Chris Gayle has responded to the criticism he received from fellow cricketers following his sexist comments during a live interview in last season’s Big Bash League with Andrew Flintoff, Chris Rogers and Ian Chappell all coming under fire in an extract from his new autobiography.
Despite the controversy that ensued, Gayle remains unrepentant five months down the line.
“Now T20 is different,” he writes, in a serialised extract of his book Six Machine, published in the Times.
As Gayle noted, Network Ten’s commentary team could be heard laughing on air after the incident.
“But someone up above them clearly decided to step in, and a throwaway comment in a fun format escalates and blows up and within hours it has turned into a major international incident,” he wrote.
Among the most scathing critics of his actions was Rogers, the former Australia opening batsman who is also a team-mate of Gayle’s at Somerset. Speaking on an ABC radio show shortly after the incident, Rogers accused Gayle of setting a bad example for his younger team-mates, adding that his was a “pattern of behaviour … [that] you see over and over”.
In response, however, Gayle insinuated that Rogers was a hypocrite, and had acted more like “Roger Rabbit”.
As for Flintoff, who wrote on Twitter after the McLaughlin incident that Gayle had made himself look a bit of a “chop”, Gayle suggested – slightly bizarrely – that his criticisms were invalidated because of Flintoff’s own admission, in an interview last year, that he had once been run out in a Test match after taking Viagra.
Chappell, who had called for Gayle to face a world-wide ban following his comments, also came in for a rebuke.
Gayle, who is due to play for Somerset again this season in the NatWest T20 Blast, had sparked another sexism row earlier this week when he asked a Times journalist, Charlotte Edwardes, a string of inappropriate questions, including how many black men she has “had” and whether she had ever engaged in a “t’eesome”, while also claiming he had “the biggest bat in the wooooorld”.
However, Somerset dismissed any suggestion that they will renege on their six-game deal with Gayle as a consequence of his comments.
“I was disappointed to read the article,” Guy Lavender, the Somerset chief executive, told theObserver. “But as I’ve said before, we found him to be fantastic the last time he was here, in terms of activities both on and off the pitch.


Lytham In Bloom officials have issued a rallying call for a united effort...to tackle weeds.
It comes amid fears that an unprecedented proliferation of the unwanted greenery could hamper their chances of a prestigious prize.
Changes to the way Fylde Council tackles weed clearance have led to a host of complaints from residents about unsightly streets.
The council this week stepped up its bid to solve the problem, including deploying teams of manual weedpickers, and Lytham In Bloom chiefs have been quick to stress they have no criticism of how the council has tackled the issue.
But just three weeks ahead of North West In Bloom judges coming to town, the volunteer group is gravely concerned that the weeds might spoil the chances of emulating last year’s regional gold honour.
“We have never seen it looking as bad at this time of the year.” said Lytham In Bloom chairman Carol Wildon.
“The council has had to make changes and we appreciate that. It is also doing everything it can to tackle the issue.
“But we are calling on residents and businesses to help ensure the area around their property is looking its very best.
“Our volunteers have been working hard to help solve the problem but there are only a limited number of us.
“We have had some wonderful successes with In Bloom awards in Lytham in recent years, including being national champions of champions four years ago and being nominated for the big national prize again last year, and it is always a great community effort.
The call comes as Fylde Council take further steps to tackle the current increase in weeds experienced across the borough.
Last weekend, seven council employees worked on key routes in the borough spraying and manually pulling weeds, and that will happen again this Saturday.
The council added in a statement: “In addition to this, a further three teams of people have started manual weed pulling for at least a two-week period from Wednesday, focusing on the In Bloom routes, to ensure the borough is ready for the judges’ arrival.
“This is ahead of an additional weed spray scheduled for the week commencing July 17, when we will be tackling other priority areas across the borough.


Assistant Undersecretary for Marine Borders Security Affairs at Ministry of Interior Major General Zuhair Abdullah Al-Nasser honored the police officers and officials from General Coast Guard Department who stopped an operation to smuggle rare birds into the country through the Kuwaiti territorial waters, reports Al-Seyassah daily.
KUWAIT CITY, Jan 21: Kuwait Municipality has called on owners of cafés and restaurants to quickly remove all types of cabins and enclosed quarters, as it is keen on ensuring that rules and regulations concerning commercial outlets, such as restaurants, are strictly followed.
The Municipality stressed that the Control and Inspection Department will continue to monitor and record violations across the country, in accordance with the directive of Communications Minister and State Minister for Municipal Affairs Esa Ahmad Al- Kandari who stressed the need to stop wrong usage of commercial licenses. In the same context, acting Deputy Director General of Municipality Sector in Hawally and Ahmadi governorates Eng Fahad Al-Shutaili affirmed the emergency response teams have intensified monitoring of the abovementioned establishments.
He revealed this led to the issuance of citations for several violations uncovered in different restaurant and cafés in Hawally, Salmiya and Fahaheel. Some cafes were shut earlier in various areas for violating rules. This is in addition to the voluntary removal of several cabins by the owners and issuance of warnings to 14 other cafés, whose owners promised to remove the cabins and to adhere by the rules and regulations of the Municipality. Al-Shutaili revealed the emergency response team gave 48 hours ultimatum to the owners of restaurants and cafés to remove illegal cabins and enclosed quarters. He said such violations could lead to closure of the premises and other legal measures.
He affirmed the concerned sector will strictly enforce the law in a bid to curb irregularities which contravene the traditions of the Kuwaiti society. Meanwhile, Chairperson of the Legal and Finance Committee in the Municipal Council Manae Al-Ajmi explained that talks on the proposed amendments to regulations concerning shops and advertisements were postponed until the council’s secretariat completes its report on the issue.
In a meeting with several members of the committee and the council, Al- Ajmi disclosed the committee will forward a letter to Al-Kandari, informing him that Deputy Director of the Capital and Mubarak Al-Kabeer governorates Faisal Sadeq is not cooperating with the committee, citing failure to attend meetings thrice.
He claimed Sadeq has been showing no sign of willingness to cooperate with the Municipality, so the discussion on the proposal to amend regulations governing shops and advertisements was postponed until further notice.


Jim Tressel, who guided Ohio State to its first national title in 34 years, resigned yesterday amid NCAA violations from a tattoo-parlor scandal that sullied the image of one of the country’s top football programs. “After meeting with university officials, we agreed that it is in the best interest of Ohio State that I resign as head football coach,” Tressel wrote in the resignation letter he submitted yesterday morning.
Jim Tressel, who guided Ohio State to its first national title in 34 years, resigned yesterday amid NCAA violations from a tattoo-parlor scandal that sullied the image of one of the country’s top football programs.
Luke Fickell will be the coach for the 2011 season. He already had been selected to be the interim coach while Tressel served a five-game suspension.
Under terms of Tressel’s contract, which was worth around $3.5 million a year through the 2014 season, Ohio State is not required to pay him any money or provide any benefits upon his resignation.
In a university video posted on YouTube.com, Smith said Tressel met with his Buckeyes players yesterday morning.
Clearly, the turmoil had been building. The resignation comes nearly three months after Ohio State called a news conference to announce it has suspended Tressel for two games — later increasing the ban to five games to coincide with the players’ punishment — and fined him $250,000 for knowing his players had received improper benefits from a local tattoo-parlor owner. The school said at the time it was “very surprised and disappointed” in Tressel. Yet, the school still managed to crack jokes.
Tressel’s downfall came with public and media pressure mounting on Ohio State, its board of trustees, Gee and Smith.
Tressel and Ohio State were to go before the NCAA’s infractions committee Aug. 12 to answer questions about the player violations and why Tressel did not report them. He denied knowledge of improper benefits to players until confronted by investigators with e-mails that showed he had known since April 2010.
After several NCAA violations by him or his players over the years, Tressel’s problems deepened after learning several players received cash or discounted tattoos. Contrary to NCAA bylaws — and his own contract — Tressel received e-mails from a former player about this and did not tell his athletic director, university president, compliance or legal departments or the NCAA for more than nine months.
The 58-year-old Tressel had a record of 106-22 at Ohio State. He led the Buckeyes to eight Bowl Championship Series games in his 10 years. Combined with a 135-57-2 record in 15 years at Youngstown State, where he won four Division 1-AA national championships, Tressel’s career mark is 241-79-2.
The author of two books about faith and integrity, he remains a scapegoat to many and a hypocrite to others.
Even though he has many backers, a rising chorus of detractors had stepped forward during the ongoing NCAA investigation. There were also questions about his players and their friends and family members receiving special deals on used cars from two Columbus dealers.
But at one time, his image was that of an honest, religious man who never said or did anything without thinking it through first. His nickname was “The Senator” for never having a hair out of place, praising opponents, and seldom giving a clear answer to even the simplest questions.
He’d gotten into trouble with the NCAA even before coming to Ohio State. He was the coach at Youngstown State when it received scholarship and recruiting restrictions for violations involving star quarterback Ray Isaacs.
Still, Andy Geiger, then Ohio State’s athletic director, favored Tressel over Minnesota coach and former Buckeyes linebacker Glen Mason for the job after John Cooper was fired in January 2001.
Also yesterday, The Columbus Dispatch reported that Pryor is the subject of a “significant” inquiry by the NCAA and Ohio State regarding cars and other improper benefits he may have received.
They had sold memorabilia such as championship rings, uniforms and — in the case of Pryor — a Fiesta Bowl sportsmanship award, for cash or discounted tattoos at a Columbus parlor. The violations came to light in a U.S. Attorney investigation into drug trafficking involving the owner of the parlor, Edward Rife. When federal agents raided his home and the parlor, they came across hundreds of signed Ohio State items.


The move came after a small group meeting on Saturday afternoon.
At the last minute, the Writers Guild of America has extended the deadline for imposing a “Code of Conduct” on the talent agencies by about a week, to end of day Friday, April 12, the guild announced in an email to members Saturday. The code was set to go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Sunday.
The shape of a proposed deal continues to be unknown. The guild adamantly opposes packaging fees and affiliate production — “conflicted practices and misaligned financial incentives have plagued our relationships with our representatives for too long,” said the email — but the major agencies have been equally firm that they will not abandon these lucrative practices.
For more on this subject, visit The Hollywood Reporter‘s labor page.


The Bachelorette 2016 Spoilers: Jojo Fletcher Gold-Digger, Eliminated Guys That Weren’t Rich?
Is Bachelorette 2016 star Jojo Fletcher a gold-digger? Season 12 spoilers tease that love might not be the only thing that Ben Higgins’ ex is searching for, apparently she is on the hunt for a big payout as well and is hoping to land herself a husband with a hefty savings account.
Jojo Fletcher is only into the third week of The Bachelorette on ABC, but according to a new report, she may be pulling the wool over the producers and the guys vying for her attention’s eyes. An inside source dished to In Touch Magazine that Jojo Fletcher could care less about finding love, she’s looking for a man that can support her.
Apparently, Jojo eliminated several guys from the show once she realized they weren’t sitting on nest egg or from a wealthy family. In Touch’s snitch explained that Jojo would blame it on a “lack of chemistry,” but really it was because they didn’t meet her financial criteria.
Ironically, Jojo’s frontrunner this season is Jordan Rodgers, former football player and the little brother of NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers. The funny thing is, Jojo obviously was attracted to him because of his famous family and ties to the NFL.
Little does she know, Jordan is feuding with his family and not even on speaking terms with Aaron Rodgers. It looks like her plan may have backfired!
What do you think Bachelorette fans? Do you believe that Jojo Fletcher is a gold-digger? Share your thoughts in the comments below and don’t forget to check CDL for all of your Bachelorette 2016 spoilers and news.
Who Won The Bachelorette 2016 Spoilers: Reality Steve Wrong About JoJo Fletcher’s Final Three – Changes Winner Prediction?
The Bachelorette 2016 Spoilers: JoJo Fletcher Rejects Every Bachelor, No Winner – Dating Ex-Boyfriend Chad Rockstool?
The Bachelorette 2016 JoJo Fletcher Marriage and Children With Season 12 Winner – Baby News To Follow Final Rose Ceremony?
Who Won The Bachelorette 2016 Spoilers: Jojo Fletcher’s Fiance Says Reality Steve?
The Bachelorette 2016 Spoilers: New Jojo Fletcher Season 12 Promo Video Teases Bachelor Jake Pavelka Puts Jojo In Danger!


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Defense Secretary Ash Carter ordered that procedures be streamlined so California National Guardsmen who received bonuses as a result of error or through the criminal behavior of others can seek relief. Carter ordered the Defense Finance and Accounting Service to suspend all efforts to collect reimbursement from the affected California National Guard members. A team will assess the problem and put in place a streamlined, centralized process "that ensures the rapid resolution of these cases," Carter said. The deadline for this process to be in place is Jan. 1. "The objective will be to complete the decision-making process on all cases as soon as possible — and no later than July 1, 2017." For the latest developments in this story, see this Military.com article and read Secretary Carter's statement on the U.S. Army website.


Effective marketing of cosmetics requires focusing on a specific audience.
Breaking into the cosmetics industry is not easy. Bringing a new cosmetic item to market requires not just developing and manufacturing a great product, it also requires marketing the product. And according to some, this last step is actually the most difficult part of the process. Marketing nonessential luxury items like cosmetics not only requires you to make the public aware of your new product, but also to convince them that your product is superior to other similar cosmetic items.
Determine your target market. This step really should've been considered even before you developed the product, all the way back in the initial business plan. It's essential for a small cosmetics company with a limited marketing budget to focus on a specific market segment. Specifically defining your market is the only way a smaller cosmetics company can effectively compete against larger companies with multi-million dollar advertising budgets. For example, if your product is an all-natural, organic wrinkle-reducing cream, then your target market might be socially progressive women over 40.
Design your product packaging around your target market. Product packaging is a huge part of marketing. Most consumers are visually oriented, and people tend to recognize colors, shapes and patterns more quickly than they understand words. It's been proven time and time again that unique, eye-catching product packaging is an essential part of a highly successful product. If you're not an artistic type, consider working with a professional designer to get some ideas on a novel product container or a company logo that will catch the attention of consumers.
Decide on your initial distribution channels. Choosing the right distribution channels for your cosmetic product is critical. Here again you should focus on your target market. You'll very likely want to set up a company website both for marketing purposes and as a distribution channel. Other distribution channels to consider include spas, hair salons, manicure and pedicure shops, health food stores and dermatologist's offices. Don't spread yourself too thin, at least at first. Just focus on the two or three distribution channels that are the best fits for your product, like nail polish at manicure/pedicure businesses, for example.
Create a high-quality business website. Having a presence on the Internet is pretty much a must these days, especially for a niche market such as a specialized cosmetic product. It's almost always worth it to pay for a few extra bells and whistles on your website. Consumers today expect to see attractive graphics and a professional user friendly site, and if they don't, many won't even bother to read about the product, never mind buy it.
Focus your advertising. Unless you have a very large marketing budget, it's important to keep your advertising focused on your target market(s). While print ads don't reach the same number of consumers as they did a decade ago, print ads in the right publications can be effective for higher-end products including cosmetics. Consider placings ads in luxury magazines such as "Upscale Living," "Robb Report" and "Dolce Vita." Carefully targeted Internet advertising gives you a good bang for your buck, and depending on your budget you can even consider radio spots or billboards.
Consider hosting cosmetics parties at your home (or those of friends and neighbors) to introduce your products. Giving away free samples always builds good will, and if it's truly a good product, a significant percentage of samplers will become purchasers.
Make sure to carefully review the labeling regulations for your specific cosmetic product. Cosmetic labeling is regulated by the FDA. If you don't follow its relatively strict rules when writing your label, your product can be recalled.
Browne, Clayton. "How to Market Cosmetics." Small Business - Chron.com, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/market-cosmetics-24945.html. Accessed 22 April 2019.


New York cooperative grocery store votes to require stronger consensus in reaction to boycott attempts surrounding Israel's SodaStream.
A cooperative grocery store in New York voted to require a supermajority of 75 percent to approve future boycotts in reaction to a BDS attempt to boycott the Israeli firm SodaStream.
The vote at the general meeting last month of the Park Slope Food Coop in Brooklyn was 294-192 to require the supermajority rather than the current 50 percent plus one, the local Indypendent reported.
Since the co-op first started discussing a possible boycott of some or all Israeli products, Congregation Beth Elohim in the Park Slope section stopped allowing the co-op’s general meetings in its building, according to the Indypendent. Last month’s meeting was held at a local Catholic school, which had its auditorium filled to capacity.
Last April, a proposal was made at a general meeting to boycott SodaStream, which produces soda-making machines for the home. The company closed its controversial West Bank facility in September and moved to a plant in the Negev Desert.
In March 2012, the membership of the Park Slope Food Coop rejected a proposal to hold a mail ballot referendum for members on whether to stop selling Israeli goods.
The co-op, founded in 1973, is well known in New York City as a bastion of socially conscious consumerism. Each member is required to do a work shift of 2 hours, 45 minutes every four weeks in order to shop at the co-op, which offers an array of organic and other goods at significant discounts.


While offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee isn’t afraid to dial up a run play for Sean White, he’s eliminated the forced gimmicks and substitution patterns Auburn used early in the season to generate rushing yards at the quarterback position.
Lashlee has concentrated on putting the ball into the hands of Kamryn Pettway and Kerryon Johnson since taking over as the team’s play-caller.
Their success combined with the emergence of explosive options out of the backfield like Stanton Truitt, Kam Martin and even freshman receiver Eli Stove has given defenses plenty to think about without the presence of a true dual threat quarterback in the mold of Marshall or backup John Franklin III.
Franklin’s success in blowouts shows Malzahn and Lashlee still appreciate the junior college transfer’s skill set, but the more well-rounded White allows Auburn to play the mistake-free football needed to let the backfield thrive.
Malzahn defended the offense’s early season growing pains this week saying it was the result of an inexperience offense — filled with “green” underclassmen — trying to find their identity.
After punching opposing defenses in the mouth the last three weeks, it’s safe to say Auburn has solved its identity crisis.
Auburn lineman Alex Kozan talks about jumping out to an early lead over Arkansas Saturday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium, if the offense has hit its peak and what plays made him say “hell yeah” during the 56-3 win.


The Cornell women’s lacrosse team (1-1, 0-0 Ivy League) defeated rival Colgate (2-2) on Wednesday in a close game, 15-14. It was the second game of the season and the first win for this year’s squad, which is now looking forward to its next game tomorrow against Harvard.“[Colgate] turned it into a very exciting game,” said senior tri-captain Libby Johnson.Much of the first half consisted of the two teams swapping points back and forth, with Libby Johnson, junior captain Jessi Steinberg and junior Katie Kirk all scoring goals for the Red. The sixth Cornell goal was an impressive take by Steinberg, but Colgate was able to counter with two goals. After Johnson scored the seventh point for the team, Colgate answered with a strong offensive attack, but a great save by junior goalie Kyla Dambach kept Cornell in the lead. “Kyla had a great game,” said junior tri-captain Caroline Helmer. “She had some unbelievable saves that really helped us put us forward to the attack.” Steinberg then contributed once more to the tally, bringing the half to a finish with an 8-5 Red lead. The team came out strong in the beginning of the second half, adding another two points; however, a defensive slip let Colgate come back once more with two points in a row. “Olivia scored a goal that would have given us a three-goal lead, but we were outside and Colgate took it back with a breakaway,” Johnson said. In the last few minutes the game was tied, 13-13, and it became clear the contest would be a battle until the end.“We had hoped to come out with much wider margin of a victory,” Helmer said. “We were kind of sloppy, but we pulled together as a unit and finished the game strong.”Johnson scored Cornell’s crucial 14th point unassisted. Minutes later, junior midfielder Shannon McHugh contributed the game-winning goal, and the team then held on to the lead.“[The goal] boosted our confidence,” Helmer said.Colgate managed to score once more at the very end of the game, but ultimately Cornell came away with the win.“It feels great to have our first win of 2011,” said head coach Jenny Graap. “Lots of credit goes to Johnson, who played with great passion and intensity.”Johnson certainly put forth a strong effort, notching a career-high seven points for the Red, and the most goals scored in a game for the team since 2003.“Every game I’m looking to improve,” Johnson said. “I just happened to get a lot of looks, every game is different.”The Red was coming off a loss to Rutgers in the first game of the season. “We didn’t like the feeling of losing, so we did whatever it took not to have that feeling again,” said Helmer.With the rest of the season ahead of the Red, the team can now look forward to continual improvement.“We improved on the draw control [in the Colgate game], something we haven’t been very good at,” Johnson explained. “It was something we were looking to improve and we finally came out in that area. Now we’re looking to improve on transitions from defense to offense, and slowing down the other team on fast breaks.”“By the end of the season we want to be a solid unit, with all the kinks worked out so we’re ready to go,” Helmer added. This Saturday the team will play its first Ivy League game against Harvard. The last time the two teams faced, in 2010, Harvard came away with a 10-4 victory.“We expect to play. …with an intensity we haven’t seen in the other games,” Johnson said. “It’s important to set the tone early for the Ivy League season.”Cornell will face the Crimson at 1 p.m. on Schoellkopf Field.


The Lubbock County Sheriff's Office is increasing patrols starting Monday, Dec. 2, in an effort to fight property crimes during the holiday season.
Dubbed Operation St. Nick, the increased patrols in rural areas will last until Dec. 31, according to a Lubbock County Sheriff's Office release.
Residents are asked to be on the lookout for suspicious activity and report it to the sheriff's office non-emergency number at 775-1480, or in the event of an actual emergency, dial 911.


By AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE, LONDON, September 8 – British Foreign Secretary William Hague called Sunday for a strong response to the use of chemical weapons in Syria, saying the issue went wider than the conflict in the Middle Eastern country.
Hague said that although the British parliament had rejected joining military action against Syria, he backed anticipated US led air strikes to stop President Bashar al-Assad’s regime using poison gas again.
US Secretary of State John Kerry is due to arrive in London on Sunday for talks with Hague as part of a swing through European capitals to drum up support for action on Syria.
“I do believe very strongly that the world must stand up against the use of chemical weapons. The risks of not doing so in my view are greater than the risks of doing so,” Hague told BBC television.
He added: “This issue is about chemical weapons, which is a bigger issue than Syria.
“What the United States have been talking about, what we were talking about before the vote in parliament, is a limited and proportionate response to the use of chemical weapons to deter the use of chemical weapons.
British Prime Minister David Cameron suffered a stunning defeat on August 29 when lawmakers rejected his proposal to join military action following an alleged regime chemical weapons attack in the Damascus suburbs that killed hundreds of people.
Hague reiterated that the government was “not planning” another vote “unless the circumstances change dramatically”.
He insisted that Britain’s close ties with Washington had not been affected by not joining US-led military action, saying that the Americans had been “very understanding”.
His comments came as a poll showed that just a quarter of Britons support US missile strikes against Syria, even if Britain is not involved.
Only 25 percent back them while 47 percent oppose them, and 73 percent oppose US action without UN approval, according to the YouGov poll for the Sunday Times newspaper, which surveyed 1,916 people on September 5 and 6.


The Chinese stock market is in trouble. The Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index fell 24.59 percent in 2018—the biggest annual drop since 2008. This makes the Shanghai exchange the world’s worst performing stock market.
The Shenzhen exchange did not fare well either, dropping 34.42 percent. Meanwhile, the Growth Enterprise Market (GEM) Index in Hong Kong fell 28.65 percent.
All told, more than 90 percent of A-shares traded in the Shenzhen and Shanghai exchanges fell in stock prices. In total, A-shares shrank by 13.26 trillion yuan (about $1.97 trillion) in value last year, according to Chinese media.
To comply with rules by China’s securities regulator, all listed companies had to publish their performance forecasts for the past year by the end of January.
According to Japanese publication Nikkei, over 400 companies reported a net loss. 320 companies lost in excess of 100 million yuan (about $14.8 million) in 2018, while 129 companies expected losses of over 800 million yuan (about $118.6 million).
In the past year, there have been numerous unusual stories about the losses at these listed companies, some dramatic, some absurd.
Dalian Zeus Entertainment Co., a video game company, was among the biggest losers. In its revised performance report announced on Jan. 30, it was estimated that the company had a net loss of 7.3 to 7.8 billion yuan (about $1.08 to 1.16 billion) in 2018, far exceeding its market value of 4 billion yuan (about $593 million).
Zeus Entertainment was listed in 2014 with a valuation of 2.45 billion yuan ($363 million). In less than five years, Zhu Ye, the company’s chairman, completed 12 mergers and acquisitions.
One of his most profitable moves was when he spent 1.323 billion yuan (about $196 million) to purchase Ruyi Xinxin Film Investment, a film and TV production company. When he sold his shares nine months later, he made a net profit of 294 million yuan (about $43.6 million).
But, in May 2018, Zhu was investigated by the China Securities Regulatory Commission on suspicion of violating securities laws.
Upon the news, stock prices immediately fell dramatically. Zeus’ market value, which peaked at 30 billion yuan (about $4.45 billion) at the end of 2015, fell to over 4 billion yuan (about $593 million) at the end of 2018.
In a recent report by Chinese financial media Caijing, several companies used creative ideas in a desperate bid to reverse their losses.
Hunan TV & Broadcast Intermediary Co., aside from being a TV broadcasting company, began an artwork management business in 2006. The company amassed a collection of over 200 pieces of artwork by famous Chinese artists.
In an attempt to improve its balance sheet, the company announced in December that it planned to sell an oil painting, “The Old Man Moves the Mountain” by painter Xu Beihong, to one of its major shareholders at 200 million yuan (about $29.65 million).
Chinese financial media Yicai reported that the sale proceeds would have been just enough for the firm to declare a profit in 2018 and emerge from the red. But after public criticism, the company had to terminate the sale.
Meanwhile, Chuying Agro-Pastoral Group Co., a company that specializes in breeding and distributing livestock, had suffered frequent bond defaults since 2018. By November 2018, the company’s accumulated overdue debts had exceeded 900 million yuan (about $133.4 million). Short of cash, Chuying decided to pay back the principal with deferred monetary payment, while the interests would be repaid in the form of pork products, such as ham and premium pork gift boxes.
Incidents of chairmen missing or arrested frequently made the headlines in 2018.
There are a total of 3,578 companies in the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets. In 2018, 603 chairman resigned from their companies, while 487 companies changed their chairman candidate, according to a Jan. 15 report by Chinese news portal Sina. In addition, 19 chairmen went missing, more than 30 chairmen were arrested or investigated, and three chairmen committed suicide or died from unknown causes.
For example, according to Chinese media Caixin, Li Xiaozhen, the new chairman of Steyr Motors, a manufacturer of auto parts, disappeared less than a month after he took office in July 2018.
Chen Zhicheng, chairman of Chinese chipmaker InfoTM, was arrested on suspicion of billing fraud. On the day the company announced Chen’s resignation on Feb. 26 2018, InfoTM’s stock price actually rose to an all-time peak.


Lauren Bilbo, 17, daughter of Matt and Lisa Bilbo of West Lake Hills, recently earned the Gold Award, the highest Girl Scout honor. She created video tutorials to introduce the electronic resources available to patrons of the Westbank Community Library. Members can find tutorials on the library's website for language learning software, online reference books, audio books and e-books. Bilbo is a senior at Westlake High School and a member of Troop 447.
Henry Benschoter, 16, son of Maureen and Brian Benschoter of Austin, led more than 30 volunteers in rebuilding baseball dugouts and refurbishing the infield at the Burke Center for Youth's Pathfinder Ranch in Driftwood. Benschoter is a sophomore at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy and a member of Troop 555, chartered by Abiding Love Lutheran Church.
Walker M. Payne, 15, son of Rosemary and Martin Payne of Austin, built and installed seven benches in the outdoor amphitheater at Westlake United Methodist Church. Payne is a sophomore at Westlake High School and a member of Troop 4, chartered by Austin Ridge Bible Church.
Jacob Alpern, 16, son of Ed and Debbie Alpern of Austin, held a sports equipment drive to collect donations for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Austin. More than 300 items and $300 were collected at four dropoff locations. Alpern is a member of Troop 162, chartered by Chisolm Trail District, Capitol Area Council, and a junior at Westwood High School.
Austin Community College students enrolled in credit classes, as well as ACC employees, will once again be able to obtain "green passes" for Capital Metro bus and rail service. Passes for the spring semester will be available beginning Jan. 2 and will be valid through May 28.
The passes are funded by a student sustainability fee of $1 per credit hour and by employee parking permit fees. Credit students, faculty members and staff members can obtain passes and use them at no additional charge.
Bus riders are required to swipe their passes in the fare box and show ACC identification while boarding. Rail riders must insert passes into the ticket validator and show an ACC ID when prompted by fare inspectors. The college's agreement with Capital Metro runs through August, according to an ACC news release.


JAKARTA — Media misframing of the martial law debate and its hyping of Justice Marvic Leonen’s dissent clearly won martial law’s extension. The letters on the sides of news reports on Congress’ joint session last July 22, read vertically, spell out “Hail Hydra!” a la Pete Lacaba.
It is unprecedented to give more prominence to what lightning protesters chanted than what Sen. Franklin Drilon asked, the opposition’s senior statesman and one of his generation’s most brilliant lawyers.
It is unprecedented for media to betray unfamiliarity — after 60 days! — with the issues that underpin our post-Edsa democracy’s defining debate.
Drilon faced off against Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, the administration’s second best lawyer, after Leonen. He raised the Constitution’s longstanding requirement for “actual” rebellion to declare martial law. “Imminent” danger of rebellion was intentionally deleted.
He asked whether there is an “actual” rebellion Mindanao-wide when only four out of 20 Marawi City barangays remain occupied and the President’s request for extension only mentions 10 of 27 provinces.
Drilon drew three key points from Medialdea. First, there are numerous allied groups across Mindanao. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana later pointed to hundreds of reinforcements from the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu and Basilan and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Maguindanao.
Third, the New People’s Army is outside martial law. Action against them is under the normal “calling out” power to deploy the armed forces.
Drilon pressed that sympathizers or drug financiers outside Marawi are not an “actual” rebellion. Sen. Tito Sotto stopped him as his four minutes were up.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros asked point blank what specific powers are available only after declaring martial law. She was unsatisfied by Solicitor General Jose Calida’s answer in the Supreme Court that it adds none and was only the “calling out” power on steroids.
Medialdea answered that it becomes easier for the government to make warrantless arrests for rebellion, control the movement of civilians and the imposition of curfews. Hontiveros rebutted — and Medialdea’s side accepted — that all these can be done under existing powers, without martial law. Medialdea said it is easier, a fair response.
Incidentally, for all the media attention invested in Leonen’s dissent, its central arguments were not raised in the joint session.
Lorenzana also welcomed the Commission on Human Rights ensuring troops behave.
The key insight is that our generals, albeit very professional, are unsure of martial law’s legal definition. And they emphasize that courts, local governments and Congress itself remain functioning.
Medialdea, like Calida, accepts that martial law confers no new powers. He appears satisfied with a symbolic boost. The Supreme Court has ruled that the commander in chief may issue declarations with symbolic but no legal effect. This was the Supreme Court approach to past declarations of “state of rebellion” and “state of national emergency.” And the Supreme Court recognized martial law was declared in 2009 in Maguindanao but never implemented.
And despite administration officials’ colorful statements, one must watch what orders Medialdea actually signs, as these have adhered to the Constitution.
Lorenzana is an honorable soldier and Medialdea is an honorable lawyer. The opposition did their duty and asked the right questions.
Sadly, the public could not appreciate the crucial answers in the long awaited opportunity to confront martial law’s top officials in a joint session. For 60 days, media focused on the wrong issues. The public does not even know martial law’s definition and how it applies to civilian government, not military operations.
Critics cite Queen Amidala: “So this is how democracy dies. With thunderous applause.” Try “a whiff of boredom,” given how the crucial joint session became a nonevent.


Two of the latest developments suggest that Russia and “Israel” are backing away from the “crisis” that some in Alt-Media eagerly hoped would transpire between them as a result of the downing of a Russian Jet.
The main points were that a pro-American “deep state” faction in “Israel” might be responsible for yesterday’s tragic occurrence, and that the US and Iran both have an interest (albeit for very separate reasons) in exacerbating the distrust between Moscow and Tel Aviv to the point of generating a full-fledged crisis.
That being the case, Russia and “Israel” appear to be signaling to one another that neither wants an escalation of tensions with the other, which also suggests that their leaderships are in constant communication over what transpired.
This noticeably omits any reference to the Russian Defense Minister’s earlier statement holding “Israel” fully responsible for what happened.
The second part of that tweet predictably lays the blame on Syria, while subsequent messages expand the reach of culpability to include Iran and Hezbollah, too.
The point to focus on, however, is that “Israel” implicitly acknowledges that it didn’t intend for the situation to unfold as it did, which when taken together with President Putin’s statement, suggests that a climb-down is in effect between both parties and that the “crisis” that the US and Iran were hoping for might not materialize.


The board has sent an edict that the corporation will be responsible for washing only the inaccessible windows. We owners don’t own the outside of our units and we all pay condo fees for maintenance. How can the board refuse responsibility for washing windows that are accessible from our balconies?
The windows in highrise condos are invariably designated as common elements and the Condo Act states that common element maintenance is the obligation of the corporation. However, maintenance and repair obligations, as set out in the Act as between the corporation and the unit owners, may be amended in the declaration — although the owners cannot be made responsible for repairing the common elements. Your declaration may provide that the owners will maintain the windows that are accessible from each owner’s balcony, which would include window washing.
If the declaration does not say that, the obligation to wash the outside of the windows remains with the corporation. But since the boundary of each unit likely is the interior surface of the windows, the obligation to clean the interior surfaces of the windows rests with the unit owners.
I replaced the lock on the entrance door to my unit which broke and I advised management that I would provide them with a copy of the key. Management advised that they require a lock that works with their master key and that such a lock must be installed at my expense. Can they do this?
The entrance doors to highrise units are invariably common elements and are not part of the units. That means that an owner cannot change the common element lock without first getting the board’s approval and entering into an agreement with the corporation, pursuant to Section 98 of the Condominium Act. If those steps are not taken, including the board’s consent to the common element alteration, the corporation could require you to replace the original lock.
You could return the original, broken lock to the door and then require the corporation to replace it, at their expense, if the lock is part of the common elements. Under the Condominium Act common element repairs are and must remain, the obligation of the corporation.
If the lock was broken because of an act or omission by you, or someone residing in your unit, the declaration could require you to cover the corporation for the costs in replacing the lock.
One of our directors moved away and the term for another expired. Two directors were not elected but were appointed by the board to fill vacancies. We have been unsuccessful in getting the board to call an owners’, meeting to fill the vacancies. Are they not obligated to do so?
If a director’s term expired at an annual general meeting, the owners at the AGM will elect a replacement. Otherwise, provided that there is a quorum, the board may continue to operate without filing the vacancies. The two appointees are directors for all purposes, including a determination as to whether there is a quorum.
If there is not a quorum the directors cannot appoint replacements to fill the vacancies and the remaining directors are required within 30 days of the quorum being lost to call a meeting of owners to elect candidates to fill the vacancies.
If owners want to change a bylaw to have five directors instead of three what is the process?
A new bylaw should be passed amending the existing bylaw. The new bylaw must be passed by an affirmative vote of owners owning a majority of the units at an owners’ meeting called for that purpose.
Lawyer Gerry Hyman is a former president of the Canadian Condominium Institute and author of Condominium Handbook. Send questions to http://www.gerryhyman.com/ gerry@gerryhyman.com END or fax to his attention at 416-925-8492.


Scam artists claiming to work for "U.S. Immigration" are calling victims across the country seeking to steal their personal information and commit identity theft, the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general warned.
The thieves are using a technique called spoofing, where they alter the caller ID so it looks like the call is coming from the Department of Homeland's hotline number (1-800-323-8603).
"The scammers demand to obtain or verify personally identifiable information from their victims through various tactics, including by telling individuals that they are the victims of identity theft," the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General said in its fraud alert Wednesday. It also noted that many of the scammers "reportedly have pronounced accents."
The inspector general said DHS never uses its hotline to make outgoing calls. It only uses the number to receive information from the public. It said individuals shouldn't answer calls from 1-800-323-8603, and if they do, they shouldn't divulge personal information.
Arlen Morales, a spokesman for the agency told CNNMoney that this is the first time that the hotline has been spoofed and that it has received about a dozen complaints about the scam.
While that number may appear small, Erin Quinn, a staff attorney at the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, said the number of occurrences is likely much higher. She noted that immigrants often are afraid to come forward to report scams for fear of being ensnared in the heightened immigration enforcement dragnet.
Quinn said that she has heard of several instances in which the phone numbers for local offices of U.S. Customs and Immigration Services have been fraudulently copied and used to scam victims.
Joanne Talbot, a USCIS spokeswoman, recalled a spoofing scam in 2013 in which immigrants applying for visas, green cards and citizenship were targeted. "The scammer poses as a USCIS official and requests personal information (such as Social Security number, passport number, or A-number), identifies supposed issues in the recipient's immigration records, and asks for payment to correct these records," Ferreira wrote in an email.
Talbot also noted that USCIS never asks for any personal information or form of payment over the phone.
Fraudsters have also used phone spoofing to impersonate Internal Revenue Service agents, threatening vulnerable people like immigrants with deportation or the loss of their diver's license if they don't pay what they owe immediately.
In October, the Department of Justice filed charges against 56 individuals and five call centers, alleging they were part of a transnational criminal organization that stole millions of dollars from tens of thousands of victims through telephone impersonation scams.
Earlier this month, Bharat Patel, an Indian national living in Illinois pleaded guilty for his role in liquidating and laundering victim payments generated through the scams, according to a USCIS press release.
According to admissions from his plea, Patel, 43, worked with people in call centers in Ahmedabad, India, who impersonated officials from the IRS or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and defrauded U.S. victims. Patel said the call center operators used information from data brokers and other sources to target victims who were then threatened with arrest, imprisonment, fines or deportation if they did not pay money they allegedly owed the government.
Patel is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7. Other cases are still pending.
Immigrant advocates say that they have seen an uptick in frauds targeting immigrants in recent months.
"Generally we see an uptick in scams when there is fear in the community," Quinn said. "Any change in policy, even if it's a positive policy change, can increase the number of scams against immigrants and others."
This makes it even more important for immigrants to be vigilant if they receive a suspicious call, they say.
"As scammers seek to capitalize on the anti-immigrant political climate, people should know never to offer payment or personal information over the phone," said Steve Choi, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition. "All official, government requests will come by mail from a verifiable address with a case reference number," he said.


Android creator Andy Rubin’s latest hardware startup, Essential, is now shipping its first smartphone, the Essential Phone. Now, customers have to decide whether the Essential Phone, which comes with features similar to those of the Galaxy S8, is better than Samsung's handset. In today's highly competitive smartphone market, the Essential Phone and the Galaxy S8 seem to deliver the best slate of features on the Android side. From next-generation designs to high-end performance, both devices are outstanding options for consumers and enterprise users alike. In this slide show, eWEEK compares the Essential Phone with the Galaxy S8 to help folks decide which smartphone works better for them. Read on to see the comparison.
The Galaxy S8 and Essential Phone have strikingly similar designs that many industry watchers say deliver a next-generation feel. Both devices have screens that nearly entirely cover the faces, and neither device has a physical home button, so their fingerprint sensors are on the rear panels. The design concept also is expected to be on Apple's next big iPhone, the iPhone 8.
The Essential Phone and Samsung's Galaxy S8 both run on Android Nougat, but they offer different software experiences. The Essential Phone comes with the stock Android without any tweaks or bloatware, while Samsung's smartphone has an Android skin that delivers a decidedly different experience.
Which Handset Is More Powerful?
It’s tough to decide which smartphone is more powerful. Both devices run on Qualcomm's high-end Snapdragon 835 processor and have ample memory to handle most tasks. They also have high-end graphics performance, thanks to the Adreno GPU. Users will find top-of-the-line performance in both the Essential Phone and Galaxy S8.
A suitable virtual assistant experience can be found in both the Galaxy S8 and Essential Phone. The Galaxy S8 features Bixby, which performs traditional virtual assistant tasks such as setting appointments and provide relevant information about what it’s pointed at. Essential Phone should support Google Assistant, like the Galaxy S8, and users can download third-party options from Google Play.
Samsung's Galaxy S8 offers a simple, what-you-see-is-what-you-get experience: All the features of the device are included out of the box. The Essential Phone, meanwhile, has a modular design that allows users to clip on accessories, such as a high-powered camera, for better performance.
The Essential Phone has a 5.7-inch display with a 19:10 aspect ratio. According to Essential, the device has a quad-HD resolution and can deliver up to 500 nits of brightness. It also has a contrast ratio of 1,000 to 1. The Galaxy S8 has a 5.8-inch quad-HD display, which complements the 6.2-inch screen of its larger cousin, the Galaxy S8+. Both Samsung displays have an 18.5:9 aspect ratio.
Battery life is critical to the smartphone experience, and the Essential Phone and Galaxy S8 both deliver. The Essential Phone has a 3,040mAh battery that has "fast charging" capabilities. Essential didn’t say how long the battery will last, but suggests it will last a long time. The Galaxy S8 has a 3,000mAh battery that can last up to 20 hours of continuous talk time, while the Galaxy S8+’s 3,500mAh battery offers up to 24 hours of continuous talk time, according to Samsung.
Which Has the Better Camera?
The Galaxy S8 comes with a single-lens rear-facing camera featuring a 12-megapixel shooter, and its dual-pixel design provides additional zoom features. On the front is a "wide selfie" 8-megapixel shooter. The Essential Phone has a 13-megapixel rear-facing color camera with a 13-megapixel monochrome lens and is bolstered by an 8-megapixel front-facing camera.
Both the Galaxy S8 and the Essential Phone are available unlocked. The Essential Phone can run on any major U.S. carrier’s network. Those who want to buy the smartphones from specific carriers can do that as well, although Essential Phone is only available from Sprint.
The Essential Phone is available unlocked for $749, and pricing on the Galaxy S8 varies based on where customers buy the device. Some stores sell the Galaxy S8 unlocked for as little as $625, while others charge upward of $750. The Galaxy S8+ costs $100 more than its smaller counterpart. Customers also can buy the Galaxy S8 line through carriers and pay monthly installments.


The Vanity Fair columnist and author of God is not great on the banality of Tony Blair’s new faith foundation.
I stipulate that for purely secular reasons I still admire Tony Blair for standing by the peoples of Afghanistan and Iraq and Sierra Leone against the various combinations of tyranny and aggression with which they were confronted. (The refusal to “do God”, as we are apparently stuck with this irritating phrase, neither enhanced nor inhibited the execution of those admirable policies.) But far more irritating is Blair’s new banality, which rises almost to Queen’s Christmas broadcast level – “science has given us great power for good or ill” – combined with his addiction to junk statistics, and his unexamined assumption that there must be some natural connection between faith and rectitude.
Of his supposed two billion Christians, for example, how many belong to congregations that are at each other’s throats, or that rant about the imminence of the “end times”? The leader of Blair’s own Christian sect cannot decide which is worse – Aids or condoms – and has just readmitted a neo-fascist bishop who thinks that the “deicide” committed by the Jews against Jesus is a historic fact, but that the genocide practised by the Nazis on the Jews is a fiction.
Speaking of the Jews, does Blair really believe that 13 million of them go anywhere near a synagogue? They (we), the inventors of monotheism, have become the most secular population in human history and have flourished mightily since throwing off rabbinical rule. And doesn’t he know the first thing about that supposed tsunami of new converts in Africa, many of whom are animists in another guise? Just ask the luckless Archbishop of Canterbury (that feckless and sheeplike advocate of sharia), whose own pathetic little Anglican faction is being riven by cruel and fanatical African bishops who think that homosexuality is a mortal sin. Or consult the dissenting Christians of Russia, now faced by the emergence of a full-dress Putin dictatorship, garbed in the clerical robes of a state-sponsored Orthodoxy.
One and a half billion Muslims? Possibly, if you take the claims of Muslim propagandists at their face value. But be careful of standing too near the “wrong” mosque in Iraq or Pakistan, lest the soldiers of Allah be intent on murdering their Sunni or Shia brethren and heedless of those who get in the way.
And so it goes on. There is something crass and nasty as well as something vulgar in Blair’s quantitative triumphalism (“more than 900 million Hindus”: such good news for those who think like the sectarian Bharatiya Janata Party). Those of us who have our doubts about the God delusion have never been under the impression that it is under-supported. But the way that Blair talks, it seems that religion’s chief pride is its availability in bulk and wholesale form. Why doesn’t he mention Mormonism, the crackpot Joseph Smith-oriented faith that is said to be the fastest-growing of them all?
One’s qualms are not quelled by the suffocatingly boring five-point agenda that is tacked lamely on to the quantitative proclamation. I think we have all, already, declared ourselves to be against malaria. With only very slightly less enthusiasm, we can perhaps find a pulse that interests us in interfaith “interaction”. Could I hint that “globalisation” has been a big subject for some time? And could I also suggest that the notion of an ethical imperative in the world of economics is not primarily or only a religious one?
On the fifth proposition, that of an “Abrahamic” coalition, I can only give way humbly, to those who think it moral and exemplary for mythical tribalists to circumcise themselves at the age of 90 and to offer their sons as human sacrifices when they hear voices in their heads. As our former prime minister phrases it so smoothly: “While in office, it was best, in my view, not to shout that too loudly from the rooftops.” So shout it out loud now, Tony, and see if it makes those demons go away. But why weren’t you so brave before?
Call for a rabbinic ruling against the theft of non-Jewish land.
This list is suggestive rather than exhaustive, but it is at least as relevant as the menace of malaria and it also serves to demonstrate that the religious are not morally brave, as they like to brag, but are instead quite unable to face the fact that they are the cause, and not the cure, of so much suffering and stupidity and misery.


It is evident that Duplantis' recent "All-USA Track and Field Athlete of the Year" honor was well-deserved, and based on sheer merit. This outdoor season, Duplantis improved his personal best to 5.93 meters, which is also the world junior record in the men's pole vault. Duplantis' clearance of 5.93 meters is the third best performance this year in the men's pole vault, right behind Renaud Lavillenie's 5.95 meters, and reigning world champion Sam Kendricks' world leading mark of 5.96 meters.
In mid-June, as Digital Journal reported, Duplantis won first place in the men's pole vault competition in Montreuil, France, where he defeated world record holder and two-time Olympic medalist Renaud Lavillenie. On June 30, Duplantis finished second at the IAAF Diamond League event in Paris with 5.90 meters.
Duplantis also won first place in the IAAF Diamond League event in Stockholm with 5.86 meters, where he bested Sam Kendricks for the first time, who came in second place with 5.81 meters. This was quite the victory for Duplantis since he competes for Sweden. He is coached by his father, Greg Duplantis.
This August, Duplantis will be competing at the 2018 European Athletics Championships, which will be held in Berlin, Germany.
For more information on acclaimed pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis, follow him on Twitter.


Unemployment should decline by more than 0.1 percent per month over the next six months and to fall below 6.5 percent—the Fed’s unemployment threshold—by February 2014.
In September, the unemployment rate dropped to 7.2 percent—as the model correctly predicted (again!) last month—pushed down by the steady-state convergence dynamics. The decline in unemployment will continue, with a 7.1 percent jobless rate expected for October, and the outlook for the next 6 months is good: following positive readings on the job openings and layoffs fronts, the steady-state unemployment rate currently stands at 6.7percent and is expected to decline strongly over the next couple months and reach 5.9percent by March 2014, which will translate into an unemployment declining by more than 0.1 percentage points per month over the next six months. At this rate, the unemployment rate would fall below 6.5percent—the threshold unemployment rate above which the Fed has vowed to hold interest rates near zero—by February 2014.
This forecast is easily understood by looking at the projected behavior of the “steady-state” unemployment rate. The steady-state unemployment rate, or the rate of unemployment implied by the underlying labor force flows—the blue line in figure 2—stands currently at 6.7percent. Our research shows that the actual unemployment rate converges toward this steady state. With a steady-state unemployment rate lower level than the actual rate (6.7 versus 7.2, a 0.5 percentage point difference), this “steady-state convergence dynamic” is pushing the unemployment rate down, implying a decline in unemployment going forward. Moreover, the model anticipates the steady-state unemployment rate (SSUR) to decline strongly (and much more than anticipated as of last month) over the coming month (figure 2). As a result, the gap between the unemployment rate and SSUR will remain roughly constant at about 0.5ppt over the next 6 months, and the steady-state convergence dynamic will remain strong, pushing the unemployment rate down over the next 6 months.
To forecast the behavior of steady-state unemployment (and hence of the actual unemployment rate), the model propagates forward its best estimate for how the flows between employment, unemployment and out-of-the labor force will evolve over time. The strong increase in job openings (the largest monthly increase in more than a year) in September and the strong decline in new claims for unemployment insurance (again, the largest monthly decrease in more than a year) are interpreted by the models as signaling (i) a strong increase in workers’ job finding rate going forward (figure 4), and (ii) a strong decrease in workers’ job separation rate (mostly layoffs, figure 3). Both forces translate into a strongly decreasing SSUR, and thus a decreasing unemployment rate.


Despite pouring rain, over 5,000 demonstrators assembled in San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza for a two-and-a-half-mile march to Mission Dolores Park. The crowd was far smaller than the hundreds of thousands who assembled before the war, and the demonstrators appeared much more somber as well.
While the weather played a role, the change appeared more the result of the recognition that the massive protests had not stopped the US military from massacring tens of thousands of Iraqis. At the same time, the willingness of protesters to stand in the freezing rain for hours on end to make themselves heard showed that the antiwar sentiment is far from dissipated.
By about 11:15 a.m. the crowd began to grow. There was a group called Progressive Junta with a small statue of George W. Bush that they were preparing to pull down with ropes in a bit of street theatre mocking the staged felling of the statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad. The wind picked up and threatened to blow over many of the kiosks set up by the various protest groups, and people pitched in to hold the tent poles while they roped them to the trees in the plaza.
Among the groups present were: International ANSWER, Direct Action Against the War, South Asians Against the War and Filipino Americans Against the War, among others.
At about 11:30 the skies darkened and the continuous rain started to come down with a vengeance, accompanied by thunder, lightning and even hail. A large number of people took shelter in the doorways of buildings surrounding Civic Center Plaza, out of fear of being struck by lightning. Under the shelter of the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, a group called Musicians for Peace played music, and there was a Filipino group with drummers and microphones, chanting against war.
Then the march began to Dolores Park, leading through a district of housing projects and a neighborhood of the working poor. Many people on the street joined in. The marchers proceeded, chanting, “Money for Schools, Not for War” and “US Out of the Middle East.” People in cars at the intersections honked their horns and many gave the peace sign.
When the march reached Dolores Park, the protesters exploded from the confines of the streets into the park. People were waiting who had gone directly to the park, and the protest now numbered several thousand.
The principal demand was to end the occupation of Iraq immediately. Both among the marchers and the speakers, pacifism and nationalism seemed to dominate. Although they clearly labeled the US foreign policy as imperialist, none of the speakers attempted to articulate the connection between the war and attacks on the working class domestically.
A particularly moving moment occurred when greetings were read to the demonstration from the family of Rachel Corrie, the 23-year-old peace activist from Olympia, Washington murdered last month by an Israeli bulldozer in Gaza. Mention was also made of Thomas Hurndall, the 21-year-old British man shot by Israeli troops and declared brain dead just one day before the demonstration, and a third activist, Bryan Avery, 24, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, whom Israelis shot in the face earlier this month.
Although the speakers seemed intent on avoiding the subject, there was widespread disgust among the demonstrators for the role of Nancy Pelosi, the local congressperson who has become the leader of the Democrats in the House of Representatives. Pelosi supported the resolution honoring President Bush for initiating the war against Iraq, and voted to approve $79 billion to pay for its initial cost. After the demonstration, a smaller protest was staged outside the Fremont Hotel on Nob Hill, where Pelosi was receiving the “Alan Cranston Peace Award,” named after the former California senator.
Supporters of the WSWS distributed about 1,000 copies of the statement “The way forward in the struggle against imperialist war,” which was warmly received by many in the crowd.


Based on Daniel Island, Dr. Leigh Spicer of Palmetto Primary and Specialty Care Physicians is an MUSC graduate and family physician offering care to children on up to the elderly. Certified and affiliated with the American Board of Family Medicine and American Academy of Family Physicians, Spicer works with the Summerville Medical Center and Trident Regional Hospital in Charleston to ensure that patients receive the care they need. After practicing for more than 11 years, the good doctor is dedicated to making sure patients feel like they just paid a visit to Dr. McCoy and his tricorder for an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.
2011 Best Physician - Dr. John Rowe Jr.


Fred is off on vacation this week, but we pre-recorded a special edition for this week.
Jason and The Prophet muse on whether a new sports arena is in the cards for Charlottetown. Do you agree with Fiddler's thoughts?


Have You Heard About the Caravan?
Have you heard about the caravan? It is marching north like an army. There are 7,000 people in it and counting. It is a national “emergy.” It is from Honduras, but unknown Middle Easterners are mixed in. President Donald Trump has very good information about it — just ask Vice-President Mike Pence, who had a phone call on Tuesday with President Juan Orlando Hernández of Honduras. Pence has learned that leftist groups are organizing the caravan. Venezuela is funding it. So are the Democrats and George Soros, who is dictating where the caravan defecates.
Trump’s relentless fearmongering toward the men, women, and children laboriously making their way north on foot from Central America reached a new apex Thursday when news broke that Defense Secretary James Mattis planned to send “800 or more” additional troops to the U.S.-Mexico border. The prospect of armed guards lining up from San Diego to the Gulf Coast to rebuff the enemy at the gate is galvanizing imagery — as is intended. It is also not actually what is happening, and their deployment marks another absurd development in Republicans’ efforts to turn the caravan into a wedge issue before the elections.
CNN reports that it is unclear if the 800 new U.S. soldiers will consist of active-duty troops or activated National Guard. They will join 2,100 Guard personnel already present at the border and reportedly not be involved in any “lethal operations.” Their duties will include to “provide fencing, wall materials,” and “tents and medical care for border authorities.” But for many observers, the perception of their presence will inevitably be of a siege. That is the point. As Ed Kilgore notes, the fantasy of an impending confrontation between white-led civilization and a brown immigrant horde is a timeworn subject of global right-wing panic, vividly illustrated in the racist 1973 French novel by Jean Raspail — and purported Stephen K. Bannon favorite — The Camp of the Saints.
The president’s “play” is most successful when he harps on who might be in the caravan rather than who actually is. So far, there is no evidence of the left-wing conspiracy Trump and his administration allege is driving the migrants, nor that any of them are “Middle Easterners” — a clear dog whistle meant to imply a terrorist threat. There is evidence, however, that Besi Jaqueline Lopez has two daughters — Victoria, 4, and Elisabeth, 3 — and left Honduras with them “to find work for a better future.” There is evidence that Ingrid Andino fled because she feared local gangs would murder her 16-year-old son, and that Paola Oviedo’s ex-husband was threatening to kill her, so she took her 18-month-old baby and ran north.
Occupation, invasion, onslaughts. As Eric Levitz writes, these are the worries Republicans hope will preoccupy voters rather than the GOP’s actual policy positions. You have heard about the caravan not because it poses an actual threat — this one is larger than usual, but several migrant caravans consisting of hundreds of people, and sometimes more than 1,500, have traveled north in the past two years — but because Trump and his surrogates want you to. The Mattis deployment is a logical next step. A troop surge implies current security is insufficient — that our bulwarks are being fortified in proportion to the forces threatening to overwhelm them. It means the cavalry is on its way. It is a pageant, and an absurd one. But Trump can continue to call on troops as long as he wants people to believe more troops are needed. Whether they are or not is secondary. The prize is a panicked electorate on November 6.


LOS ANGELES Comcast has acquired online movie ticket destination Fandango.
Fandango will be an integral piece of a new site Comcast is launching in the summer, Fancast, which is designed to provide one-stop shopping for viewers looking to track programming options across a range of platforms, including online and mobile.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it is expected to close in the second quarter. One analyst, Jeff Wlodarczak of Wachovia Securities, pegged the purchase price at $200 million.
Fandango represents the continued Internet expansion of Comcast under its Comcast Interactive Media division run by Amy Banse. Fancast will join a growing stable of online properties including video destination Ziddio and the gaming-centric Game Invasion.
In Fandango, Comcast gets a growing site with about 5 million unique visitors each month. Fandango, formed in 2000 by seven of the top 10 largest U.S. theater chains, services movie ticketing for 15,000 screens.
Fandango has received strong competition for online tickets sales with MovieTickets.com, which had been mentioned in the past as a potential partner with Fandango. Market analysts also have speculated that Barry Diller’s IAC/InterActiveCorp might have been interested in acquiring Fandango.
Fandango could get a lift from Comcast, which has a popular online presence through Comcast.net, which has 15 million unique visitors per month. Fandango, Fancast and Comcast.net will all continue to exist independently, but will be heavily integrated with each other.
Fandango derives roughly half of its revenue from online advertising, which has been growing faster than its revenue from tickets.
Here’s how Fancast works: Viewers interested in the new movie Perfect Stranger could not only access information via Fandango on where and when the film is playing as well as content concerning the movie, but also the scheduling of movies on TV featuring Stranger stars Bruce Willis or Halle Berry. In addition, any related content on the Internet or mobile would be identified.
Fancast also eventually will allow Comcast subscribers to remotely program what their DVRs will record.
Banse declined comment regarding whether TiVo will play a role in the Comcast-Fandango linkup. The DVR firm is a mutual partner to both companies, providing its product soon as an option for Comcast subscribers and already facilitating ticket purchasing via Fandango over the TiVo platform.
Fancast also will facilitate DVD purchases through either a retail component to be created by Comcast or through partnerships with other online outlets. As part of the deal, Comcast plans to utilize Fandango’s e-commerce capabilities in other unspecified ways.
One such area where e-commerce could come into play is in ticketing for sporting events, where Fandango already has begun to make inroads.


The Readers' Choice award in two categories — happy hour and live music — goes to Freewheel Brewing Company at the Marsh Manor Shopping Center in Redwood City. Established in 2012, the brewery and pub draw a diverse crowd attracted by the beer (in the tradition of English-style, cask-conditioned ales), pub food, live music and other entertainment, says Manager Devin Roberts. To keep it interesting, the pub holds special events such as open mic nights, stand-up comedy and CD release parties. The pub also works with local charitable organizations, such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula.


Young Wales survived a major scare as they held out for victory in the first Test of their summer tour to Japan.
Harry Robinson scored a second-half try but Wales were out-scored two tries to one as Japan responded through Michael Broadhurst and Yoshikazu Fujita.
However Japan were made to pay for missing three kicks as 14 points from the boot of Dan Biggar and a Rhys Patchell penalty saw Wales hold on at Kintetsu Hanazono Stadium.
Wales had looked to set the early pace but it was Japan who took the lead in the 14th minute.
Owen Williams tackled Craig Wing but was unfortunate to inadvertently block Harumichi Tatekawa’s kick as he retreated to hand Ayumu Goroumaru his first attempt at goal, which he swept over between the posts.
The full-back doubled the lead on 20 minutes when Wales paid the price for a series of penalties and number eight Rob McCusker was sent to the sin bin.
Following discussions between the two teams, South African referee Lourens van der Merwe agreed to a water break amid 30-degree heat and 80 per cent humidity and it was Wales who benefited from the refreshment.
Biggar kicked a brace of penalties, as well as pushing a third effort wide to the right, to level the scores before the half-hour.
Wales’ forwards had success at close range and at the scrum but the lack of a natural openside flanker proved telling.
Japan twice went close to scoring after Male Sau’s break released Fujita who was denied in the right-hand corner by Liam Williams before their forwards were held up over the line from the resulting lineout.
But a well-worked move from the Japanese lineout, which had been coached during the week by former England captain Steve Borthwick, saw Broadhurst score in space.
Goroumaru missed the conversion and was then off-target again early in the second half.
Instead Biggar converted his third penalty in the 47th minute though Wales were fortunate not to fall further behind when they were again caught offside, only for Goroumaru to push an effort wide for a third time.
Wales thought they had scored their first try on 58 minutes but Dafydd Howells put his foot in touch before releasing his pass to Liam Williams.
However Biggar landed his fourth penalty moments later to give the visitors the lead for the first time in the game on the hour mark.
Wales grew in confidence and when Liam Williams linked up in midfield with new caps Emyr Phillips and Owen Williams, Robinson raced clear from 25 metres for his second try in as many international appearances.
Biggar converted to hand Wales a 19-11 lead on 64 minutes before making way for Cardiff’s Patchell to win his first cap.
Japan refused to give up and replied with a well-worked try for right wing Fujita ten minutes from time following a series of attacks and swifts handling by Yuu Tamura, Tatekawa and Sau.
Goroumaru recovered from his earlier misses to steer his conversion between the posts from out wide and reduce the Welsh lead to a single point. But Patchell’s 78th minute penalty ensured Wales held out for an unconvincing victory.


Tree Surgery - Aboricultural Consultants & Contractors. Buckland Tree Care Ltd is a family run firm based in Cheshire. We have over 27 years of industry experience within our midst and the qualifications and insurances to back that experience up. We carry out a range of services including tree pruning, removal and planting, stump removal and hedge reduction, planting and removal as well as consultancy services such as BS5837 surveys, hazard management surveys and mortgage reports. Our initial advice is friendly and free - so call Charlie Hocknell (the company director) on 07812 161 173.
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The 61G lava flow extending southeast of Puʻu ʻŌʻō entered the ocean, as of as of 1:12 a.m., Tuesday morning, July 26, 2016.
Hawaiʻi Island police are renewing their request for information about a 48-year-old man who was reported missing. Michael Kalla was last seen in Puna in October 2015. His last known address was in Honokaʻa, but he is known to have frequented the Pāhoa and Kalapana areas around the time he was reported missing.
Average retail gasoline prices in Hawaii have fallen 3.7 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.77/g yesterday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 355 gas outlets in Hawaii. This compares with the national average that has fallen 4.5 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.15/g, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.
Hawai‘i Electric Light has restored electric service to the remaining 100 customers in Hawaiian Paradise Park, Leilani Estates, Kapoho, Orchidland Estates, Honoka‘a, and Kailua-Kona who were impacted by high winds from Tropical Storm Darby.
The National Weather Service in Honolulu has cancelled the Flash Flood Watch for Hawaii County. At 6 a.m. Hawaii County Police report Mamalahoa Highway (Route 11) at Kawa Flats is fully open to traffic.
The vessel reportedly has a maximum pollution potential of 600 gallons of diesel fuel aboard, commercial batteries and 19.5 gallons of hydraulic and lube oils.
Overnight, Hawai‘i Electric Light restored electric service to 900 customers in various parts of Hāmākua, upper Puna, and Kona that were impacted by high winds from Tropical Storm Darby. About 100 customers in Hawaiian Paradise Park, Leilani Estates, Kapoho, Orchidland Estates, Honoka‘a, and Kailua-Kona remain without power.


They are the leader of George Speight's gunmen, Ilisoni Ligairi, Speight's brother and Australian national, Jim Speight, and the former police commissioner's brother, Major Josefa Savua.
The Fiji Times reports that speaking on behalf of the three, Mr Ligairi said they knew they had broken the laws of the country, but they did so for the sake of the nation and their duty to it.
Mr Ligairi said they have come out fully focussed on their mission in life and it was up to God to judge them.
But the Labour Party leader, Mahendra Chaudhry, who, along with his government, was held hostage by the group for 56 days, says the actions of the men had set Fiji back 20 years and brought enormous pain and suffering to the people.
Mr Chaudhry says of the 19 people killed during the coup and afterwards, 18 were indigenous Fijians.
He says thousands of people lost their jobs and many parents still cannot afford to send their children to school because of the actions of George Speight and his accomplices.
Mr Chaudhry says the men's sentences were very lenient compared with the seriousness of their crimes.


Manila (9 November) -- At an event today at Sagad Elementary School in Pasig City, Philippine Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, Education Secretary Armin Luistro, U.S. Agricultural Attaché David Wolf, and local officials launched the USDA Food for Progress School Nutrition Program that provides nutritional assistance to an estimated 85,000 public elementary school children in the form of long shelf-life milk packs and fortified biscuits.
Also present at the launching activity were Republic Flour Mills (RFM) Corporation President Jose Ma. Concepcion III, Congressman Roman Romulo, and Pasig City Mayor Robert Eusebio.
Distribution of the milk and biscuits will start on November 15 and run until January 2011. Last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture donated 680 metric tons of milk powder to the Philippines under its Food For Progress program to help the victims of Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. The donated U.S. milk powder was processed and converted into long shelf-life milk packs and fortified biscuits by RFM Corporation and will be distributed to 85,000 students in 271 public schools for 60 days in four regions throughout Luzon.
"The program aims to supplement the dietary needs of the beneficiaries and improve the children's health, nutrition values, and behavior," said Secretary Alcala.
"Distribution of this milk and fortified biscuits donated by the United States not only increases students' health, but could also increase school attendance rates and participation levels by the students while in school," said Wolf.
This activity is part of the support of the United States' support for school health and nutrition programs. In addition to this, the USDA supports various agricultural development programs in the Philippines such as improving agricultural production techniques, developing agribusiness, and helping link small farmers to the market.


A 19-year-old woman has died after taking ecstasy on a night out.
West Yorkshire Police has issued a warning following the death of the woman, who has not been named, in Leeds.
A spokesman said she was taken ill in the Pryzm club in the city centre early on Tuesday morning.
The woman was helped outside by a friend before door staff became aware and called the club's medical staff to assist, he said.
The woman, who is from Leeds, underwent emergency treatment in hospital but was pronounced dead later.
He said the initial findings of a post mortem examination have shown that she died as a result of hyperthermia and "complications due to MDMA (ecstasy) toxicity.
The spokesman said officers were called at 3am on Tuesday by staff at St James's Hospital, in the city, after the woman was brought in by ambulance in a critical condition.
A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug and has since been released on police bail pending further inquiries.
Detective Inspector Phil Jackson, of Leeds District CID, said: "This young woman's family are completely devastated at her death in such sudden and tragic circumstances and we are doing everything we can to support them at this difficult time.
"From our inquiries so far it appears she has taken the Class A drug MDMA, also known as ecstasy, in powdered form and has been taken ill shortly afterwards in the nightclub.
"We are awaiting the outcome of further tests but at this stage it does appear she has died as a result of a reaction to the drug.
"We therefore feel it is important to highlight her death and warn other people who may be considering taking MDMA powder, or anything that is being sold as that, about the potential risks to their health.
"Clearly consuming any illegal drug carries a risk to health and we would always advise people against it but we would we ask that people are particularly conscious of the risks following this young woman's death.


JONES — Coach Tara Satterfield had nothing but praise for her Bethel squad after a heartbreaking 50-48 setback to Perkins-Tryon Friday in semifinal action of the Jones Tournament.
Down 50-46 in the final seconds, Bethel got a 2-point field goal and was fouled ou the play. Bethel intentionally missed the free throw, hoping to get a rebound and tying field goal, but Perkins-Tryon came up with the ball.
Perkins-Tryon outscored Bethel 18-4 in the second quarter on the way to a 26-18 halftime advantage.
Kelsie Wood hit two 3-point field goals en route to a team-high 14 points. Kirsten Winters, who tallied 10 points, hit two 3-pointers. Laney O’Rorke and Keagan Engle had one trey apiece.
Had Bethel fared a little better at the charity stripe (12 of 19), it could have easily been in Saturday’s championship game. Still, the Lady Wildcats, 8-10, will play for third place at 12:30 Saturday against the loser of Friday’s contest between Jones and Cushing.
The Bethel boys trailed John Marhsall 30-29 with third minutes left in the fourth quarter, but were unable to hold on losing 76-48 Friday evening.
The Wildcats trailed 28-25 at intermission.
Drae Wood had a team-high 15 points. Jaylon Gordon was the other Bethel player in double-figures with 14.
Bethel will play Centennial at 2 p.m. in the third place game of the Jones Tournament.


A charity that helps emigrants return to Ireland has urged an overhaul in training for Fair Deal staff to make it more accessible for elderly people who wish to come home for nursing home care.
Safe Home, which helps emigrants of all ages in returning to Ireland, has highlighted a number of barriers facing those who wish to move back to Ireland including housing and social welfare delays.
But it has also made a plea for a change to the way in which the Fair Deal or the Nursing Home Support Scheme is administered to ensure that there is adequate training for staff and information for people who wish to have their elderly relative placed in a nursing home here.
Safe Home has recently been involved with three people who contacted them to assist with the application process, but "due to bureaucratic and lengthy process all three applicants died before their lifetime dream of returning home could be realised", Karen McHugh, from the organisation said.
The charity said there is varying levels of awareness among staff in Nursing Home Support Offices (NHSS) about non-resident applications and it is calling for extensive training and updated information to be made available on the HSE website.
Variations between local offices in relation to what paperwork will accept was also noted.
The group was one of three before the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee discussing barriers to returning emigrants. Crosscare and the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas also spoke about the challenges.
The key issues highlighted included a lack of knowledge, delays in administration and the current housing problems that are plunging some returning emigrants into crisis situations.
The committee heard that many people are blocked from returning to Ireland because those with children or a partner from non-European Economic Area (EEA) countries are not automatically given a visa, and when applying for the visa from Ireland, the partner is not eligible to work.
Richard King, from Crosscare, said: "The reason a majority of people return is to be closer to family, they left Ireland after college and now want to come back to raise their family here, but this process acts as a deterrent and is difficult.
"One Irish citizen I dealt with in New Zealand is pregnant and cannot return home because they cannot survive if she and her partner cannot work for six months."
It was noted that EU citizens who have a non-EEA partner do not face the same visa requirements, meaning returning Irish citizens have a "lesser" status than current EU citizens.
Another growing trend for returning emigrants being refused social welfare is because of a lack of access to information on the Habitual Resident Condition (HRC).
The HRC is a situation you must satisfy in order to be eligible for most means-tested social welfare payments in Ireland.
Danielle McLaughlin, from Crosscare, said the people facing these issues are some of the most vulnerable returning home, often with no income or family support. "Last year, we dealt with 280 queries and worked directly on 18 cases on HRC, and every case successfully appealed," she said.


A Maine elementary school teacher is being credited with saving the life of a student just before the Thanksgiving holiday.
Superintendent Rick Colpitts told the Board of Directors at Monday's meeting that Paris Elementary School teacher Alice Deegan performed the Heimlich maneuver on the sixth-grader after a water bottle cap got stuck in the student's throat.
The Sun Journal reports that Colpitts said Deegan immediately recognized the look of panic in the boy's face, assessed the situation and dislodged the cap in the cafeteria just before the Thanksgiving break.
"The student is alive today because she got involved and had the knowledge to do it," Colpitts told the paper.
Principal Jane Fahey says once the cap was dislodged and it was determined the boy was all right there was a huge roar from the children and a standing ovation for their teacher.


The US President and the Director, US Network Operations manage the US Network Group of 40+ individuals. The US President interacts with the 1,300+ United Way organizations around the globe. Under minimal supervision, the Lead Associate provides direct and high-level executive administrative support, and performs complex and diverse duties in support of the US President and the Director, US Network Operations. This position requires an experienced professional comfortable with receiving direction from both the US President and the Director, Network Operations.
The Lead Associate proactively anticipates and initiates timely actions regarding emails, engagement/meeting requests, and office operations which require in-depth knowledge of United Way Worldwide and other Groups. The position requires a Type A work ethic and a mastery of interpretation, logic, prioritization, time management, and the ability to resolve highly varied situations and challenges with an open and can-do attitude. The Lead Associate also functions as a project information coordinator and provides advanced executive administrative support for multiple programs and projects.
The Lead Associate, along with the Director, US Network Operations, guides the US President to the best, most respectful, and efficient way to work together as a team in a fast-paced, transforming, and sometimes ambiguous environment.
Ultimately, the Lead Associate embodies United Way Worldwide’s Behaviors (see below) and is: flexible, a team player, hands-on, a troubleshooter extraordinaire, creative, respectful, proactive, collaborative, curious, a clear communicator, logical, and inclusive.
Leads overall administrative and technical support for the US President. Fully supports and serves as the backup for the Director, US Network Operations.
Interfaces and coordinates information. Works magic interfacing with the Lead Associate, Scheduler to the President & CEO of United Way Worldwide, Board members, executives, global staff, and other stakeholders regarding meeting and appearance requests for/by the US President as they relate to the US President’s time, positioning, and participation in various events, meetings, and travel.
Manages the automated appearance request form and process for engaging and securing appointments.
Quickly analyzes and vets requests for the US President with the assistance of the Director, US Operations prior to recommending appropriate engagement opportunities. Proactively seeks information to determine US President’s role and expected participation prior to accepting invitations to meetings and appearances.
Identifies and collaborates with content managers and compiles preparation/ briefing materials including sourcing talking points in advance that meet standards for use by the US President. Schedules review and preparation time for US President, as necessary.
As needed. Provides support to the US President while on travel and limited support for staff traveling with the US President to include logistical coordination and continual communication in real/appropriate time. Manages Executive Office for US President, operating remotely at national United Way conventions.
Scheduling guru. Highly skilled at creating an intuitive calendar for the US President including mobile friendly and easy to read itineraries and day packets. Coordinates detailed logistical arrangements for all meetings and conferences, and manages all aspects of the US President’s travel arrangements. Travel arrangements include ground and air, coordination of travel documents (e.g., visas, passports), last-minute or mid-trip changes, payment, expense and reimbursement processes.
Creates and manages diverse and complex agendas, meetings, logistics (room reservations, IT for tech/AV support, catering, assists with offsite events as needed), and travel arrangements following an engagement request.
Coordinates with Director, US Network Operations on Group-wide initiatives or activities for the US Network (e.g., Group meetings, teambuilding), manages meeting logistics, supports events and meetings (e.g., manages Adobe Connect, conference lines, video chats, chat rooms).
Provides executive support to the US President for US Board-level meetings, commitments, and debriefs. Coordinates and collates Board reports, schedules and coordinates monthly meetings between US President and US Board Chair. Works with the Executive Office’s Director, Governance (supporting the President & CEO of United Way Worldwide and the Chief of Staff) to coordinate Board meetings, agendas, and US Board Chair monthly agendas and talking points for US President. Coordinates meetings and calls with Board members and prospects.
Attends and supports high-level meetings as appropriate (record, interpret, draft, type, and distribute (pending approval) minutes, deadlines, and action items of said meetings. Possesses impeccable attention to detail and timely follow-up.
Composes, prepares, and edits executive-level internal and external correspondence and documents including drafts, memos, emails, reports, and other communications (e.g., thank you cards). Works across United Way Worldwide to collect comprehensive crisis disaster reports, membership accountability summaries, and more.
Expert proficiency in multiple software programs to develop, design, track, and update documents, spreadsheets, dashboards, and presentations (e.g., Salesforce, Smartsheet, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive). Types reports, memos, letters, talking points (speaker) cards, and other documents. Utilizes Salesforce to track/link US President’s correspondence and briefs post-meeting. Innovatively creates debrief time and a solution to extract post-meeting debrief intel from US President. Able to extract information and contact details from Salesforce.
General duties include photocopying, faxing, and mailing. Opens, sorts, and distributes incoming correspondence. Able to quickly scan emails for the latest responses and scroll down to read entire threads before responding appropriately. Reads and analyzes incoming memos, submissions, and reports to determine their significance and manages their distribution and/or appropriate response. Maintains electronic and hard copy filing systems. Greets visitors and clients, and expertly determines whether they should be given access to specific individuals. Answers phone calls and directs calls to appropriate parties or takes messages. Acts with urgency regarding correspondence, follow-up, and other requests.
Exhibits superb decision-making intuition even while guided by varied and less-defined instructions and practices requiring broader interpretation. Makes recommendations to solve highly complex problems requiring research and analysis from multiple sources/Groups, or advanced knowledge in a thorough and timely manner. Achieves resolution through unique approaches and/or reference to a variety of policies, precedents, and past practices.
Serves as a training resource to less experienced staff regarding quality of work, policies, and procedures. Exudes trust, transparency, collaboration, inspiration, and positivity. Thwarts negativity and working in silos.
Creates and revises systems and procedures by analyzing operating practices and budgetary requirements, and implementing changes. Questions everything and is a process improvements expert. Maintains intuitive balance and strong emotional intelligence. Encourages teamwork and possesses a “let’s move forward, get it done, make it work--together” persona.
Develops, monitors, and reconciles budgets and creates monthly variance reports with a high-level summary/analysis. Responsible for staying within budget and following budgetary guidelines.
Responsible for processing US President’s expenses, invoices, and managing contracts.
Establishes supply budgets with an innovative mindset of “supply sharing/ seeking” across the building. Selects vendors, uses signature and purchasing authorization. Anticipates/monitors needed supplies and orders inventory as appropriate; verifies receipt of supplies.
Uses discretion and excellent judgment when dealing with confidential issues and information.
Requires a high school diploma; Bachelor’s degree preferred.
At least five years of advanced-level experience in a similar role providing executive level/C-suite support.
Strong skills in Microsoft Office Suite—Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, as well as Salesforce, Smartsheet, OneDrive). Excellent computer and Internet research skills.
Excellent interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence.
Ability to work well with all levels of internal management and staff, as well as outside clients and vendors.
Attention to detail is critical.
The ideal candidate will have strong communication skills (written and verbal) and a clear ability to multi-task and prioritize in a fast-paced environment.
Extend Your Reach: Test your limits and seek what’s beyond. Take a stand and see it through. Ask for a hand, and lend a hand. Define and embrace a sense of community.
Forge Trust: Lead with goodwill. Communicate with candor. Clear the air. Roll with it and make it work–together.
Find Common Ground: Walk in someone else’s shoes and have their back. Acknowledge and recognize great work. Appreciate our differences. Share your story.
Believe: Set and stay the course. Know that your work matters. Know that others care, too. Live the mission.