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Engineering News 7355
July 10, 1995
Fuzzy logic offers new ways
to solve tough control problems
Newton, MA--Maytag, General Motors, John Deere, Eaton Corp., and NASA. What do these U.S. enterprises have in common? They're all using fuzzy logic and aren't afraid to say so.
Maytag's IntelliSense(TM) dishwasher uses fuzzy logic to decide exactly how long to wash dishes, thus saving energy, water, and time. In GM Saturns with automatic transmissions, a fuzzy-logic controller mimics an expert's down-shifting skills. Engineers at Deere's Industrial Equipment Division are using fuzzy logic to make construction equipment easier to control, Eaton is working on fuzzy-logic sensors, and NASA is using the technology to control the next generation of a power wrench for use in space.
Lots of other companies are using fuzzy logic, some with great success. In fact, some analysts say that a leading color-printer company is using fuzzy logic, as well as almost every car company.
Fuzzy what? Fuzzy logic is based on fuzzy set theory, a mathematical discipline invented in the U.S. This theory allows for shades of gray between absolute truth and falseness, unlike bilevel logic, which holds that a statement must be 100% true or false. In fuzzy logic, a statement such as, "Julie is driving fast," can be 75% true and 25% false if Julie is cruising the highway at, say, 70 mph.
Fuzzy logic lets engineers control real-world systems by using language-based rules rather than rigorous mathematical modeling. It has proven especially effective for situations having complex equations, lots of exceptions to the equations, nonlinearities to accommodate, system inputs that provide vague or ambiguous information, or no equations at all.
A PID control system is an example of a traditional, linear approach. "With fuzzy logic," says Boyd Nichols, senior development engineer with John Deere, "instead of coming up with one equation for everything, designers write rules that tell the controller what they want it to do for every combination of error, derivative of error, and whatever other conditions they want to look at." Construction equipment encounters such nonlinear factors as soil condition and traction.
Deere looks to fuzzy-logic technology to make machines easier to manage. One example is a bulldozer making a level cut straight ahead. This is a job that requires years--even decades--of experience, says Nichols. A fuzzy control system makes use of knowledge of the experienced operator as well as sensor inputs from the machine to help the machine do a better job--even with a mediocre operator.
Reported fuzzy benefits include: accelerated R&D, reduced time to market, simpler solving of complex control problems, and the ability to get more horsepower out of a given processor. "Fuzzy logic has the potential to have the same impact on technology over the next two decades that the microprocessor had over the last two," forecasts fuzzy-logic consultant David Brubaker.
There are drawbacks. There is no formal method for designing fuzzy systems. In addition, the resulting system is not analytic, and you generally cannot prove a system's stability on paper. "But remember," notes Brubaker, "fuzzy logic was developed for complex systems for which designers could not create mathematical models or whose models were gross simplifications."
The field incorporates some comical-sounding terminology. Values are "fuzzy" or "crisp." Converting crisp values to fuzzy values is "fuzzifying." And computing a crisp output from fuzzy membership functions is deemed "defuzzification."
"Fuzzy logic is just a horrible name," says Rod Hemmerlein, fuzzy technologies product manager at Inform Software, Oak Brook, IL, which develops fuzzy-logic tools and conducts training. "It should have been called multivariate math or something like that. When I tell my friends what I do for a living, they kind of laugh at me."
Adds Nichols: "People have a bad response to the word 'fuzzy'--it doesn't seem worthy of an industrial machine and connotes imprecision."
Lack of understanding also keeps some designers from trying fuzzy logic. Will Schrieber, senior program manager at Intel's Embedded Microcontroller Division, resells Inform software products with embedded control tools for Intel chips. He says he's developed fuzzy-logic solutions for key accounts and handed it to them. "They evaluated it but because they didn't truly understand the technology, they didn't want to deal with it. They'd rather use a high-powered mathematical program and a DSP chip as opposed to going with fuzzy logic, which might give them a 10% performance improvement using a less expensive chip. The American mode is brute force."
Competitive edge. Inform's Hemmerlein says he does have some U.S. customers doing great things with fuzzy logic, but they won't let him publicize their names. "One company implemented a control algorithm in fuzzy logic and was surprised at how compact and efficient the code was compared with the previous C code. They went from using a DSP to using a far-cheaper 8-bit microcontroller. They say they're leaps and bounds ahead of the competition right now, and they don't want to tell people."
Even though fuzzy logic hasn't caught on as quickly in the U.S. as experts expected, they're still hopeful. But even advocates don't regard fuzzy logic as the answer to all control problems. "It's not a panacea," says Brubaker. "Your success will depend on how good an engineer you are and how familiar you are with the problem."
Fuzzy-logic resources
Two new books not only describe how fuzzy logic works, but also give application examples. The first, Fuzzy Logic & Neurofuzzy Applications Explained, by Constantin von Altrock (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, ISBN 0-13-368465-2, $39.95), delves into more than 30 case studies. The second, Industrial Applications of Fuzzy Logic and Intelligent Systems, edited by John Yen, Reza Langari, and Lofti A. Zadeh (IEEE Press, Piscataway, NJ, ISBN 0-7803-1048-9, $64.95), is an anthology of fuzzy-logic success stories from researchers in Japan, Europe, and the U.S.
For $199, Motorola offers FLEDKT01--an education kit that includes a demo version of Fide software from Aptronix, San Jose, CA, that generates C and assembler code for several 8- and 16-bit Motorola microcontrollers.
Also for $199, National Semiconductor, Santa Clara, CA, will sell you the NeuFuz4 Learning Kit.
Inform Software Corp. has teamed up with Intel, Microchip Technology, and Texas Instruments, Siemens, and SGS-Thomson Microelectronics to provide starter tools for microprocessors, microcontrollers, and digital signal processors (DSPs) from each company. Prices start at $200.
Helicopter flies to market
Houston--Engineers at McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems slashed the development time for a new large-cabin, single-turbine helicopter by bringing experts from across the company together from the project's beginning.
In just over 19 weeks, the 8-place MD 600N flew for the first time--128 days after the development team received project approval. The aircraft's six-bladed main rotor system, a key feature of this larger, more powerful version of the MD 520N, was built and flight tested in just 11 weeks.
The MD 600N incorporates the new Allison 250-C47 turbine engine. The replacement includes a Full Authority Digital Engine Control to give the power plant greater efficiency and lower fuel consumption.
"While others are talking about rapid prototyping we're doing it," says Al Winn, vice president of Integrated Product Definition division, McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems. "We're reducing our time to market, reducing risk in the development cycle, and reducing the costs that are inherent in extended projects. "
MD officials say they encourage design team members to challenge and change existing processes. Suppliers, engineers, manufacturing personnel, and business development staff members involved from the project's inception worked together at the outset in a small, classified work area.
The result: The MD 600N flew ahead of schedule and within budget, MD says. At Heli-Expo '95, first-year MD 600N production sold out in one day.
The team plans to fly a second MD 600N prototype by the end of 1995, and expects to win Federal Aviation Administration certification by late 1996. First deliveries are slated to begin in late 1996.
Auto initiative focuses on environment
Goteborg, Sweden--Engineers at Volvo want to change the way cars are designed, and disposed of. A broad environmental initiative at the company is generating interactive databases and design innovations that could apply to cars and trucks of all makes.
For example, a new fuel database gives engineers a tool to compare the energy consumption and emissions of alternative fuels. The database takes into account energy use and emissions involved in extracting, producing, and transporting the fuels, as well as their actual engine performance.
Using a 940 engine for a baseline, Volvo engineers collected data on reformulated gas, diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), methane, methanol, ethanol, hydrogen, electricity, and several other fuels. The software also evaluates engine modifications required to accommodate the fuels.
The software lets engineers graph comparative operating costs, efficiencies, and emissions of the fuels. Data on specific pollutants such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxide can be displayed separately.
Chemical and material impacts. Another Volvo database helps engineers evaluate chemicals. "MOTIV" lets them assess the environmental impact and health, fire, and transport risks of more than 4,000 automotive chemical products.
Intended for routine use, the program provides product classifications and safety and handling regulations, and lets engineers compare all products of a specific type in order to minimize the use of toxic or hazardous chemicals. Some products MOTIV covers: Cutting fluids, adhesives, sealants, welding putty, lubricants, cleaning agents, coatings, and hydraulic fluids.
Likewise, new life-cycle analysis software for materials guides Volvo engineers in the earliest stages of design. The Environmental Priorities System, or EPS, quantifies the environmental effects of a given material. For instance, an engineer can use EPS to accurately compare the environmental impact of a body panel made of aluminum to one of plastic. The analysis takes into account raw-material production, transport, processing, performance in use, and recycling potential.
Based on their evaluations, Volvo engineers have developed electric hybrids, CNG and methane cars. Their newest electric car, based on the 850 model, uses a serial hybrid drivetrain with a gas-turbine-driven high-speed generator, nickel-cadmium batteries, and an electric motor.
"The next generation of batteries in our development program will probably be nickel-metal hybrid; lithium-based alternatives are likely to be used in the longer term," predicts Volvo Environmental Director Olle Boethius.
Volvo's Dual-Fuel vehicles use both compressed methane and gasoline. Several of the cars are already in use in a Goteborg fleet and easily meet California ULEV requirements, says Volvo fuel specialist Birger Agnetun. The driver switches from conventional gas to methane by pushing a button on the dashboard. A microprocessor and fuel distributor use engine speed, inlet manifold pressure, and oxygen-sensor input to determine the correct fuel ratio.
'Waste is a resource.' Volvo engineers and several dismantling firms have also embarked on an ambitious program to dispose of unusable cars, production waste, and used parts from service stations. At a pilot plant in Jonkoping, Sweden, engineers are developing methods for dismantling and recycling--especially plastic, rubber, and glass, which are not presently recycled from cars.
Several new technologies have emerged from the Environmental Car Recycling in Scandinavia (ECRIS) pilot program. "Vampire" devices collect hazardous liquids such as brake fluid, and wheeled pallets allow technicians to roll cars around the shop floor using one hand. A modified manufacturing fixture lets technicians rotate auto chassis 90 degrees for access to the undercarriage. The fixture is designed to accommodate many vehicle makes.
Clear ABS aids oxygen-filter design
Irvine, CA--Environmental legislation limits chemicals that manufacturers can use in their plants. This obstacle, plus material cost reductions, helped Gish Biomedical decide to switch from a polycarbonate to a clear medical-grade ABS (MABS) in the design of a new filter housing for a gas-filter line.
When Gish moved its plant to Irvine, the company learned that town laws prohibited the use of a solvent it currently used to produce the filter housing, but permitted the use of methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), which works well with MABS. MEK, on the other hand, could not be used to solvent-weld polycarbonate components. The material selected: Terlux(R) clear MABS resin from the BASF Corporation's Plastic Materials Group, Mt. Olive, NJ.
The filter housing makes up an important component in Gish's Gas Line Filter. Hospitals use the medical device to remove particulate matter from oxygen lines.
John Grossjan, Sr., manufacturing engineer at Gish, reports that the Terlux resin provides comparable clarity and impact strength to polycarbonate. In fact, with its water-clear clarity, it matches the solvent-welded polycarbonate resins at a light-transmission rate of around 90 percent.
Good clarity proved important to the clean appearance of the gas-line filters, which are tinted green to indicate they can be used with oxygen. High impact strength also was critical, since the components cannot break or shatter under operating room conditions.
The housing, which contains the filter element, connects to a clear PVC tube. The housing consists of two halves solvent-welded to ensure a void-free bond line. The filter is inserted into the oxygen line above the fluid level in the oxygenator. Typically, the filters are used for several hours in the OR setting and then replaced.
Switching from polycarbonate to a clear medical-grade ABS enabled Gish Biomedical to meet environmental laws in the design of a filter housing for its gas-line filter.
Stiffer isolator smooths ride
Brighton, MA--In small utility vehicles, vibration increases operator discomfort and fatigue and boosts maintenance costs--all factors that limit the amount of time the equipment can be used. Cushman Inc., Lincoln, NE, redesigned their GT-1 Small Utility Vehicle with the goal of decreasing vibration.
Redesign of the GT-1, which is used in turf, agriculture, and golf course maintenance, included a change from an 8-hp, 4-cycle unit to a 14-hp Vanguard V-Twin 2-cylinder, 4-cycle engine. This included a separately mounted fully automatic torque converter driven from a belt across the mounting system. But, the location of the drive belt presented a challenge.
"Having a drive belt over the mounting system is a lot like jumping on a trampoline with a rope tied around your leg," says Jim Quigley, an engineer with Clarkson Co., Hoffman Estates, IL, a Barry Controls manufacturers representative who helped Cushman with its design. While engaging the belt requires tension, too much stiffness in the direction of rotation will increase vibration.
To overcome this, a Barry Controls engineering team constructed a cradle under the engine to extend the mounting points to their most effective position. In addition, the isolators chosen were 2.5 times stiffer in the lateral direction than in the vertical. This ensured sufficient rigidity in the system to hold the belt tight without compromising isolation. Vibration isolation improved dramatically, significantly reducing noise associated with rattling sheet metal on the vehicle.
According to Barry Controls, subsequent testing of old and new GT-1s has shown isolation efficiency of the new system varied from 84 to 91 percent, depending on operating mode, while that of the old design varied from 35 to 66 percent under the same conditions.
CAD helps secure Olympic win for safety firm
Deerfield Beach, FL--Design automation technology helped bring home an Olympic win for Sensormatic Electronics Corp., the official electronic-security supplier for the 1996 games in Atlanta.
The company will be developing systems using hand geometry--an identification technology that reads the configuration of an individual's hand and bone structure--into its Sensor ID system.
In addition, Sensormatic will install computer-controlled closed-circuit cameras, fixed cameras, monitors, and video managers for surveillance of Olympic entrances, exits, grounds, and passageways.
All the company's products are designed using Intergraph EMS and electronic design software, according to Keith Sutherland, design supervisor. Its SpeedDome computerized closed-circuit television system uses five on-board microcomputers to locate targets in less than a second. One key to the device: a mechanism that lets the lens assembly rotate rapidly in three axes. Sutherland says that 3-D solid models helped determine information such as moments of inertia and centers of gravity, which are essential to designing the rotating mechanisms.
Sensormatic also uses variational design to create new parts from similar existing parts by changing key dimensions. "Using 3D modeling for design has increased overall productivity 600%," he says.
Secretary redefines 'keep in touch'
Lexington, MA--Wildfire Communications, Inc., Lexington, MA, has developed an "electronic secretary" that understands spoken commands, forwards your phone calls, and even discreetly notifies you who is calling if you're on another line.
At the heart of the Wildfire Electronic Assistant(R) is intelligent communications software on a high-performance computer. An embedded object-oriented database stores user and system information, while the Wildfire operating system provides telephony and speech recognition.
Once installed at the office and connected to the public telephone network via a digital T-1 line, the electronic assistant interacts with users through spoken commands. Then, in the office or on the road, users can request call routing, call forwarding, and messages simply by talking to the system.
Wildfire also lets users call in from a pay phone and, by saying commands such as "Call Bob Wellington," will look up a phone number and dial the call.
Engineers focused on making it as human sounding as possible, company officials say. "Originally the terminology had the flavor of talking to a computer, with messages like "Jump to" or "Start up." "Now, it's reached a much more 'human' level, as the Wildfire demonstration line (1-800-WILDFIRE) shows," says Tony Level, software engineer.
Wildfire's architecture is designed to be scalable and device-independent. In the future, Wildfire will grow to support a wide variety of communications networks and devices, according to Level.
Binoculars deliver high power in small size
New York, NY--The next time you go to a concert or sporting event, taking along a pair of binoculars may not be a hassle. That's because New York-based BNOX Inc. recently introduced a pair that weighs just four ounces and measures 2 x 2 x 4 inches.
These portable, pocket-sized binoculars, called BNOX, offer the same magnification as traditional styles (5X, 7X, and 9X versions are available), yet retail for less than $20. Traditional compact binoculars of comparable quality and magnification power cost upwards of $60.
BNOX feature a Quadratic Reflection System(TM) that uses high-reflectance mirrors rather than prisms for magnification, and high-precision, molded acrylic lenses in place of heavy glass ones.
Unlike traditional binoculars, that are basically two magnification tubes connected together, BNOX are constructed with a "nested-L" configuration. Two L-shaped plastic pieces slide together to form the rectangular shape of BNOX, then slide apart to facilitate viewing.
BNOX have a wide-angle (390 ft field of vision at 1,000 yards), televisual, rectangular "picture" like that of a television or computer screen, rather than the circular field of traditional binoculars.
BNOX are made of high-grade plastic and are resistant to water, shock, and force. The company claims they are the first new design and technological development in binoculars since the 1890s.
Currently available in southeastern U.S., BNOX will be sold nationwide by the end of 1995.
Updates refresh workhorse Suburban
Newton, MA--If cars were animals, the new Chevy Suburban might be an ox. With four-wheel drive, seats for nine, and a 10,000-lb towing capacity, this vehicle is designed for business.
It is far from "all work and no play," however. Engine enhancements and several new safety and interior features make it an enjoyable truck to drive.
The half-ton Suburban Design News drove uses a 5.7-l V8 engine that delivers 200 hp and 310 lb-ft torque. For best efficiency, the engine's electronically controlled fuel-injection system uses a powertrain control module to adjust the fuel/air mixture as many as 80 times per second.
For '95, engineers designed new high-flow exhaust manifolds to further improve engine efficiency. Powder metal connecting rods reduce internal friction and increase valve durability. Chevrolet also offers a 7.4-l V8 engine.
New safety features add to the truck's utilitarian appeal. The '95 model comes with four-wheel ABS and a driver-side airbag; the redesigned horn switch is active anywhere on the steering-wheel hub. A new brake/transmission shift interlock prevents unintended movement by forcing the driver to push the brake pedal before shifting out of park.
Bigger doesn't have to mean louder. Although the Suburban stands six feet tall and weighs about 8,000 lbs, engineers kept interior noise low. To do this, they designed a quarter-wave tuner and resonator that reflect induction sounds a half-wave out of phase. This feature is effective when towing heavy loads.
The Suburban starts at $23,897. With extras such as power driver's seat, a/c, leather, stereo cassette, cruise control, and electric mirrors, the model we tested lists at $33,180.
Windows-NT workstation targets engineers
Mountain View, CA--NEC Technologies has unveiled a RISC-based workstation for Windows NT aimed specifically at engineering applications.
The RISCstation 2200 uses 1 or 2 200-MHz MIPS R4400 microprocessors, to achieve 50-percent higher floating-point performance than Pentium-based systems, the company says. Enhanced graphics capabilities include support for 2-D and 3-D Open GL accelerator PCI cards.
NEC is betting that Windows NT will become the operating system of choice for many CAD users seeking power and flexibility who are also price-sensitive. One of the hottest engineering software vendors is also bullish on NT.
"We expect our Windows NT business to increase significantly over the next year," says Olimpio DeMarco at Parametric Technology Corp. Microsoft's Matt Ragen says that engineering has been "one of the largest markets for Windows NT since its release last fall."
Prices for NEC's RISCstation 2200 range from $5,299 to $10,874 with 1 CPU, 64M bytes RAM, 1G-byte disk, and 3-D graphics acceleration.
Rugged step-motor survives space travel
Newbury, OH--Engineers at Empire Magnetics, Rohnert Park, CA, pride themselves on their electric-motor designs for unusual environments. Recently, they created a custom size-15 step-motor for use in deep space.
The motor drives a movable calibration system (MCS) designed by Bicron for the gamma-ray telescope on the Italian Space Agency's X-ray Astronomy Satellite (SAX). Produced by Laben SPA in Milan, Italy, SAX circles in a low-earth orbit, scanning deep space for X-rays.
To maintain the telescope's performance, the MCS passes a known gamma-ray line-source (americium 241) over the telescope's scintillator once per orbit. It's here--driving a 0.375-inch diameter, 18-inch-long titanium ball-screw to move the source in a precise grid pattern--that the step motor finds a home.
Engineers had to design the motor to withstand vacuum shock, vibration, high g-loads, and repeated rapid temperature swings from 15 to +50C. And, with space launches costing tens of thousands of dollars a pound, it had to be light.
"The thermal-vacuum is undoubtedly the toughest criteria," says Bicron's director of advanced engineering, Jack White. To qualify the motor's design, White placed it in a cycling, thermal-vacuum chamber and ran it for a simulated three years of life in space.
The biggest design driver, however, involved efficiency. "They needed 100-oz-in of torque--1.4 watts of power--from 2 watts of input," says Rick Halstead, Empire Magnetics' president. To compound the problem, he had to use a non-optimized motor driver that was already space qualified.
After discarding the classic cylinder-magnet design as too inefficient, engineers turned to a complex bar-magnet rotor. Without time to construct FEA models, they built five prototypes to ensure one would meet spec. Finishing touches involved selecting bearings, lubrication, and light materials that could withstand a vacuum. A Bicron-designed inertial damper smoothes vibration. "We even found a way to hollow the titanium motor shaft to shave a few ounces," says Halstead.
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Kimberly Kincaid
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she's saddled with a gorgeous firefighter doing community service after yet
another daredevil stunt, the kitchen has never been so hot.
Alex Donovan thrives on
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expert at following the rules either, not even when they come from the
stubborn, sexy daughter of the man who's not only his boss, but his mentor.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Kofi Annan |
The 2014 Africa Progress Panel report, Grain, Fish, Money: Financing Africa's green and blue revolutions, calls on Africa's political leaders to take concrete measures now to reduce inequality by investing in agriculture. It also demands international action to end what it describes as the plunder of Africa's timber and fisheries.
"After more than a decade of growth, there is plenty to celebrate," Mr Annan will say when he releases the report. "But it is time to ask why so much growth has done so little to lift people out of poverty – and why so much of Africa's resource wealth is squandered through corrupt practices and unscrupulous investment activities."
"Africa is a continent of great wealth so why is Africa's share of global malnutrition and child deaths rising so fast? The answer is that inequality is weakening the link between economic growth and improvements in wellbeing," he said.
Although average income has risen by one-third in the past decade, there are more Africans living in poverty now – around 415 million – than at the end of the 1990s. New global development goals are likely to aim to eradicate poverty by 2030 – but on current trends, one African in five will still be in poverty when that deadline arrives.
Mr Annan, who played a central role in shaping the Millennium Development Goals, says: "When countries sign up to the new global development framework, they should pledge not only to meet ambitious targets but also to narrow the region's indefensible gaps between rich and poor, urban and rural, and men and women."
The report's authors identify agriculture as the key to growth that reduces poverty. They point out that most of Africa's poor live and work in rural areas, predominantly as smallholder farmers. "Countries that have built growth on the foundations of a vibrant agricultural sector – such as Ethiopia and Rwanda – have demonstrated that the rural sector can act as a powerful catalyst for inclusive growth and poverty reduction," Mr Annan will say at the launch.
The report calls for a "uniquely African green revolution" that adapts the lessons provided by Asia to African conditions. Africa currently imports US$35 billion worth of food because local agriculture is dogged by low productivity, chronic underinvestment, and regional protectionism. Increased investment in infrastructure and research could dramatically raise the region's yields and the incomes of farmers. Meanwhile, eliminating the barriers that restrict trade within Africa could open up new markets.
While critical of African governments, the Africa Progress Report 2014 also challenges the international community to support the region's development efforts. It highlights fisheries and logging as two areas in which strengthened multilateral rules are needed to combat the plunder of natural resources.
Illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing has reached epidemic proportions in Africa's coastal waters. West Africa is conservatively estimated to lose US$1.3 billion annually. Beyond the financial cost this plunder destroys fishing communities who lose critical opportunities to fish, process and trade. Another US$17 billion is lost through illicit logging activities.
"Natural resource plunder is organized theft disguised as commerce. Commercial trawlers that operate under flags of convenience, and unload in ports that do not record their catch, are unethical," Mr Annan said, adding that these criminal activities compound the problem of tax evasion and shell companies. The Africa Progress Report 2014 calls for a multilateral fisheries regime that applies sanctions to fishing vessels that do not register and report their catches. The report also calls on governments around to world to ratify the Port State Measures Agreement, a treaty that seeks to thwart the poachers in port from unloading their ill-gotten gains.
African political leaders have failed to manage natural resources in the interests of the true owners of those resources – the African people.
As well as losing money through natural resource plunder and financial mismanagement, Africans miss out on money from abroad, not only when aid donors fail to keep their promises but even when those in the African diaspora send remittances home to their families. It is estimated that that the continent is losing US$1.85 billion a year because money transfer operators are imposing excessive charges on remittances.
With greater resource revenue, African governments now have the opportunity to develop more effective taxation systems – and spend public money more fairly, the report adds. For example, 3 per cent of regional GDP is currently allocated to energy subsidies that principally go to the middle class. That money should be diverted into social spending to give the poor a better chance of escaping the poverty trap.
"Africa's resilience and creativity are enormous," Mr Annan says. "We have a rising and energetic youth population. Our dynamic entrepreneurs are using technology to transform people's lives. We have enough resources to feed not just ourselves but other regions, too. It is time for Africa's leaders – and responsible investment partners – to unlock this huge potential."


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Last Friday I had the opportunity to spend some time with the legendary Southside Johnny before the final show of his UK tour, featuring Gary "US" Bonds, at Shepherds Bush Empire. He was entertaining and engaging (as always):
AM – We did an interview here three and a half years ago and at that time you spoke to me about this acoustic thing that you might or might not be doing, which was really big news at the time and that's happened now, so how's that going?
SJ – It's really good, it's a fun thing. It's really stripped down; we travel in a van together, we have breakfast in the morning as a band (there's only six of us, with the road manager) and we set up our own equipment and tear it down and it really feels like the old days when you used to have to do that. It was a complete commitment to the whole day of travel, set up, play, tear down and travel again and even though I'm kinda long in the tooth I really enjoy it because it seems so organic and basic; there's no star turns at all. I love playing acoustic music and it gives us a chance to play George Jones and Emmylou Harris and Bob Dylan and Tom Waits and some Bruce in a different format.
AM – You mentioned a few country artists there; you've always been a country fan haven't you?
SJ – Yes I liked country when I was very young. What I didn't know is that my mother, way back in the thirties when the ukulele was the big thing, she bought a ukulele from Sears Roebuck and she would sit on the porch with her father (her mother had died young) and some neighbours, and they would sing country songs, so I guess it's in my blood, it's the Irish part of me.
AM – I've heard you play "He'll Have to Go" (country classic made popular by Jim Reeves) at The Astoria, I think.
SJ – Well, Soozie Tyrell, who plays violin with Bruce, she has a country band in New York City, and I would go up and do lots of songs with her because they're real singer's songs, they're story songs with great melodies so it's fun to make that kind of music.
AM – The old Jukes revolving door seems to have slowed down a little…
SJ – Not too much. We've got a new saxophone player, John Isley; I think (drummer)Tom Seguso's been over here.
AM – At the time of the last interview, Joey (Stann, tenor sax) and Ed (Manion, baritone sax) were still with you but they're obviously off doing other things now. There seems to be lots of side projects going on as well now that the New York Horns have made a record.
SJ – These days it's a lot easier to make a record for a little money and it's also easier to manufacture; for a buck apiece you can make as many CDs as you want and there's a profit margin once you've paid for the studio time and the musicians and all the rest of it. I'm lucky that Jon Bon Jovi lets me use his studio but, even if he didn't, studio time's not as expensive as it used to be, home recording's easier and the internet makes it easy to get distribution to all your fans round the world. It's a good time to be a musician because you can do all the little things you want to do without incurring great expense.
AM – Did the side projects always happen to a certain extent; do we just hear about them more because of social media?
SJ – We've always done those things; Bobby (Bandiera, guitar, now playing with Bon Jovi) and I went out for months, here and there, doing a lot of charity gigs and they put us on a plane, in business class, just him and me and a guitar and harmonicas. We went all over and played charity things and it was just a chance to play in hotels and every little place you could find and it was a lot of fun because it was no stress.
AM – I saw you at Sheffield City Hall in 1995, I think, just the two of you doing the stripped back thing and it was a great night.
SJ – Well, if you have confidence in what you're doing and you have material you think you can accomplish with just a guitar and a harmonica it's a chance to explore all that too. Years ago Bobby, Rusty Cloud, David Hayes and I played in Paris at the Chesterfield Club. We did a two-week stint there with very little publicity and we rode the Métro and that was a lot of fun too. We all stayed in the same hotel, this funky little place and it was two weeks in Paris. I'm lucky I've had the chance to do those things and just explore what making music means other than pedal-to-the-metal trying to earn a living. I can do just about anything I want now. I'm never going to be rich, I've known that from the very beginning so there's not a great stress to be a big star and make a lot of money; I make a living and that's all I want. I just want to be allowed to do whatever kind of music I want to make.
AM – I was going through some of my very old Jukes records today and it struck me that after Billy Rush left, you got much more involved in the songwriting process; there's not a lot of your songs on the early albums.
SJ – I was a writer back then but I would write certain things with certain people but the bulk of the song would be theirs and I'd say "forget it, I don't want to have anything to do with it". I wrote with Billy but I don't have the kind of ego that I need to see my name on the album, but now with Jeff and Bobby the songwriting is really a collaboration so I get to write a lot of lyrics that I find interesting like "Into the Harbour" and "Winter in Yellowknife" and stuff like that which is not the norm for romantic love songs.
AM – On "Pills and Ammo", it struck me that your name's on every track as a writer. Do you have a certain way of working; do you do the lyrics and Jeff does the music?
SJ – It's pretty much that way except that if I come up with a musical idea we'll explore it and he helps me with lyrics; it's a real collaboration in other words. I'll come with an idea, a whole lyric and I'll say "I think it sounds like this" and he'll find a way to make it sound like what I want, but then he'll say "what about this…" and we really try to bounce ideas off each other.
AM – I know Jeff's a big fan of Squeeze and Difford and Tilbrook wrote in that way as well.
SJ – I'm a big Squeeze fan too.
AM – About your audiences; you've retained a very loyal audience in the UK. In the US, are the audiences different?
SJ – Well, they speak English. There's people who come and see us a million times and there's people who come and see us for the first time and usually we can win people over. It's the energy and a lot of the music is made to lift you up so it's not some shoegazer and it's not some egomaniac, it's really just music. I think one of the things that keeps people coming back is that it's never the same night after night and I don't know where it's going to go and tonight's going to be like that too because we've got Gary Bonds and we know what we're going to do but when we get on stage, that may change.
AM – I've been watching Billy Walton live for a while and I've noticed that his crowd seems to be getting younger. I've seen teenagers at his shows but I've also seen people in their twenties who know all of the songs. I just wondered if that was happening with The Jukes.
SJ – We do get a lot of younger people; we had a bunch last night in Holmfirth, but we have our loyal fans and they're the ones that usually get the first tickets and they're older, but they bring their kids and some of them bring their grand-kids but anybody who's willing to give us a shot we're willing to play for as long as they come and have a good time and just enjoy themselves.
AM – November used to be the traditional time for a Jukes tour but the last couple of years you've been over during the summer. I'm guessing that's because of festivals.
SJ – Yes. This year especially, because we had the Cornbury Festival to start it and we're ending with Bospop in Holland so we had two festivals and we put a bunch of gigs in between and those get to be the anchor gigs. Unfortunately there's new taxes in England, Foreigner Entertainer Tax (FET) and Hood, who settles everything got hit with it the other night and they wanted £1,400 for FET. Nobody knew exactly what it was but it's legitimate and all that does is it makes it harder for bands like me to come over here; you can only lose so much money. On the one hand I guess they need the tax money but if they really need that, they should get all those people who hide their money offshore and let us poor bands try to play a little music.
AM – And a lot of musicians are hiding money offshore.
SJ – Well I'm not hiding any money; my money comes and goes and I get to see it as it goes past and that's about it.
AM – Going back to the festivals, what's the biggest gig you've ever played?
SJ – Probably Knebworth with Led Zeppelin. We did two shows; we did the first one, flew home and did a show in Washington DC, flew back and did the second show at Knebworth and flew home again, if I remember rightly, so it was a lot of flights. And we played about forty minutes but it was fun, it was a unique experience and we met some good people over here.
AM – As far as I can remember, and I was a long way away from the stage, it seemed like you got a pretty good response that day.
SJ – It seemed like that; of course we didn't the full power that the headline act got (we don't do that, if somebody opens up for us they get full power, but I'm not ever worried about a band opening up for us, I hope they do well). But I thought Led Zeppelin was terrible; there was no bass in the mix in the audience.
AM – That's all the serious stuff but I've got couple of other questions for you. You've now got a huge body of work to choose from when you play; is there anything you feel can't be left out?
SJ – Well, there's nothing that can't be left out, but I'm not there to just indulge myself, I'm there to give people what they want too and you split the difference. I know they want to hear "I Don't Want to Go Home" and "The Fever" and "Trapped Again" or "Talk to Me" or "This Time It's for Real" or "Love on the Wrong Side of Town" or whatever and you try to include those but when you twenty-two, twenty-three songs, there's plenty of room for you to do what you want too. There are times when I say "I'm sick of this song, I'm not doing it" and it lasts for few months then it's back in.
AM – Here's one from my sister, who's a big fan. Is there a song that makes you cry?
SJ – There's a lot I guess. I've got some that I've written but Alison Krauss does a song called "I Can Let Go Now" which I think was written by Michael McDonald and it just kills me because I relate it to my mother. I don't think that's what it's really about but for me it is and I just can't listen to that song. There's a lot; there are things that really touch me. I wouldn't be doing if I didn't get emotionally involved. When I was young and heard certain songs, I either got happy or excited or even felt sexy or touched, and to be part of that tradition is an amazing thing, but I've never really lost the idea that if someone sings a great song and really means it then I can get lost in the emotion.
AM – I find it really difficult to listen to "Many Rivers to Cross" after the version Jeff did here in 2010.
SJ – He really puts his heart and soul into it.
AM – Finally, hoping for another scoop, have you get anything in the pipeline?
SJ – Well, Jeff and I have written most of the songs for the next Jukes album; when we get it finished, I don't know. We're hoping to get in the studio, perhaps this winter and get it out some time next year. I'd love to get it out by Christmas but that's just not gonna happen, and I've written some songs for a new Poor Fools acoustic thing and I've got a couple of other projects in mind too. I could retire if I wanted to, but then what would I do? I'd sit around the house, get fat and drink myself to death, and I can do that on the road.
AM – Johnny, many thanks for making the time for the interview.
SJ – My pleasure, any time.


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The New York Jets are reportedly expected to start Tim Boyle at quarterback over Zach Wilson in their Week 12 matchup against the Miami Dolphins on Friday (November 24), sources with knowledge of the situation told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday (November 20).
"A new QB in NY: Jets will start QB Tim Boyle vs the Dolphins on Friday, per source," Schefter wrote on his X account.
Veteran quarterback Trevor Siemian, who was signed in November shortly after Aaron Rodgers' season-ending injury, will serve as the team's backup, but Wilson will also be active for Friday's game. Boyle replaced Wilson in the third quarter of Sunday's 32-6 loss to the Buffalo Bills, though head coach Robert Saleh was noncommittal during his postgame press conference when asked about who he would start moving forward.
"Like I told Zach on the sideline, it's not just him," Saleh said via ESPN. "It's easy to point the finger at the quarterback, but it's pretty easy to see. You've got missed protections, you've got dropped balls, you've got missed routes. Now, obviously, he has to get better. There are things he could've done a lot better, but it's everyone right now."
Wilson threw for 81 yards, one touchdown and one interception on 7 of 15 passing before being pulled from the game. The former No. 2 overall pick has thrown for 1,944 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions since taking over for Rodgers in Week 1.
Boyle threw for 33 yards and one interception on 7 of 14 passing during Sunday's loss.


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- Designed for the Apple iPhone 7
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Pasadena lemon law attorney
Do You Have a California Lemon Law Case? To find out, call us at 1-800-225-3666 for a Free California Lemon Law Consultation with an experienced Pasadena lemon law attorney today.
California's Lemon Law (formally known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act) is one of the strongest consumer protection laws available to California consumers. If your vehicle is under warranty, or has even left factory warranty, and it has/had a repeated warranty issue that the dealership had 2 or more repairs attempts for, there is a good chance that you are entitled to a replacement vehicle or a repurchase and restitution.
The Law Offices of William R. McGee, APLC, represents consumers in the greater Pasadena area and surrounding cities on California Lemon Law claims. If you are a Pasadena area resident, we will do all the heavy lifting. You can start your lemon law case from the comfort or your home or office, all in the same day. Our legal services on your Lemon Law case are 100% free to you. Beware of Pasadena lemon law attorney firms that take a percentage of your refund if they "win" (settle) your case. We do not follow this practice of "recover fees from clients". We are California's largest lemon law firm, and you always get 100% of your refund on your settled lemon law case.
Why Choose a Pasadena lemon law attorney from The Law Offices of William R. McGee, APLC. in Pasadena, CA
At The Law Offices of William R. McGee, APLC. our lemon law practice is 100% devoted to California Lemon Law cases. Our experienced legal team offers a number of specific reasons to consumers residing in the Pasadena region and across the entire State of California to choose our law firm for their Pasadena Lemon law case:
- Our Attorneys. The attorneys at our firm are well versed in the California Lemon Law, with many years of litigation experience. Mr. McGee, President and lead counsel of the firm has settled over 18,000 California Lemon Law cases over the past Years 35 years. The Law Offices of William R. McGee has helped thousands of California consumers receive their full legal entitlement under the California Lemon Law – all at no cost to the consumer.
- Accessible and Communicative. The Law Offices of William R. McGee is committed to making the lemon law legal process as easy as possible for our clients. When you contact our firm, we will provide a free case review. Residents of Pasadena and surrounding areas are welcome to call our toll-free number 1-800-225-3666 (1-800-CA-LEMON) to get their legal questions relating to a potential lemon law claim answered without delays. During the course of your lemon law case, we are always available during normal business hours to immediately address your questions or concerns All of our attorneys and staff work as a homogenous team.
- Devotion to our client's satisfaction. Simply put, we're not happy until you are happy. Over 18,000 Clients Represented. Pasadena area residents can take comfort in our personalized way of doing business. We handle cases involving all major automobile manufacturers on vehicle's 2018 and newer, regardless if the vehicle is currently within the manufacturer's factory warranty or not. What matters is what happened while it was under factory warranty.
- Getting your lemon law claim settled/won. If you are living in the Pasadena area or other neighboring cities to Pasadena, The Law Offices of William R. McGee will carefully review your case. Many cases can be settled in just a few months. 99.5% of our cases never see a courtroom!
Call Us Today!
About Our Firm
The Law Offices of William R. McGee, APLC. is committed to protecting consumers in Pasadena and surrounding counties with their rights under the California Lemon Law. Our firm started our Lemon Law practice over Years 35 years ago. We have settled over 18,000 California Lemon Law cases.
We have a key advantage over all other Lemon Law firms.
In order to properly pursue a lemon law case, the attorney firm must understand the mechanical issues. We are, to our knowledge, the only California Lemon Law firm with a on-staff [wbcr_php_snippet id="2723″] year auto expert. So, residents of Pasadena and adjacent cities can take comfort in that they can speak with the firm's auto expert, Randy Sottile, at any time about their 2018 and newer vehicle's issues by simply calling 1-858-342-0073. In settling (winning) a Lemon Law case, it takes both the attorney AND the auto expert. Other firms, many months down the road in the case, hire an outside expert. This should have been done at the very beginning of the case. Cases are won or lost by being prepared.
About the California Lemon Law.
The California Lemon Law (officially known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty act, found in California Civil Code sections 1790 et seq.) is a law designed to protect consumers who purchase or lease warranted motor vehicles. If it is determined that a motor vehicle is a "lemon", the motor vehicle's warrantor must repurchase or replace the motor vehicle from the buyer.
In order to have a valid Lemon Law claim, the following elements must be met:
- The vehicle must be used some of the time for personal, family or household purposes. If a vehicle is used exclusively for business purposes, the Lemon Law will not apply, but other laws may provide certain remedies.
- The vehicle must have problems covered by a warranty. There is a simple rule: no warranty means no Lemon Law case.
- The warrantor must be unable to repair the vehicle's warranty problems after a reasonable number of repair attempts. What constitutes a reasonable number of repair attempts will vary depending on the problem. For example, if a vehicle's brakes fail, two repair attempts may be enough to establish a reasonable number. Generally, safety-related or drivability concerns will require fewer repair attempts than those which are not safety-related or affect drivability. However, only one unsuccessful repair attempt is never sufficient to establish a lemon law claim.
Also relevant to determining whether there has been a reasonable number of repair attempts is the number of days the vehicle is out-of-service due to warranty repairs. The more days out-of-service, the better the chance of establishing a reasonable number of repair attempts.
There is a common misconception concerning the Lemon Law, that it only applies to vehicles that are less than 18 months old or have less than 18,000 miles. This belief is not true! The Lemon Law will apply to a vehicle regardless of how old it is or how many miles is has, so long as the vehicle is having problems that are under warranty.
Even if the warranty has expired, the Lemon Law may apply. If the vehicle is still having problems that were complained about and never properly repaired during the warranty period, a valid Lemon Law claim may exist. - The vehicle must contain a problem covered by the warranty that substantially impairs the vehicle's use, value or safety to a reasonable person in the position as the Buyer. The Lemon Law, generally, will not apply to vehicles with trivial or minor defects. Nevertheless, each case must be judged independently taking into account the particular needs and expectations of the particular vehicle's owner/lessee.
If the above-mentioned elements are met, the vehicle is a lemon. The vehicle's owner/lessee will be entitled to a replacement vehicle or a refund of the vehicle's purchase/lease price.
Vehicle Warranties: California has very specific rules on what defines a warranty. A factory warranty is something that is given to the consumer at the time of sale. The warranty can be a "new car warranty", a "used car warranty", or a "certified pre-owned" warranty. What all of these warranties is that they are provided and administered by the automobile manufacturer.
The next category of vehicle warranties are "dealer warranties". These "warranties" have no connection or affiliation with the "factory warranty", and are between the BUYER and the SELLING DEALER. The manufacturer has no liability for the selling dealer internal warranties.
The final category of vehicle warranties are "extended warranties". These "warranties" are valid in many other states, but NOT in California. California has its own rules that govern these "warranties". In fact, these are not warranties at all. In California, these must be called "mechanical breakdown policies", "service contracts" or other titles that do NOT use the word "warranty", as you cannot purchase a warranty in California on a motor vehicle. Many automobile dealerships mislead consumers by calling these contracts "warranties", but they are not, and have no applicability to California Lemon Law. So, it does not matter what a dealer calls it – if the word "warranty" is not on the face of the application form, then it is NOT a warranty.
Consumer rights in the California Lemon Law: All consumers have the same rights under our California lemon law, whether the vehicle was purchased or leased, is new or used, as long as it's covered by a warranty. Consumers should realize that automobile manufacturers, though they will often make gestures of goodwill in an attempt to bolster customer loyalty, are at heart still businesses. They are there to make money – not give it back. Though automobile manufacturers should buy back offending vehicles that meet lemon law state statute guidelines automatically by reviewing the dealer-submitted warranty repair claims, most of the time they do not. In most all cases, application of the California lemon law is a consumer-driven event. Consumers will hire lemon law attorneys to ensure that the manufacturer conforms to their legal duties. Consumers in Pasadena are welcome to call our offices to get more information on our California lemon law, and how we can protect and enforce their legal rights and legal entitlements.
What to do if you Purchased a Lemon vehicle in Pasadena, CA
- Gather Your Vehicle Purchase/Lease Agreement and Repair Order invoices.
In order to pursue a claim under California's Lemon Law, you will need copies of your vehicle purchase/lease documents and your dealer Repair Order Invoices. These are the documents our attorneys and on-staff auto expert will be reviewing. - Contact our Lemon Law firm
Pasadena area residents can contact an experienced Pasadena lemon law attorney toll-free at 1-800-225-3666 (1-800-CA-LEMON) - Upload your purchase/lease and repair documents to us for a immediate free case review. The Law Offices of William R. McGee, APLC, we make it easy to provide your document to us for review. We provide Pasadena area residents with many easy ways to send in documents. including texting them to us! You can also scan and email, fax, and more. Here is a convenient link to upload your documents: https://californialemonlawattorneys.com/upload-your-repair-documents/
- Receive a Free Consultation with one of our attorneys about a claim on your lemon vehicle. At The Law Offices of William R. McGee, APLC, we extend our invitation to all Pasadena area residents who own or lease a 2018 or newer vehicle to call us for a free legal consultation. An experienced Pasadena lemon law attorney is ready to assist you. We can provide you with important information about pursuing a lemon law case, your legal rights as a California consumer, and what our California Lemon Law provides for monetary restitution. We can also explain the numerous types of settlements. Different settlement options are available with our law firm, due to our outstanding (yet firm) approach with auto manufacturers over the past Years 35 years. If you own or lease a 2018 or newer car, truck, van, SUV, recreational vehicle (RV), motorcycle, boat or other vehicle that has had repeated warranty repair attempts at your authorized dealer, you may be eligible for relief under The California Lemon Law. To learn more, contact our law firm for a free consultation. One of our Pasadena lemon law attorneys and on-staff auto expert will review cases for consumers in Pasadena and all other California locations. Call us today or tell us about your situation online to find out how we may be able to help you recover the compensation and relief you need and deserve.
(Your vehicle is a 2018 - 2025 only, purchased or leased NEW, USED, or CPO USED from a dealership in California.)
(Your vehicle is a 2018 - 2025 only, purchased or leased NEW, USED, or CPO USED from a dealership
in California and under the manufacturer's factory warranty, or it recently expired.)


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How Covid vaccinations could be used to stop UK school disruption
The UK Covid-19 vaccination rollout is likely to be extended to all children aged five to 11, a health expert has claimed.
Under current rules, only those in a clinical risk group, or who are a household contact of someone who is immunosuppressed, are being offered the jab.
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Hide AdThe Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended vaccinating vulnerable children in December, but are yet to approve the jab for everyone in this age group.
However, with high coronavirus case numbers currently causing staff shortages across various public sectors, including schools, due to people isolating, it is thought that the vaccine rollout may be extended to help minimise disruption to young people's education.
What's been said?
Professor Russell Viner, professor of child and adolescent health at University College London, has suggested that the "balance of risks" point towards vaccinating all five to 11 year olds when the impact of school disruption from Covid-19 is taken into account.
Prof Viner told the i: "Five to 11s are probably the group least affected by Covid disease.
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Hide AdThe thing about Covid is it's got the most extraordinary age risk profile… to be honest, five to 11 is the healthiest time of our life.
"It's the time when we're least likely to die or get sick from almost anything, and that is true of Covid.
"However, I expect and I would like [the Government] to include educational disruption and mental health issues in the decision, which is what happened with teenagers.
"I think it's a very marginal medical decision, but if you include those broader issues, I think given the extremely promising safety profile in children – I don't want to second-guess the JCVI – but I think the balance of risks is towards vaccination."
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Hide AdIs the vaccine safe for children?
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recommended two 10 micrograms doses of the Pfizer vaccine at an interval of eight weeks between the first and second doses for vulnerable five to 11 year olds.
The formulation has been specially designed for this age group and is given at a lower dose compared to that used in children aged 12 and over.
Professor Viner added that current data suggests the risk of myocarditis – an extremely rare side effect of some Covid-19 vaccines which causes inflammation of the heart – is far lower in primary-school-age children compared to older teens.
But he warned that vaccinating all youngsters could be difficult, as little ones care "much more likely to get distressed".
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Hide AdAdditionally, as the jabs for five to 11-year-olds contain a lower amount of the vaccine, the NHS would have to ensure a steady supply of the paediatric dose to centres and train staff in administering it.
He said: "There's a whole lot of complexities about vaccinating children that I'm sure that the NHS is thinking through, but this won't be easy.
"It won't be as if the JCVI announces it and a month later we have all our children vaccinated."
How will a decision on vaccinating more children be made?
The JCVI has said further advice on extending the Covid-19 vaccination rollout to all five to 11 year olds will be issued "in due course following consideration of additional data."
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Hide AdThe JCVI will first consider the following data before a decision is made:
- updated estimates of the proportion of children aged five to 11 years who have already been infected
- the level of protection afforded against Covid-19 disease due to the Omicron variant from previous coronavirus infection
- post-marketing adverse event reporting data from the international use of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine in those aged five to 11 years
- considerations from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and other government departments on the potential educational impacts (both benefits and disbenefits) of Covid-19 vaccination in those aged five to 11 years
This article originally appeared on our sister site, NationalWorld.


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Millennials — today's 80 million-strong generation of 18 to 34 year olds — have been raised to be wary of, at the risk of sounding like a Boomer, The Man. They've graduated college with tens of thousands of student loan debt. They've entered a job market at its tightest since the Great Depression. They're economically conservative almost to the point of being frugal and don't assume they'll live better than their parents (and many won't). Trust, for them, isn't a given; it has to be earned.
But while millennials may have lost the ability to blindly count on those institutions that earlier generations may have relied on as constants — the government, banks, big Pharma, conventional media (it turns out millennials don't even trust Jay-Z) —what they do rely on in increasing numbers is social media. And each other.
It seems counterintuitive: to trust a genre that allows people, for the most part, to say whatever they like, with no real official measure for, or guarantee of, truth and accuracy. "We have these Twitter accounts, some of us command these huge audiences and we can essentially be saying whatever we want at our own behest," 25-year-old Leandra Medine, creator of the fashion blog Man Repeller, told the New York Times in December. Yet numerous studies have found that while social media may be rife with fraud and misrepresentation (and here I'm speaking generally, and not about Medine's site in particular), millennials put more stock in the format than in anything said by government, business, or religious institutions.
They buy ideas, beliefs, and products from people, not corporations. An annual report compiled by global public relations firm Edelman found just 38 percent of consumers — with millennials being the largest part of this group — trust government officials, down from an already modest 52 percent just two years ago. Forty-three percent trust CEOs, down from 50 percent. But there is a way to regain that trust: 82 percent said they would have more faith in a company or institution if they were involved in social media.
In fact, for even more proof that truth in social media is of little consequence, millennials are more willing to take the word of strangers on the Internet than people they know. A study conducted by social media software service Bazaarvoice, in partnership with The Center for Generational Kinetics and Kelton Research, found that 51 percent of millennials contemplating a purchase are more likely to be influenced by input from strangers—in the form of user-generated content, anonymous reviews, and the like—over recommendations from friends, family, and colleagues. A 2013 survey of more than 500 millennials by advocate marketing firm SocialChorus, meanwhile, found that 67 percent of them have never clicked on a sponsored story, questioning (rightly so) the motives behind it and relying instead on user-generated content to decide how and where to spend their money. The upshot: Millennials learn what they think about Congress, how they think about God, and what they want from a shampoo not from the institutions trying to promote those ideas (or that shampoo), but from each other.
Of course, the fact that firms, corporations, and even religions are using social media to help restore trust (see: Pope Francis on Twitter) means that they recognize the need to recover millennial goodwill, and may move towards a more open dialogue in attempting to achieve it. Social media is but one means to this end. And conversation, of course, is healthy. At the same time, social media-obsessed millennials may be suffering at the hands of their own connectedness. A Pew report found that while this age group has more tools to acquire the information they need to make decisions than any generation before them, they retain less of that information in the long run. They may also develop unrealistic expectations of their power to change things. After all: Already, in an attempt to circumvent millennial disdain, many institutions and corporations have started to recruit millennial advocates to speak on their behalf. Which means the message is the same, even if the messenger has changed. Bloggers, we know, are branding tools. But your best friend may very well be next.


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Born in Spain in 1975, Enrique Iglesias is the son of popular Spanish singer Julio Iglesias. Iglesias grew up largely in Miami and began singing as a teenager. He released his self-titled debut album in 1995 and, like his subsequent studio works, proved to be a huge success. By early 2012, Iglesias had sold more than 60 million records worldwide. His most successful songs include "Bailamos," "Rhythm Divine," "Be With You," "Escape," "Maybe," "Don't Turn Off The Lights" and "Hero."
Early Years
Enrique Iglesias was born Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler in Madrid, Spain, on May 8, 1975. The youngest of three children, Iglesias is the son of popular Spanish singer Julio Iglesias, and Isabel Preysler, a well-known Madrid socialite.
Following the kidnapping of his grandfather, Iglesias was sent to Miami to live with his father due to security concerns. Because of his father's intense touring schedule, much of Iglesias's parenting came from his nanny, Elvira Olivares, to whom he later dedicated his first album.
By the time he was a teenager, Iglesias had started to follow in his father's footsteps. His first live performance came in a production of Hello, Dolly! at his school, the prestigious Gulliver Private School in Miami. From there, he started writing and performing songs at various Miami restaurants with a small group of friends, all of which he kept secret from his parents.
"It's not like I was looking for a record deal then," Iglesias later said. "I did it because I loved it. I never told anyone. For me it was a getaway to sing, one of those things I didn't want anyone to screw up."
After graduating from high school, Iglesias enrolled at the University of Miami, where he intended to study business. But the world of music kept calling to him, and after just a year of college, he dropped out.
Commercial Success
Intent on making it without the help of his father or his famous last name, Iglesias started shopping demos of his work to various producers under the name Enrique Martinez. He'd recorded the cassette, which featured one Spanish song and a pair of English tunes, by secretly borrowing money from his nanny.
Hard work soon paid off, and in 1995 Iglesias, much to the chagrin of his parents, inked a record contract. Later that year, Iglesias's self-titled debut album hit CD stores.
The record proved to be more of a hit than Iglesias had ever imagined, going gold in Portugal in just seven days, and selling more than 6 million copies worldwide. The following year Iglesias took home numerous accolades, including a 1996 Grammy Award for best Latin performer, Billboard's "Artist of the Year" and "Album of the Year" honors, and a pair of American Music Awards.
Iglesias's 1997 follow-up, Vivir, went big as well, registering more than 5 million in sales and launching the singer's first-ever world tour. In 1999, he made a career breakthrough with the song "Bailamos" ("We Dance"); released as a single, the song soon became a No. 1 hit on the U.S. charts and was featured in the popular film Wild Wild West, starring actor Will Smith. Iglesias met with even greater success three years later, when he released his first all-English record, Enrique (2000), including the songs "Rhythm Divine" and "Be With You."
Just when it seemed
like Iglesias's career had hit its peak of success, the singer-songwriter released his most successful album to date: Escape (2001). Iglesias co-wrote the album (his second English record), which includes the incredibly popular songs "Escape," "Maybe," "Don't Turn Off The Lights" and "Hero."
Following Escape's success, Iglesias went on to release several other recordings, including the 2003 album 7; 2007's Insomniac, including the popular song "Push"; and 2010's Euphoria, which includes the singles "I Like It" and "Ayer." By early 2012, Iglesias had sold more than 40 million albums worldwide.
Tall and good-looking, with an air of coolness that sets him apart from his father, Iglesias has always been careful to maintain an artistic separation from his famous dad. Rumors have also circulated that that two men aren't close, but Julio has always maintained he's proud of his son. "What has happened to him is sensational," he has said. "Parents hope for great things for their children, but how do you imagine such success?"
Indeed, in the years since he first came on to the scene, Iglesias has achieved international stardom that in many ways rivals his father's career. Billboard has even gone so far as to label him "The King of Latin Pop" and "The King of Dance."
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HY-UF-2000 Stainless Steel UF Water Filter
UF (Ultra Filtration):
PP hollow fiber membrane is one of the latest generation high-tech membrane separating materials presently in the world. The membrane uses micro pore (0.01- 0.1 µm) in the membrane wall to let water or micro-molecule substance in the solution pass while stop the micro-molecule particles, colloid materials, germs and pyrogens. So the membrane has the functions of separation, concentration and purification etc.
Main Performace indices
Water Purifier Theory:
Water Filtered flows to the UF, what deletes organics such as bacteria, rust, colloid, sands, flotsam, macromolecule organism, and keeps helpful mineral substance and microelement. Finally flow from water purifier outlet becomes clean water.
Flushing Theory:
Switch of the Clean water and quickly turn on the wastewater Faucet to let the tap water flush the UF and drain the fatal elements in this filter, it can effectively prevent the impurity jam and avoid the pollution.
Model: B-312-22


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I'm co-editing a book on Auckland for our Massey University monograph series. The working title is A Super City: Views of Auckland, and it will consist of a series of essays by members of the School of Social and Cultural Studies, where I work, on various aspects of the city seen through the lenses of our diverse disciplines. You can find further details here.
Since our school happens to include Anthropologists, Historians, Linguists, Literary & Media specialists, Political Scientists and Sociologists, we're hoping the results will be pretty interesting. It's intended for a general audience as well as the students in our "Auckland: A Social and Cultural Study" summer-school course.
My co-editor Grant Duncan has already posted the abstract for his essay online, and you can request a draft of the whole piece from him here.
My own essay is about Stokes Point, in Northcote (originally called Pt. Rough), which is the little reserve right under the Harbour Bridge, the spit of land from which it launches itself out towards the city. The particular angle I take on it might be seen as somewhat controversial, so I won't say any more about that here except to say that the working title is "The Stokes Point Pillars." If you want to know more, you'll have to read the book (due out in October).
What I thought I'd post here instead is a kind of suite of views of Stokes Point, from my visit there last Saturday with Bronwyn's digital camera.


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My wife and 15 year-old daughter are shopping addicts. It's unquestionably preferred way of mother-daughter developing. By comparison, a request from me to my daughter to start for a hike, my favorite way of father-daughter bonding, is met with rolling eyes as well as the inevitable question, "How long will it be?" My daughter is under the tutelage of my wife since she was three and was awarded her Master Shopper Certification at age 11, basically year shy of earth record 15. I don't begrudge them this pleasure, but I am envious (maybe that's why I'm writing this).
Most parents believe these people need special detergent since their child's skin is delicate and juicy. Well, 레플리카 is halfway . Yes it holds true there are children who easily develop rash and allergies. However it is not all are that sensitive. Since not every baby is sensitive, parents can use ordinary Shopping mall for clothes detergent when washing gowns.
Many people want that once they shop for clothes, an extremely no wish to go to other stores. Each time a store has accessories and simply not only clothes, they could well select for accessories to correspond the clothes they grab. There are country clothes stores online that have such characteristic similar to few local stores. Could one thing that online shopping can offer to many people.
One of the most anticipated events in a shopping center is when it offers products at discounted prices. With this, shoppers definitely will save a lot of cash. In other countries, malls even have midnight sale promos to create sure people can shop until midnight after their work or school.
If you don't have an electric or gas dryer, a rack is actually you. It enables in which dry your wet clothing indoors. These racks are made from a sturdy metal frame and include wings and dividers that will give you room to dry lot of pieces of apparel at this time. When you are shopping to have clothing rack for drying, you need to consider the size of the rack and strength. You should also consider whether or not the rack folds so it can be stored among the way once you're not washing and drying loads.
A differnt one of different benefits to doing your Christmas shopping at an area mall is ease of shopping. Mall shopping makes it easier for you to identify the best sales. Many stores have what often times referred to as in-store advertisements. These advertisements often come also known as window displays and problems. What is nice is that these signs could been seen from not in the store, right as an individual might be walking basically by. This convenience enables you to avoid having conduct research. These studies may have involved examining store sale fliers, comparing prices online, and whole lot.
Always buy comfortable cloth for child. Avoid harsh patches located on the clothes. Look for no collar or soft collar upper-wear. The collar and the patches result in the cloth adorable but doesn't feel comfortable for baby it may rashes to baby's neck area. You will regret just after 5 minutes you input it on your beautiful child's body. Professional the cloth that are usually buying has enough space to go through baby's head; putting tight neck cloth through the newborn infant's head can hurt him some ways.
Consider these few points when purchasing and will certainly surely chose the best clothes for your kid. Hence, you should start your shopping right away, when definitely do not want to overlook any for the attractive discounts these online shops offer each.


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Telonics warrants its Argos products to be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of one year from the date acquired. Telonics does not warrant batteries.
If a defect occurs, return the equipment to us within the proper time frame at the following address: TELONICS, 932 E. IMPALA AVENUE, MESA AZ USA 85204-6699. The customer shall arrange for and pay all shipping, insurance and related charges incurred in the shipment to and from Telonics under this warranty. Damage to any equipment resulting from misuse, accidents, unauthorized service, extreme conditions, or other causes, is excluded from this warranty. Telonics does not assume responsibility for loss or damage to equipment during shipment. Telonics does not assume responsibility for delays resulting from shipment on commercial or private carriers. We insure all equipment shipped from our facility and suggest that shipments to Telonics also be insured.
Upon the timely return to our facility, if defective, the product will be replaced or repaired at our discretion at no cost to the customer. This remedy is the exclusive remedy. This product is supplied without any further warranties or conditions, expressed or implied, including warranties of merchantability, quality or fitness for particular reason or those arising by laws, statutes or trade usage or course of dealing.
The entire risk, as to the results and performance of the product, is assumed by the customer. Neither Telonics, nor its suppliers, shall have any liability to the customer or any other person or entity for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damage whatsoever, regardless whether Telonics has been told of the possibility of such damages or that such damages might be foreseeable. Telonics has no responsibility or liability for the claims of any third party. The maximum aggregate to the customer, of Telonics and its suppliers, shall not exceed the amount paid by the customer for the product.


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1/8" Male NPT and Male Flare Fitting for 5/8" Flare Nut.
Elbows machined from high quality SAE 660 bronze investment castings to use with 5/16" O.D. copper tubing. Larger through hole reduces restriction of original fittings made for obsolete 9/32" tubing. 1/8" tapered pipe thread connections only - no ¼". Completely interchangeable with original nuts and fittings.


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Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops amassed along the Ukrainian border to return to their permanent bases, the president's office announced in a statement on Monday.
USA Today translated that statement as saying:
"In connection with the completion of the planned spring phase of training troops ... on the ground in Rostov, Belgorod and Bryansk regions ... the Russian President gave the command to the Minister of Defense to return the troops who took part in the exercises."
This is the second time Putin has issued this kind of order. He made a similar statement on May 7, but NATO tells CNN that just like the last time they have seen no sign of "substantial changes in the distribution of Russian forces along the border."
Samuel Greene, director of the Russia Institute at King's College London, tells our Newscast unit even if troops do withdraw from the Ukrainian border, the move could quickly be undone.
"I think all the decisions being made right now are very short term and are meant to keep Russia's position balanced and to keep everybody else off balance," Greene said.
Reuters reports that Putin also took a more conciliatory tone, today, when he welcomed talks between the Ukrainian government in Kiev and the opposition in the Russian-speaking east.
"Putin also reiterated Russia's demand that Kiev end what the Kremlin calls a 'punitive operation' against the separatists and pull back its troops, suggesting the pro-Western government is to blame for the violence," Reuters adds.
And just in case you haven't been paying attention this is a CliffNotes version of how we got here: This whole conflict started after violent protests ended in the ouster of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych. Seizing on the opportunity and instability, Russia annexed Crimea, a peninsula with long, historical ties to Russia. The government in Kiev and some of its international partners — including the U.S. — are now worried that Russia is poised for further incursion into Ukrainian territory. Russia has denied this, but it has said it retains the right to defend Russians inside Ukraine.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Society and the Economy on the Hospitaller Island of Malta
Date: 03.11.2012 - 09:00
Venue: Aula Mgr Guiseppe Farrugia, St George's Basilica
Price: Free
Venue: Aula Mgr Guiseppe Farrugia, St George's Basilica
Price: Free
A lecture by leading historian Victor Mallia-Milanes, Professor in the Department of History at the University of Malta.
Malta of 1530 and Malta of 1798 were two essentially different islands. The ever-widening distinction between the two was radical and structural. Behind this slow but steady long-term process of change lay the powerful force of Hospitaller philosophy. It was this philosophy in its widest manifestation, and the way it was put into practice, that gradually transformed the character of the island's society, economy, and indeed its culture. The talk will endeavour to explore the nature of these changes.


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Robert Garner and Percy Martinez |
We never tire of Figaro's aria from Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia. Mr. Garner filled it with color and personality, especially limning the contrast between the services Figaro provides for "le donnette" and those he provides for "i cavalieri". It was an expansive delivery and the rapid patter passages were delivered with panache. He excelled as Rigoletto in the tragic final quartet from Verdi's masterpiece.
From Bizet's Les pecheurs du perles, he sang "Au fond du temple saint", a duet with tenor Percy Martinez; it was a thing of beauty. He has a special flair for French and a special affection for Bizet, as heard in his performance of the Toreador Song from Carmen. He had just the right self-important air and used his red jacket as a cape. The low notes were strong and sturdy.
We hope he performs again with this terrific group of singers assembled by Judith Fredricks, Founder and Artistic Director of Opera New York.
Stay tuned for information on their appearance in a festival of cabaret on Feb. 20th. also at the Metropolitan Room.
(c) meche kroop


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While taking advantage of state of the art testing equipment, this high performance ammunition by Underwood is field tested using popular, real firearms that customers are most likely to own out in the real world with all the elements you would experience. If for some reason Underwood Ammunition fails to meet performance expectations, Underwood stands by their product 100% and will make sure the customer is satisfied with every purchase. This ammunition is new production, non-corrosive, in boxer primed, reloadable nickel plated brass cases.
Hard cast flat nose bullets are non-expanding, powerfully penetrative bullets that are designed with your woods defense needs in mind; whether fending off wild hogs or black bears, the hard cast flat nose bullets are consistently effective in taking down any wild animals that you may encounter. In contrast to the round nose non-expanding bullets, the flat nose bullets are able to pierce through dense bodies of mass while maintaining their nose forward position, which is optimal for maximum penetration. All non-jacketed lead bullets, whether it may be cast, hard cast, wad-cutter, etc. "smoke" to some degree due to the wax/lube needed in the manufacturing process. With the high performance and velocity we achieve it is nearly impossible to stop this from happening. Higher chamber pressures, higher velocities, and higher temperatures mean more smoke in this case. All of Underwood Ammo rounds utilize flash suppressed powder so that your vision will not be compromised if it becomes necessary to use your firearm in low light.
Product Information
Cartridge | 500 S&W Magnum |
Grain Weight | 700 Grains |
Quantity | 250 Round |
Muzzle Velocity | 1200 Feet Per Second |
Muzzle Energy | 2238 Foot Pounds |
Bullet Style | Flat Nose |
Lead Free | No |
Case Type | Nickel Plated |
Primer | Boxer |
Corrosive | No |
Reloadable | Yes |
Country of Origin | United States of America |


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Gender-affirming breast removal (mastectomy) can greatly enhance a patients' mental well-being, a new study finds.
Gender-affirming mastectomy is the most common type of gender-confirming surgery, but there's "not a lot of information out there about how exactly these types of surgeries help people," said study co-author Dr. Megan Lane. She is a plastic surgery resident at Michigan Medicine -- University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor.
"We're very thankful to have patients who were willing to do this study and follow-up with us. The results are relatively dramatic," Lane added in a university news release.
For the study, the researchers surveyed 70 transgender patients before and six months after they underwent the procedure to have a more masculine appearance.
After the surgery, the patients had improved mental health, higher self-confidence in social situations, improved body image and were more satisfied with their appearance, the findings showed.
Lane noted that there "are very few survey studies where you're going to find a 50-point improvement on a 100-point scale. We found this on multiple instruments. We knew this would improve most, if not every single domain, but we were surprised by how much these measurements changed."
Lane said that "for many people, the day they get their operation is life-changing."
However, gender-affirming surgery is not available to many Americans due to wide differences in state laws and insurance coverage.
This study could influence policy makers and insurers by showing that gender-affirming surgery isn't just about changing appearance, it's about improving other aspects of health in people with what's known as gender dysphoria, according to Lane.
"I hope work like this will strengthen the argument that this is health care," she said. "These are not cosmetic procedures. That's the main argument for not covering it."
The study was published recently in the journal Annals of Surgery.
More information
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons has more on gender-confirming surgeries.
SOURCE: Michigan Medicine -- University of Michigan, news release, Oct. 12, 2021


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Updated: Toy Fair takes over NYC
Toy Fair took over the Javitz Center in New York City this week, and amidst the fun was some serious business as toy companies showcased what they hope will be the next big thing. Just take the Sing-a-ma-jigs line from Mattel. Introduced at last year's Toy Fair, the harmonizing toy was a major holiday hit, and retailers who got their hands on them reaped the benefits.
Mattel may have another holiday hit on its hands with Fijit, an interactive robotic toy targeted to girl's ages six and up that can understand and respond to more than 30 verbal commands. The toy also utilizes beat detection technology to respond with different dance moves based on the type of music and can sing and dance to four original songs. Fijit will be available this fall for $49.99.
While toy debuts do capture consumer attention, new spins on old favorites are sure to have shoppers rushing to the store. Hasbro, for example, has utilized its television network The Hub, a joint venture with Discovery Communications, to create a loyalty for such iconic characters as My Little Pony. Hasbro reworked the look of the ponies to match the cartoon show and is introducing the new assortment this spring. The line will retail for $4.99 and will feature eight figures with an additional ten debuting in the fall.
Mattel also revamped an old favorite, Hot Wheels, by introducing track sets that can be mounted on the wall using 3M brand Command Strips that are packaged with the product. The line will be available for $29.99 this fall. And for $59.99, boys will soon be able to experience what it is like to be in the driver's seat with the fall launch of the Hot Wheels Video Racer vehicle. The vehicle comes with an encased video camera that enables users to capture footage of their car in action. The video racer can also be attached to such items as helmets, bikes and skateboards to enable further filming. To complete the experience, kids can edit their own movie using the camera's USB port and utilize drag and drop options with preloaded music, scene transitions or special effects.
Ravensburger is another company that puts a new twist on things with the introduction of its 3-D puzzlepyramid designs. The introductory puzzlepyramid collection features five 240-piece designs for the suggested retail price of $25.99 each. And Jay at Play takes the soft toys category in a new direction with Happy Nappers a reversible pillow that turns from a "home" to a stuffed animal, priced at $19.99 each.
The latest tech trends were on display at Toy Fair this year. Crayola showcased a multi-activity iPad app that utilizes a custom digital stylus, or "iMarker," that enables users to color and interact with special "live" animated coloring book pages that move and react as they color. The product, which also enables sharing via social media, will be available for $29.99 this spring. Even an old classic like Lite-Brite from Hasbro has a high-tech spin. For the first time this toy is utilizing LED lights.
This year's highly-anticipated films have lead to some highly-anticipated toys. Many products displayed at Toy Fair are based on such upcoming films as Captain America: The First Avenger, Cars 2 and Green Lantern.
Hasbro presented a variety of action figures and role-playing products based on Captain America: The First Avenger, which is coming to theaters this July. Among them is the Captain America Disc Launching Shield. Available this spring at $19.99, the shield feature lights, electronic battle sounds and fires miniature foam discs.
Mattel's Green Lantern product line includes the Movie Masters figure collection. The collection includes 12 figures representing six-inch scale models of the movie characters, complete with fully articulated figures. Each figure is sold separately and will be available this April for $14.99.
Both Hasbro and Mattel presented products based on the upcoming film Cars 2. Among its many varieties of Monopoly comes a Cars 2 version from Hasbro. Available this spring for $19.99, the Cars 2 Monopoly game features a race track instead of the traditional game board and is geared toward younger players. Among Mattel's Cars 2 offerings is the Cars 2 Tokyo Spinout track set. Available in March for $29.99, the track features dual launchers for racing and comes with one die-cast Cars vehicle.
Several television series also saw their fair share of licensing at the show. "Dora the Explorer" continues to be popular, but the new star of Toy Fair was "Chuggington." The popular children's series about anthropomorphic locomotives, or "chuggers," was everywhere. Among the new Chuggington products is Mega Brands Chuggington Coaster. Available this fall for SRP $49.99, this buildable microsystem playset comes with two chuggers and utilizes new ball-bearing technology to enable them to race around the track.
Of course licensing partnerships are not just for the big and small screen. Mega Brands has partnered with the popular video game "Need for Speed" for a new line of construction toys including a garage set with 290 pieces for $29.99 and a 570-piece collector's edition model Porsche for $49.99.
Toy Fair is an opportunity for companies to present new concepts. Among the companies launching new ventures this year is Playmobil. For the first time this year the company is bringing the concept of "good vs. evil" into one of its line through its Top Agents series. Included in this product line is the Secret Agent Headquarters playset, which features a trapdoor, jet ski hiding place and secret command center with LED board. The set comes with five figures, including a double agent with a changeable face, and is available this August for SRP $89.99.


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Ebenezer Scrooge
Scrooge is the cold-hearted and penny-pinching banker who despises the festive season. On one magical night, with the help of three ghosts, he comes to discover the joy of Christmas.
Jacob Marley
Jacob Marley is Scrooge's covetous old business partner. In the opening scene we see Scrooge as the only mourner to attend his funeral. Seven years later, Marley's ghost appears to warn Scrooge of the night ahead.
Bob Cratchit
Scrooge's overworked and underpaid clerk. His family are suffering because of Scrooge's tight-fisted treatment.
Scrooge's Nephew and his Nephew's Wife
Scrooge is miserable and unkind even in the presence of his affable nephew, who still cares for Scrooge despite his cold manner.
The Ghost of Christmas Past
The Ghost of Christmas past takes Scrooge back to relive old memories, showing him what he has lost.
The Ghost of Christmas Present
The Ghost of Christmas Present takes Scrooge to the Cratchit household to witness the love and happiness that Christmas can bring.
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come shows Scrooge the future he will face if he doesn't change.
Young Scrooge & Belle
Before he loved money, Ebenezer knew happiness in the employ of the Fezziwigs and knew love with Belle. She refused to be his wife because of his obsessive greed.
Mr & Mrs Fezziwig
Mr & Mrs Fezziwig are the cheerful characters from Scrooge's past. Mr Fezziwig was Scrooge's first employer whose generosity was a stark contrast to Scrooge's mean behaviour.
Tiny Tim
The gravely ill son of Bob Cratchit. Bob can't afford to pay for Tiny Tim's treatment. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come leads Scrooge to the Cratchit family home in the aftermath of Tiny Tim's death showing Scrooge the consequences of his greed.
Photo taken by Bill Cooper.