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Deal or No Deal
Donald Trump styles himself as the ultimate deal-maker. So he must understand that any successful deal requires the use of leverage to get more than your negotiating partner initially wants to give. He seems to grasp this truth instinctively when it comes to dealing with China—his unprecedented phone call with Taiwan's president has put pressure on Beijing. By threatening to improve U.S. relations with Taiwan, Trump may be able to squeeze concessions out of China.
When it comes to Russia, though, Trump is taking a very different approach. Rather than talking tough, in a way that will put pressure on Vladimir Putin to improve relations with the U.S. or else, he is all carrot and no stick. In response to the intelligence community's devastating report on the Russian cyber-interference in our election, Trump did not come down hard on the meddling Russian strongman. Rather he attacked Putin's critics, tweeting, "Having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing. Only 'stupid' people, or fools, would think that it is bad!"
This is a puzzling giveaway of negotiating leverage. Trump is making clear that his primary goal is to have a "good relationship with Russia," seemingly at any cost. This is repeating the same mistake often made by liberal politicians who think that getting along with other countries should be a goal in and of itself. Conservatives have generally believed, by contrast, that the U.S. goal should be to achieve its foreign policy objectives—and that while good relations with other countries are certainly preferable, that objective should not be pursued at the cost of sacrificing vital American interests.
There is some analogy here to the way that President Obama defined his foreign policy goal as "ending wars," rather than achieving U.S. objectives in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was able to unilaterally withdraw U.S. troops—but only at the cost of sacrificing American goals of maintaining security and stability in those countries. The result was not a decreasing tide of war but fresh conflict driven by groups like ISIS.
Trump can certainly achieve "better relations" with the Kremlin by taking certain steps, such as lifting economic sanctions that would endear him to Putin. But doing so is not in America's interest as long as Putin continues to violate Ukrainian sovereignty, commit war crimes in Syria, or meddle in Western democratic processes, either in the United States or Europe. Rather, Trump's goal should be to achieve a "deal"—really, a modus vivendi—on America's terms. These should include, at a minimum, objectives such as an end to Russian aggression against Ukraine, a promise not to interfere in future Western elections, and a willingness to ease Bashar Assad out of power. Putin will balk at such conditions, but only by insisting on them will Trump get any concessions at all.
That's certainly how Ronald Reagan approached relations with the Soviet Union. He didn't come into office expressing his wish to revive détente. He realized that, to truly improve relations with Moscow, he would have to make Soviet leaders have greater respect for the United States. Hence his defense buildup, his support of anti-Communist rebels from Nicaragua to Afghanistan, and his talk tough about the "evil empire." Reagan was always ready to walk away from the bargaining table if the deal on offer was one-sided. At the Reykjavik summit in 1986, for example, Reagan refused to give up the Strategic Defense Initiative as the cost of an agreement with Gorbachev, even though he was subjected to predictable criticism for hanging tough. Reagan's willingness to stick to his guns eventually convinced Gorbachev to give in, setting the conditions for the peaceful end of the Cold War.
No end to the new Cold War is in sight today because Putin is a more malevolent figure than Gorbachev, but at the very least it should be possible to get the Russian dictator to decrease his hostile acts. However, President Trump won't achieve that objective if gives the impression that he is desperate to do a deal at any cost. You would think as a veteran dealmaker he would understand that.
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Deal or No Deal
Must-Reads from Magazine
Crazy Rich Charlatans
The Elon Musk problem.
No one has ever mistaken me for a business writer. Show me a balance sheet or quarterly report, and my eyes will glaze over. Bring up "chasing alpha" at the bar, and I'll ask for the check and give you the old Irish goodbye. Business chatter—the kind you can't help but overhear from young stockjobbers at the gym and bloaty middle managers on the Acela—bores me to tears. I'm especially allergic to the idea of "The Market" as an autonomous, anthropomorphic entity with a unitary will and mind of its own.
But even I can tell you that Elon Musk is imploding.
The latest omen came Friday when footage of the South African-born magnate smoking a fat marijuana blunt dropped online. The video is worth watching; the Guardian has the key bits from the 150-minute interview (do people really watch interviews this long?).
Rogan, whose fame has been a mystery to many yet is an inescapable fact of our online lives, offers the joint to Musk but is quick to add: "You probably can't [smoke it] because of stockholders, right?" (On second thought, I think I know why Rogan is famous—because he knows how to push his subjects' buttons.)
"I mean it's legal, right?" Musk replies.
"Totally legal."
And so Elon Musk—the founder of an electric-car company worth $50 billion and a rocket company worth $20 billion—presses the blunt between his lips and takes a drag. He washes it down with a sip of whiskey on the rocks.
"I'm not a regular smoker of weed," Musk says a few minutes later. "I almost never [smoke it]. I mean, it's it's—I don't actually notice any effect." His speech by now is noticeably more halting than it has been earlier in the interview. "I know a lot of people like weed, and that's fine. But I don't find that it is very good for productivity."
The Market was not amused. News of two senior Tesla executives quitting their jobs broke soon after the interview appeared. Tesla shares slid 8 percent. On Twitter, where he competes with President Trump for the World Megalomaniac Award, Musk tweeted out his Rogan interview, adding: "I am a business magnet." Perhaps he was still coming down.
These disasters follow the summer's going-private fiasco. In early August, Musk claimed he had secured the vast funding needed to take his company private and then did a switcheroo. Tesla short-sellers, whom Musk constantly tries to show up, were vindicated. The Market got angry; shares slid.
"Moving forward, we will continue to focus on what matters most," Musk wrote in a statement to investors two weeks later, "building products that people love and that make a difference to the shared future of life on Earth. We've shown that we can make great sustainable energy products, and we now need to show that we can be sustainably profitable."
That apparently entails shooting the THC-laden breeze with Joe Rogan for two and a half hours.
The question now is: How did Musk ever get so big in the first place? There were many Tesla-skeptics, of course, chief among them those very short-sellers. They were onto something, perhaps because they sensed that a sound inventor-investor-executive would be more concerned with producing a reliable, profitable, non-subsidized automobile than with . . . showing up short-sellers. Even so, Tesla shares climbed and climbed. Even now, after Friday's Harold and Kumar routine, the stock is trading north of $260.
Two explanations come to mind. The first is that, after Steve Jobs's death, Wall Street and Silicon Valley types were seeking the next Eccentric Visionary to whom they could hitch their dreams. And Musk was straight out of central casting for Eccentric Visionary. Ending climate change. Colonizing Mars. Super-trains linking cities across vast distances. Everything seemed possible with him. Who knows, maybe the hopes were well-placed at one point, and the adulation went to the man's head?
The second explanation, which needn't be mutually exclusive with the first, is ideology. So much of Musk's business reputation rested on his claims of solving climate change and other planetary crises that loom large in the minds of the Davos crowd. Musk embodied the ideological proposition that no modern problem eludes solution by noble-minded technocratic elites. The Market, it turns out, was as prone to magical thinking as any of the rest of us.
Clarification: News of the Tesla executives' departure broke following Musk's pot-smoking interview, but at least one of the departures had been finalized earlier this week.
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The Last Days of Syria and the Non-Interventionist Catastrophe
The course the West followed has been a disaster.
The West has squandered the last, best opportunity to rid the world of the criminal regime in Syria.
Damascus was designated a state sponsor of terrorism in 1979, and it has lived up to that title every year since. Syria's descent into civil war presented several opportunities to dispense with the despot in Damascus and avert a crisis in the process, but they were all ignored. As I wrote for National Review, Syria is a case study in the perils of ideological non-interventionism. The results of the West's over-reliance on covert action, outsourcing, and diplomacy in Syria is arguably the worst-case scenario.
Had Barack Obama not abandoned his infamous "red line" in 2013, the U.S. might have preserved the 100-year prohibition on the battlefield use of chemical weapons. The collapse of that taboo has been rapid and terrifying. In the years that followed, chemical arms have been regularly deployed in Syria, and rogue powers have been using complex nerve agents on foreign (even allied) soil in reckless state-sponsored assassination campaigns.
Ideological adherence to non-interventionism well after it had proven an untenable course of action allowed the flourishing of terrorist organizations. Some parties in the West with a political interest in isolationism deliberately confused these terrorist groups with secularist movements led by Assad regime defectors. In the years that followed, those moderate rebel factions were crushed or corrupted while Islamist terror networks, which provided a politically valuable contrast to the "civilized" regime in Damascus, were patronized and nurtured by Assad.
The incubation of terrorist organizations eventually necessitated the kind of American military intervention Obama had so desperately sought to avoid, but at a time and place not of America's choosing and with a footprint too small to achieve any permanent solution to the crisis. All the while, a great human tide poured out from Syria in all directions, but especially into Europe. There, an influx of unassimilated migrants eroded the continent's post-War political consensus and catalyzed the rise of illiberal populist factions.
Even as late as the summer of 2015, there was still time for the West to summon the courage to do what was necessary. In a stunning speech that summer, Assad himself admitted that Syrian forces suffered from "a lack of human resources" amid Western estimates that nearly half the 300,000-strong Syrian army had been killed, captured, or deserted. "Based on current trend lines, it is time to start thinking about a post-Assad Syria," an intelligence source told the Washington Post's David Ignatius. But Obama dithered still. Just a few short weeks later, Vladimir Putin, upon whom Obama relied to help him weasel out of his pledge to punish Assad for his crimes, intervened in Syria on Damascus's behalf. That was when the greatest crimes began.
Russian intervention in Syria began not with attacks on "terrorists," as Moscow claimed, but with attacks on covert CIA installations and arms depots; a dangerous campaign that continued well into the Trump era. The Syrian regime and its Iranian and Russian allies then embarked on a scorched-earth campaign. They bombed civilian neighborhoods and hospitals and maternity wards. They surrounded the liberated cities of Homs and Aleppo, barraging and starving their people into submission. They even targeted and destroyed a United Nations aid convey before it could relieve the famine imposed by Damascus. All the while, Moscow's propagandists mocked reports of these atrocities, and the children who stumbled bloodied and ashen from the ruins of their homes were deemed crisis actors by Russian officials and their Western mouthpieces.
America's strategic obligations in Syria did not diminish with Russian intervention. They increased, but so too did the danger. Early on, Russian forces concentrated not just on attacking Assad's Western-backed enemies but on harassing NATO-aligned forces that were already operating in the Syrian theater. Russian warplanes harassed U.S. drones, painted allied assets with radar, conducted near-miss fly-bys of U.S. warships and airplanes in the region, and repeatedly violated Turkish airspace. This conduct was so reckless that, in November of 2015, NATO-allied Turkish anti-aircraft fire downed a Russian jet. On the ground, Moscow and Washington engaged in the kind of proxy fighting unseen since the collapse of the Soviet Union, as U.S.-manufactured armaments were routinely featured in rebel-made films of successful attacks on Russian tanks and APCs.
In the years that followed this intensely dangerous period, the Syrian state did not recover. Instead, Syrian forces withdrew to a narrow area along the coast and around the capital and left behind a vacuum that has been filled by competing great powers. Iran, Russia, Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, and the United States, to say nothing of their proxy forces, are all competing to control and pacify portions of the country. Even if the terrorist threat is one day permanently neutralized in Syria—a prospect that today seems far off, considering these nations' conflicting definition of what constitutes a terrorist—the state of competition among these powers ensures that the occupation of Syrian territory will continue for the foreseeable future.
And now, the final battle is upon the rebels. On Friday, hundreds of Syrians waving the "independence flag" poured into the streets of Idlib, the last of the country's free cities, begging the international community to spare them from the onslaught that has already begun. The United Nations has warned that up to 800,000 people could be displaced in Damascus's efforts to retake the rebel-held enclave, and the worst of the seven-year war's humanitarian disasters may be yet to come.
Over the last two weeks, the United States has issued some ominous warnings. Senior American officials have begun telling reporters that the evidence is increasing of Damascus's moving chemical munitions near the frontlines with the intent of using them on civilians. Trump administration officials announced in no uncertain terms that they would respond to another chemical attack with disproportionate force.
In response to these threats, Moscow deployed the biggest Russian naval taskforce on the Syrian coast since 2015. Simultaneously, Russia has warned of its intent to strike "militant" positions in the country's Southwest, where U.S. soldiers routinely patrol. American forces are holding firm, for now, and the Pentagon insists that uniformed personnel are at liberty to defend themselves if they come under assault. If there is a conflict, it wouldn't be the first time Americans and Russians have engaged in combat in Syria.
In February, Russian mercenaries and Syrian soldiers reinforcing columns of T-72 tanks and APCs armed with 125-millimeter guns engaged a position just east of the Euphrates River held by American Green Berets and Marines. The four-hour battle that ensued resulted in hundreds of Russian fatalities, but it may only have been a terrible sign of things to come.
Of course, a Western-led intervention in the Syrian conflict would have been accompanied by its own set of setbacks. What's more, the political backlash and dysfunction that would have accompanied another difficult occupation in the Middle East perhaps presented policymakers with insurmountable obstacles. But the course the West followed instead has been a disaster.
The lessons of the Syrian civil war are clear: The U.S. cannot stay out of destabilizing conflicts in strategically valuable parts of the world, no matter how hard it tries. The humanitarian and political disasters that resulted from Western indifference to the Syrian plight is a grotesque crime that posterity will look upon with contempt. Finally, the failure to enforce prohibitions against chemical-weapons use on the battlefield has emboldened those who would use them recklessly. American soldiers will suffer the most in a world in which chemical warfare is the status quo of the battlefield of the future.
American interventionists are often asked by their opponents to reckon with the bloodshed and geopolitical instability their policies encourage. If only non-interventionists would do the same.
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The Allure of the Strongman
And the demands of realpolitik.
Earlier this week, my housekeeper, Mary, arrived to work decked out in a bright red T-shirt emblazoned with a photo of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who came to Israel last Sunday for a three-day official visit.
Mary was at the Knesset on Monday, one of several hundred Filipino workers among approximately 28,000 in Israel, enthusiastically cheering her strongman president.
I asked her what she thought of Duterte–a leader who makes President Trump seem eloquent and measured, by comparison–and I was taken aback by her effusive, unhesitating endorsement: "Oh," she enthused, "he is a very good president! The best!"
"But," I suggested, carefully, "he says and does some pretty extreme, crazy things. Does that concern you at all?"
"Oh, no!" she collapsed in laughter. "He doesn't mean that. It's just his style."
Indeed, Duterte has "style." Bragging of his intent to kill millions of Filipino drug addicts, and invoking Hitler and his genocidal rampage, approvingly, in this context; referring to President Obama as a "son of a whore"; boasting of his parsimony in keeping multiple mistresses available in low-end hotels; approving of sexually assaulting women, particularly attractive ones. And then there was the outburst during the Pope's visit to the very Catholic Philippines in 2015 when Duterte called him a "son of a bitch" for causing a traffic jam while in Manila.
Mary is not a simple woman. She is university educated, hard-working, pleasant, and respectful. And whatever makes her overlook Duterte's thuggish tendencies should interest us all, because there are many Marys the world over supporting populist leaders and governments. Mary admires Duterte's strength of conviction in dealing with drug dealers, addicts, corruption and Islamic extremists.
Human rights activists and journalists, of course, see only a brute who visited Israel to shop for weapons and defense capabilities, which would be put to questionable use. Then again, Duterte is hardly the first and far from the only unsavory ruler to come shopping in Israel, America, or elsewhere, for arms.
Israel deftly managed the visit and optics. Whereas many were disgusted that the PM and President Rivlin gave Duterte an audience, according him a legitimacy and respect that is undeserved, their meetings were brief and remarks carefully calibrated.
In addition to acknowledging his personal gratitude to the Filipino caregiver who was a companion to his father in his final years, Bibi reminded us all of the enduring friendship the Philippines has shown Israel, and Jews, for decades. Prior to WWII, then president Manuel Quezon made available 10,000 visas as part of an "open door" policy to accommodate European Jewish refugees. Only 1,300 were used, ultimately, due to the Japanese invasion which closed off escape routes.
In 1947, the Philippines was the only Asian country to vote in support of the 1947 UN Partition Plan, providing critical support for the momentum building towards the creation and international acceptance of the Jewish state one year later. These are important, historical events about which Bibi, quite rightly, chose to remind us all.
I am no cheerleader of dictators and thugs, but I do wonder why the morality of many objectors to the Duterte visit is so selective. Israel (and all western nations) has relations and ties with many countries led by dictators and rulers far more brutal than the democratically elected Duterte.
Much ado has been made in recent months of Bibi's meetings with a number of right-wing populists and, worse. Some link it to what they see as disturbing, anti-democratic tendencies in his own leadership of late. Others, myself included, would read it as a careful effort to maintain and cultivate as many international relationships as possible that may enhance Israel's strategic and economic interests, particularly in this period of extreme global political, economic and institutional instability.
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The Economy Roars, but Will Voters Notice?
The paradox of success.
The monthly jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Friday morning shows that the economy continues to flourish. 201,000 new jobs were added last month, while the unemployment rate stayed steady at a very low 3.9 percent.
Unemployment rates for African-Americans and teenagers continued their decline to historic lows, while US factory activity was at a 14-year high and new unemployment claims at their lowest point since the 1960s. The long-term unemployed (those out of work for 27 weeks or longer) has fallen by 24 percent in the last year. The number of part-time workers who want full-time work has gone down by 16 percent over the last 12 months. Wages are rising at a faster pace than they have, a sign of a tightening jobs market.
Corporate profits are robust (thanks partly to the cut in the corporate income tax) and consumer spending has been rising. The GDP has been growing at a more than 4 percent rate in recent months. In short, the American economy has rarely been this good and certainly wasn't during the long, sluggish recovery from the 2008-2009 recession under the Obama administration.
In an ordinary year, one would expect that with economic numbers this good, the party controlling both houses of Congress and the White House would be looking forward to doing well in the upcoming midterm election, even though the party holding the White House usually loses seats in midterms. But, of course, no year is an ordinary political year with Donald Trump in the White House and the Democratic Party moving ever more to the left.
November 6 will be an interesting night.
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American Politics Is a Joke
We deserve better.
You could be forgiven for thinking that everyone active in American politics has lost their minds.
What we're witnessing is not, however, collective madness. The political class in the United States has adapted to a constant atmosphere of high drama, and they've adopted the most theatrical poses possible if only to maintain the attention of their fickle audiences. What might look to dispassionate observers like mass hysteria is just overwrought performance art.
This week was a case study in our national insanity, which began aptly enough on Capitol Hill. There, confirmation hearings for Judge Brett Kavanaugh got underway, but Judge Kavanaugh's presence was barely noticed. The hearings soon became a platform for some familiar grandstanding by members of the opposition party, but the over-acting to which the nation was privy was uniquely embarrassing.
New Jersey Senator Cory Booker chewed the scenery, as is his habit, by declaring himself Spartacus and demanding that he be made a "martyr" via expulsion from the Senate for releasing one of Kavanaugh's emails to the public, supposedly in violation of Senate confidentiality rules. But there was no violation, said Bill Bruck, the private attorney who led the review of Kavanaugh's former White House records in the Senate. "We cleared the documents last night shortly after Senator Booker's staff asked us to," he said in a statement. Perhaps by engaging in what he called "an act civil disobedience," Booker was only following the lead of his colleague, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, who declared the committee's process illegitimate, thereby supposedly rendering the rules of the United States Senate unworthy of recognition.
Outside another congressional committee's chamber, the crazy really ramped up to absurd proportions. Following a hearing on alleged bias in Silicon Valley, Senator Marco Rubio was confronted by the rabble-rousing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, which rapidly devolved to the point that both Senator and agitator were soon threatening to fight one another. "I know you've got to cover them, but you give these guys way too much attention," Rubio later told reporters. "We're making crazy people superstars. So, we going to get crazier people." He's right.
The Trump era has provided the press with fertile soil in which a thousand manic flowers have bloomed.
Amplified by the president himself, Jones has become one of the right's favorite grifters. Unfortunately, he's in plentiful company. The press has discovered a sudden interest in conspiracy theorists like Jack Posobiec, Mike Cernovich, and Laura Loomer partly because they make for such compelling television but also because they're willing to confirm the pro-Trump right's most paranoid suspicions.
The "Resistance" has been a valuable vehicle for the unscrupulous and under-medicated. Congresswoman Maxine Waters has been feted in the press and in apolitical venues such as the MTV Movie Awards not despite but because of her penchant for radicalizing the left and feeding them fantasies about a coming anti-Trump putsch. Former British MP Louise Mensch, "D.C. technocrat" Eric Garland, and Teen Vogue columnist Lauren Duca spent most of 2017 basking in attention and praise from respectable quarters of the Washington political and media class. Their manifest unfitness for such elevated status somehow evaded drama addicts in mainstream political and media quarters.
And whether you're pandering to the pro-Trump right or the anti-Trump left, there's plenty of cash to go around for those who are willing to indoctrinate children or undermine the integrity of apolitical American institutions.
The week's most hysterical moment belongs to the president and his aides—specifically, their reaction to an anonymous op-ed published by the New York Times purportedly revealing the existence of a cabal in the administration dedicated to thwarting the president's worst impulses. Now, some have expressed perfectly reasonable reservations about the Times's decision to publish an anonymous op-ed. Others have fretted about the pernicious effects this disclosure might have on the already mercurial president's approach to governance. But lost in the over-the-top reactions this piece inspired among political observers is the hackneyed nature of the revelations it contained.
In sum, the author disclosed that many members of this Republican administration are movement conservatives dedicated to conservative policy prescriptions that are antithetical to the policies on which Trump campaigned. As such, they have often successfully lobbied the president to adopt their positions over his own preferences.
The admittedly dangerous "two-track presidency" has been observable for some time, and is the frequent subject of reporting and opinion. For example, the op-ed highlighted the discrepancy between Trump's conciliatory rhetoric toward Russia and his administration's admirably hawkish posture, which has become such a glaringly conspicuous feature of his presidency that Trump has recently begun trumpeting his contradictory record as though it was a unique species of competence. There's nothing wrong with taking issue with the way in which the obvious was stated in this op-ed, but the statement of the obvious should not itself be a source of special consternation.
But was it ever. The Drudge Report dubbed the author a "saboteur," despite the op-ed failing to describe even one action that was taken on the part of this so-called "resistance" against the president's expressed wishes. "Sedition," former White House Aide Sebastian Gorka echoed. Sarah Huckabee Sanders attacked the anonymous columnist as a "coward." The president himself pondered whether the op-ed constituted "treason" against the United States and demanded the Times "turn over" this "gutless" columnist to the proper authorities, whoever they are. This is certainly one way to refute the charge that Trump's "impulsiveness results in half-baked, ill-informed and occasionally reckless decisions," but it's not a good one.
It's hard to fault politicians and the press for selling drama. Banality doesn't push papers, drive up advertising rates, or turn out the vote. At a time without an urgent crisis, when the economy is strong, and the fires abroad are relatively well-contained, it serves the political and media classes to turn up the temperature on mundanities and declare all precedents portentous. But radicalizing voters for such purposes is both trite and irresponsible. In America, healthy and productive politics is boring politics. And who would tune in for that?
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PARIS (AP) — A French commercial court on Thursday ordered a German product-testing company to pay damages to more than 1,600 women and six distributors after ruling that it failed to properly check silicone breast implants that turned out to be prone to leakage.
The court in southeastern Toulon ordered TUeV Rheinland to pay yet-to-be-determined damages to plaintiffs seeking at least 50 million euros ($67.2 million). Experts will now decide the appropriate damage award — a process expected to take months.
TUeV has denied responsibility and plans to appeal.
The trial was part of a string of cases centered on the now-bankrupt French implant vendor Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), whose founder and several former employees are facing a criminal trial in nearby Marseille over claims the company used cheap silicone to fill tens of thousands of implants that were prone to ruptures and leaking. A verdict is expected in that case on Dec. 10.
Because PIP is bankrupt, the 5,000 women who have joined a complaint against the French company aren't likely to retrieve much compensation. But TUeV Rheinland, a leader in the industry which was charged with checking the quality of the implants, has deep pockets.
Plaintiff lawyers argued that the French unit of TUeV Rheinland that conducted the inspections was competent for inspecting home appliances like vacuum cleaners and washing machines — not silicone breast implants.
Laurent Gaudon, a patients' lawyer, called the ruling "a great victory. The court has been audacious by deciding important compensation for PIP victims."
Olivier Aumaitre, a lawyer for the distributors, said the ruling could open the way for tens of thousands of women worldwide to potentially claim financial damages in France against TUeV Rheinland.
Defense lawyer Cecile Derycke suggested TUeV Rheinland was being targeted as a scapegoat because it's solvent.
"This ruling is totally shocking. It goes against the case file, the argument of the state prosecutor in the hearing — who asked for TUeV Rheinland to be cleared of any responsibility — and when I read the ruling, I see no reference to documents or specific information," she said by phone. "People are on the hunt for someone who can pay these patients."
PIP once claimed its factory in France exported to more than 60 countries and was one of the world's leading implant makers. The implants were not available in the United States, but at least 125,000 women worldwide received them until sales ended in early 2010 — possibly many more. According to government estimates, more than 42,000 women in Britain received the implants, as well as over 30,000 in France, 25,000 in Brazil, 16,000 in Venezuela and 15,000 in Colombia.
After PIP went out of business, regulators across Europe began demanding tighter oversight of medical devices.

subset: commoncrawl


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Foundations for Infant/Toddler Services in Early Intervention: Family Centered Intervention
PaTTAN - Online Course
Event Type: On-line Courses
Credit Type: (6 hours)
Registration Contact: Molly Martz, firstname.lastname@example.com, 800-360-7282 x 3717
Content Contact: Mary Montgomery, firstname.lastname@example.com, 800-360-7282
Early Intervention programs emphasize family centered services because of the critical role of families on their children's growth and development. Professional standards for those working in EI include the knowledge, skills, and abilities to provide family centered services. Understanding the nature of family centered intervention helps assure families of young children with developmental delays receive services that meet their unique needs. Learning to view families from a strength-based perspective and working with a family's expertise in regards to their child creates the context in which all Early Intervention services are provided through a family centered process. Family-Centered Interventions in the first in a series of four courses that make up the Foundations for Infant and Toddler Services for Early Intervention. The purpose of this module is to provide standards for and practice indicators of family centered services for Early Intervention professionals. Administrators can use this module to support the professional development and performance of EI personnel they supervise. The module has four sessions based on established competencies for family centered intervention. Each session contains instructional content delivered through narrated presentations, resource content such as reading materials and websites, activities to integrate content into practice, and accomplishment of specific competencies through participant evaluation.
Participants will:
- Demonstrate an understanding of and the ability to apply family centered principles and practices
- Demonstrate knowledge of ecological and family systems theories and their implications for providing family centered services
- Describe potential effects of children's developmental delays on caregivers and other family members
- Demonstrate an understanding of how culture impacts early intervention services and supports
- Identify strategies to become more culturally competent
- Apply the concepts of a relationship-based approach in establishing partnerships with families
- Evaluate your ability to establish successful parent-professional partnerships
- Identify family strengths and resources to support child development
- Identify strategies to use to empower families
- Identify emotional, informational, and economic resources and supports for families
Target Audience
This training is intended for early care and education practitioners working with children ages 0 – 3 years.
Individuals attending this course must arrive on time and stay the duration of the course in order to receive Act 48 Professional Education hours. Requests for exceptions are to be brought to the attention of the individual´s Superintendent or IU Director prior to the course.
Topics Covered: Early Intervention
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Travel the Middle East across Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Palestine from Petra to the Dead Sea.
Egypt, Jordan, Israel & Palestine are ancient lands that conjure images of river valleys, powerful Pharaohs, pilgrims and cities carved from stone. Dive headfirst into Cairo, sail up the Nile on a felucca, party in Tel Aviv, take a jeep safari across Wadi Rum and experience more World Heritage Sites than you can shake a stick at: Battir; Petra; the Old Cities of Cairo, Acre and Jerusalem; the Church of the Nativity… it goes on – and so will you as you trek, swim, explore, photograph and taste your way across the best of the Middle East. This adventure will leave you with a greater appreciation for life here and a hands-on experience of some of the most significant religious and human history in this part of the world.
Before booking on this trip we recommend that you read the 'Safety' section in the trip notes regarding special safety considerations for Egypt trips.
Be amazed by the beautiful scenery as you cruise down the Nile on a felucca.
Be amazed by the Pyramids of Giza.
Explore vibrant Cairo with its bustling markets and colourful streets.
Experience the feeling of weightlessness as you float in the super salty Dead Sea.
Spend the night trying to count the billions of stars or chat with the locals at our bedouin camp in Wadi Rum.
Discover the sights, sounds and tastes of Jerusalem's Old City.
Hear the personal stories behind some of Bethlehem's graffiti walls.
Take a cable car to view the incredible caves of Rosh Hanikra.
Travelling on a felucca is awesome, but it's not for everyone. You will be sharing a sleeping area with your fellow group members for the night and shared bathroom facility on board.
The facilities in Wadi Rum are shared but despite that most people list the Desert Camp experience as a highlight!
The walk ways around the ruins can be uneven, dusty and rocky, bring comfortable walking shoes. In places like Petra which is a massive sight you can expect to be walking in the elements for most of the day.
Some hotel in region may not have lifts. Please be aware you may need to climb stairs with your luggage to reach your hotel room for the night.
Sites can get congested during peak travel periods with coaches of large pilgrim groups. We do our best to plan our visits around these times but sometimes it is unavoidable. There may be delays, queue's and private services that prevent us from entering the site. Your trip leader will manage this as best as they can on the day.
The temperatures in the region can be extreme – from very hot to very cold (snow in some places) during the year. Please be prepared with layers, hat, sunscreen and water.
Accommodation aboard the overnight train is in two-berth cabins which convert to bunk beds. All bedding is provided on board and western-style toilets are located in each carriage. Keep in mind general train cleanliness may not be to the same standards you are accustomed to.
Jordan, Israel & The Palestinian Territories are by no means cheap destinations and you should budget accordingly. The good news is that you will have expert local leaders to help uncover the best deals!
Known as 'baksheesh' in the Middle East, tipping is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry. If you are satisfied with the services provided a tip - though not compulsory - is appropriate and always appreciated. While it may not be customary to you, it is of great significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels. Don't be taken back if this tipping culture is even more apparent in Israel.
This itinerary is valid for departures from 01 January 2019 to 31 December 2019. View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2018 - 31 December 2018
1. This trip starts on Day 1 in Cairo at 4pm.
2. A single supplement is available on this trip, please refer to your booking agent for more details. Please note, on the following night, the single supplement is not available:
Day 5: Nile Felucca.
3. This trip finishes on arrival into Tel Aviv at 5pm on Day 21. Please ensure that you allow plenty of time for delays/traffic if you plan on catching a flight on this day.
4. Following recent safety incidents we recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest information on travelling in Egypt and Israel (particularly within the West Bank) before your departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all areas of your itinerary. We have links to prominent government travel advisories and regular updates on issues affecting this trip on our Travel Alerts page - www.intrepidtravel.com/au/travel-alerts
Our Egypt, Jordan, Israel & the Palestinian Territories trips score an average of 4.5 out of 5 based on 6 reviews in the last year.
Dancing with Nubian people with drums and fire on the river back of the bike after a day sailing in a Feluca was a life experience I won't forget! The Nubian people are so friendly and open! Even in the home dinner at their village they told us the story about how they met and ended up marrying, the customs, was like a Family dinner and I felt so welcome and comfortable. They were really let us know then with open arms nd open hearts
Review submitted 08 Aug 2018
Take more money with you.
Review submitted 08 Jul 2018


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Good Afternoon Everyone,
Your BellaOnline Inspiration Editor, Deanna, here!
Here's the latest article from the Inspiration site at BellaOnline.com.
The Best Year Ever
A brand new year means brand new beginnings. But having the best year ever means doing more than just having New Year's Resolutions. To make the most of the coming year takes planning and commitment!
Please visit http://www.bellaonline.com/site/inspiration for even more great content about Inspiration. To participate in free, fun online discussions, this site has a community forum all about Inspiration located here -
I hope to hear from you sometime soon, either in the forum or in response to this email message. I thrive on your feedback!
Have fun passing this message along to family and friends, because we all love free knowledge!
One Hundred Thousand Blessings to You and Yours!
Deanna Joseph, Inspiration Editor


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Published by: Esmeralda Schultz
Resolution: 0x0px
Category: Chair, More >>
Published at: Wednesday, January 31 2018 12:50:08
If you are planning to buy in bulk because you have many employees, it is advisable that you look for retailers, dealers, or companies which give a discount to those who buy in large quantities. Aside from this benefit, there are some who would let you pick the fabric that you prefer and you can have the chair made according to your unique preferences and specifications. Make sure that they offer a good warranty in office furniture chairs.
Make sure that the office chair that you will choose is capable of supporting the lower back as well as the users spine. If you can afford to, its best to go for ergonomic chairs because it is especially designed to give safety and maximum comfort. Be on the lookout for chairs that have the most adjustable features, but as a warning, do not choose office chairs that are way too comfortable. You do not want to see your employees getting too relaxed to the point that their chairs will make them fall asleep do you? Not to mention that they are taking a nap during office hours, at your expense.


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ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama will meet with congressional leaders in the week after Thanksgiving to discuss the "fiscal cliff" of expiring tax cuts and spending reductions, and he remains committed to fighting off a tax increase for most Americans, White House spokesman Jay Carney said on Saturday.
But Carney refused to provide details of the agreement Obama is negotiating with the country's top lawmakers.
"Everyone expressed the desire to reach an agreement that reflected the shared goal of achieving a balanced approach to deficit reduction and that enabled the economy to continue to grow and create jobs," Carney told reporters about Obama's Friday meeting with the most powerful members of both parties in Congress.
"There are a number of steps that I'm sure the president and leaders will consider but I don't want to characterize what that process will look like because we're not near the finish line, by any means," he said.
If the federal government cannot reach a compromise, then starting in January about $600 billion worth of tax increases and spending reductions will kick in. Economists have warned that the sudden shock of austerity, combined with consumers putting more of their dollars toward taxes instead of shopping, could plunge the United States back into a recession.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Speaker John Boehner, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi discussed with Obama a framework presented by Boehner on Friday. Boehner said the outline included tax reforms and spending cuts.
Since winning re-election last week, Obama has spoken extensively about his desire to extend the so-called "Bush tax cuts" for middle- and low-income earners, while allowing the breaks for the highest earners to expire. He has said that will keep taxes low for 98 percent of Americans.
But Obama has been quieter on the automatic, across-the-board spending cuts known as "sequestration," causing some to wonder if he is working on a plan with different phases.
"Let's begin our work by actually doing what we all agree on. Let's keep taxes low for the middle class," Obama said in his weekly radio address on Saturday that did not mention sequestration. "And let's get it done soon - so we can give families and businesses some good news going into the holiday season."
When asked if the president and congressional leaders had agreed to a "two-tier" plan, Carney told reporters: "You're getting way ahead of the process." He said Obama remains focused on the expiring tax cuts for those with middle and low incomes.
Carney said both Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Chief of Staff Jack Lew "will be very involved in this process but we don't have designated team leaders."
Along with meeting with members of Congress, Obama spent the week talking to mayors, business executives, civic leaders, progressive groups and unions about the fiscal cliff. After their meetings they all expressed their support of keeping sudden tax increases at bay.
Speaking on Fox News on Saturday, Representative Chris Van Hollen, the top Democrat on the House Budget committee, said Obama's re-election win gave him a mandate on raising taxes on the wealthy.
"I think that's clear, both in the election results and in the post-election polls, the exit polls," he said. "This was not a side issue in the debate. This was a central part of the conversation that we had."
Van Hollen said that since Obama "has laid out his revenue plan very clearly," Boehner should lay out his plan.
"He has said some positive things but we haven't seen any substance to his proposals," he said.
(Reporting By Jeff Mason, Doug Palmer and Lisa Lambert; Writing by Lisa Lambert; Editing by Bill Trott)


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This story has been updated.
WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- The Secret Service has a man in custody who they are questioning regarding a possible threat to President Obama during his Friday visit to Westchester County, according to NBC Connecticut.
The unidentified man, who has not been formally charged or arrested, may be connected to the car, a 2014 Volkswagen Jetta, l ocated by police in Hamden, Conn., Friday night that may have been connected to the threat, according to NBC Connecticut.
The man, who was taken into custody in Connecticut, may have been armed with an assault rifle while passing through Yonkers, possibly headed toward a New Rochelle fundraiser Obama attended, News 12 Westchester reported.
Obama was in New Rochelle and Purchase for fundraisers on Friday before wrapping up the day in Rhode Island. Obama, accompanied by his wife and two daughters, returned to Westchester for the wedding of his private chef in Pocantico Hills on Saturday.
Check back to Daily Voice for more information as it becomes available.
Click here to sign up for Daily Voice's free daily emails and news alerts.


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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas Republican Rep. Tom Cotton plans to announce his bid next week to challenge two-term incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor in next year's elections, according to a person familiar with the congressman's plans.
The person who spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday was not authorized to speak publicly about the planned announcement and spoke on a condition of anonymity. But the freshman congressman has scheduled an event Tuesday with supporters in his hometown of Dardanelle.
Cotton's entry will set up a heated and expensive fight for a U.S. Senate seat that Republicans believe is prime for a pickup in 2014, with groups on the right and left already waging a television ad fight in Arkansas. It also creates a domino effect, with several Republicans now eyeing Cotton's seat in the U. S. House.
Cotton was elected to the U.S. House in 2012, to the open seat formerly held by Democrat Mike Ross. Ross is now running for Arkansas governor.
Cotton, 36, is a former management consultant who served in the Army in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was elected to the 4th District in November, after racking up endorsements during his primary bid from national Republican leaders including U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona and conservative groups such as the Club for Growth.
The Club for Growth in February launched the first television ad against Pryor, seen by many as a signal that the group would back Cotton's potential candidacy. Other conservative groups said they're prepared to back Cotton's bid.
"Representative Cotton is a conservative leader and rock star candidate. Arkansas is now one of the very top pickup opportunities for Republicans this cycle and we are excited to get engaged in the race on behalf of Rep. Tom Cotton," said Steven J. Law, president and CEO of American Crossroads, a GOP group tied to Republican strategist Karl Rove.
Pryor is viewed by many Republicans as the most vulnerable Senate incumbent next year, especially after recent GOP gains in Arkansas. Republicans in November took over the state Legislature for the first time since Reconstruction and swept all four of the state's U.S. House seats.
Republicans are trying to unseat Pryor and three other Democratic incumbents who represent states that Republican Mitt Romney won in last year's presidential race: Mark Begich of Alaska, Kay Hagan of North Carolina and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana.
Democrats need to defend 21 seats, including seven in largely rural states that Obama lost in 2012.
Republicans need to pick up six seats to regain Senate control.
On Wednesday, Pryor's campaign wasted no time in hitting back, accusing Cotton of alienating constituents on issues ranging from farming to Social Security.
"Instead of putting Arkansas first, he has put his own political career ahead of the people of Arkansas and sided with Washington insiders and special interests," Pryor's campaign manager, Jeff Weaver, said in a statement. "When the people of our state review Tom Cotton's record, they won't like what they see."
Pryor reported in July that he ended the second quarter with nearly $4 million in the bank for his re-election bid. Cotton has $1 million on hand.
Groups on the right and left have already been airing ads throughout the state targeting Pryor. A gun control group founded by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has aired spots criticizing the Democratic lawmaker for voting against expanded background checks. Pryor used his first TV spot to defend his vote against the criticism.
Since taking office in January, Cotton has enjoyed a high profile with multiple appearances on national programs such as Meet the Press. Cotton in July wrote a column for the Wall Street Journal opposing Senate immigration legislation.
He's also been targeted by Democrats who viewed him as a likely challenger to Pryor. Two Democratic political action committees, Patriot Majority USA and Senate Majority PAC, launched a $270,000 television ad buy in June attacking Cotton for allegedly seeking the national spotlight at the expense of his district.
Cotton has faced criticism from Democrats for initially opposing the farm bill over objections to the food stamp program. Cotton later voted for a version of the farm bill that did not include funding for food stamps.
Cotton's also come under fire for a recent proposal that would have extended sanctions on Iranian human rights violators to their families — an idea that has been criticized as eliminating due process. Cotton, who withdrew the proposal, has defended the idea and said it would only apply to sanctions on Iranians, not any American citizens.
Cotton's appeal to conservative activists stems from his resume as a Harvard-educated veteran who's known for his rhetorical flourishes.
When he joined with House Republicans to vote for the federal health overhaul's repeal, he compared the unsuccessful effort to defeat the law to an ancient Roman senator's ongoing call to destroy Carthage. When Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died in March, Cotton responded with "Sic semper tyrannis," or Latin for "thus always to tyrants." John Wilkes Booth uttered the same after assassinating President Lincoln.
Cotton's candidacy will likely have a domino effect on other races in Arkansas. House Majority Leader Bruce Westerman plans to seek the Republican nomination for Cotton's seat and will formally launch his campaign in August, a person who had spoken to the lawmaker told the AP. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Cotton had not yet formally launched his Senate campaign.
Lt. Gov. Mark Darr has said he'd likely run for Cotton's seat if the congressman ran for Senate. Beth Anne Rankin, who was the party's nominee for the seat in 2010 and lost the primary to Cotton last year, said Wednesday she'd consider running again if Cotton challenges Pryor.
Janis Percefull, a community college teacher, is the only Democrat running for the 4th District seat. State Rep. Jeff Wardlaw said Wednesday he's considering running for the Democratic nomination.
Follow Andrew DeMillo on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ademillo


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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco businesses would be required to offer parents and caregivers flexible work schedules under a proposal a city supervisor wants to take before voters in November.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports (http://bit.ly/109lBt0) that Supervisor David Chiu's measure would allow workers to ask their employers to adjust their start times, telecommute or job share.
Employers would only be able to deny the request if it created an undue hardship for the company, including increasing its costs or affecting its ability to meet customer or client needs.
Chiu plans to introduce the proposal at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday.
His proposal comes as Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer has banned working from home, sparking a debate about telecommuting and other programs intended to balance work and home life.
Information from: San Francisco Chronicle, http://www.sfgate.com


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North Dakota deer hunters took approximately 34,500 deer during the 2012 deer gun hunting season.
The State Game and Fish Department made available 65,150 deer gun licenses in 2012, and more than 95 percent were issued. Overall hunter success was 63 percent, and each hunter spent an average of 4.4 days in the field.
Randy Kreil, wildlife chief, said last season's hunter success rate bounced back from an all-time low of 51 percent in 2011.
"The 63 percent clip is fairly good, but still below the long-term average of around 70 percent," he added. "In addition, the number of days spent hunting is still higher than usual, which is expected with lower deer populations."
Hunter success for antlered white-tailed deer was 76 percent, and antlerless whitetail was 62 percent.
Mule deer buck success was 81 percent. No mule deer doe licenses were issued in 2012.
Hunters with any-antlered or any-antlerless licenses almost exclusively harvest white-tailed deer. These buck and doe hunters each had a success rate of 64 percent.
The department is in the process of determining recommendations for licenses in the 2013 deer proclamation. These recommendations will be discussed at the upcoming Game and Fish public advisory board meetings, scheduled for the week of April 15-18. The proclamation will be sent to the governor's office for approval in late April.
In addition to harvest rates and winter aerial surveys, the department monitors a number of other population indices to determine license numbers, including deer-vehicle collision reports, depredation reports, hunter observations, input at advisory board meetings, and comments from the public, landowners and department field staff.


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SOURCE: Capital Product Partners L.P.
January 31, 2013 07:41 ET
ATHENS, GREECE--(Marketwire - Jan 31, 2013) - Capital Product Partners L.P. (the "Partnership" or "CPLP") (NASDAQ: CPLP), an international owner of modern tanker, dry bulk and container vessels today released its financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2012.
The Partnership's net loss for the quarter ended December 31, 2012, was $35.0 million, including an impairment charge of $43.2 million (the "Impairment Charge"); excluding the Impairment Charge a net income of $8.2 million would have been reported. The Impairment Charge, which is a non cash item, represents the difference between the carrying values and the fair market values of the M/T 'Alexander the Great' and the M/T 'Achilleas' on the date they were sold by CPLP to our Sponsor, Capital Maritime & Trading Corp ("Capital Maritime" or "CMTC") in exchange for the M/V 'Archimidis' and the M/V 'Agamemnon', respectively, which was effected on December 22, 2012 and announced on January 7, 2013.
After taking into account the $3.3 million preferred interest in net income attributable to the holders of 15,555,554 Class B Convertible Preferred Units issued during the second quarter of 2012 (the "Class B Units" and the "Class B Unitholders"), the result was a $0.55 net loss per limited partnership unit, which is $0.61 lower than the $0.06 net income per unit from the previous quarter ended September 30, 2012, and $0.57 lower than the $0.02 net income per unit in the fourth quarter of 2011. If the reductions in income resulting from the preferred interest in income attributable to the Class B Unitholders and the Impairment Charge were excluded, the result per limited partnership unit for the quarter ended December 31, 2012, would have been a net income of $0.12, an improvement to the $0.02 net income per unit in the fourth quarter of 2011.
Operating surplus for the quarter ended December 31, 2012, was $22.5 million, which is $0.6 million higher than the $21.9 million from the third quarter of 2012, and $6.7 million higher than the $15.8 million from the fourth quarter of 2011. The operating surplus adjusted for the payment of distributions to the Class B Unitholders was $19.2 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2012. Operating surplus is a non-GAAP financial measure used by certain investors to measure the financial performance of the Partnership and other master limited partnerships. Please refer to the section "Appendix A" at the end of the press release, for a reconciliation of this non-GAAP measure to net loss.
Revenues for the fourth quarter of 2012 were $38.3 million, including $0.3 million in profit sharing revenues, compared to $44.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2011. The Partnership's higher revenues in the fourth quarter of 2011 reflect primarily the fact that following the acquisition of Crude Carriers on September 30, 2011 a number of the Partnership's vessels were trading under voyage charters earning voyage income of $9.7 million, compared to $0.0 voyage income in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Total expenses for the fourth quarter of 2012 were $69.5 million compared to $35.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2011, primarily driven by an increase in expense resulting from the Impairment Charge and a decrease in voyage expenses, as the Partnership's vessels were trading under period charters during the fourth quarter of 2012. The vessel operating expenses for the fourth quarter of 2012 amounted to $11.2 million compared to $11.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2011, including a $4.7 million charge by a subsidiary of our Sponsor, Capital Maritime, for the commercial and technical management of our fleet under the terms of our management agreements, compared to $7.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2011. The total expenses for the fourth quarter of 2012 also include $12.0 million in depreciation, compared to $12.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2011. General and administrative expenses for the fourth quarter of 2012 amounted to $2.3 million, which include a $0.8 million non-cash charge related to the Partnership's Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plans.
Total other expense, net for the fourth quarter of 2012 amounted to $3.8 million compared to $7.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2011, as the result of the decrease in the interest expense and finance cost for the fourth quarter of 2012, which reflects the expiration of certain interest rate swaps and the reduction of the Partnership's total debt when compared to the fourth quarter of 2011.
As of December 31, 2012, the Partners' capital amounted to $573.8 million, which is $56.5 million higher than the Partners' capital as of December 31, 2011. This increase primarily reflects the issuance of the 15,555,554 Class B Units, which raised gross proceeds of approximately $140.0 million, combined with the payment of $73.3 million in common and Class B distributions since December 31, 2011 and the net loss for the fourth quarter of 2012.
As of December 31, 2012, the Partnership's total debt had decreased by $175.2 million to $458.4 million, compared to total debt of $633.6 million as of December 31, 2011. In connection with the issuance of the Class B Units, the Partnership executed amendments to its three credit facilities and prepaid debt of $149.6 million, also utilizing part of its cash balances. The amendments provide for a deferral of all remaining scheduled amortization payments that were due between 2012 and 2015 (inclusive) under each of the Partnership's credit facilities until March 31, 2016. As of December 31, 2012, the Partnership had swapped $59.1 million of its debt into fixed rates, whereas the remaining $399.3 million of its total debt of $458.4 million is in floating rates.
One Year Time Charter Extension for Amore Mio II And Other Fleet Developments
BP Singapore Pte Ltd (BP Singapore) has extended the time charter employment of the M/T 'Amore Mio II' (159,982 dwt, built 2001 by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Co., Ltd., South Korea) for floating storage, at a gross rate of $17,500 per day from March 2013 until February 2014 (inclusive of charterer's option to extend for a further 3 months).
On January 7, 2013, the Partnership announced the acquisition of two post panamax container vessels, the M/V 'Archimidis' (7,943TEU, built 2006 Daewoo Shipbuilding, S. Korea) and the M/V 'Agamemnon' (7,943TEU, built 2007 Daewoo Shipbuilding, S. Korea). Both the M/V 'Archimidis' and the M/V 'Agamemnon' are employed on time charters with the industry leader A.P. Moller-Maersk A.S. ("Maersk Line") at a gross daily rate of $34,000 per day with earliest redelivery in November 2015 and August 2015, respectively. Maersk Line has the option to extend the charter of both vessels for an additional four years at a gross daily rate of $31,500 and $30,500 per day, respectively for the fourth and fifth year and $32,000 per day for the final two years. If all options were to be exercised, the employment of the vessels would extend to July 2019 for the M/V 'Agamemnon' and December 2019 for the M/V 'Archimidis'.
As consideration for the acquisition of the two container vessels, CPLP contributed the VLCC tankers M/T 'Alexander The Great' (297,958 dwt, built 2010 Universal Shipbuilding Corporation, Japan) and M/T 'Achilleas' (297,863 dwt, built 2010 Universal Shipbuilding Corporation, Japan) to CMTC, both of which were under charter to CMTC at $28,000 per day.
The transaction was unanimously recommended by the Partnership's Conflicts Committee and unanimously approved by the Partnership's Board. The effective date of the transaction was December 22, 2012.
On January 7, 2013, the Partnership also announced that the M/T 'Arionas' (36,725dwt, Ice 1A IMO II/III, built 2006 Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co Ltd) has extended its employment with CMTC for an additional 12 months (+/- 30 days) at an increased gross rate of $13,800 per day with earliest expected redelivery in September 2013.
As of December 31, 2012 the Partnership had three IMO II/III Chemical/Product tankers (M/T Alexandros II, M/T Aristotelis II and M/T Aris II, all built in 2008 by STX Offshore & Shipbuilding Co. Ltd.) on long term bareboat charters to subsidiaries of Overseas Shipholding Group Inc. ("OSG"). These charters were scheduled to terminate, approximately, in February, July and September of 2018, respectively, and are at rates that are substantially above current market rates. On November 14, 2012, OSG made a voluntary filing for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. OSG has requested that the Partnership reduce the charter rates for their remaining terms to substantially lower rates. The Partnership has been in discussions with OSG regarding this matter. No assurance can be given that we will reach an agreement with OSG regarding the remaining duration, rate and terms of the charters, or our rights in the bankruptcy proceeding, or, if any such agreement is reached, that it will be approved by the bankruptcy court.
Market Commentary
Overall, product tanker spot earnings in the fourth quarter of 2012 improved considerably with average earnings for the quarter reaching the highest level since the first quarter of 2009. Demand for product tankers was quite robust in all main product tanker markets, as increased arbitrage opportunities in the Atlantic basin and increased demand for Medium Range tankers ("MRs") in the East led spot rates to increase.
Product tanker period market activity improved during the course of the fourth quarter of 2012, as more charterers sought to take period coverage and at slightly higher time charter rates compared to the third quarter of 2012.
On the supply side, the product tanker order book experienced substantial slippage during 2012, as approximately 55% of the expected MR and handy size tanker newbuildings were not delivered on schedule. Analysts expect that net fleet growth for MR and handy size product tankers for 2013 will be in the region of 3.6%, while overall demand for product tankers for the year has been revised up to 4.2%. We believe the improving demand and supply balance of the product tanker market should continue to positively affect spot and period charter rates going forward.
The Suezmax spot market improved towards the end of the fourth quarter, as increased demand out of West Africa to the US and delays in the Turkish Straits pushed rates considerably higher from the low levels experienced during most of the fourth quarter of 2012. Overall, average spot earnings for crude vessels in 2012 improved slightly when compared to 2011, due to a strong first half of 2012, when a spike in OPEC production, together with aggressive stock building and longer trading distances in response to the Iranian supply issues, exerted upward pressure on rates.
Slippage for the Suezmax tanker order book as of the end of December 2012 continued to affect tonnage supply as approximately 34% of the expected Suezmax newbuildings were not delivered on schedule. Industry analysts expect the Suezmax tanker order book slippage and cancellations to increase going forward due to the historically weak spot market, the soft shipping finance environment and downward pressure on asset values. Suezmax tanker demand is expected to grow by 5.2% in the full year 2013 with net fleet growth projected at 5.6%.
Quarterly Common and Class B Unit Cash Distribution
On January 22, 2013, the Board of Directors of the Partnership declared a cash distribution of $0.2325 per common unit for the fourth quarter of 2012, in line with management's annual guidance. The fourth quarter common unit cash distribution will be paid on February 15, 2013, to unit holders of record on February 8, 2013.
In addition, on January 22, 2013, the Board of Directors of the Partnership declared a cash distribution of $0.21375 per Class B Unit for the fourth quarter of 2012, in line with the Partnership's Second Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement, as amended. The fourth quarter Class B Unit cash distribution will be paid on February 8, 2013, to Class B Unitholders of record on February 1, 2013.
Management Commentary
Mr. Ioannis Lazaridis, Chief Executive and Chief Financial Officer of the Partnership's General Partner, commented:
"We are very pleased to have completed a number of very important transactions for the Partnership during 2012, first with the issuance of $140.0 million of Class B Convertible Units leading to the prepayment of a significant part of our debt and the deferral of the Partnership's remaining debt amortization, secondly with the acquisition of the two 8,000TEU container vessels with long term employment to a highly reputable counterparty, Maersk Line, thus exposing the Partnership to a sector with attractive long term fundamentals, and finally by continuing to secure attractive period employment for our fleet. Taking into account these steps, in conjunction with the expected improvement in the fundamentals of the product tanker market going forward, the improved charter coverage of our fleet following our entry in the container market and the decreased exposure to the crude tanker market through the disposal of the two VLCCs, should positively affect the future outlook of our cash flows."
Mr Lazaridis concluded: "After taking into account the recent developments in OSG - one of our charterers - I would like to reiterate our commitment to the $0.93 per unit annual distribution guidance going forward, and to the continued enhancement of our financial flexibility in order to pursue growth opportunities and forge a pathway to distribution growth."
Conference Call and Webcast
Today, Thursday January 31, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time (U.S.), the Partnership will host an interactive conference call.
Conference Call Details:
Participants should dial into the call 10 minutes before the scheduled time using the following numbers: 1-(866) 966-9439 (from the US), 0(871) 700-0345 (from the UK) or +(44) 1452 555 566 (from outside the US). Please quote "Capital Product Partners."
A replay of the conference call will be available until February 7, 2013. The United States replay number is 1(866) 247-4222; from the UK 0(845) 245-5205; the standard international replay number is (+44) 1452 550 000 and the access code required for the replay is: 90459391#
Slides and Audio Webcast:
There will also be a simultaneous live webcast over the Internet, through the Capital Product Partners website, www.capitalpplp.com. Participants to the live webcast should register on the website approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the webcast.
Forward-Looking Statements:
The statements in this press release that are not historical facts, including our expectations regarding employment of our vessels, redelivery dates and charter rates, fleet growth and demand, newbuilding deliveries and slippage, the outcome of the OSG bankruptcy proceedings and the actions of OSG and other parties, as well as market and charter rate expectations and expectations regarding our quarterly distributions, ability to pursue growth opportunities and grow our distributions and annual distribution guidance may be forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended). These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the stated or forecasted results to be materially different from those anticipated. Unless required by law, we expressly disclaim any obligation to update or revise any of these forward-looking statements, whether because of future events, new information, a change in our views or expectations, to conform them to actual results or otherwise. We assume no responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the forward-looking statements. We make no prediction or statement about the performance of our units.
About Capital Product Partners L.P.
Capital Product Partners L.P. (NASDAQ: CPLP), a Marshall Islands master limited partnership, is an international owner of a modern tanker, container and dry bulk vessels. The Partnership currently owns 25 vessels, including four Suezmax crude oil tankers, 18 modern MR (Medium Range) product tankers, two post panamax container vessels and one Capesize bulk carrier. All of its vessels are under period charters to BP Shipping Limited, Overseas Shipholding Group, Petrobras, A.P. Moller-Maersk A.S., Arrendadora Ocean Mexicana, S.A. de C.V., Subtec S.A. de C.V., Cosco Bulk Carrier Co. Ltd. and Capital Maritime & Trading Corp.
For more information about the Partnership, please visit our website: www.capitalpplp.com.
Capital Product Partners L.P.
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive (Loss) / Income
(In thousands of United States Dollars, except number of units and earnings per unit)
Capital Product Partners L.P.
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands of United States Dollars)
Capital Product Partners L.P.
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(In thousands of United States Dollars)
Appendix A - Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measure
(In thousands of U.S. dollars)
Description of Non-GAAP Financial Measure - Operating Surplus
Operating Surplus represents net income adjusted for non-cash items such as depreciation and amortization expense, the Impairment Charge and deferred revenue. In prior periods the Partnership designated a separate reserve in its calculation of Operating Surplus for "Replacement Capital Expenditures." The intent of this reserve is to invest, rather than distribute, an amount of cash flow each quarter so that the Partnership will be able to replace vessels in its fleet as those vessels reach the end of their useful lives. Based on current estimates of future vessel replacement costs, prior levels of Replacement Capital Expenditure reserves and investment returns from previous Replacement Capital Expenditure reserves, the Board of Directors has determined not to reserve additional Replacement Capital Expenditures for the fourth quarter. The Board of Directors will continue to review its Replacement Capital Expenditure requirements on a quarterly basis. Operating Surplus is a quantitative standard used in the publicly-traded partnership investment community to assist in evaluating a partnership's ability to make quarterly cash distributions. Operating Surplus is a non-GAAP financial measure and should not be considered as an alternative to net income or any other indicator of the Partnership's performance required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The table below reconciles Operating Surplus to net income for the three-months period ended December 31, 2012.
Contact Details:Capital GP L.L.C.Ioannis Lazaridis
CEO and CFO
+30 (210) 4584 950
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com Maritime & Trading Corp.Jerry Kalogiratos
Finance Director
+30 (210) 4584 firstname.lastname@example.com Relations / MediaMatthew Abenante
Capital Link, Inc. (New York)
Tel. +1-212-661-7566
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Contact Details:Capital GP L.L.C.Ioannis Lazaridis
CEO and CFO
+30 (210) 4584 950
E-mail: email@example.com Maritime & Trading Corp.Jerry Kalogiratos
Finance Director
+30 (210) 4584 firstname.lastname@example.com Relations / MediaMatthew Abenante
Capital Link, Inc. (New York)
Tel. +1-212-661-7566
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
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On that fateful day during the Baja 1000, Kurt Caselli's life was ended far too early. At thirty-years-old and still riding an upward trajectory with his career, Caselli had already amassed an impressive resumé of race wins, and had just been announced as the newest rider KTM Racing's Dakar Rally factory team for 2014.
While it is easy to talk about his off-road accomplishments, the thing we hear the most, from the people that knew him best, was Kurt's amazing personality. He was the very best at what he did, and also one of the very best doing it.
It is touching then to see that the short video "Caselli 66 – Ride The Dream" has been produced to honor our lost racer. For those that didn't know Kurt, it is a great introduction into his amazing life, on and off the race track. And for those he was close to, the video serves as an excellent vehicle in which to remember those better times.
After the jump is the 30-minute-ish film, but be sure to grab some tissues before you hit play. It's powerful stuff.


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LOS ANGELES -- The healing process for the Los Angeles Clippers began with an emphatic victory.
DeAndre Jordan had 25 points and 18 rebounds and the Clippers defeated the Golden State Warriors, 113-103, in Game 5 of their Western Conference first-round series.
Blake Griffin tallied 18 points and seven rebounds for Los Angeles, which took a 3-2 series edge with Game 6 set for Thursday in Oakland.
Earlier Tuesday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver banned owner Donald Sterling for life from the league and fined him $2.5 million for his racially charged comments that were taped by his girlfriend and sent to media outlets.
Clippers players held a silent protest prior to their 118-97 Game 4 playoff loss to Golden State on Sunday, while a number of team sponsors have either terminated their deals or put their partnership on hold. Golden State head coach Mark Jackson also suggested that fans not show up to the playoff games in Los Angeles as a protest and others would like to see Sterling forced to sell the team.


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This week's Photo Friday entry: 'Mornings'
I've got to admit, I'm not at my best first thing in the morning. For Landscape Photographers morning time is their bread & butter. Sunrise & dawn is often a time of most beautiful light. Sometimes if you are in an area near water a nice mist forms that has dispelled by the time most people are up and about (as in the photo above taken in Crystal River in Florida). And of course the obvious reason – the lack of people. Nature is allowed to wake up gracefully (apart from a photographer or two) before all the humans arrive with their boats and cars.
We got up very early in Crystal River to see how many manatees were hanging out in the springs (they sleep there over night for warmth in the winter). This blog post has reminded me that I still have many photos to go through from that trip so I can't show you an early-morning-many-manatees-sleeping photo like I wanted too. Here's a picture of a little baby one from later from about 8am though…
If you want to see my underwater photos from various places then check out the galleries in my Reef Beasties Gallery. Or my best from 2012 here.
See all the other photo Friday entries (and submit your own) for 'Mornings' here.
PS: I'm currently selling the set up that took these photos. The top image was taken using Nikon D300 and 18-200mm lens. The manatee image was taken with Nikon D300, Tokina 10-17 FE, Subal housing with Dome port. Click here for more details & the full list of equipment for sale or email me at email@example.com. Thanks for supporting my work!


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The originating document has been archived. We cannot confirm the completeness, accuracy and currency of the content.
Generic Name: somatropin (soe ma TROE pin)
Brand Name: Genotropin, Genotropin Miniquick, Humatrope, Norditropin FlexPro Pen, Norditropin Nordiflex Pen, Nutropin AQ NuSpin 10, Nutropin AQ Pen 10 Cartridge, Omnitrope, Saizen, Serostim, Tev-tropin, Zorbtive
Medically reviewed on August 9, 2018
What is Norditropin (somatropin)?
Somatropin is a form of human growth hormone important for the growth of bones and muscles.
Somatropin is used to treat growth failure in children and adults who lack natural growth hormone. This includes people with with chronic kidney failure, Noonan syndrome, Turner syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, short stature at birth with no catch-up growth, and other causes. Somatropin is also used to prevent severe weight loss in people with AIDS, or to treat short bowel syndrome.
Somatropin may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about Norditropin (somatropin)?
You should not use somatropin if you have cancer, eye problems caused by diabetes, or if you are being treated for Prader-Willi syndrome and you are overweight or have severe breathing problems. You should not use somatropin if you have a serious illness due to lung failure or complications from recent surgery, injury, or medical trauma.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using Norditropin (somatropin)?
You should not use somatropin if you are allergic to it, or if you have:
a serious illness due to lung failure or complications from recent surgery, injury, or medical trauma;
eye problems caused by diabetes (diabetic retinopathy); or
if you are being treated for Prader-Willi syndrome and you are overweight or have severe breathing problems (including sleep apnea).
To make sure somatropin is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:
a pituitary gland disorder;
curvature of the spine (scoliosis);
underactive thyroid;
history of head injury or brain tumor; or
a history of childhood brain cancer and radiation treatment.
Some brands of somatropin are not expected to harm an unborn baby, including Genotropin, Omnitrope, Saizen, Serostim, and Zorbtive.
It is not known whether certain other brands of somatropin will harm an unborn baby, including Humatrope, Norditropin, Nutropin, and Tev-tropin.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
It is not known whether somatropin passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
How should I use Norditropin (somatropin)?
Your dose and brand of somatropin, and how often you give it will depend on what you are being treated for. Follow all directions on your prescription label. Do not use this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.
Somatropin is injected into a muscle or under the skin. You may be shown how to use injections at home. Do not self-inject this medicine if you do not understand how to give the injection and properly dispose of used needles and syringes.
Your care provider will show you the best places on your body to inject somatropin. Use a different place each time you give an injection. Do not inject into the same place two times in a row.
Do not shake the medication bottle or you may ruin the medicine. Prepare your dose only when you are ready to give an injection. Do not use if the medicine has changed colors or has particles in it. Call your pharmacist for new medicine.
Use a disposable needle and syringe only once. Follow any state or local laws about throwing away used needles and syringes. Use a puncture-proof "sharps" disposal container (ask your pharmacist where to get one and how to throw it away). Keep this container out of the reach of children and pets.
While using somatropin, you may need frequent blood tests. Your growth progress will need to be tested often. Your eyes may also need to be checked.
If you are being treated for short bowel syndrome, follow the diet plan created for you by your doctor or nutrition counselor to help control your condition. Somatropin is not a cure for short bowel syndrome.
If you have Prader-Willi syndrome, your treatment program may also include weight control. Follow your doctor's instructions very closely.
If you use a form of somatropin that comes in a cartridge for use with an injection pen, use only the pen injection system provided with the somatropin brand you use.
How you store this medicine will depend on what brand you are using and what diluent you are mixing somatropin with. After mixing somatropin, you may need to use it right away or you may be able to store it for later use. Read and carefully follow the instructions provided with your medicine about proper storage of somatropin before and after it has been mixed. Ask your pharmacist if you have any questions about proper storage of your medication.
Throw away any somatropin left over after the expiration date on the label has passed.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Use the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Call your doctor if you miss more than 3 doses in a row.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
Overdose can cause tremors or shaking, cold sweats, increased hunger, headache, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, fast heartbeat, and nausea. Long-term overdose may cause excessive growth.
What should I avoid while using Norditropin (somatropin)?
If you use Zorbtive to treat short bowel syndrome, avoid drinking fruit juices or soda beverages. Follow the instructions of your doctor or nutrition counselor about what types of liquids you should drink while using Zorbtive.
Avoid drinking alcohol if you have short bowel syndrome. Alcohol can irritate your stomach and could make your condition worse.
Norditropin (somatropin) side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Serious breathing problems may occur in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome who use somatropin. If you have Prader-Willi syndrome, call your doctor promptly if you develop signs of lung or breathing problems such as shortness of breath, coughing, or new or increased snoring.
Also call your doctor at once if you have:
vision changes with sudden and severe pain behind your eyes and nausea or vomiting;
pain in your knees or hips, or walking with a limp;
ear pain, swelling, warmth, or drainage;
numbness or tingling in your wrist, hand, or fingers;
severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, nausea and vomiting, fast heart rate; or
high blood sugar--increased thirst, increased urination, hunger, dry mouth, fruity breath odor, drowsiness, dry skin, blurred vision, weight loss.
Common side effects may include:
swelling, rapid weight gain;
muscle or joint pain;
headache; or
pain, itching, or skin changes where the medicine was injected.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
See also: Side effects (in more detail)
What other drugs will affect Norditropin (somatropin)?
Tell your doctor about all medicines you use, and those you start or stop using during your treatment with somatropin, especially:
birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy
insulin or oral diabetes medicine; or
steroid medicine (prednisone, dexamethasone, methylprednisolone, and others).
This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with somatropin, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide.
Further information
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.
Copyright 1996-2012 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 13.01. Revision Date: 2015-01-27, 8:47:14 AM.
More about Norditropin (somatropin)
- Norditropin Side Effects
- During Pregnancy or Breastfeeding
- Dosage Information
- Drug Interactions
- Compare Alternatives
- Support Group
- 3 Reviews
- Drug class: growth hormones
Consumer resources
Other brands: Genotropin, Omnitrope, Humatrope, Nutropin, ... +7 more


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Earlier this week I spent some time chatting with Reason magazine's superb science and technology writer, Ron Bailey, about all kinds of things. The short video here (2:30 long) talks about the findings of the Yale Cultural Cognition Project, which throw cold water on the "if only people were more informed" argument. Some types of people get more irrational when they have more information about a subject. (The typology Bailey refers to comes from the late distinguished political scientist Aaron Wildavsky, who thought people's social outlook and risk tolerance could be divided into four basic types: egalitarians, hierarchicalists [someone has to be in charge!], individualists, and communitarians.) We shot the video outside in Bozeman, Montana, so you can hear the low roar of traffic in the background.
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