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FSC 2019 – Opening Speech
The opening keynote at the Financial Stability Conference 2019 delivered Martin F. Hellwig, Director emeritus of the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods. The well-known academic expert recalled developments and outlined steps as reaction to the financial crisis, and offered insights and assessments on the interlinkages of monetary policies, politicial settings, European integration and banking.
Keynote – Opening Speech
Governments, Banks and European Monetary Union
Martin F. Hellwig, Director emeritus, Max Planck Institute for Research onCollective Goods
Martin Hellwig opened his speech with the claim that the most important challenge to European Monetary Union is political, rather than economic, and problems should not be treated as merely technical. Money is a source of power. Since central banking is about money, it is ipso facto political and needs political legitimacy. In Germany, the decades of the Bundesbank's preaching about the importance of price stability served to support the political legitimacy of the Bundesbank, as a counterweight to greedy unions and profligate governments. In the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), the problem is that politics is either national or local, and therefore, it is difficult to establish political legitimacy for a supranational institution.
The most important challenge to European Monetary Union is political, rather than economic, and problems should not be treated as merely technical.
These issues can be illustrated in the context of the Banking Union (BU) with two conflicting propositions that firstly, EMU needs BU and secondly, BU lacks political legitimacy. Both propositions are based on the fact that banks are political and politics is national or local but not supranational.
In the first decade of the monetary union there was no problem. By comparison to preceding decades, in fact there was a de-politicization of monetary policy. Discussions were technical rather than political, addressing for example the question whether Otmar Issing's two-pillar policy was appropriate or whether the European Central Bank (ECB) should move to inflation targeting, without looking at monetary aggregates.
The financial crisis changed all this. Since then we have seen a re-politicization of monetary policy, in which the central bank's supranational character was a source of both strength and weakness. The fragmentation of politics along national lines allowed a dissociation of the ECB from politics, but the politics itself came to be hostile to the ECB. Some of the irritation was due to the crises, but some of it also reflects the deeper fault-lines between national politics and supranational monetary policy making.
The fragmentation of politics along national lines allowed a dissociation of the ECB from politics, but the politics itself came to be hostile to the ECB.
Banks enter this field because, on the one hand, they are an integral part of the monetary system, managing the payment system and playing a key role in monetary-policy transmission, and, on the other hand, they are also an integral part of national and regional politics, where important people, politicians in positions of power, as well as various members of local and national elites, always have wonderful ideas that just need funding from banks.
Paradoxically, the Treaty pays hardly any attention to banks. Banking regulation and supervision remained in the national domain. Articles 127(5) and 127(6) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) say that the ECB should assist regulators and supervisors in what they are doing, but the relationship between banks and monetary policy is not addressed. Moreover, the Treaty says nothing about the Lender of Last Resort (LOLR) function of a central bank. In the early 2000s, there were many Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) on the relation between national and supranational institutions in dealing with banks; these MoUs stated that solvency problems of banks and recapitalizations would be dealt with by finance ministers, liquidity problems of individual banks by national central banks under the auspices of emergency liquidity assistance (ELA), and general, system-wide liquidity problems by the ECB's intervening in markets. The notion that finance ministers might be unable or unwilling to deal with solvency problems and recapitalize the banks was not considered. Nor was the nature of liquidity problems that might arise.
In the first decade of monetary union, none of this mattered. There were no concerns about bank insolvencies or liquidity problems. As far as the transmission mechanism was concerned, interbank markets seemed to work without frictions. So the entire question of how precisely central bank money is distributed did not matter much, because the financial system used interbank markets to redistribute funds if the initial allocation had not been appropriate. These markets facilitated huge capital flows, especially from Germany to Ireland, Spain, Greece and Italy. To some extent, these capital flows also balanced current accounts imbalances, which is why in the first years of monetary union target balances were small.
All this changed in September 2008. Following the Lehman Brothers collapse there was a complete breakdown of interbank markets. Capital flows were reversed, interbank loans were recalled or not renewed, and securities were sold – much of it across national borders, i.e. financial systems, which had become more integrated in the run-up to the crisis, fragmented again along national lines.
For monetary union, these developments posed three challenges: First, the liquidity crunches in 2007/08 and 2011/12; these crunches were successfully countered with huge liquidity injections, for example, the Long-Term Refinancing Operation (LTRO) of 2011/2012. Second, the transmission problem of how to implement monetary policy when interbank markets are not functioning; this problem was solved by moving to a system of full allotment, where the banks' applications for central bank loans were automatically granted – at the conditions fixed by the central bank. This measure plays a role in German political debate because, under full allotment, central-bank funding substituted for interbank funding, enabling a flow of funds back from the periphery countries to for instance Germany, which then appears in the Target Balances of national central banks in the Eurosystem. In Germany, the populist interpretation has been monetary union using Bundesbank money to bail out Irish or Greek banks, without regard to the fact that these "bailouts" really benefited the borrowing banks' creditors, often German and French banks and that, under the Treaty, there is not such thing as Bundesbank money, it is all ECB or Eurosystem money.
Third, many of the banks to which the Eurosystem lent liquidity support were weak, on the brink of insolvency, and there was no way the ECB could weed out those that should not be supported. This weakness raised questions of principle about supporting "zombies", as well as questions about the effectiveness of the transmission mechanism. In the case of the LTRO of 2011/12, many funds went to weak banks, which had a preference for lending to their own governments, rather than the real economy. This behavior hampered the transmission of monetary policy to the real economy, but in contrast to the other two challenges, it was not in the ECB's power to do much about it. Dealing with weak banks was a task for national authorities rather than the ECB. National authorities however were not eager to address the issue.
Many banks to which the Eurosystem lent liquidity, were weak, near insolvency, and there was no way the ECB could weed out those that should not be supported.
In recognizing and addressing problems, banks and supervisors always have a certain leeway because the valuation of assets that are not traded in organized markets involves an element of arbitrariness. If a borrower's debt service is in arrears, how much do you write down the value of the loan? If you believe that the borrower's problems are temporary, perhaps not at all because you "are sure" that he will eventually pay up. If you suspect that he will never repay, you may still resist a write-down because a write-down makes you look bad. And who is there to challenge your assessment that the borrower will "surely" end up paying? The supervisors may have the same incentive to procrastinate because when the problems are laid open, they also look bad, especially if they have no ready remedy for dealing with them.
Governments may also like procrastination because it enables them to avoid using public funds for recapitalizing the banks in question. If public budgets are squeezed, they may not even be able to provide for the recapitalizations. In contrast, if weak banks get funding from the central bank and pass the money on to the government, the government gets an indirect access to the printing press, which it may like. The central banks themselves may not be averse to procrastination, because they also like to avoid turmoil.
If weak banks get funding from the central bank and pass the money on to the government, it gets an indirect access to the printing press, which it may like.
All such delays are costly however, because eventual cleanups are much more difficult after long procrastination. There also is a cost to not having enough exit from the industry, i.e. to maintain excess capacity in the industry, inducing aggressively competitive behavior, squeezing margins, and causing significant systemic risk.
BU was created to deal with the problems and the incentive distortions involved in weak banks' being fully left to national authorities. The Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) took supervision out of the national domain, introduced the ECB as a single supervisory institution and gave independence to national supervisors cooperating with the ECB in the implementation of European law. Given the scope for conflict between the different participants, I see the experience of the SSM as positive. It has contributed significantly to loss recognition and recapitalization in European banking.
I see the experience of the SSM as positive. It has contributed significantly to loss recognition and recapitalization. But resolution remains a problem.
But resolution remains a problem. The new rules of the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive (BRRD) and the Single Resolution Mechanism (SRM) are not working well. The SRM was applied only once, in the case of Banco Popular Español (BPE). In this case, the failing bank was sold to another bank. The sale took place overnight and there were no alternatives because BPE was subject to a run by large depositors and the SRM had no way to replace the funding that was disappearing. The legal norms, the BRRD and the SRM Regulation, simply do not provide for any funding that the bank might need while the resolution authority is choosing its strategy. Perhaps the drafters of these norms thought that funding in resolution might work like funding in an insolvency procedure, where new creditors are often willing to come in because they are given priority over all previous creditors.
For a bank, however, the problem is more serious because so much of a bank's debt is short-term, provided by institutions that have short-term funding themselves, e.g. money market funds. If this short-term debt is frozen in resolution, the lenders themselves may be in trouble, for example, because their own funding breaks away, as in the case of Reserve Primary and other US money market funds after the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy. If this short-term debt is not frozen, prioritization of new creditors does not work well because there are too many of them relative to the presumed remaining value of the bank's assets, and, moreover, if they are themselves run upon, they do not have a choice but must withdraw anyway. Without solid funding, however, there is no time for the resolution authority to choose its strategy.
Resolution under the BRRD and SRM Regulation is also impeded by political resistance. The cases of Monte dei Paschi di Siena, Banco Popolare di Vicenza and Veneto Banca, as well as HSH Nordbank and Nord LB all show national authorities going to great lengths to avoid having "their" banks go into resolution and investors in "their" banks subjected to bail-in, i.e. to a sharing of losses if there is not enough equity to absorb them. They prefer to use taxpayer money for "precautionary" recapitalizations rather than to apply the rules and make investors share the losses. They prefer even more not to be forced to acknowledge losses so that recapitalization needs to not become apparent. This is why last year there was so much resistance to the SSM's proposing to tighten the rules for provisioning against risks from non-performing loans. Since the beginning of Banking Union, volumes of non-performing loans have declined somewhat, but they are still high, somewhat below 600 billion euro versus one trillion euro in 2014; in crisis-affected Cyprus and Greece and in Italy, they still pose significant risks to the entire financial system. Remarkably, throughout these years, the notion of using the resolution mechanism to deal with the problem does not seem to have been considered. Instead there were proposals to put problem loans into government-funded asset management companies, "bad banks", with clawback provisions making the originating banks pay for eventually remaining losses – if they are able to do so.
Cases so far show national authorities going to great lengths to avoid having "their" banks go into resolution and investors in "their" banks subjected to bail-in.
From the perspective of EMU, improvements in resolution are essential to making Banking Union work. And Banking Union, with a well-functioning supervisory mechanism and a well-functioning resolution mechanism, is essential if monetary transmission is to get back to normal, with a workable symbiosis of the central bank and commercial banks in the creation of money. While many call for the creation of a European Deposit Insurance Scheme, the reform of resolution is actually much more important because deposit insurance does not matter much if the institutions do not even enter into resolution.
From EMU perspective, improvements in resolution are essential to making BU work. And BU is essential if monetary transmission is to get back to normal.
However, Banking Union lacks political legitimacy. Political legitimacy is a result of public political discourse. In the EU, such discourse usually takes place at the local level and at the national level but not at the supranational level. This is particularly true of banks. Banks are an important part of local and national political systems for several reasons. First, they are a source of money. Everybody, citizens and politicians alike, has an idea of what the banks' should be used for, for example a house for me or an investment in wind energy. A German Landesbank provides the head of its regional government with the power to move a few million without asking a parliamentary committee; this power is worth every euro of taxpayer money, so the regional government will hardly agree to put the bank into resolution!
Second, banking itself is an area of industrial policy. Cyprus, Ireland, the UK, Iceland, and to some extent Switzerland promoted the financial sector as a way of enhancing economic growth. Third, investors in banks may be politically important. In the case of the German bank Hypo Real Estate, which was bailed out in 2008/09, investors included not only Deutsche Bank and Allianz, which might be thought of as systemic risks, they also included the established churches, the public television system, many municipalities and pension institutions, so the bailout forestalled a discussion of quite a different kind of systemic risk. In the case of BPE, the large depositors were mainly local and regional governments, so a bail-in would also have created significant political problems. In the case of the Venetian banks, the bail-in of equity and subordinated debt involved many small entrepreneurs who had invested their savings in preferred stock of the banks on the grounds that such provision of capital was allowing the banks to maintain or even increase their lending to them. The bail-in imposed serious losses on these entrepreneurs and contributed to the revulsion against EMU and Banking Union that shaped the result of the 2018 election in Italy. From the perspective of national politics, the BRRD and the SRM are politically illegitimate.
From the perspective of national politics, the BRRD and the SRM are politically illegitimate.
For someone used to Sunday school teaching, all this is really smelly. The notion that banks should provide funding for the government's pet projects is a subversion of parliamentary budget authority. To be sure, there is no direct involvement of government money, but there are risks for taxpayers. The risks are kept hidden until they are realized, and then the taxpayer has to pay the bill. By then, it was just bad luck even though, with proper governance and proper foresight about risks, the "bad luck" could have been avoided. The same criticism applies to mercantilist industrial policy using "light touch" regulation to promote a country's financial industry at a risk of serious damage to the country if there is a crisis. And the mis-selling of hybrid liabilities – and its toleration by the authorities – is altogether scandalous. The bailouts violate a fundamental principle of a market economy, namely that everyone should be responsible for the consequences of their own actions. This principle is a necessary correlate of the freedom to act as one likes as long as one abides by the rules of the law.
The notion that banks should provide funding for the government's pet projects is a subversion of parliamentary budget authority.
However, political legitimacy is not the same as legitimacy in the eyes of Sunday school teachers. Political legitimacy is established in political discourse. Political discourse at local and national levels however is driven by some of the very parties that benefit from conflicting with Sunday school teaching. From their perspective, Frankfurt and Brussels are illegitimate intruders. The European Commission, the SRB, the SSM and the ECB unfortunately are not present in local and national policy discourse, where blaming outsiders is a prominent strategy. At this level, there is hardly anyone who defends the need for the rules of the Banking Union and the interference that they mandate.
In local and national policy discourses there is hardly anyone who defends the need for the rules of the Banking Union and the interference that they mandate.
The sense of illegitimacy has been even stronger in those cases where the ECB has used its power over banking systems in order to take sides in distributive conflicts. In the case of Ireland, the letter written by the president of the ECB to the Irish government in the fall of 2010 demanding that there should be no bail-in of senior unsecured creditors (mainly German banks and the ECB itself), did a lot to de-legitimize the ECB with the Irish population. In other cases, such as the letter to the Italian prime minister in August 2011 or the ECB's role in the Greek crisis in 2015, there also was a view that the ECB was too much aligned with the creditors. To be sure, the typical German assessment was just the opposite, namely the ECB was (and is) seen as a mechanism of distribution of resources from Germany to the debtors in the peripheral countries. But the very difference between the different national discourses shows that the interplay between the supranational institutions in the monetary union and national policies is highly dysfunctional.
The very difference between the different national discourses in the EU shows that the interplay between the supranational institutions and national policies is highly dysfunctional.
This conflict is ultimately irresolvable. One often hears that the bank-sovereign nexus must be cut. This formulation was used at the Summit of June 2012 that decided in favour of Banking Union, and it has been used in discussions about an European Deposit Insurance Scheme (EDIS) ever since. But there always is a bank-sovereign nexus. Member States are sovereign and have sovereign powers over "their" banks, not just over supervision and resolution but also over employment law, tax codes and even ownership. (Remember that Mr. Varoufakis thought of nationalizing Greek banks!) Transnational or trans-European banks, as promoted by some, would alleviate the problem. But then the government of the country where such a bank has its seat still has sovereign power over it, and the governments of other countries where it has subsidiaries may want to impose their sovereign power as well.
What can be done? The answer is "muddling through", perhaps with some small improvements. First, we need some strengthening of political legitimacy at the supranational level. At the supranational level, we need more public political discussion, which presumes more powers of the legislature and an executive that provides a counterweight to the regulatory administrations. In this context, we should think about a European finance minister and a European budget in terms of political processes and political legitimacy, rather than technocratic management. Second, the BRRD and the SRM need to be reformed to take account of the fact that bailouts are sometimes needed and, moreover, that the Commission's state aid control may not be well suited to controlling such bailouts. State aid control is aimed at competition policy, rather than financial stability. In the case of the Italian banks, negotiations with the Commission about state aid control have contributed significantly to procrastination, which is harmful for financial stability. Reliance of state aid control on the private investor rule is inappropriate if some of the private investor participation is based on bail-in, as in the case of Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena. Moreover, the judgement that exit makes bailouts acceptable because there is no more threat to competition is inappropriate if investors take the government's bailout of some investors in the current case as a signal of its stance in future cases.
What can be done? "Muddling through" with some small improvements. First, we need some strengthening of political legitimacy at the supranational level.
Third, we need to take account of the loss of information capital of banks that are closed, especially when a crisis covers an entire region and many banks are affected. The question then is how to deal with an entire regional banking system, when the region and its banks are subject to an asymmetric shock, e.g. from changes in world trading conditions, as experienced by some of the industries in northern Italy whose competitiveness in European and world markets was strongly affected by the accession of Eastern European countries to the EU and by the expansion of Chinese exports. Given their experience in 1992, Swedes would say: nationalize, re-organize, and re-privatize, leaving the government to bear residual losses, but the BRRD does not leave room for such a strategy. In summary, the entire system of legal norms for bank resolution needs to be rethought.
Martin Hellwig concluded that ever since its beginnings in the 1950s, academic economists had reacted to European integration the way an engineer would react to a bumblebee. Just as engineers "know" that bumblebees cannot fly because they are too heavy and their wings are too small, so economists have always known that European integration cannot fly. But somehow bumblebees can fly despite the engineers' assessments, and European integration has muddled through despite the economists' skepticism. We must hope that Europe will also find ways to muddle through in the matter of Banking Union.
More on FSC Conference 2019


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Macroeconomy
Mind & Braind
France: protests invade the country
Published: - Dec 09, 2018
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After three weeks of intense protests, Macron slowly gives way. However, will it be enough?
Since mid-November, the streets of France have been filled with demonstrators, many supporting the group called "yellow vests". The reason? The president's decision to increase the price of fuel. According to Emmanuel Macron, the price increase was justified in environmental reasons "because it had to comply with the pacts at the European level", as Sipse affirms.
Leer en español: Francia: las protestas invaden al país
However, the explanations did not bear fruit and more and more French joined the march. Of the three major demonstrations that occurred, the first left 117 people in detention; the second 130 and the third 400. In addition, in this last 12 journalists from the middle RT were injured, as stated by the same media.
In view of the constant aggression on the part of the demonstrators, on Wednesday, December 5, Macron decided to cancel the fuel rate for 2019. In addition, he asked the protesters, unions, and policemen for a bit of calm. However, this calm seems not to come soon. The demonstration, incited by the "yellow vests" has joined the student sector, the truck sector, and the largest agrarian association in the country.
The "Yellow Vests"
There is no doubt that they were the ones who initiated the wave of protests. And curious as it may seem, the union of these people came through a petition on the Change.org website. There, through signatures, they asked that the price of fuel not be raised. From that moment, Facebook groups were created where the different marches were called, as indicated by El Confidencial.
However, despite the massive response and participation, the "yellow vests" do not have a clear ideology and it seems that many were dispersed within the movement. They are many individuals within a movement, whose central objective was to protest the new price of fuels.
Despite this, there is no doubt that the yellow vests were an important part of the demonstrations and that through these, different sectors also had the courage to express their discontent with a government, which seems to have no fixed direction.
You may be interested in reading: Do you know why Turkey's support for Iran can affect the United States?
The new manifestations
In addition, of the "yellow jackets", the students also marched protesting the application of a new system of access to the university and the reforms to the baccalaureate. In addition, they closed schools, marched to the beat of a chorus: "Macron resignation" and demanded the resignation of the Minister of Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer.
Also, the different truckers unions protest the reduction of fees to overtime "they called marches on Sunday night and asked to meet with the Minister of Transport, Elisabeth Borne", as Excelsior says. Also, the most important agrarian sectors of the country joined the demonstrations.
And Macron?
Since President Emmanuel Macron, arrived from the G20 has not left his residence and has refused to speak publicly about the protests, as mentioned by EFE. Since taking office in May 2017, Macron's popularity has gone into a tailspin.
This is reflected in the survey conducted by the French newspaper Le Figaro, where 83% of the French approve what was done by the "yellow vests" and 76% ask the president to give them convincing explanations. On the other hand, in the month of November and according to a survey conducted by the IFOP firm, only 25% approve the management.
Added to this, is the fact that for some, Macron is the "president of the rich", since his proposals benefit the business sector more than the French population.
What will happen now?
Despite trying to calm the waters with the announcement that there would be no increases in fuel, the truth is that this is one of the worst crises that the country has had. So much so that it has been compared with the one that happened in May '68.
In addition to this, it shows a Macron little prepared to handle the country. Many have even compared him to Napoleon Bonaparte, who called himself Emperor of the French, "The Bonapartist method that was successful at the beginning to launch its reforms is no longer adequate," Philippe Moreau-Chevrolet told AFP.
There is no doubt that the presence of Macron in front of a chaotic France is necessary. You will have to put aside the interests you raised in your campaign to listen to the people, and thus avoid a civil war.
LatinAmerican Post | Laura Viviana Guevara Muñoz
Translated from "Francia: las protestas invaden al país"

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Continuity and Change in EU Law: Essays in Honour of Sir Francis Jacobs
Anthony Arnull, Piet Eeckhout, and Takis Tridimas
This book commemorates the career of Sir Francis Jacobs KCMG QC, who served as British Advocate General at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg from October 1988 until January 2006. This collection of essays examines the key developments in EU law over the period that Sir Francis served as Advocate General, one that saw momentous changes in the character of the Union and its legal order. It encompassed the Treaty of Maastricht, which superimposed the Union on the pre-existing European Community, as well as the Treaties of Amsterdam and Nice; the proclamation of the Union's Charter of Fu ... More
This book commemorates the career of Sir Francis Jacobs KCMG QC, who served as British Advocate General at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg from October 1988 until January 2006. This collection of essays examines the key developments in EU law over the period that Sir Francis served as Advocate General, one that saw momentous changes in the character of the Union and its legal order. It encompassed the Treaty of Maastricht, which superimposed the Union on the pre-existing European Community, as well as the Treaties of Amsterdam and Nice; the proclamation of the Union's Charter of Fundamental Rights; the drafting of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe; the creation of the Court of First Instance and the EU Civil Service Tribunal; the completion of the single market; and the enlargement of the Union to 15 Member States in 1995 and 25 Member States in 2004. The period also witnessed a profound change in the nature of much academic scholarship on the law of the Union. The book is divided into five sections dealing respectively with: general issues and institutional questions; fundamental rights; substantive law; external relations; and national perspectives. The contributors are distinguished figures drawn from a variety of constituencies, including the national and European judiciaries, legal practice, and the academic world.
Keywords: Sir Francis Jacobs, Advocate General, European Court of Justice, European Union, EU Law, Treaty of Maastricht, Fundamental Rights, Substantive Law, External Relations Law
Anthony Arnull, editor
Professor of European Law and Head of the Birmingham Law School, University of Birmingham
Piet Eeckhout, editor
Professor of European Law and Director, Centre of European Law, King's College London
Takis Tridimas, editor
Sir John Lubbock Professor of Banking Law, Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary, University of London
More by Piet Eeckhout
EU External Relations Law 2/e(2011)
Related Content in OSO
The Advocate General and EC Law, Noreen Burrows, Rosa Greaves (2007)
EU Intervention in Domestic Labour Law, Phil Syrpis (2007)
The Coherence of EU Law, Bert van Roermund, Sacha Prechal (2008)
From Dual to Cooperative Federalism, Robert Schütze (2009)
Table of Treaties and Legislation
PART I Institutional Questions
1 The Functioning of the Court of Justice in an Enlarged Union and the Future of the Court
Konrad Schiemann
2 The Changing Role of the Advocate General
Eleanor Sharpston
3 The Court of First Instance, its Development, and Future Role in the Legal Architecture of the European Union
Nicholas Forwood
4 Litigating in Luxembourg and the Role of the Advocate at the Court of Justice
David Vaughan, and Margaret Gray
5 Locus Standi of Individuals under Article 230(4): The Return of Euridice?
Takis Tridimas, and Sara Poli
6 The EFTA Court, the ECJ, and the Latter's Advocates General – a Tale of Judicial Dialogue
Carl Baudenbacher
Part II Fundamental Rights
7 The Role of the ECJ in the Protection of Fundamental Rights
Antonio Tizzano
8 The Strasbourg Perspective and its Effect on the Court of Justice: Is Mutual Respect Enough?
Robin CA White
9 The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, Not Binding but Influential: the Example of Good Administration
Jacqueline Dutheil de la Rochère
10 Administrative Justice and Standards of Substantive Judicial Review
Jeffrey Jowell
Part III Internal Market and Economic and Monetary Union
11 The Definition of Measures Having Equivalent Effect
Laurence W Gormley
12 The Concept of Abuse in the Freedom of Establishment of Companies: a Case of Double Standards?
Vanessa Edwards, and Paul Farmer
13 Recurring Cycles in the Internal Market: Some Reflections on the Free Movement of Services
Andrea Biondi
14 Continuity and Change in the Law Relating to Services
David Edward, and Niamh Nic Shuibhne
15 The Financial Services Single Market and the Interface between Community Law and Domestic Law
Eva Lomnicka
16 Equal Before the Law? Not if You Want to Register a Trade Mark
David T Keeling
17 The Evolution of Economic and Monetary Union – Some Legal Issues
Ja Usher
Part IV External Relations
18 A Panorama of Two Decades of EU External Relations Law
Piet Eeckhout
19 Multilevel Constitutionalism and Judicial Protection of Freedom and Justice in the International Economic Law of the EC
Ernst-Ulrich Petersmann
20 Dual-use Goods: (Mis)Understanding Werner and Leifer
Alan Dashwood
21 Direct Effect of Treaties in the US and the EU, the Case of the WTO: Some Perceptions and Proposals
John H Jackson
Part V General Issues
22 The European Court, the Brussels Convention/Regulation and the Establishment of an Efficient System for International Litigation in Europe
Trevor C Hartley
23 About Rules and Principles, Codification and Legislation, Harmonization and Convergence, and Education in the Area of Contract Law
Walter van Gerven
24 The Americanization of EU Law Scholarship
Anthony Arnull
25 The Effect of EU Law on the Italian Courts
Giuseppe Tesauro
26 The Effect of European Community Law on Irish Law and the Irish Constitution
Nial Fennelly


I Had Brain Surgery, What's Your Excuse?
For years Suzy Becker, author of the New York Times bestseller All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat (1.7 million copies in print), literally lived by her wits. Then brain surgery left her temporarily unable to speak, read, or write. I Had Brain Surgery, What's Your Excuse? is a story that grapples with the question "What makes me me?" By turns philosophical and whimsical, rivetingly dramatic and unexpectedly light, it is illustrated with drawings, charts, pseudoserious graphs, real EEGs. The result is a book filled with insights into creativity, identity, love, relationships, family, and that intangible something that gives each of us our spark.


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SHERLOCK Creators Tease with Two New Episode Titles
Posted by Rachael Berkey on September 26, 2016
Fans of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman's odd couple Sherlock and Holmes have been eagerly anticipating the newest series of BBC's wildly popular show Sherlock since 2014, and a small hint of what we can look forward to in 2017 has finally been revealed according to Vulture. The creators of the show and the BBC have released the titles of the first two episodes in the fourth series, and we can now start the game of determining what they could mean. Just yesterday, they tweeted this:
We can confirm that the titles of #Sherlock Series Four, episodes one and two are 'The Six Thatchers' and 'The Lying Detective'. pic.twitter.com/aNFzcSU41H
— BBC One (@BBCOne) September 25, 2016
What we do know is that there will be three episodes in the season and that the first two will be titled "The Six Thatchers" and "The Lying Detective." If all goes as it has in the past, these titles will correlate directly with one of the stories that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote in the nineteenth century. In series one, "A Study in Pink" could trace its inspiration to A Study in Scarlet, and season two had titles that directly matched with those of very famous Sherlock Holmes stories as well as a very historic villain.
There are 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories that the creators of Sherlock could be drawing inspiration from, but it would make quite a bit of sense for "The Six Thatchers" to perhaps be referencing The Adventure of the Six Napoleons, a short story from 1906 that involves a Napoleon bust-smashing criminal and murder. "The Lying Detective" most likely references The Adventure of the Dying Detective which was collected in His Last Bow in 1917. I mention His Last Bow because it would make sense that a story from this collection would somewhat follow the final episode of series 3, "His Last Vow" so directly. However, "His Last Vow" is actually based on The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton which was published in 1906. The Adventure of the Dying Detective is a tale of spies and has strong themes of patriotism – unsurprising given its publication on the eve of World War I. Given the themes that Moriarty's story explored with shadow conventions of thieves around the world, and the promise of a new villain for series four in Toby Jones, perhaps we are in for further stories of the worldwide network of bad guys with exciting new stories.
Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, and Amanda Abbington will all return for series four of the hit show. It is set to premiere in January 2017. You can watch the trailer for the new season below.
If you have any theories you simply must share on what these new episode titles could mean, please tweet them to us at @nerdist! We need to details to stew over in the coming weeks.
What do the writers have to say about the upcoming season?
Image: BBC
Amanda Abbington, benedict cumberbatch, martin freeman, sherlock, sherlock season 4, toby jones
New Video Explores the Symmetry of SHERLOCK
15 New TV Shows You Need to Watch This Fall
There's a New SHERLOCK Image and the Boys Look Very Serious


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London, Ont., hospital CEO out of post after international travel comes to light
The CEO of a hospital network in London, Ont., was ousted from his post Monday after concerns were raised about his international travel during the pandemic.
Dr. Paul Woods travelled to the U.S. five times since March, including during the December holidays, the London Health Sciences Centre said in a statement that announced his immediate firing.
Woods' travel came to light on Friday and the hospital network at that time said it supported his continued leadership.
On Monday, however, the network said it was ending Woods' employment as president and CEO in response to hospital and community concerns about his trips.
"It has become clear that this situation has affected the confidence of staff, physicians and the community in Dr. Woods' leadership," it said.
The board of directors had no advance notice of Woods' trips and didn't approve his travel outside Canada, the hospital network said, noting that it had no process for approving the CEO's personal travel.
On Friday, Woods apologized for his decision to visit family out of the country and said he will no longer travel while federal restrictions on non-essential trips are in place.
"What I can do is take accountability for my decision to visit with immediate family out-of-country and fully apologize. Please accept my deepest regret for my actions," Woods said.
At the time of Woods' most recent travel, one of the network's sites, University Hospital, was experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak that killed 23 people and sickened more than 150 patients and staff.
Woods is one of the latest public figures whose international travel has drawn heavy criticism.
Last week, Dr. Tom Stewart was replaced as CEO of Niagara Health and St. Joseph's Health System after his vacation to the Dominican Republic in December came to light.
Stewart also resigned from a group of experts who provide strategic direction to the province about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rod Phillips, Ontario's former finance minister, resigned from his post two weeks ago after it was revealed he travelled to St. Barts for a December vacation.
Denise Paglinawan, The Canadian Press
North Queens students scoring on community fitness with a new skating rink
A class at the North Queens Community School hopes that students and the community alike will soon be skating their way to better health. "As part of the Grade 9 Citizenship program, students were challenged to consider needs in their school community. Together they drafted plans for a service-learning project," teacher Julie Ramey explained in an email to LighthouseNOW. The students came up with a list of ideas, and ultimately wanted to provide the community and the school with sources of entertainment that are physically active, according to Ramey. "They hope to do this by creating multiple ways that people can be active during and after school. The rink is just one phase of this project," she said. The class ordered a 10.6 metre by 18.3 metre rink kit from the company EZ ICE, which comes with boards, a liner and all the accessories necessary to install it. While it will be placed on school grounds, the rink will be available for everyone to use. The students were keenly awaiting the arrival of the kit late last week or early this week. Once it is put together, it would be just a matter of adding water and hoping for cooler weather. The project is teaching a few life lessons, according to the Grade 9 students. "Our class is also learning to work together, build new skills and learn how to be active citizens and connect with the community," said Keegan Mounton, adding that, during these hard times, "it will be nice to create another way for people to get some fresh air and exercise." Fellow student, Presley Freeman, agreed. "I am excited about this project because it will make a new safe space for families and friends to hang-out and spend time together while doing physical activity," he said. The cost associated with all phases of the project is about $8,500. The class has received several grants to help cover it and is continuing to explore partnerships with community stakeholders regarding the establishment of an equipment program. Meanwhile, it is also looking for funding to support the maintenance of the ice surface, rubber mats for walkway access, a flooder, hoses and more shovels. However, Ramey is hopeful that a community fundraising campaign will help with any financial shortfalls to purchase extra supplies. The rink will be used by the school during the day and will be open for community use in the evenings and on the weekends. An equipment loan program will be in place to allow students and community members to borrow skates and helmets for after-hours use as well. The project has been entirely student-driven, according to Ramey. She said the class developed operational procedures and task teams to maintain the ice surface, remove snow, make repairs, process loan requests, sanitize equipment and troubleshoot other needs as they arise. The class is also considering the installation of a new basketball net at the back of the school, as part of the project, as well as a Gaga Ball Pit - a boundary made with materials used for a game similar to dodge ball. "I'm always amazed by the ideas that are generated by our Citizenship Education 9 students. This particular group is 16 in number and they have a firm vision for improved physical activity," said the teacher. Kevin McBain, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, LighthouseNOW Progress Bulletin
Des baluchons pour souhaiter la bienvenue aux nouveau-nés
Dans le cadre d'un projet de volontariat en collaboration avec le Carrefour jeunesse emploi (CJE) de la Haute-Côte-Nord, le groupe de brico-jasette de Ressources Parenfants a réalisé 40 baluchons de bienvenue qui seront remis aux nouvelles naissances de l'année 2021 du secteur ouest. L'idée a émergé après une rencontre avec l'agente de projets du CJE HCN, Isabelle Tremblay, à l'hiver 2019 servant à démystifier le volontariat. « Après sa visite, nous avons pensé à ce que nous pourrions mettre en branle pour aider notre communauté. On y a réfléchi un mois et l'idée des baluchons a fait surface », raconte Nancy Bouchard, intervenante communautaire chez Ressources Parenfants. Les participants à l'activité brico-jasette de l'organisme desservant les familles du secteur ouest de la Haute-Côte-Nord ont confectionné des tirelires, colliers de dentition et sacs magiques composant les baluchons de bienvenue. Le matériel nécessaire à la confection ainsi que la promotion des baluchons font partie des dépenses remboursées par le programme de volontariat du CJE HCN. Au total, une somme de 1 800 $ a été octroyée au projet et les participants pouvaient recevoir une compensation monétaire pour leur implication. La réalisation des produits a débuté en mars 2019 et la distribution était prévue un an plus tard, soit en mars 2020. « La pandémie de COVID-19 a retardé nos plans puisqu'il n'était plus possible d'organiser des rencontres. Nous avons toutefois poursuivi le projet et nous avons débuté la distribution des baluchons dans la semaine du 18 janvier 2021 », dévoile Mme Bouchard. Pour le moment, les volontaires ont fabriqué 40 baluchons puisqu'environ 40 naissances sont enregistrées par année dans le secteur ouest du territoire. Afin d'en recevoir un, les familles doivent s'inscrire auprès de Ressources Parenfants par courriel ou téléphone. Ils seront distribués également lors des ateliers poupons de l'organisme. Seulement les naissances 2021 sont admissibles. Christine Levasseur, résidente des Bergeronnes et jeune maman de 27 ans, a pris en charge la réalisation du projet avec l'aide de Thérèse Imbeault, participante, Nancy Bouchard et Florence Tremblay du CJE, qui a pris la relève d'Isabelle Tremblay. « Je suis heureuse d'avoir mené à terme ce projet et j'espère que les baluchons seront appréciés par les parents et les nouveau-nés », commente-t-elle. « Je tiens à remercier toutes les personnes qui ont participé de près ou de loin au projet, au nom de Ressources Parenfants », de conclure l'intervenante communautaire Nancy Bouchard.Johannie Gaudreault, Initiative de journalisme local, Journal Haute-Côte-Nord
Hamilton police warn of man wanted for fraud in Montreal, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Quebec City
Hamilton police is looking for a man they say is wanted in three provinces for fraud. Police say the 50-year-old man is wanted in Montreal, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Quebec City and "has a long history of presenting himself using other names, living an assumed life, and committing frauds against unsuspecting victims in the GTA and throughout the country." Police say the man is 5'6" and 174 pounds with grey hair, glasses and a medium build. Mark Dupuis faces three fraud charges and a charge for breaching probation. Police say he may also refer to himself as Richard Sestak, Mark Richards, Peter Adamcova and Anthony Simms. They add the suspect was last seen in Toronto and if he's spotted, police should be called immediately.
'Shameful': US virus deaths top 400K as Trump leaves office
As President Donald Trump entered the final year of his term last January, the U.S. recorded its first confirmed case of COVID-19. Not to worry, Trump insisted, his administration had the virus "totally under control." Now, in his final hours in office, after a year of presidential denials of reality and responsibility, the pandemic's U.S. death toll has eclipsed 400,000. And the loss of lives is accelerating. "This is just one step on an ominous path of fatalities," said Dr. Irwin Redlener, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University and one of many public health experts who contend the Trump administration's handling of the crisis led to thousands of avoidable deaths. "Everything about how it's been managed has been infused with incompetence and dishonesty, and we're paying a heavy price," he said. The 400,000-death toll, reported Tuesday by Johns Hopkins University, is greater than the population of New Orleans, Cleveland or Tampa, Florida. It's nearly equal to the number of American lives lost annually to strokes, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, flu and pneumonia combined. With more than 4,000 deaths recorded on some recent days — the most since the pandemic began — the toll by week's end will probably surpass the number of Americans killed in World War II. "We need to follow the science and the 400,000th death is shameful," said Cliff Daniels, chief strategy officer for Methodist Hospital of Southern California, near Los Angeles. With its morgue full, the hospital has parked a refrigerated truck outside to hold the bodies of COVID-19 victims until funeral homes can retrieve them. "It's so incredibly, unimaginably sad that so many people have died that could have been avoided," he said. The U.S. accounts for nearly 1 of every 5 virus deaths reported worldwide, far more than any other country despite its great wealth and medical resources. The coronavirus would almost certainly have posed a grave crisis for any president given its rapid spread and power to kill, experts on public health and government said. But Trump seemed to invest as much in battling public perceptions as he did in fighting the virus itself, repeatedly downplaying the threat and rejecting scientific expertise while fanning conflicts ignited by the outbreak. As president he was singularly positioned to counsel Americans. Instead, he used his pulpit to spout theories — refuted by doctors — that taking unproven medicines or even injecting household disinfectant might save people from the virus. The White House defended the administration this week. "We grieve every single life lost to this pandemic, and thanks to the president's leadership, Operation Warp Speed has led to the development of multiple safe and effective vaccines in record time, something many said would never happen," said White House spokesman Judd Deere. With deaths spiraling in the New York City area last spring, Trump declared "war" on the virus. But he was slow to invoke the Defence Production Act to secure desperately needed medical equipment. Then he sought to avoid responsibility for shortfalls, saying that the federal government was "merely a backup" for governors and legislatures. "I think it is the first time in history that a president has declared a war and we have experienced a true national crisis and then dumped responsibility for it on the states," said Drew Altman, president of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a health care policy think-tank . When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tried to issue guidelines for reopening in May, Trump administration officials held them up and watered them down. As the months passed, Trump claimed he was smarter than the scientists and belittled experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government's top authority on infectious diseases. "Why would you bench the CDC, the greatest fighting force of infectious disease in the world? Why would you call Tony Fauci a disaster?" asked Dr. Howard Markel, a medical historian at the University of Michigan. "It just doesn't make sense." As governors came under pressure to reopen state economies, Trump pushed them to move faster, asserting falsely that the virus was fading. "LIBERATE MINNESOTA!" he tweeted in April as angry protesters gathered at the state capitol to oppose the Democratic governor's stay-at-home restrictions. "LIBERATE MICHIGAN!" In Republican-led states like Arizona that allowed businesses to reopen, hospitals and morgues filled with virus victims. "It led to the tragically sharp partisan divide we've seen in the country on COVID, and that has fundamental implications for where we are now, because it means the Biden administration can't start over," Altman said. "They can't put the genie back in the bottle." In early October, when Trump himself contracted COVID-19, he ignored safety protocols, ordering up a motorcade so he could wave to supporters outside his hospital. Once released, he appeared on the White House balcony to take off his mask for the cameras, making light of health officials' pleas for people to cover their faces. "We're rounding the corner," Trump said of the battle with the virus during a debate with Joe Biden in late October. "It's going away." It isn't. U.S. deaths from COVID-19 surpassed 100,000 in late May, then tripled by mid-December. Experts at the University of Washington project deaths will reach nearly 567,000 by May 1. More than 120,000 patients with the virus are in the hospital in the U.S., according to the COVID Tracking Project, twice the number who filled wards during previous peaks. On a single day last week, the U.S. recorded more than 4,400 deaths. While vaccine research funded by the administration as part of Warp Speed has proved successful, the campaign trumpeted by the White House to rapidly distribute and administer millions of shots has fallen well short of the early goals officials set. "Young people are dying, young people who have their whole lives ahead of them," said Mawata Kamara, a nurse at California's San Leandro Hospital who is furious over the surging COVID-19 cases that have overwhelmed health care workers. "We could have done so much more." Many voters considered the federal government's response to the pandemic a key factor in their vote: 39% said it was the single most important factor, and they overwhelmingly backed Biden over Trump, according to AP VoteCast. But millions of others stood with him. "Here you have a pandemic," said Eric Dezenhall, a Washington crisis management consultant, "yet you have a massive per cent of the population that doesn't believe it exists." Adam Geller And Janie Har, The Associated Press
Netflix Inc said on Tuesday its global subscriber rolls crossed 200 million at the end of 2020 and projected it will no longer need to borrow billions of dollars to finance its broad slate of TV shows and movies. Shares of Netflix rose nearly 13% in extended trading as the financial milestone validated the company's strategy of going into debt to take on big Hollywood studios with a flood of its own programming in multiple languages. The world's largest streaming service had raised $15 billion through debt in less than a decade.


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package com.thebluealliance.androidclient.fragments.mytba;

import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.LayoutInflater;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.ViewGroup;

import androidx.appcompat.app.AlertDialog;
import androidx.core.view.ViewCompat;
import androidx.fragment.app.Fragment;
import androidx.viewpager.widget.ViewPager;

import com.thebluealliance.androidclient.R;
import com.thebluealliance.androidclient.Utilities;
import com.thebluealliance.androidclient.accounts.AccountController;
import com.thebluealliance.androidclient.activities.MyTBAOnboardingActivity;
import com.thebluealliance.androidclient.adapters.MyTBAFragmentPagerAdapter;
import com.thebluealliance.androidclient.views.SlidingTabs;

import javax.inject.Inject;

import dagger.hilt.android.AndroidEntryPoint;

@AndroidEntryPoint
public class MyTBAFragment extends Fragment {

    private ViewPager mViewPager;
    private SlidingTabs mTabs;

    @Inject AccountController mAccountController;

    @Override
    public void onResume() {
        super.onResume();
        if (!mAccountController.isMyTbaEnabled()) {
            //show a dialog to reenable myTBA
            final AlertDialog.Builder builder = new AlertDialog.Builder(getActivity());
            final Intent loginIntent = new Intent(getActivity(), MyTBAOnboardingActivity.class);
            builder.setTitle("myTBA is Disabled");
            builder.setMessage("Do you want to enable myTBA?").
                    setPositiveButton("Yes", (dialog, which) -> {
                        getActivity().startActivity(loginIntent);
                        dialog.cancel();
                    }).
                    setNegativeButton("No", (dialog, which) -> {
                        dialog.cancel();
                    });
            builder.create().show();
        }
    }

    @Override
    public View onCreateView(LayoutInflater inflater, ViewGroup container,
                             Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        // Inflate the layout for this fragment
        View v = inflater.inflate(R.layout.fragment_my_tba, container, false);
        mViewPager = (ViewPager) v.findViewById(R.id.my_tba_pager);
        // Make this ridiculously big
        mViewPager.setOffscreenPageLimit(50);
        mViewPager.setPageMargin(Utilities.getPixelsFromDp(getActivity(), 16));
        mTabs = (SlidingTabs) v.findViewById(R.id.my_tba_tabs);
        ViewCompat.setElevation(mTabs, getResources().getDimension(R.dimen.toolbar_elevation));

        /**
         * Fix for really strange bug. Menu bar items wouldn't appear only when navigated to from 'Events' in the nav drawer
         * Bug is some derivation of this: https://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=29472
         * So set the view pager's adapter in another thread to avoid a race condition, or something.
         */
        mViewPager.post(() -> {
            mViewPager.setAdapter(new MyTBAFragmentPagerAdapter(getChildFragmentManager()));
            mTabs.setViewPager(mViewPager);
        });

        return v;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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"Enoch Arden" (1911) director D. W. Griffith, cinematographer Billy Bitzer
"Enoch Arden" is a short drama directed by D. W. Griffith. This film illustrates the work of actress Florence La Badie, actor Robert Harron and cinematographer Billy Bitzer, stars of Silent Hall of Fame.
Enoch wins Annie's hand after a bitter rivalry with Philip. Years later Enoch decides to leave on a ship to China to improve his financial fortunes. His wife and two little children are left behind. Annie waits faithfully and vainly for his return.
"Enoch Arden" is one of the films from 1911 with the highest rating in IMDB.
"True Heart Susie" (1919) director D. W. Griffith starring Lillian Gish and Robert Harron
"True Heart Susie" is a drama directed by D. W. Griffith. This film illustrates the work of actor Robert Harron and cinematographer Billy Bitzer, stars of Silent Hall of Fame.
Susie (Lillian Gish) is a plain schoolgirl secretly in love with her handsome neighbor Bill (Robert Harron). She follows him around and he enjoys her company, but can't find the courage to kiss her. When Susie finds out that Bill wants to go to college, she sacrifices the dearest thing she and her aunt have - their cow - to gather the money for his education.
"Broken Blossoms" (1919) director D. W. Griffith, cinematographer Billy Bitzer
"Broken Blossoms" is a poignant drama made for mature audiences, directed by D. W. Griffith. This film illustrates the work of cinematographer Billy Bitzer, a star of Silent Hall of Fame.
Cheng (Richard Barthelmess) leaves his native China to spread the peaceful teachings of Buddha. In London, working as a store keeper, he is soon crushed by life's realities, from which he escapes temporarily using opium.
"Orphans of the Storm" (1921) director D. W. Griffith, cinematographer Billy Bitzer
"Orphans of the Storm" is a historical drama directed by D. W. Griffith starring Lillian Gish. This film illustrates the work of cinematographer Billy Bitzer, a star of Silent Hall of Fame.
The events in the film occur before and during the French revolution of 1789, which was caused by the extreme societal inequalities, with aristocracy enjoying unlimited privileges and the common people deprived of human rights and often doomed to starvation.
"Judith Of Bethulia" (1914) director D. W. Griffith, cinematographer Billy Bitzer
"Judith of Bethulia" is a historical drama, directed by D. W. Griffith. This film illustrates the work of actor Robert Harron and cinematographer Billy Bitzer, stars of Silent Hall of Fame.
When an enemy army besieges the city and its citizens are doomed without food and water, its most prominent resident Judith makes a desperate and risky move to save her people.
The film enjoys a strong 7.9 rating in IMDB.
"Hearts of the world" (1918) director D. W. Griffith starring Lillian Gish and Robert Harron
"Hearts of the world" is a war drama directed by D. W. Griffith. This film illustrates the work of actor Robert Harron and cinematographer Billy Bitzer, stars of Silent Hall of Fame.
Two American families share a house in a peaceful French town. The Boy (Robert Harron) of one family and the Girl (Lillian Gish) of the other have a romance.
When the war breaks out the Boy joins the army and the Girl puts her wedding dress in a box. Despite heroic resistance from the defenders of the town, they are overcome by the brutal onslaught of the enemy.
"A Romance Of Happy Valley" (1919) director D. W. Griffith starring Lillian Gish and Robert Harron
"A Romance Of Happy Valley" is a drama directed by D. W. Griffith. This film illustrates the work of actor Robert Harron and cinematographer Billy Bitzer, stars of Silent Hall of Fame.
John (Robert Harron) is a country boy working on his father's corn fields. One day John meets a New York man, whose stories about wealth stir his imagination and he decides to leave for the big city in search of luck and fortune. Jennie (Lillian Gish) is left behind to wait for him.
"Way Down East" (1920) director D. W. Griffith, cinematographer Billy Bitzer
"Way Down East" is a poignant drama directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish. This film illustrates the work of cinematographer Billy Bitzer, a star of Silent Hall of Fame.
The film tells the story about a society that ostracizes women for having a child out of wedlock. Anna meets a man, who, in order to get her affections, sets up a fake marriage with her. Then after she becomes pregnant he betrays her. Anna's baby dies and she is banned from the boarding house.
This 603MB file has the same runtime, and essentially the same video and audio qualities, as the 3.5GB file found elsewhere at IA. Heavily fictionalized, episodic biopic. Stars Walter Houston in his third feature film role. Art direction (settings) by William Cameron Menzies. D. W. Griffith's first sound and penultimate film. Listed in the book "The 50 Worst Films of All Time: and How They Got That Way." The runtime of this version is 84 minutes. Initially released on 8 November 1930 with a runtime of 96 minutes.


Every night is Halloween in Booooville. The trick-or-treaters are already out looking for a spooktacular time. Even the trees get into the spirit, while the spiders and bats keep their eyes on things. Who is your favorite? Just make sure to bring something to carry all that candy. Booooville is a great way to embrace this favored holiday. It's scary cute!


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Tag Archive for Streetsblog
Morning Links: Don't blame bike lanes for bad pavement lawsuits, and a call to ban cars from Rose Bowl loop
February 7, 2018 / bikinginla / Comments Off on Morning Links: Don't blame bike lanes for bad pavement lawsuits, and a call to ban cars from Rose Bowl loop
Streetsblog's Joe Linton says not so fast.
Despite what Councilmember Mitch Englander asserted in his recent motion, Los Angeles hasn't paid out tens of millions of dollars for injuries to bicyclists due to bad pavement in bike lanes.
In fact, only one of the seven recent bike-related settlements with the city was due to a crash that occurred in a bike lane.
The rest took place on the sort of infrastructure-free streets most LA bicyclists have to ride every day due to the lack of a even the most basic bicycle network in most of the city.
And on the same crappy streets you'll find on most city streets.
The City Council Public Works and Gang Reduction Committee will discuss two motions mandating much-needed inspections, and possibly repairs, to pavement in the city's bike lanes and bike paths at 1 pm today.
But let's not confuse that with the real problem.
Which is the city's failure to build out the 2010 bike plan as promised. And the failure to the maintain streets we all have to use.
He gets it.
A writer for the Pasadena Star News says instead of adding stop signs to the Rose Bowl loop, which would effectively put a halt to the popular cycling, why not ban cars instead?
Why not, indeed.
We're less than a month away from the annual Oscar ceremony. Which brings up the annual question, will anyone bike to the red carpet in Hollywood?
Environmentalist and actor Ed Begley, Jr. has done it before. In a tux, and despite the rain.
But no word yet on whether anyone will do it this year.
In news that should surprise absolutely no one, a new report shows Los Angeles has the world's worst traffic congestion for the sixth year in a row. And it will only get worse unless the city and county provide people with viable alternatives to driving.
Atwater Village residents say they don't feel safe walking or riding on the LA River bike path due to homeless camps along the river.
Bike SGV will hold their first general meeting of 2018 tomorrow night.
California's only emperor was one of us.
The 9th annual Jim Rogers Memorial Ride rolls in Nevada City this Sunday.
The art of mountain biking.
Bike friendly Boulder CO debates whether to allow ebikes on open space trails.
Ride Chicago's bikeshare system ten times this month, and they'll pin a medal on you and invite you to a party.
The NYPD puts out a wanted poster for a group of reckless teenage bike riders.
A writer for the Guardian discovers firsthand what it's like to be doored.
You may never be a star of the English stage. But your bike might be.
A British city noticed that 68 near-identical bike-hating comments about a road closure came from a single computer. And 50 more came from just three additional IP addresses. In case you've ever wondered why there always seem to be so many public comments from people who hate bikes.
A Dublin paper asks if it's time to give bicyclists and pedestrians a head start at red lights. That would be yes. And not just in Dublin.
Replacing delivery trucks with cargo bikes in Barcelona.
Workers for Dutch bike brand Van Moof track down a Bluetooth-equipped stolen bike, and discover a warehouse full of stolen bicycles from across Europe.
Docked bikeshare is expanding in India, while a free public bikeshare is opening at Hyderabad Metro stations.
A new Australian study shows that how you commute to work really does affect your body mass. And no, driving doesn't make you any skinnier.
Wolfpack Hustle is bringing back the Forsyth Cup at the Encino Velodrome in April, thanks to BikinginLA sponsor Thomas Forsyth.
Pro cycling's Team Dimension Data plans to donate 5,000 bikes to an African charity this year.
Probably not the best idea to launch yourself off the roof with an antifreeze-fueled rocket attached to your bicycle. Now you can tow your new sailboat with your mountain bike.
And forget the bike park. Try riding the waterpark, instead.
Category: Morning Links / Tags: bad pavement, bicycling, bike the Oscars, broken streets, crumbling infrastructure, Joe Linton, Los Angeles, Rose Bowl loop, Streetsblog
Morning Links: Multi-tool bars Streetsblog editor from Metro meeting, and Lyft re-envisions Wilshire Blvd
Streetsblog editor Joe Linton was kept out of a Metro meeting to discuss the East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor Project until he agreed to throw his "dangerous" multi-tool and wrenches into the trash.
And was told he could fish them out after the meeting — after one of the security officers dumped coffee into it.
Just another sign of how bike riders are treated in this city.
Never mind how easy it would have been for someone, anyone, to agree to hold them for him until he came back out. Or just how stupid it is to talk about encouraging bicycling, while actively discouraging bicyclists.
And never mind the kneejerk opposition he found to including bikes in the project once he finally got inside the Metro meeting.
Photo from LA Streetsblog.
Lyft envisions a redesigned Wilshire Blvd that reduces the street's 10 spacious lanes down to just three narrow one, along with dedicated bus lanes, to show what life could be like in a world of shared, self-driving vehicles.
The plan also includes wider, park-like sidewalks and protected bike lanes.
The company says the narrowed street could accommodate twice as many road users and carry four times as many people as it currently does.
Wilshire capacity before redesign
Wilshire capacity after redesign. Charts from CNN
No word on whether the forces attempting to roll back road diets in Mar Vista and Playa del Rey plan to recall the president of Lyft or file suit to stop the concept while it's still in the vaporware stage.
A report on KABC-790 radio says evacuees fleeing the La Tuna fire earlier this month were delayed due to traffic jams caused by the road diets on Foothill Blvd. Although it's surprising they would have been so surprised by changes that were made five months ago.
Three-time US Olympic track cyclist Sarah Hammer retired at age 34, ending a career that began with her first junior title 22 years ago.
Next year's Giro d'Italia will start just a little outside the country in the ancient Roman suburb called Jerusalem.
It's official. Scottish cyclist Mark Beaumont rode around the world in less than 80 days, finishing in 78 days, 14 hours and 40 minutes — smashing the previous record by 44 days.
A memorial was unveiled in the English hometown of fallen cyclist Tom Simpson to mark the 50th anniversary of his death on the slopes of Mont Ventoux during the 1967 Tour de France.
An Op-Ed in the LA Times calls the cars the third rail of California politics, saying people will revolt if you slow them down or make driving more expensive. Which, as we've seen recently, is all too true.
Pasadena's Art Center in planning a bikeway inspired by the historic California Cycleway to connect its separated campuses.
Parisian haute couture menswear brand Berluti has opened in Beverly Hills, with a made-to-order bespoke bicycle among the shop's offerings.
Simon Cowell is one of us, as he goes bike riding with his family in the former Biking Black Hole of Beverly Hills, which is finally starting to show some promise.
Curbed calls the Marvin Braude Bike Path through Santa Monica LA's most beautiful bike path, even though the Santa Monica section is actually in… wait for it… Santa Monica. I've heard the beachfront bike path called many things in my many years here, but never The Strand.
The South Bay's Easy Reader News looks at the controversy over Vista del Mar and the Playa del Rey lane reductions, albeit from a mostly windshield perspective.
Long Beach police are looking for a bike-riding scumbag who's been exposing himself to underage girls.
UberEats will now be delivering some of their food orders by bicycle in San Diego.
This is why you shouldn't chase a bike thief yourself. A pair of Visalia men nearly got shot by a bike thief after they chased him down when they saw him take a bike from their garage.
A Modesto Op-Ed calls for greater enforcement of bike safety laws, especially California's too-often ignored three-foot passing law
The International Cycling Safety Conference in Davis will explore how smart city technology can help make urban areas more bicycle friendly.
A homeless Redding woman was stabbed by another homeless woman following an argument as the victim was riding along a canal.
Eureka police are looking for a fleeing DUI suspect who hijacked a woman's bike at gunpoint, before trading down by jacking a car as he rode her bike through a mall parking lot.
Bicycling talks with cyclists who credit their helmets with saving their skulls.
Seattle permanently removed a traffic lane on a downtown street to make room for protected bike lanes. Despite mixed opinions, no politicians appear to have been recalled and no one's filed suit to stop it yet, unlike a certain SoCal city we could name.
Bicycle Retailer says this week's Interbike show in Las Vegas is still the best way for smaller brands to get noticed.
A popular Colorado man was found shot and killed three days after he disappeared while on a bike ride this past Thursday; police are treating the case as a homicide.
Counter protesters interrupted a press conference by a New York state legislator who wants to halt plans to install a protected bike lane on a deadly Queens boulevard.
A new study shows triathletes face twice the risk of dropping dead during a competition as marathon runners, with the greatest risk occurring during the swimming leg of the race.
Brakeless fixie-rider Charlie Alliston has been sentenced to 18 months after being convicted of wanton and furious driving for killing a London woman as she was crossing the street. Thanks to Allyson Vought and John McBrearty for the heads-up.
Caught on video: Nothing like a little no-hands dab and dance while riding on a British street.
British bike historian Carlton Reid examines why the country's most bike-friendly urban design failed to encourage bicycling; short answer, they made it too easy to drive.
Bicycling deaths and serious injuries are down 20% since UK police began an undercover operation to catch drivers passing too close to bicyclists. Maybe that will convince the LAPD to finally give it a try.
Edinburgh and Glasgow, Scotland, will receive the equivalent of nearly $30 million dollars to convert their city centers to bike-friendly mini-Hollands.
German police are looking for a cyclist who interfered with rescue personnel to film a dying motorcyclist, rather than offering assistance before paramedics arrived as the law requires. Seriously, WTF is wrong with some people?
An Australian news site looks at what happens in the aftermath of a bicycling collision, including the obvious observation that it's always the person on the bike who loses.
Aussie authorities blame tourists using GPS devices for a crash that injured a bike rider. So naturally, social media blames the people on two wheels.
Caught on video two: A dog sits upright in the saddle behind a bike-riding girl in an undisclosed Asian country, with its paws wrapped around her waist like a child trying to hold on.
Who needs motor doping when you can just fire up the afterburners. Or maybe just let hurricane-force winds give you a gentle little nudge.
And now you, too, can own your very own Beastie.
Unless you'd rather ride a bike made of whisky casks.
Category: Morning Links / Tags: bicycling, Foothill Blvd, Joe Linton, LA Metro, Los Angeles, Lyft, Reinventing Wilshire Blvd, Streetsblog
Morning Links: Bike-friendly Davis breaks the law a little, and something's rotten in SoCal bike racing
January 7, 2016 / bikinginla / 2 comments
Someone you know needs a new bicycle. Just click here to read about our first bike giveaway and nominate someone who deserves to win a free bike from Beachbikes.net.
And come back later today when another rider uses video to describe his ride.
It looks like bike-friendly Davis is breaking the law. But only a little.
The platinum level Sacramento-area college town is reminding bike riders to renew their licenses, since any two-year bike license issued in 2013 has now expired.
Just two small problems with that.
First, they suggest that bicycles are registered with the state of California, which doesn't license bikes. Instead, CVC 39002 allows local jurisdictions to license bikes at their discretion. Meanwhile, CVC 39003 (same link) makes it clear that the licenses must be issued by the city, county or some other agency they designate.
Not the state.
Second, they charge a modest $10 for a new two-year license, and just $5 to renew an existing license.
But both of those amounts are illegal and excessive.
According to CVC 39004 (ditto), those same jurisdictions are allowed to charge no more than $4 per year for a new license, and $2 a year for a renewal.
Which means Davis is overcharging bicyclists by a whopping 25%. Or a measly $1 or 50¢ a year, respectively, depending on how you want to look at it. Although that's no small amount when multiplied by the tens of thousands of bikes in the city.
Either way, the program is in clear violation of state law.
Something to remember if your city or county has a bike licensing program, or is considering one.
On the other hand, the registration program is helping a number of UC Davis students get their bikes back, after Dixon police bust a pair of thieves with 31 hot bikes.
Streetsblog LA named the winners of their annual Streetsie Awards, including LA City Councilmember Joe Buscaino as Elected Official of the Year, Caltrans' Dale Benson as Civil Servant of the Year, and the LACBC's Tamika Butler and Mark Lopez of East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice in a tie for the Deborah Murphy Award for Excellence in Advocacy.
You can see the full list of winners here.
Meanwhile, California Streetsblog names Santa Monica Assemblymember Richard Bloom as Legislator of the Year.
I'm not really tuned into the SoCal bike racing scene. But if David Huntsman and Seth Davidson both say there's something wrong with the sport's local governing body, then something is definitely rotten in our cycling state of Denmark.
Besides, if you can't trust a couple of bike riding lawyers, who can you trust?
Following up on yesterday's tech news, Sony ups the ante to take on GoPro in the action cam market, while Nikon introduces a cam offering 360° views. Of course, the only way to make that work is to mount it on the outside of your handlebars or the very top of your helmet. And then sit up very straight.
CiclaValley offers tips for riding in the rain. Rick Risemberg recommends lights, capes, wool clothing and fenders, while Ciclelicious asks which fender. I'd suggest this one, but I doubt it would help.
Not surprisingly, the LA River bike path is closed due to the rains, along with most, if not all, of the other creek and riverside bikeways in the county. Meanwhile, plans are underway to improve the lower portion of the river.
Glendale will host a public meeting on Saturday to get input on a planned redesign of Ocean View Blvd, including bulb-outs and bike lanes.
Campbell cyclists raise $20,000 for the Challenged Athletes Foundation in a post-Christmas ride.
Beaver fever strikes on a Merced bike path.
Cupertino's De Anza college adds three new e-bikes to their fleet of 56 bikes available to students free of charge for a full quarter.
Conspiracy theorists are still opposing bike and transit projects throughout the US, even though the Agenda 21 Chimera that fueled it is gone.
Bicycling lists seven people — okay, 219 — who could really use a good bike ride.
Next City says it's time to bury the sharrow for good.
The newest member of the Baseball Hall of Fame is one of us.
Outside offers a profile on Ned Overend, who's still kicking fat bike ass at age 60 — 26 years after his mountain bike world championship.
An interesting study from the University of Washington finds neighborhood density is the primary factor that encourages low and middle income residents to walk or bike; for wealthier people, the attractiveness of their neighborhood is key.
Seattle bike cops recover a $4,000 stolen bike using the Bike Index website. You can register your bike, report a stolen bike or check to see if a bike has been stolen using Bike Index right here on this site. And unlike the Davis program, it's free.
It takes a real jerk to steal a motorized recumbent from an Iowa man battling stomach cancer who used it as his only form of transportation.
A Florida paper shows what a difference it can make when the press calls attention to bicycle safety instead of trolling bike riders.
Nothing like starting young. A pair of Florida boys, just seven and eight years old, are under arrest for an attempted strong-arm bike jacking. No one hates bike thieves more than I do, but handcuffing a seven-year old seems a tad extreme.
Bike Radar offers some good advice on buying a used bike online.
A Canadian writer offers lessons learned from 100,000 kilometers — 62,137 miles — on the seat of a bike.
A British site offers advice on how to make your bike commute more like the Tour de France, while Road.cc pipes in with some additional suggestions. Although getting someone to hurl abuse at you is no challenge in LA traffic.
A new study shows London bike riders are six times fitter than other commuters.
It takes a major jerk to punch a 62-year old British woman after shoving his bike into her, regardless of what she may have said to him.
Retiring former world track champ Martyn Irvine says he shamed dopers by beating them fair and square.
Drain a Paris canal built by Napoleon, and what do you find? Bicycles, naturally.
Bike riders are braving Delhi's infamous traffic, despite conditions that make LA seem like a breeze; meanwhile an ad for an Indian hospital sums up the health benefits of bicycling.
A 24-year old biology student works to become the first professional cyclist from Burkina Faso. If there are any bike makers reading this, send this guy a new racing bike. Now.
An Australian chief traffic cop questions whether older drivers belong on the road. It's a tough call; some older people retain the vision and reflexes they need to drive safely into their nineties, while others should have their keys taken away.
Toyota's new robotics expert was inspired to build crash-proof cars by seeing the aftermath of a bicycling crash as a child.
An Aussie expat living in Ho Chi Minh City has set out to ride every road connecting north and south Vietnam.
Nothing like banning a doper after he stops racing. It doesn't do a lot of good to sue the Forest Service for failing to maintain an illegal bike trail.
And evidently, the fastest way to improve bike safety is to get the damn bike riders off the road.
Category: Bikes & the Law, Morning Links / Tags: bicycling, bike licensing, bike registration, Davis CA, Los Angeles, Streetsblog, Streetsie Awards
Morning Links: More criticism of the GHSA bike safety report; register now for SoCal state highway safety summit
October 28, 2014 / bikinginla / Comments Off on Morning Links: More criticism of the GHSA bike safety report; register now for SoCal state highway safety summit
More responses to the Governors Highway Safety Association's report on bicycle safety, which we discussed here yesterday.
Bike Portland digs deep into the stats to show the report just doesn't add up. Streetsblog says despite what the report says, the bike boom has been fantastic for bike safety.
The Alliance for Biking and Walking says those scary numbers the report cited for California add up to just 6.3 deaths per 10,000 bike commuters in the state, and that the real scary data is how little states spend on bike and pedestrian safety.
The Bike League says the tone deaf press release doesn't even mention speeding or driving behavior, and yes, bicycle safety is a national issue. And People for Bikes suggests that the safety in numbers effect means biking has been getting dramatically safer as Americans ride more.
On the other hand, KPCC's Airtalk keeps it superficial in discussing the matter.
The State of California is updating its Strategic Highway Safety Plan, described as a "holistic, statewide plan" that coordinates the efforts of a wide range of organizations to reduce traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries on the state's roadways.
There are currently over 400 stakeholders participating in the process, from state and federal agencies to police departments, regional transportation agencies, tribal governments and private individuals.
As part of the update process, a Southern California summit will be held to collect public input on how to improve safety on the state's roadways.
Golden Eagle Student Union
Advance registration is required no later than November 5th at
http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1821831/California-SHSP-Development-Summits
Thanks to Alan for the heads-up.
Metro gets the ball rolling on South LA's much needed Rail to River bikeway.
A writer for City Watch bizarrely asks if LA's walkable streets and bike lanes are only for the creative class, before arguing that the streets will be incomplete if they don't include street food vendors.
Writing for Streetsblog, former city council candidate Odysseus Bostick asks if Los Angeles can fix roads and sidewalks, invest in rail and bike share, and complete other needed infrastructure projects without raising taxes. Good question.
After five long years, Newport Beach unanimously approved the new Bicycle Master Plan. Maybe this will finally provide some much needed safety improvements down there.
San Diego plans to change the way residents get to work in the next 21 years.
A San Jose State University art exhibit documents a student's bike tour down Highway 1.
Auto-centric magazine Road & Track surprisingly admits America is losing the war on distracted driving.
A cyclist rides a single speed from LA to Charleston SC in 27 days to raise awareness of human trafficking.
You can have Kevin Costner's bike from American Flyers for a cool $40 grand. No offense, but for that price you can have damn near any bike you want.
Great idea, as the University of Louisville gives over 1,000 students $400 vouchers redeemable at local bike shops when they agree not to buy a campus parking permit for at least two years. Are you listening, parking-challenged UCLA?
A DC website asks if city residents will be willing to make the unpopular decisions necessary for Vision Zero to succeed. LA needs to ask itself the same question, now that it's finally official policy here.
Cycling Weekly offers advice on how to ride in the rain, which is about as much winter as we ever get around here.
British employers should do more to ensure bike safety, as a significant proportion of road deaths and injuries are caused by work vehicles.
London's Express offers ten, uh, make that six tips for safe winter riding.
Cycling Central argues that women riders don't need their own Tour de France, but should have a pro tour of their own somewhere else. Probably because that would make it easier for TV and the press to ignore.
Bicycling is even booming in the land of Putin, as Russian cyclists bring bike culture to Moscow.
Life is cheap in Singapore, as a driver gets a whopping two weeks in jail for the death of a cyclist. But at least he won't be driving — legally, anyway — for the next three years.
No bikes involved, as Michigan man in a zombie costume tries to scare passing motorists, with predictable results; police are still looking for the driver. Speaking of which, you'll need this bike for the coming zombie apocalypse.
And Cycling in the South Bay's Seth Davidson reports on the 2nd Annual South Bay Cycling Awards in his own inimitable style, tongue planted deeply in cheek.
Category: Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities, Morning Links / Tags: Alliance for Biking and Walking, bicycle safety, bicycling, Bike Portland, California Strategic Highway Safety Plan, Governors Highway Safety Association, League of American Bicyclists, Los Angeles, People for Bikes, Streetsblog
Move along folks; nothing to see here
October 7, 2009 / bikinginla / Comments Off on Move along folks; nothing to see here
Not that I don't have some things to say.
But this one time, I'll be saying them on L.A.'s Streetsblog — the city's best source for local and national transportation news, offering a unique perspective from the streets up.
I'm joining a long list of local activists, writers and bloggers — including Joe Linton, Stephen and Enci Box, Angela Serratore and Dan Koeppel — who've sacrificed a day or more of their time filling in for Damien Newton so he can spend some quality time with his newborn baby, wife and various assorted relatives. And there's still more to come.
So today is my day.
Click on the link, and you'll find coverage of last week's panel discussion on bikes and livability with former Talking Head David Byrne, along with today's headlines, and reports from around the Streetsblog network. And later in the day, you'll find my wrap-up of last night's meeting of the L.A. Bicycle Advisory Committee, and a rant about the lack of public involvement.
You'll also find a photo of yours truly.
I'm the one on the left.
Category: General / Tags: bicycling, Damien Newton, Los Angeles, Streetsblog


text:
You are here: Parliament home page > Parliamentary business > Publications and Records > Hansard > Commons Debates > Commons Debates by date > Commons Debates - previous sessions > Bound Volume Hansard - Written Answers
8 Nov 2005 : Column 452W—continued
Learning and Skills Development Agency
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what effect she expects (a) the splitting of the Learning and Skills Development Agency and (b) the establishment of the Learning and Skills Network to have on costs; and if she will make a statement. [25067]
Bill Rammell: Re-structuring the Learning and Skills Development Agency to form the Learning and Skills Network and the Quality Improvement Agency for Lifelong Learning will enable us to achieve significant efficiency savings in future years in line with the Department's commitments to the Gershon Review. It is a key part of our streamlining and rationalisation programme to reduce costs and complexity in the sector.
National Skills Academies
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many of those graduating from national skills academies since they were established have found work in the sectors for which they were trained; [24987]
(2) how many of those graduating from national skills academies since they were established left with (a) Level 2, (b) Level 3 and (c) Level 4 qualifications; [24988]
(3) how many young people have studied in national skills academies since they were established; [24989]
(4) how many young people have successfully completed courses at national skills academies since they were established; [24990]
(5) how many of those graduating from national skills academies since their inception have gone on to higher education. [24998]
Phil Hope: The Fashion Retail Academy opened in September 2005 with 50 students studying at Level 2 and Level 3. Building on this, we announced on 31 October that a further four sectors would be supported to develop their proposals for national skills academies through more detailed business planning. It is therefore too early to provide any information on students graduating from national skills academies.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the contribution from public funds to the four proposed national skills academies will be; and how much funding will come from industry. [24997]
Phil Hope: Public funds will be available to help meet the four sectors further develop their proposals for national skills academies (including, for example, business planning and research and development costs). If these proposals are accepted, funding may then be available to support the capital and revenue costs of each academy. The amount will be negotiated by the Learning and Skills Council with each sector and will depend on the size and nature of each proposal.
Capital funding will be available to support the up front investment required to establish a national skills academy. This will be drawn from a range of contributors. On average, around 35 per cent. will come from Government via the Learning and Skills Council
8 Nov 2005 : Column 453W
(LSC), 50 per cent. from employers sponsoring the academy and the remaining 15 per cent. from a range of other sources and partners.
The day to day revenue income of national skills academies will be earned by delivering skills training and will come from a variety of sources including the LSC and from employers purchasing training services.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what role the skills councils of the relevant industries will have in each of the proposed National Skills academies. [25037]
Phil Hope: Expressions of Interest to develop a National Skills Academy must have the formal endorsement of the relevant Sector Skills Council. Each of the four proposals to develop National Skills Academies now moving into detailed business planning are led by a Sector Skills Council. We expect the Sector Skills Councils to continue to work with employers and other key partners to develop business models, governance and other arrangements which meet the needs of their sectors.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many nursery places were available through the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative in each participating authority in 2004–05; and what the average cost per place was in each area. [24233]
Beverley Hughes: The Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative aimed to create 45,000 new full-time child care and early education places for children aged 0 to 5 in the 20 per cent. most disadvantaged areas in England by March 2004. £100 million of capital funding from the New Opportunities Fund (now the Big Lottery Fund), £28 million of Sure Start capital and £243 million of start-up revenue funding from the Sure Start Unit was made available to 142 of the 150 local authorities to support the development and delivery of these places. The places have been developed through a diverse range of local and national providers and are intended to be responsive to local needs and preferences. By end March 2005, over 49,000 places across over 1,390 neighbourhood nursery projects had been delivered.
Information on the number of nursery places open as part of the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative in each participating local authority in 2004–05 is in the following table.
Information on the average cost per place in each area is not available. One of the conditions set for all providers taking part in the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative was that fees charged should not exceed the level of help available to parents towards the costs of child care through the working tax credit for the period that the nursery received its initial start-up funding from the Government.
Barking and Dagenham 307
Barnsley 808
Bath and North East Somerset 130
Bexley 160
Birmingham 1,435
Blackburn with Darwen 743
Blackpool 276
Bolton 456
Bournemouth 205
Bracknell Forest 56
Bradford 719
Brent 288
Brighton and Hove 205
Bromley 63
Bury 452
Calderdale 278
Camden 60
Coventry 518
Croydon 196
Cumbria 667
Darlington 155
Derby 330
Doncaster 448
Dudley 380
Durham County 769
Ealing 352
East Riding of Yorkshire 163
Enfield 167
Gateshead 458
Greenwich 312
Hackney 780
Halton 315
Hammersmith and Fulham 311
Haringey 270
Hartlepool 291
Havering 100
Herefordshire 211
Hillingdon 70
Hounslow 220
Isle of Wight 221
Islington 261
Kensington and Chelsea 227
Kent County 607
Kingston upon Hull 377
Kirklees 470
Knowsley 389
Lambeth 524
Leicester City 378
Lewisham 576
Liverpool 620
Luton 366
Manchester 827
Medway 264
Merton 94
Middlesbrough 370
Milton Keynes 140
Newham 580
North East Lincolnshire 352
North Lincolnshire 340
North Somerset 119
North Tyneside 369
Nottingham City 520
Nottinghamshire 626
Oxfordshire 298
Peterborough 252
Plymouth 461
Poole 206
Portsmouth City 245
Redbridge 272
Redcar and Cleveland 336
Rochdale 261
Rotherham 361
Salford 350
Sandwell 430
Sefton 291
Shropshire 210
Slough 257
Solihull 265
Somerset 363
South Gloucestershire 60
South Tyneside 427
Southampton 239
Southend 171
Southwark 449
St. Helens 373
Staffordshire 425
Stockport 263
Stockton-on-Tees 320
Stoke-on-Trent 491
Suffolk 461
Sunderland (City of) 764
Swindon 110
Tameside 405
Telford and Wrekin 459
Thurrock 275
Torbay 358
Tower Hamlets 329
Trafford 168
Wakefield 596
Walsall 505
Waltham Forest 368
Wandsworth 105
Warrington 200
Warwickshire 260
West Sussex 276
Westminster 240
Wigan 315
Wiltshire 252
Windsor and Maidenhead 84
Wirral 369
Wolverhampton 480
Worcestershire 305
York 125
Total places 2004/05 49,114


Mount Hotham is Victoria's premier snow resort. It holds the record for the largest snowfalls in the southern alpine regions and is the only Australian skiing destination that you can fly directly into. It is unique in as much as the accommodation at Mount Hotham is all at the top of the ski trails rather than at the bottom. This is because the Alpine highway here follows a ridge and the accommodation resorts are situated on both sides of this road.
Mount Hotham has a highest elevation of 1860 meters and the ski fields cover some 320 hectares of magnifcent slopes, lined either side by beautiful snow gums. It has 13 lifts and all the facilites that you would expect like excellent ski hire, ski patrol and wonderful restaurants and cafes. The main access road is also sealed all the way to Mount Hotham.
Mount Hotham also has its own airport, only a short drive from the mountain, making it a sure destination with little hassle of getting to. There are plenty of restaurants and eateries, around 17 in the area to be exact. And of course, plenty of local produce and wines on offer to remind you of the beautiful area you are in. There are cross-country trails, snowboard terrains and half pipes, so you know there is something for everyone.
Accommodation at Mount Hotham is of course, some of the best Victorian ski resorts has to offer making sure it's guests are comfortable whether it be warm summer nights or frosty winter days, Mount Hotham will surely offer a great place to rest your head. Visitors to the area can sit back and relax by a fire place with a hot cuppa or join the skiers on the mountain for some down hill action. There is plenty to see and do at Mount Hotham. You may never want to leave.