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Enterprise Zone keeps jobs in check
Program lures employers to Wisconsin, keeps existing ones put
Madison — The state's flagship jobs program has committed up to $135.6 million in incentives over the past two years to four major employers, including Republic Airways and Mercury Marine, to ensure they keep or create 7,400 jobs in Wisconsin.
The state is so far on track to recouping that money through economic growth that will boost state taxes by a rough projection of $164 million or more, according to a state Department of Commerce report released to the Journal Sentinel through the open records law. The incentives and benefits as well as the tax revenue increase should last at least nine years.
The program's effectiveness matters to taxpayers because, as big, old-line employers such as Harley-Davidson consider moving plants out of Wisconsin, state officials will face continued pressure to offer incentives to keep them. The state will also have to work to keep a balance between helping those firms and fostering the next-generation firms that could employ educated workers and build the industries of the future in the state.
"It's finding the right mix of saving the best of our traditional economy while simultaneously moving ahead with our knowledge-based economy," said Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council. All but one of the four companies in the Enterprise Zone program report - Republic - was involved in traditional manufacturing or distribution industries rather than in emerging industries.
That may come as a surprise when there is growing concern about how shallow the pool of college graduates in the state's largest population center, Milwaukee, has become compared with those of other cities around the country.
But Tim Sheehy, president of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, said the state is in talks about doing another Milwaukee-area deal through the program with another, undisclosed company that isn't a manufacturer.
Sheehy also said providing a good share of the subsidies to manufacturers made sense for Wisconsin because it leads the nation in its share of manufacturing jobs and because manufacturers draw dollars into a region and create high-wage jobs that increasingly call for high skills as well.
"It's our fastball," Sheehy said of manufacturing.
Several of the Enterprise Zone deals also helped preserve or bring to the state corporate offices that employed highly paid and educated white-collar workers, said Pat O'Brien, executive director of the regional economic development partnership Milwaukee 7.
"The state is using it exactly the way it was intended," O'Brien said of the program.
'What companies want'
Deputy Commerce Secretary Zach Brandon said the state report, which looked only at the Enterprise Zone program and not other state economic development programs, shows the program is attractive to companies and accountable to taxpayers.
"It targets what companies want. It's performance-based and it pays for itself," Brandon said.
The Enterprise Zone program doesn't actually target regions or areas of the state, only single companies. It gives companies tax credits of up to 7% of their eligible payroll on workers making between $30,000 a year and $100,000 a year. In distressed areas of the state, the tax credit is for workers making between $20,000 a year and $100,000 a year.
Companies can also receive tax credits of up 10% on major investments in plants or equipment, as well as receiving credits for worker training. But to receive the Enterprise Zone credits, the company first has to show it has spent the money to hire workers or upgrade its factory.
Lawmakers have authorized 12 Enterprise Zones awards to companies in the state, and so far the state has accepted or is finalizing deals with four companies listed in the report: Uline Inc. in Pleasant Prairie; Republic in Milwaukee; Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac; and Oshkosh Corp. The state has either announced or is in talks with five other companies on tentative offers.
Oshkosh is expected to receive up to $35 million in state tax incentives to help it carry out a five-year U.S. Army contract to build 23,000 military trucks and trailers starting in October and sustain 2,000 jobs.
"The funding was very critical to moving forward with the project," Oshkosh spokesman John Daggett said of the state and local incentives the company is to receive.
So far, the project has helped the company to retain 800 jobs and will lead to hundreds more being added, Daggett said. He said whether the company would have to hire enough workers to hit the target of 2,000 jobs would depend on how quickly the Army needed the trucks delivered.
Uline, a family-run company that distributes boxes, bubble wrap and other goods used for shipping, is receiving up to $18.6 million from the state over nine years to build a new distribution center and headquarters in Pleasant Prairie, bringing 1,000 jobs from Illinois by this year.
Republic Airways Holdings, the parent of Midwest Airlines, said in November that it would create 800 positions in Milwaukee and Oak Creek and retain hundreds more as part of a deal that will bring in some jobs from outside Wisconsin and include up to $27 million in tax credits from the state.
In September, outboard-engine maker Mercury Marine decided not to send hundreds of jobs at a Fond du Lac factory to a non-union plant in Oklahoma after the local union approved contract concessions. The state pledged up to $70 million in tax credits, and local officials provided their own incentives.
Mercury spokesman Steve Fleming said the company had retained nearly 2,000 existing Wisconsin jobs, called workers back from layoff and done modest hiring for an unspecified number of positions. The company remained on track to meet the long-term jobs goals in its agreement with the state, he said.
Harley help possible
Harley-Davidson Inc. said in April it is looking to cut $54 million from its Wisconsin operations through measures that could include union concessions, and that if it can't cut costs enough, it could shut down plants at Menomonee Falls and Tomahawk that together employ more than 1,400 people. So far, officials in Gov. Jim Doyle's administration have declined to say whether they'll offer the company a large subsidy through the Enterprise Zone program, but have been in high-level talks with Harley.
The Commerce Department report found that the four companies receiving help through the Enterprise Zone program also would boost local property taxes by at least $27 million, though the report did not take into account incentives by local governments that were also given to some of the companies. The report used projections for what companies like Oshkosh expect to add in jobs and receive in subsidies because not all of the four companies have finished adding workers or doing plant work yet.
But Brandon stressed that companies that don't hire as many workers as promised won't be able to claim as many of the credits, either.
Sen. Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield) , who sits on the Senate Committee on Economic Development, said that keeping the companies in Wisconsin was a good outcome but that the program wasn't a "broad answer" to the state's economic problems. Kanavas said the state needed to lower income taxes and regulations on all companies and taxpayers.
"You can't cherry-pick two or three businesses a year when silently hundreds of companies are shutting the doors and quietly leaving the state," Kanavas said.
University of Wisconsin-Madison economist Andy Reschovsky said most of the basic assumptions used in the report were reasonable. The big question, he said, is whether the incentives were always needed.
"It's very difficult, if not impossible, to provide definitive answers," Reschovsky said.
ENTERPRISE ZONE COMPANIES
Uline Inc. in Pleasant Prairie;
Republic Airways in Milwaukee;
Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac;
The state has either announced or is in talks with five other companies on tentative offers.
All Politics Blog
From Madison and around the state, to Washington D.C., a daily dose of political news and glimpses behind the scenes.
Inside State Politics
Journal Sentinel coverage of the legislature, governor's office and other state politics in Madison and around Wisconsin.


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Advocacy Groups See Sunscreen Risks Where Industry Sees Efficacy
The Environmental Working Group's 2017 guide steers consumers toward mineral-based formulas due to purported risks associated with chemical actives, while Consumer Reports says mineral sunscreens are most likely to carry inflated SPF claims. Online chatter shows Consumers understandably are at a loss.
You may also be interested in...
The Environmental Working Group says 80% of 1,700 sunscreens it analyzed “contain harmful ingredients or offer inadequate protection against dangerous ultraviolet radiation – or both,” and doubts that sunscreens prevent most skin cancer. The Personal Care Products Council characterizes the report as “chock full of misinformation.”
Headed for its second reading in the Florida House after its counterpart passed the Senate on 29 January, HB 113 would expressly preempt local regulation of OTC drugs and cosmetics. According to House analysis documents, “This nullifies the current City of Key West ordinance” banning the sale of sunscreens containing reputed coral-killing UV filters.
As of 5 February, the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety is evaluating use of titanium dioxide – now officially classified as a Category 2 carcinogen in the EU – in cosmetic products that can expose consumers by way of inhalation. Without a favorable SCCS opinion, the ingredient’s use in those contexts will be banned under Article 15 of the Cosmetics Regulation.

domain: news


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|THE LAST zHERO|
Author has written 21 stories for Love, Nature, Family, General, General, Supernatural, Politics, Young Adult, Life, and Sci-Fi.
It is summer
And it is going fast
Although I'm eager to see who will be in my classes this fall
I'm not eager to be in my classes this fall
I'd rather sleep
Unsafe External Link

domain: literature


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"Surely we are not sufficiently sensible of the infinite tenderness of Jesus!" Spurgeon. Psalm 62: 8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. "When grief presses you to the dust, worship there, 'pour out your heart before Him. God is a refuge for us.' This sweetens sorrow and takes away it's sting." Spurgeon.
Making historic memories with family has always been one of my delights! Here we visit the Wivenhoe Dam today. After many years of seeing it through drought when it went as low as below 18%, it was phenomenal to see it today with the spillway in use in order to prevent flooding with further expected rain.
From a Distance:
A bit closer on the 'look out' near to where the spray is.
Close Up, behind the spray, near the dam wall and spillway:
Looking Down at the 'look out' that catches the spray:
This is the area where we used to walk when we went on the Berea picnics in drought times, completely under water now:
Going across the dam wall
Mist in the distance is Wivenhoe Spillage as seen from our friends, the Peggs, house:

domain: geography


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« السابقةمتابعة »
BENVENUTO CELLINI tells us that when, in his boy. hood, he saw a salamander come out of the fire, his grandfather forthwith gave him a sound beating, that he
night the better remember so unique a prodigy. Though perhaps in this case the rod had another application than the autobiographer chooses to disclose, and was intended to fix in the pupil's mind a lesson of veracity rather than of science, the testimony to its mnemonic virtue remains. Nay, so universally was it once believed that the senses, and through them the faculties of obser. vation and retention, were quickened by an irritation of the cuticle, that in France it was customary to whip the children annually at the boundaries of the parish, lest the true place of them might ever be lost through neglect of so inexpensive a mordant for the memory. From this practice the older school of critics would seem to
The Dramatick Works of John DRYDEN, ESQ. In six volumos. London: Printed for Jacob Tonson, in the Strand. MDCCXXXV. 18mo.
The Critical and Miscellaneous Prose-Works of Johx DRYDEN, NOW first collected. With Notes and Illustrations. An Account of the Life and Writings of the Author, grounded on Original and Authentick Documents; and a Collection of his Letters, the greatest Part of which has never before been published. By EDMUND MALONE, Esq. London: T. Cadell and W. Davies, in the Strand. 4 vols. 8vo.
The Poetical Works of John DRYDEN. (Edited by MITFORD.) London: W. Pickering. 1832 6 vola 18mo.
have taken a hint for keeping fixed the limits of good taste, and what was somewhat vaguely called classical English. To mark these limits in poetry, they set up as Hermæ the images they had made to them of Dryden, of Pope, and later of Goldsmith. Here they solemnly castigated every new aspirant in verse, who in turn performed the same function for the next generation, thus helping to keep always sacred and immovable the ne plus ultra alike of inspiration and of the vocabulary. Though no two natures were ever much more unlike than those of Dryden and Pope, and again of Pope and Goldsmith, and no two styles, except in such externals as could be easily caught and copied, yet it was the fashion, down even to the last generation, to advise young writers to form themselves, as it was called, on these excellent models. Wordsworth himself began in this school ; and though there were glimpses, here and there, of a direct study of nature, yet most of the epithets in his earlier pieces were of the traditional kind so fatal to poetry during great part of the last century; and he indulged in that alphabetic personification which enlivens all such words as Hunger, Solitude, Freedom, by the easy magio of an initial capital.
“Where the green apple shrivels on the spray,
And often grasps her sword, and often eyes." Here we have every characteristic of the artificial method, even to the triplet, which Swift hated so heartily as "& vicious way of rhyming wherewith Mr. Dryden abounded, imitated by all the bad versifiers of Charles the Second's reign.” Wordsworth became, indeed, very early the leader of reform, but, like Wesley, he endeavored a re

domain: library


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The best surprise in the world
Within four months, this grandfather loses his wife and dog. The man's reaction to his new little puppy touches deeply.
Recently, the man in the video lost his beloved wife after 63 years of marriage due to a serious illness. Only a few months earlier his dog died, his longtime and faithful companion. With her gift, the grandfather's family now wants to give him support and new joie de vivre.
When he sees the little puppy in the arms of his granddaughter, he can hardly believe it at first. Incredulous the grandfather asks: "Is that for me?" When the answer is yes, the old man suddenly bursts into tears and openly shows his joy.
Immediately he takes the little puppy on the arm and lovingly hugs him. Again and again he thanks his family. The dog was chosen by the granddaughter, who is now allowed to choose the name of the animal: Snoopy .
We wish dog and owner in any case all the best!

domain: pet


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Fallout 4 is an open-world RPG game. It has received very nice and positive reviews for its huge world, nice story, and better gameplay.
The long-awaited Madden 23 video game has finally arrived and gamers everywhere are asking: Is NFL23 worth it? Whether you’re wondering about the
There are tons of great improvements and changes that have been brought into this game. The storyline pulled by the game creator has caught the player’
Originally released in 2000, Diablo 2 Resurrected is a remastered version. This new version features updated graphics, improved sound effects, and a number
The game Escape from Tarvov is a shooter survival-based game in which you have to survive in a strict environment and to win you have to collect items
Running and action-based gameplay are both included in Dying Light 2, which is a survival game with plenty of dramatic action scenes. The reviews of Dying
FFXIV: Heavensward Patch 3.5: The Far Edge of Fate is just a few days away! And with that, the patch notes have already been released so we pretty much
Pokemon Arceus is one of the best games introduced in this series, the game has been prepared as a gift for gamers and has welcomed some of the most interesting
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond is a game that is played by a lot of people. This game is a remastered version of the 2006 Pokémon Diamond game, which was released
Pokemon fire red is a classic game that is why this game has still acquired the attention of gamers. This amazing game is very interesting and has different levels.

domain: game


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WEEKLY BANK STATEMENT.
The weekly Clearing House statement, issued yesterday, was an unfavorable one, but, inasmuch as it was for only five business days, the "average" system may have had much to do with this. Surplus reserves decreased $2,893,625, loans increased $17,011,400, specie decreased $517,700, legal tenders decreased $1,671,400, and net deposits Increased $2,818,100.
July 06, 1902
* Does not include NYT Now or Premium Crosswords subscribers.
Already a subscriber? Log in to view this article »

domain: economics


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Called to Create, a Catholic art ministry, is inviting all middle and high school students in the Archdiocese of Louisville to take part in “Spreading Hope in Challenging Times,” online art competition.
Students are invited to create a work of art, using any medium, which shows “how the Corona Virus has enhanced your life.”
Artists are to take into account, “How has the Corona Virus, with its mandatory quarantines, mask-wearing, surface sanitizing, etc., changed your life, opened your eyes or made you realize something you were taking for granted in your life? Is God speaking to you through this pandemic?” according to a press release from the group.
Participants are to submit a high-resolution photographed image of the artwork as well as a 50-word explanation to calledtocreatelouis
firstname.lastname@example.org by Aug. 31. The artist’s name, address, email, age and grade should be included. Prizes include a $100 gift card to Preston Arts Center in each age group. Winning artwork will also be displayed on notecards and in public relations materials.

domain: artistic


text:
Whats going on tonight?
Christmas Party in Antrim, UK - Find out whats going on tonight in the Antrim area for "Christmas Party" of Antrim. Featuring christmas, xmas, crimbo, party, parties, work, night out, party table, christmas party and Christmas Party in Antrim, Antrim District, British, Carmavy, Chapeltown, Crumlin, and includes local tweets, a map and local events in Antrim. Are you #in2nite or #out2nite in Antrim for Christmas Party
Antrim may refer to:
Related locations in Antrim:
More of tonight for Antrim:Antrim: 54.666667, -6.250000


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As part of our challenge project in partnership with EcoWorks and West Village Association, we were tasked with creating a mobility strategy to help West Village move closer to becoming a more environmentally responsible neighborhood as part of West Village’s Eco-D designation. “Eco-D is an initiative formed to help Detroit neighborhoods become not only great neighborhoods, but green neighborhoods. Eco-D supports community-driven plans to meet basic needs in our neighborhoods both now and, equally importantly, into the future.”
Ecodistricts strive to promote environmental justice through ensuring residents have clean air, clean water, and clean soil by adapting energy efficient practices, recycling, and utilizing alternative forms of transportation (decrease car dependency, and car emissions). WV has a number of initiatives in the works including creating a green alley that will assist in the neighborhood’s storm-water management (drainage credits!) as well as beautifying and activating underutilized space.
During our community/stakeholder interviews, residents identified personal safety as one of the main barriers for mobility in WV. Whether it was poor lighting and the fear of getting mugged, or high traffic speeds and lack of bike safety education, it was clear that if WV residents are to be encouraged to ride the bus, ride their bikes, walk instead of driving a car safety/crime concerns would have to be addressed. The good news is that West Village is already on it. They’re currently in the process of getting more street lights (solar ones off course), holding community meetings and working with various organizations to address their community needs.

domain: sociology


To celebrate Memorial Day, rapper Jeezy drops a surprise DJ Drama-hosted mixtape Gangsta Party, which will help you coast through the holiday. This mixtape is the first musical project Jizzle has dropped since last year when he released Seen It All: The Autobiography. The 10-track mixtape features verses from Rich Homie Quan, 2 Chainz, Kevin Gates, YG, Shy Glizzy, and more, with production from London On Da Track, Sonny Digital, Zaytoven, and Cardo.
Enjoy this Memorial Day Monday with some new music. Press play below.


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AT&T plans to expand its 5G mmWave technology into additional U.S. airports by 2021. As a result, customers will have access to “AT&T5G+” with lower latency and faster speeds.
AT&T announced in a press release that it would expand its 5G mmWave technology to 7 additional major US airports by 2021. This is a more complex technology than the sub-6GHz 5G. In addition, AT&T will provide its 5G+ technology at certain areas of high-traffic airports, such as the gates and concessions.
We believe that our customers should be immersed in content and connectivity, no matter where they are. This is why we have built our 5G network. As our customers begin to fly and travel more, so is their demand for 5G connectivity. So we are providing super-fast 5G+ connectivity in the main gate and concession area of Tampa International Airport. And we plan to connect seven more major airports before the end.
AT&T claims to offer its 5G mmWave technology in more than 40 cities across the U.S. by 2021.
Our teams have begun to deploy AT&T 5G+ faster in more cities, airports, and stadiums across the country as part of our March commitment. AT&T 5G+, mmWave 5, G, is offering customers faster speeds and better connectivity in 38 cities and 20 venues throughout the U.S. We expect to offer 5G+ service to more than 40 cities by 2021. But, again, this is something T-Mobile cannot offer.
There are two types of 5G networks: one that uses the sub-6Ghz frequency and mmWave. mmWave is more expensive and requires more infrastructure, but it offers much faster speeds than sub-6GHz. Although 5G was introduced in the iPhone last January, governments, and carriers have increased the growth of 5G technology, but mmWave is still not mainstream.
Apple will release the iPhone 13 in the fall with 5G mmWave compatibility. This will encourage carriers to support the technology and make it available to more countries. To learn more, check out our guide on sub-6GHz vs mmWave.


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I know, what a suprise. I had a burst of colour with that lime green, so black knitting is a very welcome thing now. Here is the progress on the Tree Jacket so far:
I'm still unsure if I'm going to end up with the small or medium. I'm tending towards the medium, since the lowest measurement really IS my size, but I don't want something baggy from hell. Then again, I'd like to wear something under this. Hrm. I just already know my habit of making sweaters too big...ugh.
And I did get pretty yarn this week, and finally got a photo of it.
Yummy rowan cotton rope for the Frontier Jacket. It is just a plain cardigan really. It has been awhile since I bought some black yarn! Okay, not counting the kidsilk haze...and...oh nevermind. My first yarn order of 2008.
So tonight I'm just sitting home alone, knitting while my husband goes and freaks out at random people at work. Because he gets cranky like that when people unplug his ethernet connection at his desk.

domain: hobby


Panic in black village after birth of ‘human’ sheep
Black residents of Lady Frere (Cacadu in the local Xhosa language) in South Africa, are spooked about the birth of a human-looking lamb, with many believing that it has exposed bestiality in the community. Others believe witchcraft is involved.
Published: June 23, 2017, 9:55 am
The panic the birth has caused in the small village, has now prompted the government to intervene to calm down residents. “We call on the local community not to panic over this deformed lamb. We can confirm that this deformed lamb is not a progeny of sheep ovum and a human sperm,” the department’s chief director of veterinary services Dr Lubabalo Mrwebi said.
The Eastern Cape department of rural development and agrarian reform has issued a statement to assure black residents that it was not uncommon for pregnant animals “to be infected by viruses”. Black villagers regularly engage is such acts, but do not expect any “results” from their actions.
Mrwebi said: “Virus infections in early stages of pregnancy may infect the foetus and lead to the development of malformations in the growing foetus. It is likely that this is what happened to the Lady Frere sheep.”
Superstitious villagers have been in a permanent state of fear and anxiety since a sheep gave birth to the malformed creature which black village elders say are half-human half-beast and “sent by the devil”.
Most of the 4 000 black residents of the village in the Eastern Province, are convinced that bestiality and witchcraft had led to the birth of the creature.
The panic quickly spread, forcing the Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development to send out veterinary scientists to carry out tests after pictures of the strange creature went viral, creating a huge upset in the community.
Mrwebi told South African daily IOL: “We can confirm this not a hoax photo but that the severely deformed lamb was born by a sheep in Lady Frere this week which at a glance resembles a human form. It is not however human but a deformed stillborn lamb sired by a sheep and was subsequently infected by a Rift Valley Fever at an early stage of its pregnancy.”
He said unusually high rainfall could lead to an abundance of mosquitoes and midges, both carriers of viruses that cause Rift Valley Fever in sheep.
“The elders when they saw it said it was sent by the devil and was born after a coupling between a man and a sheep and then there was panic. Many people are afraid and will not be happy until it is burned,” one black villager told The Herald Live.
A recent study done in Brazil and published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, found a 34 percent prevalence of bestiality amongst men, most of whom were from rural backgrounds, as well as determining that it was a risk factor for penile cancer.
In Europe and North America, penile cancer constitutes less than 1 percent of malignant tumors in men, while in some South American countries and Africa, this cancer type constitutes up to 10 percent. The disease rarely occurs in countries where ritual circumcision is performed in childhood, but is extremely high for Southern Africa where circumcision is also common, especially in the Eastern Province.
In 2004, thirsty Limpopo villagers were so desperate for rain that they were planning to sacrifice their goats to appease vengeful ancestors. Xihosana villagers said the drought was punishment by angry ancestors after a local youth “raped” goats.
Google, the world’s most popular Internet search engine, has found in a survey however that mostly Muslim states seek access to zoophilic sex-related websites and Pakistan tops the list. Google found that of the top 10 countries – searching for sex-related sites – six were Muslim, with Pakistan on the top. The other Muslim countries are Egypt at number 2, Iran at 4, Morocco at 5, Saudi Arabia at 7 and Turkey at 8. Non-Muslim states are Vietnam at 3, India at 6, Philippines at 9.
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JohannesburgMuch of the Johannesburg city center was a ghost town this week after copper cables were ripped out underground. It appears that robbers had stolen "several kilometres of underground copper cables" last weekend.
Cape TownSouth African President Jacob Zuma has survived an eighth attempt by the opposition to unseat him. The ruling African National Congress (ANC) says the only thing that matters is that the motion for regime change was defeated.
Black women are heavier than their white counterparts new research suggests, because "they experience racism more often". However, none of the reviews of the association of discrimination to health, document the quantitative nature of this relationship.
Cape TownThe Fuck White People "art" displayed in the South African National Gallery does not contravene South Africa's hate speech laws, a black magistrate ruled this week.
KinshasaA new Ebola outbreak has been declared in the Democratic Republic of Congo after the deaths of three people have been linked to the virus. At least one of the deceased has tested positive for the virus, according to the DRC's health ministry. But will a vaccine trump witchcraft?
PretoriaAfricans with albinism are persecuted across the continent. The African Union and SADC have been urged to do more on their behalf, but a campaign launched last year to try and put an end to the crisis, have been met with total indifference.
ColignyThe South African court's decision to grant bail to the two white men of Coligny who are on trial for the murder of a black youth after what seems to have been trumped up charges, was expected, but the outbreak of renewed racial violence came as a result of deliberate racial incitement against Afrikaners by the ruling party.
PretoriaWhite judge Mabel Jansen, who was facing a disciplinary process over "racist" comments she made about the black rape scourge in South Africa, has resigned with immediate effect, the Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services announced on Thursday.
ColignyA black mob stormed one of the oldest white towns in the north of South Africa, Coligny in the North West Province. The area around the town was changed into a conflict zone as violent riots by mobs raged this week after a false rumour was spread.
PretoriaA South African Muslim activist, Yusuf Abramjee, has succeeded in getting a government commission to investigate a private, Christians-only students residence in Pretoria.


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Bayfront Condo, 2 Beds + Convertible Bed - 6 Person Maximum, 2 Full Baths
Located steps away from the water, you can relax while listening to the sound of waves from your private balcony overlooking Pensacola Bay, or take a short walk across the street to enjoy the beautiful white sands and emerald green water of the Gulf of Mexico. This clean and beautiful 2 bedroom, 2 bath waterfront condo features unobstructed views of Pensacola Bay from the living room, master suite, and private balcony. You can also experience spectacular sunsets from the private balcony if you visit during late Spring, Summer or early Fall. The larger bedroom features a queen size bed and the guest bedroom has a full size bed.
Although the condo is less than two miles from Casino Beach, which is the primary location for shopping, restaurants, night life, jet ski and boat rentals, charter fishing companies, public fishing pier and other entertainment options, you can still relax at this relatively quiet and uncrowded location. The condo is also within walking distance to one of Pensacola Beach’s most well known seafood restaurants, Peg Leg Pete’s.
Just come as you are! We supply all the amenities you'll need for you to enjoy this modern and well-appointed unit! Including a fully equipped kitchen, flat panel high definition TV’s in the living room and master bedroom, DVD player and Bose surround sound in the living room, quality linens and bedding, and a table with four chairs on the balcony. A private bath with a garden tub is located in the master bedroom. Amenities provided include, beach towels, beach chairs, umbrellas. All soaps for kitchen, bath and laundry are supplied. We want you to just come and relax in paradise!
The condominium complex includes an outdoor pool, private sandy beach, pond with fountains, and private fishing pier exclusively for guests and residents of Baywatch Condos. Covered parking for 2 cars is provided exclusively for this unit.
Please read the reviews written and posted by previous guests for more helpful information about my property.
Keywords: Pensacola Beach Condo, Pensacola Beach Condominium, Pensacola Beach Waterfront Condo, Pensacola Beach Waterfront Condominium, Condo, Condominium, Waterfront Condo, Waterfront Condominium, Baywatch, Affordable Pensacola Beach Condo

domain: travel


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Bluetongue virus (BTV) is an economically important arbovirus of ruminants that is transmitted by Culicoides spp. biting midges. BTV infection of ruminants results in a high viraemia, suggesting that repeated sharing of needles between animals could result in its iatrogenic transmission. Studies defining the risk of iatrogenic transmission of blood-borne pathogens by less invasive routes, such as subcutaneous or intradermal inoculations are rare, even though the sharing of needles is common practice for these inoculation routes in the veterinary sector. Here we demonstrate that BTV can be transmitted by needle sharing during subcutaneous inoculation, despite the absence of visible blood contamination of the needles. The incubation period, measured from sharing of needles, to detection of BTV in the recipient sheep or cattle, was substantially longer than has previously been reported after experimental infection of ruminants by either direct inoculation of virus, or through blood feeding by infected Culicoides. Although such mechanical transmission is most likely rare under field condition, these results are likely to influence future advice given in relation to sharing needles during veterinary vaccination campaigns and will also be of interest for the public health sector considering the risk of pathogen transmission during subcutaneous inoculations with re-used needles.
The risk of iatrogenic transmission of pathogens through blood-contaminated needles and surgical equipment is widely recognised in both veterinary and human medicine1,2,3,4. Studies published on this subject usually report iatrogenic transmission of pathogens in humans and animals either through a ‘blood-to-blood’ transmission route (e.g. by transfusion, contaminated surgical equipment or the sharing of needles for intravenous or intramuscular inoculation), or a blood to broken skin/mucosal route (e.g. by blood splashes or dehorning equipment)5,6.
Although iatrogenic transmission of important veterinary viruses such as bovine leukaemia virus (BLV) , bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV), equine infectious anaemia virus (EIAV) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) has been reported, transmission in these studies was associated with much more invasive techniques such as dehorning5,7,8, ear tattooing9, minor surgery or the re-use of hypodermic needles by intravenous or intramuscular routes1,3,10. Experiments that define the risk of transmission through subcutaneous and intradermal inoculation routes have been only rarely conducted11,12 or did not result in successful transmission or higher transmission risks13,14,15.
Subcutaneous or intradermal inoculations do not usually result in visible contamination of the needle with blood and the risk of transmission of blood-borne pathogens may be assumed to be low13,15,16. Veterinary and agriculture workers frequently re-use needles when inoculating animals via these routes and it is therefore important that the pathogen-transmission risks for these procedures are adequately assessed. For example, routine mass vaccination of livestock is often carried out using automatic syringes or vaccination guns, which may re-use the same needles between individuals (although some devices do superficially clean the needle between injections) (http://academy.fwi.co.uk/Courses/Livestock/Diseases-in-cattle/Bluetongue).
Alternative transmission routes need to be taken into consideration when assessing the overall risk of the incursion and spread of viruses17,18,19. This is particularly important for those viruses which are not highly contagious by direct contact, but are transmitted very effectively by other specific routes, such as arthropod vector bite or sexual transmission20,21. Examples of viruses that are spread through blood-contaminated needles, particularly in high risk groups (such as intravenous drug users or healthcare workers) include Hepatitis B, C and HIV21. In humans, viral transmission through needle-prick injuries or mucocutaneous blood contact has also been reported for several arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses), including dengue fever virus11,22.
Bluetongue virus (BTV), an economically important arbovirus, is primarily biologically transmitted between its ruminant hosts by Culicoides biting midges23. In the last decade BTV has dramatically expanded its distribution range into Europe, causing severe disease in northern European sheep, as well as high morbidity levels in cattle24,25,26. During the mass vaccination campaigns employed to control these outbreaks27, concerns were raised about the potential for BTV to be transmitted by the use of shared needles, during sequential subcutaneous inoculations.
In this study we have investigated the potential of BTV to be mechanically transmitted from infected donor to non-infected recipient ruminants when carrying out minimally invasive subcutaneous or intradermal injections while re-using the same needle in the absence of visible blood contamination. These results are likely to influence future advice given to veterinary policymakers, farmers and veterinarians in relation to sharing needles during vaccination campaigns and will also be of interest to human health officials when considering the risk of pathogen transmission during subcutaneous inoculations with re-used needles.
Infection of donor animals
BTV replication was confirmed in the BTV-8KC2 inoculated donor animals by rRT-PCR (Fig. 1). On the days of shared needle inoculations, the donor animals (sheep D5-D9 post-donor infection; cattle D7–10 post-donor infection) showed peak BTV RNA detectable in the blood (i.e. the lowest Cq-value) for all 4 donor animals (Fig. 1). The two days of highest BTV RNA levels in the blood were chosen for virus titration on KC-C. sonorensis cells to confirm the presence of infectious virus. Viral titres in donor animals ranged from 104.5 TCID50/ml to 106.25 TCID50/ml on the days tested (Table 1).
Serum samples from all donor sheep were initially tested at 12 days post-infection (dpi), by which time all donor animals had detectable levels of BTV specific immunoglobulins (D1 276% S/P; D2 213% S/P; D3 376% S/P) and remained positive until the end of the experiment on 26 dpi. The serum from the donor bull was first tested at 14 dpi, by which time the animal tested positive for BTV immunoglobulins (334% S/P) and remained positive until the end of the experiment at 34 dpi.
Testing of Recipient animals
Only one of the subcutaneous recipient sheep (SC-R1) tested positive for BTV RNA (Fig. 1: Cq = 26.1; 26.1) in blood samples taken 14 days after the first subcutaneous needle sharing event (11 days following the last needle sharing event). Prior to this point, (including a blood sample taken 3 days earlier) no BTV RNA had been detected in blood samples from this sheep. A further two blood samples from the same animal also contained detectable BTV RNA (Fig. 1). Infectious virus was isolated from all three BTV RNA positive blood samples of this recipient sheep and the viral titre was determined as 104.75 TCID50/ml in the first BTV RNA positive blood sample. On the first day on which BTV RNA and infectious virus was detected in the recipients’ blood, no BTV specific immunoglobulins were detected in the serum. However the recipient sheep was found to have seroconverted by the end of the experiment 7 days later (272% S/P).
The BTV positive recipient sheep (SC-R1) showed mild clinical signs consistent with bluetongue (BT), 4 days after initial detection of BTV RNA/infectious virus in its blood. These signs included reddening of the mucosal membrane, swollen upper and lower lips followed by reddening of the coronary bands. The peak temperature recorded was 39.9 °C, although the onset of higher fever might have been missed as the frequency of body temperature recording had been reduced at this stage of the study to coincide with sampling days. The animal was euthanized seven days after detection of BTV infection and the pathological signs recorded were typical for BTV infection and included multiple swollen and haemorrhagic lymph nodes and petechial bleeding in the oral cavity.
None of the other three subcutaneous recipient sheep, or the three intradermal recipient sheep had detectable levels of BTV-RNA in their blood (Fig. 1), BTV immunoglobulin in their serum, or exhibited clinical signs by the end of the experiment at 21 days after the first needle exchange.
Cattle recipient 2 (SC-RC2) tested positive for BTV RNA (Fig. 1: Cq = 25.8; 26.7) in blood samples taken 21 days following the first subcutaneous needle sharing event (18 days following the last needle sharing event). On the preceding sampling day (5 days earlier), the blood from this recipient did not contain detectable BTV RNA. Two further blood samples taken from SC-RC2 also tested positive for BTV RNA (Fig. 1) and infectious virus was isolated from each of the positive blood samples. The viral titre in the first BTV RNA positive sample was 103.5 TCID50/ml. By the end of the experiment (7 days after the first positive BTV RNA rRT-PCR result) the animal had not yet seroconverted and no BTV specific antibodies were detected in its serum (13% S/P, classed negative as below the positive threshold of 30%). No clinical signs of BT were observed in the recipient animal throughout the experiment.
Probability of mechanical transmission
For each of the three experiments conducted (cattle, sheep SC, sheep ID), the 95% credible interval (CI) for the estimated effect of the Cq value of the donor animal on the probability of transmission included zero. Consequently, there is no evidence of an effect of the Cq value of the donor animal on the probability of transmission and all subsequent results are presented for the model as independent of donor Cq.
For the experiment in which transmission between cattle was attempted via subcutanous inoculation, the probability of transmission for each challenge was estimated to be 0.0243 (95% CI 0.0185–0.102), the mean incubation period to be 3.73 days (95% CI 3.14–4.25), and the shape parameter for the incubation period distribution to be 0.801 (95% CI 0.143–2.77).
Where transmission between sheep was attempted via subcutaneous inoculation, the probability of transmission for each challenge was estimated to be 0.0189 (95% CI 0.00139–0.0794), the mean incubation period to be 2.57 days (95% CI 2.15 –3.32), and the shape parameter for the incubation period distribution to be 1.33 (95% CI 0.208–5.89]).
For the experiment in which transmission between sheep was attempted via intradermal inoculation, the probability of transmission for each challenge was estimated to be less than 8.91 × 10−10 (95% CI 3.33 × 10−16–0.00175), the mean incubation period to be 2.51 days (95% CI 2.14–3.20), and the shape parameter for the incubation period distribution to be 6.09 (95% CI 1.30–10.4).
This study demonstrates for the first time that BTV can be transmitted between infected and uninfected ruminants through subcutaneous inoculations using the same needle. In the wider literature, iatrogenic transmission of blood-borne pathogens is normally associated with more invasive techniques such as needle prick injuries (muscle layer), intramuscular and intravenous inoculations, or surgical procedures7,10,12.
Subcutaneous and intradermal inoculations do not normally result in the transfer of blood and no visible blood contamination was observed on the needle in the current experiments. In several previously published epidemiological studies common vaccination practises did not increase the risk of BLV transmission14,15 and experimental transmission between infected and non-infected animals using common needle injection techniques (intramuscular or intradermal route) failed, unless the needle was specifically covered in viraemic blood13,16.
However in our study, one of the four recipient sheep and one of the four recipient cattle became infected following a sequence of multiple alternating subcutaneous inoculations from infected donor to naïve recipients, demonstrating that sharing needles, even by the minimally invasive subcutaneous route, can result in BTV transmission. We have recently highlighted that BTV can replicate directly in the endothelial cells of skin capillaries28, hence the presence of replicating virus in the skin might offer a possible explanation for needle contamination with virus without visible blood resulting in iatrogenic transmission of BTV during sequential subcutaneous inoculations.
In the current study, the two recipient animals which demonstrated a successful transmission event also exhibited prolonged incubation periods until BTV was detected in the blood (as confirmed by the presence of viral RNA or infectious virus), compared to other studies using early detection technologies such as real-time RT-PCR. Ruminants inoculated with BTV during in vivo studies mostly develop BTV RNA levels detectable by RT-PCR or real-time RT-PCR in the blood by day 1 to day 7 post-infection29,30,31,32 depending on ruminant species and breed. Although BTV incubation periods in ruminants of 2–16 days have previously been reported33,34, recent advances in virus detection technologies create difficulties when comparing historic infection studies that relied on virus isolation to those utilising RNA detection by rRT-PCR35, the latter consistently reporting early detection between 1–7 days post infection35,36,37. Furthermore the sheep breed used in this trial (Dorset Poll) has previously been reported to be highly susceptible to BTV infection and the viral RNA is normally detected in the blood between day 1 and-day 5 post infection31,32,37. Early BTV RNA detection was also observed in the four donor animals in this study, all of which had detectable BTV RNA in their blood by 2 or 3 days post infection.
In many viral diseases, such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), a higher inoculation dose of virus seems to result in shorter incubation times until viraemia can be detected38,39. Studies for BTV have revealed little change in incubation periods in relation to infectious dose, with infected animals still being reported BTV positive by day 7 post infection, even when low viral dosage were administered40,41.
In a previous study using BTV, cattle were shown to have detectable RNA and infectious virus in their blood stream by 5 dpi despite using an inoculation dose as low as 10 TCID50/ml41. Interestingly one of the five calves inoculated within a low titre infection group, failed to develop detectable viraemia (RNA or infectious virus) throughout the experiment, which tested the blood of calves for BTV RNA by rRT-PCR for >160 days41.
The extended time period until detection of BTV RNA by rRT-PCR in the sheep and bovine recipients in our study can therefore be regarded as unusual. However, despite the prolonged incubation periods observed, the subsequent infection kinetics (determined as levels of BTV RNA in the blood) in the two recipients animals were comparable to the directly infected donors (Fig. 1). Furthermore sheep recipient 1 developed clinical signs and pathology typical of BT by the end of the study.
Nonetheless some studies infecting sheep via the bites of infected Culicoides spp. have also reported longer incubation periods of 15 or 16 days duration before infection was confirmed34,42. These studies include a recent investigation using intra-thoracically (systemically) infected C. nubeculosus, that were allowed to blood-feed on sheep, and which reported BTV RNA detectable by rRT-PCR in 6 out of the 8 sheep between 2–7 days post Culicoides feeding, but only at 15 dpi in the 2 remaining sheep42. BTV infection of sheep using infected insects is difficult to compare with other methodologies as the infectious dose cannot be easily quantified, but it might suggest that very low infectious doses could take longer to result in systemic detection of the virus.
The long incubation period observed in the current study might influence the perceived association of the event “inoculation using shared needle” with the outcome “bluetongue virus infections”. Should ruminants be tested positive for BTV 3–4 weeks after a routine vaccination, farmers and veterinarians might assume a natural infection rather than associating infection with the inoculation practises.
The closeness of the observed incubation times in the BTV8 infected recipient animals to the endpoint of the experiments further increased uncertainty over the incubation period required to detect successful mechanical transmission by subcutaneous needle sharing. Recipients which remained negative could represent either an unsuccessful transmission or a successful transmission for which the incubation period was not yet complete thereby making it more difficult to estimate the probability of mechanical transmission by this route.
It is also important to acknowledge that each recipient animal received an unusually high number of subcutaneous or intra-dermal inoculations by shared needles, suggesting that mechanical transmission by these routes is likely to be rare under field conditions. Estimates of transmission probabilities obtained in our analysis under the assumption of comparable incubation periods between typical experimental infection and mechanical needlestick transmission also suggested the latter to represent a rare event. Some automated vaccination guns also have devices to superficially clean the needles between injections, which might further reduce the risk for iatrogenic transmission during subcutaneous inoculation in the field, however this would need to be verified by further studies.
Nonetheless this does not preclude this route of transmission playing a significant role in the epidemiology of BTV and our estimates are likely to be strongly influenced by the potential duration of the incubation period. Further studies which include follow-up of recipient animals for longer periods are needed to improve estimation of transmission efficiency via this route.
In summary this study demonstrates for the first time that BTV transmission is possible by sharing needles for subcutaneous injections and that such transmission might occur in the field, most likely at a low, but currently unknown frequency. The successful transmission of an arbovirus by a relatively non-invasive technique such as subcutaneous inoculation, in the absence of visible blood contamination, is relevant to veterinarians and farmers, as well as to the medical and public health community. In light of these results, it would be advisable to consider disposable needle use during herd vaccination campaigns carried out in areas and seasons of BTV circulation to prevent any risk of iatrogenic BTV transmission.
Materials and Methods
Study Materials and Animals
Bluetongue virus isolations and titrations were carried out in KC cells derived from Culicoides sonorensis embryos (KC-C. sonorensis)43. These were grown in Schneider’s insect cell medium (Lonza) and supplemented with 1% Penicillin/Streptomycin (Sigma), 1% Amphotericin B (Sigma) and 10% heat-inactivated foetal-calf serum (FCS) (Gibco) (‘growth media’).
The virus used as inoculum was isolated from a blood sample taken from the UK index case cow infected with BTV-8 in 2007. Washed and sonicated blood was directly added to KC-C. sonorensis cells in growth media. The virus was passaged a second time in KC-C. sonorensis cells and was designated: BTV8KC2 (Orbivirus Reference Collection number: UKG2007/64). The titre of the donor inoculum used was determined by titration on KC-C. sonorensis cells (see below) as 107 TCID50/ml.
Five 9-month old male Holstein Friesian cattle and ten 6–12 month old Dorset Poll sheep of both sexes were kept in insect-proof isolation units at The Pirbright Institute.
Ethical statement animal studies
All animal experiments were carried out in accordance with the UK Animal Scientific Procedure Act (ASPA) 1986 which transposes European Directive 2010/63/EU into UK national law.
The animal studies were approved by the UK home office in granting Project licence 70/6798 under the Animal Scientific Procedure Act and all protocols had undergone appropriate local ethical review procedures by the Animal welfare and Ethical Review Board (AWERB) of The Pirbright Institute.
Three sheep were assigned to a “donor” group and inoculated subcutaneously with 1 ml (107 TCID50) BTV-8KC2 into the left side of the neck. Four sheep were assigned as “subcutaneous recipients” and 3 sheep as “intradermal recipients”.
On day 5 post inoculation of the donor sheep a 10 ml syringe was filled with sterile PBS and, using a 20 g needle, 1 ml of PBS was inoculated subcutaneously into the neck of the donor animal according to standard veterinary practice. Immediately after, a further 1 ml of PBS was inoculated subcutaneously into the neck of a recipient sheep using the same needle. The donor/recipient subcutaneous inoculation sequence was carried out twice per recipient per day (1× left neck and 1× right neck) for 5 consecutive days; hence each recipient received a total of 10 inoculations of PBS using a shared needle from donor to recipient.
A 1 ml syringe was filled with 1 ml sterile PBS and using a 25 g needle 100 μl of PBS was inoculated via an intradermal route into the skin of the inner thigh of the donor sheep followed by inoculation of 100 μl of PBS into the skin of the inner thigh of the intra-dermal recipient sheep using the same needle. Each intradermal recipient sheep received 5 × 100 μl intradermal inoculations/ day for 5 consecutive days. In total each intradermal recipient received 25 inoculations of PBS by shared needle.
Donor animals were rotated each day to ensure distribution of subcutaneous and intradermal inoculation among donors as well as trying to minimise the effects of possible differences in donor virus replication (Table 2).
Following treatment each sheep was observed regularly for clinical signs of bluetongue disease (BT) and rectal temperature was taken daily for the first 14 days and subsequently on sampling days only until the end of the experiment. Blood samples (EDTA and whole blood) were taken every 1-2 days for the first 10 days and subsequently at 2–5 day intervals until the end of the experiment.
One of the cattle was designated as a “donor” and inoculated subcutaneously with 1 ml BTV-8KC2 into the left side of the neck. The remaining 4 cattle were designated as a “recipient” group. From day 7 post-infection of the donor, subcutaneous inoculations between donor and recipient cattle were carried out as described for the subcutaneous recipient sheep, but for 4 consecutive days only. Each animal of the recipient group received 8 inoculations of PBS in total using a shared needle from donor to recipient cattle.
RNA extraction and real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR)
RNA extraction from EDTA blood samples and real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR) was carried out as described previously44. To control for inter-plate variation between independent extractions and rRT-PCR, several replicates (for a 96 well plate a minimum of 5) of BTV RNA positive sheep blood with a known Cq value were included on each extraction/rRT-PCR plate and the sample results of respective plates were only accepted if the positive control samples were within +/− 2 Cq values of the previously determined value. Uninfected ruminant EDTA blood samples were included as negative controls.
Whole blood samples were centrifuged at ~2000 g for 5 min and 1 ml of serum was transferred to sterile microfuge tubes and stored at +4 °C. Selected serum samples were screened for anti-BTV antibodies using the Early BTV detection kit (ID Vet France) according to the manufacturer’s protocol. The presence of anti-BTV antibodies in samples was determined as % sample/positive control with samples >30% S/P categorised as positive.
EDTA blood samples were washed three times using Ca/Mg-free PBS and sonicated for a few seconds at 3000 Hz until red blood cells were lysed. Serially diluted samples were added to freshly passaged KC monolayers in 96-well plates, incubated for 10–14 days at 25 °C followed by testing of the supernatants using an indirect sandwich antigen ELISA as previously described45.
Modelling approach to determine mechanical transmission frequency
The rRT-PCR data was used to estimate the probability of transmission for each challenge and the duration of the incubation period (defined as time from inoculation to the first detection of BTV RNA) following successful transmission. A mathematical model was constructed which explicitly acknowledged that each animal could be in one of three states at the time of testing: (1) infected and having completed the incubation period; (2) infected but yet to complete the incubation period, or (3) uninfected. The probability of an animal being in each of these states depended on its challenge history, the probability of transmission per challenge and the duration of the incubation period following successful challenge.
Within the study each animal received several potentially infectious challenges by sharing needles between donor and recipient animals multiple times. Therefore, a model was chosen that estimated the probability of transmission per challenge (i.e. potential needle-sharing transmission event) rather than for each individual animal. The duration of the incubation period was assumed to follow a gamma distribution (with mean θ and shape parameter k, meaning that the variance of the distribution is θ2/k). Parameters were estimated in a Bayesian framework to allow for the incorporation of prior information about the expected duration of the incubation period, based on previous experimental infection studies with this BTV strain36.
For each set of experiments, to determine whether the probability of transmission was affected by the level of RNAemia of the donor animal (measure by rRT-PCR), a second model was also fitted in which the probability of transmission depended on the Cq value of the blood taken from the donor at the time of attempted transmission. A full description of the model and mathematical equations is given in Supplementary Information Methods online.
How to cite this article: Darpel, K. E. et al. Using shared needles for subcutaneous inoculation can transmit bluetongue virus mechanically between ruminant hosts. Sci. Rep. 6, 20627; doi: 10.1038/srep20627 (2016).
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The studies were funded by Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council grants BB/G529075/1 and BB/F00852X/1. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. We gratefully acknowledge the important scientific contribution to the study design and data interpretation of Dr. Haru-Hisa Takamatsu who has since left The Pirbright Institute. We are also would like to express our gratitude for the excellent assistance of the animal care team at The Pirbright Institute, both with the organisation of the animal trials and the day-today care of the sheep and cattle, specifically Tony Smith, Joe Garthwaite, Lisa Haines, Luke Fitzpatrick, David Selby and Beckie Evans.
The authors declare no competing financial interests.
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Darpel, K., Barber, J., Hope, A. et al. Using shared needles for subcutaneous inoculation can transmit bluetongue virus mechanically between ruminant hosts. Sci Rep 6, 20627 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep20627


Thaicom to exit satellite C-band
November 12, 2019
By Chris Forrester
Thai satellite operator Thaicom will exit the 3400-3700 MHz bands (C-band) in order to help 5G cellular deployment. The frequencies are utilised on Thaicom 5.
Thaicom CEO Anant Kaewruamgvongs says that the satellite operator will co-operate with the country’s National Broadcasting & Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to ensure optimum public benefits.
The NBTC will compensate Thaicom for the release of the frequencies.
Thailand’s NBTC and the nation’s Digital Economy & Society ministry are ultimately the owners of the spectrum under a concession which ends in 2021.
“Thaicom has to wait for an official letter from the DES Ministry and the NBTC, as well as the discussion framework and study from the NBTC’s advisory team, which will be appointed in the near future,” Anant said.
The NBTC announced last week that it would hold a four-spectrum auction for 5G on February 16th. The ranges are 700MHz, 1800MHz, 2600MHz and 26GHz.


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Former head coach Miguel Angel Ramirez shared a heartfelt message with Charlotte FC fans on Twitter Sunday afternoon.
It was the first time he's made public comments since the 2022 expansion side parted ways with him on May 31.
"I will miss every minute of working with this team, always with your unconditional support," Ramirez wrote in a social media post. "I feel that the strong connection that we have built together these months goes far beyond a contract.
" … I want you to know that the daily effort and sacrifice of this squad has been extraordinary, I am very proud to have been able to direct their work at the head of a coaching staff that has given everything to this project that I can no longer finish."
The outspoken Spanish manager had a 5W-8L-1D record at the time of his departure, sitting one spot out of the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs places at eight in the Eastern Conference table.
During his 14-game run, Charlotte averaged a home attendance of 31,479, including breaking the MLS single-game attendance record when 74,479 fans attended their inaugural home match vs. LA Galaxy.
It was a time he'll always cherish, shaping the first moments of a new MLS club.
"We will never forget the first game, that record on March 5, the first goal, the first win... and all the love you have given us from the first day until today," Ramirez wrote.
Assistant coach Christian Lattanzio has taken over as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2022 season. Goalkeeper coach Andy Quy remains on staff, while all other assistants have been let go.
Charlotte FC return to action June 11 when hosting the New York Red Bulls (3 pm ET | ABC, ESPN Deportes).


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(HBO) – The campaign "The whole people engage in building the cultural life” has received enthusiastic response from the political system and local people.
Art teams are established in all wards, villages and hamlets to deliver performance serving local political missions.
The consolidation and development of cultural institutions, organisations and families coupled with the campaign "The whole people unite to build new-style rural areas and civilised urban areas” have shown efficiency. There is an increasing number of registrations for the titles "cultural family” and "cultural residential area”. Last year, 50 percent of the district’s households satisfied standards of the "cultural family”, and 10 percent of villages and wards received the title "cultural village, ward”. Meanwhile, the "cultural organisation, agency and business” title was bestowed on 18 percent of the local organisations and businesses, and 53.3 percent of the local schools.
Local authorities have worked to carry out the campaign on building the cultural life in tandem with the campaign on building new-style rural areas. In addition, competent sectors and organisations have coordinated in the work.
Particularly, the communication work has been paid due attention to raise public awareness of the standards of the two campaigns, helping improve the spiritual and material lives for local people as well as successfully implement local socio-economic development missions and maintain local defence-security.
In the coming time, the campaign "The whole people engage in building the cultural life” will be carried out in accordance with the development of rural culture in building advanced new-style rural areas, advanced new-style rural area and patriotic emulation movements.
The locality will complete and promote the efficiency of the cultural institution system at grass-roots level, creating favourable conditions for local people to develop culture, and contributing to concretising socio-economic development goals in the new period./.
(HBO) - Dong Nhat village, Dung Phong commune (Cao Phong) is a newly merged hamlet. With the consent of the people, the hamlet has succeeded in building a model of new rural residential area.
(HBO) – The Hoa Binh provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism held a conference to launch its 2021 tasks. Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Toan attended and chaired the event.
(HBO) - The implementation of the movement"All people unite to build the cultural life” in Lac Thuy district of Hoa Binh province has proven its efficiency in recent years, creating a vibrant emulation atmosphere in the locality, helping to improve living conditions of local residents and promoting unity among the community.
(HBO) - In Xuan Thuy commune (Kim Boi), the Youth Communist Union of Hoa Binh Province the Youth Communist Union of Kim Boi District and Cai Luong Theater of Vietnam jointly organized the propaganda program of the revolutionary song to welcome the thirteenth National Congress of the Communist Party and to celebrate the 80th anniversary when Uncle Ho's came back to the country to directly lead the Vietnamese revolution (January 28th, 1941 - January 28th, 2021).
(HBO) – La Van Cau hamlet continues to take lead in the campaign to develop model new-style rural residential area in Thuong Coc commune, Lac Son district.


text:
"Something I want you all to think about is that the next president of the United States, whoever that individual may be, could choose up to three, maybe even four members of the Supreme Court," he said. "Now this isn't about who's going to be the president of the United States for just the next four years. This could be about individuals who have an impact on you, your children, and even our grandchildren. That's the weight of what this election is really about." "That, I will suggest to you, is the real question we need to be asking ourselves," he continued. "What would those justices look like if, let's be theoretical here and say, if it were Hillary Clinton versus Rick Perry? And if that won't make you go work, if I do decide to get into the race, then I don't know what will."
Perry identifies the top issue of the 2016 race
Rick Perry believes the Supreme Court is the biggest issue of the next presidential election. He raises a very good point.
It's easy to rattle off some of the top campaign issues of the 2016 race, largely because candidates talk about them every day. The economy, national security, the climate crisis, immigration, the future of health security, and access to a quality education will all dominate the public discourse for much of the next year and a half.
But over at Bloomberg Politics, Sahil Kapur reported over the weekend on a South Carolina event, where former Gov. Rick Perry (R) highlighted a central national issue that doesn't generally get as much attention.
Whatever one might think of Perry or his skills as a potential president, that's actually an excellent summary of an underappreciated issue. ThinkProgress' Ian Millhiser, whom I wouldn't describe as a Perry proponent, said the Texas Republican made "last week's single most incisive statement about the 2016 election."
To appreciate why, consider a chart.
If we assume that the current court does not change for the remainder of the Obama presidency -- and really, no one can even say that for sure -- three justices will be at least 80 by Inauguration Day 2017. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will be 83. (In the chart, blue lines refer to justices appointed by Democratic presidents; red lines refer to justices appointed by Republican presidents.)
The significance of these statistics is important: as the Bloomberg Politics piece added, "The average retirement age for a U.S. Supreme Court justice is 78.7, a 2006 study in the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy found."
The day the next president takes office, three sitting justices will already be well past this average, while a fourth will be very close behind. (Justice Stephen Breyer will be 78.2 years old on the next Inauguration Day.)
Purely on institutional grounds, Perry is absolutely right -- the makeup of the high court will likely give the next president a unique opportunity to shape much of American public life for a generation.

domain: politics


….King Allen to perform live at grand finale
By Binebai Princewill
The ancient Ogido-Owu Festival will begin its 2021 edition today the 1st of February 2021 at the Igbomoturu 1 community in Boma Kingdom, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
This was made known to newsmen in Yenagoa earlier today via a statement signed by the duo of Deputy Highness Bello Goda, CDC Chairman Ebipamunu Timinumu, a copy of which was sent to The Liberator Newspapers.
The duo of Deputy Highness Bello Goda, CDC Chairman Ebipamunu Timimunu had on behalf of the clan invited lovers of Ijaw culture and tradition to grace the epoch making ancient festival of the community, maintaining that all arrangements have been concluded in taking care of dignitaries that will be thronging the festival.
In speaking about the spiritual significance of the festival, Bello and Ebipamunu noted that the festival is as old as the Igbomoturu Clan itself, adding that it is purely for the spiritual cleansing of the clan and her people ahead of the year for progress.
They particularly hinted The Liberator Newspapers that there are a lot of benefits tied to sons and daughters of the kingdom and beyond that participates in the festival.
However, they opined that beyond the incantations, the colourful and magnificent display of the masquerades, particularly the Ogido-Owu, adding that the display of the masquerade alone is a great sight to behold.
According to the information, the festival is billed for three days from 1st of February to 3rd of February 2021 with different mind blowing cultural activities.
They continued that the festival also features sports and other social events which according to them is an all embracing one.
Meanwhile, The Liberator Newspapers Worldwide can report that an Ijaw music luminary, King Allen Alabor and his bandset will be on ground live to perform and thrill dignitaries though out the night at the grand finale of the event which is on Wednesday 3rd of February 2021.
The statement had also lauded renowned Niger Delta former warlord, self styled Gen. Amagbein for his continuous financial supports towards the success of the festival in each passing year.
Nevertheless, the statement maintained that other significance of the festival is the coming together of all sons and daughters of the Kingdom, promotion of unity among indigenes of Igbomoturu 1 and the boosting of the socio economic life of the community within the period.


text: Hi everyone. I am new here. I am looking to connect with others that have been married a long time that could be helpful to me as I come to terms with how unhappy my marriage has become after 20 years. Two children. Both teenagers, both girls. Passive aggressive husband that I have unfortunately enabled a lot over the years. Can anyone relate?

domain: psychology


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- Monday, November 16, 2020
Teslin Biomass Boiler Live Virtual Tour
Southeast Conference, Yukon Government, and the Alaska-Yukon Wood Energy Conference presents the second virtual biomass energy facility tour on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 11 a.m. (Alaska time).
This tour will showcase the Teslin biomass facility in Canada’s Yukon. The live tour will also include a question and answer session to learn more about the boiler, the facility, wood, and any other burning questions.
This is the second virtual biomass tour of the series. Watch the first tour that was held in Hydaburg, Alaska. View transcripts of the Hydaurg tour and the question and answer session here.
Register for the Teslin virtual tour here. This free tour will be held on Zoom.
This event is made possible with thanks to Southeast Conference, Yukon Government, Alaska Energy Authority, US Forest Service, and, Teslin Tlingit Council.
For more information on the Teslin virtual tour, please contact Karen Petersen at email@example.com or Ryan Hennessey at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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New International Version
At her feet he sank, he fell; there he lay. At her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell--dead.
King James Bible
At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
Darby Bible Translation
Between her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: Between her feet he bowed, he fell; Where he bowed, there he fell, overcome.
World English Bible
At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he bowed, he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
Young's Literal Translation
Between her feet he bowed -- He fell, he lay down; Between her feet he bowed, he fell; Where he bowed, there he fell -- destroyed.
Judges 5:27 Parallel
CommentaryClarke's Commentary on the Bible
At her feet he bowed - בין רגליה bein ragleyha, "between her feet." After having stunned him she probably sat down, for the greater convenience of driving the nail through his temples.
He bowed - he fell - He probably made some struggles after he received the blow on the head, but could not recover his feet. Aeschylus represents Agamemnon rising, staggering, and finally falling, under the blows of Clytemnestra. - Agam. v. 1384.
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
at Heb. between. where
dead. Heb. destroyed
Why satest then among the sheepfolds, to hear the pipings for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.'--JUDGES v. 16 (R.V.). I. The fight. The warfare is ever repeated, though in new forms. In the highest form it is Christ versus the World, And that conflict must be fought out in our own souls first. Our religion should lead not only to accept and rely on what Christ does for us, but to do and dare for Christ. He has given Himself for us, and has thereby …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture
Songs of Deliverance
The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
Her hand reached for the tent peg, her right hand for the workman's hammer. She struck Sisera, she crushed his head, she shattered and pierced his temple.
"Through the window peered Sisera's mother; behind the lattice she cried out, 'Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why is the clatter of his chariots delayed?'
Jump to PreviousBent Bowed Dead Death Destroyed Lay Sank Stretched Sunk
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THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica®.


text:
For one weekend a year, over half a million Mauritians head to downtown Port Louis to eat, drink and marvel at the display of luminous public art. Charl Blignaut was one of a growing number of tourists filling the streets at the Porlwi By Light festival.
Queen Victoria is bathed in a red glow, lights dancing across her stern face. From her plinth in front of the Mauritian Parliament building, she has just presided over the opening ceremony of the second-ever Porlwi By Light festival, an event couched in racial harmony and progress.
The air is electric. Everywhere you look, trees and buildings and statues are illuminated by pops and sputterings and swathes of projected light. Sculpted figurines glow from rooftops and fly upward towards palm trees, lights knock playfully on doorways. Up on the hill a shrine shines like an alien landing site. On giant silos, a series of faces of historically influential Mauritians fade in and away again. In front of them a fountain in the harbour becomes a screen for an intricate laser projection that tells a mythical history of this place, discovered by the Arabs and colonised by the Dutch, the French and then the British before negotiating independence in 1968.
There are people everywhere. Brown, Indian, white, traders, tourists, town folk. Couples hold hands, parents herd children, stoners wield tech, teenage boys swagger past with the front tips of their hair curiously peroxided.
The garden of earthly delights
In the street ahead of us, giant banyan trees are bathed in a pinkish purple, then a singeing of red. As you approach the Company Garden, the old park is seething with an ancient, futurist energy. Crickets chirp in an electric jungle with great silver orbs rolling by in the distance, a woman singing, the sound of thunder, pregnant clouds hang among the entanglements of banyan roots.
Visitors queue around the block to get inside. On any other night they’d be advised to steer clear of the garden.
“Company Garden has a negative image in people’s minds, because this is where you will find sex workers at night,” says Nirveda Alleck, the petite, expressive, early-40s Mauritian artist and lecturer who created this enchantment in the park.
“I’ve never walked through here alone. There are pickpockets and things ... It’s used by lots of people, but it’s really bland. There’s just soil and dead plants and rubbish. My first thought was that it needed freshness. I wanted rain under the trees. But it was too expensive, so I decided to make the clouds and the ponds ... I brought in vegetation.”
Her hands sketch in the air as she talks, especially about politics on the island. She is well-regarded for her fiercely critical, post-colonial paintings. (See our cover for her work on the dispossessed inhabitants of the Chagos islands given to the British to secure Mauritian independence.) But she is also known for her “philosophy of feeling” when it comes to her art.
“I needed spheres, reflection, clouds. Then I remembered the painting by Hieronymus Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights. Maybe it was in my subconscious. It’s one of the few paintings from back then where there are black bodies that are more than slaves. The people in the painting I wanted to bring in as a performance, but it was getting too expensive by then. So, that’s where the mirrors come in, to reflect the people who come into the space.” Some of them distort images and others pixelate them, depending on the light.
“I decided to create a magical space for Porlwi By Light. The majority of the people do not ask themselves questions about post-colonialism, about concepts in art.” But they know what they feel when entering a space like this. In a way it’s like her early paintings, a cacophony of colour and instinct.
This park, she tells me, is also the only place in Mauritius where you can stage a public grievance.
“At this kiosk you can protest. You can hunger strike here if you’re not happy with the government.” Does it get used? “It gets used, yes, there was supposed to be one last week. They moved it for the festival.”
Party at the top of the world
Officials escort well-heeled guests up to the rooftop of the Air Mauritius building where we take in the full splendour of the light display. Adults blink like infants at the scale of it all. Offerings of Bulgari and champagne compensate for the drizzle that’s set in.
It’s early December and peak season is approaching for the tourist island where land and property development are now the primary currency, the closer to the sea, the more valuable.
The Mauritius Tourism Authority sponsors Porlwi By Light and its dates are strategic. “It’s already seen the low season grow by 30% and the gap between high and low season is closing,” says an official.
Last year, Porlwi By Light attracted an estimated 400 000 or so visitors. This year, I will later be told, they estimate that they hit 600 000. A good few are visitors, but that’s almost half the population of Mauritius.
“We want to get people out of their homes and out of the malls and back into the city,” says an organiser. “The city belongs to everyone.”
But on the street, a dissenting voice and supporter of Youth United in Voluntary Action (Yuva), a group of young people who want to create a new, decolonised political party, shrugs at such sentiments. “They will sell you the story that this island was created by a volcano and so everyone here is a visitor ... But colonialism is still happening here. Racial harmony is still just a dream here. In Mauritius the white community has the money. Even when slavery was abolished, the white citizens created a huge bank to invest the 1835 slave compensations. Then they bought all the beautiful beach property. The government says all beaches in Mauritius are public by law, but they’re not really. Not long ago a kid was mauled by a Rottweiler unleashed by security guarding a beach.”
Her words still ringing in my ears, we head to the Caudan Waterfront, a thriving commercial development of hotels and shops, a casino and restaurants. At a popular waterfront hotel nearby we eat dinner.
Outside there is a lively dance floor crammed with rich kids who stand at tables groaning under the weight of drinks and platters of deep-fried food. With each arriving water taxi the dance floor ebbs and flows. Later the crowd is older, sweating rich people partying hard as they hop from hotel to hotel.
We are driven back to our own paradise hotel further down the coast, passing a huge warehouse with floating blue orbs visible through the windows, intriguing the night. We vow to visit it.
Squeals of joy
The next night a threat of rain hangs in the air. Above us in the street a row of umbrellas made of light is suspended. The lights are powered by people on bicycles on the pavement. The work is by the 31-year-old designer Richa Gujadhur, famous for her award-winning furniture design crafted from the same local plastic material used to weave baskets. I stop and chat to her and her mother. She has no interest in unpacking colonialism. She wants to bring people together by making her work interactive.
In the warehouse of the blue orbs there is a lesson in what public art can do to bring people together. A row of children are holding hands to power the orbs, which change colour, eliciting squeals of joy. The cosmos is displayed on another wall. When you touch it the heat from your hands makes it swirl. Giant virtual reality animations allow visitors to inhabit cartoon bodies. Everywhere people are smiling.
A beautiful, disused old theatre in the city centre forms a canvas for an extraordinary work of projections involving dancers. It’s lit as a jungle as a narrative unfurls. An old man is writing. He travels back through his memories and his writings are projected on to the theatre.
“They are memories of a love and she’s a figment of his imagination,” says Azim Moollan, the director of photography and artist who created it with a team of young film and dance enthusiasts.
The internet changed everything
What is Mauritian culture? I ask the warm, lovely, bearded 31-year-old when we sit down to chat.
“Ah! Oof!” comes Moollan’s reply. We laugh.
“Mauritian culture is in constant formation. If you look at a lot of Mauritian artwork, there’s a complete identity crisis.
“There were discussions about this festival. That’s not Mauritian culture, that’s just importing culture. But then, what is Mauritian culture? Being enclosed in this hermetic idea of culture is not good. But it’s also that so many cultures have come in to this isolated place and there have been cultural mixes, in terms of food, art. As a society we’re still a generation away. Pockets of kids are mixing.”
It’s the internet, he says, that will change things.
“In the last couple of years alone you’ve seen the level of what these kids are making, with digital cameras and the like, that you’d never expect. These kids haven’t travelled, they had no access. It’s coming because of the internet.”
The grain hits the fan
In between the light displays there are other signs of a new school of young, conscious artists emerging. We find several at The Granary, an old industrial structure along the waterfront. It’s next to the powerful Aapravasi Ghat World Heritage Site that commemorates the indentured servitude that allowed the sugar industry to thrive here.
At The Granary, Porlwi By Light has themed an exhibition around the intersection of craft and art. The theme has unlocked a conversation around land, resources and identity. A performance artist sits at the foot of a giant painting of himself as a farm worker. When you climb inside an igloo of coconut shells there is an old video of a labourer shucking coconuts, pained. Bags of grain fly from a chute, suspended in motion. The last one has hit the wall. It’s difficult not to read post-colonial politics into the show. I decide to ask Alleck about it.
Reimaging the syllabus
We’re back in the Company Garden, chatting. Two security guards are doing bench presses to boost their ginormous biceps. A giant silver globe floats past.
“Before independence people would just look up whatever was happening in Europe and copy paste and bring it here,” she tells me. “But looking at history critically, it’s starting now.”
She teaches at the art school at the university. For the past few years, the syllabus has been changing. “We’re getting students to relook and meet some of the local artists who are still here. In the past, Mauritian art wasn’t being taught. They were teaching European art, a little bit of Indian art. The students who have left in the past two years, you see the difference in their work. Some of them are in The Granary. If you teach this to children, this will come out.”
We return to The Granary for another look and while we’re inside the clouds break and torrential rain pours over Port Louis. It ends the festival for the night, but somehow it’s fitting. The elements are bigger even than the biggest display of light man can make.
*Blignaut was hosted by the Mauritian Tourism Authority (tourismauthority.mu/en/). He was flown courtesy of Air Mauritius (airmauritius.com) and stayed on the island courtesy of Veranda Resorts (veranda-resorts.com)


Check out a collection of our prelaunch photos of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon taken at pad 39A by the Space UpClose team of Ken Kremer and Jean Wright.
On September 15 the crew of Inspiration4, the world’s first all-civilian human spaceflight mission launched to orbit at 8:02:56 PM EDT (0002:56 GMT) shortly after sunset Wednesday evening on a now thrice flown SpaceX Falcon 9 from historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Check out our launch story with additional launch photos taken at the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 Press Site and remote cameras at pad 39A.
Inspiration4 is the world’s first all civilian mission to low Earth orbit with a crew of four private people
The four-person crew will spend three days in orbit after liftoff but will not be docking to the International Space Station (ISS).
The three day mission will conclude with splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean off the east coast of Florida slated for 7:06 p.m. ET
My commentary and analysis about Inspiration4 has been featured in several stories on WKMG CBS News Orlando and WFTV ABC News Orlando on Sep 13, 14 and 15.
Ken and Jean are onsite at KSC for live reporting of the Inspiration4 mission.
Watch Ken’s continuing reports about SpaceX Crew and Cargo Dragons, Artemis and NASA missions, SLS, Orion, SpaceX Starlink, Commercial Crew and Starliner and Crew Dragon and onsite for live reporting of upcoming and recent SpaceX and ULA launches including Crew 1 & 2, ISS, Solar Orbiter, Mars 2020 Perseverance and Curiosity rovers, NRO spysats and national security missions and more at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Stay tuned here for Ken’s continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer – email: ken at kenkremer.com
Dr. Kremer is a research scientist and journalist based in the KSC area, active in outreach and interviewed regularly on TV and radio about space topics.
Ken’s photos are for sale and he is available for lectures and outreach events
Please consider supporting Ken’s work by purchasing his photos and/or donating at Patreon:
Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and more space and mission reports direct from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news. Dr. Kremer is a research scientist and journalist based in the KSC area, active in outreach and interviewed regularly on TV and radio about space topics. Ken’s photos are for sale and he is available for lectures and outreach events.
For SpaceUpClose & RocketSTEM KENNEDY SPACE CENTER/CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, FL – After a dup od weather delays due to high winds reaching over 45 MPH at the Cape, NASA ans SpaceX seems finally to be on the cusp of launching NASA’s revolutionary PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) Earth observation mission aboard a recycles SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soon
For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM TITUSVILLE, FL – A Full Beaver Moon surrounded by a Halo was the star of the show Monday evening Nov. 27 as another batch of SpaceX Starlink broadband satellites streak to orbit below the beautiful celestial display. x