Background check Chinese company via 'China Checkup'
Nowadays a new online service allows businesses to verify Chinese companies quickly and affordably. Creditreform(China) is one of the leading providers of credit and risk management support services and commercial information in China. It makes official registration checks on Chinese companies accessible to businesses around the world.
For many countries China is a very important import and export destination. Make china background check is an important step in making informed decisions and doing business safely in China. It can also help you to avoid becoming a part of China's booming fraud industry.
Matt Slater started his China business consulting company 2 years ago, and he is doing things differently to the rest. 'cnbizsearch' lets customers order Chinese company verifications online. The whole process takes place via a secure online payments system. The new service has already received a very positive feedback from the market.
"There needs to be an affordable and streamlined way to obtain this information, which more and more companies require. This is what we hope to provide through cnbizsearch."
Tips – How to avoid problems
Mr Slater also gave some recommendations for avoiding problems when doing business with Chinese companies:
1. Have a contract, and translate it into Chinese. The value of a clear contract isn't just to have something to fall back on if disputes arise. It also ensures that both parties are on the same page.
2. Make it very clear that you're serious about the relationship. Demonstrating commitment to the deal and its results from the start will serve to put off potential low-quality companies, and give high-quality companies the confidence to move forwards with you and your company. Make it clear from the beginning that you will be carrying out background checks, audits and quality inspections.
3. Take responsibility for quality. Don't make the mistake of assuming that the other party will 'fill in the gaps' or handle any oversights not fully specified. Assume that it's your responsibility to clearly and completely communicate your expectations.
4. Documents can be faked. Take the view that documentation you are shown is meaningless until you can independently verify it through background checks and confirmations with the issuing authority.
5. Also remember that you get what you pay for. Some people doing business with Chinese companies think that the usual relationship between cost and quality doesn't apply in China. This leads to deals going bad. China may be cheaper in general, but there is certainly a limit to this. Recognise that the other party also needs to make a fair profit; if you drive prices down too far, quality will inevitably be affected.
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Choose some great smartphone accessories for your summer
Summer's just around the corner and no matter where you're headed, I bet your smartphone will be going with you. After all, it's the easiest way for you to reach out to your friends, keep in touch with your social media feeds and even take a few pictures along the way. But maybe this is the summer that your smartphone does a little bit more for you with the help of a few new accessories. Best Buy has a huge selection of neat and smart phone accessories you can take with you wherever your summer plans take you. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
A waterproof case
For most of us, summer involves the water. Whether it's out on a boat or at the beach, there are few things more relaxing than a summer swim, or the sound of the waves washing ashore. Keep your phone safe from taking a bath with a new waterproof case or underwater case. You'll have the peace of mind that your phone will be safe from some of those beachfront hazards and you can even take the opportunity to try and capture some pics underwater!
My immediate go-to for my iPhone 6 would be the Lifeproof nuud case. Members of my family have been using it for the last couple iPhone generations and they've never had a bad thing to say about it. In fact, we even went and put my cousin's to the test one night after Thanksgiving dinner and it passed with flying colours.
It goes without saying, but any waterproof case you purchase should be tested for deficiencies before you start using it on your phone full time. The nuud, for example, comes with a testing instructions and encourages you to immerse it beforehand.
A new Bluetooth Speaker
If your phone is your music hub, why not pick up a new speaker for those nights outdoors on the deck or at the park? With no wire hookups and a rechargeable battery, Bluetooth speakers are an easy and portable way to get the party, picnic or barbeque started.
If you're looking for a smaller pocket-sized speaker, the Logiix Blue Piston Speaker offers good sound quality and a long battery life (8 hours) for a device that's less than 3x3x3. It's a great option for those smaller family outings.
If you're looking for something much bigger, the Beats by Dr. Dre experience is available in a handy pill-shaped speaker. The speaker is much larger at 9x6x3 and weighs just under 3 pounds, but it's a much better option if you want to blast music into the backyard during an evening under the stars or with friends on the patio.
Something to keep your phone alive longer
I find that my phone's battery drains faster in the summer months. There's nothing scientific about it; I'm just using my phone more! My smartphone's constantly in my hand, whether it's taking pictures of my daughter on the swings or at the waterpark or flipping through and playing music while I'm out for a walk with her. I'll often find my phone at less than half battery by the middle of the day.
There are a few things you can pick up to keep your phone alive longer if you'll be doing things like camping and wanting to keep your phone alive and handy for emergency purposes. One of the easiest things to do is get a battery case, like Mophie's Juice Packs. In addition to being a great and sturdy case, it repositions the output of your music to be front-facing. More importantly, it's your backup to double the life of your iPhone's battery and once home, you can simultaneously charge both with one cable.
I admit, I'm not quite that sophisticated yet. I usually keep a power bank close in case my battery starts to run low. It's a great device to have when I'm driving around or at work and want to charge my phone in the process.
A Phone Camera Lens
To call my photography skills novice would be an insult to all photography novices. Still, I do what I can but sometimes miss out on opportunities to take great shots simply because my phone doesn't zoom in far enough. While my wife has a great camera, it's never on our minds to actually take it with us when we go out for the day. If you're the kind that likes to pack light for the day but you don't want to miss out on an opportunity to capture that summer sunset or nature shot in the distance, consider picking up a lens to enhance the range of your camera.
I've become a big fan of olloclip's offerings. They're lightweight, simple to use and slip on and off with relative ease. They're great for adding that extra range and focus to your long distance shots.
If you're taking binoculars with you anywhere this summer, you may want to consider Carson's binocular Hookupz. Your phone simply slides into the sleeve and then connects to your binoculars. You might look a bit odd when you're standing and taking the shot but the budding professional photographer in you won't regret it later on when you're looking back.
A new toy
Phone accessories don't always have to be directly for your phone. Having had the opportunity to test a few drones out, I can tell you that they're an absolute blast and are something I think you'll have fun with too.
Ted recently reviewed the DJI Phantom 3 and it passed with flying colours. While I got to test the DJI Phantom 2 and liked it, if this type of drone is in your budget, you may as well go with the latest and greatest technology.
On the ground (and much cheaper,) think about what you want and your budget as well. I really enjoyed the Sphero Ollie which was easy to control (once you got used to it) and zipped along. However, I was a bit more partial to something like Parrot's Jumping Sumo. While I found the device to be a little bit loud, it has a bit more pizzazz with its ability to do tricks and the on-board camera was great for capturing the Sumo's travels. It's a bit more of an advanced drone though and is a bit tougher to control than the others. If you're a fan of the Parrot brand but are just starting out, stick with the rolling spider. It's a far more linear driving experience, and a better model for beginners.
Wherever you go and whatever you do this summer, be sure to soak up the sunlight and make the most of your down time with a few new fun accessories for your phone.
A waterproof case
For most of us, summer involves the water. Whether it's out on a boat or at the beach, there are few things more relaxing than a summer swim, or the sound of the waves washing ashore. Keep your phone safe from taking a bath with a new waterproof case or underwater case. You'll have the peace of mind that your phone will be safe from some of those beachfront hazards and you can even take the opportunity to try and capture some pics underwater!
My immediate go-to for my iPhone 6 would be the Lifeproof nuud case. Members of my family have been using it for the last couple iPhone generations and they've never had a bad thing to say about it. In fact, we even went and put my cousin's to the test one night after Thanksgiving dinner and it passed with flying colours.
It goes without saying, but any waterproof case you purchase should be tested for deficiencies before you start using it on your phone full time. The nuud, for example, comes with a testing instructions and encourages you to immerse it beforehand.
A new Bluetooth Speaker
If your phone is your music hub, why not pick up a new speaker for those nights outdoors on the deck or at the park? With no wire hookups and a rechargeable battery, Bluetooth speakers are an easy and portable way to get the party, picnic or barbeque started.
If you're looking for a smaller pocket-sized speaker, the Logiix Blue Piston Speaker offers good sound quality and a long battery life (8 hours) for a device that's less than 3x3x3. It's a great option for those smaller family outings.
If you're looking for something much bigger, the Beats by Dr. Dre experience is available in a handy pill-shaped speaker. The speaker is much larger at 9x6x3 and weighs just under 3 pounds, but it's a much better option if you want to blast music into the backyard during an evening under the stars or with friends on the patio.
Something to keep your phone alive longer
I find that my phone's battery drains faster in the summer months. There's nothing scientific about it; I'm just using my phone more! My smartphone's constantly in my hand, whether it's taking pictures of my daughter on the swings or at the waterpark or flipping through and playing music while I'm out for a walk with her. I'll often find my phone at less than half battery by the middle of the day.
There are a few things you can pick up to keep your phone alive longer if you'll be doing things like camping and wanting to keep your phone alive and handy for emergency purposes. One of the easiest things to do is get a battery case, like Mophie's Juice Packs. In addition to being a great and sturdy case, it repositions the output of your music to be front-facing. More importantly, it's your backup to double the life of your iPhone's battery and once home, you can simultaneously charge both with one cable.
I admit, I'm not quite that sophisticated yet. I usually keep a power bank close in case my battery starts to run low. It's a great device to have when I'm driving around or at work and want to charge my phone in the process.
A Phone Camera Lens
To call my photography skills novice would be an insult to all photography novices. Still, I do what I can but sometimes miss out on opportunities to take great shots simply because my phone doesn't zoom in far enough. While my wife has a great camera, it's never on our minds to actually take it with us when we go out for the day. If you're the kind that likes to pack light for the day but you don't want to miss out on an opportunity to capture that summer sunset or nature shot in the distance, consider picking up a lens to enhance the range of your camera.
I've become a big fan of olloclip's offerings. They're lightweight, simple to use and slip on and off with relative ease. They're great for adding that extra range and focus to your long distance shots.
If you're taking binoculars with you anywhere this summer, you may want to consider Carson's binocular Hookupz. Your phone simply slides into the sleeve and then connects to your binoculars. You might look a bit odd when you're standing and taking the shot but the budding professional photographer in you won't regret it later on when you're looking back.
A new toy
Phone accessories don't always have to be directly for your phone. Having had the opportunity to test a few drones out, I can tell you that they're an absolute blast and are something I think you'll have fun with too.
Ted recently reviewed the DJI Phantom 3 and it passed with flying colours. While I got to test the DJI Phantom 2 and liked it, if this type of drone is in your budget, you may as well go with the latest and greatest technology.
On the ground (and much cheaper,) think about what you want and your budget as well. I really enjoyed the Sphero Ollie which was easy to control (once you got used to it) and zipped along. However, I was a bit more partial to something like Parrot's Jumping Sumo. While I found the device to be a little bit loud, it has a bit more pizzazz with its ability to do tricks and the on-board camera was great for capturing the Sumo's travels. It's a bit more of an advanced drone though and is a bit tougher to control than the others. If you're a fan of the Parrot brand but are just starting out, stick with the rolling spider. It's a far more linear driving experience, and a better model for beginners.
Wherever you go and whatever you do this summer, be sure to soak up the sunlight and make the most of your down time with a few new fun accessories for your phone.
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Tips to Choose a Good Taobao Agent
We will review how to choose a good reliable Taobao agent, what is the best Taobao agent shopping and buying service, international shipping, commission, and many other points right now in this blog post.
Whether you have already bought from Taobao with a Taobao agent or you are preparing to place your first order and wondering if you can trust this Taobao agent, here we go with some ideas:
First, make a list of available Taobao agents you have already found through Google (or your preferred search engine) and forums about shopping or buying from China. Then, check for agent’s information, terms and conditions about payment and delivery, in the way to get a clearer picture of what it would cost you to buy from Taobao.com (and if it is worth it at all). Remember: not all items are that cheap on Taobao and not every Taobao agent provides that low commission fees for their service. So after this different comparison, make an estimation of your purchase. If the agent offers you the possibility to look for Taobao items on your behalf, give it a try, probably they can suggest you the products with a good value for money. For example, a good Taobao agent may consider the quality of the product, the price and the seller reputation. When the agent estimates that this would create a good value for you, then you should be immediately informed about the chosen item.
Second, if you are not sure about which Taobao agent to choose, try to contact each with the same request of information and wait for replies. In this way, you can estimate how reactive the agent is, as well as the quality of reply (if it answers to your question in satisfied way): understandable English, clear answer to your question… Consider also, if your own language is available for this service, normally that would make communication easy and fast.
Third, one of the most important points while buying from Taobao is international shipping fees. You might be wondering what is so special about international shipping fees. But if you buy from Taobao several items and you want a fast delivery to Europe, Northern America, Australia or even Singapore, the price is based on the weight of each 500g. So before buying the items, you should estimate the total weight of parcel and the corresponding fees. Taobao agent should give you an estimation, because it is always possible to ask the item weight from the seller. Also before international shipping, a good Taobao agent should suggest you the best way to deliver your items: it includes the choice of shipping / delivery company, optimizing the parcel weight and customs advise. You should remember that no any Taobao agent is responsible for customs clearance (if required) of the products you buy from Taobao. It should be possible to declare the shipping as non-commercial. Another fact is that most Taobao agents offer very attractive international shipping fees, sometimes going up to 70% discount. Yes, sometimes it happens, but be prepared to wait for quite a long time to get your parcel. Optimal range for a discount is 30-60%, depending on the items you want to buy.
The above are three most important elements to go through before start buying from Taobao.com. Now let’s check for more individual points about Taobao agents.
It is rather personal appreciation: check the quality of information which is present in the offer on agent’s website. This is not a rule, but often a quality information attracts more people and the conversion rate is considerably higher than for websites with poor information.
Taobao agent should be able to write and read a correct English. This is the minimum. If you have difficulties with English and Taobao agent is not clear in writing in English, then there is a great chance of misunderstanding. Probably, if English is not easy for you, try to find the agent speaking your own language first.
We will think about other points to add in the future, but it seems that it is already quite complete information to start your Taobao shopping. If you have any questions or suggestions about Taobao agents, buying from Taobao.com or other information, feel free to contact us or leave a comment.
Whether you have already bought from Taobao with a Taobao agent or you are preparing to place your first order and wondering if you can trust this Taobao agent, here we go with some ideas:
First, make a list of available Taobao agents you have already found through Google (or your preferred search engine) and forums about shopping or buying from China. Then, check for agent’s information, terms and conditions about payment and delivery, in the way to get a clearer picture of what it would cost you to buy from Taobao.com (and if it is worth it at all). Remember: not all items are that cheap on Taobao and not every Taobao agent provides that low commission fees for their service. So after this different comparison, make an estimation of your purchase. If the agent offers you the possibility to look for Taobao items on your behalf, give it a try, probably they can suggest you the products with a good value for money. For example, a good Taobao agent may consider the quality of the product, the price and the seller reputation. When the agent estimates that this would create a good value for you, then you should be immediately informed about the chosen item.
Second, if you are not sure about which Taobao agent to choose, try to contact each with the same request of information and wait for replies. In this way, you can estimate how reactive the agent is, as well as the quality of reply (if it answers to your question in satisfied way): understandable English, clear answer to your question… Consider also, if your own language is available for this service, normally that would make communication easy and fast.
Third, one of the most important points while buying from Taobao is international shipping fees. You might be wondering what is so special about international shipping fees. But if you buy from Taobao several items and you want a fast delivery to Europe, Northern America, Australia or even Singapore, the price is based on the weight of each 500g. So before buying the items, you should estimate the total weight of parcel and the corresponding fees. Taobao agent should give you an estimation, because it is always possible to ask the item weight from the seller. Also before international shipping, a good Taobao agent should suggest you the best way to deliver your items: it includes the choice of shipping / delivery company, optimizing the parcel weight and customs advise. You should remember that no any Taobao agent is responsible for customs clearance (if required) of the products you buy from Taobao. It should be possible to declare the shipping as non-commercial. Another fact is that most Taobao agents offer very attractive international shipping fees, sometimes going up to 70% discount. Yes, sometimes it happens, but be prepared to wait for quite a long time to get your parcel. Optimal range for a discount is 30-60%, depending on the items you want to buy.
The above are three most important elements to go through before start buying from Taobao.com. Now let’s check for more individual points about Taobao agents.
It is rather personal appreciation: check the quality of information which is present in the offer on agent’s website. This is not a rule, but often a quality information attracts more people and the conversion rate is considerably higher than for websites with poor information.
Taobao agent should be able to write and read a correct English. This is the minimum. If you have difficulties with English and Taobao agent is not clear in writing in English, then there is a great chance of misunderstanding. Probably, if English is not easy for you, try to find the agent speaking your own language first.
We will think about other points to add in the future, but it seems that it is already quite complete information to start your Taobao shopping. If you have any questions or suggestions about Taobao agents, buying from Taobao.com or other information, feel free to contact us or leave a comment.
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Managing your business' risk
Running a small business in South Africa can be a difficult thing with so many different types of risk out there.
While some of these potential hazards can complicate things, Santam understands that the more a business owner knows the better for his or her business.
At Santam we understand that the world of risks can be confusing. That is why we've identified some of forms of risk facing South African small businesses specifically as well as some practical tips to help you manage those risks.
How to manage your business' physical risk
Buildings (or your business premises) often constitute the most common type of physical risk. According to Santam's claims records over the past three years, claims as a result of wind, fire water, hail and snow damage are the most common types of claims for businesses.
As a business owner, you can manage physical risk properly by ensuring that the gutters on your premises has been cleaned (especially in winter) and that hazardous materials (such as acid, gas, flammable or poisonous materials) are stored far away from areas where it could cause damage. You can also make sure that your employees receive adequate training to handle these materials properly.
How to manage risks related to your business' location
It's always a good idea to know exactly what risks your business faces as a result of its location. You can make china company verification online if you need.
If, for example, your business is located in an area where a number of buildings have been erected in a flood-plain, you must consider the risk associated with it and ensure you get the appropriate insurance cover for your business.
Enforcing the safety of your business premises by ensuring you have proper railings, slip-proof floors, an alarm and other anti-crime measures, can help reduce your business insurance premium, regardless of where you are located.
Some technological risks to consider
According to Santam's audit and forensics team, technological risks are becoming the common cold of today's business world. Technological risks can include anything from losing your customer data to data fraud and theft of information.
As a business owner, you have a responsibility to protect your business' technology infrastructure as well your clients' contact details and personal information. You can ensure that you have a back-up of all your computerised information by making sure your employees have been trained to back up your business' data on a separate device such as a CD, DVD or hard drive.
If, for example you lost internet access for the day, would your business grind to a halt? Make sure you have an information technology specialist on standby to assist you in the event of temporary setbacks like these.
While risk is always going to be a factor in your life as a business owner, being aware of the risks facing your business can go a long way in helping you to protect your livelihood. We hope that these practical tips will help you as a business owner reduce your exposure and minimize the impact of unforeseen events.
While some of these potential hazards can complicate things, Santam understands that the more a business owner knows the better for his or her business.
At Santam we understand that the world of risks can be confusing. That is why we've identified some of forms of risk facing South African small businesses specifically as well as some practical tips to help you manage those risks.
How to manage your business' physical risk
Buildings (or your business premises) often constitute the most common type of physical risk. According to Santam's claims records over the past three years, claims as a result of wind, fire water, hail and snow damage are the most common types of claims for businesses.
As a business owner, you can manage physical risk properly by ensuring that the gutters on your premises has been cleaned (especially in winter) and that hazardous materials (such as acid, gas, flammable or poisonous materials) are stored far away from areas where it could cause damage. You can also make sure that your employees receive adequate training to handle these materials properly.
How to manage risks related to your business' location
It's always a good idea to know exactly what risks your business faces as a result of its location. You can make china company verification online if you need.
If, for example, your business is located in an area where a number of buildings have been erected in a flood-plain, you must consider the risk associated with it and ensure you get the appropriate insurance cover for your business.
Enforcing the safety of your business premises by ensuring you have proper railings, slip-proof floors, an alarm and other anti-crime measures, can help reduce your business insurance premium, regardless of where you are located.
Some technological risks to consider
According to Santam's audit and forensics team, technological risks are becoming the common cold of today's business world. Technological risks can include anything from losing your customer data to data fraud and theft of information.
As a business owner, you have a responsibility to protect your business' technology infrastructure as well your clients' contact details and personal information. You can ensure that you have a back-up of all your computerised information by making sure your employees have been trained to back up your business' data on a separate device such as a CD, DVD or hard drive.
If, for example you lost internet access for the day, would your business grind to a halt? Make sure you have an information technology specialist on standby to assist you in the event of temporary setbacks like these.
While risk is always going to be a factor in your life as a business owner, being aware of the risks facing your business can go a long way in helping you to protect your livelihood. We hope that these practical tips will help you as a business owner reduce your exposure and minimize the impact of unforeseen events.
Monday, August 24, 2015
Reports in China: Progress or Greenwashing?
"Corporate Social Responsibility" Reports in China: Progress or Greenwashing?
Over the past decade, an increasing number of Chinese companies have begun to produce corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports. Whether that’s led to more sustainable business practices is an open question.
In 2006, State Grid was the only company in China to file a CSR report. In 2012, 1,722 Chinese companies filed CSR reports, according to a study by Syntao, a sustainability consultant. Indeed, almost a quarter of large state-owned enterprises in China filed CSR reports last year.
In theory, the purpose of CSR reports is to share information about a business’s social and environmental impact with the public. Ideally, the publication of such china credit report leads to enhanced awareness, better monitoring practices, and action to curb detrimental occurrences.
Yet while some Chinese companies have received international recognition for enhanced CSR reporting, it’s not clear the trend has translated broadly into more socially and environmentally sound policies. As Chris Marquis, an associate professor at Harvard Business School, and Yang Chen, an associate professor at Shanghai Maritime University, wrote on Dec. 5 in the online magazine Chinadialogue, “some of the same companies that were lauded for their reporting work were not necessarily following through with more responsible actions in the rest of their enterprises.”
Marquis and Yang pointed to several examples, including Baogang Group, a steel company in Inner Mongolia. The company “claims to have invested tens of millions of dollars a year in environmental protection and waste processing, and has also been recognised for its CSR and sustainability activities,” the researchers write. However, earlier this year pollution from Baogang’s facilities near the village of Dalahai was linked to “unusually high rates of cancer, along with high rates of osteoporosis and skin and respiratory diseases, and the radiation levels are ten times higher than in the surrounding countryside.” Obviously, not a sign of its commitment to principle.
At the very least, some Chinese authorities appear to have embraced the concept of corporate responsibility. In November, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences released a blue book, or official report, on the state of CSR in China, which recommended improved reporting guidelines. Currently, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange offers training on data collection and corporate reporting methods. That makes smart business sense, as unsustainable practices may prove a future liability to growth. Even smog-choked China is looking for ways to clean up.
Over the past decade, an increasing number of Chinese companies have begun to produce corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports. Whether that’s led to more sustainable business practices is an open question.
In 2006, State Grid was the only company in China to file a CSR report. In 2012, 1,722 Chinese companies filed CSR reports, according to a study by Syntao, a sustainability consultant. Indeed, almost a quarter of large state-owned enterprises in China filed CSR reports last year.
In theory, the purpose of CSR reports is to share information about a business’s social and environmental impact with the public. Ideally, the publication of such china credit report leads to enhanced awareness, better monitoring practices, and action to curb detrimental occurrences.
Yet while some Chinese companies have received international recognition for enhanced CSR reporting, it’s not clear the trend has translated broadly into more socially and environmentally sound policies. As Chris Marquis, an associate professor at Harvard Business School, and Yang Chen, an associate professor at Shanghai Maritime University, wrote on Dec. 5 in the online magazine Chinadialogue, “some of the same companies that were lauded for their reporting work were not necessarily following through with more responsible actions in the rest of their enterprises.”
Marquis and Yang pointed to several examples, including Baogang Group, a steel company in Inner Mongolia. The company “claims to have invested tens of millions of dollars a year in environmental protection and waste processing, and has also been recognised for its CSR and sustainability activities,” the researchers write. However, earlier this year pollution from Baogang’s facilities near the village of Dalahai was linked to “unusually high rates of cancer, along with high rates of osteoporosis and skin and respiratory diseases, and the radiation levels are ten times higher than in the surrounding countryside.” Obviously, not a sign of its commitment to principle.
At the very least, some Chinese authorities appear to have embraced the concept of corporate responsibility. In November, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences released a blue book, or official report, on the state of CSR in China, which recommended improved reporting guidelines. Currently, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange offers training on data collection and corporate reporting methods. That makes smart business sense, as unsustainable practices may prove a future liability to growth. Even smog-choked China is looking for ways to clean up.
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Verification of a Chinese company
How the verification of a Chinese company should look like? What kind of information can be obtained through this process? Is it really an essential step, or can the whole process be skipped? We will answer these and similar questions below.
Usually, the whole process begins when we’ve finally find a suitable Chinese company. Many depend on when we made the first successful contact: if we simply received an e-mail offer, risk factor is higher than in the case in which we met our supplier during trade shows.
The most important thing that we will find out through verification process, is the type of a company and its scope of activities. Chinese companies, which are dealing in international trade, usually fall into two categories: these are either trade companies or manufacturing companies. Sometimes the former impersonates the latter, but a proper verification process will help to reveal the real identity of the company.
In many cases, the person who claims to represent the Chinese company has no legal title to do so. Therefore it is always necessary to find out, who is the legal representative of the company. As we say:chinese company credit.
Verification is helpful in revealing the physical address of the factory. It is important, if we want to proceed further and send someone to check our shipment. On the other hand, ISO 9001 certificate is awarded to a particular facility, not to the company as a whole. Companies which possess factories cannot be simply shut down overnight – it may happen though to some of the trading companies, especially after receiving our payment.
Through verification process, the authenticity of provided documents and certificates will be also checked. The rule is simple: the Chinese are able to forge everything, but the truth can usually be easily revealed.
If you want to know more about the most popular methods of fraud, documents necessary in the import process and during the custom clearance, please refer to our other guides.
Usually, the whole process begins when we’ve finally find a suitable Chinese company. Many depend on when we made the first successful contact: if we simply received an e-mail offer, risk factor is higher than in the case in which we met our supplier during trade shows.
The most important thing that we will find out through verification process, is the type of a company and its scope of activities. Chinese companies, which are dealing in international trade, usually fall into two categories: these are either trade companies or manufacturing companies. Sometimes the former impersonates the latter, but a proper verification process will help to reveal the real identity of the company.
In many cases, the person who claims to represent the Chinese company has no legal title to do so. Therefore it is always necessary to find out, who is the legal representative of the company. As we say:chinese company credit.
Verification is helpful in revealing the physical address of the factory. It is important, if we want to proceed further and send someone to check our shipment. On the other hand, ISO 9001 certificate is awarded to a particular facility, not to the company as a whole. Companies which possess factories cannot be simply shut down overnight – it may happen though to some of the trading companies, especially after receiving our payment.
Through verification process, the authenticity of provided documents and certificates will be also checked. The rule is simple: the Chinese are able to forge everything, but the truth can usually be easily revealed.
If you want to know more about the most popular methods of fraud, documents necessary in the import process and during the custom clearance, please refer to our other guides.
Monday, September 2, 2013
Replacement costs add to OTC pricing upheaval
As dealers have slid down the ratings spectrum in recent years, options the industry gave away for free when in better health have become painfully relevant, forcing banks to confront the latest in a long line of post-crisis pricing challenges – the replacement valuation adjustment (RVA). It may be a challenge too far.
“They’re horrible,” says the head of rates trading at one large European bank. “We have no idea how to price them or manage the risk associated with them. All I know is that if we get downgraded to a certain point and our counterparties choose to exercise the option, we are going to lose a lot of money.”
The question is how much. The options, known as downgrade triggers, allow a client to terminate a trade when a counterparty hits a certain rating level and also force that party to pay for a replacement – but banks have no way of knowing how much a new dealer might charge to enter into the trade. As a rule of thumb, one trader that has replaced other banks says a downgraded dealer might be gouged for up to 10% of a trade’s net present value.
This, of course, is the law of the jungle – and traders generally do not cry about that. What makes downgrade triggers different is the systemic risk they could present in markets where they are common, and where trading is concentrated in the hands of a small number of rtls – parts of the inflation swap market, for example. Dealers and clients alike worry the downgrade of a large player in this space, and subsequent mass termination of contracts, could overwhelm the market’s ability to replace the risk.
In this scenario, traders warn the 10% rule of thumb goes out of the window – losses could be many times larger than expected. Sweeping downgrades for dealers as a whole could have a similar effect – forcing affected banks to pay their stronger peers to take on trades at a time when nobody wants to trade at all.
As a result, dealers are doing two things they would normally walk over hot coals to avoid – some are turning away business, and others are calling on regulators for help.
“If regulators are serious about systemic risk, then they should seriously look at not allowing these triggers to exist,” says one head of interest rate structuring at a European bank in London. “Calculating an RVA number will be meaningless as any number computed will be too low and wrong. There is not a lot you can do about it, especially in one-way or closed markets. It is much better to just forbid portfolio rating triggers in derivatives contracts – especially in dynamic portfolios – as they are a blunt source of systemic risk.”
Tim Blake, head of fixed-income department portfolio management at Credit Suisse in New York, says the bank no longer writes new business containing downgrade triggers. “We made the decision that we wanted to stay away from that kind of business. The risks can be unacceptable,” he says. And Credit Suisse is not alone. One other, smaller European dealer says it has the same policy, while at least three other banks claim to have imposed strict limits on the number of swaps they will accept with downgrade triggers.
The second issue is that most dealers believe there is a strong correlation between the risk of a bank’s own downgrade and the downgrade of the rest of the Street. A counterparty may be less likely to exercise the trigger if dealer ratings are all slipping, but if it does so the bank will be paying for a replacement trade in stressed conditions, which is likely to significantly inflate the bid-offer spread.
On uncollateralised trades, dealers fear the replacement cost would be even bigger. The pool of willing counterparties for these swaps has shrunk since the crisis, because of the higher funding and capital charges involved, and this could be exacerbated in the event of widespread downgrades. For collateralised trades, modelling is harder still because each bank quoting will do so on the basis of its own credit support annex – the industry standard document governing bilateral collateral posting, which determines what discount rate should be used.
Finally, RVA should take into account the possibility that the new trade will also incorporate a downgrade trigger and that quoting banks may want to insulate themselves by charging an RVA premium, and that this premium needs to reflect the same fact, and so on, in a dizzying, never-ending cascade of downgrades and replacement charges, each of which would be determined by the same incalculable risks that are contained in the first.
The bottom line is that termination costs can be high, but there is no way of confidently putting a number on them – RVA resides in the land of informed guesses, ballpark figures and back-of-the-envelope calculations. It’s not the kind of thing a dealer is generally happy to quote to a client or explain to a risk manager.
“On a trade with a mark-to-market value of, say, $100 million, a general rule is that firms will take you for $5 million–10 million, just because they can. And we’ve seen this done. We have replaced people, it’s an opportunity to profit,” says one derivatives trader at a European bank.
It can be more painful than that, too. Peter Shapiro, managing director at independent swap adviser Swap Financial, which advises governments, government agencies and non-profit organisations, says he has advised on close-outs in which local US government entities were holding heavily out-of-the-money swaps and the banks were paying to step in as replacements often quoted at steep discounts.
All these issues are magnified in illiquid, concentrated markets – and a number of traders point to the long-dated, LDI-driven inflation swap market in the UK as a prime example. The market is dominated by five or six players, they say, and triggers are a common feature of these trades – so, if one of the bigger houses is downgraded, all hell could break loose.
“Rating triggers are, by their nature, wrong-way risk and are hard to quantify. But even more problematic is when these triggers are being used in a space where the underlying product flow is systemic. All banks will be same way round and a trigger will then catapult the bid-offer to unknown but most likely extreme levels – even more so when liquidity and capacity is also a constraint. Inflation and exotics markets are exposed to this kind of risk. We think this is a source of systemic risk. It is being used and pushed by pension funds and we are trying to dissuade the community from relying on these triggers,” says Guido Hebert, global head of rates structuring at HSBC in London.
The UK inflation swap market is intensely competitive, with bid-offer spreads typically between 2 and 4 basis points, traders say. But in stressed market conditions, the spreads can get as wide as 10bp, according to a trader at a large LDI manager. For a ￡10 billion inflation swap portfolio with an average maturity of 20 years and a ￡20 million sensitivity to a 1bp change in inflation – known as IE01 – this means paying the full bid-offer spread (5bp from mid-market) would result in a cost of ￡100 million.
Read the full products at http://www.ecived.com/en/!
“They’re horrible,” says the head of rates trading at one large European bank. “We have no idea how to price them or manage the risk associated with them. All I know is that if we get downgraded to a certain point and our counterparties choose to exercise the option, we are going to lose a lot of money.”
The question is how much. The options, known as downgrade triggers, allow a client to terminate a trade when a counterparty hits a certain rating level and also force that party to pay for a replacement – but banks have no way of knowing how much a new dealer might charge to enter into the trade. As a rule of thumb, one trader that has replaced other banks says a downgraded dealer might be gouged for up to 10% of a trade’s net present value.
This, of course, is the law of the jungle – and traders generally do not cry about that. What makes downgrade triggers different is the systemic risk they could present in markets where they are common, and where trading is concentrated in the hands of a small number of rtls – parts of the inflation swap market, for example. Dealers and clients alike worry the downgrade of a large player in this space, and subsequent mass termination of contracts, could overwhelm the market’s ability to replace the risk.
In this scenario, traders warn the 10% rule of thumb goes out of the window – losses could be many times larger than expected. Sweeping downgrades for dealers as a whole could have a similar effect – forcing affected banks to pay their stronger peers to take on trades at a time when nobody wants to trade at all.
As a result, dealers are doing two things they would normally walk over hot coals to avoid – some are turning away business, and others are calling on regulators for help.
“If regulators are serious about systemic risk, then they should seriously look at not allowing these triggers to exist,” says one head of interest rate structuring at a European bank in London. “Calculating an RVA number will be meaningless as any number computed will be too low and wrong. There is not a lot you can do about it, especially in one-way or closed markets. It is much better to just forbid portfolio rating triggers in derivatives contracts – especially in dynamic portfolios – as they are a blunt source of systemic risk.”
Tim Blake, head of fixed-income department portfolio management at Credit Suisse in New York, says the bank no longer writes new business containing downgrade triggers. “We made the decision that we wanted to stay away from that kind of business. The risks can be unacceptable,” he says. And Credit Suisse is not alone. One other, smaller European dealer says it has the same policy, while at least three other banks claim to have imposed strict limits on the number of swaps they will accept with downgrade triggers.
The second issue is that most dealers believe there is a strong correlation between the risk of a bank’s own downgrade and the downgrade of the rest of the Street. A counterparty may be less likely to exercise the trigger if dealer ratings are all slipping, but if it does so the bank will be paying for a replacement trade in stressed conditions, which is likely to significantly inflate the bid-offer spread.
On uncollateralised trades, dealers fear the replacement cost would be even bigger. The pool of willing counterparties for these swaps has shrunk since the crisis, because of the higher funding and capital charges involved, and this could be exacerbated in the event of widespread downgrades. For collateralised trades, modelling is harder still because each bank quoting will do so on the basis of its own credit support annex – the industry standard document governing bilateral collateral posting, which determines what discount rate should be used.
Finally, RVA should take into account the possibility that the new trade will also incorporate a downgrade trigger and that quoting banks may want to insulate themselves by charging an RVA premium, and that this premium needs to reflect the same fact, and so on, in a dizzying, never-ending cascade of downgrades and replacement charges, each of which would be determined by the same incalculable risks that are contained in the first.
The bottom line is that termination costs can be high, but there is no way of confidently putting a number on them – RVA resides in the land of informed guesses, ballpark figures and back-of-the-envelope calculations. It’s not the kind of thing a dealer is generally happy to quote to a client or explain to a risk manager.
“On a trade with a mark-to-market value of, say, $100 million, a general rule is that firms will take you for $5 million–10 million, just because they can. And we’ve seen this done. We have replaced people, it’s an opportunity to profit,” says one derivatives trader at a European bank.
It can be more painful than that, too. Peter Shapiro, managing director at independent swap adviser Swap Financial, which advises governments, government agencies and non-profit organisations, says he has advised on close-outs in which local US government entities were holding heavily out-of-the-money swaps and the banks were paying to step in as replacements often quoted at steep discounts.
All these issues are magnified in illiquid, concentrated markets – and a number of traders point to the long-dated, LDI-driven inflation swap market in the UK as a prime example. The market is dominated by five or six players, they say, and triggers are a common feature of these trades – so, if one of the bigger houses is downgraded, all hell could break loose.
“Rating triggers are, by their nature, wrong-way risk and are hard to quantify. But even more problematic is when these triggers are being used in a space where the underlying product flow is systemic. All banks will be same way round and a trigger will then catapult the bid-offer to unknown but most likely extreme levels – even more so when liquidity and capacity is also a constraint. Inflation and exotics markets are exposed to this kind of risk. We think this is a source of systemic risk. It is being used and pushed by pension funds and we are trying to dissuade the community from relying on these triggers,” says Guido Hebert, global head of rates structuring at HSBC in London.
The UK inflation swap market is intensely competitive, with bid-offer spreads typically between 2 and 4 basis points, traders say. But in stressed market conditions, the spreads can get as wide as 10bp, according to a trader at a large LDI manager. For a ￡10 billion inflation swap portfolio with an average maturity of 20 years and a ￡20 million sensitivity to a 1bp change in inflation – known as IE01 – this means paying the full bid-offer spread (5bp from mid-market) would result in a cost of ￡100 million.
Read the full products at http://www.ecived.com/en/!
Mental Health Stigma
Four years ago this month I returned from Iraq, which was sort of my last big mission as a military psychologist before "becoming a civilian." As a psychologist I was interested in trauma and suicide long before my deployment, but there's something very different about listening to a Soldier tell the story of his buddy's death while he's still lying in a hospital bed having fragments of metal removed from his leg as compared to hearing the same story in your clinic in the U.S. two years after the fact. It was also in Iraq that I first stood over the body of someone who had died by suicide, feeling a mixture of helplessness, grief and anger; an experience that had, for me as a suicidologist, been merely an intellectualized concept. Four years ago, psychiatric disorders and suicide became personal to me.
Suicide is the fatal outcome of psychological injury. I should stress, however, that not all psychological injuries sustained by military personnel and veterans occur during deployments. For many of the service members and veterans I've worked with, the psychological injuries occurred during childhood at the hands of an abusive or demeaning parent; for others it was sustained within the context of a recent breakup or a financial crisis. Indeed, more than half of service members who die by suicide never deployed or saw combat. The good news is that we have very effective treatments for the full range of psychological injuries that lead to suicide. The bad news is that very few service members or veterans will receive them.
Clinic-based mental health services have been expanded dramatically for service members and veterans over the past decade across both the public and private sectors. Mental health treatment is arguably more accessible and affordable for service members and veterans now more than ever, due in large part to community mental health professionals and agencies offering free or significantly reduced-cost services. Although admirable, these efforts are not enough, and too many psychological injuries remain untreated.
One of the primary problems is that the expansion of mental health services has largely occurred in traditional, clinic-based settings that are unlikely to be accessed by most service members and veterans due to pervasive mental health stigma. Only a very small proportion of real time Location system who die by suicide (16%) visited a mental health care professional within the month preceding their deaths. Despite our decades-long battle with mental health stigma among service members and veterans, we have yet to see much success, primarily because we have failed to consider the issue of mental health treatment and stigma from within the context of the military culture. In the military, we value strength, mental toughness, elitism and self-sufficiency, but the culture of mental health is deficiency-oriented and values emotional vulnerability, which contradicts the core identity of many service members and veterans. We mental health professionals need to adopt a multicultural approach to working with service members and veterans, and to change how we deliver our services to better fit with military cultural norms, instead of asking service members and veterans to abandon their identities and conform to our standards.
From my perspective as a mental health professional, an even bigger tragedy is the realization that when service members and veterans do overcome mental health stigma and access care, they are still unlikely to receive the best treatments available. This is not a DOD or a VA problem; this is a problem of our mental health care system as a whole in the US, which continues to perpetuate the myth that all psychological treatments are equally effective, and that any treatment is better than no treatment. What we actually know, however, based on decades of research, is that trauma victims who receive prolonged exposure (PE) or cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for PTSD are three to four times more likely to experience full remission from PTSD. These better outcomes occur regardless of the trauma, whether rape, violent assault or combat. Early findings further suggest that PE and CPT reduce suicidal ideation among military personnel with PTSD. And just within the past month, preliminary data presented at the American Psychological Association's annual convention indicate that brief cognitive behavioral therapy (BCBT) for suicidal military personnel contributes to a 50% reduction in suicide attempts and significant reductions in PTSD symptoms as compared to traditional mental health care approaches. In short, some treatments work better than others, and are more effective at helping service members and veterans.
For many of us, the service members and veterans who are suffering from these psychological injuries are family members and friends. And some of them are dying from their injuries. Improved access to mental health care without improved quality of care will do little to prevent suicide among service members and veterans. As mental health professionals we must therefore commit ourselves individually and collectively to learning and using these better treatments that we know can help service members and veterans live lives that are worth living. It's okay for us to change.
But what I've learned along the way is that a joint honours student needs double the passion, patience and perseverance required to study a single honours degree.One of the first hurdles you have to overcome is logistics. Working with two academic departments can result in clashing deadlines, twice the staff to get to know and double the feedback sessions.
Rafe Hallett, director of induction in history at the University of Leeds, says: "The first six months of study can be a struggle, as the joint honours student adapts to the demands of two communities and two discourses of knowledge."They can sometimes feel stuck in limbo between two 'homes' and feel envious of the apparent simplicity of single honours students' timetables, contexts and communities."
Hayley Reid, a classics and English student from the University of Leeds, found dividing her time and attention between two schools was more trouble than it was worth: "It was one of the biggest mistakes I've made at university."Reid feels she doesn't properly belong to either of her departments: "I've chosen to focus more on the English side of things, but my parent school is classics. I feel like I'm floating in some sort of subject limbo where I'm neither an English student nor a classics student."
Read the full products at http://www.ecived.com/en/!
Suicide is the fatal outcome of psychological injury. I should stress, however, that not all psychological injuries sustained by military personnel and veterans occur during deployments. For many of the service members and veterans I've worked with, the psychological injuries occurred during childhood at the hands of an abusive or demeaning parent; for others it was sustained within the context of a recent breakup or a financial crisis. Indeed, more than half of service members who die by suicide never deployed or saw combat. The good news is that we have very effective treatments for the full range of psychological injuries that lead to suicide. The bad news is that very few service members or veterans will receive them.
Clinic-based mental health services have been expanded dramatically for service members and veterans over the past decade across both the public and private sectors. Mental health treatment is arguably more accessible and affordable for service members and veterans now more than ever, due in large part to community mental health professionals and agencies offering free or significantly reduced-cost services. Although admirable, these efforts are not enough, and too many psychological injuries remain untreated.
One of the primary problems is that the expansion of mental health services has largely occurred in traditional, clinic-based settings that are unlikely to be accessed by most service members and veterans due to pervasive mental health stigma. Only a very small proportion of real time Location system who die by suicide (16%) visited a mental health care professional within the month preceding their deaths. Despite our decades-long battle with mental health stigma among service members and veterans, we have yet to see much success, primarily because we have failed to consider the issue of mental health treatment and stigma from within the context of the military culture. In the military, we value strength, mental toughness, elitism and self-sufficiency, but the culture of mental health is deficiency-oriented and values emotional vulnerability, which contradicts the core identity of many service members and veterans. We mental health professionals need to adopt a multicultural approach to working with service members and veterans, and to change how we deliver our services to better fit with military cultural norms, instead of asking service members and veterans to abandon their identities and conform to our standards.
From my perspective as a mental health professional, an even bigger tragedy is the realization that when service members and veterans do overcome mental health stigma and access care, they are still unlikely to receive the best treatments available. This is not a DOD or a VA problem; this is a problem of our mental health care system as a whole in the US, which continues to perpetuate the myth that all psychological treatments are equally effective, and that any treatment is better than no treatment. What we actually know, however, based on decades of research, is that trauma victims who receive prolonged exposure (PE) or cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for PTSD are three to four times more likely to experience full remission from PTSD. These better outcomes occur regardless of the trauma, whether rape, violent assault or combat. Early findings further suggest that PE and CPT reduce suicidal ideation among military personnel with PTSD. And just within the past month, preliminary data presented at the American Psychological Association's annual convention indicate that brief cognitive behavioral therapy (BCBT) for suicidal military personnel contributes to a 50% reduction in suicide attempts and significant reductions in PTSD symptoms as compared to traditional mental health care approaches. In short, some treatments work better than others, and are more effective at helping service members and veterans.
For many of us, the service members and veterans who are suffering from these psychological injuries are family members and friends. And some of them are dying from their injuries. Improved access to mental health care without improved quality of care will do little to prevent suicide among service members and veterans. As mental health professionals we must therefore commit ourselves individually and collectively to learning and using these better treatments that we know can help service members and veterans live lives that are worth living. It's okay for us to change.
But what I've learned along the way is that a joint honours student needs double the passion, patience and perseverance required to study a single honours degree.One of the first hurdles you have to overcome is logistics. Working with two academic departments can result in clashing deadlines, twice the staff to get to know and double the feedback sessions.
Rafe Hallett, director of induction in history at the University of Leeds, says: "The first six months of study can be a struggle, as the joint honours student adapts to the demands of two communities and two discourses of knowledge."They can sometimes feel stuck in limbo between two 'homes' and feel envious of the apparent simplicity of single honours students' timetables, contexts and communities."
Hayley Reid, a classics and English student from the University of Leeds, found dividing her time and attention between two schools was more trouble than it was worth: "It was one of the biggest mistakes I've made at university."Reid feels she doesn't properly belong to either of her departments: "I've chosen to focus more on the English side of things, but my parent school is classics. I feel like I'm floating in some sort of subject limbo where I'm neither an English student nor a classics student."
Read the full products at http://www.ecived.com/en/!
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Exploring Google Glass through eyes of early users
To get a sense of the advantages and drawbacks of the device, The Associated Press spoke to three Glass owners who have been using the device since late spring: Sarah Hill, a former TV broadcaster and current military veterans advocate; David Levy, a hiking enthusiast and small business owner; and Deborah Lee, a stay-at-home mom.
Glass is designed to work like a smartphone that's worn like a pair of glasses. Although it looks like a prop from a science fiction movie, the device is capturing imaginations beyond the realm of nerds.
The trio's favorite feature, by far, is the hands-free camera that shoots photos and video through voice commands. (Images can also be captured by pressing a small button along the top of the right frame of Glass.) They also liked being able to connect to the Internet simply by tapping on the right frame of Glass to turn it on and then swiping along the same side to scroll through a menu. That menu allows them to do such things as get directions on Google's map or find a piece of information through Google's search engine. The information is shown on a thumbnail-sized transparent screen attached just above the right eye to stay out of a user's field of vision.
Among the biggest shortcomings they cited was Glass' short battery life, especially if a lot of video is being taken. Although Google says Glass should last for an entire day on a single battery charge for the typical user, Hill said there were times when she ran out of power after 90 minutes to two hours during periods when she was recording a lot of video.
Glass' speaker, which relies on a bone conduction technology, also is inadequate, according to the testers the AP interviewed. They said the speaker, which transmits sound through the skull to allow for ambient noise, can be difficult to hear in any environment other than a quiet room.
"If you are out in the street or anywhere else where there is any noise, it's impossible to hear," Lee said. "That has been challenging because there is no way to adjust it. If you could adjust the real time Location system, I think it would solve a lot of problems."
Hill, 42, a resident of Columbia, Mo., became a Glass evangelist shortly after she picked up the device at Google's New York offices in late May. As the AP watched her get fitted with Glass though a video feed on Google's Hangout chat service, Hill quickly began to rave about her ability to take hands-free pictures and fetch information from the Web simply by asking the device to get it. "This is like having the Internet in your eye socket," Hill said. "But it's less intrusive than I thought it would be. I can totally see how this would still let you still be in the moment with the people around you."
The liberating aspects of Glass came into sharper focus for Hill as she took a cab to the airport for her flight back to Missouri. During the taxi ride, she began a video call on Google Hangout with people living in Austria, the United Kingdom and St. Louis. As the cab was preparing to drop her off at the curb, Hill was about to end the call so she could carry her baggage.
"That's when it hit me that, 'Holy cow, I don't have to cut the call off,'" Hill recalled. "I could continue talking because I didn't have to hold a phone. So I carried on a conversation through the airport and people were staring at me like, 'What is that thing on your face?'"
Hill became accustomed to the double takes and quizzical looks as she wore Glass to community gatherings, restaurants and shopping excursions. The encounters usually led to her offering others to try on Glass, and most were impressed with their glimpses at the technology, Hill said.
"When you have these glasses on, it's like it helps you see the future," Hill said. "It helps you see what's possible."Hill, a former news anchor and reporter for KOMU-TV in Columbia, Mo., believes Glass is destined to transform broadcast journalism by empowering reporters to capture compelling images at scenes without the need for cumbersome equipment. She likens it to having a satellite TV truck that only weighs 1.5 ounces. Glass also would make it easier for reporters to field questions from viewers through the Twitter app or through direct texts.
Hill has already used Glass to provide a tour of the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C., for veterans gathered in St. Louis by Veterans United, where Hill now works as the group's chief storyteller. The veterans were too old or ill to make the journey themselves, so Hill gave them a close-up look through a video feed transmitted through Glass in June.
Lee, a New York City resident, has been relying on Glass mostly to capture precious moments with her 9-month-old daughter, Maddie. Her favorite moment came when she photographed some of her daughter's first giggles a couple months ago. Lee, 34, told Glass to take the pictures as she as tickled and kissed her daughter's tummy.
"Obviously, you can't do that with a phone in your hand, so I am totally loving Glass," Lee said. "It has really been great."Glass also allowed Lee to set up live video sessions with her parents in Oregon so they could see Maddie eat her first solid food just as she saw it. She also took pictures of her raising Maddie airborne that wouldn't have been feasible with a camera requiring hands-on operation. "I am capturing all these tiny moments that are really exciting with a baby," Lee said.
Unlike Hill's experience in Missouri, hardly anyone in New York gives her a second look when she wears Glass in Central Park or around her neighborhood."I thought more people would stop me in the street or something like that, but that hasn't really happened," Lee said.
Levy, 39, rarely wears his Glass around his hometown of Boulder, Colo., because he doesn't want to stand out from the crowd. Just two days after Levy picked up the device in New York, he recalls seeing someone else wearing the device at the airport. "My initial reaction was, 'What a jerk,'" Levy said. "There was a little bit of ostentatiousness about it, as if he were flaunting it. I am a low-key guy who doesn't like a lot of attention. I have an iPhone that does a lot of things that I might otherwise make Glass do if I didn't want to make a spectacle of it."
Read the full products at www.ecived.com/en/!
Glass is designed to work like a smartphone that's worn like a pair of glasses. Although it looks like a prop from a science fiction movie, the device is capturing imaginations beyond the realm of nerds.
The trio's favorite feature, by far, is the hands-free camera that shoots photos and video through voice commands. (Images can also be captured by pressing a small button along the top of the right frame of Glass.) They also liked being able to connect to the Internet simply by tapping on the right frame of Glass to turn it on and then swiping along the same side to scroll through a menu. That menu allows them to do such things as get directions on Google's map or find a piece of information through Google's search engine. The information is shown on a thumbnail-sized transparent screen attached just above the right eye to stay out of a user's field of vision.
Among the biggest shortcomings they cited was Glass' short battery life, especially if a lot of video is being taken. Although Google says Glass should last for an entire day on a single battery charge for the typical user, Hill said there were times when she ran out of power after 90 minutes to two hours during periods when she was recording a lot of video.
Glass' speaker, which relies on a bone conduction technology, also is inadequate, according to the testers the AP interviewed. They said the speaker, which transmits sound through the skull to allow for ambient noise, can be difficult to hear in any environment other than a quiet room.
"If you are out in the street or anywhere else where there is any noise, it's impossible to hear," Lee said. "That has been challenging because there is no way to adjust it. If you could adjust the real time Location system, I think it would solve a lot of problems."
Hill, 42, a resident of Columbia, Mo., became a Glass evangelist shortly after she picked up the device at Google's New York offices in late May. As the AP watched her get fitted with Glass though a video feed on Google's Hangout chat service, Hill quickly began to rave about her ability to take hands-free pictures and fetch information from the Web simply by asking the device to get it. "This is like having the Internet in your eye socket," Hill said. "But it's less intrusive than I thought it would be. I can totally see how this would still let you still be in the moment with the people around you."
The liberating aspects of Glass came into sharper focus for Hill as she took a cab to the airport for her flight back to Missouri. During the taxi ride, she began a video call on Google Hangout with people living in Austria, the United Kingdom and St. Louis. As the cab was preparing to drop her off at the curb, Hill was about to end the call so she could carry her baggage.
"That's when it hit me that, 'Holy cow, I don't have to cut the call off,'" Hill recalled. "I could continue talking because I didn't have to hold a phone. So I carried on a conversation through the airport and people were staring at me like, 'What is that thing on your face?'"
Hill became accustomed to the double takes and quizzical looks as she wore Glass to community gatherings, restaurants and shopping excursions. The encounters usually led to her offering others to try on Glass, and most were impressed with their glimpses at the technology, Hill said.
"When you have these glasses on, it's like it helps you see the future," Hill said. "It helps you see what's possible."Hill, a former news anchor and reporter for KOMU-TV in Columbia, Mo., believes Glass is destined to transform broadcast journalism by empowering reporters to capture compelling images at scenes without the need for cumbersome equipment. She likens it to having a satellite TV truck that only weighs 1.5 ounces. Glass also would make it easier for reporters to field questions from viewers through the Twitter app or through direct texts.
Hill has already used Glass to provide a tour of the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C., for veterans gathered in St. Louis by Veterans United, where Hill now works as the group's chief storyteller. The veterans were too old or ill to make the journey themselves, so Hill gave them a close-up look through a video feed transmitted through Glass in June.
Lee, a New York City resident, has been relying on Glass mostly to capture precious moments with her 9-month-old daughter, Maddie. Her favorite moment came when she photographed some of her daughter's first giggles a couple months ago. Lee, 34, told Glass to take the pictures as she as tickled and kissed her daughter's tummy.
"Obviously, you can't do that with a phone in your hand, so I am totally loving Glass," Lee said. "It has really been great."Glass also allowed Lee to set up live video sessions with her parents in Oregon so they could see Maddie eat her first solid food just as she saw it. She also took pictures of her raising Maddie airborne that wouldn't have been feasible with a camera requiring hands-on operation. "I am capturing all these tiny moments that are really exciting with a baby," Lee said.
Unlike Hill's experience in Missouri, hardly anyone in New York gives her a second look when she wears Glass in Central Park or around her neighborhood."I thought more people would stop me in the street or something like that, but that hasn't really happened," Lee said.
Levy, 39, rarely wears his Glass around his hometown of Boulder, Colo., because he doesn't want to stand out from the crowd. Just two days after Levy picked up the device in New York, he recalls seeing someone else wearing the device at the airport. "My initial reaction was, 'What a jerk,'" Levy said. "There was a little bit of ostentatiousness about it, as if he were flaunting it. I am a low-key guy who doesn't like a lot of attention. I have an iPhone that does a lot of things that I might otherwise make Glass do if I didn't want to make a spectacle of it."
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Is MLK dream reality?
When he boarded a Greyhound bus on his way to Princeton University, Glennon Threatt promised himself he'd never come back here. As a young black man, he saw no chance to fulfill his dreams in a city burdened by the ghosts of its segregated past.Helen Shores Lee left Birmingham years earlier, making the same pledge not to return. A daughter of a prominent civil rights lawyer, she wanted to escape a city tarnished by Jim Crow laws — the "white" and "colored" fountains, the segregated bus seating, the daily indignities she rebelled against as a child.
Both changed their minds. They returned from their self-imposed exile and built successful careers — he as an assistant federal public defender, she as a judge — in a Birmingham transformed by a revolution a half century ago.This week, as the nation marks the 50th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech, there may be no better place than Birmingham to measure the progress that followed the civil rights leader's historic call for racial and economic equality.
This city, after all, is hallowed ground in civil rights history. It was here where children marching for equal rights were jailed, where protesters were attacked by snarling police dogs and battered by high-pressure fire hoses. And it was here where four little girls in their Sunday finest were killed when dynamite planted by Ku Klux Klan members ripped through their church in an unspeakable act of evil.
That was the Birmingham of the past. The city that King condemned for its "ugly record of Hands free access." The city where he wrote his impassioned "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," declaring the "moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws." The city where the movement came together, found its voice and set the stage for landmark civil rights legislation.
The Birmingham of the present is a far different place. The airport is named after a fearless civil rights champion, the late Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth. The city's website features a 'Fifty Years Forward' campaign, forthrightly displaying photos of shameful events in 1963. There are black judges and professors in places where segregation once reigned. And black mayors have occupied City Hall since 1979, in part because many white residents migrated to the suburbs, a familiar pattern in urban America.
So has King's dream of equality been realized here and has Birmingham moved beyond its troubled past?For many, the answer is yes, the city has changed in ways that once seemed unthinkable — and yet, there's also a sense Birmingham still has a long way to go.The legal and social barriers that barred black people from schools and jobs fell long ago, but economic disparity persists.
Blacks and whites work together and dine side by side in restaurants during the day, but usually don't mingle after 5 p.m.Racial slurs are rare, but suspicions and tensions remain."I don't think any of us would deny that there have been significant changes in Birmingham," Shores Lee says. King would be proud, she adds, but "he would say there's a lot more work to be done. I think he would tell us our task is not finished."
Amid the flowers and soothing fountain in Kelly Ingram Park, there are stark reminders of the ugly clashes. It was in this area, now known as the Civil Rights District, where the scenes of police brutality were captured in photos and TV footage that helped galvanize public opinion around the nation on behalf of demonstrators.
Today, the park has statues commemorating King and other leaders. There's a sculpture of a young protester, his arms stretched back, as a policeman grabs him with one hand and holds a lunging German shepherd in the other. (An Associated Press photographer had captured a similar image.) There are other sculptures of water cannons, more dogs, and a boy and a girl standing impassively with the words "I Ain't Afraid of your Jail" at the base.
To those who grew up here, these works are not just artistic renderings but reminders of the bravery of friends and neighbors."It's kind of like being in the movie 'The Sixth Sense' — everywhere you go you see ghosts," Threatt says of the statues. "It's probably like a person who served in World War II going back to Normandy. It's a place where something very, very real, very poignant happened to people that you knew."
Threatt was just 7 when King announced his vision of a colorblind society before hundreds of thousands of people gathered on the Washington Mall. Not long afterward, Threatt was one of three black gifted students enrolled in a white elementary school. He was spat on, beat up, called the N-word.
"I like him," he says. "I don't think he's a racist. He was a kid caught up in a social situation like I was. .... You've got to get over that in order to survive in the South. ... Otherwise you just wallow in self-pity and hatred and you don't move forward."
Threatt graduated from Princeton, then Howard University Law School, worked in Denver and Washington, D.C., but returned to Birmingham in 1997. Both he and the city had changed, he says, with Birmingham becoming more progressive. He joined an established law firm — something that would have been unimaginable 50 years earlier.
Threatt had been inspired, in part, to be a lawyer by Arthur Shores, a Sunday school teacher at his church and a pioneering civil rights attorney who fought to desegregate the University of Alabama. Shores' home was bombed twice in 1963, two weeks apart. His neighborhood was nicknamed "Dynamite Hill" for the series of bombings intended to intimidate blacks.
Shores' daughter, Helen, grew up resisting the segregation laws, once drinking from a "white" fountain — a defiant act that resulted in a whipping when she got home. At 12, she aimed a Colt .45 at some white men driving by her family's house, spewing racial obscenities. Her father, she says, slapped her arm, the bullet discharged into the air and he quickly grabbed the gun.
She left Birmingham for 13 years, returned in 1971, later switched careers and in 2003 became a judge, only to confront lingering remnants of racism.In her early years on the bench, she recalls, a few lawyers pointedly refused to stand as is custom when a judge enters a courtroom. And, she says, she occasionally sees lawyers who are disrespectful of their minority clients.
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Both changed their minds. They returned from their self-imposed exile and built successful careers — he as an assistant federal public defender, she as a judge — in a Birmingham transformed by a revolution a half century ago.This week, as the nation marks the 50th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech, there may be no better place than Birmingham to measure the progress that followed the civil rights leader's historic call for racial and economic equality.
This city, after all, is hallowed ground in civil rights history. It was here where children marching for equal rights were jailed, where protesters were attacked by snarling police dogs and battered by high-pressure fire hoses. And it was here where four little girls in their Sunday finest were killed when dynamite planted by Ku Klux Klan members ripped through their church in an unspeakable act of evil.
That was the Birmingham of the past. The city that King condemned for its "ugly record of Hands free access." The city where he wrote his impassioned "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," declaring the "moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws." The city where the movement came together, found its voice and set the stage for landmark civil rights legislation.
The Birmingham of the present is a far different place. The airport is named after a fearless civil rights champion, the late Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth. The city's website features a 'Fifty Years Forward' campaign, forthrightly displaying photos of shameful events in 1963. There are black judges and professors in places where segregation once reigned. And black mayors have occupied City Hall since 1979, in part because many white residents migrated to the suburbs, a familiar pattern in urban America.
So has King's dream of equality been realized here and has Birmingham moved beyond its troubled past?For many, the answer is yes, the city has changed in ways that once seemed unthinkable — and yet, there's also a sense Birmingham still has a long way to go.The legal and social barriers that barred black people from schools and jobs fell long ago, but economic disparity persists.
Blacks and whites work together and dine side by side in restaurants during the day, but usually don't mingle after 5 p.m.Racial slurs are rare, but suspicions and tensions remain."I don't think any of us would deny that there have been significant changes in Birmingham," Shores Lee says. King would be proud, she adds, but "he would say there's a lot more work to be done. I think he would tell us our task is not finished."
Amid the flowers and soothing fountain in Kelly Ingram Park, there are stark reminders of the ugly clashes. It was in this area, now known as the Civil Rights District, where the scenes of police brutality were captured in photos and TV footage that helped galvanize public opinion around the nation on behalf of demonstrators.
Today, the park has statues commemorating King and other leaders. There's a sculpture of a young protester, his arms stretched back, as a policeman grabs him with one hand and holds a lunging German shepherd in the other. (An Associated Press photographer had captured a similar image.) There are other sculptures of water cannons, more dogs, and a boy and a girl standing impassively with the words "I Ain't Afraid of your Jail" at the base.
To those who grew up here, these works are not just artistic renderings but reminders of the bravery of friends and neighbors."It's kind of like being in the movie 'The Sixth Sense' — everywhere you go you see ghosts," Threatt says of the statues. "It's probably like a person who served in World War II going back to Normandy. It's a place where something very, very real, very poignant happened to people that you knew."
Threatt was just 7 when King announced his vision of a colorblind society before hundreds of thousands of people gathered on the Washington Mall. Not long afterward, Threatt was one of three black gifted students enrolled in a white elementary school. He was spat on, beat up, called the N-word.
"I like him," he says. "I don't think he's a racist. He was a kid caught up in a social situation like I was. .... You've got to get over that in order to survive in the South. ... Otherwise you just wallow in self-pity and hatred and you don't move forward."
Threatt graduated from Princeton, then Howard University Law School, worked in Denver and Washington, D.C., but returned to Birmingham in 1997. Both he and the city had changed, he says, with Birmingham becoming more progressive. He joined an established law firm — something that would have been unimaginable 50 years earlier.
Threatt had been inspired, in part, to be a lawyer by Arthur Shores, a Sunday school teacher at his church and a pioneering civil rights attorney who fought to desegregate the University of Alabama. Shores' home was bombed twice in 1963, two weeks apart. His neighborhood was nicknamed "Dynamite Hill" for the series of bombings intended to intimidate blacks.
Shores' daughter, Helen, grew up resisting the segregation laws, once drinking from a "white" fountain — a defiant act that resulted in a whipping when she got home. At 12, she aimed a Colt .45 at some white men driving by her family's house, spewing racial obscenities. Her father, she says, slapped her arm, the bullet discharged into the air and he quickly grabbed the gun.
She left Birmingham for 13 years, returned in 1971, later switched careers and in 2003 became a judge, only to confront lingering remnants of racism.In her early years on the bench, she recalls, a few lawyers pointedly refused to stand as is custom when a judge enters a courtroom. And, she says, she occasionally sees lawyers who are disrespectful of their minority clients.
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Monday, August 26, 2013
Navalny shakes up Moscow mayor campaign
A motley gaggle of hipsters, mothers with children and two babushkas with hair dyed bright red gather to listen to something they haven't heard in over a decade: a stump speech for Moscow mayor.Alexei Navalny, an anti-corruption blogger who has become the best known face of Russia's protest movement, is trying to take his following offline and into the street, waging a traditional campaign of hand-shaking and leaflet drives to win voters outside his base of the young and web-savvy.
Navalny has little hope of defeating incumbent Sergei Sobyanin _ but polls show his star is rising. And if he gets a big chunk of the real time Location system, the Kremlin will face pressure to show leniency over his five-year prison sentence, and the grassroots protest movement that fizzled out after Vladimir Putin's return to the presidency last year may gain new wind.
Sobyanin, meanwhile, is playing the regal incumbent: Throughout the campaign, the Kremlin-backed politician has been all but invisible, allowing the constant drone of jackhammers or whiff of fresh paint that are signs of a Moscow makeover to remind voters of who's in charge _ and who can pull the purse-strings.
Navalny is the one who has been soaking up attention, and generating buzz. On a recent August day, the opposition leader stood on stage in a sprawling Moscow park dotted with enormous space shuttles and other scraps of Soviet-era glory, and attempted to connect with an audience he rarely reaches through Twitter: the feared and revered babushka contingency."We know that (in Soviet times) our oil money was spent on enormous factories, industry, railroads, roads, science, health care, rockets," he boomed, riffing on a nostalgia felt by many older Russians, who saw their hopes dashed and savings depleted under post-Soviet political reforms.
"But can you name a single major business that's been built in this country in the past 10 years? I can't!"The old ladies sitting in the first row chuckled and shook their heads.On Sunday, police briefly detained Navalny after he left the stage of a campaign event, and released him a short time later. The detention was part of a series of public signals to Navalny, who was given a verbal warning about various alleged campaign violations by the Moscow electoral committee last week.
Polling data on the race is spotty and inconsistent, but the trends are clear: The number of Muscovites ready to vote for Navalny on Sept. 8 has breached 10 percent and may even be moving toward 20 percent. Meanwhile, Sobyanin's ratings _ while still above the 50 percent that would allow him to avoid a run-off _ are slipping by the week. There are four other party-backed candidates in the race, none projected to snag more than 5 percent.
Alexei Grazhdankin, deputy director of the independent Levada polling center, said that Sobyanin's voter base was clearly no longer growing, and that there's now a small chance there will be a second round.Last month, Navalny was sentenced to five years in prison on embezzlement charges, but was released the day after his conviction in what many have described as an effort to legitimize the mayoral race and ensure that Sobyanin _ who was appointed as mayor and is seen as a possible successor to Putin _ is regarded as an elected politician with widespread support.
Such legitimacy is considered important because Putin's forces are at their weakest in his seat of power: Moscow. When Putin won back the presidency last year, after ruling for a term in the lesser role of prime minister, he won only 47 percent of the capital's rtls, compared to 64 percent nationwide. That may also be a reason why, although there's no doubt that Sobyanin is the Kremlin's man, he is running as an independent and has avoided public appearances with the president.
Masha Lipman at the Carnegie Endowment in Moscow said that Navalny had already achieved something: cast doubt over the inevitability of Putin's power."One of his greatest achievements is ... adding an element of risk and uncertainty," she said. "Putin built a political system in this country that is risk averse, it's a political monopoly."
Rather than the issues _ immigration, traffic, high cost of living _ it's a contrast in political style that lies at the heart of the mayoral campaign. In the Levada Center poll, 48 percent of respondents said they would vote for a mayor with "experience," whereas 47 percent said that personal qualities, such as "openness and determination," were crucial.
Navalny, a sharp-tongued 37-year-old lawyer, has plenty of the latter. He has waged an intensive campaign with nearly $1.5 million in funds raised online, meeting with hundreds of voters every day and mobilizing enthusiastic young volunteers to help hand out leaflets in the street and on the metro.
His team has also unleashed a flurry of new online projects. From a GPS mapping system that shows how many supporters live in each apartment block to an application that helps users spread pro-Navalny information on Russia's biggest social networks, the campaign has been keen to lock down his natural base of young voters, many of whom often don't make it to the polls.
"Currently the polls are assuming that those who haven't yet figured out who to vote for will vote the same way as those who have," Leonid Volkov, Navalny's campaign manager, told The Associated Press. "The fight is for the 30 percent of voters who haven't decided yet."Andrei Tvertnev, an unemployed 25-year-old former soldier who was lingering in the crowd around Navalny, is one of those yet to make up his mind.
Tvertnev wasn't keen on Sobyanin, saying that the changes he's brought to the city "could have been done much faster." At the same time, he remained skeptical about Navalny."Do I vote for a bureaucrat who made some changes, or a different person who promises even more changes?" he asked. "I think I'll only make up my mind on the day of the elections."
Sobyanin, who made his name as the governor of the oil-rich Siberian province of Tyumen, makes up for his lack of charisma and enthusiasm with what talks in Russian politics: experience, access and the money that comes with it.Despite his almost invisible candidacy, Sobyanin is genuinely well-liked for the changes he's brought to Moscow. He has poured a yearly budget of approximately $54 billion into the city's parks and cultural institutions, although other promises to tackle traffic and parking have been lagging or limited in scope.
As if to shore up his reputation as a fixer-upper, the city, which usually hits a sleepy summer lull in August, has been converted into an enormous construction site _ with sidewalks torn up and facades repainted."There's little doubt that before elections, the government becomes very affectionate and thoughtful," Levada's Grazhdankin said about the city's makeover.
While Sobyanin, who was appointed to the mayor's office, is eager to prove himself as a legitimately elected politician, the tactics used against Navalny _ from accusations that he receives foreign funding abroad to refusals by media outlets to play his campaign ads _ show that he still sees Navalny as a threat.
Even if Navalny's eventual vote tally is relatively low, he may end up having an outsized impact on the Russian political scene."If he gets 10 to 12 percent, they can say, look at your opposition leader, he was only able to get this tiny fraction of the vote," said Lipman. "But those people who are investing their emotions, time and money into this campaign, that experience won't go away."
Oleg Bogomolov, a 42-year-old human resources manager who was at Navalny's headquarters to volunteer for the first time, said he didn't truly believe Navalny could win."But I think the more people who know about him, the greater his chances of being set free," he said. "If they put him behind bars again (after the election), there will be even more people in the streets."
Read the full products at http://www.ecived.com/en/!
Navalny has little hope of defeating incumbent Sergei Sobyanin _ but polls show his star is rising. And if he gets a big chunk of the real time Location system, the Kremlin will face pressure to show leniency over his five-year prison sentence, and the grassroots protest movement that fizzled out after Vladimir Putin's return to the presidency last year may gain new wind.
Sobyanin, meanwhile, is playing the regal incumbent: Throughout the campaign, the Kremlin-backed politician has been all but invisible, allowing the constant drone of jackhammers or whiff of fresh paint that are signs of a Moscow makeover to remind voters of who's in charge _ and who can pull the purse-strings.
Navalny is the one who has been soaking up attention, and generating buzz. On a recent August day, the opposition leader stood on stage in a sprawling Moscow park dotted with enormous space shuttles and other scraps of Soviet-era glory, and attempted to connect with an audience he rarely reaches through Twitter: the feared and revered babushka contingency."We know that (in Soviet times) our oil money was spent on enormous factories, industry, railroads, roads, science, health care, rockets," he boomed, riffing on a nostalgia felt by many older Russians, who saw their hopes dashed and savings depleted under post-Soviet political reforms.
"But can you name a single major business that's been built in this country in the past 10 years? I can't!"The old ladies sitting in the first row chuckled and shook their heads.On Sunday, police briefly detained Navalny after he left the stage of a campaign event, and released him a short time later. The detention was part of a series of public signals to Navalny, who was given a verbal warning about various alleged campaign violations by the Moscow electoral committee last week.
Polling data on the race is spotty and inconsistent, but the trends are clear: The number of Muscovites ready to vote for Navalny on Sept. 8 has breached 10 percent and may even be moving toward 20 percent. Meanwhile, Sobyanin's ratings _ while still above the 50 percent that would allow him to avoid a run-off _ are slipping by the week. There are four other party-backed candidates in the race, none projected to snag more than 5 percent.
Alexei Grazhdankin, deputy director of the independent Levada polling center, said that Sobyanin's voter base was clearly no longer growing, and that there's now a small chance there will be a second round.Last month, Navalny was sentenced to five years in prison on embezzlement charges, but was released the day after his conviction in what many have described as an effort to legitimize the mayoral race and ensure that Sobyanin _ who was appointed as mayor and is seen as a possible successor to Putin _ is regarded as an elected politician with widespread support.
Such legitimacy is considered important because Putin's forces are at their weakest in his seat of power: Moscow. When Putin won back the presidency last year, after ruling for a term in the lesser role of prime minister, he won only 47 percent of the capital's rtls, compared to 64 percent nationwide. That may also be a reason why, although there's no doubt that Sobyanin is the Kremlin's man, he is running as an independent and has avoided public appearances with the president.
Masha Lipman at the Carnegie Endowment in Moscow said that Navalny had already achieved something: cast doubt over the inevitability of Putin's power."One of his greatest achievements is ... adding an element of risk and uncertainty," she said. "Putin built a political system in this country that is risk averse, it's a political monopoly."
Rather than the issues _ immigration, traffic, high cost of living _ it's a contrast in political style that lies at the heart of the mayoral campaign. In the Levada Center poll, 48 percent of respondents said they would vote for a mayor with "experience," whereas 47 percent said that personal qualities, such as "openness and determination," were crucial.
Navalny, a sharp-tongued 37-year-old lawyer, has plenty of the latter. He has waged an intensive campaign with nearly $1.5 million in funds raised online, meeting with hundreds of voters every day and mobilizing enthusiastic young volunteers to help hand out leaflets in the street and on the metro.
His team has also unleashed a flurry of new online projects. From a GPS mapping system that shows how many supporters live in each apartment block to an application that helps users spread pro-Navalny information on Russia's biggest social networks, the campaign has been keen to lock down his natural base of young voters, many of whom often don't make it to the polls.
"Currently the polls are assuming that those who haven't yet figured out who to vote for will vote the same way as those who have," Leonid Volkov, Navalny's campaign manager, told The Associated Press. "The fight is for the 30 percent of voters who haven't decided yet."Andrei Tvertnev, an unemployed 25-year-old former soldier who was lingering in the crowd around Navalny, is one of those yet to make up his mind.
Tvertnev wasn't keen on Sobyanin, saying that the changes he's brought to the city "could have been done much faster." At the same time, he remained skeptical about Navalny."Do I vote for a bureaucrat who made some changes, or a different person who promises even more changes?" he asked. "I think I'll only make up my mind on the day of the elections."
Sobyanin, who made his name as the governor of the oil-rich Siberian province of Tyumen, makes up for his lack of charisma and enthusiasm with what talks in Russian politics: experience, access and the money that comes with it.Despite his almost invisible candidacy, Sobyanin is genuinely well-liked for the changes he's brought to Moscow. He has poured a yearly budget of approximately $54 billion into the city's parks and cultural institutions, although other promises to tackle traffic and parking have been lagging or limited in scope.
As if to shore up his reputation as a fixer-upper, the city, which usually hits a sleepy summer lull in August, has been converted into an enormous construction site _ with sidewalks torn up and facades repainted."There's little doubt that before elections, the government becomes very affectionate and thoughtful," Levada's Grazhdankin said about the city's makeover.
While Sobyanin, who was appointed to the mayor's office, is eager to prove himself as a legitimately elected politician, the tactics used against Navalny _ from accusations that he receives foreign funding abroad to refusals by media outlets to play his campaign ads _ show that he still sees Navalny as a threat.
Even if Navalny's eventual vote tally is relatively low, he may end up having an outsized impact on the Russian political scene."If he gets 10 to 12 percent, they can say, look at your opposition leader, he was only able to get this tiny fraction of the vote," said Lipman. "But those people who are investing their emotions, time and money into this campaign, that experience won't go away."
Oleg Bogomolov, a 42-year-old human resources manager who was at Navalny's headquarters to volunteer for the first time, said he didn't truly believe Navalny could win."But I think the more people who know about him, the greater his chances of being set free," he said. "If they put him behind bars again (after the election), there will be even more people in the streets."
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In Seminars Meant To Teach Investing Wisdom
A lawsuit filed Saturday by New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman alleges that Donald Trump defrauded more than 5,000 people of $40 million, handed over for what was supposed to be the opportunity to learn Trump’s real estate investment magic at his for-profit training program, Trump University. The suit also names The Trump Entrepreneur Institute—previously known as Trump University LLC—and Michael Sexton, former president of the institution.
Beginning in 2005, Trump University offered a program that began with a free introductory 90-minute presentation promising to teach the secrets that helped build his real estate empire. This was, according to the suit, no more than a lengthy promotion for a three-day, $1,500 seminar. The three-day program, in turn, was used to plug “elite” courses that cost anywhere from $10,000 to $35,000.
Schneiderman takes particular aim at Trump U.’s ads, which featured the mogul’s picture and signature, and some of which appeared as personal letters. Marketing materials frequently referenced the “handpicked instructor” who would impart Trump’s wisdom, but the attorney general maintains that Trump was uninvolved in developing or teaching curriculum, and was not responsible for choosing instructors—by hand or otherwise.
The suit also claims the organization was warned by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) up to eight years ago to stop presenting itself as a university, though Trump representatives George Sorial and Michael Cohen say the organization had no formal communication with the NYSED until 2010. Trump University was issued a cease and indoor Tracking, after which its name was changed to The Trump Entrepreneur Institute. Sorial and Cohen say the program suspended live seminars several weeks later as a result of the developing conflict with Schneiderman’s office.
“Mr. Trump used his celebrity status and personally appeared in commercials making false promises to convince people to spend tens of thousands of dollars they couldn’t afford for lessons they never got,” said Schneiderman, in a statement. “No one, no matter how rich or popular they are, has a right to scam hard working New Yorkers. Anyone who does should expect to be held accountable.”
The suit claims that many students at Trump University—referred to in the complaint as “consumers”—were promised the opportunity to practice actual real estate transactions with access to private funds, personal appearances by Trump himself, and year-long access to “apprenticeship support.” Instead, according to the lawsuit, participants were provided with a list of funding sources culled from a newsstand publication, and many mentors did not respond to contact from students or provided no ongoing guidance at all.
Instead of the chance to shake hands with The Donald, a life-sized cutout of Trump was made available for photos with students, alleges the attorney general’s complaint.
Sorial and Cohen insist that Schneiderman’s actions are personally-motivated attacks against Trump, and claim that before the lawsuit was filed, the attorney general “repeatedly” rejected the offer of in-person meetings with Trump, while suggesting through a representative that the matter could be settled out of court.
“98% of Trump University students rated the program ‘excellent,’” claims the site, “while only 4% of New York State registered voters rated Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s performance as “excellent” and Schneiderman thinks he could be the next governor? He must be joking.”
Beyond the belligerent typeface, the site actually makes thousands of pages of handwritten survey responses, apparently from Trump University participants, available in PDF. Remarks in comment form are largely positive, and numerical responses tend to be the highest available scores or blank. Names of participants are redacted.
It is neither my business or concern as to how many sexual partners anyone has at any one time, and I genuinely could not care less how folk organise their relationships. But the co-opting and rebranding of polygamy, so that it loses its nasty association with the oppression of the most disadvantaged women, is as irresponsible as suggesting that because some women chose to enter high-end prostitution as a social experiment, all prostitution is radical and harmless.
Caroline Humphrey, a professor of collaborative anthropology at Cambridge University, has argued in favour of the legalisation of polygamy because, according to a number of women in polygamous marriages in Russia, "half a good man is better than none at all". While polyamory is not the same as traditional polygamy – which has been practised for centuries under a strict code of patriarchy in communities where women and children have few if any rights – the co-opting of the sanitised version will further normalise a practice that is anything but liberating for women in this Hands free access.
There is also the assumption that polyamory is an invention of a set of too-cool-for-school hipsters, who have recently discovered that exclusive couple-type relationships are so last season. However, it was radical feminists in the 1970s onwards that developed the notion of non-monogamy as a way to challenge patriarchal heterosexuality. The definition of polyamory as "ethical non-monogamy" currently doing the rounds sticks in my craw. Non-monogamy was deeply ethical. One could have as many sexual partners as desired but everything was honest and above board, with no one being deceived.
The type of non-monogamy radical feminists developed and practised involved no men. We were all lesbians starting off on a fairly equal playing field. Some of us involved with leftwing politics had previously been witness to or victims of men who had sexual access to as many women as they wanted, while women waited for her one partner to get round to paying her attention. In the meantime, women were pitted against each other while the men played a subtle game of divide and rule, and there were plenty of women to do the washing, childcare and provide emotional and sexual support for these oh-so alternative men.
The women were not necessarily any more sexually liberated than their married, monogamous sisters; in fact they would quite often complain of being treated far worse than a wife. It not only gave men permission to sleep around, but left women experiencing dreadful feelings of anxiety, low self-esteem and lack of confidence.
Elisabeth Sheff, a US-based sociologist who has studied polyamorous families since the mid-1990s, found that "despite the pronounced importance of gender equality to polyamorists", it is not unusual for men to be drawn to it because they believe that it will lead to sex with lots of women. The modern proponents of polyamory tend to ignore gender dynamics as if patriarchy and the sexual inequality that it produces has disappeared. Many also forget that its practice today, unlike polygamy, is the choice of overwhelmingly white, affluent, university educated and privileged folk, with too much time on their hands.
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Beginning in 2005, Trump University offered a program that began with a free introductory 90-minute presentation promising to teach the secrets that helped build his real estate empire. This was, according to the suit, no more than a lengthy promotion for a three-day, $1,500 seminar. The three-day program, in turn, was used to plug “elite” courses that cost anywhere from $10,000 to $35,000.
Schneiderman takes particular aim at Trump U.’s ads, which featured the mogul’s picture and signature, and some of which appeared as personal letters. Marketing materials frequently referenced the “handpicked instructor” who would impart Trump’s wisdom, but the attorney general maintains that Trump was uninvolved in developing or teaching curriculum, and was not responsible for choosing instructors—by hand or otherwise.
The suit also claims the organization was warned by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) up to eight years ago to stop presenting itself as a university, though Trump representatives George Sorial and Michael Cohen say the organization had no formal communication with the NYSED until 2010. Trump University was issued a cease and indoor Tracking, after which its name was changed to The Trump Entrepreneur Institute. Sorial and Cohen say the program suspended live seminars several weeks later as a result of the developing conflict with Schneiderman’s office.
“Mr. Trump used his celebrity status and personally appeared in commercials making false promises to convince people to spend tens of thousands of dollars they couldn’t afford for lessons they never got,” said Schneiderman, in a statement. “No one, no matter how rich or popular they are, has a right to scam hard working New Yorkers. Anyone who does should expect to be held accountable.”
The suit claims that many students at Trump University—referred to in the complaint as “consumers”—were promised the opportunity to practice actual real estate transactions with access to private funds, personal appearances by Trump himself, and year-long access to “apprenticeship support.” Instead, according to the lawsuit, participants were provided with a list of funding sources culled from a newsstand publication, and many mentors did not respond to contact from students or provided no ongoing guidance at all.
Instead of the chance to shake hands with The Donald, a life-sized cutout of Trump was made available for photos with students, alleges the attorney general’s complaint.
Sorial and Cohen insist that Schneiderman’s actions are personally-motivated attacks against Trump, and claim that before the lawsuit was filed, the attorney general “repeatedly” rejected the offer of in-person meetings with Trump, while suggesting through a representative that the matter could be settled out of court.
“98% of Trump University students rated the program ‘excellent,’” claims the site, “while only 4% of New York State registered voters rated Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s performance as “excellent” and Schneiderman thinks he could be the next governor? He must be joking.”
Beyond the belligerent typeface, the site actually makes thousands of pages of handwritten survey responses, apparently from Trump University participants, available in PDF. Remarks in comment form are largely positive, and numerical responses tend to be the highest available scores or blank. Names of participants are redacted.
It is neither my business or concern as to how many sexual partners anyone has at any one time, and I genuinely could not care less how folk organise their relationships. But the co-opting and rebranding of polygamy, so that it loses its nasty association with the oppression of the most disadvantaged women, is as irresponsible as suggesting that because some women chose to enter high-end prostitution as a social experiment, all prostitution is radical and harmless.
Caroline Humphrey, a professor of collaborative anthropology at Cambridge University, has argued in favour of the legalisation of polygamy because, according to a number of women in polygamous marriages in Russia, "half a good man is better than none at all". While polyamory is not the same as traditional polygamy – which has been practised for centuries under a strict code of patriarchy in communities where women and children have few if any rights – the co-opting of the sanitised version will further normalise a practice that is anything but liberating for women in this Hands free access.
There is also the assumption that polyamory is an invention of a set of too-cool-for-school hipsters, who have recently discovered that exclusive couple-type relationships are so last season. However, it was radical feminists in the 1970s onwards that developed the notion of non-monogamy as a way to challenge patriarchal heterosexuality. The definition of polyamory as "ethical non-monogamy" currently doing the rounds sticks in my craw. Non-monogamy was deeply ethical. One could have as many sexual partners as desired but everything was honest and above board, with no one being deceived.
The type of non-monogamy radical feminists developed and practised involved no men. We were all lesbians starting off on a fairly equal playing field. Some of us involved with leftwing politics had previously been witness to or victims of men who had sexual access to as many women as they wanted, while women waited for her one partner to get round to paying her attention. In the meantime, women were pitted against each other while the men played a subtle game of divide and rule, and there were plenty of women to do the washing, childcare and provide emotional and sexual support for these oh-so alternative men.
The women were not necessarily any more sexually liberated than their married, monogamous sisters; in fact they would quite often complain of being treated far worse than a wife. It not only gave men permission to sleep around, but left women experiencing dreadful feelings of anxiety, low self-esteem and lack of confidence.
Elisabeth Sheff, a US-based sociologist who has studied polyamorous families since the mid-1990s, found that "despite the pronounced importance of gender equality to polyamorists", it is not unusual for men to be drawn to it because they believe that it will lead to sex with lots of women. The modern proponents of polyamory tend to ignore gender dynamics as if patriarchy and the sexual inequality that it produces has disappeared. Many also forget that its practice today, unlike polygamy, is the choice of overwhelmingly white, affluent, university educated and privileged folk, with too much time on their hands.
Read the full products at http://www.ecived.com/en/!
Monday, August 19, 2013
A rushed and flawed welfare scheme?
The Indian welfare state is set for a reinvention, as subsidies of all kinds are in the process of being monetised into cash transfers. Aapka paisa, aapke haath (your money in your hands) is the pithy election campaign slogan that is meant to convince the people of the merit of cash transfers, but is the Indian state ready for the switch to cash?
We don't think so. India requires significant additional capability in identifying households and in linking households to bank accounts. Scaling up nationally without building this capability will likely result in failure, and the Indian government should instead look to emulate the successful bottom-up implementation approach of Brazil's FamÃlia with gradual scale up from the regional to the national level.
The merit of cash transfers lays in the potential greater efficiency of cash, as compared to in-kind subsidies, in expanding choice and enabling poor households to purchase goods and services that they need. Of course, this increase in economic welfare will only be realised if the cash transfer is equivalent in purchasing power to the subsidy. This is not always the case, as a cash transfer pilot for kerosene in the state of Rajasthan highlights: the cash transferred was insufficient for families to purchase their monthly requirement of kerosene, as the market price indoor Tracking. Therefore, any cash transfer scheme would require that the transfers be indexed to inflation in the local area, which is highly complex.
Transferring cash to households, while seemingly simple, requires significant implementation capabilities. The first step is to identify all potential beneficiary households, which remains incomplete and daunting in India.
India's highly-touted unique ID programme has issued an estimated 280m ID cards over the course of three years, meaning that 800m more cards need to be issued before April 2014, when the cash transfer is set to cover the entire country. Such a vast increase in the rate of issuing cards seems unlikely. Even if all households are able to obtain an ID card, there is no guarantee that the transfer can be targeted accurately to only poor households. Many non-poor households have finagled their way onto government rolls that track the poor, for example, leaving the poor behind.
The next step for the cash transfer to work is to link the national ID to a bank account. In India, this seemingly simple step is a huge challenge, as Indians currently have limited access to financial services. A recent World Bank study estimates bank account penetration across India at 35%, a rate that falls even lower for the poorest households. Moreover, many poor households do not have access to bank branches or ATMs.
Furthermore, in any cash transfer scheme, there will undoubtedly be cases of non-payment, late payment, or inadequate payment to beneficiaries. In these cases, it remains unclear, in the design of India's transfer, how citizens will be able to file grievances and how the government will redress these grievances. A similarly massive Indian social programme, MGNREGA, has seen state governments drag their feet on resolving complaints and fail to curb corruption due to the lack of a grievance redressal mechanism.
Given that India seems inadequately prepared for implementing a cash transfer scheme, does the government's current implementation strategy have mechanisms of learning and adaptation that address these inadequacies? We believe not.
First, the government's strategy involves large scale piloting of cash transfers for selected programmes in 51 districts by 2013, and then scaling up nationwide by 2014. The pilot is set to last only a few months, with no systematic evaluation, and will likely be carried out in districts that have relatively high ID card coverage and bank account penetration. Consequently, the results of the pilot may not be that informative and Hands free access, even if they are, will not be representative of how the programme will work across India.
Second, rushing into a massive cash transfer programme may complicate the government's ability to rectify problems on the fly, both politically and administratively. The Indian government can learn from an alternative implementation strategy adopted in Brazil for the famous cash transfer programme, Bolsa FamÃlia.
Bolsa FamÃlia grew out of a combination of other transfer programmes that had started at the municipal and state levels and had been operating for several years prior to the launch of Bolsa FamÃlia. These sub-national cash transfer programmes were then individually scaled up to the national level, and subsequently consolidated into Bolsa FamÃlia. Thus, cash transfers in Brazil started from the bottom and diffused upward and outward, which suggests that kinks in programme administration could be smoothed out at smaller scales and then scaled up. By contrast, India's top-down, rushed approach provides little space for weaknesses to be identified and rectified at the local level so that the most effective modalities of the programme can be scaled nationally.
The Indian government's ambitions of establishing a cash transfer system at the proposed size and scope has the potential to deliver significant welfare gains. However, policymakers should be wary of overambitious implementation targets: in the rush for implementation the government has ignored its current administrative constraints and gone for nationwide scale up which will likely result in failure.
Read the full products at www.ecived.com/en/!
We don't think so. India requires significant additional capability in identifying households and in linking households to bank accounts. Scaling up nationally without building this capability will likely result in failure, and the Indian government should instead look to emulate the successful bottom-up implementation approach of Brazil's FamÃlia with gradual scale up from the regional to the national level.
The merit of cash transfers lays in the potential greater efficiency of cash, as compared to in-kind subsidies, in expanding choice and enabling poor households to purchase goods and services that they need. Of course, this increase in economic welfare will only be realised if the cash transfer is equivalent in purchasing power to the subsidy. This is not always the case, as a cash transfer pilot for kerosene in the state of Rajasthan highlights: the cash transferred was insufficient for families to purchase their monthly requirement of kerosene, as the market price indoor Tracking. Therefore, any cash transfer scheme would require that the transfers be indexed to inflation in the local area, which is highly complex.
Transferring cash to households, while seemingly simple, requires significant implementation capabilities. The first step is to identify all potential beneficiary households, which remains incomplete and daunting in India.
India's highly-touted unique ID programme has issued an estimated 280m ID cards over the course of three years, meaning that 800m more cards need to be issued before April 2014, when the cash transfer is set to cover the entire country. Such a vast increase in the rate of issuing cards seems unlikely. Even if all households are able to obtain an ID card, there is no guarantee that the transfer can be targeted accurately to only poor households. Many non-poor households have finagled their way onto government rolls that track the poor, for example, leaving the poor behind.
The next step for the cash transfer to work is to link the national ID to a bank account. In India, this seemingly simple step is a huge challenge, as Indians currently have limited access to financial services. A recent World Bank study estimates bank account penetration across India at 35%, a rate that falls even lower for the poorest households. Moreover, many poor households do not have access to bank branches or ATMs.
Furthermore, in any cash transfer scheme, there will undoubtedly be cases of non-payment, late payment, or inadequate payment to beneficiaries. In these cases, it remains unclear, in the design of India's transfer, how citizens will be able to file grievances and how the government will redress these grievances. A similarly massive Indian social programme, MGNREGA, has seen state governments drag their feet on resolving complaints and fail to curb corruption due to the lack of a grievance redressal mechanism.
Given that India seems inadequately prepared for implementing a cash transfer scheme, does the government's current implementation strategy have mechanisms of learning and adaptation that address these inadequacies? We believe not.
First, the government's strategy involves large scale piloting of cash transfers for selected programmes in 51 districts by 2013, and then scaling up nationwide by 2014. The pilot is set to last only a few months, with no systematic evaluation, and will likely be carried out in districts that have relatively high ID card coverage and bank account penetration. Consequently, the results of the pilot may not be that informative and Hands free access, even if they are, will not be representative of how the programme will work across India.
Second, rushing into a massive cash transfer programme may complicate the government's ability to rectify problems on the fly, both politically and administratively. The Indian government can learn from an alternative implementation strategy adopted in Brazil for the famous cash transfer programme, Bolsa FamÃlia.
Bolsa FamÃlia grew out of a combination of other transfer programmes that had started at the municipal and state levels and had been operating for several years prior to the launch of Bolsa FamÃlia. These sub-national cash transfer programmes were then individually scaled up to the national level, and subsequently consolidated into Bolsa FamÃlia. Thus, cash transfers in Brazil started from the bottom and diffused upward and outward, which suggests that kinks in programme administration could be smoothed out at smaller scales and then scaled up. By contrast, India's top-down, rushed approach provides little space for weaknesses to be identified and rectified at the local level so that the most effective modalities of the programme can be scaled nationally.
The Indian government's ambitions of establishing a cash transfer system at the proposed size and scope has the potential to deliver significant welfare gains. However, policymakers should be wary of overambitious implementation targets: in the rush for implementation the government has ignored its current administrative constraints and gone for nationwide scale up which will likely result in failure.
Read the full products at www.ecived.com/en/!
Obama declares a “right” to health insurance
Facing criticism and bad poll numbers over the 2010 healthcare law, known to most as “ObamaCare,” President Barack Obama extolled the perceived benefits of its provisions in his weekly address to the nation and proclaimed that Americans have a “right” to health insurance coverage.“Right now, we’re well on our way to fully implementing the Affordable Care Act. And in the next few months, we’ll reach a couple milestones with real meaning for millions of Americans,” said President Obama, in reference to the state health insurance exchanges that will open on October 1st.
The reality here is that the implementation of ObamaCare isn’t going all that smoothly. Many states are experiencing problems implementing the exchanges, the most recent of which is Oregon. The government is three months behind on data security testing, which opens up concerns about identity theft. The Obama Administration has also delayed two major provisions of the law, the employer mandate and consumer-cost caps.
That doesn’t leave much confidence that ObamaCare is being implemented when the administration has tacitly admitted that the law has very real, very concerning problems. And we have even mentioned the most serious adverse effect of the law yet, which is rising insurance premiums.
“If you’re one of the 85% of Americans who already have insurance, you’ve already got new benefits and protections under this law that you didn’t before,” President Obama told Americans. ”Free checkups, mammograms, and contraceptive care. Discounted prescription medicine on Medicare. The fact you can stay on your real time Location system’ plan until you turn 26. And much, much more.”As Milton Friedman once said, “There is no such thing as a free lunch.” These services aren’t “free” at all. The costs for these services will be borne through higher health insurance premiums.
“If you don’t have insurance, beginning on October 1st, private plans will actually compete for your business,” continued President Obama. “You can comparison shop in an online marketplace, just like you would for cell phone plans or plane tickets.”Actually, several insurers have left the exchanges, including California, Connecticut, and Georgia, which only diminishes competition, resulting in higher premiums for those who participate in the exchanges.
After taking some shots at conservative Republicans who are making a push in Congress to defund the law, President Obama finally declared that Americans have a “right” to health insurance.
“I’m going to keep doing everything in my power to make sure this law works as it’s supposed to,” added President Obama in closing. “Because in the United States of America, health insurance isn’t a privilege – it is your right. And we’re going to keep it that way.”Sigh. This is a familiar collectivist notion. Though usually reserved for countries with strictly government-run healthcare, it has been repackaged for ObamaCare, which is ostensibly a government takeover of the insurance industry through a more corporatist means.
No one has a right to any to goods or services provided by another, whether it’s an insurance company or any other business. Health insurance, a service provided by a company assuming the risk covering someone, is not a right.And even if one does accept President Obama’s notion that health insurance is a “right,” why does ObamaCare ravage consumer-driven health insurance plans, such as HSAs, that hold down healthcare costs? These plans are not only cheaper form of health insurance, they put crucial healthcare decisions in the hands of patients, giving them protect in the form of catastrophic coverage in instances of serious need.
Yes, Americans need greater access to affordable health insurance coverage, no one, including Republicans, disagrees with that. But ObamaCare doesn’t make health insurance more affordable. It increases the overall cost of healthcare through a mix regulation, Indoor Positioning System, and cost-controls. The result, as noted above, is already rising health insurance premiums for both group and individual insurance plans in almost every state because of this ill advise law.
Academic integrity has to be retained if football and basketball teams are to continue to represent institutions of higher learning. How exactly we define “academic integrity” is another debate, for another column. But an athlete accepting payment for signing his or her name is in no way compromising a university’s mission. Nor is it taking advantage of other student-athletes. This is an elementary economics lesson: value of a cheeseburger, a car, or an autograph is determined by the demand of a free market. If someone will fork over $100 for Johnny Manziel to sign his name, Johnny Football should be allowed to pocket that cash. The autograph will almost certainly be sold for triple that amount. Hop on eBay and scan the Manziel-signed items going for more than $1,000.
Two important details on this business opportunity for college athletes. First, it should be open to every athlete. If a backup tailback for the Memphis Tigers wants to make an autograph appearance at Wolfchase Galleria, he should be allowed to do so. How much can he charge? How many fans will get in line? Up to the free market, folks.
And secondly, when a student-athlete signs for pay, the college he represents should get a percentage. If Johnny Manziel performed his heroics for Sewanee or Rhodes College, he wouldn’t be able to charge what he can as The Man at Texas A & M. Yes, the name on the front of the jersey still counts for something in measuring star power . . . and the value of an autograph.
Read the full products at www.ecived.com/en/!
The reality here is that the implementation of ObamaCare isn’t going all that smoothly. Many states are experiencing problems implementing the exchanges, the most recent of which is Oregon. The government is three months behind on data security testing, which opens up concerns about identity theft. The Obama Administration has also delayed two major provisions of the law, the employer mandate and consumer-cost caps.
That doesn’t leave much confidence that ObamaCare is being implemented when the administration has tacitly admitted that the law has very real, very concerning problems. And we have even mentioned the most serious adverse effect of the law yet, which is rising insurance premiums.
“If you’re one of the 85% of Americans who already have insurance, you’ve already got new benefits and protections under this law that you didn’t before,” President Obama told Americans. ”Free checkups, mammograms, and contraceptive care. Discounted prescription medicine on Medicare. The fact you can stay on your real time Location system’ plan until you turn 26. And much, much more.”As Milton Friedman once said, “There is no such thing as a free lunch.” These services aren’t “free” at all. The costs for these services will be borne through higher health insurance premiums.
“If you don’t have insurance, beginning on October 1st, private plans will actually compete for your business,” continued President Obama. “You can comparison shop in an online marketplace, just like you would for cell phone plans or plane tickets.”Actually, several insurers have left the exchanges, including California, Connecticut, and Georgia, which only diminishes competition, resulting in higher premiums for those who participate in the exchanges.
After taking some shots at conservative Republicans who are making a push in Congress to defund the law, President Obama finally declared that Americans have a “right” to health insurance.
“I’m going to keep doing everything in my power to make sure this law works as it’s supposed to,” added President Obama in closing. “Because in the United States of America, health insurance isn’t a privilege – it is your right. And we’re going to keep it that way.”Sigh. This is a familiar collectivist notion. Though usually reserved for countries with strictly government-run healthcare, it has been repackaged for ObamaCare, which is ostensibly a government takeover of the insurance industry through a more corporatist means.
No one has a right to any to goods or services provided by another, whether it’s an insurance company or any other business. Health insurance, a service provided by a company assuming the risk covering someone, is not a right.And even if one does accept President Obama’s notion that health insurance is a “right,” why does ObamaCare ravage consumer-driven health insurance plans, such as HSAs, that hold down healthcare costs? These plans are not only cheaper form of health insurance, they put crucial healthcare decisions in the hands of patients, giving them protect in the form of catastrophic coverage in instances of serious need.
Yes, Americans need greater access to affordable health insurance coverage, no one, including Republicans, disagrees with that. But ObamaCare doesn’t make health insurance more affordable. It increases the overall cost of healthcare through a mix regulation, Indoor Positioning System, and cost-controls. The result, as noted above, is already rising health insurance premiums for both group and individual insurance plans in almost every state because of this ill advise law.
Academic integrity has to be retained if football and basketball teams are to continue to represent institutions of higher learning. How exactly we define “academic integrity” is another debate, for another column. But an athlete accepting payment for signing his or her name is in no way compromising a university’s mission. Nor is it taking advantage of other student-athletes. This is an elementary economics lesson: value of a cheeseburger, a car, or an autograph is determined by the demand of a free market. If someone will fork over $100 for Johnny Manziel to sign his name, Johnny Football should be allowed to pocket that cash. The autograph will almost certainly be sold for triple that amount. Hop on eBay and scan the Manziel-signed items going for more than $1,000.
Two important details on this business opportunity for college athletes. First, it should be open to every athlete. If a backup tailback for the Memphis Tigers wants to make an autograph appearance at Wolfchase Galleria, he should be allowed to do so. How much can he charge? How many fans will get in line? Up to the free market, folks.
And secondly, when a student-athlete signs for pay, the college he represents should get a percentage. If Johnny Manziel performed his heroics for Sewanee or Rhodes College, he wouldn’t be able to charge what he can as The Man at Texas A & M. Yes, the name on the front of the jersey still counts for something in measuring star power . . . and the value of an autograph.
Read the full products at www.ecived.com/en/!
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Immigration Minister and Shadow debate asylum policy
In July, Attorney General Eric Holder filed a lawsuit, arguing that the state should be required to undergo some form of preclearance with districting plans. A month before, the United States Supreme Court had struck down key provisions of the Voting Rights Act, meaning that the Texas redistricting plan was no longer subject to federal preclearance requirements.
In his lawsuit, Holder called on a judge to review the districting proposal, and cited "evidence of intentional racial discrimination that was presented" in another lawsuit, Texas v. Holder in 2012. The 2012 ruling denied the state preclearance to enact a potential voter identification law, and Holder used the suit as a springboard for suggesting that similar federal approval would again be necessary.
In response to the most recent case, Abbott denied that redistricting practices were racially motivated, but revealed that political interests were very much at work.
"In 2011, both houses of the Texas Legislature were controlled by large Republican majorities, and their redistricting decisions were designed to increase the Republican Party's electoral prospects at the expense of the Democrats," read a court brief filed by Abbott.
Abbott also qualified the tactics, noting that partisan districting decisions are still constitutional, despite "incidental effects on minority voters." The brief cites Hunt v. Cromartie, a South Carolina case in which it was decided that "[a] jurisdiction may engage in constitutional political gerrymandering, even if it so happens that the most loyal Democrats happen to be black Democrats and even if the State were conscious of that fact."
Partisan gerrymandering, while legal, is an often frowned upon. Before John Paul Stevens' 2010 retirement, the then-Supreme Court justice criticized the Indoor Positioning System, asserting that it is "very, very harmful to the community at large."
Gentlemen, welcome to the program. We know that both your parties support offshore processing, Nauru and PNG as partners in that, mandatory detention, a regional solution involving our neighbours, particularly Indonesia, a humanitarian refugee intake, the use of Navy and Customs to respond to boats. Given all that common ground, what do each of you consider to be the single biggest point of difference in your policy approach - Tony Burke?
My focus is on implementation, and I think it's fair to say the greatest frustration that I've found have been the attempts from the Opposition to claim that the arrangements with Papua New Guinea will not be appropriately implemented. The entire policy and framework depends on the extent to which people will test our resolve because that determines how many people end up being affected by it. Now, we will have whatever capacity is required, but the more there is a discussion here implying that we won't implement it, the more people will put their lives at risk at the high seas.
Our focus has always been on deterrence, deterrence first. Now that obviously includes turning boats back where it's safe to do so, but it's a deterrence model that goes all the way up the chain and bringing all of that for implementation purposes under a single command and making sure that you have the ability to respond to issues as they arise because this is a daily struggle. The other key difference is form, indoor Tracking. Our form is we've got this done before. Our record shows that we have and the proven resolve and commitment and consistency. We've always believed in these policies. The Government has had every point in the compass on this debate.
No, we in fact brought an excision bill for the Australian mainland into the Parliament and the Labor Party opposed it. The only change we made was to bring children out of held detention. Now there were just over 50 people who were children in held detention at that time and we successfully did that. Now the big difference between us and the Government is - I have no doubt about the minister's earnest intention to get children out of held detention; his predecessor once removed held the same intention, but he failed miserably 'cause boats kept turning up with children on them. And so, no, we weren't winding it back. It was the Labor Party and Kevin Rudd who got rid of the border protection measures that worked under John Howard and 50,000 people have turned up since at a cost of $9 billion.
Factually inaccurate what he said about the final term of the Howard Government. I don't want to spend the whole night on the history, but I can't let Scott get away with claiming that children out of detention was the only thing that happened in that final term. The vast majority of people on temporary protection visas who were told they'd never be given permanent visas were given them. All but two of the people who were on Naura who'd been told they would never be settled in Australia were settled in Australia. To claim that those things never happened is just dishonest.
Well, effectively what you've got is you can - if you go back over, say, the last seven days or something like that to the first seven days of the policy, you find a significant tapering down. Now depending on how many days you go, you'll get a different percentage, between 40 per cent and 20 per cent. But it only tells part of the story because you've effectively got backfilling. People who would have got on boats had the policy not been in place, not getting on at all and refusing to get on, while people smugglers offering cut-price deals, desperately trying to backfill. They are steadily running out of the number of customers 'cause the product has been taken from them.
Read the full products at http://www.ecived.com/en/.
In his lawsuit, Holder called on a judge to review the districting proposal, and cited "evidence of intentional racial discrimination that was presented" in another lawsuit, Texas v. Holder in 2012. The 2012 ruling denied the state preclearance to enact a potential voter identification law, and Holder used the suit as a springboard for suggesting that similar federal approval would again be necessary.
In response to the most recent case, Abbott denied that redistricting practices were racially motivated, but revealed that political interests were very much at work.
"In 2011, both houses of the Texas Legislature were controlled by large Republican majorities, and their redistricting decisions were designed to increase the Republican Party's electoral prospects at the expense of the Democrats," read a court brief filed by Abbott.
Abbott also qualified the tactics, noting that partisan districting decisions are still constitutional, despite "incidental effects on minority voters." The brief cites Hunt v. Cromartie, a South Carolina case in which it was decided that "[a] jurisdiction may engage in constitutional political gerrymandering, even if it so happens that the most loyal Democrats happen to be black Democrats and even if the State were conscious of that fact."
Partisan gerrymandering, while legal, is an often frowned upon. Before John Paul Stevens' 2010 retirement, the then-Supreme Court justice criticized the Indoor Positioning System, asserting that it is "very, very harmful to the community at large."
Gentlemen, welcome to the program. We know that both your parties support offshore processing, Nauru and PNG as partners in that, mandatory detention, a regional solution involving our neighbours, particularly Indonesia, a humanitarian refugee intake, the use of Navy and Customs to respond to boats. Given all that common ground, what do each of you consider to be the single biggest point of difference in your policy approach - Tony Burke?
My focus is on implementation, and I think it's fair to say the greatest frustration that I've found have been the attempts from the Opposition to claim that the arrangements with Papua New Guinea will not be appropriately implemented. The entire policy and framework depends on the extent to which people will test our resolve because that determines how many people end up being affected by it. Now, we will have whatever capacity is required, but the more there is a discussion here implying that we won't implement it, the more people will put their lives at risk at the high seas.
Our focus has always been on deterrence, deterrence first. Now that obviously includes turning boats back where it's safe to do so, but it's a deterrence model that goes all the way up the chain and bringing all of that for implementation purposes under a single command and making sure that you have the ability to respond to issues as they arise because this is a daily struggle. The other key difference is form, indoor Tracking. Our form is we've got this done before. Our record shows that we have and the proven resolve and commitment and consistency. We've always believed in these policies. The Government has had every point in the compass on this debate.
No, we in fact brought an excision bill for the Australian mainland into the Parliament and the Labor Party opposed it. The only change we made was to bring children out of held detention. Now there were just over 50 people who were children in held detention at that time and we successfully did that. Now the big difference between us and the Government is - I have no doubt about the minister's earnest intention to get children out of held detention; his predecessor once removed held the same intention, but he failed miserably 'cause boats kept turning up with children on them. And so, no, we weren't winding it back. It was the Labor Party and Kevin Rudd who got rid of the border protection measures that worked under John Howard and 50,000 people have turned up since at a cost of $9 billion.
Factually inaccurate what he said about the final term of the Howard Government. I don't want to spend the whole night on the history, but I can't let Scott get away with claiming that children out of detention was the only thing that happened in that final term. The vast majority of people on temporary protection visas who were told they'd never be given permanent visas were given them. All but two of the people who were on Naura who'd been told they would never be settled in Australia were settled in Australia. To claim that those things never happened is just dishonest.
Well, effectively what you've got is you can - if you go back over, say, the last seven days or something like that to the first seven days of the policy, you find a significant tapering down. Now depending on how many days you go, you'll get a different percentage, between 40 per cent and 20 per cent. But it only tells part of the story because you've effectively got backfilling. People who would have got on boats had the policy not been in place, not getting on at all and refusing to get on, while people smugglers offering cut-price deals, desperately trying to backfill. They are steadily running out of the number of customers 'cause the product has been taken from them.
Read the full products at http://www.ecived.com/en/.
Surprise fees on your hotel bill
If anyone is an educated hotel guest, it's Bjorn Hanson, dean of New York University's Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management.
But even Hanson got confused during a business trip a few years ago when a hotel bill included $18 in charges for real time Location system. One fee was for a bellman he didn't use and the other was for housekeeping service, even though he had already left a tip.
It took some discussion with the manager to get the fees dropped.
While travelers were complaining about airline fees - additional charges for putting luggage on planes, reserving seats and other services - the hotel business quietly experimented with fee after fee.
The result is that your bill at checkout can be confounding. Hotels are tacking on lots of extra charges in addition to sales tax and the tariffs from cities and states that apply only to the hospitality industry.
Common fees include resort usage, airport pickup, parking and gym visits along with charges for room service.
Some of the more surprising charges include a fee for moving items around in the minibar (not actually consuming any), a bellman (whether you use one or not), the room safe (even if you don't stash valuables in it), checking out early, checking in early and upgraded amenities (such as shampoo). And here's a new fee: parking in an open, unattended lot.
These charges are most common at higher-end hotels, resorts and properties in urban centers. The new parking fee at suburban hotels is still relatively rare. Most hotels in the middle of the price spectrum - the most popular segment in the U.S. - continue to avoid most fees in favor of offering free Internet, free breakfast and free parking.
Fees collected by the hotel industry this year will hit a record $2.1 billion, according to a projection released by NYU's Hanson on Tuesday, who tracks hotel fee trends annually. That is double what consumers paid a decade ago.
Among luxury properties, 99% charge for a late cancellation, compared with 29%among so-called midscale properties, according to a 2012 study by the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
The biggest problem with fees, Hanson says, is not disclosing those that are mandatory. Last fall the Federal Trade Commission sent warning letters to 22 hotel booking companies for leaving details out of the price projection when consumers shopped for rtls. It is now common to find a section on fees on hotel booking sites as well as a disclosure when a "resort fee" applies.
"Increasingly, hotels give away free breakfast, free Internet, and now some hotels are trying to claw that back with 'convenience fees,'" says Robert Habeeb, president and chief operating officer of First Hospitality Group in Chicago, which operates 53 hotels, mostly in the Midwest. Fees vary at its properties but can include Internet connection fees ($11.95 a day at one property), a pet fee ($50 per stay at another property), breakfast and parking.
Hotels watch occupancy trends and change prices - and fees - constantly, Habeeb says. "It has become like you're trading a commodity on the floor of an exchange." Ultimately, he says, "consumers decide what they're willing to pay for and what they're not."
Overall, nearly a quarter of hotels charge for in-room Internet access, according to a 2012 survey commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Wi-Fi charges are most common in so-called "upper upscale" and luxury hotels - with the fee assessed at more than three-quarters of all properties in those categories.
Business travelers to big cities, in particular, are targeted for the Wi-Fi charge - which can be as high as $15 a day. "If you're headed to downtown-anywhere, there's a good chance you'll see a Wi-Fi fee on your bill," says Jeremy Murphy, chief executive officer of TheSuitest.com, a travel website that analyzes hotel rooms and prices.
NYU's Hanson says it can be tough for consumers to understand what might end up on their bills. "Fees and surcharges are not even uniform across brands," he says. "They can change overnight ... That makes it very difficult for travelers to be aware and anticipate."
If you can, find out in advance what the extra charges are, and pay close attention to your bill when you're checking out. Tom Waithe, director of operations for Kimpton Hotels in the Pacific Northwest, encourages hotel guests to challenge charges they disagree with.
"The desk has, in many cases, the full ability to reverse a charge or reduce it, but be fair - the charges are often posted in advance," Waithe says.Read the registration card carefully. Says Waithe: "If you say you will pay for Wi-Fi and newspapers, don't be complaining at checkout that you didn't notice what you were signing."
Jack Worthen Germond, born during the Roaring ’20s, worked for the Rochester Times-Union and became Washington Bureau chief for Gannett newspapers. In 1974, he moved to the Washington Star, where he started a syndicated political column with Jules Witcover. After the Star folded, they went to the Baltimore Evening Sun.
For many Americans, he was a familiar figure on television, as a regular panelist on The McLaughlin Group and a frequent commentator on Meet the Press. “Jack Germond was one of the great happy warriors of political reporting,” NBC’s Chuck Todd wrote on Twitter. Journalist Jeff Greenfield wrote on Twitter: “Germond’s bull---- detector should be implanted in every political reporter.”
Germond was renowned for his no-nonsense manner and his cultivation of political sources around the country during a pre-Internet era when that was a crucial part of smart reportage. He was also famous for his love of fine food and drink — immortalized by “the Germond rule,” which held that political reporters split the dinner tab evenly, regardless of who had eaten what.
Democrat and Chronicle columnist and former managing editor Jim Memmott interviewed Germond in 1997 when the T-U closed. Germond, who worked at the Times-Union in the mid 1950s, recalled an election to control the fate of the Monroe County Democratic Party.
Read the full products at http://www.ecived.com/en/.
But even Hanson got confused during a business trip a few years ago when a hotel bill included $18 in charges for real time Location system. One fee was for a bellman he didn't use and the other was for housekeeping service, even though he had already left a tip.
It took some discussion with the manager to get the fees dropped.
While travelers were complaining about airline fees - additional charges for putting luggage on planes, reserving seats and other services - the hotel business quietly experimented with fee after fee.
The result is that your bill at checkout can be confounding. Hotels are tacking on lots of extra charges in addition to sales tax and the tariffs from cities and states that apply only to the hospitality industry.
Common fees include resort usage, airport pickup, parking and gym visits along with charges for room service.
Some of the more surprising charges include a fee for moving items around in the minibar (not actually consuming any), a bellman (whether you use one or not), the room safe (even if you don't stash valuables in it), checking out early, checking in early and upgraded amenities (such as shampoo). And here's a new fee: parking in an open, unattended lot.
These charges are most common at higher-end hotels, resorts and properties in urban centers. The new parking fee at suburban hotels is still relatively rare. Most hotels in the middle of the price spectrum - the most popular segment in the U.S. - continue to avoid most fees in favor of offering free Internet, free breakfast and free parking.
Fees collected by the hotel industry this year will hit a record $2.1 billion, according to a projection released by NYU's Hanson on Tuesday, who tracks hotel fee trends annually. That is double what consumers paid a decade ago.
Among luxury properties, 99% charge for a late cancellation, compared with 29%among so-called midscale properties, according to a 2012 study by the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
The biggest problem with fees, Hanson says, is not disclosing those that are mandatory. Last fall the Federal Trade Commission sent warning letters to 22 hotel booking companies for leaving details out of the price projection when consumers shopped for rtls. It is now common to find a section on fees on hotel booking sites as well as a disclosure when a "resort fee" applies.
"Increasingly, hotels give away free breakfast, free Internet, and now some hotels are trying to claw that back with 'convenience fees,'" says Robert Habeeb, president and chief operating officer of First Hospitality Group in Chicago, which operates 53 hotels, mostly in the Midwest. Fees vary at its properties but can include Internet connection fees ($11.95 a day at one property), a pet fee ($50 per stay at another property), breakfast and parking.
Hotels watch occupancy trends and change prices - and fees - constantly, Habeeb says. "It has become like you're trading a commodity on the floor of an exchange." Ultimately, he says, "consumers decide what they're willing to pay for and what they're not."
Overall, nearly a quarter of hotels charge for in-room Internet access, according to a 2012 survey commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Wi-Fi charges are most common in so-called "upper upscale" and luxury hotels - with the fee assessed at more than three-quarters of all properties in those categories.
Business travelers to big cities, in particular, are targeted for the Wi-Fi charge - which can be as high as $15 a day. "If you're headed to downtown-anywhere, there's a good chance you'll see a Wi-Fi fee on your bill," says Jeremy Murphy, chief executive officer of TheSuitest.com, a travel website that analyzes hotel rooms and prices.
NYU's Hanson says it can be tough for consumers to understand what might end up on their bills. "Fees and surcharges are not even uniform across brands," he says. "They can change overnight ... That makes it very difficult for travelers to be aware and anticipate."
If you can, find out in advance what the extra charges are, and pay close attention to your bill when you're checking out. Tom Waithe, director of operations for Kimpton Hotels in the Pacific Northwest, encourages hotel guests to challenge charges they disagree with.
"The desk has, in many cases, the full ability to reverse a charge or reduce it, but be fair - the charges are often posted in advance," Waithe says.Read the registration card carefully. Says Waithe: "If you say you will pay for Wi-Fi and newspapers, don't be complaining at checkout that you didn't notice what you were signing."
Jack Worthen Germond, born during the Roaring ’20s, worked for the Rochester Times-Union and became Washington Bureau chief for Gannett newspapers. In 1974, he moved to the Washington Star, where he started a syndicated political column with Jules Witcover. After the Star folded, they went to the Baltimore Evening Sun.
For many Americans, he was a familiar figure on television, as a regular panelist on The McLaughlin Group and a frequent commentator on Meet the Press. “Jack Germond was one of the great happy warriors of political reporting,” NBC’s Chuck Todd wrote on Twitter. Journalist Jeff Greenfield wrote on Twitter: “Germond’s bull---- detector should be implanted in every political reporter.”
Germond was renowned for his no-nonsense manner and his cultivation of political sources around the country during a pre-Internet era when that was a crucial part of smart reportage. He was also famous for his love of fine food and drink — immortalized by “the Germond rule,” which held that political reporters split the dinner tab evenly, regardless of who had eaten what.
Democrat and Chronicle columnist and former managing editor Jim Memmott interviewed Germond in 1997 when the T-U closed. Germond, who worked at the Times-Union in the mid 1950s, recalled an election to control the fate of the Monroe County Democratic Party.
Read the full products at http://www.ecived.com/en/.
Monday, August 12, 2013
The Pink Slip
America’s pastime has taken a lot of hits over the years—of the wrong kind, we hate to admit, not the type that boosts players’ averages into the Hall of Fame echelon. Ryan Braun, the Milwaukee Brewers slugger and winner of the National League’s Most Valuable Player award in 2011, finally came clean—he had run out of excuses—and in the process dirtied his reputation for good. He made a fool out of his team owner, Mark Attanasio, and Doug Melvin, the team’s general manager, who signed Braun to an eight-year contract that was the richest in Milwaukee’s history, and most tragically for the game, his legion of fans.
Braun violated the league’s anti-doping policy. His name showed up in a sweeping investigation of Biogenesis, an anti-aging clinic in Florida that baseball officials claim distributed illegal performance-enhancing drugs. His lies finally caught up with him, and he’s been suspended for the rest of the rtls. He tried to make his fans think he was as pure as driven snow. Just like another artificially pumped-up player named Alexander Rodriguez, whose time is up. When hypocrites fall hard, it’s never a pretty sight. Braun, yer out!
When was the last time Fox News “journalist” Geraldo Rivera actually made news? We can’t remember either, but tweeting a seminude photo of himself clad only in a bath towel has to be another low in a downward spiraling career that they never teach you in Columbia J-School. On the plus side, he didn’t look too flabby for a guy who just turned 70 on July 4 but the other side of the story is his apparent Anthony Weiner plagiarism. Let the New York City mayoral candidate be judged by the voters—and his private behavior by his wife. Rivera’s grab for attention is just cheesy. Is he trolling for a new bride? He’s on his fifth marriage now—still three more to go to catch up to Larry King, who apparently set the bar high for these cable guys. Rivera, next time you take a shower, keep it to yourself.
Maybe it’s not her fault that bleached blonde Aaryn Gries has an egregious spelling of her first name; she can blame her parents for that. But she has to take full responsibility for her outrageous behavior on the CBS reality show “Big Brother” that puts a new shiny face on white supremacy and racism. Her guilt-free expression of intolerance and her selfish expectation of privilege make her the candidate we’d like to banish forever, let alone eliminate from the program. But we know there are millions out there who feel just like her, they’re just not as willing to parade their prejudices in public before the television audience. The benefit of all this attention, scripted or not, is that it gives the lie to the conservatives’ contention that racism in America is a thing of the past. On the contrary, it’s alive and well—in prime time.
Hempstead school district’s summer reading list this year was so stupid it became a national joke because it was filled with errors. It didn’t echo President George W. Bush’s famous malapropism, “Is our children learning?,” but then he was only running for president. The school district’s assignment was to educate its students over the summer. On the list, “The Great Gatsby” became “The Great Gypsy,” Alice Sebold’s “The Lovely Bones” became “The Lovely Bone,” and George Ornell, rather than George Orwell, was credited as the author of “Animal Farm.”
The lowly employee who put the list together has not been named, just reportedly “disciplined,” but we say the blame should go straight to the top. Superintendent Susan Johnson makes about $265,000 and is eligible for about $40,000 in annual performance bonuses. She was fired from the district in 2005 for wasteful spending; the district has gone through seven superintendents in the last eight years. Has anybody learned anything since then? Clearly Johnson should renew her library card—and spend all her free time reading the books on this list. Her kind of bureaucratic incompetence hurts the kids who count on her academic leadership.
What Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, did to the punk-rock band Pussy Riot was outrageous enough. By their courageous acts, the all-women collective has shown how little regard Putin has for free speech in his country and how screwed up Russia’s Orthodox Church is. To prove their point, the women staged a protest song , appropriately called “Holy Shit,” from the altar of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. They were arrested for desecration and charged with “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred or indoor Tracking.” All they destroyed was Putin’s reputation.
The church had been blown up in the 1930s and later turned into a swimming pool, but recently, thanks to a restoration reportedly paid for by organized crime, there’s a huge parking lot underneath it, and its banqueting halls are available for $10,000 a day. After the crackdown, which garnered international attention, three of the women remain behind bars. Amnesty International has called them prisoners of conscience. If Putin ever wants to put his ugly KGB past behind him, he should let them go with an apology and a promise that he’ll respect free expression.
But he seems to be willfully moving in the wrong direction. While attention has been on Edward Snowden, the American in Moscow seeking asylum, Putin has declared war on homosexuals, signing a bill on July 3 that bans adoption of Russian-born children not only to gay couples but also to any couple or single parent living in any country where marriage equality exists, as gay rights activist Harvey Fierstein, an internationally renowned actor and playwright, recently described it in the New York Times. Putin has also signed a law that allows Russia’s cops to arrest tourists and foreigners they suspect of being gay, lesbian or “pro-gay” (which sounds like a “thought crime” out of “1984”) and detain them for up to 14 days. And let’s not forget that Russia is supposed to host the 2014 Winter Olympics. Perhaps an international boycott is in order. We say “nyet” to Putin. And he should keep his shirt on in public. Who does he think he is—Anthony Weiner?
There were many contenders for this ignominious distinction, but Tennessee’s Rep. Stephen Fincher is the smug face of conservative Republican hypocrisy, hands down. The Congressman has gotten millions of dollars in farm subsidies but blithely voted to cut food stamps to the bone last month. Twenty-two percent of the people in his own district reportedly rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (aka SNAP).
But he joined his colleagues in stripping this essential program from the agriculture bill—a measure that had routinely passed in previous years with bipartisan support, because it paired aid for the big farm owners with assistance for the needy people in cities, suburbs and rural areas around the country. You know, wherever there are Americans who can’t afford to put food on their table. But as Fincher calls them, citing the Bible: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” He, of course, rakes in $3.5 million in farm subsidies for growing nothing. Having any American go hungry in a country as rich as ours is a sin. Fincher, get stuffed.
Read the full products at http://www.ecived.com/en/.
Braun violated the league’s anti-doping policy. His name showed up in a sweeping investigation of Biogenesis, an anti-aging clinic in Florida that baseball officials claim distributed illegal performance-enhancing drugs. His lies finally caught up with him, and he’s been suspended for the rest of the rtls. He tried to make his fans think he was as pure as driven snow. Just like another artificially pumped-up player named Alexander Rodriguez, whose time is up. When hypocrites fall hard, it’s never a pretty sight. Braun, yer out!
When was the last time Fox News “journalist” Geraldo Rivera actually made news? We can’t remember either, but tweeting a seminude photo of himself clad only in a bath towel has to be another low in a downward spiraling career that they never teach you in Columbia J-School. On the plus side, he didn’t look too flabby for a guy who just turned 70 on July 4 but the other side of the story is his apparent Anthony Weiner plagiarism. Let the New York City mayoral candidate be judged by the voters—and his private behavior by his wife. Rivera’s grab for attention is just cheesy. Is he trolling for a new bride? He’s on his fifth marriage now—still three more to go to catch up to Larry King, who apparently set the bar high for these cable guys. Rivera, next time you take a shower, keep it to yourself.
Maybe it’s not her fault that bleached blonde Aaryn Gries has an egregious spelling of her first name; she can blame her parents for that. But she has to take full responsibility for her outrageous behavior on the CBS reality show “Big Brother” that puts a new shiny face on white supremacy and racism. Her guilt-free expression of intolerance and her selfish expectation of privilege make her the candidate we’d like to banish forever, let alone eliminate from the program. But we know there are millions out there who feel just like her, they’re just not as willing to parade their prejudices in public before the television audience. The benefit of all this attention, scripted or not, is that it gives the lie to the conservatives’ contention that racism in America is a thing of the past. On the contrary, it’s alive and well—in prime time.
Hempstead school district’s summer reading list this year was so stupid it became a national joke because it was filled with errors. It didn’t echo President George W. Bush’s famous malapropism, “Is our children learning?,” but then he was only running for president. The school district’s assignment was to educate its students over the summer. On the list, “The Great Gatsby” became “The Great Gypsy,” Alice Sebold’s “The Lovely Bones” became “The Lovely Bone,” and George Ornell, rather than George Orwell, was credited as the author of “Animal Farm.”
The lowly employee who put the list together has not been named, just reportedly “disciplined,” but we say the blame should go straight to the top. Superintendent Susan Johnson makes about $265,000 and is eligible for about $40,000 in annual performance bonuses. She was fired from the district in 2005 for wasteful spending; the district has gone through seven superintendents in the last eight years. Has anybody learned anything since then? Clearly Johnson should renew her library card—and spend all her free time reading the books on this list. Her kind of bureaucratic incompetence hurts the kids who count on her academic leadership.
What Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, did to the punk-rock band Pussy Riot was outrageous enough. By their courageous acts, the all-women collective has shown how little regard Putin has for free speech in his country and how screwed up Russia’s Orthodox Church is. To prove their point, the women staged a protest song , appropriately called “Holy Shit,” from the altar of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. They were arrested for desecration and charged with “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred or indoor Tracking.” All they destroyed was Putin’s reputation.
The church had been blown up in the 1930s and later turned into a swimming pool, but recently, thanks to a restoration reportedly paid for by organized crime, there’s a huge parking lot underneath it, and its banqueting halls are available for $10,000 a day. After the crackdown, which garnered international attention, three of the women remain behind bars. Amnesty International has called them prisoners of conscience. If Putin ever wants to put his ugly KGB past behind him, he should let them go with an apology and a promise that he’ll respect free expression.
But he seems to be willfully moving in the wrong direction. While attention has been on Edward Snowden, the American in Moscow seeking asylum, Putin has declared war on homosexuals, signing a bill on July 3 that bans adoption of Russian-born children not only to gay couples but also to any couple or single parent living in any country where marriage equality exists, as gay rights activist Harvey Fierstein, an internationally renowned actor and playwright, recently described it in the New York Times. Putin has also signed a law that allows Russia’s cops to arrest tourists and foreigners they suspect of being gay, lesbian or “pro-gay” (which sounds like a “thought crime” out of “1984”) and detain them for up to 14 days. And let’s not forget that Russia is supposed to host the 2014 Winter Olympics. Perhaps an international boycott is in order. We say “nyet” to Putin. And he should keep his shirt on in public. Who does he think he is—Anthony Weiner?
There were many contenders for this ignominious distinction, but Tennessee’s Rep. Stephen Fincher is the smug face of conservative Republican hypocrisy, hands down. The Congressman has gotten millions of dollars in farm subsidies but blithely voted to cut food stamps to the bone last month. Twenty-two percent of the people in his own district reportedly rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (aka SNAP).
But he joined his colleagues in stripping this essential program from the agriculture bill—a measure that had routinely passed in previous years with bipartisan support, because it paired aid for the big farm owners with assistance for the needy people in cities, suburbs and rural areas around the country. You know, wherever there are Americans who can’t afford to put food on their table. But as Fincher calls them, citing the Bible: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” He, of course, rakes in $3.5 million in farm subsidies for growing nothing. Having any American go hungry in a country as rich as ours is a sin. Fincher, get stuffed.
Read the full products at http://www.ecived.com/en/.
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