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Tuesday, August 12, 2014
A little bit of sewing
11 comments:
Oh how cute are your grandchildren--what fun for a week!!ReplyDelete
i do like blue/brown square in a square--looking neat...hugs, Julierose
What a fun vacation!ReplyDelete
Love blue and brown together, too. Great blocks! How large are they, and how many do you plan to make?
what a great vacation! enjoy making those memories…I love these blocks and I agree brown and blue together great combo. are you paper piecing them? what size are they????ReplyDelete
I usually think of brown and pink. I do believe that I now have to collect more browns for a blue and brown quilt. I love your fabrics.ReplyDelete
Oh how could I forget saying how adorable the grands look!!!??? They are growing so fast fast. Seems it was such a short time ago that Emma was the baby.ReplyDelete
Have a fun time with the Grands. I like Blue and Brown combo as well. Gotta make a quilt with it for the next Grand coming in my family!ReplyDelete
What a fun week! I love the blocks too!ReplyDelete
How fun to have your grandchildren for the week! They will definitely keep you busy! I am glad you had a few quiet moments to sew. I love your blue and brown blocks! A great color combination.ReplyDelete
Oh look at those faces, I know you are just having a ball with the grandbabies.ReplyDelete
You have to be the luckiest Nana around! Love the picture of them waiting for their ride.
Happy Summer Dear Randy and thanks for the paying it forward to my house :0)
it made my day, week and probably month! Big Hugs to you!
Love brown and blue together, my favorite combination.ReplyDelete
Boy, those Grands are cute, enjoy.
Great blocks!ReplyDelete

subset: commoncrawl


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text: Why is JOOMLA preferred so much? 17 May 2016 Komal-Panchal Website Development (0) Joomla is a free and open source content management system for publishing web content which had its inception back in 2005. It is written in PHP and is built on MVC (model-view-controller) framework. It uses various object oriented programming concepts and techniques. It is compatible with database like MySQL, MS SQL, or PostgreSQ. It includes different types of features like page caching, RSS feeds, news flashes, blogs and language internationalization. Why is JOOMLA preferred so much? No technical expertise required It is necessary for a website or application to be user friendly because not all users will be belonging to a technical background. JOOMLA provides a very simple technical system to operate the portal on frontend and backend. There are various built in themes which allow easy customization. An interactive community JOOMLA web portal allows us to interact and communicate with an infinite number of members. It is beneficial for any business whether small scale or large. Beneficial to developers Joomla is built using MVC design pattern, which is a good news for developers because it allows the developers to concentrate more on development rather than worrying about how it would look in the front-end. Cost efficient Online portals are expensive and they require higher maintenance in the long run. Everyone is moving to Joomla for developing online portals because of its low developing and maintenance cost. Joomla also wins over other online portal development systems in terms of features and benefits. Security Joomla provides highest security to its users. The security system can be customized as per specific requirements. Websites, and web portals with Joomla content management system can be secured against hackers by making simple changes. This is why the developers do not require additional security systems for Joomla sites. Easy management The administrative interface allows the users to operate on intranet or internet easily. Joomla sites have shopping carts integrated in them which makes it easy and less time consuming compared to other CMSs. After the site is ready to use the administrator can control each component of the website. Conclusion: Joomla sites and applications are highly responsive and compatible with different web browsers and operating systems. What makes Joomla so user friendly is its extendibility and growth over the years. It is the modern world CMS that the technological world needs today.


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Table of contents
I Abstract
II Table of contents
III List of figures
IV List of abbreviations
1 Introduction
2 Hospitality industry
2.1 Significance for overall economy
2.2 Hotel sector profile
3 Blue Ocean Strategy
3.1 Conception
3.2 Creating Blue Oceans
3.2.1 Principles
3.2.2 Implementation
3.2.3 Tools and frameworks
3.2.4 Red vs. Blue Oceans
3.2.5 Benefits and value
3.3 Critics
4 Positioning for hotels
4.1 SWOT Analysis
4.1.1 Strengths
4.1.2 Weaknesses
4.1.3 Opportunities
4.1.4 Threats
5 Examples
5.1 MotelOne
5.1.1 Implementation
5.1.2 Analysis
5.1.3 Evaluation
5.2 W Hotels
5.2.1 Implementation
5.2.2 Analysis
5.3.3 Evaluation
7 Outlook
8 Critical evaluation
9 Conclusion
V Bibliography
A Literature
B Web links
VI Appendix
A W Hotels TripAdvisor overview
B MotelOne TripAdvisor overview
I Abstract
The hospitality industry experiences abundant growth rates, although it is one of the world's toughest markets. Therefore, entrepreneurs need to aim for differentiation in order to gain an uncontested market position.
Blue Oceans are more than a natural wonder and a loophole for mass-market participants: It is an efficient strategy management tool that focuses on finding innovative business concepts and thus the key to success for adaptive companies. In contrast to saturated Red Oceans, Blue Oceans feature value innovation through an adjusted offering with costs benefits.
Similar to the Darwin's "Survival of the Fittest"-approach the Blue Ocean Strategy depends on customizing and enhancing an already existing concept with innovative features.
In such highly competitive markets, monopolists - those who are able to find a market niche - exhibit the best chances for economic success.
W Hotels and MotelOne are two well-established paradigms for innovativeness in the hospitality industry. While W Hotels succeeded in adopting an exclusive lifestyle hotel destination with a focus on design, fashion and music, MotelOne concentrated on a premium low-cost oriented design-approach. Together both parties reinvented their segment through implementing trailblazing new concepts combined with the value- adding design factor. Moreover, Blue Oceans need to eliminate dispensable options, as W is less formal and more liberal than all its competitors, whereas MotelOne discarded unprofitable amenities like telephones, minibars or room service.
The economic surplus derives from wider target groups as well as higher profit margins, which is why trendsetting Blue Oceans are classified as a future-proof and promising corporate path.
III List of figures
Figure 1: STR Global Hotel Stats 2013
Figure 2: Strategy Canvas
Figure 3: Four Actions Framework
Figure 4: Red vs. Blue Oceans
Figure 5: Value Innovation
Figure 6: SWOT-Analysis Hotel Sector
Figure 7: Four Actions of MotelOne
Figure 8: MotelOne New Value Curve
Figure 9: Four Actions of W Hotels
Figure 10: W Hotels New Value Curve
IV List of abbreviations
illustration not visible in this excerpt
1 Introduction
Hospitality is a billion-dollar industry and encompasses much more than just about travelling. The business ranks among the world's biggest and most global industries, and is something that everyone encounters with at some point.
Hotels serve as the industry's heart and connect humanity on a global scale. Nevertheless, there is much more to it behind the scenes. Hotel companies need to compete for customers in a highly competitive market and thereby bank on elaborated business strategies together with marketing operations.
In order to escape from less cost-effective market conditions, companies aim for innovative - and more profitable - business models by identifying a market niche.
The Blue Ocean Strategy is one very promising corporate approach, which is specifically defined and evaluated in the following. This research involves a first-time adaption for the hospitality industry and examines both how successful the method can be for hotels and how often it occurs.
General facts about the sector get presented at the outset, followed by a critical analysis of the Blue Ocean Strategy. In addition, the hotel business is subjected to a distinct SWOT-analysis that concludes with why innovative concepts are essential for hotels to survive.
The main body of the text concentrates on scrutinizing and evaluating two industryspecific prime examples. W Hotels is the international role model, whereas MotelOne is considered as pioneer for the German market. Together both concepts constitute a cutting-edge practice for outplaying the competition.
The author presents an outlook along with his personal critical opinion at the end.
2 Hospitality industry
In 2012 the world had over one billion international tourists for the first time ever (UNWTO, 2013, p.2) . The volume of international travelers together and their overnight stays is steadily growing - just a couple of the many records set by the global hospitality sector, making it one of the largest and fastest-growing economic industries in the world.
Hospitality is about serving guests during their time away from home and will remain the main function for all hosts, whereas consumer attitudes and demands are changing faster than ever before. It includes various service-based businesses like lodging, restaurants, event planning, theme parks, transportation and cruises (Maier & Chon, 2009, p.10). All those sectors unify the same features that they are intangible, not transportable, non-repairable and non-storable as well as consumed at the time of creation combines all those sectors. Unlike physical goods these services oftentimes are a company's only USP.
The overall supply and demand for hospitality prospers in equal measure, just like the two major types of travel - business and leisure tourism, which have begun to merge into the trend of "Bleisure" travel - a combination of meeting both needs (The Sunday Times, 2010).
Customer loyalty and branding, the growth of emerging markets, new consumer- facing technologies, sustainability as well as the sourcing, development and retention of human resources together with general demographics will challenge and shape the industry's future long-term feasibility. Therefore, differentiation from the competition, being up-to-date with all trends plus meeting consumers' wants and needs are vital. China and India are playing game-changing roles as dominant destinations in the future hospitality market, while the affluent baby boomer generation will be responsible for the lion's share of tourism spending (Deloitte, 2010, p.14). In addition, the emerging middle classes of the BRIC and MIST nations1 will increase their significance as feeder markets (Bloomberg, 2012).
China is currently the world's new top nation of tourism spenders with a total of US$ 102 billion expenditures in 2012, exceeding Germany (83.8) and the USA (83.7) by far . The volume of inbound tourism grew intense to a new peak of international tourism receipts in the USA with US$ 128.6 billions, followed by Spain (55.9) and France (52.7). In addition, France announced another record with 83 million international tourist arrivals, followed by the USA (67) and China (57.7) (UNWTO, 2013, p.6).
2.1 Significance for overall economy
The travel and tourism industry is an economic powerhouse, as it accounts for a higher GDP than automotive manufacturing in every region of the world. More than 100 million people work directly for the travel industry, which is about 4% of all jobs worldwide. Tourism with all its facets contributes US$ 2.1 trillion to the world's GDP - 3% of the entire economy - and continues to gain importance with a global annual growth rate between 3-5% (WTTC, 2013, p.3).
Hospitality has immensely benefited from ongoing globalization and constantly falling relative costs for travel (ILO, 2010, p.5). Nevertheless, although the general global economy undergoes tough times, the demand for both international leisure and business tourism remains high, which makes tourism a key global market for the world economy.
2.2 Hotel sector profile
The hotel sector in particular is the driving force for global tourism. Despite all economic crises, hotel companies literally spread everywhere by increasing their global footprint and bank on ubiquity in order to weather the highly competitive market. In doing so international hotel chains overwhelm smaller private hotel with their power for backing high investments at the expanse of stockholders.
The leader in hotel benchmarking STR Global predicts in their census from 2012 that 13.4 million hotel rooms exist worldwide with numbers rising continuously. The ten biggest hotel groups hold a combined 37,367 hotels with 4,512,022 rooms (March 2012 ) under their entire umbrella of brands - and thus control about 1/3 of all hotel rooms worldwide. According to the latest STR Global hotel pipeline report, 6,441 properties with a total of 1,065,711 rooms are under construction or in a genuine planning phase at the moment (STR Global, 2013).
The hotel market remains a highly fragmented industry: Over 70% of hotels in the USA are already branded hotels, while in Europe only 40% of all hotels belong to a chain thus far. In addition, the hotel market on average is segmented into 20% luxury and upper upscale properties, 40% upper upscale and midscale objects as well as 40% economy midscale businesses (STR Global, 2012).
The overall performance of all four regions is satisfying as the average hotel rates from June 2013 show in the table, while Europe can be named as the most effective destination:
illustration not visible in this excerpt
Figure 1: STR Global Hotel Stats 2013 (STR Global, 2013)
Assuming that the conclusion of hospitality expert and populist Jacob Tomsky - that US$ 40 for a hotel room is the break-even point - roughly is correct, implies that almost every hotel is making profit with such operational performance figures (Tomsky, 2012, p.14).
The number of hotel rooms sold to guests is growing faster than the actual quantity of new rooms, which is why demand outpaces supply - enabling hotels retain pricing power. The groundbreaking record of 1.1 billion sold room nights in 2012 will not stand for long, as both supply and demand will continue to prosper by 3.5% during the next year. Simultaneously, room rates are expected to increase by 4.5% (ILO, 2010, p.5).
While luxury and upscale hotels are the industry's flagships, branded mid-market and lifestyle budget hotels possess the greatest growth potential (Deloitte, 2010, p.2). As the overall competition increases, hotels need to focus on delivering differentiation by innovation plus value for the consumers and consistent brand experiences.
3 Blue Ocean Strategy
Summing up, the Blue Ocean Strategy is about forming an entirely new industry through fundamental differentiation and innovation as opposed to competing in existing traditional competitive markets with many mainstream models (Osterwalder & Pigneur, 2010, p.226).
According to this strategy, businesses should not advance into saturated markets, called Red Oceans, but rather penetrate seminal Blue Oceans with creativity and new ideas.
3.1 Conception
The two INSEAD professors W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne developed the Blue Ocean Strategy. It was published under the same title by Harvard Business Press in 2005 and describes the difference between survivors and winners.
The BOS introduces a systematic way for entrepreneurs and innovators to create new demand with the highest profitable growth. The aim of the Blue Ocean Strategy is to develop innovative products or services for new markets and leave the competition behind through this process. A Blue Ocean is truly differentiated and yields long-lasting customer value (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005, p.12).
Most companies swim in a Red Ocean, where they struggle with competition trying to increase demand and optimize costs. Red Ocean participants solely depend on the strategic intention, whether to refine the product or to reduce costs.
Companies on the other side that sail on Blue Oceans create new markets with innovative products and as trendsetters therefore are free to determine the price. In addition, they enhance their product plus cut costs (Mauborgne, 2012).
The example of the airline industry captures the basic idea of the strategy: While most airlines fight their competition in the mid- to high-price segment with corresponding benefits (Red Ocean), the path for low-budget carrier Southwest Airlines was free to do exactly the opposite (Blue Ocean) (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005, p.38).
3.2 Creating Blue Oceans
3.2.1 Principles
In order to invent a Blue Ocean, the industry and market needs to be analyzed. But instead of focusing too much on competition like traditional approaches recommend, BOS is about detecting and seizing on customer needs that are not served by the competition yet (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005, p.4).
After finding a promising proposition, it needs to be honed by reducing or removing dispensable parts as well as improving operations plus adding reforms. In order to benefit as long as possible from the fertile Blue Ocean, it is vital to always take the customer wants and needs seriously. The Blue Ocean Strategy is an important strategic tool that blossoms into a real competitive advantage, if businesses comply with the following three factors that characterize a Blue Ocean.
An accurately focused strategy can succeed on its own, requiring a clearly defined value curve and a sound showcasing of cost reduction and differentiation (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005, p.39).
Second, a Blue Ocean concept needs to be truly unique instead of resembling any Red Oceans, especially in our globalized business environment. "Blue" value curves must possess explicit characteristics that make them easily distinguishable from Red Oceans for consumers (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005, p.39).
Likewise a "blue" product or service always needs a distinctive slogan that is not only good in promotion, but embodies a genuine truth with an additional benefit (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005, p.39).
3.2.2 Implementation
In order to establish a solid system behind the creative process of finding Blue Oceans, Kim and Mauborgne assembled six guidelines that allows manager to look beyond market boundaries and review common industry characteristics from a whole new perspective.
Companies must analyze alternative industries whose offering indeed differs from their own, but serves the same purpose and thus could replace their product in the form of a serious substitute (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005, p.49).
Several segments exist within an industry, each attracting different groups of buyers, which is why companies often only compete within their sub-region, but not other areas. Therefore, it can be profitable to integrate competitive factors from other segments into their own strategy (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005, p.55).
Moreover, all buyer groups should be considered and the most suitable represented as an outcome of this process. However, the business should serve the demand for more than one major group of customers to ensure its overall corporate success (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005, p.61).
In addition, complementary products or services need to be examined in order to assure an effective Blue Ocean settlement, since consumption of an offer is not always settled with one single purchase. This results in utilization synergies for consumers and thus can attract absent clients (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005, p.65).
Furthermore, it is advisable for entrepreneurs to focus on consumers with both emotional and functional buying motives. Usually buying decisions stem from either one of the two types, but Blue Oceans can realize benefits through emotionalizing functional products and vice versa (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005, p.65).
A trend analysis needs to be conducted as well, since today's economy is fastmoving and highly affected by changes. In the end, an enterprise must be based on sustainable business activities (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005, p.75).
3.2.3 Tools and frameworks
According to the publication "Strategy Safari" and its categorization of different business strategies (Mintzberg et al., 2005, p.124), the Blue Ocean Strategy belongs to the "Entrepreneurial School", which emphasizes visions and innovation. Kim and Mauborgne provide various methods and tools for strategically implementing an invention.
The "Strategy Canvas" is the most important Blue Ocean framework and visualizes all those factors from one industry, which are most critical for withstanding the Competing Factors
Figure 2: Strategy Canvas (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005)
illustration not visible in this excerpt
competition. These "Competing Factors" lie on the X-axis and define a business. As a parameter, the "Industry Value Curve" represents the occurrence from low to high among existing market competitors. All factors are identified and thus determine, which attributes are relevant, giving orientation for finding a Blue Ocean. To ensure that a "Blue Harbor" full of innovative product features has been found, at least three factors must deviate from the competition - regardless of whether their "Offering Level" is low or high (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005, p.25).
For reconstructing the elements identified by the "Strategy Canvas" plus achieving "Value Innovation", a new "Value Curve" needs to be created by analyzing the following four questions (Osterwalder & Pigneur, 2010, p.227):
1. Which factors that the industry takes for granted must be eliminated?
2. Which factors should be reduced due to negligibility?
3. Which factors should be raised for surpassing the current industry standards?
4. Which new factors need to be created?
illustration not visible in this excerpt
Figure 3: Four Actions Framework (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005)
The first two questions identify those factors that have little or no use anymore - for example, due to changing customer interests - and therefore can be reduced or eliminated, which simultaneously saves costs. The third and fourth questions target those factors, which previously were hardly distinctive or simply non-existent due to prohibitive costs or a lack of innovation. The creation or increase of attributes generates new demand and boosts the customer benefit.
Kim and Mauborgne place special emphasis on elimination and creation, since ordinary "red" companies align their utility maximization with existing competitive factors, whereas innovative "blue" entrepreneurs are supposed to change the factors themselves and hence make the present rules of competition irrelevant (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005, p.5).
3.2.4 Red vs. Blue Oceans
According to Kim and Mauborgne, our business environment is comprised of two types of markets - the Red and Blue Oceans (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005, p.18)
illustration not visible in this excerpt
Figure 4: Red vs. Blue Oceans (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005, p.18)
1 Next generation of emerging countries including Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea and Turkey


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The Service Companies and JRS International Join Forces
Dear Friends and Customers,
I have some very exciting news to share. As the President of JRS International, I have decided to join forces with The Service Companies (SSC, FSS). Over the years, many of you have asked me repeatedly to offer night cleaning services, and with this The Service Companies partnership, I am finally able to do so.
For those of you who may not be familiar with The Service Companies, their portfolio of companies consists of Southern Service Corporation (SSC) and Full Service Systems (FSS), two of the most well-known outsourcing providers exclusively dedicated to the hospitality industry in the U.S. and Caribbean. Similar to JRS, The Service Companies has over 20 years of experience serving four and five-diamond hotels, resorts and casinos with housekeeping, night cleaning, stewarding, public area cleaning, staffing and other front- and back-of-the house services.
Please know that this partnership will not in any way affect the existing JRS service delivery at your property. The same JRS team that works with you today will continue to offer world-class window cleaning services to you tomorrow. The only change will be that we now have a series of additional services to offer you in order to make your property shine – ranging from front-of-the-house to back-of-the-house and landscaping.
I was so pleased to have found a partner in The Service Companies which values customer service, employee excellence and dedication to the hospitality industry as highly as JRS does, as evidenced by our combined 50+ years serving a similar footprint of luxury hotel, resort and casino clients.
We truly believe that this partnership is a huge win for you as it opens up an expanded menu of word-class services via a seamless delivery structure.
See below for our official press release, but please do call Steve Wilson (305.681.8800), President of The Service Companies; Steve Wilson (305.681.8800), GM and SVP of Operations at The Service Companies, or me (770.998.1902) with any additional thoughts or questions. We look forward to discussing our partnership with you and sharing how excited we are to expand our collective service offering. Also please visit the The Service Companies website to learn more about my new partners: www.theservicecompanies.com.
We at the new Service Companies (JRS, SSC, FSS) look forward to continuing to serve you!
Joel Shumaker
Atlanta, GA and Miami Lakes, FL – November 1, 2010 – Atlanta-based JRS International and The Service Companies (SSC, FSS) of Miami have joined forces to offer hotels, resorts and casinos the convenient option of working with one partner for front-of-the-house, back-of-the house, window and chandelier cleaning.
The Service Companies provide housekeeping, stewarding, public areas and other cleaning services, while JRS International is focused on window and chandelier cleaning. Both companies have served the hospitality industry for over 20 years each and by combining, become the premier "one-stop-shop" for world-class outsourced services.
The two corporations cite their shared core values, decades of industry experience, commitment to the customer, financial stability and superior workforce as the reasons behind the alliance.
"Integrating the sales & marketing and back-office functions of The Service Companies and JRS will make it easier for our hospitality clients to work with us, allowing clients to spend more time serving guests. Additionally, the combination will allow JRS to spend more time focused on our core business of impeccably clean windows and chandeliers," said Joel R. Shumaker, founder and President of JRS International. "This The Service Companies/JRS partnership also provides expanded benefits, growth and promotion opportunities for both JRS and The Service Companies employees, which is especially exciting to me."
"We could not be more excited that JRS international has agreed to partner with us," said Steve Wilson, President of The Service Companies. "JRS's history of excellence matches that of The Service Companies, and we think that a The Service Companies which includes JRS International, Southern Service Corporation (SSC) and Full Service Systems (FSS) becomes the industry standard for quality and excellence."
Added Steve Wilson, the GM and SVP of Operations for The Service Companies, "This partnership brings us one step closer to realizing our goal of becoming the premier 'one-stop-shop' for hospitality industry services. We already offer front- and back-of-the house services via FSS and SSC, and the JRS addition adds the new element of chandelier and window cleaning. We are grateful to have them join The Service Companies family."


text:
Here Comes Pruster Cotton Tail
Gametime is 7PM on Hockey Night in Canada. I'm really hoping that other New York team can beat the Penguins today. We'd still be in first if it wasn't for their 14 game winning streak. Who even goes on a 14 game winning streak? And why are there so many massive winning streaks this year? And why do I sound like a cranky old man all of a sudden? It's Penguins vs Blackhawks for the Stanley Cup this year anyway, everything else is irrelevant.
In the meantime we can start to imagine what our playoff run is going to look like. Sunshine and rainbows until the Eastern Conference Finals. Oh, and the way Budaj has been playing we may have another Halak in the making for this playoff run ;)
It's spring, it's Easter weekend, it's Holy Saturday if you're a Christian, and their is a full schedule of hockey this afternoon.
The Habs will rise again, it starts by getting Torts fired tonight.


text:
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PORTLAND, Ore. – Amare Stoudemire had 23 points and eight rebounds, Raymond Felton added 17 points and 14 assists, and the New York Knicks beat the Portland Trail Blazers 100-86 on Tuesday night.
Ronny Turiaf had a season-high 19 points and tied a season best with 10 rebounds for the Knicks, who improved to 12-8 on the road, surpassing their road win total from last season. Wilson Chandler added 17 points. Stoudemire has scored at least 20 points in 22 straight games.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Blazers. Rudy Fernandez scored 12 of his 18 in the first half for Portland, while Andre Miller had 14 points and Nicolas Batum added 13.
Portland had an eight-game home winning streak snapped in an overtime loss to the Miami Heat on Sunday. The Blazers looked like they had not recovered, falling behind by 12 in the first half and wilting after briefly taking a third-quarter lead.
Portland led 57-56 in the third on a layup by Wesley Matthews. However, Chandler nailed a 3-pointer to regain the lead for the Knicks. Bill Walker later hit a 3-pointer to put the Knicks up 71-62 and they led by nine going into the final quarter.
Portland got within 81-76, but Stoudemire hit two free throws and Chandler silenced the Rose Garden crowd with an alley-oop slam that ended the threat.
Aldridge and Stoudemire were renewing a rivalry that became noteworthy when the two clashed in the first round of the playoffs last season when Stoudemire was with Phoenix. Stoudemire averaged 20.5 points during that series, which the Suns won, while Aldridge averaged 19.0.
Stoudemire had the best of the matchup early on Tuesday. Aldridge picked up three fouls in the first half and played just seven minutes. Without him, Portland struggled, shooting just 36 percent in the half while New York shot 55 percent. Stoudemire had 13 points by halftime and the Knicks led by as many as 12 in the second quarter.
Notes: Stoudemire received his 10th technical of the season in the first quarter. ... The Blazers had just eight assists. ... Matthews went 2 of 13 from the field. ... Marcus Camby had 16 rebounds.


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John Thompson has lived through more ups and downs than most of us will. In April 1985, he was convicted of an armed robbery he did not commit and sentenced to 49 and one half years in prison. The next month, he was tried and convicted of a murder he also didn't commit. He was sentenced to death.
It took 18 years to unravel the wrongful convictions. "I was delivered an execution warrant in my cell seven times," Thompson said. "I was only weeks away from being executed when the lawyers got the killing stopped."
The killing was stopped in late April 1999, because an investigator, hired by Thompson's attorneys in a last-ditch effort to avert his looming execution, happened upon a microfiche copy of a police report that revealed that blood left by the assailant at the scene of the armed robbery did not belong to Thompson.
The armed robbery charge was dismissed. Thompson then won a new trial in the murder case. A jury acquitted him after just 35 minutes of deliberation.
Then, in 2003, Thompson filed a civil lawsuit arguing that prosecutors working for the District Attorney's Office in Orleans Parish, Louisiana had deliberately concealed physical evidence from the armed robbery crime scene and then had hidden the crime lab report showing Thompson wasn't linked to the blood found there. They sat on this information year after year, as Thompson rotted on Death Row.
In his suit, Thompson contended that the Orleans Parish District Attorney--one Harry Connick, Sr.--was responsible for his wrongful convictions, because he failed to train his assistant DAs on their responsibility under the U.S. Constitution to turn over exculpatory evidence to the defendant and his lawyer.
The Supreme Court's seminal decision in Brady v. Maryland recognized that prosecutors must tell the defense about any evidence that negates the guilt of the accused. If a prosecution witness has a motive to lie in order to curry favor from the state, the defense has a right to know. If evidence from the scene of the crime proves the defendant innocent, the defendant obviously has a right to know. A criminal trial is not a game. The prosecution's objective must be to do justice, even if that means the defendant gets acquitted.
The evidence at the trial of Thompson's civil lawsuit proved overwhelmingly that Connick was indifferent, if not hostile, to his obligation under the Brady ruling. Connick's office didn't provide any training to assistant DAs on the disclosure requirement. His assistants didn't know the basics of the rule. And in Thompson's case, they withheld from the defense team ten exculpatory reports and records - in addition to the exonerating blood evidence in the armed robbery - that undercut Thompson's murder conviction.
There was also evidence that Connick himself is not a good man. He had once been indicted by the federal government for his own failure to turn over a crime lab report to the defense. Appellate decisions have repeatedly chastised Connick's office for violating the Brady rule. And in the aftermath of the Thompson fiasco, Connick quashed a grand jury investigation of the misconduct by the assistant DAs who tried Thompson's case, commenting that an investigation of possible criminal wrongdoing by those assistants "w[ould] make [his] job more difficult."
Unsurprisingly, the jury that heard Thompson's civil trial awarded him a judgment of $14 million as compensation for his nearly two decades of wrongful imprisonment and his brush with death. The federal Court of Appeals affirmed the verdict. For several years, Thompson was a millionaire in waiting.
On Tuesday of last week, however, the US Supreme Court wiped out the award by a vote of 5 to 4. The Court's much-lamented decision reasoned that Connick couldn't be found liable unless he had been on notice of a "pattern of similar constitutional violations" prior to the misconduct in Thompson's case. Ignoring the ample evidence in the trial record, the Court found that Thompson hadn't proved such a pattern.
This magisterial indifference to the record of Connick's complicity in Thompson's plight is a tragedy. Given a chance to ameliorate the injustices heaped on John Thompson, the Supreme Court aggravated them.
Of equal (possibly greater) concern, though, is a misstep the Supreme Court made decades ago that reverberates today in the Thompson case. In a 1976 decision, the Court adopted the doctrine of prosecutorial immunity. Under this rule, prosecutors enjoy complete protection from suit for civil rights violations they may commit in the course of preparing or trying a criminal case.
Because of this doctrine, Thompson couldn't sue the trial prosecutors most directly responsible for railroading him--despite their deliberate and flagrant violations of his constitutional rights, and despite the Supreme Court's description of one of his prosecutors as a "miscreant." (Administrative malfeasance, on the other hand, isn't subject to absolute prosecutorial immunity. Hence, the attempt by Thompson's civil lawyers to hold Connick accountable.)
The Court's decision to bar civil rights suits against trial prosecutors came in a more innocent era. The Court was confident that prosecutors would be deterred from misconduct by their own professional culture; by oversight from the courts and the organized bar; and by the threat of discipline should they overstep constitutional limits. Lawsuits, the Court reasoned, were unnecessary and would distract prosecutors from the "vigorous and fearless" performance of their duties.
The cascade of wrongful convictions--many of them, like John Thompson's, the result of egregious prosecutorial misconduct--belies the Court's sunny view of the criminal justice system's ability to police itself. Repeatedly, we have seen that prosecutors haven't been deterred from egregious constitutional violations. John Thompson's case proves that it's time we started rethinking the idea that miscreant prosecutors get a free pass when they trample on the rights of innocent defendants.


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Love, Power & Evil in Elizabethan Literature
Venue: Methodist Church Hall, Silver Street, Stony Stratford MK11 1JS
Date: 30 Sep 2019 - 02 Dec 2019
Time: 10:00 to - 12:00
WEA Milton Keynes Course: Love, Power and Evil in Elizabethan Literature. This course is run in conjunction with Oxford University Department of Continuing Education).
Dates: Mondays starting 30th September - 2nd December 2019 for 10 weeks
Times: 10am - 12.00 noon
Course tutor: Karen Hewitt, MBE MA
Location: Methodist Church Hall, Stony Stratford
Cost: £185.00
In this course we shall read and discuss in detail two plays, Dr Faustus by Christopher Marlowe and Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Both plays are concerned with the corruptions of evil; both must lead us to consider controversies about providence, fate and knowledge in the later sixteenth century. We shall also read great love poetry of the period by Spenser, Sidney, Donne and by Shakespeare and Marlowe. The poems – pastoral, erotic and beautiful – celebrate the joys of love and mourn the depredations of time. We shall discuss how to respond to this literature of more than four hundred years ago, and how to enjoy its rich, metaphorical language.
For further details and information on how to register for the course please see: https://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/love-power-and-evil-in-elizabethan-literature?code=E19P326LTW


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The governor-elect of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji, has faulted the allegation of vote-buying against the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the just concluded governorship election in the state.
He stressed that neither he nor the ruling party was involved in vote-buying as alleged, saying they canvassed for votes from the electorate which led to their victory at the poll.
Oyebanji stated this on Monday while briefing State House correspondents shortly after he met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
He insisted that he did not witness any vote-buying in the polling unit where he voted, adding that he won the poll based on his previous performance as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) in the state.
[READ ALSO] PHOTOS: Buhari Hosts Ekiti Governor-Elect Oyebanji, Others
The APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who accompanied the governor-elect alongside some governors to meet with the President, also reacted to the allegation against the ruling party.
He affirmed that the allegation of vote-buying was being sponsored by aggrieved persons who lost at the poll.
Apart from Adamu, Oyebanji was also accompanied by Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, and Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State.
The Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo; and Senior Special Assistant to the President (Domestic), Sarki Abba, also attended the meeting with the President.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Oyebanji, the APC candidate as the winner of the keenly contested election it conducted on Saturday.
Oyebanji polled 187,057 votes – over 100,000 votes more than that of his closest rival, Segun Oni of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who scored 82,211 votes in the election.
Mr Bisi Kolawole of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came third in the poll with 67,457 votes.
Following the declaration, there were allegations that the election was marred with irregularities, including the hiring of hoodlums for vote-buying and snatching of ballot boxes allegedly by the APC – claims which the ruling party swiftly denied.


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Delaware County Divorce Lawyer
Providing Guidance and Legal Support in a Delaware County Divorce
Contrary to common belief, divorce does not have to be an extremely costly and contentious affair that leaves you emotionally drained and in heavy debt. With guidance from the right attorney, you can get through your divorce with your finances, your mental and emotional health, and your family relations intact.
At the Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz, our Delaware County family law attorneys have the extensive experience and knowledge needed to handle your divorce in an efficient and cost-effective manner. We are perfectly aware of the deep impact this divorce will have on you and your family, which is why we vow to put in our fullest efforts to help you reach an optimal case outcome. To speak with one of our dedicated legal staff now, call us today at (610) 645-0100.
What Are the Grounds for Divorce in Pennsylvania?
When you file a Complaint for Divorce in Pennsylvania, you must declare the grounds on which you seek to dissolve your marriage. Both no-fault and fault divorces are allowed in the Keystone State.
- No-Fault Divorce: In order to obtain a no-fault divorce, you and your spouse must agree to divorce or must have lived separately for at least two years. In the latter case, either spouse may file for divorce solely on the grounds that the marriage is irretrievably broken.
- Fault Divorce: There are seven grounds on which either spouse can base a complaint for a fault divorce, including desertion, adultery, cruelty, bigamy, imprisonment or confinement to a mental institution, confinement to a mental institution for eighteen months, and indignities.
Why Should I Mediate?
Not all divorces have to involve courtroom battles. In fact, it is preferable to resolve your divorce outside of the courtroom. Through mediation, you and your spouse can work together to reach an agreement on issues such as property division, alimony, child support, and so on. Not only is mediation much less costly than a trial divorce, but you and your spouse rather than a judge retain control of all important decisions and outcomes.
Can You Handle My High Profile or Asset Divorce?
While no divorce is ever truly easy, those involving high profile individuals or highly valued assets can be especially complex. Oftentimes, millions of dollars, successful careers, and public and media relations are all put on the line. Such matters should be handled by not just any divorce attorney but an exceptional one who has a proven track record in the area. Attorney Sheryl R. Rentz and her associates fit the bill.
Divorce Law Firm in Delaware County, PA
At the Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz, our philosophy is to treat each client as an individual with his/her own unique needs and goals. If you are seeking an attorney who can provide you the personalized family law services you need to build a better future for you and your loved ones, please don't hesitate to contact our office at (610) 645-0100 today.
Post-Divorce Issues
If there is one thing we can all count on in life, it is change. Nothing stays the same and it's always something new. So, when it comes to your divorce, despite having received a judgment and finalized your proceedings, you could run into just about anything that changes everything.
That's why it's good to have a qualified Delaware County divorce attorney by your side, who can keep up with your ever-changing life. The Law Offices of Sheryl Rentz are here to make sure your divorce stays on track, even after it has been through the courts or mediation. With our experience, expertise and efficient methods, you'll be able to keep track of all those unforeseen changes that only appear after the dust has cleared.
Your income may have decreased. You may be getting remarried. There may be a new job opportunity in another state. Your ex may have stopped paying alimony altogether! There are a number of things that can change post-divorce. That's why it you need someone who knows how to spot trouble before it happens, move to legal action quickly and defend your interests from top to bottom.
Contact the Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz today to set up a free consultation and discover the options you have available. Our office number is (610) 645-0100.
Custody Modification in Pennsylvania
While parents are able to change their custody agreements and visitation at anytime on their own, most divorced couples will petition for a court ruling. There could be any number of reasons for a petition, but it is up to the one making the claim to prove that there have been a "substantial change of circumstances." This includes a switch in work schedule, a potentially drastic move out of the area, or a dangerous behavior that is threatening the well-being of the child. Remember, courts focus on the best interest of the child first - and the needs or wants of the parent's second.
Modification of Child Support in Pennsylvania
Kids are the very definition of change. A child's world is a never-ending parade of development for the first twenty years of their lives. Therefore, it is perfectly acceptable for child support to shift in order to keep up each new circumstance. In some instances it could be due to the natural course of growth - children's expenses change as they go from toddlers to teenagers. Or, should a child suddenly encounter a serious health issue they will most certainly need additional support. And should the custodial parent remarry, there could be significant changes in the amount provided.
Modification of Spousal Support
In order to alter the amount of money supplied through alimony, the petitioner must prove there has been considerable change in their lives to warrant such an increase or decrease. Reasons often include a serious health problem that impedes their ability to work, a decrease in income or wages, or extraordinary developments in living expenses.
Two Steps Forward
Often, the only real way to deal with change is to embrace it. When it comes time for you to accept an inevitable switch in your current arrangement, the Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz are here to help walk you through, step-by-step. Whatever it takes, no matter the circumstance, attorney Sheryl R. Rentz has years of experience on her side and knows how to secure what it rightfully yours. Call to schedule a free appointment to discuss any new developments in your situation today - the number is (610) 645-0100.
Additional Information
- What If We Don't Agree on the Date of Separation?
- Contested vs. Uncontested Divorce
- How To Legally Change Your Name in Pennsylvania
- The Effect of Divorce on Kids
- Delaware County Divorce Information
We know your problems are unique & special.
Call us, we will listen.
(610) 645-0100


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Dillon Consulting hires the best. We look for people who are not only technically proficient but also strive to remain at the forefront of the latest technologies and processes. We employ people who are passionate about socially important projects, who are motivated to deliver superior, tangible results and are empowered to grow and develop their skills.
Read More ...
At Dillon, we're not just consultants. We are owners who are passionate about building a better, smarter and more purposeful community, one that works better, functions better, and is efficient, safe and sustainable for future generations.
Learn More
We offer a wide variety of services related to building and improving facilities and
infrastructure, protecting the environment, and developing communities.
Dillon is a proudly Canadian, employee-owned professional consulting firm specializing in planning, engineering, environmental science and management. We partner with clients to provide committed, collaborative and inventive solutions to complex, multi-faceted projects.
Honeywell Specialty Chemicals and General Chemical occupied a common site in Amherstburg, sharing common site services for ~25 years. When General Chemical closed its operations and began negotiations for new ownership, Honeywell needed to re-align services in order to eliminate their dependency on the neighbouring facility.
The design-build project, which had very strict deadlines, had to be completed in a manner that would not impede Honeywell's ongoing operations. Dillon assisted Loaring Construction with detailed design, construction administration and on-site services, including the re-alignment of storm and sanitary gravity sewers and forcemains, sanitary pump station, domestic and firewater mains, and an independent hydrogen fluoride leakage suppression system that included a new 125,000 USG water storage tank, millwater mains and filtration system, and pump skid.
Project Partner:
Loaring Construction


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Eco-ok Round Grill Pan
The Eco-ok pan with 1 handle is the product that is missing in your kitchen! The non-stick bottom is equipped with concentric staves, which make it perfect for grilling using less fat and for all the more traditional preparations! Furthermore, thanks to the non-stick coating, the surface is stain-resistant, easy to clean, and resistant to high temperatures.
Why buy it?
- Produced with recycled and recyclable material, avoiding waste and ensuring well-being. The aluminum used is 100% recycled and allows for a reduction in CO 2 emissions
- EXP VEG non-stick coating is non-toxic PFAS, BPA, NMP free and produced with -50% CO 2 compared to traditional PTFE non-stick
- Suitable for all burners, including induction, the steel disc applied to the bottom allows for optimal performance on all hobs
- Practical and ergonomic grip, thanks to the handle designed by designer Takahide Sano, produced with recycled plastic material
- Produced in Italy
Hobs and features
Technical specifications
- Piani cottura: Suitable for all burners, including induction
- Rivestimento: Non-stick EXP VEG
- Tipo di manico: Bakelite and recycled Nylon
- Lavabile in lavastoviglie: Yes
- Sicura: PFAS free, BPA free, Nickel and heavy metal free
- Adatto al forno: No
- Colore: Green
- Peso netto: 0.895kg
- Lunghezza del prodotto: 45cm
- Larghezza del prodotto: 26.6cm
- Altezza del prodotto: 10.5cm
- Diametro superiore: 28cm
- Diametro del fondo: 20cm
Care instructions
1. First use: wash the item.
2. Anoint with a little oil, repeat the operation from time to time.
3. Do not overheat the empty item.
4. Use plastic or wooden utensils.
5. Do not carbonate fatty foods.
6. Coating compliant with food contact standards.
7. Wash the item with warm water, neutral detergent and soft sponges.
8. If the handles are made of steel, use pot holders.
9. In the dishwasher (if allowed): use low temperature cycles (50°C or ECO).
10. Over time, stains or halos may form on the article, which however do not compromise its use.
Non-stick coating careTo reduce the incidence of stains: cover the bottom of the article with 1 and ½ glass of water, 2 tablespoons of sodium bicarbonate, ½ glass of vinegar. Heat for 2 minutes. Empty the item and wash with detergent and a soft sponge.
Use on hobs1. DO NOT drag or slide items across the hob.
2. Always use a heating element smaller than or equal to the size of the bottom of the item
3. Make sure that the item is stable on the hob or on the support supports of gas hobs.
WarrantyTVS SpA guarantees its articles against all manufacturing defects. The warranty does not cover damage caused by accidents or failure to follow the instructions for use. Any replacement and relative shipment will be paid for by the TVS company. Defective products accompanied by the receipt certifying the date and place of purchase must be sent to the following address: TVS SpA Via G. Galilei, 2 – 61033 Fermignano (PU) Italy. Guarantee valid only for the EU.
All non-stick coatings made by TVS are water-based and free from BPA, Nickel and other heavy metals. The EXP-VEG coating of the Eco-ok Induction line is formulated without PFAS.


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It is the beginning of summer in 1987 and Aristotle Mendoza--Ari, as he calls himself--is a jaded, disillusioned 15-year-old who lives in the shadow of a much older brother who's not even there, who's not even spoken of by his parents. Ari only knows his brother is in prison for something he did when he was Ari's age.
Then he meets Dante Quintana, the boy who teaches Ari how to swim.
Dante is everything Ari is not. He is fair-skinned, much too American to be a Mexican-American in El Paso, outspoken, loves as openly as he is loved, and above all, hates wearing shoes. He loves to read. He loves poetry. He especially loves works by William Carlos Williams. He adores his parents, and they are fierce when it comes to loving and protecting him.
When I woke, Dante was gone.
He hadn't left any of the sketches that he'd done of me. But he did leave a sketch of my rocking chair. It was perfect. A rocking chair against the bare walls of my room. He'd captured the afternoon light streaming into the room, the way the shadows fell on the chair and gave it depth and made it appear as if it was something more than an intimate object. There was something sad and solitary about the sketch and I wondered if that's the way he saw the world or if that's the way he saw my world.
I stared at the sketch for a long time. It scared me. Because there was something true about it.
Ari, on the other hand, loves being alone. He has this anger inside him, and he's constantly afraid that he'll end up like his brother. He longs to connect with his war-haunted father, but at the same time is frustrated by how distant, how disconnected his father is. His mother is the only one who gets him, but he has a sinking feeling she is afraid he will end up like his brother, too.
And then there was this whole thing with my name. Angel Aristotle Mendoza. I hated the name Angel and I'd never let anybody call me that. Every guy I knew who was named Angel was a real asshole. I didn't care for Aristotle either. And even though I knew I was named after my grandfather, I also knew I had inherited the name of the world's most famous philosopher. I hated that. Everyone expected something from me. Something I just couldn't give.
So I renamed myself Ari.
If I switched the letter, my name was Air.
I thought it might be a great thing to be the air.
I could be something and nothing at the same time. I could be necessary and also invisible. Everyone would need me and no one would be able to see me.
In the span of two summers, the boys grow. They grow apart, yet at the same time they grow ever closer. Dante is the only one who gets Ari, even though he knows he may never get Ari. Because Ari doesn't even get himself. He is desperate to get to know his father, to get to know his brother, that he doesn't realize that the person he is searching for is himself.
My father was still there, sitting on my rocking chair.
We studied each other for a moment as I lay in bed.
"You were looking for me," he said.
I looked at him.
"In your dream. You were looking for me."
"I'm always looking for you," I whispered.
I picked this book up at random almost a year ago when I browsed the Young Adult shelves at Kinokuniya. Something about the cover grabbed my attention. In a sense, books are still judged by their covers regardless what people may say. I seldom look for books based on reviews or recommendations. Sometimes I hit rocks and sometimes I hit gold. With this book, however, I hit the mother lode. The Arkenstone, if we want to get all geeky about it.
For that almost-one-year, I've bought the hardcover, four copies of the ebook (1 for myself & 3 for my friends), and an unabridged audiobook. I've read the hardcover three times, read the ebook twice, and listened to the audiobook twice. I've also written to the author to personally thank him for sharing the book with the world, and he's written back.
It's that beautiful.
Benjamin Alire Saenz has a way with words. Since I read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, I bought other books he's published. 1 I bought at Kinokuniya, the rest I had to order online from Amazon. They are all beautifully written, but this book is his best to date. The prose is lyrical, but it is also an effortless read. You don't sense the author's voice. You only hear Ari. And you feel for him. And you want to hug him and tell him that everything will be all right.
Because Ari lives. Dante lives. Their parents live. You want to get to know them more. You want to have dinner with them. You want to protect the boys from the harsh world while they discover the secrets of the universe and change the world with that discovery.
I read novels for pleasure, but with this book.... I want to achieve even half of what Mr Saenz has achieved with his prose. Reading this makes me want to be a better writer. It makes me look out for other books as beautiful as it is, because if one person is able to write something this brilliant, then perhaps there are similar writers, similar books out there.
Forget your aversion toward two boys loving each other. Forget your bigotry, forget your prejudice. Get lost in this book, and fall in love with the boys.
And maybe one day the world will be a beautiful, wonderful place for all children who play by different rules.


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This post tells a bit about my history with poverty and illness… not because I take pride in my transcendence from these afflictions, but rather because I have a clear understanding of how most people aren't so fortunate, and how these still affect me today. I should be been a statistic, and I am positive I would have been if I would have lived in a different environment with a different set of variables. My ability to persevere, admittedly, has little to do with me and everything to do with my privilege. My hope is that everyone reading this is left with a clearer understanding that urban poverty is not a choice, it is an set of circumstances that typically changes and oppresses the human mind and spirit.
I turn on the TV to shows like The Voice and American Ninja Warrior, only to realize these programs have made themselves as much about special interest stories as they have about talent. The thrust is that the country wants very much to see people who have transcended their hardships and circumstances, and consciously moved toward a life of accomplishment.
"Wait, isn't this an urbanist blog?" Hold tight, I'm getting there.
We, as humans, want to be inspired by incredible stories from those who overcome the likes of poverty, disease, abuse and challenging circumstances. We need these stories, for they show us that just because we might be down, we're not out.
The problem with the glorification of these special interest stories lies in why they are so special to begin with… they don't happen very often. Usually, people who grow up in generational poverty stay within the confines of generational poverty. People who struggle with poverty and physical or mental health or addiction issues and don't have the resources to address them will likely fall victim to their caustic grasp. But too often, we look at those who transcend these situations and say "if this person can overcome their horrible situation, everyone can!"
This statement is simply not realistic. Poverty, health issues, and other afflictions affect different people in a multitude of different ways. While it's nearly impossible to predict how a single individual will react to a given affliction, we are very familiar with how most people will respond given a set of unfortunate circumstances. Most people born in poverty will stay in poverty. People who suffer from abusive upbringings are more likely to be abusers. And so on and so on.
With this, I want to be honest for a moment and tell about my story. My parents both came from middle class working families… by no means poverty stricken, but by no means well-to-do. My parents parted ways when I was 3, and despite hard work and dedication, both struggled mightily to make ends meet. My mother took on nearly all of the financial burden in raising me, as we moved from cheap apartment to cheap apartment, trying to get by. I remember her getting home at 9pm after an incredibly long day at work and looking in the nearly-bare cupboards, only to make tuna sandwiches for dinner. By the time I was 6, I knew when my mother, despite her best efforts, was struggling to make ends meet. I could see it on her face, and feel it in every action. Having very little income, no health insurance, no savings… it changed her. It changed us. I knew at such an early age what it was to struggle, to be financially insecure, and there is simply no way I can express how deeply that still runs.
When I was 8 years old, I was diagnosed with A.L.L. Leukemia, and went through 3 years of chemotherapy and radiation. To me, as bad as it was, it was simply something I just went through. I can't imagine what it was like for my mother, having to balance a career with variable income, a sick child and little to no outside help. To this day, I don't know how she did it. But I saw it affect her, every day, and in turn, it affected me. The financial piece of my illness and our continuing fight to stay above water was, to me, much more scary than the disease itself.
My mom went on Medicaid for financial assistance with the overwhelming medical costs. Contrary to common belief, this is not an easy process. Social workers asked my mother probing and personal questions, demeaned her, and dehumanized her. I never saw her more nervous than when she had to go visit a social worker. She is a woman of great pride and strength… to have to ask for help was not in her nature, and being belittled for it was even worse. But she had no choice, she did the only thing she could to keep her son cancer-free.
My mom made the choice to stop receiving financial assistance with my medical expenses as soon as I was free of treatment… in part because it was the right thing to do, and in part because it was simply a dehumanizing process. For her, continuing being financially insecure was almost less difficult.
Fast forward a bit… eventually, we rose out of poverty, though money was still extremely tight. I got healthy and was able to live a somewhat "normal" childhood. But it took some time to get my feet under me as a young adult. I wasn't very good at paying bills, and while I had a stable job for a long time, it didn't pay much… we went years without raises as the company I worked for was losing business, and all of a sudden a small paycheck became an unlivable income with cost of living rising and my income actually decreasing. Once again, I was in the throws of extreme financial insecurity. My mom helped a lot in this time, but she was still financially insecure herself.
It took me a while, but I finally got myself on track. And when I say on track, I mean getting by. I got married this past year, and my wife and I live reasonably in an apartment with both of us holding down multiple jobs.
But I still feel it. It's there. That feeling when I see my bank account running low for one reason or another, that feeling of dread, bordering on depression. I am transported back to when I was 6 and my mom had to fight just to put food on the table. Only now, 30 years later do I realize how much living in poverty still affects me today. On the flip side, when I have a surplus of money, I'm not just happy… there is almost an internal calm, with a tremendously grateful emotional response that I keep very hidden. To not have to struggle for everything quite the way that we used to is the greatest feeling. I quietly become very angry with anyone who says "money doesn't buy you happiness." I assure you, it does. I am genuinely 100% happier to have a stable income, and to be able to afford what I need in this world in contrast to the alternative. I know what that alternative is, and let me tell you, it still haunts me to this day.
If you've lasted though my 1000+ plus words of my "special interest" story, here's the part where I will differ from sensational portrayals we see on prime time TV today. First off, I will acknowledge my privilege… I am a white male. I had a college-educated mother who came from a middle class working family, and thus had the life skills necessary to face adversity. She was super human in her efforts, and while outside support from extended family and friends wasn't tremendously abundant, it was there. I grew up in a safe area and had some great friends. I went to community college for two years, and then a solid but cheap 4-year college and got my degree. Because I had parents that made education a priority, the expectation that I would pursue higher education was a given, not an exception.
I acknowledge that, with all the things in my life that have been difficult, I have benefited from so many "head starts" that had nothing to do with me, my efforts or my ability to transcend. I truly believe that I should be a statistic, that my poor but loving and determined mother and other variables that were in my favor negated the horrific effects of poverty and illness. I admit that my transcendence has nothing to do with me and everything to do with the fact that I had a strong set of variables around me, almost like instructions of privilege, guiding me through. If I had been born to drug-addicted parents, or into a gang-ruled neighborhood, I know in my heart I would not have had the strength to overcome. I know that if I didn't receive the love that I did, or the moral guidance my parents put forward, I likely would have succumbed to a misguided crowd, and perhaps even a life of extreme deviance.
And even with all this privilege, all these things that worked in my favor, I admit I still struggle with the "post-poverty" stress triggers in my environment today. I have to fight the anger I feel when people who have never struggled talk about "those people." I have to bite my tongue when people say poverty is a choice. I have to calm my anxiety when I see my bank account fall below a certain point.
Our cities, communities, heck our country, is full of people in difficult situations, and while some are fortunate enough to be able to transcend their environments, most do not. They do not because these morbid circumstances affect people in a way most could never understand or empathize with. They are not fair, not just, and are not "what they deserve." They are circumstances that change your brain, change how you react and change the very fabric of your humanity.
Let's stop treating poverty in our cities like it's a choice. Let's start seeing areas of concentrated poverty as populations who's basic needs have been neglected for generations. Let's see progress in our cities as a decrease in poverty as much as an increase in the number of cocktail bars. More than anything, let's see the transcendence of our poorest citizens as a collective, community-wide responsibility and an initiative. No matter how much we want to believe those struggling with urban poverty can transcend, I assure you, they cannot do it alone… trust me, I know.


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There is probably nobody out there who would say they enjoy when their roof in Jacksonville starts to leak. Thankfully, roof flashing is the exact reason that this doesn't happen as much as it might otherwise. Flashing is a device and a method that keeps water from entering a building at a joint or at a penetration point. We'll look at exactly how that works in this article.
Flashing Defined
Flashing is what makes up the terminations and intersections of any roofing surface or system. It is built to keep water from moving into the home at areas where it is more likely. In most cases, flashing is a piece of metal that is installed where needed to offer extra weather resistance. You will notice it around skylights and chimneys or other areas where a hole is placed on the roof. Sealing the entire hole is complicated, but flashing keeps things sealed while allowing needed movement when temperature changes occur.
How Flashing Works
There are three ways that flashing helps to keep water from coming into your roof. These are gravity, wind pressure, and surface tension. The material can be installed on a roof in Jacksonville like shingles or as one surface. In addition to being used around chimneys and skylights, it can also be used on vents, roof valleys, ridges, rakes, dormers, and more.
Materials Used for Flashing
There are many options when using flashing. It can be made of rubberized asphalt, plastic, and various types of metal. Sometimes it is concealed, while other times it is visible on the roof. Most metal flashing is exposed, but it can be placed under the shingle as well.
The metals often used for roof flashing include galvalume, lead, copper, lead-coated copper, and malleable metals like stainless steel, aluminum, and zinc. Other materials can be used, but they must be durable and capable of handling harsh weather and sunlight. In many cases, things like air ducts and plumbing vents will come wrapped in flashing material, such as stainless steel.
Roof Repair in Jacksonville
If you are in need of roof restoration, replacement, or emergency weather services, you can count on StormForce of Jacksonville. We commit to using the possible best materials and providing the best workmanship possible on every project. You can learn more about us and our services at www.StormForceOfJacksonville.com. We'd love to help you with your roofing needs.


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HETEROCYCLESAn International Journal for Reviews and Communications in Heterocyclic Chemistry
Web Edition ISSN: 1881-0942
Published online by The Japan Institute of Heterocyclic Chemistry
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Regular Issue
Vol. 16, No. 12, 1981
Published online:
■ Diels-Alder Type Reactions of 2-Phenyl-1-azaspiro[2.2]pent-1-ene
Otohiko Tsuge,* Toshiyuki Ohnishi, and Hiroyuki Watanabe
*Research Institute of Industrial Science, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, 6-1, Kasuga-koen, Kasuga 816-8580, Japan
Highly strained 2-phenyl-1-azaspiro[2.2]pent-1-ene reacted with cyclopentadienones to give the corresponding 2H-azepine-2-spiro-cyclopropanes directly, with loss of carbon monoxide. However, the reaction of the azaspiropentene with 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran afforded the exo-Diels-Alder adduct. The azaspiropentene reacted with thiobenzoyl isocyanates to give 3-aryl-5-oxo-2,4,6-thiadiazabicyclo[5.2.0]nona-3,6-dienes arising from the rearrangement of initial [4 + 2] cycloadducts.
Published online:
■ Total Synthesis of p-Menthenolides
Balkrishna S. Bal and Harold W. Pinnick*
*Department of Chemsitry, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, U.S.A.
A general approach to both cis- and trans-fused α-methylene γ-butyrolactones has been developed. This includes a new, mild method for the oxidation of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes. In addition, a new method to couple trans-α-methylene hydroxy acids into trans-lactones or, alternatively, cis-lactones has been developed. This strategy has been applied to the total synthesis of both cis- and trans-p-menthenolide, prepared in 35% (trans) and 21% (cis) overall yields from isopulegol.
Published online:
■ The Biogenesis of Cissampareine and of Micranthiene-type Alkaloids
I. Ralph C. Bick*
*Department of Chemistry, University of Tasmania, GPO Box 252C Hobart, Tasmania, 7001, Australia
A possible mode of biosynthesis is proposed for cissampareine and for the micranthine type of bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids.
Published online:
■ Stereoselective Reduction of 1,2,3,4,6,7,12,12b-Octahydroindolo[2,3-a]quinolizine with Sodium Borohydride in Trifluoeoacetic Acid
Gordon W. Gribble,* Jerry L. Johnson, and Mark G. Saulnier
*Department of Chemistry, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03775, U.S.A.
The sodium borohydride/trifluoroacetic acid reduction of the title alkaloid (1) is highly stereoselective, giving the all-cis product 2 in excellent yield.
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■ Reaction of o-Ethoxalylaminonitriles with Cyanomethylene Compounds in the Presence of Cyanide Ion
Yukihiko Tomioka and Motoyoshi Yamazaki*
*Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fukuoka University, 8-19-1 Nanakuma, Jonan-ku, Fukuoka 814-0180, Japan
When 2-ethoxalylaminonaphthalene-1-carbonitrile (I) was treated with potassium cyanide and some cyanomethylene compounds, such as ethyl and methyl cyanoacetates, α-cyanoacetamide and 1-cyanoacetylpyrrolidine, the corresponding 1-aminobenzo[f]quinazolines (IVa - IVd) were obtained.
Similarly, 6-ethoxalylaminoquinoline-5-carbonitrile (II) and 2-ethoxalylaminobenzonitrile (III) gave the corresponding 1-aminopyrido[3,2-f]quinazolines (Va - Vd) and 4-aminoquinazolines (VIa - VId), respectively.
Published online:
■ Chemiluminescence of 10-Methylacridinium Salts Following Base Catalysed Oxygenation in Dimethyl Sulfoxide
Nobutaka Suzuki,* Yoshihiko Kazui, Masahiro Kato, and Yasuji Izawa
*Faculty of Engineering, Mie University, 1515 Uehama-cho, Tsu, Mie 514-5807, Japan
When oxidized with ground state oxygen in the presence of t-BuOK in DMSO, 10-methylacridinium methosulfates (1a) gave strong light emission owing to the fluorescence of 10-methylacridone (2) excited to the S1 state.
Published online:
■ Chemistry of 1,6-Diazaphenalene. Halogenation
Shieu-Jeing Lee and James M. Cook*
*Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201, U.S.A.
The reaction of neutral species, 1,6-diazaphenalene, with halogen provided principally 2,3-dihalo- and 2,3,4-trihalodizaphenalenes in addition to lesser quantities of other isomers, whereas, halogenation of the protonated form 1b of 1,6-diazaphenalene gave a 7-substituted diazaphenalene as the major product.
Published online:
■ 1,6-Dihydro-3(2H)-pyridinones as Synthetic Intermediates. Protochemical [2+2]Cycloaddition with Vinyl Acetate
Takeshi Imanishi, Yasuaki Wada, Makoto Inoue, and Miyoji Hanaoka*
*Faculty of Pharmaceutical Scicences, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa 920-0934, Japan
Photochemical [2+2] cycloaddition of 1,6-dihydro-3(2H)-pyridinones (1a and 1b) with vinyl acetate gave the cycloadducts (2a and 2b). Utilizing this reaction as a key step, 1b was converted into the 4-substituted 1,6-dihydro-3(2H)-pyridinone (3) and the 4-substituted 3-piperidinone (4).
Published online:
■ A Novel Synthesis of Theophyline Derivatives
Fumio Yoneda* and Ryosuke Koga
*Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-hon-machi, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
Treatment of 6-amino-5-arylazo-1,3-dimethyluracils with ethyl propiolate gave the corresponding Michael-type adducts, 6-ethoxycarbonylvinylaminouracils, which on treatment with a mixture of hydrochloric acid and acetic acid gave rise to 8-anilinomethyltheophylline derivatives.
Published online:
■ Structure of Sanggenon C, a Natural Hypotensive Diels-Alder Adduct from Chinese Crude Drug "Sang-bái-pí" (Morus Root Bark)
Taro Nomura,* Toshio Fukai, Yoshio Hano, and Jun Uzawa
*School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University, 2-2-1, Miyama, Funabashi, Chiba 274-8510, Japan
From the methanol extract of the Chinese crude drug "sang-Bái-Pí" (Japanese name Sohakuhi), the root barks of Morus sp. (Moraceae), a new flavanone derivative with a fused dihydrochalcone partial moiety was isolated and named sanggenon C. The structure was shown to be I on the basis of chemical and spectral data. Sanggenon C (I) is regarded biogenetically as a Diels-Alder adduct of a chalcone derivative and a dehydroprenylflavanone derivative. Intravenous injection of I (1 mg/Kg) produced a significant hypotension in rabbit.
Published online:
■ Reactions of 4-Ethoxyalkylidene-2-phenyl-2-oxazolin-5-ones with 1,3-Binucleophilic Heteroaromatic Systems
Otohiko Tsuge* and Michihiko Noguchi
*Research Institute of Industrial Science, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, 6-1, Kasuga-koen, Kasuga 816-8580, Japan
One-pot syntheses of pyrido[1,2-b]pyrimidine and thiazolo[2,3-b]pyrimidine derivatives were achieved by the reactions of 4-ethoxyalkylidene-2-phenyl-2-oxazolin-5-ones with 2-aminopyridines and 2-aminothiazole in refluxing ethanol, respectively. In the reaction of the oxazolinone with 2-aminopyrimidine under similar conditions, however, the expected pyrimidopyrimidine derivative was not formed, but instead (2-pyrimidylaminomethylene)-oxazolinone and its ethanolysis product were obtained.
Published online:
■ A Convenient Synthesis of Acetylchromans
Vinod Kumar Ahluwalia,* Krishan Kumar Arora, and Ravinder Singh Jolly
*Department of Chemistry, University of Delhi, Delhi-110 007, India
A convenient one-step synthesis of acetylsubstituted 2,2-dimethylchromans involving the condensation of polyhydroxyacetophenones with 2-methylbut-3-ene-2-ol in presence of orthophosphoric acid is described.
Published online:
■ Synthesis and NMR Study of Mannich Bases of 8-Acetoxy-indolizines
Henri Sliwa* and Dominique Blondeau
*Laboratoire de Chimie Organique et Environnement, Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille, Bat. C4 -2eme Etage, 59655 Villeneuve d' Ascq Cedex, France
Crystallized hydrochlorides of some unstable Mannich bases derived from 8-acetoxyindolizine (1) and 3-acetyl-8-acetoxyindolizine (3) have been prepared by condensation of iminium salts on these substrates. The nmr study of the free bases and their hydrochlorides shows the selectivity of the reaction which introduces the aminomethyl side chain at positions 3 in 1 and 1 in 3. The disappearance of the strong deshielding observed for H-5, in the 3-acetyl series, when one passes from the free base to the corresponding hydrochloride is discussed in terms of restricted rotation and dipolar interactions.
Published online:
■ New Steroidal Heterocycles. Part XII. A Synthesis of 1,6-Bisthiabenz[3,4]-D-homoestra-3,5(10),8,14-tetraen-17a-one
Sukuru Raghu Ramadas* and Mokkapati Vijaya Krishna
*Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, 600 036, India
The synthesis of the title compound (I) from isothiochroman-4-one (II) is reported.
Published online:
■ A New Method for the Preparation of Substituted 2-Pyrimidinyl- and s-Triazinyl-formamide Oximes. Formylation of Heterocyclic Amines with Trisformaminomethane
Branko Stanovnik,* Janko Zmitek, and Miha Tisler
*Department of Chemistry, E. Kardelj University, Murnikova 6, 61000 Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
A novel method for the preparation of substituted 2-pyrimidinyl- and s-triazinyl-formamide oximes is described. Heterocyclic amines 1 are first converted with trisformaminomethane, as the most powerful formylating agent, into formylamino derivatives 3. These give by treatment with hydroxylamine the corresponding formamide oximes 4 in yields up to 95%.
Published online:
■ Activated Nitriles in Heterocyclic Synthesis: A Novel Synthesis of Pyrano[2,3-c]pyrazoles
Sadek Abdou, Sherif Mahmoud Fahmy, Kamal Usef Sadek, and Mohamed Hilmy Elnagdi*
*Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Minia University, Minia, Egypt
A novel synthesis of pyrano[2,3-c]pyrazoles is reported via reaction of β-phenylacrylonitrile with 3-methyl-2-pyrazolin-5-ones.
Published online:
■ 13C NMR Spectroscopy of Flavonoids
Pawan Kumar Agrawal and Ram Prakash Rastogi*
*Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226001, India
A survey of 13C NMR spectroscopy data of the various classes of flavonoids is presented which shows that the carbon resonances of ring C are useful in identification of the basic skeletal type. The applications of this data in structure elucidation studies such as determination of the positions of alkylation, acylation, glycosylation etc. are reviewed.


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Saturday 23rd June 2012, Vedic Astrology Forecast, Rashi Phal
Mesh – With your efforts you are able to create happiness in your personal life, and that must include your goodness to come closer to your own people.
Do – Even if there are routine kinds of issues they must be handled with that goodness which you carry, and as a result you have to remain very mild from your side towards others so that differences do not crop up.
Don't – Don't forget that what can be achieved with positive discussion cannot be achieved getting with into conflicts, and that is why it is essential to depend on your ability to be good to others.
Vrish – With your efforts and hard work you will be able to achieve success, and your self-confidence will help you in the process.
Do – You can study well and prepare yourself for the future, and accordingly your involvement will become favorable to you to give you success.
Don't – Don't forget that this can be a favorable period for gains from home family or property, and that effort must be maintained from your side also.
Mithun – Financial prosperity is indicated and you are able to plan effectively, and for that reason your savings will also improve.
Do – This period can bring you closer to your loved ones and that can be a positive fact, but at the same time there are many hidden issues which may complicate your personal life situation in some form or the other.
Don't – Don't therefore ignore those hindrances which are cropping up, each step therefore will have to be taken with care so that no upset is created, and for that reason your must convey your thoughts to others and discuss your issues.
Karka – Your self-confidence is high but you are being a bit too impulsive to take decisions, and for that reason there can be many thoughts of changes on your mind which may include travels also.
Do – Care has to be taken in the process because you can become wasteful, and your savings must therefore be protected from your side.
Don't – Don't forget that there can be hindrances in some love relationship, and to create goodness in that process also you have to remain caring towards others.
Simha – Some what wasteful period as you are not able to handle your finances effectively, and on top of it you are becoming too rigid in whatever you are trying to do from your side.
Do – Financial inflows can be stable because you are aware of that fact committed towards that, more so because your loved ones are also trying to help you immensely, but still you are not able to control your outflows.
Don't – Don't at the same time borrow unnecessarily as that is not going to help, don't therefore complicate your situation where it can actually be avoided.
Kanya – Financial prosperity is very well indicated and gains from work are also indicated, this goodness therefore is abundant for you to enjoy.
Do – There can be certain thoughts on your mind for changes as for as work is concerned, but still lot of care is to be taken because there can be many hidden upsets in the process.
Don't – Don't therefore forget that if money is comfortable it must be protected, it can not be allowed to go waste in any manner.
Tula – Work related situation is stable and comfortable, luck is also supporting you and giving you opportunities.
Do – The aspect of opportunity will have to be understood vey clearly, taking any drastic decision which leads to your own loss can be very harmful.
Don't – Don't therefore forget that luck may be helping you to get financial gains, but at the same time your financial outflows are so aggressive that you are not realizing your own loss as well.
Vrishchik - Luck is helping you and favoring you especially on financial matters, but there are routine types of issues which may still continue to confront you.
Do – Your efforts should remain positive from your side, but at the same time you will have to avoid getting into conflicts with your friends or well wishers.
Don't – Don't therefore have any lack of trust on your mind unnecessarily, don't let this negativity overpower you as this is not going to help.
Dhanu – There can be issues and pressures which have to be handled, there are too many things going on at the same time which may put you into these pressures.
Do – As for as work is concerned lot of effort is needed, but you have the ability and you have to start thinking on those lines from your side.
Don't – Don't get not any kind of issues or conflicts from your side, peace is to be maintained while you accomplish all these things one at a time.
Makar – While you are trying to help others you must at the same time avoid any differences, and that is only possible if you try to understand the views of others.
Do – People who are important may not be happy with you, and that may be another complicating factor which is not looking good, that is why some care is needed.
Don't – Don't still forget that financial position can be very comfortable, and as a result luck is helping you and supporting you immensely at every step.
Kumbh – Stress is there as you are not able to handle your relationships carefully, and that is why some thing or the other may crop in the form of hindrance.
Do – Your efforts are not pointed enough and may even go waste, for that reason your outflows and related pressures may be immense.
Don't – Don't still forget that peace is definitely needed, becoming too firm in your views is not advisable and may lead to further problems.
Meena – Personal relationships can be strong and your loved ones are supportive towards you, and that goodness will help you immensely.
Do – Financial position can be strong but some care is still needed, especially in handling your savings you have to be very careful.
Don't – Don't forget that you have the ability to perform but that ability has to be used rightly, you have to constantly make efforts from your side to improve circumstances and that will help.


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Well, there's no need to have your lederhosen dry cleaned, and you don't need to clear out any cabinet space for an oversized souvenir beer stein. Leaders in the German state of Bavaria have just announced that 2020 Oktoberfest, the world's largest folk festival, has been canceled this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Every fall, an estimated six million beer lovers, enthusiastic revelers, and tourists in brand new dirndls attend the two-week event in Munich, Germany. But in a joint press conference on Tuesday morning, Bavaria's Minister-President Markus Söder and Munich's Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter said that there was no way to safely go forward with the festivities this year. The Wiesn, as it's known locally, had been scheduled to begin on Saturday, September 19.
"Living with coronavirus means living carefully," Söder said. "As long as there is no vaccination, we need to be very sensible. We are in mutual agreement that the risk is quite simply too high." Reiter called the cancellation "a bitter pill to swallow."
According to The Guardian, some of the brewers who participate in the festival had suggested holding a smaller event for Bavarian locals, but government officials didn't go for that idea. Clemens Baumgärtner, the head of Oktoberfest, said that scaling it back wasn't in the spirit of the festival.
"The Wiesn is a total work of art that you either do completely or not at all, and this work of art cannot be moved backwards or made in a smaller form," he said. "Let's do everything to ensure that we can celebrate a healthy, joyful, happy and fulfilling Oktoberfest in 2021."
The first Oktoberfest was held 210 years ago to celebrate the marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. During those two-plus centuries, the Weisn has only been called off 24 times, including during the Napoleonic Wars, the Austro-Prussian War, and the Franco-Prussian War; during two separate cholera epidemics in the latter half of the 1800s; and during a period of hyperinflation in 1923 and 1924. This year will be the festival's first cancellation since World War II.
The announcement is both unexpected and totally unsurprising. Less than two weeks ago, the Financial Times reported that Munich hotels were still taking bookings for the festival, and members of the city council said that they may not make a decision about the event until May or June. But some medical professionals already knew how this would play out. "The odds to organise mass events like the Oktoberfest in 2020 are precisely zero," Alexander Kekulé, a virology professor at the University of Halle, said in early April.
"I hope that in 2021… no, I'm sure that we will see another Oktoberfest in 2021, hopefully under different conditions by then," Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter said. "Until then, I must beg your indulgence that there was no other solution."
This article originally appeared on Food & Wine.
Source: Read Full Article


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A couple of days before the 2015 presidential elections, this author sat down in a one-to-one interview with Joan Laporta.
What he told me then is virtually a mirror of his modus operandi now, and what got him elected this time around.
You can still find the interview if you wish to look for it.
Laporta insisted that La Masia was the pillar on which he would base his presidency. How it was the essence of what Barcelona were about.
It was one of a few reasons why he still believed that Barca were 'Mes que un club.'
After Josep Maria Bartomeu's disastrous tenure, when the importance of the academy was lost, it's going to take all of Laporta's powers of leadership to recover the previous model within a few short years.
Clearly, it won't be an overnight process, though Ronald Koeman is already helping the club to move in that direction.
What's interesting, ahead of the summer transfer window, are the persistent rumours surrounding Gini Wijnaldum and Sergio Aguero.
Both do not fit with the type of Barca that Laporta has promised and indeed, got elected for.
Though there's an understanding that by bringing the Argentinian to the club could help to keep Lionel Messi in situ, such a move would send out totally the wrong message.
At 33 by the time he would pull on a Barca shirt in earnest, Aguero would have two years – at best – left at the top level, and that's if he remains off of the treatment table.
The risks and expenditure in terms of salary more than outweighs the benefits.
Is he better than Martin Braithwaite? Yes. Would his experience benefit the team in the short term? Potentially. Does he stop a La Masia product from potentially fulfilling their first-team aspirations? Absolutely. continue reading