text:
Climate crisis policy: South Africa's rocky and expen...
Climate crisis policy: South Africa's rocky and expensive road to a just transition
From left: Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe. (Photo: Gallo Images / Dino Lloyd) | Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Barbara Creecy. (Photo: Gallo Images / Sharon Seretlo)
By Onke Ngcuka
Increased climate finance is necessary for South Africa to actualise climate crisis policy ambitions, especially so considering just transition is at the centre of climate adaptation in the country and could cost R146bn.
If South Africa is going to meet its climate change adaptation expectations, it needs a just transition, coupled with honouring climate finance pledges and a clear pathway paving a realistic adaptation plan and policy; one that can be implemented across the continent and to vulnerable countries.
These were some of the utterances made at the Presidential Climate Commission meeting on Friday, 30 July. The meeting was attended by some of South Africa's main custodians of mitigating climate change, including power state utility Eskom head André de Ruyter, Minister of Mineral and Energy Resources Gwede Mantashe and Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environmental Affairs Barbara Creecy.
The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) was formed by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2020 in response to a 2018 jobs summit that expressed concerns about labour and a just transition. The PCC's main mandate is to advise South Africa on a climate change response and make recommendations on nationally determined contributions.
Much of the PCC's work has been on developing a practical guide on how to apply a just transition as South Africa looks for ways to move away from its heavy reliance on coal and reaching net-zero targets by 2050.
The commission's mandate goes beyond applying a just transition strategy and meeting net-zero goals by 2050 to include mitigation and adaptation pathways, building a climate-resilient economy and securing climate finance.
Representatives of the commission include government departments, state entities, private sector, academics, civil society, traditional leadership, labour and research institutions.
At Friday's meeting, which was centred on South Africa's main objectives in combating climate change, Creecy highlighted the need for adaptation to climate change consequences. The minister also emphasised the necessity of developed countries to honour their climate pledges if developing countries are to actualise mitigation strategies.
"Finance is central to developing countries to advance their ambition on both mitigation and adaptation. Our suggestion… is that we must move from $100-billion per year from both public and private sources… towards a collective goal of jointly mobilising $750-billion a year by 2030 from this floor of $100-billion by 2025," Creecy said.
In the Southern African Development Community region alone, developed countries have contributed $1-billion a year between 2008 and 2018, whereas the 2009 pledge had committed to $100-billion per year by 2020. Creecy said there was scepticism about the availability of finance investment based on a lack of honoured pledges. Earlier this week, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta met with the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) leader Alok Sharma and emphasised the necessity of honouring climate pledges.
Creecy had returned from a non-decisive meeting in the United Kingdom, which paved the way for COP26 in November. The main contribution that South Africa made was to encourage countries to submit their long-term plans for carbon output, Creecy said. She said South Africa wanted to see a formal goal towards adaptation.
"We suggested that the formal goal that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change should aspire to is increasing the adaptability and resilience of the global population to the adverse impact of climate change by at least 50% by 2030 and by at least 90% by 2050," the minister said.
In South Africa, adaptation has been centred on the debate of a just transition to renewable energy. However, Mantashe told the meeting that renewables alone did not have the base load to carry South Africa's energy demand.
"A combination of renewable energy and nuclear power provides a balanced approach… That combination gives us supply of energy and the base load," Mantashe said, adding that the combined solution was a pragmatic approach as opposed to a complete transition of either renewable or nuclear energy.
He mentioned, however, that the collapsed 9,600MW nuclear project made the country cynical about nuclear power.
Last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa increased embedded generation limits from 1MW to 100MW, which will exempt generation projects of that capacity from being licensed by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa.
Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan said that about R120-billion in investment was expected in South Africa following regulations on the renewables threshold increase in embedded generation.
In addition to the increased renewable generation threshold, Eskom head André de Ruyter said Eskom is planning on developing 8MW worth of renewable projects. Eskom earlier announced its ambition to decommission some of its plants. De Ruyter said the Komati power station in Mpumalanga is set to shut down by 2022 and possibly be repurposed to implement renewable technologies and test grid performance and opportunities for the Komati community.
De Ruyter also briefly mentioned the parastatal's ambitions for gas. However, Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgoba warned the meeting that gas exploration polluted water sources and created wealth for only a few people with shares and stocks.
"Given our economic climate, it is tempting to see gas as a quick fix, but large oil and gas exploration creates environmental pollution and pushes rural people from their land," Archbishop Makgoba said.
The PCC is still to set out its ambitions for the upcoming COP26 meeting. DM/OBP
Integrated Resources Plan
Presidential Climate Commission
UN Climate Change Conference
by Onke Ngcuka, Daily Maverick

Climate crisis policy: South Africa's rocky and expensive road to a just transition

by Onke Ngcuka, Daily Maverick
August 1, 2021

If South Africa is going to meet its climate change adaptation expectations, it needs a just transition, coupled with honouring climate finance pledges and a clear pathway paving a realistic adaptation plan and policy; one that can be implemented across the continent and to vulnerable countries.

These were some of the utterances made at the Presidential Climate Commission meeting on Friday, 30 July. The meeting was attended by some of South Africa's main custodians of mitigating climate change, including power state utility Eskom head André de Ruyter, Minister of Mineral and Energy Resources Gwede Mantashe and Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environmental Affairs Barbara Creecy.

The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) was formed by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2020 in response to a 2018 jobs summit that expressed concerns about labour and a just transition. The PCC's main mandate is to advise South Africa on a climate change response and make recommendations on nationally determined contributions.

Much of the PCC's work has been on developing a practical guide on how to apply a just transition as South Africa looks for ways to move away from its heavy reliance on coal and reaching net-zero targets by 2050.

The commission's mandate goes beyond applying a just transition strategy and meeting net-zero goals by 2050 to include mitigation and adaptation pathways, building a climate-resilient economy and securing climate finance.

Representatives of the commission include government departments, state entities, private sector, academics, civil society, traditional leadership, labour and research institutions.

At Friday's meeting, which was centred on South Africa's main objectives in combating climate change, Creecy highlighted the need for adaptation to climate change consequences. The minister also emphasised the necessity of developed countries to honour their climate pledges if developing countries are to actualise mitigation strategies.

"Finance is central to developing countries to advance their ambition on both mitigation and adaptation. Our suggestion… is that we must move from $100-billion per year from both public and private sources… towards a collective goal of jointly mobilising $750-billion a year by 2030 from this floor of $100-billion by 2025," Creecy said.

In the Southern African Development Community region alone, developed countries have contributed $1-billion a year between 2008 and 2018, whereas the 2009 pledge had committed to $100-billion per year by 2020. Creecy said there was scepticism about the availability of finance investment based on a lack of honoured pledges. Earlier this week, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta met with the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) leader Alok Sharma and emphasised the necessity of honouring climate pledges.

Creecy had returned from a non-decisive meeting in the United Kingdom, which paved the way for COP26 in November. The main contribution that South Africa made was to encourage countries to submit their long-term plans for carbon output, Creecy said. She said South Africa wanted to see a formal goal towards adaptation.

"We suggested that the formal goal that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change should aspire to is increasing the adaptability and resilience of the global population to the adverse impact of climate change by at least 50% by 2030 and by at least 90% by 2050," the minister said.

In South Africa, adaptation has been centred on the debate of a just transition to renewable energy. However, Mantashe told the meeting that renewables alone did not have the base load to carry South Africa's energy demand.

"A combination of renewable energy and nuclear power provides a balanced approach… That combination gives us supply of energy and the base load," Mantashe said, adding that the combined solution was a pragmatic approach as opposed to a complete transition of either renewable or nuclear energy.

He mentioned, however, that the collapsed 9,600MW nuclear project made the country cynical about nuclear power.

Last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa increased embedded generation limits from 1MW to 100MW, which will exempt generation projects of that capacity from being licensed by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa.

Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan said that about R120-billion in investment was expected in South Africa following regulations on the renewables threshold increase in embedded generation.

In addition to the increased renewable generation threshold, Eskom head André de Ruyter said Eskom is planning on developing 8MW worth of renewable projects. Eskom earlier announced its ambition to decommission some of its plants. De Ruyter said the Komati power station in Mpumalanga is set to shut down by 2022 and possibly be repurposed to implement renewable technologies and test grid performance and opportunities for the Komati community.

De Ruyter also briefly mentioned the parastatal's ambitions for gas. However, Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgoba warned the meeting that gas exploration polluted water sources and created wealth for only a few people with shares and stocks.

"Given our economic climate, it is tempting to see gas as a quick fix, but large oil and gas exploration creates environmental pollution and pushes rural people from their land," Archbishop Makgoba said.

The PCC is still to set out its ambitions for the upcoming COP26 meeting. DM/OBP

This article first appeared on Daily Maverick and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.


text:
package lv.abuzdin.robovm.ios;

import lv.abuzdin.robovm.ios.dagger.DaggerDaggerComponent;
import lv.abuzdin.robovm.shared.Payment;
import lv.abuzdin.robovm.shared.SharedController;
import org.robovm.apple.coregraphics.CGRect;
import org.robovm.apple.foundation.NSAutoreleasePool;
import org.robovm.apple.uikit.*;

public class RoboVmApp extends UIApplicationDelegateAdapter {

    SharedController service;

    @Override
    public boolean didFinishLaunching(UIApplication application,
                                      UIApplicationLaunchOptions launchOptions) {
        service = DaggerDaggerComponent.create().getCoreService();

        final UIButton button = UIButton.create(UIButtonType.RoundedRect);
        button.setFrame(new CGRect(115.0f, 121.0f, 200.0f, 37.0f));
        button.setTitle(service.checkPayment(new Payment()), UIControlState.Normal);

        UIWindow window = new UIWindow(UIScreen.getMainScreen().getBounds());
        window.setBackgroundColor(UIColor.lightGray());
        window.addSubview(button);
        window.makeKeyAndVisible();

        return true;
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        try (NSAutoreleasePool pool = new NSAutoreleasePool()) {
            UIApplication.main(args, null, RoboVmApp.class);
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


A Navigate Web building block is used to navigate to a different web address (URL), refresh the current page or use the browser's back or forward functions.Please note that this block only works with browser windows that were previously opened using the Start Web Browser block and next Web building block start executing on the new page when client-side event 'DOMReady' is fired.
The green output connector in the header triggers when the desired navigation action, such as navigating to a new web address (URL), has been completed.
The title of the block ("Navigate Web") can be changed by double-clicking on it and typing in a new title.
Go to URL. This will navigate to a new URL, which is specified in the text field (below).
Go back. This is similar to pressing the "Back" button in the browser window.
Go forward. This is similar to pressing the "Forward" button in the browser window.
Refresh page. This is similar to pressing F5 (refresh) in the browser window.
The web address (URL) to be navigated to. Can contain tokens for field values (added below).
Right-click and select "Insert token" to insert one or more field tokens.
Fields that enable the use of external values in the text to find.
To use the value of an added field, right-click the text field above where the text can be entered and select "Insert token" and then insert this field's name.
Add a field to be used in the text.
By setting this property, the building block will use a specific browser window.
This green output connector triggers if the navigation action was not completed, such as a specified web address (URL) not being loaded within the timeout defined (see below).
The maximum time spent for performing the navigation action before giving up and triggering "Timeout occurred" (see above).


Jammu: India and Pakistan armies traded gunfire in Nowshehra Sector in District Rajour of Jammu division of state on Monday.
According to officials at about 0815 hours, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation.
"They resorted to shelling with mortars & firing of small arms along LoC in Nowshera Sector," he said.
"Indian Army is retaliating beffitingly," they said.


This topic covers TIBCO Rendezvous technology, which provides a message bus that simplifies the process of exchanging data among large scale networks. It offers an efficient, yet simple way for applications to communicate with one another. With its increasing popularity, more and more corporations are planning to integrate TIBRV as their main communication link among applications.
SOAtest enables you to test web services that use TIBCO Rendezvous. Functionality tests are generated automatically from the WSDL. You can choose from a variety of transports available. The following documentation provides step-by-step instructions on how to configure SOAtest to run with TIBRV.
Before configuring TIBCO protocol properties, you must have TIBRV installed on your machine. Once TIBRV is installed on your machine, you must then add the TIBRV jar file to SOAtest's classpath through SOAtest's System properties.
For information on obtaining a license or downloading TIBCO Rendezvous, see http://www.tibco.com/products/automation/messaging/high-performance-messaging/rendezvous/default.jsp.
For the component selection screen, make sure the Run TimeComponent is selected.
There are two protocols available, (TRDP and PGM). Be sure to select the appropriate protocol which matches the protocol that daemon uses. If you are unsure about which protocol to select, please consult the system administrator.
Click the Add JARS button and choose and select the necessary JAR files to be added. In this case, add <TIBRV>\lib\tibrvj.jar to the classpath.
Complete the WSDL test creation wizard as normal (see Creating Tests From a WSDL for details).
Double-click the node for the test that will be using TIBCO.
In the right GUI panel, select the Transport tab and select TIBCO from the Transport drop-down menu.
Message Exchange Pattern: Specifies whether or not SOAtest receives a response. If Get Response is selected, SOAtest sends a message and receives a response. If Get Response is not selected, SOAtest sends a one-way message and does not receive a response.
Daemon: Specifies the server name or the server's IP followed by a colon (:) and the port number (e.g. 10.10.32.34:7500 or host_name:7500).
Network: Specifies the network where the transport objects are located. The network parameter consists of up to three parts separated by a semicolon (;) in the form of network; multicast groups; send address (e.g. lan0; 224.1.1.1; 244.1.1.6). For more information, please refer to the Network Selection section of the TIBCO Rendezvous documentation.
Service: Specifies TIBCO's service name.
For a single test, it is destroyed at the end of the test execution.
For a test suite, it is destroyed at the end of the test suite execution.
For a load test, it is destroyed at the end of the load testing.
Send Subject: Specifies the subject name that the TIBCO daemon listens for.
Send Field Name: Specifies the field name from which the SOAP message is extracted.
Message Delivery: Indicates what type of messages the SOAtest should look for on the bus. This should correspond to the delivery type established by the message sender.
Create inbox for unicast (point-to-point) delivery: When this option is selected, a random subject name is created and SOAtest automatically listens for a response message on that subject. This is a point-to-point messaging pattern in TIBCO RV (synchronous request/response). When this option is unselected, you must specify a subject name.
Reply Subject: Specifies the subject name that the TIBCO daemon listens for.
Reply Field Name: Specifies the field name from which the SOAP message is extracted.
Notice that when point-to-point is selected for receiving, it automatically constrains the delivery mode in SOAtest to the same mode as the one set in the send area (because in that pattern, you send and receive messages using the same delivery mode). However, when the point-to-point check box is not selected, you can select how the Reply message should be delivered (because in that mode, the pattern is asynchronous, and a response message could be expected to come as certified or reliable mode, depending on how your TIBCO app is set up).
Once you are done setting up TIBCO Properties, you should now be able to send and receive messages using SOAtest.


AUGUST FAVOURITES | Monthly Q&A | Men's Fashion | Daniel Simmons - Best of Utube!!! Youtube Filme, Youtube Music, Dokus, kompletter Film oder ganzer Film. Hier finden Sie die besten Videos auf utube!!!!
Another month come and gone, which means a monthly favourites is needed along with our monthly Q&A!


text:
HomeU.K. Puts $1 Billion Into Job Centers to Help Wave of Unemployed
U.K. Puts $1 Billion Into Job Centers to Help Wave of Unemployed
The U.K. will plow 800 million pounds ($1 billion) into job centers, in an effort to cope with a wave of unemployment in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
The government will double the number of work coaches to 27,000 to help benefit claimants back into work, with an initial 4,500 hires by October, the Treasury said late Saturday in an emailed statement.
"The additional army of work coaches will give a job-seekers bespoke, personalized support to build skills, improve their employment prospects, and find local jobs that are right for them," the Treasury said.
The announcement comes as Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak prepares to give a statement on Wednesday outlining measures to help stimulate the economy and protect jobs as the country continues to emerge from a national lockdown that began March 23. On Saturday, pubs were allowed to reopen, after non-essential shops were permitted to do so last month.
Sunak is focusing on protecting jobs -- particularly for young workers who held more precarious roles before the pandemic and now face a struggle to find new work. He'll put forward a wider stimulus package in a budget in the fall, when the effects of the lockdown and the unwinding of his furlough program to protect private-sector jobs will be more in evidence.
Injecting Confidence
With officials downplaying expectations about Wednesday's statement, Sunak is coming under pressure from business groups to ensure he doesn't just do the bare minimum to revive the economy.
"I would very much urge them to be bold and try to get ahead of some of the problems that are coming in the autumn rather than adopt a watch-and-wait approach," British Chambers of Commerce Director General Adam Marshall said in an interview on Friday. The necessary support "is going to cost a lot of money and be difficult in a number of ways, but it's also incredibly important because if they want to avoid significant unemployment and if they want to inject some confidence into both business and consumers, the time to do it is now."
Marshall called for wage subsidies for apprentices, a fund to support jobs for young people, and a cut to national insurance payments made by employers. He also suggested the government could issue vouchers for households to spend on retail high streets to get the economy moving again.
The chancellor's emergency measures during the pandemic mean the government is now supporting the wages of almost 12 million private-sector workers under programs for furloughed workers and the self-employed.
Despite that, jobless claims have already doubled to almost 3 million, as the economy plunges into what may be its worst recession in three centuries.
Under the furlough plan, the government is paying 80% of the wages for 9.3 million jobs at a cost of 25.5 billion pounds. That support will decrease starting next month as companies are forced to shoulder more of the cost.
That's prompted concerns about more pain to come, with Tesco Plc Chairman John Allan warning of a "tsunami of job losses."
The toll is already beginning to show with companies including Airbus SE, Swissport International AG, Shirtmaker TM Lewin, and the London department store Harrods announcing thousands of job cuts among them. On Friday, the manufacturing industry group Make the UK said that 42% of firms plan job cuts in the next six months, with another 31% saying redundancies are possible.
By investing in job centers, Sunak is tapping a measure used by Gordon Brown's government in the 2008-09 recession, when another 10,000 staff were recruited. To coordinate efforts to protect jobs, officials at the Treasury and the Department for Work and Pensions formed a unit reporting to Sunak and Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey, according to the statement.
Gender Gap and Diversity
Skilled At Work
What People Read
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Start matching.
Discover new job opportunities that fit who you are — and who you want to be. Put JobAdvisor.link to work.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Robe for Temple of Divine Providence
Robe Actor 6 and PARFect 100 LED fixtures are installed as part of the architectural lighting at the Temple of Divine Providence in Warsaw Poland, one of the most significant Roman Catholic buildings in the country.
Actor 3 ST™
The Temple is in the final throes of construction bringing to fruition an idea that was first inspired in 1791 … shortly after the adoption of Poland's first constitution.
The building project got properly underway in the trendy developing Wilanów district in the south of the Polish capital in 2002 … designed by architects Wojciech and Lech Szymborski.
Its capacious interiors – based on an 84 metre square base with four entrances - and imposing 60 metres high reinforced concrete columns that form the nave, culminate in a rotunda gallery and a central glass dome at the top, all making high visual impact and defining the space.
The pale coloured render of the columns and other interior features is perfect for lighting, so the Temple's management company, The Centre of Divine Providence, reached out to lighting specialists Prolight Sp. z o.o. to design and specify a scheme that would transform a somewhat cold and austere interior … into a dynamic, warm and interesting space.
Lighting was seen as an ideal way to reflect the changes in the church calendar and shift the mood accordingly.
In addition to being an important place of worship and a national religious symbol, cutting edge acoustic treatment makes the 3000 capacity Temple ideal for concerts, choral and orchestral recitals and televised music events, so it is a truly multi-purpose venue.
It also contains a museum dedicated to Pope John Paul II and Stefan Wyszyński leader of the Catholic Church under Communist rule and a Pantheon of Great Poles.
Prolight's Tomasz Adamski created the lighting design which includes a substantial quality of DMX controlled LED fixtures, and his colleagues Michal Kaczmarek and Rafal Rzeczkowski helped co-ordinate the installation process and the team.
The 16 x Actor 6s – a static version of Robe's legendary LEDWash 600 – are installed on special outrigging brackets so they can illuminate a circular rotunda at the lower apex of the dome.
They were chosen for their robustness and reliability. Being placed in a position that it is not easily accessible, they needed fixtures that were virtually guaranteed to keep going and need minimal maintenance.
Above these, the 80 x PARfects are installed at the base of the curved dome walls – which stretch upwards for 60 metres to the top of the glass dome, complete with alternating variable height windows.
For lighting this they needed fixtures with great colours and plenty of intensity allowing different areas of the dome to be delineated, picking out the detail of the overall design.
"The PARFects are doing a fantastic job of lighting the walls in rich and beautiful colours," comments Michal.
The challenges of the installation were many … including working at height! There were restrictions on touching most parts of the walls with any sort of hardware, and data and power cable routing was also galvanising!
A series of LED colour changers were also installed at the base of the 26 arched columns as part of the scheme, so different surfaces in the Temple can be illuminated, bringing the environment alive with depth, character and a real sense of occasion.
All lighting is run through a Pharos controller which can be accessed remotely via iPad.
Two hundred and twenty four years after the first cornerstone of the current Temple building was laid, a Russian invasion and two World Wars later, an inaugural Mass was celebrated, attended by Poland's Prime Minister Beata Szydlo and President Andrzej Duda in a high profile event.
Since then it has been used for many concerts and events, and the lighting is making a big difference to the ambience and feel of this powerfully elegant and unique architecture.
Photo Credit: Louise Stickland


Are you and your partner 'At it like Bunnies'? With three different boxes of condoms, you'll be spoilt for choice with this bundle. Not only do you get Durex Intimate Feel Thin Condoms for starters, you can dive right into the main course with Durex Extended Pleasure Condoms, designed for long-lasting pleasure.
Finally, the Surprise Me Condom Variety Box is perfect for a game of condom roulette. Have fun, what could be better?


text:
Public Updates
Please check back to this page for official statements and communications from the Wichita Symphony. You can also follow us on our social media channels:
Symphony Box Office Information
Monday - Thursday, 10am - 4pm
316.267.7658 | WichitaSymphony.org
WSO CONTACT INFORMATION
Please note that the majority of Wichita Symphony staff are working from home, but the the box office line is still open.
Symphony performance dates cancelled for January, February 2021
Wichita Symphony Board Members and Musicians were notified on Wednesday, January 6th that tentative concert dates scheduled for January and February have been cancelled due to restrictions and concerns stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Patrons were notified on Friday, January 8th.
View News Release
View Notice to Patrons
Updated Monday, January 11
Wichita Symphony Event Status
Concerts: All dates in January and February
Due to restrictions put in place by the Sedgwick County Health Department, these performance dates were cancelled on Wednesday, January 6th, 2021. View our patron notice here.
Spring 2021 Youth Orchestras
The spring semester has been cancelled. Read the full notice here.
March, April, May 2021 Concert Dates
Given the unpredictable nature of the pandemic, spring programming will be announced at a later date. All programming subject to change as required by pandemic restrictions imposed on the WSO.
November 25, 2020 Update
December 6 Wichita Symphony concert cancelled following new restrictions imposed by the Sedgwick County Health Department.
Patrons, musicians, and staff were notified of the cancellation on Wednesday, November 25.
View Patron Notice
Sedgwick County Health Department greenlights November 14 concert with new restrictions
We are pleased to announce that the Sedgwick County Health Department has given us approval to proceed with this Saturday evening's Wichita Symphony concert at 7:30 p.m. in the Century II Concert Hall.
Due to the County's Emergency Public Health Order of November 10, total capacity at the Concert Hall is limited to 100 people. Therefore, this weekend's concert is "sold out." We regret that we cannot accommodate more people.
Please review our Safety Procedures here before coming to the concert. Program notes can be found here.
Please join us in a few weeks when the concert is released digitally for on-demand viewing. WSO Connect Members can access the digital concert starting November 20 with other member benefits.
Thank you for your interest. The music MUST be heard!
Don Reinhold
Wichita Symphony CEO
September 20, 2020 Update
Wichita Symphony announces plans for fall, 2020
Following a season cut short by the coronavirus pandemic, the Wichita Symphony Orchestra (WSO) is ready to announce plans for their fall, 2020 season. The reimagined season includes digital performance opportunities, community outreach initiatives, and live, in-person concerts with limited, socially distanced audiences.
READ FULL NEWS RELEASE
Already subscribed for the 2020-2021 Season?
If you've already paid for your 2020-2021 subscription, you have options! Fill out the form below to let our Box Office staff know how you would like to proceed:
SEASON TICKET OPTION FORM
August 26, 2020 Update
From Don Reinhold, Wichita Symphony CEO
Dear Symphony Patrons,
I trust that you are well and safe during this pandemic. As much as I have missed live performances these past five months, I've enjoyed the innovative music programming available online, including the interactive weekly recitals with Wichita Symphony Concertmaster Holly Mulcahy, and I hope you've been able to do the same. The music must be heard!
READ FULL LETTER
PLEASE NOTE: Information regarding options for engagement, concert tickets, and season tickets will be communicated mid-September.
2020-2021 fall youth orchestras notice
Dear Youth Orchestras and Ensembles Families,
In light of the COVID-19 health crisis, the Wichita Symphony Board of Directors has made the difficult decision to postpone in-person rehearsals for Youth Orchestras until January. We will re-evaluate the situation later this fall to determine if it will be safe for us to return to rehearsing together in person for the spring. If possible, we will extend the spring semester to include a concert in March and a second concert in May, so our season would not be cut short, only delayed.
READ FULL NOTICE
An Important Message from the Wichita Symphony in Support of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
The mission of the Wichita Symphony is to enrich, educate, and entertain diverse audiences of all ages in our region through performances of orchestral music, thereby enhancing the vibrancy and vitality of Wichita.
The horrific events of the past weeks, months, and longer, namely the unjust deaths of Black Americans, are deeply troubling and provoke our national trauma. The demonstrations in recent weeks send a clear message that our society must change quickly. Black lives do matter.
READ FULL STATEMENT
May 29, 2020 Update
Wichita Symphony cancels previously postponed concerts from March - May, 2020.
This is a letter I had hoped would not be written.
The Wichita Symphony's Board of Directors has made the difficult decision to cancel our previously postponed concerts from March, April, and May. Our hope had been to reschedule our performances of Ravel & Brahms (March 14 and 15), The Rose of Sonora (April 4 and 5), Apollo 13 in Concert (April 18), and Kristin Chenoweth in Concert -- For the Girls (May 16) for a late SummerFest in August. Out of concern for the safety and health of our patrons, musicians, and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, we regretfully cannot perform these concerts at this time and will attempt to program them in a future season.
For Ticketholders:
On Monday, June 1, the Symphony Box Office will begin notifying ticketholders with instructions and ticket options. Please watch your email. Since Century II remains closed to the public, ticket resolutions will be done 1) Online (the preferred method) or 2) Calling the Box Office at (316) 267-7658 and leaving a voicemail.
Current box office hours are Monday - Thursday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Our box office staff will respond to your inquiries at their earliest availability. Please be patient as we work through the process.
Please consider a donation of your tickets to the Symphony.
READ THE FULL LETTER OFFICIAL NEWS RELEASE
Submit your Ticket Request
If you have tickets for Ravel & Brahms (March 14/15), The Rose of Sonora (April 4/5), or Apollo 13 In Concert (April 18), please submit this form.
If you have tickets for Kristin Chenoweth In Concert (May 16), please submit this form.
From Don Reinhold, Wichita Symphony Society CEO
Friday the 13th in March certainly lived up to its superstitious reputation when County health officials shut down public gatherings in the face of the spreading coronavirus. All of us deeply missed being with you for the postponed concerts of that weekend and since. Since the County closed Century II entirely, my staff and I have been working from home, maintaining business, and communicating with each other, the Board of Directors, and the musicians with the help of Zoom meetings.
We simply don't know how long it will be before we gather again to enjoy the life-affirming performances of the Wichita Symphony. Your safety and health, as well as that of our musicians and staff, are our priority. One thing I do know:
The Wichita Symphony will be back!
March 31, 2020 Update
Announcing the Radio Kansas "Symphony at Home" Broadcast series
Since we cannot perform in the Concert Hall, we are thrilled to announce a four-week concert series in partnership with Radio Kansas: The Symphony at Home Broadcast Series! Every Friday night at 7pm in April, tune in to Radio Kansas or listen online to hear some of our favorite programs from the last 10 years with Maestro Daniel Hege, hosted by Katelyn Mattson-Levy. Click below for the full broadcast schedule and details on how you can tune in:
VIEW BROADCAST SCHEDULE
Sedgwick County Imposes Stay-At-Home Order, Wichita Symphony Staff Working from Home.
Effective Wednesday, March 25, a Stay-At-Home Order issued by the Sedgwick County Health Department is in place for 30 days. Even though all Wichita Symphony personnel are now working from home, we are still able to receive phone calls through our Box Office line and maintain service to our patrons. We are still renewing season tickets for the 2020-2021 season. See updated Box Office hours below, and give us a call with the box office information above!
Wichita Symphony postpones remainder of 2019-2020 Season amidst COVID-19 concerns.
My first wish is that everyone remains in good health. In this time of great unknowns and uncertainty, information and events are coming at warp speed. Where we are today would have been unimaginable just a week ago. As you might have deduced from the statewide public gathering ban of groups in excess of fifty that currently extends for eight weeks in Kansas, the Wichita Symphony must postpone the remainder of our 2019 – 2020 season. In addition to last weekend's concerts of Ravel and Brahms, we are now postponing The Rose of Sonora (April 4 and 5), Apollo 13 In Concert (April 18), and Kristin Chenoweth In Concert (May 16).
READ FULL LETTER View News Release


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Digital Unite is one of the UK's leading providers of digital skills learning, focusing exclusively on vocational training and support for Digital Champions. This is offered through the Digital Champions Network, which is a web-based platform that trains, supports and provides resources for Digital Champions and digital inclusion projects.
As part of One Digital, Digital Unite offered individuals and organisations Lottery-funded membership of the Digital Champions Network (DCN).
Year 1 – Highlights (June 2017- May 2018)
Digital Unite met targets for the number of Digital Champions recruited and unique end learners. Digital Unite also relaunched their Digital Champions Network (DCN) to improve the Digital Champion experience. This included but was not limited to improving the Digital Champion pathway for a more personalised experience, formal accreditation of the training courses, extending the resources and teaching tools, the introduction of the DCN as a web application and an improvement to the way Digital Champions record their learner activity. This resulted in a much more dynamic and extended platform used effectively by hundreds of organisations within the One Digital programme. Year 1 saw the introduction of 119 organisations to the DCN through One Digital funding, including many grassroots organisations that would otherwise not be able to access it. Through One Digital funding, Digital Unite were able to unlock delivery support previously inaccessible but much needed by grass root organisations which was hugely gratifying.
Digital Unite continued to evolve the Digital Champions Network (DCN) and welcomed 53 frontline organisations from across the UK from a variety of sectors. These include housing associations such as Progress Housing and Nottingham City Homes, local authorities including West Lothian Council and Southampton City Council and charities such as Pursuing Independent Paths and Newcastleton District and Community Trust. By the end of Year 2 the One Digital "Digital Champions" had recorded 7,293 learners on the Network and had collectively used 373,433 training resources. New and updated content was developed to support all projects and members across One Digital including:
New guides for councillors developed in partnership with the London Borough of Waltham Forest.
Updated resources for young Digital Champions, developed in partnership with the National Citizen Service.
A collection of new CPD accredited courses for Project Managers.
Over 65 new and updated how-to guides.
A redesigned, relaunched 'Resources Hub' with new teaching resources added across more than 10 new topic areas, mainly focusing on supporting Workplace Digital Champions.
Digital Unite (DU) received a Bronze award in the "Innovation in Learning" category at the prestigious Learning Awards event in February 2019 for their outstanding work on the Digital Champion Network.
Year 3 – Highlights (June 2019 – May 2020)
Digital Unite extended their knowledge of digital skills in new sectors through two discovery projects with NHS Digital and Mencap. They released new CPD accredited training for project managers responsible for delivering Digital Champion projects and extended knowledge of digital skills support into new sectors, such as health and learning disabilities. For example, their new training for Digital Health Champions was developed in partnership with NHS Digital, the CPD-accredited e-learning and resources help staff and volunteers support patients with managing their health online. Digital Unite also announced a partnership with Capgemini, developing a new programme to boost existing Digital Champion projects. This included an online diagnostic, face to face training and mentoring.
As part of the One Digital funding, Digital Unite provided free DCN access to 80 independent Digital Champions (those not affiliated to any organisation) who in turn provided digital support to over 1,000 learners. Digital Unite also joined forces with Citizens Online in a new member offer which combined membership of the Digital Champions Network and Citizen's Online Switch approach. Furthermore, Digital Unite welcomed one of the largest housing providers in the UK to the programme and delivered a successful Digital Champion awards ceremony in partnership with Clarion.
During the final quarter, Digital Unite's Covid-19 response included:
Creating and promoting four new how-to guides on how to help people as Remote Digital Champions. These were made available to the One Digital partnership and beyond.
Pulling together ninety of their most relevant digital how-to guides in one easy to use web page. These were grouped under two themes: health and wellbeing and staying connected. Organisations could also upload them to their own websites.
Encouraging new people to become Digital Champions to help those during lockdown by offering free membership of our Digital Champions Network.
Teaming up with Citizens Online, as part of their webinar programme covering remote Digital Championing and fielding one of their Digital Champions to speak on safeguarding.
The impact study below shows that the DCN helps organisations to get digital inclusion started and provides them with the framework they need to drive forward digital skills programmes. This impact study was an independent 2-year evaluation by Sara Dunn Associates.
You can also read articles about the key findings of the impact study
It's official – 9 out of 10 Digital Champions recommend our Network! blog post
Study shows our Network gives digital inclusion the fillip article on key findings on the impact study


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Кохановце — село та громада в Бардіївському окрузі Пряшівського краю.
 Кохановце — село, громада в окрузі Гуменне, Пряшівський край.
 Кохановце — колишнє село; сучасна частина міста Сечовце.
 Адамовське Кохановце — село, громада округу Тренчин, Тренчинський край.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Montana hemp farmers awarded $65 million for broken contracts
More than two dozen Montana hemp farmers have been awarded $65 million in damages from Canadian and U.S. businesses and investors who promised to pay them up to $700 per acre for hemp grown in 2018, then failed to pay.
A jury gave 25 farmers the second-highest civil judgment in Montana history, including $56 million in punitive damages and another $9 million in compensatory damages for causing "mental suffering, mental anguish, grief, worry and disappointment or the like."
The hemp defendants found guilty of deceit and ordered to pay were:
USA Biofuels ($10 million).
Eureka 93 ($10 million).
Vitality Natural Health ($10 million).
Surety Land Development ($10 million).
Kent Hoggan ($5 million).
Owen Kenney ($5 million).
Corey Shirley ($5 million).
David Rendimonti ($1 million).
Montana farmers planted 22,000 acres of hemp in 2018, more than any other state at that time. But most of it was never used, according to the Montana Free Press, which first reported the jury award.
Most of the Montana acres were grown for USA Biofuels, which offered seed and $100 per planted acre, plus up to $600 per harvested acre, the Free Press reported.
The attorney who brought the farmers' case, Ross Johnson of Great Falls, told Hemp Industry Daily that the wronged farmers would likely not see payment until appeals are exhausted.
An attorney for some of the defendants argued in a court filing that the boom-and-bust CBD industry, not the investors, was to blame.
"When it came time to go back into the market and sell the commodity, the market had so profoundly collapsed, there was no money to honor the commitments. Thus, about everyone began blaming each other for the collapse, but the cause is clear — it is part of the human condition," attorney Mark Parker argued.
Categories: Briefs, Canada Hemp News, Hemp Cultivation, Processing & Extraction News, Montana Hemp Business & Legal News


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Collegiate Football Divisions
by Phil Miller
From the New York Times (registration required):
For more than 30 years, major college football teams have been labeled Division I-A by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, distinguishing them from Division I-AA teams, which play a lower-cost, and lower-profile, version of the game.
In time, exacting membership standards were established for universities to stay in Division I-A, including a requirement that every team average at least 15,000 in home attendance or be relegated to Division I-AA. At the end of last season, that regulation should have caused the expulsion of several universities that did not meet the attendance cutoff.
But at a meeting this week, the N.C.A.A. Division I board of directors will most likely save those programs by repealing or drastically modifying the requirement.
Talk of changing or eliminating the requirement has set in motion a series of related proposals to change other rules, including permitting more games between I-A and I-AA teams to count toward eligibility for bowl games and to do away with the designation I-AA.
These proposals, and a measure to allow a 12th regular-season game in college football, make up a weighty agenda for the Division I board of directors, who are to meet tomorrow in Indianapolis. "It could be a pretty energetic meeting," Robert Hemenway, the board chairman, said. "And I've learned not to predict how the board will act."
The 15,000 minimum attendance restriction places a constraint upon teams. Softening the constraint or removing it altogether provides an incentive for non 1A programs to seek entry into this division.
This (Phil – the maximum scholarship requirement (85 in 1A and 63 in 1AA)) has not stopped a significant number of universities from abandoning I-AA for I-A in the last few years. Some leaders of I-AA conferences say the watering down or elimination of the attendance requirement would increase the migration to I-A and devalue I-AA football. So when the Division I board of directors first began talking about changing the attendance requirement in January, a caucus of commissioners from I-AA conferences persuaded the N.C.A.A. to propose a series of compromise measures meant to appease I-AA members.
There are further ripple effects for divisions farther down the NCAA ladder. As programs migrate from 1AA to 1A distinction, teams from other divisions such as former D2 programs like Northern Colorado and South Dakota State migrate in to 1AA.
According to the article, the following items are up for discussion: 1. allowing a 1A team to count one victory against a 1AA team towards bowl eligibility each season (for the most part, the current rule allows a 1A program to count 1 victory against a 1AA program every four years. See page 10 of this NCAA rule book); 2. allowing 1 game against a 1AA opponent to count towards the minumum number of home games (each 1A team is required to have 5 home games each season); 3. scrap the 1A and 1AA designations and reassign each program into divisions with respect to each programs intentions to play in one of the current 1A bowl games or in the current 1AA playoff.
The last proposal raises some interesting questions. The perenially high-level 1A programs (the Texases, Michigans, and the Florida States of the country) and the perenially low level programs of 1AA are not likely to switch. But the "marginal programs" – the Middle Tennesee States, the Eastern Michigans, and, heck, maybe even the SMU's and Hofstras of the country are the interesting ones. What will these programs choose? Do programs lock themselves into a division with their initial announcement of intent? If not, how often do programs get to reannounce their intent? What effect will this have on conference allignments in the two divisions? Lastly, what will the divisions be called?
"We just don't want to be called I-AA," said Doug Fullerton, commissioner of the Big Sky Conference, one of the top I-AA leagues in the nation. "Even though it only applies to football, I-A schools recruit against us and call our basketball teams and track teams I-AA programs. They're not, but people and recruits might understand that better if we had a new term that was football specific."
A rose by any other name… . It's still not 1A football, and as long as there are separate divsions, recruiters will exploit the separation if it provides a recruiting advantage.
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© 2022 The Sports Economist. All Rights Reserved | Contact [email protected]


Please let me know if there is anything else – or any other kinds of denim – you need some help styling and I'll see what I can do.
Another request that I get is to style multiple items within my closet more than once. So, instead of putting together two completely different outfits for this post I decided to keep the base outfit the same [the top & nd changed things up so you can see the versatility within the base. Does that make sense?
I've already shot the looks for gray jeans the same way so please let me know if you like this way of doing these kinds of posts!
So I chose the basics of these two outfits around versatility and budget.
The top is a simple 'perfect fit' tee from J.Crew. Every year, they essentially keep the style the same with a flattering fit and the same medium thickness material. This year, though, the sleeves are a bit longer than they have been in the past and the crew neck is a little wider, but not technically a boat neck. There are always multiple colors available, as well.J.Crew runs big so go one size down from your normal. I'm wearing an XXS.
This pair distressed denim boyfriend jeans are one of my favorite recent purchases. If you've been a long-time reader of S&T, you know I have always been a big fan of BlankNYC [or Blank Denim] and they're coming out with some great quality, affordable pairs of jeans. These run true to size and have a really nice medium wash to them. I also love that they are slightly loose in the leg but not unflatteringly 'baggy'. The distressing is also not too intense so they can be dressed up without looking trashy, which I'm a huge fan of.
This first outfit is an example of how to dress up distressed boyfriend jeans. Tuck your simple tee in to add a little polish to the ensemble then add a pair of neutral heels, a complimentary handbag and some fun statement earrings … and you'll be all set!
This is a great option for a late summer night outfit and can transition nicely into Fall by simply adding a lightweight cardigan, which is the perfect segue into the second outfit.
This black cashmere cardigan, these slides and a belt to show off the high-waisted detail of these jeans are just the way to elevate this otherwise casual outfit in a chic way. While some may argue that distressed denim and chic can never be used in the same sentence, I'd like to humbly disagree. Make sure you size up half a size in the slides! They run a bit small.
I hope this was helpful for you guys! Next week, I'll be sharing three styling options for gray jeans. Similarly to this post, they all have the same base and some items within the outfits have been used multiple times. I hope it sparks some ideas and inspiration for y'all! Stay tuned!
Until then, have a great day! xo.
LOVE both looks so much! The loafers and the pop of leopard in the second look are just giving me life!
Thanks! I love that look too! Really getting into the loafer trend that's coming back!
Love the second, casual look!
I love dressing up my distressed denim!! That second outfit is making me excited for fall weather!
Love both looks! I've always been afraid of boyfriend jeans but I think I might have to try them. Thanks for sharing!
That cashmere cardigan look so cozy!!!
I love the way you used the same pieces in different ways — I'd definitely be interested in seeing more of that!
Such a great post! It shows how much versatility items have and also how to dress up a look that may be considered more casual. I love everything about this!
I love the second look! So perfect for fall. You look comfy but still so stylish!
Love the 1st outfit and way to wear the boyfriend jeans! You're always looking so stylish!
I LOVE the way these jeans fit and how you styled them – especially the fact that you created two looks out of this outfit.
Amazing outfits! I really love both ways of how you styled the distressed boyfriend jeans!
Thank you so much, Jenny! xo.
Love this post! I'm really looking forward to more posts where you showcase multiple ways to wear a specific item – I think that's so helpful! It definitely helps me decide whether or not I'm going to purchase something if I can see the versatility of it! Also loving those bf jeans on you!
Love this post! This made me think of a post I would also love… ways to style denim of different washes (styling light, medium, and dark wash jeans). I struggle with this and find that I kind of give up and throw on darker washes because I don't know what works with my lighter jeans.
Ohhh okay! That's good to know! Thanks for the post request! xo.
Hello! Just got a pair of Franco Sarto black Mules. Love the trend, but am not sure how the mules should fit. They seem to make a flip flop noise when I walk. Is that how mules should be?
Loved this post with the style options.. I am crazy for that Gucci belt. Can you give some advise on the sizing ? What size are you wearing with what size jeans? I usually wear a 25 in jeans. Thanks for your help.
Posts I'd love to see!
How to style different style jeans with differentshoes. Example, boyfriend jeans, skinny jeans, step hem jeans and the shoes that go with them. I'm always at a loss for which shoes go with which jeans based on length of jeans and style and where the jeans should fall in relation to the shoes.


July is the hottest month in Algarve with an average temperature of 74°F (24°C) and the coldest is January at 54°F (12°C) with the most daily sunshine hours at 12 in August. The wettest month is December with an average of 117.2mm of rain. The best month to swim in the sea is in August when the average sea temperature is 70°F (21°C).


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Tag: policing
Criminalization & Violence Undermine HIV Prevention & Human Rights Says New Report
December 11th, 2015 · bppp · Press Release, Reports No comments - Tags: HIV/AIDS, Human Rights, incarceration, LGBT, policing, transgender
Tomorrow at the US Human Rights Network conference in Austin TX, Best Practices Policy Project and Desiree Alliance will be releasing the first ever report in the U.S. on sex workers, rights, and HIV created by sex workers themselves. The first report, Nothing About Us Without Us: Sex Work, Policy, Organizing, Rights, will focus on transgender sex workers.
"Sex workers are part of the solution in addressing HIV, and the U.S. is out of step with global acceptance of the need to bring a human rights focus to the issues of sex work and HIV, while moving away from criminalization," said Sharmus Outlaw, co-author of the report. "Transgender sex workers are now suffering the effects of the silence about what works to prevent and treat HIV."
The report finds that the policing of transgender communities is justified in the name of anti-prostitution efforts; and that this policing is directly at odds with scientifically-based HIV prevention and outreach efforts. "All across the U.S., transgender women–especially those of color–are harassed and arrested by police officers as they go about their daily life," said Monica Jones, a transgender rights organizer from Phoenix, Arizona and advisor to the report. "This policing impacts transgender outreach workers doing essential activities in HIV prevention such as delivering condoms and information to the community. We need to stop the arrest of transgender outreach workers, end the practice of using condoms as evidence, stop policing of medications and end the policing of trans people's lives so that they can walk down the street and reach health care centers when they need to access HIV related care."
The report finds transgender people with experience in sex work and the sex trade are much more likely to be living with HIV than transgender people who have never been sex workers, or the general population of the United States. In the District of Columbia, for example, 73% of trans sex workers self report living with HIV. But the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, the highest level of policy in the U.S., has been almost entirely silent about sex work and sex work was entirely omitted from the National HIV/AIDS Federal Action Plan released in late 2015.
"As sex workers develop our own research around HIV/AIDS policies, we are connecting with others to rethink and strategize about structural barriers best practices in HIV prevention," said Cris Sardina of Desiree Alliance. "It is not acceptable to ignore how violence, stigma, and criminalization affect trans women who engage in sex work. Nor can we ignore how policing sex work affects all trans women who are often profiled and arrested as sex workers."
The report will be released at 3 pm CST December 12 and will be available at http://www.bestpracticespolicy.org/nothing-about-us-without-us/. The release event will be live streamed on Periscope by @swoplosangeles and social media will use the following #silenceequalsdeath and #advancingrights2015. More information can be found at the Release Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1660187327592533/permalink/1660187340925865/
PRESS CONTACTS:
Darby Hickey 202-250-4869 and darbyhickey @ gmail.com
Monica Jones 602-575-9332
Cristine Sardina director @ desireealliance.org
New Report on Transgender Experiences in Sex Work Recommends Decriminalization
December 7th, 2015 · bppp · Press Release, Reports No comments - Tags: discrimination, Human Rights, laws, LGBT, policing, transgender
New Data Shows Harms to the Community
December 7, 2015….New York, NY – The Red Umbrella Project (RedUP), the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), and Best Practices Policy Project (BPPP) today released a groundbreaking report on the experiences of transgender people in the sex trade. Meaningful Work: Transgender Experiences in the Sex Trade presents new data and analysis from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey (NTDS), first published in 2011 and still the largest-ever published survey of transgender people in the United States. Meaningful Work is the first in depth look at the 694 NTDS respondents (11% of the survey total) who reported sex trade experience.
In 2011, the NTDS reported that transgender people experience high levels of discrimination in every area of life, as well as high levels of poverty, unemployment, homelessness, negative interactions with police, incarceration, and violent victimization. One result of this widespread discrimination is that many transgender people engage in sex work to earn income or trade sex for housing or other needs. Meaningful Work takes a deeper look at those respondents who traded sex for income:
an overwhelming majority (69%) had experienced a negative job outcome such as being fired or denied a job because of being transgender,
nearly half (48%) had experienced homelessness, and
nearly a third (31%) lived on less than $10,000 a year.
Read the full report here. Read the Executive Summary here.
The criminalization and stigmatization of commercial sex can worsen the discrimination and marginalization that transgender people already face. Transgender sex workers reported high levels of harassment and violence, often at the hands of police: 64% reported being mistreated and nearly one in 10 were sexually assaulted by police. The report also found striking racial disparities, with Black and Latina/o transgender people are far more likely to report any sex trade experience (44% and 33%). Transgender people of color with sex trade experience reported far higher levels of poverty, mistreatment, and negative health outcomes than their white counterparts.
To address these disparities, the report makes several policy recommendations, including the full decriminalization of sex work. National LGBT organizations including NCTE recently joined Amnesty International and the World Health Organization in calling for decriminalization on the grounds that criminalizing sex work prevents sex workers from seeking help from police, needed services, or other employment and impedes HIV prevention efforts. Other recommendations include reforming policing practices and investing in voluntary, non-judgmental, and harm reduction-based social services. The report also urges LGBT organizations and other community groups to prioritize work with sex workers themselves in developing solutions that meet people's needs for safety, health, and opportunity.
"Trading sex for money is an act of resilience by so many trans people, in the face of tremendous societal violence and discrimination," said Darby Hickey, Policy Adviser at BPPP and a transgender woman former sex worker. "This report shows how criminal laws, policing, and anti-sex worker stigma combine with anti-transgender bias, producing terrible results. Trans sex workers, particularly women of color, know what the solutions are and it is past time that LGBT groups center their experiences and wisdom."
"Far too often, the manner in which we deal with sex workers is to criminalize their behavior, without addressing any of the systemic barriers that influence participation in the sex trade. Bad policies and practices, such as using condoms as evidence and court mandated programs, not only don't help trans sex workers, but actually worsen their outcomes," said Erin Fitzgerald, Research and Policy Director of the Red Umbrella Project.
"We can't ignore the fact that so many transgender people, particularly in communities of color, have had experience in the sex trade, often simply as a means of getting by," said Harper Jean Tobin, Director of Policy at NCTE. "This means of survival, however, too often comes along with increased risk of violence, HIV, and barriers to health care and other supports–all of which are made worse by criminalizing sex work. All people involved in the sex trade, whatever their circumstances, deserve safety, opportunity, and dignity."
The Red Umbrella Project (RedUP) is Brooklyn based peer-led organization which amplifies the voices of people in the sex trades to take greater control of our lives and livelihoods through sustained and structured peer-mentoring initiatives, multimedia storytelling platforms, and public advocacy. For more information go to www.redumbrellaproject.org. The National Center for Transgender Equality is the nation's leading social justice advocacy organization winning life-saving change for transgender people. For more information go to www.transequality.org. The Best Practices Policy Project (BPPP) is dedicated to supporting organizations and advocates working with sex workers, people in the sex trade and related communities in the United States. For more information go to www.bestpracticespolicy.org.
Monica Jones calls for justice for #13blackwomen
November 20th, 2015 · bppp · Campaigns No comments - Tags: Monica Jones, policing
The following call to action is from human rights advocate Monica Jones. Find her on Facebook and twitter to follow this call to action:
There is a tragedy that happened. 13 black women of African descent were sexually assaulted by white police officer Daniel Holtzclaw. This monster is on trial and being judged by a jury of his peers, a jury of 8 white men and 4 white women. His attorney has described him as an "all-American good guy" and said his accusers have "street smarts like you can't imagine."
What does this disparaging statement about having "street smarts" really mean?
The women he targeted were marginalized, many had been arrested before and had been charged with doing sex work and/or with using or having drugs. His method of finding victims was based on finding women who had these kinds of charges, this is the reason he chose them.
One of his victims said that reason she did not come forward was because "I didn't think anyone would believe me." Most of the 13 women said the same thing. That no one would believe them.
This is the reason why most sex workers and marginalized victims do not come forward, because they are afraid that their voices will not be heard. With him being a white male, with him being a police officer and them being black and marginalized, they feared that they would be discounted.
Sadly their statements are TRUE. There has not been any national outcry about this racially motivated, class-based, gender-based sexual violence perpetrated by a white male police officer. Most importantly the women had records. They were criminalized already.
We can resist this silence and raise our voices to highlight the violence against these women, because no one should be denied justice because of their "criminal record." The injustice system criminalizes all marginalized people, no matter what they do.
Join us in seeking more media coverage about this and similar cases. We need for sex worker organizations to rise up in defense of these women. We need people of color organizations to rise up and fight back. We need women's rights, human rights, anti-violence and anti-sexual assault groups to join us. This is how you can do this:
by blacking out your FB profile picture or using the profile picture attached
using the #13blackwomen on social media when sharing this story
tweet for national media coverage, asking why there is no coverage?
resisting the stigmatizing of these women because of the charges that have been placed on them for sex work and drug use
write press releases, opinion pieces, blog posts
if you are a journalist or connected to the press, write a feature article about this story
start a petition asking for media coverage and that the DOJ to look into this case.


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Cruising Altitude: Corporate Deals To Travel Tech Startups On Pace For Five-Year High
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Tencent tops the list of most active corporates in travel tech. Tencent's recent bets include balloon travel company World View.
Corporations and their corporate venture arms — including Tencent and Google Ventures — have been steadily increasing their investment in travel tech over the last five years.
Corporate investors have already participated in 37 deals to travel tech startups in 2016 year-to-date (9/20/16), in rounds that contributed nearly $900M to the category.
Dollars through the end of this year are projected to land well below the $2B+ we saw from corporate-backed deals last year. However, deals with corporate participation are projected to surpass 50 this year, which would be a five-year high for corporate investment activity in travel tech.
Corporate investors are mainly funding travel tech companies in the US and China. And these investors are mostly participating in early-stage rounds (seed/angel and Series A).
Notably, while the US takes the largest share of travel tech deals globally — when including deals both with and without corporate participation — the top ten largest travel tech funding rounds with corporate participation were all outside the US, and five of those rounds went to Chinese companies.
We used CB Insights data to see funding trends involving corporates and travel tech startups, their activity by deal stage and country, and identified the most active corporate players in this space.
How is Tech Disrupting the Travel Industry?
From new booking engines to events/activities to person-to-person platforms like Airbnb, there is innovation all over in travel. And no one is safe. Download the briefing to see the startups disrupting the industry.
Annual financing history
Corporate financing activity in travel tech grew significantly over the last five years and deals are on pace to reach an all-time high at the end of this year. The most pronounced period of growth occurred in the three years from 2013 through 2015.
A cohort of mega-rounds involving corporate backers are responsible for the peak corporate funding dollar total to travel tech startups in 2015. The companies that obtained mega-rounds over $100M last year were: LY.com (the aforementioned $967M round involving Tencent), and rounds going to several unicorn companies valued at $1B+: Tujia ($300M Series D), and Decolar, which saw Expedia as the sole participator in a $270M round in which Expedia took a significant minority stake in the startup. Airbnb also raised a mega-round last year, however, no corporate investors participated in that round.
So far in 2016, there have been three travel tech mega-rounds with backing from corporations. The Indian company Ibibo Group secured a $250M financing round from the internet and media giant Naspers in February. The company is also backed by Tencent. The Scottish unicorn company Skyscanner, which is valued at $1.6B, secured a $192M Series C investment in January, with participation from Yahoo. Huoli, a Chinese company with backing from HNA Group, secured a $144M Series C round in April.
Quarterly financing history
Looking at quarterly financing history in travel tech, activity began to ramp up in Q3'15, and as of Q2'16 there were 5 quarters straight of 10+ deals.
Notable Q3'15 deals include: Zhubaijia ($78M Series C) backed by HNA Group, HotelUrbano ($60M round) backed by The Priceline Group, and Secret Escapes ($60M Series C) with participation from Google Ventures.
A year later, in Q3'16, some top deals include two Indian companies: Treebo Hotels ($17M Series B) backed by Bertelsmann India Investments, and Travelyaari ($7M Series B) with participation from The Times of India Group.
Deal activity by stage
Corporate funding activity to travel tech startups skews towards early-stage investment rounds. From Q1'12 to Q3'16 quarter-to-date (9/20/2016) almost half (48%) of travel tech deals involving corporates were for seed/angel and Series A deals. Series E+ rounds with corporate participation saw the fewest number of deals since 2012, at only 1% of the total.
Notable Series A investments this year include: the French company Misterfly ($22M) with backing from Vente Privee, the Indian company Fabhotels ($8M) with participation from corporate investors including Qualcomm Ventures, and the German company Distribusion ($7M) with backing in that round by HR Ventures.
Deal activity by country
The US takes the largest share of deals in travel tech with corporate participation. China comes in second, and India rounds out the top three countries for corporate investors in travel tech. The rest of the world's share of travel tech deals involving corporates was evenly distributed, with no other country taking more than 4% of the global total.
Most active corporates investing in travel tech
The largest deal involving corporates in travel tech since 2012 was secured by the Chinese company LY.com ($967M), in July 2015. Tencent was an investor in that round, in addition to backing the company in earlier Series B and Series C rounds.
Topping the list of most active corporates in travel tech is Tencent. Tencent's recent travel tech bets include participating in a $15M Series B round in March 2016, to the American company World View, which aims to take passengers on a balloon ride to an altitude of 30 km from where they can get a space-scale look at the earth. Tencent also backed the company in November 2014, with a Series A investment.
Google Ventures and Concur are tied as the second most active investors, followed by Nokia Growth Partners and Recruit Strategic Partners, tied for third.
Most Active Corporates In Travel Tech 2012 – 2016 YTD (9/20/2016)
1 Tencent
2 Google Ventures
2 Concur
3 Nokia Growth Partners
3 Recruit Strategic Partners
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Preparing to not only avoid setbacks and failures, but to also achieve growth and success through innovation.
It's true some people are natural problem solvers, but not everyone can sharpen their problem-solving skills with little effort.
First, let's get the hard stuff out of the way and teach you how to pronounce my last name.
Thirteen letters make four syllables and as long you break it down by syllables, you'll be a pro in seconds. Luckily, there are no silent letters and syllables greatly help with emphasizing.
Inspired to see what people do when they have access to technology. People are changing the world through their own passion and beliefs, and technology plays a great role. So I wanted to take part to make sure that technology brings opportunity to everyone.
That is why I created MasterTommy.com.
This site will offer building products, platforms, and, services that can help people and businesses grow. Through MasterTommy.com, the main goal is to help everyone across the globe hit a bullseye – those who make up the new age today and the self-educating investors who will drive the new age of tomorrow – access the best of training and tools to grow their skills, businesses, and futures.
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Making tools and training easily accessible is just one part of MasterTommy.com. We're definitely bringing workshops, step-by-step systems, ebooks, and one-on-one coaching to cities and towns across the World.
In hopes of making resources available to everyone, by bringing hands-on training across the country, and we can help all grow their skills, their opportunities, and their lives.
Okay, "WELCOME" to my hidden village, virtual home, blog, and all that good stuff.
"Hi Hey Hello" I'm Tommy Chanthalangsy – Ninja on a Mission, Entrepreneur, and Business Owner.
Born and raised in Sacramento, California and definitely a Gamer Kid at heart, always. The capital city gave me a lot of experiences street wise growing up. I can say that corporate blend for half my life naturally made me who I am today.
MasterTommy.com is an outlet for me to share business, travel, food, and ninja-life skills & tricks.
This platform will inspire massive action, direction, and inspiration for everyone.


text:
Carry The Torch: Ancestral Tradition In Modernity
December 8, 2021 By Kaisar Leave a Comment
Ancestral Tradition In Modernity
There is a certain traditional aspect, and heritage, that is embedded within us from our ancestral lineage. A piece of us that follows from a long line of others like us.
It comes in many different shapes and representations, from our personality to our emotions to our philosophies. It also comes through our understanding of the natural order and normalcy.
Modernity is an explicit rejection of that ancestral tradition. Modernity rejects any type of a natural ordering of humanity, any type of proper hierarchy, all forms of merit, and any belief in the term "normalcy". Instead, it rejects hierarchy, merit, the natural order, and what is normal.
It's an inversion, a perversion of the ancestral traditions of old.
Most of my readers will already know of this with obvious golden calfs like "progress". Progress being just a return to the decadent ways of old, a return to the worse periods on the cycle of national collapse.
So, we know of this perversion when it comes to leftists and progressivism. Leftism destroys tradition, heritage, and respect for any ancestral tradition. It is embedded with secularism and self-hate, which progresses down to their ancestors. Progressivism does the same by destroying it all in favor of returning to the worse-off starting point from which tradition must be rebuilt.
But modernity does not infect just the left. It's much more extreme in their arena, certainly, but the destruction of ancestral tradition also comes wrapped in a Right-leaning package. It does so in the form of other traditional desecrations, such as that of a NatSoc focus, libertarianism, MRAs, and the like.
NatSoc, through the worship on the lowest form of race (race of the body over that of the race of the soul/spirit), libertarianism through the allowances for cultural degeneracy and indifference of normalcy/hierarchy, and MRAs for the hostility toward the natural order (Men versus women instead of men with women).
All of these, and plenty others, are just as inverse to the ancestral traditions as leftism. It's a corruption of both the Right and the left with modernity beliefs and customs. Modernity beliefs that can only ever lead toward hate and failure, just like with everything else in modernity.
The Right is supposed to be the "conservative" branch, but all of these "Right" leaning-beliefs are mere morphs of a more classical form of progressivism. As we discussed with the cycle of collapse, as the cycle progresses, the conservatives must "conserve" a more recent spot on the cycle, which is almost always a previous progressive point. The modern conservatives become mere progressives of the past, trying to conserve a more recent point instead of a traditional point.
From this corruption is where the extremism and further perversions begin. It is no wonder why so many flee conservatism and align with the libertarian/NatSoc/MRA/whatever else groups when there is no fruitful purpose to conservatism anymore when you recognize their inevitable failure.
But there is an alternative. It is an alternative that loses traction as each day progresses on and it becomes harder and harder to stick with it. But it is also the only option that is rooted in sustainability and sanity. That alternative is the ancestral traditions. The foundations of your civilization.
In the case of Western civilization, that is the Greco-Roman and Christendom tradition.
Both of these held true to a natural order, hierarchy, merit system, cultural normalcy, and some Pagan/Christian religious ties (objective morality) depending on the time period and location. Both are far superior to that of modernity. And again, both rejected "progressivism" in favor of slow and secure traditional advancements.
Progressives are natural movers who will constantly change, so they have no torch to carry from the onset. They can only destroy the traditions of old, not build anew.
Conservatives are followers who must constantly keep up with the progressive pushes, so they have to keep finding new, ever-worse, torches along with way.
The Tradition approach is to keep that original torch, a light that forever shines, to never abandon it.
There is a need for individuals that can carry the traditional ancestral heritage forward, for when modernity inevitably crashes from both the modern right and modern left. So that it can be preserved for when both other attempts clearly and demonstratably fail.
Some must actually carry it forward, however. But those numbers will keep reducing in size as modernity marches on and steals more of our people.
As we carry on that ancestral tradition, we cannot just believe it, we must live it. We have to do our best to unplug from modernity and live a more traditional lifestyle, be one with a natural order in our family system, find proper hierarchy with our work and community, live in complete religious or spiritual harmony (normalcy), and keep a balance between nature and state.
We have to not just believe in the torch, but actively carry it forward. Those ancestral traditions will come in handy once modernity comes crashing down around us. Whether that is in our generation, or our kids, we must be the light that keeps moving forward until that day arrives.
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No, you're reading. Lol But this verse rings true: Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given and you will be given even more. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. (Mark 4:24-25 NLT).
Jesus, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit are a God of order. Our beautiful, perfect, Triune God is a God of Order. He cannot fail. He will not fail. He will not contradict Himself. Only look at the world and see the things that He created. He speaks in so many ways, but regardless of how you feel He is speaking, whether though a dream, a person, nature, I advise and warn you, remember that everything in the world has been corrupted by the Fall.
THE FINAL AUTHORITY –INFALLIBLE WAY-God has Spoken forever is through His WRITTEN and the INCARNATE WORD: The Bible and Jesus Christ. However you feel God is speaking, let it begin and end with the Bible. The Bible is the Final Authority. If however you feel God is speaking contradicts what has permanently been recorded in Scripture, throw it away and run! That is not God speaking. No Truth contradicts itself. TRUTH remains TRUTH. You want Truth? Look into the Bible.
Why is it that a person who studies, pays attention to and spends time in and trying to understand Genetics is very likely to understand and excel in it better than someone who didn't? Why is it that someone who goes to a special skills school to study, say, engineering, is likely to have better understanding and application of engineering than say, Muyiwa? (Me)! Well, we would obviously all agree that It is because one has listened closely, understood and obeyed.
His skill level has increased and with that, he discovers new knowledge, new ground, new territory, isn't it? Yeah well, Jesus already explained that Law of life. And the news is even sweeter than you can imagine: Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given and you will be given even more. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. When we listen closely to His teaching and obey, little by little, we grow in our understanding of His will and that increased understanding makes us want to obey more because we are seeing things more clearly.
Jesus, you're right! You're always right! I love you so much! I can see this Truth manifesting in my life so greatly. Through God's grace, strength and mercy, I have grown more and more in love with Scripture. I am spending more time, listening more closely, trying to obey more truly (even though imperfectly). And I promise you (I AM NOT EXAGGERATING), more and more understanding and respect and awe and love of Scripture is being given to me.
Are you being faithful with what you have? Or what you have heard? Remember, it's simply about being faithful with that which you have at the moment and as God's Word says, more will be added. More understanding, clearer revelations of God's Word, more opportunities to use your gifts. The implications are endless.
This next one kind of addresses the reality that when much has been given to you, much will therefore be expected from you, and by extension, I think it is safe to say that when you use that faithfully, even more will be given.
And guess what, as a believer you have been given much. Seriously. You have been given Christ, who has "unsearchable riches" (Ephesians 3:8 ESV) in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3 ESV), where all the Fullness of God is pleased to dwell (Colossians 1:19). You have Christ; you have been given everything! Much is therefore expected from you. Begin to explore this Christ more and more, living in Him is a never ending adventure. Receive Him, grow in Him and remain in Him.
May the Holy Spirit empower us all to walk in the life that Christ has already bought for us with His Blood. May He awaken us to listen closely, obey and be faithful day by day, in Jesus name, Amen.
Yeah, you guessed it. That was a guest post written by Muyiwa Oyatogun, and it was pretty great right? Thank you so much Muyiwa, you hit the nail on the head!


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A lot can happen in 12 hours, just ask Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.
Last night Twitter and news services went CRAZY with talk of a Labor party spill. This morning, Kevin Rudd didn't even contest the ballot at the Caucas meeting, and Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard was elected as the first female Prime Minister of Australia, 108 years after women were given the right to vote in Federal elections.
Congratulations to our new Prime Minister Julia Gillard!
And as you'd expect, it's been a morning of press conferences, with an emotional speech from Kevin Rudd who, supported by his family, reflected on his time in office.
Then, Julia Gillard stepped up to the podium. Her first order of business was to extend an open invitation to the mining industry to negotiate about the mining tax. At the same time, she committed to ceasing the publicly funded mining tax advertisements immediately, and called on the mining industry to cease their ads. Nice move.
There are some interesting points to take away from today's press conferences.
Firstly, it's OK to be emotional when you're speaking with the press or a group of people, it shows you're passionate about what you're talking about and shows people you're a real person. So the next time you step up on stage, don't be afraid to let people see how you're feeling.
Secondly, it's best to be upfront and honest and talk about the good and the bad. For example, Julia made it a point to mention she had been involved with both the good and the bad side of the Rudd government. Fess up and then move on!
Finally, while we don't have a date for the election, the campaigning has begun for sure, and the c word will be watching the upcoming election trail with much anticipation.


I've not got a camera at the moment as my Sony A7r died a few weeks ago and is off to sony for repair. However I am taking the odd photo on my film cameras. This though is from my iPhone.
Walking around on a weekend stay in Edinburgh I came across this installation on St. Andrew's Square and though I'd take a few snaps. It Turns out that the Contax 28-85m Vario-Sonnar has MONSTER flare!


Home » Delta Series » USA Today Bestseller! Thank You!
Delta: Redemption is a USA Today Bestseller!
A huge thank you to all Delta readers who pre-ordered and downloaded Delta: Redemption during release week! It was the 123rd most popular book sold in the United States! *wow* You put Ryder and Victoria on the USA Today bestsellers list. I can't tell you how grateful I am for your support.


The Miracles Asia drug addiction treatment program is targeted for chemical addiction clients whose primary substance was something other than alcohol. Drug addiction is normally classified as either recreational or prescription in its nature.
Opioids used to treat pain, for example medications containing oxycodone — such as Oxycontin and Percocet — and those containing hydrocodone — such as Norco.
Stimulants, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, others), dextroamphetamine and amphetamine (Adderall XR, Mydayis), and dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and certain sleep disorders.
At Miracles Asia we rarely differentiate treatment clients by substance used because once a person has physically withdrawn from their drug of choice, the psychological, emotional and spiritual damage that remains are very similar and create a shared experience for clients, despite what drugs they were taking.
Assessment for both addiction related issues as well as secondary diagnoses or other underlying issues that may amplify the addiction.
Core program: The client will learn to deconstruct their addiction, understand motivations and identify dysfunctional behaviour patterns, develop new and functional coping mechanisms, and prepare to move on to a healthy and productive life.
Discharge preparation/Aftercare planning: Guests will spend their last week of rehab preparing for their transition home. This includes procuring support resources, enrolling in follow-up services, and a structured and practical action plan.
For more information on our drug addiction treatment methods, please read more here.


OTTAWA (Reuters) - The Canadian government is studying the idea of providing new tax breaks in the upcoming federal budget for companies that build liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals, according to internal records obtained by Reuters.
Such incentives could help companies move forward with stalled developments in Canada, even as they cut spending around the world in response to plummeting oil prices.
More than a dozen LNG terminals have been proposed in Canada, mostly in the West Coast province of British Columbia. Backed by energy giants like Malaysia's Petronas, Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) and Chevron Corp (CVX.N), the projects would ship cheaper North American gas to Asian markets.
But backers have long complained that development costs for these projects are high and margins are thin. There are no Canadian LNG export plants in operation now.
To help speed development, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) wants Ottawa to reclassify LNG export plants as manufacturing assets.
Under their current classification, LNG facilities in Canada can write off 8 percent of their total capital investment each year.
A government memo said that if finance officials accepted the industry proposal, LNG export plants could write off 30 to 50 percent of their capital investment per year.
Manufacturing assets have benefited from the 50 per cent capital cost allowance rate since 2007, which allows companies involved in manufacturing and processing to write off capital investments within two or three years.
The memo, obtained by Reuters under Canada's Access to Information Act, was prepared for the top bureaucrat at the federal natural resources department ahead of a meeting with industry representatives last October.
"We understand the need for clarity on the fiscal environment for LNG facilities to support final investment decisions," said the memo prepared by the natural resource department's energy sector.
The department, headed by Finance Minister Joe Oliver, compiles and delivers the budget, making major decisions in conjunction with the Prime Minister's Office.
The next federal budget is due in April at the earliest and neither the natural resources nor the finance department would comment on any specific budget proposals or discussions.
If implemented, the measure could make the government forgo hundreds of millions of dollars of tax revenue at a time when slumping oil prices are already eating into government receipts.
CAPP estimates that in return, the proposal would spur growth, adding about C$3 billion ($2.4 billion) over 20 years to Canada's gross domestic product. It did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
To be sure, the government rejected the industry's requests for tax breaks for LNG plants in the last two federal budgets and it is not clear whether Ottawa will grant the incentives this time.
Still, Canada's right-leaning Conservative government has deep political roots in the oil and gas-rich west of the country and regularly stresses the importance of the energy industry.
It is also uncertain whether this tax incentive would be enough to spur energy companies to break ground on such projects given volatile markets.
Canadian energy regulators have approved export licenses for 10 LNG projects in British Columbia and are reviewing further 10 applications for proposed terminals on Canada's west and east coasts, but no final investment decisions have been made.
Reg Plummer, a senior economist who retired from the natural resources ministry last year, said the proposal would cost the federal treasury a lot of money while offering investors a benefit of less than 1 percent on their rate of return. He also said officials may consider how this fits in with Canada's international commitment to phase out fossil fuel subsidies.