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The LeadersIn Maritime Law
Missouri Jones Act Attorney
Offshore Injury Law Firm Representing Clients in Missouri
If you or someone you love was injured in Missouri or anywhere in the United States or off the coast, it is important to consult an attorney who has a solid understanding of maritime law and how it may affect your right to seek and recover financial compensation. A Missouri Jones Act attorney may be able to accurately determine what rights you have under the Jones Act or other applicable maritime laws. For example, if you were working on a barge and were injured because the vessel owner or your employer was negligent in some way, you may be entitled to compensation for maintenance and cure. You may be able to receive benefits that will cover medical care, lost earnings, and possibly more. A lawyer who understands the ins and outs of maritime law can not only advise you of your best options but can protect your legal rights through the claims process to help you seek maximum compensation.
Though Missouri is located inland, it borders the Mississippi River and therefore has a number of river ports along the Mississippi and the Missouri River. The people who work on the barges and other vessels that travel through the ports in Missouri or who work at the ports themselves may be at risk of serious injury due to the inherent dangers associated with the maritime industry. We have included some interesting facts about a few of the key ports in Missouri:
Port of Saint Louis, Missouri is located on the Mississippi River on the border of Missouri and Illinois. The port offers easy access to the Illinois River and Missouri River and is served by 6 Class One railroads and several short lines. It is also close to 2 international airports and major transcontinental pipelines. The City of St. Louis Port Authority manages and operates the Port of St. Louis, which manages more than 32 million tons of cargo every year. Some of the main products handled by the port include: coal, petroleum products, grain, chemicals, aggregates, and scrap metals.
Port of Kansas City, Missouri is located at the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas Rivers in Kansas City, MO. It is one of the largest storage and distribution centers that serves the Missouri River, and the main cargo shipped through the terminal includes grain, meal, bark, rolled and coiled steel, salt, rebar, H-beams, plate steel, corn, and fertilizer. Since the 1970s, barge traffic on the Missouri River has steadily declined, dramatically affecting the Port of Kansas City. For most of the decade, low water levels resulted in shorter navigation seasons. In 2009, however, the drought ended and water levels began to rise. The inexpensive cost of shipping on the Missouri may increase traffic in the Port of Kansas City, as may continually increasing water levels. The Port Authority of Kansas City is responsible for managing the port.
Howard/Cooper County Port, Missouri is located on the left bank of the Missouri river, directly across from Boonville Missouri. The port is located within one mile of the Missouri Pacific Railroad and is the only public shipping access between Kansas City and St. Louis on the Missouri River. The Howard/Cooper County Regional Port Authority controls this port.
Some of the other ports our offshore injury law firm serves include: Port of Hannibal, New Madrid County Port, Port of Mississippi County, Port of St. Joseph, Port of West Quincy, and Pemiscot County Port.
Free Consultation: Missouri Maritime Injury Lawyer
After any type of maritime injury, one of the most important things you can do is discuss your options with an attorney. Without legal representation, you may find that your employer will not pay you the full value of your claim. You may be unsure of whether you are entitled to benefits in the first place. A maritime lawyer at our firm can review your case from every angle to provide accurate insight.
Contact a Missouri maritime injury lawyer today.
Maritime Information
What is it Like To Work With Arnold & Itkin
Arnold & Itkin represented nearly a third of the crewmembers injured in the Deepwater Horizon explosion.
I encountered professionalism, understanding, compassion… lot of compassion. They really felt for what me and my wife were going through.
~ Deepwater Horizon Crew Member
Work with a lawyer who truly understands Maritime Law.
Because maritime law is so complex and so complicated, it is crucial that you work with an attorney who has an in-depth understanding of how it works and who has proven themselves in similar cases before.
Related Maritime Videos
Arnold & Itkin has represented offshore workers nationwide and has recovered billions of dollars. Watch this video to learn how and why that matters.
Arnold & Itkin has achieved record-setting verdicts for offshore workers across the country, representing survivors and victims of the nation's biggest offshore tragedies.
Talking to our attorneys doesn't have to cost you a dime.
We know this a difficult time. Let us help.
Our firm isn't afraid to take on the largest companies.
We are trial lawyers who aren't afraid of the courtroom.
Discuss Your Legal Rights & Options


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Tag: #newadult
Cover Reveal – CAPTURED LOVE By Juliana Haygert
Published on August 21, 2014 August 20, 2014 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle1 Comment
ABOUT CAPTURED LOVE:
Warning: strong language, sex scenes
Word count: ~70,000
It's been four years since twenty-year-old Jessica Hayes has been home, but when she discovers her father is dying, she must return to her hometown in South Carolina and face her past. Jessica thought patching up her relationship with her father would be her biggest challenge, but when she runs into Ryan Dawson—the catalyst of all her problems—she wonders if coming home was a mistake.
Ryan knows he screwed up. Hell, he paid the price…with interest. But when he runs into his best friend's little sister, Jessica, he's reminded that his debt will never truly be paid. He may have turned his life around, but he can't undo the damage. So, he does what he should have done all those years ago. He stays away from Jessica, and all the other personal demons that still haunt him.
Jessica thought she wanted nothing to with Ryan, but something is different about him and she needs to know why. When she discovers the truth behind his change, she puts her troubles aside and tries to help him. But is putting her heart back in the line of fire worth disrupting her stable life back in Ohio, or will the past repeat itself, leaving her brokenhearted once again?
About Rachel Morgan:
While Juliana Haygert dreams of being Wonder Woman, Buffy, or a blood elf shadow priest, she settles for the less exciting—but equally gratifying—life of a wife, mother, and author. Thousands of miles away from her former home in Brazil, she now resides in Connecticut and spends her days writing about kick-ass heroines and the heroes who drive them crazy.
Blog | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter
Captured Love
by Juliana Haygert
Giveaway ends October 20, 2014.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Categories Blog Tour, Books, New Adult•Tags #newadult, captured love, contemorporary romance, cover reveal, juliana haygert, new adult romance series
Cover Reveal – All Broke Down by @CoraCarmack
Published on July 9, 2014 July 8, 2014 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle1 Comment
We are so excited to get to share the cover for Cora Carmack's ALL BROKE DOWN today! A New Adult Contemporary Romance, and published by William Morrow-an imprint of HarperCollins, this is the second book in her Rusk University Series, and it is set to be released on October 28, 2014! But you can pre-order it NOW! Check out what it's about and then fall in love with this gorgeous cover!
ABOUT ALL BROKE DOWN:
In this second book in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack's New Adult, Texas-set Rusk University series, which began with All Lined Up, a young woman discovers that you can't only fight for what you believe in . . . sometimes you have to fight for what you love
Dylan fights for lost causes. Probably because she used to be one.
Environmental issues, civil rights, corrupt corporations, and politicians—you name it, she's probably been involved in a protest. When her latest cause lands her in jail overnight, she meets Silas Moore. He's in for a different kind of fighting. And though he's arrogant and infuriating, she can't help being fascinated with him. Yet another lost cause.
Football and trouble are the only things that have ever come naturally to Silas. And it's trouble that lands him in a cell next to do-gooder Dylan. He's met girls like her before—fixers, he calls them, desperate to heal the damage and make him into their ideal boyfriend. But he doesn't think he's broken, and he definitely doesn't need a girlfriend trying to change him. Until, that is, his anger issues and rash decisions threaten the only thing he really cares about, his spot on the Rusk University football team. Dylan might just be the perfect girl to help.
Because Silas Moore needs some fixing after all.
Pre-Order Your Copy Today!
Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iTunes
And don't forget to grab your copy of ALL LINED UP Today!
Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** iTunes
About Cora Carmack:
Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life– boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.
Website ** Twitter ** Facebook
Author Goodreads ** ALL BROKE DOWN Goodreads
Categories Books, New Adult, Sports•Tags #newadult, all broke down, All lined up, cora carmack, new adult romance series, Rusk University
Tattoo Tuesday – @EmilyRPearson
I'm so excited to present to some, introduce to others Ms. Emily R. Pearson. Her novel Two Steps Back will be released on Friday, July 11, 2014.
Emily, your four questions start now:
1. How old were you when you got your first tattoo?
I got my first tattoo on my 18th birthday. I actually designed it for my dad who passed away when I was 8. I went to a local shop a couple months in advance with my design and they took it and completely vamped it up for me.
2. How many tattoos do you have? If only one, do you want more?
I have 4. I have a star on my foot and plan on adding to it. The star is because of the moment in The Lion King when Mufasa and Simba talk about all the kings of the past being stars in the sky. I also have the word 'inspire' that matches a close friend of mine's as well. I have that tattoo for my dad and then I have a tattoo for my writing that I just got last month. It's the quote I use to sign my books with; "Never let the past get in the way of your future."
I have plans for many more 🙂
3. What inspired you to get your first tattoo or favorite tattoo? Tell me your tattoo story.
My first tattoo is my favorite one. It's for my daddy and it holds a special place in my heart. If you look at the picture, you'll see the wings are blue and green. That's because my dad had a green eye and a blue eye. The antlers are obvious; he was a hunter. The barbed wire is actually a funny story. When I was little, I took a barbed wire fence out with my eye. I still have the scar to prove it. We were out of town because my dad and his friends were putting on a fireworks show and when he saw my battle wound, he tried to take me to the hospital instead of putting on his show. I told him I wanted to see the pretty lights so he cleaned me up and called me his champ. This tattoo means so much to me.
4. Tattoos on a significant other, like or dislike? Explain why?
Of course I like! Tattoo's are hot! They aren't required though. I love that someone can tell a story on their body though. That's what makes tattoo's special to me. It's not just a fashion statement. It's a story. I love stories, obviously!
I have several more planned myself. 🙂 Thanks so much Emily.
If you want to learn more about Emily, check out her stuff:
Website | Facebook | Twitter
Check out her work:
I am hanging out with Emily this Friday for her Two Steps Back Release Day Facebook Party, be sure to stop by. There will be giveaways and prizes all day.
If you have a tattoo story to share, leave me a note in the comments.
Categories Books, Tattoos•Tags #emilyrpearson, #newadult, emily r pearson, inspire tattoo, memorial tattoo, new adult, script tattoo, star tattoo, tattoo, tattoo tuesday, two steps back

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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CLOSED TRANSACTIONS
OR-ADVANTAGE
RESEARCH & MEDIA
ORBELL OVANESS
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT INVESTMENTS
Orbell Ovaness is professionally recognized as a leader in his niche of real estate, focusing on high-street retail, grocery-anchored shopping centers, single tenant net lease and complex mixed-use developments.
Orbell has built a team of seasoned advisors to navigate clients through the strategic acquisition; disposition; and re-positioning of retail and mixed-use real estate properties throughout Los Angeles, Southern California, and Major MSA's throughout the U.S.
Throughout his successful 20-year career, Orbell has exclusively listed and sold over $1 Billion worth of real estate transactions - a testament of his command in business relationships, financial analysis and underwriting. Working with some of the world's most visible high net worth families, REIT's and institutional companies, Orbell offers invaluable insight on current market trends to his national and international clients alike. The evolution of his career has taken him from small-brand to prestigious corporate firms, shaping his unique and undoubtedly accomplished take on the make-up of commercial real estate. Following his 8-year tenure as Executive Vice President of BRC Advisors, Inc., Orbell, in 2016, was named First Vice President of CBRE, Inc. Shortly thereafter, in 2017, Orbell became the number one retail investment sales broker for CBRE's Beverly Hills office, ranking him in the top ten of investment sales advisors for all of CBRE's Southern California region.
Orbell began his real estate career with Marcus & Millichap in 2003 as an Investment Associate; 17-years later he is the First Vice President of the very firm that started it all.
Orbell's graduate studies at California State University, Northridge included Business Management Information Systems with a strong emphasis in Real Estate. A philanthropist and an entrepreneur, Orbell is a leader within his community and an active member of various professional organizations including the International Council of Shopping Centers.
orbell.ovaness@marcusmillichap.com
ovanessrostamiangroup@marcusmillichap.com
515 S. Flower St. Suite 500
Copyright © 2022 Ovaness-Rostamian Group


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Home / People / Hiroshi Sato /
Hiroshi Sato
About Hiroshi Sato
Hiroshi Sato was born in Gamagori, Japan. From the age of three to fourteen Hiroshi Sato lived in Tanzania, East Africa. In that period his world could be separated into three places. The first was the inside of the house, filled with stories of my parents, books and movies from the west. The second was the outside world of an alternate culture and landscape. The third was the place he was supposedly from, Japan. It was a place that mostly existed as a pseudo fictional place in his head, confirmed to be real by brief visits to Japan once a year.
Hiroshi returned to Japan for high school, flipping the three places around. The pseudo fiction becoming the real and the real world becoming memory. The idea of culture and class as relative to location was cemented as a fundamental aspect of the human condition in his perception of humans. Hiroshi is interested in depicting our mind as a self contained world interfacing with the external world. The goal of his artwork is to frame the moments of our life where this idea reveals itself to the perceiver.
Hiroshi attended the fine-arts program at the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, graduating with a Bachelors and Masters in Fine Art. He is focused on contemporary realist oil painting, influenced by past and present artists including Vermeer, Degas, Andrew Wyeth, Euan Uglow, Richard Diebenkorn, Edward Hopper and Chuck Close. Sato's work shows his interest in the geometric design principles of the old masters.
Hiroshi's work has won many awards and has been featured in various publications such as Fine Art Connoisseur, Juxtapoz Magazine, Visual Art Source and Art Business News Magazine.


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Tag: IT/ITEs
Top Reasons To Study For A Computer Science Degree Right Now :
Computer Science has been one of the hottest post higher secondary subjects, to study in graduation ever since India became an IT hub from late 90s. Today India has become a digitalized nation and IT or Information Technology sector still remains one of the biggest employers of India today. Even amidst rumours of mass…
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Email us: info@linesmanscottage.com.au
Explore Historical Chiltern & Surroundings | The Linesman's Cottage
Chiltern is an interesting historic village founded when gold was discovered in 1859. The main street has retained its historic features, with carefully preserved brick buildings and wooden verandahs. There are many properties listed by the National Trust, several of these are open to the public, including – Lake View House, Dow's Pharmacy, Police Lockup, Athenaeum Museum and the Federal Standard Printing Works. Lake View House is the childhood home of Henry Handel Richardson (Ethel Florence) who was a celebrated early colonial author. The Getting of Wisdom was first published in 1910 and her other famous trilogy – the Fortunes of Richard Mahony, between 1917 - 1929
Chiltern is surrounded by the Chiltern – Mt Pilot National Park. The Park is renowned for its wildflowers, bird life, historic gold mining relics and Aboriginal rock art. The area is popular with bush walkers, cyclists and bird watchers.
Chiltern has many intriguing antique and gift shops and offers a range of cafés, restaurants, art galleries and pubs.
Chiltern Visitor Information www.explorechiltern.com.au
National Parks www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
Chiltern Museum www.chilternathenaeum.com.au
National Trust www.nattrust.com.au
Henry Handel Richardson www.henryhandelrichardsonsociety.org.au
Facebook – Visit Chiltern https://www.facebook.com/Visit-Chiltern-221555981546861/
Address : Rear of Post Office, Main Street, Chiltern VIC 3683 Enter via Crawford St
Copyright © 2017 The Linesman's Cottage.


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Home > Blog > How artificial intelligence is changing organic search
How artificial intelligence is changing organic search
By Dan Taylor
Artificial intelligence isn't a new concept, spam filters have been using it for years (in the form of ANI – Artificial Narrow Intelligence) to protect our inboxes and it has been used in films since the 1920s to captivate and astound audiences.
Metropolis (1927) was one of the first science-fiction films ever made, introducing audiences to the idea of sentient robots with human features.
This is what Google's RankBrain is, a form of artificial intelligence.
While the concept isn't something completely new, it is however a new concept in the world of organic search, and in a Bloomberg interview in 2015, Google commented that RankBrain was the third most important factor (among the 200+ ranking factors) in its ranking algorithm.
That being said, you can't optimise your website for RankBrain. This was confirmed by Gary Illyes at SMX Advanced (2016), who said during his talk that there is no RankBrain score.
Google's RankBrain assess each search query based on intent and meaning.
Each search vertical and environment is examined on its own to establish benchmarks for the 'best' and 'worst' sites.
Your website (and backlink profile) are then compared against those of the 'best' and 'worst' sites to establish which bracket you come under.
Sites need to stay on topic and niché to avoid misclassification.
How artificial intelligence affects organic search performance
RankBrain is a 'machine learning' system that has been developed to help improve the quality of search results, especially with the interpretation of new queries (Google estimates that 15% of its 3.5 billion daily searches are queries never seen before).
In 1999 Google took one month to crawl and index ~50 million pages. In 2012 this took less than one minute. (source Internet Live Stats)
RankBrain does this by turning searched words into vectors, which the computer can process and understand much more easily. If it sees a word or phrase it doesn't recognise, it uses its vectors to make an 'educated guess' based on similar search queries, intents and meanings. When it makes these guesses, it then monitors the users response to the results that it serves and adjusts itself accordingly to better understand the original query.
RankBrain however, is much more than this. It also takes into account a multitude of other ranking factors and Google engineers have taught RankBrain how to recognise what a 'good' site looks like that will 'fully meet' a user's needs, and what a poor site looks like that 'fails to meet' a user's needs.
Ensure your site stays on topic
Each vertical has different standards of what a 'good' and a 'bad' site looks like, this is down to different CRMs, different templates, different content structures and ultimately, the different budgets flying around. A local plumber will have a different marketing budget compared to a national parts wholesaler, and while they may have some keyword crossover, their website intents and audiences are different.
As RankBrain processes more and more queries, it learns what the 'optimum' search results are for each search vertical, and establishes the 'premier' websites in that search environment. For example, in the movie reviews business, Google knows and acknowledges that sites such as IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes are trusted, established websites, so any other websites that follow a similar structure to them will be associated with the 'good' sites in the vertical. Those that have intrusive adverts or follow a known spam site structure within the vertical will be associated with the 'bad' sites.
By ensuring that your website stays on topic, RankBrain can classify your website better and compare you to other relevant websites.
Comparison of backlink profiles
Another one of the ranking factors that we know RankBrain takes into account is a domain's backlink profile, and compares multiple backlink profiles to yours to establish any irregularities or if any of those links break Google's Link Scheme guidelines.
This is why it's important to stay within your 'environment' and try and acquire natural links through outreach and PR, not through PBNs and buying blog links.
Let's say that your website sells replica sportswear. Naturally, you'd expect to see links from other sports websites and fashion websites. Below is an example of link environments from a leading website for replica sportswear and football shirts in Google UK:
Using tools like Majestic, you can determine the environments that competitor's links come from.
This is why topical relevance and not just acquiring links for the sake of it is important. Let's say in this example, the person tasked with improving a site's organic rank knows of some mom blogs that they've used for building links for previous clients, they know how much a link costs and that it's a guaranteed link.
So they spin a loosely related article about 'how to get grass stains out of your child's new football shirt', pay the fee and get it published. This is a natural link from a mom blog, surely?
RankBrain will look at your backlink profile and notice these links from mom blogs and that the more reputable 'best' sites within the vertical don't have mom blog links, but the spammy sites in the vertical do. RankBrain will now associate your website with the spammy sites (more closely than it previously did) and this could impact your organic search performance.
To the future
Metropolis predicted that machines would be on a level par with human intelligence by 2026, and using the Kurzweil Law of Accelerating Returns, RankBrain and artificial intelligence in general will surpass the capabilities of the human brain (eventually).
For the time being, RankBrain to an extent has made life simpler for SEOs as it has started the process of moving things away from Google just being an algorithm that can be manipulated — by giving it a level of intelligence it has removed the loopholes. This is why technical SEO is becoming more and more relevant in modern SEO; the days of being able to write content and then point links at a page to make it rank are firmly in the rear view mirror.
« No Penguin recovery? Maybe links weren't the issue…What happens to your organic search performance when you get hacked »


Will 13Fishing have a booth at the Chicagoland Fishing Show/Expo a little later this month?
I don't see them on the exhibitor list.
Side note..for anybody that knows Lee's global tackle in the Chicago area...do they sell hedgehog and/or ZPI products? I don't see them on the website but they are a "JDM" shop. Be cool to pick some stuff up at the expo.
Maybe a dealer will have a Z to check out.
I have checked with our sales team about the Chicagoland show. Cabela's will be attending with a booth. It is unknown if they will have any Concept Z's at the show for sale. Sales have been off the charts for Z. Worst Case, you would be able to order one in their booth from Cabelas.com.


Find a date to a bluegrass concert in the Bluegrass State of Kentucky. Match.com brings Kentucky daters together. Find other singles in Paint Lick who are looking for you. To laugh often and love much... to appreciate beauty, to find love in Paint Lick... this is the Match.com way.


About 3 years ago I started spray painting my projects instead of using a brush and I will never go back! One coat coverage with spray paint is phenomenally better than one coat with a brush and not to mention you don't see brush strokes either. Plus an average paint project with a brush used to take me 4-6 hours (including dry time); but with spray paint I cut that down to 1 1/2 hours (including dry time).
Lately I've had several people mention to me that they just cannot seem to spray paint anything without getting drips. I get it! I used to struggle with getting a flawless finish but after several years of practice, I've learned a few tricks along the way. So if you're struggling with drips or if you're just not able to get a smooth finish, I'm sharing the biggest mistakes I see and some tips on how to get a perfect finish.
First and foremost you have to shake the can…like a lot. I typically shake it for a full minute to make sure the paint is fully mixed in there. Then before spraying my object, I spray the paint into the air to make sure the nozzle sprays well. Sometimes, (especially if you're using a used can) the paint can get clogged in the nozzle which will make the paint spit out. This will not give you a smooth texture and you'll have to sand it off later. If the paint does spit, you'll most likely need to pop off the nozzle and switch it out with another spray can nozzle you have lying around. If you switch the nozzle and it still spits, you may just need to get a new can. In my experience I have had a few spray cans that just spit paint no matter how much I work with it. Save yourself a headache later and just use a fresh can that sprays well.
This is one of the biggest mistakes I see. Never start spraying or stop spraying while the nozzle is pointed directly at the object. When you first push down or let go of the nozzle the paint may spit a little. The key is to start spraying away from the object and glide it across the object to the other side so that your paint spray never stops while directed at the object. When you're gliding your paint can from side to side, always spray past the edge of the object to ensure you don't have paint building up too thick in one area. I've got a quick video at the bottom of this post to better explain what I mean!
This is the second biggest mistake I see. Most paint can instructions suggest spraying 10-12 inches from the object. The reasoning for this is because the further your can is from the object, the thinner your coat of paint will be. A thin coat of paint is much less likely to drip than a thick one so keep your distance. I typically spray one thin coat over everything, let it dry for 30-45 minutes, and then spray a second thin coat for complete coverage.
If you're painting a lot, you might notice that your nozzle is building up a lot of paint. Sometimes if it gets too messy it'll start dripping from the outside of the nozzle/can. Just wipe it off with a rag every once in a while to ensure it's not going to drip on your object.
Sometimes drips happen even when you're doing everything right. It's happened to me plenty of times. Just wait till the paint is dry and lightly sand it with a fine grit sanding block to smooth it over. Paint over it again and you should be good to go!
Here's a quick video to demonstrate how I spray paint and get a flawless finish every time.
Ultimately, you're going to need to practice a lot. Spray painting isn't difficult but it does take a bit of time to get used to the motions. Once you figure out the technique you'll be spray painting everything…trust me!
P.S. some spray paint brands are fabulous and others have proven to produce poor quality results. If you're curious what my go to spray paint brands are, check out this post - My Go To Paints, Stains, and Finishes.
Personalized name tags that double as Christmas ornaments?! Yes please!


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Crystal Trophies are a great presentation award when you are looking for an affordable Team or League trophy. This crystal trophy is part of our Collegiate series and comes with a female 3-D rendition inside the optical crystal. Each award comes with an engraved brass plate and individually boxed. Before placing an order for this product, please make sure to review and become familiar with our Engraving and Artwork specifications.


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def _get_user_agent_string():
    from backlinks import get_version
    return "Django Backlinks %s" % get_version()

INSTALLED_MODULES = [
    ('pingback', 'Pingback', 'backlinks.pingback.client.default_client'),
    ('trackback', 'TrackBack', 'backlinks.trackback.client.default_client'),
]

MAX_EXCERPT_WORDS = 32
MAX_URL_READ_LENGTH = 8192
USER_AGENT_STRING = _get_user_agent_string

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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A Look At The "Good Guy With A Gun" And Gun-Free Zones
On Tuesday, a community in my state of Michigan was rocked by an unbelievable tragedy. A school shooting occurred at Oxford High School, 20 minutes from the school I graduated from, which took the lives of four students and injured seven. It's another preventable mass shooting in the United States, and the response to this tragedy highlights how different gun culture is in the United States as opposed to the rest of the world.
I waited a few days before broaching this topic because I felt that immediately trying to push out a political hot take didn't help anyone and wasn't respectful. However, I feel like it's time to discuss the American obsession with guns, and look at a popular argument that arises in the States every time one of these things happens: "the best way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun."
I want to look at what the rationale for the "good guy with a gun" is and whether that argument is good. Then, I'd like to examine if gun-free zones matter in a shooter's decision to kill. I want to preface this by saying that I am pro-gun, and I am in favor of responsible gun ownership. However, I am not pro-gun in the sense that I do not have criticisms of the way we view guns in America. I do not worship guns as if they're some divine force sent straight from a God.
What is The "Good Guy With A Gun?"
The argument goes, as mentioned previously, "the best way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun." The idea behind it is that most mass shootings occur in "gun-free zones," and that mass shooters would think twice before committing a shooting spree if they knew that someone would have a gun at the location that they targeted. And to be fair, there have been incidences where a "good guy with a gun" has saved people's lives.
The Washington Times once compiled a list of 11 incidences where this happened. A common justification for this argument is an incident that happened in White Settlement, Texas. A gunman opened fire in a church, killing two people before being killed by a churchgoer. That churchgoer was honored for his actions that day.
So saying that a "good guy with a gun" can't save lives would be incorrect. And the actions of these people are heroic. This begs a few questions. Could the known presence of a gun prevent a mass shooting? And in a much broader sense, does a gun decrease the risk of harm to a person and save lives? Also, what about gun-free zones? Are they truly magnets for mass shooters? Well…
The Data on The "Good Guy With A Gun"
Let's first look at whether guns are successful in defending oneself. In 2015, a study was published that looked at 14,000 incidents in which there was contact between a victim and an offender between 2000 and 2011. This study found that just 127 of these incidences resulted in successful self-defense with a gun, which is about .9% of the incidences reviewed. The study found self-defense gun use did not result in any major reduction in risk of injury, but it resulted in a bit of a reduction in risk of property loss, though the study could not conclude that this reduction was unique to self-defense gun use.
Another study, published in 2013, found a "robust" correlation between higher rates of gun ownership and higher firearm-related homicide rates. The study noted that, while they could not find causation, they found that states with high rates of gun ownership also had disproportionately high rates of firearm-related deaths.
In 2019, KXAN, a local news affiliate station in Texas, worked with ALERRT (Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training) at Texas State to compile data on the 316 mass shootings that had happened in the US between 2000 and 2019. They found that out of 50 incidences where a shooter was subdued by citizens, unarmed citizens or citizens who had different weapons stopped 40 of those cases.
A study published in July 2020 found that laws that allowed more people to carry guns in public were associated with higher rates of gun violence. This study also seemed to find a similar link that the aforementioned 2013 study found: states with higher rates in gun ownership also saw a higher likelihood of gun violence. The author of the study, Emma Fridel, spoke to Business Insider about the findings. "In popular culture, you hear people saying, 'Oh, if I had a gun and I was at that Wal-Mart, I could've stopped that shooting,'" Fridel said "But that's probably not true."
Gun-Free Zones
Let's go back to gun-free zones. A popular claim by pro-gun activists and gun lobbyists is that mass shooters specifically target gun-free zones because they're afraid of the "good guy with a gun." Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) said in the aftermath of the Aurora, Colorado movie theatre shooting "Was there nobody that was carrying that could've stopped this guy more quickly?"
John R. Lott, a researcher whose work is celebrated in right-wing circles, wrote an opinion piece for Fox News, saying that the theatre was targeted because "out of all the movie theaters within 20 minutes of his (the shooter's) apartment showing the new Batman movie that night, it was the only one where guns were banned." Lott later added, "gun-free zones are a magnet for those who want to kill many people quickly."
However, there isn't any evidence to back up Lott's point. The Aurora shooter omitted the theatre's ban on guns and showed no concern for armed citizens in his journal. Actually, he opted for mass murder when he decided to kill in part because firearms allowed him to commit the act easier. "Maximum casualties, easily performed with firearms, although primitive in nature. No fear of consequences, being caught 99% certain," he said.
Despite this, Lott has continued to be one of the most outspoken researchers against gun-free zones. And yet, Lott and supporters of the position that gun-free zones attract shooters share the same flaw in their logic: that mass shooters are rational people making rational decisions. Lott himself acknowledges that about half of those who commit mass shootings are formally diagnosed with some form of mental illness.
However, for Lott's logic to work, mass shooters would have to be incredibly rational and calculating in their decision-making. They'd have to be interested in specifically avoiding confrontation to kill as many as they could before the police arrived. In reality, mass shooters are irrational. The mere thought of shooting up a school, movie theatre, grocery store, church, etc. is irrational. Why would irrational actors make a decision that requires rational thought?
The fact is, they don't. In 2014, the FBI analyzed 160 active shootings between 2000 and 2013. They found the shooters picked the locations of the shootings out of emotional grievance or an attachment to a group, person, or the location itself. Out of the shootings that occurred in commercial or educational areas, the FBI found the shooter had some sort of relationship or link to the area 63% of the time.
It is important to note that the FBI's study defines active shootings as "an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and
populated area," regardless of how many people are shot or how many casualties are involved. This allows us to see more clearly which locations are being targeted, why, and the motivations behind these cases. The definition of active shootings differs from the definition of mass shootings, as the common definition of a mass shooting is an incident in which four or more deaths occur, excluding the gunman.
The Trace, an organization dedicated to reporting on gun violence in the US, published a commentary piece in 2015 that contained findings of their analysis of the FBI study. They found that out of the 65 cases in which a shooting took place in an open space area or a business with pedestrian traffic, 25 of these cases occurred in a location that allowed people to carry firearms.
"But Tristin, you disgusting liberal," you may shout at your computer screen right now, "that's less than 50%." And by God, you are correct. That only amounts to about 38% of the incidences. The reason for this is that The Trace only counted shootings that occurred in an open space area or business with civilian traffic, in which it was undeniably clear that the target location allowed people to carry their firearms.
The big complication in The Trace's analysis was a difference in state law regarding gun-free zones, as well as the fact that concealed carriers either were unaware of or flat out ignored policies that restricted the ability to carry firearms. For example, The Trace found that out of six mall shootings analyzed, two of them occurred in a gun-free zone, and yet an armed civilian tried to intervene. At that point, those locations were never gun-free zones, which lends credence to the idea that shooters aren't concerned about that, to begin with.
From what I can see, the evidence is pretty clear. The "good guy with a gun" argument isn't a good one. There isn't any evidence that an armed civilian is uniquely effective at stopping a shooting. It seems as if unarmed civilians are more successful at stopping a shooter than armed civilians. The presence of a gun doesn't seem to reduce the risk of harm. Rather, areas with more guns see more violence.
It also doesn't stand to reason that gun-free zones are these massive magnets for people looking to kill. There's no evidence that shooters even consider if their targets are gun-free zones. They usually base their choice of target on some sort of relationship or link they have to that area as opposed to some sort of careful consideration around the presence of firearms. This argument was doomed to fail from the start, as it assumes that inherently irrational actors can make rational decisions.
That these ideas are so prevalent speaks to a uniquely American attitude surrounding guns. Despite the empirical links between high rates of gun ownership and high rates of firearm-related homicides, and the lack of evidence suggesting that guns are beneficial in reducing harm, people still believe that guns are this mythical force that will deter all challenges. They believe that the mere presence of their guns will keep them safe, so much so that they don't even consider that someone determined enough to attack them has little to no concern over whether they're armed.
Is the answer to just get rid of all firearms and repeal the second amendment? No. With the number of guns already present in the country, a complete recall would never work. And besides, there are ways to mitigate the amount of these mass shooting cases without completely taking away people's guns. Universal background checks would be a great start. Increasing the requirements one must meet to gain a permit is another possibility. Considering how many of these shooters are formally diagnosed with mental illnesses, mandatory mental health screenings for anyone trying to buy a gun are something I could get behind.
Though, it doesn't matter. The only thing this country is interested in is maintaining the status quo. Despite their ability to create change and their cries about never letting this happen again, the people who run this country won't change anything. If six- and seven-year-olds dying at Sandy Hook changed nothing, do you think this country will care about teenagers being slain by their classmates? Of course not.
The only things they seem to offer are empty thoughts and prayers.
Photo Credit: iStock
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text:
Rackspace Technology Taps Industry Veteran Amar Maletira as President and Chief Financial Officer
21st October, 2020
Company preannounces double-digit Q3 revenue growth
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, October 21, 2020 – Rackspace Technology (Nasdaq: RXT) announces today the appointment of services industry veteran Amar Maletira as President and Chief Financial Officer, effective November 23, 2020. Current CFO Dustin Semach has resigned to take a new career opportunity. Semach will stay through the company's third quarter earnings report and transition to Maletira thereafter.
Maletira joins Rackspace Technology from VIAVI Solutions, Inc. where he was Executive Vice President and CFO. Maletira brings an extensive background in corporate finance, strategic planning, M&A and risk management. During Maletira's tenure at Viavi, the company's market capitalization more than doubled, surpassing S&P 500 growth over the same period. In 2019, Maletira was ranked the #1 CFO in TMT Mid-Cap by analysts and investors surveyed by Institutional Investor Magazine.
"I am thrilled to welcome Amar to Rackspace Technology and be back together with him to build upon our proven winning partnership," said Kevin Jones, CEO, Rackspace Technology. "Amar's incredible 5-year track record as public company CFO coupled with his services experience and strategic thinking are winning elements to our growth agenda and value creation for our shareholders and customers."
Jones adds, "I want to take this opportunity to thank my partner Dustin for his key role in helping pivot the company and his leadership through our IPO. I wish him all the best."
"I can't imagine a more exciting time to join Rackspace Technology," said Amar Maletira, president and CFO of Rackspace Technology. "The company is uniquely poised to accelerate as the leading pure play multicloud solutions provider. I am looking forward to working again with Kevin and his executive team to lead the company's financial direction as we execute our growth strategy."
Maletira has more than 27 years of experience in the technology industry. Prior to serving as EVP and CFO of VIAVI, Maletira held a series of senior executive positions at Hewlett Packard Co. including CFO for Americas Enterprise Services, CFO for Application services, and Director of Investor Relations. Prior to HP, he led sales teams at Siemens and HCL in India. He received his undergraduate degree in Engineering from Karnataka University in India, and an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.
Third Quarter Financial Update
Jones added, "The preliminary third quarter estimates provided today demonstrate that Rackspace Technology continues to execute well and capitalize on the tectonic shift to the cloud that is occurring around the world. We expect double-digit year-over-year revenue growth, and in particular, double digit year-over-year Pro-Forma Core Revenue growth, which we achieved well ahead of schedule. In addition, Adjusted Earnings Per Share and Adjusted EBITDA are also expected to be up compared to last year's third quarter. We believe we are ahead of schedule with key financial metrics and milestones that we have provided investors, and we will address the impact on 2020 guidance when we announce third quarter earnings in mid- November."
The company is reaffirming its financial guidance for the full year 2020 and based on preliminary financial data is providing preliminary estimates of selected financial metrics for the third quarter:
(a) Revenue from our Core Segments ("Core Revenue"), comprised of Multicloud Services and Apps & Cross Platform.
(b) Adjusted Earnings Per Share and Adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP financial measures. For important information regarding our presentation of
Adjusted Earnings Per Share and Adjusted EBITDA see the Non-GAAP Financial Measures section.
The Company has provided ranges, rather than specific amounts, for the preliminary results described above primarily because it is still in the process of finalizing its financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2020, and as a result, the information above may vary materially from the preliminary estimates. Definitions of non-GAAP financial measures and the reconciliations to the most directly comparable measures in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP") are provided in the Non-GAAP Financial Measures section below.
Full-year 2020 Financial Outlook
Definitions of non-GAAP financial measures and the reconciliations to the most directly comparable measures in accordance with GAAP are provided in the Non-GAAP Financial Measures section below. Rackspace Technology has not reconciled Consolidated revenue growth, Year-over-Year in constant currency or Core Revenue growth, Year-over-Year in constant currency guidance to the most directly comparable GAAP measures because it does not provide guidance on forward-looking foreign exchange rates given their potential variability, which could be significant. Further, Rackspace Technology has not reconciled Adjusted EBITDA or Adjusted Earnings Per Share guidance to the most directly comparable GAAP measure because it does not provide guidance on GAAP net income (loss) or the reconciling items between Adjusted EBITDA and GAAP net income (loss) as a result of the uncertainty regarding, and the potential variability of, certain of these items, such as share-based compensation expense. Accordingly, a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measure guidance to the corresponding GAAP measure is not available without unreasonable effort. With respect to Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Earnings Per Share guidance, adjustments in future periods are generally expected to be similar to the kinds of charges and costs excluded from Adjusted EBITDA in prior periods, but the impact of such adjustments could be significant.
Rackspace Technology will host a conference call with investors at 4:30 pm eastern time on October 21, 2020 to discuss today's announcement. To join please visit:
https://rackspace.zoom.us/j/96559590462?pwd=N2RKK3dLYTRXVUZjK3lucC9KUnN0UT09
Or iPhone one-tap (US Toll): +13462487799,96559590462# or +12532158782,96559590462#
Or via telephone:
+61 (0) 2 8015 2088 (Australia Toll)
+49 (0) 30 3080 6188 (Germany Toll)
+852 5808 6088 (Hong Kong Toll)
+52 554 161 4288 (Mexico Toll)
+31 (0) 20 241 0288 (Netherlands Toll)
+41 (0) 31 528 0988 (Switzerland Toll)
+44 (0) 20 3695 0088 (United Kingdom Toll)
+1 647 374 4685 (Canada) Webinar ID: 965 5959 0462
Additional international numbers are also available at: https://rackspace.zoom.us/u/asIUoAgpF
If you have issues or questions about Zoom during the meeting, please email zoom@rackspace.com.
Rackspace Technology is a member of NASDAQ trading under the symbol of RXT. An industry multicloud leader, the company operates in 120 countries around the world, spanning three regions, Asia Pacific & Japan, Europe, Middle East & Africa, and the Americas covering Latin America, US and Canada.
Joe Crivelli
Rackspace Technology Investor Relations
IR@rackspace.com
Michelle Doss
Rackspace Technology Corporate Communications
publicrelations@rackspace.com
Rackspace Technology has made statements in this press release and other reports, filings, and other public written and verbal announcements that are forward-looking and therefore subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in this document are, or could be, "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are made in reliance on the safe harbor protections provided thereunder. These forward-looking statements relate to anticipated financial performance, management's plans and objectives for future operations, business prospects, outcome of regulatory proceedings, market conditions, our ability to successfully respond to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and other matters. Any forward-looking statement made in this press release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward- looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. Forward-looking statements can be identified by various words such as "expects," "intends," "will," "anticipates," "believes," "confident," "continue," "propose," "seeks," "could," "may," "should," "estimates," "forecasts," "might," "goals," "objectives," "targets," "planned," "projects," and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management. Rackspace Technology cautions that these statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside of our control, and could cause future events or results to be materially different from those stated or implied in this document, including among others, risk factors that are described in Rackspace Technology, Inc.'s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-239794), Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" contained therein.
This press release includes several non-GAAP financial measures such as constant currency revenue, Adjusted Net Income (Loss), Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Earnings Per Share ("EPS"). These non-GAAP financial measures exclude the impact of certain costs, losses and gains that are required to be included in our profit and loss measures under GAAP. Although we believe these measures are useful to investors and analysts
for the same reasons they are useful to management, as described in the accompanying pages, these measures are not a substitute for, or superior to, GAAP financial measures or disclosures. Other companies may calculate similarly-titled non-GAAP measures differently, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures. We have reconciled each of these non-GAAP measures to the applicable most comparable GAAP measure in the accompanying pages.
Constant Currency Revenue
We use constant currency revenue as an additional metric for understanding and assessing our growth excluding the effect of foreign currency rate fluctuations on our international business operations. Constant currency information compares results between periods as if exchange rates had remained constant period over period and is calculated by translating the non-U.S. dollar income statement balances for the most current period to U.S. dollars using the average exchange rate from the comparative period rather than the actual exchange rates in effect during the respective period. We also believe this is an important metric to help investors evaluate our performance in comparison to prior periods.
Adjusted Net Income (Loss), Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBITDA
We present Adjusted Net Income (Loss), Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBITDA because they are a basis upon which management assesses our performance and we believe they are useful to evaluating our financial performance. We believe that excluding items from net income that may not be indicative of, or are unrelated to, our core operating results, and that may vary in frequency or magnitude, enhances the comparability of our results and provides a better baseline for analyzing trends in our business.
We define Adjusted Net Income (Loss) as net income (loss) adjusted to exclude the impact of non-cash charges for share-based compensation and cash charges related to the settlement of share- based awards in connection with the November 2016 merger, transaction-related costs and adjustments, restructuring and transformation charges, management fees, the amortization of acquired intangible assets and certain other non-operating, non-recurring or non-core gains and losses, as well as the tax effects of these non-GAAP adjustments.
We define Adjusted EBIT as net income (loss), plus interest expense and income taxes, further adjusted to exclude the impact of non-cash charges for share-based compensation and cash charges related to the settlement of share-based awards in connection with the November 2016 merger, transaction- related costs and adjustments, restructuring and transformation charges, management fees, the amortization of acquired intangible assets and certain other non-operating, non-recurring or non-core gains and losses.
We define Adjusted EBITDA as Adjusted EBIT plus depreciation and amortization.
Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBITDA are management's principal metrics for measuring our underlying financial performance. Adjusted EBITDA, along with other quantitative and qualitative information, is also the principal financial measure used by management and our board of directors in determining performance-based compensation for our management and key employees.
These non-GAAP measures are not intended to imply that we would have generated higher income or avoided net losses if the November 2016 merger and the subsequent transactions and initiatives had not occurred. In the future we may incur expenses or charges such as those added back to calculate Adjusted Net Income (Loss), Adjusted EBIT or Adjusted EBITDA. Our presentation of Adjusted Net Income (Loss), Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by these items. Other companies, including our peer companies, may calculate similarly-titled measures in a different manner from us, and therefore, our non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similarly-tiled measures of other companies. Investors are cautioned against using these measures to the exclusion of our results in accordance with GAAP.
(a) Includes retention bonuses, mainly relating to restructuring and integration projects, and senior executive signing bonuses and relocation costs.
(b) Includes legal, professional, accounting and other advisory fees related to completed acquisitions (mostly Onica, consummated in the fourth quarter of 2019), and integration costs of acquired businesses (mainly Datapipe and Onica), purchase accounting adjustments (including deferred revenue fair value discount), payroll costs for employees that dedicate significant time to supporting these projects and exploratory acquisition and divestiture costs and expenses related to financing activities.
(c) Includes consulting and advisory fees related to business transformation and optimization activities, payroll costs for employees that dedicate significant time to these projects, as well as associated severance, facility closure costs and lease termination expenses. We assessed these activities and determined that they did not qualify under the scope of ASC 420 (Exit or Disposal costs).
(d) Represents historical management fees pursuant to management consulting agreements. The management consulting agreements were terminated effective August 4, 2020, and therefore no management fees have accrued or will be payable for periods after August 4, 2020.
(e) Includes losses on our repurchases of 8.625% Senior Notes.
(f) Reflects mainly changes in the fair value of foreign currency derivatives.
Adjusted Earnings Per Share (EPS)
We define Adjusted EPS as Adjusted Net Income (Loss) divided by our GAAP average number of shares outstanding for the period on a diluted basis and further adjusted for the average number of shares associated with securities which are anti-dilutive to GAAP earnings per share but dilutive to Adjusted EPS. Management uses Adjusted EPS to evaluate the performance of our business on a comparable basis from period to period, including by adjusting for the impact of the issuance of shares that would be dilutive to Adjusted EPS.
(a) Reflects the aggregate adjustments made to reconcile Adjusted Net Income (Loss) to our net loss, as noted in the above table, divided by the GAAP diluted number of shares outstanding for the relevant period, as adjusted for the company's twelve-for-one stock split effected on July 20, 2020.
(b) Reflects the impact of approximately 6 million shares of common stock relating to equity awards for the three months ended September 30, 2020.
These awards would have been anti-dilutive to GAAP net loss per share, and are therefore not included in the calculation of GAAP EPS, but would be dilutive to Adjusted EPS and are therefore included in the share count for purposes of presenting this non-GAAP measure.
donna.jenks@rackspace.com
Newsroom Links


text:
Q: Empty model in Eloquent Global scope? I am trying to determine if a user has the ability to update a model in a global scope, but I am using permission prefixes that I normally get through a relation.
The apply code is as follows:
public function apply(Builder $builder, Model $model)
{
    $user = getUser();

    if ($user === null || $user->cannot('update', $model)) {
        $builder->where('active', '=', 1);
    }
}

When I dd($model) the model is not actually instantiated so when I do my update permission check in my policy:
public function update(User $user, Item $item)
{
    return $user->hasAnyPermission(['edit-things', $this->prefix($item) . "-edit-item"]);
}

Where the prefix function looks like:
private function prefix(Item $item = null)
{
    if ($item !== null) {
        return $item->parentRelation->roles_permission_prefix;
    }
    $parentRelation= ParentRelation::findOrFail(request('parent_relation_id'));
    return $parentRelation->roles_permission_prefix;
}

It all fails due to their actaully not being a relationship. Any ideas?
Quick Edit: I am using the Spatie Permissions library if that is pertinent.

A: The only function that would break on a missing relationship is the prefix() function.
You can prevent prefix() from being called by checking if both $model and $model->parentRelation are null too in your list of conditions:
public function apply(Builder $builder, Model $model)
{
    $user = getUser();

    if (   $user === null
        || $model === null
        || (method_exists($model, 'parent_relation') && !$model->parentRelation)
        || $user->cannot('update', $model)
    ) {
        $builder->where('active', '=', 1);
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Mathieu Boulègue
On Russia, Macron Is Mistaken
Domingo, 08/Sep/2019 Chatham House EuropaUnión EuropeaFrancia, Rusia
There is no world leader with a more contradictory attitude toward Russia than Emmanuel Macron.
The French president was ostensibly the 'least apologist' candidate of those running in the first round of the 2017 elections. Compared to the Russian-funded Marine Le Pen on one end of the spectrum, and the radical leftist Jean-Luc Mélenchon on the other, Macron seemed a model of moderation.
To the Kremlin, he must have been perceived as the least desirable candidate for its interests, which is why they hacked the servers of his party, En Marche, just prior to the vote in a last-ditch attempt to derail the campaign.… Seguir leyendo »
Russia and NATO: A Dialogue of Differences
Sábado, 27/Abr/2019 Chatham House EuropaInternacionalOTANRusia
On 14 April, General Curtis Scaparrotti, the outgoing Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) of NATO Allied Command Operations General, deplored the broken communication process with Russia and a lack of understanding of "each other's signals". Immediately afterwards, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko denounced the current deadlock with NATO, claiming cooperation had been discontinued and disagreements with the Atlantic Alliance were now "even deeper than before".
Relations between NATO and the Kremlin have reached a dangerously abrasive stage, as the existing threat-reduction arrangements and confidence-building mechanisms with Russia are not working. Russia and NATO are talking past each other and substantive dialogue is not possible under current conditions.… Seguir leyendo »
In Sea of Azov, Russia Again Tests Its Strength
Martes, 27/Nov/2018 Chatham House EuropaConflicto territorial, Rusia, Ucrania
On 25 November, the Russian coast guard denied access to two Ukrainian armoured artillery boats and a tugboat on their pre-planned transit through the Kerch Strait to Mariupol on the Sea of Azov. Russian forces reportedly assaulted the Ukrainian surface vessels, leaving the crew of 23 captive and 6 Ukrainian servicemen wounded. In the wake of the attack, Russia temporarily closed navigation to non-Russian traffic through the Strait, before reopening it on Monday.
This represents an escalation for Russia in the Sea of Azov, from air and sea provocations to direct military action against Ukrainian assets. It is the latest step in the Kremlin's long-term efforts to destabilize Ukraine.… Seguir leyendo »
Russia's Vostok Exercises Were Both Serious Planning and a Show
Lunes, 17/Sep/2018 Chatham House EuropaFuerzas Armadas
From 11 to 17 September, the Russian armed forces conducted the active phase of the Vostok-2018 strategic military exercise. Throughout the week, Russia's far east hosted a coordinated ballet of troops rehearsing across multiple strategic directions. In a twist, the Chinese People's Liberation Army participated for the first time.
It was an impressive show, but it also offers serious lessons as to Russia's military planning and preparedness and its diplomatic footing towards both China and the West.
The military dimension
The Vostok 2018 exercise was part of a pre-planned life-cycle of massive drills occurring across all of Russia's military commands that aim to strengthen command and control (C2) and forces integration.… Seguir leyendo »
NATO Needs a Strategy for Countering Russia in the Arctic and the Black Sea
Lunes, 02/Jul/2018 Chatham House InternacionalOTAN
The NATO summit in Brussels on 11-12 July is likely to be highly political. The Atlantic alliance is increasingly polarised due to disagreements over burden-sharing arrangements, national contributions and transatlantic solidarity. But NATO members cannot let these disagreements get in the way of addressing the 'Russian challenge' – the increasing tensions with Moscow as the Kremlin explores the boundaries of escalation with the alliance and tried to destabilize it.
Prospects for improving relations with Moscow are minimal, especially in light of recent developments. The latest meeting of the NATO–Russia Council on 31 May (the first since October 2017) and the meeting between the chief of staff of the Russian armed forces, Valery Gerasimov, and the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joseph Dunford, on 8 June achieved very little.… Seguir leyendo »
The US–Russia Relationship Is Likely to Deteriorate Further in 2018
Jueves, 25/Ene/2018 Chatham House MundoAmérica del NorteEuropaEEUU, Relaciones Transatlánticas, Rusia
Since Donald Trump took office, Russia has come to hold a unique position in US internal and foreign affairs. It is not simply another 'rogue state' in the international arena, but has become a hot-button domestic issue, with ongoing investigations into alleged collusion with the Kremlin.
Trump's personal deference to Vladimir Putin does not reflect the broader picture of tense US–Russia relations. The political and military establishment in Washington sees Russia as a threat, as outlined in the recently published National Security Strategy (NSS) and National Defence Strategy (NDS).
The NSS calls Russia a 'revisionist power' while the NDS proclaims the US is in 'strategic competition' with the Kremlin.… Seguir leyendo »
Russia's New State Armament Programme Offers a Glimpse at Military Priorities
Viernes, 01/Dic/2017 Chatham House EuropaGasto militar, Rusia
On 23 November in Sochi, President Vladimir Putin wrapped up a four-day meetings marathon in the presence of Russia's military top brass and senior representatives of the defence industry. The now-traditional 'Sochi meetings' have been taking place twice a year since 2013 in order to address the main concerns in Russia's military industry as well as to review advances in military procurement for the armed forces. Today in their tenth iteration, they represent a direct incarnation of President Putin's 'manual control' over the decision-making process in the military industry. The November meetings were primarily aimed at finalizing the upcoming State Armament Programme 2018–2027.… Seguir leyendo »
Five Things to Know About the Zapad-2017 Military Exercise
Lunes, 25/Sep/2017 Chatham House EuropaBielorrusia, Rusia
Following seven days of «military operations», the fictional country of «Veshnoriya» (with a geography similar to that of the Baltic States) was forced into submission by Russian and Belarusian joint forces.
In a grand display, the «Union State» of Russia and Belarus destroyed the enemy after Veshnoriya tried to stage border incursions and massive air raids.
This scenario was, of course, played out in Russia and Belarus during the Zapad-2017 military exercise. But what were the key takeaways for the watching world?
Western commentators were obsessed with the numbers of Russian troops being mobilized during the course of exercise and stuck firmly to the «100,000 servicemen» narrative.… Seguir leyendo »


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Letter from Shanghai
By John Wan on March 19, 2008 in General, Letters
Somehow, I found myself in Shanghai, or Pudong to be exact, and I have a few hours in a posh hotel with free internet access before my next appointment; so here I go again, scribbling you something for what they would be worth.
My last job, last paid job that is, required me to go to China, mainly Beijing, Shanghai and the Pearl River Delta Area, as often as I could. Looking back, Pudong was just picking up and the airport there was only recently opened then. I also recalled a visit by my father-in-law to Hong Kong during which Rosita took him to Beijing and Shanghai when I had to go to some other places. It was a time she was still fit to travel by herself; and father and daughter decided to search their roots and to meet some relatives they had not seen for a very long time and probably would never again, at least for a very long time.
Some people have said that there are commonalities between big cities, such that one can see similarities between London and Hong Kong, or Paris and Shanghai. Well, Shanghai is not exactly one monolithic city block with one feature, except for the 50km of highway connecting Pudong Airport and the city itself. The giant hand of central planning is very much evident and visible. People all over the world converge on Shanghai and people all over China came here to try to make a life for themselves and for their future generations. Some made it, but many did not.
As I look out of the window from a high floor of the hotel across the river, I see haze and mist all over the place. It had been raining, or drizzling rather, somewhat unseasonably early they said, making the city look more miserable and dirtier than it really is. I see high rises and tall buildings all around, and as I approached the city from the airport, I saw many expensive looking residential blocks well occupied, and with more coming up. Shanghai and Pudong in particular, is determined to succeed.
On CNN and BCC, news of the unrest in Tibet continued alongside with the Dalai Lama's threat to resign as Tibet's spiritual leader in exile, and together with news of two big names in the fictional and entertainment world respectively.
The first one is Arthur C Clarke, or Sir Arthur rather, who came to fame in 1968 when one of his earlier short story, "The Sentinel" was made into a film "2001: A Space Odyssey" by Stanley Kubrick. Sir Arthur had written more than 100 fiction and non-fiction books, and his writings are credited by many commentators as having given science fiction a human and practical face. When he said in the 1940s that man would reach the moon by the year 2000, nobody listened to him. He died at 90.
I vividly remember watching the movie in the late Sixties and the first visual impact. I have since watched it a few times, including once in a hotel a few months ago which showed the film continuously on one of its channels. I woke up in the middle of the night, flipped to the channel and stayed with it because of the music. Much of the film's initial impact on me had faded, including the symbolism, the acting, the cinematography, the computer and HAL's voice, but it was still a great film. It was the Sixties, when so many things happened in the manner and fashion that young people in their twenties today could never imagine.
The other one is of course Anthony Minghella who died suddenly after some surgeries, at the rather young age of 54. Minghella was a writer turned director, shot to fame by his film "The English Patient" which won nine Oscars including one for himself as best director in 1997. He had made many good movies, including Truly, Madly, Deeply, Cold Mountain and Talented Mr. Ripley. Jude Law, who had worked with him on three films, said he was deeply shocked and saddened, adding that he was a brilliantly talented writer and director and a sweet, warm, bright and funny man.
Many celebrities and movie stars spoke of the shock from his premature death. Perhaps the sentiments could be summarized in what his friend Lord Puttnam, who is also a film producer, said, "He started as a writer; he was not a stylist as a director; he saw himself as a storyteller and his films were very well told, beautifully made and beautifully acted."
Even UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown had something to say. He said, "He was one of Britain's greatest creative talents, one of our finest screen writers and directors, a great champion of the British film industry and expert on literature and opera" Minghella had directed in a Labour Party broadcast before the 2005 General Election.
"English Patient" is one of my favourite movies. I had a DVD along with other numbers kept by the bedside so that I can watch bits of it when I woke up in the middle of the night. One theme running in the film is ownership and being owned. Who owns what and what are being owned by whom? After the two main characters Katharine and Almasy had slept together, Katharine asked Almasy what he hated most. His reply was ownership and being owned. He told her to forget him when she left his house. However, such aloofness and detachment was rather short-lived; and Almasy began to demand ownership of Katherine, claiming for ownership of her shoulder blade when he touched it, and then went on to claiming other parts of her anatomy, as if it were a proclamation that his love for Katharine would entitle him to ownership of her.
Such development is not uncommon and could even be natural, fictional though I have started it. And I suppose I can present such a situation through the Doctrine of Dependent Origination, or simply, cause and effect. The affair was precipitated as follows. The attraction between them had given rise to desires, desires to own, desires to be together, to have sex and so on. Such desires led to attachments and cravings which fed on themselves, resulting in more desires. Whether such desires had led to love is neither here nor there, without first dissecting or examining the conditions that had given rise to those desires in the first place and without looking into the commitments and responsibilities of each to each other and to the people to whom they owed such commitments and responsibilities, socially, legally and morally. In the end, it gave rise to more sufferings and eventually death, and so on and so on. As I had said somewhere before, love and hate are on the same side, which are no more than feelings and a far cry from the loving-kindness type of love which is unconditional, always there and sacrificial.
Ownership and the desire to own could well be a root cause of human conflicts and discontent. I watched a recent BBC documentary which presented in numbers the average food and resources a person consumed and owned in one life, beginning with a suggestion that our early average ancestor would typically own no more than a loin cloth and a stick. In the wake of the fifth anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq, CNN told us that the USA initiative is costing the country US$12 billion a month and has caused numerous civilian deaths and other casualties. Now there are at least 4 million refugees roaming the streets of Iraq; and the UN has described the situation as phenomenal.
I wish you all out there a Happy Easter ahead.
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At one point, he lets the cat out of the bag: "At the same time the capacity to assert social and political control over the individual will vastly increase. It will soon be possible to assert almost continuous control over every citizen and to maintain up-to-date files, containing even the most personal details about health and personal behavior of every citizen in addition to the more customary data. "These files will be subject to instantaneous retrieval by the authorities. Power will gravitate into the hands of those who control information.
Our existing institutions will be supplanted by pre-crisis management institutions, the task of which will be to identify in advance likely social crises and to develop programs to cope with them. (This describes the structure of FEMA which came much later.) "This will encourage tendencies through the next several decades toward a TECHNOTRONIC ERA, A DICTATORSHIP, leaving even less room for political procedures as we know them. Finally, looking ahead to the end of the century, the possibility of BIOCHEMICAL MIND CONTROL AND GENETIC TINKERING WITH MAN, INCLUDING BEINGS WHICH WILL FUNCTION LIKE MEN AND REASON LIKE THEM AS WELL, COULD GIVE RISE TO SOME DIFFICULT QUESTIONS."
Brzezinski was not writing as a private citizen but as Carter's National Security Advisor and a leading member of the Club of Rome and a member of the Committee of 300, a member of the CFR and as a member of the old Polish Black Nobility. His book explains how America must leave its industrial base behind and enter into what he called "a distinct new historical era." "What makes America unique is its willingness to experience the future, be it pop-art or LSD. Today, America is the creative society, the others, consciously or unconsciously, are emulative. What he should have said was that America is the proving ground for Committee of 300 policies which lead directly to a dissolution of the old order and an entry into the One World Government-New World Order. One of the chapters in "The Technotronic Era" explains how new technology will bring in its wake intense confrontation that will strain social and international peace.
Oddly enough we are already under intense strains through surveillance. Lourdes in Cuba is one place where this is happening. The other is NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, where a giant computer designated "666" can store data of every type mentioned by Brzezinski, plus possessing an expanded capacity to take in data for several billions more people than presently exist, if it ever comes to that, but which, in the light of the "Global 2000 genocidal report", will probably never need to be utilized. Retrieval of data will be simple in the United States where Brzezinski and his Committee of 300 colleagues could simply add social security and or driver licence numbers to 666 to provide the surveillance recording announced. The Committee already in 1981 warned governments, including the government of the USSR, that there "will be chaos unless the Committee of 300 takes complete control of preparations for the New World Order.
CONTROL WILL BE EXERCISED THROUGH OUR COMMITTEE AND THROUGH GLOBAL PLANNIG AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT." I reported this factual information a few months after I received it in 1981. Another item I reported back then was that RUSSIA HAD BEEN INVITED TO JOIN THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE COMlNG ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT. When I wrote these things in 1981, the conspirators' global plans were already in an advanced state of preparedness. Looking back over the past 10 years, it can be seen just how rapidly the Committee's plans have advanced. If the information provided in 1981 was alarming, then it should be even more alarming today as we near the final stages of the demise of the United States as we know it. With unlimited funding, with several hundred think tanks and 5000 social engineers, the media banking and control of most governments a reality, we can see that we are tracing a problem of immense proportions, one that cannot he opposed by any nation at this time.
As I have so often stated, we have been misled into believing that the problem I am talking about has its origin in Moscow. We have been brainwashed into believing that Communism is the greatest danger we Americans are facing. This is simply not so. The greatest danger arises from the mass of traitors in our midst. Our Constitution warns us to be watchful of the enemy within our gates. These enemies are the servants of the Committee of 300 who occupy high positions within our governmental structure. The UNITED STATES is where we MUST begin our fight to turn back the tide threatening to engulf us, and where we must meet, and defeat these internal conspirators.
The Club of Rome also had a direct hand in creating the 25-year old war in EI Salvador, as an integral part of the wider plan drawn up by Elliot Abrams of the U.S. State Department. It was Committee of 300 member Willy Brandt, leader of the Socialist International and a former chancellor of West Germany, who paid for the "final offensive" by the Salvadorian guerrillas which, fortunately, was not successful. EI Salvador was chosen by the committee to turn Central America into a zone for a new Thirty-Year War, which task was allocated to Kissinger to carry out under the innocuous title of "The Andes Plan." Just to demonstrate how the conspirators operate across all national boundaries, the "final offensive" action planned by Willy Brandt came about as a result of a visit to Felipe Gonzalez, who at the time was preparing himself for his Club of Rome-ordained role as Spain's future prime minister. Apart from myself and one or two of my intelligence colleagues and former colleagues, no one appeared to have heard of Gonzalez before he surfaced in Cuba. Gonzalez was the Club of Rome's case officer for EI Salvador, and the first Socialist to be elevated to political power in Spain since the death of General Franco.
Gonzalez was on his way to Washington to attend the Club of Rome Socialist "get Reagan" meeting which took place in December 1980. Present at the Gonzalez-Castro meeting was the left-wing guerrilla, Guillermo Ungo, run by the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), the Committee of 300's most notorious Washington-based leftwing think tank. Ungo was run by an IPS fellow who died in a mysterious plane crash while enroute from Washington to Havana to visit Castro. As most of us know, both the left and the right of the political spectrum is controlled by the same people, which will help to explain the fact that Ungo was a life-long friend of the late Napoleon Duarte, leader of the rightwing in EI Salvador. It was after the Cuban meeting that the "final offensive" by the Salvadorian guerrillas was carried out.
The polarizing of South America and the U.S was a special assignment given to Kissinger by the Committee of 300. The Malvinas War (also known as the Falklands War) and the subsequent overthrow of the Argentine government, followed by economic chaos and political upheavals, were planned by Kissinger Associates acting in concert with Lord Carrington, a top-ranking member of the Committee of 300. One of the principal Committee of 300 assets in the U.S., the Aspen Institute of Colorado, also helped plan events in Argentina even as it did in the case of the fall of the Shah of Iran.
Latin America is important to the United States, not only because we have so many mutual defense treaties with countries there, but also because it has the potential of providing a huge market for American exports of technology, heavy industrial equipment which world have galvanized many of our faltering companies and provided thousands of new jobs. This was to be prevented all costs, even if it meant 30 years of war. Instead of seeing this huge potential in a positive light, the Committee of 300 saw it as a dangerous threat to its post-industrial zero-growth U.S. plans and immediately acted to make an example of Argentina as a warning to other Latin American nations to forget any ideas they may have had to promote nationalism, independence and sovereign integrity. This is the reason why so many Latin American countries turned to drugs as their sole means of support, which may very well have been the intention of the conspirators in the first place.
Americans in general look down on Mexico, which is precisely the attitude with which the Committee wants the people of the United States to regard Mexico. What we need to do is change our thinking about Mexico and South America in general. Mexico represents a potentially huge market for all types of U.S. goods which could mean thousands of jobs for Americans and Mexicans alike. Transferring our industries "south of the border" and paying the maquiladores slave wages is not in the interests of either country. It benefits nobody but the "Olympians." Mexico received most of its nuclear power technology from Argentina, but the Malvinas War put an end to that.
The Club of Rome decreed back in 1986 that it would stop exports of nuclear technology to developing countries. With nuclear power stations generating abundant cheap electricity, Mexico would have become the "Germany of Latin America." Such a state of affairs would have been a disaster for the conspirators who have, by 1991, stopped all exports of nuclear technology except that destined for Israel. What the Committee of 300 has in mind for Mexico is a feudal peasantry, a condition that allows for easy management and looting of Mexican oil. A stable and prosperous Mexico can only be a plus for the United States. This is what the conspirators wish to prevent, so they have engaged in decades of innuendo, slander and direct economic war on Mexico.
Before former President Lopes Portillo took office and nationalized the banks Mexico was losing $200 million a day to capital flight, organized and orchestrated by the Committee of 300's representatives in banks and brokerage houses on Wall Street. If only we in the United States had statesmen and not politicians running the country, we could act together and set back the One World Government-New World Order plans to return Mexico to a state of helplessness. If we were able to defeat the Club of Rome's plans for Mexico, it would come as a shock to the Committee of 300, a shock from which they would take a long time to recover. The inheritors of the Illuminati pose as great a threat to the United States as they do to Mexico.
By seeking common ground with Mexican patriotic movements we in the United States could forge a formidable force to be reckoned with. But such action requires leadership, and we are more lacking in leadership than in any other area of endeavor. The Committee of 300 through its many affiliated organizations was able to nullify the Reagan presidency. Here is what Stuart Butler of the Heritage Foundation had to say on the subject "The right thought it had won in 1980 but in fact it have lost." What Butler was referring to was the situation in which the Right found itself when it realized that every single position of importance in the Reagan administration was filled by Fabianist appointees recommended by the Heritage Foundation.
Butler went on to say that Heritage would use rightwing ideas to impose leftwing radical principles upon the United States, the same radical ideas which Sir Peter Vickers Hall, top Fabianist in the U.S. and the number one man at Heritage, had been openly discussing during the election year. Sir Peter Vickers Hall remained an active Fabianist even though he was running a conservative "think tank." As a member of the British oligarchical Vickers armament manufacturing family, he had position and power. The Vickers family supplied both sides in the First World War and again during Hitler's rise to power.
Vickers' official cover was the University of California's Urban and Regional Development Institute. He was a longtime confidant of British Labour leader and Committee of 300 member Anthony Wedgewood Benn. Both Vickers and Benn are integrated with the Tavistock Institute for Human Relations, the premiere brainwashing institution in the world. Vickers uses his Tavistock training to very good effect when speech-making.
Consider the following example: "There are two Americas. One is the nineteenth century heavy-industry based society. The other is the growing post industrial society, in some cases built on the shards of the old America. It is the crisis between these two worlds which will produce the economic and social catastrophe of the next decade.
The two worlds are in fundamental opposition, they cannot co- exist. In the end the post industrial world must crush and obliterate the other one." Remember, this speech was made in 1981 and we can see from the state of our economy and our industries just how accurate was Sir Peter's prediction. When concerned people ask me how long the 1991 recession will last, I refer them to Sir Peter's statements and add my own opinion that it will not end until 1995/1996, and even then what emerges will not be the America we knew in the 1960's and 1970's.
That America has already been destroyed. I reported Sir Peter's speech in my newsletter soon after it was delivered. How prophetic it was, but then it was easy to predict a future already written for America by the Committee of 300 and its executive Club of Rome. What was Sir Peter saying in a euphemistic manner? Translated into ordinary everyday English, he was saying that the old American way of life, our true and trusted republican form of government based upon our Constitution, was going to be crushed by the New World Order. America as we knew it was going to have to go, or be crushed to pieces. As I said, Committee of 300 members often make them-selves highly visible. Sir Peter was no exception.
To make it clearly understood where he was coming from, Sir Peter rounded off his speech by declaring: "I am perfectly happy working with the Heritage Foundation and groups like that. True Fabians look to the New Right to push through some of their more radical ideas. For more than a decade the British population has been subject to a constant propaganda barrage of how it was on the industrial skids. All of this is true, but the net effect of the propaganda was to demoralize the population. (Exactly as intended by the new-science scientist at Tavistock.) "This will happen in the United States as the economy worsens. This (demoralizing process) is necessary to make people accept difficult choices.
If there is no planning for the future or if constituencies block progress there will be social chaos on a scale which is currently hard to imagine. The outlook for urban America is bleak. There is a possibility of doing something with the inner cities, but basically the cities will shrink and the manufacturing base will decline. This will produce social convulsions." Was Sir Peter a psychic, a magician of great report or merely a charlatan fortune teller with a great deal of luck?
The answer is "none of these." All Sir Peter was doing was reading off the blueprint of the Committee of 300-Club of Rome for slow death of the United States as a former industrial giant. Looking back over the ten years of Sir Peter's predictions, can anybody doubt that the Committee of 300's plans for the demise of an industrialized United States has become a fait accompli?
Haven't Sir Peter's predictions proved to be remarkably accurate? Indeed they have, almost down to the last word. It is worth noting that Sir Peter Vickers (Sir Peter VickersHall's father-in-law) worked on the Stanford Research paper, "Chang-ing Images of Man," from which much of the 3000 pages of material advice sent to the Reagan Administration was taken.
Moreover, as a senior MJ6 British intelligence officer, Sir Peter Vickers was in a position to give Heritage a great deal of advance information. As a member of the Committee of 300 and NATO, Sir Peter Vickers was around when NATO directed the Club of Rome to develop a social program which would utterly change the direction in which America wanted to go. The Club of Rome, under Tavistock direction, ordered Stanford Research Institute (SRI) to develop such a program, not only for America, but for every nation in the Atlantic Alliance and the OECD nations. It was Sir Peter's protege, Stuart Butler, who gave President Reagan 3000 pages of "recommendations," which no doubt contained some opinions expressed by Anthony Wedgewood Benn, a member of parliament and a ranking member of the Committee of 300.
Benn told members of the Socialist Internaional who met in Washington on December 8, 1980: "You can thrive under Volcker's credit collapse if you profile Reagan to intensify the credit collapse." That Butler's advice was taken and applied to the Reagan administration can be seen in the collapse of the Savings and loan and banking industries which accelerated under Reagan economic policies. While Benn called it "profiling," he really meant that Reagan should be brainwashed. It is worth noting that Von Hayek-who is a founder member of Heritage-used his student, Milton Friedman, to preside over the Club of Rome's plans to deindustrialise America using the Reagan presidency to accelerate the collapse of first the steel industry, and then the auto and housing industries, for example. In this regard a French Black Nobility member, Etienne D'Avignon, as a member of the Committee of 300, was assigned the task of collapsing the steel industry in this country. It is doubtful that any of the hundreds of thousands of steel workers and shipyard workers who have been without jobs for the past decade have ever heard of D'Avignon.
I fully reported the D'Avignon Plan in April 1981 Economic Review. Attending that fateful December 10th Club of Rome meeting in Washington D.C. was a mystery man from Iran who turned out to be Bani Sadr, the Ayatollah Khomeini's special envoy. One speech in particular at the December 10th, 1980 conclave caught my attention, mainly because it came from Francois Mitterand, a man the French establishment had discarded and thought to be washed up. But my intelligence source had previously told me that Mitterand was in the process of being picked up, dusted off and returned to power, so what he said carried a good deal of weight for me: "Industrial capitalist development is the opposite of freedom We must put an end to it. The economic systems of the 20th and 21st century will use machines to crush man, first in the domain of nuclear energy which is already producing formidable results. Mitterand's return to the Elysee Palace was a great triumph for socialism.