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WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House clashed with a large group of American diplomats who are voicing dissent with Donald Trump's temporary travel ban on citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, challenging them to resign if they aren't on board.
"They should either get with the program or they can go," said Sean Spicer, Trump's press secretary.
In startling language, Spicer on Monday dismissed the criticism from what he called "career bureaucrats." While he later said Trump appreciates the work of public servants, Spicer said they should respect the desires of the American people and the importance Trump places on protecting the country.
"If somebody has a problem with that agenda, that does call into question whether they should continue in that post or not," Spicer said. "This is about the safety of America."
Spicer's comments came after career diplomats circulated several drafts of a memo arguing that the executive order Trump signed last week will not make the U.S. safe, runs counter to American values and will fuel anti-American sentiment around the world.
"A policy which closes our doors to over 200 million legitimate travelers in the hopes of preventing a small number of travelers who intend to harm Americans from using the visa system to enter the United States will not achieve its aim of making our country safer," the diplomats wrote in a so-called "dissent cable" being drafted for State Department leadership.
"This ban stands in opposition to the core American and constitutional values that we, as federal employees, took an oath to uphold," a draft of the cable said.
U.S. officials said at least several hundred diplomats indicated they would sign the memo and that it was expected to be formally submitted, perhaps by Tuesday, pending edits to several drafts that were circulating. The final number of signatories will not be available until it is submitted, the officials said. The officials disclosed internal discussions on condition they not be quoted by name, in part because they feared retaliation.
Dissent channel cables are a mechanism for U.S. diplomats to register disagreement internally about U.S. policies. It was established during the Vietnam War and was most recently used by diplomats to criticize the Obama administration's approach to Syria. In that case, former Secretary of State John Kerry met with signers of the cable to discuss their concerns.
Trump's secretary of state nominee Rex Tillerson is still awaiting Senate confirmation and it was unclear how we would respond to the memo.
Spicer, however, was not sympathetic and defended the executive order. He said its impact had been "blown way out of proportion and exaggerated."
Signers of dissent cables are protected from retribution from superiors, and the State Department's official response to the draft memo was less confrontational.
"The Dissent Channel is a longstanding official vehicle for State Department employees to convey alternative views and perspectives on policy issues," department spokesman Mark Toner said. "This is an important process that the acting secretary, and the department as a whole, value and respect. It allows State employees to express divergent policy views candidly and privately to senior leadership."
The department, along with other agencies that must implement Trump's order, has been confused about its details and offered several contradictory instructions to embassies and consulates on how to do so, including how to handle dual citizens.
As word of the executive order began to circulate last week, diplomats at some embassies began to prioritize visa applications from citizens of countries they suspected might be affected, according to officials.
On Friday, before the order was signed, workers at one embassy dumped bins of hundreds of approved passports on the floor to pull those from the affected countries and affix visas in them, the officials said. That effort stopped when the order was signed, they said.
Ellen Knickmeyer contributed to this report.
The post White House, US diplomats clash over travel order appeared first on WTOP.


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The days are getting longer, and if you have a sexually mature parrot, there may be some major sexual stuff going on - and you might not even know it!
A lot of people believe sexual behavior in adult parrots means they now need to be put in a breeding situation - not true! While there are a FEW birds who truly are not happy as pets and desperately want a mate and babies, they are very much in the minority. For most birds, it's simply a few months of mother Nature's influence, which then passes, revealing your loving companion once again. While some birds do become aggressive at this time, the majority do not. In a true breeding situation, with a bonded pair and a nest box, you will of course, see aggressive, territorial behavior, but generally not so much in single birds in our homes. Some birdies exhibit "selective aggressiveness," depending on the situation and environment.
Basically, sexual behavior starts when the number of hours of daylight begin to lengthen. It's helpful to follow the natural light cycle at this time, getting them up with the sun, and going to bed when it sets. Lots of birds become super cuddly when hormonal, wanting to snuggle more and literally lay in your lap. Touching gets "touchy", since a lot of your usual petting may now be sexually stimulating. Avoid stroking under the wings, under the tail, over the tail (or tugging on it), hands down their full body, or pressure on the back. All of this can be too stimulating, causing frustration. It's like lots of foreplay, with no culmination to follow! While sexual urges are natural, and fairly common in a lot of adult birds, it is not something to encourage.
By the same token, don't discourage or reprimand - simply ignore it, and try to avoid instigating it! Often, we're not aware of our role in the whole process, and unlike "spring fever" in adolescent birds, mature sexuality is often much more subtle, so that we may not even be aware that our birds experiencing it.
In many birds, they're either a bit more affectionate or a bit more grouchy, but not much else is obvious. Some birds exhibit no changes at all. If you do intend to get a mate and embark on the adventure of breeding parrots, please don't start too early! Many people mistake "spring fever" in immature birds as a sign of readiness for breeding, but like all kids, they're simply playacting. Breeding too young puts tremendous stress on Mom - instead of putting energy into her own body's development, it all goes into laying eggs and raising babies. You also tend to get weaker, smaller babies with less vitality.
Another trigger during this phase is anything that looks inviting for nesting - boxes, drawers, cupboards, bags, etc. - cozy protected little nooks and crannies. Avoid having those things around, and definitely don't offer a nest box! Some people do, as a place for birdies to hide, sleep or hang out, but it will make things worse. With some kids, "Happy Huts" will do the same thing - you may want to remove it for awhile.
Be careful! Watch your bird for over stimulation signals - eye pinning, tail fanning, feather puffing, blushing, posturing. You may need to change your approach in handling at this time. Use "step up/down" commands consistently, and avoid having your bird higher than your head and shoulders. You may want to use a hand held perch for bringing your bird out of his cage or off his playstand. Biting can definitely be a problem now. Make use of a "neutral room" when needed, to regain or maintain your position as flock leader.
Other factors affecting sexual behavior include humidity and temperature, as well as lighting and hours of daylight. Normally, nature pushes birds to reproduce right around the time that plants are flourishing, producing lush foliage, seed, flowers, and fruit. This ensures adequate food being available to feed the new hungry mouths!
You may get lucky, and have a parrot who slides right through "breeding season" without batting an eye. Not everyone acts out when the hormones surge! Just be prepared, keep alert, and use good judgment if problems arise. I don't advise doing major behavioral work in the spring if your bird does react negatively, although this is usually when I get a ton of calls begging for help!! Sadly, it also seems to be the time when many birds are put up for sale, as the owners are either unaware or unwilling to deal with this very natural, normal event.
If you do run into problems now, though, it's still advisable to work on behavior after things return to normal. Improving your techniques and building a stronger bond, based on trust and guidance, may help you and your parrot deal better with potential problems next year! Hang in there meanwhile, and don't entice your birdie with provocative behavior. Instead, buy some new toys, feed him more fresh veggies and healthy stuff, and enjoy the promise of new life that accompanies the beautiful season of spring!
Your Parrot Place
Marilu Anderson, Bird Nutrition and Behavior Consultant, (503) 771-BIRD. Marilu is a regular contributor to the Your Parrot Place Newsletter. YourParrotPlace.com - Only the Best for Your Parrot!
Free eBook!
140 pages! A compilation of parrot articles from 2000-2004.
Wormy Dogs? - Understand Dog Worms Infestation and Their Symptoms
Until a very recent period, dog worms were thought to be of a spontaneous origin, brought about by the influence of heat upon decaying vegetable matter, and it was and still is freely asserted that puppies are born with dog worms inherited from the mother in some mysterious manner while still in uterus. This has been conclusively proven an error and in the minds of all scientists there is no question about dog worms springing from individual eggs and having a complete life history of their own.
Leash Training Your Dog-Take The Time To Get It Done and Do It Right
Attempting to train your dog to walk on a leash may feel like you're a contestant in a tug-of-war contest. But, it doesn't have to.
Get Your Dog Safely Through a Storm
Thunder storms affected pets differently. Some hardly notice them, others get extremely worked up.
How to Choose the Right Bird Cage
If the "tweet, tweet" of little beaks is in your future, bird cages are undoubtedly on your mind. Bird cages are available in every price range.
The Optimum Cichlid Aquarium Set Up
The groups of fishes commonly referred to as Cichlids, comprise a vast group of, generally larger and more aggressive fishes from Africa and South and Central America with a few species being found in Asia. They offer such a large variety of bright colors, shapes and habits that they have become one of the most popular fishes kept by hobbyist's world wide.
Cushings Disease
As our horses enjoy a longer life and many live well into old age so the number of horses with Cushing increases as its more common in older horses especially ponies. It can however affect all breeds and ages.
Training Your Dog to Sit
Training your dog to "sit" is probably the first thing you will train your puppy to do. I write puppy because you can start the training as soon as the puppy has settled in his new home.
How to Groom Your Horse
Grooming means taking care of the physical maintenance of the horse. The sight of a well-groomed horse gives immense pleasure to true horse lovers.
First Aid for Parrots
Unfortunately, accidents can - and DO happen, so it's always a good idea to be prepared! While accidents usually produce obvious injuries, illnesses are often kept well hidden by birds. In nature, if you're sick you pose a threat in making your whole flock vulnerable to predators, so parrots have become adept at masking signs of illness.
Dog Health Conditions and Terms You Should Know... Part 2
Cryptorchidism is peculiar to male dogs and a condition present at birth. The testicle/s, which developed in the abdomen, fail to descend into the scrotum.
The Different Breeds Of Dogs
The American Kennel Club recognizes 150 different dog breeds. There are seven different groups in which the dog can belong.
All Natural Dog Cookies - Because Your Dog's Health and Happiness is So Important
Traditionally, a doggie treat was just that, a treat that to be savored, which offered little or no health benefits. Chocolate is not a particularly healthy treat for dogs; in fact research has indicated that chocolate treats are even poisonous to dogs if fed in large quantities.
Why Does My Cat Drink Dirty Water?
You know that cats should always have a supply of water, especially if you are feeding them dried food. There on your nice clean kitchen floor is a bowl of nice clean fresh water, in a nice clean bowl.
What You Should Never Feed Your Dog
Unfortunately, there are a number of household items which we tend to take for granted that are potentially very dangerous to your dog's health. It is especially important to be aware of this because as you know, dogs are essentially scavengers and will often eat just about anything they can sink their fangs into.
Goldfish Tips - Choosing The Right One
Tips to getting the right Goldfish: Goldfish are a temperate breed that can be found in cool streams, lakes, and ponds throughout Asia and part of Eastern Europe. However, the ones you will buy for your tank have been bred in captivity.
Tips on Choosing a Boxer Dog...
An easier and more pleasant journey with your chosen Boxer starts with checking out the parent dogs for unbecoming traits like aggression, hyperactive and extreme shyness. This is easier to do when you get your Boxer from a reputable breeder or from a pet shop that get their animals only from known breeders.
Dog House Training: Straightforward Advice
Making sure that accidents don't happen in the first place is the focus of this article about dog house training. Training is far easier and faster then getting upset with your dog every time they eliminate in an inappropriate place.
Dog Grooming and Dog Care
Dog grooming is relatively simple for most dogs. I have a greyhound and spend about 5 minutes per day on dog grooming.
Goldfish Tips - Keeping The Aquarium Clean
You do clean your house don't you? Well you have to clean your Goldfish's house too and it's a lot simpler! Cleaning and maintaining a goldfish tank is a must because this breed is really dirty. Even a teenager's room would be better than a goldfish tank that's left alone for a week! The Goldfish are descendants of the scavenger Carp fish and that makes them scavengers too.
Do You Have a Dog Day Care Business Plan?
If you are considering opening a dog day care, then you need to make sure you have a dog day care business plan. A solid dog day care business plan will help you get started in the right direction.
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Best Universities for PHD Programs in Norway 2024
Molde University College - Specialized University in Logistics
Molde University College - Specialized University in Logistics
- Molde, Norway
Molde University College – Specialized University in Logistics (MUC) is situated in the coastal cities of Molde and Kristiansund, on the northwest coast of Norway. Established in 1994 with a commitment to excellence in education and research, MUC offers various academic programs across various disciplines.
Kristiania University
Kristiania University
- Oslo, Norway
Kristiania University College is one of the oldest private institutions of higher education in Norway. Kristiania is located in Oslo, and is a foundation whose purpose is teaching and research. All financial surplus is used to strengthen the academic and learning environment. Kristiania offer study programmes and courses at different levels of education that are adapted to people with different qualifications, abilities and opportunities.
Nord University
Nord University
- Bodø, Norway
Nord University was established in 2016 through the merger of the University of Nordland, Nesna University College, and Nord-Trøndelag University College. We have around 200 study programmes, spread across 8 new and modern campuses.
University of Agder
University of Agder
- Kristiansand, Norway
- Grimstad, Norway
The University of Agder's vision is "co-creation of tomorrow's knowledge" and we aim to accomplish this through close collaboration with regional, national, and international partners. UiA has 1,400 employees and 13,500 students on two campuses, Kristiansand and Grimstad. UiA offers Bachelor, Master, and Ph.D. programs in many disciplines and several of the Master's programs are taught in English.
EIT RawMaterials Academy - RaMES
EIT RawMaterials Academy - RaMES
- Bologna, Italy
- Trondheim, Norway
EIT RawMaterials Academy - RaMES offers students a unique opportunity to learn in a dynamic environment, focusing on real-life challenges. Awarded by the EIT (European Institute of Innovation and Technology), a body of the European Union, the EIT Label is a certificate of quality that is granted only to excellent educational programs at the master and doctoral level.
European Master in Migration and Intercultural Relations
European Master in Migration and Intercultural Relations
- Oldenburg, Germany
- Stavanger, Norway
The European Master in Migration and Intercultural Relations (EMMIR) is the first African-European-Asian Erasmus Mundus Master Course in migration studies and is jointly run by three African, four European, and two Asian partners, facilitated by a wider network of associate partners. EMMIR is a unique study programme focusing on migration through an intercultural approach, equipping students with profound theoretical and methodological skills in migration studies and encouraging them to conduct fieldwork primarily in African, Asian and European contexts. It is designed as a multidisciplinary two-year master's programme (120 ECTS) that addresses important contemporary issues in a still emerging field of study.
Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences
Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences
- Lillehammer, Norway
At Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN University), we offer flexible educational programs at six different campuses. In addition to the degree programs at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels, INN University has a wide range of one-year studies and shorter courses that respond to society's need for lifelong learning.
NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology
NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology
- Trondheim, Norway
- Alesund, Norway + 1 more
NTNU has a main profile in science and technology, a variety of programs of professional study, and great academic breadth that also includes the humanities, social sciences, economics, medicine, health sciences, educational science, architecture, entrepreneurship, art disciplines, and artistic activities.
Emu School for Unicorns
Emu School for Unicorns
- Fornebu, Norway
- Mecosta, USA + 2 more
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UiT The Arctic University of Norway
UiT The Arctic University of Norway
- Tromsø, Norway
- Kirkenes, Norway + 8 more
UiT The Arctic University of Norway is a medium-sized research university that contributes to knowledge-based development at the regional, national, and international levels.
Université de Toulon
Université de Toulon
- Trondheim, Norway
- Toulon, France + 2 more
This program is only available as a second part of the Dual Degree Program after students. is only available via our highly accredited University...
Example school
Example school
- Jelenia Góra, Poland
- Świerzawa, Poland + 2 more
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The American College of Norway
The American College of Norway
- Moss, Norway
Discover an exciting study abroad adventure at the American College of Norway (ACN), where you can experience top-notch academics and immerse yourself in local culture. ACN has 30 years of experience in helping students make the most of their time studying abroad. ACN welcomes a diverse student body, with Americans and international students studying alongside Norwegians.
Translation test school
Translation test school
- Oslo, Norway
With over 1M students from more than 100 countries, the Translation Test School offers quality Bachelor, Master and MBA degree programmes with a whole new approach.
Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)
Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)
- Ås Municipality, Norway
This program is only available as a second part of the Dual Degree Program after students. is only available via our highly accredited University...


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Sep 21, 2018
The paradox of our perspectives on sin
Read more
Here is a paradox: When we consider the sin of others we often see them as bad people who did a bad thing. When we consider our own sin we see a good person who did a bad thing. We tend to assume the worst about others and the best about ourselves. In the first instance our attitudes of condemnation of others can fuel our own self-righteousness because our sin is not as bad as their sin. It is...


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I did actually doubt whether this would be something I would keep up, I do get bored easily you see, but no, one year on and I'm loving it more than ever. And I really mean that. I get excited about publishing my next post.
A year on, I'm still here and why I love it so!
I did actually doubt whether this would be something I would keep up, I do get bored easily you see, but no, one year on and I'm loving it more than ever. And I really mean that. I get excited about publishing my next post.
20 comments
Happy Blogday to you......I am amazed at your achievement this year, keep up the hard work.......love it. XReplyDelete
Happy blog birthday, Steph! I only just found your blog from the Liebster Award but I'm loving it. Your photography is great - I love your photos! Looking forward to reading more. Lynne xReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you so much Lynne. I'm actually enjoying the photography side, never thought it'd be something I'd enjoy but I actually do! Blogging is such hard work isn't it, but I enjoy it so onwards and upwards! xxDelete
Congratulations for your one year of blogging. I have recently sort of started out but it's just the beginning.ReplyDeleteReplies
Blogging is definitely hard work but sooooo rewarding! Congratulations of your first year - I'll raise a glass to many more.ReplyDeleteReplies
It is hard work isn't Michelle but like you say rewarding. I'm still waiting for the comments and Bloglovin followers to come but I'm sure I'll get there. I'll be raising a glass with you tonight !!! xDelete
- Anonymous30 October 2014 at 04:16
Happy 1 Year Blog Anniversary!! Keep up the hard work!! xo Anna www.crazygorgeous.wordpress.comReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you so much Anna. Wasn't sure I'd make it to a year but I am now addicted!! xxDelete
Awww Steph! Lovely lovely post!!! Thank you for the mention too : ) You're doing so well I love your blog so much, but you know that already! Haha.... It is a hard struggle at times, but is so worth it! Keep up the good no fab work!! H x x p.s is the giveaway just UK????? ; ) x x xReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Heather. We talk so often don't we about it being hard work and the frustrations we have but we love it all the same, we'd be lost without it!!! The giveaway is most definitely international!!!Delete
Happy birthday. Congrats and many more journeys in bloggingReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks for my birthday wishes! Long may this journey continue :) xxDelete
Happy blog birthday to my beautiful friend x I've been blessed to know you for many years now and your blogging is brilliant - your love for life family and friends shines through your writing x keep it up and keep shining Mrs.C my lovely dearest friend xxxxReplyDeleteReplies
Awww.....what lovely things to say, bought a tear to my eye, thank you and I'll keep on shining! Oh and blogging of course :) xxDelete
Happy 1st anniversary . Love stepping into your world , It is like catching up since leaving school . Which brings me nicely onto The Reunion . That will be brilliant opportunity for a blog , im sure there will be lots to write about there lol . Keep up the fab work better than any Mag covers everything . All the best for many more yrs blogging XLisaXReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks so much for your lovely comment Lisa, I really appreciate it. Good idea about the reunion!Delete
Congratulations on one year - happy blogiversary! I've only recently found your blog, but am enjoying reading your posts. I've been blogging for almost seven years now - I still can't believe I've kept it up for so long, but I still absolutely love it, and I've met so many lovely people through blogging that I can't imagine my life without it now. xReplyDeleteReplies
Its great to meet you through the blogging world Caroline and it's so nice to hear you enjoy reading my blog, it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling! So thank you. Wow, that is a long time blogging, well done you, you obviously do enjoy it. A year for me and I'd be lost without it too. Thanks for stopping by. xxDelete


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I first met Shonali in the lobby where the first xPotomac conference was being held in DC (which she co-founded with Geoff Livingston and Patrick Ashamalla). It was a very cool location. Anyway, she was gearing up for her talk on social scoring. I recall being struck by her nervousness. But, she had no reason to be nervous because she owned it!
I remember this because, to me, it was obvious that she cared and was passionate about sharing her knowledge with this group. Well, we have more of that same passion in this interview!
But first, a little bit about Shonali…
Shonali Burke was named to PRWeek's inaugural top "40 Under 40″ list of US-based PR professionals, considered one of 25 women that rock social media, and is the 2015 recipient of AWC-DC's Matrix Award. As President & CEO, Shonali Burke Consulting, Inc., she uses measurable social PR to take your business communications from corporate codswallop to community cool™. Shonali teaches at The Johns Hopkins and Rutgers universities, publishes the popular PR and digital media blog, Waxing UnLyrical, and is founder and curator of the #measurePR hashtag and Twitter chat. A foodie who loves shoes, she defies you to dislike Elvis, ABBA or cricket.
And now back to the show…
Question One – Social Scoring
We first met at the xPotomac conference a couple of years back. That closing keynote was interesting. Anyway, at that event, you discussed social scoring. I remember this being a touchy subject and Klout was getting some serious hate in the Twitter stream. But, as you stated, "whether we like it or not, we are being ranked." Has social scoring gained or decreased in importance since then? Or, is it simply no longer the metric to hate?
Oh yes… I remember *that closing keynote well! Did I ever tell you what happened after?
As far as social scoring itself goes, I think there are a couple of things going on. First, the Bubble Dwellers (i.e. people like you and me) have gotten used to it because, whether we like it or not, it's a fact of life (as I said two years ago); it just started appearing in the social space, which we weren't used to.
If you think about it, we've always ranked or "scored" media, at least, in our line of work. Social scoring simply ratcheted that up; what made it uncomfortable (and inaccurate, if you went only by that) was the feeling that people were "scored" on what seemed to be primarily an online popularity contest.
Second, just in the last couple of years, the adoption of social media has increased dramatically (I'm not making up numbers, see this report from Pew). People are expressing themselves more online, aligning themselves with causes, and in general being much more active online. So you can't rely any more only on the Bubble Dwellers aka those "influential in social media" to get your message out, promote your campaign, etc.
You have to actually reach the people who are influential in a particular space – and, in many, many instances, that's not you or me. Where do you start? Social scoring is one such place, though it's not the only place. And this is one of the many reasons I'm a huge Traackr fan (disclosure: I was an early tester of the platform and now, after many years of being friends, they are an SBC client).
However, I don't think you can simply say, "Well, we scored the top influencers for ___, and this is who they are." So what? Then what? How are you putting that information to work for you?
Question Two – Social PR
You describe your firm as a social PR firm. What is social PR?
Thanks to technology and social networks, we can now literally connect with anyone at the click of a mouse. That means we have an incredible ability to socialize our products, services, brands, and organizations, by starting, and maintaining, conversations with our end-audiences. And that conversation is the first step towards creating a community.
That is the true promise of social media for PR; the ability to create, educate, and motivate people via social networks into forming and/or joining communities. And once you have a really great community, they'll be more than happy to tell your story for you. So now, the "media" doesn't just consist of "the media," but of people like you and me… and many, many others, depending on the niche.
Traditional PR focused primarily on media relations (even though that is not the definition of PR, it has become synonymous with the profession). Social PR keeps community and engagement via social networks at the heart of PR strategy, and works it in tandem with traditional PR, for better business results.
So it's a lot more than simply tweeting, or Instagramming, or posting to Facebook. It also doesn't mean everything happens only online; at the end of the day, we need real people to take real actions (some of which can take place online, but many of which need to take place online). It's a very deliberate shift in mindset, truly bringing integration, engagement, and real-time to the practice of PR.
Question Three – Redefining PR – See Question Two
PR has undergone many makeovers in the last few years. PR pros like yourself, as well as firms like Arment Dietrich and Shift Communications, are redefining what PR is. How would you define Public Relations today vs. 10 years ago?
I think I just did!
Question Four – PR for SMBs
Of course large companies and organizations need to have a PR strategy in place. Especially when you have a very outspoken CEO like some orgs do. But, what about the small-to-medium sized entities? Do they need to have a PR strategy in place or only engage a firm in their time of need?
Not that long ago, an SMB approached my firm. They started the conversation by asking if we could issue some press releases for them, because of ___ (product success). I told them I'd be happy to take their money to write and issue releases, if that was what they wanted, but what would such a release do for them? What was the point?
That is always my first question, when someone asks if they should "start PR." Actually, I have two (among others, but these are two I ask first): how do you define "PR"? And what do you need "PR" to do for you?
So, whether you're a Fortune 100, or a small, local business, it's critical to answer those questions. And it's not always easy to do that. But if you do, then you start to understand the strategic need for PR (as long as you have good counsel, of course). And frankly, every single organization in the world could do with smart, strategic PR counsel, regardless of size, from the very outset. Because that is how they shape and refine messaging, which is the bedrock of good communications.
Do they always need external support (or a dedicated internal position/team) to execute? Not necessarily. But at some point, if they are being mindful about how PR is supporting business objectives, it will become a question of scale. That's when they have to get help – either externally, or internally – to execute. Foresighted companies will make sure they have at least the strategy piece in place well in advance.
Question Five – Keep Learning
I love that you teach. I think every marketer should think of themselves as an educator first. Who do you think has the upper hand in today's marcomm world, the fresh faced students, or industry veterans?
Does it have to be either/or? I think there are assets as well as weaknesses on either side. To me, what sets the women apart from the girls is the willingness to keep learning; the humility to fail; and the determination to get back up and try it all over again.
Bonus – ABBA or Elvis
If you had to choose – you know Desert Island or something – would you go with Elvis or ABBA?
Man, that's a tough one! But I'm going with ABBA. I think they'd be a lot more fun, and Frida would be able to show me how to stay in shape!


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Geminis by James Zee
Font's "training period"
Alfonso Font studied fine arts before beginning his comics career in 1962 at Bruguera,11Juan Bruguera set up El Gato Negro (The Black Cat) in 1910, specialising in serialised novels, joke books and popular... Toray22Barcelona publisher Ediciones Toray was established 1945, producing comics and books through into the 1990s. Toray published Johnny Galaxia... and Bardon Art.33Bardon Art was formed at the suggestion of Jorge Macabich (then working for the Belgian agency A.L.I.) to Fleetway editor... Like many Spanish artists of the time, he anonymously produced one-off war, crime, horror and western stories for these companies.
Font gained some international recognition through Black Max for Fleetway in the UK (1970-1972),44"Black Max" is German WWI flying ace Baron Maximilien von Klor, who trained giant bats to attack British planes, routinely... which he took over while at Bardon Art. Through Selecciones Ilustradas, he accessed the US market with short horror stories for Skywald55The stories in Skywald publications are credited to "Alphonso Font": "William Wilson" in Nightmare 19, June 1974, "Uncle Ed's... and Marvel66"Shadow In the City of Light" from Dracula Lives 3, October 1973 and "The Scrimshaw Serpent" in Monsters... in 1973/74.
Based on the art style, Font's only story for Warren—"Alica" in Vampirella 102 (Warren, US)—is from this period, despite the January 1982 publication date.77As with Skywald, this story is also credited to "Alphonso Font"....
Font is negative about this early work, suggesting that it is a comfort to his professional and personal dignity that it is generally unknown. Reflecting on this period, he said:
"I spent years studying drawing and painting, but wanted to be a comics artist and there was no school for it then. So, like others, I was self-taught. The first years were not constant, but a learning exercise. Then came the need to produce my own work and take responsibility for drawing and also the script."88From an interview dated December 2008-January 2009 at www.tebeosfera.com....
While US publishers such as Warren paid well, it was the opportunity to express themselves as artists that attracted Spanish creators. The conservative UK comics provided a training ground in straightforward storytelling, but the US allowed freedom for expression and experimentation, at a time when the Spaniards were seeking to seize full creative control of their work.
Font's work on Geminis—which is his only syndicated work for Selecciones Ilustradas and his last work for the agency—reflects his growing frustration and artistic ambition.
Toutain arranged with Echevarría and Font that they would complete one 20 page episode each month, while Toutain managed selling the series to various countries.
Font found the pace formidable and the series left him exhausted. He was also jaded by working on a character he did not like—a "hero" who resorted to torture and murder to solve problems.99See www.tebeosfera.com: a profile of Geminis and the 2008/09 interview, "Las fronteras de la aventura"....
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FashionUnited + Margin London presents the edit of the season's debuts
Thanks to FashionUnited:
Sportswear International + Preview: Margin London
Thanks to Sportswear International:
Exhibitor Preview + FEB 2013 + Slang
Making their global trade debut at Margin London, Slang from Portugal is a new range of art, music, and skate inspired t-shirts for men and women. With an attention to detail and a hand-crafted aesthetic, Slang have already collaborated with Casa da Musica in Porto, their hometown, alongside their evolving range of limited-edition designs. Read […]


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The Roy Saga Blooming Onion may have had a couple more layers peeled back today. Rue Frontenac is reporting that Roy has been offered the position of coach and GM of the Avalanche (a painful-to-read google translation is here). I believe the gist is that Lacroix offered Roy both titles because Canadiens GM Bob Gainey could not. Roy would have the help of Craig Billington in his GM role and would like to have Sylvain Lefevbre and Drummondville coach Guy Boucher behind the bench with him.
The GM rumors have been floating around out there from day one and certainly seem to be gaining steam lately (Dater mentioned it on his blog a week ago). Really, it would, in hindsight, make Lacroix's bizarre hiring process seem a tad more logical (I floated around this very scenario back when we first started hearing about this). It still doesn't forgive the public humiliation he's bestowed on Tony Granato, but I've already gotten that rant out of my system.


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Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray is reportedly in court today to face charges of "reckless operation of a personal watercraft" and "failure to have a boating education certificate." The details from GVX:
According to Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency officer Dewayne Williams, Bray was driving a Jet Ski with a woman passenger when he was observed by Williams "hot dogging" with another Jet Ski. Williams explained the term "hot dogging" as "almost like playing chicken" on Jet Skis.
The other Jet Ski tipped over spilling the unidentified occupants into the water. Bray then sped near the swimmers "spraying them with water," according to Williams, who added "he was almost on top of them."
Oh, my. Who knew the possible penalty for hot dogging was $2,500 and six months in jail?
Seriously, this sounds incredible. What is the purpose of Jet Skis, if not for . . . well, I'm going to just use the term hot dogging because it's awesome. In fact, I'm going to look for reasons to use it daily from this point forward.
And what is "almost" like playing chicken? I've heard of "tastes like chicken," but I'm thinking that doesn't apply here.
And if tipping over and getting sprayed with water is evidence of criminal hot dogging, then we'd better open up a few more branches and hire a few more Wildlife Resources Agency Officers.


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Simon Davidson says that in any high quality teaching approach students should leave with skills, knowledge and conceptual understandings. These can be achieved in most approaches to teaching. Students will be able to read, write and add. They will be able to use maps, glossaries, rulers. They will have a knowledge of social studies and science. To many people this is enough - 'as long as my child can do these things then I don't care how they learn it'. It is also what many people have experienced from their own education, which is why some people - most typically parents - question approaches such as inquiry learning. Its probably inaccurate to say that they don't support this approach or that they're anti-inquiry (well, maybe some are), more that they've got little experience with this way of teaching and are eager to make sure that they're children are taken care of. A lot of the time inquiry is a messy process and there aren't specific tests that can measure results and show parents how much their child has learned that day. This can worry parents and might lead them to request for a 'back-to-basics' approach (more about this later). Ultimately though, they are simply concerned for the well-being of their children.
The big differences between beliefs about learning reveal themselves when we compare models of teaching. Two of the most common found in schools around the world are the aforementioned inquiry and didactic. Inquiry is underpinned by a constructivist theory of learning, where understanding is crafted by each individual learner, usually in a social context. A didactic approach is typified by a stimulus-response way of learning that is initiated by the teacher (i.e. teacher says, student does). It is important to note that both have benefits.
When we focus on the initial topic of this post - internalisation - the importance of an inquiry approach is unveiled. As I mentioned before, if either of the two approaches - inquiry or didactic - are well executed then the results for the students can be positive. However, inquiry learning offers something to support internalisation that a didactic approach doesn't - a social plane. I'd like to try and use a sporting example as a metaphor here - team sports to be more specific.
A sportsman or woman trains hard to learn the skills of their game. They can become experts in kicking, passing, shooting, running, blocking, tackling, whatever is required of them to participate effectively. They can also learn the rules that define their sport plus the strategies that their team hopes will help them achieve their goal. However, none of these play out perfectly to plan once a competition starts and there is an element of social interaction. Social engagement brings new perspectives, different challenges and fresh ideas. Suddenly they cannot pass the ball to a specific position like they did in the training drill because there is a defender standing in their way. They have to re-evaluate and make a different decision. The effectiveness of their choice will be reflected in how much they have practiced the skills, how well they know the game and their level of understanding about how the strategy connects to the bigger picture. They can have a solid grasp of the skills, knowledge and understandings, but if they don't know how to apply these in a social setting then they're not of much use to anyone. The same applies to something concrete in schools around the world: reading. Through the internalisation of the processes involved with learning how to read, one not only acquires the skills of reading, they also become part of a community of readers & interact around books.
A more didactic approach to learning is sometimes requested by parents if they feel that inquiry isn't meeting the needs of their children. As Bambi Betts says, 'everyone is an expert in education because they had one once… unlike technology, or medicine, or telecommunications, parents have been to school. They have been primary 'users' of the place called school and the thinking goes… 'I turned out pretty much ok, didn't I' (they think) – so just keep doing what you did when I was in school.' Familiarity as a design principle for schooling actually breeds complacency'. The challenge when following a solely didactic approach is that if something is learned by rote, then there is no exploration of the association or relationships that is shares with other concepts. The result of this is a poor level of understanding and that it is difficult to remember. That's not to say that there are never any moments where direct instruction might be beneficial for a student. But educators should be mindful of how their beliefs about education are being put into practice.
Humans are not independent and autonomous. We do not live in separate spaces all of the time or experience the world in separate subjects. We live and work with each other & use our learning as part of a community. Didactic teaching separates social organisation and content. It diminishes context, which has implications for understanding. Inquiry learning creates a community of learners dedicated to understanding, not just following a curriculum. This is a vital part of learning for our students as they grow into the world.
Photo credit


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Great minds are struggling with the problem of Afghan agriculture (viz: the peasants choose to grow opium).
The White Paper of the Interagency Policy Group's Report on U.S. Policy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan:
A dramatic increase in Afghan civilian expertise is needed to … create economic alternatives to the insurgency at all levels of Afghan society, particularly in agriculture. …
Crop substitution and alternative livelihood programs that are a key pillar of effectively countering narcotics have been disastrously underdeveloped and under-resourced, however, and the narcotics trade will persist until such programs allow Afghans to reclaim their land for licit agriculture. Targeting those who grow the poppy will continue, but the focus will shift to higher level drug lords.
And from a BBC report on a recent meeting in Brussels:
Richard Holbrooke said the $800m (£550m) a year the US was spending on counter-narcotics would be better used in supporting Afghan farmers.
The brain-racking has not led to any actual proposals that might, you know, work. Why are they ignoring the obvious?
Milton Friedman's recommended policy for dealing with the poor was to give them some money. (The actual phrase may be apocryphal but he certainly made the argument.) The parallel policy in Afghanistan is:
Buy the opium.
Consider the facts.
1. Papaver somniferum is an undemanding plant and grows well in the semi-arid high plains of Afghanistan. Nothing else much does, so attempts to persuade Afghan peasants to grow wheat and potatoes or something have failed. They have a comparative advantage in growing opium. In spite of the horrendous difficulties, they are remarkably good at it, as shown by the dramatic fall in the retail price of heroin since 1990 (World Drugs Report 2008 (WDR), charts p.49).
2. The world has a shortage of opium, not a glut. The (fluctuating) total annual supply of illicit heroin is estimated at about 400 tons (WDR, p.52). The actual demand for licit medical morphine in 2008 was 283 tons – but it should have been far higher. The amount of human suffering implied by the morphine gap is staggering. In the USA, 559,312 people died from cancer in 2005, in the UK, 154,162 in 2006: roughly a quarter of all deaths. Most of these men and women had their passing eased by morphine; and so will you and those you love if you come to need it. Not so in much of the world. According to India's leading expert on palliative care, M.R. Rajagopal, only 1% of Indians who need it have access to morphine. The majority of the 7.6 million who die every year in the world from cancer alone suffer great and avoidable pain: a shame to us all.
Here is my simulation of the medical morphine market as it ought to be, reproduced from a post of last September:
4. The current Afghan poppy harvest of about 8,000 tons (WDR p. 38) – potentially 800 tons of pure opiate – could be absorbed several times over in the needed expansion of morphine supply.
It would of course be difficult to set up a well-policed licit opium supply chain in Afghanistan, and to upgrade and fund the medical distribution chain for morphine in say Africa. But no other strategy is any easier or cheaper; and this one offers Afghan peasants a real way out to an honourable livelihood, which crop-burning does not. So: Give them some money. If courage is lacking for a policy switch, at least experiment by giving $10m for a pilot to some maverick counter-insurgency colonel of the McMaster or Kilcullen stamp.
I'm left wondering why so many bright people have a blind spot here. Many of us have been indoctrinated to think that because heroin is an evil, so is opium. This is quite wrong. The world would be a far worse place without the blessed opium poppy than it manages to be with it.
Compare. The death rate from heroin in the USA was about 5,000 in 1999 – estimated by drug warriors, so biased if anything upwards. The USA has about 7% of the world's opiate addicts (1.2m out of 16.5m, WDR p. 55), so scaling up we would have an order-of-magnitude estimate of 69,000 deaths a year worldwide : many in some sense voluntary. Set this against millions of people spared agonizing pain and allowed a peaceful and dignified dying. I rest my case.


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Rain is forecast for the Bay Area today, with a slight chance of rain in the morning and rain likely in the afternoon. Highs are expected to be in the 50s to mid 60s.
It is expected to be mostly cloudy tonight, with lows in the 40s, and west winds of 5 to 10 mph.
Friday is expected to be partly cloudy, with highs in the 50s and west winds around 5 mph.
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Stephane Sessegnon
Sessegnon may not have had the greatest of seasons this year, but it can't be forgotten just how brilliant the little Beninese magician can be on his day. Now, I know my favourite Sessegnon goal; I imagine that it's the same as everyone else's. However, I'm taking a gamble that he's going to make it through this round, and so I'm saving that little piece of magic for later. Instead, feast your eyes on two of Sessegnon's fantastic goals from the season before last. First, his fantastic goal against Swansea (Link) . And then his goal against Norwich (Link - sorry for the awful video). The Norwich goal is a particular favourite; featuring some amazing footwork to move the ball forwards from the centre-circle, whilst evading the challenges of several Norwich players, followed by a lovely ball out to Fraizer Campbell on the flank, and a powerful run into the box in order to head the ball home.
The skill involved in those two goals is incredible, and shows what a naturally talented footballer Sessegnon is. Yes he may be infuriatingly inconsistent at times, but some of his goals (and there are many more that I could've chosen from, and others that I'm saving up) are the sort that would give pundits up and down the country wet-dreams if they were scored by players like Van Persie or Aguero. In the last decade, Sess is certainly one of the most talented players to pull on a red and white shirt. It would be ludicrous to let him go out of this competition at such an early stage...especially when the best of his highlights reel is yet to be trotted out... (NH)
Jack Colback
What would a cup competition be without a couple of underdog giant-killings?
Jack Colback is about as 'underdoggy' as they come. He is small and unspectacular, granted, but good lord does the the lad do his bit. Whether he is asked to play central midfield, left back, left wing, or even right back, he doesn't complain or kick up a fuss. He simply gets on with it with the absolute minimum of fuss, puts in a shift, and quietly gets the job done.
When the dreaded 'rallying call' is demanded by the press in difficult runs, he never hides or shirks the responsibility. Got a dirty job that needs doing? 'Give it to Colback', seems to be the mantra of three Sunderland managers now. Quite simply, he gets it done.
Okay, so he isn't ever going to be a matchwinner. He is never going to be a flair player or one to get bums off seats. But it would be wholly unfair to suggest he is lacking in quality. He has a lovely first touch, is an accurate passer of the ball, tackles well, and his refusal to hide extends to his support for the man in possession always being consistently good.
Plonk him in a possession team and he would no doubt be widely hailed in the same manner that Joe Allen and Leon Britton are.
He is up against it in this match-up against a genuine fan-favourite of real quality.The vast majority have probably decided to vote against him before even reading a thing. You can't really blame them.
Yet we all know how he would handle it. He would prepare diligently and professionally all week long, and then stick doggedly to the task on the pitch without fuss and, let's face it, probably end up marking Sessegnon out of the game. The least he deserves is some genuine consideration. (MG)
Be sure to make your vote count and send one of these two through to the next round. Make your voice heard below, because you only have until 11pm (GMT) tonight to get your vote in...


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Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Yarn Along and some finished projects
11 comments:
Dear Joy,ReplyDelete
I love the socks. It is nice to have a finished project, sometihg I am still working on at the moment. I was jsut thinking about making Christmas gifts and you have finished, amazing
Have a blessed week
- AnonymousAugust 31, 2011 at 10:12 AM
Wow! You have got a lot done! I love the socks. :)ReplyDelete
Those orange and pink socks are just adorable. My daughter would love a bright pair like that!ReplyDelete
Wow! I think I need sunglasses to view those socks. :) Love the color of your fingerless mitts. Thanks for the link. If I want to begin knitting for Christmas,I better start getting ready soon.ReplyDelete
I love all of your knitting Joy.ReplyDelete
What lucky children:)
Alpaca is probably my favorite to work with.
Warm wishes, Tonya
- AnonymousAugust 31, 2011 at 11:14 AM
I love the socks..the colors are so pretty together. I am going to have to look for the book you are reading....ReplyDelete
A Knitters Notebook
Cute socks :)ReplyDelete
I love the shade of red you are knitting your gloves in. The socks are so cute and the hat is gorgeous too. Very cute little model indeed! JacintaReplyDelete
Oh you have done so much knitting!!! I know I say this every time, but I absolutely love the color combination on the socks!ReplyDelete
How are you liking Farmer Jane? I see it on Amazon all of the time bu never get it...
Joy, you have been so busy. Love the socks and hat. Can't wait to see the wrist warmers. I'm looking for a new wrist warmer pattern. Maybe this is it.ReplyDelete
those are cute gloves. love the color too! i have that book. i will be interested to see how you like it! it has been on my nightstand forever...and if you could see my nightstand you may understand why...lolReplyDelete


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The voting system was tweaked on the X Factor in 2012: for the first time, lines were open from the beginning of the show rather than only after all the acts had performed. After the first two live shows saw Carolynne Poole eliminated from singing 12th of 13 and Melanie Masson from singing 12th of 12, the Sofabet community scrambled to come to terms with the extent to which our previous working assumptions about the effect of the running order on the public vote had been upended.
Traditionally, it always was considered an advantage to sing late in the early weeks. Singoff appearances from this late in the show, this early in the series were entirely unprecedented. The debate raged: was late the new early? And, if so, was early the new late? After week 4, we wrote an article summarising the consensus that had been developing the the Sofabet comments section about the effect of the running order under the new voting system.
Now the percentages are in, it all looks rather less dramatic than we'd guessed at the time.
When we performed similar analyses of the running order after the 2011 series and the 2010 series, we argued that the most meaningful way to get a sense of its effect was to look act-by-act. Our reasoning goes like this: there isn't too much we can conclude from single data points such as, for example, Carolynne Poole hitting the singoff from 12th of 13. Was the problem singing 12th of 13, or being Carolynne Poole? Short of re-running the show in a parallel universe with the running order shuffled, we can't be sure.
We can, of course, draw some general conclusions simply by looking at position in the show and performance in the vote. This is how the consensus had developed, over the years, that it's better to sing at the end of the show than near the start. But we can't push this line of analysis too far, for fear of conflating cause and effect. It may well help to sing last; but equally, programme-makers want to keep people watching to the end of the show, and have an interest in putting popular acts on last.
So we can observe that in all but two of the live shows in 2012 (the exceptions being Melanie Masson in week 2 and Ella Henderson in week 3), the pimp slot – that is, the last act to sing – was shared between just three acts: the eventual finalists, James Arthur (weeks 4, 6, 9, 10), Jahmene Douglas (weeks 1, 7) and Christopher Maloney (weeks 5, 8). Did they get to the final because they monopolised the pimp slot, or did they monopolise the pimp slot because producers decided they were the acts people were tuning in to see, a variable which also explains why they got to the final? We of course can't tell.
These difficulties explain why we reckon it makes most sense to try to tease out the effect of the running order on the vote by looking act-by-act at their trajectory from week to week. So, let's start with James's:
(A quick explanation of how to read these graphs: the line shows the performance in the vote, with 100 being the average given the number of acts performing that week. Where the line goes orange, that shows a sympathy bounce – an act coming off a singoff survival. The grey bar shows how far through the show they sang: no grey bar at all means they opened the show, a bar that goes right to the top of the graph means they closed the show).
Clearly, James's trajectory is defined by the extraordinary bounce that followed his survival in the week 7 singoff against Ella Henderson. But before that – well, it doesn't look like much changed with the new voting system, does it? His pimp slots in weeks 4 and 6 coincided with peaks in his voting performance, just as we would have expected from the old voting system.
Here's second-placed Jahmene:
Jahmene did noticeably better singing last in week 1 than singing first in week 2. Producers, seeing this, must have been a lot more sanguine than we all were after week 2 about the effects of the voting change. Jahmene's week 3 peak, by the way, is likely to have much to do with the extraordinarily powerful VT focusing on his survival of domestic abuse. You can argue that week 7's pimp slot didn't boost him much, but did at least arrest the decline he'd been on since week 3.
Christopher's chart reads like a slow puncture:
It probably doesn't tell us a great deal about the effect of the running order. Performing last in week 5 was the steadiest his vote held, but the pimp slot in week 8 didn't help him; having said that, though, his performance against the mean in week 8 was probably depressed primarily by the large number of James fans emerging from the woodwork.
Union J:
This is much more about the sympathy bounce than the running order. You could argue that singing 6th of 7 in week 6 helped to lessen the comedown from their first bounce, though not by enough to prevent their second singoff appearance. But, really, there doesn't appear to be a great deal for students of the running order to take from this trajectory.
Fifth-placed Rylan Clark:
Again, not much to learn about the running order here. This trajectory is all about a gradual comedown from the sympathy bounce after week 1's singoff, then another sympathy bounce after week 5's singoff, with the week 7 banter with Gary likely delaying his comedown till week 8.
Ella Henderson:
The week 3 pimp slot didn't give her a spike, though you could argue it temporarily arrested a declining trend. And it's clear that she did better from 11th of 13 in week 1 than from 4th of 12 in week 2, as you would have expected from the previous voting system.
Seventh-placed District 3:
Their vote performance tracks their running order position fairly closely, boosted by the sympathy bounce after their week 2 singoff survival and harsh judges' comments that motivated supporters in week 5. Nothing here to suggest the running order worked very differently in 2012 than in previous years.
Here's eighth-placed Kye Sones:
On the face of it, you could claim that singing first in week 4 helped him. But surely that has more to do with the sympathy bounce after his week 3 singoff survival, given that we don't see a similar spike for other acts who opened the show (District 3 in week 1, Jahmene in week 2, Christopher in week 3, Rylan in week 5, etc).
Ninth-placed Jade:
On the evidence of previous seasons we would ostensibly have found it surprising that she did proportionally no better from 8th of 9 in week 4 as compared to from 4th of 11 in week 3 – but then, by common consent producers' knives were out for her in week 4. So, not much evidence here that the running order is operating much differently than in previous years.
Lucy Spraggan:
At last, some evidence for an inverted running order effect, with Lucy's three progressively later slots in the show being reflected in progressively lower vote totals.
But here's an immediate counterpoint in MK1:
Melanie Masson's departure from the pimp slot in week 2 sent shockwaves through the X Factor punting community, in part because a singoff appearance from the pimp slot this early in the series was unprecedented. But Melanie's chart shows that she actually did better from 12th of 12 in week 2 than from 3rd of 13 in week 1:
Our conclusion, then, is that the opening of phone lines from the start of the show had much less effect on the impact of the running order than we had all surmised in the early weeks.
Clearly, something important has changed – the departures of Carolynne Poole and Melanie Masson show us that singing last or second last is no longer the near-guarantee of survival in the early weeks that once it was. But perhaps we need put more weight on the idea that these were, in the end, two unusually weak contenders, scuppered by a questionable song choice and a 10.35pm finish respectively. Because, taken as a whole, it doesn't look to us like the relationship between running order and vote in 2012 differed tremendously from previous series.
Or are we missing something in the data? As ever, do let us know below.


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This was published 3 years ago
State-owned Chinese company bids to build second UK nuclear plant
By Latika Bourke
London: A Chinese state-owned company blacklisted in the United States has applied to build a second nuclear plant in Britain amid growing concern in UK government's ranks about Chinese investment in critical infrastructure.
China General Nuclear Power Group's application creates a new headache for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is already facing a backbench revolt over his approval of Chinese firm Huawei to supply Britain's 5G networks.
The UK does not have an investment review process like Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board.
However, Johnson has flagged a tightening of foreign investment rules in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent alarm about dependence on China.
CGN, on Wednesday, submitted its planning application to build the Sizewell reactor in Suffolk, England with its French partner EDF.
The project, estimated to cost at least £20 billion ($37 billion) would be financed through private investment and construction would begin by the end of 2021 if approvals are given.
CGN's initial stake in the project would be 20 per cent compared to EDF's 80 per cent.
The same consortium was approved to build Britain's Hinkley Point power station in 2016.
The then prime minister Theresa May temporarily halted the project over concerns about Chinese investment in critical infrastructure but eventually gave her go-ahead.
In August last year the Trump Administration placed CGN on the US entity list accusing it of acting contrary to American national security. The US has accused the company of stealing US nuclear technology for military use.
Sizewell's approval process is expected to take at least 18 months at the same time as the government is being urged to tighten foreign investment rules.
Former Conservative party leader and backbench MP Iain Duncan Smith told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that China must not be allowed to make any further inroads into the UK's critical infrastructure.
"We simply cannot go further down the road of becoming more dependent on China," he said.
"Right now we need to lessen our already excessive dependence on China.
"It is now absolutely critical that we and the rest of the free world review all of our dealings with China as we come out of this COVID pandemic.
"The Sizewell project would be the perfect place to start," he said.
But EDF said the new power station would provide a huge economic stimulus to the pandemic-battered economy.
"Around 25,000 employment opportunities and 1000 apprenticeships will be created during construction," the company said in a statement.
Julia Pyke, the director of the Sizewell C project suggested CGN's involvement in the second reactor was still to be determined.
"CGN are a financial partner for EDF in Hinkley, for Sizewell that's a decision that's going to be made in the future as to whether or not CGN wants to join in the construction phase of Sizewell," she said.
However, the company's official Twitter profile created for the Sizewell project features both EDF and CGN's logos.


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What credit score do I need to get a contract mobile phone?
Last Modified 23rd of May 2022
If you want to get a mobile phone on contract in the UK, the phone network will most likely check your credit score. Fortunately though, mobile phone contracts are among the easiest things to get accepted for, even if you have a poor credit history.
Remember that mobile phone networks need to sell contracts. If a network refuses you they lose the opportunity to make money out of you, they are effectively turning down 2 years of custom (and potentially many more), so for this reason you might find it is easier than you thought to get accepted.
In order to answer the question, we need to consider that mobile phones are generally much easier to get accepted for – if you've got a score of 650 or more, then you shouldn't have any problems, but this would depend on which network, the value is of the device you have chosen and your individual circumstances. Nowadays however, mobile phones are generally priced between £800 – £1,000 so networks are essentially taking on a risk to give you this phone for free. If you can afford to, and there's an option to do so, you can improve your chance of getting accepted if you pay some money up front towards the cost of the phone.
How to improve your chances
If your credit is particularly bad there are plenty of things you can do to improve your chances of being accepted. At the end of the day, if you can't afford to pay the contract the network will have to bear two costs – the cost of the minutes and texts you have used but not paid for (this cost is tiny) and the cost of the free handset they gave you.
Needless to say, getting a cheaper contract will help you, and applying for a contract with a relatively cheap handset will help a lot too as this minimises their exposure. Getting an iPhone on a contract for instance may be very tricky, but you can always go for a cheaper handset and then save up to buy yourself a second hand iPhone.
If you are still struggling
There is no minimum credit score required to get a mobile phone, each network operator will score you differently and it can sometimes help to go to the 'easier' networks first. Vodafone, Three and O2 are said to be the easiest networks to be approved on, so start by applying to those.
If your credit is so bad that you cannot get accepted for a cheap handset with either of those networks your final option is to simply buy a cheap handset and get a SIM only monthly contract (with no phone included).
There are few people with credit so bad that they can't get on a sim-only contract and if this is the option you have to take, it is an excellent way to start building your credit rating back up. After 3 or 4 months of paying your bill on time you will almost certainly find that you can upgrade to a full contract with a medium level free phone handset.
Don't forget to compare
If you have a steady income and have a good credit history, you will more than likely be accepted for a phone contract – so make sure you do your best to find the cheapest deal. Use an online comparison site to make this quicker and easier.