By Carroll Colley
The story grabbing most of the headlines in Russia the last two weeks has a racy hook, but it's not the story the international community should be watching. Sure, the criminal trial against feminist/garage band Pussy Riot has its share of political intrigue. But that trial is more about church-state relations than the political repression of the women involved. Criminal charges against opposition leader and blogger extraordinaire Alexey Navalny, however, are far more serious, and they provide a window into the Kremlin's current strategy of zero tolerance for political opponents. If Navalny is convicted and jailed, the opposition would be weakened, but it could well provoke even larger protests and greater political uncertainty.
First, the more colorful case. The state is prosecuting Pussy Riot for the band's performance of a musical rant against President Vladimir Putin in Moscow's largest cathedral, and the case exposes the dark underbelly of the Russian judicial system: incompetent prosecutors, questionable witnesses, and a highly politicized judge. Instead of pursuing administrative charges -- which many Russians favor -- the government is throwing down the gauntlet by pursuing a criminal case, though some legal scholars claim that the charges themselves are outside the scope of Russian law.
While a corrupt judicial system creates problems of its own, allegations of incompetence and corruption in Russia's court system are nothing new, and the state's position in this case is more a product of the Putin regime's wish to reward the Orthodox Church's political loyalty than to punish a little-known feminist punk band. Putin, the first Russian ruler since the era of the tsars to be a practicing Orthodox, wants to support one of the political system's most stalwart supporters which called on its members to vote for him in the March presidential election.
The three women face up to seven years in prison for "hooliganism" for performing an "anti-Putin hymn" ("Holy Mother, Drive Putin Out"). After meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron last week in London, Putin said the women have already been punished enough -- they have been held in pre-detention for five months -- and should not be judged too harshly. The use of the legal system to prosecute Pussy Riot may be clumsy-and it has backfired by turning the band into an international cause celebre -- but in the end, it's little more than a colorful footnote to a worrisome trend.
On the other hand, the renewed criminal charges of embezzlement against Navalny (he was previously investigated on similar charges but cleared) should be recognized for what they are -- increased pressure against out-of-system opposition leaders that will grow under a third Putin presidential term.
Navalny has used his blog to wage a successful anti-corruption campaign against the government for several years, making him a major irritant for the ruling elite. He is the face of the opposition movement and has demonstrated that he can send a crowd of protestors into Moscow's streets. Most recently, he exposed that the head of Russia's Investigative Committee -- the Russian equivalent of the FBI -- violated Russian law by owning property in the Czech Republic and holding a Czech residence permit. The Investigative Committee responded quickly with these most recent charges.
Interestingly, Navalny remains free, which suggests that the Kremlin is making him an offer: Stop the anti-government shenanigans or risk 10 years in prison. If his past actions are a good indicator, Navalny won't take this deal; he has been playing this cat-and-mouse game with authorities for some time and has yet to blink. Among the opposition, Navalny appears to be the most charismatic and ambitious figure, one who could possibly rally Russia's disparate opposition movement and mount a credible political career. A potential show trial -- if the standard set with Pussy Riot is to be followed -- and subsequent prison sentence would create yet another political martyr and drastically underscore the authoritarianism of Russia's political dynamic.
If Navalny's case goes to court, he can't expect the leniency that Pussy Riot may ultimately receive. He'll probably get prison time, a verdict that would enrage the opposition (the upper-middle classes in Moscow and a handful of other major cities) and probably provoke greater unrest. But the outcome would be largely supported as a sign of strength by Russia's majority, the working middle and lower classes that support the current system. It will also send yet another signal that the Kremlin's patience with the democratic opposition has reached its limit.
Carroll Colley is an analyst in Eurasia Group's Eurasia practice.
Alexey SAZONOV/AFP/Getty Images
By Gemma Ferst
The lack of global leadership, what we at Eurasia Group call the G-Zero, has become a common refrain among international thinkers. But while others wring their hands, over in his Ak Orda (White Horde) palace in windswept Astana, Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev is planning to do something about it.
In February, he launched G-Global: a bid to hatch a new world order through the exchange of ideas. Styled as an "electronic Bretton Woods," G-Global will disseminate a plan for global reform in May. On hand to provide intellectual firepower is the Eurasian Economic Club, which, bringing together top economists from Tajikistan to Moldova, has already produced a draft.
The road to Utopia could be long, though. Although G-Global boasts 10,000 members from 28 countries, the vast majority (more than 40,000) of the posts on its forum emanate from a single doctoral candidate at Irkutsk State Technical University, formerly the Siberian Mining Institute. None of the 543 participants who signed up in the last month has so far weighed in, suggesting that global traction may still be a ways off.
Nazarbayev, a former metallurgist who has ruled his oil-rich country since Soviet times, has long been something of a blue-sky thinker. The absence of criticism from his citizenry, combined with plenty of petrodollars, has fed an apparently genuine belief that it is his destiny to solve more than just Kazakhstan's problems. Previous schemes include a new, as yet unrealized global currency dubbed the Akmetal and an annual Congress of World Religions in Astana. (Nazarbayev commissioned British architect Norman Foster to design the $58 million Palace of Peace and Reconciliation -- a pyramid housing an opera house in its basement -- just to host the event.) He also came up with the idea of a Eurasian Union, well before Putin took it up again last year.
Nazarbayev cares greatly about how outsiders perceive him. He spends huge sums on Western public relations campaigns and has taken on Tony Blair as an adviser. Indeed, at 71, he is hoping to establish his legacy as an international statesman, peace-builder, and possible Nobel Peace Prize winner.
What G-Global really shows us, though, is what happens when authoritarian states try to innovate. Billed as a platform for free-wheeling discussion, G-Global comes with a code of conduct that is both granular and draconian. Contributors are forbidden to "maliciously non-adhere to the rules of the Russian language," for example, and are instructed to exclude any "political content" from their posts -- a practice that would seem to put the kibosh on serious attempts at revamping global governance.
This same autocratic reflex will hamper Kazakhstan's bid to become one of the world's most competitive economies by 2015. Nazarbayev refers to innovation as a "gigantic leap of the Kazakhstani snow leopard into the future" and has ordered the country's state-owned firms to modernize. But these firms -- even the start-ups -- are ruled with a centralized iron fist. And the government's response to unrest, notably the deadly violence in Zhanaozen last December, is always to tighten the leash.
With G-Global, Nazarbayev wants to "radically widen the number of participants in seeking anti-crisis solutions for the world." But he won't countenance a similar widening of Kazakhstan's own political process (letting the opposition stand in elections would be a start), which is why this particular snow leopard won't be influencing global leaders any time soon.
Gemma Ferst is an analyst in Eurasia Group's Eurasia practice.
MIKHAIL METZEL/AFP/Getty Images
By Yael Levine
On Sept. 16, the Kremlin's latest experiment in "managed democracy" ended in disaster when Russia's third-richest man, Nets owner and oligarch Mikhail Prokhorov, made his dramatic exit from the Right Cause party and exposed Russia's behind-the-scenes political dealings. In an abruptly called press conference replete with zingy one-liners, Prokhorov declared that representatives of the president's administration had mounted a raid on Right Cause. Cameras flashed and journalists tweeted as Prokhorov signed and displayed a document ordering the party's executive committee dissolved and its most prominent members fired. Less than a day later, he resigned. But far from auguring change, the hubbub will likely only encourage the Kremlin to consolidate around Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's United Russia party and forgo building even the façade of a multiparty system.
Right Cause was born in 2008 as the product of three liberal parties that had watched their popular support dwindle to 1 percent or less of the voting population by the end of Putin's presidency. When Prokhorov unexpectedly stepped up to head Right Cause in June, everyone assumed he was part of a Kremlin ploy to reinvigorate the party as an avenue for disaffected liberals to let off steam-harmlessly. As poster boy, Prokhorov's job was merely to provide the funds and cache the party required to mount a respectable campaign for the Duma elections this December.
So it was surprising to many when Prokhorov seemed to take being an opposition leader seriously. A Right Cause manifesto he published last month on the party's website (which has been "in reconstruction" since last week) and on his blog was harshly critical of Russia's authoritarian political system and hollow judicial one. He was likewise insistent about adding Yevgeny Roizman, a controversial anti-drug activist and former Duma deputy that the Kremlin disapproved of, to the party's ranks. And he reportedly planned to organize some sort of tent camp for Right Cause supporters -- a throwback to Ukraine's Orange Revolution and to what is probably Putin's worst nightmare. By the time the party congress came around, the Kremlin, it would seem, had had enough. During the first day of the party congress, a split emerged between the pro-Prokhorov faction (some of whom were literally locked out of the day's meetings) and the anti-Prokhorov faction (who seemed to have been sent expressly to hijack Right Cause).
The height of the drama came when Prokhorov called Vladislav Surkov (Russia's answer to Karl Rove) a puppet-master and said that he blocked real political competition. This affront to Russia's democracy "manager" likely went unnoticed by the bulk of the population, since only a sanitized version aired on television. But those who followed the events closely were among Russia's newspaper- and blog-reading elite -- precisely the constituency Right Cause was designed to placate. They watched as a Kremlin that thought it could have its cake and eat it too was chastened. And the Kremlin itself was surely paying attention as Right Cause, a party it had co-opted for public consumption, morphed into an embarrassment that needed covering up. Shaken by the fiasco, the Kremlin will be careful to limit its electioneering efforts in the run up to the Duma elections and to the presidential race in March to pumping up United Russia.
Yael Levine is a member of Eurasia Group's Eurasia practice.
NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA/AFP/Getty Images
By Eurasia Group's Eurasia practice
It looks like a relatively calm year for Eurasia, the area encompassing the former Soviet successor states at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. For the most part, the region is politically stable and countries will continue to see slow but steady economic growth. Russia and Kazakhstan face elections in 2012, but both are governed by well entrenched soft-authoritarian regimes. Ukraine is stabilizing, but risks remain in Georgia.
The ruling Putin-Medvedev tandem in Russia continues to govern with a minimum of internal friction, and the risk of social instability that rose following the financial crisis has now receded. Russian politics in 2011 will be defined largely by two events: the State Duma elections, scheduled for December, and the run-up to the presidential election set for March 2012. Russia's regional influence is strong enough that it may be exercised more subtly than in the past. Russia's GDP is expected to grow by 3 percent to 5 percent. Policy will be molded by two competing goals: the populist impulse to increase social and military spending ahead of elections and the finance ministry's push to slash deficits and impose fiscal discipline. To shrink its budget deficit, Russia will turn to international capital markets, raise taxes, and embark on a massive privatization program. In terms of foreign policy, Moscow will work to improve relations with the West, the United States in particular, as part of a general strategy to draw more foreign investment.
In Kazakhstan, aging President Nursultan Nazarbayev remains firmly in charge and is expected to run for reelection in 2012 -- unless a referendum is passed that extends his rule until 2020. But he will eventually need to groom a successor who is acceptable to the country's various elite groups. In the meantime, political and business leaders will throw a few more elbows without destabilizing the current system. Most forecasts put Kazakh growth between 3 percent and 4 percent for 2011. The country will probably follow Russia's lead on trying to shrink its budget deficit, raising taxes on oil and gas producers, and implementing measures to cut spending.
The implementation of IMF-mandated reforms in Ukraine may hurt the popularity of Viktor Yanukovych's government, but the country's perennially turbulent politics promise to stabilize next year. Popular anger could trigger protests against the government in 2011, and this could pose a longer-term threat to stability, particularly if Yanukovych's popularity declines and the opposition is able to regroup. It also presents a risk to the implementation of measures required by Ukraine's IMF loan. Regionally, there is also still a risk of a natural gas crisis between Ukraine and Russia that could affect supplies in 2011. Recently improved ties between Moscow and Kyiv are a major factor in containing the danger.
The major exception to Eurasia's general sense of tranquility is in Georgia, where relations with Russia remain tense. It's possible that another limited military flare-up between the neighbors could occur at some point in 2011. This would have an immediate negative effect on markets and the investment climate and cast a shadow over the rest of the region.
This post was written by analysts in Eurasia Group's Eurasia practice.
DMITRY ASTAKHOV/AFP/Getty Images
By Maria Kuusisto and Seema Desai
Twenty months after the Mumbai terrorist attacks put Indian-Pakistani relations on ice, last week's much-anticipated meeting of the nuclear-armed neighbors' foreign ministers ended without a breakthrough. A contentious press conference held by Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his Indian counterpart S.M. Krishna underlined the reality that it will take more than time to heal the wounds inflicted by the attacks and their aftermath.
But beyond the outcome of any one meeting, there are four main obstacles to a stronger relationship. First, there's the ongoing risk of terrorism. Pakistan's foreign minister does not reflect the militant groups based inside his country that would like to launch more attacks on India. (And when he did speak during the press conference that followed last week's meeting, it was to condemn Indian accusations of Pakistani complicity in the Mumbai attacks.) With another attack in the Indian city of Pune in February, Indian security agencies also say they've foiled several planned strikes on high-profile government and commercial targets in large cities.
The terrorist risk will remain high for the foreseeable future, and another attack linked to Pakistan-based groups would trigger public pressure on India's government to respond with military force-with aerial attacks on suspected terrorist camps and infrastructure inside Pakistan, for example. Aware of the risk that escalation could spiral beyond either side's full control, Delhi would work hard to resist these pressures. But Indian leaders won't take military threats off the table for fear of emboldening militant organizations like Lashkar-e-Taiba, the group that India blames for Mumbai.
There's also a political dimension to the terrorism problem. Under Indian and American pressure, Pakistani security forces briefly detained Lashkar-e-Taiba leader Hafiz Saeed. In June, a Pakistani court released him. Indian officials continue to insist that progress in Indian-Pakistani relations depends on Pakistan's willingness to bring those responsible for Mumbai to justice. Pakistani officials counter that better relations should have no precondition. And since Pakistan's foreign and security policy is managed by the country's military, not its civilian government, there is little that Pakistani negotiators can credibly promise their Indian counterparts on this issue at this time.
Second, there is Kashmir. This perennial flashpoint, which has triggered three wars between India and Pakistan, is off the negotiating table for the moment. Things had been improving in the region. Local elections last year in Indian-controlled Kashmir featured high voter turnout and little sign of violence. But in recent weeks, clashes between security forces and demonstrators have killed 15 civilians in the provincial capital of Srinagar, and Indian officials have placed the blame squarely on Lashkar-e-Taiba. A military confrontation remains unlikely for the moment, but the unrest makes clear that Kashmiri violence is not a thing of the past.
Third, there is Afghanistan. The Obama administration plans to begin a U.S. withdrawal from the country next year, leaving India and Pakistan at cross-purposes as each prepares for a post-American power vacuum. Pakistan wants an allied government in Kabul, and elements of the Pakistani military and security services are pushing for a power-sharing deal between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Sirajuddin Haqqani, leader of an al Qaeda-linked militant network and Islamabad's traditional regional ally.
Delhi sees this Pakistani maneuvering as a direct threat to Indian national security, since it could allow the Taliban to resume support for terrorism in Kashmir and provide sanctuary for anti-Indian militants. India will look to boost its own influence in Afghanistan through anti-Taliban elements, including the Northern Alliance.
Finally, there is water. India plans to build several hydropower projects on rivers that cross the border to irrigate 80 percent of Pakistan's agricultural land and fuel 50 percent of Pakistan's hydropower capacity. Islamabad worries that India could use hydropower projects to trigger a flood or a drought -- and the economic crisis that either might provoke. This fear reached new heights in August 2008, when India withheld a considerable amount of water from the Chenab River and stored it in a local dam, worsening already serious problems for Pakistan's farming sector. Pakistan claims that India's projects violate a 1960 treaty that governs the use of water resources in the Indus River System. India says they do not.
Given the complexities of their shared history, it's little wonder that Qureshi and Krishna could agree last week on little more than the value of meeting again. That's why, if every journey begins with a single step, Indian and Pakistani diplomats should pack for a long trip.
AAMIR QURESHI/AFP/Getty Images
By Ana Jelenkovic and Willis Sparks
You may not have heard much about the growing violence in Kyrgyzstan, an impoverished and corruption-plagued former Soviet republic that's home to 5.5 million people and a delicate ethnic balance that has now completely broken down. But the deteriorating security situation and growing ethnic conflict there matters-for the people who live there, for the region, for Russia, and for the United States.
Kyrgyzstan has been in turmoil since April, when a bloody confrontation between an increasingly unpopular government and opposition activists ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiev, who is now in exile in Belarus. A government led by interim president Roza Otunbaeva took power, but it hasn't been able to establish full control in the south of the country, home to most of Bakiyev's supporters and much of the country's Uzbek minority.
There's a long history of ethnic tension in the region -- the current unrest is reminiscent of a 1990 bloody conflict which was resolved with Soviet troops -- and the power vacuum that emerged in the region in the wake of Bakiyev's ouster in April has helped reignite ethnic resentment.
Last weekend, Kyrgyz gangs, began attacking ethnic Uzbeks in house-to-house raids. The interim government was unable to contain the violence, which quickly spiraled out of control. Reports of large-scale rape and murder have drawn the attention of neighboring governments, international institutions, Washington, and Moscow.
Why should the world be watching more closely?
First, what began as thuggery reached ethnic cleansing levels of violence. While the situation appears to have calmed down somewhat after a nasty weekend, violence is likely to continue. Under attack, huge numbers of the country's Uzbeks have fled in fear for their lives. U.N. officials have called on Kyrgyzstan's interim government to provide refugees with safe passage. It remains unclear if state officials can or will do that.
Second, the current violence is starting to look a bit like the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico: It won't stop until someone stops it. The new Kyrgyz government appears to believe that only Russian soldiers can accomplish that and has called on the Kremlin for help. Though interim leader Otunbaeva today says that international peacekeepers are no longer needed, it is clear that international support is necessary to ensure the safe passage of refugees and the delivery of humanitarian aid to all communities in need.
Third, Russia remains reluctant to wade into a conflict that might turn into a quagmire. But the risks generated by violence so close to Russia's borders and the fear that the country could become a safe haven for anti-Russian militants/terrorists will probably compel Moscow to move forward.
Fourth, to persuade a reluctant Russia, the Kyrgyz foreign minister has now suggested that his government might be willing to revisit a decision to extend the lease on an airbase used by U.S. forces as a vital line of supply for NATO forces in Afghanistan. Moscow holds the cards and could insist that the Americans leave. In what has become typical for the provisional government, individual leaders are sending mixed signals. Otunbaeva, for instance, insists that the lease will be extended, and Russia and the U.S. share an interest in the stability of Afghanistan.
Finally, the governments of the largest of the Central Asia republics-Uzbekistan and energy-rich Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan have done well for themselves politically and economically by playing Russia, America and China off one another. If Russian troops enter Kyrgyz territory in large numbers, that delicate balance could be overthrown in Russia's favor. At the very least, the leaders of countries neighboring Kyrgyzstan will have to weigh Russia's capacity for mischief with each decision of regional importance.
Things are looking up for those in Moscow who would like to rebuild Russian influence across former Soviet territory. A brief war with Georgia in August 2008 proved that Russia could assert itself with a minimum of lasting international outcry. The most recent presidential election in Ukraine produced a more Moscow-friendly government in Kiev. Now a Central Asian government is offering the Kremlin concessions in return for an armed intervention in its territory.
Obscure though the players may be, this conflict is one to watch.
Ana Jelenkovic is an analyst in Eurasia Group's Europe and Eurasia practice. Willis Sparks is a global macro analyst.
VIKTOR DRACHEV/AFP/Getty Images
By Ian Bremmer
As 2009 draws to a close, Turkey appears high on the list of good-news stories gone bad. Central to the country's political stability and open investment climate over the past several years has been the popularity of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his moderate religious Justice and Development Party. Known by its Turkish acronym AKP, the party first swept to power in 2002. Five years later, the AKP captured nearly 47 percent of the vote in a field that included more than a dozen parties, allowing it to govern without a coalition partner that might have obstructed reform and foreign investment.
But a sluggish economy and high unemployment have pushed the AKP's popularity below 32 percent, and the party finds itself in an increasingly bitter standoff with the country's most determined secularists -- including leading opposition politicians, the military brass, much of the media, and some of the country's most powerful businessmen. Negotiations with the European Commission over the country's bid to join the EU have all but ground to a halt.
Things took another turn for the worse last week, when Turkey's Constitutional Court voted to shutter the country's main Kurdish political party and to ban 37 of its members from politics for the next five years. The verdict has effectively scrapped the AKP's ill-fated "Democratic Opening," an attempt to boost the party's declining popularity with the country's Kurdish minority ahead of elections now scheduled for mid-2011 and to promote the kind of reforms that keep the EU process on track. If the move provokes more violence from alienated Kurds, the AKP could also face tough criticism from nationalists, who will accuse the government of being "soft on terrorism."
The AKP is also feeling pressure from conservative religious circles. The Islamist Felicity Party is picking up support among religious voters who aren't satisfied with the ruling party's commitment to their agenda and who are turned off by a series of corruption scandals involving senior AKP officials.
In other words, the AKP remains the dominant force in Turkish
politics, but its latest actions have antagonized players across the country's
political spectrum. We knew the next elections would provoke all kinds of
tensions between the AKP and its secularist critics, but it's becoming more
likely that the AKP will have to form a coalition government next year, putting
an end to the single-party rule that has provided real momentum behind economic
reform and welcomed much-needed foreign investment in Turkey's future.
Ian Bremmer is president of Eurasia Group.
ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images
By Ian Bremmer
Most of us don't think much about Somalia, Yemen, or Tajikistan -- not with more colorful problems like Iran, North Korea, and a global recession to worry about. But growing threats to civil order in these less familiar countries could have serious implications for international politics and the global economy.
On the one hand, the term "failed state" is used way too freely these days. Pakistan's civilian government might well implode, but the country's military is the final guarantor of the country's stability. Ukraine's governing institutions have survived years of political disputes among its president, prime minister, and main opposition leader -- and they're likely to withstand a bitterly contested upcoming election. Mexico has endured swine flu, an earthquake, and an intensified drug war this year, but anyone who believes the country is at serious risk of state failure wasn't paying attention this weekend as legislative elections went off without a hitch.
But other states are at genuine risk of total meltdown -- with potentially serious international consequences.
Africa has no shortage of political and social turmoil, but Somalia, which hasn't had a functioning government in nearly two decades, is in a league of its own. Criminal networks control key ports, stoking the surge of piracy off Somali waters and in the neighboring Gulf of Aden, where more than 10 percent of global oil traffic passes. More than 60 ships, including a Saudi supertanker, have been hijacked in the last 18 months.
Onshore, well-armed Islamic militants, with local roots and al Qaeda connections, have filled a political vacuum across the south and center of the country, attracting foreign fighters to join them. A western-backed transitional government and African Union peacekeepers are virtually powerless to stop their advance.
Somalis who want the militants out lack the weapons and the friends to evict them. We can expect more lawlessness, radicalization, suicide bombings (previously unheard of in Somalia), attacks on western targets inside and outside the country, and more piracy. If the government loses control of Mogadishu's port and airport, the country will slip beneath the waves, with serious consequences for the entire region.
Across the Gulf of Aden lies Yemen, where 20 million people live atop very little land and almost no natural resources. They also live next door to Saudi Arabia, which has plenty of both. Yemen isn't yet a failed state, but in recent months, Islamic militants have pushed it much closer to the edge.
Years ago, al Qaeda made a major tactical mistake: It targeted a Saudi government that has more than enough muscle to fight back. Learning from its mistake, the group now appears to be thriving across the southern border in Yemen, which is fast becoming an ideological incubator and a logistical center of operations for Islamic militancy. This plays into a dangerous domestic dynamic. For the past four years, the Yemeni Islamist movement has split between older generation militants who oppose operations inside Yemen (which they consider a needed sanctuary) and a new generation operating via a looser, less formal network of cells in pursuit of domestic jihad. Killing Americans in Iraq remains as attractive as ever, but it's a lot easier to carry out attacks inside Yemen.
The Yemeni government can maintain security in the capital city of Sanaa, but it can't control rural and tribal areas, where an Afghanistan-style dynamic has unfolded: Local tribes are cutting separate security deals with local extremists. Any yet, the Yemeni government's real vulnerability comes from its deep dependence on energy production for revenue, creating a growing risk of militant attack on oil and gas infrastructure. Yemen's natural resource outlook was already bleak. At current levels of exploitation, flows of oil (and water) will slow to a trickle in the next 10-15 years.
Why should the world care about Yemen's stability? Because state collapse would quickly become Saudi Arabia's security problem -- and Saudi security problems matter for every country in the world that imports crude oil. Beyond cross-border terrorist activities, Saudi authorities face a surge in militancy in northern Yemen, which is pushing Yemeni migrants across the border. And if extremist groups can use Yemen as a base for maritime terrorism the way pirates use Somalia, the global shipping industry would suffer serious consequences.
The situation in Tajikistan doesn't look much better. About half its labor force works outside the country, supporting families via remittances and exposing the country to economic volatility elsewhere. In fact, remittances and foreign aid account for about half the country's GDP. More than 60 percent of the population lives in poverty. Nearly 80 percent lack reliable supplies of electricity. Health care and education infrastructure are abysmal.
President Emomali Rakhmon has centralized power by buying off some rivals and throwing others in jail. His government runs largely on political patronage, ensuring that an economic slowdown risks political, as well as economic, consequences. The country's small elite benefits from control of the hard currency produced from aluminum and cotton exports, but the global recession ensures that regular customers are spending less on these products. Tajikistan's aluminum output fell by nearly 17% in the first quarter of 2009. The government tends to ignore economic sectors and geographic areas that have few to exploit. Memories of civil war (1992-1997) have reduced the public's appetite for political protest, but things are getting bad enough that this might change.
Tajikistan matters because it serves as a transit point (and in some cases a source) of flows of drugs and weapons into several more internationally influential countries. It shares a porous 1200 km-long border with Afghanistan that cannot be secured, which could help reinforce militants fighting against US and NATO troops. Drugs and weapons already cross the border into Russia and China and flow across South Asia. State collapse in Tajikistan would destabilize the broader Fergana Valley, with impact on neighboring Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic.
Finally, there might well be spillover effects inside China's Xinjiang province, where about 45 percent of the population is Muslim and where unrest over the weekend reportedly killed at least 140 people. According to the Chinese government, Xinjiang produces 30 percent of China's oil reserves, 34 percent of its natural gas reserves, and 40 percent of its coal reserves- in a country that still draws 70 percent of its energy from coal.
Countries like Somalia, Yemen, and Tajikistan don't often make international headlines. But they have an increasingly dangerous impact on plenty of states that do.
The Call, from Ian Bremmer, uses cutting-edge political science to predict the political future -- and how it will shape the global economy.


text:
URL with Digital Object Identifier
The advent of continuous-flow isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (CF-IRMS) coupled with a high temperature conversion (HTC) system enabled faster, more cost effective, and more precise δ2H analysis of hydrogen-bearing solids. Accurate hydrogen isotopic analysis by on-line or off-line techniques requires appropriate isotopic reference materials (RMs). A strategy of two-point calibrations spanning δ2H range of the unknowns using two RMs is recommended. Unfortunately, the supply of the previously widely used isotopic RM, NBS 30 biotite, is exhausted. In addition, recent measurements have shown that the determination of δ2H values of NBS 30 biotite on the VSMOW-SLAP isotope-delta scale by on-line HTC systems with CF-IRMS may be unreliable because hydrogen in this biotite may not be converted quantitatively to molecular hydrogen. The δ2HVSMOW-SLAP values of NBS 30 biotite analyzed by on-line HTC systems can be as much as 21 mUr (or ‰) too positive compared to the accepted value of −65.7 mUr, determined by only a few conventional off-line measurements. To ensure accurate and traceable on-line hydrogen isotope-ratio determinations in mineral samples, we here propose two isotopically homogeneous, hydrous mineral RMs with well-characterized isotope-ratio values, which are urgently needed. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has prepared two such RMs, USGS57 biotite and USGS58 muscovite. The δ2H values were determined by both glassy carbon-based on-line conversion and chromium-based on-line conversion, and results were confirmed by off-line conversion. The quantitative conversion of hydrogen from the two RMs using the on-line HTC method was carefully evaluated in this study. The isotopic compositions of these new RMs with 1-σ uncertainties and mass fractions of hydrogen are:
USGS57 (biotite) δ2HVSMOW-SLAP = −91.5 ± 2.4 mUr (n =24)
Mass fraction hydrogen = 0.416 ± 0.002% (n=4)
Mass fraction water = 3.74 ± 0.02% (n=4)
USGS58 (muscovite) δ2HVSMOW-SLAP = −28.4 ± 1.6 mUr (n =24)
Mass fraction hydrogen = 0.448 ± 0.002% (n=4)
Mass fraction water = 4.03 ± 0.02% (n =4).
These δ2HVSMOW-SLAP values encompass typical ranges for solid unknowns of crustal and mantle origin and are available to users for recommended two-point calibration.

domain: chemistry


text:
At the start of the season, Liverpool central defender Virgil Van Dijk was praised as the backbone of the Liverpool team because of his defensive ability which helped the team to concede lesser goals.
The former Southampton defender was solid alongside Joe Gomez at the middle and they were commanded to give the midfield and attack the confidence to keep going forward without looking back.
This can no longer be said at the moment owing to the situation with the club especially now that they lost their top spot within two weeks. From being top with about 7 points clear, Liverpool are now second in the Premier League table.
However, Mark Lawrenson has suggested that the Liverpool defender is now looking ordinary, different from what he used to be at the start of the season.
It has already been established that the £150,000-a-week defender is one of the best in the league but it seems the shield in him has been lost, according to Mark Lawrenson.
Hinting on what the problem might be for Virgil Van Dijk, Mark Lawrenson stated that he has lost his trusted partners on the pitch to injury and the people.
However, it is unsure when Joe Gomez and other defenders will be returning but it has been established that the return of Van Dijk to his best will go a long way in helping Liverpool.

domain: news


text:
In my book, The One-Month No Sugar & No Flour Challenge, I discuss how your brain will react as you go through the first two weeks of the one-month challenge. As you start the process of giving up sugar and flour, you have to keep in mind that all of your life you’ve been eating the sweet deliciousness of sugar and your brain would rather you didn’t stop anytime soon. In the book, I use the example of a slimy sugar slug that rests on your brain and tries to punish you for starving it. After going through the detoxification process again recently I thought of another analogy for you.
As a parent, there’s nothing worse than fighting a battle with a tired toddler that refuses to accept the fact that they are tired. They become whiny, combative, obnoxious, and downright mean. It can be a frustrating experience as a parent, and at times you might feel like just giving in and trying to make the toddler happy, even though it might not be the best thing for you.
When you begin going without sugar and flour, your brain is much like that toddler as it begins ramping up to have a final tantrum. The first few days, your brain might be distracted a bit with all the other food you’re eating, but it also has an idea that something isn’t the same. After that point, your brain becomes like a whiny toddler, letting you know that it isn’t happy by giving you a dull headache and “jabbing” you when you see the treats it’s desperately missing. Depending on your routines with sugar before starting, the effects can be minor to downright uncomfortable.
As the next few days pass, you get some full blown tantrums from your brain. Moments when you might question your sanity around the food you used to eat. Grocery store aisles might call out to you, or the candy lane at the gas station might be too tempting to even look at. As you continue to eat healthy, the tantrums may cause you to feel like you aren’t satisfied and you might find yourself foraging around your cupboards, looking for something you crave. At this point, your rational brain needs to do everything it can to help you through it. (And having a solid food plan really helps. See previous blogs!)
Finally, somewhere between day 10 and 14, the day of the big blowup happens. This is the final tantrum you will likely experience and the “tired toddler” sugar-addicted part of your brain will pull out all the stops to make you suffer. On that day, it seems like nothing you eat will satisfy your hunger. Every time you turn around, you feel like you need something to eat, even though you might have just eaten something. If you’re bored at home, then plan for a day of constantly checking cabinets and wondering what it will take to make you feel satisfied.
The good news here is on that day, you are getting the last of it, so just be strong. Much like that final big tantrum a toddler will throw, expending the last of their energy before falling asleep, your brain will accept that no sugar is coming its way. If you stay the course, then things become easier from that point forward. In fact, even though it may be difficult to believe, living without sugar and flour actually becomes easier the longer you do it. This is completely different than other programs I attempted in the past where the temptation on day one was the same as it was on day forty.
I look forward to hearing about your success story of overcoming your “Sugar Slug” or “tired toddler” brain issues. Send me your thoughts to email@example.com.
All the best!

domain: psychology


By Miguel Rodriguez
Who knew that T.J. Graham's and Marquise Goodwin's breakout games this year would take place not just in a game where the Bills played without their top two receivers but also on a windy, miserable day at Ralph Wilson Stadium?
It was just four weeks ago (three games and a bye) in which both speedy receivers stepped up their games and were playmakers and difference-makers for the Bills in a 37-14 rout of the Jets.
In that game Goodwin made six receptions for 81 yards and burned Antonio Cromartie badly on a 43-yard touchdown that pretty much wrapped up that victory. He was Goodwin also was targeted nine times.
Graham made two catches for 74 yards and a touchdown, adjusting wonderfully on a deep but underthrown pass as EJ Manuel was being blitzed for the 34-yard score. He was targeted four times.
It made one wonder what the offense would be like if they continued to do that while in the presence of Johnson and Woods.
But since that breakout day by the speedy duo however, Goodwin and Graham have combined for zero, ZERO!, catches with Graham being targeted five times and Goodwin four times.
“We’re still trying to get the ball deep," Graham said Monday morning during player availablity. "They’re heating up, they’re d-ing up up front. The pressures are different. If there’s not a lot of time up front then it’s hard to get the ball deep down field.”
Goodwin didn't come by his locker during the media availablity.
Perhaps the Bills should do more than try to throw deep to their speedsters. A little slant pattern or curl route to keep the D honest?
"When we watch the film today and tomorrow, we'll see and make adjustments accordingly," Graham said.
Graham and Goodwin both have similar stats with the second-year Graham catching 18 passes for 272 yards (15.1 yards per catch) and a lone TD. Goodwin has 16 catches for 261 yards (16.3 yards per catch) and three TDs.
Goodwin's contributions seem to standout more simply because one of his TD catches helped the Bills force overtime against Cincinnati back in Week Six.


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text: Gheorghe Visu is a famous Romanian film and theater actor .He was born on July 2, 1951 in Bucharest, Romania. He graduated from Institute of Theatrical Arts and Cinematography in 1974.In 1974, he plays first role in the movie Tata de Duminica. Other notable roles in Toate pânzele sus (1977),Faleze de nisip (1983 ) ,Caini (2016) . Play on the stage of the theater ''National I.L. Caragiale'' in Bucharest. 1991 UCIN Award for male performance supporting role .2017 Gopo Award for Best Supporting Actor. Order of Cultural Merit in the rank of Officer in 2004 He is married and they have a daughter Andreea.

domain: celebrity


text:
The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) hosts the last of six free concerts in its 2018-2019 Ward Virts Concert Series at its Prince Frederick Campus May 12. This season’s final concert will feature Jazz One’s “Happening Now.”
“This season has had a central theme of new angles to classic music,” said CSM Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences and Education Chair Dr. Stephen Johnson. Jazz One is led by CSM faculty member Phil Ravita and the group will present a unique approach to jazz and jazz originals, Johnson said.
The Ward Virts Concert Series celebrates the life and talent of Ward Virts, a talented Southern Maryland pianist who died suddenly in 1993. A group of Ward’s friends and classmates conceived the Ward Virts Piano Project to bring the love of life, beauty and music that Ward embodied to a new generation of Southern Maryland students, performers and appreciative audiences. The concerts are performed on a world-class handcrafted Bosendorfer Grand Piano, a gift to CSM’s Prince Frederick Campus from the Ward Virts Piano Project.
Sponsors of the 2018-2019 series include the CSM Foundation, Dr. and Mrs. Henry Virts, Eric and Rané Franklin, Mary Anna Phillips and Stovy and Anne Brown. Additional funding is provided by Arts Council of Calvert County and Maryland State Arts Council grants.
CSM Ward Virts Concert Series: Jazz One, “Happening Now.” May 12, 3 p.m. College of Southern Maryland, Prince Frederick Campus, Building B, Multipurpose Room, 115 J.W. Williams Road, Prince Frederick. Jazz One will perform. Free. www.csmd.edu/community/the-arts/music/ward-virts-series/index.


text:
Advocates for community participation and quality of life may benefit from a better understanding of how pain intensity and environmental barriers influence participation outcomes. Unfortunately, little evidence exists on how the interaction between personal factors (e.g., pain) and environmental factors (e.g., physical accessibility) influence participation. To address this gap, we studied Pain Interference Patterns (PIP) by collecting both longitudinal and ecological momentary assessment (EMA or real-time) data to explore these factors and outcomes. Through better understanding of these interactions, we hope to inform interventions, policy, and services that can promote full participation in community life.
Domains of Participation
For this project looked at participation in three categories.
- Visits to Doctors or Health Care Providers
- Grocery Stores
- Shopping Malls
- Large Box Stores
- Public Parks
- Exercise Facilities
- Active Recreation
- Socializing Outside the Home
- Religious Activities
- Community Activities
The regression models for medical and discretionary participation were significant, while shopping participation was not. It appears that shopping (including grocery shopping, malls, and big box stores) is not sensitive to variation in personal and environmental factors. This is somewhat expected in that household shopping and in particular grocery shopping constitutes a basic need that cannot be ignored.
Higher sum of secondary conditions scores were associated with increased medical participation, while higher reported pain levels were associated with reduced medical participation. This finding may reflect the debilitating nature of pain such that pain at higher levels decreases the likelihood of leaving home to access or use medical services. Interestingly, higher rates of participation barriers were associated with increased medical care use. It is possible that individuals who encounter more barriers have more limiting health conditions and the participation barriers scale is acting as a proxy for disability severity. Respondents who were employed PT or FT engaged in significantly less medical participation. Employment may be capturing variance of a factor not specified in the model, like complexity of medical needs, which affects both employment and medical service utilization. Alternatively, it could simply reflect that employed people have less time for pursuing medical appointments.
Interestingly, respondents who were married or had a partner participated in almost four fewer discretionary outings per week. This may indicate that single people go into the community for socialization, while couples have this need met at home. Pleasure was associated with more discretionary participation, where respondents who scored higher on the pleasure domain of the orientation to happiness scale participated in more activities. This finding seems to reflect that people who participate more experience more pleasure. However, the opposite could also be true; individuals who experience more pleasure tend to participate more. Understanding the directionality of this result could be important for developing interventions to increase participation.
Resting for pain management was associated with reduced discretionary participation. The literature indicates that those who use resting as a coping strategy for pain management are more likely to have worse physical functioning (Jensen, Turner, Romano, & Strom, 1995). Rest may serve as a proxy variable for disability severity, which in turn acts as a mediating variable between pain management and discretionary participation.
Overall, the models highlight the need to explore specific domains of participation, as facilitators in one domain may actually serve as barriers in another. Additional participation domains likely deserve attention as well. For instance, we used employment as an independent variable for the medial, shopping and discretionary domains, but taking part in the workforce is also a participation outcome. We did not explore employment because it is typically analyzed using logistic regression and was not directly comparable to the other participation domains.
The Next Steps
By looking at change scores over time with longitudinal data, we can begin to understand causal factors related to participation. These hypothesized relationships can be further analyzed among participants who also completed EMA real-time data (n = 100). EMA respondents answered six mini-surveys per day for 14 consecutive days about what they were doing, how they were feeling, and what barriers they encountered since the last data prompt (i.e., approximately over the past two hours). Recording events as they occur reduces recall bias and allows us to explore causality and patterns. For instance, high pain episodes may follow high rates of barriers encountered in the community. Likewise, participation may have lagged patterns related to changes in pain levels. How variables interact provides evidence for addressing pain and participation outcomes and can be used to inform behavioral interventions.

domain: sociology


text:
Date: 9th October 2000
PRETTY WOMAN star JULIA ROBERTS has been declared the most powerful film star in the world.
She has beaten fellow Hollywood heart-throbs TOM HANKS AND MEL GIBSON to reach the top of author JAMES ULMER's HOT LIST.
Roberts was the first woman to join the highly exclusive $20 million (£13.3 million) club of Hollywood's famous names and is said by the author to guarantee massive sales for movies that she stars in. (RD/WNTRE/RGS)


text:
REVIEW OF ‘THE BRIEF AND WONDROUS LIFE’ BY OSCAR WAO
First things first, Junot Diaz is the realist.
I looooved this book! This isn’t the first time I’ve read something by Diaz so I was already expecting something good, but this book exceeded my expectations. Diaz is an incredible writer who’s not afraid To be different. I admire him a lot.
Here’s a quick summary of the book (I’ll try not to add any spoilers):
The book is mainly about a boy called Oscar but it also follows the lives of his family members. The book is half set in NY, America and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. It’s written from the point of view from an external character who’s not part of the family, but he is re telling the story. There is a lot of slang and Spanish in this book but don’t let that deter you, it’s awesome.
I won’t say too much because I don’t want to ruin the story but if you like humorous and fresh stories about a boy and his family just trying to live; then you’ll love this. I give this book an 8/10!
I hope you enjoy this book too and be prepared to act like to remember the Spanish you were taught in school!

domain: entertainment


text:
Round porcelain hanging heart – When it rains look for rainbows
Round porcelain hanging heart - When it rains look for rainbows when it's dark look for stars.
By East of India. Porcelain hanging heart with natural twine – the whimsical black text reads – When it rains look for rainbows when it’s dark look for stars. Approx 9cm x 9cm.

domain: design


text:
Name of Charity: Beautiful People Sg Ltd
One loving family: Every dream a possibility
To be a platform for building mentoring relationships that change lives.
The objects and purposes of Beautiful People are:
- To catalyse and build a volunteer movement for personal transformation and social change, through building relationships between members of the society with those on the margins.
- To build mentoring relationships that enable and empower mentee beneficiaries to discover their fullest potential, and thrive even as they make important life transitions.
- To contribute to the less fortunate by providing opportunities for volunteers and mentee beneficiaries to do community service together, either locally or overseas, as a way of paying it forward.
- To support volunteers and mentee beneficiaries in achieving their dreams through ‘seed’ funding.
- To provide financial assistance or interest free loan to mentee beneficiaries who are in need of financial support when starting out in life, building a career or family.
- To provide an effective support system for volunteers by: i) developing hard skills through training and continuous development programmes and ii) nurturing a community of supportive relationships. The aim is to inculcate a sense of empowerment and belonging among the volunteers and mentee beneficiaries by cultivating a spirit of love, respect for self and others, gratitude and contribution so they can live purposeful, productive and dignified lives.
- To collaborate and partner with mission-aligned companies and other social welfare organisations in building volunteering communities in support of our mentee beneficiaries, which may include sharing our expertise with other social welfare organisations through consultancy work.
3 Shenton Way #15-01 Shenton House Singapore 068805
60 Paya Lebar Road #06-39 Paya Lebar Square Singapore 409051
A Member of Constitution: Company Limited by Guarantee
UEN Number: 201525056H
Date of Establishment: 4 June 2015
Charity Registration Date: 3 September 2015
National Council of Social Service
Full member since 1 October 2015
Institution of Public Character (IPC) Status – General Fund
Period Approved: 1 December 2017 to 30 November 2019
Administrator: Ministry of Social and Family Development
United Overseas Bank Ltd
May Oh & Wee
Suhaimi Salleh & Associates
Our Board of Directors
Chairman Melissa Kwee Mei Wan
Secretary Lim Sze Wei
Treasurer Ng Mei Wan
Member Yong Yoek Ling
Lim Lay Sar
Wong Kai Ling
Nur Asshikin Binti Ahmad


This Goss 2325-2 LP Natural Gas Cutting Tip is a genuine Goss Natural Gas cutting tip. This tip goes with CA-1250 Torch assembly. Natural Gas is a style of cutting that burns 2 combustible fuel gases to create the flame rather than air and 1 combustible, Natural Gas combined with oxygen from a separate tank for example. This style of cutting is perfect for either beginners or experienced metal workers due to increased control and added mobility of the Natural Gas fuel setup. This Goss 2325-2 LP Natural Gas Cutting Tip is made of a durable heat resistant metal so it can withstand the intense temperatures associated with this style of cutting. The Goss 2325-2 LP Natural Gas Cutting Tip comes with an air tight fitting design, and features 4.2? long straight tip for ease and comfort in tighter spaces. This style of cutting requires a spark striker to ignite the gases at the end of the torch, and then you can alter the gas output and heat of the flame at the tip by turning the knobs at the base of the tip assembly. This tip is part of the 2325 series and can be used for cutting APplications.
|Product:||Parts and Accessories|
|Soldering & Brazing and Welding|
|Shipping Dimensions||3.5" x 0.8" x 1.0"|


text:
Art. Design. Performance.
we do what we like and we like what we do
Bringing out the best in Everything ❤
writer + artist + producer
literary & lifestyle blog
blank pages & scarlet letters
A collective of bibliophiles talking about books. Book Fox (vulpes libris): small bibliovorous mammal of overactive imagination and uncommonly large bookshop expenses. Habitat: anywhere the rustle of pages can be heard.
HUCK is a bi-monthly lifestyle magazine rooted in surf, skate and snowboarding.
Book reviews and poetry along with whatever else springs to mind!
A daily selection of the best content published on WordPress, collected for you by humans who love to read.
The Art and Craft of Blogging
The latest news on WordPress.com and the WordPress community.

domain: literature


text:
Since We Started
Cities with Students
Teachers in Network
We'll then reach out to the teachers for you.
Schedule the risk-free trial lesson directly with the teacher.
Continue with that teacher or try someone else.
For younger students, I use the Faber Piano Adventures and supplement with Classical and Jazz materials. I am very familiar with this method, as the Fabers were my teachers throughout high school and I taught for them at their piano Insitute in Ann Arbor, MI, for several years.
Nathaniel started teaching at the Community School of the Arts at Stetson University in 2004 while earning is undergraduate degree in Percussion Performance. He currently teaches piano and drums in the Germantown area of Maryland. Students say he is very patient and "hands on", he will show you how to play, not just tell you.
For my beginning students, I begin with the basics. For example, for the piano I show them proper posture and what the notes on the piano. For voice, I provide vocal warm ups to hear the color, timbre, range, etc. of the students' voice. This assists me in choosing proper repertoire for him/her. For both piano and voice, I try to look for a variety of repertoire for students as well as pieces that they will like.
I am a patient, thoughtful instructor who strives for a learning environment that is both intellectually and emotionally engaging. I've played the piano for more than ten years, having taken lessons at Bryant's Music in Waldorf, Maryland as well as the Levine School of Music, prior to college. I've also played guitar for about four years; though, I most enjoy composing my own music. In high school, I scored student films, and I went on to study composition as an undergraduate, all the while honing my skills as an accompanist and choir director at Davies Memorial Unitarian Universalist Church. I've always marveled at music's ability to transport the mind through space and time.
For younger students I usually recommend a method book or I make copies from my own library for the student. I usually will teach fundamentals through a book, but I always look for opportunities to convey musical principles in a more natural way, and especially for kids, fun is the most important method there is. Often times a student will stumble upon something interesting unintentionally and I use these moments to teach, because it both encourages them to recognize their natural talent and helps the student to make connections from their limited technical skills to greater conceptual knowledge. In essence it helps to build basic musical vocabulary using skills they already have, but may not know that they have them. For intermediate, advanced, and older students in general I have a more flexible approach that is based upon their goals or lack thereof. For all students I always emphasize knowledge of music theory and real life application of their musical education toward realizing their own musical goal or dream, as humble or as grand as it may be.
Since We Started
Cities with Students
Teachers in Network
Once you’ve met with your teacher for your risk free trial lesson, continuing with Musika is easy! If you are satisfied with your lesson, all you have to do is register with us to continue! The trial will count as your first lesson if you continue, however, with our Great Match Guarantee™ if for any reason you decide not to continue then the trial is FREE. Go ahead give it a try, you really have nothing to lose.
Don't just take our word for it. We hold the highest possible A+ rating from the nations foremost online reliability source: The BBB. We are proud of this rating and value the message it carries. The BBB has affirmed Musika as a reliable, trustworthy, safe business to work with, and we have the customer feedback to support this. We are continually working to make sure that Musika is a business you can trust.
Background checks available on instructors. Instructor can opt to have a background check on file. You can request to only be connected with teachers that have a check. The choice is yours.
In many ways adult learners have an advantage over young students. Adults have better self-discipline with regards to practice, are more patient, and have higher levels of concentration. This allows them to develop the basic skills at a reasonably quick rate. Learning the piano is also a great way of remaining mentally active during adulthood, and helps students to improve their hand-eye co-ordination and develop a critical ear. Learning to play the piano in adulthood can be beneficial health-wise, is a great way of harnessing creativity and stimulating the brain and it can be immensely satisfying when achieving set goals.
Musika offers piano lessons in the comfort of your home. Provided you have a piano or keyboard to practice on, you have everything needed to start learning straight from home! Taking lessons in the home is a great way to save time and money traveling to your piano lessons. There is no difference in the content of the lessons, whether they take place at home or in the studio. Home piano lessons are a particularly good option for younger students. It is a big advantage for young students to learn in a familiar, comfortable, and supportive environment.
There is no specific teaching method that all teachers in the Musika network adhere to. All students will have lessons customized to their needs and goals as lessons progress. If there is a specific teaching style you are looking for, we will keep that in mind as we make your teacher match. Many teachers will have a few method books that they use for lessons, which will include exercises and techniques for practicing. All lessons will cover aspects of learning notes, proper technique, ear training, and how to read music.
We suggest students purchase a piano or keyboard for their lessons, as they will need to practice every day in order to develop their skills on the instrument. We recommend a keyboard with weighted keys, as this will feel most similar to an actual piano. An actual piano will have 88 keys, but most keyboards start from 61 keys and go up from there. Common keyboard brands found at music stores are Yamaha, Casio, and Korg. Many keyboard sets will come with a case, stand, headphones, and may even offer recording features for recording your own playing.
Piano lessons for children generally focus on learning the fundamentals of the technique of the instrument and learning to read music and rhythms. We suggest beginning piano lessons no earlier than age 4, due to the attention span of the child, as well as the strength they have in their hands for playing. Piano Lessons will offer an excellent introduction to learning music for a child. Music theory and musicianship skills will also be taught during the lessons. Piano lessons are a great choice for introducing the art of music to your child!
Review by Julie Buranelli
My daughter really enjoys her lessons with Pavel. She is an absolute beginner and Pavel is right with her as she learns the basics. She is completely engaged and always looks forward to her lesson. He packs a lot of learning into their 30 minute time slot - he gets right to it as soon as he walks in the door! He is a great teacher - we highly recommend!
Review by Alex A.
Travis rocks. My 7-year-old son and I both take lessons with him. Travis has moved me off the plateau I was on with lessons that focus on theory and technique. And for my son, he's been able to instill a desire and interest that were missing when he previously took piano lessons. With Travis teaching us, the limits are the ones we impose on ourselves. Needless to say, Travis himself plays a mean guitar to boot!
Review by Heather Berest
I started my 5 yr old daughter with Karleen this Fall. Karleen has a calm and honest disposition. My daughter adores her and cannot wait for her arrival. I was concerned because my daughter is not so willing to "practice" during the week. Karleen advised me to allow her habits of practicing to evolve naturally as her love and understanding of piano increases. She emphasized how nurturing my daughter's love of music is most important. This was music to my ears :)
Review by Ryan Piveteau
Amber is personal and cares about her students. She is flexible in her schedule and maintains a professional attitude in her lessons. Her want for her students to succeed makes her excel as a teacher. She is very knowledgeable about music and extremely experienced. Additionally, she includes external activities aside from lessons for the students who wish to advance themselves externally. Really a great teacher who offers great opportunity.
Review by Chrystal
I was skeptical at first not knowing what I was getting my self into.. I am very happy that I forced myself to get into voice lessons because Eli is an awsome voice coach.. Very skillful and he helps you reach the goal you are trying to reach.. He is also very helpful with getting you to open up and come out of your shell and being heard.. I would and I already have recommended friends and family to sign up with Eli if they're serious about singing..
Review by Paula Chacon
I've always said, "It's all about the teacher." That skillful, effective teacher who can reach that child and ignite her passion, is truly a gift. Ric does that for my daughter. As a former music teacher myself, the most challenging thing in working with children is how to build their fundamental musical skills while letting them have fun and be expressive. The teacher must create a safe, supportive environment, and Ric does that. Ric immediately focuses on fundamentals of tone and technique, giving my daughter succinct instruction on how to improve, thus she can sense the improvement immediately. Ric seems extremely easy going; even when lighting a fire under her sometimes under-achieving butt, Ric never criticizes, judges or blames. He works with my child, understanding her, helping her problem solve, and even giving her the quick answer sometimes so she can move quickly and stay motivated. Ric balances fundamentals with fun and expressiveness, so my child feels as though she can 'play' and they truly make music in every lesson. I am thankful we found a good match with Ric.
Review by Jacob Solomon
Ileen is a very attentive instuctor. she is patient and works hard to see her student succeed. if a concept is unclear she expains it in other ways to ensure understanding. I would highly recommend ileen to students of all levels who want to learn guitar and music theory to thoroughly enjoy the instrument and music
Review by Wilma
Gina is very supportive and encouraging. Even though I get frustrated with my progress, she can tell that I've been practicing and reminds me of how far I've come. She challenges me to learn new skills without giving me a piece that I cannot master (with practice). I'm happy that she is my music teacher and look forward to many more lessons in the future.
Review by Terri
Caitlyn is friendly, helpful and still holds my high-school aged daughter accountable for practicing. She also makes sure the music technique is mastered correctly during the lessons - they work hard and still have a good time together. I can highly recommend her as a flute teacher. My daughter is very happy & grateful to have found Caitlyn as a teacher.
Select all the days/times the student would be available to start lessons. Selecting "3pm - 7pm" means the student can start as early as 3pm or start as late as 7pm. It is important that you select as many days and the widest window of start times for each day as possible. That will help us make a match with one of our teachers.Ok
Are you sure that's your only availability? The more availability you easier it will be to arrange a teacher for you.

domain: artistic


Graft, waste, fraud and abuse abounds on costly rail projects. That is why they are rail boondoggles that leech off of taxpayers.
We all know about the CA HSR boondoggle. It is in such a fiscal mess, it most probably will never be completed. But some grandaddies of costly rail projects are in NYC (emphasis mine).
The estimated cost of the Long Island Rail Road project, known as “East Side Access,” has ballooned to $12 billion, or nearly $3.5 billion for each new mile of track — seven times the average elsewhere in the world. The recently completed Second Avenue subway on Manhattan’s Upper East Side and the 2015 extension of the No. 7 line to Hudson Yards also cost far above average, at $2.5 billion and $1.5 billion per mile, respectively.There is a circle of cronyism and graft between transit officials, consultants, special interests who benefit and politicos.
The vendors that worked on the East Side Access, Second Avenue subway and No. 7 line projects have given a combined $5 million to New York politicians since the projects began in 2000, a Times analysis found.
Both the Second Avenue subway and East Side Access projects hired the same main engineering firm: WSP USA, formerly known as Parsons Brinckerhoff. The firm, which designed some of New York’s original subway, has donated hundreds of thousands to politicians in recent years, and has hired so many transit officials that some in the system refer to it as “the M.T.A. retirement home.”Parsons Brinckerhoff, who was responsible for Boston's infamous Big Dig boondoggle, keeps changing their name.
According to this CityLab post
In the United States, most recent and in-progress light-rail lines cost more than $100 million per mile. Two light-rail extensions in Minneapolis, the Blue Line Extension and the Southwest LRT, cost $120 million and $130 million per mile, respectively. Dallas’ Orange Line light rail, 14 miles long, cost somewhere between $1.3 billion and $1.8 billion. Portland’s Orange Line cost about $200 million per mile. Houston’s Green and Purple Lines together cost $1.3 billion for about 10 miles of light rail.And below are more rail astounding costs:
Cost per mile is only one metric to consider regarding transit/rail projects. Ridership is key and must also be considered. The cost per passenger trip must be considered for cost-effectiveness and will reflect whether the asset built will be highly utilized or not. The cost per trip will be lower for more highly utilized assets that are used by more people and for the broadest use. That is why the cost per trip for roads is so much lower when compared to transit, especially costly transit. Roads are highly used and broadly utilized for numerous purposes.
The CityLab article suggests that the capital cost per rider also be considered with transit projects. They estimate the capital costs per rider for rail projects in Europe is between $10K and $25K per rider. They even estimate the extremely costly, fraught with waste and abuse, NYC Second Avenue subway at a capital cost per rider of $25K, due to NYC density and estimated 200K trips per day.
But CityLab then states that nowhere else outside the NYC density does the capital cost per rider get near the $10K-$25K:
But in other American cities, there is no hope of balancing high cost with ridership in the same way. Even relatively old cities such as Boston and San Francisco have extensive suburban sprawl, and no neighborhood as dense as the Upper East Side.Let's take this analysis closer to home. With this latest $1.5 million taxpayer funded transit campaign, Jacobs Engineering had to "create" a transit project with a cost per trip of $8-10. That cost per trip is required by the FTA to meet the MEDIUM rating to enter the federal transit funding pipeline. So of course, costly rail fell out.
Jacobs started with the capital costs of the expensive taj mahal version of the fixed guideway BRT (from Wesley Chapel to downtown St. Pete) at a cost of between $2.3 BILLION and $2.9 BILLION. That resulted in a cost per trip of $45, way over the $8-10 range to meet FTA criteria. The taj mahal BRT cost too much and did too little too!
A year later, after spending tons of taxpayer money and ridiculously throwing light rail out as a viable option, Jacobs then "value engineered" the taj mahal BRT project by working backwards. They worked backwards to pigeon hole what could possibly be built with a cost per trip of $8-10. Thru reverse engineering, Jacobs was able to reduce the capital costs of the proposed BRT from billions to about a HALF BILLION ($500 million) to supposedly get to that $10 cost per trip range.
Jacobs is using the FTA STOPS model released in 2013 that included transit evaluation changes implemented with a 2013 FTA Final Rule. Read the rule for a head spin for how unelected bureaucrats in the DC Swamp, with way too much time on their hands, write and dictate voluminous federal regulations.
For ridership estimates using STOPS, a trip by a transit-dependent individual counts twice, while all other trips count only once.
Below are ridership estimates for Jacobs proposed BRT using STOPS and its weighted FTA guidance. With light rail toxic in Tampa Bay, Jacobs felt compelled to change the term to "urban rail" but it's the same thing. And the 9 mile Tampa-centric CSX project ends up as a top contender in a campaign for regional transit projects that "best serve the region and supports growth"???
|Weighted Annual Ridership Estimates
Compare that to 200K vehicles a day on Tampa Bay interstates, many vehicles with more than one passenger.
The populations of Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco is about 3 million with Hillsborough and Pasco growing.
Now we know why Jacobs annualized the ridership because daily and weekly ridership is so low.
Going back to the CityLab capital cost per rider, based on estimated ridership and capital costs, what is the capital cost per rider for this project?
At 9800 riders a day, the capital cost per rider is $45K per rider.
At 5000 riders a day, the capital cost per rider is $90K per rider.Is this really a cost-effective project?
How does 5000-9800 riders a day provide any congestion relief to Tampa Bay?
The $1.5 million Jacobs effort was not to solve a transportation problem but to pursue a new pot of money. The intention was to "create" a transit project that could meet FTA requirements to enter the "Hotel California" federal transit funding spigot pipeline.
|Where you can never leave once you check in
There's a critical puzzle piece missing that is required to get thru the doorway to check into Hotel California. That missing piece is a committed long term local funding source.
This proposed $500 million BRT with no congestion relief looks flawed and not really cost-effective.
And taxpayers should not get stuck in Hotel California paying for it.


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Is it better to rest or exercise a pulled muscle?
“The most important treatment for acute muscle strain is rest,” he explains. “Continuing to stress a pulled muscle could result in further damage to muscle and a much longer healing time.
How long should you rest a muscle strain?
Rest. Rest the muscle for a few days or until your doctor gives you the okay. If you had a minor muscle strain, you should be able to do some gentle movement after two days.
What is the best thing to do for a strained muscle?
approach — rest, ice, compression, elevation:
- Rest. Avoid activities that cause pain, swelling or discomfort. …
- Ice. Even if you’re seeking medical help, ice the area immediately. …
- Compression. To help stop swelling, compress the area with an elastic bandage until the swelling stops. …
Is stretching good for a pulled muscle?
Are you dealing with an injury from muscle strain? If so, you need to stretch those muscles out! Not stretching properly before being active may make your muscles work too hard and cause injury. When you stretch an injured area, you can increase blood flow and help your tissues heal faster.
Do pulled muscles hurt immediately?
With a pulled muscle, however, the pain is usually immediate. “The pain from a pulled muscle is intense, sharp, and localized to where the injury occurred and can also be associated with swelling, bruising, and difficulty moving the joints nearby,” said Gregory.
Should you massage a pulled muscle?
Massage. Therapeutic massage helps loosen tight muscles and increase blood flow to help heal damaged tissues. Applying pressure to the injured muscle tissue also helps remove excess fluid and cellular waste products. A 2012 study found that massage immediately following an injury may even speed strained muscle healing.
How do you tell if you’ve torn a muscle?
Symptoms of Torn Muscles
Expect pain and soreness, as well as spasms and swelling in the affected area. Depending on the severity of the strain, you may find it difficult to move the area, if at all. You may note swelling as well as bruising and discoloration accompanied by a “knotted up” feeling or stiffness.
Does ibuprofen help heal muscle strains?
For mild strains, sprains and bruising injuries, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are often found to be effective. They help relieve pain and may limit inflammation and swelling too. For example, you can buy Nurofen at pharmacies. Nurofen contains ibuprofen and is available in several forms.
What happens if a sprain is left untreated?
If they’re left untreated, sprains will often cause the ankle to become unstable, which can lead to chronic pain, swelling, instability and, ultimately, arthritis. Don’t delay treatment. Sprains should be immobilized quickly, with the ankle ligaments in a stable position.

domain: medical


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SAN FRANCISCO / Miranda issue set slaying suspect free / Confession in killing of state official's son was thrown out
The family of a slain Belmont man said Friday that he would be alive had the suspected gunman not been freed by a judge's ruling that tossed out his confession in the 2001 killing of a state senator's son.
"My nephew, who was 24 years old, lost his life because they let a murderer go," said Anne Davis, the aunt of the man gunned down Wednesday in a San Mateo park.
McPherson, the son of then-state Sen. and now-Secretary of State Bruce McPherson, was shot to death on Potrero Hill after he refused to hand over his wallet to a robber. Clifton Terrell was convicted of the killing in March and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
San Mateo authorities said Friday that the latest shooting stemmed from a rivalry over a woman with whom Key and Reed were both romantically involved. Reed had threatened Key before the shooting, Key's family and authorities said.
Police said that Reed and Terrell had robbed several other people the night McPherson was killed, and that both men had been involved in the attempted robbery of McPherson and his girlfriend.
When they questioned Reed, however, San Francisco homicide investigators told him that his statements could be used against him only if he did not tell the truth. Under the Miranda warnings, any statement that a suspect gives to police can be used against him.
Police said Reed told them that he had let Terrell out of a car after spotting the couple, and that Terrell had returned a few minutes later and said he had shot the man when he grabbed Terrell's gun.
Tsenin, however, found that investigators' failure to give Reed a complete Miranda instruction meant that his self-incriminating statement could not be used in court.
Authorities were able to keep Reed in jail until trial based on Terrell's statements implicating him. Ultimately, Reed agreed to testify against Terrell as part of a plea bargain.
On the witness stand, Reed recounted a life of crime in which he regularly used and sold drugs and was involved in street robberies.
Reed blamed Terrell for the McPherson killing, but conceded he had destroyed evidence -- the purse belonging to McPherson's girlfriend -- and lied to authorities after the crime.
"This one on you," Reed testified that he had told Terrell as he dropped him off to rob McPherson.
Terrell's attorney suggested that Reed was incapable of telling the truth, even when his plea deal depended on it.
"You lie for the hell of it, don't you?" attorney Ira Barg asked Reed.
"Some people say," Reed replied.
After convicting Terrell, jurors who were interviewed said they had discounted Reed's testimony. But there was plenty of other evidence against Terrell, they said.
On Friday, the prosecutor in the case said he had hoped to charge Reed with murder but had no way to do so after Reed's confession was thrown out.
"I litigated those issues hard, and I lost," Assistant District Attorney Harry Dorfman said. "There are the consequences.
"It's sad, very sad," that Reed has been arrested in another killing, Dorfman said. "A man should not have lost his life."
Davis, of Castro Valley, said the deal given to Reed had led directly to her nephew's death.
"I'm not letting it go," she said. "Because of their screwup, my nephew was shot to death."
Reed is in jail on the current charge and scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday.

domain: politics


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Model-Based Pressure Control for an Electro Hydraulic Brake System on RCP Test Environment
ISSN: 0148-7191, e-ISSN: 2688-3627
Published September 18, 2016 by SAE International in United States
Annotation ability available
In this paper a new pressure control method of a modified accumulator-type Electro-hydraulic Braking System (EHB) is proposed. The system is composed of a hydraulic motor pump, an accumulator, an integrated master cylinder, a pedal feel simulator, valves and pipelines. Two pressurizing modes are switched between by-motor and by-accumulator to adapt different pressure boost demands. A differentiator filtering raw sensor signal and calculating pedal speed is designed. By using the pedal feel simulator, the relationship between wheel pressures and brake force is decoupled. The relationships among pedal displacement, pedal force and wheel pressure are calibrated by experiments. A model-based PI controller with predictor is designed to lower the influences caused by delay. Moreover, a self-tuning regulator is introduced to deal with the parameter’s time-varying caused by temperature, brake pads wearing and delay variation. To verify the controller validity, a Rapid Control Prototype (RCP) test environment based on dSPACE is built. Self-designed HCU and pedal feel simulator are installed in test bench. The close loop test results of pressure tracking are plotted and analyzed by contrasting normal PI controller and proposed controller. The conclusion indicates that the proposed controller can reach a balance of rapidity and accuracy, meanwhile the operating time and energy consumption are also reduced.
CitationXiong, Z., Pei, X., Guo, X., and Zhang, C., "Model-Based Pressure Control for an Electro Hydraulic Brake System on RCP Test Environment," SAE Technical Paper 2016-01-1954, 2016, https://doi.org/10.4271/2016-01-1954.
- Jonner , W. , Winner , H. , Dreilich , L. , and Schunck , E. Electrohydraulic Brake System - The First Approach to Brake-By-Wire Technology SAE Technical Paper 960991 1996 10.4271/960991
- Soga , M. , Shimada , M. , Sakamoto , J. , and Otomo , A. Development of Vehicle Dynamics Management System for Hybrid Vehicles - ECB System for Improved Environmental and Vehicle Dynamic Performance - SAE Technical Paper 2002-01-1586 2002 10.4271/2002-01-1586
- Ohkubo , N. , Matsushita , S. , Ueno , M. , Akamine , K. et al. Application of Electric Servo Brake System to Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle SAE Int. J. Passeng. Cars - Electron. Electr. Syst. 6 1 255 260 2013 10.4271/2013-01-0697
- Ding , Nenggen , Yu G. , and Wang W. Estimation of brake pressure and tyre-road friction during ABS activation International Journal of Vehicle Design 58.1 2012 33 45 13
- Liu , Y. , Sun , Z. , and JI , W. Development of Composite Brake Pedal Stroke Simulator for Electro-Hydraulic Braking System SAE Technical Paper 2014-01-0117 2014 10.4271/2014-01-0117
- Levant , Arie Robust exact differentiation via sliding mode technique Automatica 34.3 1998 379 384


DENVER — Shock and sadness spread across the nation's college campuses after Matthew Shepard, a gay University of Wyoming student, died Monday of injuries received in a brutal beating last week.
Gay and lesbian associations at colleges fielded phone calls throughout the day from students who learned from friends, e-mail or the Internet of Shepard's death.
In communities across the country, including Chicago, university groups planned vigils or other actions to commemorate Shepard.
The 21-year-old political science major died at Poudre Valley Hospital in Ft. Collins, Colo. He had been in a coma since being attacked Wednesday, strung up on a fence and left to die in near-freezing temperatures.
In the days since the beating, Shepard had become a symbol of the threat of violence that hangs over the gay community and the undercurrent of fear that many of its members live with day to day. The attack also has spurred calls for legislation to protect gay victims of hate crimes.
On Monday, President Clinton pressed Congress to expand the federal hate-crimes law to cover offenses based on disability or sexual orientation.
"Americans will once again search their hearts and do what they can to reduce their own fear and anxiety and anger at people who are different," Clinton said. "And I hope that Congress will pass the hate-crime legislation."
Russell Henderson, 21, and Aaron McKinney, 22, were originally charged with attempted murder, kidnapping and aggravated robbery. Police said that with Shepard's death, the charges against the men will include first-degree murder, which carries possible death sentences.
Their girlfriends, Chasity Vera Pasley, 20, and Kristen Leann Price, 18, were charged with being accessories after the fact. Police said the women helped dump bloody clothing and initially lied about their whereabouts.
Police said that robbery was the main motive but that Shepard apparently was chosen in part because he was gay.
McKinney's girlfriend, Price, and his father, Bill McKinney, told The Denver Post the men didn't set out to kill Shepard but wanted to get back at him for making passes at McKinney in front of his friends.
The 5-foot 2-inch, 105-pound Shepard had been beaten twice in recent months, attacks he attributed to his homosexuality.
Directors of gay and lesbian centers on college campuses said Shepard's death provoked intense feelings of vulnerability mixed with anger on the part of many gay students.
"One of my work-study students came in today and said: `I`m afraid. I thought I was safe on campus, but maybe I'm not,' " said Susan Rankin, director of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Equity center at Penn State University.
At the University of Wyoming in Laramie, where Shepard was a student, young people flocked all day to a table in the student center stocked with information about gay and lesbian issues. Coincidentally, Monday was the start of the Wyoming campus' Gay Awareness Week.
Jim Osborn, a 23-year-old undergraduate and chairman of the University of Wyoming's Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgendered Association, said he had received messages from "all over the nation, all over the globe" expressing outrage, indignation and support.
"I'm feeling an incredible sadness," Osborn said. "I never saw him without a smile. He was one of the kindest, most caring people I ever met. He had incredible energy and compassion."
Osborn's group distributed yellow-and-green armbands Monday, as the president of the University of Wyoming ordered flags to be flown at half-staff through Friday, when Shepard's funeral will take place in Casper, Wyo.
"We are heartsick," said University President Philip Dubois.
Wyoming is one of eight states in the nation without a hate-crimes law. Another three states have laws that are ambiguous with regard to sexually motivated acts, while 18 states have laws that exclude crimes inspired by sexual orientation.
Officials at the University of Illinois at Chicago; Northwestern, Loyola, DePaul and Roosevelt Universities; and Columbia College began planning a joint response to Shepard's death that could include a community vigil, a donation drive for Horizons Community Service Anti-Violence Project, or a letter-writing campaign to state and federal lawmakers.
One gay UIC student who talked Monday to David Barnett, director of the campus' Office of Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender Resources, described her reaction to Shepard's death as frightened and confused. "She found herself crying on the bus and wanting to strike out and be violent herself. . . . She had never felt those feelings before," he said.
At the University of Colorado in Boulder, Bev Tuel, director of the gay and lesbian resource center, said she had been "swamped with calls" all day.
"In some ways, this is a wakeup call," Tuel continued. "A lot of students here think things are pretty good for gays. They don't realize what's really going on."


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FaceFirst CEO Peter Trepp’s new book The New Rules of Consumer Privacy proposes a roadmap for balancing consumers’ often competing desires for privacy, security and convenience.
LOS ANGELES, NOVEMBER 5, 2018 – Peter Trepp, CEO of face recognition company FaceFirst, has published The New Rules of Consumer Privacy: Building Loyalty with Connected Consumers in the Age of Face Recognition and AI. To survive in today’s fast-changing landscape, companies need to balance consumers’ often competing desires for privacy, security and convenience. In the book, Trepp establishes a new paradigm for the privacy contract between consumers and organizations that balances these three vital concerns.
The book explores the evolution of privacy throughout the ages, and the current state that companies and consumers find themselves faced with, and predicts how technology will influence the future. The New Rules of Consumer Privacy is written for executives, entrepreneurs, product managers and anyone interested in privacy and the consumer experience. Brands and business leaders that anticipate these changes will have unprecedented opportunities to differentiate themselves from competitors and succeed.
In addition to original research and firsthand knowledge from his role as the CEO of an artificial intelligence company, Trepp also includes input from privacy leaders and countless conversations with executives at some of the world’s largest brands. The book takes a historical look at privacy and anticipates how brands will need to pivot to claim or retain their position as industry leaders.
“In talking to people across all industries, I realized there’s a basic lack of information related to consumer attitudes, legislation, risk and how to offer privacy while rolling out increasingly powerful technologies,” said author Peter Trepp. “These questions are especially relevant in light of GDPR. The New Rules of Consumer Privacy provides a roadmap for how businesses can draft an effective new contract with their customers while offering unprecedented security and convenience.”
About Peter Trepp
Peter Trepp is a technology executive, adviser, former investment banker and thought leader. He is currently the CEO of FaceFirst, a recognized leader in the global facial recognition market that provides AI-enabled security and customer experience solutions to commercial and government organizations. He earned his MBA at the UCLA Anderson School of Management and BS degree in Economics from UC Irvine. Peter is a widely quoted industry expert whose thought leadership has appeared in the Wall Street Journey, New York Times, Bloomberg, Digital Journal, Education Week, Business Insider and elsewhere.
To participate in the ongoing conversation about consumer privacy, please visit Peter at:


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Nomura Gives Reduce Rating to William Hill (WMH)
A number of other firms have also recently commented on WMH. Analysts at Numis Securities Ltd reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of William Hill in a research note to investors on Tuesday. They now have a $4.98 price target on the stock. Finally, analysts at JPMorgan Chase reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of William Hill in a research note to investors on Monday, October 1st. They now have a $5.48 price target on the stock.
Shares of William Hill opened at 357.30 on Friday. William Hill has a one year low of GBX 133.50 and a one year high of GBX 342.605. The company’s market cap is £2.508 billion.
William Hill PLC is a gambling company. The Company’s business is to provide its customers with a range of sports betting and gaming opportunities.
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domain: economics


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John Martyn Memorial School grounds came alive this evening with the 32nd Founder’s Day celebrations. Our Managing Trustee Mr. Banerji and Headmaster of The Doon School lighted the ceremonial lamp. The school choir recited the welcome song and also an English song “Summer Holidays”. The school’s activities report was presented by the School captains. Dance on “Bhookh Lagi” and nursery rhymes were presented by the little ones of Nursery, KG. Classes I and II presented a dance on “Kanha so ja zara” Classes III and IV presented a Rajasthani dance “Saavan Laagyo”. “Raavan Kaun” was a skit enjoyed by all.Today’s programme was conceived by theatre artist Ms. Shefali Chopra Gandhi under whose guidance, artists Mr. Deepak Bhardwaj and Ms. Krishna Ghosh created the music and the dances.The programme much appreciated by all.
In addition to the Trustees, Founder Mady Martyn’s son Mr. Dilsher, grandson Shamsher, author Nayantara Sehgal. Dr. Dhirendra Sharma and other local dignitaries were also present on the occasion.