Prince's former backing band The New Power Generation are among the latest additions joining the massive support bill for Phil Collins' upcoming headline show at London's British Summer Time in Hyde Park.
The band, also known as The NPG, worked with the late 'Purple Rain' icon on 1991's 'Diamonds and Pearls' and 1992's 'Love Symbol Album', before more collaborations in 2002 and 2003 – and were last active for a string of gigs with Prince in 2013 before he returned to working with 3RDEYEGIRL. Now, they'll be heading to the UK to headline the Barclaycard Stage when Phil Collins headlines Hyde Park this summer. They promise to 'perform songs spanning the length of Prince's career'.
Also joining the line-up are KC and the Sunshine Band, Chas and Dave and Cats in Space – who'll be playing alongside the previously-announced Blondie, Mike + The Mechanics and Starsailor in support.


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Chaco frog may refer to:

 Chaco horned frog (Chacophrys pierottii), a frog in the family Ceratophryidae found in the Chaco of northern Argentina, eastern Bolivia, and western Paraguay
 Chaco tree frog (Hypsiboas raniceps), a frog in the family Hylidae found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Paraguay, and Venezuela

Animal common name disambiguation pages

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Prathap Selvan (Frutunes Food Products) – Business Sight's Disruptive Companies at the Forefront of Innovation 2020
A Fastest Growing Agrotech Start-up Organization
India is an agricultural country with more people practicing farming in various states of the country. It is also among the sectors which generate most of the employment, especially in rural and sub-urban areas. With experts forecasting massive growth in the niche, the global Agrotech market is expected to reach the worth of USD 24 billion by 2022.
" The ease with which consumers can source produce nowadays often makes them forget the meticulous planning, preparation, and hard work that goes into the production, distribution and food supply chain — from farm to freight"
Frutunes Food Products is among such start-ups that is helping Farmers, Farmer Producing Clusters (FPC),Farmer Producing Group (FPG) and Farmer producing Organisation(FPO) to enhance their cultivation. It is solving several inefficiencies in the agrotech domain by leveraging the lives of farmers as well as consumers. Frutunes is the only India's "Agrotech Export" Start-up B2B fresh produce supply chain company. A Start-up in the tech has driven Export supply chain space for Raw food products fresh vegetables, fruits, Indian Spices, Pulses, and Millet varieties to the International Market.
Selvan explains, "Our goal is to build and sustain the quality and make it available at a fair price. Today, we can take the farmers' produce in bulk at a fixed income or revenue, and for consumers, healthy produce".
A symbol of Excellence
The Farmer's Complete Export Solution – is the company's coined tagline. It is also educating Indian farmers about the international export quality standard, certification and Regulatory requirements and expectations for produce, like vegetables, pulses, millets, spices, and also processed foods. Frutunes is associated with Tamil Nadu Agri University with MABIF at Madurai and PROFESSOR JAYASHANKAR TELANGANA STATE AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY,HYDERABAD farmers, and Farmer Producing Organizations (FPOs).
The organization began with a goal to make food safe, affordable, and accessible to millions of people. Currently, it is building a distribution network of a million International Buyers, restaurants, and foodservice providers in the next three years, with a focus on the VAP –value added food products, Especially on the ready to cook (RTC) and Ready to eat (RTE).
An Edge over Competitors
Frutunes deals with B2B B2G and B2C clients, who are looking for organic produce and naturally made products with a low maximum residue limit (MRL) is the highest level of a pesticide residue that is legally tolerated in or on food or feed when pesticides are applied correctly (Good Agricultural Practice). The company invests in R&D activities Through the Guideline of SHANKARAN RAMAMURTHY, Managing Director FRIGOSCAN POST HARVEST TECHNOLOGIES PRIVATE LIMITED to retain an edge in the market.
From the CMO, Jerald Point of View for Frutunes, clients are supreme, and hence it pays a great amount of attention to understand the needs and requirements of the customers. On the domestic front, it is getting amazing support from FPOs for large orders. It has a good set of clients at GCC and APAC Especially from Singapore and Malaysia and also works on GCC government tenders as its product quality is organic. The company has grown tremendously in the last one year and has branches at Jordan, Utah, USA, and consulting offices in GCC, and Asia-pacific regions.
At the helm of the company is Mr. Prathap Selvan – Founder & CEO of Frutunes. An IT professional with over 12 years of experience, his last designation is Vice President IT Operations he ventured into an entrepreneurial niche by starting the organization. Mr. Prathap has completed a certification program at the Tamil Nadu Dairy and Farming College and a BlockChain Program at Madurai MAIAF. Frutunes got selected as a best Agri startup by StartLife -Netherlands Wageningen Campus
Words from Wise to Budding Entrepreneurs
What achievements have Frutunes Food Products attained since inception? What methodologies have you incorporated to the business to the next level?
Frutunes was selected as the Best Agri Tech Startup at a FACE Event by CII 2019
Ranked 2nd for the Best Agri Tech Company award by Tamilnadu Agri College and MABIF 3. Frutunes model was selected as a best Supply Chain Model by Startlife Netherlands. 4. Frutunes Food Products was ranked 4th by the Spices Board of India for Multi Spices and Spices Value Added Exports. 5. Founder, Prathap Selvan, received an award as "Vivacāyikaḷin Naṇban" "Farmers' Friend" by Agri Tech Startup Association. 6. Selected as the best startup by AgInvest. 7. Selected as the best Agri Supply Chain for Agri 4.0. 8. Frutunes was selected as the Best Exporter for Multi Processed Spices by the Spices Board of India. 9. Nascomm selected Frutunes and Best Agri Tech Company. 10 For its Best Practice Frutunes got ISO Certification 9001:2015
"The opportunities to innovate in Agritech today, are enormous, and at Frutunes there is no limit to your growth as an individual. We have many young Agri tech folks and uneducated farmers who have done really well and are playing larger roles, purely because of their focus, commitment and attitude towards learning and implementation" "As young entrepreneurs, you should undergo the process of building a business and learn the aspects of running a business. Don't let failures deter you to aim for higher goals," asserts PRATHAP SELVAN, CEO, Frutunes food Products.
For More Details: http://www.frutunes.com/

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Power Assets cuts size of trust IPO to US$3.6b
Move comes after lower-than-expected valuation of firm
Tue, Jan 14, 2014 - 6:00 AM
[HONG KONG] Li Ka-shing's Power Assets Holdings Ltd slashed the size of a Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) of its electricity business by nearly one-third to US$3.6 billion because of a lower-than-expected valuation and its decision to keep a large stake in the business.
Power...
Top Glove unit proposes RM3b perp sukuk programme
Frasers Property buying London business park for £135m
Singapore shares fall 0.6% as Wuhan virus fears rattle investors
THE STI was mired in the red, closing at 3,234.56 on Thursday, after giving up 19.37 points or 0.6 per cent.


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Fresh off a $6M round, Portland-based Nvoicepay expands B2B payment platform
by Taylor Soper on April 16, 2015 at 10:26 am April 16, 2015 at 10:28 am
Nvoicepay CEO Karla Friede.
The electronic payment industry for consumers has certainly shifted over the past few years, with the advent of smartphone apps like Venmo and services like Square.
But many businesses are still writing paper checks and have yet to fully adopt the same technologies — and that's where Nvoicepay wants to help.
The Portland-area startup recently closed a $6 million round led by Mosaik Partners, with participation from Silicon Valley Bank and other existing investors. The fresh cash pushes total funding for the six-year-old company to more than $10 million.
Karla Friede, co-founder and CEO, describes her company as "the leader of next generation B2B payment solutions."
"Nvoicepay is bringing to the enterprise the same kind of simple, easy-to-use and frictionless payment solutions that consumers have come to appreciate — providing the foundation that will enable businesses to pay 100 percent of their invoices electronically," she explained.
Founded by Friede, Tana Law, and Shaun McAravey in 2009, Nvoicepay uses cloud technology to automate accounts payable transactions. The company has more than 1,200 customers that include companies like IHOP, BMW, and others.
Taylor Soper is GeekWire's managing editor, responsible for coordinating the newsroom, planning coverage, and editing stories. A native of Portland, Ore., and graduate of the University of Washington, he was previously a GeekWire staff reporter, covering beats including startups and sports technology. Follow him @taylor_soper and email taylor@geekwire.com.
Azure Premium Storage becomes generally available for high-performance data needs
You will laugh at this ad for a Microsoft smartwatch from 2004
Filed Under: Portland • Startups Tagged With: nvoicepay
Gender gap: Women-led companies make up 8% of the GeekWire 200 startup list
Good news for card-carrying potheads: Seattle startup raising funds so you don't have to use cash
Microsoft's investment arm M12 leads $15M funding round for corporate payments startup nsKnox
Rising Pacific Northwest startups show that financial technology is about more than payments
ControllerCraftAg


Recruitment Drives Spatial Variation in Recovery Rates of Resilient Coral Reefs.
Holbrook, S. J.Adam, T. C.Edmunds, P. J.Schmitt, R. J.Carpenter, R. C.Brooks, A. J.Lenihan, H. S.Briggs, C. J.
Tropical reefs often undergo acute disturbances that result in landscape-scale loss of coral. Due to increasing threats to coral reefs from climate change and anthropogenic perturbations, it is critical to understand mechanisms that drive recovery of these ecosystems. We explored this issue on the fore reef of Moorea, French Polynesia, following a crown-of-thorns seastar outbreak and cyclone that dramatically reduced cover of coral. During the five-years following the disturbances, the rate of re-establishment of coral cover differed systematically around the triangular-shaped island; coral cover returned most rapidly at sites where the least amount of live coral remained after the disturbances. Although sites differed greatly in the rate of return of coral, all showed at least some evidence of re-assembly to their pre-disturbance community structure in terms of relative abundance of coral taxa and other benthic space holders. The primary driver of spatial variation in recovery was recruitment of sexually-produced corals; subsequent growth and survivorship were less important in shaping the spatial pattern. Our findings suggest that, although the coral community has been resilient, some areas are unlikely to attain the coral cover and taxonomic structure they had prior to the most recent disturbances before the advent of another landscape-scale perturbation.


And goodbye to the iPod. FYI, the term "thensologue" for those unaware is a word David made up himself meaning "quote from a movie." Sort of like "thrithamoth", that blast of hot air that you feel when you open the oven. I don't make this stuff up. David does.
Anyway, after nearly 6 months in the same city, David is moving on. But where you ask? Read on.
Biggest news chronologically: My iPod got stolen. That's stupid. Here's the story. I never take it out of the house because I'm, ironically, scared someone will steal it. So on Wednesday, when we had district meeting at the church, of course I left it there, sitting on my desk, plugged into the speakers, like always. Elder Hardy and Elder Gonzalez came late to the meeting, so they were still in the house for a bit, and the guys who bring our purified water came by. It's two guys, so one started loading the water in the house, and for some unfathomable reason Elder Hardy and Elder Gonzalez both went outside to talk to the other guy. Good, guys. Leave a strange Latin in our house alone. After that, they left, but Elder Gonzalez had forgotten his Preach My Gospel, so he went back to the house to get it with Elder Pineda, another Latin Elder. When I got back to the house after the meeting, no iPod. But also stupidly enough, that was the only thing they took. Not my comp's camera, not the speakers even. So I called the water guys, and it turns out that they're the owners of this branch and have been running it for nine years without ever receiving a single report like this before. They even have police background checks and stuff. Crazy. But we've been investigating for a while now, and it seems like they're the only ones that could have done it. But it's stupid. And I feel bad, because if I catch one of them, he loses his job. It's lame.
I'll give a quarter to anyone who tells me what that was from.
Elder Wardlow and I finally had changes. He headed off to Belize this morning. It was kind of expected, since even the president told him to pack his bags, since he'd be leaving, over a week ago. But still. We spent all day Sunday saying goodbye to everyone, and reassuring them that I would come back with my new comp soon. I was kind of happy that he was leaving and not me, though, because next month we are basically guaranteed four baptisms, three of which are a super powerful, golden family. The fourth was a guy that has wanted to get baptized, but for some reason just wants to do it in February. And I was thinking that maybe Henry will get out of jail soon, so he might get baptized, too.
Still, waiting for changes was intense. We had bets on what was going to happen. I figured I would move up to Senior Comp or something, and Elder Hardy (came in the same time as me) would train. I didn't even dare dream that I'd train. Or move up to district leader, even, although neither would have been odd as far as mission assignments go. It took forever for them to come, but they did last night. Elder Wardlow, being district leader, answered and got to know first, which is frustrating. Super intense. But here, at the turn, I must leave you, Arrington family, yes YOU Arrington family, sitting at your computers, awaiting your deaths for my murder.
Sorry, I couldn't think of a good way to end that thensologue. Also, I have nothing else with which to say here before I move on except that this computer doesn't want me to upload pictures. Frustrating.
Also, we got a baptism this week. His name was Alex, and it was really sweet. He knew all the doctrine, but didn't handle the pressure of his interview very well, so he failed it. We retaught him, had another interview, and it was great. Then the baptism on Saturday. That makes five so far in Atiquizaya.
So yeah, changes came, and they weren't what we expected. Elder Wardlow still was going to Belize. Elder Gonzalez is opening an area with a missionary who is changing over from the East mission. Elder Hardy is training. And me? I'm leaving. Two new Elders are coming into Atiquizaya. So much for my sweet family. An Elder Lopez gets them, and he'll also be training.
And where am I going? San Salvador, in an area called, I think, Monserrat. As the new General Secretary of the Mission.
I'm still not super clear about what that means, but this is what I've gathered. I'm the guy in charge of anything the president needs. When people call the office, be it upset parents missing their missionaries, area seventies, the prophet, etc., I talk to them. I will be in the office, and my job will basically mean I have to know more about our mission than any other person in the world, including the president. I'll be working closely with him and the assistants, so I'll learn a ton. But I'll still have four hours or so to proselyte, and I've heard that the area is nice. And I get to live in an even nicer house than I'm in now. And Elder French, the current secretary, will train me for this change. Oh, and no big deal, but I get to drive a car.
So there you go. Make of it what you will, but I'm excited for this opportunity. Basically I'll be in charge of all communication throughout the mission. And I get to pick up the mail, so I don't have to wait forever to get letters.
Okay, I'm out of time, but hopefully that was a very exciting email for you all. Thank you Emily, Dad, Mom, and Stacey for your emails. I rather enjoyed them all.
I love you all, and keep emailing me. I love it!
PS: Just in case you were thinking about it, you may not need to buy me a new iPod. I'll be in the office for a while with a computer, so I may be able to just access a homeserver music thing if it works better. I'll let you know.


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Conrad Siegel Actuaries is a consultant-owned CPA firm offering financial advisory and consulting services to clients in central Pennsylvania region. Approaching 60 years in business, the firm enjoys a healthy client roster 1,200 strong. To date, the business has prospered and maintained, and is a recognizable name in actuarial service business regionally. Approaching 60 years is where most businesses find they must "evolve or die" — that is, reinvent who they are and reengage a new generation of customer or face becoming irrelevant. Freefall helped the firm understand where they are today, and where they could go in the next 60 years by reinvigorating the brand to align with a new generation of clients and employees.
Having an established name and reputation in their region for almost 60 years, updating the Conrad Siegel brand had to be a delicate, surgical process. We conducted a series of research courses to understand Conrad Siegel's clients and the company culture, their aspirations and vision for the company for the next half-century. What we discovered is there is immeasurable equity in the firm's name and reputation in the region. But we also uncovered more about the people of Conrad Siegel — mostly wicked-smart actuaries whose work is literally to predict the future and forecast complex financial situations — who tend to downplay just how exceptional they really are.
The brand's identity and mark was developed to pay homage to the firm's history; to feel both familiar and fresh. We sought also to communicate through the brand more of what the firm delivers and eventually created the mark drawn directly from seven distinct pillars of the company culture itself. Potent, precise, and meaningful.
Former Identity
The Conrad Siegel web site is the centerpiece of the updated brand. While much of actuarial work can still be performed with calculator and paper, the world has moved to the web. The web is the forum in which businesses like Conrad Siegel compete for market share. The first place any prospective client starts to qualify a new suitor is online. Accordingly, Conrad Siegel's expression of their brand through their web site became a powerful tool to become more visibile, grow market share, and attract more bright people to the growing firm.
Conrad Siegel's rebrand was a ground-up reboot of anything the brand touches. We breathed new life into everything from stationery to signage, pens to paper. We also gave special attention to the branded pieces that wholly encompassed experience with the Conrad Siegel brand such as the seeming last bastion of human touch these days: the business card.


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Nigerian Air Force commissions two Bell 412 utility helicopters
November 5, 2017 January 9, 2020 Ekene Lionel	Helicopter, Nigeria
Two Bell 412 combat utility helicopters has been inducted into the Nigerian Air Force (NAF). The two helicopters was donated by the Rivers state government to the NAF following its incapacity to pay for the customs duty on the helicopters and the Federal Government's refusal to grant a waiver to clear the helicopters.
Both helicopters would immediately be deployed to the troublesome NorthEastern Nigeria for operations against the Boko Haram terrorist section.
During the induction of the utility helicopter at the 631 Aircraft Maintenance Depot, Ikeja Lagos the Nigerian Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar said that both helicopters would boost the country's efforts in its fight against insurgency.
He further added that the helicopters were refurbished in-country and vital systems like the engines, rotor transmission and surveillance equipment were shipped to the United States and Canada for repair and overhaul a necessity considering that both helicopters have been in a storage container for a long time.
The Bell 412 helicopter can be used for aerial patrol, civil service support, surveillance and reconnaissance flights. It would most likely be used for troops transport or Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR). It can carry 13 people including the two crew members. It is fitted with Night Vision Camera for night operations, other safety features is also added.
More helicopters coming to the Nigerian Air Force
Nigerian Air Force new chopper crash lands
Nigerian Air Force Agusta 109 helicopter crashes in Borno.
← Nigerian military commissions Defence Space Administration and Cyber Operations complex
Libya: Chinese-made GP1 155 mm guided artillery shells spotted →
Ekene Lionel
Techy, Futurist, Award-winning defense technology writer.


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Home > new music > Salif Keita, Royal Festival Hall
Salif Keita, Royal Festival Hall | reviews, news & interviews
Salif Keita, Royal Festival Hall
The great Malian singer just misses the target despite having a great new album out
by Howard MaleThursday, 14 February 2013
Salif Keita: too much sampling and Afro-funk?
The only time the great Malian singer spoke at any length to last night's audience was when he said, "I don't know my birthday. I don't know the day or the year. So any day can be my birthday. So can you please stand up and dance for my birthday." So either Wikipedia is wrong about it being 25 August 1949, or Keita has a strange sense of humour. Anyway, his presumably oft-repeated line gets a warm chuckle of appreciation and a third of the audience dutifully get to their feet.
In other respects too this was an oddly dissatisfying gig. Keita's new album Talé is a muscular pop/funk workout which pays tribute to African-American 1970s music without ever resorting to pastiche. And so in theory there was no problem with it taking up nearly half the band's set. But after 45 minutes of relentless Afro-funk, one yearned for the Keita of old who would do a few acoustic songs mid-set. However, it needs to be said that perhaps if the meat and potatoes of the band's sound hadn't been generated by triggering samples, this wouldn't have been as much of an issue.
Keita still has a voice that sounds like it could cut through sheet metal
It was particularly disheartening to hear one song begin with an aggressive biting guitar lick, only to then notice that the guitarist wasn't playing the lick, the keyboard player was. And in fact the guitarist seemed rather at a loose end while his job was being done by a sampler. When eventually we got to hear the ngoni player pluck out a metallic flurry of notes at the beginning of "Yala" from Keita's classic 2005 album M'Bemba, it simply highlighted how much his playing had been drowned in a swamp of synth during the rest of the set. And where was the bottom-end? With no bass player present it was another duty for the poor old keyboard player, and all he could muster was a distant low rumble with little definition.
Yes, there was some wonderful live interaction between calabash, congas and ngoni, backing vocalist Gladys Gambie was never less than diverting (particularly during her authoritative delivery of Roots Manuva's rap on "C'est Bon, C'est Bon"), and Keita's tremulous yet immensely powerful tenor voice sounded as strong as ever, despite the fact the man is now (we can feel fairly sure) in his mid-sixties. It's still a voice that sounds like it could cut through sheet metal.
My final gripe relates to the light show. Six spotlights were mounted on the stage behind the band. Occasionally they were used to stunning effect, such as when they were tilted down at the stage, glowing gold like setting suns. But more often than not they were strobing incessantly, or intermittently shining directly at the audience. I simply got in the habit of judging the moment the searchlight would hit me so I could close my eyes. Keita really didn't need to dazzle us with light when he can dazzle us with music.
Keita really didn't need to dazzle us with light when he can dazzle us with music
Find Tale on Amazon
Bassekou Kouyaté & Ngoni ba, Barbican
Interview: Oumou Sangare, Soul Rebel
Fatoumata Diawara, Jazz Café
Interview: Rokia Traoré
African Soul Rebels, Barbican Hall
Reissue CDs Weekly: John Mayall - The First Generation Massive box-set tribute to the important British musical visionary
Album: Sleaford Mods - Spare Ribs A searing scream in the face of Boris, the virus and the shit show that is 2020s Britain
10 Questions for Musician and Broadcaster Cerys Matthews Thoughts on an album which places poets centre-stage
Gillam, Hallé, Bloxham, Hallé online review - music of poetry Turbulence, calm, and long, slow melodies in a concert commemorating 2020
Album: Skyway Man - The World Only Ends When You Die Warm psychedelic Californian indie-gospel-country ruminations on the path to the beyond
Album: Katy Carr - Providence Post-war Hampstead takes centre stage in the conclusion to Katy Carr's trilogy
Album: New Age Doom - Himalayan Dream Techno Eerie drone music from the forests of British Columbia
Album: Hilang Child - Every Mover Directness competes with the impressionistic on Ed Riman's second album
Reissue CDs Weekly: Charles Mingus @ Bremen 1964 & 1975 Live recordings where the jazz great wouldn't 'tone down his performance to meet the audience's tastes'
Album: Viagra Boys - Welfare Jazz Stockholm punks impress with heart and musical range on their second album
Album: Steve Earle & The Dukes - JT JT, RIP: Steve Earle's loving tribute to his son
Albums of the Year 2020: Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher The gifted young and the old reflect on troubled times


These are our available breeds. We are constantly developing new motifs and will be updating our list accordingly. To stay tuned on all the latest from Dogmade, follow us on Instagram and sign-up to our newsletter.


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Former Patriot Corey Dillon Resents 'Project' Tag, Antonio Brown Comparison
Before news of the rape allegations against Antonio Brown broke, the star wide receiver was considered the latest and greatest of the Patriots' reclamation project.
The wide receiver drew comparisons to Randy Moss, who also came to New England via the Oakland Raiders after a two-year rocky tenure in the Bay Area. The Patriots have made a habit of taking a flyer on talented players with disgruntled pasts, and many people point to Corey Dillon as the first "project" the team took on.
Dillon demanded a trade from the Cincinnati Bengals in 2004 and landed in New England, going on to post 1,635 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns to help lead the team to a Super Bowl championship. But the running back, who retired in 2006, resents the label put on him and the comparisons it drew to Brown's arrival in New England.
He addressed the issue in a recent Q&A with The Athletic's Jay Morrison
"But I just find it kind of curious every time the Patriots do something, or bring a guy in, my name comes up like I was a bad guy. I'm trying to set that straight.
"First of all, if you go back in time, look who I played for at the time. Are you kidding me? People want to say I was the bad guy in that situation? No. That's not the case. It comes down to we play this football game to actually win football games. That's what you play for. I don't know what was on everybody else's agenda.
"Me personally, I was never a "me" guy, worried about somebody else's money, worried about getting paid. My main objective was to win football games and my ultimate goal was to win a championship. That's what I was in the game for. That was my passion. And if you check, go ask former teammates in Cincinnati, I wasn't a bad guy in the locker room. My whole thing was, "Hey, listen, I'm tired of losing." And to sum that up and put it in a corporate America, hypothetical situation, if you had a job where you feel you're going nowhere and you have an opportunity to better yourself and better your career in a different situation, you're not going to take that opportunity? But I do it and I'm a cancer. I'm a bad guy. I don't know how people think that. I don't get it."
Even before news of Brown's rape allegation came to light, Dillon was trying to distance himself from the comparison, and you could hardly blame him. The lawsuit against Brown certainly changes the how the pickup is viewed as well.
As for the Patriots newest problem child, Bill Belichick got into a testy back-and-forth over questions the wide receiver's lawsuit. Meanwhile, Jon Gruden couldn't be happier to be done with the whole situation.
You can read Dillon's full Q&A here (subscription required) >>>
Thumbnail photo via Denny Medley/USA TODAY Sports Images
MSN Distribution	New England Patriots	Top Stories	Yahoo Distribution
Patriots Injury Report: Marcus Cannon Among Three Players Limited In Practice
Lamar Odom Details Abuse He Says He Endured Under Mavericks' Mark Cuban
Tom Brady Explains How Bucs Are Different From Previous Patriots Teams
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Julian Edelman Honors Philip Rivers After QB's Retirement
Writer Names Patriots' Biggest Looming Decision In NFL Free Agency


Listen to me. No, really listen. A lot of banks and CEOs talk about change. They swear things are going to be different this time, they promise thing are going to be better and they all say they mean it. But you and I know they're all blowing smoke up our asses. You know how I know Vikram and Citi are deadly serious about making it work with Citi, and not just making empty promises? They've started a blog. Here, at New Citi, every single day, or until they gets blogger fatigue, we'll be able to follow C's progress toward achieving Pandito's goal of becoming "the best company in the world, bar none."
And lest you think this is some sort of corporate crap, think again: this blog is so real that they're letting you leave comments. In fact, go leave one right now. Vikram is so excited about all this that he's kicked off his inaugural post with a video in which he gets to his favorite word ("globality"). Take a peek, and then tell us what sort of posts you'd be interested in seeing. Pictures of VP's lunch? Daily outfits? Next-day recaps and thoughts on Lost? Favorite YouTube videos of the week? Late night confessions? Guest posts by The Prince? Dish on other CEO's (don't even get Pandles started on what Lloyd wore the last time they were in Washington. Fashion failll)? Everyone wants this thing to be great and to that end, is a name change in order? My vote: Vicki In The Citi. Think about it.


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Is this pregnant activist in prison for defending herself and her family?
By Sarah Cwiek • May 1, 2018
Siwatu-Salama Ra with her daughter, Zala.
A 26-year-old, pregnant environmental activist is serving a two-year sentence at Michigan's Huron Valley Correctional Facility right now.
But Siwatu-Salama Ra says she acted in self-defense when she pulled a gun on another woman last summer during an altercation outside her mother's Detroit home.
Ra is a licensed gun owner, and she never fired a shot. Her supporters believe her case highlights a disparity in how the justice system treats black gun owners who use their weapons in self-defense — and question whether she would be behind bars if she was white.
Born into activism
Ra was born into what her mother, Rhonda Anderson, calls Detroit's African-centered "activist culture community."
"Siwatu's name means born during war, to bring in peace, sent by god," said Anderson.
Anderson is a prominent activist in that community. Her work focuses on environmental justice issues, like the toxic emissions and other contaminants that haunt poor, industrial cities like Detroit.
As she grew up following her mother to community meetings and protests, Ra became one too. After attending a student climate change conference in Wisconsin at age 15, Ra became passionate about environmental justice. She also took an interest in youth issues, mentoring younger activists with groups like the East Michigan Environmental Action Council.
As Ra blossomed into a young activist in her own right, her work took her far beyond the city where she was born.
"She's been to Turkey. She's been to Paris. She's been to Senegal twice," said Anderson.
Ra attended a student climate change conference in Wisconsin in 2007, at age 15.
Credit Shadia Fayne Wood / Survival Media
She calls her daughter a "kind, generous, considerate" person who's also an accomplished dancer and mother to a three-year-old daughter, Zala.
Anderson believes that the many stresses of life in Detroit's poverty-stricken neighborhoods can create many kinds of toxic situations. And one of those arose last July, in front of her home on the city's west side.
Dueling stories
"This incident was really a result of an altercation two children had had," said Ra's attorney, Victoria Burton-Harris.
The two children are Ra's teenage niece, and one of her schoolmates. They were friends, but the girls got into a fight at school, in which Ra's family say the other girl attacked Ra's niece.
The two girls made up, but tensions lingered between the families. Which is why Ra was unhappy when the other girl's mother, Channell Harvey, dropped her daughter off to spend the night at Anderson's house last July 16.
Ra told the girl to leave. The girl called her mother, crying, to come pick back and pick her up.
"And she was irate when she pulled up. She pulled up upset and demanding answers," Burton-Harris said.
From there, their stories diverge.
Harvey said she returned to Anderson's home confused and upset about why her daughter couldn't stay at Anderson's home, saying Ra's niece had spent several nights at her house the prior week.
Harvey says Ra approached her car, using profanities and angrily telling her to leave. When Harvey didn't immediately go, she said Ra told her "I got something for you."
Then, according to Harvey, Ra went to her parked car, pulled out her daughter who had been playing in the front seat, then pulled out a gun and aimed it at Harvey and her daughter.
Harvey's account continues with Anderson coming down off the porch and "smacking the gun" out of Ra's hands. After it fell to the ground, Ra picked it up and pointed it at Harvey and her daughter again. That's when Harvey says she drove away, going immediately to the police station and filing a police report — and providing them with three cell phone pictures she'd snapped of Ra holding her gun.
In a follow-up interview with police a couple of weeks later, Harvey told a slightly different version of the story. Crucially, she added one detail: that she "accidentally" struck Ra's car with her own while trying to drive away.
What Harvey did with her car plays a much larger role in Ra's version of the same event.
Ra says Harvey returned to Anderson's home irate, and began using her car as a weapon.
"She started yelling at me, screaming at me cursing at me," Ra says in a video her supporters recently made about her case. "And in the midst of this I'm asking this woman to leave. And she wouldn't.
"I was afraid. And I told her, 'You have to leave now."'
Ra pulled her daughter out of her car. Meanwhile, Harvey was "literally going back and forth with this car, putting it in reverse and fixing herself to come at us again, and go after my mother, who was also standing very close to me and wasn't able to run," she says.
Ra claims that's when she pulled her unloaded, licensed firearm from her car and pointed it at Harvey and her daughter.
Ra also filed a police report with her account of the incident less than two hours after Harvey did.
But she was the only one charged — with felonious assault against Harvey and her daughter.
Self-defense and the law
That question of fear — of what fear looks like, when it's justified, and who decides that — is at the heart of this case.
It's also at the heart of Michigan's laws governing when acts of self-defense are justified, and when they're not.
Steven Dulan is with the Michigan Coalition of Responsible Gun Owners, and an adjunct professor at Cooley Law School.
Dulan says pulling a gun is always considered deadly force. The person using deadly force has no duty to retreat from a threatening situation.
But, "Deadly force is appropriate self-defense only when preventing death, great bodily harm, or rape," Dulan says. "Imminent death, bodily harm or rape."
It's a two-pronged legal test: There must be an actual, imminent threat to yourself or others, and your use of deadly force must be reasonable.
"So you have to actually believe it, and basically the jury has to agree that your fear was reasonable under the circumstances," says Dulan.
Ra didn't have to take her case to a jury. Her first lawyer encouraged her to take a plea deal.
But Ra didn't want that, says her trial attorney Victoria Burton-Harris.
"Siwatu rejected that advice and said, 'I would rather fight this. I am not who they are painting me as. I acted in self-defense. I would like to present my case to a jury,'" said Burton-Harris.
All the jury had to go on were these dueling stories, and the three cell phone pictures Harvey had taken of Ra holding her gun.
Burton-Harris says the prosecutor made a big deal out of those pictures, saying Ra didn't look scared in them.
Burton-Harris questions that perception. "Fear looks different on different people," she said. "And that was a part of what the jury had to analyze and determine."
At trial, Burton-Harris attacked Harvey's credibility. She pointed out that Harvey gave several different accounts of the incident, and that she was on probation for a gun charge at the time it occurred.
In the end, the jury apparently agreed with the prosecution. But it was a strange split verdict.
The jury found Ra guilty of felonious assault against Harvey, but not against her daughter — even though the two were in the car together when Ra pointed her gun at them.
Jurors also found Ra guilty on felony firearm charge prosecutors added after Ra refused a plea deal. That's a mandatory two-year sentence under Michigan law, and the reason Ra is serving a two-year sentence today.
Burton-Harris says "we'll never know" exactly how or why the jury reached this verdict, which suggests that "either Siwatu acted in self-defense toward the daughter, but not the mother, or that she never did anything wrong to begin with toward the daughter."
"It's so puzzling that it made me wonder if … maybe they couldn't decide and they just split the baby. Maybe they wanted to go home," Burton-Harris said.
Perceptions of fear
Ra thinks the jury saw her as angry rather than scared. And she thinks that's at least partly because of her race.
"Something we're fighting against is the way the world views what black fear looks like," Ra said. "If I was somebody else, maybe, just maybe, they would have identified with [me] when I said: 'I was afraid.'"
Steve Dulan of Cooley Law School says it's hard to know for sure whether black defendants who invoke self-defense are convicted more often than white defendants in similar cases.
"I honestly don't think we have enough data on that. I think it's a legitimate concern, and I think more data needs to be gathered," Dulan said.
But some researchers have drawn that conclusion, though a lack of data and the number of possible confounding factors limits how widely it can be applied. And it's often difficult to judge how much racial bias impacts the outcome of any one particular case.
But Ra's mom, Rhonda Anderson, is also convinced that stereotypes — particularly ideas of black women as innately angry — helped convict her daughter.
"I know that she was innocent, that she was doing exactly as she said," Anderson said. "She was protecting me, herself, and her daughter, from a person who was enraged, and hell-bent on hurting somebody, or threatening to hurt somebody."
Ra's supporters point to another incident in her past to suggest why she was particularly frightened, and one reason she carried a gun in the first place. In 2015, she and her daughter were driving in Macomb County when Ra claims a white man pointed a gun at her in a road rage incident.
Ra reported the incident to the Macomb County Sheriff's office, which investigated. Sheriff's deputies interviewed the man, who claimed he didn't have a gun at all. He said he waved his cell phone at Ra, because she was talking on her phone while driving and he was angry about it.
For Anderson, this is proof of the justice system's built-in bias.
"She said it was a gun. I believe her," Anderson said.
"She was very frightened. Then they went to this man, accepted his word over her word, and it was done. Whereas in this situation, where she stood up for herself, now she's in prison because of it."
Holding onto hope
Ra now sits in prison, seven months pregnant with a little boy. She had serious complications with her first pregnancy, and her current one is considered high-risk.
Ra's lawyers plan to appeal her conviction, and are also considering asking for a pardon or commutation. Currently, her legal team is hopeful Ra will be freed pending appeal due to her high-risk pregnancy.
Credit Michigan Department of Corrections
Anderson is consumed with worry about her daughter's condition in a situation she describes as "a living hell." As an activist, she's not used to sitting back and putting a lot of stock in concepts like "hope."
"But hope is, I think, probably more important for us now than anything," Anderson said. "Because we're realizing, at least I am, that faith and trust in this system … mm-mmm."
Ra's legal team plans to appeal her conviction. But first, they're trying to secure an appeals bond.
That would allow Ra to go free while the case is on appeal, and deliver her baby outside prison custody. Prisoners who give birth are often shackled, and aren't allowed to have family or friends with them during the birth. The baby is usually removed from the mother 24 hours.
Ra says "that's the pain" of this whole story: "To have my first son, and to not be with him for the first two years."
Siwatu-Salama Ra
stand your ground law
Detroit man sues Little Caesar's Arena construction firm, alleges "Mississippi-style racism"
By Sarah Cwiek • Feb 17, 2018
Michigan Radio
An African American carpenter says he suffered racial discrimination and harassment on the job during the construction of Detroit's Little Caesar's Arena.
Harold Wilson is suing Hardman Construction, the contractor he spent just two days working for in 2015.
Wilson says he had trouble getting hired, despite a need for skilled tradesmen and Detroit resident workers. A city ordinance requires that 51% of all employees working on major development projects in Detroit be city residents.
Detroit finds more lead in water this summer, but there's a good reason
By Lindsey Smith • Oct 31, 2016
DWSD
Detroit found more lead in drinking water samples this summer than it has in recent years, and there's a few reasons to account for the uptick.
Unofficial results posted this month by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department show Detroit's water is safe to drink by federal standards.
NAACP to honor students for anti-gun violence activism
Brian Wybenga
The Detroit NAACP branch will recognize students from about a half-dozen Detroit-area high schools for their activism, including participation in protests to end gun violence.
The civil rights organization will present the honor during the 63rd Annual Fight For Freedom Fund Dinner on May 6 at Cobo Center in Detroit.
Students also will present a tribute honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and his work.


Do you love cooking shows but feel they're missing something? Like, I don't know, man's best friend? If so, Cooking With Dog is for you. No, it's not cooking A dog, it's cooking with a dog. A dog that teaches you how to cook. That's right, a cooking show hosted by a dog named Francis. And Francis makes a mean rue.
So what do you think a dog could teach you that a human couldn't? A lot, it turns out.
Now don't you want to make your own Hayashi rice? Although that is a ton of butter for a rice dish, and one that looks like it should be healthy, but obviously is not. Also, a lot of ingredients to keep track of, which makes me wonder how a poodle was able to wrap her head around this recipe.
Still, I actually learned some fantastic cooking tips from this dog. Her vegetable cutting technique is one to be admired and adopted by all home cooks looking to make attractive and even cutting a reality. Francis also makes me want to buy a rice cooker. I haven't seen a human cooking show that gave me so many helpful hints, like how you should always use a wooden utensil when cooking rue because it gets so hot.
So job well done, Francis! Your cooking show is off to a banner start. I only hope you get to eat some of those vittles you're assisting with. Otherwise, you should consider writing that into your Food Network contract that's surely coming any day now.
How awesome is Cooking With Dog?


We hope none of these 38 5-letter-or-longer words rhyming with VAST get past your eagle eye.
34 delectable kinds of food or drink make a delicious Word Find.
The 36 TV programs here will debut, or return after a hiatus, to the ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, or CW schedule during the coming year.
Can you locate the 58 well-known islands from around the globe in today's puzzle?
We've gathered 41 famous men of fact and fiction named Max, Maxwell, or Maximilian in today's grid.
You can be at ease after finding the 35 5-letter-or-longer words beginning TEN.
Each of these 38 people and programs won one or more of this year's premier awards for television excellence.
Each of these 44 famous fictional works has the main character's first or last name or both as its title.
This Word Find isn't about Autumn, just about 44 words and phrases to find that follow FALL to make common expressions.
Along with B'z and U2, these 48 solo artists and groups make the list of 50 with the most worldwide record sales.
... and you will CIRCLE the 38 words meaning an AREA of activity for a person.
Each of the 50 world capitals hidden here is also a busy port city.
... to find 39 words with DO as their ending letters.
Although there are no Macs in today's grid, you can celebrate with a Big Mac when you find the 54 famous people whose surnames begin with Mc.
40 Most Common 10-Letter Words in English.
These 40 words are used more frequently than any other 10-long English words.
As ALWAYS, we provide a tough Word Search challenge: circle 55 two-syllable words that rhyme with CRAZE in the grid.
Each of these 45 Marvel comic book characters is or has been a member of the superhero good-guy group.
The 68 Metals in today's puzzle all occur in nature.
Good advice to anyone dozing along in one of these 48 states of inaction.
... you find the 63 8-letter-or-longer words containing IF, you are a gIFTed Word Search solver.


After three very busy days in Trinidad helping them organize the placing of the features and layout of the adventure golf I am back home in British Columbia once more. The rain on my drive home was as heavy here as it was there yesterday, but the temperature locally was a whole lot cooler. I look forward to seeing work progress rapidly in the park in the next week or so and then I head back once more to place the last of the big features and lay out the last holes of the golf. As anyone who's opened a theme park understands very well, the last weeks are where everything comes together magically. The vision imagined and drawn years previous suddenly becomes apparent and very real. It is an exciting time!


The last word was down. The article was written. He looked at the clock. He had time. The editing shouldn't take too long.
He went into the kitchen and got himself a cup of coffee. The coffee maker fell over.
-Damn! He got a cloth and wiped it up. He could feel something breath him in the neck. He turned around. There was nothing there.
He put another coffee on, and waited. He felt it again. The breathing. He looked at the clock. The deadline was getting closer.
Look! Paladin said to his mother. A book with Grandpa's handwriting!
They both laughed. Grandpa had been the funniest man alive, always cheerful and friendly. The only moment Paladin had seen him sad was the weeks after Grandma left him.
He sat down by the desk and started reading while his mother kept organising the old things in the attic. They would have to make a lot of trips out here the coming weeks, a lot of things had been piling up through a long life.