think. I only thought the first season was really good. I don't like it when a show goes downhill.
Homeland just keeps getting better and better and has a great ending. Can't go wrong with it.
I admit, some go on for too long and there's more series than need be. But TV has the possibility of being better than a film because you get more time with the characters, to get to know them and see them grow in a twisting and turning plot. The possibilities are endless and you're without time constraints.
tensecondsfromnow April 24, 2021 at 5:44 am
What's your problem with the wallpaper? That's the kind I have in my house, and it's not cheap! It's the same stuff that Carrie has in SATC2.
That actually explains a lot . . . .
Evidence of mental breakdown. Yellow Wallpaper syndrome. You could get therapy.
http://www.v3wall.com/html/pic_down/1920_1080/pic_down_52969_1920_1080.html
Now tell me it's not true, fool?
Not even remotely similar. How you can go from that neo-Gilded Age trash to the bold chiaroscuro arabesque and grid is beyond me.
Did you pattern your house after Carrie's?
A mixture of that and the Ghastly Ones. The look has a splash of Manos, Hands of Fate.
Do you live in a bin?
It only looks like that from the inside. It actually has a lot of curb appeal.
How do you get inside wallpaper?
Read Gilman.
Is it like Aquaman?
You're thinking of Gill-Man, and no she isn't. Oh well, I tried to help.
There is no try, only do.
So, you have nothing useful to say, do you, fool? I really do pity you…


text:
package org.apache.activemq.store.kahadb.perf;

import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.net.URISyntaxException;
import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;

import javax.jms.BytesMessage;
import javax.jms.ConnectionFactory;
import javax.jms.DeliveryMode;
import javax.jms.MessageConsumer;
import javax.jms.MessageProducer;
import javax.jms.Session;

import junit.framework.Test;

import org.apache.activemq.ActiveMQConnectionFactory;
import org.apache.activemq.JmsTestSupport;
import org.apache.activemq.broker.BrokerService;
import org.apache.activemq.command.ActiveMQDestination;
import org.apache.activemq.command.ActiveMQQueue;
import org.apache.activemq.store.kahadb.KahaDBStore;
import org.slf4j.Logger;
import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;

/**
 * This tests bulk loading and unloading of messages to a Queue.s
 */
public class KahaBulkLoadingTest extends JmsTestSupport {

   private static final Logger LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(KahaBulkLoadingTest.class);

   protected int messageSize = 1024 * 4;

   @Override
   protected BrokerService createBroker() throws Exception {
      BrokerService broker = new BrokerService();
      KahaDBStore kaha = new KahaDBStore();
      kaha.setDirectory(new File("target/activemq-data/kahadb"));
      // kaha.deleteAllMessages();
      broker.setPersistenceAdapter(kaha);
      broker.addConnector("tcp://localhost:0");
      return broker;
   }

   @Override
   protected ConnectionFactory createConnectionFactory() throws URISyntaxException, IOException {
      ActiveMQConnectionFactory factory = new ActiveMQConnectionFactory(broker.getTransportConnectors().get(0).getServer().getConnectURI());
      factory.setUseAsyncSend(true);
      return factory;
   }

   public void testQueueSendThenAddConsumer() throws Exception {
      long start;
      long end;
      ActiveMQDestination destination = new ActiveMQQueue("TEST");

      connection.setUseCompression(false);
      connection.getPrefetchPolicy().setAll(10);
      connection.start();

      Session session = connection.createSession(false, Session.DUPS_OK_ACKNOWLEDGE);

      LOG.info("Receiving messages that are in the queue");
      MessageConsumer consumer = session.createConsumer(destination);
      BytesMessage msg = (BytesMessage) consumer.receive(2000);
      int consumed = 0;
      if (msg != null) {
         consumed++;
      }
      while (true) {
         int counter = 0;
         if (msg == null) {
            break;
         }
         end = start = System.currentTimeMillis();
         int size = 0;
         while ((end - start) < 5000) {
            msg = (BytesMessage) consumer.receive(5000);
            if (msg == null) {
               break;
            }
            counter++;
            consumed++;
            end = System.currentTimeMillis();
            size += msg.getBodyLength();
         }
         LOG.info("Consumed: " + (counter * 1000.0 / (end - start)) + " " + " messages/sec, " + (1.0 * size / (1024.0 * 1024.0)) * ((1000.0 / (end - start))) + " megs/sec ");
      }
      consumer.close();
      LOG.info("Consumed " + consumed + " messages from the queue.");

      MessageProducer producer = session.createProducer(destination);
      producer.setDeliveryMode(DeliveryMode.PERSISTENT);

      LOG.info("Sending messages that are " + (messageSize / 1024.0) + "k large");
      // Send a message to the broker.
      start = System.currentTimeMillis();

      final AtomicBoolean stop = new AtomicBoolean();
      Runtime.getRuntime().addShutdownHook(new Thread() {
         @Override
         public void run() {
            stop.set(true);
         }
      });

      int produced = 0;
      while (!stop.get()) {
         end = start = System.currentTimeMillis();
         int produceCount = 0;
         while ((end - start) < 5000 && !stop.get()) {
            BytesMessage bm = session.createBytesMessage();
            bm.writeBytes(new byte[messageSize]);
            producer.send(bm);
            produceCount++;
            produced++;
            end = System.currentTimeMillis();
         }
         LOG.info("Produced: " + (produceCount * 1000.0 / (end - start)) + " messages/sec, " + (1.0 * produceCount * messageSize / (1024.0 * 1024.0)) * ((1000.0 / (end - start))) + " megs/sec");
      }
      LOG.info("Prodcued " + produced + " messages to the queue.");

   }

   public static Test suite() {
      return suite(KahaBulkLoadingTest.class);
   }

   public static void main(String[] args) {
      junit.textui.TestRunner.run(suite());
   }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: ngb-datepicker and Angular 4: add button inside the datepicker box I'd like to add a button inside the datepicker box, something like "Today" which is clickable and selects the current date;
From what i've seen in the documentation there's only the [dateTemplate] option which seems to affect the date elements inside the datepicker. [custom day view]
Is there another attribute or some other way one can use to add a button inside this box?


Some animals have names which describe exactly what it says on the tin. Harvestmen usually appear in the late summer and later on often finds a home in your home. They are sometimes mistaken for spiders having a pill-shaped body suspended on eight very long legs. Sometimes they are called 'daddy-long-legs' which is a really a collective name for any spindly-legged invertebrate which cause distress as they bumble along and includes six-legged craneflies, and in the US, cave spiders which are the only dangerous ones as they bite. Harvestmen differ from spiders in having an undivided body (spiders have a head and abdomen) no fangs and they do not make webs. Their main defence are their stink glands. If picked up they have two defence mechanisms. They can produce an unpleasant odour. Funny though, as their main predator are birds which do not have well-developed olfactory organs, it must also cause a chemical reaction in the mouth of birds making them speedily reject them from their beaks. The other escape trick is to detach a limb or two which are all too easily lost if grabbed. Not exactly an ideal solution as it must impact on their mobility but it's a trade-off for having otherwise superior abilities to track across uneven ground. Losing their second pair of legs though would be fatal as housed inside these minute slit-like legs is an olfactory centre, the equivalent of a nose, tongue, ears and eyes all in one. They are packed with nerves, attached to thousands of sense organs which they use to track down their food. Their tastes are truly catholic, and as the 'tin says', they 'harvest' their food from all sorts of places; ranging from smaller bugs, fungi and bird droppings, all the way up to scavenging the carcasses of large animals and birds.
Autumn also signals a change in behaviour for many mammals. With a hoard of new adolescents kicking around the patch since the previous year, adults both old and new have to re-establish their territories. Because Muntjac breed all year-round and are unlike their much larger relatives typically inhabiting the Highlands, Islands and Parks which can muster large harems, our local deer do not have a rutting season. Instead they need to scent mark-out sufficient habitat to provide adequate food supply and protection. Once established or re-established the male emits those all too familiar barks in the night to warn other males to keep away and to draw one or more females into their locality. If a challenger emerges though the male muntjac has short antlers it will use its downward pointing canine teeth to attempt to rebuff the challenger. Meanwhile an equally frequent and persistent bark in the night-time is proffered by the dog-fox which has an even tougher job to protect its domain. Badgers can also assert their authority by barking out short, sharp admonishments. Even grey squirrels express themselves with aggressive bursts of corpuscular barking.
Despite their delicate appearance lacewings, those green translucent-winged flies are hardy beasts. This is a valuable insect for the gardener as they predate aphids and small larvae. These insects share an autumn habit with deciduous trees. Some have suggested physiological changes in the insect are an adaptive behaviour providing camouflage at the same time when autumn colours are emerging. In fact the processes going on in leaves and these insects are very similar. The drivers behind these changes shortening day length and falling temperatures. The final generation of this season's flies will seek out a safe haven to hibernate, such as the crevices beneath bark or, in my experience, the gaps between wooden windows and frames in sheds. Over a matter of days they change colour to a dull pink. In effect they lose the green colouration which exposes the background blood pigments. It is likely that they are conserving vital body foods and elements by breaking down the complex molecules that generate the green colouration. A similar process is afoot within the leaf as was in the wings of the insect. The trees need to recoup the valuable minerals and chemicals in the leaves over winter. As the cell contents empty this reveals the burnt oranges and russet red colours we all admire. Winter colour-change is also a feature of many animals and birds that live on high ground in the North; hares, foxes, grouse. Away from the snowy conditions such colouration is unusual. One example that breaks this rule is the stoat which takes on an almost white colouration in winter months. Despite the absence of frequent significant snowfall in southern England this ermine mantle has persisted. However, this habit is changing. If you are lucky enough to see one it is likely to be half white and brown.
Some of you may have noticed the play-on-words in the choice of the title. "The curious incident of the dog in the night-time" was a line in a Sherlock Holmes story 'Silver Blaze'.