text:
The big Kozmo KO
How a celebrated 28-year-old dot-com exec went from big swinging dick to completely kaput.
By Diane Seo
In a display that may go down in history as dot-com hubris at its worst, Kozmo.com founder Joseph Park recently climbed atop a piano at a drunken company bash and crowed shamelessly to a rowdy crowd about making the front page of the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times.
The 28-year-old entrepreneur clearly relished his role as a much-buzzed-about dot-commando. Last spring, Park was another shockingly tender Net celebrity who'd conquered the Web with a catchy idea: Kozmo.com, which would deliver everything from Krispy Kreme doughnuts to the latest copy of "Martha Stewart Living" via thousands of highly mobile orange-and-green-clad messengers.
This week, however, Park and fellow co-founder Yong Kang, 27, announced they were stepping down from their chieftain posts and appointing CFO Gerry Burdo to take over day-to-day operations. (Park and Kang, who will remain chairman and vice chairman, did not make themselves available for interviews -- even to the nation's top papers.)
At 34, Burdo's not exactly a gray-haired veteran. But having worked as a principal financial officer at Ethan Allen, the thinking is he'll inject some stolid old-economy wisdom into a 3-year-old enterprise that last month fired 24 people -- or 5 percent of its salaried staff -- and put plans to raise as much as $150 million in a public offering on hold.
According to Kozmo.com spokesman Michael Gordon, the changes do not portend doom for the New York company, which also offers videos, CDs, books, magazines, snacks and a wide range of other goodies within an hour -- in 10 cities. "Joe and Yong are terrific visionaries, so this is a great role for them," Gordon says. "And Gerry has a sense of urgency around achieving profitability and enhancing the customer experience."
Said Park in an oddly cheerful press release: "We are lucky to be growing faster than I could have ever imagined, and I am thrilled with our accomplishments. Now is the ideal time for Kozmo.com to be led by someone equally obsessed with serving our customers and serving the bottom line."
But some industry insiders believe the shake-up has less to do with Park and Kang clamoring for more "visionary" roles than skittish investors insisting on management changes to revive the company's once highly anticipated IPO, which would surely face hostility in today's profit-oriented market.
"I anticipated this, because [Park and Kang] were like two college guys playing chess," says Jeffrey Hirschkorn of IPO.com, a New York financial research company. "They needed a veteran."
Enter Mr. Ethan Allen.
Hirschkorn believes Kozmo's underwriter Credit Suisse First Boston, along with other VC muscle, pressured the two entrepreneurs to walk the plank to save the profitless, high-risk business, which lost $26.4 million on sales of $3.51 million last year. "Credit Suisse has a reputation of being an elite underwriter, and it would have hurt its reputation to take a company public with a big undertaking, but not big talent."
Kozmo also has many big-name backers, including Amazon.com, which took a 32 percent stake in the company with its $60 million investment.
Anna Wheatley, editor of Alley Cat News, which covers Silicon Alley, likens Kozmo's plight to TheGlobe.com, which nudged aside its big-talking young founders; this week, it named a more experienced CEO from the (as old guard as it gets) American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
"We'll see a lot more of this in the dot-com world -- putting in new CEOs and CFOs that are very stable, experienced managers," Wheatley says. "I'm not saying the days of the young founder are over, but once you build something and get the company financed, a different set of skills are needed."
Wheatley believes Park is a smart, nice guy, with a bright future in the Internet biz. But she thinks his early brush with fame might have preoccupied him at a critical time. "These young, celebrity entrepreneurs are their own worst enemy because they believe their press," she says. "They have their 15 minutes of fame, and they feel invincible because all of a sudden, everyone knows who they are. But then they take a hit in public, and that shield of invincibility disappears."
Park, however, won't be disappearing just yet. Gordon insists he'll still be instrumental in guiding Kozmo.com through the ever-complex Web universe, and that he'll be happy to talk to the media at a later time.
"Joe's still the face of the company."
Diane Seo
Diane Seo is the senior business editor at Salon.
MORE FROM Diane Seo


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A fair and balanced look at a fuller spectrum of news.
Sarah's cousin posted this on facebook and as my comment on it grew I decided I should add it here also, more out discussion. I'd also like to get Wendy's insider opinion on the matter. Anyway, moving along.
The problem with this study, though it is interesting that the graph is that dramatic, is that it's not comparing apples and oranges. Oberman alone is likely responsible for 80% of the skewing. This isn't studying, as far as I could tell, the programs that pretend to be "straight news."
It's also faulty logic to start with the premise that coverage has to be "equal" to be fair, which isn't the case at all. If Sarah Palin snapped and went on a 3 state killing spree last week it wouldn't be "biased" to cover that without devoting equal time to finding something "negative" about Joe Biden. Likewise, if Obama was caught on mike talking about how he can't wait for his chance to "get back at whitey" the media would be fully in their right to cover that without blowing out of proportion and giving equal time to the fact that McCain told a racist joke at a party 482 years ago.
McCain has had more gaffs and mishaps during his campaign then Obama has. That's just the way it is. They aren't that big of a deal, and I personally don't think a crazy person at your rally or a massive brain fart should be a consideration in why someone should or shouldn't vote for you. It is, however, news-worthy, in a "lighter side of the news" sort of way.
It's not the media's job to find some crazy liberal who thinks the republicans need McCain to win to keep the fact that Aliens are really controlling the country underwraps. Unless Obama hands the guy a mike on TV and makes it news himself.
Now, it's also popular to cling to the idea that "well yeah, you didn't hear about the crazy liberal because the news isn't covering it, that's the whole point." However, it's not 1975 anymore. We aren't reliant on the mainstream news to hear about everything anymore. Furthermore, half of what is "newsworthy" is an after-the-fact reaction TO something a huge amount of people already heard of, and thus made into news.
I'll clink the link latter, but if "we" as in the peoples of NutCanLand aren't reliant on the just the mainstream media, that's probably a fair point. I think a broader cross section of everyday America (age 10 to 100) probably is still quite reliant on the mainstream news though.
I'm sure you're right about the older people (though they have their views one way or the other by that age) but I'm not so sure about the under 40 crowd.
Where do you get most of your news and information?
It's hard to find good data on this. For one, because lots of polls are online based, which despite their methodologies for compensating for that has to effect it some. Secondly, because what does "Internet Sites" mean? Am I really bypassing the mainstream media if I go to cnn.com for my news?
At any rate, in this case, I meant that in this age of viral videos a funny clip is going to make it's rounds, independent of the media. There's no "keeping a lid" on things anymore.
Such a complex issue to be summed up in a graph for sure. And probably even for an internet comment, so I'll try to be brief and limited in scope. Maybe.
So I'll give some thoughts on MSNBC, specifically in relation to Fox News.
Jeremy mentioned Oberman [sic x2, or is that maybe an amalgamation of Obama and Olbermann?]. I didn't care enough to look, but if those "commentary" shows are included in the study, that obviously is something to take into account. Though, in a rough sense, the two networks have about the same number of those shows I think, so that would somewhat balance out in the results maybe.
I think on the commentary shows, Fox News actually can be regarded as more fair and balanced, at least as defined by this study maybe. And don't read this as a defense of them or an attack on MSNBC, per se. I'm just giving my opinion on what I actually think happens.
Think what you will of O'Reilly and Olbermann. I have my own opinions of each too. And again, what I'll put forth here are my anecdotal opinions. But from my viewings, I would guess an objective look at each would actually show O'Reilly as being more "fair" when you look at pos/neg/neut. stories on each candidate. O'Reilly obviously leans toward the right, that's no secret. But I've heard him criticize/oppose both Bush and McCain on their handling of issues. And also, while he's clearly not an Obama guy, he has still said positive things about him. And again, I'm not an every night viewer. But I do know O'Reilly won't align with every thing the Republicans do and automatically "hate on" the dems. You can say a lot of things about him and all the negative things he does and tactics he uses, but I honestly think an objective look at him would show that.
For Olbermann, he hasn't been prominent as long, but long enough to see how he runs his show. I get the sense he'd rather be beaten with a sock full of Sacagawea dollar coins than to say anything even quasi-positive about Bush or McCain. And good luck getting him to do even a marginally "negative" story on dems without spinning it at the end to point back to something awful a republican did. It's his right to do it. It's his show. But that's why even in partisan commentary shows Fox News can be called more balanced, at least in that sense.
Also, I haven't followed this aspect as long on Olbermann's side but if you looked at who each host has as their guests, it seems that Olbermann rarely has someone on the show to offer a clear "dissenting" opinion to his. It's more like he has like minded people on to discuss an issue from more or less the same vantage point.
The other huge mistake that MSNBC made journalistically, is that when they had opportunities to use "real, hard news" journalists to ANCHOR things like the early debates and the conventions, they instead went with Olbermann and Chris Matthews. No doubt, they had their place in the coverage of those events, but it wasn't running the show as the anchor. Fox News didn't put O'Reilly and Hannity in the anchor chairs. I'm still perplexed that MSNBC made this decision (before they had to finally change due to how ludicrous it was and how it almost crashed and burned on air). It either shows how oblivious they were or that they were just being completely shameless.
Right, no one is arguing OLbermanN is balanced. In fact the point is just the opposite. As far as I know, no one claims he is trying to be.
Edit: In other words, it's a false issue, because it only becomes an issue if MSNBC as a whole, or these specific shows, claim to be totally unbiased.
Even I can agree with this. I do not approve of O'Reilly's tactics because he comes off as someone claiming the moral high ground nearly 100% of the time, but for the most part he has been fair to both candidates.
Right, my comment was descriptive of the situation, not arguing for or against the study.
If I were to debate the merits and weaknesses of the study, I'd probably say that I kind of agree with the sentiment of most of your questions/criticisms about the methodology and interpretation of that specific study. Or at least on the limitations of the study.
On the other hand though, while it may include commentary with straight news shows, the study of overall tone of one channel vs. the other is still relevant in its own way. If for nothing else than it's comparing tone of one channel to another and finding a difference. (The study though actually includes all the major cable news channels and the networks.) It doesn't prove media bias as a whole or prove hard news bias between the channels, but it shows what it shows and it's not nothing. For instance, a lot of people might have their favorite channels and watch them all night and it shows the general attitude that is given from each channel. Hard news or not, the tones come through and the study shows the tones you get from each channel. Like you said though, a 50-50 split pos/neg and dem/rep isn't necessarily the "correct" point each network should be at, depending on what news happens, but the study shows the tones in comparison to one another through the same news cycles so the differences are notable in some way.
In general, people extrapolate meanings of studies way too far, and I think we're in agreement that this would be a case where it would be a mistake to do so.
Plus, reading the next pages of the study, it's not really claiming that Fox News is totally balanced and MSNBC is skewed, which the first graph might lead people to think. It looks at how they all differ on coverage of the four major people of the election and shows Fox News' distinct differences and MSNBC's and also how CNN and NBC "proper" compared to others in tone, etc.
"It's also faulty logic to start with the premise that coverage has to be "equal" to be fair, which isn't the case at all."
It's true that unequal doesn't necessarily mean unfair, but I think its a decent indication that it might be.
"If Sarah Palin snapped and went on a 3 state killing spree last week it wouldn't be "biased" to cover that without devoting equal time to finding something "negative" about Joe Biden. Likewise, if Obama was caught on mike talking about how he can't wait for his chance to "get back at whitey" the media would be fully in their right to cover that without blowing out of proportion and giving equal time to the fact that McCain told a racist joke at a party 482 years ago."
Yes, but if you strongly cover the Palin thing, but downplay the Obama thing, then it is biased.
"McCain has had more gaffs and mishaps during his campaign then Obama has. That's just the way it is."
I'm wondering what your basis is for this statement. It may be true, but it also may be true that more attention was given to one sides' mistakes than the other's.
"It's not the media's job to find some crazy liberal who thinks the republicans need McCain to win to keep the fact that Aliens are really controlling the country underwraps. Unless Obama hands the guy a mike on TV and makes it news himself."
No, but it is their job to hold the candidates to the same standards and the same level of scrutiny. It may end up that this produces uneven coverage, but I don't think it's true in this case.
"Now, it's also popular to cling to the idea that "well yeah, you didn't hear about the crazy liberal because the news isn't covering it, that's the whole point." However, it's not 1975 anymore. We aren't reliant on the mainstream news to hear about everything anymore."
Yes, there are many more alternative ways to get news now, but the mainstream media is still the biggest and most influential of those options. What gets printed in the New York Times or shown by CNN can influence what local papers/newscasts cover, and what headlines show up on the front page of Yahoo!. Even what gets talked about on many blogs and other non-mainstream sites is ultimately dependent on the mainstream media for the source material.
Now, sometimes things do start on blogs or other sites and then get picked up by the mainstream media, but what stories they do decide to pick-up is still important as they still have a large audience and, in many peoples' view, are more reputable sources.
Finally, the major news organizations have the access and the resources to investigate and get stories that others can't. If they choose to spend their time looking into one candidate but not the other, then there are going to be people who are not as informed as the should/could/would like to be.
I just watched Olbermann for the first time for like 5-6 minutes. It's really quite unwatchable. Perhaps he's particularly gloaty today, but what I think is supposed to qualify as funny really just comes across as smarmy, petty, jackassery.
Hannity was basically just whining all day yesterday.
Well, they're all jackasses, but when I flipped over to O'Reilly he was talking with Dennis Kusinch about how he was going to give Obama a chance. Although he didn't sound super-sincere, and immediately went into a tirade about not wanting "San Fransisco Values" in New York, it was still a small step toward civility. Olbermann was just making "jokes" about people wanting to "bang" Palin and making weird snarling noises that, I guess, were supposed to be funny. He was reporting on the fact that some people inside the McCain campaign are mad because Palin's shopping spree apparently cost way more than first reported and she was never instructed to spend anywhere close to that much in the first place. A McCain aide was quoted as saying it was "Wasilla hillbillies looting Neiman Marcus from coast to coast." I watched Olbermann for about 5-10 minutes and he repeated "Wasilla hillbillies", or referred to Palin as the "Wasilla hillbilly," roughly 9000 times.
First off I'm a firm believer that if an "enemy" gives you a complement, or takes a "shot" at themselves, that you shouldn't use it as arsenal against them. I've never been a fan of throwing the "Piranhas" comment Ozzie Guillen made about the Twins back in his face, because he was complementing us. It just seems really in poor taste.
Likewise here, the aide was was taking the shot for you, which is already more powerful than you using the words against Palin.
Olbermann then put up a quote from an Aide that said, "Governor Palin was not directing staffers to put anything on their personal credit cards, and anything that staffers put on their credit cards has been reimbursed." He scoffed at the two completely "contradictory" halves of that sentence as if there's no way they aren't mutually exclusive. Obviously they are easily rectified, she wasn't demanding anyone put anything on a card, they just did because it was most convenient, or because they wanted to, or whatever. I'm skeptical it played out that way, but it's not out of the realm of possibility either. These aren't a group of "Young Republicans" rounded up at the local Junior College who got to spend the day shopping with the potential VP. These are high ranking aides*, who likely don't give a second thought to expensing things.
*I guess the article does say that these were "low level staffers" but even still, how "low level" can you be and still be in contact with, or out shopping with, the VP candidate of the party?
O'Reilly seems to do things like this a lot: "I'll give him a chance." That's his attempt to say he's going to be fair, but really, if it he is truly fair, why does he need to proclaim that he is going to "give him a chance"? Is he already going into it with some sort of bias where he has to convince himself that the person in question isn't going to screw everything up? He's trying to make himself look fair, but in my opinion he looks arrogant. My questions is, why wouldn't you give him a chance? I also don't hear him say that as much about republicans as he does about Democrats. Ok, I'll give him credit for making the attempt to be fair even though he is a commentator, not a journalist/straight new guy, but still, it comes off as disingenuous.
As opposed to every other candidate that the voting public is BFF's with before the election?
What do you mean example?
If the longest presidential campaign in history wasn't enough to get to know what someone intends to do as president then I don't know what would.
Besides Obama being a "enigma" didn't stop him from being labeled "the most liberal senator" either.
Okay, I'll try to make this quick because I'm actually working at putting the news on the air as we speak.
As to that study, I read it when it was first released and while I didn't have time to look at the specific numbers, I thought the reaction to it was interesting. Political experts say it's the chicken vs. the egg issue: Did McCain's more negative media coverage hurt him in the polls, or was a lot of that "negative coverage" because of his drop in the polls? Also, isn't it pretty subjective to decide what's negative neutral or positive?
Then, the RNC, instead of saying "Yea, that's right, our candidate is getting the shaft" they actually said "Maybe this would be fixed if you'd stop your infighting."
On the fair & balanced issue - I tried really hard in my tiny capacity of 30 minutes to make our coverage pretty balanced. I'd give equal time to the candidates, like where they campaigned that day, what they said, etc; If something truly large were to happen, you'd clearly give more time to that, because then it's an event, more so than just campaign trail coverage. I think at least in local news, we try hard to give equal time. The national networks, have their own agendas that I can't speak to.
The point is that a lot, if not most, candidates aren't known on a national level before they run for president, and many others who are on a national stage aren't exactly household names to the general public either. Now, sure, there might not be years of voting record to look at, but who says most of that is relevant. Their "no" vote might be because of some pork attached to a bill and their "yes" vote might be because it was the right vote at the time, and not because that's a solid "position" on an issue. (Not to mention they aren't going to face the same issues as president.) If the longest presidential campaign in history wasn't enough to get to know what someone intends to do as president then I don't know what would. Besides Obama being a "enigma" didn't stop him from being labeled "the most liberal senator" either.
No, the point is that the AP writes, "little is understood about the 47-year-old first-term senator's approach to leadership." and "Personally, he's a bit of an enigma, too." after the election when the press had, as you say, the longest presidential election in history to maybe try and figure these things out. If the mainstream media spent half the time looking into Sen. Obama as they did looking into Gov. Palin or "Joe the Plumber", maybe we would have some answers.
I meant, a name of one of the other candidates that supposedly got the same pass that Obama did.
I was never addressing Obama getting a pass or not, so I don't know why I'd provide an example.
Edit: You could be married to someone for 50 years and still describe them as an "enigma". That doesn't imply any lack of knowledge/effort. Bush has been president for 8 years and we don't know a whole lot about him "personally."
Also, there's little to know about him professionally. What are they supposed to dig up out of no where as an example of leadership or not? He was voted captain of the basketball team in High School? When he was 18 he was a chaperon on a cub scout camp out and lost 3 kids in the forest?
I like it when Jeremy and Matt fight.
Well, since the link was basically about Obama getting a pass from the media, and you replied "As opposed to every other candidate that the voting public is BFF's with before the election?", I don't know where I could have gotten the idea that you thought the treatment was no different than others got and could maybe give an example.
The link called him an enigma, my point was a) I think the comment is being read into too far and b) what candidate couldn't you call an "enigma," especially in regard to their personal lives.


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ِWhen did sexual life outside marriage became popular in Europe? and why? [closed]
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In Christianity sexual life outside marriage is banned and for ages it was like that in Europe and the Western world, I want to know at which age this start to became popular that people will have relationship and girlfriends instead of being married.
europe sex sexuality western-civilisation
Mr.lockMr.lock
That development is quite recent, mid-20th century. Germany, for example, had a major revision of related jurisdiction between 1969 and 1974, with another revision in 1998, which step by step stopped penalizing e.g. pre- and extramarital sex, homosexuality etc.; exact dates vary between the individual states. It's hard to argue "popularity" when any statistics might be influenced by the fact that you're talking about criminal behaviour, so I would take such legislation as an indicator as to when mindsets changed -- and for the better, I might add. – DevSolar Jul 11 '16 at 9:13
It seems to have been extremly popular in Ancient Rome, and also in the late Middle Ages. There seems to be some cyclic aspect to this; Victorian mores were quite certainly more repressive than 18th century mores. But DevSolar is right that extra-marital sex was criminalised until recently (last quarter of the 20th century, I would say). And, as we can see by the increasing popularity of illegal drugs, popularity and legality are different issues - one could argue that extra-marital sex has been consistently popular during the ages, regardless of it being legal or safe... – Luís Henrique Jul 11 '16 at 10:37
Throughout history people have had extramarital relations. (see Hamilton for example) While Christianity may have discouraged extramarital relations, the ban was never effective. "shotgun marriages", mistresses, "backdoor men", have existed throughout time. If the ban had been effective, 2/3 of all western literature would be shorter. I suspect that printing would have died during Georgian England were it not for speculation about natural sons. – Mark C. Wallace♦ Jul 11 '16 at 12:27
Perhaps I misunderstood the question and you're really asking about the sexual revolution. The creation of reliable birth control that did not require male participation resulted in a dramatic revision of sexual mores. – Mark C. Wallace♦ Jul 11 '16 at 12:54
When: Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise. Why: because sex is fun. Really, do we need to say anymore than this? – Pieter Geerkens Jul 12 '16 at 1:48
In the late sixties. This is called "sexual revolution", and some social scientists explain it by invention of reliable and convenient contraceptives ("the Pill"). Of course, decline in religion is also an important ingredient, but this process began much earlier, I mean in Western Europe.
In other parts of the world this happened later. For example in the countries of the former Soviet Union in the 1980-90. I mean sexual relations without marriage were quite common already in 1960-70, but they were not socially acceptable: people had to hide them. In the 1980-90 this became completely normal.
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+1 with the twist that there were also bouts of sexual liberation earlier on. For instance in ancient Greece, where the Cynics had no qualms about having sex with whoever wherever, and with en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexuality_in_ancient_Greece - not to mention the spread of syphilis in the late 15th/early 16th century, which was in part but not only spread by troops raping civilians. – Denis de Bernardy Jul 11 '16 at 22:47
The question mentions "christian values", so I interpreted it as related to the recent times, in any case, after the introduction of Christianity. – Alex Jul 13 '16 at 21:36
Very fair point, yes. It still seems to me though that the spread of syphilis suggests that sexual liberation was high then, because no amount of raping can reasonably explain the spread. Also, I vaguely recollect that Renaissance universities were pretty crazy back then - even compared to our own nowadays, in that wine and beer allowances were part of the package. It's hard to argue that Europe wasn't Christian in either period. This in no way discounts your answer's merits. Just wanted to point out (as done in a comment on the question) that it varied depending on the period before that. – Denis de Bernardy Jul 13 '16 at 22:53
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Emile Short
Emile Short speaks on...
the accountability of public officers [1:09]
limited victim participation in the Tribunal [2:33]
the distinction between coaching witnesses and preparing them to testify [1:54]
Robert Utter: What has your role been with the ICTR?
Well, as a judge, my first and foremost role of course is to, is to dispense justice, to, to determine the guilt or innocence of those that are brought before us. But you know I think all of us have a much wider role, and in order to, to identify that role, we must look at the, the objectives of this institution.
First of all, I think this institution, like the other ad hoc, you know, tribunals, was established to, to fight impunity against gross violations of international law and so, I'm contributing to that objective. This judicial process also in my view upholds the rule of law. You know, in Africa in particular, the issue of accountability of public officers is a very critical and important one.
And to the extent that I'm involved in this process of accountability, I find that I am contributing to the establishment of the rule of law and to providing justice to the many victims, you know, in this tragic event. Of course, I must emphasize that like any other judge, we, anybody that appears before us is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
None of my remarks should be interpreted as, you know, prejudging anybody that appears before us. As you know, some people who have appeared before the tribunal have been acquitted. So that's o-, one of the, the other important contributions.
This tribunal is also providing what I think is an accurate, historical record of the events that took place in Rwanda in 1994 and this is an important historical heritage.
You know, it is important for, for us, for, for Rwandans, for Africa, for the entire world to know exactly what took place. And insofar as we are in a position to collect testimonies from, from witnesses, from accused persons, from experts, espe-, especially you know, political scientists, historians, social scientists who have expert knowledge of these events, we are amassing and we are, you know, putting in, on record what I consider to be a very accurate historical record of the events that took place.
And lastly but not the least, we are providing a very rich body of jurisprudence for other similar tribunals like the International Criminal Court, the Special Court, and all the other hybrid tribunals that have been established. I think the ICTR has developed a remarkable body of jurisprudence which would be extremely useful to all these other bodies and I, I am proud to be part of, of that, that heritage.
You know, I've been involved in a number of important decisions, you know, landmark and seminal decisions and so that, to my mind, is also another very important contribution that I think that I am making, you know, in this particular role that I have.
RU: That's very helpful.


MONROVIA, LIBERIA-Liberian International Footballer, Sam Johnson, has distributed several gift items to disables and venerable persons in Monrovia.
Johnson spent the entire Tuesday traveling across Monrovia visiting disable centers distributing rice, cash and clothes to disable and venerable persons.
Along with the players, he said his mother is a Godly woman and always told him that it is better to give than to receive.
The Liberian International Footballer flanked by players of his Academy, some family members and well-wishers, made his first stop at the Headquarters of the Group of 77, where he donated bags of rice, clothes and cash to members at the center.
Receiving the items, the Group of 77 Executive Director, Madam Florence Wayfa-Siafa, thanked the player and wished him well in his professional footballing career, and that she will convey the gesture of player Johnson to Liberia's Vice President, Jewel-Howard Taylor, who has oversight responsibility of the Group of 77.
The player and his delegation made several other stops, including the Benson Street Mosque, parts of Central Monrovia and made final stop at Vai Town where he made similar donations.
He is expected to continue his compassionate adventure today visiting the School of the Blind in Brewerville, District #17 among others.
According to the Liberian Footballer, the gesture was his way of identifying with needed people, especially when Liberia is observing its 171st Independence Anniversary.
Sam told reporters he was moved to give to beneficiaries because he is touched by their conditions whenever he drives around the city.
He said his donations have no boundaries as he wants to see Liberians happy at all times.
The Liberian International is the first and only oversea player to do this since some members of the famous "George Weah Eleven" did same during their playing times.
It's the third time or year the Liberian footballer is doing this.
Besides, Sam Johnson also runs a mini football academy for kids.
The kids are being supported at some level by the Player.
Sam announced that he will do more donations when he returns to the Country in December, but this time, he will take the gesture to Margibi County.
Meanwhile, several Liberians who witnessed the distributions have praised the former Nimba FC Striker for his gifts.


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Wall Street consultant assures America that Jeb Bush is no creature of Wall Street
By Matthew Yglesias@mattyglesias Mar 26, 2015, 11:00am EDT
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Ben White, who covers banking and bank lobbying for Politico, has also taken the lead on a lot of Politico's stories about how Jeb Bush, Wall Street's favorite presidential candidate, is seeking to avoid the impression that he's Wall Street's favorite presidential candidate. The stories tend to be well-reported, since White is very well-informed about what bank lobbyists want, but there is a certain paradoxical nature to them that perhaps reached a peak with this morning's edition (emphasis added):
Democrats moved very early in the 2012 cycle to portray Romney as a creature of Wall Street whose proposal for a 20 percent reduction in individual tax rates would benefit many of his wealthy friends. Democrats are already attempting to do the same with Bush and conservative policy thinkers and strategists say they hope the Bush team moves swiftly to counter the attacks.
"Bush and any other Republican running needs to do a better job not just in the primary but in the general election of talking about economic issues in a very different way than Republicans have in the past," said Tony Fratto, a consultant and former George W. Bush White House official who is supportive of Jeb Bush. "If you go to Americans and ask them what their greatest fears are they won't say it's that their taxes are too high. They will talk about things like technology removing the need for hands-on workers and their children not receiving the skills and education to allow them to compete in a global economy."
Here's the thing about Tony Fratto — he's not just "a consultant," he's the point person at Hamilton Place Strategies for matters concerning their clients in the financial services industry. He's the guy you turn to, as a journalist, if you want to hear a smart defense of the big banks' views on everything from the Export-Import Bank to Senator Sherrod Brown to breaking up the banks and beyond.
Which is to say that Bush's effort to counter the attack that he is a creature of Wall Street is being led by creatures of Wall Street.
Next Up In Politics & Policy


It's Anything Goes week at Sunday Christmas Card Challenges. I decided to finally use some of my hoarded Graphic 45 Twelve Days of Christmas patterned paper. I've had it for a while and not used it. I love the vintage look of their paper. Can you believe there is no stamping done here? The only ink used was the marker to color the pearls and to color the edges of the layers. A little punching, a little fussy cutting, a little sponging and voila! a beautiful vintage Christmas card. I love vintage!
For all the challenge details, visit Sunday Christmas Card Challenges HERE.
The Reed family had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I was so pleased to have my three sons all together this year. Family fun, food, and football... it doesn't get any better than that! My son, Matthew, and his wife, Michelle, hosted this year. He makes a delicious champagne turkey. There is never much left when we get done with it. I'm still "stuffed" from yesterday!
Today I was back in the craft studio pairing up challenges for my card. This one uses the colors from the Colour Me...! Creative Challenge and the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches. Along with the new Banner Blessings Stamp Set, they all made for a rather pretty card. I think it will be perfect to send to Matthew and Michelle for bringing us all together for Thanksgiving.
The Colour Me...! Creative Challenge details can be found HERE.
You can find the Freshly Made Sketches challenge details HERE.
May your day be filled with love, laughter and joy! I pray you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Oh my gosh! There is nothing like waiting until the last minute to get a card made and posted to enter in a challenge. No, I am not a procrastinator. I just added to much to my plate and did time ever get away from me! So, here is my card for the current Colour Me...! Creative Challenge using the colors of Soft Suede, Early Espresso and Cajun Craze. I chose Whisper White a..s my Neutral. I needed a birthday card so the birthday sentiment is stamped on the inside.
You can find the Colour Me...! Creative Challenge details HERE.
Although my day started out with some sunshine, as it progressed, the clouds rolled in and made for a rather gloomy day. Off in the distance, I can see the capitol building and it was bathed in a haze of gray. I've always found fog to be rather fascinating, so, I decided to use it for this week's Friday Mashup! Challenge. The challenge is to create a project using a metal embellishment or weather as inspiration or to use both to mash it up.
For the clouds, I used a template I created a couple of months ago for another project. Of course, there was some Cajun Craze ink residue on the edge of the clouds so you can see just a hint of color on the gray. It turned a muted pinkish color that worked well with the Blackberry Bliss Top Note frame. There is no sentiment as of yet, since I'm not sure what occasion it will be used for. I like having some cards made up that I've not stamped a sentiment on.
You can find all the details for The Friday Mashup! HERE.
It's Sunday and that means a new Christmas Card Challenge. This week's optional challenge is a Christmas tree inspired by the inspiration photo. I saw this tree made from hearts quite some time ago and have always wanted to give it a try. I don't remember the original designer's name, but I do thank her for her inspiration. It's one of the cards we made in my last Christmas card class. Clean, simple and just plain cute.
You can find all the Christmas Card Challenges details HERE.
In just two short weeks my baby boy will be celebrating one of those milestone birthdays. Yes, he will be forty! As his mother, I'm finding it rather hard to believe that I am old enough to have three sons who have reached the forty year mark! No, I am not old! I just started having my little ones when I was a baby! :-) My boys are the joys of my life and I can't even begin to tell you how proud I am of them. I've watched them grow into wonderful men and I am so blessed to be their mother.
I loved the sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches. As you can see, I flipped it so I could add three of the mustached die cuts.
You can find all the details for the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge HERE.
Good food! Good friends! Good fellowship! We all had a great time at our annual Christmas Gift Swap Gathering and came away with some wonderful gifts. I'm already looking forward to next year! :-) I know! I know! But I do so love Christmas!
Since I have a full day of movie watching planned with a friend, I'm making this a quick post so I can share with you the beautiful gifts I received last night.
Gotta hurry! Can't be late! Gotta very important date! Well, it's true I do have a date and I would consider it important as it's our Christmas Gift Exchange for the local demo group I'm please to be a part of. Granted it's only 2 p.m. and it doesn't start until 6:30 p.m. but I've been on the go all the day long and would relish an hour in the recliner with my feet up! But, before that can happen, I wanted to share this card I made for the current Retro Sketches Challenge.
For the past several weeks I've been rather focused on Christmas cards and wanted to do something different. What better than a Valentine's Day card, right? When I saw the sketch, I knew I wanted to stay with the heart theme.
Today I decided to play around with all of the newest In Colors from Stampin' Up!® They all look so well together. Along with The Paper Players theme challenge and the sketch from Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge, I think the it all came together nicely. What do you think?
HERE is where you can find The Paper Players Clean and Simple Thank You Challenge.
The Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge can be found HERE.
Welcome to Christmas Card Challenges! This week's challenge is all about color. Now you can opt to use the colors found in the inspiration photo or you can simply make a holiday or Christmas card, which is really the only rule to our challenges.
You can find all the details of the Christmas Card Challenges Color Challenge and link up your beautiful card HERE.
The sketch I used is one from Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge.
Well, here I am again playing with leftovers to see what I can come up with. It still amazes me that I start a project, have an idea in the middle of it and go off on a totally different track. No wonder I have all of these extra bits and pieces.
For this card I combined the colors from Fab Friday Challenge Blog and the sketch from the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge. When I first got the Hardwood background stamp, I stamped a bunch of them using different card stock and inks. I was looking for a certain look for a different project and it only took me five different tries to get it right. :-) Today's card uses the one I stamped with Blackberry Bliss ink onto Very Vanilla card stock.
The colors are from this week's Paper Players Color Challenge. You can find all the details HERE.
The sketch is from this week's Mojo Monday Card Sketch Challenge. You can find more details HERE.
Today is Veterans Day so I made a card as a tribute to those who have served and those who are serving. I'm so grateful for those who choose to serve our country. Thank you!
All Stampin' Up! Product unless otherwise noted.
Happy Sunday, everyone! Today's Christmas Card Challenges optional challenge is to create a faith-based Christmas card. One of my new favorite (yes, I do have a lot of those!) stamp sets is called Gentle Peace. Don't you just love that stained glass image?
Here is a close up of the image and you can see the sparkle from the Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder. It really looks so much better in person but at least you get the idea. Oh, and just a note of caution for you...never, ever leave a brand new container of Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder on your table with the lid unscrewed. It makes for an awful mess when you knock it onto the floor! I'm still sparkly from that little fiasco.
Don't forget that tomorrow is the last day to link up your blog to be considered for our Christmas Card Challenges Design Team. You can find all the details HERE.
And, for more inspiration, stop by Christmas Card Challenges to see what the other Design Team members have created.


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Q: Returning a Task in app.GetMap() function I'm trying to write a simple string from the user-agent request headers in to the browser.
var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
var app = builder.Build();
app.MapGet("/", (context) => return context.Request.Headers["User-Agent"].ToString(););
app.Run();

This gives a compile error Cannot convert expression type 'string' to return type 'System.Threading.Tasks.Task'.
What is the proper solution to this. From what I understand I need to wrap the string context.Request.Headers["User-Agent"].ToString(); with a Task but i don't really know how to do this properly inside the arrow function.

A: This will work:
app.MapGet("/", (HttpContext context) => context.Request.Headers["User-Agent"].ToString());
It's because the name of parameter is not important. If you look at the picture, you can see the compiler supposes that the parameter is a HttpRequest, not a HttpContext.

A: Do something like this:
Task.FromResult(context.Request.Headers["User-Agent"].ToString());

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Popenec chlupatý (Glechoma hirsuta) je vytrvalá bylina z čeledi hluchavkovitých, jeden ze dvou druhů rodu popenec původních v české flóře.

Popis
Popenec chlupatý je vytrvalá bylina s přímou nebo vystoupavou, později poléhavou a v uzlech kořenující lodyhou, dorůstající výšky 15–50 cm. Lodyha je na průřezu čtyřhranná a ze všech stran hustě chlupatá odstávajícími nebo přitisklými trichomy. Řapíkaté listy jsou jednoduché, vstřícné, na lodyze křižmo postavené, s čepelí srdčitého tvaru, na okrajích vroubkované či pilovité, taktéž hustě chlupaté, při pomnutí v prstech vydávají charakteristický nasládlý zápach. Rostlina vytváří dlouhé kořenující výběžky.

Květy jsou oboupohlavné a vyrůstají v koncových lichopřeslenech po 3–5 v paždích listenů tvarově podobných listům. Kalich je pěticípý, žláznatě chlupatý, koruna s vykrojeným horním pyskem a trojcípým spodním pyskem světle modrá až modrofialová, 20–30 mm dlouhá, na spodním pysku bělavě skvrnitá. Rozkvétá od dubna do července, opylován je hmyzem. Plodem jsou čtyři hladké šedohnědé tvrdky.

Ploidie druhu je 2n = 4x = 36.

Ekologie a rozšíření
Areál rozšíření popence chlupatého zasahuje od jihovýchodní oblasti střední Evropy (Morava, Dolní Rakousko, Slovensko, Maďarsko, jižní Polsko) přes Balkánský poloostrov a pobřeží Černého moře do evropské části Ruska. Roste též v západní Itálii a na Sicílii. Vyrůstá na polostinných stanovištích v květnatých dubohabřinách, teplomilných doubravách, bučinách nebo lužních lesích, dále na okrajích lesů, v lesních lemech a křovinách, též v ruderální vegetaci. Preferuje čerstvě vlhké, humózní půdy, mírně kyselé nebo bazické, bez ohledu na podloží.

V České republice se vyskytuje pouze na Moravě, především v karpatském mezofytiku a na některých místech panonského termofytika. V Červeném seznamu ohrožených druhů je řazen do kategorie C3 (ohrožený druh), zákonem chráněn není.

Využití
Na rozdíl od příbuzného popence obecného (Glechoma hederacea) pro něho není udáváno žádné léčivé nebo gastronomické využití.

Reference

Externí odkazy

Hluchavkovité
Flóra střední Evropy
Flóra Česka
Flóra jihovýchodní Evropy
Flóra východní Evropy

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Business Activity Improves, But Where Are the Jobs?
Home » Economic Analysis » Business Activity Improves, But Where Are the Jobs?
While not many people are looking, there are very real signs of an economic recovery in the making. While the unemployment rate is stubbornly high, even though there are signs of an economic recovery, I would suggest that this is the result of structural and political issues. I'll get to those in a minute, but first let's take a look at some promising data that have been released.
An economic recovery takes many forms. Sometimes it is led by consumers; other times it is led by companies. When companies see the long-term potential, they start to use their excess funds to drive capital expenditures, and this ultimately drives the economic recovery to lower the unemployment rate. That's the theory; but why aren't we seeing that?
For several reasons. The first is that even though U.S. companies have never been in such a strong shape and there are small signs of an economic recovery, they're not hiring due to massive levels of uncertainty. They are making record profits and are extremely lean, but an economic recovery with a lower unemployment rate cannot occur with uncertainty. Now we're getting data from the Institute for Supply Management on both manufacturing and services.
The ISM Manufacturing Survey showed that the sector expanded in September, coming in at 51.5. A number above 50 denotes expansion, which is needed in an economic recovery. Many comments by business owners included the fact that U.S. business was up but international business was down, and there was uncertainty regarding new legislation. The real bright spot was a strong move up for new orders, with an increase of 5.2% from the previous month, to 52.3!
I can see the concern in the minds of business owners as inventories are decreasing. This means that, while business picked up in this economic recovery, the business owners are uncertain about the future. This translates into less capital expenditure and a high unemployment rate. You certainly wouldn't expand if you were uncertain about the future, even if the current environment shows promise.
The ISM Non-Manufacturing Survey showed even stronger growth and more signs of an economic recovery than the manufacturing side, coming in at 55.1. New orders were also up a strong four percent, with the index reading 57.7. Once again, inventories are down.
What this shows is that, in spite of the massive level of political uncertainty, the economy has strong potential for growth. With one of the most important elections in decades and the fiscal cliff approaching, this overhang is preventing businesses from hiring and lowering the unemployment rate.
I believe that, once the election is over and the fiscal cliff is averted, business owners will, once again, have some certainty about how best to plan their businesses, and the economic recovery will accelerate, finally lowering the unemployment rate.
It makes no sense to go on a massive hiring spree just a few months ahead of these momentous events. The smartest action for every business owner right now is no action—to just wait and see.
Some might wonder how bad it can be. Think about some of the ridiculous policies that France has enacted in the misguided hope of lowering its unemployment rate. For example, once a business has over 50 employees, there are a ton of new rules and regulations that must be met. Guess what, they have thousands of businesses with 49 people and a high unemployment rate.
When will people learn that placing more rules and handcuffs on businesses actually means preventing an economic recovery and supporting a high unemployment rate? If having massive government intervention in all parts of the economy worked, then Europe would be massively successful—but it's not. In fact, the ultimate conclusion is that the former Soviet Union should have been an economic superpower, but it wasn't.
Businesses need the freedom to expand where they see market demand with certainty for the economic recovery to continue and eventually lower the unemployment rate—we all know this is the correct path. Of course, this means bureaucrats could lose their "importance" in the system, which is why they continually try to convince you that they know more about your business than you do!
Since I'm not a political expert and can't predict if the politicians in America will enact such job-killing measures, we can only wait and see. But the truth is that the underlying economy is on the verge of breaking out, and if pro-business policies are enacted, we could have a stretch of extremely strong economic growth over the next few years.


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In Brief: Customs Question…Perry Clarifies…New Post For Marzorati
CUSTOMS QUESTION: Inditex, the Spanish retailer that operates the Zara chain, has denied allegations of contraband by Mexican customs officials. Authorities in Mexico have begun to investigate whether Inditex, in the period from 2001 to...
By WWD Staff Plus Icon
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September 2, 2003, 12:00am
CUSTOMS QUESTION: Inditex, the Spanish retailer that operates the Zara chain, has denied allegations of contraband by Mexican customs officials. Authorities in Mexico have begun to investigate whether Inditex, in the period from 2001 to 2002, brought in goods that had been produced in Asia but marked as having been made in Europe to avoid higher import taxes.
PERRY CLARIFIES: Perry Ellis International Inc.said Friday that it misstated its expected sales for 2004 when it reported financial results last week. The $480 million in revenues it had projected did not include expected royalty incomes of about $23 million. Diluted earnings per share are still expected to be $2.50.
NEW POST FOR MARZORATI: It appears to be a done deal. According to sources inside the Times, Gerald Marzorati, editorial director of the Times Magazine will succeed Adam Moss and become its editor. An announcement is expected to come sometime this week. Marzorati has worked with the Times Magazine since 1994, which he joined as articles editor. Prior to his tenure at the Times, Marzorati was an editor at The New Yorker and had also held a position as deputy editor of Harper's Magazine. The move will be Moss' first significant appointment since being promoted in August to assistant managing editor, features.
Major KAWS Exhibition Opens at the Serpentine and on Fortnight: "It's Like a Mirror"


There is no person on this planet who hasn't dealt with excess weight. It isn't unusual to get a few extra kilograms, but the problems start when your health gets jeopardized because of it.
Listen to your body because it will show you, with several signs, that you definitely need to lose weight.
Perhaps one pair of your jeans shrunk in the wash, but it's impossible that your washing machine destroyed all your clothes and now nothing fits you. This is one of the first warning signs that you should watch out what do you eat and how much calories you take daily.
Your jeans will be one of the best things to show you if your extra kilograms are really disappearing. You can do the button? Victory!
No matter how much you sleep, you always feel sleepy and don't have energy to do the most basic daily tasks? That can also be one sign that you need to lose weight as soon as possible.
Consult with your doctor, and if you get advice that you should get rid of that fat tire on your waist, then do it. Your doctor can help you to make a weight loss plan and if you stick to it, you will be surprised how soon that constant fatigue will disappear.
Once upon a time you used to spend a lot of time in gym, went for walking or played tennis. Nowadays, you won't go to your job by bike because it is way too cold outside.
Well, in that case, bring one of those fabulous exercise bikes into your home and start working! Your energy will be restored very soon and you will feel (and look) better.
Very often, obesity can be a cause of terrible pain in your joints, back or knees even if you never had such problems before. Extra kilograms can be a huge burden on your joints and cause pain in knees and back when you are standing for a very long time. Consult with the doctor to see what diet is right for you and whether you will need some therapy for the pain, and don't be surprised if you have to go see a physiatrist and physiotherapist.
Besides the pain in joints, back or knees, all of a sudden you can feel your heart beating faster than ever and your sugar level increased?
That's a serious reason to go and see the doctor, and it can easily be linked to you being overweight. Obesity can affect your health in very bad way and even cause heart diseases, diabetes or cancer.
If you are not certain what the ideal weight for you would be, then you should calculate your body mass index (BMI).
It divides your weight by the square of height and tells you if you are you underweight, normal weight or overweight. The best thing is that you can calculate it yourself with an online BMI calculator in just a few seconds.
Have you ever heard about sleep apnea? It's a disorder that manifests itself in a person's breathing being interrupted during sleep for a few seconds. There are several types of sleep apnea and, believe it or not, one of its causes is actually excess weight.
If you start with the right diet prescribed by your doctor you will avoid serious health problems, and your partner will be happier if you don't snore your head off during the night.
Nobody says that you have to look like a model or bring yourself on the edge of anorexia by starving. The only reason you should start with a diet is to improve your health. Once you lose the excess weight, you will feel like you can carry the weight of the world on your shoulders!


text:
About AEIC
Analytical Excellence through Industry Collaboration (AEIC) is an organization dedicated to establishing immunochemical, nucleic acid and other bioanalytical methodologies as recognized analytical tools for agricultural, environmental and biotechnology applications.
The organization consists of more than 40 corporate, public and scientific organizations as well as individual members. Government agencies also regularly participate in AEIC meetings and activities. AEIC is a diverse organization and includes technical experts on analytical methodology, particularly for proteins, nucleic acids and plant composition.
AEIC membership includes reagent and equipment manufacturers, testing laboratories, contract research organizations, technology providers in agriculture, biotechnology and food industries.
To advance and support all bioanalytical technologies, the AEIC:
Provides a forum and consensus voice for applications to agricultural, biotechnology and environmental industries
Develops educational programs
Furnishes scientific expertise
Establishes performance standards for bioanalytical, nucleic acid and immunochemical methods
AEIC Accomplishments
Establish Guidelines and Standards
AEIC Composition Working Group developed and validated Enzyme-Linked Lectin Analysis (ELLA) method which was accepted as an official method of AOCS in 2017.
AEIC supports and is active, through its members, in the ISO standards setting process, most notably TC 34 SC 16 Molecular Biomarker Analysis and sampling for GMO detection.
AEIC has been instrumental in ensuring that the testing standards developed for PCR and protein methods are workable and globally relevant.
AEIC publishes peer-reviewed globally relevant papers on a variety of topics related to best practices in using analytical methods (see "Resources" section).
AEIC worked with EPA to develop validation guidelines for environmental applications of immunochemical methods for use in studies to support pesticide registrations.
AEIC worked to establish voluntary performance standards for immunoassay kits.
AEIC collaborated with University of Nebraska to develop guidelines for testing GM crops and grain using lateral flow devices.
The need to have an organization to foster immunoassay testing in food and environmental matrices became apparent at an EPA-sponsored Immunochemistry Summit in Las Vegas during June, 1992. During the meeting, a high level of interest in immunoanalytical applications for the food, agricultural and chemical industries, as well as the regulatory community, was acknowledged. However, it was also recognized that several critical issues needed to be addressed in order for immunoassay to successfully gain widespread acceptance. These included:
1. Better communication among kit developers, users, and regulators
2. Development of standards and regulatory guidelines for acceptance of immunoassay data
3. Educational programs for regulators and new users
4. Polices to safeguard the quality of dozens of commercial immunoassay kits, as well as the applications which were being developed that utilized the kits
Representatives from over 25 industrial, academic and government organizations subsequently met several times to address the issues identified during the EPA Summit. These meetings led to the establishment of the Analytical Environmental Immunochemical Consortium (AEIC) in 1993. Membership in the AEIC was opened to groups and organizations who were developing immunoassay technology for food and environmental testing and who were interested in promoting the proper application of immunoassay as an analytical technique. Over the years, the focus of AEIC has been broadened to encompass the expanding field of biotechnology. Membership became more diverse and now includes research consultants, immunoassay equipment manufacturers, analytical labs involved in both protein-based and DNA-based analytical testing, DNA-based equipment manufacturers, other testing organizations, food/mycotoxin testing companies as well as the companies that provide biotechnology products for agriculture. Due to this shift in focus, the Analytical Environmental Immunochemical Consortium (AEIC) was renamed "Analytical Excellence through Industry Collaboration" in 2005.
AEIC membership (go to "Membership" for application form) is available at the 1) Full member level, 2) Associate member level and 3) Individual member level. Full member level is available for those industry companies with an interest in the development and/or use of bioanalytical methods in the agricultural, biotechnology and environmental industries. Associate level memberships are for staff and/or faculty of academic institutions having an interest in the development and/or use of bioanalytical methods in the areas of agricultural, biotechnology and environmental industries, and 3) Individual level memberships are available for those persons who do not have any company or academic affiliation but would like to participate in AEIC as a voting member. AEIC encourages the participation of government agencies at the semi-annual meetings.
Brenda Johnson
Eurofins BioDiagnostics
Penny Hunst
Luke Muschinske
Eurofins Microbiology Laboratories
Ray Shillito


text:
Mr Richard ALEXANDER
Member of the House of Lords
GB - SW1A 0PW - London
In the political groups
In the Assembly
from 28/06/1992 to 22/09/1997 Substitute - United Kingdom
In the committee(s) and sub-committee(s)
Reports and committee opinions
07/10/1997 | Doc. 7943 | Report Food supply in the world 29/04/1994 | Doc. 7083 | Report Food and health 24/05/1993 | Doc. 6849 | Report Expressing an opinion on the Council of Europe general accounts and budgets for the years 1991, 1992 and 1994
Motions, Written Declarations, Questions
07/02/1995 | Doc. 7238 | Motion for a resolution Global challenges for agriculture (including aquaculture, fisheries and forestry) 03/02/1993 | Doc. 6758 | Motion for a resolution Deportations of Palestinians from Israel, and that country's future status in the Council of Europe
Votes on adopted texts


If you go to www.petfinder.com and click on Classifieds - Lost - New York - and then put in"dog as a key word, on about page 3 there is a white (blind) Maltese that was lost in Astoria. See if it looks like the one you're seeing. The dog was lost on 2/10 but animals can wander for aafield and for some time before they are, with any luck, found and rescued.


text:
Am 28. Juli 1976 verunglückte eine Iljuschin Il-18 auf dem ČSA-Flug 001 von Prag nach Bratislava. Die Maschine stürzte kurz nach dem Durchstarten wegen eines Triebwerksausfalls in den See Zlaté piesky.

Flugverlauf

Der Flug OK001 startete um 8:52 Uhr vom Flughafen Prag mit Ziel Bratislava. Während der Landevorbereitungen traten erste Missverständnisse zwischen Piloten und Fluglotsen auf. Als die Piloten den Sinkflug auf 9000 Fuß (2750 Meter) meldeten, verstand der Fluglotse 8000 Fuß (2450 Meter) und bestätigte dies. Die Piloten verstanden das jedoch als Anweisung und sanken auf 8000 Fuß. Der Fluglotse vermutete den Flug OK001 noch 44 Kilometer vom Flughafen entfernt, doch tatsächlich waren es nur 29 Kilometer. Weil das Flugzeug zu diesem Zeitpunkt auch noch zu hoch flog, mussten die Piloten einen steileren Anflug als gewöhnlich fliegen. Mit einer Sinkgeschwindigkeit vom 22 m/s statt der normalen 10 m/s flogen die Piloten Landebahn 22 des Flughafens Bratislava an. Die Il-18 war zu schnell, weshalb die Piloten die Landeklappen vollständig ausfuhren und die Motoren 2 und 3 auf Umkehrschub stellten. Dabei fiel Motor Nr. 3 aus und stellte sich automatisch auf Segelstellung. Der Flugingenieur schaltete jedoch versehentlich Motor Nr. 4 auf Segelstellung. In 50 Metern Höhe brachen die Piloten die Landung ab und starteten durch. Der Tower forderte die Piloten auf eine Linkskurve zu fliegen. Doch die Il-18 drehte nach rechts und verfehlte nur knapp den Flughafentower. In 40 Metern Höhe versuchte der Flugingenieur Motor Nr. 4 neu zu starten. Die Fluggeschwindigkeit war inzwischen so stark gesunken, dass die Piloten die Kontrolle verloren und das Flugzeug mit einer Längs- und Querneigung von jeweils 60° im See Zlaté piesky aufschlug. Bis auf das Heck versank das Flugzeug vollständig im Wasser. Vier Passagiere konnten lebend geborgen werden, wovon einer später im Krankenhaus starb. Insgesamt 76 Menschen starben, womit es sich um das zweitschwerste Flugzeugunglück auf dem Gebiet der heutigen Slowakei handelt.

Funkverkehr
Die Abschrift des Funkverkehrs zwischen OK001 und dem Flughafentower der kurz nach dem Ausfall der Motoren aufgezeichnet wurde.
(001: ČSA-Flug 001, TWR: Flughafentower)
09:36:20
TWR: 001 Making overshoot?
001: Affirmative
TWR: Roger, left turn
09:36:30
001: Roger
09:36:50
TWR: Left turn 001!
001: ……(Unverständlich)
09:37:10
001: Ono to byla štyrka ano? (Dann war es (Motor) Vier, ja?) (Die Piloten drückten vermutlich versehentlich die Sprechtaste)

Unfallursache
Die Untersuchungskommission stellte nach der Auswertung des Flugschreibers folgende Ursachen für den Absturz fest:
 Benutzung der Schubumkehr unter einer Höhe von 1000 Meter
 Unsachgemäße Handhabung der Schubumkehr
 Unterschreiten der Mindestanfluggeschwindigkeit
 Versehentliche Abschaltung von Motor Nr. 4
 Nicht ausgeführte Kurve in Richtung der laufenden Motoren
 Die unmittelbare Ursache, der Versuch Motor Nr. 4 in geringer Höhe und Geschwindigkeit zu starten.

Weblinks

 aviation-safety.net
 technet.idnes.cz
 russianplanes.net
 k-report.net
 k-report.net
 spravy.pravda.sk

Flugunfall in der Slowakei
Okres Bratislava II
Flugunfall 1976
Flug 0001
Iljuschin Il-18
Luftverkehr (Tschechoslowakei)


Rainy and cold weekend. Minimal tromping in the hills, maximal foundering in hesitance and "right habondant" regret, that infrequent soul-nourisher of the introspective, the restless, and the stuck. Out Sunday into a brief burst of sun. In a grassy wet area next to an enormous red barn off Trinkle Road, three sandhill cranes doing their quizzical slow-chug walk. With a solitary peevish crow harassing a couple of meadowlarks into constant short flights, bursting up all tail. At West Lake a towhee rummaging in the leaf litter along a rotting log. Two red-tailed hawks circling high up over the cornfields. A bluebird in a shiny-leaved oak calling out in a tremulous little voice, nonplussed by waver and restraint.
These hints we think proper to throw out in order to set the inquisitive and discerning to work.
A good monography of worms would afford much entertainment and information at the same time, and would open a large and new field in natural history. Worms work most in the spring; but by no means lie torpid in the dead months; are out every mild night in the winter, as any person may be convinced that will take the pains to examine his grass-plots with a candle; are hermaphrodites, and much addicted to venery, and consequently very prolific.
* Farmer Young, of Norton-farm, says that this spring (1777) about four acres of his wheat in one field was entirely destroyed by slugs, which swarmed on the blades of corn, and devoured it as fast as it sprang.
The share which worms have taken in the formation of the layer of vegetable mould, which covers the whole surface of the land in every moderately humid country, is the subject of the present volume. This mould is generally of a blackish colour and a few inches in thickness. In different districts it differs but little in appearance, although it may rest on various subsoils. The uniform fineness of the particles of which it is composed is one of its chief characteristic features; and this may be well observed in any gravelly country, where a recently-ploughed field immediately adjoins one which has long remained undisturbed for pasture, and where the vegetable mould is exposed on the sides of a ditch or hole. The subject may appear an insignificant one, but we shall see that it possesses some interest; and the maxim "de minimis lex non curat," does not apply to science. Even Elie de Beaumont, who generally undervalues small agencies and their accumulated effects, remarks, « la couche très-mince de la terre végétale est un monument d'une haute antiquité, et, par le fait de sa permanence, un objet digne d'occuper le géologue, et capable de lui fournir des remarques intéressantes. » Although the superficial layer of vegetable mould as a whole no doubt is of the highest antiquity, yet in regard to its permanence, we shall hereafter see reason to believe that its component particles are in most cases removed at not a very slow rate, and are replaced by others due to the disintegration of the underlying materials.
As I was led to keep in my study during many months worms in pots filled with earth, I became interested in them, and wished to learn how far they acted consciously, and how much mental power they displayed. I was the more desirous to learn something on this head, as few observations of this kind have been made, as far as I know, on animals so low in the scale of organization and so poorly provided with sense-organs, as are earth-worms.


Denzel Washington Net Worth Denzel Washington is an American professional actor, director, and producer. In his professional career as an actor, Denzel has won three Golden Globe Awards, 2 Academy Awards for the drama film "Glory" in 1989 and Best Actor for his character as a corrupt cop in "Training Day" in 2001 and a Tony Award. Denzel Washington Net Worth is around $230 million which is increasing day by day. Denzel Washington is considered one of the best actors in Hollywood industry since 1980. He has performed South African anti-apartheid activist character in "Cry Freedom" in 1987, Muslim minister & human rights activist Malcolm X in "Malcolm X" film in 1992, boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter in "The Hurricane" in 1999, football coach in Herman Boone in "Remember the Titans "in 2000. Denzel other movies in which he played a leading role were "The Great Debaters" in 2007, a drug kingpin Frank Lucas in American Gangster in 2007. Denzel Washington was selected for the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award at the 73rd Golden Globe Awards.
How Denzel Washington Spent his Early Life?
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. was born on December 28, 1954, in Mount Vernon, New York, United States born and raised in Mount Vernon area, New York, United States. Denzel attended Pennington- Grimes Elementary School in Mount Vernon. Denzel Washington was sent to a private preparatory school "Oakland Military Academy" in New Windsor, New York after the divorce of his parents when Denzel Washington was only 14 years old. Denzel Washington attended a public high school "Mainland High School" in Daytona Beach Florida from 1970 to 1971. Washington disclosed in an interview and said that "I grew up in the Boys Club and we were the Red Raiders in Mount Vernon and I want to go to Texas Tech in Lubbock just because their uniforms were looked like ours and that they were called as the Red Raiders".
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Born Name Denzel Hayes Washington Jr.
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text:
Asking all the right questions?
Last week, the Commission on Presidential Debates announced the moderators for the 2004 election face-offs, and once again, I have been passed over in favor of the likes of Jim Lehrer and Bob Schieffer. In the brilliant Paddy Chayefsky-Sidney Lumet satire "Network," Peter Finch plays Howard Beale, a network anchorman who has gone around the bend and become the "mad prophet of the airwaves," mad as hell and not going to take it any more, vowing to speak the truth that no one else dares to.
There's a scene in which he describes a late-night conversation he has had with a disembodied voice, perhaps the voice of God, which has urged him to bear witness. "Why me?" he recounts asking the voice. Came the answer: "Because you're on television, dummy."
Jim and Bob and Charlie Gibson for the presidentials as well as Gwen Ifill for the Dick Cheney-John Edwards matchup will no doubt acquit themselves with aplomb. No doubt some of the questions will be intended to be hard-hitting, and some will even actually be so. Nevertheless, the prospect is for the questioning of the candidates within a certain range only – not so much the range of topics as the emotional range, which is likely to be safe.
Nothing, surely, so audacious as the question with which CNN's Bernard Shaw led off the second 1988 presidential debate, to Michael Dukakis: "Governor, if Kitty Dukakis were raped and murdered, would you favor an irrevocable death penalty for the killer?" Mr. Dukakis' emotionless reply helped sink his candidacy: "No, I don't, Bernard. And I think you know that I've opposed the death penalty during all of my life. I don't see any evidence that it's a deterrent, and I think there are better and more effective ways to deal with violent crime. We've done so in my own state."
I won't quite say that what we need is Michael Moore and Ann Coulter. But would Harold Meyerson and Charles Krauthammer, say, really be asking too much?
In any case, it would be nice to have at least the hope of something a bit eccentric. Surely one could scour the newsrooms and come up with an ink-stained wretch or two of the sort who had drunk long and deep from the waters of current events, enough to have a sense of proportion and of history and perhaps even of humor. Surely you could clean them up for the occasion, find in their closets an old suit grown dignified by sheer dint of shabby unfashionability. The result would not be polished or pretty, but it just might be interesting. I wonder what my old friend and colleague, the late great Woody West – newspaperman, Marine, Civil War enthusiast and belle lettrist – would have asked John Kerry and George W. Bush, given the chance. It would have been pungent, meticulously well-informed and difficult to evade, and above all it would have required a thoughtful reply. Or so I like to think.
If I had a question to put in this time, I think it might be along these lines:
"Mr. President, Mr. Kerry, you both come from backgrounds of extraordinary privilege. You both attended college at Yale, one of the most elite institutions in the nation. But that's not all. You are both members of a Yale club called Skull and Bones, a kind of elite of the elite known for secret mumbo-jumbo as well as their subsequent positions of extraordinary prominence in American life. Are institutions like Skull and Bones – well, actually, there may not be another quite like Skull and Bones, but you get the idea – are these institutions that make such a point of exclusivity good for democracy in America or bad, and why or why not?"
Ideally, I'd like to get a recorded response from each of them, so that we could compare the result. Since that doesn't work with the format, once one spoke, I'd turn to the other and ask, "You've heard Mr. X's answer. Would you want your grandchild – well, I guess it would have to be a grandson – to be a member?"
Now, mind you, I am no conspiracy theorist, though I understand that to ask such a question is to risk stirring the alligators in the fever swamps the country over. That's not the point. What I would like to hear in response (and ideally, I'd like to hear it from each of them simultaneously and separately, so that we could compare the result) is whether either would have the nerve to mount a defense of elite privilege, or on the contrary, to repudiate it. Good or bad for the grandkids, Mr. Bush, Mr. Kerry? You're the ones who know the secrets, and no one is asking you to reveal them. Just to judge.
Maybe we'll get lucky this year, and the questions and answers in the debates will give us a glimpse of what lies within. But that would be the exception. The rules are certainly designed to minimize that risk.