text:
S&TC Cymru has reacted to growing concerns surrounding the prolific algal growth witnessed on the Tywi over recent weeks by conducting a snapshot survey of the most affected part of the river.
Conditions at the time of the visit (11th of June 2018) reflected a prolonged absence of rain coupled with long days of largely uninterrupted sunlight. This had resulted in reduced, but not unseasonably low, water levels.
Algal growth in backwaters and shallows is not untypical under such conditions, but the extent of the observed examples immediately suggested the river to be carrying elevated levels of nutrients:
As local land owner, Sir Edward Dashwood explains:
"I am very concerned about the health of the Towy. Over the last few years there has been a marked decline in the water quality and a huge increase in pollution levels, which is affecting not only fish but all sorts of life in the river."
What does our sampling tell us?
The greater part of the renowned Golden Grove fishery was found to be suffering from extensive growths of filamentous algae (species not identified), to the extent that meaningful kick sampling over much of its length proved impossible:
Ranunculus aquatilis or common water-crowfoot was conspicuous by its absence. The few strands that remained were largely, if not completely, choked with filamentous algae.
Where it was possible to sample, the results revealed abundant numbers of:
- BWO nymphs (±70)
- Small cased caddis (±30)
... but low numbers of other groups of riverflies:
- Baetidae (±10)
- Heptagenidae (±4)
- Stoneflies (±10)
- Caseless caddis (4)
Gammarus (3) were also noticeably few in number.
The relative paucity of the latter groups suggests that their environment is under long term stress, while the profusion of filamentous algae clearly indicates that the river is carrying a nutrient load far in excess of natural levels.
(Sample taken at 51°52'20.6"N 4°00'54.8"W - Google maps link https://goo.gl/maps/caD32dB8DBm )
What is causing such prolific algal growth?
High algal abundance continued above the outfall of a sewage treatment works, indicating that other sources of nutrients must exist upstream of this point.
Furthermore, given the relatively low human population in the surrounding area, it is unlikely that leakage or discharge from domestic sewage services would be sufficient to have such an extensive impact.
What might be the cause of the problem?
Local anecdotal reports of repeated spreading of farmyard slurry across large areas of land within close proximity to the river would suggest that direct run off, or long term leaching, might, at the very least, be a contributory factor.
As Sir Edward explains:
"Many smaller farms have now ceased dairy farming completely in the Towy Valley, but the few that remain have upped their numbers to an extraordinary level, milking many hundreds of cows each."
Examination of the river at Llangadog, some six miles upstream told a very different story. Ranunculus was flourishing and the river bed showed no signs of algal growth:
This story was repeated further upstream again at Llandovery where fish were seen rising and also on the Afon Bran, a minor tributary where ranunculus grew in profusion:
What can be done?
Despite the brevity of the visit, it is clear from our observations that the Tywi is suffering significant nutrient enrichment along its length between Llangadog and Llandeilo.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that the enrichment may be a consequence of slurry dispersal on fields across the valley floor between these two points, but a further, more detailed investigation would be required to establish whether this is from a single source or more diffuse in nature.
As Sir Edward says:
"Not only is this of concern, but these factory operations can no longer keep their stock on straw in the traditional manner, and there is little place for their slurry to end up, one way or another, but in or near the river.
For the sake of future generations we have to work with them and find a way to help them urgently address these issues."
Should further investigations confirm slurry to be the culprit, the possibility exists of veterinary pharmaceutical products such as antihelmintics also entering the river and impacting upon invertebrate species.
Given the prevailing absence of rain it might also be possible that the nutrients could be leaching from the surrounding area via groundwater. This might explain the persistence of the algal growth in the river and would point to excessive nutrient levels at soil depths, beyond the reach of the roots of grasses and other crops.
In the absence of any other obvious evidence it is highly probable that the algal growth and reduced numbers of invertebrates observed in the River Tywi are indicative of excessive nutrients entering its waters as a consequence of the repeated spreading of farmyard slurry over extensive areas of land on the valley floor.
- Dai Roberts (independent Riverfly monitor)
By Richard Garner Williams, S&TC Cymru

domain: geography


By Dan Bartholomay, CEO of Rail~Volution
Update March 31, 2017: The Trump administration has upped the ante, trying to eliminate current year funding for transit construction (i.e., projects with Full Funding Grant Agreements) and the TIGER program (read more at Transportation for America). The leaked documents from the Office of Management and Budget also call for cutting the FY17 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program in half and eliminating all funding for other key affordable housing programs (read more at Enterprise).
In March, the Rail~Volution staff met in Denver with our partners on the National Steering Committee to work through speaker proposals and start formulating the content of the conference this coming September. The Trump administration’s “skinny budget” was released just as we began our meeting. The severity of proposed cuts to both transit and housing threaten the core values and mission of Rail~Volution. As a conference and organization that focuses on the intersection of transit, housing, and community, we discussed what’s at stake and how to respond.
What’s at stake? The overall budget calls for increasing funding to defense and border security by cutting programs and funding in other areas of the budget, including housing and transportation as follows:
- Eliminating Federal Transit Administration funding for new transit lines (LRT & BRT) except those that have received full funding grant agreements. Elimination of TIGER grants. Elimination of federal funding for Amtrak.
- Elimination of major federal housing subsidies and programs for workers, veterans, seniors and the homeless. Programs to be shuttered include the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, Choice Neighborhoods, HOME Investment Partnership program, and Self-help Housing programs (SHOP).
Cities that have gone to ballot referenda expecting a federal partner now face funding gaps of up to 50 percent. Communities of every size no longer would have TIGER grants to jump start projects ranging from increased bus service to downtown redesigns for freight traffic and improved safety for all modes. Companies across the nation—from engineering firms to manufacturers to construction—would be affected by a halt in momentum. The whole trajectory of regional economic growth would be threatened.
The ability for communities to put together creative financing and innovative partnerships—the heart and soul of Rail~Volution’s focus—is on the chopping block. Here’s one example of the kind of project that would not go forward: in the Colfax area of Denver, TIGER funds were used to clean up the dirt at a redevelopment site. Affordable housing and child care followed. The land around it is now incredibly valuable.
As one Rail~Volution partner put it, “These tools are going away, irrespective of whether you are rust belt or otherwise.”
How to respond? Housing and transportation projects often go together in the federal funding process. At Rail~Volution, our goal will be to focus on the ways that a cross-silo approach has been essential for communities to get to the next level. The power is the consensus of our alignment of transportation, housing, and other community assets, ranging from schools to the arts to access to healthy food.
Here are three ways we will respond:
1.Address the evolving federal situation at the Denver conference, especially given that late September is a pivotal time, with the end of the federal budget year.
2.Speak about the ways that federal tools—funding sources and programs—have been transformative in building vibrant communities, including making clear that projects affect jobs and outcomes for regions across the nation, red and blue.
3.Provide Rail~Volution stakeholders with information about how to weigh in, via action alerts from organizations and campaigns in sync with our values and mission.
Taking the last item first, we encourage you to get involved and take action now. Several organizations provide detailed updates and ways to speak out—see links below. Often the best step is to simply call your US Senator and Representative—find out who represents you here.
Urge Congress to Protect Vital Housing Programs from Drastic Budget Cuts (National Low Income Housing Coalition).
Send a short letter to your representatives about cuts to transit funding (Transportation for America)
Reject Trump’s disinvestment in communities (Smart Growth America)
Save our Trains (Midwest High Speed Rail Association)
Join the People’s Climate March in Washington, D.C. (National Resources Defense Council)
We’re also working on short pieces about transformational projects such as the one in Colfax. Send us your own stories of the ways housing and transportation have come together in your region—e-mail email@example.com.


text:
Quantity: 1 available
Hardcover, no DJ. Readex Microprint, 1966. In near fine condition, previous owner's stamp marked out on front and rear endpapers, very light soiling on outside page edges. A facsimilie reprint of the 1865 edition. A summer's journey to the Rocky Mountains, the Mormons, and the Pacfic states with Speaker Colfax.

domain: hobby


text:
Looking to jazz up your drafty old flat? I know, I know...just in time for spring.
Anywhoo, I was pretty impressed with the design of theses contemporary wall radiators from ProjectClima.
Because you can design it yourself!
Just visit their website and click on the Your Radiator icon.
ADACTO software has been designed to enable everyone, from the designer to the final consumer, to create their own radiator, giving the option to learn about its technical details as well as its prices.
With just a few easy and spontaneous steps, a very neat graphic display and a defined sequence, ADACTO design programme gives infinitives choices and possibilities of realization. Forms, colours and sizes, can be simulated in just a few seconds.
My only problem, however, is with the North/South designs such as the one below...
The vertically mounted radiator is entirely unnecessary. The circulated air --especially pre-shower in a bathroom-- will be cooler near the ceiling, where heat is not required. Similarly, in the first picture with the maroon radiator in the living room, the radiator is mounted far too high. The radiant heat will barely reach the space below it, thus wasting even more energy.
You always want it to be warmer near the floor for maximum comfort, yes? So why not spec them out to be horizontally mounted chest/waist-high or lower? Otherwise you're just making it cozy for the light fixtures.
You could even mount it as a raised baseboard along the length of a wall. The radiator would extend slightly off of the surface and add depth, while breaking the monochrome paint/tile.
Just some thoughts.

domain: design


text:
Daylesford & the Macedon Ranges
Bathe in the famous mineral waters, sample local flavours at award-winning restaurants and cellar doors, and unwind in boutique accommodation in Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges.
Invigorate body and mind, and reignite your imagination amid the spectacular forests, natural mineral waters and historic villages of the Daylesford and Macedon Ranges region. Find balance and harmony at mineral spas and wellness retreats, sample exquisite food and wine at restaurants, wineries and country pubs, and be inspired by the vibrant artist community. Pack a picnic and visit the mysterious Hanging Rock or cruise around historic streetscapes, local markets and boutiques brimming with art, craft and antique treasures.
Unable to get data


There is a way to save the selected fields for all users ?
I mean that each user will see the fields that I chose (this is the fields that appear at the bottom of the event. )
Thanks a lot
You can do this temporarily but each user will be able to overload/modify it:
View solution in original post


text:
Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'final fantasy iv'.
I'm writing a story about Final Fantasy IV and Kain is one of the major characters. However, "Suspicion" is no longer fitting for him since it takes place 2 years after Zeromus's destruction. I've been trying to find a lot of songs that fit the idea of a redeemed warrior, with a bit of soberness and honor (especially a dragoon's honor). I think "Suspicion" can still be used, however, if remixed with the right tunes and instruments to create the feeling I described above. Think this is possible? I think so since the OCRemix FF4 Album's "Walk Into the Light" used "Into the Darkness," and yet had
First of all, GREAT JOB GUYS!! Keep it up, I can't wait to listen to the finished product! I think that Final Fantasy VIII has some of the best music since VI and VII. Any word when 8 will get the OCRemix treatment? How about FF3? Or 10? They have great soundtracks, all done by the genius Nobuo Uematsu! Can't wait for the full realization of the FFV collection!

domain: entertainment


text:
General Accident Fire and Life Assurance Corporation Limited v. Commissioner of Pay-roll Tax (N.S.W.).Judges:
Lord Keith of Kinkel
Lord Bridge of Harwich
Lord Brandon of Oakbrook
Judgment was delivered by Lord Keith of Kinkel
These appeals are concerned with the proper construction of part of the provisions of sec. 3(1) of the New South Wales Pay-roll Tax Act, 1971. This Act, by sec. 6, 7 and 8, imposes upon employers a liability to a tax, known as ``pay-roll tax'', in respect of wages paid or payable by them after August 1971. Section 3(1) of the Act contains a number of definitions. ``Employer'' is defined as meaning ``any person who pays or is liable to pay any wages and includes the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales''. The definition of ``wages'' is as follows:
```wages' means any wages, salary, commission, bonuses or allowances paid or payable (whether at piece work rates or otherwise and whether paid or payable in cash or in kind) to an employee as such and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes -
- (a) any amount paid or payable by way of remuneration to a person holding office under the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales or in the service of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales;
- (b) any amount paid or payable under any prescribed classes of contracts to the extent to which that payment is attributable to labour;
- (c) any amount paid or payable by a company by way of remuneration to a director or member of the governing body of that company;
- (d) any amount paid or payable by way of commission to an insurance or time-payment canvasser or collector; and
- (e) the provision by the employer of meals or sustenance or the use of premises or quarters as consideration or part consideration for the employee's services.''
It is para. (d) of this definition which has given rise to the controversy in issue. The appellants are insurance companies. Each of them carries on part of its business through agents. The agencies are constituted, in the case of one of the companies concerned, by written agreement and, in the case of the other, by a simple letter of application followed by a letter of appointment. Typical documents were put in evidence. None of them places any obligation upon the agent to devote any particular part of his time or energies to promoting the business of the insurance company. The main provisions of the agency agreements with both companies are concerned with the calculation of commission payable to the agent in respect of business introduced. Some of the agents are individuals, others are partnerships and others again are limited companies. The manner in which they carry on their activities as agents varies widely, as does the proportion of their respective total incomes which they derive from these activities. All these matters, as derived from agreed statements of facts, are set out fully in the judgment of Sheppard J. in the Court of first instance, and it is unnecessary to rehearse them. It is the respondent's contention, disputed by the appellants, that the commissions payable to all these agents constitute ``wages'' within the definition in sec. 3(1) and that the appellants are accordingly liable to pay-roll tax in respect of such commissions.
So the question at issue is whether each of these agents is ``an insurance... canvasser or collector'' within the meaning of para. (d) of the definition. At an earlier stage there was an issue as to whether the commission was paid or payable to ``an employee as such'', but that point did not bulk largely in the argument before this Board.
Evidence was adduced by the appellants in an effort to demonstrate that there existed in the insurance industry a certain recognised class of persons to which the description ``insurance canvasser or collector'' was entirely apt, so as to found the inference that it was commissions payable to this class alone that Parliament had sought to catch in the taxation net, to the exclusion of those payable to the agents with whom this litigation is concerned. This evidence was contained in an affidavit by Mr. A.C. Gray and described the particular aspect of the insurance business known as industrial insurance, the nature of which is that premiums are paid on a weekly or monthly basis to collectors visiting the homes of those who have taken out policies. These persons also canvassed for new business on a house-to-house basis within a defined territory. It was to such persons as these, according to
ATC 4409Mr. Gray, that the description ``insurance canvasser or collector'' was understood in the insurance industry to be applicable. The respondent took objection to the admissibility of this evidence, on the ground that the meaning of the expression in question was to be ascertained in accordance with the ordinary use of language and under reference only to such standard works as dictionaries. The appellants supported the introduction of Mr. Gray's evidence on the ground that the expression was a technical one, in legislation directed to a particular industrial field, namely insurance, so that evidence of the meaning attributed to it by persons working in that field was admissible and relevant. Sheppard J. sustained the respondent's submission, but he did read, without objection from the respondent, a textbook written by Mr. Gray, part of which covered much the same ground as his affidavit. He decided the case in the appellants' favour, but by a majority the Supreme Court of New South Wales (Glass and Mahoney JJ.A., Reynolds J.A. dissenting) reversed his judgment.
Their Lordships do not consider that the admissibility or otherwise of Mr. Gray's affidavit evidence is crucial to the determination of this appeal. There are a number of Australian decisions in other contexts, to the most important of which their Lordships will refer later, which give a very clear picture of the factual background in the insurance industry against which the enactment now requiring to be construed falls to be considered. But having heard argument on the admissibility question, their Lordships think it appropriate to express their opinion. It is the rule that expert evidence as to the meaning of ordinary English words in a modern Act of Parliament of general application is not admissible:
Marquis Camden v. C.I.R. (1914) 1 K.B. 641, per Cozens Hardy M.R. at p. 647. But Phillimore L.J. in that case, at p. 650, was careful to confine the rule to statutes not dealing with the customs of a particular locality or the practice of a particular trade. In
Unwin v. Hanson (1891) 2 Q.B. 115 evidence was led as to the meaning attributed by persons in the country conversant with the cutting of trees to the word ``lop'', which was different from the generally understood dictionary meaning, and did not cover the cutting off of the top of a tree. The Court of Appeal held that the particular meaning was the correct one, regarding the evidence in question as unnecessary but not as inadmissible. It is not possible to construe any statute entirely in the air. Like any written document, it must be viewed against a background of surrounding circumstances, and this commonly emerges upon proof of the factual situation to which the statute is sought to be applied. Part of this situation emerges in the present case from the evidence about the activities of the agents whose commissions the respondent is seeking to draw into the tax net. But another part is to be found in Mr. Gray's description of the traditional modus operandi of those insurance company representatives who are engaged on the industrial insurance side of the business. Their Lordships are of opinion that this description was clearly admissible in evidence. It is another question whether it was right to go further and admit evidence of the general understanding in the insurance industry about the meaning of the expression ``insurance canvasser or collector''. Their Lordships would answer this question in the affirmative. The expression to be construed is not one of general application. It is confined to the insurance industry and its practices. It is a composite expression whose meaning cannot necessarily be correctly gathered from looking up in the dictionary the words ``insurance'', ``canvasser'' and ``collector''. Further, it appears in conjunction with ``time-payment canvasser or collector'', the meaning of which is by no means apparent to one unfamiliar with the branch of commerce in which such persons are to be encountered. For these reasons this case falls within the exception to the rule enumerated in Marquis Camden v. C.I.R. (supra).
The argument for the respondent accepted that ``collector'' meant a person who went from door to door asking for and receiving payments due, and did not cover persons who merely received payments, for example, through the post at his office. It was contended, however, that ``canvasser'' carried the dictionary meaning of one who solicited business, with no limitation as to the manner of solicitation. Thus one who solicited by telephone or postal communications was covered, in addition to
ATC 4410one who did so by door-to-door personal visits. It was also claimed to be irrelevant that the individual was under no contractual obligation to canvass. The respondent devised an elaborate formula descriptive of the activities which in his submission constituted canvassing. This was placed before the Courts below and is set out in para. 17 of his written case in the appeal.
The appellants founded upon the evidence of Mr. Gray, and also upon a number of reported cases in the industrial law field in which the status of insurance canvassers or collectors had been considered. Reference was also made to a series of statutes, mainly dealing with taxation and going back to the New South Wales Family Endowment Act, 1927, which specifically mentioned insurance canvassers or collectors in the context of employment or the receipt of wages. Various industrial awards in favour of that category of person were also referred to. The whole of such material makes it abundantly plain that the concept of an insurance canvasser or collector has been well known in New South Wales and other States of Australia for a very long time and is fully familiar to the various legislatures. In
Federated Clerks Union of Australia v. The Industrial Life Assurance Agents Association (1942) 46 C.A.R. 578 a question arose whether certain insurance agents were employees within the meaning of the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1904-1934, so that their organisation was entitled to registration by the Industrial Registrar. Piper C.J. answered that question in the affirmative. His judgment, which refers to the agents in question as ``canvassers'' contains a very full description of their terms of engagement and the nature of their activities. That description completely matches the category of those who according to Mr. Gray's evidence are generally understood in the insurance industry to be canvassers or collectors. The most significant aspects of the description, in addition to the peripatetic character of the canvassers' work, are a contractual obligation to carry on that work and a high degree of control and supervision. The case is particularly important because it was roughly contemporaneous with the passing of the Federal Pay-roll Tax Assessment Act 1941, upon which the New South Wales Act of 1971 was clearly modelled, and which contains a definition of ``wages'' almost identical to that in the 1971 Act, apart from the omission of para. (a).
Their Lordships are of opinion that the term ``insurance canvasser'' in its context, and having regard particularly to its collocation with the words ``time-payment'' and ``collector'', naturally conveys the idea of one who operates by the door-to-door method, and is not apt to describe one who solicits insurance business by other methods. The matter is put beyond doubt by the material founded on by the appellants and referred to above, which points to the existence for a long period up to 1971 of a class of workers well recognised in the insurance industry and commonly described as insurance canvassers or collectors. The characteristics of that class have already been mentioned, and they are not applicable to the insurance agents with whom this appeal is concerned. One of the most important of these lies in the obligation which is undertaken to carry on the activity of canvassing, under either a contract of employment or a contract for services.
The principal reason for rejecting the appellants' contentions given in the Supreme Court judgment of Glass J.A., in which Mahoney J.A. concurred, was that the description applied in the insurance industry to the class of persons, to which these contentions would restrict the application of the definition, was ``industrial insurance canvassers or collectors'', and that the Act, by failing to use that description, had evinced an intention against such restriction. But the evidence made it plain that, although the class of workers exhibiting the requisite characteristics had first grown up in the industrial insurance field (so called because this type of business was started by the British Industry Life Assurance Company), and was still primarily concerned with that field, members of the class were commonly referred to as ``insurance canvassers and collectors'' without the prefix ``industrial''. So the omission of the prefix is not inconsistent with the appellant's contentions. Their Lordships consider it more important to observe that if the legislature had been minded to include in the para. (d) net commissions payable to the whole category of insurance agents or brokers it would have
ATC 4411been easy to find the appropriate language to do so.
Glass J.A. did not commit himself to acceptance of the respondent's formulation of the relevant category of workers. The complexity of that formulation and the difficulty of ascertaining the facts necessary to decide whether a particular person falls within it present some additional ground for the view that the legislature is more likely to have had in contemplation a recognised and clearly identifiable class.
For these reasons their Lordships will humbly advise Her Majesty that the appeals should be allowed, with costs here and in the Supreme Court.

domain: law


text:
Muscle Cramp Relief
Muscle cramps can interfere with your ability to perform the tasks of normal living, from walking across a room to carrying a bag of groceries. Most muscle cramps are experienced in the legs, but can strike muscles across the body, leaving you feeling sore for days. Alternating heat and cold on the affected area may help reduce the healing time after a severe muscle cramp.
Our massage therapists can help relieve muscle pain and promote healing by addressing the affected areas with a deep-tissue massage. We also do a thorough exam to determine the issues causing your muscle cramps. Finding the root of the problem—and solving it—is our top priority for you.
Leg Muscle Cramps
When a leg muscle cramp hits, it’s an unpleasant experience—to put it mildly. Afterward, you’re faced with working through the soreness and, hopefully, making sure it doesn’t happen again. Our staff is trained in preventing and treating leg muscle cramps. We’ll also talk you through the steps you can take to reduce or eliminate leg muscle cramps from happening again.
Calf Muscle Cramps
Several causes can contribute to calf muscle cramps, including the debilitating nighttime cramps that wake you up out of a sound sleep with urgent pain. Haycock Chiropractic can help you ease the pain and speed up the healing from your calf muscle cramps, to get you better in next to no time.
Severe Muscle Cramps
We all experience occasional mild muscle cramps, but when you’re suffering from severe muscle cramps, you need expert help. Talk to our staff today to find the causes behind your muscle cramps, and find out how to avoid experiencing them again. We’ll develop an individualized care plan that addresses your situation and outlines the steps you can take at home to avoid muscle cramps in the future.
If you are experiencing these problems, please contact our office so we may help you! We see patients for muscle cramps, as well as neck pain, back pain, headaches, or even those who have experienced long lasting effects from an auto accident. Contact our office for more details!

domain: medical


text:
From flipping omelets in the cafeteria to walking the halls with nurses, Monterey County Supervisor Fernando Armenta spent a day May 10 working alongside hospital workers at Natividad Medical Center in Salinas.
The event was in observance of Hospital Week, held May 6-12, which is a time to recognize all contributions of hospital employees throughout our county. It also coincides with National Nurses Week and Public Service Recognition Week.
Armenta spent the morning in the cafeteria with Glenn Sison, a cook who put Armenta through the paces of making omelets for patients, staff, and families.
“He did a good job,” Sison said. “He flipped a few omelets on his own. It’s been a pleasure working with him. It shows he really appreciates what we do and the services we provide.”
After working on the breakfast line, Armenta got a tour of the facilities from frontline health care workers.
Hermelinda Reynoso, a Licensed Vocational Nurse, briefed Armenta on the vital health care services that Natividad Medical Center provides.
“I think it’s great that elected leaders come to visit,” Reynoso said. “They’re the voice. They’re the ones that people will listen to. It’s important that our community be aware of everything our hospital has to offer and the capabilities we provide.”
Armenta said the day was a valuable experience.
“I was able to see that Natividad employees have learned to work as a team and are trained to multi-task,” he said. “And everyone who came through Glenn’s breakfast line had a good, positive sense of humor.”
Armenta was born in Natividad Medical Center and worked there as Medical Social Work Manager. He pledged to support the long-term vitality of Natividad, whose future will be shaped in part by whether it will partner with a neighboring healthcare system, Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital.
“I came here today to stand with the hospital and to let workers and community members know, that no matter what happens with Natividad and Salinas Valley Memorial, I will ensure that nothing will move forward until the concerns of community stakeholders, including hospital workers, have been addressed,” he said.

domain: sociology


text:
Martina Abrahams has a passion for storytelling and is giving a voice to black milennials on her podcast, You Had Me at Black. Listen in as we talk with her about life, what inspires her and why storytelling is important.
Click here for more information on You Had Me at Black
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domain: artistic


text:
LeBron James had his mind blown on Monday night when Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. informed the Los Angeles Lakers superstar he faced Jabari Smith Sr.’s team in his first NBA game.
Smith Jr., 19, has had a solid first year out of Auburn, averaging 12 points and seven rebounds per game.
At one point, the rookie called out to James, 38, to inform him this wasn’t the first time he was facing a team with a Jabari Smith on it:
SMITH: Hey. You played against my dad. Your first NBA game ever.
JAMES: Why’d you do that to me?
SMITH: You feel old, don’t you?
They enjoyed a good laugh.
Indeed, LeBron played his first NBA game on the road against the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 29, 2003. He notched 25 points, nine assists, and six rebounds. It wasn’t enough, as the Cleveland Cavaliers lost 106-92.
As for Jabari Smith Sr., he was on the bench for the Kings that day and did not get in the game. The elder Smith squared off against James the following year as a member of the New Jersey Nets.
Meanwhile, Smith Jr. tallied 14 points on Monday night – 19 years, two months, and 18 days after LeBron made his NBA debut in Sacramento.
James would have the last laugh, as he ended up dropping 48 points en route to a 140-132 Lakers victory.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

domain: news


text:
- Presently we are executing loans
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- New York
- New Jersey
in the following States:
BlueCay Capital LLC is a real estate finance firm specializing in directly originating bridge loans collateralized by commercial real estate.
As a result of BlueCay Capital's experience and flexible capital pool, we are able to underwrite situations which present an urgent need for capital. Typical special situations may include: quick closing acquisition, foreclosure avoidance, debtor-in-possession, partner or equity buyouts, lease-ups, capital improvements, and discounted debt repurchases.
We pride ourselves in seeing the value in under-performing or under-valued real estate assets. Many projects we lend against have significant opportunities for cash-flow enhancement through professional and creative management, expansion, renovation, and lease-up/operational techniques.
BlueCay Capital works closely with brokers, borrowers, and investors to ensure secure and timely transactions. Our clients can count on BlueCay's commitment to the highest standards of business ethics, underwriting due-diligence and post-funding management.
BlueCay Capital maintains an office in Fairfield, CT. Our Principals are always willing to meet borrowers at their offices or properties to discuss our funding programs.
Wes is a co-founder and Managing Partner of BlueCay Capital, LLC. Throughout his career, Wes has made both debt and equity real estate investments across commercial asset classes. Prior to forming BlueCay Capital, Wes was a Vice President with Greenwhich Associates, a boutique management consultancy focused exclusively on the financial services industry. With Greenwhich Associates, he advised senior leadership at leading commercial banks on subjects ranging from rebalancing CRE loan portfolios to optimizing treasury services revenues. Wes began his career as a Corporate Development Analyst with global diversified manufacturer Illinois Tool Works (NYSE-ITW), where he advised operating business units on strategic partnership and M&A growth opportunities. Wes received a B.S. from Fairfield University and an M.B.A from Binghamton University

domain: finance


text:
Only 30minutes drive from Pretoria
Free T-Shirts to first 500 entries
Free Race Photo to all
Great Spot Prizes
04 Oct 2014
North West North
Hoërskool Brits, Brits
Online Start Date:
16 Jul 2014
Online End Date:
01 Oct 2014
082 854 6121
Distance & Entry Fee
Temp Licence R36 (For 25km and 15km)
5km Adults R26
5 km Children R21
25km & 15km 06:00
Start and Finish at Hoërskool Brits, Brits.
(Coordinates: 25°37’25 S, 27°47’10 E or -25.623190, 27.786304)
Late Entries / Registration
At the venue on Friday 3rd October 2014 between 16h00 and 18h00
And on the morning of the race from 4:30am.
Prizes And Medals
25km & 15km
- Gold 1st Male & Female and 1st in each category
- Silver Next 50 finishers
- Bronze Other finishers within the cut-off time
Prize Money: 25km & 15km
Open SV V M GM J
- 1st R500 R200 R200 R200 R200 R200
- 2nd R300
- 3rd R100
SV=35-39 years; V= 40-49 years; M= 50-59 years; GM= 60
Free T-Shirts for the 1st 500 entries.
1 Digital race photo to all runners who supplied a correct email address, finish the race and displays their race number on their chest during the race.
Prize-giving and lucky draw starts at 08h30.
Participants must be present to collect prize money and spot prizes
Organised by Amanzi Atletiek Klub in accordance with rules of ASA & ANWN
All race officials to be obeyed at all times.
Toilet facilities available at the finish.
All walkers welcome.
Vleis Walker - Tel: 082 854 6121
Lani Hartmann - Email: email@example.com
Amanzi Atletiek Klub - Website: www.RoadRace.co.za
I agree not to hold ASA, ANWN, Kromberg & Schubert, Amanzi Atletiek Klub or any other sponsors or persons assisting in the organization and holding of the race liable for any loss, injury or illness which I may suffer directly or indirectly as a result of participating in the race. I take full responsibility for my participation. All entrants under the age of 18 years must have their entry form signed by either a parent or guardian.
Last update on this event: 10/09/2014
Event added: 10/09/2014

domain: sports


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Postscript to Rights and Culture—Beyond Relativism?
Rights, culture—and then what?
My review article discusses three pivotal edited volumes that were published at the turn of the new millennium, jointly paving the way for the ‘frenzy’ or ‘re-engagement’ that came to characterize the anthropology of human rights a few years later. These volumes were Culture and Rights: Anthropological Perspectives, edited by Jane Cowan, Marie-Bénédicte Dembour and Richard A. Wilson, Culture and the Question of Rights: Forests, Coasts, and Seas in Southeast Asia, edited by Charles Zerner, and At the Risk of Being Heard: Identity, Indigenous Rights, and Postcolonial States, edited by Bartholomew Dean and Jerome M. Levi (Cowan, Dembour, and Wilson 2001; Zerner 2003; Dean and Levi 2003).
Writing the review article was a somewhat bewildering task: the volumes in question are tremendously broad in scope, and feature an impressive number of scholars focusing on highly diverse ethnographic contexts, with a vast array of theoretical approaches and writing styles. Jointly this reflects the fact that at the time the sub-discipline lacked identifiable shared approaches for such an anthropological debate. Looking back at the lists of contributors today, it is interesting to note that for many authors, their chapter has formed perhaps the only instance in which they have discussed issues related to (human) rights, with notably few authors becoming household names in the debate.
I ended up classifying my review under three simple rubrics, echoing approaches introduced also by the volumes’ editors: right to culture; rights against culture, and rights as culture. This division was further linked to my scholarly trajectory and what I had learned of human rights ‘from the other side of the fence’, a.k.a. international law. An early Ph.D. student at the time, I attempted to articulate these insights so as to resonate with ongoing anthropological debates, albeit somewhat clumsily. More specifically, the first years of the new millennium had exposed me to both ‘mainstream’ human rights scholarship – via an educational context that eventually transformed into my fieldsite (Halme-Tuomisaari 2010) – as well as ongoing ‘crit’ debates: research embedded in the ‘critical international law’ tradition, also known as NAIL (New Approaches to International Law) or TWAIL (Third World Approaches to International Law).
I learned things of crucial importance from both contexts. Observing the first group in action illustrated how the ‘contemporary human rights phenomenon’, particularly at the global ‘centres’ of knowledge production and standard setting, was both created and still dominated by activist international lawyers. My observations concretized how this group had engaged in expansive interpretations of international and domestic legal instruments so as to forward the mission of legalizing human rights, and thus also to expand the contemporary human rights phenomenon more generally. It further forwarded a conception of ‘rights’ resonant with the rubric ‘rights to culture’: rights became cast as relatively static entities resting on a distinct ‘essence’, the proper significance of which could be teased out from existing human rights law by legal specialists (Halme-Tuomisaari 2010). This notion of rights was sharply contrasted by the ‘crit’ circles, who approached rights rather as open-ended legal fiction: as empty rhetorical vessels embodied in elaborate argumentative structures of international law, caught in an eternal struggle between utopian world change and apologetic realpolitik (Koskenniemi 2005). Rights were seen as being both ‘factoid’ and universal, and thus able to straddle the border of the law, becoming both law and reason for law (Kennedy 2002).
I was struck by how, of these groups, although the latter formed in my eyes a self-evident analytical companion, a much more common alliance formed between ‘mainstream’, ‘pro-human rights’ activist international lawyers and many anthropologists. This alliance became echoed, for example, in writings that attempted to discuss the universality of human rights or acceptable limits of multicultural jurisdiction – in other words, debates that considered whether culture was against rights, and if so, when and under what circumstances. The outcome of such attempts is well captured by Iris Jean-Klein and Annelise Riles in their 2005 PoLAR piece: such writings were more directed at considering what anthropologists could do for human rights – they were embedded in a quest for relevance – rather than vice versa (Jean‐Klein and Riles 2005). As was illustrated also by some of the chapters in the books under review, the outcome at times resulted in the kind of conceptual rigidity that lacked full analytical vigor – the kind of spark that anthropologists were directing at the concept of culture in that distinct, post-‘writing culture’ scholarly moment, for example.
Of course, I realized that many anthropologists were mobilizing human rights language in efforts to advocate for the land entitlements or (cultural) preservation of groups that they were studying ethnographically – the ‘right to culture’ – approach. This was, and remains, understandable considering the dire treatment that many indigenous groups were facing from mining companies, among others, as some chapters in the reviewed books testified. In analytical terms, rights were thus cast as instruments utilized in struggles toward distinct aims that had been illustrated via ethnography, such as the importance of traditional land ownership arrangements, instead of being the targets of ethnographic inquiries in themselves.
In addition to distinct analytical outcomes, this coalition of ‘mainstream pro-human rights scholarship’ and early anthropology of human rights embodied itself on occasion also in the power dynamics of the two engaged disciplines: we saw many anthropologists mixing up the roles of the expert and informant. In other words, whether in their writing or activist engagement, many anthropologists approached human rights actors linked to UN human rights bodies, for example, as authoritative experts on just what human rights were. By contrast, I continue to argue that human rights experts should above all form informants to anthropologists on the types of values and practices that are activated via human rights. Of course, as this Virtual Edition also testifies, we have seen ample anthropological works adopting such an approach since.
In analytical terms, this early anthropological alliance with ‘mainstream’ human rights scholarship often resulted in a kind of conceptual and intellectual rigidity in regards to the concept of rights that felt strange, outdated, even disappointing in light of debates on the critical legal side of the fence. A noteworthy exception remains Annelise Riles’s The Network Inside Out, as well as perhaps even more importantly her 1998 article, ‘Infinity within the Brackets’ (Riles 2001; Riles 1998). These two by-now classic pieces shed for the first time proper anthropological light on how human rights claims are made, as well as how the institutional and social dynamics at stake impact also what were otherwise treated as issues of ‘substance’. Of course, this becomes all the more understandable as we recall that Annelise Riles was herself too at one time part of the ‘crit’ circles, as she discussed in her American Anthropologist article of 2006 (Riles 2006).
I must admit that I was quite baffled by the general state of anthropological work on human rights in the early new Millennium. I never fully understood what the 1999 Statement by the AAA was all about as I have actually always found the Statement of 1947 to be rather on point. If one reads the 1947 text calmly, one hears a very classical anthropological voice reminding of the importance of genuine human diversity, and the challenges involved in attempts to articulate our shared universality via one single document, no matter how culturally sensitive (see American Anthropological Association 1947; Committee for Human Rights-AAA 1999). All these are issues that resonate very strongly with how the European Association of Social Anthropologists, for example, defined the core tasks and goals of our discipline just last year (Executive Committee-EASA 2015).
It was from the culmination point of these insights and puzzles that I, back in 2003, embarked on writing this review essay. Some of the articles in these volumes I still find inspirational; some have become more distant. Revisiting this review article today reminds me of how much, and how quickly, things have changed for our sub-discipline, and how much in our shared debate we get to take for granted today. It is difficult not to end my postscript in less pessimistic spirits than those of my co-authors – or perhaps not: the one good thing about having commenced my study of human rights with a ‘crit’ mindset – as an utterly fascinated, yet detached inquirer –is that I do not feel quite as affected by the undisputed fading of human rights ideology that we are witnessing around us as some other contributors to this Virtual Edition. Rather, this decline awakens continually intense analytical interest in me, simultaneously maintaining the ‘contemporary human rights phenomenon’ as an endlessly fascinating object of study.
None of this means that I am not alarmed by distinct world developments – the same developments, one might argue, also responsible for the decline of human rights in political rhetorics, policy making and diplomatic action. To the contrary. It is frightening how often we arrive at diverse parallels with World War II developments as we look around us, be it toward appalling European Union migration policies or the rise of populist right-wing politics. Simultaneously, as a professional community we are more equipped than ever before to engage analytically with these developments precisely because of our more nuanced and sophisticated take on human rights themselves. This includes our ability to approach human rights not as essentially ‘static’ or ‘pre-existing’ entities that form the opposite to prevailing global societal features, as many human rights advocates insist.
Rather, our contribution arrives from our ability to approach human rights – and the vast contemporary phenomenon that has formed around them – as distinct embodiments of modernity. To continue documenting and describing their multifaceted incarnations analytically, via tools that remain true to our own discipline, may prove to be the greatest service and source of relevance that the anthropological study of human rights can offer – and simultaneously the best defense for the diversity of mankind.
American Anthropological Association. 1947. “Statement on Human Rights.” American Anthropologist 49(4):539-543.
Committee for Human Rights, American Anthropological Association. 1999. “Declaration on Anthropology and Human Rights,” accessed October 11, 2016.
Cowan, Jane K., Marie-Bénédicte Dembour, and Richard A. Wilson, eds. 2001. Culture and Rights: Anthropological Perspectives. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Dean, Bartholomew, and Jerome M. Levi, eds. 2003. At the Risk of Being Heard: Identity, Indigenous Rights, and Postcolonial States. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.
Executive Committee, European Association of Social Anthropologists. 2015. “Why Anthropology Matters,” accessed October 11, 2016.
Halme-Tuomisaari, Miia. 2010. Human Rights in Action: Learning Expert Knowledge. Brill Academic Pub.
Jean‐Klein, Iris, and Annelise Riles. 2005. “Introducing Discipline.” PoLAR: Political and Legal Anthropology Review 28(2):173-202.
Kennedy, Duncan. 2002. “The Critique of Rights.” In Left Legalism, Left Critique, Janet Halley and Wendy Brown, eds. Pp. 178–228. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.
Koskenniemi, Martti. 2005. From Apology to Utopia: The Structure of International Legal Argument. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Riles, Annelise. 1998. “Infinity Within the Brackets.” American Ethnologist 25(3):378-398.
— 2001. The Network Inside Out. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.
— 2006. “Anthropology, Human Rights, and Legal Knowledge: Culture in the Iron Cage.” American Anthropologist 108(1):52-65.
Zerner, Charles, ed. 2003. Culture and the Question of Rights: Forests, Coasts, and Seas in Southeast Asia. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.


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Australian Dollar Technical Price Outlook: Near-term Trade Levels
- Australian Dollar technical commerce degree replace – Daily & Intraday Charts
- AUD/USD breakdown approaching key technical zone- threat for inflection
- Resistance 7100, 7171(key) – Support 6991-7016 (vital), 6907
The Australian Dollar has plunged greater than 2% in opposition to the US Dollar this week with the post-FOMC breakdown taking Aussie in the direction of a multi-year technical help pivot zone on the 2021 lows. The focus is on a response into this threshold with an in depth under wanted to maintain the short-bias viable within the days forward. These are the up to date targets and invalidation ranges that matter on the AUD/USD technical worth charts into the shut of the week. Review my newest Strategy Webinar for an in-depth breakdown of this Aussie setup and extra.
Australian Dollar Price Chart – AUD/USD Daily
Chart Prepared by Michael Boutros, Technical Strategist; AUD/USD on Tradingview
Technical Outlook: The Australian Dollar broke under confluent help this week on the January 7th low-day shut / the December uptrend at 7180 with the post-FOMC sell-off marking an outside-day reversal into the lows yesterday. A break of the month-to-month opening-range retains the main target decrease in AUD/USD with the sell-off now focusing on a vital help zone we’ve been monitoring for months on the November low / 2020 yearly-open at 6991-7016– we’re in search of doable worth inflection there IF reached.
Australian Dollar Price Chart – AUD/USD 120min
Notes: A better have a look at Aussie worth motion exhibits AUD/USD buying and selling throughout the confines a descending pitchfork formation extending off the December / January highs. A break of the weekly opening-range yesterday fueled one other leg decrease with the decrease parallel additional highlighting key help at 6991-7016 over the subsequent few days. A break under this threshold may see one other accelerated bout of losses for Aussie with such a state of affairs eyeing preliminaryhelp targets at 6907. Resistance now again at 7100 backed carefully by the median-line (presently ~7110) with near-term bearish invalidation lowered to the weekly open at 7171.
Bottom line: The Australian Dollar sell-off is approaching key help at a multi-year pivot zone which has sparked main inflections in worth (observe the December low). From a buying and selling standpoint, look to scale back short-exposure / decrease protecting stops on a stretch in the direction of 7000- rallies must be capped by the median-line IF worth is heading decrease with a break from right here risking one other 100pip drop. Stay nimble down right here – in the end a breach / every day shut above the yearly open at 7270 could be wanted to shift the broader focus greater in Aussie. Review my newest Australian Dollar Weekly Price Outlook for a more in-depth have a look at the longer-term AUD/USD technical commerce ranges.
For a whole breakdown of Michael’s buying and selling technique, evaluation his Foundations of Technical Analysis sequence on Building a Trading Strategy
Australian Dollar Trader Sentiment – AUD/USD Price Chart
- A abstract of IG Client Sentiment exhibits merchants are net-long AUD/USD – the ratio stands at +1.74 (63.48% of merchants are lengthy) – sometimes a bearish studying
- Long positions are 14.71% greater than yesterday and 9.50% greater from final week
- Short positions are13.10% decrease than yesterday and 12.22% decrease from final week
- We sometimes take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the actual fact merchants are net-long suggests AUD/USD costs might proceed to fall. Traders are additional net-long than yesterday and final week, and the mix of present positioning and up to date modifications provides us a stronger AUD/USD-bearish contrarian buying and selling bias from a sentiment standpoint.
Australia / US Economic Calendar
Economic Calendar – newest financial developments and upcoming occasion threat.
Active Technical Setups
– Written by Michael Boutros, Technical Strategist with DailyFX
Follow Michael on Twitter @MBForex
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The Great Wall of China served as a barrier against invading enemies during ancient times. While the Chinese Empire possessed a genuine reason for its construction, modern-day Americans remain divided on President Donald Trump’s proposal to build a $15 billion wall along the 2,000-mile border between the United States and Mexico. During his presidential campaign, Trump vowed to control the number of immigrants entering the United States to provide greater opportunities, safety and patriotism for American citizens, a vision that not only gained him tremendous support but contributed to his victory in the election against Hillary Clinton.
Although research is often crucial in analyzing this controversy, it is equally important to investigate the misinformation among Americans using a logically opinionated format that bases itself on facts while disregarding the extent of people’s political knowledge.
There are three general and categorical views Americans express toward the border wall. The first consists of those who are entirely against immigration due to issues such as increased job competition, drug trade, violence and more. The second category consists of Americans who purely sympathize with immigrants and believe that the United States should grant them a haven. This group views the wall as a radical solution to immigration due to the lack of such extremes throughout the decades.
The last category consists of all American citizens who commiserate with immigrants, but are simultaneously aware that excessive immigration into the United States is problematic. Essentially, it can be difficult for an individual to declare a side in this controversy since Americans in each category rigorously support their arguments. However, many of the “facts” regarding immigration are inaccurate and distort people’s views on the wall and theories on immigration.
Millions of Americans are convinced that the construction of a border wall will significantly decrease job competition. However, a large portion of immigrants are seeking occupations that most citizens view unappealing. Farming, a laborious task with low wages, is unfavorable to many Americans, but is widely accepted by immigrants given their agricultural experience. In addition, farmers can gain extra profit because immigrants will work for low wages.
However, there are circumstances that do stir job competition between Americans and immigrants. Starbucks, for example, recently announced that it will allow 10,000 positions for refugees worldwide to combat Trump’s travel ban. This not only creates a slight level of difficulty for students to find part-time jobs in local Starbucks stores, but more importantly, unemployed Americans.
Supporters of Trump’s border wall believe that it will significantly reduce the amount of drugs and violence illegal immigrants bring into the country. While immigrants are often portrayed as seeking to take advatage of their arrival over the Mexico–United States border, more violence occurs between American citizens than illegal immigrants generate. Nevertheless, violence has occasionally sparked between both. In January of this year, an illegal immigrant was shot dead by a passing motorist after killing a pedestrian in high speed, exiting the vehicle and wounding an officer by banging his head against a cement surface in Arizona.
These are only few of the many issues that leave the American public statistically misinformed, creating an unnecessary discrepancy between Americans in support and those opposed to Trump’s construction of a border wall. It is best to consider the pros and cons of building a wall rather than hastily align with a category of Americans who either completely support or oppose the idea. Many Americans are quick to decide because they have not been fully exposed to the elements of immigration.
Perhaps America’s Great Wall can limit the number of illegal immigrants attempting to enter the country and allow a greater focus on vetting and admitting more immigrants legally. This solution will not only decrease the downsides of immigration, but will allow genuine immigrants to contribute to greater opportunities, safety and patriotism that the United States of America continues to promote.


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Ideal pre-season conditions and growing markets are buoying JR's Orchards (JR's) pear and apple exports, against challenges of the global pandemic and geo-political tensions in Europe.
Ngāi Tahu Holdings is the investment arm of the South Island’s largest iwi Ngāi Tahu. Its investment came after the recent completion of a successful capital raise by Rockit.
At the same time, Punchbowl Investments-led group – PB Rock – lifted its combined Punchbowl and PB Rock stake to 15% in the company. Pioneer Capital remains the largest stakeholder in Rockit Global Limited, holding around 40%.
Rockit chairman John Loughlin says the investment was completed by Ngāi Tahu Holdings in late February, and that all parties are extremely pleased with the outcome.
“Ngāi Tahu Holdings expressed an interest in Rockit early on in the process, recognising there was alignment with its strategic goals. We also see great strategic value in this relationship – value that stretches far beyond the benefit of the significant investment Ngāi Tahu Holdings has made in our business.”
Ngāi Tahu Holdings chief executive Mike Pohio says it’s an investment to be celebrated.
“This opportunity will benefit both sides by providing Rockit with more capacity for future orchard developments, as well as further diversifying and increasing the growth profile of our portfolio,” he says.
“This investment is consistent with our overall strategy and is a wonderful opportunity to work alongside a fast-growing, innovative New Zealand company with a strong team.”
Rockit’s capital-raising process began in late 2020, and took place over three stages – beginning with offers to growers and existing investors. Both offers were oversubscribed, which the company claims is testament to the strides it has made developing key offshore markets, appointing top talent and establishing world-leading technical innovation.
Meanwhile, foundation investor Punchbowl Investments Ltd, along with its PB Rock group of investors – major stakeholders in the kiwifruit sector – says it took the opportunity to build on its investment in Rockit Global.
“The Punchbowl group is pleased to be taking one of the lead roles in the capital raising,” says executive chairman, Rob Craig.
“We have supported Rockit at every turn and we are pleased to see the business taking another step forward.”
Loughlin says Rockit has been on a sharp global growth path and that the capital-raise will enable several high-profile projects to move forward
“Our state-of-the-art packhouse and headquarters located in Irongate, Hastings is nearing completion, and its second phase will take a large portion of this funding. We’ll also look to establish our own orchards – which diversifies our business – and support strategic global sales and marketing activity.”
He says the investments made by Ngāi Tahu Holdings and PB Rock, coupled with the support from existing investors and grower investors, is exceptionally influential.


When you sell the house, I think the buyer will need to take over your solar lease payments. You should research this arrangement before deciding on financing types. I hear that generally, marketing uses aggressive energy cost growth projections, so it is worth running the numbers yourself.
With respect to solar panels themselves - in places like California, they are positive to home value perception. In Texas, who knows. In the North East, they will probably be regarded as a liability, since there are seasons with snow and no one wants to deal with another complicated thing in their house.


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Kerrisdale Capital is short shares of Plug Power Inc (NASDAQ:PLUG), a $40 billion provider of hydrogen fuel-cell solutions that’s set to generate a paltry $300 million in revenue in 2020 and trades at 40x its own aggressive revenue projection for 2024.
We are short shares of Plug Power Inc (PLUG), a $40 billion provider of hydrogen fuel-cell solutions that’s set to generate a paltry $300 million in revenue in 2020 and trades at 40x its own aggressive revenue projection for 2024. The company’s stock has almost doubled in just the last few weeks, and has risen by 15x in the last year, on the naïve excitement of uninformed investors over the prospects of the “hydrogen economy,” or the idea that hydrogen and the fuel-cells (FCs) it can power will be a critical part of the transition from fossil fuels to “green” energy. But it’s all just a pipe dream, because “green” hydrogen is too expensive and too inefficient to produce, store, transport, and burn. That’s not because of manufacturing inefficiencies or an imaginary technology S-curve that has yet to be scaled. It’s because of the laws of physics, which we don’t expect Plug can successfully defeat.
The ExodusPoint Partners International Fund returned 0.36% for May, bringing its year-to-date return to 3.31% in a year that's been particularly challenging for most hedge funds, pushing many into the red. Macroeconomic factors continued to weigh on the market, resulting in significant intra-month volatility for May, although risk assets generally ended the month flat. Macro Read More
For the time being, Plug Power has found precisely one use-case for its FCs: forklifts. That’s almost comical for a company with a market value greater than any of the oligopolists dominating the diesel truck engine market. But the material handling market, as the company calls forklifts in its presentations, is much less than meets the eye. For one thing, the FCs sold to large warehouse customers Amazon and Walmart have been linked to warrant issuance that leaves them owning close to 15% of Plug in return for virtually nothing. Hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of fuel cell “revenue” from Amazon and Walmart over the last few years has been exchanged for ownership stakes now worth billions of dollars. The revenues from selling these forklift fuel-cell systems have also been attached to service and refueling agreements that consistently result in negative gross profits, which begs the question: if Plug can’t even provide “black” environmentally-unfriendly hydrogen at a profit, how does green hydrogen stand a chance?
More importantly, despite the $30 billion total addressable market (TAM) and 1.5 million annual forklift purchase volume that Plug Power Inc (PLUG) claims it can penetrate in the material handling market, the real problem is the same one with which the “hydrogen economy” will never be able to contend: lithium ion (Li) batteries have already demonstrated their value proposition for forklifts and are quickly coming to dominate the market. Hydrogen-powered forklifts are a small and cheap niche bet on the part of large corporations, either directly on Plug’s stock price, as in the case of Amazon and Walmart, or on the ESG bragging rights that come along with the false perception of “being green.” But aside from the reality that Li-powered forklifts, in contrast to those powered by hydrogen, can actually turn environmentally friendly over time, batteries will also almost always be more economical than fuel-cells – in any application – because electricity is much more efficiently produced and stored than hydrogen. And that’s without considering the plant-altering capital expenditures required to use fuel-cells.
Recent weeks have seen investor enthusiasm about hydrogen reach astonishing levels, aided by two strategic partnerships Plug Power Inc (PLUG) has entered. Both partnerships, though, should be seen as signs of weakness rather than strength. The first, with SK Group, is just an opportunistic capital-raise on the part of Plug from South Korea’s utility monopoly, which is struggling to find its place in a decarbonized future given the region’s lack of solar and wind resources. The other, with Renault, is a desperate attempt to stay relevant on the part of one of Europe’s weakest auto manufacturers by entering a costless JV with Plug. Renault will supposedly be making FCEV light vehicles that are already miles behind their BEV competition. Both deals contemplate finalizing actual details at a later date, but by the time that’s supposed to happen, we expect Plug’s stock price will have collapsed, along with the once-a-decade recurring myth about a “hydrogen economy.” SK and Renault might be able to afford the trifling write-off, but Plug investors are in for a shock.
I. The “Hydrogen Economy” is a Fantasy
The myth underlying Plug Power Inc (PLUG)’s 120x revenue multiple is that, as the world begins to earnestly address climate change by reducing its reliance on carbon-emitting fossil fuels, hydrogen power will play a key role as a clean source of energy. When that happens, the companies that specialize in developing and supplying the equipment necessary to extract energy out of hydrogen – including, among others, Plug Power – will be able to capitalize on the spending boom.
But the “hydrogen economy” will never happen. Electrolyzers will never be sold at scale to power vehicles or industrial processes. And hydrogen fuel cells (FCs) will never be used beyond the niche applications we consider below. To understand why, it’s worth delineating exactly what fossil fuel energy is primarily used for, and whether hydrogen-powered energy production can plausibly substitute fossil fuels in these applications. As the top graph on the previous page shows, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), world energy consumption is dominated by oil, natural gas, and coal. The data also indicates that the end uses of this energy are almost entirely comprised of electricity production, transportation, heating, manufacturing, and construction.
Can hydrogen be used as the primary energy source for any of these applications? Answering that question requires a basic understanding of how energy is extracted from hydrogen and how it can subsequently be transported and consumed by the end user. To produce pure hydrogen, electrolysis – the process of passing an electric current through, in this case, water – is used to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen. Electrolysis presupposes an external power source to produce the electric current which, in the green future, will ostensibly be wind- and solar-powered electricity. Given the low density of pure hydrogen gas, the hydrogen produced is then compressed, and either stored or transported via pipeline to the end user as is now done with natural gas. The end user can’t just burn the hydrogen, though, and so a fuel-cell is required, the purpose of which is to convert the energy of the hydrogen into electricity through a pair of redox reactions.
The entire chain starts with electricity and ends with electricity, which begs the question: why not just store the initial renewable-generated electricity in a battery, especially given the rapid improvements in lithium ion (Li) battery technology in recent years? Other considerations include:
- Inefficiency – Every step of the hydrogen energy process results in efficiency losses and energy leakage. A kilogram of hydrogen theoretically contains 39 kWh of energy, but the electrolysis process is only 70% efficient, at best, due to heat leakage. Compressing the hydrogen requires some of the energy stored in that hydrogen, which results in further inefficiencies (anywhere on the order of 1-30% losses, depending on how long the hydrogen needs to be compressed and at what pressures). Finally, the FC reactions converting the hydrogen back into electricity and water are also only approximately 50% efficient due to the heat leakage. The result is that, even without any energy leakage in the course of hydrogen transportation, each initial kWh of electricity results in only about 0.3 kWh to the end user. By contrast, the “well-to-wheel” efficiency of storing electricity in an Li battery is about 75% (a comparison between the battery and fuel-cell supply chain efficiency dynamics is shown in the diagram on the next page, courtesy of Volkswagen, which has had extensive experience trying – and quitting – to fit FCEVs into their long term plans).
- Infrastructure – the logistics required to generate energy from renewables, convert it to electricity, and subsequently store it in batteries already exists. For many applications – heating and most electricity generation, for example – the storage element isn’t even necessary. The ability to generate and transmit electricity at mass scale already exists. Using hydrogen at mass scale, on the other hand, would require trillions of dollars of investment in electrolyzers, fuel cells, and completely redesigned and rebuilt pipeline networks, and even then we’d be wasting a huge proportion of the electricity produced at the electrolyzer power plant due to the aforementioned inefficiencies.
- Safety – Hydrogen flames are invisible to the naked eye and spread quickly (its flame velocity is 8x that of methane). Hydrogen also has no natural odor and odorizing it like we do with natural gas would contaminate the FCs that are supposed to harness the hydrogen energy. None of these safety issues are insurmountable, but they would likely lead to even more expense and inefficiency and would result in a less safe energy source being at scale.
We’ve seen and heard hydrogen evangelists talk about the inefficiencies of the hydrogen power chain and the relative expense of hydrogen-power equipment as resulting from the lack of R&D or the lack of scale in manufacturing hydrogen-power equipment. Given time and scale, the argument goes, the hydrogen-power supply chain will get both more efficient and cheaper. The problem is that electrolyzers and fuel cells are actually relatively mature technologies, with over 100 years’ worth of R&D embedded in them. Scale might bring down the cost a bit, but it won’t be by the orders of magnitude necessary to make infrastructure investment remotely worthwhile. Meanwhile, the energy leakage at each stage of hydrogen production and transport has nothing to do with the inefficiency of the equipment, and everything to do with the basic laws of physics: heat leakage into water vapor is not reclaimable, and gas compression requires energy.
The downside of direct electrification is that, with respect to storage, Li batteries are heavy. For large stationary energy use cases – heating, cooking, household and commercial electrification, for example – this isn’t really an issue. Electricity is delivered directly from the power plant to the end-user with little energy leakage. For electricity produced via solar or wind, which might be variable, batteries are already being used to help with peaking capacity, while base-load generation has much simpler and cheaper solutions than hydrogen electrolysis, including pumped hydro storage or the rapidly advancing redox flow batteries. At the same time, the vast majority of mobile applications – including light vehicles, short-range delivery, materials handling, urban-distance aircraft, and the vast majority of freight transport – are either unconstrained by the limits of Li batteries, or will require some level of recharging infrastructure to build out, which will be exponentially more economical than building out the “hydrogen economy.”
So, what’s left? If an enormous multi-trillion-dollar world hydrogen infrastructure will not be built (and it won’t), hydrogen energy will have only very niche use cases where range is critical and refueling impossible, or where the hydrogen produced from electrolysis can be used on-site. The only applications that fit into the former category are long-distance overseas-shipping and long-haul flight. In the case of shipping, it’s still likely that the incremental weight of batteries will not hinder their use on large intercontinental vessels, while in the case of long-haul flight, a simple calculation suggests that a single transatlantic flight requires as much energy as its passengers will consume in their automobile over the course of a year, and given the low energy density of hydrogen, that problem has yet to find a realistic solution.1
There are current uses of hydrogen power though, where the hydrogen is produced through steam reformation of natural gas or coal gasification and used on-site in the production of ammonia and methanol, oil refining, or as a heat source for a variety of industrial processes where hydrogen is a byproduct of the early parts of the process (see the diagram on the next page). Generally, producing hydrogen this way is extremely carbon-intensive, and renewables-driven electrolysis would be a welcome alternative if it would make economic sense, though a “decarbonized” future would ostensibly lack methanol production or oil refining at the scale they currently exist. Either way, there’s not much in these use-cases for Plug Power Inc (PLUG) or its FC-manufacturing peers. That’s partly because the hydrogen for these industrial uses would be more economical if produced with a Chinese-made alkaline electrolyzer that’s a lot cheaper than the more high-tech Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) electrolyzers sold by Plug Power, and also capable of larger single-site industrial deployments. These industrial processes would also have no use for the fuel cells needed to convert hydrogen back to electricity, because the hydrogen used in these processes is consumed directly rather than converted to electricity.
In sum, Plug Power Inc (PLUG)’s incredible share-price performance recently is entirely predicated on a future in which hydrogen energy is ubiquitous, replacing fossil fuels across the range of humanity’s energy needs. In this hypothetical future, electrolyzers made by hydrogen-energy-equipment manufacturers harness wind and solar energy to produce hydrogen from water, and that hydrogen is converted back to electricity by hydrogen fuel-cells (HFCs), which are also conveniently sold by these same manufacturers. For the reasons elaborated above, this hypothetical future is a fantasy that will undoubtedly remain hypothetical, in a repeat of the “hydrogen economy” delusions propagated in the 1970s in the wake of the oil crisis, in the 1990s in the early stages of the global warming debate, and in the early 2000s as emissions requirements were stepped up due to fears of peak oil. This time though, Li batteries and renewables-generated electricity mean that hydrogen power has a real green alternative that is more economical and actually works without any grand trillion-dollar cooperation among the world’s major energy consumers. Widespread hydrogen energy, and the electrolyzers and FCs Plug Power would sell to harness it, are as far from reality as they’ve ever been.
Read the full report here by Kerrisdale Capital


Record-Setting Gas Turbines for Sharjah’s First-of-its-Kind Power Plant
August 8, 2019 by GE Hewar
Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA) and GE have long collaborated to develop the emirate’s power sector, with up to 60% of Sharjah’s electricity generated by GE’s technologies.
Now, GE’s largest and most efficient gas turbines will be part of Sharjah’s first independent combined cycle power plant. To be equipped with three GE HA heavy-duty gas turbines, the 1.8 gigawatts (GW) power plant is expected to be the most efficient in the Middle East’s utilities sector upon completion.
Under the scope of the project, co-sponsors Sumitomo and GE Capital’s Energy Financial Services will partner with Shikoku Electric Power Company, and Sharjah Asset Management (SAM), the investment arm of the Government of Sharjah, to form an equity consortium for the project. SEWA will purchase power from the consortium over 25 years under a power purchase agreement (PPA). The project demonstrates the strength of the emirate’s economy and its attractiveness for foreign direct investment.
Located in Hamriyah, the plant will consist of three combined-cycle blocks, the first of which is expected to come online in 2021. In addition to the HA turbines, GE will supply three steam turbines, six generators, three heat recovery steam generators (HRSG) and turnkey engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for the power plant. GE also will provide parts, repairs and maintenance services for the power generation assets at the site for 25 years.
GE’s HA technology has helped to deliver two world records – one for powering the world’s most efficient combined cycle power plant, based on achieving 63.08 percent gross efficiency at Chubu Electric Nishi-Nagoya Power Plant Block-1 in Japan and another for helping EDF’s Bouchain Power Plant achieve 62.22 percent net combined cycle efficiency in France. It has thus been recognized for record-setting efficiency in both the 60 hertz and 50 hertz segments of the global power market.
This record-setting efficiency matters as using three GE 9HA units in combined cycle operations can help SEWA reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 4 million tons per year, compared to current levels – the equivalent of taking 1 million cars off the UAE’s roads!


text:
TORONTO, Nov. 30 /CNW/ - Energy Split Corp. II Inc. (the "Company")
announced today that in relation to its reorganization, the Company has called
186,000 ROC Preferred Shares for cash redemption on December 14, 2007
representing approximately 22.245% of the outstanding ROC Preferred Shares.
The ROC Preferred Shares shall be redeemed on a pro rata basis so that each
holder of ROC Preferred Shares of record on December 13, 2007 will have
approximately 22.245% of their ROC Preferred Shares redeemed. The redemption
price of the ROC Preferred Shares will be equal to the lesser of (i) Unit
Value as determined on the December 6, 2007 (the "Valuation Date") and (ii)
$25.00. As at the close of business today, Unit Value was $42.76.
Holders of ROC Preferred Shares that are on record for the dividend but
have been called for redemption will be entitled to receive dividends thereon
which have been declared but remain unpaid up to but not including
December 16, 2007.
The Company is redeeming the 186,000 ROC Preferred Shares in order to
increase the downside protection on the remaining ROC Preferred Shares to
approximately 55%, as of November 30, 2007, in order to maintain the current
rating of Pfd-2 (low) on the ROC Preferred Shares. There is no assurance that
the rating will be maintained and the redemption and reorganization are not
conditional on the rating being maintained. The redemption is taking place in
accordance with the approval received from shareholders at the meeting
approving the reorganization.
Immediately following the redemption of the ROC Preferred Shares and upon
the completion of the reorganization, in order to maintain the ratio of
Capital Yield Shares to ROC Preferred Shares of two-to-one, the Company will
subdivide the remaining 650,131 ROC Preferred Shares such that there will be
approximately 1.82 ROC Preferred Shares outstanding following the subdivision
for every ROC Preferred Share outstanding immediately prior to the subdivision
resulting in a total of 1,183,343 ROC Preferred Shares outstanding after the
subdivision. ROC Preferred Shares are currently redeemable for a cash amount
equal to the lesser of (i) $25.00 and (ii) Unit Value. After the subdivision,
the outstanding ROC Preferred Shares will be redeemable for a cash amount
equal to the lesser of (i) $13.74 and (ii) Unit Value and will be entitled to,
effective December 16, 2007, quarterly fixed distributions of $0.1718. On an
annualized basis, the new fixed distribution would represent a yield of 5.00%
on the redemption price of $13.74.
Capital Yield Shares and ROC Preferred Shares of Energy Split Corp. II
Inc. are listed for trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols EN
and EN.PR.A respectively.
For further information:
For further information: Please contact: Investor Relations, Energy
Split Corp. II Inc. (416) 945-4777, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.org,
Web site: www.scotiamanagedcompanies.com