text:
A coronavirus debate on the apple orchard: Should migrant workers be allowed to sleep in bunk beds?
The price and availability of apples in grocery stores this fall could come down to a critical question on the farm: whether migrant workers should sleep in bunk beds.
Each spring, as many as 30,000 farm laborers — most of them from Mexico — begin arriving in Washington state on guest worker visas and live in close quarters in housing that employers are required to provide. A typical room has two bunk beds.
The coronavirus pandemic has thrown the system into disarray, with public health officials and the union representing the workers warning that the sleeping arrangement could spread infections.
But farmers say banning employees from sleeping in top bunks — as the state has proposed — would force them to cut their work forces in half and drive many into bankruptcy, devastating the region's economy and the nation's fruit supply.
Washington produces 65% of the country's $2.4-billion fresh apple crop, as well as cherries, peaches, berries and other fruit.
Representatives from the United Farm Workers and the powerful farm lobby spent seven hours Wednesday in an online meeting organized by Gov. Jay Inslee's office to discuss the draft regulations with health, labor and industry officials.
In the meantime, workers are already arriving under contracts signed months ago.
"There's an impending humanitarian crisis here with people with no place to stay," said Dillon Honcoop, a spokesman for Save Family Farming, a state agricultural organization.
"And there could be a food system crisis, which would be the fault of state agencies and labor activists who don't take into account effects of the rules they propose," he said.
Those rules — drafted by two state departments, health and labor and industries — would require farms to ensure that workers can stay at least six feet apart while cooking, eating, bathing and sleeping.
Only the lower bed of each bunk could be used, except in a sleeping room occupied by a family. Beds would have to be placed at least six feet apart — up from the state-mandated three feet in normal times — or separated by installing plastic-sheeting walls between them.
Linsey Marr, an environmental engineer at Virginia Tech and an expert on airborne transmission of viruses, said that in addition to touching common surfaces on shared bunk beds, the simple act of breathing in close quarters could spread infection.
A person exhaling in a lower bunk would emit a plume of warm aerosols that would tend to rise, she said.
Or, she said, "If you're on the top bed and, say, talking on a cellphone, larger droplets could fall down."
Rules similar to those under consideration in Washington have already been adopted in neighboring Oregon, whose fruit industry is much smaller.
Michael Wood, who heads Oregon Occupational Safety and Health, said the extreme contagion of the coronavirus left officials no choice but to ban the use of top bunks.
"Social distancing is essentially impossible to implement, while sleeping, for the person on the bottom bunk and the person on top," he said.
Bunk beds are common on farms in California, where several COVID-19 outbreaks have occurred among workers. But no single agency regulates farmworker housing, and the bunk issue has not arisen on a statewide level, according to state labor, housing and industrial relations officials.
In Washington, both farmers and labor representatives agree that extra hygiene and distancing measures will be crucial so that farms don't become the next cruise ships and nursing homes as hot spots for the virus. But they have different visions of what protections are needed for the migrant workers.
Oregon officials have banned the use of top beds in bunks such as these for seasonal farmworkers, seeking to prevent transmission of the coronavirus.
(Oregon Law Center)
Dan Fazio, executive director of Wafla, an organization that helps farms hire foreign workers through the H-2A visa program, said he believes that bunk beds provide plenty of distancing.
"Gee, one person sleeps with their head to the north and the other sleeps with their head to the south, and guess what, from high school geometry you're six feet apart," he said.
But he also worries that the virus could spread when workers move between farms and local communities.
"How are we going to get 20-year-old guys who think they're Superman to socially distance?" he asked.
He takes some solace in the fact that the workers tend to be young, strong and from rural areas with healthy diets. His organization requires workers to have vaccination cards for mumps and measles, but no health screenings are conducted as a condition of employment.
An outbreak on a farm in central Washington last month illustrated how easily the virus could spread among laborers — but also how resilient they could be.
The farm is owned by Stemilt Growers, a company that employs more than 1,600 guest workers in Washington each summer. When six employees with coughs tested positive for COVID-19, managers isolated them and decided to test the rest of the workers in their dormitory-style housing unit.
Of the 71 workers, 38 were infected.
"At the time of testing none of them had a temperature, and only four stated they had a slight occasional cough," Zach Williams, Stemilt human resources director, wrote in a court declaration last month.
Williams submitted his sworn statement in a lawsuit that unions filed April 15 against Washington state agencies, asking a judge to require them to issue clear, mandatory regulations concerning farm housing, working conditions and transportation.
Skagit Superior Court Judge Dave Needy declined to step in, other than to direct union and farm representatives to collaborate on devising rules on work conditions and transport, and report back to him on May 14.
The governor's office convened Wednesday's meeting to bring the parties and regulators together and advance the process. It is up to the state to make the final decision.
Officials excluded reporters and declined to release about 500 comments submitted on the drafts, but the Los Angeles Times obtained copies of proposals made by farm and union representatives.
The union proposed to take the controversial upper-bunk ban off the table while pushing employers to provide disposable gloves, grocery deliveries, access to COVID-19 testing and gas cards to discourage carpooling.
"Our top priority is to get something now that is binding and clear," said Erik Nicholson, UFW vice president. "What's frustrating is there are a number of employers here in the state that just aren't doing anything to protect workers."
It doesn't take long to find examples of lax attention to safety. In Toppenish, Wash., 160 miles southeast of Seattle, eight field workers got into a van recently after a 10-hour shift in a hops field. None of the men sitting close together in the vehicle wore a mask.
Pedro, the 25-year-old driver, agreed to talk if his last name were withheld to avoid retribution from his employer. He said the group had come from Durango, Mexico, under contract for a third summer, and that the farm owner provided extra soap and hand sanitizer but no masks.
"He said if we feel sick, let them know," Pedro said. "Sure we're worried, but what can we do?"
In Oregon, the bunk bed ban takes effect June 1. Mike Townsend, president of Townsend Farms, based outside Portland, said it puts his business in a bind.
He has already committed to paying middlemen $1,000 for each of the 450 or so foreigners they have recruited to work for the berry and fruit enterprise at $15.83 an hour. Most are scheduled to arrive late this month and work through the summer.
Normally they are housed four to a room in trailer homes furnished with bunks.
If Townsend tells them not to come for lack of bunks, the farm will still be required to pay them 75% of their wages under the contract.
He said he felt blindsided by the bunk regulation. "I don't know who to call," he said. "What do you think I should do?"
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Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia Invites You To Test Drive And "Win The Icon" In Beetle Instagram Contest
by Zachary Ho - Oct 11, 2019
Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia is offering up the iconic VW Beetle in an Instagram contest that is part of a year-long celebration of the world's most beloved Bug. The production run for the Beetle had officially ended in July, and to bid it farewell, VPCM will be giving away a brand-new Beetle in its "Win the Icon" Instagram contest, which will run until 30 November 2019.
The contest rides on Volkswagen's tagline of 'Better experienced than explained', and all you need to do to be in the running to win the Bug is to test drive a Volkswagen model at any authorised dealership, document the experience in a one-minute video, and caption it creatively.
The "Win the Icon" contest is open to all Malaysians with a valid driver's license.
To recap the simple steps to enter the contest:
Step 1: Test drive any Volkswagen model at authorized dealers
Step 2: Record a one-minute video of your experience and upload it on Instagram
Step 3: Complete the slogan "My #BetterExperiencedThanExplained story is…"
Step 4: Follow and tag @VolkswagenMalaysia in the post
*Please make sure that your Instagram profile is set to PUBLIC
The lucky winner will be announced in December and will receive a new Volkswagen Beetle 1.2TSI to drive home.
For more information, visit www.volkswagen.com.my
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Department of Urology, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
The distinction between adult and pediatric urologic laparoscopy begins with divergent indications, reflecting the different patterns of urologic disease between adults and children. The need for laparoscopic procedures in pediatric urologic practice is different from adults, with some elements of overlap.
As the potential for reconstructive pediatric laparoscopy has emerged, it has been evident that the dispersion of laparoscopic skills into complex reconstruction by pediatric urologists has been limited.
The ability to gain sufficient case numbers to become expert at complex laparoscopy in a reasonable period of time will be difficult and the collaboration of adult and pediatric surgeons will be important to permit development of these skills in the pediatric realm.


Yvonne has over twenty-five years of experience as a financial consultant. She honed her skills with both institutional and individual clients at the world's largest private pension fund, TIAA-CREF (now known simply as TIAA). She developed extensive technical knowledge of employee benefit plans while at TIAA and acquired a depth of expertise in guiding institutional clients through the analysis, design, and installation of these plans. She also has vast experience providing financial consulting services, guidance, and information for her individual clients, helping them plan for a more secure financial future.


The new season of Bates Motel is just around the corner and to get fans excited, A&E has released a teaser trailer featuring a custom track by Cameron with True Leap. The track also features a vocal performance by Mallori Carver. Be sure the check out her upcoming album at MalloriMusic.com as well as the new teaser below!


On January 18, 2019, an underground pipeline transporting gasoline exploded in the town of Tlahuelilpan, Hidalgo where at least 115 people were killed and dozens more injured. Mexican authorities blamed fuel thieves, who had illegally tapped the pipeline, which resulted in the gas explosion.
Why so many killed in this gruesome explosion? Word spread around the town of Tlahuelilpan about "free gas." As many as some 900 people gathered up their empty barrels and started towards the spewing gasoline. In a matter of the seconds, an alleged windfall sent the gasoline to flames, engulfing and killing an initial 89 people and burning many more.
"It is so sad to see that so many people were injured and vanished into ashes at the moment of this pipeline explosion. I can't imagine what the families of these people experienced when this tragedy occurred. I hope this will get taken cared of for the near future so it doesn't happen again," said Jaqueline Garcia-Polanco ('20).
Though many citizens and governments are putting gas thieves to blame, others beg to differ while the victims themselves are the ones at blame to be part of the illegal activities of collecting taxed gas. Then again, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador believes that the government are the ones at fault. The victims were forced to participate in the events due to the poverty and unemployment caused by the government's past policies.
Mr. López Aranda was elected the president of Mexico on December 1 and has been tested by the politics and people of Mexico if he's credible in disastrous situations such as these.
"If they hadn't died, it would've been a lot more complicated. Then the story would've been: Why didn't you arrest them? You're supposed to be tough on fuel theft, and these people were stealing fuel. But they died and it changed everything," says Mr. López Aranda when confronting the issue of delivering the "toughness" a president should be doing while in office.
"I strongly believe that it could have been avoided and that it's a horrible tragedy that might help the country realize the lack of security and authorities that the country itself has," said Cithaly Garcia-Mendez ('20).
The performance of the nation's security forces, in particular, has also come under scrutiny. Soldiers were dispatched on the 18 to create a cordon but were unable due to the outnumbered soldiers to outraged people.
While names and organizations have been thrown left to right as to who or what is to blame for the pipeline explosion, Mr. López Aranda will stop at nothing to prevent any further corruption to Mexico and will continue to keep his presidential promise of securing the country 's prosperity and safety.
Does getting an abortion mean death penalty?


is honored on Panel 29W, Line 75 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Staff Sergeant Harvey Charles Avery, Served with Company B, 4th Engineer Battalion, 4th Infantry Division.
Thanks to Larry Renfroe and Charles Lewellyn for helping us find a picture of "H.C."
I HOPE SOMEONE WILL POST YOUR PICTURE HERE BECAUSE IT IS NEEDED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS A COMBAT ENGINEER, WE ARE CELEBRATING COLUMBUS DAY, AND THE DISCOVERY THAT LED TO US BEING IN AMERICA. THANK YOU FOR PROTECTING AMERICA. REST IN PEACE.


text:
SpreadingScience
Science, Web 2.0
Do not tick off the community you created if you want it to survive
July 21, 2010 Richard Gayle	11 Comments
by o palsson
Bora and PalMD leave ScienceBlogs: What to do now?
[Via Respectful Insolence]
I can't believe it.
I really can't believe it.
I really, really, really can't believe it.
Bora has left ScienceBlogs.
Readers of just this blog probably don't know what a body blow that is to the ScienceBlogs collective. Readers of multiple ScienceBlogs probably realize that Bora was the proverbial heart and soul of ScienceBlogs. It's news that's left Isis the Scientist speechless and GrrlScientist "deeply upset." Even ScienceBlogs' big macher PZ Myers has pointed out how Bora compared the situation here to to Bion's Effect, where the departure of a few people at a party triggers a sudden end to the event. I don't know whether Bora's departure is the seismic shift that leads to the collapse of Sb or not, but I do know that it's a wake up call to me that maybe I was too quick to go back to business as usual after our corporate overlords decided to invite a corporate blog to be added to the Sb stable as co-equals with the rest of us, hopelessly blurring the line between content and advertising.
Why is this such a big deal?
A few days ago, I discussed how an ad hoc community – the Tour de France peloton – controls group behavior. I also made a mention of how the group deals with perceived outside interference. In the case of the Tour, the peloton adopted a behavior that benefited the group, to the detriment of individuals or the outsiders.
Here, we also see some behavior dealing with external interference. In this case, it was the inclusion of a blog that was bought by a corporation in order to provide its own views, without any real communication with the community about what was happening.
The group did not take well at all to this event at all. Read Bora's post to get an idea of what happened and why these responses are being made.
What we have here is somewhat the opposite of the group coming together and getting stronger in response to outsiders. The group is, in response, may breaking apart. In part, this may be due to the particular instance – the inclusion of a new member actually undercut the entire reason for the group to exist. But it is also due to the same technologies that make it so easy for ad hoc groups to form.
Scienceblogs is a great example of the benefits and perils of technology. Ad hoc groups can be created very easily. Seed Media did this and worked to create a community that would support and attract people who would allow it to stay in business.
Now it appears to have messed things up by forgetting that in a Web 2.0 world, the community must be served first or it will leave.
The people of the community were creating all this content because they enjoyed the community, not because they made a lot of money or wanted Seed to make a lot of money. Most had other careers. They wrote at Scienceblogs because of the network of people they were a part of.
Apparently the managers of Seed did not really understand why it was that these people were even there. They needed to make some money and completely ticked off the community with their ham-handed process. They forgot who there real customers were.
Most media still think that servicing advertisers is the bedrock of their business. But, for businesses who require networks to survive, servicing the network is paramount. Without the bloggers, there is not Scienceblogs, no matter how much advertisers are feted.
Technology makes an ad-hoc community really easy to create. And it makes it really easy for the community to change its mind, for individuals to leave and aggregate at a new community if they are not happy.
Compare where Facebook and MySpace were 3 years ago to their relative popularity now. The same will befall Facebook if it forgets this.
I think that while Scienceblogs will survive, it will never again be THE place for people who write about science. Already other sites, such as Field of Science and Genomes Unzipped, are picking up new people.
I imagine that we will now have several well-connected networks of blogs about science, providing greater diversity and wider ranges of information to move around. Technology will not make it much more difficult for readers for read – adding Field of Science's RSS feed to my aggregator adds minimally to my daily efforts.
The only one really harmed here, in the long run, will be Seed. The bloggers can easily become parts of other networks, taking the readers, eyeballs and advertisers with them. There will just be fewer for Scienceblogs to use to support itself.
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Greg Laden says:
The idea that Scienceblogs was a "community" is one that emerged only now and then as it was convenient for one purpose or person or another. The real strength of scienceblogs has been that individuals blogging ont he network have very much been individuals, and left on their own.
Unfortunately, some of that "leaving one their own" part may have gone too far in selected areas, such as the technology management, and soliciting opinions about new projects. Related to soft drinks.
Greg. Love your blog.
I agree with you about the strengths, especially as viewed by a reader. I followed several of the blogs to Scienceblogs mainly because of the individual authors. But I mainly only ended up reading ones that were linked to others at the site.
But I would say that there was a strong social network that developed, one that connected bloggers to each other and moved important information around, such as various outrages that would occur.
I think part of what has been happening is the realization that this incipient network of people actually has enough cohesiveness to show it exists. Ironically, this cohesiveness is manifesting as an apparent breakup.
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David Crotty says:
The inherent problem is that the best interests of the company running the social network often are in direct opposition to the users of that social network. In the case of Facebook, their profits are going to be reliant on selling out the privacy of their users. In the case of ScienceBlogs, commercialization alienated the strongly anti-business, anti-industry members of their community and threatened their perceptions of themselves as an elite and well-respected group of experts.
One can, as you suggest, focus instead on serving those users but that's a mighty difficult thing to monetize. If you're a corporation with investors who would like to be paid back (like Seed Media), you need some way to make money. Perhaps running social networks will fall out of fashion as a profit-making enterprise due to these conflicts.
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Just to expand on the point a little: For the most part, Scienceblogs has been explicitly non-communal. It is a network, there are communication channels (but not used by most bloggers) and things do get organized now and then (like a fundraising drive that about 20% of the blgogers engage in every year).
This is all very much on purpose. We blog as indy bloggers, and the 'overlords' (Seed's Sb staff) organize all this internal network wide link love (reader's picks, ed's picks, most active, Page 3.14, the front page, 24 hour page, RSS feeds, etc.) and make links between things like NYT and NGS. But as bloggers, we're just blogging away.
In once sense, I would say that PepsiBlawg Gate was an example of a "community" forming out of a thing that really wasn't much of a community because most bloggers had fairly negative feelings about the blog so some degree of organization happened.
It would be interesting in the end to look at the kinds of things people do and their reaction to the Pepsiblog. There may be some stark (and thus perhaps not really that interesting in the end) patterns there. For the most part, labby research scientists did not quit, journalists and book writers did, for instance. Which brings up a point that Bora has almost talked me out of but not quite yet: Journalistic modus operendi, ethics, etc. are fundamentally different than for scientists. Not saying one is better than the other … just that they are fondling different parts of the elephant.
Which is a thought I'll leave you with but I don't recommend keeping in your head for too long.
Even though my connection with the Scienceblog community was as a reader and sometimes commenter, as a scientist I feel confident that I can provide an opinion (My family knows that I have an opinion on everything so maybe that is a personal trait rather than a professional one. But 'as a scientist' sounds better than 'as a know-it-all')
Mainly because I have been a part of several real-life enactments of just such a 'community' of researchers, connected by weak ties, who, through a precipitating event by 'outsiders,' came together to take some sort of action.
So, I think to a certain degree we may be arguing semantics about what really defines a community. In large measure, Scienceblogs is a network with mostly weak ties, but with some links perhaps a little stronger than others. And while there was not a decided push to create a defined community with uniform rules, titles and positions, when humans work along the same lines, doing similar things – even in digital space – connections get made and a sense of comity starts to emerge.
Thus insider slang terms like Sciblings, blogchild and Overlords developed. You would see memes and arguments sweep through certain blogs. There obviously were some strong connections that provided rapid information transfer between Sciblings.
There was an nascent community just waiting for an event that would precipitate action, making many weak ties much stronger, while breaking some altogether.
In the instances I have been involved in, a bunch of independent-minded, "leave me alone to do my work" researchers came together because a decision was made by upper management that directly affected the scientists – a decision that was never discussed with them until AFTER it was made. The scientists were left out of any input in the decision, even though it affected every single one of them.
In each case, there was a rapid meeting called by the researchers to discuss what they should do. Scientists who had never been in the same room with each other were now discussing the proper response with each other. Action had to be taken and committees were formed.
Instead of a bunch of weakly tied people, there were now a lot of very strongly defined paths for communication.
Perhaps this is only an aspect of egomaniac researchers, who think they have to be informed beforehand about anything and have a part of every decision. I do not think so. I think it can happen with any community when the weak ties that are present are tugged by an outside "threat."
Heck, I've seen it happen in neighborhoods when a new development appears on the city plans.
What I think happened with the PepsiBlawg Gate was a crystallization of a large fragment of the network because, to some, it became obvious that the reasons they had joined and maintained even weak ties in the network /community were in conflict with what the 'Overlords' wanted to do. The lack of communication, and the 'disrespect' that engendered, meant some sort of response was needed.
And I've been fascinated by that response, because it has taken many forms. Some people exited without any need for real consultation. Some did not begin to really think about it until others in the network/community that they respected made a decision – Bora being the strongest example. Still others, such as PZ, decided to take direct action and go on strike unless the 'Overlords' listened to them.
These are all ways one would expect different people in a community to respond to change. It is what I spend my days examining at SpreadingScience.
I do not think Scienceblogs will vanish. It'll be different. I think there will be much more defined communication between members, with regular meetings between the bloggers and the people from Seed Media. Instead of an ad hoc sort of network/community, it may very well become a much more defined one. Like the taming of the Old West, it may be more or less attractive, depending on the outlook of the individual. The bloggers who left may very well continue to link and discuss things written on Scienceblogs. The reverse will also happen.
In effect, there will be a much wider network/community with some very strong, defined ties that were not present before. I expect other types of science blogging sites to become important – such as Science 2.0 and others. It'll be great for most of the bloggers and their readers. It may just not be quite as optimal for Seed as it had been before when they virtually had cornered the market.
And that was kind of my point in the post. If Seed had been a little better about servicing its bloggers, it would have kept the market pretty much to itself. Now, not so much. Meaning that, as far as it might be concerned, there is a loss in value that might take some effort to recreate. Effort that it would not have needed if it had not ticked people off.
Finally, I think that the different viewpoints between scientific journalists and journalistic scientists makes for a much better description of the elephant than either alone. In any effective network/community, diversity of world views is a key part. It is very hard to solve complex problems over and over if everyone thinks the same way. It is the friction that arises from the different views that eventually allows us to make the wise decision.
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NAC, Partners Hold Community Dialogue To Identify Priority Areas To Combat HIV, Malaria, TB
By Eric Pervist
LISTEN JAN 10, 2020
The National AIDS Commission of Liberia (NAC) is partnering with the Liberia Coordinating Mechanism (LCM), the Ministry of Health in holding community dialogue to identify priority areas that will allow Global Fund to combat HIV, Malaria, and TB in the country.
The dialogue is tied towards the identification of priority needs that requires funding from Global Fund.
The intensive dialogue has been categorized into five regions, region 1: Bomi, Gbarpolu, and Grand Cape Mount Counties, region 2, Bassa, Montserrado, and Margibi Counties, region 3, Nimba, Bong and Lofa, region 4 Sinoe, Rivercess and Grand Gedeh Counties, and region 5, River Gee, Grand Kru, and Maryland Counties.
The dialogue which started on January 6, 2020 and is expected to end on 26 of January brought together a host of experts from the health and social sectors. These experts are providing means through which HIV, malaria, and TB can be tackled.
Each region of the consultative dialogue brought together scores of individuals, including experts, and persons living with HIV to finding remedial approaches in the fight against HIV, Malaria, and TB.
The regional consultative prioritization country dialogue is geared towards the development of a joint funding request for TB, and HIV to be submitted to the Global Fund.
Global Fund is an international financing and partnership organization that aims to "attract, leverage and invest additional resources to end the epidemics of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria to support attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations.
In her presentation, the Chairperson of the National AIDS Commission Madam Theodosia Slewion Kolee rolled out a number of strategies that are intended to combat HIV.
Commissioner Kolee noted that the National Strategic HIV and AIDS Plan is a five-year program designed to fast track the country's efforts in ending the virus by 2030.
Madam Kolee stressed that the document is informed by past interventions of UNAIDs.
The Chairperson pointed out that the plan is in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which
focuses on ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all at all ages.
"The NSP II 2021-2025 is being developed through a multi-sectoral consultative process which commenced with mid term review of the National Catch Up Plan, the recommendations of which informed the direction of this current Strategic Plan" she added.
According to Commissioner Kolee, the objective of the NSP II 2021-2025 is to fast-track efforts towards the prevention of new HIV infections and AIDS related deaths, as well as to emphasize treatment, care and support interventions by 2025.
Madam Kolee disclosed that the National Strategic Plan II (NSP II) will succeed the current NSP and Catch Up Plan, which is expected to expire in 2020.
"NSP II will serve as the new guiding tool for the implementation of the national HIV response in Liberia" the Chairperson of the National Commissioner Averred.
She indicated in her presentation that the NSP Development Process outlines several strategies including: the Formation of the writing team, Planning and stakeholders meeting development, formation of Thematic TWG, data and information collection, collation and analysis, stakeholders validation workshop, alignment to UNAIDS Fast Track targets, prevention of new HIV infection- reduced by 95% by 2030, test and treat 95-95-95 by 2030, reduce HIV stigma & discrimination by 95% by 2030, Gender and HIV, Social Protection considerations, differentiated approach- who, where and what- evidence based, targets are ambitious and time bound, responsibilities and accountability for contribution to target multisectoral.
Madam Kolee mentioned that some of the strategies contained in the five year plan include Increased Community participation with CSOs involvement, strengthened coordination of stakeholders and governance of the national response, National AIDS Commission, NSP II the vision of the NSP II is aligned within the overall Global vision which is aimed at eliminating HIV and AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 as well as achieving 93-93-93 by 2025 with focus Intervention on prevention of New HIV Infection, test and Treatment.


Mark Jensen has his arms raised after shooting a perfect game at the 1989 ABC Tournament, while Chilton Vending teammate Mark Lewis jumps in celebration. Photo courtesy Mark Jensen.
Any bowler who was around in 1989 will never forget that year's American Bowling Congress Tournament (now the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships).
Every Eagle-winning record was smashed as the huge scores rolled in: 3,481 in team beating the record of 3,327, 1,499 in doubles surpassing the record of 1,453, 813 in singles crushing the record of 782, 2,227 in all-events routing the record of 2,142, and 10,107 in team all-events obliterating the record of 9,695.
It wasn't the balls, as urethanes had been introduced several years earlier and the Xcalibur launching the reactive resin era was still a little more than a couple of years away.
Because the carry was so good — "You can't leave a 10-pin," was something I heard from more than one right-hander — there were theories about something being different with the kickbacks and flat gutters, and that was true, said Lou Trunk, stand-by service manager for the USBC Open Championships and Women's Championships since 1987 and QubicaAMF bowling equipment installation contractor since 1977.
Trunk said that as part of the lane and machine installation for the 1989 ABC Tournament, he tightened the pindeck area, doubled the support under the pindecks, custom cut each flatgutter for an exact tight fit, and put a fourth flatgutter support under the flatgutters.
"Our theory was to keep the energy in the pins and not lose energy to the kickbacks and flatgutters," Trunk said. "It definitely helped, and it was the 'proximate cause' for the high scores as far as ABC was concerned."
Ultimately, though, the lane surface became widely accepted as the main reason for the high scores as the 1989 ABC marked the tournament debut of AMF's HPL synthetic lanes.
Most became even more convinced it was the HPLs when scores again were much higher in 1991 and 1993 with that surface at the ABC Tournament compared to 1988, 1990, 1992 and 1994 with Brunswick synthetics. Winning scores for the ABC/USBC tourney are at this page.
AMF even bragged about its high-scoring lanes in ads in publications like Bowlers Journal.
But it wasn't the surface itself, it was how the surface was installed, Trunk and Thompson said.
The 1989 ABC Tournament was the dawning of the age of topography, something that is being revealed on the record in print for the first time here by Trunk, who wrote this detailed series on topography, and Thompson, another topography expert.
Thompson has been a patient source in explaining topography to me as I've crafted stories on the complex but crucial topic, starting with this lengthy story and this related story in 2014 that together could be considered a layman's bible on the topic.
With USBC's embrace of the importance of topography in recent years and his career in the industry winding down, Trunk agreed to speak on the record about the discovery of the huge significance of topography in synthetic lanes and its gigantic influence on ball motion. Thompson joined him in a conference call interview that stretched to about 90 minutes earlier this year.
Trunk was with AMF for 40 years and was in charge of installing AMF lanes for the ABC Tournament starting in 1987, which was the last year of wood lanes for the tournament. AMF and Brunswick alternated tournaments for many years when it was a new install ever year — before the new National Bowling Stadium became a host in 1995. Brunswick first installed synthetics in 1980 in Louisville.
Trunk and Kegel founder John Davis, who died in 2013, bonded decades ago over a love of everything bowling, from pinspotters to lane machines.
Topography has always been a factor in bowling, and was the reason why the ABC instituted standards for lane flatness decades ago and a requirement that wood lanes be resurfaced each year, a rule that was changed in the 1960s to every two years.
Synthetics aren't resurfaced and also aren't perfectly flat, as is commonly known today but wasn't in the late 1980s.
Trunk said he and Davis theorized that installing the lanes with slight dishes (sloping from outside to the middle) would create a good scoring environment, and making sure every lane was as close to the same as was humanly possible would make for the fairest environment.
"So I put them in and I had perfect little 15-thousandths dishes on every lane in Wichita," much flatter than the USBC standard of 40 thousandths, Trunk said, "We didn't have the lane mapper (machine) yet, but on my hands and knees I took down all the measurements with a USBC level. It took me three days just to measure the lanes, the same thing that the mapper would do in three hours today. And I didn't even do it every 21, or 42 inches like the mapper would. I did it every 5 feet at that time just to try to get what was going on. And it still took forever.
While a flat lane is fairest and makes friction the only factor bowlers have to deal with — as is the case with freshly resurfaced wood lanes — having the benefit of a bowl is better than the penalty of a crown was their theory, Trunk said.
One benefit of leveled topography is that more challenging lane patterns will play as intended since the lane itself isn't impacting ball motion.
In addition to all the record winning scores in the 1989 ABC Tournament, there were 47 perfect games, up from nine in 1988 in Jacksonville, Trunk said.
Trunk said he began to realize they were on to something at the 1989 Masters when Justin Hromek thrilled the hometown fans with consecutive 300s and then a long string to start his next game while moving pairs during qualifying.
"It didn't matter what pair," Trunk said. "They were playing the same. Justin, having extra hand, benefited from the carrydown hold he had to his left and the grip to his right. His percentage pocket carry was near 100 percent. The common thought was that the great carry was a result of the pindeck area enhancements we did. John and I even bought-in a little.
Scoring paces went back to pre-1989 levels in 1990 and there were just seven perfect games.
Then came another AMF install by Trunk in 1991 in Toledo and "I'm putting my same little bowl back in there" and scores were in the 1989 range again, with 51 perfect games, he said. Back to Brunswick in 1992 in Corpus Christi and there were seven 300s with a pre-1989 scoring pace. Back to AMF HPLs in 1993 in Tulsa and there were 55 perfect games and scores in the range of 1989 and 1991.
The only concern was fairness in the form of lane-to-lane consistency, and they had no idea scores would be so much higher, Trunk said.
By 1993, "John and I knew that we were on to something really, really huge," Trunk said, adding that he knew AMFs ads about HPLs being the difference weren't true, "but who am I to say?"
Trunk said there was no depression for the tournament lanes whatsoever in 1989, 1991 and 1993: the lanes were dead flat from about 12-12 with tiny .015-.020 curl-ups outside 12-board.
They would later determine that any depression in the front of lanes is especially bad because it acts like dry area no matter how much oil there is and causes energy loss that keeps a ball from hitting strong.
The final proof, and what determined that it was topography and not the pindeck changes that was the main reason for the higher scores, came in an overlay install at a regular center after the 1993 tournament.
The first 12 feet of the wood lanes was removed and replaced with Medex, a high density form of MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard). Today, installers use LSL (Laminated Strand Lumber) for the first 22 feet.
Trunk said the center's wood heads had huge depressions in the first 10 feet that probably were about 70 thousandths, but that front part of the lane wasn't checked according to ABC standards.
Trunk made the center's heads dead flat, put in his "tiny half-pipe" past 12 feet, but just normal support under the flatgutters and pindecks.
Thompson added that a center can go from poor pin carry to good pin carry by doing one of two things; either removing the severe depression in the front part of the lane, so balls retain energy, or moving the shot off the upside slope of the depression to the downside slope of the depression, if those are present on the lanes.
For the years Heddon lanes were used — 1997 in Huntsville (the year I won the all-events Eagle), 1999 in Syracuse and 2000 in Albuquerque — Trunk's friend Archie Marlow was the installer and he followed the dish shape Trunk suggested, which led to scores similar to the AMF years, he said.
The AMF years of 2002 in Billings and 2003 in Knoxville were Trunk's last as installer, and the scores were moderately high, but not the levels of prior Heddon and AMF years because ABC made the lane patterns tougher, Trunk said.
"Because AMF was getting so much better scoring and ABC was very concerned about the politics of the situation, they clamped down on the oil pattern for those tournaments," Trunk said, adding that it still wasn't known that lane shape was the real reason for the scoring differential. "They believed the hype in Bowlers Journal. And I didn't say that wasn't true. I just said I think we need to have a tighter spec and they agreed.
What had been guesses about topography by Trunk and Davis had clearly been confirmed by the real-world experience of the ABC Tournament.
And Kegel had begun studying topography's influences at its Florida facility that features lanes that can be tilted with a mechanical system.
The best evidence is stunning videos here of Pete Weber, here of Norm Duke and here of Rhino Page throwing shots before and after the Kegel lanes were tilted without them knowing the lanes had been tilted.
The PBA Tour stars made virtually identical shots (measured by CATS with data embedded in the videos) on lanes oiled the same, but with maximum legal topography differences in opposite directions. They got lined up on one lane and struck and then rolled essentially the same shot on the other and got huge differences in ball reaction. For the right-handed Weber and Duke the ball appeared to be struggling up a hill on their second shots, with Weber taking three off the right and Duke hitting the 3-6, while the left-handed Page's ball had the opposite reaction and crossed over.
In the months he's not working for ABC/USBC, Trunk still installs lanes and pinspotters for what is now Qubica AMF and the centers have "absolutely phenomenal" scores with a slight (legal) dish for topography and house shot lane patterns. Years of seeing that was further evidence to back what happened at the national tournament.
"I would double-check behind them — everything they put in I was on my hands and knees double-checking because USBC wanted it to be as fair as possible and wanted the lanes to match up," he said.
The emphasis has been on consistency lane to lane, not on whether they are dishes or crowns, Trunk said.
USBC has posted the topography charts at the Open Championships page at BOWL.com the past two tournaments, with South Point Plaza featuring mostly slight dishes and the Oncenter in Syracuse mostly slight crowns.
Trunk emphasized that comparing scores of the current era to scores of the 1980s or 1990s or even 2000s isn't really logical, since bowling ball and lane machine and lane oil technology has changed dramatically, and the tournament format itself has changed, with all squads now on fresh oil, a huge step forward for equity and one of the best things USBC has ever done.
Having lanes that meet a higher standard of topography also is one reason power players don't dominate the Open Championships the way they do in a lot of bowling: high ball speed and heavier bowling balls lessen the impact of topography, and getting deep inside on the typical lane with heads depressed in the middle means getting extra push in the heads whereas a straighter player setting it down in the depressed head area gets instant hook and loss of rotation even with 100 units of oil in the heads, Trunk said.
While wood lanes had to be resurfaced every year and then every two years, synthetic lanes get millions of balls dropped on their heads over years of use, leading to depressed heads for all but those that were installed with crowns in the heads.
Which brings us to the potential new USBC lane specification standards I detailed in this story after the 2017 USBC Convention. The new tightened standards, which include measuring in five spots instead of three, are scheduled to go into effect for the 2019-20 season, although they may be modified — there has been significant resistance from proprietors because of the potential costs.
That is important because just requiring out-of-spec lanes to be fixed only at the measured spots does nothing to ensure the entire lane is within specifications, and provides no incentive for installers of new lanes to make sure the entire lane is within specs — just the spots that would be checked, Trunk and Thompson said.
Trunk emphasized that while oil patterns can be changed, "gravity is forever," meaning leveling lanes is vital for competitive equity, and knowing topography is vital for competitors.
"The most important thing that I would do if I was a good bowler is see the map of the topography," he said. "I know that shape isn't changing while I'm bowling, so as I make moves I just want to know where it is that I want to stay away from. That's what our seven color slope graphs were meant to be like: to identify where the sand traps and the lakes are so that you can play accordingly.
A few days prior to USBC announcing the potential new lane specification standards at last year's USBC Convention, I wrote this story suggesting that a 2-tier system of center certification would be the best solution.
The top tier would be "Sport" centers, which would have to meet stringent levels for topography and would be the only centers eligible to hold USBC and State association championships. Adding local association championships would be problematic since many areas might not have a local Sport center, although areas with Sport centers might be required to give those centers preference.
Sport centers would have a natural advantage among high level bowlers who understand topography and theoretically would gain prestige and business from that.
The second tier would be "Standard" or "Recreation" centers that would be certified as meeting all of the traditional parameters such as length and width of lanes, current topography rules, lane pattern rules, pin rules, etc.
Trunk said he privately suggested a tiered approach of gold, silver and bronze certification to ABC about 15 years ago.
If USBC tries to force all centers to meet on standard, there likely will be centers with few leagues and no serious tournaments that simply won't certify, and it's better that they certify at the lowest tier than not at all, Trunk and Thompson said.
So does topography mean that synthetic lanes replacing wood lanes that can be sanded flat has been bad for bowling?
Because of the strength of modern bowling balls, older synthetic lanes also see "tracking" the way wood lanes did. That was a huge issue with the first set of lanes at the Stadium and the main reason lefties became so dominant there for a time. The Stadium now is on its third set of lanes.
Synthetics have become much more durable but it's still an issue, "and you have to figure out how to balance it out with the oil pattern," Thompson said.
That comes into play at the Stadium and Plaza as it gets into multiple years of the Open Championships (and Women's to a lesser degree) on the same sets of lanes: The Open Championships daily pace is about triple a normal center, and it's mostly players using high-tech equipment, whereas a normal center has a lot of low-tech balls being thrown.
Needless to say, that makes it even harder for a lane man to craft something equitable between lefties and righties.
Perfect flatness is not attainable, but the sport can get much closer and thereby be much more equitable, Trunk and Thompson said.
Update: I appeared on Phantom Radio to talk about this story on Aug. 1, 2018. Listen to the show here.


When Kayla stepped out of the car my first thought was wow her dress rocks!! I had a hot pink dress back in the day and so her dress reminded me about all the fun times I had in high school. Kayla and her prom date Davonte' were awesome together and had me cracking up the whole time. I wanted to get their personalities to shine through the camera so we let loose and the below photo was the result! The whole afternoon was such a blast, then they were off to dinner in Charlotte with friends and then off to dance the night away back at Rock Hill High!


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New Lexus J201 Concept is basically the LX 570 on off-roading steroids
The Lexus J201 Concept will be put to the test in the Rebelle Rally this year.
Photo courtesy of Lexus
It's lifted. It's blacked out. And it's ready to hit the trail (and beyond). Meet the Lexus J201 Concept, a LX 570-based concept car that's the result of a partnership between Expedition Overland and Lexus. It's basically the LX 570 on off-roading steroids.
The concept model takes its roots in the off-roading community, a community that is known more for their acquisition of the LX's little brother, the GX, than the LX itself.
The concept didn't happen upon its name by some random luck of the draw. It takes its moniker from the code for the Lexus LX platform: URJ201. That's the same platform the Toyota Land Cruiser uses, however, the LX is rarely thought of as being as capable as the Land Cruiser.
Lexus J201 Concept
With the design of the J201, Lexus and Expedition Overland strived to make a model that is both tasteful and capable. The concept had to be "always on" and ready to take on terrain in a better way than the standard LX. It also needed to be human-focused.
At the front is a CBI off-road bumper, Warn Zeon 10-S winch, and a 30-inch Rigid Industries RDS SR-Series Pro light bar. The rig rides on 17-inch x 8-inch EVO Corse DakarZero wheels wrapped in General Grabber X3 tires. It has drilled front and rear rotors, Super Sport performance brake pads, and color-matched calipers from StopTech.
The drivetrain has been improved by the addition of a Magnuson supercharger that helps the SUV deliver 550 horsepower and 550 pound-feet of torque. It has front and rear performance differentials and ARB air lockers. A TJM Airtec Snorkel helps with air flow. There's also an ARB high performance twin on-board compressor that is mounted using a Slee Off-Road system.
CBI Offroad rock sliders and skid plates protect the underside of the J201, which includes an Icon Vehicle Dynamics upgraded suspension. With the new suspension, the LX 570 has received a 2-inch front lift and a 1-inch rear lift in Normal Mode. With four settings, the suspension can provide up to 4.8 inches of lift at the front and 4.1 inches in the rear.
On top os a Prinsu Design roof rack system and a 40-inch Rigid Industries SR Series Spot Midnight light bar.
The rear of the car features a CBI Offroad rear bumper system with a rear ladder, dual swing-outs, spare tire, and Baja Designs S2 Sport lighting. Sceptor 5-gallon water can complete the exterior enhancements.
On the roof console there's a new ARB Line accessory interface to digitally control lighting, air lockers, and the compressor, as well as monitor the status of the battery and angle of the model.
Goose Gear drawer models are in the cargo area an house the car's Warn Epic Recovery Kit. Zero Halliburton has provided Pursuit Aluminum travel cases.
The J201 Concept will be put to the test by defending Rebelle Rally champions, Rachelle Croft and Taylor Pawley of The X Elles as part of the 2020 Rebelle Rally.
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The average new car price is $40,000, here's the best ones you can get for that money
Kia is offering the Sorento SUV in a hybrid form for the 2021 model year.
Photo courtesy of Kia Motors
New car prices keep going up so it was only a matter of time before the average new car price hit the $40,000 threshold. New quarterly analysis by Edmunds showed that the average amount borrowed for a new car in the fourth quarter of 2020 was $35,373. Buyers put an average of $4,734 down on top of that, which makes the average new car price $40,107.
Paying around $40,000 is a sweet spot in the market. It gets buyers into lower cost luxury and premium models as well as most of the mass market offerings. AutomotiveMap has put together a list of the best vehicles you can get for around the $40,000 mark.
Photo courtesy of Acura
The Acura TLX debuted as a completely redesigned car for the 2021 model year bringing with it a new sportiness and fresh styling outside and in. The TLX is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. Its cabin is quite nice - decked out in leatherette upholstery with 12-way power-adjustable and heated front seats. Dual-zone automatic climate control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, Bluetooth, a 10-speaker audio system, satellite radio, two USB ports, a 10.2-inch infotainment touch screen, seven-inch driver information display, Wi-Fi hotspot, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto make up just some of the items on the standard features list.
Editor's Note: Acura doesn't sell the TLX in a variety of trim levels. Instead, buyers choose the TLX then can add on packages to get what they want. The model described here has no package add-ons. Pictured: 2021 Acura TLX Advance
Photo courtesy of FCA US LLC
Configure the 2021 Ram 1500 Big Horn with two-wheel drive, a crew cab, and 5'7" box to get one of the best trucks at the price point. It comes standard with Ram's tried and true 3.6-liter V6 engine, which provides a good amount of power. Cloth seating for six passengers and a five-inch infotainment screen is standard as well.
2021 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands
Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Company
The Ford Bronco Sport Badlands trim is the most off-road capable version of the SUV, and it's no slouch. The model is powered by a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine, off-road suspension, advanced four-wheel drive with a twin-clutch rear-drive unit, a Terrain Management System with G.O.A.T. modes, metal bash plates, Trail Control, a 180-degree front camera with washer, front tow hooks, and rubberized flooring. The SUV rides on 17-inch Carbonized Gray-painted aluminum wheels wrapped in 28.5-inch all-terrain tires.
2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid EX
The new-for-2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid comes in just two trim levels: S and EX. The upgraded EX model gets an EPA-estimated 37 mpg and has 227 total system horsepower. The features list for the Sorento Hybrid EX is long and includes a power liftgate, fog lights, a panoramic sunroof, and wireless phone charger. It also comes with a host of safety and driver assist technologies like adaptive cruise control and forward collision avoidance assist.
2021 Genesis G70 2.0T
Photo courtesy of Genesis Motors
The Genesis G70 is a sports sedan you probably haven't seen that much on roads near you, but you should. They should be everywhere. For under $40,000, buyers can get their hands on a rear-wheel drive G70 2.0T with a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine that produces 252 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. It has the buyer's choice of gray or black leatherette upholstery.
2021 Honda Ridgeline RTL
Photo courtesy of American Honda Motor Co., Inc
The Ridgeline might not be a typical truck in the looks category, but for the 2021 model year the Honda has gotten some aesthetic beef thanks to a design refresh. The truck continues to have a trunk in its bed and now comes standard with the Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver assist technologies. Power comes from the truck's 280-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 that is paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission.The Ridgeline is most noted for its refined and comfortable interior that's more SUV-like than truck-like. For 2021, that has only improved. The RTL grade (Ridgeline Sport is shown above) is a step up from the base model.
2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Touring
The Chrysler Pacifica is presently the best minivan you can buy. Its Hybrid version (shown above in the Pinnacle grade) adds plug-in electric capability to the equation offering over 30 miles of gasoline-free driving per charge and running like a typical hybrid when the battery has been depleted or the van needs some extra oomph. With the Pacifica Hybrid Touring buyers get their choice of a number of included paint colors, 17-inch machined aluminum wheels with gray pockets wrapped in all-season tires, premium cloth bucket seats in black or cognac, and a 10.1-inch infotainment touch screen.
Acura sells gobs of RDXs and it's really no mystery as to why. The SUV is fun to drive, has abundant cargo space, and is easy on the eyes. Add in the comfortable seats that offer plenty of space, and the RDX turns into one of the best family haulers out there, empty nest or not. The 2021 RDX rides on standard 19-inch glitter silver wheels, gets its power from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 272 horsepower, and has a host of infotainment features like a nine-speaker audio system, two USB ports, HD Radio, a 10.2-inch infotainment system touch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and satellite radio. Buyers ca opt for all-wheel drive, which puts the vehicle just a tick over the $40,000 mark.
Editor's Note: Acura doesn't sell the RDX in a variety of trim levels. Instead, buyers choose the RDX then can add on packages to get what they want. The model described here has no package add-ons. Shown: 2019 Acura RDX Advance
2021 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited
Photo courtesy of Hyundai Motor America
Not only does the fanciest and most tech-forward Hyundai Sonata Hybrid you can buy get 47 mpg, it also has a solar roof. It also doesn't lack oomph, with 192 horsepower from its propulsion system at the ready. The car has a 12.3-inch fully-digital gauge cluster and a 10.25-inch infotainment touch screen. It also sports plenty of head- and legroom, cargo space, and forward visibility. Pricing for the sedan includes checking nearly every option box, which is standard for the Limited model.
2021 Kia Telluride EX
Kia is selling the Telluride like gangbusters and it's not hard to see why. The three-row SUV comes standard with a 3.8-liter V6 that supplies plenty of power. Its roster of standard features on the EX trim level includes a power liftgate, 18-inch alloy wheels, Driver Talk, Quiet Mode, a 10.25-inch infotainment touch screen, wireless smartphone charging, six USB ports, leather-trimmed seats, and more. Add all-wheel drive for just $2,000 more.
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Panasonic, Klipsch, and Dolby partner for in-vehicle immersive audio experience
Panasonic, Klipsch, and Dolby have teamed up to create a new audio system, Klipsch Premium Audio.
Photo courtesy of Panasonic
Panasonic Automotive Systems of America, Klipsch, and Dolby Atmos Music have teamed up to create a new proof-of-concept that features immersive sound technology named Klipsch Premium Audio.
Each of the parties brings unique assets to the table. Panasonic Automotive has the know-how for vehicle product design while Klipsch specializes in technonlogy-driven sound performance. Dolby has long been a stable of at-home audio systems.
"I have personally participated in bringing to market a range of products which feature Dolby Atmos capability. The sonic realism and envelopment of the listener into the on-screen action for films opens up new dimensions of entertainment," said Mark Casavant, vice president of Brand & Business Development, Klipsch Group, "Working with the audio experts at Panasonic Automotive we have achieved a similar experience for the in-vehicle listener with Dolby Atmos music. The music is more immersive, with additional space clarity, and depth."
Klipsch uses four sound principles to achieve its award-winning sound:
High efficiency/low distortion - Klipsch technology is highly efficient, providing more accurate sound with less power and less distortion – resulting in louder, cleaner audio. Klipsch's Law: Efficiency is inversely proportional to distortion.
Wide dynamic range - The softest sounds are reproduced with remarkable clarity and the loudest is delivered without harshness or distortion – with the greatest possible range between the softest and loudest sounds.
Controlled directivity - Klipsch technology accurately directs sound to the proper locations, which, in turn, creates a more lifelike soundstage without wasting acoustic energy where sound is not needed or desired.
Flat frequency response - Audio delivery is without frequency bias – no unnatural highs, miss or lows – reproducing recorded sound as accurately as possible without colorization.
Dolby Atmos sound is designed to go beyond the traditional limits of mono and stereo, placing the listener in an immersive soundscape.
"Panasonic Automotive has built a reputation pushing the boundaries of in-vehicle entertainment," said Tom Dunn, director of Panasonic Global Premium Audio, "Our award-winning automotive audio systems are recognized for creating unforgettable listening experiences based on engineering, artistry and emotion. Market leading innovations are what drive the technical teams at Panasonic and Klipsch, and delivering our first in-vehicle demonstration of Dolby Atmos music reflects our aligned goals and commitment to achieving a higher standard of music enjoyment."
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Lil Uzi Vert "DIP" (Remix) (OFFICIAL AUDIO)
Netflix Orders Documentary Based On Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump | Cassius | born unapologetic
Source: KEREM YUCEL / Getty
Kenya Barris and Roger Ross Williams are joining forces to produce a new Netflix doc about the life and times of civil rights attorney, Ben Crump.
According to Variety, the upcoming feature film doesn't have a title yet but it's definitely in the works, with Nadia Hallgren serving as director.
"The doc will examine a number of Crump's past and current cases, his impact on American civil rights and racial justice, and the toll such work takes on him and his family," Variety reports, adding "The founder and principal owner of Ben Crump Law, he first gained recognition while representing the family of Trayvon Martin and is currently working with the families of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd. His other clients include the families of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Nakia Jones, Danny Ray Thomas, Stephon Clark, as well as the residents of Flint, Michigan."
Hallgren and Lauren Cioffi are also on board to produce, with Geoff Martz listed as Executive Producer, according to the site. Stay tuned for more details.
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Nicki Minaj – Move Ya Hips (Verso) // Español
CARDI B & MEG'S FAILED VIDEO, TRISTAN THOMPSON DNA, LAMAR ODOM, TYRESE, LISA VANDERPUMP & MORE!


This is a simple listening activity with the famous song "Stitches" by Shawn Mendes. It is created for 12 to 16 years old students to work on synonyms, and have fun with music. The students have to fill the gaps with one of the three words offered. Once they have completed the lyrics, they can sing along.