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El alebrije es un tipo de artesanía originaria de México. Se trata de artesanías fabricadas con cartón o papel, y estructura de alambre, o con madera (tradicionalmente de copal), que se pintan con colores mayormente alegres y vibrantes. Los alebrijes son seres imaginarios conformados por elementos fisonómicos de animales diferentes, una combinación de varios animales, no solo fantásticos sino también reales que forman un ser fantástico.

En la técnica empleada para los alebrijes de cartón o papel se usa una estructura de alambre varilla de papel o de carrizo sobre la que se procede a dar capas con papel hasta formar un cartón de donde viene el nombre; y por último, se realiza el acabado con diversas técnicas de pintura. Oficialmente fueron creados por el artista mexicano Pedro Linares López
(1936), aunque existen otras dos versiones de su origen poco mencionadas.

Origen de los alebrijes

En 1936, Pedro Linares López, cartonero de oficio y originario de la Ciudad de México, enfermó, perdió la conciencia y cayó en un profundo sueño, cuando tenía 30 años; el cual, le revelaría unas criaturas extrañas que cambiarían su destino como artesano de La Merced. Enfermo y sin acceso a médicos que pudieran tratar su enfermedad, sus hermanas intentaron hacerlo reaccionar con remedios caseros sin resultado alguno.

Se dice que, en cama e inconsciente, Pedro soñaba con un lugar extraño e interesante, muy apacible, algo así como un bosque en el que había árboles, rocas y animales; podía ver las nubes y el cielo de aquel mágico escenario. Él sentía que todo estaba en calma, no experimentaba dolor alguno y era feliz por estar caminando en ese lugar; sin embargo, de repente, los animales se convirtieron en criaturas extrañas; se trataba de animales que no podía distinguir porque eran de una naturaleza muy rara. Don Pedro vio un burro con alas, un gallo con cuernos de toro, un león con cabeza de perro. Todos esos animales gritaban al unísono una sola palabra: ¡Alebrijes! Gritaban más y más fuerte: ¡Alebrijes, alebrijes, alebrijes!

Pedro siguió su camino en aquel fantástico sueño y mientras recorría un sendero de piedras vio a un hombre que caminaba tranquilamente y le pidió ayuda para salir de aquel lugar. El hombre le respondió que él no debía estar allí todavía y que tenía que seguir andando pues a unos cuantos metros había una salida. Pedro corrió y corrió hasta que quedó frente a una ventana estrecha por la que apenas pudo escabullirse, momento en el que despertó. Pedro estaba totalmente recuperado y ya a partir de entonces empezó a recordar su sueño. Quería que su familia y todas las personas conocieran a esos animales fantásticos. Entonces, aprovechando su habilidad de cartonero, Pedro Linares tomó un pedazo de papel, moldeó esas figuras, las pintó igual a como estaban en sus sueños y así les dio entidad a los alebrijes. A lo largo de su vida Don Pedro Linares mostró su trabajo a mucha gente, tanto en México como en el extranjero, y fue invitado a los Estados Unidos y a Europa para exhibir sus colas. Conservó las tradiciones populares que había heredado de sus abuelos y sus padres y aportó una invaluable creación al arte mexicano y a esas mismas tradiciones. Pedro Linares López trabajó jornadas de dieciséis horas todos los días hasta un día antes de su muerte, la que tuvo lugar el 26 de enero de 1992, a la edad de 86 años. Ahora, Miguel Linares, Paula García, Blanca y Elsa Linares continúan con la tradición y el trabajo que Pedro les dejó como herencia, las extraordinarias piezas reconocidas a nivel mundial: los alebrijes.
En una versión distinta de la que se acaba de relatar se dice que al pintor mexicano José Antonio Gómez Rosas, apodado El Hotentote, a su paso por la Academia de San Carlos, en donde se organizaba anualmente un baile de máscaras, se le pidió que realizara una serie de telones, por lo que le encargó a su cartonero Pedro Linares que hiciera una nave y un alebrije. Ante esa petición Linares le preguntó al pintor cómo hacerlo, a lo que este respondió: "toma un Judas y ponle cola y alas de murciélago". En las pinturas de El Hotentote suelen aparecer figuras zoomorfas y fantásticas en las que se combinan partes de reptiles, de aves, de anfibios, de insectos y de mamíferos, al igual que diferentes épocas y estilos.

A partir del sueño que tuvo en 1936 Linares comenzó a diseñar figuras extrañas y coloridas con alas, cuernos, colas, colmillos y demás. Esas esculturas fueron descubiertas por sus primeros clientes, que eran maestros pirotécnicos, y luego por la cineasta Judith Bronowski, quien dio a conocer a nivel mundial la historia de los alebrijes y al maestro Pedro Linares López a través de un documental que ella misma produjo y dirigió.

Pedro Linares recibió el Premio Nacional de Ciencias y Artes 1990 por su gran trayectoria artística y por su creación: los alebrijes. En la actualidad los hijos y los nietos de Linares, así como miles de cartoneros más, continúan con la tradición familiar creando alebrijes.

Desde el año 2007 el Museo de Arte Popular realiza el Desfile de alebrijes monumentales, conocido como Noche de los alebrijes.

Alebrijes originales

Los alebrijes surgieron en  la Ciudad de México,  en un taller del Barrio de la Merced, en el año 1936. Pedro Linares, el personaje al que se atribuye la creación de los primeros alebrijes así como la invención del término mismo, era un artesano especializado en la fabricación de piñatas, máscaras de carnaval y figuras de Judas de papel maché que solía vender en mercados como el Mercado de La Merced. Finalmente, el dueño de una galería de arte de Cuernavaca descubrió su trabajo y así fue como la obra de Linares captó la atención de Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo, quienes comenzaron a encargar la elaboración de más alebrijes. El alebrije, como tradición, creció después de que la cineasta Judith Bronowski filmara el documental ya mencionado acerca de Linares en el año 1975. En 1990, dos años antes de su muerte, Pedro Linares López recibió el Premio Nacional de Ciencias y Artes en la categoría Artes y Tradiciones Populares, lo que inspiró a otros artistas que ya hacían alebrijes también. Diego Rivera decía que nadie más que Linares podía realizar las figuras que él pedía; el trabajo que Linares efectuó para Rivera se encuentra en el Museo Anahuacalli de la Ciudad de México.

Alebrijes en Oaxaca

En la región de Oaxaca son populares los alebrijes tallados en madera de copal. La elaboración de estas artesanías es la base de la economía de los poblados de San Martín Tilcajete y San Antonio Arrazola, donde numerosas familias trabajan en la talla de figuras que luego colorean con pintura vinílica y comercializan en las plazas, mercados y talleres de la región.

El alebrije de Oaxaca es una combinación de la tradición de talla de madera de la región y la técnica creada por Linares. Esta artesanía se introdujo en la zona de Oaxaca en la década de 1980 gracias a la realización de un taller de demostración llevado a cabo en los Estados Unidos. Dicho taller fue organizado por Judith Bronowski y contó con la participación de Manuel Jiménez Ramírez y la artesana textil María Sabina, ambos originarios de Oaxaca. La adaptación del alebrije fue perfeccionada por Manuel Jiménez Ramírez, oriundo de San Antonio Arrazola. Los diseños de Linares se adaptaron a la técnica de tallado de madera de copal, pues esta técnica era la dominada por los artesanos de la región oaxaqueña.

Después de la adaptación de Jiménez el alebrije se adoptó como artesanía tanto en San Antonio Arrazola como en San Martín Tilcajete y La Unión Tejalapan. La producción de alebrijes favoreció con desarrollo económico a la región pero también generó problemas como la deforestación de los árboles de copal. El problema de la deforestación se ha tratado de compensar mediante planes de reforestación que no han sido del todo exitosos.

Además de Oaxaca, existen algunos museos y galerías con exposición permanente de Alebrijes, como el Museo de Arte Popular, en Ciudad de México, con los alebrijes más tradicionales, y la galería de Arte Marakame, en Morelia, Michoacán, que tiene alebrijes principalmente de alta gama.

Artistas destacados de Oaxaca
Entre los artistas destacables de la región de Oaxaca se encuentran Zeny Fuentes, Efraín Fuentes, Manuel Jiménez, Julia Fuentes, Jacobo Angeles y Miguel Sandiego.

Es importante mencionar que el alebrije es un artículo artesanal porque es único y no se puede repetir en un molde puesto que si así fuera dejaría de considerarse una artesanía como tal dentro del grupo denominado de los alebrijes. El artesano moldea su trabajo y lo que le va añadiendo paso a paso determina su valor.

Más que una artesanía

Oaxaca ya producía pequeñas esculturas de animales a nivel local pero con el impulso dado por estas manifestaciones la fabricación aumentó de manera importante. En esta región el labrado de la madera se conocía y estaba presente desde la época antigua: el arte zapoteca del período prehispánico y la cultura mesoamericana usaban este material para producir máscaras, tótems, instrumentos musicales y pequeños objetos. Muchos de esos productos se utilizaban para apoyar a las poblaciones; por ejemplo, se los usaba para atraer a los animales y así poder capturarlos, y también para espantarlos y de ese modo poder defenderse. Después, en el período colonial, a causa de la necesidad de los misioneros cristianos de utilizar todas las formas útiles de entablar conversación con los indígenas, el tallado tomó otras vías: se empezaron a construir grandes estatuas de ángeles y santos e importantes cruces y altares para adornar y embellecer las nuevas iglesias católicas, para procesiones y para representaciones religiosas. Después de la guerra de Independencia (1810-1821) el labrado de la madera pasó a segundo plano y se realizó exclusivamente con fines prácticos, como la fabricación de objetos de uso común del tipo de platos, bandejas, muebles, instrumentos musicales y juegos; empezaron a escasear los escultores especializados, profesión solo difundida como trabajo de ayuda económica para campesinos y otras categorías. Por ese motivo la nueva forma de arte, ligada al tallado de la madera de un modo inédito y singular inspirado en el cartón piedra de Linares, hizo suyos los antiguos modelos y a partir de ellos creó otros originales nunca usados antes.

El labrado de la madera de copal (Bursera cuneata) siempre estuvo presente en estas zonas geográficas. Originaria de América del Sur esta planta, utilizada también como incienso por las sustancias aromáticas que contiene, es parte de la tradición autóctona. Como se trata de un material muy tierno, recién cortado y todavía verde es muy fácil de esculpir, y de hecho se lo trabaja con machete y con simples cuchillos de cocina, siguiendo siempre la forma original, sugerida por la misma madera; además de ese material en la actualidad se utiliza madera de pino, ocote y cedro, aparte de máquinas para la elaboración. Para dejar la superficie lisa y uniforme se trabaja pasando por encima simple arena y así la pieza está lista para ser decorada. En el pasado se utilizaban colores con base de anilina pero con el tiempo los artistas se dieron cuenta de que no duraban demasiado e irremediablemente iban perdiendo su brillo hasta quedar desteñidos, por eso hoy han sido sustituidos por colores acrílicos. Además de la pintura, que se aplica con pinceles de varias medidas fabricados expresamente por los propios artesanos para satisfacer sus exigencias decorativas, los alebrijes están adornados con aguijones, pelos de animales y espinas de cactus, materiales usados también para fines pictóricos puesto que gracias a ellos es posible dejar trazos muy finos y regulares.

Es importante reiterar que el alebrije es un artículo único, y no se puede repetir en un molde; pues si así fuera, dejaría de ser considerado una artesanía dentro del grupo de los alebrijes. Como ya se dijo, el artesano moldea su trabajo y lo que le va añadiendo paso a paso determina su valor.
Los alebrijes constituyen una de las tantas maravillas del arte mexicano y un orgullo, es el sello distintivo de Oaxaca. Tener en casa un alebrije o una colección de ellos, es considerado de buena suerte, y se dice que la felicidad acompañará a todo aquel que posea una de estas obras de arte. Además, poseer un alebrije es poseer lo mejor del arte mexicano, tan vasto, tan colorido, tan lleno de vida y de una belleza reconocida a nivel internacional.

Alebrijes en el cine
En la película animada Coco de Disney Pixar aparecen alebrijes en el mundo de los muertos al que Miguel accede, los cuales son criaturas que guían y protegen a cada difunto en dicho mundo. Incluso el perrito "Dante" quien va también junto a Miguel se convierte en un alebrije al ser su cuidador y salvador durante su travesía.

En la película mexicana La leyenda de la nahuala aparece un Alebrije que habita dentro de un libro en la biblioteca la cual es de la casona y este ayuda al protagonista con sus conocimientos a vencer al monstruo. No obstante en la tercera entrega de nombre La leyenda de las momias de Guanajuato otro Alebrije pero hippie aparece pero este teniendo el nombre de Evaristo.

Véase también
 Monumento fallero

Referencias

Enlaces externos

  Descubre el mundo mágico de los alebrijes.

   Los alebrijes en el arte popular de México.

 Pintar alegrijes hermosa arte Mexicana

Cultura de México
Artesanía de México
Arte folklórico mexicano
Híbridos de ficción

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I did not vote for Prop 2 because it won't help with the overwhelming medical cost to our sheriff's department.
Our county jail serves as a de facto mental health hospital, with one third of inmates in need of help. The mental health portion of Medicaid expansion will certainly relieve some of the burden. But if we can get people the help they need before incarceration, that would be a long-term cost saving measure.
Our sheriff's department has plenty to do already. They don't need to be a health care facility.


Phoenics Electronics is a leading stocking distributor of semiconductor and board level solutions, named to the Inc. 5000 2017 List, which tracks the fastest-growing private companies in America.
In 2013, fully anticipating their upcoming compound growth pattern, they realized that they would quickly outpace their existing ERP system and began searching for more comprehensive software with higher capacity and greater customization abilities. After researching the competition, they knew that Axiom Software's ePDS would meet—and exceed—their growing capacity demands.
Axiom implemented ePDS at Phoenics Electronics to increase accountability, enhance internal auditing capabilities, and implement effective OEM reporting for sales to contract manufacturers.
Download this case study and learn how Phoenics Electronics benefitted from working with Axiom.


Our photography competition with the topic "Being a Turk in the United States" has concluded! Congratulations to our winners, and our sincere thanks to our judge Can Ahtam and our sponsor Turkish Airlines.
©New England Turkish Students Association, Inc., 2017.


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Are Prescription Drug Price Caps Just a Another Political Talking Point?
The Life Sciences Report Follow
| Friday, 27 November 2015 12:52 (EST)
This fall, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton once again proposed price caps on out-of-pocket payments for pharmaceuticals. Liana Moussatos of Wedbush Securities has followed the price-cap discussion since the 1990s, and says the issue is more political than real. Given that, she tells The Life Sciences Report about some up-and-coming companies with products she believes are likely to make big improvements in the health of patients and the wallets of investors.
The Life Sciences Report: Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton recently proposed a $250 monthly cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs to stop price gouging by drug developers. Can you tell us about the overall drug pricing environment and what precipitated Clinton's plan?
Liana Moussatos: I'm not an expert on Clinton's plan specifically. But when Turing Pharmaceuticals LLC's CEO dramatically increased the price of a drug that had been on the market for a long time, the current political discussion about drug pricing was triggered. [Editor's Note: Capping drug prices has been addressed by other politicians as well.]
Drug pricing has been a recurring political issue. It was an issue for Hillary Clinton when she was First Lady in the 1990s. I'm sure she feels sorry for the elderly on fixed incomes who have difficulty paying out-of-pocket expenses for their drugs, but in the healthcare system overall, drug costs make up only about 10% of total patient expenses. The biggest costs are hospital stays.
I think drug pricing is more of a political issue during a campaign than a real issue, except for those people on fixed incomes and in similar situations.
TLSR: Do you think any plan to cap the costs of drugs will pass Congress?
LM: No. I remember when this was brought up in the 1990s, and I've followed the debate since then. It usually occurs during election campaigns. Someone may even write a bill, but it seems to die quietly in committee.
TLSR: Even though you think price caps are a political issue tied to election cycles, can you comment on what they might portend for the pharmaceutical industry if passed?
LM: If the government acts to reduce the profits from a drug, the pharmaceutical industry couldn't help but reduce innovation. That reduces the ability of pharmaceutical companies to develop new drugs, which is a very expensive process.
When Hillary Clinton recently proposed the $250 cap, some said it made sense for the patients who use the drugs to pay for innovation. Others countered that the cost of innovation should be borne by society through taxes and other mechanisms, with patients paying only a bit more than those who don't use the drug.
A more serious attack is coming from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. One of its proposals would shorten protections for intellectual property (IP). That proposal was aimed primarily at the United States. For pharmaceuticals, this would reduce innovation by reducing the period of exclusivity, thereby enabling generics and biosimilars to enter the market earlier.
The underlying problem is that drug development is extremely expensive, and has become more so since the FDA began regulating efficacy in addition to safety in the 1960s. Because efficacy is now regulated, the costs of clinical trials have shot up, thereby increasing the price of drug development and, therefore, the prices of the drugs themselves.
A simpler way to reduce drug prices is to reduce development costs. For example, if the FDA used a general statistical hurdle of a 0.1 p-value instead of 0.05, the size of trials could be smaller. In the statistics world, a p-value of 0.1 is considered statistically significant. A p-value of 0.05 shows that the effect of the drug has only a 5% chance of having been caused by other factors. A drug with a p-value of 0.1 has a 10% chance that the effects were generated by factors other than the drug. A p-value of 0.05 is more rigorous, but it also makes conducting a trial a lot more expensive.
TLSR: Do you have any thoughts regarding comparative effectiveness legislation?
LM: Requirements that a new drug must be better than what's already out there, and must be differentiated, promotes innovation and decreases the number of "me-too" drugs.
TLSR: You follow several small- and micro-cap companies that address unmet needs. Would you care to tell us about some of them?
LM: Vitae Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VTAE) has a drug discovery platform called Contour. I'm not an expert in structure-based design, but having followed this company for a few years, I have the sense that it's always looking at the chemistry literature for cutting-edge breakthroughs in structure-based drug design that can be incorporated into its program. Vitae doesn't get lazy with what it already has. Instead, it's always improving.
The company is working on an autoimmune drug, VTP-43742, potentially for psoriasis. The early data looks promising, and we expect to see the first human efficacy data in Q1/16. Vitae has other drug candidates addressing other diseases that are currently in preclinical development and are likely to enter the clinic in 2016.
Because Vitae discovers its own drugs, it has ideal composition-of-matter IP coupled with long patent life, so the company won't owe large percent royalties to anyone. That's one good thing. Another is that it has some cash. The company also has a great management team with big pharma experience.
TLSR: Is there another company you'd like to talk about?
LM: Regulus Therapeutics LLC (RGLS) was founded by Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ALNY) and Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ISIS). Combining these two companies' technologies made a big difference in the therapeutics industry by creating a new generation of microRNA therapeutics.
In October 2014, Regulus Therapeutics released the first clinical data for its microRNA platform, RG-101, which targets microRNAs linked to disease. RG-101 is being developed as a treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is a crowded space. Big pharma has cured HCV with a two- to three-month treatment regimen involving a bunch of pills. One year ago, Regulus conducted a single ascending dose Phase 1 study in which a single injection produced a durable cure in about 30% of HCV patients with different genotypes. For RG-101 to be commercially viable, the goal is to move that cure rate to 90–100%, given the hurdle that Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD), AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) and other big pharmas have created.
Regulus' ~30% cure rate with a single injection was impressive, and caused the stock to rock, but it has since pulled back. Regulus is conducting a combo Phase 2 trial with Gilead's Harvoni (ledipasvir/sofosbuvir), Janssen's (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)) Olysio (simeprevir) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.'s (BMY) Daklinza (daclatasvir). We expect to see data in Q1/16. The goal is to reduce the viral load below the limit of quantification within 28 days. The trial is designed so patients get an injection of RG-101, take the pills for 28 days, and then get another shot of RG-101. Then patients are followed to determine the percentage that are cured. Remember, most of these drugs must be taken for three months. This regimen has the potential to shorten treatment to one month, with only two shots of RG-101 and one month of daily pills.
TLSR: How about another company?
LM: The FDA approved Relypsa Inc.'s (RLYP) Veltassa (patiromer), a polymer drug to reduce excess potassium in the body, on Oct. 21. The stock crashed the following day because the Veltassa label includes a box warning. Normally, a box warning means there are severe toxicities, and the FDA uses the box to tell doctors which patients shouldn't get the drug or whether extra treatment is required.
In Veltassa's case, the box warning mentions a theoretical concern. There were no serious safety issues in the clinical trials, and no drug-to-drug interactions observed in the clinical trials. There was, however, an in vitro test that showed Veltassa bound to12 of the 28 drugs it was tested with. Because of that, the FDA issued a box warning advising patients not to take other medications within six hours of taking Veltassa. When Relypsa asked doctors about the percentage of patients who take drugs that must be administered once per day, twice per day or three or more times per day, doctors said 95% or more have once- or twice-per-day regimens. That's easy to work around with a six-hour window. If it's once per day, then a patient can take patiromer in the afternoon.
But that warning drove the stock down. From what I understand, the FDA chose the "plus or minus six-hour" timeframe for all medications taken with Veltassa just to make administration simpler.
There are investors who like a competitor, ZS Pharma's (ZSPH) ZS-9. ZS Pharma is being acquired by AstraZeneca. ZS-9 also is being developed for hyperkalemia, and is about six months behind patiromer. It is a zirconium salt that works quickly—in as little as an hour—and could have a place in the acute market. However, I believe it has some safety issues, especially with later-stage patients, because it exchanges potassium for sodium. Most hyperkalemia patients restrict salt intake, so studies are showing a little edema.
However, ZS Pharma appears to have worked around that to enable long-term dosing. But because everyday dosing raises sodium levels, it could become a problem longer term. We don't see that issue with Veltassa. The number one side effect of Veltassa is constipation. ZS Pharma investors have pointed out that they don't expect ZS-9 to have drug-to-drug interactions because none were seen during clinical trials, so right now, the Street thinks ZS-9 will not have a box label. However, Relypsa also did not see drug-to-drug interactions in its clinical trials, and the FDA required an in vitro test that led to the boxed warning.
As a proxy to these potassium binders, I'm looking at phosphate binders as a more established market, with the same doctors and patients. Phosphate binders usually are used in dialysis patients in the last stage of chronic kidney disease, whereas hyperkalemia drugs are being developed for pre-dialysis patients. All phosphate binders have many drug-to-drug interactions, and they all have various amounts of time—either before or after taking the binder—that patients must wait when taking multiple drugs. It can be complicated.
I think the Relypsa stock crash was triggered by a big misunderstanding by investors, especially in the context of the phosphate binders. It's clear that the vast majority of nephrologists prescribe phosphate binders, and they're well aware of drug separation times and drug-to-drug interactions because all the phosphate binders have these restrictions. Therefore, this isn't new to physicians. It was only new to the Street, and the competition made a big deal out of it.
I think Relypsa is misunderstood and worth a lot more than people think. Right now is a great opportunity to buy.
TLSR: Relypsa's Veltassa uses the polymer as the medicine, rather than to change the properties of the medication. Is that a benefit?
LM: Sure. But it's not the first drug to do this. Sanofi SA (SNY)/Genzyme launched a polymer as a phosphate binder called Renagel (sevelamer) more than 10 years ago. It dominates its market. About 88% of all prescriptions for phosphate binders are Renagel (or Renvela, which uses the same polymer), and the metals comprise only 12–13% of the prescribed phosphate binders. The metals—especially aluminum—are thought to have toxicity issues. Sanofi was able to counterdetail the metals because of those toxicities, saying a polymer is a lot safer than metals.
TLSR: Are there any other small- or micro-cap companies you'd like to discuss?
LM: Carbylan Therapeutics Inc. (CBYL) is interesting. It's developing a single injection for joint pain caused by osteoarthritis (OA), combining a steroid with a viscosupplement, hyaluronic acid.
Right now, patients are injected with either a steroid or hyaluronic acid, or have two injections to achieve the combination. Steroids work quickly but do not last very long. The viscosupplements take a long time to reduce pain from OA, but once they start working the results last a long time. The combination results in quick-acting, long-lasting pain relief in a single injection.
The Carbylan product, Hydros-TA, is in Phase 3 trials now and is expected to generate its first Phase 3 data in Q1/16. In Phase 2, the therapy worked quickly and appeared to last 26 weeks, so it looks very promising. Carbylan is remaining quiet at least until the Phase 3 data is released. With millions of injections every year, not just for sports medicine but for obesity (because of the weight pressure on the joints), this could be a big market. Currently, the company is just under the radar.
TLSR: Is it a buy?
LM: Yes.
TLSR: A final question about pharmaceutical pricing. What do you see with regard to the issue in the next four to five years?
LM: Every time pharmaceutical price caps are brought up or a bill is introduced in Congress it seems to die in committee. I've seen that happen over and over again. That suggests to me that the pharmaceutical lobby is really strong, but it doesn't make a public issue of price caps. If the government started controlling prices in the U.S., it would definitely reduce innovation. We would not get the great new drugs that we've been getting for years now.
Pharmaceutical companies are not government agencies. They have to be profitable. The drugs that make it to market have to make up for all the failed drugs. Yes, those drugs are expensive. Much of that blame lies with the FDA. A simple fix, like changing the p-values from 0.05 to 0.1—even selectively—would significantly reduce the number of patients required in clinical trials, which would significantly reduce the costs of clinical trials. Because the costs are reduced, that could translate into reduced drug costs while still maintaining high quality.
TLSR: Liana, thank you very much.
Liana Moussatos is currently a managing director at Wedbush Securities and joined Wedbush as a senior research analyst from Pacific Growth Equities. Previously, she was director and portfolio manager of the UBS Global Biotech Funds for almost five years at UBS Global Asset Management. Moussatos also was with Bristol-Myers Squibb, where she was a manager in University and Government Licensing, External Science and Technology. She also worked with Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institute in the Office of Industrial Affairs, and with the National Cancer Institute in the Office of Technology Development. Moussatos received a bachelor's degree in entomology and a master's degree in zoology and biochemistry from Clemson University. She also earned a Ph.D. in plant pathology from the University of California, Davis, and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in cellular and molecular physiology at the Yale School of Medicine.
Source: Gail Dutton of The Life Sciences Report
Want to read more Life Sciences Report interviews like this? Sign up for our free e-newsletter, and you'll learn when new articles have been published. To see a list of recent interviews with industry analysts and commentators, visit our Interviews page.
1) Gail Dutton conducted this interview for Streetwise Reports LLC, publisher of The Gold Report, The Energy Report and The Life Sciences Report, and provides services toStreetwise Reports as an independent contractor. She owns, or her family owns, shares of the following companies mentioned in this interview: None.
2) The following companies mentioned in the interview are sponsors of Streetwise Reports: None. The companies mentioned in this interview were not involved in any aspect of the interview preparation or post-interview editing so the expert could speak independently about the sector. Streetwise Reports does not accept stock in exchange for its services.
3) Liana Moussatos: I own, or my family owns, shares of the following companies mentioned in this interview: None. I personally am, or my family is, paid by the following companies mentioned in this interview: None. My company has a financial relationship with the following companies mentioned in this interview: None. I was not paid by Streetwise Reports for participating in this interview. Comments and opinions expressed are my own comments and opinions. I determined and had final say over which companies would be included in the interview based on my research, understanding of the sector and interview theme. I had the opportunity to review the interview for accuracy as of the date of the interview and am responsible for the content of the interview.
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The Fashionista Diaries was a reality show that aired on SOAPnet in the summer of 2007 as a part of SOAPnet's original programming. The show could also be seen on ABC's website and is available for download on iTunes. The show followed six assistants in the competitive world of fashion and beauty in New York City. The assistants worked  all summer, culminating with New York Fashion Week, where they would also learn who would be given a full-time job.

Format

Each episode would include an evaluation of the assistants' performance by their supervisor(s) at their respective organizations. The evaluation was either individual or in a couple. All six assistants would also meet each week to "catch up" and as their respective supervisors noted in the first episode ("Big Dreams"), a camaraderie between them would be important during New York Fashion Week as they were expected to work together.

The Assistants

Bridget Helene and Nicole Amendolare worked at Seventh House PR. Nicole soon resigned and Laurie Hugill was hired to fill her position. Tina Patient and Janjay Sherman worked for Flirt! Cosmetics. While Andrew Kanakis and Rachel Jacoby began as assistants at the now-defunct Jane magazine (as one episode would chronicle), they would eventually land assistant positions at CosmoGIRL! magazine.

Jane Magazine

Brandon Holley was editor-in-chief at Jane magazine at the time that it folded. Stephanie Trong was executive editor. While they both took part in getting Andrew and Rachel acclimated at the magazine, Stephanie was their primary mentor. It has been suggested that Jane magazine opted to take part in the show hoping it would do the same thing The Hills did for Teen Vogue in terms of boosting magazine circulation.

Episodes

Episode 1: "Big Dreams"
It's the assistants first day! Bridget is anxious to get started at Seventh House PR, while Nicole is apprehensive, worrying that people will be "maybe mean." They meet director Mandie Erickson and publicist Matt Kays. Mandie quizzes the girls about fashion week and quickly establishes herself as curt when she calls Nicole out on wearing flip flops. Mandie asks the girls about their favorite designers. Bridget names Stretsis, while Nicole naively praises Juicy Couture.

Next we meet Tina and Janjay, who will report to Kathleen Pierce, VP of Communications at Flirt! Cosmetics. Tina says that she's optimistic about finding her dream job, and Janjay asserts that more things can be accomplished with fewer people. Kathleen tells the girls that she expects them to "immerse themselves in the brand" immediately.

Finally, we meet Rachel and Andrew. Rachel says that she will try to mask her "awkwardness" and Andrew tells us that he entered the fashion world to meet girls. At Jane, editor-in-chief Brandon briefs the assistants about the magazine and questions their familiarity. Andrew admits that he's only picked up an issue or two before coming and Rachel gushes about how it's her absolute favorite magazine. All of the assistants are told that they'll be working with each other during fashion week, as well as other events over the summer, and so it is important that they forge a relationship.

Rachel and Andrew are sent on their first assignment. They are told that they must be photographed naked for the "naked issue" of the magazine. Before they take off their robes, Stephanie tells them that they've been "Jane pranked" and will write the prank page for the next issue.

Janjay's first assignment is to create a trend board highlighting spring makeup looks. Tina is asked to put on makeup reflecting the spring look.

The assistants meet for the first time over drinks. When Andrew learns that Bridget is looking for a place to live in New York, he suggests that she move in with him. She accepts the offer. Later in the episode, Nicole becomes discouraged while working an event. She doubts the sincerity of the partygoers and is feels unsettled when Mandie does not acknowledge her.

Episode 2: "Where's Nicole?"
Bridget is frustrated when Nicole does not show up for work. Nicole tells her friends that she couldn't get out of bed to go to work and contemplates whether or not she's subconsciously ruining this opportunity for herself. Tina and Janjay clash at a meeting. Rachel and Andrew pitch story ideas at a meeting and must compete for a spot in the September issue. Sparks fly when Bridget and Andrew go to a party for charity.

Episode 3: "It's Not Always Glamorous!"

Episode 4: "Pick Me!"

Episode 5: "Thank God You're Here!"

Episode 6: "The Party's Over"

Episode 7: "It's a Super Saturday"

Episode 8: "What a Super Saturday!"

Episode 9: "A Game or Bust"

Episode 10: "The Survival of the Fittest"

References

2007 American television series debuts
2007 American television series endings
American Broadcasting Company original programming
2000s American reality television series
Fashion-themed reality television series


Matthew Jockers, named dean of WSU College of Arts and Sciences. Photo by Craig Chandler, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
PULLMAN, Wash. – Leading literary scholar and data scientist Matthew Jockers has been named dean of Washington State University's College of Arts and Sciences.
Jockers, a professor of English and associate dean for research and partnerships in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Nebraska, will begin his new role at WSU on Aug. 1.
Provost Dan Bernardo announced the hiring following completion of an extensive nationwide search.
Over the last 20 years, Jockers has blended his love of literature and computer science into a successful career as an educator and administrator, researcher and tech industry insider.
He is a faculty fellow in the University of Nebraska Center for Digital Research in the Humanities and the Center for Great Plains Studies, faculty affiliate in the Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior and director of the Nebraska Literary Lab.
As a member of the dean's executive team at the University of Nebraska College of Arts and Sciences, Jockers helped lead major research and economic development initiatives and expanded the college's collaborations with industry and other outside entities.
Jockers' research uses computers to analyze written text. His literary training is in Irish and Irish-American literature of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
He has authored and co-authored numerous papers on everything from text mining and stylometrics to profiles of Irish writers living in Kansas, Montana and California. His books include "Macroanalysis: Digital Methods and Literary History" (2013), "Text Analysis with R for Students of Literature" (2014) and "Bestseller Code: Anatomy of the Blockbuster Novel" (2016).
Before moving to Nebraska, Jockers served for 11 years as a lecturer in the English Department at Stanford University. During that time, he managed the Academic Technology Specialist Program, co-founded the Stanford Literary Lab, and was co-investigator and project manager of the Mellon-funded Software Environment for the Advancement of Scholarly Research project.
In addition to 20 years as a professor and administrator, Jockers has founded and directed a nonprofit organization, directed research and development at a technology startup company, worked as principal research scientist and software development engineer in iBooks Engineering at Apple, and cofounded a book industry text mining company.
In 2017 Jockers was presented the University of Nebraska's Breakthrough Innovation of the Year Award for his development of the "bestseller-ometer," an algorithm designed to identify the linguistic hallmarks of bestselling fiction.


As requested by chantaecarter, here are remodeled 1-story windows based on the 2-story The "Light Pane" window by Maxis. There are three separate windows that you can combine in different ways. The square window has been resized to fit into one story. The smaller curved window is the same size as in the original window, and the bigger curved window is a full-length version of it.
- No expansion packs are required for these objects.
- The windows borrow their textures from the Maxis originals, including any recolors you may have for them.
- To recolor these windows, recolor the 2-story Maxis window. These windows themselves aren't recolorable (since they borrow the textures from the Maxis one).
- You can freely share the meshes along with recolors you make as long as the mesh file stays free to download at all times, and you post a link to this thread.
- The windows can be included in lot downloads at free sites.
911 people have said thanks to IgnorantBliss for this download.


text: Q: Internationalization in Angular 8 by choosing an option in application itself How to internationalize the content in my application by choosing the language from dropdown-list or buttons click in angular 8?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


We couldn't be happier to be announcing on World Vegetarian Day our launch on the all natural food marketplace Yumbles.
We're joining an impressive host of small businesses passionate about handcrafting real food in this "curated marketplace connecting food lovers with the UK's best small batch independent food and drink producers".
So from today, as well as purchasing our pioneering vegetarian produce from our own online shop, you can also find our creations on Yumbles amongst thousands of other incredible looking treats – some of which we got to try recently when we went to meet the Yumbles team and some of their existing producers over a stonkingly gorgeous blackberry & gin cocktail. There was such a buzz within this network of foodies and we're delighted to be joining them to offer our fresh vegetarian and vegan foods direct to customers old and new.
This weekend, coincides with the Yumbles Christmas product launch which is great timing for us, but also with World Vegetarian Day, which give us a great opportunity to encourage people to explore vegetarian food and values. Celebrating this day marks the start of Vegetarian Awareness Month, which ends with World Vegan Day on 1st November. By then (once you're all converted!!), we'll have finalised our list of Christmas markets and events … so more news then!


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Home › News › Forex › Executives › HKEX appoints Paul Chow as its Group General Counsel
HKEX appoints Paul Chow as its Group General Counsel
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) has just announced the appointment of Paul Chow as its Group General Counsel.
Starting on 19 April 2021, Chow will provide strategic legal counsel to the HKEX Board and senior management team and lead HKEX's Legal and Secretarial Services Department. At his new position, he will oversee the Group's legal function, including the teams at the London Metal Exchange (LME) and LME Clear. Chow will report to Calvin Tai, HKEX Interim Chief Executive, and will become a member of the Group's Management Committee
HKEX Interim Chief Executive Calvin Tai commented:
Calvin Tai
We are very much looking forward to welcoming Paul to HKEX, as our Group General Counsel. He brings to the company broad and varied experience from both private practice and as in house counsel, including specific expertise in corporate finance and capital markets. He will be a very valuable addition to the company and I am looking forward to welcoming him to the team.
HKEX Group General Counsel-designate Paul Chow said:
Paul Chow
I am honoured to be joining HKEX, one of Hong Kong's most iconic organisations. As HKEX seeks to continue to build its business, and to reinforce Hong Kong's role as a leading international finance centre, I am very much looking forward to working with my new colleagues on the opportunities and challenges ahead.
Chow joins the exchange from Cathay Pacific Airways Limited where he currently serves as Group General Counsel and Company Secretary. Prior to that, eh was a partner at a number of leading law firms such as Davis Polk & Wardwell, Linklaters, and Slaughter and May. Chow is a qualified solicitor in Hong Kong, England and Wales, as well as a qualified attorney in the US state of New York.
Earlier in February, HKEX announced the appointment of Alejandro Nicolas Aguzin as Chief Executive, to take effect on 24 May 2021 for a term of three years.
The exchange recently launched a cash-settled Mini USD/CNH (US dollar/Offshore Renminbi, or RMB) Futures contract. The new addition is a smaller-sized contract to complement the popular USD/CNH derivatives products, diversifying HKEX's suite of currency derivatives to support the risk-management needs of global investors.
HKEX
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NATALIE CHUI
CR Fashion Book
Personal Publications
Sole Nation
No Budget Magazine
No Budget (Portraits)
Carmen Chan Weekly Diary
Hairstitous
Shame On You!
NATALIE CHUI goes to American Apparel and H&M to examine their sustainability schemes.
Images by Natalie Chui and Collage by Kathryn Rust
"Fast fashion" is dubbed fast fashion for a reason, its production, packaging, selling, disposal is all a cycle of repetition and efficiency is the main target. The goal of this cycle is to be the first, the cheapest, the fastest and the trendiest. Once a new trend is announced, high street stores will have it in stock by the morning. Thus, slowing down is not a term in the high street's vocabulary. As a result, this cycle of fast fashion has increasingly deepened the systems fatal flaw of unsustainability. The increasingly high rates of production has resulted in many unethical practices happening within the industry, often going unnoticed, especially in the use of poor materials and the employment of cheap labor. Thus, in an attempt to shed its unsustainable image, two high street retailers, American apparel and H&M have all implemented sustainability schemes to help give their brand a green edge to its production and consumers. But is this really an attempt to enforce green living or just plain old green washing in order to inject higher profits?
American Apparel, the American high street clothing store, with several UKL and international branches, dutifully noted by the countries plastered on its shopping bags, has always prided themselves as a 'sustainable' retailer. Despite its recent announcement of going bankrupt, American Apparel is alarmingly popular amongst today's 15-25 year old girls, especially due to its aggressive social media. Since 2002, American Apparel has advertised their sustainability, saying they are 'made in America' and in 'sweatshop free' environments. These slogans can be found on their storefronts and advertising campaigns, which are often spread over their facebook and instagram page. American Apparel's factory is based in Los Angeles, which is a stark difference to other high street retailers whose factories are based in south east Asia or China due to lower costs. American Apparel's clothing is priced slightly higher than other high street stores like Monki or H&M due to the 'sustainability' of their clothes. Zoe Suen, a 19-year old fashion blogger, worked as the media consultant for American Apparel, where at the age of 16, she was paid £1,160 a month to run their instagram account. "American Apparel's clothes are more expensive than other retailers like Monki and h&m, but that's because their clothes are made of good quality, so that justifies the price." Suen says. "I have to admit it does make me, as a shopper, feel better when I see that its 'made in America' and 'sweatshop free' because it makes me feel like I'm wearing something that's been cared for. I think sustainability makes up for a big part of the brand, its always been on their posters, and they sell simple basics, encouraging you to buy good quality clothes you can keep for a long time."
Due to the fact that their factory is based in one place, it's easier to trace back the clothing to the source; however, there are many gaps in its system. They aim to create organic products with the 'organic collection', a line of t-shirts and underwear produced from 100% USDA Certified Organic and pesticide-free cotton. Yet the organic range only holds 16 products, including men's, women's and children's, c actually only making a small portion of the entirety of what's in store. American Apparel's factory workers earn USD$18.50 an hour and supposed health benefits, a significantly higher fee than what most retailers pay their workers. Yet this masked a bigger problem in its unethical and highly sexualized advertising often featuring teenage girls in a Lolita style fashion, as created by former CEO Dov Charney. Ultimately resulting in the downfall of American Apparel, with sales declining 19% in the last quarter. Paula Schneider, the new CEO of American Apparel was hit with controversy after garment workers were seen hitting a piñata filled with candy, made in her likeness. Those involved called it a 'protest' against the unfair firing of three workers, including one that was the leader of a union that fights against worker injustice within American Apparel.
Despite that its made by well paid workers, American Apparel's fame is due to their provocative advertising of their clothing, especially to its target of teenage girls. And unfortunately, its sustainable factor only plays a secondary act to the general consumer. American Apparel may brand 'made in America' and 'sweatshop free' all over their stores, but like its small print on the upper left-hand corner of their infamous store banner, sustainability makes up for only a small part of American Apparel.
H&M is arguably one of the biggest high street retailers with international stores world-wide and branches into fragrance, furniture, make-up and many more. Though H&M prides itself on 'fashion and quality at the best price', price is more of an area they focus on as H&M is infamous for selling cheap, trendy clothing. In the past years however, they've begun to introduce more ethical initiative into their production and their advertisement. In 2014, H&M introduced the fair wage method, developed by the fair wage network in three factories (Bangladesh and Cambodia, as seen on most H&M labels), to help pay sweatshop workers fairer payment. H&M CEO Karl-Johan Persson reported that through this 'Overtime has been reduced by 40%' and that 'wages have increased'. H&M also have another green initiative called 'H&M conscious', a line of clothing that has all been made sustainably, especially focusing on using organic cotton and recycled polyester and retaining the original pricing structure of H&M's own clothes. Although H&M conscious is only a small amount of clothing produced by H&M, its growth has risen from its start in 2012 when 9% of all materials used were sustainable. In 2014 the number rose to 14%. However, H&M's most recognized scheme is its garment collection. "I know that H&M's got this recycling scheme, where you can give them clothes so they use the fabric in their own designs" says Amber, a 20 year old Australian living in London responded as she exited H&M with plastic shopping bags. " I feel better about giving it to them because it's easier than throwing it all away and it seems like such a waste to do so." The garment collection scheme has been implemented into all h&m shops, yet it almost seems as if it were part of the Christmas decoration, stored away in tight corners next to clothes with the same #hmconscious signs displayed over them.
Ultimately these high street stores are big corporations and although these initiatives have been enforced, high street stores will continue to produce high volumes of clothing at a fast pace so they can make the most profit out of what they're doing. The more clothing being produced, the more difficult the traceability behind the garment becomes and these stores are unlikely to go completely eco-friendly overnight. However, if the initiatives are any indication, it's that sustainability in fashion is starting to become a more recognized issue in fashion. But until then, consumers need to be made aware of the green washing happening and its hidden nature reveals the shame in the "sustainable" shopping of high street stores.


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Useless Information
I have my doubts about some of these…but you know they don't lie on the net…right?
Everyone should know these facts. You will be tested later.
If you are right handed, you will tend to chew your food on the right side of your mouth.
If you are left handed, you will tend to chew your food on the left side of your mouth.
To make half a kilo of honey, bees must collect nectar from over 2 million individual flowers.
Heroin is the brand name of morphine once marketed by 'Bayer'.
Tourists visiting Iceland should know that tipping at a restaurant is considered an insult!
People in nudist colonies play volleyball more than any other sport.
Albert Einstein was offered the presidency of Israel in 1952, but he declined.
Astronauts can't belch - there is no gravity to separate liquid from gas in their stomachs.
Ancient Roman, Chinese, and German societies often used urine as mouthwash.
The Mona Lisa has no eyebrows. In the Renaissance era, it was the fashion to shave them off!
Because of the speed at which Earth moves around the Sun, it is impossible for a solar eclipse to last more than 7 minutes and 58 seconds.
The night of January 20 is "Saint Agnes's Eve," which is regarded as a time when a young woman dreams of her future husband.
Google is actually the common name for a number with a million zeros.
It takes glass one million years to decompose, which means it never wears out and can be recycled an infinite number of times!
Gold is the only metal that doesn't rust, even if it's buried in the ground for thousands of years.
Your tongue is the only muscle in your body that is attached at only one end.
If you stop getting thirsty, you need to drink more water. When a human body is dehydrated, its thirst mechanism shuts off.
Each year 2,000,000 smokers either quit smoking or die of tobacco-related diseases.
Zero is the only number that cannot be represented by Roman numerals.
Kites were used in the American Civil War to deliver letters and newspapers.
The song, Auld Lang Syne, is sung at the stroke of midnight in almost every English-speaking country in the world to bring in the New Year.
Drinking water after eating reduces the acid in your mouth by 61 percent.
Peanut oil is used for cooking in submarines because it doesn't smoke unless it's heated above 450oF.
The roar that we hear when we place a seashell next to our ear is not the ocean, but rather the sound of blood surging through the veins in the ear.
Nine out of every 10 living things live in the ocean.
The banana cannot reproduce itself. It can be propagated only by the hand of man.
Airports at higher altitudes require a longer airstrip due to lower air density.
The University of Alaska spans four time zones.
The tooth is the only part of the human body that cannot heal itself.
In ancient Greece, tossing an apple to a girl was a traditional proposal of marriage. Catching it meant she accepted.
Warner Communications paid $28 million for the copyright to the song Happy Birthday.
Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.
A comet's tail always points away from the sun.
The Swine Flu vaccine in 1976 caused more death and illness than the disease it was intended to prevent.
Caffeine increases the power of aspirin and other painkillers, which is why it is found in some medicines.
The military salute is a motion that evolved from medieval times, when knights in armor raised their visors to reveal their identity.
If you get into the bottom of a well or a tall chimney and look up, you can see stars, even in the middle of the day.
When a person dies, hearing is the last sense to go. The first sense lost is sight.
In ancient times strangers shook hands to show that they were unarmed.
Strawberries are the only fruits whose seeds grow on the outside.
Avocados have the highest calories of any fruit at 167 calories per 100 grams.
The moon moves about two inches away from the Earth each year.
The Earth gets 100 tons heavier every day due to falling space dust.
Due to earth's gravity it is impossible for mountains to be higher than 15,000 meters (49,213 feet).
Mickey Mouse is known as "Topolino" in Italy.
Soldiers do not march in step when going across bridges because they could set up a vibration which could be sufficient to knock the bridge down.
Everything weighs 1% less at the equator.
For every extra kilogram carried on a space flight, 530 kg of excess fuel are needed at lift-off.
The letter J does not appear anywhere on the periodic table of the elements.
Labels: Useless Informaton
Mr Scamman
Posted by Coffeypot at 8:04 PM 1 comment:
Labels: Mr Scamman
THE MANCHURIAN PRESIDENT
(Peeps, I don't know why the font changes. I didn't do it. But regardless, PLEASE READ THIS)
That's Oliver "Buck" Revell, a former high official in the FBI and, more importantly, a former Marine Officer. He's written an essay, "The Manchurian President", with his thoughts on the upcoming presidential election, and what it means for our country: the ultimate campaign issue is whether we will continue as a democratic society with free market economics or become a socialist society guided, directed and to a large degree controlled by an overriding Federal Bureaucracy with a Messianic leader guiding the nation towards his vision of "Hope and Change". A society where all good things come from the government and those who have done well are duty bound to spread the wealth more "fairly".
It's hard to believe such a public statement came from a former FBI Official. He must have been speaking as a former Marine Officer. The entire essay is reproduced below.
Oliver "Buck" Revell
As we prepare to elect a president of the United States in November of this year it has become starkly evident that this will be one of the most important elections in the history of our Republic. For the ultimate campaign issue is whether we will continue as a democratic society with free market economics or become a socialist society guided, directed and to a large degree controlled by an overriding Federal Bureaucracy with a Messianic leader guiding the nation towards his vision of "Hope and Change". A society where all good things come from the government and those who have done well are duty bound to spread the wealth more "fairly".
I had a particular insight into what an Obama Administration might bring to the American people due to experience that I gained as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge then as the Acting SAC of the FBI in Chicago in 1975 & 1976. The Mayor was Richard Daley and political corruption and organized crime were rampant. Although these problems were foremost on my priority list there was also a very recent history of New Left Radicalism as evidenced by the so called Chicago Seven Trial. Also active in the Chicago area were William "Bill" Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn leaders of the terrorist wing (the weather underground) of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).
Ayers and Dohrn represented a sizeable number of radicalized youth during the Viet Nam war and personally carried out acts of terrorism to demonstrate their total opposition to U.S. involvement in Viet Nam and South East Asia. They espoused communist doctrine, and also carried on much of the legacy of the most infamous Chicago radical Saul Alinsky.
If one thinks that Ayers and Dohrn, both now respected members of academia, have reformed and support American Democracy, their recent interviews give a different picture. There is ample evidence that Ayers is as radical now as he was then. On September 11, 2011 (a day that makes this interview very ironic). Ayers was profiled by the New York Times in a piece with Ayers saying, "I don't regret setting bombs, I feel that we didn't do enough."
In 2010 Ayers wife Bernadine Dohrn said that she and Bill, "…are radicals today, and we think the real terrorist is the American government"; Ayers is further quoted as saying, "I get up every morning thinking today I'm going to end capitalism".
Alinsky, a well-known socialist radical, had become famous for his defiant stands against both the U.S. Government and big business. He had led Union activities into an era of direct and often belligerent confrontation with industry, and was an avid opponent of capitalism. Shortly before his death Alinsky authored, in 1971 his seminal book, 'Rules for Radicals'.
I read the book while in Chicago and it helped me understand the radicalization that was occurring in several segments of American society. Little did I realize that almost forty years later I would witness and be caught up in the rebirth of Alinsky's philosophy.
Another movement that was very powerful in Chicago at the time was the Nation of Islam under its White hating founder Elijah Muhammad. Although founded in Detroit, the Nation of Islam (NOI) moved its headquarters to Chicago and Louis Farrakhan replaced Muhammad as leader of the militant quasi-military religious order claiming Islam as the true religion and ALLAH as the One God. The NOI was problematic, but not in open revolt against main stream society at the time, but once again the future would bring the NOI back into my life at a later date.
This background in the politics, and social movements of Chicago in the mid-seventies jumped into my consciousness when I first learned that a very junior Senator from Illinois named Barack Hussein Obama was running for the office of President of the United States. I started reading everything I could find on Obama and quickly found out that he was a man with an exceedingly thin resume and very left wing in his espoused political philosophy.
As the primary campaign continued I became more and more aware that Obama had no relevant experience to qualify him for the most difficult and demanding job in the world.
I had been in Washington during the time that Jimmy Carter was president and I knew very well the hazards that our nation would face if we foolishly elected a person to be president about whom we knew next to nothing. When I learned of Obama's relationship with William Ayers it set off alarms in my mind; if Obama was taking advice and counsel from Bill Ayers then he was either naive or reckless. I also recognized that Obama's rhetoric was straight out of the Saul Alinsky play book, namely, Rules for Radicals.
A recently published book on Alinsky and Obama, The Evil Genius Behind Obama, by historian and political commentator Dr. Jerome R. Corsi makes very clear the influence that Alinsky's radical ideology has on Obama. An honest review of Alinsky's life and his writing makes clear that Barack Obama has lifted his divisive power-politics tactics from Saul Alinsky so completely that the class warfare themes Obama articulates in his speeches running for reelection in 2012 come almost word for word from the Saul Alinsky 'rules for radicals' playbook.
Another very troubling aspect of Obama's adult life was his long time association with the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. In opening his speeches to black church groups Obama would state, "I bring you greetings from my pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright". Until Obama married Michelle Robinson in 1991, when he was thirty years old, his most significant adult relationship was with Jeremiah Wright. His connection to Wright ran long and deep, and went back further than has been generally reported. It started well before Obama joined Wright's congregation, Trinity United Church of Christ, where the pastor's sermons on Black Liberation Theology encouraged a victimization mentality among his black parishioners.
Among all of the controversial comments by Jeremiah Wright, the idea of massive wealth redistribution is the most alarming. The code language 'economic parity' and references to 'mal-distribution' is nothing more than channeling the twisted economic views of Karl Marx.
"Black Liberation theologians have explicitly stated a preference for Marxism as an ethic framework for the black church because Marxist thought is predicated on a system of oppressor class (whites) versus victim class (blacks). Echoes of Wright's Marxist ideology can be found in many of Obama's remarks. For instance, when Obama says, "I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody," he is channeling Rev. Wright. This should come as no surprise, since Wright's influence on Obama was unrivaled for more than twenty years. And those were Obama's formative years when his core beliefs took shape.
"Not even Michelle Obama held such intellectual sway over her husband. It was Wright that encouraged Obama to make a career of politics and offered to hook up Obama with members of the Trinity United Church of Christ who had money and important connections. The church was an integral part of Barack's politics because he needed that black base." (The Amateur: Edward Klein, 2012).
It was also reported that Obama had a friendly relationship with Louis Farrakhan and that the Nation of Islam was working very diligently in Black communities across the country to get out the vote for Obama. I have no recollection of the NOI ever supporting any other candidate for President of the United States.
An additional area of concern for me was the apparent close business and personal relationship between Obama and his neighbor Tony Rezko. Rezko is alleged to have assisted Obama in obtaining property at an extremely discounted price and to have introduced Obama to many of his friends as potential campaign contributors. Rezko was a member of Obama's State Senate Campaign committee and is credited with raising approximately $250,000 for Obama, his largest single contributor. Rezko is currently serving a 10 year term in prison for fraud and bribery.
Former Governor Rod Blagojevich was a friend and business associate of Tony Rezko and Rezko was one of the Governor's largest contributors and fund raisers. The impeachment and trial of Governor Blagojevich again raised the specter of rampant corruption in Chicago politics. Particularly disturbing was Obama's insistence that he hardly knew Blagojevich and had only met him a few times. Evidence of many meeting and consultations has shown this statement to be false.
It has also been determined that Obama lobbied Blagojevich to appoint his friend and close confident, Valerie Jarrett, to be his (Obama's) successor as a U.S. Senator for Illinois. Blagojevich was discovered to be attempting to obtain something of value, either a Federal appointment or cash donations in return for nominating Jarrett. Jarrett did not get the appointment largely due to the revelations in the Blagojevich investigation. Jarrett currently serves as a top advisor to President Obama and his wife Michele.
Last December, former Governor Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to fourteen years in Federal prison, thereby ending one of the most bizarre episodes in Chicago corruption annals.
Perhaps one of the most telling pre-election disclosures that disturbed me was the revelation that Obama had earmarked an appropriations bill for $1,000,000 soon after he took office for construction of a pavilion at the University Of Chicago Hospital, a private institution. It was also determined that Mrs. Obama worked at this facility and shortly after this earmark was passed she was promoted and given a $200,000 raise to a salary of $316,962. Reports were also received that she only 'worked at this job' on a part time basis. If I had still been in the Bureau I would have opened an investigation of the University of Chicago for bribery. I couldn't have opened a case against Senator Obama because Senators and Representatives are immune from investigation and prosecution for legislative actions, but the University is not.
With the background information I had at this time it was not difficult for me to answer an inquiry from a representative of a national news organization. The inquiry was simple: based upon what I knew or had learned up to that time would Senator Obama be able to get a top secret clearance from the FBI.
I had to explain to the caller that neither the FBI nor any other Federal agency does background investigations on candidates for the offices of President, Vice President or members of Congress. The caller was somewhat incredulous and asked, "well how do they get clearances", my response was that it was the responsibility of the American public and the news media to determine the qualifications of candidates running for these offices.
The reporter then posed a difficult question that caused me some hesitation to answer; he asked if Obama was an applicant for a position in the FBI would he be able to get a Top Secret Clearance. I paused and thought for a minute pondering whether I should answer such a volatile question; then I decided that my responsibility was to tell the truth and not be concerned about possible negative reactions by others.
My honest answer was with what I had learned about Obama during the campaign and if these associations and allegations were determined to be true, in my opinion, Barack Obama would not be hired or given a security clearance by the FBI, at least not while I was in the Bureau.
Although the story of my comments was run it did not stir any particular controversy and apparently the American News Media and public were not concerned with Obama's questionable background and associations.
Even now, some four years after many of the questions and allegations concerning Obama were first raised there are still major gaps in our knowledge of his background and accomplishments. "Researchers have discovered that Obama's autobiographical books are little more than PR stunts, as they have little to do with the actual events of his life. The fact is we know less about President Obama than perhaps any other president in American history and much of this is due to actual efforts to hide his records."
We have no access to his school records, passport documents, scholarship or financial support data, prior to his running for public office. Who supported his attendance at some of America's most prestigious schools and universities?
Did he apply for a foreign student scholarship and if so, what did he claim as his native country?
Was his education paid for by foreign governments or officials, and if so by whom?
Where are the papers that he had to write to graduate from Columbia and Harvard Law School?
What about the various Social Security numbers that he is alleged to have utilized, and his Selective Service registration?
How did Obama go to Pakistan when no Americans were being issued visas for travel to that country and who paid for his trip?
There may be legitimate answers to these and the other questions that have been raised about President Obama, but until he is open and forthright with the American public we just won't know what we need to know about our president.
There are many other issues about this president such as his use of Executive Orders to bypass the Congress, his economic policies which make no fiscal sense, and his Imperial style of governance.
But those will be the subject of another paper as we are likely to be discussing and debating President Barack Obama for some time to come.
Labels: Buck Revell, Obama Presidency
J-Man's Birthday Present
On August 1st my grandson, J-Man, turned 17.
Just last week he was a little baby sleeping on my chest in the recliner. It was last week, wasn't it? Seems like it.
Anygrowingup, we didn't know what to get him because he has everything (who needs Santa? He has MeMaw and Paw Paw.) Everything except a car!
Well, it just so happens our old car, a 04 Hyundai Sonata, was in the market for a new owner, so Judy and I introduced them to each other. We did this at his Birthday luncheon a couple of weeks ago.
He was given a gift-wrapped box with a picture of the car and the car keys in it..
At first he was a little confused, then the light came on and his face lit up.
(J-Man driving with me for the fist time. The smile left soon afterward)
He has driven the car for the past year with his learners permit under his parents, Bug's harassing, Judy's and/or my directions…poor guy held up well with my screaming, crying and banging on the dash…uh…grandfatherly directions. And he loves driving the car…even better than driving my truck. But he doesn't have his driver's license yet. He had to complete a driving course first.
And he is scheduled to get his driver's license this Wednesday; then he will be the newest driver on the road. So why am I so apprehensive? He is a great kid…uh…guy and a great driver. But there are other dumb-asses out there. They had better leave my grandson alone. They haven't ever had a can of grandpa whoop ass poured on them like they will get if they fuck with my boy.
J-Man and Judy
(Does he look kinda happy?)
At any rate, we delivered the car to him on Saturday (see the bow).
He was all smiles (that's our new Nissan Altima behind his car, too.)
And since we were gonna stay for a while and play some board games with them, HE thought it would be a good idea for him and Marni (his mom - my daughter) to go pick up a pizza order instead of having it delivered. See? I told you he was all heart.
Anybirthdaypresent, J-Man is worth it. We are crazy about him and his sister, Bug.
OMG, what are we gonna get her for her 17th birthday (in three years?) Wonder if she would like a Ford F150 picemup truck?
Labels: Hyunda Sonata, Jarretts 17 Birthday
Two Peoples Bay, Western Australia -


Emperador dark/light border is a natural stone marble border that is used extensively to complement bathrooms, showers, backsplashes, flooring, and fireplaces in a combination of designs creating unique looks. Make a statement by adding your creative touch using these decor items! NOTE: Inspect all tiles before installation. Natural stone products inherently lack uniformity and are subject to variation in color, shade, finish, etc. It is recommended to blend tiles from different boxes when installing. Natural stones may be characterized by dry seams and pits that are often filled. The filling can work its way out and it may be necessary to refill these voids as part of a normal maintenance procedure. All natural stone products should be sealed with a penetrating sealer. After installation, vendor disclaims any liabilities. You can buy this product in our internet market. We will be glad if you make the right choice.
1 linear foot per piece, each piece sold individually. Piece weight equals 2.5 lb.


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Harlem Woman Dies After Buttock Surgery (Update)
This is an update to an article Harlem Woman Killed By Botched Butt Injection posted earlier in the week:
A Harlem mom who underwent buttock enhancement surgery died 13 days later — and her livid family is calling it murder.
Latesha Bynum's family and lawyer said she went to a shady clinic on July 15, 2017, to get silicone injections from someone claiming to be a doctor.
Those injections cost the 31-year-old mom of two her life, her family said.
"My daughter was murdered," Bertie Bynum, 51, Latesha's distraught mother, told the Daily News on Monday.
"I want to know: Why did they kill my baby? Why did they do that. They wasn't supposed to do that."
She added, "You killed a mother, you killed a sister!"
Police provided only scant details about the office where Bynum got her injections on July 15.
Cop sources said she received the procedure in a residential building on E. 21st St. by First Ave., across the street from Stuyvesant Town, but didn't provide the name of a medical clinic or a doctor.
Bynum received her injections at 1 p.m., sources said. At 11 p.m. that night, she called 911 from home, after she felt dizzy and started feeling chest pains, sources said.
Medics rushed her to Mount Sinai St. Luke's Medical Center, where doctors declared her brain-dead.
On Thursday — just three days before her 32nd birthday — doctors removed her from life support, and she was declared dead, sources said.
Police are still investigating what happened, and are awaiting autopsy results from the city medical examiner's office, authorities said.
Related: A History Of Whiskey In Harlem 1650's - Present
Her cause of death has not been determined, pending further tests, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner said Tuesday.
Bynum's family was more sure — they called it murder.
Her brother, Tymel Bynum, 26, said her feet turned blue after the procedure, and she was placed in the shower twice at the clinic where she received the injection before being sent home.
Rats, Mayor Bill de Blasio Announces $32 Million Neighborhood Rat Plan (harlemworldmag.com)
This entry was posted in crime, Harlem and tagged Bertie Bynum, enhancement surgery, Harlem, Mount Sinai St. Luke's Medical Center, New York Daily News by Harlem World Magazine. Bookmark the permalink.


Upon arrival at the Cochin Airport/ Railway Station, get greeted by our tour representative followed by assisted transfer to the hotel. Post lunch, travel across the Cochin Harbor. Upon arrival at Fort Cochin, set off for the sightseeing tour in the city. Visit St.Francis Church, Dutch Palace and Jewish Synagogue etc. The rest of the day is free. Stay overnight in the hotel.
Post breakfast in the morning, drive to Munnar. On the way, treat your eyes with the views of green tea plantations and Cardamom hills. Upon arrival, check into the hotel. Spend rest of the day at leisure. Stay overnight in Munnar.
Post breakfast in the morning, head straight to Alleppey. Later, board a houseboat from Alleppey to Kumarakom and take delight in the backwater cruise. Stay overnight on board the houseboat.
In the morning, embark on a sightseeing tour of Thiruvanathapuram which include Padmanabha Swamy temple, Veli Tourist Village, Museum Complex, Science & Technology Museum, Shangmugham Beach and Aakulam boat club etc. Stay overnight in Kovalam.
* Welcome drinks on arrival in hotels. (Non alcoholic).
* 06 Nights accommodation on twin sharing basis.
* 06 Bed tea,breakfast and Dinner in Hotel.
* Airport, Railway Station and Hotel Pickup.
* Any monument entry fees / camera fees.
* Any meal, which is not mentioned above.
* Any air / train fare.
* 4.5% Government service tax extra.
* Cost incidental due to road blocks, landslides, change in the itinerary / stay on account of cancellation due to bad weather, ill health, and any factors beyond control.