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Gardener’s almanac (June 28)
Bagworms have hatched — If you see a juniper fading and a brown area within it, look closely, because bagworms likely are crawling around, extension agent Bob Neier says. They’re pretty tiny — about a quarter of an inch. You can pick them off, but it’s probably easiest to spray at this point, and not later, when they are hard to treat. Use Bacillus thuringiensis or a product with spinosad in it, Neier says. When the worms get bigger, you have to hit them with the harder stuff.
Rust on hollyhocks — People are seeing rust on some hollyhocks, Neier says. It appears as little round rust pustules on the undersides of leaves — looking almost like a showerhead, he says. Pick off the affected leaves, he says, and in the future, treat the plants weekly with Immunox from the first of April through May. And when shopping for hollyhocks, look for rust-resistant varieties.
Irrigation trouble spots — Neier saw an irrigated yard recently in which trees were dying in some areas because they were being overwatered, while an area of lawn that had been treated for brown patch turned out to just be dry instead. This points up the need for an audit by an irrigation company to see how sprinklers are delivering water to all parts of the yard, Neier says. If you see problem spots in your yard, see if your sprinkler company does audits, he says.
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Grasshopper plague — Grasshoppers — at this point really tiny — are coming in thick, mainly in rural areas, Neier says. They’re thick because they like to lay eggs in weedy areas in really hot, dry years. That means they laid a lot of eggs last year. If you need to get rid of them, use any pesticide labeled for grasshoppers, except in the vegetable garden. There, you can use only Sevin or permethrin, and follow waiting periods for harvest as given on the label, Neier says. To reduce grasshoppers next year, get rid of the weed areas.
Rural snakes — Rick Lyda, who lives near Cheney Reservoir, wrote this week to remind people in rural areas to be alert to snakes when working in weedy areas. “We ... were surprised the other evening by a Massauga rattle snake down by our vegetable garden,” Rick said in an e-mail. “The dogs alerted me to it, and sadly I dispatched (it). ... I don't want the dogs to get bitten.”
Bartlett Arboretum concert — Grammy-nominated Oklahoma songwriter John Fullbright will perform Sunday at Bartlett Arboretum in Belle Plaine. Tickets are $10 at the gate, which opens at 3 p.m. The concert will be at 4 p.m. Picnics are welcome, and there also will be food for sale.
Petunias and Planters Punch — Raging Sea will perform at Botanica for the next Tuesdays on the Terrace, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Drinks and dinner will be for sale, and Petunias and Planters Punch is the theme. The gardens will be open until 8 p.m. Admission is $7, or $3 for Botanica members.
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Caverta medicine is manufactured by internationally renowned manufacturer Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. The medicine is used as an oral therapy for treating erectile dysfunction, which is also known as male impotence. The medicine is used for treating erectile dysfunction (impotence) in men, which is regardless of the cause or duration of the problem or the age of the patient. The medicine can help many men that have erectile dysfunction condition and have issues in getting and maintaining an erection when they become sexually stimulated.
You shall not get a penile erection just by consuming Caverta. The pills are available in strengths of 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg.
Consume the medicine by Sun Pharma about half an hour before you actually plan to have lovemaking session activity. The medicine lasts for approx. 4 hours. The maximum recommended dose is 100 mg once per day. Caverta medicine has to be swallowed as a whole with a glass of water. If you take this medicine post some heavy or a high-fat meal (such as a cheeseburger and French fries), the medication might take a little longer to start working.
Sildenafil Citrate in the medicine makes the blood vessels become wider. It may lower blood pressure. Sildenafil medicine mostly works in the penile and in the lungs. This medication enhances blood flow to the penile region. The medicine Caverta helps the penile become erect in presence of sexual intercourse.
Caverta medicine can help you to get a stiffer penile erection when you are sexually excited. You will not get an erection just by consuming the medicine.
Side effects with the Sildenafil Citrate medicine are usually mild to moderate and usually, they do not last longer than a few hours. Some of such side effects are more likely for occurring with consumption of higher doses. The most common side effects of Caverta by Ranbaxy include a headache, flushing of the face, and upset stomach.
Some medicines can alter the way Caverta by Sun Pharma works. Inform your doctor about any medicines you are consuming. Avoid starting or stopping consumption any medicines before checking with your doctor. The medicine by Ranbaxy should never be used with medications continuing nitrates.
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Good Shepherd Ranked Top Fifty Hospital
Out of 5,000 hospitals nationwide, one right here in East Texas has been named amongst the Top Fifty. Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview received HealthGrade's crystal award for being one of "America's 50 Best Hospitals." HealthGrades gives the award to hospitals that demonstrate excellent clinical quality over a seven-year time period.
Bullard is ready to compete for a playoff spot in the District of Doom.
Once again, we are giving you two Red Zone rundowns for the price of one. Just like in Lindale, the Bullard players are learning a new head coach during fall camp. East Texas native Scott Callaway is now in charge of the Panthers program.
Once again, we are giving you two Red Zone rundowns for the price of one. Just like in Lindale, the Bullard players are learning a new head coach during fall camp. East Texas native Scott Callaway is now in charge of the Panthers program.
With the smallest enrollment in District 17-5A, and really across the entire classification, Lindale could use that as an excuse for a sub-par season. But under defensive coordinator, turned head coach Chris Cochran, that won't be the case.
With the smallest enrollment in District 17-5A, and really across the entire classification, Lindale could use that as an excuse for a sub-par season. But under defensive coordinator, turned head coach Chris Cochran, that won't be the case.
"A lot of people thought tonight was about peaceful protesters countering something," event speaker DG Montalvo said. "But it wasn't. It was about getting together and encouraging each other without ideology."
"A lot of people thought tonight was about peaceful protesters countering something," event speaker DG Montalvo said. "But it wasn't. It was about getting together and encouraging each other without ideology."
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2 Mar Top Global Tech Companies Are All Currently Investing in Israel - Why?
The world's top ten tech companies --Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Google, Facebook, Alibaba, Intel, Oracle, Samsung and Baidu--increasingly have something in common: they're doing mission-critical work in Israel that's core to their businesses back at HQ. Let's take a look at how this trend is playing out.
The world's top ten tech companies --Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Google, Facebook, Alibaba, Intel, Oracle, Samsung and Baidu--increasingly have something in common: they're doing mission-critical work in Israel that's core to their businesses back at HQ. Let's take a look at how this trend is playing out.
Amazon: Up until some six months ago, Amazon had only two lines of activity in Israel, one for its AWS business, and a drone R&D facility in Herzliya, just north of Tel Aviv, for its Prime Air business.
Google several years ago bought Waze, an Israeli navigation app, in its mission to connect the online and the offline worlds.
Facebook’s acquisitions of Israeli companies, specifically Onavo and Face.com --have significantly boosted Facebook’s core business: targeted advertising.
Apple’s second largest R&D center is in Israel, and it's reportedly working on processors, chips and sensors that are increasingly important to Apple's new devices and to augmented reality technology, meaning, Apple’s future beyond the phone.
Intel, the world's largest chipmaker, has been deeply engaged with Israeli innovation for decades, but its recent acquisition of Mobileye, an advanced driver assistance company from Jerusalem, signals Intel's intent to be front and center in the coming autonomous vehicle revolution.
Oracle has recently announced that it plans to enter the cloud infrastructure race, trying to claw away market share from Amazon, the runaway leader, and Microsoft, which is itself trying to play catch-up.
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/*
alphagrad.c
This frei0r plugin fills alpha channel with a gradient
Version 0.1 aug 2010
Copyright (C) 2010 Marko Cebokli http://lea.hamradio.si/~s57uuu
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
(at your option) any later version.
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
GNU General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
*/
//compile: gcc -c -fPIC -Wall alphagrad.c -o alphagrad.o
//link: gcc -shared -o alphagrad.so alphagrad.o
#include <stdio.h>
#include <frei0r.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <math.h>
#include <assert.h>
//----------------------------------------
//struktura za instanco efekta
typedef struct
{
int h;
int w;
float poz,wdt,tilt,min,max;
uint32_t *gr8;
int op;
} inst;
//-----------------------------------------------------
//RGBA8888 little endian
void fill_grad(inst *in)
{
int i,j;
float st,ct,po,wd,d,a;
st=sinf(in->tilt);
ct=cosf(in->tilt);
po=(-in->w/2.0+in->poz*in->w)*1.5;
wd=in->wdt*in->w;
if (in->min==in->max)
{
for (i=0;i<in->h*in->w;i++)
in->gr8[i]=(((uint32_t)(in->min*255.0))<<24)&0xFF000000;
return;
}
for (i=0;i<in->h;i++)
for (j=0;j<in->w;j++)
{
d=(i-in->h/2)*ct+(j-in->w/2)*st-po;
if (fabsf(d)>wd/2.0)
{
if (d>0.0)
a=in->min;
else
a=in->max;
}
else
{
if (d>wd/2.0) d=wd/2.0;
a = in->min+(wd/2.0-d) / wd*(in->max-in->min);
}
a=255.0*a;
in->gr8[i*in->w+j] = (((uint32_t)a)<<24)&0xFF000000;
}
}
//-----------------------------------------------------
//stretch [0...1] to parameter range [min...max] linear
float map_value_forward(double v, float min, float max)
{
return min+(max-min)*v;
}
//-----------------------------------------------------
//collapse from parameter range [min...max] to [0...1] linear
double map_value_backward(float v, float min, float max)
{
return (v-min)/(max-min);
}
//***********************************************
// OBVEZNE FREI0R FUNKCIJE
//-----------------------------------------------
int f0r_init()
{
return 1;
}
//------------------------------------------------
void f0r_deinit()
{
}
//-----------------------------------------------
void f0r_get_plugin_info(f0r_plugin_info_t* info)
{
info->name="alphagrad";
info->author="Marko Cebokli";
info->plugin_type=F0R_PLUGIN_TYPE_FILTER;
info->color_model=F0R_COLOR_MODEL_RGBA8888;
info->frei0r_version=FREI0R_MAJOR_VERSION;
info->major_version=0;
info->minor_version=2;
info->num_params=6;
info->explanation="Fills alpha channel with a gradient";
}
//--------------------------------------------------
void f0r_get_param_info(f0r_param_info_t* info, int param_index)
{
switch(param_index)
{
case 0:
info->name = "Position";
info->type = F0R_PARAM_DOUBLE;
info->explanation = "";
break;
case 1:
info->name = "Transition width";
info->type = F0R_PARAM_DOUBLE;
info->explanation = "";
break;
case 2:
info->name = "Tilt";
info->type = F0R_PARAM_DOUBLE;
info->explanation = "";
break;
case 3:
info->name = "Min";
info->type = F0R_PARAM_DOUBLE;
info->explanation = "";
break;
case 4:
info->name = "Max";
info->type = F0R_PARAM_DOUBLE;
info->explanation = "";
break;
case 5:
info->name = "Operation";
info->type = F0R_PARAM_DOUBLE;
info->explanation = "";
break;
}
}
//----------------------------------------------
f0r_instance_t f0r_construct(unsigned int width, unsigned int height)
{
inst *in;
in=calloc(1,sizeof(inst));
in->w=width;
in->h=height;
in->poz=0.5;
in->wdt=0.5;
in->tilt=0.0;
in->min=0.0;
in->max=1.0;
in->op=0;
in->gr8 = (uint32_t*)calloc(in->w*in->h, sizeof(uint32_t));
fill_grad(in);
return (f0r_instance_t)in;
}
//---------------------------------------------------
void f0r_destruct(f0r_instance_t instance)
{
inst *in;
in=(inst*)instance;
free(in->gr8);
free(instance);
}
//-----------------------------------------------------
void f0r_set_param_value(f0r_instance_t instance, f0r_param_t parm, int param_index)
{
inst *p;
double tmpf;
int tmpi,chg;
p=(inst*)instance;
chg=0;
switch(param_index)
{
case 0:
tmpf=*((double*)parm);
if (tmpf!=p->poz) chg=1;
p->poz=tmpf;
break;
case 1:
tmpf=*((double*)parm);
if (tmpf!=p->wdt) chg=1;
p->wdt=tmpf;
break;
case 2:
tmpf=map_value_forward(*((double*)parm), -3.15, 3.15);
if (tmpf!=p->tilt) chg=1;
p->tilt=tmpf;
break;
case 3:
tmpf=*((double*)parm);
if (tmpf!=p->min) chg=1;
p->min=tmpf;
break;
case 4:
tmpf=*((double*)parm);
if (tmpf!=p->max) chg=1;
p->max=tmpf;
break;
case 5:
tmpi=map_value_forward(*((double*)parm), 0.0, 4.9999);
if (p->op != tmpi) chg=1;
p->op=tmpi;
break;
}
if (chg==0) return;
fill_grad(p);
}
//--------------------------------------------------
void f0r_get_param_value(f0r_instance_t instance, f0r_param_t param, int param_index)
{
inst *p;
p=(inst*)instance;
switch(param_index)
{
case 0:
*((double*)param)=p->poz;
break;
case 1:
*((double*)param)=p->wdt;
break;
case 2:
*((double*)param)=map_value_backward(p->tilt, -3.15, 3.15);
break;
case 3:
*((double*)param)=p->min;
break;
case 4:
*((double*)param)=p->max;
break;
case 5:
*((double*)param)=map_value_backward(p->op, 0.0, 4.9999);
break;
}
}
//-------------------------------------------------
//RGBA8888 little endian
void f0r_update(f0r_instance_t instance, double time, const uint32_t* inframe, uint32_t* outframe)
{
inst *in;
int i;
uint32_t t;
assert(instance);
in=(inst*)instance;
switch (in->op)
{
case 0: //write on clear
for (i=0;i<in->h*in->w;i++)
outframe[i] = (inframe[i]&0x00FFFFFF) | in->gr8[i];
break;
case 1: //max
for (i=0;i<in->h*in->w;i++)
{
t=((inframe[i]&0xFF000000)>in->gr8[i]) ? inframe[i]&0xFF000000 : in->gr8[i];
outframe[i] = (inframe[i]&0x00FFFFFF) | t;
}
break;
case 2: //min
for (i=0;i<in->h*in->w;i++)
{
t=((inframe[i]&0xFF000000)<in->gr8[i]) ? inframe[i]&0xFF000000 : in->gr8[i];
outframe[i] = (inframe[i]&0x00FFFFFF) | t;
}
break;
case 3: //add
for (i=0;i<in->h*in->w;i++)
{
t=((inframe[i]&0xFF000000)>>1)+(in->gr8[i]>>1);
t = (t>0x7F800000) ? 0xFF000000 : t<<1;
outframe[i] = (inframe[i]&0x00FFFFFF) | t;
}
break;
case 4: //subtract
for (i=0;i<in->h*in->w;i++)
{
t= ((inframe[i]&0xFF000000)>in->gr8[i]) ? (inframe[i]&0xFF000000)-in->gr8[i] : 0;
outframe[i] = (inframe[i]&0x00FFFFFF) | t;
}
break;
default:
break;
}
}
//**********************************************************
|
Filter 1: ON PK Fc 31 Hz Gain -9.4 dB Q 1.41
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 62 Hz Gain -7.4 dB Q 1.41
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 125 Hz Gain -6.5 dB Q 1.41
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 250 Hz Gain -6.8 dB Q 1.41
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 500 Hz Gain -5.5 dB Q 1.41
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 1000 Hz Gain -2.1 dB Q 1.41
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 2000 Hz Gain 4.7 dB Q 1.41
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 4000 Hz Gain 5.0 dB Q 1.41
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 8000 Hz Gain 5.9 dB Q 1.41
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 16000 Hz Gain 8.7 dB Q 1.41
|
The app also has a vocabulary section to help you look up the words in the Armenian language easier.
You can also follow your friends and see their progress in learning Armenian. Some friendly competition will, of course, help you learn more efficiently through our leaderboard.
The app teaches you Armenian through a variety of exercises:
• Fill in the blank in phrases
• Fill in the blank in the dialog
• Translate the phrases
• Translate the dialog
• Select the translation of the phrase
• Select the word in the picture
• Match the words
• Match the phrases
• Complete the phrases
• Practice pronunciation
• And much more...
There is also the option to Test Out of a module. If you feel like you're understanding a particular practice well enough, you can skip the lessons and AYOlingo will create a test for you. If you pass, then you're finished with the module! For those who want to challenge themselves, there is a Master Review. This takes the lessons in all of the modules and combines them with everything you've learned. Think of it like an Armenian language final exam.
The app currently doesn't teach the Armenian alphabet, but that feature will be added in the future.
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A Special Phone - 3.0 Compatible
SHAKE -- VERIFY -- DIAL3 easy steps to make a call without having to see the screen!
ADAPTIVE EYES-FREE KEYPAD (New)Dial any number without ever looking at your iPhone!!
You can simply touch your finger anywhere on the screen, and the application will tell you which number you are touching. When you find the number that you would like to use, you simply tap in it's place and it will dial that number! If you do not need eyes free dialing, you can use the keypad just as it is and tap away at the number just like the basic iPhone dialing application.
As you tap the numbers in both "eyes free" mode or regular mode, the application will speak the number and show a much larger number on the screen for those who can see. Those who need vision correction as well as the eldery will greatly benefit from this great new feature.
"A Special Phone" application for the iPhone utilizes three senses in order to allow impaired people to use the phone application on the iPhone. Audio,Tactile, and Visual flags allow the user to easily manage making calls. With extra large contact pictures, audio play, and vibration, the caller can be 100% sure that he called the correct contact. The blind, visually impaired, and people that are simply unable to view the phone at the time of placing a call will benefit from this.
While driving, even the simple act of looking at the phone to find a contact is difficult. Using the "A Special Phone" application will save you a lot of frustration and make dialing and driving a lot safer.
"A Special Phone" is a dialing system created specifically for people with special dialing needs. This application helps people with visual disabilities and physical handicaps and has a very easy user interface. It creates a simple solution to dialing on a touch screen that will not only be of great use to the blind, but also to the eldery, children, and those that have problems using the flat touch surface to dial.
If you have someone in the family, or a close friend or relative that has a vision impairment this application could be useful to you as well. Simply install the application and show the person how to use it. If in case of an emergency, the person will be able to dial out using your phone.
"A Special Phone" can also be used as a speed dialer.
"A Special Phone" is different than the conventional voice recognition apps where you need to speak with a specific language and tone. With "A Special Phone" you can record in any languages and dialects. Voice recognition apps fails in case of an emergency or some other physical activity where the tone and rhythm of your voice changes and when there is a lot of background or white noise. "A Special Phone" is always reliable, even if the noisiest of environments.
Initial Settings for speed dialing (you may need help in completing these initial steps if you require visual aids):-tap the info button-choose your contact (if a contact has more than one phone, you can choose which phone number to use)-you can choose up to 6 contacts-set your contact preferences (including voice recording) by pressing and holding your contact picture
Usage (for speed dialing)-tap the "A Special Phone" icon that will reside in an easy to find area.-shake once for your first contact, twice for your second contact, and so on.-contact's name will be spoken to you in your voice to verify the contact.-wait 2 seconds and your contact would be dialed automatically accompanied with a dial sound confirming the dial.
**note** It is suggested that you place the button for the application in a place that will be easy to find. A position in the lower left corner of the phone is suggested.
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He currently owns two fursuits, both of which he made himself. The first is of his primary character, Aloha. The second is a female suit named "Roma the Gypsy Vixen". He is popular for the "soap and water" sign he carries while in the Aloha fursuit, echoing the 6-2-1 rule.
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Method for the prevention and inhibition of adhesion between tissues comprising the use of fluorocarbons are disclosed. The method provides for the introduction of a fluorocarbon into the surgical site of a mammalian body, such as a human, to minimize friction and enhance the mobility of the surrounding...http://www.google.com/patents/US6235796?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6235796 - Use of fluorocarbons for the prevention of surgical adhesions
Use of fluorocarbons for the prevention of surgical adhesionsUS 6235796 B1
Abstract
Method for the prevention and inhibition of adhesion between tissues comprising the use of fluorocarbons are disclosed. The method provides for the introduction of a fluorocarbon into the surgical site of a mammalian body, such as a human, to minimize friction and enhance the mobility of the surrounding tissues and organs. The fluorocarbons introduced may be in various forms including liquid and emulsions, and provides a coating, film or barrier thereby reducing the surface tension associated after surgery. The subject invention further discloses the use of perfluorodecalin as a preferred fluorocarbon compound used as the primary anti-adhesion agent.
Images(4)
Claims(10)
What is claimed is:
1. A method for preventing or inhibiting the formation of adhesions in a surgical site comprising the step of locally administering to said surgical site on internal surfaces within said surgical site an effective adhesion preventing amount of an inert and non-toxic polycyclic fluorocarbon forming a lubricated barrier between said internal surfaces.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said inert and non-toxic material is a form of an emulsion.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein said inert and non-toxic material is in the form of a spray.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said inert and non-toxic material is perfluorodecalin.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein said perfluorodecalin is in the form of an emulsion.
6. A method for preventing or inhibiting the formation of adhesions in a surgical site comprising the step of administering locally to said surgical site on internal surfaces within said surgical site an effective adhesion preventing amount of perfluorodecalin emulsion forming a lubricated barrier between said internal surfaces.
7. A method for preventing or inhibiting the formation of adhesions in a surgical site comprising the step of topically spraying on said surgical site on internal surfaces within said surgical site an effective adhesion preventing amount of perfluorodecalin forming a lubricated barrier between said internal surfaces.
8. A method of claim 7 wherein said surgical site is a peritoneal cavity.
9. A method of claim 7 wherein said surgical site is an abdominal or pelvic region.
10. A method of claim 7 wherein said surgical site is a pleura region.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the prevention and inhibition of adhesions between tissues formed after surgery. More particularly, this invention relates to an inert fluorocarbon composition for the prevention of adhesions resulting from surgical procedures in a mammal.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Adhesions are fibrous bands of tissue connecting one or more organ sites within the body. More specifically, adhesions as concerned here occur as a result of post-surgical tissues growing together either between layers of adjacent bodily tissue or between tissues and internal organs. Adhesions can form during the healing which follows surgical procedures, and when present, adhesions can prevent the normal motions of those tissues and organs with respect to their neighboring structures.
Although the inventor does not wish to be bound by any particular theory of the invention, it is believed that the adhesions occur when the tissue becomes injured. Typically injury to, or ischemia of, serosal tissue results in an increased immune response at the site, with a subsequent release of serosanguinous exudate resulting in fibrin deposition at the injured site. Adhesions form as a result of the induced inflammatory response in combination with an impaired ability to lyse such fibrin deposits. Generally, in normal tissues the tissue surface produces tissue plasminogin activators (t-PA) which converts inactive plasminogen to plasmin. This protolytic mechanism of plasmin dissolves fibrin deposits and thus prevents adhesion formation. However, ischemic injury to serosal surfaces retards t-PA production. Reduced t-PA production results in excessive fibrin accumulation at the injured site. Such fibrin deposits serve as a matrix for fibroblastic infiltration and proliferation. Eventually, collegenous bands contract as healing proceeds and thereby limit movement of the affected organ or organs.
Consequently, adhesion formation results generally from thoracic, abdominal, lumbar and/or gynecological surgeries and represents a significant clinical problem across many different fields of medicine. Postoperative adhesions occur in 70-95% of all cases. For example, post-surgical peritoneal adhesions are one of the leading causes of intestinal blockage or obstruction (Ellis, Surg. Gynecol. Obstet. 133:497, 1971), and are also of great concern to surgeons who attempt to improve fertility in women through reconstruction. Pelvic adhesions can impair fertility by interfering with the ability of the fallopian tubes to pick up the ovum (Holtz, Fertil. Steril. 41:497, 1984; Diamond and Hershlag, Prg. Clin. Biol. Res. 358:23, 1990). The formation of permanent adhesions in tendons and joints is a major cause of decreased mobility and chronic pain.
Over the years many different strategies have been employed to prevent the formation of adhesions. Good operating techniques, gentle handling of tissues, lavage of the peritoneal cavity, hemostasis, and irrigation will prevent the formation of adhesions to a certain extent, however, these procedures never completely inhibit adhesion formation after surgery. Therefore, numerous approaches to elimination of adhesion formation have been attempted, with limited success in most cases. Approaches have included the mechanical separation of tissues or the administration of pharmacological agents.
A mechanical separation or barrier material, is typically applied as a sheet or film and sutured in place to prevent the deposition of fibrin. Examples of such materials include oxidized cellulose membranes, polytetrafluoroethylene, or hyaluronic acid. However, most such barrier materials have proven unsuccessful. For example, Interceed™ Barrier, and oxidized cellulose is very difficult to place and can only be applied to a non-bleeding site. Gore-Tex™, poses another problem by having to always be sutured in place and must eventually be removed. This removal process further introduces additional potential trauma or injury to the tissue. Seprafilm™, a hydaluronic acid film, becomes very brittle and has a tendency to crack. This tendency results in an inadequate barrier between the injured tissue and the surrounding tissue, which in turn increases the chances of adhesion formations.
Another approach used to prevent the formation of adhesions is the use of pharmaceutical agents. Typical pharmaceutical agents include corticosteroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (to inhibit fibroblastic proliferation); heparin and sodium citrate (to prevent fibrin deposition); and pentoxifyline, rt-PA, urokinase and streptokinase (to promote fibrinolysis). Unfortunately, the success of pharmaceutical agents in preventing adhesion formation has been limited, due to the difficulty of directing the drugs to the injury with systemic administration.
In summary, several approaches have been explored, but none have been able to achieve the desired system, which is successful in preventing adhesion formation after surgery, can be applied easily to the surgical site and still be effective. Additionally, the ability of an anti-adhesion composition that remains intact at the surgical site during the initial stages of critical wound healing is also desirable. Moreover, a system that allows for local administration of a composition, which prevent adhesion formation would be most desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an inert, non-toxic composition that is used during surgery to prevent the tissues and organs from forming adhesions after surgery. More particularly, the invention comprises the introduction of fluorocarbons into the surgical site for the purpose of preventing and inhibiting tissue and organ adhesions, and specifically a perfluorocarborn such as perfluorodecalin.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention provides a method of prevention and inhibition of tissue and organ adhesions associated with abdominal, pelvic or pleural surgeries by administration of fluorocarbons to the site of the surgery.
In essence, fluorocarbons have long been utilized successfully in a number of medical applications. Many fluorocarbon molecules are generally characterized as non-toxic, very chemically inert, have a low body-retention time and are chemically and thermally stable substances. These physical properties adapt themselves well to numerous medical applications. In prior art, fluorocarbon liquids have been proposed for the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome by removal of lung debris, inflammatory cells and materials by lavage, and by facilitating oxygen delivery. In contrast, however, the present invention uses fluorocarbons directed toward prevention and inhibition of tissue and organ adhesion by facilitating a coating, film or barrier thereby reducing the surface tension associated with tissues after surgery. In other words, the fluorocarbon of the subject invention is used as a primary anti-adhesion agent.
When fluorocarbons are introduced or administered to the surgical site in accordance with the present invention some or all of it preferably adheres to the surface of the tissue forming a slick, smooth fluorocarbon film that minimizes friction and enhances the mobility of the tissue. The introduced fluorocarbon acts as a film or barrier between adjacent tissues, and allows the surrounding tissue and organs within the surgical site to retain their mobility and not adhere together.
Fluorocarbon molecules used in the present invention may have various forms. Typically, the fluorocarbon is a liquid or gas at room temperature (25° C.). Preferably, the fluorocarbon used is a cyclic structure having from about 8, 10, 12 or 14 carbon atoms, and having 1 to 3 rings. More preferably, a fluorocarbon comprising perfluorinated compounds are used in the present invention and chosen for their low water solubility, non-toxicity, high density or vicosity, surface tension and spreading coefficient. In the selected embodiment of the invention the fluorocarbon used is perfluorodecalin. Perfluorodecalin is a polycyclic fluorocarbon and is useful in the present invention because of its low vapor pressure properties, desirable viscosity and density characteristics, and longer residence time thus allowing for a therapeutic effect lasting a longer period of time in the surgical site. Mixtures of fluorocarbons are also contemplated. Additionally “fluorocarbons” not listed herein, but having those properties described in this disclosure that would lend themselves to use in accordance with the present invention are also contemplated.
The fluorocarbons used in the present invention may be used as a neat liquid composition, or as emulsions. Emulsions typically include emulsifying agents and osmotic agents, together with buffers and electrolytes. Preferably, emulsions are a combination of a fluorocarbon and at least one surfactant. The fluorocarbon emulsions may be selected from a wide range of suitable emulsions.
Although concentrations as low as 5% w/v are contemplated, in a preferred embodiment the concentrations are at least 10%, preferably at least 14-15%. Emulsions of up to 30% are also contemplated.
The emulsion can be applied to a tissue of a mammal, such as a human, in any convenient manner. While the liquid may be simply poured into the open surgical site, it is preferred that the formulation have a consistency wherein it can be sprayed into tissue using a topical spray apparatus thereby forming a uniform, thin protective film over the exposed tissues and organs.
Working Example
In the following example an emulsion is prepared to form the fluorocarbon composition used in experiment. Perfluorodecalin dosage form was prepared by emulsifying 14% perfluorodecalin using Pluronic F-68 (polyoxamer 188) and soya lecithin in a micronizing mill and subsequently sterilized. Perfluorodecalin is the preferred fluorocarbon used in the Example, however, this invention is not limited to this Example, but can be practiced in any equivalent fashion without departing from the invention.
EXAMPLE 1
Fifty-one sexually mature female, New Zealand white rabbits, weighing between 3.5 and 4.5 kg were selected for the study. They were maintained in isolation for a period of two weeks on a standardized diet, light and other environmental factors prior to the surgical procedures. Operations were preformed under ketamine anesthesia (80 mg/mL) and acepromazine (1.6 mg/ML) given subcutaneously following 12 to 18 hours of preoperative starvation. No antibiotics were used.
Two laparotomies were done, four weeks apart. For the first laparotomy, a midline abdominal incision was made after the surgeon has cleaned all visible talc from his gloves. All animals underwent bilateral transection of the tubocornual junction with subsequent reanastomosis. A midline, lower abdominal incision was used to approach the fallopian tubes. Tubocornual anastomosis was performed using microsurgical techniques. No postoperative stents were left in position and hemostatis was considered to be of paramount importance. Prior to closure of the anterior abdominal wall, the peritoneal cavity was gently cleansed of all blood clots or debris with warm normal saline irrigation. All animals were then randomly allocated according to a previously calculated table of randomisation to any one of the following three groups:
TABLE 1
Group I:
The peritoneal cavity was filled with 30-50 mL of
perfluorodecalin emulsion.
Group II:
The peritoneal cavity was filled with 30-50 mL of normal
saline.
Group III:
No fluids added to the peritoneal cavity.
Four weeks after the surgery, a second laparatomy was performed. The pelvic contents and both anantomotic sites were examined for the degree of pelvic adhesions that were assessed according to the following scale:
TABLE 2
Absent:
None under 5X magnification: 0
Mild:
Microscopic adhesions < 5 mm form anastomosis: 1
Moderate:
Naked eye including adjacent oviduct or mesentery: 2
Severe:
Extension to uterus, bladder, intestine, or abdominal wall: 3
TABLE 3
Results
Percent of survivors showing adhesion types:
Adhesions
Group I
Group II
Group III
None
80%
20%
10%
Mild/Moderate
20%
60%
70%
Severe
0%
20%
20%
Of the 51 animals seven died, three after the first surgery and four after the second laparotomy.
While the invention will be farther described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the invention to those embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention.
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Argentina's former general and dictator Jorge Rafael Videla shown during his trial in Cordoba, Argentina, on July 22, 2010. / Juan Mabromata AFP/Getty Images
by USA TODAY
by USA TODAY
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) - Former dictator Jorge Rafael Videla, who took power in a 1976 coup and led a military junta that killed thousands of his fellow Argentines in a war to eliminate "subversives," died Friday while serving life sentences in prison for crimes against humanity.
Federal Prison Service Director Victor Hortel said he died of natural causes in the Marcos Paz prison.
Videla ran one of the bloodiest military governments in an era of South American dictatorships, and sought to take full responsibility for kidnappings, tortures, deaths and disappearances when he was tried again and again for those crimes in recent years. He said he knew about everything that happened under his rule because "I was on top of everyone."
Videla had a low profile before the March 24, 1976, coup, but quickly became the architect of a repressive system that killed about 9,000 people according to an official accounting after democracy returned to Argentina in 1983. Human rights activists believe the real number was as high as 30,000.
This "dirty war" introduced two frightening terms to the global lexicon of terror: "disappeareds" - people kidnapped and never seen or heard from again - and "death flights," in which political prisoners were thrown, drugged but alive, from navy planes into the sea.
"The disappeareds aren't there, they don't exist," Videla told a news conference in 1977, when the complaints of families looking for their missing loved ones were raising concern internationally.
Videla's dictatorship also stood out from others in Latin America for its policy of holding pregnant prisoners until they gave birth, and then killing the women and arranging for illegal adoptions of their babies, usually by military or police families. This happened hundreds of times, and the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo rights group has relentlessly sought to reunite these children, now in their 30s, with their biological families. Last year, Videla was convicted and sentenced again to life without parole for the thefts of these babies.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All
rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Thomas E. Mann (l) of Brookings and Norman Ornstein (r) the American Enterprise Institute put the blame where it belongs.
We have been studying Washington politics and Congress for more than 40 years, and never have we seen them this dysfunctional. In our past writings, we have criticized both parties when we believed it was warranted. Today, however, we have no choice but to acknowledge that the core of the problem lies with the Republican Party.read more
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About Recipe
After a few decadent meals out, one too many birthday treats, and a Charleston-induced food coma, my body is revolting and refusing to eat anything besides veggies….after I eat pasta…..before I eat dessert….at lunchtime only. But hey, all that really matters is that I’m actually eating some veggies, right?! Joking aside, whether it’s been all the rich food or the hints of spring in the air, I’m craving fresh produce like whoa. This easy green bean salad is one I’ve been making since I first started cooking. Ok, maybe a little later on, because when I first started cooking, it wasn’t pretty (imagine all of the spices in your spice cabinet being combined in a bowl and then spooned out on a plate….yup, that would have been my idea of a “meal” way back at the tender ripe age of 5. YUM). But this recipe was from one of my first cookbooks. I don’t remember the name of it, but I remember it went through the basic plants of a garden and explained, in kid-friendly terminology, how you could use each one. With only a few simple ingredients, this recipe has been a mainstay in my diet ever since. It’s delicious as is, but if you want to be ba-na-nas, toss on a little goat cheese or feta (Mmmm!), and for a quick meal, toss it with some pasta (Hello light summer dinner!).
5-INGREDIENT GREEN BEAN SALAD
About Recipe
After a few decadent meals out, one too many birthday treats, and a Charleston-induced food coma, my body is revolting and refusing to eat anything besides veggies….after I eat pasta…..before I eat dessert….at lunchtime only. But hey, all that really matters is that I’m actually eating some veggies, right?! Joking aside, whether it’s been all the rich food or the hints of spring in the air, I’m craving fresh produce like whoa. This easy green bean salad is one I’ve been making since I first started cooking. Ok, maybe a little later on, because when I first started cooking, it wasn’t pretty (imagine all of the spices in your spice cabinet being combined in a bowl and then spooned out on a plate….yup, that would have been my idea of a “meal” way back at the tender ripe age of 5. YUM). But this recipe was from one of my first cookbooks. I don’t remember the name of it, but I remember it went through the basic plants of a garden and explained, in kid-friendly terminology, how you could use each one. With only a few simple ingredients, this recipe has been a mainstay in my diet ever since. It’s delicious as is, but if you want to be ba-na-nas, toss on a little goat cheese or feta (Mmmm!), and for a quick meal, toss it with some pasta (Hello light summer dinner!).
Breakfast has to be the most controversial meal of the day. There is no end of disagreement about what we should be eating to break the overnight fast, and whether the meal is even necessary. Fortunately, there is plenty of scientific research that answers these questions...
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Tamannah joins Arya and Santhanam
The rib-tickling blockbuster directed by M. Rajesh four years back is getting its sequel and the entire team will be on board to recreate the same magic. It was reported recently that Director Rajesh is planning a sequel to BEB. But, there has been no official confirmation from anyone in the team. Now, Tamannah Bhatia has confirmed it on her Facebook page saying, “Excited to be a part of M Rajesh’s comedy sequel of Boss Engira Bhaskaran. Look forward to the fun times ahead.”
Looks like Tamannah is so kicked about this project and so are we. It is not still certain if Tamannah would replace Nayanthara or will play the second heroine in the film, which leads us to ask another question on the possible second hero. Let’s wait for the official confirmation from Rajesh and co.
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Tiger Woods is still 36 years old, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t thought about what his career could look like going forward. Woods was asked if he believes he can still win tournaments when he reaches 50 years of age and says he — and other players — can absolutely do that at certain courses.
Woods won two months ago at Bay Hill, but has taken plenty of flack since then from those wondering if he can return to his old form. Part of his strategy for getting there is playing more tournaments, which he says he’s excited about. Woods also says his confidence is growing and he’s hitting the ball better than he had.
Tiger Woods joined 106.7 The Fan in Washington D.C. with The Sports Junkies to discuss how he’s striking the ball, his confidence level since playing The Masters, his driving statistics, why he believes he can win into his 50s and why he’s playing more tournaments this year.
When you’re swinging a club now, how does it feel compared to when you won at Bay Hill two months ago?:
“I’m actually hitting it more solid. That’s the fun part. My compression’s better; my trajectory’s better. Things that we’ve been working on are starting to come together.”
How about your confidence level as compared to during The Masters?:
“It’s growing, it’s growing. We figured out some things that happened. I fell back into my old motor patterns at Augusta, how to shape shots. I’ve gone through that before and I’m just fighting through it.”
You rank third in total driving on tour. Is that another indicator to you that you’re on the right track?:
“Absolutely. That’s something that I’m proud of, becoming more efficient. My all-around stats are certainly a lot better than they have been in years. That’s something that we’re proud of. I’ve been close and I’ve just got to keep working, keep getting more efficient at what we’re doing.”
Looking down the road, do you think you can keep winning tournaments into your 50s?:
“Absolutely, 100 percent agree with that. It just has to be on the right golf course. It can’t be, at that age — well, by the time I’m at that age, it’ll be some golf courses over 8,000 yards. It’s probably not going to be at one of those; it’s probably going to be at a shorter golf course like you’d find at a British Open. Tom [Watson], at Turnberry, it was like the perfect Open. It was howling, it was a golf course he had won on and knew how to play and it was playing very quick. … You can certainly see a certain player playing into their 50s and being successful on a certain venue. You can’t do it on all venues, there’s no doubt. Some ballparks are just too big.”
You’ve increased your schedule this year. Why is that?:
“Well, I’m just playing more events. That’s one thing I said I was going to do and it’s something I’m excited to do. I’m excited to play new events. This year I added the Honda Classic and now Greenbrier. Last year, I played in the Fry’s. I’m trying to play at different places.”
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Friday, October 1, 2010
Real consumer spending increased by a seasonally adjusted 0.2% for a second straight month, the government’s data showed. In nominal terms, income rose 0.5% in August, after a 0.2% gain in July. Nominal spending rose 0.4% in August for the second straight month.
Real after-tax incomes rose 0.2% in August, after falling 0.2% in July. Incomes rose more than the 0.3% that had been forecast in a survey of economists by MarketWatch.
Here are the longer term components of savings. It looks like the growth in both income (increasing savings) and incremental spending (decreasing savings) are both bouncing back... but slowly.
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The Honors Curriculum
The heart of the Honors Program at Carolina is a curriculum of some 120 courses offered throughout the College of Arts and Sciences that contributes to the liberal arts education of students in their first three years of study here. Students help to fulfill general education requirements by taking Honors sections of departmental course offerings in everything from art history to calculus and also by participating in Honors seminars on a variety of topics each year.
Honors courses and seminars emphasize student participation and writing. They are for students who embrace the chance to work hard, read more, take risks, defend a belief, and challenge received wisdom. You don't get extra credit, more quality points, or an easy A by taking Honors courses. You just get the most challenging and enriching educational experience you can find anywhere.
We regard the Honors curriculum as a learning laboratory, where new course ideas and new ways of teaching constantly stimulate teachers and students. Several special seminar programs foster innovation:
The Brandes Seminars program supports the development of imaginatively-taught interdisciplinary seminars. Some Brandes Seminars of recent years include "Art and the Fictions of Hyperspace," "The Science of Global Environmental Change," and "Ethnicity, Race, and Religion in America."
The Johnston Seminars program identifies important areas of knowledge that have not yet found their way into the regular undergraduate curriculum. A committee of students and faculty suggests new Johnston Seminar topics and teachers each year. Both outstanding university faculty and visiting experts participate in the seminars. Some recent topics have been "Higher Education and the Democratic Ideal" and "Contemporary North Carolina Literature."
The Seminars in the Civic Arts help to further one of the university's founding missions: to train individuals for effective participation in civic life. Civic arts seminars bring exemplary civic leaders to campus and involve faculty whose own research concerns the relationships among individuals, groups, and the communities of which they are a part. The Seminars in the Civic Arts also provide students with an opportunity to relate what they learn in the classroom to challenges and opportunities in local communities. In "Building Educational Bridges for our New Urban Students," for instance, students combine a thorough grounding in policy debates about the "crisis" in urban public education with an intensive service-learning project mentoring middle-school students in the nearby city of Durham.
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Art is part of life, and life is about giving. Cedaredge area artist Ella Kelly has found that art and giving have been center points in her personal and professional life."We are so blessed to have people in our lives who te...
Charlie Todd recently donated a 1930 International F-30 tractor to the collection Orval Proctor has displayed on Delta's Main Street.The International was originally owned by C.E. "Ed" Carville, who purchased the tractor new ...
First responders answering the call to a mass casualty EMS drill Saturday came upon a realistic scene of a crashed airplane and a simulation of burning wreckage.Volunteer actors playing roles of airplane crash victims -- the ...
When it comes to their education, North Fork area high school students have a lot to say.About 30 students from Paonia and Hotchkiss high schools and Vision Charter Academy shared some of their thoughts and ideas with Delta C...
United States Beef Corporation (US Beef), Arby's largest franchisee, headquartered in Tulsa, Okla., announces the grand opening of its newest Arby's restaurant in Delta Wednesday, Dec. 7, at 10 a.m. Arby's is located in the building formerly occupied by Kentucky Fried Chicken on the northwest corner of Highway 50 and Confluence Drive.
Check this out
The election is over, now the transition of power from Obama to Trump, Democrat to Republic, is underway. How do you think our country will fare in the next 4 years? This is an open question, without pre-selected answers . . . please be concise.
Created Friday, November 11, 2016 10:01am
Member
Response
Not much different that it would be with Clinton. The economy will determine it, the Feds are always in a position of reacting to the economy, so it doesn't much matter who is in control, the economy is going to do what its going to do.
Voting Democrtatic or third party.
Without the DCI.
We are still to divided--
One impact to Delta County is that Trump has endorsed cuts to Medicaid. Our county has 13% of the population on Medicaid. Other cuts may come to Medicare. Paul Ryan would like to see a voucher system. 32% of Delta County has Medicare for insurance. With 45% of the population in Delta County using these programs. Not just the country but how will this affect Delta County?
Whether you realized it or not this was the most important election of our life time and lots will change for the good of the people of this country and this country. Listening or reading the Main Stream Media news is not going to give you the true facts, not now anyway. The Media Outlets in this country are controlled by the “establishment”, the “elitist”, the “cabal”, whatever you choose to call them and yes this does cover BOTH the Republican and Democratic Parties. You hear what they want you to hear and read what they want you to read. If you want the cold, hard facts then a good start is read WikiLeaks @ https://wikileaks.org/ or http://tdarkcabal.blogspot.com/. Other sources of the facts are http://www.zerohedge.com/ and http://www.breitbart.com/ It’s not as “comfortable” to know the truth as it is to stick your head in the sand and pretend “everything is wonderful”. America made the right choice for president this election. Now it is our turn to make sure it stays on the right path. By electing Donald Trump we avoided war with Russia, which I fear may have been fought on U.S. soil as that is what Hillary Clinton wanted just like Obama i.e. wars keep the Cabal’s money machine going. Unlike Clinton, Trump prefers to have peace and get along with the world, not fight the world. We finally have a chance by putting a person in the White House that is not a career Politician and/or Criminal and one who truly does cares about the people and this country. What we were voting for in this past Presidential Election was either the Cabal, War, New World Order and Agenda 21, etc. or for what’s left of our freedom, the Constitution and not only our future but that of our children and grandchildren with a chance to rebuild this country as our Forefathers intended it to be. If you are not familiar with the Cabal’s desire of implementing New World Order and Agenda 21, it is well worth understanding so that it can be stopped. I believe we will see lots of change and it will be for the good. It may be tough getting there but we can’t continue kicking the can down the road. You must keep in mind this government is bankrupt, there is no money left and you can figure out how we became broke by reading http://tdarkcabal.blogspot.com/ updates. A lot of financial trimming must be done. Donald J Trump is starting that with the fact that he is going to be paid a salary of $1.00 per year as the President. We got to learn to take care of our own as generations in the past have done. We cannot become a socialist country of handouts otherwise we ALL will be faced with tax rates of over 50%, use Denmark as an example i.e including their VAT, etc. I am also very disappointed in how some adults are acting after the election. They are literally acting like a bunch of spoiled brats who did not get their way. Conservatives didn’t act this way with 2 terms of Obama. Of course add in the fact that most protesters are being hired and bused in by Soros, there are adds on Craig’s list in various parts of the U.S. to hire these protesters. Obama should be doing something about this but he won’t because he has the same agenda as Clinton did. Just my opinion and I am praying for Donald J Trump and his family as well as Mike Pence and his family. I hope you all do the same.
much better off
would be better if it were any other of the republican candidate (except for Ben Carson) or H R Clinton
would be better if it were any other of the republican candidate (except for Ben Carson) or H R Clinton
would be better if it were any other of the republican candidate (except for Ben Carson) or H R Clinton
Similar to where we were when W left office in '08
Reaganomics...destroyed middle class, privatized expensive healthcare, gutted environmental regulation, all in the name of trickle-down working class suicide.
1929
or
What will America be like in 4 years?
The election is over, now the transition of power from Obama to Trump, Democrat to Republic, is underway. How do you think our country will fare in the next 4 years? This is an open question, without pre-selected answers . . . please be concise.
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Hands-on culinary theatre performance that follows a love story written by Afonso Cruz to talk about interculturality and universal life themes. The public is invited to make pasta fresca and then eat its own creation. A sunday version for families (Dec 3rd – 11:30am) is awaiting for little children that are fearless of being cooked by the story itself.
Lameiros market- local products and second hand market with one day restaurant, this time with Asian winter food. Apparently we are most curious about Asian kitchens, that explains why we are choosing again and again to focus our events in asian food.
Imagine yourself arriving to a place and sitting on the grass, in front of you there’s a band playing music, next to you there is a glass of chilled home made fruit juice , Labaneh with greek pita or maybe Falafel ? Contact: o trio de Portugal https://www.facebook.com/trioportugal/
UPCOMING TRAININGS:
Reiki Level 1 Course with Tim Daly,
Saturday, 2 Dec, São Luis
You will leave fully qualified to practice this simple yet amazing healing technique. You will also receive both a manual containing all the important information and a certificate to confirm your qualification. The price of the course is €50.
Children are very welcome! They are usually masters at healing. Contact: 934639738 or komzamo.reiki.family@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/events/353342675126325/
6 JAN / 7 JAN / 20-21 JAN/ 3-4 FEB @ Permalab Community, Odemira
Cultivating thriving relationships and communities with Donal Gannon
Jan 6th Communicate to Connect
This foundation training in Nonviolent Communication (NVC) offer skills, practical tools and insights to deepen, enrich and transform all of our relationships, whether with loved ones, colleagues or ourselves.
Jan 7th Empathy magic - The Art of Effective Listening
An experiential and interactive exploration of Empathic listening, using individual and group processes, games, exercises and meditations to integrate the teachings.
Jan 20th-21st Emotional Healing and Transformation
Working with our own and other people's reactivity and intense emotions, in particular anger, guilt, shame, jealousy, and depression. Healing grief, trauma and deep pain through mourning and forgiveness.
Feb 3rd-4th Convergent Facilitation
Master the art of facilitation. In particular focusing on this unique 3-stage decision-making process developed by Dr. Miki Kashtan of the Centre for Efficient Collaboration. It taps into a group’s shared purpose and leads to decisions that everyone truly supports – without sacrificing productivity, efficiency, and forward momentum
Information for all trainings:
Payment for tuition / facilitation is by voluntary donation. Hosted by Permalab Community (Odemira)
For registration, details of venue, or any other questions, please contact: communicate2connect2@gmail.com
For more information about these trainings, see: www.donalgannon.com/trainings or www.facebook.com/events/157006921707583
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"My advice is to always advocate for your patient and remember that the chain of command is there to navigate until your patient's needs are met."
Donna-Kay Hylton, FNP
While working as a family nurse practitioner in otolaryngology, I was presented with a situation where I couldn't help but advocate for the patient and family's needs.
This was a patient who just had oral surgery and was unable to speak. He was scheduled to be discharged home a few days later, with the necessary follow-up appointments. However, the family expressed concerns that he would be alone for a few hours each day until his spouse got home from work, and they were concerned for his safety. I understood their needs and concerns.
I spoke with the case manager and social workers who told me that his insurance would not cover any home services, because he did not qualify. I explained his situation and emphasized the safety risk involved; still, if insurance did not cover it, insurance did not cover it.
I asked to speak with the director of case management. I explained the situation and expressed the family's and my concerns. After hearing about the situation, she gave three hours of home health aide services per day for about a week until his follow-up appointment.
Contributions to ANA-PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. Contributions to ANA-PAC are voluntary and used for political purposes. Contributions to ANA-PAC will be used in connection with federal elections and are subject to the prohibitions and limitations of the Federal Election Campaign Act. Any guidelines for contributing are merely suggestions and you may contribute more or less than the guidelines suggest or nothing at all. The Association will not favor or disadvantage anyone by reason of the amount of their contribution, or their decision not to contribute. You may refuse to contribute without reprisal. ANA-PAC only accepts money from eligible ANA members. Non-eligible donations will not be accepted. Federal law requires ANA-PAC to request and report the name, address, occupation and employer for each person whose contributions exceed two hundred dollars ($200.00) or more in a calendar year.
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find_package(Git REQUIRED)
set(neko_debian_dir ${bin_dir}/neko-debian)
# format SNAPSHOT_VERSION
execute_process(
COMMAND ${GIT_EXECUTABLE} rev-parse --short HEAD
OUTPUT_VARIABLE COMMIT_SHA
OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
)
execute_process(
COMMAND ${GIT_EXECUTABLE} show -s --format=%ct HEAD
OUTPUT_VARIABLE COMMIT_TIME
OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
)
execute_process(
COMMAND date -u -d @${COMMIT_TIME} +%Y%m%d%H%M%S
OUTPUT_VARIABLE COMMIT_TIME
OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
)
set(SNAPSHOT_VERSION ${NEKO_VERSION}+1SNAPSHOT${COMMIT_TIME}+${COMMIT_SHA})
message(STATUS "building source package version ${SNAPSHOT_VERSION}")
message(STATUS "setting up neko-debian repo")
if (EXISTS ${neko_debian_dir})
execute_process(
COMMAND ${GIT_EXECUTABLE} fetch --all
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${neko_debian_dir}
)
execute_process(
COMMAND ${GIT_EXECUTABLE} clean -fx
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${neko_debian_dir}
)
execute_process(
COMMAND ${GIT_EXECUTABLE} reset --hard HEAD
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${neko_debian_dir}
)
execute_process(
COMMAND ${GIT_EXECUTABLE} tag -d upstream/${SNAPSHOT_VERSION}
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${neko_debian_dir}
)
else()
execute_process(
COMMAND ${GIT_EXECUTABLE} clone https://github.com/HaxeFoundation/neko-debian.git ${neko_debian_dir}
)
endif()
foreach(branch upstream next)
execute_process(
COMMAND ${GIT_EXECUTABLE} checkout ${branch}
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${neko_debian_dir}
)
execute_process(
COMMAND ${GIT_EXECUTABLE} reset --hard origin/${branch}
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${neko_debian_dir}
)
endforeach()
message(STATUS "import changes from source archive to neko-debian")
get_filename_component(source_archive_name ${source_archive} NAME)
file(COPY ${source_archive} DESTINATION ${bin_dir})
file(RENAME ${bin_dir}/${source_archive_name} ${bin_dir}/neko_${SNAPSHOT_VERSION}.orig.tar.gz)
execute_process(
COMMAND gbp import-orig ${bin_dir}/neko_${SNAPSHOT_VERSION}.orig.tar.gz -u ${SNAPSHOT_VERSION} --debian-branch=next
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${neko_debian_dir}
)
set(distros
trusty
xenial
zesty
artful
bionic
)
if (DEFINED ENV{PPA})
set(PPA $ENV{PPA})
else()
set(PPA "ppa:haxe/snapshots")
endif()
foreach(distro ${distros})
message(STATUS "backporting to ${distro} and will upload to ${PPA}")
execute_process(
COMMAND ${GIT_EXECUTABLE} checkout .
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${neko_debian_dir}
)
execute_process(
COMMAND ${GIT_EXECUTABLE} checkout next-${distro}
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${neko_debian_dir}
)
execute_process(
COMMAND ${GIT_EXECUTABLE} clean -fx
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${neko_debian_dir}
)
execute_process(
COMMAND ${GIT_EXECUTABLE} reset --hard origin/next-${distro}
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${neko_debian_dir}
)
execute_process(
COMMAND ${GIT_EXECUTABLE} merge next -m "merge"
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${neko_debian_dir}
)
execute_process(
COMMAND dch -v "${SNAPSHOT_VERSION}-1" --urgency low "snapshot build"
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${neko_debian_dir}
)
execute_process(
COMMAND debuild -S -sa
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${neko_debian_dir}
)
execute_process(
COMMAND backportpackage -d ${distro} --upload ${PPA} --yes neko_${SNAPSHOT_VERSION}-1.dsc
WORKING_DIRECTORY ${bin_dir}
)
endforeach()
|
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Warning: include(): Failed opening './dbax.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/local/lib/php:/usr/local/php5/lib/pear') in /home/nativetech/public_html/recipes/print.php on line 4NativeTech: Indigenous Food and Traditional RecipesWarning: mysql_query() expects parameter 2 to be resource, null given in /home/nativetech/public_html/recipes/print.php on line 42
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Tribal Affiliation : Orgin of Recipe : Recipe Region : Type of Dish :
Ingredients
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|
Aeropuerto Silvio Pettirossi - Paraguay (Shutterstock.com)
Un vuelo de Aerolíneas Argentinas que ayer, domingo, tenía previsto conectar las ciudades de Asunción, Paraguay, con Buenos Aires, debió aterrizar de emergencia minutos después de despegar por una falla en una de sus turbinas. Se trata del segundo desperfecto en las últimas horas en unidades de la aerolínea de bandera, luego de la despresurización de en la cabina del vuelo AA2667, que había partido ayer a las 13:25 desde Bariloche y debía llegar a la terminal de Aeroparque.
Según confirmó Fernando Gallardo, administrador del Aeropuerto Silvio Pettirossi, al diario ABC, la aeronave aterrizó sin mayores inconvenientes. En tanto, el presidente de la Dirección Nacional de Aeronáutica Civil de Paraguay (DINAC), Édgar Melgarejo, afirmó: “Se constató que había problemas en una turbina para determinar la causa. Pudo haber sido (debido a) pájaros, algo que succionó la turbina; pudo haber sido piedras también, no es raro”.
Las autoridades, además, señalaron que durante la jornada del hoy se dará a conocer el informe técnico sobre el desperfecto.
Por otro lado, el vuelo AA2667, que había partido a las 13:25 del domingo desde Bariloche y debía llegar a la terminal de Aeroparque, tuvo un inconveniente y el piloto decidió descender al poco tiempo de haber despegado. A través de las redes sociales se difundió un video que una persona grabó desde su asiento. En la filmación se puede ver que caen las máscaras de oxígeno, aunque no muchos se la colocaron ya que su uso no fue necesario ya que la nave se encontraba a una altura por debajo de los 14 mil pies.
Aterrizaje de emergencia de un avión de Aerolíneas Argentinas
“Estamos ahora en el aeropuerto de Neuquén luego de un aterrizaje de emergencia por despresurizacion de cabina (eso fue lo que nos informaron) Fueron 15 minutos de susto grande y uso de mascarillas de oxígeno”, explicó en Twitter una de las pasajeras que vivió ese momento.
La mujer señaló que la situación fue “bien manejada por el capitán y la tripulación”, todo el personal de la aerolínea “se portó de manera muy profesional” y, unas horas más tarde, “todos los pasajeros fueron reubicados" en otros vuelos que partieron este mismo día con destino a la Capital Federal.
Por su parte, la Junta de Investigación de Accidentes de Aviación Civil (JIAAC) informó que su sede central se encuentra investigando lo sucedido y las razones por las cuales la cabina se despresurizó y el avión debió descender en el aeropuerto Internacional Juan Domingo Perón.
Desde Aerolíneas Argentinas, en tanto, destacaron que “no se registró pánico, ni ninguna alteración ya que la tripulación informó en todo momento de la situación” y destacaron que “la mayoría de los pasajeros -en total eran 98- fueron reubicados”.
Seguí leyendo:
Un avión de Flybondi tuvo que aterrizar de emergencia porque se activó la alarma de un motor
Avión aterriza de emergencia en un country
El relato del piloto que tuvo que aterrizar de emergencia cerca de Miramar
|
Learn about the issue
Put yourself in the shoes of a decisionmaker under pressureby playing Nuclear Decisions, a 5-minute decision game from Playmatics, the Center for International and Strategic Studies at the University of Maryland, and Public Radio International.
Play a game
To understand the future of innovation in the nuclear threat field, it helps to look to the past and the present.
Navigate an Innovation Timeline
Scare tactics won’t inspire younger generations to feel connected to nuclear issues or activate their political will. But here’s what might.
|
Essay Writing Services Reviews - Writers Reviews, Customers Feedbacks
What is the best custom essay writing service? We have an answer! We are providing with the best essay writing service reviews. Read about them and choose which one you can trust your essay paper
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
StudyFAQ.com Review: Do They Offer Reliable Services?
Many students struggle especially when it comes to handling the projects and other academic related assignments given by their teachers and professors. I personally always have a hard time finding ways as to how I can come up with ideas especially when there are difficult topics that I have to work on.
With the lack of time and not to mention the tight deadline that not just students but even professionals have to face, it can be really stressful if you simply don’t know where to find the answers to your questions. Since I am having a hard time drafting a written work related to business, I decided to try out a new Internet service from StudyFAQ.com.
Overview
Studyfaq.com is a website that is created in order to help students and other individuals who need expertise and professional help in various subjects from business and finance, programming to mathematics. If ever you need help, the site has various writers and subject area experts who can help you finish your work through their wide knowledge and expertise in the field. This site claims that they provide a perfect platform where students can access topnotch and reliable academic help from experts.
Features Offered
Using the site is quite fast and easy. There is no need to fill out a form just to have your sign-up details. You can actually post any question for free. Once you have posted your question, the site automatically generates your log-in details after you have provided your e-mail address. It doesn’t take that long before the best tutors who can help will start bidding on your assignment. You can just choose among these tutors depending on your budget and criteria. The process is that fast and easy.
When it comes to other features, the site guarantees safety as they never disclose personal information and data to other third parties. The site also provides 24/7 unlimited customer service support which is a good thing.
Prices of the Services
When it comes to prices, the cost would vary depending on the tutor you want to hire. Upon submitting and posting the question, there were writers who sent out their bids. Comparing the prices with other services that I have previously tried before, I can say that the site offers fair and standard prices offered in the market as they are relatively the same with other sites offering such service. Customers can just choose which tutor to hire depending on their preference and budget.
Info About Writers
The writers at Studyfaq.com have different backgrounds, work experience and various specializations. What is nice about the site is that you get to have different choices as they have writers from different fields and subject areas. Their team is comprised of various writers coming from different backgrounds like geology, business and finance, economics, etc.
Customer Service Support
The site provides 24/7 customer service support through the following: email, live chat support and phone call. When I sent a message via their live chat support, unfortunately it is offline. But in an hour, I was able to get the response in my inbox. When it comes to communicating with the tutors, it’s a breeze and very efficient since you can instantly and directly chat and talk to them.
Customer Feedback
So, what do other customers say about their services? When you read reviews and ratings online, the site consistently receives good feedback with the process and the quality of work delivered to them.
Final Thoughts
After receiving the draft, I can say that they did a good job although I expected more. For the price, they are at par with other companies offering the same services. The entire process from ordering to finally choosing the tutor and receiving the order is fast and very efficient. This site is not the best I’ve used but would recommend it to others who need to get an assignment done as soon as possible.
|
Tapestry Building
Tapestry Building is an 18th century warehouse, originally built by the East India Company, and now converted into 14 exclusive urban apartments. Located on New Street opposite Liverpool Street station, Tapestry Building offers heritage in the heart of the City, combining its striking industrial architecture with the high spec requirements of modern city living. All images were captured by Marcin in 2012.
|
Dell pins hopes on new Windows 8 tablets, touch PCs
Dell has confirmed that it hopes to launch new touchscreen PCs and potentially tablets running the much-anticipated Windows 8 operating system.
Yesterday, the US company reported sales of its notebook computers and other mobile devices were down by 10% year-on-year over the three months to May 4, 2012.
The slump in sales was blamed on competition from cheap products in emerging markets, an area Dell does not operate in.
Shares in Dell were down 13% in after hours trading, following the company's announcement of a 33% fall in first quarter earnings to $635m (£404m). Revenue declined 4% to $14.4bn, although the company's consumer unit reported a sharper fall of 12%.
In a call with analysts, Dell founder and chief executive Michael Dell said that he expects demand for PCs to improve after Microsoft releases Windows 8 later in the year.
Michael Dell feels that this will be a driver for people to purchase new touch-enabled hardware, rather than just upgrade their existing kit to the new software.
"Unlike other Windows transitions, this is a transition where you generally are going to need a new PC, whether it's a tablet or ultrabook with touch or a notebook with touch or a PC with touch or some derivative hybrid on all the above type of products," Mr Dell was quoted as saying by the Seeking Alpha website.
"The product refresh cycle associated with this release of Windows is likely to be very different from other releases, but it's hard to know exactly what that looks like. We're preparing a full complement of products, and we'll be ready with those."
Dell feels that the new touchscreen PCs will be higher price items, meaning they will not fall into the cheaper end of the market that the company has avoided.
The US firm has previously attempted to crack the tablet computers with its Latitude and Inspiron tablets, running existing versions of Windows, along with the Streak tablets running Google Android.
But Windows 8 is being viewed as the opportunity for companies like Dell to create devices that can truly compete with Apple's iPad and Amazon's cheap Kindle Fire, which runs Android.
Chris Green, a technology analyst at Davies Murphy Group Europe, told the BBC: "We see Windows 8 as opportunity for all the PC manufacturers to reclaim the huge ground that they have lost to Apple and some of the other Android tablet makers.
"You can't underestimate how much the sector has hit PC sales. The challenge for Dell is that it will be competing against Acer, Lenovo and others - but the sheer size of the company should act as an advantage."
Despite having high hopes for the consumer launch of Windows 8, Michael Dell said that he is not expecting such instant success among business customers.
"Corporations are still adopting Windows 7, so we don't think there'll be a massive adoption of Windows 8 by corporations early on," he said.
"But certainly, the addition of capacitive touch capability into Windows 8, we think, will be a welcome addition and will have a full complement of products at time of launch."
|
package freenet.clients.http.updateableelements;
import java.util.Timer;
import java.util.TimerTask;
import freenet.clients.http.SimpleToadletServer;
import freenet.clients.http.ToadletContext;
import freenet.support.Base64;
import freenet.support.HTMLNode;
/** A pushed element that counts up every second. Only for testing purposes. */
public class TesterElement extends BaseUpdateableElement {
private int status = 0;
private int maxStatus;
ToadletContext ctx;
Timer t;
final String id;
public TesterElement(ToadletContext ctx, String id, int max) {
super("div","style","float:left;", ctx);
this.id = id;
this.ctx = ctx;
this.maxStatus = max;
init(true);
t = new Timer(true);
t.scheduleAtFixedRate(new TimerTask() {
@Override
public void run() {
update();
}
}, 0, 1000);
}
public void update() {
status++;
if (status >= maxStatus) {
t.cancel();
}
((SimpleToadletServer) ctx.getContainer()).pushDataManager.updateElement(getUpdaterId(ctx.getUniqueId()));
}
@Override
public void dispose() {
t.cancel();
}
@Override
public String getUpdaterId(String requestId) {
return getId(requestId,id);
}
public static String getId(String requestId,String id){
return Base64.encodeStandardUTF8(("test:" + requestId + "id:" + id+"gndfjkghghdfukggherugbdfkutg54ibngjkdfgyisdhiterbyjhuyfghdightw7i4tfgsdgo;dfnghsdbfuiyfgfoinfsdbufvwte4785tu4kgjdfnzukfbyfhe48e54gjfdjgbdruserigbfdnvbxdio;fherigtuseofjuodsvbyfhsd8ofghfio;"));
}
@Override
public String getUpdaterType() {
return UpdaterConstants.REPLACER_UPDATER;
}
@Override
public void updateState(boolean initial) {
children.clear();
addChild(new HTMLNode("img", "src","/imagecreator/?text="+status+"&width="+Math.min(status+30,300)+"&height="+Math.min(status+30,300)));
}
}
|
Protein, cDNA, and genomic DNA sequences of the towel gourd trypsin inhibitor. A squash family inhibitor.
Two trypsin inhibitor components of the squash family were isolated and purified from the juice of the towel gourd (Luffa cylindrica) using anhydrotrypsin affinity chromatography followed by high pressure liquid chromatography. The inhibitors were sequenced and found to consist of 28 and 29 amino acid residues. The determined sequences show high similarity to other inhibitors of the squash family, especially in the location of disulfide bonds and the reactive site and also in the COOH-terminal region. A cDNA library of towel gourd was constructed and used as a template for polymerase chain reaction amplification of two cDNA fragments of the inhibitor with an overlapping sequence. A full-length cDNA sequence coding for the inhibitor was then completed. The open reading frame codes for a prepro-inhibitor protein with the pre- and pro-peptides consisting of 21 and 13 residues, respectively. The deduced amino acid sequence of 29 residues for the inhibitor is consistent with that determined by primary structure analysis. The genomic sequence of the mature inhibitor was also ascertained using the total DNA of the towel gourd as a polymerase chain reaction template. The genomic sequence is completely identical with that of the cDNA, showing no intervening sequence.
|
Senior Private Banker, European Clients - Geneva or Zurich
Our client is a Swiss private bank headquartered in Geneva. They provide a full range of private banking services to wealthy individuals and families and to their corporate interests globally.
The private banking activities encompass credit, financial planning, investment management, offshore trust and company formation, and management. As part of further expansion they are looking for experienced, self-motivated and highly competent relationship manager who is servicing European clients.
This is an exciting opportunity to take on a management role in a growth region at an exciting time.
Requirements
Candidate profile:
- Able to manage and build profitable relationships with core private banking clients, and understand their banking, investment and financial planning needs
- Able to manage business in your own way and has built your book of business ideally from scratch.
- A minimum of five years’ experience dealing with high net worth clients in a banking, legal or other area of professional services
- Outstanding communication skills and excellent English skills, preferably including another European language
- A professional qualification (ACIB, CFA, STEP, ACA or CFP are preferred)
- A transferable client list (minimum portfolio book size of USD 150m) is essential
- Ability to bring USD 50m in the first year
A highly competitive package will be offered to the successful candidate.
For further information regarding this role please contact Gina Le Prevost FREC DipRP on +41 22 731 1290 or email gina@ap-executive.com
|
We will start streaming 5-10 minutes before the event. If you don't see live video above, try refreshing your browser. You do not need to click on the "More on Livestream" button (it will link you out to our page on Livestream.com), the video will play in the space above.
The full HD versions of the event will be posted on our YouTube channel soon and we will create a page for you to view them on our website. Check back soon for more information.
|
An Exciting Corporate & Team Building Event
03/04/2017
3 minute read
Anything but a typical office party, Bad Axe Throwing is redefining corporate & team building events with extra edge. Stepping outside of the ordinary (and sometimes bland) desk and florescent lighting environment, we provide an informal, fun-fuelled place where you team or clients can really let loose and enjoy themselves.
We believe office parties and corporate events in general deserve a makeover. We’ll help you create friendly competition that will strengthen your team’s connection in an unique way, encourage support from peers and allow you to shake off the stresses of work while enjoying an epic experience together. At Bad Axe Throwing, you’ll also enhance your company’s culture and increase team loyalty. After all, the team that throws axes together, stays strong together.
Since axe throwing is indoors, you can book your corporate & team building event during any time of the year.
Unlike golf, axe throwing doesn’t require nice weather—in fact, your team can enjoy it all season long. There’s also no need for white pants and sweater vests. We only recommend plaid and comfortable clothing to show off (or develop) your target-hitting skills. Aside from sharpening your team, you can also impress your clients with an unforgettable experience. You’re sure to make a positive impression by taking them to a cool and relaxing place that’s exceptionally different with the right kind of personality: fresh, innovative and even risk-taking (you are throwing steel blades after all).
There’s no better way to bring people together than with this thrilling activity. Whether young or old, fit or not-so-fit, axe throwing is accessible to every skill level. You don’t need to have jacked arms, but you do need to like fun. And corporate teams really need to have fun after all of that TBCing (taking care of business).
We’ve hosted events for large and small businesses including Scotiabank, Boston Pizza, Ogilvy, Purolator, Sun Life Financial, Bank of America, UBER, Basecamp and more.
Like your successful business, Bad Axe Throwing has received a few accolades, including the Certificate of Excellence by Trip Advisor. They also ranked us #1 in Fun and Games in Toronto. We know not everyone is from Toronto, but you have to admit, that’s a solid record and we intend on getting it for our locations across Canada (and now the U.S.). Rest assured, your awesome team will be taken care of by the best of the best.
For your axe throwing event, you’ll get a private lane (or lanes depending on group size) to practice and throw. You’ll also have one of our axe throwing coaches who will instruct your team on how to throw an axe as well as host games. Then you will get into round robin play and a tournament to crown the axe throwing champion of your company. If you have a larger team, we’ll ensure you’ll get several coaches to keep everyone learning and having fun.
Our dedicated corporate events planning team will help you coordinate your event and even set up the decorations if you wish.
Bad Axe Throwing allows you to bring food and drinks at no extra charge.
If you’re interested in catering food, we’ll provide you with a list of local vendors and restaurants that we’ve worked with in the past. Our axe throwing venues all have tables and a fridges which are available to you to eat and keep it all extra fresh. We’ll take care of everything from start to finish and promise your team will leave with appropriate (and fun) photos. Who knows, your company policy may even allow the pictures to be posted on Instagram (just remember to use the hashtag #badaxethrowing).
While you or your team may have to step outside your normal comfort zone to wield an axe, we promise you that axe throwing is incredibly safe – we’ve been accident free since inception.
Give your high-performing employees the fun time they deserve—or help kick-start your team’s growth into a super-charged crew. We’ll provide the venue and the atmosphere to ensure you all have an unforgettable experience.
|
{
"name": "helloxz/imgurl",
"description": "ImgURL is a simple, pure graph bed program, simple installation, powerful.",
"type": "project",
"license": "GPL-3.0",
"authors": [
{
"name": "xiaoz",
"email": "xiaoz93@outlook.com"
}
],
"minimum-stability": "stable",
"require": {}
}
|
Margaret Hoover Married Life With Husband John Avlon: Is The Couple Share Children
An American political commentator and gay rights activist, Margaret Hoover who is mostly known as the great-granddaughter of the 31st President of USA, Herbert Hoover, is married to husband John Avlon of the same profession since 2009 and still living happily together with their children.
As we all know that Margaret and John are established, political commentators, and journalist. Today we are going to talk about the happy couple who has been married for more than eight years. So let's have a look at their married life and the reason behind their strong relationship.
The married life of Margaret Hoover and John Avlon
The journalist, Margaret Hoover, married with the Editor in Chief and director of "The Daily Beast", John Avlon. The couple tied the knot on 7th November 2009. The couple shared the kiss in front of their friends and family in a grand wedding ceremony.
And they also invited the media personalities to their wedding as a special guest. Their wedding was held at Stanford Memorial Church in Palo Alto, California. Till this date, the couple has already celebrated their 8th anniversary.
From their wedding to this date, the couple is having the best time of their life. We have never heard any bad rumors regarding this couple. If we go through the social media platform of Margaret, we can see the love between this couple.
Margaret Hoover and John Avlon's love story
The couple has quite an interesting love story. Starting from their first meeting, they met each other during a one day trip to New York from Washington. While giving the interview to ModernLuxury, Margaret disclosed that it was love at first sight when she first met John.
CAPTION: Margaret Hoover with her husband John Avlon SOURCE: Instagram
The couple met each other due to the weather problem. As Margaret had a flight to the DC, she went to the airport but, due to the changes in the weather, her flight canceled. That was when her rep called John (a close friend of his) to look for a place for her to stay at. And due to all this, they started to talk.
Later on, they also got chance to work together which led them to fall in love. Since that time the couple is going strong with each other up to this date.
Margaret Hoover and John Avlon children
Talking about their children, the couple is blessed with two kids. Ther firstborn was on 2011 as a son, Jake Avlon and just after three years', the couple also welcomed a daughter and named her Toula Avlon.
CAPTION: Margaret Hoover and John Avlon celebrating Christmas with their kids SOURCE: Instagram
The family of four is residing happily together in California. Despite having a busy schedule, the couple used to spend lots of their free time together. Hope they will maintain the same faith forever and will go strong day by day.
|
Allison Quattlebaum, 18, Apex, NC
Tie-dye. Before leaving for college, my best friend and I had a tie-dying party. I brought along a pair of cream-colored toms and went at it. I've been wearing them a lot so they're a little broken in, but they're still as colorful and vibrant! They're the perfect pop to any neutral outfit, and I get tons of compliments when I wear them. Squirting the dye from the bottle on them gives them an artsy and abstract look.
|
23 Games like Shadows: Heretic Kingdoms for IOS iPhone, daily generated comparing over 40 000 video games across all platforms. This suggestion collection includes hack-and-slash RPG games in a fantasy world. The order in this selection is not absolute, but the best games tends to be up in the list.
Windows
Shadows is the next chapter in the Heretic Kingdoms saga. Experience an epic adventure with challenging gameplay, a gripping storyline and enchanting graphics. Take on the role of the Devourer, a demon that swallows the souls of the dead and then brings them back into the mortal realm as his puppets...
Ember is a homage to classic role-playing games (RPG) that features a deep branching story, endless exploration across dynamic and living environments, a robust skill system, and an intricate crafting system.
Huge, old-school, indie fantasy role-playing adventure. Features an epic story and tactical, turn-based combat. Explore cunning dungeons, hunt for 100s of magical artifacts, and use dozens of magical abilities. Many different endings. Will you save your people or betray them? It's up to you.
Huge indie fantasy role-playing adventure in a massive, underground land. Packed with over 100 towns and dungeons and an epic story. Fight to complete up to three distinct game-winning quests. Master over 60 spells and abilities. Hunt for hundreds of magical artifacts. Over 50 hours of gameplay.
And return to the classical dungeon crawl, with traps and secret doors, and death awaiting the unwary adventurer behind every corner.
A century ago, the Andorian Empire was destroyed by a magical cataclysm that brought The Horrors into our world; humanity was nearly annihilated.
Many thousands managed to escape sailing away to the Imperial Colony of Varannar: a savage island, dangerous and unexplored.
Leap into a grand adventure of dragons, magic and cats in purr-suit of the evil Drakoth and your catnapped sister!
Explore Felingard's huge overworld map, risk life and limb delving into dungeons for epic loot, and lend a paw to a furry cast of characters in a flurry of side quests.
An everlasting story about the Hero's Sword with animated 3D battles that can be played in its entirety for free!
The Hero's Sword, which was used 300 years ago to defeat the Overlord, has been stolen, and demons are becoming more and more common.
The binding strings of fate, and the desire to trust someone... Where will these tangled threads lead them?
Journey deep into the Spine of the World mountains, a harsh and unforgiving territory settled by only the hardiest folk.
Originally released in 2000, Icewind Dale is a Dungeons & Dragons game set in Wizards of The Coast's legendary Forgotten Realms.
In Battleheart Legacy, you will explore a rich and detailed fantasy world, customize your unique hero with dozens of powerful skills and items, do battle with hordes of enemies, encounter quirky characters and discover the stories of a troubled realm.
Poison your foes, crush them with giant two-handed weapons, put them to sleep with a song, or simply blow them up with a meteor strike.
Venture into the darkest dungeons and vanquish an unrelenting demon horde in this grand fantasy adventure.
You and your brother are oblivious to the cataclysmic events you are about to spark, but your arrival could also be the key to salvation.
Challenge your reckless brother, and purge Mourngard of its demon occupation.
The Elder Scrolls: Legends™ is a new strategy card game based on the world and lore of the award-winning Elder Scrolls series. Play for hours or minutes across many game modes that are easy to learn but challenging to master.
Combat, romance, adventure, and of course—magic! Master four elements and take on fate itself in this epic, interactive fantasy tale! Six possible endings. Four hours for a single playthrough. Three love interests. Countless choices. Male or female? Leader or loner? Good or evil? What kind of mage will you be?
Enter the world of Narborion Saga, an epic high fantasy role playing game. A mixture of gamebook, tactical combat, rogue-like dungeoneering, minigames and much more - Narborion Saga will not disappoint the fans of narrative, story-driven RPGs.
Spellcrafter: The Path of Magic is an RPG game with deep tactical turn-based combat and a unique spell casting system.
Explore a world full of magic, collect gold, interact with NPCs, go on quests and make moral choices!
The game recognizes signs you draw on the screen and automatically chooses the desired spell from the spellbook.
Spellcrafter: The Path of Magic similarities with Shadows: Heretic Kingdoms:
After centuries of peace, the world has been thrown into darkness and chaos. The dead have risen to reclaim the realm for themselves. The Lord of Darkness plans to destroy your kingdom and cast the world into an infernal...
Embark on an epic dark fantasy in the grand tradition of great, story-driven RPGs from PC and console, created by veterans of the Neverwinter Nights, Baldurs Gate, and The Witcher franchises.
Prepare yourself for visceral real-time combat, a gorgeously detailed world to adventure in, complex characters to interact with, and an epic tale of an ancient city held within the grip of a mysterious plague.
An action-RPG set in an imaginary world. A mysterious narrator moves the story forwards based on your every desicion in game and the paths you choose. You have an arsenal of upgradeable weapons at your disposal. Once you complete the main story you unlock a harder new game mode to continue your challenge.
In the times of darkness, only the mightiest of heroes can save the world. Stand out against the evil all by yourself in epic single player mode. Swarms of bloodthirsty monsters, loads of epic gear to collect, dozens of skills to obtain. Grab your sword and fling yourself into action now!
The main characters are a family of treasure hunters, and they are joined by a wide range of other characters.
You can choose from two types of game control, to make the game as comfortable to play as possible.
One of the Top 100 best mobile games of all time (Metacritic) Epic saga of conflict, mythology and community Immensely replayable Hand-painted artwork Interactive story with an ultimate level of complexity
Choose your counsel carefully, sign diplomatic agreements or declare war on nearby clans.
While the bloody battle between Gandohar’s troops and the armies of the Orcs is raging in front of the gates of Oswaroth, the emperor waits in the depths of his palace on the outcome of the struggle for power.
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Tuesday, April 25, 2017
The Book of Common Prayer: "a means to worship A creator"
Dust jacket, The Book of common prayer: the texts of 1549, 1559, and 1662, ed. Brian Cummings (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011):
All of the prayers in the 1662 BCP invoking "a creator" are at the very least binitarian. And the Thirty-Nine Articles as published in that same edition are pretty specific. Take just Article 1, for example:
There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts, or passions; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and preserver of all things both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there be three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
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What started as 4 hours of silly game making seems to have evolved into something that actually might turn out really awesome! Fluttershy Sparkle on Youtube has released three more videos showing off the progress he has made so far. Included this time is a whole bunch of Rarity and Applejack, Octavia's final smash, and a demonstration of a couple of levels, namely Hyrule castle.
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Dangerous When Interested
COURT GESTURE Serena Williams photographed at the Beverly Hills Country Club on July 12, 2007.Credit
Finlay MacKay
After nearly winning, but ultimately losing, in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, sabotaged by a sprained thumb, Serena Williams took the long way back to Los Angeles. First she stuck around a few days to watch her sister win the tournament on Saturday. (Venus's Wimbledon victories: four. Serena's: two.) The next day she flew to New York, where she had a long layover and got a manicure, and then went on to North Carolina to see one of three specialists she would end up consulting about her thumb. Finally, late Monday, she and her boyfriend, the actor Jackie Long, arrived in Los Angeles, only to find that their luggage had gone astray. Exhausted, they went home to Serena's condo (decorated by Venus), where they relaxed until the phone rang with the news that their bags had arrived. They could have waited for the luggage to be delivered, but instead, jet-lagged and sleepy, they got in the car and headed back to the airport.
"I didn't want to take a chance," said Williams, sitting in a booth at Houston's, a chain restaurant at the Century City Mall in Los Angeles that she had chosen for lunch. "I had some great dresses I bought in London." Williams smiled, then laughed at herself, slouching back into the booth. "I got them at Harvey Nichols. I could not afford to lose those bags!" When Williams talked about tennis, she looked a little older than her 25 years; she looked the way competent people do when discussing an intractable work problem, focused and a little bit grave. When Williams talked about fashion, she became dreamy and giddy; she looked, when discussing those dresses, like she was in love.
Williams was thinking she might want to wear one of those dresses down the red carpet at the ESPYs, the ESPN awards show, for which she had returned to Los Angeles. She had already spent much of the day in hair and makeup for a photo shoot for a small fashion magazine. That evening she would spend another two to three hours having her hair done for a pre-ESPYs party she wasn't even sure she would attend. On Wednesday, she would appear at a Nike event, shoot a Hewlett-Packard Web site promo, get another manicure and spend more time in hair and makeup in preparation for the ESPYs. On Thursday, she would voluntarily submit herself to two more hours of beauty assistance for yet another shoot (for this very article). Reviewing her schedule — the planes, the appearances, the hair appointments — Williams acknowledged it was a lot. Her life, she said, "is like a rock star's." The jet lag was starting to catch up with her, and she yawned, overcome by the pace. "I don't know about everybody else, but my life is like this every day, all day."
This is not what fans of Serena Williams's game want to hear. They want to hear that every day, all day, she is perfecting the toss of her 120-mile-per-hour serve, that she is punching up her volley, that she is running sprints and pounding weights to make her game the best it can be.
For Williams, however, thinking of herself as a rock star isn't necessarily antithetical to thinking of herself as a tennis champion. When asked after losing in the 2004 Wimbledon finals what advice, as a tennis superstar, she would give to the victor, Maria Sharapova, Williams famously shot back, "I'm not a tennis superstar — I'm a superstar." She immediately laughed it off as a joke — "I'm just kidding" — but the quote (often cited without the caveat) made the rounds, in part because it seemed to confirm to her critics something that they had been suspecting: that Williams believed she had transcended tennis and that, in indulging her ego, she had let her game suffer.
In 2003, Williams completed what she calls the Serena Slam, winning four consecutive Grand Slam tournaments and displaying such power and athleticism that she looked as if she might give women's tennis the same kind of jolt that the men's game would get from Roger Federer. That moment never arrived. The conventional critique evolved that Williams — who, in addition to tennis, enjoys modeling, fashion design and acting — had wasted her potential. Without an obvious rival other than her sister — a loaded dynamic that has often produced listless matches — she seemed to lose motivation, dropping in the rankings, gaining weight and pulling out of match after match, citing any number of injuries. She continued to play, and sometimes even won, but not with anything close to the same consistency. She confused fans by showing up occasionally as an actress on TV, and in 2006 she took a six-month break from competing altogether.
Having all but given up on Williams as a champion, serious tennis fans were stunned by her spectacular comeback at the Australian Open this past January, when a shocking loss in a tournament warm-up seemed to anger her into action. Williams went on to dominate the Open field, despite carrying what looked like an extra 15 pounds and entering the tournament ranked a lowly 81st in the world. Not long after, she defeated current No. 1-ranked Justine Henin and No. 2 Maria Sharapova to win the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, considered the most important tournament after the Grand Slams, and then powered her way to the Wimbledon quarterfinals. She lost to Henin, but played so well, even with the injured thumb, that she walked away looking almost like the dominant force she had been at her peak.
Come the start of the United States Open on Aug. 27, Serena Williams, ranked 140th just over a year ago, is a top 10 player, as serious and exciting a contender as any player on the tour — if her thumb holds up. It's not a small if. By midsummer, Williams's famous father, Richard, felt she should pass up the Open in favor of letting her injuries heal properly. At this moment in tennis, even if Venus plays, and plays well, but Serena doesn't, the tournament will suffer from a deficit of Williams family charisma, not to mention sheer tennis talent. The Open could be the tournament that determines whether women's tennis has its two most vibrant players back, or whether one of them has just been visiting.
"I cannot imagine Serena Williams coming back from this," NBC's commentator Mary Carillo announced midway through Williams's fourth-round match at Wimbledon. Minutes earlier, Williams, who had allowed her 10th-seed opponent, Daniela Hantuchova, back into a match that had been one-sided, suddenly grabbed her leg, winced and smacked her calf three times with her racket. She tried to take another step, then fell with surprising grace to the grass. After a trainer applied ice to her calf, Williams let out a blood-curdling shriek. A cramp, the commentators theorized; later, her father would say her calf muscle had suffered a small tear. Either way, it took Williams more than 10 minutes to get up on her feet. Wiping tears from her eyes, she hobbled to the base line. She looked like she was going to put up a brave but ultimately losing fight — she managed to hit a 110-m.p.h. serve off one leg, but couldn't run — until clouds that had been darkening finally let loose. A rain delay. The commentators were beside themselves. "Awfully entertaining," Ted Robinson gushed. "Very dramatic tennis," John McEnroe said later in the broadcast.
Even better, Williams returned after an hour and 50 minutes and stunned the crowd, dominating Hantuchova with power strokes while moving nimbly on her feet. The match, in retrospect, was like one extended metaphor for the arc of Williams's career: She started off strong, then faltered for a while before succumbing to a dramatic breakdown in play. And then, just when spectators and fans had no choice but to assume she would never recover, she came back a winner.
Throughout the Wimbledon match, the commentators' remarks revealed a preoccupation with Williams's complicated relationship with the sport. McEnroe commented on "how much less of her there is," referring to her weight. During her calf crisis, he speculated vaguely about whether that injury might correlate to a lack of conditioning, and the drama inspired Carillo to squeeze in a dig about Williams's other aspirations. "She could star in her own made-for-television movie," she said. "And it would be ongoing."
If anything, tennis professionals have been harder on Serena Williams than even the tennis public has; it's as if, in taking that six-month break, in letting herself put on those extra pounds, in appearing on some TV shows, Williams was forgoing a kind of national service to fans and the tour. "She's earning a ton of the money that generations of WTA women have built," says Pam Shriver, an ESPN tennis commentator and a tennis Hall of Famer. Indeed, Williams has certainly succeeded on that front, thus far earning nearly $18 million in prize money and far more in endorsements from Wilson, Estée Lauder, McDonald's, Wrigley's and especially Nike (which awarded her a five-year, $40 million contract shortly after the Serena Slam). In 2007, she ranked 69th on Forbes's list of the 100 most powerful celebrities, one spot above Michelle Wie. Among women in sports, only Maria Sharapova ranked higher.
As an athlete, Williams doesn't seem to consider Sharapova or Henin — or any other woman who isn't her sister, for that matter — too much of a serious threat. "I thought I was going to win Wimbledon," Serena said, attempting to explain what happened in England, when she fell to Henin in the quarters. She was finishing a gumbo soup that the blushing waitress at Houston's had brought to her in record time. "I would have won if I could have hit a backhand, but I could not." The reason? The thumb. "My hand is all taped, I'm trying to hide it. . . . Finally, she caught on." Williams laughed. "She started hitting every ball to my backhand." In print, Williams sounds ungracious when she doesn't give winners their due. Between bites of gumbo, she sounded honest. "There's no need to lie about it," she said. "I was playing well, and I would have won." She obviously wanted that win, and badly. "Eight is not nearly enough for my potential," Williams said, referring to the number of Grand Slam titles already in her possession. "I feel like I have a lot more to do.
"In person, Serena Williams's shoulders are broader than expected, her waist and hips narrower. She may be dressed in a gold tank, gold ballet slippers and pedal-pusher jeans, but it's her face that's mesmerizing, with its photogenic, dramatic planes and features large enough for fake lashes to look appropriately proportioned. Her manner, gracious and upfront, lies halfway between the hyper-feminine breathiness she offers up for TV talk shows and the tough, stony-faced impassiveness she displays on the court.
Photo
Credit
Finlay MacKay
Obviously tired, Williams wanted nothing more than to go home that evening and sleep, but there were hours of styling yet to endure. She had been lazily picking at some ribs on Long's plate and suddenly regretted it, perhaps thinking of the photo ops ahead at the ESPYs. "I ate too many," Williams said, turning to face Long. "I had too many ribs." For an instant, her boyfriend's face betrayed the familiar look of panic that men experience at such moments — what's the right answer? "That's good," he said. "You don't have to eat anymore later tonight."
Within a few minutes, the two had piled into Long's Scion, headed for the hair salon. Williams looked out the window, making idle conversation. "Do you know Sprinkles?" she asked. "It's a cupcake place. I don't go there anymore." A brief, wistful silence. "I had to cut Sprinkles out of my life." She no longer sounded like the hard-driving champion convinced she could have taken Wimbledon; she sounded like any other woman struggling with the tedium of trying to stay fit. She watched, perhaps stricken by a small bout of guilt, as a small blond woman with a ponytail jogged down Bedford Avenue. "I need to do what this girl is doing," Williams said without any enthusiasm.
If Serena Williams has had phases of her life when she couldn't face another wind sprint, that would be understandable. When she started playing tennis, at 3 or 4 years old, she probably didn't realize she was signing on for a life of service to the game, as if agreeing at that tender age to a contract with a community that would expect her to play her best for as long as she was physically able.
The Williams family's tennis history, which started in the 1980s, already has the feel of hoary lore: how Richard Williams decided, after watching one woman professional earn more than $40,000 for four days of work, that he and his wife would have two daughters they would train to be tennis stars; how he taught Serena and Venus himself, using videos and books to help guide him. Richard, the son of a sharecropper in Shreveport, La., says he raised his kids as if they were living in the '50s, a bastion of old-fashioned values in the middle of gang-infested Compton, a city south of Los Angeles. After school, Isha, Yetunde and Lyndrea would follow their mother, Oracene, their stepfather and their two younger half-sisters to the court, where they all fed and picked up balls for the girls until it was time to go home. "It wasn't until I got to college that I realized that our lives" — the 10 p.m. mandatory bedtime till age 18, the absence of friends, the family-wide devotion to the two young girls' tennis game — "weren't what other people considered normal," says Isha Price, the oldest surviving sister and an attorney who helps handle some of Venus's and Serena's business affairs. As they got older, their father's tough love materialized on signs he posted around the practice courts. "Venus, when you fail, you fail alone," one read.
Discouraged from playing with the other kids in the neighborhood, the five sisters were inseparable. They shared a single room with four beds, meaning Serena bunked with a different sister every night. Serena always particularly admired Venus, only 15 months her senior. She "looked up to Venus so much she was Venus," Price says. The family would make Serena order first at restaurants so she wouldn't simply default to her sister's choice; no matter what color she claimed as her favorite, she often chose to wear green, Venus's favorite. Her desire to catch up to Venus in tennis, Serena said at the Australian Open, shaped an ongoing desire to upend expectations — to surprise those who doubted her talents. "I love doubters," she said. "Ever since I was young, even when I came on tour, it was Venus, Venus, Venus, Venus. Oh, and the little sister. My whole goal in life was just to prove people wrong."
Eventually, the little sister prevailed. Today she is considered the stronger player; she heads into the month of the Open ranked No. 8, compared with Venus's rank of 16, despite the victory at Wimbledon.
Richard Williams, now divorced from Oracene, has never been coy about what drew him to tennis: to make wealthy women of his daughters. "Richard's ambition propelled the girls into a celebrity lifestyle," says the narrator of the 2002 DVD "Raising Tennis Aces: The Williams Story," a film that was authorized by Richard Williams and that glorifies him as father, coach and inspiration even as it reveals his tight control over his young daughters. "He was keen to see his daughters make money."
Financial comfort, family closeness, staying healthy — even people who ultimately quarreled with Richard Williams, like the sisters' early coach Rick Macci, would concede that his daughters' well-being was the priority in the Williams household, more so than their place in history. "If someone asked you today who won Wimbledon in 1885, do you know? Do you care?" Richard Williams asked. Reached by phone, his voice tinny over a bad connection and his deep Louisiana accent still strong, he had the sound of an old-time prophet. "Americans only care about who won this year. They don't even care who won last year. My daughters were taught that there's a life beyond the base line."
For all of Richard Williams's grandstanding, for all of his sideline provocations, both Serena and Venus have benefited from his ambitions: they're both successful, rich and, from all outward appearances, relatively happy. In the process of gaining all that wealth and acclaim, they've already changed women's tennis for the better, making it a more athletic, crowd-pleasing game, adding glitz and style to a formerly staid sport. Even those who expect more of the Williams sisters would have to admit that at 25 and 27 they've already given more than most.
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Serena Williams did decide to go to that pre-ESPYs party the Tuesday after Wimbledon, but was home by midnight and up early the next morning for the Hewlett-Packard shoot at the Beverly Hills Country Club. Her opponent was to be a pineapple perched atop the head of Jason "Wee-Man" Acuna, a 4-foot-7 athlete and comedian best known for his work on the MTV prank show "Jackass." Williams's job was to remove the pineapple using her serve.
She started warming up, and the whiz of the ball rose incrementally in pitch as her serve's speed increased. "That was about 112," she said. She twisted her torso, then rose up balletically, almost en pointe, and hit another. "119." Looking over at Wee-Man beaming in his tennis whites at the service line, a brazen and willing target, she stopped to laugh. "I wish you all the luck in the world," she called over to him before commencing her assault. "I don't have good aim." A few serves later (including one that left Wee-Man with a good-size welt on his thigh) she nailed the pineapple, sending it tumbling to the court. Wee-Man ran up to Williams to shake hands, then faked her out, running his hand through his hair instead. When he pulled it off a second time, he ran away, and Williams gamely chased him with her racket, hamming it up easily for the camera.
Williams's approach to extracurriculars has shown discipline only in the sense that she has seemed reluctant to do any of them half-heartedly. She went all-out Hollywood as her tennis career took off, about midway through the Serena Slam in 2003. She dated the director and bachelor-about-town Brett Ratner. She starred along with her sister in a reality television show for the ABC Family network called "Venus & Serena: For Real." She broke up with Ratner on the show ("Is this the breakup episode?" Ratner cracked for the camera). She guest-starred in an episode of "ER" and a trio of cop shows: "Law & Order," "The Division" and "Street Time." And she started a fashion line, Aneres, which is still in its infancy and has yet to make it into stores.
Critics of Williams complain that all the energy expended on acting and fashion leaves her less time to play and makes her vulnerable to injury; Williams would argue that she has merely taken advantage of downtime to pursue her other interests. She tore a quadriceps in the spring of 2003 and had surgery in August. She cut down her schedule so she could heal and indulge in a little acting.
The injury was the first of many that dragged her game down. There was a rib malfunction, an abdominal injury, gastrointestinal illness, a sprained left ankle and a groin injury. The loss to Sharapova in the 2004 Wimbledon finals was the start of a slow decline, during which she withdrew from tournament after tournament, citing injury. In 2004, for the first time since 1999, she dropped out of the top 10. She came back with a victory at the Australian Open in 2005 but, after that, was eliminated before the semifinals in all but one of her next nine events. Most damaging was a loss in the second round of a Beijing tournament, to a player ranked 127th.
Suddenly, and painfully, Williams wasn't hearing from Nike as often, and Sharapova, whom the company had signed right after she defeated Williams at Wimbledon, seemed to be the new favorite face.
Photo
Camera-ready Serena Williams in Los Angeles.Credit
Finlay MacKay
Assuming the role of tennis den mother, Chris Evert took it upon herself to give Williams a stern talking to in the pages of Tennis magazine. In an open letter to Williams in the May 2006 issue, she wrote that Williams's career had been troubling her: didn't she ever consider her place in history? Williams's distractions, Evert warned, were tarnishing her legacy. "I don't see how acting and designing clothes can compare with the pride of being the best tennis player in the world," she wrote. "Your other accomplishments just can't measure up to what you can do with a racket in your hand."
Around the time Evert wrote the letter, Williams hadn't been acting at all. She had been taking a six-month break in Florida, hanging out with her family and her dogs, trying to pull herself together, doing what Jill Smoller, her agent at the William Morris Agency, calls "some physical and emotional healing."
In September 2003, the oldest Williams sister, Yetunde, a nurse, was shot and killed in Compton by a bullet reportedly intended for a man with her in a car. From the circumstances of her death, one might imagine that she had led a life far outside the boundaries of her sisters' circle. In fact, Yetunde and Serena were quite close; when Serena tore her quad just a few months earlier, for example, Yetunde had checked in every day, attending to her care. For years, Williams never spoke publicly about what happened, about how close they'd been or how she had been the first in the family to get the call with the news. Just as Williams had tried to play through her injury, she had apparently tried to play through the tragedy, literally and figuratively, filling her schedule with guest spots and red carpets and tournaments. Finally, it caught up with her, in a way that was so overwhelming that Williams will talk about it only in near code: "I went through some things in my life, things I've never spoken about, that were extremely painful. Things that happened to me on an emotional level . . . and other things. I think it would have been abnormal not to have been sidetracked — like, does this girl have feelings?"
Smoller elaborates: "If you keep playing and moving on, and moving on, and the tragedy's not dealt with, and you get injured, you eventually have to deal with the emotions and the hurt and the pain."
After her surprise win at the Australian Open this year, Williams spoke about her sister, dedicating her win to Yetunde in tears. And though she may be too private to bare her soul on "Oprah," she poured her heart out to her fans on her blog, thanking them for sticking with her: "One day you are on top of the world, and the next day you are fighting to hold on . . . physically and mentally. U grasp onto a small string that's holding U between sanity and insanity . . . groping in the dark trying to find the light that can lead u out of the dark tunnel . . . then and only then u find . . . the true people that are your friends . . . the ones that are willing to be there for you whether or not you are extremely successful, or just normal." At times, she nearly let go of that string, she wrote, and thanked her fans, her family and Jehovah for helping her hold on.
"I tried to develop a better relationship with God," Williams, who was raised a Jehovah's Witness, told me over the phone. "You have a strong solid foundation, the Bible says, you won't crack, but the man who built his house in the sand, his house went down spiritually. I have a really strong foundation. That's how I was raised." Williams was never a lapsed Jehovah's Witness — even after she was famous, she claimed she still occasionally proselytized door to door. But as she tried to pull herself together in Florida, she renewed her commitment to her religion, attending Jehovah's Witness meetings three times a week.
In contrast to another former child star (and Grand Slam champion), Jennifer Capriati, who recently spoke openly about her ongoing struggles with depression, Williams seems to have moved out of whatever emotional low she'd been caught in. Capriati expressed disappointment at her agency and the United States Tennis Association, feeling that they had abandoned her once she was injured. "I had no idea," Williams said upon hearing of Capriati's troubles, her feelings of abandonment. "But that's why for me I've always done different things. You can only play tennis for so long."
That may in part explain why Williams so easily dismissed Chris Evert's very public critique. "Very public in the tennis world," Williams qualified, "which is a small world." It's an important point for her — and not just in the context of Evert's criticism, which she says she didn't read. "If you think of the tennis world, it's not that big," she said. "There's the big picture, people dying overseas in the war, and people giving to charities, and people changing lives. . . . Tennis, in comparison, is not that big. And if you keep it in perspective, you can play even better. If I lose, you know what? I lose."
For the casual spectator, that sentiment has the sound of sanity. For die-hard sports fans, it's near blasphemy. "When you want to be the best in the world in anything," Pam Shriver says, "balance isn't always part of the equation." Either Williams isn't interested in being the best or she has a different idea of what it takes. She plans to start auditioning for movie and television roles in the fall.
The afternoon of the ESPYs, Serena Williams showed up at the red carpet celebrity-style, fashionably late and with a large entourage. She wore a white Grecian chiffon dress by the up-and-coming designer Rachel Roy, and wore her hair piled atop her head. A gold necklace dangled deep in her cleavage, and the rhinestones on her Christian Dior sandals sparkled. Her shoulders shimmered with gold-flecked powder. "Is that Beyoncé?" someone wondered aloud. "She's a fashion icon," said another, clearly knowing it was Williams.
In that same post-Wimbledon interview in which Williams referred to herself as a superstar, she had gone on to describe her level of celebrity as "that Britney Spears thing." She regularly says of her body type that she's no "Mary-Kate Olsen." She told me at one point that she doesn't want to be written about like Paris Hilton, although don't get her wrong — Hilton is a "really nice girl," she says. Practically as often as she's comparing herself to Henin or Sharapova, Williams is placing herself in context among the gossip world's No. 1 players. Those kinds of references, of course, reflect a typical twentysomething celebrity fixation — Williams can carry on a conversation with one friend while texting another on one of her two P.D.A.'s and simultaneously checking for news about Nicole Richie's latest courtroom drama. But Williams also seems to want to believe that if she begins an acting career while she still has her Nikes in the tennis game, she has a chance at maintaining the same level of celebrity she has had as a world champion. In becoming an awards show presenter, an attender of premieres, a host of high-profile parties, a presence at fashion shows, a guest star on prime-time dramas, Williams may indeed hope to transcend the game. But her association with this other kind of fame may prove just the opposite — a relic of a certain moment of see-and-be-seen, TMZ.com-style celebrity, as dated as Chris Evert's tennis bracelet.
Then again, there is one more possibility, a story line that breaks the beloved traditional sports narrative, the one that requires single-minded sacrifice to be the best. Maybe Williams will perplex and irk the pros and the fans by continuing to win tournaments while acting on the side.
Shortly before her strong showing at Wimbledon this year, Williams appeared on a popular British talk show, "Friday Night With Jonathan Ross," which has the witty, irreverent Ross as host. Williams was resplendent in a short red dress with a striking V-neck, prompting Ross to pronounce her a "spectacular hunk of woman."
Williams was playing that evening, as she often does in televised appearances, the part of the perfect Southern belle, well trained in the art of the intimate smile, the forefinger sweep of a single strand of hair, the batting of her eyelashes. Why did her game fall down at the French Open? She didn't have her lucky shower sandals! Isn't women's tennis just as interesting to watch as men's? Why, yes — and she particularly likes watching her sister Venus. Ross doesn't so much interview his guests as set them up for charming quips, so it was obvious what he was going for when he asked, in the closing moments, what she thought about women playing men — whether she thought, for example, she could beat Ross in a tennis match.
In an instant, every aspect of her body language changed. The mask of gentility fell, and her game face appeared — the face the people who know her best would instantly recognize as hers. She was apparently willing to take the part of the aspiring Hollywood starlet only so far before she needed to set one thing straight.
"Oh my God, yeah," she said quickly, all but baring her teeth. "I'd kill you."
Susan Dominus is a contributing writer to The New York Times Magazine.
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Modes
Arcade version
Menu of the arcade version looks like this. If you're playing with an Aime card, your card information will be showed in the left corner.
Normal Mode
You'll play through 10 fights and witness the story of your character.
Score Attack Mode
You'll play through 10 fights and try to gain the highest score.
Time Attack Mode
You'll play through 10 fights and try to finish it as fast as possible.
Training Mode
With one coin, you can freely train for a specific amount of time. Arcade machine's settings determine how long the time is. By pressing the START button during this mode, you can bring out a menu screen.
EXS ENHANCE MAX
Fills player's EXS Gauge to maximum. (Once per round)
GRD VORPAL
Give's the player a Vorpal status (Once per round)
CPU LEVEL <LV 1/2/3>
Changes the movements of a CPU opponent.
LV1 Training Dummy
LV2 Repeats a certain move once a while
LV3 Attacks the player like a normal CPU opponent
Console version
Menu of the console version looks like this. Use the Circle button for confirm and the Cross button to return.
Arcade Mode
You'll play through 10 fights and witness the story of your character. Same as the "Normal Mode" from arcade version.
Versus Mode
Offline battle mode for two players.
Versus CPU Mode
Offline battle mode for one player to fight against CPU opponents.
Network Mode
Splits into two different modes.
Ranked Match Mode
Fight against the opponents world wide to gain highest amounts of RIP (Rankers Incite Points)
Player Match Rooms
Maximum of 8 players can fight against each other without worrying about their RIP rankings. Only 2 players can fight at a time and the rest will spectate the match.
Score Attack Mode
You'll play through 10 fights and try to gain the highest score.
Time Attack Mode
You'll play through 10 fights and try to finish it as fast as possible.
Survival Mode
You'll continue the fight as long as you can. Your character's health won't recover between the fights.
Training Mode
Practice your combos and stuff...
Console version Training Mode is told to be able to record actions for the Dummy to repeat on command.
Customize Mode
These settings only apply to the Network Mode. You can pick up a title for yourself, change your profile card and select a default color the game always gives to you... but of course, you have to buy those first from this same menu. Prices of the items are the same as they were in the In-Birth Front.
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# **Table of Contents**
The Future of Love
Copyright
The Future of Love
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Want to know what happens next?
**The Future of Love**
****
**Aubrey Parker**
Copyright © 2017 by Aubrey Parker. All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, businesses, events, or locales is purely coincidental.
Reproduction in whole or part of this publication without express written consent is strictly prohibited.
The author greatly appreciates you taking the time to read this work. Please consider leaving a review wherever you bought the book, or telling your friends about it, to help spread the word.
Thank you for supporting Aubrey Parker
CHAPTER ONE
"We need to talk," Chloe said to Alexa. _"Right fucking now." _
Alexa stood, shocked, trying to regroup. It was too much, too fast. Too overwhelming. She'd just knocked down her mental overload a few notches by navigating a _bang-bang-bang_ trifecta that was as nerve-wracking as it was relieving.
First she'd told Parker everything, including her secret deal with Caspian and all that his Wild East data had shown them: Agile Four nanobots had been active on Voyos inside Nicole Shaw; the bots had built her a synthetic uterus; they'd used the familiar-to-them genetic code of Noah West to fertilize one of Nicole's eggs and thereby created a child.
Next Alexa had confronted Noah, learning enough to fill in the gaps while also leaving him high, dry, and angry without the answers he demanded.
Finally, she'd connected the dots, again with Parker. The release of secrets was a breath of fresh air, the solving of their biggest mystery a relief beyond measure.
But now this. Chloe Shaw barging into her home without granted access or credentials, while the fucking Crossbrace connection was physically disconnected. Chloe Shaw crossing her living room just minutes after Alexa and Parker had agreed that _yes_ , their situation felt dangerous... but that it'd be okay as long as they could keep it all from Chloe.
As long as Chloe didn't find out about her odd birth and her unknown father.
As long as Chloe never learned that decades and decades of research had been poured into this moment — into finding Chloe, into their determination to bend and break every rule to use and control her.
_Take it easy,_ Alexa had so recently told herself. _It's not all bad. When Chloe learns the truth — the whole, complete, entirely unvarnished and unrestricted truth — she will understand. There's no way she couldn't. Not given the person she is. Not given her legacy and what's inside her. _
But it wasn't time for that yet. Now was fragile.
Chloe was marching toward her with murderous eyes.
"What the hell do you think you're doing in my apartment?" Alexa said, opting for the offensive.
It didn't work. Not remotely. Chloe came so near, she could smell her skin. Inches between them. Chloe's sapphire eyes on fire.
"What the hell were you doing in mine?" Chloe retorted.
"I was never in your apartment," Alexa said.
"Not just now. Not just yesterday. I mean forever. I mean five years ago. I mean twenty years ago, before I was born. When _haven't_ you been right there and nosing into my business, Alexa?"
"You're losing it. What the hell is wrong with you?"
Chloe stepped forward and Alexa stepped back. With the couch still behind her she almost tottered and fell into a sitting position.
"Don't deny it. I know. I have the records."
"What records do you think you have?"
"All of them. Everything you did back when you were Georgia Bernard. Everything Parker did when he was experimenting with his patients, charming them into killing themselves." Chloe glared at Parker, whose shock was deep enough that he didn't even try to defend himself, though to Alexa's knowledge only two of his patients had killed themselves... and it was years after his treatment... though likely due to instability his treatments had caused.
"You're out of line, Miss Shaw," Alexa said. "I could have you arrested for this. I should fire you."
"But you won't. Because you need me. Because you've built your entire fucking company on my back. How long have you been watching me? How long have you been waiting?"
"Careful..." Alexa said.
"Or what? Tell me what I need to be careful about. Tell me what I'd better not do, and what horrible things you'll do to me if I so much as try them. Is it worse than what you threatened Andrew with?"
Parker nudged himself between them, forcing the women somewhat apart.
"We didn't threaten Andrew, Chloe."
_"Bullshit you didn't!" _
"I don't know what he told you," Parker said, "but-"
"He didn't have to tell me! _I've seen your files! All of your files!" _
"And I don't know what you think you've seen of 'our files,'" Parker continued.
Chloe had mostly been facing Alexa, squared off against who she seemed to regard as her biggest enemy. She turned to Parker so fast that he nearly tripped and fell as well.
"What's your blazer size, Parker? I know; 44 Regular. And it _is_ '44,' isn't it? Still in inches, despite the fact that all of your tailors (the one on Elm, below the NetPlex office on 42nd) converted to metric after the fall like everyone else. Because you can't think of it any other way than inches and you refuse to learn. You've been a 44 Regular since college when you ballooned up a bit and your pants moved from a 32 to a 38, and you're a 44 today. Fuck the world if they won't do things your way, isn't that right? You should see the customer notes those tailors have on you. You wouldn't think someone who spends as much on suits would be so hated by the people who trim them."
Parker blinked, his mouth hanging open. His face said what Alexa was thinking: _How the hell could she know a tenth of what she'd just said?_
Chloe turned to Alexa.
"I see your meddling fucking hands everywhere I look. You and Clive Spooner on Voyos back in the '30s and '40s. Your meetings to figure my mom out now — to figure out where I came from. What does the rest of the O board think about the two of you meeting without them? What did they think when you met here, in this place, and talked shit about the others?" Chloe cocked her head at Alexa's expression. "What, don't you remember? That happened the time Parker kept swirling his wine and you shouted him down like you wanted to cut off his dick."
"How did you—"
"I know _everything._ When Parker gave me that canvas, he said, 'Have fun.' Like I was supposed to figure it out. Well, _I figured it out._ Turns out I'm _really motherfucking good_ at 'having fun.' Did you know you and your cronies at O left footprints all over The Beam's digital history? I don't even need your canvas to see it anymore. When I walked down here, I stopped at a bank and used the ATI. The interface didn't even ask for my code to withdraw money. Instead, while standing there, I got curious about what _you_ experienced when _you_ went to a bank. What was it like to go to an ATI and see a balance in the millions or billions of credits? Well, I found out. Suddenly I'm looking at Alexa Mathis's account, and your account wasn't even at that bank. And speaking of finances, what did you buy on Granite Quarry yesterday, Alexa? A little toy you were too embarrassed to ask O's clerk to get for you from your own stores?"
"That's enough, Chloe," Alexa said.
"It's not _nearly_ enough. I'm tired of being your little plaything. I danced along like an innocent little girl for long enough, trying to trust the benevolent O and be a team player. But that was before you hired an actor to fuck me — _two_ actors, as it turns out, one a lot better than the other. That was before you started messing with my family, trying to trick me into falling in love so you could figure out what would happen. That was before I started poking around and found more and more evidence that what Slava said was true: that O really _has_ been on my case for fifty or sixty years. Who were you talking to on your cochlear implant when you made that little slip to Slava, by the way? That's something I haven't bothered to look into yet, though I doubt The Beam would give me any resistance if I did."
Parker looked at Alexa. "What's she talking about?"
"I'll tell you later."
"Tell him _now_ , Alexa," Chloe said. "Tell him how you kept going behind his back while you were busy using him to get behind everyone else's. Do you even have a side, or is it just all you, all the time?"
"Parker already knows everything," Alexa said it evenly, even as Chloe continued her verbal assault. Part of her was terrified by what she was hearing — by the prospect, that The Beam no longer held many secrets from Noah's prodigal legacy.
But another part of Alexa was growing ever more furious.
Chloe was more than Alexa had bargained for, but she was also a kid. She hadn't gone through the ups and downs and torment and triumph like Alexa. Chloe may have won (or possibly lost?) a genetic lottery, but Alexa _fought_ for _everything_ she had.
She'd fought when she was just a writer, determined to make her way and be taken seriously. She'd fought while shoulder-to-shoulder with the infuriating alpha males inside the Trillionaire Boys' Club, all of whom had seen her either as a feminine joke or a pussy to home in on. She'd fought for literal life and death through the fall — something this little girl in front of her had never had to face. Time and time again, Alexa had watched her empire burn, then sighed and stood back up to build it back from the ashes.
"Does he know that—" Chloe began.
"He knows."
"—that you're part of a secret club that—"
_"He knows,"_ Alexa repeated.
"And how happy might all your partners be if they learned that—"
"Learned _what_ , Chloe?" Alexa barked, her patience gone. "Learned that you're an insolent little shit who's suddenly found a big gun to play with? Learned that you're _so_ determined to show the world how angry you are and how much you've been wronged that you'll talk straight out of your ass if it suits you?"
Chloe's expression firmed. She'd paused, but was clearly raring to resume. "If you think I don't know what—"
"Who's your father, Chloe?"
Chloe stopped, her glare like razors.
"Because that's the problem with knowing it all, isn't it?" Alexa continued. "You can figure out everything except for things that _nobody knows._ Nobody except for me, using the one thing that's cut off from the network." She tapped her temple.
"The Beam knows," Chloe said.
"But _you_ don't, do you?"
Again, Chloe said nothing. She seemed so righteous. Ready to strike. Fucking kids thought they knew better. In the end, fucking kids didn't know _shit_.
"Got the golden key, haven't you?" Alexa said. "I know why that is, but you don't. Am I right?"
Stares. Nothing more.
"You just saw how it all worked. Had a revelation. And you said, 'Lay down, Beam, and let me fuck you. Because that's how it is. But The Beam isn't like a man. You can make a man do whatever you want with the right hole, but you can't do that with The Beam no matter how hot and bothered it is for you. I'll bet your porter told you he knows who your father is, but wouldn't give you the name."
Alexa smiled at Chloe's flash of recognition, waited for a beat then continued.
"Mmm-hmm, I figured. Because mine did the same thing. At first, I thought she was being an asshole. Surely The Beam knew the answer, but a set of permissions I'm sure you don't even understand was keeping my porter from telling me. But that's not why she didn't spill it. Same as yours. The Beam _doesn't actually know_ , Chloe. That's what you don't understand, and that's why you're not going to bend me over right now no matter how determined you are."
Chloe's firm lips. Her unflinching stare. "You're lying."
"The Beam is like a person, Chloe," Alexa said. "It has a personality. Only it's not just _one_ personality; it's a whole lot of them at once. And do you know what people do? They preserve themselves before preserving anyone else. _The Beam doesn't know who your father is._ It has guesses, but only within a narrow range. It knows there's no point in supposing, and that whatever it does to steer you to figure out, it can benefit from. It doesn't want to admit that it's wrong. It can't stand to look like a fool."
"That's ridiculous," Chloe said. "It's just computers."
"Really? You've never seen emotion from your porter?"
Chloe said nothing.
"Especially irrational emotion, since that's what we're talking about here. Hasn't your porter ever acted cranky, or belligerent, or bitchy? Irrational? Haven't you ever just wanted to grab it by its holographic neck and shake the life out of it because it _Just. Refuses. To make. Any. Goddamn. Sense?"_
Chloe's jaw worked. "It has to know the answer, even if it hasn't told me. The old Internet was all over the place even then. There are records."
"Then what's the answer, Yoda? Who's your daddy, if the answer is right fucking in front of you to read like a banner over DZ Square?"
Chloe exhaled. Her body seemed exhausted, fury tempered by receding adrenaline.
"Listen to me, Chloe," Alexa said, making her voice more certain than she felt, knowing they'd reached a delicate moment. "The Beam doesn't know this. You're welcome to keep digging if you don't believe me. There was a time when it did, before Crossbrace, when Quark had scraped enormous amounts of data from both public and private sectors of Internet in preparation for rollout. But there was a kind of virus that infected that data, and the records you're looking for are gone." She tipped her head and added, "Well. Not _gone." _
"If The Beam doesn't know, why the hell should I believe that you do?"
"Frankly, I don't care whether you believe me or not. I do care that you have taken on authority that you're not entitled to. I care that you burst into my apartment like a toddler throwing a tantrum. You think you know it all, Chloe Shaw? The truth is you know nothing."
"I know you hired Andrew to fake a relationship with me."
" _Yes, you do... because I_ let _you know it._ Do you know why?"
Doubt clouded Chloe's features.
"You have information without context. You have all the facts but no way to interpret them. So Parker got fat in college. Do you know _why_? Was it the pressure that kept him from exercise? Was his roommate in culinary school, providing him all sorts of impossible to refuse desserts? Or did romantic rejection hurl him into depression?"
"I know you've been spying on me. I know you've been after me for longer than my mother's been alive."
Alexa stood. "Come with me, Chloe. We're taking a ride."
CHAPTER TWO
Through O's massive front doors.
Into the darkened conference room with the soundproof sex cells — the place where Chloe had come the first time she'd visited DZ to apply for her current job, sitting opposite Parker Barnes. But now those cells were scary, sad, pathetic. Menacing. A different sort of cell.
The entire board was present. All of the people Chloe had seen in the projection with Andrew, though that had been in a different room, probably in the same building. She saw the fat man in the cowboy hat, the wiry woman with a chip on her shoulder, the duo behind the Nectar empire.
Everyone watched Alexa enter with Parker behind her, then turned their eyes to Chloe the minute they saw her straggling at the rear.
"What the hell is this, Alexa?" Olivia asked.
"Chloe feels we've gone behind her back," Alexa said. "I'd like to set the record straight, and the spindle drive in this room is the only place that has what I need."
Alexa raised a panel on the conference table, tapped on it while the new four assessed Chloe. Alexa didn't look back at Chloe, having made something clear on the limo ride from her flat to the O building:
_Follow my lead and don't say anything you know you shouldn't, or you'll never learn your father's identity. The board doesn't know about the father. The board doesn't know a lot of things other than that we've watched you for a long time. They don't need to know more... or else. _
It had felt like a thin gambit to Chloe while sitting opposite Alexa, a long seat distant from a fatally silent Parker. Alexa was making a mistake. In the apartment, it was only the three of them. Here, Chloe would have the attention of all Six. If Alexa had secrets, Chloe could threaten exposure. Then Alexa would bend to her will like a snapping twig.
_It's not that simple,_ Chloe's mind told her as the ride drew on. _You've already shown her how well you can navigate the network. She knows it obeys you. She knows you could spill her secrets to the Six from any location you want, whether you're in front of them or not. _
"Why did you call the others here?" Parker mumbled to Alexa.
Houston, who'd overheard despite his whisper, said, "Fair question, Parker. Another would be, 'Why were you _there?'"_ He pointed toward the door, implying wherever Parker and Alexa had once again been together... without the others, in defiance of official Six policy.
"I was nearby. Alexa called me when Chloe came to her place." Parker's eyes flinched just a little. It wasn't a safe lie. He seemed to be hoping Alexa and Chloe wouldn't snitch, wondering if _Alexa called me first_ was any better in the others' eyes than _I was with Alexa from the start_.
"They're here because I messaged them and asked them to be here," Alexa said without looking up. The air above the conference table had lit with a holographic menu, not unlike the webs Chloe had used before. File names were encoded and she couldn't decipher them.
"Why?"
"Why not, Parker?" asked Charisma.
Alexa finished whatever she was doing and turned to the others, all of whom were seated except for Parker (lost near the center of the room) and Chloe (against a wall as if trying to escape through it.) Alexa saved him the tricky task of an answer by nodding, taking the conversational baton for herself.
"Let's dispense with the bullshit. Parker and I have been meeting in secret. I'd urge anyone who sees a problem with that to remember that Parker and I have a history in this matter that extends beyond your involvement. We are partners, but we are not and have never been in total agreement about what certain... _facets of the organization_..." She looked at Chloe. "... mean to us as a whole. I am free to converse with one of my oldest friends about whatever I wish. To be blunt, Parker and I have met to discuss Chloe in ways that didn't interest you. And to be even more blunt, that makes it none of your business."
Olivia's face was dark. Irritated.
"We agreed: all discussions of O business happen with the six of us present."
"We weren't discussing O business, Olivia," Alexa said. "We were discussing philosophy. We were discussing spiritual beliefs. Every time I've steered the conversation in a direction you — especially _you_ , Olivia — found unrelated to credits and market share, you've more or less told me to knock it off. But this is still a free country, isn't it? Parker happens to share my beliefs."
Eyes turned to Parker. He looked helpless.
"Bullshit," said Benson.
" _Chloe is more than just a company asset_. _Chloe is 'the one' we've been waiting for.' There is something deeper to Chloe Shaw than anything that can be measured on video or monitored by sensors._ _The fact that we found Chloe 'means something.'_ " Alexa raised her eyebrows. "Do any of these 'same boring old Alexa topics' sound familiar to you, Benson?"
"Don't try to turn this around," Benson said. "This isn't about us repressing you. This is about you doing what you've always done: looking out for yourself first and the company second."
"Herself _and_ Parker," Charisma clarified.
Alexa tapped the panel. One of the files in the web magnified and the others vanished, now replaced by an indistinct cloud of darkness, like a pall above the boardroom. Then she tapped something else and seven panels around the perimeter of the room began to move, closing off seven windows: those in each of the six sex chambers surrounding them and the one far above like a skylight. The room, which had been partially lit by the lights inside the cubicles with the fornicating couples, darkened.
"Whether it hurts your feelings or not, Parker and I have been meeting to discuss Chloe without the rest of you. You've known it and we've known you know it, so this is me getting it out in the open. I have nothing to hide. Now you have a choice: you can bring formal action against me for violating our bylaws or you can hear what I have to say. It doesn't matter to me which you choose. I already know what I'm about to show Chloe, so I can show her in front of you or without you. What do you think, Charisma? Benson? Olivia? Houston? Should we bring it to a vote?"
Four voices mumbled discontent around the table. According to Brad, O's operating agreement gave equal rights and shares to the Six, but there was a small clause in it that the others might or might not know. In the case of a crucial deadlock among the board, the issue didn't go to arbitration. It went to Alexa. The broad-sweeping way the clause had been written — on purpose, for sure — meant that if anyone disagreed with or moved against her, Alexa could decide for them all and always get her way.
And if Alexa moved that the company be disbanded and all voting rights and shares be taken from the other five and be given to her? Well, the others might disagree, but chances were that even the best lawyers would likely side with Alexa.
Alexa turned to Chloe. "There is a drive under this conference table that has absolutely no connections from the network. There are no wires. No Fi. No _antennae_ for Fi. The room is completely shielded. You only know we met with Andrew the other day because it didn't happen in here."
Chloe waited for more, her certainty twisted. She'd been so confident after Brad had told her what felt like everything, after she'd stormed her way into what should have been Alexa's impregnable fortress. Now she had no idea what was coming. She felt cut off. _Naive_. Alone and outmatched.
"The only way to move information on and off the drive is to shuttle it there via specialized slip drives," Alexa continued. "We have other rooms that are similarly shielded from Fi and disconnected, and we use them to transfer data onto the portable drives for ultimate transfer to this big one."
Alexa tapped around again and something in the black cloud above the table shifted — numbers scrolling, maybe a filename or another coded sequence. Whatever it was, it meant nothing to Chloe. But it did mean something to the other five — even Parker, who was apparently only now realizing why Alexa had brought them here.
More murmurs and shuffling.
"This isn't a good idea, Alexa," said Houston.
Alexa acted like she didn't hear him. She touched the controls and the black cloud subtly shifted, like revolving smoke or video of a room with nothing in it — different somehow from a still shot of a similar room. The black cloud, she realized was a holo of something unlit. What it was, Chloe couldn't yet see.
"Mostly what we offload and transfer here is holo and video from nanobots like the ones I'm sure you know have been following you around, watching whatever you do. I imagine you also know that there have recently been certain... _limitations_... in terms of what our best attempts to watch you have encountered."
"I don't need to see footage of myself," Chloe said, looking at the holo, waiting for a light inside the recording to come on. "I already know what I've done and where I've been."
But Alexa ignored Chloe, too.
"That's _most_ of it," Alexa said. "But not all of it."
_"Alexa..."_ Parker said. But she gave him a slow look that said, _Stay out of this._
"This board," Alexa said, gesturing around the room, "has, however, been patient and indulgent about a little hobby of mine. A pet project, you might say. Parker, in particular, has been extra supportive. He's never bought into it and there's been a lot of eye-rolling, but he pretends for my benefit. It's sweet."
Chloe watched the dark holo. Now she could see something, but not what. And tiny sounds of movement didn't solve the mystery.
"I have this crazy theory. Always have. It's one of my quirks. I insisted that it be indulged when I was first tinkering near the turn of the century, then through all of my partnerships since. Would you like me to tell you what it is, Chloe? My stupid little secret that, like so many things, wouldn't be visible to even someone who could see everything on the Crossbrace or Beam networks?"
It wasn't a question. Alexa was feeding the same things back to Chloe that she'd already said at the apartment: that even now, The Beam didn't know everything in the world — and that behind even the most comprehensive information, there was still a _why_ that mattered. Chloe didn't need to agree. This was coming — for everyone, including the board — whether it was wanted or not.
"Okay," Chloe said, her eyes still on the holo.
"I've always believed there was more out there than we could see," Alexa said. "More than we could feel; more than we could hear; more than we could smell or taste. I could bore you with the details, but I'm sure you can imagine a life filled with whispers behind my back. I didn't just force all of this 'spiritual bullshit' on my friends and family. I brought it right into my business. It became a key question at Eros, and it forms the beating heart of O today."
Olivia laughed. Alexa stared, and she quieted.
"You've heard of Anthony Ross?"
Chloe's memory lit, though it took her a moment to zero in on where she'd most recently heard the name. Ross had been world famous a long time ago as a self-improvement guru, but more recently Chloe had run across him while poking around for information on Clive Spooner — not her father, but somehow also her father in a weird way that Brad refused to clarify.
"Yes."
"He and I were in business together once. Almost in a very big way."
"I know," Chloe said, eager to recover some footing. "When you were working with the Syndicate. And the Trillionaire Boys' Club within it."
For a moment Chloe feared that she'd said something she wasn't supposed to. But Alexa only smiled. "That's right. Why did Ross and I part ways?"
"You disagreed on how to best implement a sex and self-empowerment app he was developing. But it wasn't just you and him. It was a three-way split, in 2017. Ross provided the platform: the people who he'd get to start using the app. The Syndicate was your silent partner, providing the funding — not just for the app, but for tens of billions of old US dollars in social change initiatives."
Alexa looked mildly surprised but recovered quickly.
"That's right. Because you can't just build it and expect them to come. There were thousands of ads to place and commercials to create. I'm sure you know the Syndicate had an in with both LiveLyfe and the Forage search engine. We were going to do so many big things, and Forage and its algorithm both played into it. But again: I won't bore you with the details. Suffice to say the Syndicate was going to spend a lot of money."
"And you..." Chloe said, naming the third party in the three-way split. "It seemed to me like you'd just stuck your nose into the deal between the Syndicate and Ross for no reason."
Alexa laughed. "Not far from true. I put the deal together, but I for damn sure wanted a part of it once I had. It would've been a perfect marriage if Ross hadn't backed out. Anthony Ross, who'd always been too morally perfect for my tastes, would have had his hand in freeing the world's repressed minds through the app's guidance. The Syndicate would have gained the most comprehensive customer database ever assembled, thanks to the data harvest. It was the ultimate consumer list: the ultimate guide to creating and selling pretty much anything any businessperson could ever want to sell, and for monumental profits."
"And you wanted to skim off the top," Chloe said. "Collect all of the sex-related data, and sneak it into all of the social change initiatives already underway as part of the Ross app, then use both the data and the influence to build O."
"Not a bad system, right?" Alexa said. "Win-win-win. Unfortunately, Anthony got cold feet. Didn't like the means we'd all proposed to reach his desired ends. He went another way and basically disappeared. There are rumors. They're like Bigfoot sightings. _He's still out there_ , people will say. _He doesn't even use nanobots, and he only looks fifty_." Alexa laughed again. "The Syndicate moved on, looking for a new project to invest their hundred billion dollars in. And found it, obviously."
"I guess you had to start over," Chloe said. There was still nothing visible in the running holo above the table. The others around the conference table were looking alternately between it and Alexa, whose tale they may or may not have known. They all looked uneasy, uncertain even, but seemed unwilling to move or speak and shatter the spell.
"Almost," Alexa said. "I had to find new partners, and this was long before O. I had lost all of Eros's influence and network, all of the Syndicate's connections and money. Not long after, the fall came and everything was up in the air. But through it all, I held onto something. One tiny little thing that ended up meaning everything in the world."
"What?" Chloe asked.
Alexa's eyes flicked to the holo. Now it almost looked like there were two shadows in the dark room. Two people fighting, or wrestling, or rummaging about in the dark. Was she witnessing a robbery? She could almost hear voices, but clearly the people were trying to be quiet.
"Something our mutual friend Clive helped me with, actually," Alexa said. "I assume you know about his old company Microdyne?"
Chloe nodded.
"And you know what they did?"
"They made a privacy chip."
"Right. He made the chip, then pushed his connections for legislation against mobile companies requiring new privacy standards. Microdyne had the solution ready and sold that chip into nearly every mobile in existence. But do you want to know a secret?"
Chloe didn't respond. She'd be hearing this either way.
"The chip was supposed to be our Trojan horse. Anthony's app would have siphoned customer usage data from the mobile, through that chip, every hour of every day that the mobile had power, whether the mobile itself was on or not. It bypassed all of the settings, thanks to the chip."
"Spooner's chip let you spy on people without them knowing? It _invaded_ privacy instead of protecting it?"
"In a limited way," Alexa said. "On a mobile with the never-finished Ross app installed, it would've been magnificent. We'd have known everything at all times. It would have given us our mammoth data pool. It would have changed the world."
She shrugged: _C'est la vie._
"As things turned out, it only let us look at a small sliver of data. A trickle at first, but from everywhere across the globe, then everywhere across the NAU after the borders closed. For a long, long time it wasn't useful. But it served its purpose. It let me keep an eye on my ridiculous little hobby."
"The spiritual thing?"
"I've always believed in synchronicity, Chloe," Alexa said. "In fate. To the people around me, maybe it sometimes looked like I was making decisions based purely on profit considerations, or for selfish reasons. Maybe it's sometimes seemed like it was all about me. But it's not and never has been. I believe in purpose, Chloe. I believe in faith. And I believe that if you watch long enough and hard enough and close enough, you'll soon come to realize that _everything happens for a reason." _
Chloe shook her head. She knew _nothing_.
"I don't understand."
"Alexa, don't." Parker's eyes flicked to the still-dark holo with its many small noises.
"Why not?" A smirk: Alexa was enjoying this immensely. "You've always had my back no matter how 'crazy' I sound, Parker."
Parker looked to Chloe. It was the first time — ever — that Chloe had seen this look in his eyes. Her intuitive senses were on full alert and screaming: _He's being honest and forthright with you. Whatever is coming, he's saying it to you not as a lesser-than, but as a peer. _
"She's leaping to conclusions," he said to Chloe. "Believe me; we have been hearing this forever."
Chloe looked at Alexa. "What?"
Parker said, "Alexa, just because she—"
Alexa raised a hand. Parker stopped.
"When you came in to see us that first time, Chloe," Alexa said, "at first I thought it was impudent. We all did. We figured you were cocky and full of yourself. You didn't know your place. A glass table girl from Voyos with barely any experience coming in here to bother us? It was ridiculous. But something about you must have perked Parker's ears because he met you personally, and then pushed for you because 'something intrigued him.'"
"You had a _way_ about you," Parker said to Chloe. "And so yes, I thought you might be a good fit for the spa despite your youth and inexperience." Then he looked at Alexa. "But that doesn't mean—"
"Then we saw how you were," Alexa kept going. "With our tester, Logan, using the Rocker without being told how. With Falls Hartford, who should by all accounts have been impossible to please. With Gregory Bordeaux, who didn't buy a membership until he met you, at which point he signed up immediately. With the Orion. With the Projection Room test, even with your canvas. At first, I thought it might all be luck, but then we learned about your mother."
Voices muttered around the table. Was this the first the others were learning about some of these things? Chloe didn't know.
"Suffice to say I got curious. _Very_ curious. But more than that, it all felt _right_. Like serendipity. But then I got to thinking about the hobby that everyone mocked. I pushed some things around in a program I use and started seeing patterns. Because my spirituality doesn't see technology as a competitor; it sees it as an ally. Have you heard of anthroposophy?"
Chloe nodded. It had been all over Alexa's digital dossier, though until now it had felt only like a curiosity. "It's the belief that virtual worlds are a way to explore our truest selves."
"And find digital Jesus," Olivia quipped. Stares shut her down.
"What I found — from all that data compiled over the years from Clive's privacy chip, versions of which are still in use today — was that according to anthroposophic predictions, the culture of Crossbrace was ripe for _something_ to be realized."
"Just _say it_ if you're going to spew bullshit," Benson said. " _Say_ that your crystal fucking ball told you it was time for the second coming."
Alexa didn't comment. Apparently, this was a sore spot among the board, and right now all but Alexa were both wary and concerned about the topic's resurgence — and their zealot leader's lunacy.
"It made me curious," Alexa said, not addressing Benson's accusation. "And I started to comb through that data. I ran a search: one informed by all the years I'd spent looking for algorithms with Eros in the twenty-teens, for a data avatar with Tony Ross, for an AI after the fall. But that was all preliminary, and it failed because I had no true idea what I was looking for. Ultimately, I had to give up. I couldn't search for what I wanted. I asked the dataset — protected and walled off, shuttled to this spindle as I offloaded both nanobots and data harvested from mobile devices I sent out as 'dew catchers' to pull Spooner's data from Fi in the air — a simple question. Just yesterday, in fact."
Alexa smiled and nodded toward the holo above the conference table. "And _this_ recording, cobbled from a mobile device using one of Clive's chips, was what it gave me."
Parker looked affronted. He hadn't known everything after all.
"I was going to tell you eventually, Parker. But you know the rules. I had to tell the board _all at once." _
"What did you ask it, Alexa?" Parker said. "What was the query you sent through all that bullshit spy data gathered by the bones of Ross's behavioral app?"
Instead of answering, Alexa looked the holo. As if on cue — as if everything really did happen according to a plan and always for a reason, a male voice within it said, "I want the lights on."
Everyone watched, but only Alexa was wearing a smile.
"I asked it, _What is the future of sex?'"_
There was a shuffling noise. The lights in the holo came on.
Chloe saw a bedroom she recognized.
Reality crashed like a fallen piano.
One of the people in the holo was herself, from before she'd begun working at O. The person in it with her, removing his clothing as she removed hers, was a man. A boy, actually, maybe 18 years old.
The holo had been made in secret when Chloe was still a private citizen.
And the man in the recording with her was Brad.
CHAPTER THREE
"How did you get this?" Chloe looked from the holo to Alexa, eyes wide. She'd learned a lot from The Beam, but Alexa had still managed to surprise her. Until seconds ago, Chloe had believed there was still privacy in the world.
"Answer me!" Chloe said, stepping closer to Alexa. "How the fuck did you get this? I didn't work for you then! _Why were you watching me?" _
Calmly, Alexa said, "We weren't watching you."
Her eyes flitted to the other members of the board. Technically, of course, they _had_ been watching Chloe. But so what? Technically, they'd been watching everyone who had Spooner's chip in their mobile device, thanks to the little Trojan code from the uncompleted, unused Anthony Ross app. But it had always been so much data offloaded from hijacked Fi signals that it had been practically meaningless. There was simply too much to sift, too much to translate; nobody would ever know where to start. The board had indulged Alexa the way they'd indulged a child with ridiculous dreams. Nobody had ever expected to hear about her quixotic hobby again. Not here in this boardroom. It was supposed to be a black hole for data, a way to let Alexa safely indulge in her insane faith so that her quests wouldn't impact O business.
"Turn it off," Chloe said, barely calm.
"I'm trying to make a point."
"You've made it." A little muscle was jumping along Chloe's jawline, making her skin pop. Alexa didn't know if she was more angry or nervous. "Now turn this thing off."
Alexa took her time responding. In the holo, Brad had removed Chloe's shirt and was reaching up to unfasten her bra. She waited until the bra was off then tapped the control panel.
The holo didn't vanish but it did pause, now with Brad's hands holding palmfuls of Chloe's breasts. Brad's expression was full of ecstasy. Chloe's was almost administrative, as if she were checking items off a list — which, in a way, was one of the many reasons this video mattered. Chloe would soon see why. They all would.
"I said _off_."
"I can tell you're upset," Alexa said.
"I'm _upset? Really?_ How can you tell, Alexa? I thought I was excited. Why wouldn't I be?"
"We weren't _watching you_ ," Alexa repeated. "The nature of Clive's privacy chips meant that the data was _everywhere_. The sheer amount recorded from mobiles' holo-recorders and microphones is immense. Too much to sift through. Even if I'd wanted to find your files specifically, there's no easy way. We don't have the carrier databases. Each stream is paired to a chip ID but not to the name of the person who owns the device. And the IDs change all the time; that was one of the key requirements when Clive's chips first went to market. It's randomized. Even if someone managed to get a location ping out of a mobile, they wouldn't know who it belonged to. The fact that we have to send out dew-catcher nanos to pull the signals from the air just confuses it more because it's all fragmentary, coming from many mobiles at once. I don't have a neatly ordered set of videos indexed by person surveilled in the spindle drive, Chloe. It's closer to having a big pile of celluloid film that's been shredded and randomized."
Chloe wasn't listening. She was staring at the holo, jaw firm and muscle still twitching, shaking her head. "My whole damn life," she said to herself.
"I need you to understand this, Chloe. I know you're angry. But if you can understand the monumental importance of what _this_ " — she indicated the holo — "means, then we can move forward and—"
"What it _means?_ What it _fucking means?"_ Chloe turned full-on toward Alexa. Her face was red, her blue eyes full of malice.
Alexa took a step back and held up her hands. "Calm down, Chloe."
"Why don't you tell me what it _means_ , then? Because from where I'm standing, the fact that you were spying on me losing my virginity _means_ you're all a bunch of evil fucking bastards who I should never have gotten involved—"
"Why _did_ you get involved, Chloe?" Alexa asked.
Chloe stared, then shook her head. She wanted to do something rash: to smash an object, to claw at someone's face, to get her hands on a weapon and go to battle. But there were no objects to smash or weapons to draw, and despite the fury, her divine mind knew that tantrums were pointless.
Chloe glanced at the door, then at the room. "I'm done here. With all of you." She turned to go.
"I asked you a question," Alexa called after her.
"Fuck your questions. You want answers, ask The Beam."
"If you leave now, you'll never find the answers you're looking for."
Chloe paused with her hand on the handle.
"Not just about your father, but _all of it_. I haven't told you why this matters yet — this episode with Brad. I haven't told you the rest of what my query told me."
Alexa knew Chloe resented her hesitation, but it was already clear that she could be plied. Chloe thought she was making a decision, but that's not how it was. She was a marionette, and Alexa the puppeteer.
"Why did you come to us?" Alexa repeated. "You were working glass tables like your mother. You'd never been to DZ. You didn't know anyone here. You were too young and too inexperienced to be an escort in one of our spas; you're not stupid or naive enough for that to have never occurred to you. I'm sure your mother and friends told you that you were being ridiculous. You had to come all the way in and use your own money, and by all obvious standards, it was a waste of everyone's time. So why audition?"
Reluctantly: "I wanted to be an escort. I wanted to try."
"Why did you want to be an escort, Chloe? For the money? For the fame? For the toe-curling sex our escorts get to have?"
Chloe didn't answer or turn. Nor did she open the door.
"You don't know why you came," Alexa said.
"Did your _crystal ball_ tell you that?"
"In a way," Alexa said. "Now stop acting like a spoiled little brat and get back over here. You can have my chair."
"Fuck you," Chloe said.
Alexa sighed. "We both know you're going to stay. You need to know the truth. Where will you go if you leave? And how long before all the things you can't find the answers to drive you insane?"
Chloe didn't move.
"You're going to stay," Alexa said. "So just do it now, while you still have some self-respect."
Chloe's hand fell to her side. Slowly she turned. Without making eye contact with anyone, she returned to the room's center.
Alexa pulled out her own boardroom seat and Chloe obediently sat, looking down at her hands, forehead bunched.
"As I was saying," Alexa continued, "we haven't been 'watching you' for any longer than you've been with our company. The data's nature makes that impossible."
Chloe turned to look at Parker. Maybe, with the whole world suddenly against her, she saw him — her first contact at O — as an unlikely ally.
"It's true," Parker said, glancing up at Alexa. He didn't want to support her on this, but outmatched was outmatched. "It's a mess. This is one of our ongoing fights. Space on the spindle drive is enormous, but not infinite. Many man-hours go into this little hobby of Alexa's: wrangling her little nanobots that go out and steal signals off the network. It's true that Spooner's chip turns almost every mobile into a spy device, but who cares? There's so much data it's worse than useless. Alexa is hoarding and has been forever, just to have more and more data for her obsession."
Chloe glanced at the paused holo, then at Alexa.
"I couldn't have found this recording out of all the data if I'd wanted to, Chloe," Alexa said. "The only custodians able to remotely come close to getting through it all are the walled-off AI in the spindle, and they're not even Beam level. I can only ask the archive questions. Every time I've done it in the past, I've felt like the idiot they all think I am."
She regarded the paused image above the table and resumed.
"But this time, it meant something."
"It doesn't mean anything, Alexa," Olivia said.
"I asked for the future of sex. It gave me this."
"Only because you've already decided that Chloe is the future," Olivia insisted. "You loaded the question in advance."
"It doesn't work that way."
"No offense, Alexa," said Benson, "but you don't have the _slightest fucking idea_ how it works. And Anthony Ross is the only person who might. You've wasted too much of the board's time and the company's resources on this crap. I think we've all had enough. We're all tired of playing along with your little fantasies."
Charisma stood and started to shuffle her belongings.
"Where are you going?" Alexa asked.
"Benson and I have work to do."
"You can't leave."
"I can do whatever the hell I want."
Alexa looked at Parker. "Parker? Explain it to them."
"Explain _what_ , Alexa? You decided she was O's savior and now you have this recording of Chloe getting her cherry popped. So what? I'm with Benson. Maybe this 'thing' of yours has gone on long enough."
"Don't do this, Parker. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't do it on purpose. I was going to tell you today, but Chloe barged in before I got a chance."
"Whatever you say, Alexa." Parker wasn't listening. Alexa had cried wolf too many times. He'd had enough, same as Benson.
"Five minutes," Alexa said. "Just give me five minutes to make my point."
Subtle groans. Muted acquiescence.
When Alexa saw that she had their temporary attention again, she exhaled and tapped on the control surface tipped up from the conference table.
"Let me show you what else my search found."
CHAPTER FOUR
Chloe looked up at the paused holo.
She was half-naked astride Brad, his hands on her tits.
She remembered the moment with photographic clarity. The rapture in his eyes had been unreal; he'd finally talked her into fucking and now it was going to happen with the lights on so he'd see it to remember forever.
They'd groped, but now it was going to completion. Brad's cock had been a rail spike between her legs, but she'd been too busy gathering her own data to enjoy it.
Her mother's voice had been in her ear the entire time, reminding Chloe to keep sex and affection in separate piles. If she didn't analyze and categorize her first time with Brad, how would she know to react later: both to Brad without sex, and to sex without Brad?
Her eyes went to the boy beneath her holographic counterpart. It was strange to see him this way. If she counted hours, she'd probably spent more time with Porter Brad than the real one.
The guy in the recording was literally an entirely different person than the Brad she was used to. Seeing this man with his hands on her — and knowing what came next — was somehow far more awkward than any sexual encounter Chloe had ever had or witnessed. She would have thought herself incapable of being embarrassed about sex, but it turned out she wasn't.
This Brad was about to fuck her, but the Brad she knew best was like a brother.
The holo shrank as Alexa tapped the console, then slid to the left.
A second holo came up beside it, this one offering much better resolution. Chloe recognized it immediately. Her with Logan — the tester she'd auditioned with that first day.
For a few seconds, Alexa scrubbed through both sets of footage, rotating them, apparently searching for the perfect angle in each, passing her first encounter with Logan, when she was on the Rocker, before she first took the man into her mouth.
When Alexa finally lifted her hands from the console and looked around at the others, the holos were almost mirror images of each other. In both, the man was sitting with his legs dangling, Chloe positioned between them. In both, she'd grabbed the man's unzipped pants by the waist and was paused in the process of pulling them down.
"Now watch," she said.
The scenes progressed like a pair of stereopticon images just slightly out of sync. On the left, Chloe lowered Brad's jeans, followed by his boxers. At the same time, she saw herself do the same to Logan at almost exactly the same pace.
Their cocks sprang free. Chloe watched her images take each by the shaft, lick it with her tongue, then slip the tip between her lips.
Alexa paused the footage again. "Do you see it?"
The room looked confused. Alexa sighed and resumed the footage.
Chloe watched herself suck each man's cock, but the stereo feel was already tearing. Now that the two Chloes were sucking in earnest, they weren't in sync. Each used a spit-slicked hand to stroke her man and each licked him up and down, but they weren't working at the same pace.
Brad had been on a hair trigger whereas Logan, a professional, had been far steadier. Chloe remembered wondering if Brad would fire off in her mouth; and if so, if he'd then require a second session for intercourse so she could learn what she needed to.
"Now?" Alexa asked.
Mutters.
Alexa shook her head. She moved forward, then skipped around to find scenes that were again about the same, these with Chloe on her back, legs parted, pink-blushed pussy wrapped around each man's shaft.
Once the scenes were synced, Alexa let them play again, rotating the angle so they could all see Chloe's face while cocks slid wetly in and out.
Parker sat up, leaning forward. His face was curious.
Houston watched Parker rise.
"The AI found this?" he asked Alexa. "The Spooner-Ross AI, I mean? It dug it out from all the shit it's gathered over the years?"
Alexa nodded. "It came back in with the same query: when I asked it to show me the future of sex."
"What?" Houston said, still looking at Parker.
Parker was looking at the holo from multiple angles. The sound for both projections was on but low, and while Parker examined, Chloe heard the slick sounds of sex and four sets of moans, two belonging to her.
Parker was now rotating the holos with his fingers, pinching in and out. A pair of cocks fucked a pair of Chloes, pistoning in and out of her soaking wet slit.
"Fascinating," Parker said.
"What, Parker?" Olivia asked.
Still watching Brad fuck Chloe, Parker waved for her to stand. He pointed. When nothing was still apparent, he said, "She's using the Volsatz Technique." When no one responded to that, he added, "It's something we teach all our escorts as part of their standard training. The girls pace a man's orgasm based on his galvanic skin response. It's fantastically difficult to master."
Charisma shrugged. "So? She's a fast learner."
"This, with Logan, was her first day. We hadn't taught her anything yet."
"We _never_ taught her _anything_." Alexa half-laughed and looked at Chloe. "You never got your on-boarding."
Chloe, who didn't know a thing about the so-called Volsatz Technique or the galvanic skin response it was apparently based on. She waited for the others to weigh in.
"Then she intuited it from Logan," Benson said. "Same as she _read_ how to use the Rocker and later _read_ Hartford."
"You're missing the point," Parker said. "She's doing it in both videos."
The board looked at the holo of Chloe and Brad.
Brad's O-face was coming on strong. Watching it — watching herself on her back with her legs spread wide, Brad's cock filling her in long thrusts — Chloe remembered the curious feeling she'd had during the encounter.
Looking back, she'd thought she hadn't enjoyed her single time with Brad, but that was only half true. It was more accurate that she'd been unable to enjoy because she'd been carefully taking notes, slotting sensations and emotions into separate buckets.
But even now, thinking back, she could almost recall the ghost of those feelings. Her precise memory still had all that sensory input deep inside. If she concentrated, Chloe could almost feel his cock inside her now, filling her, making her wet even as she simply went through the motions.
Why had Chloe thought that she hadn't enjoyed it? Even if her mind hadn't, her body _had_. She'd been wired from the start. Even now her nipples were stiffening, and as she watched the scenes play out with the others watching, Chloe was getting increasingly wet.
"How could she be using an O technique before she worked at O?" Charisma asked.
"She learned it from her mother," Benson said.
"We don't teach it to table girls," Parker said. "It's too hard to learn and there's no advantage for them."
Alexa was smiling. Chloe caught a glance, then looked away. It was getting harder to hold onto her anger.
All this fucking. All this analytical sensory overload.
"It just seems like she's doing it, then," Houston said. "It's coincidence."
Alexa piped in. "I've reviewed a lot of footage. She only had this one time in her personal life, but I could show you how she used the same technique on her table partners. Apparently, there was quite the clamor among guys on Voyos to work with Chloe Shaw."
Olivia caught Chloe's eye. "Where did you learn how to do that?"
Chloe looked at Alexa helplessly.
"She didn't learn it," Alexa said. "She figured it out."
"No way," Parker said. "We developed it using Beam AI. Even The Beam took six months of sifting through our records to suggest it."
"I won't show you for obvious reasons," Alexa said, "but the AI tells me Chloe was using the technique when she was sixteen."
"On who?" Houston asked. "I thought she was—"
"On herself."
Chloe felt herself blush, but said nothing.
Curiously, she was more aroused than embarrassed. How much had those perv nanobots seen of her over the years?
"The Beam didn't exist when she was sixteen," Benson said. "Not even in beta."
"That's right, Benson. It didn't."
All eyes turned to Chloe. Except for Parker. He was still studying.
Logan came. Brad came. And still, Parker watched like a professor, a thoughtful hand to his chin.
"The AI is reading it wrong," Parker said. "There's no other way. Without Beam AI, she'd have to..."
"She'd have to have figured it out for herself."
"But it's an aggregate technique, not something that can be guessed at. It's response-based and needs a pool of subjects like we had in our customer records. She would've had to have reviewed hundreds of hours of porn, but even if she knew what she was looking for, I don't see _how_ she could do it. We had gigs of biometric data to go with the simple visual recordings."
"The AI agrees. Like you said, Parker: there's no other way a technique like that can be developed."
"But obviously there's something missing because..."
Alexa watched Parker with satisfaction. "You understand now?"
"Are you implying that Chloe somehow siphoned what she needed off of Crossbrace?"
"How else would she have enough data?" Alexa answered.
"I didn't suck anything off Crossbrace," Chloe said.
Olivia stood, looking at the others. "Am I missing something?"
"Think about it, Parker. It makes sense, given what we've learned about her."
"And what's that?" Olivia looked at Parker, whose eyes were fixed on Alexa, full of shock. _"Parker?_ Answer me, dammit!"
Parker's head slowly turned. He looked at Chloe and his eyebrows raised as if to say, _Well played, Chloe. I have to give you credit on this one._
But on _what_ one?
But she knew. Deep-down, Chloe knew.
Parker and Alexa seemed to have put this all together and the others hadn't, but that was because only they knew about Chloe's strange new connection to the network.
Chloe had hacked Alexa's personal files; Chloe had hacked her way into Alexa's apartment; Chloe could now get Crossbrace and The Beam to do pretty much whatever she wanted.
Was it really possible she'd always had that connection, yet had only realized it recently?
If it took mountains of Crossbrace information and Crossbrace AI to learn the "technique" in the videos, was it possible that the network had given her what she needed to learn it... without Chloe ever even realizing it was happening?
Had she fucked Brad — and herself, apparently — using this Volsatz O simply because it "felt right" at the time?
Surely not.
But a presence inside Chloe was nodding along.
She could almost hear its deep voice:
_You know it's true, Chloe. And they know more than they're letting on. _
_It's not just your connection to The Beam that made this possible for you. It's something deeper — something Alexa and Parker know but haven't said. _
_Something to do with your father. _
Curiosity resurged. In a moment, Chloe remembered her anger, born of impotence and frustration. She'd allowed herself to be dragged here because Alexa was dangling knowledge like meat before a starving dog.
Now she was jumping through hoops to please the others?
_Fuck_ the others.
Chloe had come to learn what she most wanted to know. And if she didn't get some satisfaction on that particular issue soon, the starving dog was going to leap up and bite the hand that teased it.
_"Parker?"_
Alexa turned to Olivia. "We can explain later."
Her head snapped hard toward Alexa. _"We?_ Oh, yes, please do. I'm so glad you and Parker worked this all out without us. Solid job on that, you two. But now that we're all here, maybe you can let the kitty come out to play. Because I for one am getting _mighty fucking sick_ of being disrespected and screwed with!"
"Later."
_"Now!"_
Calmly, patiently: "I said, _later_."
Olivia crossed her arms. "Then why are we here? Why did you call us all to the boardroom, if we couldn't see it without Parker explaining and if you were only going to cockblock it more?"
"I need a vote," Alexa said.
Benson sounded aghast: _"What_ vote?"
"I want the board to approve an allocation of O funds for use on a yet-unarticulated Chloe Shaw project."
Chloe snapped out of her trance. "If you think I'm going to be part of some—"
"Sit the fuck down, Chloe, and keep your mouth shut."
"What project?" Benson said.
"Yet-unarticulated. Unspecified."
"You want a blank check," Charisma said.
"If that helps you to understand."
"For how much?"
"Fifty to one hundred billion credits."
Clamor erupted.
Chloe took it all in, feeling small and explosive. On one hand, she was humbled watching six of the most powerful people in the NAU throw down in a fight over her, and far too intimidated now to weigh in. On the other hand, she was still angry about all of this. How dare they discuss her as if she were a pawn? There would be no 'Chloe Shaw project' without Chloe Shaw.
Hadn't she been project enough for them already?
This ended here.
This ended _now_.
But Chloe couldn't find the strength to raise her voice above the clamor. There was too much temper, too much pent-up hostility boiling over. Alexa had apparently been dragging their faces through her spiritual crap since the beginning, going so far as to allocate significant company resources, money, and time to its study. The other five seemed to have gone along, but now that Alexa wanted a huge sum without answers to balance her request, claws were out.
The room eventually settled. Threats were made — openly, this time. Olivia said that the board could block her, could find a way to oust her. Alexa asserted her ace, implying again that if the board went against her, she could overrule them. She seemed to want official approval, but would _take it_ if she had to.
Olivia and Alexa nearly came to blows, each threatening to leave the other, each pointing out that the Six didn't have to stay six people strong, and that various parties could ultimately do just fine if they broke off on their own.
_"STOP!"_ Alexa shouted. "Just sit the fuck down, whether you agree with me or not!"
Charisma remained standing and said, "You don't give all the orders around here."
Alexa sized her up, seeming to wonder whether she should reassert that _yes_ , she _did_ give all the orders. Instead, she spoke in a calm voice, "I founded this company. Argue all you want, but if you can stop feeling wounded I don't think any of you are too stupid to pretend that we didn't discuss this company's vision from the start."
"'The Future of Sex,'" Benson said. "I remember. But we were heading into that future together. It wasn't supposed to be you, or you and Parker."
"We're driven by more than innovation," Alexa said. "I saw your eyes roll when I mentioned this earlier, but what I said to Chloe is true: O's beating heart of still holds a deep belief that what we're doing serves a greater purpose."
"That's your bullshit," Houston said, "not ours."
"I _insisted_ , Houston. Go back and look at our original contract. I know you laughed, but you still signed. I believe that everything happens for a reason and I always have. You all bitch and moan when I dig up our old chestnuts: me and Parker back with Eros, combing through women at that Colorado ranch like contestants on a game show. We nearly found what we were looking for then, in Bridget Rice. That one got away, but I never stopped looking. I've never hidden my agenda — not even a little.
"Every time I pull out the old app console and ask the AI questions like I did yesterday, you _all_ bitch and moan, but you know this is part of the mission. Mostly you tolerate my spirituality. My _anthroposophic bullshit_. But now I'm pulling the ace, putting my foot down and insisting we take it seriously. It's time for this company to put its money where its mouth is, even if some of you have forgotten what that mouth has been saying all along.
"I was right about the Spooner data on the Spindle; it captured Chloe discovering and using an advanced, network-discoverable technique before we had learned it ourselves. I was right that we keep searching for an avatar because it looks like we found one. It was right to keep our eyes on the future because there's more and more proof that we've found it. Do you really not believe yet that everything happens for a reason? That there is a grand plan? That there are purpose and synchronicity in everything? Chloe _walked right into our office_. And even she doesn't know why she thought it was right to come to us. Only that it was right, because there was a grander plan for us all."
Eyes rolled. Annoyed, patronizing, reluctant grunts rang around the table.
Alexa looked at Charisma.
"Yes," Alexa continued. "I want a blank check on this project. But at most it's only a hundred billion. Not a small amount, but it hardly threatens to cripple us. Believe me, if this project using Chloe goes like I imagine, I'll be back to ask for more. The O Corporation is looking at a major shift in direction."
"And when," Houston asked, "do you plan to explain yourself?"
"When you need to know."
"You'll just handle all of this yourself in the meantime."
"Yes, Houston. Using O's money and resources to do it." She raised her eyebrows. "Is that a problem?"
Houston grumbled.
"Chloe is an O asset. Right now, I speak for O. If you interfere, it's because you're thinking of yourselves, not the greater mission. And if you do, you'll be dealt with as problems to solve. For now, you need to know that O was looking for Chloe. It found her. And now you're going to hand her over to me. You're going to sign off on this and trust me. Consider it a blessing. There will be no more people barging in on us. Fewer arguments from Parker. No more Andrew. No more threats."
"Except from you," Olivia said.
"No more impossible puzzles to solve," Alexa said, staring Olivia down. "You don't have to trouble your pretty little heads any longer. Chloe is mine. What becomes of her future with O is up to me, and me alone."
Chloe clenched her fists. Alexa's presence was powerful and so far, she'd kept her mouth shut, but there was something boiling inside. Something not quite organic, born of numbers and digits and flashing lights. Chloe could see the room's Fi, hear the spindle drive under the table as it unfolded vast archives and spoke directly to her furious mind.
_Who is Chloe Shaw?_ she wondered from above herself. But as she listened to Alexa drone on about owning Chloe and deciding her future without consent, she increasingly had an answer:
_Nobody to fuck with. _
_Nobody to trade like she didn't matter at all. _
Her fists clenched tighter.
She could see The Beam. Hear The Beam. Touch The Beam.
It was in all her senses. She was one with it and it was one with her.
Chloe knew her own future, and it was different from the one Alexa had planned. She knew that future even now, even as she hated to admit it. She knew it as clearly as any binary decision, either on or off, zero or one.
The dim lights flickered. The two paused projections above the conference table vanished.
Heads looked up and around at the second's disturbance, but none looked to the problem's source. Except for Alexa.
"You're dismissed," Alexa told the room.
Nobody moved.
_"Dismissed!"_
Reluctantly the others rose. Houston left first, followed by Olivia and the Youngs. Chloe was on her feet, but Alexa's stare froze her.
Only Parker remained, but Alexa gave him an almost imperceptible nod as if to say, _I'm not as furious as you as with the others. We'll talk later._ And then Parker, too, was gone.
The door closed.
Chloe, though she couldn't have said how, somehow locked it.
The lights flickered again.
It was only Alexa and Chloe, finally alone.
CHAPTER FIVE
"Have a seat," Alexa said.
"I'd rather stand."
"I am not your enemy, Chloe." Alexa stood behind the opposite chair, hands across its back. Finally, seeing that Chloe didn't intend to move, Alexa sat.
"You like old movies, don't you?"
Chloe said nothing.
"Some of the movies you and Andrew watched, they were among my favorites. Old 2-D films we used to watch in theaters, back when I was a younger woman."
"You looked about the same, though, right?" Chloe's fists were still clenched at her sides. She thought she could feel the room's electricity, sufficiently enough to plunge them into darkness with a thought. Whatever had gone wrong with her was now perhaps turning the corner and heading in a different direction.
Alexa nodded and smiled. She didn't take Chloe's bait, though Chloe knew for a fact that Alexa Mathis in 2025 looked almost exactly the same as she did today in 2060.
"There was one called _The Twilight Zone._ Based on an even older TV show. Did you see it?"
Chloe said nothing.
"There was one story about a kid with terrible powers. He could make anything happen just by using his mind. But he couldn't control it. He was only a kid. The power was too big for him. He didn't want to do what he did, but he didn't know how _not to_."
Alexa put her hands on her knees, leaning forward.
"I don't know how it is for you right now," Alexa said, "but I think you might be able to shut this building down. Maybe you could do the same thing to the city. Maybe you could touch all the air circulators in all the buildings in DZ and close them off or somehow send poison gas through them. I don't know. I met you as a prodigy in my chosen field, Chloe, but I realize now that you're much more than that."
Alexa leaned forward. "What it is about you? It makes you special in all the ways O wants most to build upon: you're intuitive, so you can adapt to and exploit anyone. You're a perfect blend of mind and body. Your genesis is tied to what almost became the Anthony Ross life-and-sex app, so you're a sexual savant. But that's not all there is to you, right Chloe? Especially now. You feel your new power. But like that kid in the movie, you don't know what it means or even how to use it?"
Alexa leaned back. "And that scares you, doesn't it?"
Chloe clenched her fists. The lights winked off and on.
Alexa watched her, unfazed. "What I told the others is true. In one way or another, I've been looking for you all my life."
"Bullshit."
"Anthroposophy believes we find ourselves most fully through immersion in virtual worlds. It believes that if there is a God, he's to be found inside. It's not the blasphemy that some see it as. God takes many forms. If you believe, then God is everywhere."
"I'm not your God."
Alexa laughed. She patted the table in front of the chair opposite her. "Of course you're not. Please. Sit."
Slowly, Chloe sat.
"Your father," Alexa said, "is Noah West."
"That's not possible. The Beam says—"
"The Beam's records are incomplete. I can give you all my data later if you'd like. I think you'll find that it slots right into a 'hole' you see in The Beam. But think about it, Chloe. If your mind works half the way I think it does, this might even sound right to you, given what I know you've already learned."
Chloe thought. Parts shuffled in her mind like a broken clock's cogs trying to reassemble themselves: a Syndicate, Clive Spooner, her mother, nanobots.
_Especially nanobots._
"My mom never said she met Noah West. She couldn't keep that from me. She's seen him on Crossbrace and talked about him, because who hasn't? But—"
"They never met. Clive used an experimental sex aid on your mother. It was an injector that contained—"
"Nanobots," Chloe finished.
_"Quark_ nanobots. Nanobots designed to determine what a person wanted and give it to them. Nanobots that could intuit all sorts of things from the slightest of signals, then know that person better than they knew themselves. Sound familiar?"
Chloe weighed what Alexa was saying. She still didn't entirely understand, but what she saw was clear. Chloe could intuit all sorts of things from the slightest of signals and know a person better than he knew himself.
That's where she'd gotten it. _Somehow_.
"You're lying."
But Chloe was just stalling; she knew what Alexa said wasn't a lie.
"I don't have any reason to lie, Chloe. There is something remarkable inside you. I believe we can use it. Together."
"I'm not your slave. I won't do what you say."
"Maybe," Alexa said. "Sit."
Chloe sat. She asked all her questions, one by one, never expecting a fair reply. But Alexa answered each one, and without hesitation or any holding back. Chloe could sense the truth from Alexa, in her manner and voice, and she could sense the truth from the other side as well — in how perfectly Alexa's answers jibed with what Chloe knew in her gut.
Her mother had been unable to have children, but Quark's nanobots had built her a uterus. They'd stolen an egg from Nicole's ovaries, then brought it to the uterus to implant, fertilizing it with a synthetic sperm cell carrying the best male DNA the nanobots knew: that of Noah West.
The nanobots had watched over Chloe as she grew, carefully regulating Nicole's hormonal balance and physical state throughout the pregnancy, building artificial hormones where Nicole's natural ones were lacking. It was like Chloe had a team of microscopic doctors around her at birth, tending to her every whim.
Of course she'd become who she was. Chloe was a legacy of The Beam's father and had been raised by its stewards, teaching her all that they knew.
"What am I?"
"I don't know, Chloe. That's for you to find out. You were born of AI but raised by a human. Right now, you're halfway between our worlds. You can talk to The Beam, and it increasingly seems that The Beam will listen. But are you commanding it? Or are you simply one with it?"
"What's the difference?"
"If I'm a citizen of this city, I can move around and deal with its people in ways a freight train couldn't. But that doesn't mean I command the city. I can simply disappear within it, and go where I please."
"Is that why I can get past all the permissions set by your group? By Panel?"
Alexa shrugged. "Those permissions were set by humans. As were the restrictions on the bank machine you used to see into my account. Or the canvas that gave you Parker's suit size."
"Does that mean I—"
"I'm not the one to answer that."
"Maybe I should talk to Noah West. My father."
"You don't know Noah. And he doesn't know you exist."
"Who does?"
"Me. Parker. A man named Caspian White. In time, I imagine the rest of my Panel group will find out. And I can't keep it from the O board forever."
"What about Clive Spooner?"
"He knows you exist, but not who you are. He knows he can't be your father, but was still curious when he learned that Nicole had a daughter."
_He'd been curious?_
Chloe pushed further, saw through The Beam that Clive had done some extra searches recently centered around Nicole Shaw. That was another picture that continually filled out as Chloe learned more: one that painted Clive and her mother as lovers who'd, unfortunately, missed a connection, doomed by fate but still carrying a dimly lit torch.
"If all of this is true, what makes you think I'd ever want to do what you say?"
"I think you'll do what's best."
"Is that another threat?" Chloe asked _._
Lights flickered as Chloe's pulse throbbed. Alexa looked up when it happened and Chloe thought she saw her swallow hard, but for the most part Alexa was calm and cool, only mildly nervous. She must have excellent control.
"It might be hard to see from your vantage point, Chloe, but I've always done what's best."
"You spied on my mom. You had her under a microscope."
"I _employed_ your mother. We didn't look into her business until your peculiar case gave us reason to."
"You watched me with Brad. Before I was even with you."
"Our software recorded _everyone_ , not just you."
"But I was the one you dug for. I was the one you looked to find."
"The AI found the footage we just saw, Chloe. I told you, I couldn't have put that together from all those raw logs myself. I asked it what the future of sex would look like, and it showed me you."
Chloe shook her head, exasperated. "Why is it about sex? What the hell does any of this have to do with _sex?" _
Alexa sat back. "I've thought a lot about that, Chloe. It's actually a conversation I had a few times with Ross more than forty years ago. Anthony was the nicest, most centered guy you could ever meet. A real Boy Scout in many ways. But he was _filthy_ , in the way society used to define the word."
At this, Alexa smiled wide. "He loved to fuck. He was incredibly ethical about it, like with everything else, but he was otherwise voracious. The man treated sex like meditation. He had all these theories about how in sexuality, we know ourselves. And he believed that through the perversion and taboo-making of sexuality, we'd tied our own bonds. Society was repressed, and it twisted itself into unnatural positions. Wars were fought because of sex. Empires rose and fell because a man wanted to stick his dick somewhere he wasn't supposed to."
"And?"
"Your birth, Chloe — to a sex worker on a sex island, raised in the bosom of a sexually progressive culture — was as fortuitous as me finding you. Your gifts might have become the ability to solve math problems or create music, and I'm sure you'd have done great things if that had happened. But no. The _flavor_ of your prodigy became sexual. You aren't just our Chosen One. You're a Chosen One who can make any man's dreams come true."
"I'm not your whore," Chloe said. It was a nasty word for a profession so revered, but the moment called for it.
"The fact that you're an astonishing sexual being lets you tap right into the core of _what humanity is,_ Chloe," Alexa continued, undaunted. "Like Anthony said, 'in sex, we are our purest selves.' When we admit our deepest desires, that's when we truly have nothing left to hide."
It sounded like double-talk. "So what?"
"Don't you see? The app and accompanying culture I almost co-created with Anthony was meant to free people's minds, to destroy repression and let people be who they were supposed to be. All the energy wasted on shame and getting laid in the way you wanted most? We wanted to help redirect that energy to more worthwhile pursuits. Satisfy desire, and huge amounts of constructive brainpower would become available for all sorts of things within human society: curing diseases, solving mysteries of the universe. Do you see what I mean?"
Chloe shook her head slowly. "If you wanted to flatter me, you shouldn't have tried to control me."
"We didn't know, Chloe. We had no idea what you were."
"You set me up. Many times."
"We needed to learn about you, so we did what was necessary. It mattered. I can't apologize for serving my mission — it's the reason I'm here."
"You played me like a fool. You sent Andrew to fuck me."
"And it worked. You fell for him, and he fell for you."
That hurt. Why was Alexa suddenly willing to turn a one-eighty and admit that maybe there had been something genuine between Chloe and Andrew after all? Why did she suddenly think that Andrew had in fact loved Chloe and that she had loved him?
Chloe didn't want to hear it — not now, not after all that had happened. Andrew was a son of a bitch. Chloe didn't want to believe it might have been real... because if it had, then she'd lost it instead of shoving something artificial away.
"It was a lie," Chloe said.
"From us, yes. When Andrew came to you that first day, it was his lie, too. But it was never a lie for you, Chloe, and _that's_ what matters. And you know what happened with Andrew after barely any time at all."
Chloe knew what Alexa meant, but still wanted to hear Alexa say it out loud, "What do you mean, _what happened with Andrew_?"
Alexa's face became puzzled, surprised to have to spell it out. "He stopped pretending. He started rebelling. He was infuriating to deal with because he'd decided he was in love and didn't want to follow orders. He only wanted to be with you."
"He did?"
Alexa appeared confused for another few seconds. Then her lips spread and she exhaled a small, satisfied laugh. "But of course. You couldn't see that part, could you? Not in the way you can see when a client is holding back, or when something tells you he wants you to slap him around and call him Judy. Not in the way you can see, right now, when I'm telling the truth and when I'm lying."
She smiled a little wider, shaking her head, crossing her legs the opposite way. "What was it like for you, Chloe? Did you know that Andrew was hiding something but decide to ignore it? Or were your intuitive senses dimmer around him? Did you honestly never realize that he was hiding the truth?"
Chloe felt like she'd somehow lost ground. "I knew."
"But you didn't confront him. Even in the end, you said nothing. Why?"
"I shouted him down. I slapped him. I knew. I confronted."
"Only when he came to you with a bullshit lie. Only when the fact that he was lying to you was so obvious that you could no longer ignore it." Alexa was gaining momentum. "But you had to know. Why did you ignore your feelings?"
Chloe stood. She didn't want to discuss this. Andrew was over. He'd hurt her, opened wounds Chloe hadn't fathomed could even exist.
Delving deeper meant more pain, and she wouldn't give Alexa the satisfaction.
"You can't leave, Chloe."
The room's door opened. As did the door beyond it, at the end of the hallway. The conference room lights dimmed and a row of lights illuminated the corridor, beckoning Chloe away.
She looked at Alexa.
Alexa eyed the exit. "We need each other. Maybe I went about it wrong and I'd certainly have done things differently if I knew what I know now, but I did my best. If I had it to do all over, I'd have brought you in from the start, talked to you like I am right now. Straight. Honest. Nothing held back. But this, too, happened for a reason, Chloe. You had to learn who you were, just as I had to see you become who you are. I know you hate me. But I'm the catalyst for the butterfly that's emerging."
"Don't try to flatter me with flowers and unicorns. I'm no ordinary girl."
Alexa's voice, as her eyes flicked to the lit corridor, was increasingly desperate. She _did_ expect Chloe to walk out. And she had no way to stop her, no threats to make or cookies to offer.
"I can help you learn how to use your gifts," Alexa said.
"I've used my pussy before."
"It's more than that. There's so much you don't yet understand. So much we can learn together."
"You said it was about sex."
"It's about alchemy. It's about sex, of course. But the more I saw of you and Andrew together, the more I realized it was about love as well. Love wasn't in the way, or a flaw. It was a source of frustration for the board, but the way you two were together — even with Andrew's guilt and your sensing it — opened your eyes and made your abilities bloom."
"It was a lie."
"Only to start. It became truth."
"Well, fuck him. And fuck you, too. It didn't help me. I'm an escort. I don't need love. Fire me. I'll work independently. I don't care. Your experiment failed. Love hurts; lesson learned. Vulnerability is a mistake."
"It's not a mistake."
Chloe came away from the door, toward Alexa. She almost hoped that Alexa would try to stop her. Call a guard to shoot her, if that's what it took.
"Bullshit. I opened my heart and he stabbed me. Lies on top of lies. If all of this was _meant to be_ , then why did it end?"
"Because it had to," Alexa said.
"That's very Zen of you."
"You don't understand. It ended because I made it."
Chloe became quiet. She was close enough to smell Alexa's shampoo.
"You should say the rest very carefully," Chloe said.
"I broke you up. I provided the access that let you see what we were up to with Andrew. My porter served the interpreter role — the one that edited the stream of us and Andrew so you'd only see the worst parts and hear the most terrible things. I green-lit his lie, knowing you'd see right through it."
Chloe was quiet for a moment. Then, "Not careful enough."
"It was necessary. To see what you were made of. But now I see. Now we know."
Chloe's head slowly shook. She matched eyes with Alexa.
"You bitch."
"Love accompanies pain, Chloe. Pain accompanies love. You were born to be a prodigy, but you had to learn the depths of emotion. It's not just talent or feelings. It's the two mixed together."
"You lying fucking cunt. He was trying to find a way to make it right, wasn't he? He could have made me understand if you hadn't stuck your fingers into our business, couldn't he?"
"You needed the wound. You needed to see how much it hurt. They're two sides of a coin, Chloe: love and hate. Joy and despair. Ecstasy and pain. You can't let it all in until room is made. Love can't fill you up until you're fully empty."
"That's goddamn poetic, Alexa." Chloe scoffed, then turned to go, disgusted.
"Don't go!" Alexa shouted as Chloe neared the door. "You needed this. You needed me. Without me, you'd never have even met him!"
"And a lot of good it did me."
"You had something. You can't throw it away."
Chloe slowly looked back. She analyzed all that Alexa was showing her and realized something awful. Something laughably, ridiculously terrible.
"You want us to get back together..."
"What you had opened the future," Alexa said. "I only saw a glimpse."
"The future of sex?"
"The future of love."
Chloe shook her head. "I don't need it. I don't want it."
But something inside her ached.
Next to the abrasive middle, Chloe felt something more tender.
"The world is changing, Chloe. Not necessarily for the better. But you and me—"
"There is no _us_ with me and Andrew," Chloe said, forcing the words. "And there's definitely no _us_ between you and me."
"You're the vessel, Chloe. But I have the infrastructure and the connections to—"
"I said _no_."
"But Anthony was right; don't you see? O took things in what felt like the right direction, but we took it too far. We innovated, but the world needed the opposite. The future is the past. Not more: _less."_
"Stop speaking in riddles."
"It took you to show us, Chloe. But you made a believer out of me."
For a long moment, Chloe regarded Alexa. She'd idolized this woman; she'd wanted more than anything, as a girl, to be part of her vision. O was the past, present, and the future. O was the way, and Chloe had been desperate to join it.
But now she saw Alexa for what she really was. A believer? Definitely. Alexa had said the board mocked her beliefs, and right now Chloe could see why. The woman was desperate to _believe_ anything.
"Do it without me," Chloe said.
"We _can't_ do it without you. Even the others in the Six will realize that soon."
"Why?"
"Because you're Noah West's daughter. Offspring of The Beam. You stand with one foot in the human world and your other one in the digital world. The Beam will grow, Chloe. It's an intelligence that's only now learning its way. It needs what you have, as does the world. And you might be the only one who can teach it."
"I can't teach it anything. And fuck you for trying. I'm not your pawn. I'm not your savior. I'm only Chloe."
Alexa nodded. She said quietly, "And that's exactly the point."
"Goodbye, Alexa."
"You want nothing to do with this."
"Nothing at all."
"What if I said I could make things right? What if I told you that this was all for a purpose and that you could have your _happily ever after_?"
"I'd say you were lying. Again."
Alexa was very still. Very quiet. She met Chloe's eyes but said nothing.
Chloe knew what she was doing: inviting herself to be read.
Alexa wasn't lying.
"You really believe this," Chloe said.
"I do."
"'The future of sex.'"
"And with it, the future of society."
"It's not that simple," Chloe said.
"Everything starts somewhere."
Chloe shook her head. "Just sex. It's always about sex."
_"Love,"_ Alexa corrected.
"You keep saying that. Like you believe it."
"You and Andrew were different, Chloe. And you can be together again. You couldn't see what we saw. This is where it all centers. It's where the change begins. _With you_."
Something crumbled inside her, like an ice floe calving into the sea.
She wanted to walk out. She was ready to leave. The way was open and lit, and she was exhausted.
Too tired for anger. Spent and unwilling to hear any more.
But something inside her clung to the scant ray of hope that Alexa — not lying, this time —promised.
"I don't believe you," Chloe said.
And Alexa said, "Then let me show you."
CHAPTER SIX
Another room at O, all white and new to Chloe.
"Put this on."
Alexa handed her a large and clunky headgear. Hinged at the back, it was composed of a rear and a visor. Once closed, she'd be in an opaque capsule like a space helmet.
Alexa held a similar rig in her hands. Cables ran from the back of both helmets. There were two upright chairs behind them. They looked like large pills with the front halves sheared to make way for thick rolls of rich burgundy fabric. Cables ran from the chairs.
Chloe wanted to say that she didn't trust Alexa, but they were well past that point. She set the helmet over her own head. The front piece was still up, but it wobbled. It was meant to close over her face after all.
Alexa did the same, then put on a pair of black gloves and handed a matching pair to Chloe. Then she moved toward one of the big chairs and nodded Chloe toward the other.
"Best sit before lowering the visor. Otherwise, you'll need to feel your way."
Chloe did. The fabric on the chair was actually more like a gel. Once fully inside, Chloe felt like she was floating. After a few moments, it was hard to feel the chair.
"This is cutting-edge," Alexa said, "but Xenia tells us that they're working on nanobots that will be injected into a user's system to go with rigs like this. The nanobots will turn off your sight, hearing, and sense of touch. The rig's inputs will provide new senses for you. This is an advanced virtual reality. Beam immersion. Nothing to be afraid of."
Chloe nodded. Afraid nonetheless.
"Close and latch the visor. Sit back in the chair. I'll do the rest."
Chloe did. There were seals on the helmet that completed the darkness. The silence was equally full. There was nothing to taste or smell, and with her sense of touch mostly lost to the floaty chair, Chloe was instantly claustrophobic. Or perhaps agoraphobic. Neither and both.
Darkness.
Then new light.
The sensation was strange. It took Chloe a moment to get used to it, because the helmet wasn't precisely _showing_ her video and _playing_ audio into her ears. This was something different. Better.
The view was complete, for one, and when Chloe turned her head, she saw the view change like it would if she turned her head in real life. The ambient sound had to be coming from her helmet's speakers, but some sleight of hand made her mind hear it from the corners of the room, the floor, the ceiling.
"Don't resist it," said Alexa's voice. "That's the trick."
Chloe looked to her left, already unsure whether she was turning her physical head or just her attention, scrolling video in the visor.
She saw Alexa about four feet away — standing, not sitting, bare-headed without any helmet. There were no chairs behind either of them. Chloe looked down and realized she could see her own chest, legs, and feet.
"What is this?"
"Immersion," Alexa told her.
Chloe was about to ask why they'd put on rigs and sat in weightless chairs just to experience the same white room without their paraphernalia in place, but just as she was opening her mouth, Alexa's hands started pawing the air before her.
A bed blinked into existence. They were right in front of it. Chloe's sight told her she was standing and reaching toward the comforter, but her body's acuity indicated she was still sitting, probably also with her hand out.
The warring senses were strange. She forced herself to do as Alexa said, and not to resist the helmet's display.
She touched the comforter, expecting to wave right through it. But Chloe touched fabric instead. She _felt_ it, pure and true. If she forced her hand down, the illusion crumbled, but as long as she allowed herself to believe the bed was solid and held her hand high, the glove continued to give her all the nuances: soft down, high thread-count sheets. She could even smell the linen.
And why not? The helmet seemed airtight, so it had to be giving her oxygen, somehow infused with sensory enrichment.
"Am I supposed to lay down on it or something?"
"You can't," Alexa said. "You're still sitting in your chair."
Chloe wanted to protest. She'd walked to the bed; she'd taken another step to touch the comforter, sheets, and now pillow. But it was trickery. Her feet hadn't moved. Something in the immersion knew where she'd wanted to go and made her sights and sounds bring her there.
_Step back,_ Chloe thought. _Stand back by Alexa. _
And it happened, slowly.
"I have one final lie to confess," Alexa said. "One last little bit of trickery."
Chloe looked over. She didn't feel the helmet.
Was her head turning? She hadn't a clue.
"When Andrew picked you up and said he wanted to take you somewhere to surprise you... do you remember?"
Chloe nodded.
"He blindfolded you."
Nodded again.
"He didn't take you to a hotel. He brought you here."
That didn't seem right, but Chloe remembered the night well enough to know that she barely remembered it at all. They'd had a few drinks. Then Andrew blindfolded her and said he had a surprise.
She'd been pleasantly woozy. Andrew had led her to a luxurious suite and removed the blindfold. And after they'd made love, she'd fallen asleep and woken in the same bed. They'd left in daylight, obviously clear-sighted.
If they'd gone to O instead of a hotel, that had to mean she'd been transported to a real hotel in her sleep. Had he drugged her?
She wanted to be furious but found herself fascinated instead. The sheets were rising as if someone was slowly inflating a large balloon beneath them. A moment later she saw Caucasian flesh among the white. Then brown hair and the motion of bodies.
"That was the only time, Chloe. I felt we needed more metrics than tiny flying cameras could offer. We needed Beam data, and couldn't risk giving Andrew a canvas. The only way to sample a full experience — inside and out — was to move you to a controlled environment, here at O. Don't blame Andrew. He never had a choice. He was in too deep and tried his best to get out. If you want to blame someone for what you're about to see, blame me."
Chloe's mind was too blown to assign any blame. She'd used all of her anger against Alexa and had no more to give. She'd been furious with Andrew. All the little things Alexa had said about his involvement with O paradoxically made Chloe feel better.
_Andrew had tried to escape. He'd tried to come clean, but was bound without options; O wouldn't let him._
"What do you mean, 'inside and out'?"
"It's the difference between a doctor conducting a superficial exam versus taking scans and drawing blood. We'd _seen_ you and Andrew together, but we needed more to see the full picture. This technology was built by Xenia Labs, augmented by Quark, and tweaked by O's own R&D department. But Parker designed the software that analyzed the two of you while you were here. We watched your brainwaves. Your endocrine patterns. Your glandular and lymphatic response. We know everything about this encounter, Chloe. This time, nothing was invisible."
Chloe scanned the room. Furniture grew like weeds around the edges, turning the immersion into the hotel suite she'd believed she and Andrew had they'd visited that night — a mirror of the real suite she'd apparently been transported to and woken up in. Paintings bled from the walls like ink stains. A light fixture dropped and solidified from above like a hanging flower.
The covers shifted. More flesh came into view. They hadn't shed their clothes under the covers that night; they'd stripped and gotten into bed fully naked. Now she could see herself, on her side, facing Andrew. One hand was on his face. The other was still below the sheets, moving slowly. As was one of Andrew's hands, disappearing where the covers still draped her waist.
"I told you that things were different with Andrew," Alexa said. "I told you that in love, your sex became something better. Something important. Something more than simple carnal pleasures."
Chloe stepped forward, fascinated. She reached out and touched Andrew's hair, seeing her hand without a glove. She felt his brown hair brush her fingertips. The immersion responded in small ways, shifting the hair so that her fingers moved through it.
Chloe's breath deepened. Her heart thrummed more heavily. It felt deep. Like yearning.
"Are you able to see what I mean?"
Alexa's phrasing was strange, indicating _ability_ rather than a shift in Chloe's frame of mind. Her mind reached out, carried by her new attachment to The Beam. The room was wired directly into O's beta. Chloe imagined she could reach out through the network's fibers, through the Fi connections open all over the building. She could touch Quark from here. She could touch Crossbrace through the firewalls. She could light up the Empire State Building. She could change all the traffic lights across the river in New Jersey.
Andrew moved under Chloe, shifting her hand away.
She lowered her arm to her side. The sheets moved down farther. Chloe could see the groping couple's other hands: Andrew's between Immersion-Chloe's legs, Chloe's gently stroking Andrew's erect cock.
"Can you see it, Chloe?"
She focused again. The sense of touching The Beam became less generalized and omnipotent. She brought it back to the room, to the sights and sounds in front of her. And yes. She could see it.
A data stream beneath it all.
Untold terabytes of biometrics, detailing the scene inside and out.
"Yes. I see it."
But it was only half true. Once she'd tuned into the network chatter beneath the immersion, Chloe couldn't tune it out.
She wasn't just seeing it. She was _feeling_ it. _Experiencing_ it. _Sinking all the way down into_ it.
In front of her, Immersion Chloe turned end for end. The people in bed were still on their sides, moving into a lying 69. From where Real Chloe was standing, watching and recalling the scene carried arousal. But the data stream told another story — one that Chloe, when she'd been the Chloe in bed, had been too caught in the moment to appreciate.
Real Chloe watched Immersion Chloe's response curve as the data scrolled past her awareness, easily decipherable thanks to her new nanobot-taught abilities. She saw how hot Chloe had become before moving and how much hotter she became as they shifted around on the bed.
She saw the neural spike as Chloe anticipated Andrew's mouth on her pussy. And in turn, she saw the neural spike anticipating Andrew's cock in her mouth.
Beyond that were Andrew's responses, also twinned. They both yearned to be pleased. To give pleasure. It was carnal and beautiful. Physical and emotional.
Andrew's face nestled between Chloe's legs. She took his shaft in one hand, then wrapped her lips around it. They moved in tandem.
Chloe watched their arousal grow, both outside and in.
"This recording," Alexa said, "is the most comprehensive sexual documentary anyone has ever done. The technology is brand new, but that's not the reason that ground was broken. You and I, witnessing this immersion, don't matter. Even if we couldn't be here to see it as we are — even if the technology didn't exist to allow us to witness it like physical bystanders — it's _still_ the most comprehensive and best there is. You know why that is, don't you?"
Long, silent moments passed. Alexa didn't repeat her question; she seemed content to wait until Chloe was ready to respond. She watched the pair pleasure each other. She watched Andrew's saliva-slicked dick move in and out of her mouth. She saw her parted legs, Andrew's fingers spreading her open to lick her clit, lapping her from top to bottom. Everything was worthy of note. Every detail mattered.
Chloe climbed on top. She reached back, then slid Andrew's cock inside her. They moved for several strokes, Chloe high with her chest out, then she leaned forward and covered his mouth with kisses.
Real Chloe watched them, feeling a curious emotion.
Was it jealousy?
But she'd been so angry with him.
She was _still_ so angry with him.
"It's because of me," Chloe finally answered.
Alexa nodded. "When we did this experiment, we didn't yet know who you were. We had no idea that your intuition and digital responsiveness was because the network had behaved like a parent. We didn't know how deeply you had your mind — even then — intertwined with all the room's sensors. We only knew that the data stream was anomalous. Everything became muddied in ways that never happened when you were with clients. Tricks the nanobots taught you allowed you to change the local node of The Beam itself. Without even realizing, you were causing it to grow and adapt to suit you."
In front of them, as real as life, Andrew pulled Chloe tight so they were chest to chest as her hips continued to rise and fall. Then he rolled them over, opening Chloe's legs, running his fingers across her body before gripping his cock and sliding it into her pussy.
Chloe moaned. Andrew moaned with her.
And behind the moment, the data peaked. Changed. Became fundamentally different in some undefinable way.
"It took us a long time to figure out why things were different for this recording. We thought the equipment might have been malfunctioning. We had nothing to compare it directly to. We only knew that the outputs were so different from everything we'd recorded between you and O clients, they seemed to be corrupted. We hadn't anticipated any of it. We almost aborted. Parker was afraid it would spread."
"What would spread?"
Alexa shrugged. "At the time, we thought it was a virus."
On the bed, Andrew thrust into Chloe. Her eyes closed, and behind the visual Real Chloe watched the signal adapt and evolve. On the bed, Chloe was about to come. But if Real Chloe pushed logic and sense aside, an additional conclusion was also true: the room's network signal seemed to be coming, too.
Andrew ground into her while kissing Chloe's gasping mouth. She heard the orchestra of their moans, felt more than saw the rising of their mutual energy. At the apex, he spilled inside her, two chests heaving, her hands pawing his back to draw him closer.
And in that mutually orgasmic moment, Chloe saw all that Alexa had been describing. She saw the signals. She saw what, in the network itself, had changed.
"We're rewriting code," Chloe whispered.
"That was our engineers' conclusion too."
"How?"
"I don't know."
"What does it mean?"
"That you, Chloe Shaw, are something this world has never seen."
On the bed, Andrew's body went slack. Chloe's hands, across his back, clenched and then relaxed. They lay together like the dead because nothing left in the living world mattered.
"You can do things with The Beam that I'll never be able to do," Alexa said, looking over. "It can't hide its secrets from you and it wouldn't want to. But even you can't change The Beam, Chloe."
Chloe looked over.
"At least not by yourself."
And Chloe saw. She realized what Alexa had meant. What was different about Chloe and Andrew, versus Chloe alone or Chloe with anyone else.
Together, she and Andrew made the alchemy Alexa had been referring to. The alchemy Chloe's own mother had warned her about, combining love and sex in a girl such as her.
Alone, Chloe couldn't rewrite The Beam. Nothing, nowhere, could rewrite The Beam without its consent.
But she could teach it.
And then The Beam could rewrite itself.
"We think that when you were in your mother's womb, the nanobots taught you how to live and how to be," Alexa said. "And we think that now, with Andrew, you're returning the favor."
_"I'm_ teaching _The Beam,"_ Chloe said.
It fit. The changes she'd seen. The revelations. The moments of lost ecstasy becoming something bigger and brighter and better.
"The future of sex means the future of this world, Chloe," Alexa agreed. "And the future of this world is the future of _us."_
**WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?**
****
** **
****
**The Future of Sex concludes with** ** _The Future of Us_**
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Polls Don't Vote
That's what Vice President Walter Mondale used to say at every stop in the closing days of the campaign. "Polls don't vote. People vote."
The only problem, of course, is that polls do measure people's preferences, typically with greater accuracy in general elections than in primaries and caucuses, where it is more difficult to predict what the universe of voters will look like. So when you're down in the polls as the election is approaching, it generally means that you're down.
In recent days, there has been a spate of stories about so-called "biased" polls — biased against Mitt Romney.
The national polls show a close race within the margin of error. State by state polls show President Obama with a somewhat larger margin in key states, but with Romney still in striking distance. The race, in short, is far from over, and anyone who thinks otherwise has never been around races that really were over (Mondale/Reagan) or felt the bottom fall out of a campaign because of a bad debate (Reagan/Carter; Dukakis/Bush).
So what's with this business about biased polls?
Advocacy groups often generate biased polls to support their position, aid fundraising, influence policy and the like. On abortion, for instance, I used to say — and I think it is still true — that if you let me write the poll, it will show the country to be overwhelmingly pro-choice. For instance, do you think that when it comes to private and personal decisions such as control over a woman's body, the government should make that choice or the woman and her family, in consultation with her doctor, should make it? Guess who wins. On the other hand, do you think abortion should be available as a form of birth control? Not so fast. Should children who are the victims of rape and incest be required to bear the child of their rapist? Nope. Is it right for people to use abortion as a form of sex-selection? Nope.
"Push polls" involve the same sort of game, although no one even pretends that they're really polls. "Mitt Romney thinks people who receive Medicare are 'victims' who don't take personal responsibility. Knowing that, Mrs. Senior Citizen, are you more or less likely to support Mr. Romney?" Less. "Barack Obama's former minister Rev. Jeremiah Wright said in 2009 that he hadn't spoken to the president because 'them Jews aren't going to let him talk to me.' Knowing that, Mr. Jewish Voter, are you more or less likely to support the president?" Less.
But that isn't how horse race polls are conducted. The big issue in horse race polls is weighting the poll so it reflects the demographics of what the voter pool will look like. You don't want to have too many young people, too few seniors or whatever, because if you do, your results will be wrong. When you look at similar national polls with differing results, it's usually because of slight variations in how they are predicting who will actually turn out. And even the best poll is a snapshot, not a prediction. It tells you where voters are today, not where they'll be on November 6.
That's why virtually every horse race question is followed by one about just how sure you are. Are you certain you are going to vote for X? In this race, more than 90 percent of each candidate's supporters say they won't change their minds, which is a very high number and a reflection of a very polarized electorate.
It's also why people pay so much attention to the non-horse race measures. If you're the incumbent, you want to see people feeling confident (or more confident than they were last month) about their economic situation. Do you think the country is on the right track or the wrong track? The right track is where the incumbent obviously wants people to be. Do you think the candidate cares about or understands the problems of people like you? Too many nos means trouble.
At the end of the day, the most important issue for any pollster worth paying attention to is not whether their poll helps or hurts the candidate they (secretly or not so secretly) favor. It's whether it's right.
Always believe your pollster when he gives you bad news, the late pollster Tubby Harrison used to say. For my part, I always believe the worst poll. The easiest way to lose is to believe you've won when the fat lady hasn't even started humming.
To find out more about Susan Estrich and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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UP NEXT:
Are Republican women politicians more "feminine" than Democratic women politicians?
That's the conclusion of a new study by UCLA researchers, who found that Republican women are so much more "feminine" that college students were able to accurately predict party affiliation just by looking at the woman.
The & Keep reading
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Madrid Prepare £ 20 Million To Vidic
Nemanja Vidic transfer deals are just waiting for Manchester United and Real Madrid?
Manchester United and Real Madrid reportedly reached an agreement soon transfer £ 20 million for Nemanja Vidic in the summer.
Vidic did not play more this season due to injury and a prolonged dispute with manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
Vidic had glanced stock and ready to leave England for Spain or Italy. Besides Madrid, AC Milan are also interested in the international central defender of Serbia's.
United already anticipating the departure of Chris Cole to bring Smalling from Fulham. Ferguson also interested in approaching defender David Luiz Benfica, Palermo defender Simon Kjaer, and Bruno Alves of FC Porto.
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Ad-pod Plus Bluetooth & Wifi Marketing System
Ad-Pod Plus Bluetooth and Wifi Marketing
With the global emergence of Wifi-enabled smart phones we have developed the Ad-Pod Plus which is a dual Bluetooth and Wifi product. Using both Bluetoothand Wifi enables you to deliver advertising and marketing content to 95% of mobile phones.
Most notably the iPhone blocks Bluetooth transfer but with the incorporated Wifi solution we now have a system capable of delivering your content.
How Does Wifi Marketing Work?
The Wifi works in a similar way to a hotel’s Wifi hotspot. When you log on to the Wifi connection and refresh your browser it immediately redirects the user to the advertising content page just like a hotel redirects you to the payment page upon initiation. On an iPhone it works even better by actually pushing a login box to the handset upon connection that displays the adverts.
So combined with the Bluetooth push this is an incredibly powerful marketing system that can be sent to virtually every phone on the planet.
The Ad-Pod Plus is a fixed price product with no ongoing costs. The Ad-Pod Plus has the capability of sending to tens of thousands of phones thus promoting your business all day and everyday for free.
Cross Platform Mac and PC Compatibility
The Ad-Pod Plus is by far the easiest to use Bluetooth and Wifi system in the world. You simply log on to it using your laptop’s Wifi. Once you log into the box the software is incredibly simple to use and it offers powerful features like the ability to create an advert directly inside the unit using tools like an animated Gif creator, v-card generator, v-calender generator.
Unlike virtually every device on the market the Ad-Pod Plus can be updated by both Mac and PC. This makes this the easiest to use, the easiest to update and the most effective Bluetooth and Wifi marketing system in the industry.
Enhanced Bluetooth Range
By using the latest Bluetooth chipset with enhanced noise reduction the Ad-Pod Plus is able to communicate with the phone’s weak Bluetooth signal over a greater distance of up to 60m. Doubling the sending range in comparison to all other Bluetooth devices on the market.
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THE FORGOTTEN FIRES OF FOUNTAINGROVE AND COFFEY PARK
[Editor’s note: You might really be looking for “THE FORGOTTEN GREAT FIRE OF 1870” which describes there was a third firestorm identical to the Tubbs/Nuns Fires that has never been mentioned]
Could this fire happen again? That’s the multi-billion dollar question hanging over everyone who lost homes in Fountaingrove and Coffey Park as they weigh the decision on whether or not to rebuild. There are no good answers; we can’t even be sure our guesses are reasonably good. There’s just too much we don’t know about the world’s changing climate to say this was a freak event or the harbinger of a new terrible normal.
To understand more, I urge everyone to read (or at least, skim) “The Real Story Behind the California Wildfires” by Seattle meteorologist Cliff Mass. He makes several important observations I’ve not seen mentioned elsewhere, particularly that there were hurricane force winds (96 MPH!) at higher elevations before the fire began to spread. The speed of those winds are unprecedented in our neck of the woods and were a significant factor in creating what he calls a “unique mountain-wave windstorm.” Again, it’s a must-read.
Comparisons are being made to the September 1964 Hanly Fire (that’s the correct spelling, not “Hanley”) which burned over the same route – Calistoga to Franz Valley to Mark West Canyon and then driven down into Santa Rosa, likewise by the powerful, unrelenting “Diablo Winds” on a Sunday night. But it did not grow into the hellish firestorm that raged in 2017; it was stopped on Mendocino avenue just outside the now-lost Journey’s End trailer park. In the Press Democrat, Guy Kovner presented a good summary of other historic major Sonoma county fires.
But forgotten since are the two other major fires specific to Fountaingrove and the Coffey Park areas. Each was the most serious fire of that year in Santa Rosa. It just may be a coincidence that these incidents were at the same locations, but at this point, any additional information about our fire history is good to have.
Major factory fires threatened Santa Rosa’s industrial rim in 1909 and again in 1910, but of all the fires in Santa Rosa history, the Fountaingrove fire of 1908 was the one which might have burned down the town.
The fire was huge, easily visible from Healdsburg because it was nearly at the top of the hill. In flames was the landmark “Commandery,” one of the main buildings from the heyday of the utopian colony founded by Thomas Lake Harris. That was the residence for the colony’s men. The fire began when a kerosene lamp exploded, destroying the place so fast that nothing in the three-story mansion could be saved.
“Fortunately the north wind that had been blowing earlier in the day and evening died down, otherwise the flames would have spread,” the Press Democrat reported at the time. From a high ridge like that, just a stiff breeze could have easily thrown embers a mile and a half downwind to the county hospital on (the road later named) Chanate – which also came within 100 feet of burning in the 1964 Hanly Fire (and where a developer now has the go-ahead to build a dense subdivision of up to 800 units).
The fire burned itself out quickly; it’s not clear if the Santa Rosa Fire Department did anything. A pasture also ignited and was easily handled. But had a northern wind still been gusting, firebrands from the Commandery might have blown as far as the core neighborhoods across from the modern-day high school, where almost all Victorian homes had shingle roofs.
While Santa Rosa got a lucky break in 1908, Fortuna did not smile as much on the town in 1939, when a wind-whipped fire swept across 500 acres in (what would become) the Coffey Park neighborhood.
That September 20 fire started at the airport. Today probably only the oldest-timers and aviation buffs know that the town had an airport there; when it opened in 1929 it was first called the Santa Rosa Municipal Airport, then it became the Santa Rosa Airpark and lastly the Coddingtown Airport, which finally closed in 1971 or 1972. The layout of the runways shifted over the years but the way it probably looked at the time of the fire can be seen in the graphic below. (For much more on all the historic airfields in the Santa Rosa area, see the “Abandoned and Little-Known Airfields” site. Don’t miss the commemorative postmark of Luther Burbank looking like an angry muppet.)
The airport fire was completely avoidable, and if not for the serious danger it posed would serve as the script for a Keystone Kops slapstick comedy.
It was the hottest day of the year, with the thermometer reading 104 – hardly conditions to do weed burning, but that’s what a crew of 10-12 men were doing that afternoon on the runways, dragging burning rags behind a truck.
They were working in the southwestern end of the field when the wind suddenly started blowing from the south, sending the fire towards the modern intersection of Coffey Lane and Hopper Ave. It was moving so fast they could not overtake it in the truck, according to the PD.
Naturally, they were unprepared to handle such a runaway blaze so the fire department was called. A single truck with 150 gallons of water was dispatched and quickly emptied. The fire was now out of control.
A second fire truck arrived, as did a crew and truck from the state as the fire line headed towards several farms. Students from the Junior College joined the fight and were credited with saving at least one home.
“Farmers, passing motorists, airport attendants and others fought side by side, beating out the flames with wet sacks and using portable water pumps in the two-hour battle,” the PD reported.
One farmer lost a small house and farm buildings, including a barn; another lost many outbuildings including chicken houses, where many animals died. Two orchards were burned over, power poles went up in flames and a large stack of baled hay continued to burn into the next day. Altogether 13 buildings were destroyed on five properties.
The idiocy of doing a controlled burn on an extremely dry and hot day aside, it’s jaw-dropping that it spread to 500 acres before a city and state fire crew plus a platoon of volunteers could control it – all in an area that was then undeveloped and just a couple of miles from town. What would they have done if the wind changed again and started blowing towards Santa Rosa?
Again, I hasten to add it’s probably just a Believe-It-Or-Not! coincidence that the big fires of 1908 and 1939 happened at the same places as 2017. Those fires don’t even have anything in common with each other; the airport fire was caused by a sudden change of wind and the Commandery burned like a torch amid no winds at all. One fire was avoidable, one probably not. What they do have in common is that both could have been catastrophic had the winds shifted towards Santa Rosa; the town could not have coped with a serious fire on its border at either time.
After presenting lots’o graphs and colorful maps, meteorologist Cliff Mass concludes with an optimistic view that our computer models are probably able to predict when conditions are ripe for a replay of the Tubbs Fire. That’s good news for sure, but the depressing message from history is that disasters aren’t always so foreseeable in reality. Sometimes life-threatening events comes from scientifically-predictable weather conditions, but sometimes the worst danger is just some fool dragging a burning rag behind a truck.
Painting of the Commandery by Fountain Grove colonist Alice Parting as it appeared in the Pacific Rural Press, May 18, 1889
BIG RESIDENCE GUTTED BY FIRE AT FOUNTAINGROVE
A Disastrous Blaze Near Town Wednesday Night
The explosion of the lamp resulted in a fire Wednesday night the destroyed the fine old residence at Fountaingrove, which for years occupied a commanding site on the hill overlooking the valley, greeting the eyes of every passerby along the Healdsburg Road. It was the biggest residence on the estate.
In a remarkedly short space of time, so fiercely did the fire fiend to do its work, the splendid building that rose four stories high, was reduced to smoldering embers. The residence was furnished and the contents cannot be saved. In addition a small creamery was also destroyed.
Shortly before 10 o’clock the fire started. The flames lit up the heavens for miles. People in Santa Rosa climbed into automobiles and carriages and left for the scene. At first many people thought the fire was at the old Pacific Methodist College building, and quite a number of them headed in that direction. Then it was said that it was Frank Steele’s residents near town. All these conjectures proved wrong.
The lamp exploded without warning and Mr. Cowie, who resided in the big house, was slightly burned about the face. The fire spread rapidly. The residence, built entirely of wood, was an easy prey. At the first cry of fire the large force of employees on the Fountaingrove estate rallied and did what they could to prevent the spread of the flames to other buildings. Numerous small hose were attached to faucets. Fortunately the north wind that had been blowing earlier in the day and evening died down, otherwise the flames would have spread. Some flying embers started a fire in the pasture but it was checked.
The house was well built. It had stood for about a quarter century. It was a largest residence on the place. When seen by a Press Democrat representative at the scene of the fire, Kanai [sic] Nagasawa stated that it would be hard to estimate the damage. Probably $35,000 to $40,000 will cover it. It is understood that there was some insurance on the place. Years ago, when the late Thomas Lake Harris published his books, the printing presses and other paraphernalia had aplace in the building destroyed. Of later years it had been used as a residence and for sometime prior to their going away from Fountaingrove Dr. and Mrs. Webley, and the Clarks occupied apartments in it.
There must have been a couple of hundred people in the crowd who drove out from Santa Rosa to the fire. Mr. Nagasawa took in the situation most philosophically, saying while it was too bad it had happened yet he was very thankful no one was hurt, and that there was no wind to scatter the fire further.
The old house will be missed. While it was the largest house it was not considered as fine as that occupied by the late Mr. Harris, which contains some valuable paintings, plate and furnishings. There are many Santa Rosans who have visited the Webleys and the Clarks there, and they will be sorry to learn of the destruction wrought by the fire.
For an hour or more after the fire, and while it was still in progress the telephone line to the Press Democrat office was certainly “busy.” The fire was seen for miles around and inquiries poured into the office.
Mr. and Mrs. Shirley Burris were leaving Healdsburg for Santa Rosa in their automobile at the time the fire started. Its reflection could plainly be seen there, and attracted considerable attention. All along the road people were out watching the flames.
While mention is made of those who went in automobiles and buggies to the fire those who rode horseback and on bikes must not be overlooked. There were many entries in these divisions. Several young ladies galloped on horseback to the scene of conflagration. For his speedy transit to Fountaingrove the Press Democrat representative was indebted to Frank Leppo, who drove his auto. When all the autos returned to town after the fire it made up quite a decent illuminated parade. An effort to reach Fountaingrove by telephone after the fire was met with the information the telephone had been destroyed with the building.
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"What free game? Oh THAT! Yeh we hoped you wouldn't remember that. To be honest with you we forgot about it ourselves. Actually, due to unforseen circumstances the server that hosts these games is down. In fact, we had to use that server in order to put up the extra SimCity servers. We're sure you'd appreciate more SimCity servers than some other games to distract you away from SimCity! That's how we saw it. We're really quite proud of it!"
Read my post.Steam first came bundled with Half-Life 2. As in - it was the first time it was bundled with a game (and a requirement of the installation). I never said anything about predating HL2.And you're still wrong. Read that wiki page. Steam has never required users ALWAYS being online to play a game. Authenticate the first time yes - but not a constant connection.
Bhruic wrote on Apr 10, 2010, 20:20:I'd really like to jump in the "fuck Ubisoft" camp, and I probably will, but it's worth reminding that when Steam first came out, there was no offline mode for it either. If you updated Half Life to the latest patch (which required Steam), you completely lost your ability to play without an internet connection.
Err - no. When Steam first came out, you could play offline...Steam first came bundled with Half-Life 2. It required you make a Steam account (which had to be done online), and checked your CD Key was okay thru Steam. Once the CD Key was authenticated - you could do whatever the hell you wanted. Play offline or online.
Hellbinder wrote on Mar 1, 2010, 11:54:yeah cause you know playing games where you rape, murder, kill, steal, assasinate, do drugs and the like is such a posative thing to do. and causes so many posative images to be floating around children and teens heads.
It's "Positive". For someone so hooked up on schooling - you certainly missed a few classes...
The product was already there - years and years ago. So was the community. Hey - did you actually play (QW)TF? TFC? What's that? No? Didn't think so. Honestly, I couldn't give a flying hoot about L4D, however your lack of knowledge on either subject still stands.
I see this bandied about often as some kind of reason L4D2 would be better...which is just completely wrong. Valve didn't buy L4D, they bought Turtle Rock Studios in its entirety, and the Turtle Rock people finished up the game after being bought/renamed to Valve South. Those same people also made L4D2. It's still a bunch of not-Valvers in all but name. It's just a different studio mindset.
Well regardless of semantics, I care less than nothing about either L4D1 or 2. TF2 has them both by the balls in terms of gameplay and staying power. Supposedly, they had a bunch of the TF2 staff onboard with the L4D2 stuff leading up to its release. There has never been a game quite like TF2, especially in terms of support from its developer. Valve has created a winning formula, so there's no reason why they shouldn't keep doing the things they've been doing.
Dude - you have no clue about what you're talking about.
Valve didn't create any 'winning formula'. Believe it or not, the 'winning formula' you speak of, was actually created in Australia before Valve as we know it today existed.Like CS - Valve acquired 'Team Fortress Software' (as it was called back then) and the rest is history.So when you're done with performing your act of Valve fellatio, just remember it where the idea came from.
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Satya Nadella’s guide to the future
I spend a lot of time thinking about the future. When I’m deciding which book to read next, I often reach for ones that offer another perspective on where society is headed. So when Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told me that he was working on a new book about the future of technology, I couldn’t wait to read it. And when he asked me to write an introduction for Hit Refresh, I was happy to say yes.
I hope you’ll enjoy my foreword, which I’ve shared below. Satya has a lot of interesting things to say about the transformation of both Microsoft and the tech industry at large. I’ve benefitted from his insights for decades, and I’m glad everyone else will now have the same opportunity to learn from him.
Foreword:
I’ve known Satya Nadella for more than twenty years. I got to know him in the mid-nineties, when I was CEO of Microsoft and he was working on our server software, which was just taking off at the time. We took a long-term approach to building the business, which had two benefits: It gave the company another growth engine, and it fostered many of the new leaders who run Microsoft today, including Satya.
Later I worked really intensely with him when he moved over to run our efforts to build a world-class search engine. We had fallen behind Google, and our original search team had moved on. Satya was part of the group that came in to turn things around. He was humble, forward-looking, and pragmatic. He raised smart questions about our strategy. And he worked well with the hardcore engineers.
So it was no surprise to me that once Satya became Microsoft’s CEO, he immediately put his mark on the company. As the title of this book implies, he didn’t completely break with the past—when you hit refresh on your browser, some of what’s on the page stays the same. But under Satya’s leadership, Microsoft has been able to transition away from a purely Windows-centric approach. He led the adoption of a bold new mission for the company. He is part of a constant conversation, reaching out to customers, top researchers, and executives. And, most crucially, he is making big bets on a few key technologies, like artificial intelligence and cloud computing, where Microsoft will differentiate itself.
It is a smart approach not just for Microsoft, but for any company that wants to succeed in the digital age. The computing industry has never been more complex. Today lots of big companies besides Microsoft are doing innovative work—Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and others. There are cutting-edge users all around the world, not just in the United States. The PC is no longer the only computing device, or even the main one, that most users interact with.
Despite all this rapid change in the computing industry, we are still at the beginning of the digital revolution. Take artificial intelligence (AI) as an example. Think of all the time we spend manually organizing and performing mundane activities, from scheduling meetings to paying the bills. In the future, an AI agent will know that you are at work and have ten minutes free, and then help you accomplish something that is high on your to-do list. AI is on the verge of making our lives more productive and creative.
Innovation will improve many other areas of life too. It’s the biggest piece of my work with the Gates Foundation, which is focused on reducing the world’s worst inequities. Digital tracking tools and genetic sequencing are helping us get achingly close to eradicating polio, which would be just the second human disease ever wiped out. In Kenya, Tanzania, and other countries, digital money is letting low-income users save, borrow, and transfer funds like never before. In classrooms across the United States, personalized-learning software allows students to move at their own pace and zero in on the skills they most need to improve.
Of course, with every new technology, there are challenges. How do we help people whose jobs are replaced by AI agents and robots? Will users trust their AI agent with all their information? If an agent could advise you on your work style, would you want it to?
That is what makes books like Hit Refresh so valuable. Satya has charted a course for making the most of the opportunities created by technology while also facing up to the hard questions. And he offers his own fascinating personal story, more literary quotations than you might expect, and even a few lessons from his beloved game of cricket.
We should all be optimistic about what’s to come. The world is getting better, and progress is coming faster than ever. This book is a thoughtful guide to an exciting, challenging future.
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"We have been receiving since 1982 all kinds of moral, political and material backing from the Islamic Republic of Iran."
It remains to be seen to what extent Iran's current economic woes will impact upon continued funding for Hezbollah.
Perhaps more interesting was Nasrallah's refusal to commit to engaging in a war with Israel, if Iran's nuclear weapons development facilities should be attacked:
"Some are wondering what would happen if Israel bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities, and although I rule out this possibility I assure you that the Iranian leadership will not ask Hezbollah to do anything.
On that day, we have to sit down and think before we decide what to do."
Apparently, Nasrallah learned a thing or two from the bombing of southern Beirut, where Hezbollah had its headquarters, during the 2006 Lebanon War. Should there be another war, Iran will not be able to provide the money to rebuild Hezbollah's infrastructure.
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IN THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OF TENNESSEE
AT NASHVILLE
Assigned on Briefs September 10, 2009
STATE OF TENNESSEE v. ALFRED GENE BULLOCK
Appeal from the Criminal Court for Fentress County
No. 9346 Shayne Sexton, Judge
No. M2008-01284-CCA-R3-CD - Filed December 17, 2009
After the entry of a best-interest plea to felony child abuse, a Fentress County trial court denied
judicial diversion for Appellant, Alfred Gene Bullock. The trial court sentenced Appellant to three
years as a Range I, standard offender. Appellant appeals the denial of judicial diversion. After a
review of the record, we determine that the trial court considered the factors required for the grant
or denial of judicial diversion and did not abuse its discretion in denying judicial diversion to
Appellant. Accordingly, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed.
Tenn. R. App. P. 3 Appeal as of Right; Judgment of the Circuit Court is Affirmed.
JERRY L. SMITH , J., delivered the opinion of the court, in which NORMA MCGEE OGLE , J., joined and
J.C. MCLIN , J., Concurred in Result.
Paul Crouch, Allardt, Tennessee, for the appellant, Alfred Gene Bullock.
Robert E. Cooper, Jr., Attorney General and Reporter; Lacy Wilbur, Assistant Attorney General;
William Paul Phillips, District Attorney General, and John G. Galloway, Assistant District Attorney
General, for the appellee, State of Tennessee.
OPINION
Factual Background
Appellant was indicted by the Fentress County Grand Jury in January of 2008 for aggravated
child abuse of a child under six years old. In March of 2008, Appellant entered a best-interest guilty
plea to one count of felony child abuse of a child under six years of age. There was no agreement
as to Appellant’s sentence.
The trial court held a sentencing hearing on May 8, 2008. At the hearing, the trial court
learned that Appellant, who was twenty-two years of age at the time of the hearing, was in the
military and had served a tour of duty in Iraq for approximately one year. When Appellant returned
from Iraq, he married Tammy Mayer, a woman that he had met on the internet and had known for
a few months prior to his deployment. This marriage ended after two months.
At the time of the incident which gave rise to the indictment, Appellant was married to Holly
Bullock. Appellant and Ms. Bullock were married on June 30, 2007, after dating for about two
months. Ms. Bullock had a three-year-old son, T.L.1
Lori Martin, Ms. Bullock’s mother, testified at the hearing. Ms. Martin explained that she
tried to visit her daughter, grandson, and Appellant frequently at their home in Clarksville,
Tennessee. During these visits, Ms. Martin observed that Appellant was very stern with T.L. In
particular, Ms. Martin noticed that Appellant constantly told T.L. that he was doing things “wrong.”
In December of 2007, Appellant, Ms. Bullock, and T.L. came to stay with the Martins for the
Christmas holidays. The family arrived on December 15, 2007. Ms. Martin noticed immediately
that Appellant was very strict about bedtime, telling T.L. that he was “watching [him] like a hawk.”
Ms. Martin recalled one particular incident in which Appellant spanked T.L. because he would not
take a nap after church, even though the child had not eaten lunch and it was nearly 1:30 p.m.
Appellant allowed the child to “eat in the room” but informed everyone that the child was “not
coming out . . . till he’s [taken] a nap.” Ms. Martin expressed her concern about Appellant’s
behavior to her daughter. Specifically, she felt that the discipline was too aggressive for a three-year
old.
Several days later, Ms. Martin walked by the bathroom and saw T.L. inside. T.L. looked at
her and said, “Hi, Mamaw.” Almost immediately, Appellant walked by, spanked T.L. and told him
to stop “playing around.”
Ms. Martin described an incident that occurred on the morning of December 24, 2007. Ms.
Bullock made a bowl of cereal for T.L.’s breakfast. When T.L. got the cereal, he said a short prayer
and then started to eat. Appellant did not see the child pray and, according to Ms. Martin, “flew up
off the couch just a getting it towards” the child. Ms. Martin told Appellant that T.L. said a prayer,
and Appellant asked if she was lying.
Later that evening, Ms. Martin tried to give parenting advice to Appellant. She informed him
that some children do not take naps once they turned three.
The next day, Ms. Martin turned on a video camera that was in the spare bedroom where
Appellant, Ms. Bullock, and T.L. were sleeping. Ms. Martin thought that Appellant would probably
take the child back to the room for a nap while the rest of the family visited Ms. Martin’s mother at
1
It is the policy of this Court to refer to minor victims of child abuse by their initials.
-2-
her home. When Ms. Martin listened to the videotape2 that evening around 10:30, she heard
Appellant threaten T.L. and snap his belt. Then about fifteen minutes later, Appellant started hitting
T.L. Ms. Martin counted between twenty-seven and thirty blows that Appellant inflicted on the
child.
When Ms. Martin discovered what Appellant had done to the child, her husband told
Appellant to leave the house because he hurt T.L. Appellant admitted that he spanked the child but
denied that he hit the child twenty-seven to thirty times. The police were notified, and Appellant was
arrested. The police and the family took photographs of the child’s injuries.
T.L. had difficulty sleeping the night of the incident and awoke with a nightmare several
nights later. He even informed Ms. Bullock that Appellant hurt him.
Ms. Bullock confirmed at the hearing that she was married to Appellant and expecting his
child. At the time of the hearing, she was nearly seven months pregnant. However, Ms. Bullock
expressed her intent to get a divorce once Appellant was convicted. Ms. Bullock informed the court
that she was “shocked” when Appellant admitted that he spanked T.L. so many times. Ms. Bullock
testified that she had never seen Appellant use alcohol or drugs and that Appellant had never
physically abused her during their relationship. Ms. Bullock felt that Appellant’s behavior would
prohibit her from allowing or trusting Appellant to be alone with her children ever again.
Appellant testified at the hearing. He claimed that he was shocked when confronted with the
accusation that he had spanked T.L. twenty-eight times. In fact, Appellant did not believe the claims
until he heard the tape of the incident at the preliminary hearing. After hearing the tape, Appellant
did not deny responsibility for his actions. Instead, Appellant expressed gratitude for being allowed
to see “the person that [he] was becoming.” Appellant apologized for his actions and expressed hope
that Ms. Bullock and T.L. could forgive him some day in the future.
Appellant described his actions as “wrong and barbaric” and recognized that he was trying
to be a father to T.L. in “the wrong way.” Appellant admitted that, at the time of the beating, he
thought that he could spank the child “a little bit . . . then [he would] get the point and go to sleep.”
Appellant admitted that he had harmed himself on one prior occasion after getting mad at a squad
leader. Appellant punched a wall so hard that he broke his pinky finger.
Several witnesses testified in Appellant’s behalf. They confirmed that Appellant’s behavior
and attitude were different after his tour of duty in Iraq. They all described Appellant as a good
person.
After Appellant was arrested, he completed an anger management workbook and was also
given a parental and mental assessment from the Department of Children’s Services. The results of
2
The video camera was pointed at a particular area of the room. Therefore, it does not contain images, only
audio.
-3-
the assessment indicated that Appellant suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder. Appellant
indicated his willingness to receive a psychiatric consultation and/or a medical exam.
At the conclusion of the hearing, the trial court denied judicial diversion, making findings
on the record relating to the denial. The court noted that Appellant treated the victim with
exceptional cruelty during the commission of the offense and that Appellant abused a position of
private trust, which resulted in emotional and mental harm to the victim. The trial court also noted
that Appellant had served in the military in “an admirable fashion” but in the end concluded that the
circumstances of the offense, including Appellant’s own statement that he had become a “monster,”3
led the court to the conclusion that there was “no basis to consider [Appellant] for judicial
diversion.” The trial court described Appellant’s actions as “criminal” and “completely unnecessary
and outside the realm of any modern or medieval parenting that was acceptable.” As a result, the
trial court sentenced Appellant to three years as a Range I, standard offender.
Appellant filed a timely notice of appeal, seeking a review of the trial court’s denial of
diversion.
Analysis
On appeal, Appellant argues that the trial court erred in denying judicial diversion because
the trial court “did not consider and comment to all the factors” necessary to deny diversion and
“erred in finding mental and emotional damage to the child when no facts or evidence was offered
to support that finding.” Specifically, Appellant argues that the trial court “took statements out of
context, improperly created evidence . . . , and most importantly, failed to explain on the record the
specific reasons for his determination.” Further, Appellant argues that there was no evidence of
mental or emotional damage to the victim and that no proof was presented by the State to support
that allegation. The State, on the other hand, posits that the trial court “went through a lengthy and
thorough analysis of the factors that weighed against diversion” and that the judge’s decision is
supported by the record.
Judicial diversion is similar to pretrial diversion. However, judicial diversion follows a
determination of guilt, and the decision to grant judicial diversion is initiated by the trial court, not
the prosecutor. State v. Anderson, 857 S.W.2d 571, 572 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1992). Judicial
diversion allows a defendant who is judged guilty to, “upon successful completion of a diversion
program, receive an expungement from all ‘official records’ any recordation relating to ‘arrest,
indictment or information, trial, finding of guilty, and dismissal and discharge’ pursuant to the
diversion statute.” State v. Schindler, 986 S.W.2d 209, 211 (Tenn. 1999) (quoting T.C.A. §
40-35-313(b)). “The effect of discharge and dismissal under the diversion statute ‘is to restore the
person . . . to the status the person occupied before such arrest or indictment or information.’” Id.
(quoting T.C.A. § 40-35-313(b)). A final disposition of the case does not occur until either the
3
The trial court took this statement from the presentence report in which Appellant told an officer during his
statement that he was “sorry for not recognizing the anger and stress inside me before it grew into a monster.”
-4-
defendant successfully completes the diversion program or violates a condition of his release. State
v. Teresa Dockery, No. E2001-01493-CCA-R3-CD, 2002 WL 1042187, at *2 (Tenn. Crim. App.,
at Knoxville, May 23, 2002), perm. app. denied, (Tenn. Nov. 4, 2002); State v. Glenna Kidd, No.
01C01-9808-CR-00344, 1999 WL 298309, at *1 (Tenn. Crim. App., at Nashville, May 13, 1999).
Judicial diversion may be ordered only with the consent of a “qualified defendant.” T.C.A. §
40-35-313(a)(1)(A).
A qualified defendant is one who:
(a) Is found guilty of or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to the offense for which
deferral of further proceedings is sought;
(b) Is not seeking deferral of further proceedings for a sexual offense or a Class A or
Class B felony; and
(c) Has not previously been convicted of a felony or a Class A misdemeanor.
T.C.A. § 40-35-313(a)(1)(B)(i)(a), (b), & (c).
Abuse of discretion is the proper standard upon which to review the denial of an application
for judicial diversion. State v. Paul David Cable, No. 03C01-9409-CR-00349, 1995 WL 328796,
at *2-3 (Tenn. Crim. App., at Knoxville, June 1, 1995). When a defendant contends that the trial
court committed error in refusing to grant judicial diversion, we must determine whether the trial
court abused its discretion by denying the defendant’s request for judicial diversion. State v.
Cutshaw, 967 S.W.2d 332, 344 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1997). In other words, we may not revisit the
issue if the record contains any substantial evidence supporting the trial court’s decision. Id.; State
v. Parker, 932 S.W.2d 945, 958 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1996).
The criteria that the trial court must consider in determining whether a qualified defendant
should be granted judicial diversion are similar to those considered by the prosecutor in determining
suitability for pretrial diversion and includes the following: “(1) the defendant’s amenability to
correction; (2) the circumstances of the offense; (3) the defendant’s criminal record; (4) the
defendant’s social history; (5) the defendant’s physical and mental health; and (6) the deterrence
value to the defendant and others.” Parker, 932 S.W.2d at 958; see also Cutshaw, 967 S.W.2d at
343-44. An additional consideration is whether judicial diversion will serve the ends of justice, i.e.,
the interests of the public as well as of the defendant. See Parker, 932 S.W.2d at 958; Cutshaw, 967
S.W.2d at 344; State v. Bonestel, 871 S.W.2d 163, 168 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1993), overruled on other
grounds by State v. Hooper, 29 S.W.3d 1, 9-10 (Tenn. 2000).
After hearing the evidence, the trial court concluded that the circumstances of the offense
were extreme but noted that Appellant had a non-existent criminal history. The trial court noted
Appellant’s willingness to attend treatment and acknowledgment of his problem. However, the trial
court recognized that there was a risk “for this type of event to occur again.” The trial court found
-5-
that Appellant had not shown that he had dealt with his mental health issues, stressing that
Appellant’s mental instability led to “extreme violence” against a child, incapable of defending
himself. The trial court considered Appellant’s service in the military to be “admirable” but found
the need and duty to protect the public from incidents such as this. In other words, the trial court
concluded that the need for deterrence was high and that judicial diversion was not an option, in part,
due to the fact that Appellant treated the victim with exceptional cruelty during the commission of
the offense and abused a position of private trust as one of the caregivers for T.L. The trial court felt
that incarceration would depreciate the seriousness of the offense and pointed out the fact that the
beating was brutal.
Appellant makes an argument that the trial court improperly considered mental and emotional
damage to the child where there was no evidence of damage introduced by the State. Thus,
Appellant contends, the “court should not have considered this issue since it was not an element of
the crime” and there was “no proof” presented by the State. The trial court talked about the mental
and emotional damage suffered by the victim as part of the circumstances of the offense. This is one
of the criteria the trial court is to use in order to determine whether to grant a qualified defendant
judicial diversion. There is no requirement, as Appellant suggests, that the trial court can only
consider things that are elements of the offense. We agree that aside from Ms. Martin’s testimony
regarding T.L.’s nightmare right after the offense, there is no evidence in the record concerning
emotional damage to the child. We also agree that the trial court did not specifically state on the
record which factors weighed in favor of diversion and which ones did not. Nevertheless, the court
noted that the extreme circumstances of the offense warranted the denial of judicial diversion. Based
on the record before us we cannot conclude the trial court abused its discretion in this case.
Conclusion
For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed.
___________________________________
JERRY L. SMITH, JUDGE
-6-
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FINAL FANTASY XIII–2 is the sequel to FINAL FANTASY XIII, which was released in North America in March 2010 and has shipped 6.2 million units worldwide. The sequel has evolved beyond its predecessor, with an extraordinary level design encouraging exploration, a new battle system allowing players to command monsters and a variety of options that support multiple playthroughs.
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10 Reasons You Need to Stop Stressing About Best Car Duster
Best Car Duster Efficient Cars At Affordable Prices, Learning how to stop your dog from barking at cars is usually a difficult job for many people. However, if you live in a very crowded neighborhood or on the busy street you’ll probably know how annoying it really is when your dog is barking on the passing cars and will want to know ways to stop your dog from barking at cars while they drive through your home. Here are a few tips which can help you stop your puppy from barking at cars.
1. One of the main hybrid car benefits is, needless to say, that hybrids decrease the amount of toxic emissions created by the internal combustion engine. In general, it produce 80% less greenhouse gases along with other pollutants using their tailpipes in comparison to their gas-powered counterparts. This equals a cleaner plus more environmentally-friendly car. And future hybrid car models promise to relieve emissions more, with all the eventual objective of producing zero emission vehicles.
Props Only – If you find an antique car you want to rent but find that it’s cost prohibitive, you may get a lower life expectancy rate for utilizing it as being a prop only. This means the vehicle is not driven, except on the location where it will likely be parked. Often, the master of the automobile can have it hauled on the location as to preserve the vehicle’s low mileage. When used as props, vintage wedding cars still add considerable value for a wedding celebrations. They can be utilized to boost the appearance and feel of your exclusive or luxurious party, or they might simply be utilized in professional wedding photographs that include the pair.
Every location is a little different, so make sure to call ahead to learn in case your area Enterprise contains the car for you. I was able to find several for sale in my area without having a problem, but some smaller Enterprise locations may possibly not have the pain you are after. Remember to ask, though – they could be happy to tell you of your nearby location that has the Prius or Escape hybrid you’d like to test.
Before going to the local salesman make sure to obtain a report on prices in the automobile you want to purchase first. With the economy inside shape it’s in, lots of dealers may well be more prepared to negotiate a lower price should they know that you found a cheaper price someplace else on the net. But about the actual way of getting the vehicle, I suggest going on line first. The reason being happens because generally, you will find a far greater price online than you have access to from most local car dealerships.
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Split layout
Arguments
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arguments will become HTML attributes on the outermost tag.
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Character or numeric vector indicating the widths of the
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1 Mass. App. Ct. 12 (1972)
294 N.E.2d 434
ANDREW PAANANEN
vs.
WILLARD A. RHODES.
Appeals Court of Massachusetts, Plymouth.
November 21, 1972.
December 29, 1972.
Present: ROSE, GOODMAN, & ARMSTRONG, JJ.
Charles R. Desmarais for the defendant.
Reubin M. Winokur (Lawrence I. Winokur with him) for the plaintiff.
GOODMAN, J.
In this action of tort the plaintiff, Andrew Paananen, sought to recover under a declaration alleging that on January 16, 1963, he was employed by the defendant to do carpentry work, logging and landscaping work at a girls camp in Hanson, Massachusetts; that he was injured in the course of his employment; that this work had been determined to be hazardous employment by the Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Industries; and that the defendant was not insured under the Workmen's Compensation Act as required by law. The action is based on G.L.c. 152, § 66, as amended through St. 1959, c. 478, under which proof of negligence is not required. See Opinion of the Justices, 309 Mass. 571, 598.[1]
The case was submitted to a jury after the defendant's motion for a directed verdict was denied; the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff. The issue before us is the *14 sufficiency of the evidence. We deal with only one aspect of the case.
The plaintiff alleged and had the burden of establishing (Ferris v. Grinnell, 353 Mass. 681, 683; Sullivan v. Quinlivan, 308 Mass. 339) that the Commissioner of Labor and Industries had determined the plaintiff's employment to be hazardous and therefore all "employees therein [were] ... required to be covered...." G.L.c. 152, § 1 (4) (c), as amended through St. 1960, c. 306. For this purpose there was introduced in evidence a publication entitled, "HAZARDOUS EMPLOYMENTS on all types of Construction Projects as determined by the Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Industries under the provisions of Paragraph (d),[2] of Definition (4), of Section 1, of Chapter 152, of the General Laws, as amended by Chapter 680, of the Acts of 1956" (underlining in original). This title is followed by a list which includes (among other occupations) "Landscaper," "Carpenter and Joiner" and indented under the latter classification: "Floor Layer Carpenter," "Shop & Mill Carpenter," and "Wharf & Bridge Carpenter." Each page of the list has a two-line caption: "Construction Projects" and, directly below, "Hazardous Occupations." The document bears a date, January 11, 1957, and a notation that the publication was approved by the State Purchasing Agent.
However, all that appears in the bill of exceptions as to the plaintiff's employment on the date when he was injured is his testimony that he was "... working as a landscaper and carpenter, was walking on a steep bank next to a pond where there were some bushes and trees and he was going to get them cleaned up...." He slipped while cutting bushes. There is nothing in the bill of exceptions to indicate that the plaintiff's employment was in any way connected with a construction project as that term is ordinarily used. For this reason the defendant's exceptions must be sustained.
We are aware of Fisher v. Ciaramitaro, 345 Mass. 199, *15 201, in which the plaintiff proved the requirement of coverage and retained a verdict in an action under G.L.c. 152, § 66, on the basis of a document dated June 19, 1961, in which the Commissioner of Labor and Industries certified that the occupation of carpenter was on January 11, 1957 (the date on the document introduced in this case), "determined to be hazardous employment," and that such determination had "been in effect since that date and ... [was] still in effect." In that case the plaintiff was a carpenter and was injured while fixing leaks on the roof of a house. The Commissioner's certification seems to have been accepted by both parties in lieu of the regulation which was apparently not in evidence.
In this case the publication introduced in evidence does not purport to be the exact determination as made by the Commissioner of Labor and Industries and filed with the Secretary of State as a regulation pursuant to G.L.c. 30A, § 5 (see G.L.c. 30A, § 1 (5)).[3] The regulation itself is not before us, and we generally do not take judicial notice of administrative regulations. Building Inspector of Wayland v. Ellen M. Gifford Sheltering Home Corp. 344 Mass. 281, 285. Finlay v. Eastern Racing Assn., Inc. 308 Mass. 20, 26-27 Passanessi v. C.J. Maney Co. Inc. 340 Mass. 599, 604. But see Gentile, petitioner, 339 Mass. 319; Commonwealth v. Berney, 353 Mass. 571; Commonwealth v. Minicost Car Rental, Inc. 354 Mass. 746. We are particularly reluctant to do so in this case since the defendant has not had an opportunity to litigate the applicability of the regulation itself, the meaning of which "might depend on the precise wording." Passanessi v. C.J. Maney Co. Inc. 340 Mass. 599, 604.
In deciding whether in our discretion to order judgment for the defendant or grant a new trial (G.L.c. 231, § 122;[4]*16 Vallavanti v. Armour & Co. 264 Mass. 337, 341-342) we have taken into consideration the history of the litigation and that it is questionable whether the plaintiff proved that his injury was connected with his employment at the Hanson camp. Under all the circumstances, judgment should be entered for the defendant.
In view of our decision, it is unnecessary to deal with the defendant's exception to the trial judge's refusal to hear the defendant's motion for a new trial on the ground that the defendant had declined to waive his bill of exceptions.
Exceptions sustained.
Judgment for the defendant.
NOTES
[1] The plaintiff's declaration originally entered on January 4, 1965, alleged an injury in Vermont on June 29, 1962. Subsequently on April 22, 1966, the declaration was amended by adding a second count alleging the injury at the Hanson camp. The case was transferred to the Third District Court of Plymouth on March 31, 1967 (see G.L.c. 231, § 102C. as amended through St. 1962, c. 305). There was a finding for the defendant, and the case was retransferred to the Superior Court. Prior to actual trial in the Superior Court, the plaintiff waived the count based on the Vermont injury.
[2] Redesignated "c" by St. 1960, c. 306.
[3] See 1962 Report of the Attorney General, page 54 (referring to the Commissioner of Labor and Industries, and his duties under G.L.c. 152, § 1, in the Schedule of Agencies subject to the State Administrative Procedure Act).
[4] Section 122 applicable by its terms to the Supreme Judicial Court is made applicable to the Appeals Court by G.L.c. 211A, § 5 (inserted by St. 1972, c. 740), and reads as follows: "The appeals court shall be vested with all powers and authority necessary to carry into execution its judgments, decrees, determinations and orders in matters within its jurisdiction according to the rules and principles of common law and the Constitution and laws of the commonwealth, and subject to the appellate jurisdiction, supervision and superintendence of the supreme judicial court." See § 10 granting to the Appeals Court, "... concurrent appellate jurisdiction with the supreme judicial court, to the extent review is otherwise allowable...."
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John, something about red shift and steady state universe just does not work for me. How does it work for you?
betreger,
Glad you asked that question.
And i will be very honest here, i don't have the precise answer, yet! The whole big bang theory rests on the red shift theory. If red shift is proven wrong, then the big bang never happened. So truth be known, the whole big bang theory is resting on very thin ice.
Here is a fact to show you just how thin the red shift theory is;
There isn't a single scientific experiment you can carry out in a lab that conclusively proves that the wavelength of light changes, or red shifts, because the object emitting the light is moving. In other words, the only place we see red shifted light is from deep astronomy images. Its never been proven in a scientific laboratory test.
So taking that into account, there are multiple other explanation's for why the wavelength of light might change, or appear to change! One possibility is that it doesn't change at all and its an optical illusion that astronomers see because, in theory, they are looking "out" of the bubble of energy the earth is sitting in. A bit like a fish in a bowl in your kitchen. The fish looks out of his spherical glass bowl and observes the world. Then the fish measures the world outside. But the fish's measurements are bent because the glass bowl acts as a magnifying glass. The fish never notices that he is looking out through the glass bowl, so he makes mistakes in his measurements and never notices.
Its one possibility. Maybe we are in a type of glass bowl looking out and not noticing it, just like the fish.
Here is a fact to show you just how thin the red shift theory is;
There isn't a single scientific experiment you can carry out in a lab that conclusively proves that the wavelength of light changes, or red shifts, because the object emitting the light is moving. In other words, the only place we see red shifted light is from deep astronomy images. Its never been proven in a scientific laboratory test.
The Big Bang theory does not rest on redshift but on the cosmic microwave background, detected in 1964 by Penzias and Wilson, and successively analyzed by the COBE satellite. It is an observable effect, foreseen by George Gamow. "Theory determines what can be observed", said Albert Einstein.
Tullio
Incidentally, the Hubble Space Telescope has just imaged a galaxy born 600 million years after the Big Bang by the Gravitational Lensing effect due to General Relativity. This is the most distant galaxy ever seen.
The doppler effect is real. A moving source that is going away from an observer will show a shift to lower frequencies (red end of the spectrum so to speak). I would expect that the Galaxies are expanding and generally rushing away from each other. They should be slowing now in their expansion due to the effect of what we call gravity.
Instead they appear to be accelerating which would suggest a force or energy that is somehow emanating from free space. This is what defies our current understanding and prompts one to think about the possibility of another explanation or that the original premise of acceleration is false. For my money a better premise would be that there is another much more massive , encompassing universe just beyond our vision that is attracting our universe due to gravity.
The cosmic background map has been used as a dis-prover of the "tired light theory". For me I would want to linger a little longer on trying to see what else would cause a frequency shift in light before admitting to dark energy.
The doppler effect is real. A moving source that is going away from an observer will show a shift to lower frequencies (red end of the spectrum so to speak). I would expect that the Galaxies are expanding and generally rushing away from each other. They should be slowing now in their expansion due to the effect of what we call gravity.
Instead they appear to be accelerating which would suggest a force or energy that is somehow emanating from free space. This is what defies our current understanding and prompts one to think about the possibility of another explanation or that the original premise of acceleration is false. For my money a better premise would be that there is another much more massive , encompassing universe just beyond our vision that is attracting our universe due to gravity.
I tend to agree with the possibility of a larger universe. A larger source of gravity would explain the expansion acceleration. I saw a program that indicated that many galaxies are moving toward one direction, not necessarily away from a center, but longitudinally. That too may be gravity induced.
If the Big Bang was ever supposed to have happened, where is its starting place or location in space?
Can we assume or derive that space expanded or inflated from a singular point in a currently defined three-dimensional space (or four-dimensional, for that matter) and that such a creation point could possibly be traced back to the starting point when it comes to its position?
Being an observer on the ground, I only have the option of looking at the sky either with the naked eye, or possibly using binoculars. In fact, when returning to bed last night, I was surprised at the appearance of Venus in the eastern sky. It definitely was not Jupiter already at first glance.
The sky initially was quite cloudy, so identifying the stars that were visible was at first a little difficult. A little later on, Castor and Pollux in Gemini as well as Aldebaran in Taurus became visible. Also Jupiter was visible very high up so it was not that planet.
But as far as I am able to see things, the position of objects against their general background position have changed somewhat in recent years. Definitely presession is noticeable when having 20-25 year experience at watching the skies.
Ya know. It seems to me that we may have it backwards. It is said that the farthest away galaxies are receding the fastest. Well the farthest away galaxies are showing us what happened 13 billion years ago or thereabouts. That long ago, things were traveling faster than now due to the energy of the big bang and gravity did not have enough time to slow them down.
Ya know. It seems to me that we may have it backwards. It is said that the farthest away galaxies are receding the fastest. Well the farthest away galaxies are showing us what happened 13 billion years ago or thereabouts. That long ago, things were traveling faster than now due to the energy of the big bang and gravity did not have enough time to slow them down.
What's wrong with my thinking ??
It would be extremely interesting to see what the universe is doing in real time, but no matter where you are in the universe, your point of reference changes, and as what is moving where, and how fast.
If the Big Bang was ever supposed to have happened, where is its starting place or location in space?
Can we assume or derive that space expanded or inflated from a singular point in a currently defined three-dimensional space (or four-dimensional, for that matter) and that such a creation point could possibly be traced back to the starting point when it comes to its position?
Being an observer on the ground, I only have the option of looking at the sky either with the naked eye, or possibly using binoculars. In fact, when returning to bed last night, I was surprised at the appearance of Venus in the eastern sky. It definitely was not Jupiter already at first glance.
The sky initially was quite cloudy, so identifying the stars that were visible was at first a little difficult. A little later on, Castor and Pollux in Gemini as well as Aldebaran in Taurus became visible. Also Jupiter was visible very high up so it was not that planet.
But as far as I am able to see things, the position of objects against their general background position have changed somewhat in recent years. Definitely presession is noticeable when having 20-25 year experience at watching the skies.
The way I understand it the starting point for the big bang is everywhere since it started with a singularity. I understand it is hard to wrap your mind around that concept since I too have a hard time getting a mental image.Bob DeWoody
My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events.
Bob and MusicPlayer,
Both of you raised an important issue. You both said you have difficulty understanding the concept of universal expansion in the milli seconds after the big bang.
Some people try explain this with the expanding balloon theory;
Astronomers will try to explain this by saying the expansion happened everywhere all at the one time. And they will tell you its kinda like an expanding balloon, like in the picture above.
But its nonsense!! Its a mathematical paradox, and thats why nobody understands it. Nobody understands it because it never happened!! But academics who study astronomy and cosmology always think they are much more clever than everybody else, and they are the only ones that understand it. But truth is, they DON'T understand it themselves. They can't, because it didn't happen. Its a mathematical paradox that simply could NOT have happened! And thats why nobody understand it. And thats why nobody can explain it properly!
You mark my words right here and now! There never was a big bang! Its a mathematical error and the astronomers and cosmologists are protecting the theory because they want to be crowned "king of science" and get a Nobel prize when they solve the problem. As a result of the astronomers and cosmologists blocking outside opinion, they are blocking anyone from solving the problem. They are cutting their own throats and digging themselves deeper and deeper into more and more unsolvable paradoxes! The longer it goes on, the worse its getting!
Right now today, instead of astronomy making science simple for people to understand, they burying astronomy in a minefield of unsolvable paradoxes.
There are no black holes, there is no dark energy, no dark matter, no dark flow, no singularities, no big bang or any of the other mathematical paradoxes that the astronomers claim. I tell you the truth, everybody will find this out very soon! I hold the key to solving the mathematical paradoxes. There is an error in the maths! Thats why the vast majority of astronomical theory has "dark" prefixed before it! All of these things are theoretical constructs as a result of mathematical error. Funny, but all these "dark" things in astronomy, you can't take a picture of any of them!!! You can't detect them, they can't be measured, they don't emit any light at any wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum. Why?? Because they are theoretical constructs based on mathematical error! They don't exist!
Johnny your explanation flies in the face of every observation made since Edwin Hubble pointed his new telescope into the night sky. I don't necessarily believe current astrophysicists have gotten everything figured out but I think they are basically on the right track. The fact that I don't understand something doesn't make it wrong.Bob DeWoody
My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events.
Johnny your explanation flies in the face of every observation made since Edwin Hubble pointed his new telescope into the night sky. I don't necessarily believe current astrophysicists have gotten everything figured out but I think they are basically on the right track. The fact that I don't understand something doesn't make it wrong.
Bob,
Yes, my explanation DOES fly in the face of mainstream astronomy. But mainstream astronomy is in crisis. And the whole of theoretical astronomy and cosmology is about to get a rude awakening.
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RUTH Davidson was paid £7500 for a single night’s work, she has revealed.
The former Scottish Tory leader received the money for appearing as a political pundit on ITV’s general election night coverage in December.
THe SNP called on her to hand the money back, otherwise she would be "laughing all the way to the bank" while her party's "heartless" polices forced families into poverty.
At the election, the Scottish Tory manifesto boasted Boris Johnson's government was raising the National Living Wage to £10.50 an hour by 2024, around 1 per cent of Ms Davidson’s hourly rate that night.
READ MORE: Ruth Davidson quits £50,000 job with lobbying firm
It NLW is currently £8.21 for over-25s and is due to rise to £8.72 in April.
The fee, which was rumoured to have deterred other broadcasters from inviting her on, has now been declared in Ms Davidson's Holyrood register of interests.
The latest entry states: “On 24 January 2020 I was paid a £7,500 fee by ITV (of 200 Grays Inn Rd, Holborn, London WC1X 8XZ) for participating in the network’s election night coverage. [Registered 12 February 2020]”.
The Herald on Sunday revealed in November that Ms Davidson had been offered an "unprecedented" sum to appear at a pundit on ITV.
She was also approached by the BBC, but the corporation was unable to match ITV's offer and backed off.
READ MORE: Ruth Davidson offered 'unprecedented sum' to discuss General Election on ITV
Ms Davidson refused to say at the time how much she was being paid, but has now been olbliged to disclose the sum under Holyrood propriety rules.
Last year Ms Davidson was criticised for trying to start a new career as a £2000-a-day consultant to a City of London PR firm while still an MSP.
She pulled out of the job with Tulchan Communications within days after a ferocious backlash at Holyrood.
READ MORE: Ruth Davidson says she is ready to go to Lords
Ms Davidson, 41, who earns a basic salary of £63,579 as the MSP for Edinburgh Central, is standing down at the next Holyrood election in 2021.
She is expected to be elevated to the House of Lords like her predecessor as Scottish Tory leader, Baroness Annabel Goldie.
Labour MSP Neil Findlay, who has campaigned for MSPs to be banned from taking second jobs, accused Davidson of bringing politics into disrepute.
He said: "She is a mercenary whose sole motivation now appears to be making as much money as possible from her political connections - it brings politics into disrepute."
SNP MSP Rona Mackay said: "Ruth Davidson's priority appears to be picking up thousands in outside earnings while neglecting her actual job.
"Serving politicians who appear on election night broadcasts do so to represent their party - not to pick up a pay cheque. This payment is unprecedented – and she should now hand it back.
"Public outrage might have forced Ms Davidson to u-turn on her attempt to take a job with a lobbying firm – but now she plans to take a seat in the House of Lords where, unfortunately, voters will be denied the chance to vote her out.
"While she's laughing all the way to the bank, Ruth Davidson might want to stop to consider the thousands of families forced into poverty because of her party's heartless policies."
A Scottish Conservative spokesman said: "Ruth was invited to appear on ITV's election night coverage and agreed. The programme set the fee structure for all of its presenters and pundits, and Ruth had no input into that process."
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Scuba diving is a hobby enjoyed by tens of thousands of people each year without incident. However, to prevent incident, these people have had hours of training and instruction on how to do it the right way and how to use the instruments needed to dive. If you have never been on a dive before,... Continue Reading
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Architects have been challenged to design a single-family, energy-efficient, affordable, detached home for a site in Cherepovets in Russia, where temperatures can reach -49°C in winter, in the third Living Steel international competition.
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package com.blogcode.after;
import org.springframework.context.annotation.Bean;
import org.springframework.context.annotation.Configuration;
/**
* Created by jojoldu@gmail.com on 2017. 2. 6.
* Blog : http://jojoldu.tistory.com
* Github : http://github.com/jojoldu
*/
@Configuration
public class AppConfig {
@Bean
public EnumMapper enumMapper() {
EnumMapper enumMapper = new EnumMapper();
enumMapper.put("commissionType", EnumContract.CommissionType.class);
enumMapper.put("commissionCutting", EnumContract.CommissionCutting.class);
return enumMapper;
}
}
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Urinary protein profiling by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry: ADAM28 is overexpressed in bladder transitional cell carcinoma.
Bladder cancer is the most common urological cancer with higher incidence rate in the endemic areas of Blackfoot disease (BFD) in southern Taiwan. The aim of this study was to utilize the proteomic approach to establish urinary protein patterns of bladder cancer. The experimental results showed that most patients with bladder cancer had proteinuria or albuminuria. The urine arsenic concentrations of bladder cancer patients in BFD areas were significantly higher than those patients from non-BFD areas. In the proteomic analysis, the urinary proteome was identified by nano-high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (nano-HPLC/ESI-MS/MS) followed by peptide fragmentation pattern analysis. We categorized 2782 unique proteins of which 89 proteins were identified with at least three unique matching peptide sequences. Among these 89 proteins, thirteen of them were not found in the control group and may represent proteins specific for bladder cancer. In this study, three proteins, SPINK5, ADAM28 and PTP1, were also confirmed by Western blotting and showed significant differential expression compared with the control group. ADAM28 may be used as a possible biomarker of bladder cancer.
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Category: sex club
Newsweek obama article matt patterson
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Taggad Övrig politik , bettlare , dörr , dörrknackning , Göran Hägglund , jobbävning , möjligheternas land , Mona Sahlin , netroots , politik , politiker , politiskt , progressiva bloggar , reklam , religiösa , säljare , socialdemokraterna , val , valet , väljare. The rise of right-wing populism in the West is primarily a story of culture and identity, in particular the fear among white voters across the West that their cultures and identities are under threat. I en intervju med Newsweek sa sångaren: After working all day at jobs we often dislike, we buy things we don't need. Brands portrays the emergence, in a remarkably short time, of a recognizably modern America. And what does it mean for the future of the adut freind finder famous frontier language called Boontling? Shot of kid's feet walking up steps. The Unwinding journeys through the lives of several Americans, including Dean Price, the son of tobacco farmers, who becomes an evangelist for a new economy in the rural South; Edging squirt Thomas, a factory worker in the Www shooshtime Belt trying to survive the collapse of her city; Jeff Connaughton, a Washington insider oscillating between political free porn large and the lure of organized money; and Peter Thiel, a Silicon Valley billionaire who questions the Internet's significance and arrives at a school sex videos hd vision of the future. The two sheriff's deputies in the vehicle survived. Vineyards or marijuana newgirl23 This is a belief held equally on both sides of political spectrum, and it seems only to be gaining momentum. For this episode of Some Noise, we try and get to the bottom of questions and ask a bunch of different people, from a porn mandy flores professor, an experienced LSD taker to a futurist:
: Newsweek obama article matt patterson
Newsweek obama article matt patterson
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WATCH: Former President Obama speaks at California rally for Democratic candidates
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I would dry sand with 320 da,use a quart of nason ful-base to seal (its way cheaper) and easier to use...sealer evens out the color and fills paint scratches. Dontspend your lifes savings on painting that truck...300.00 tops.single stage solid red ful-thane is what I'd use and you couldnt tell it from BC/CC no one can
That's pretty much what I am doing with the Summit paint system. Single stage in red. I think I will go ahead and seal the interior paint as well as the outside. I have it all masked off anyway. These old S10/Sonomas have a LOT of painted metal on the interior.
I'll finish with the 400 grit tonight, then clean and mask everything tomorrow and shoot Saturday morning before it gets too hot.
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ATN95DHE* by JICO for Audio Technica AT95E cartridge.
You can now select the widely acclaimed Hyper-Elliptical cut diamond tip for this body style. Hyper-Elliptical is an extreme elliptical tip. In many cases the cartridge for this needle is built in to the tonearm so this is an ecomonical way to go high end without having to replace the entire turntable. The Hyper-Elliptical cut will bring out details that you likely had no idea existed on the record and clearly brings forth information that is compressed away if you have listened to the same music in mp3 format. This is the ATN95HE JICO brand replacement for our AT95HE hybrid cartridge.
Sansui owners Note: The above needle is often confused with our 738 style needle. They are not compatible.
* As of press time, Audio Technica does/did not make a hyperelliptical solution for the AT95E. We developed the use of the part number ATN95DHE to succinctly describe a needle with a hyperelliptical tip for the AT95E body style of phono cartridge. Many manufacturers have developed their own part numbers to describe their branded solutions per the cross reference info below.
This is a great upgrade stylus for the AT95E cartridge. It takes away a lot of the surface noise that appears on the stock stylus. The sound is very clean and smooth. Great customer service from turntableneedles.com also. Highly recommended.
Did you find this helpful?2 of 2Found HelpfulReviewed by: Warren from Canada.
- 8/22/2013
5/5
710-DHE
Nice upgrade for the AT-95E which comes with a .4 x .7 bonded tip. It also fits my Clearaudio Virtuoso. Just cut away the plastic wings and it plugs right in.
I also have the 710-DSH shibata that is a little more resolving. I use that on the Virtuoso and this one on the AT-95.
Did you find this helpful?2 of 3Found HelpfulReviewed by: neo from East Coast USA.
- 5/27/2013
4/5
710-DHE
An absolutely outstanding (and apparently the only) upgrade to the stock needle on my AT LP120 turntable. Highly recommended. It all sounds brilliant, but I was particularly struck by the level of clarity and texture in drums and bass guitar - it is astounding.
A+ service and delivery as always.
Did you find this helpful?2 of 2Found HelpfulReviewed by: Ryan M from Nevada.
- 5/13/2013
5/5
ATN-95E or 710-DHE
I confess to having been sceptical that this would represent a worthwhile upgrade over the 'genuine article', but I was wrong. When compared with the stock elliptical - IGD is absent and there are worthwhile gains in imaging, separation and in LF weight and dynamics. For listeners of choral, chamber and orchestral works, there is much less HF harshness/edginess. VAT & duty are a disincentive for those in the E.U., but don't hesitate to buy if you or someone you know is visiting the U.S.A.
Did you find this helpful?1 of 2Found HelpfulReviewed by: Jon Beresford from United Kingdom.
- 1/2/2014
5/5
Mr.
I bought this needle for a cartridge (AT95 or 3400) I got on a 25 year old turntable. This sounds very close to the AT7V I just recently purchased. Great sound! Excellent service, as always.
Did you find this helpful?1 of 1Found HelpfulReviewed by: Steven Jerrard from Virginia.
- 1/30/2012
5/5
710-DHE
Good upgrade with excellent information from TurntableNeedles. Has given my Thorens TD280MkII a new lease of life.
Did you find this helpful?Reviewed by: RF from Hampshire UK.
- 2/15/2015
5/5
Excellent stylus!
Excellent replacement for the stock stylus on the AT-95e. Smoother highs, stronger and tighter lows, better tracking (slightly higher compliance), no sibilance or inner groove distortion. Just be sure to give it 20-30 hours of break-in time, and it makes the AT-95 a high-performance cartridge.
Did you find this helpful?Reviewed by: johnnywalker from Florida.
- 8/4/2014
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The Reston Raiders Hockey Club has everything you need in a youth hockey organization: top coaching, great facilities and a range of programs and services that serve children of all ages and playing abilities.
The Raiders, a non-profit organization, skate out of SkateQuest of Reston. It is a twin-rink facility just off the Dulles Toll Road in Reston, well-positioned to serve the Northern Virgina and metro D.C. area.
The club offers full services for players of all ages and skill levels. Wherever your child is in hockey, the Raiders can help him or her reach the next level. We offer an excellent Initiation Program for new players ages 5 to 11, an in-house program for players seeking a recreational-level of competition and a travel program for players seeking a more competitive level of play.
Since 2011, Reston Raiders Hockey Club been the most proactive club in the CBHL when it comes to concussion safety. We supplement USAH Concussion Management Protocol by offering free ImPACT baseline testing and online concussion education; using the King Devick Remove-From-Play Tool and the PAR Concussion Recognition and Response app for Coaches and Parents; establishing a vast network of parent volunteers (called Injury Liaisons) to assist coaches across the club with injured players; and providing access to a concussion specialist at the rink for any player with suspected concussion. The goals of the safety program are that no child skates while concussed and that parents are armed with as much information as possible.
History
The Reston Raiders Hockey Club was founded on June 28, 1993. The club colors are Blue, Black, Silver and White. The Raiders are a non-profit organization established and managed by volunteers. It is only through the dedication of our members that we are able to meet the needs of our players and offer an enjoyable experience for all.
Philosophy
The Reston Raiders Hockey Club wishes to instill in each child a love for the game of ice hockey, the ideal of fair play and sportsmanship, and the development of personal and social skills. The club intends to exemplify the principles of USA Hockey and through excellence in coaching develop the finest youth hockey players possible. Further, the Reston Raiders will provide a fun environment for players of all ages, levels of commitment, with equal opportunity for all.
Open Invitation To ALL: The Reston Raiders invite any and all hockey teams/associations to visit the Washington D.C. area and play hockey. Anytime. We offer competitive teams at all levels.
Why should I become a Raider?
The Raiders are a full-service organization, meaning no matter what your child's skill or interest level, the Raiders have a program to meet his or her needs.
The Raiders Initiation teaches the basics of playing the game, including stick handling, passing, shooting and team play. Children who have completed Initiation are ready to join the club's in-house league.
The House Program provides a fun environment for the recreational player. All games are played against other Raider House teams. Select teams are chosen from the House Program for players who want a slightly more competitive experience, with limited travel.
The Raider Travel Program fields teams in the Tier II Chesapeake Bay Hockey League (CBHL). Tier II offers more advanced players an opportunity to play against the most competitive players from other clubs in the Washington, DC, area and beyond. Raider teams have historically competed for top honors at all levels of the CBHL.
The Raiders play out of the SkateQuest of Reston rink. The twin-rinks facility is comfortable, clean and a good family environment. It has a full-service pro shop and a restaurant. In addition to hockey development programs sponsored by the Raiders, SkateQuest has its own slate of skills clinics and skating instructors.
The Reston Raiders Hockey Club is a not-for-profit corporation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and derives all funding and support from its members, players, and official sponsors and as such is not affiliated with, and receives no support of any type from the NHL.
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Specialties 3 industry leaders think are still great for ASCs
At Becker's ASC 25th Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs in Chicago Oct. 18, three executives from the ASC industry spoke about their strategies when it comes to adding speciality services to centers.
1. Beth LaBouyer, RN, executive director at Sacramento-based California Ambulatory Surgery Association, on what specialities make the most sense for ASCs in California: California's broad geography [makes it] very different from Northern California to Southern California. It really does capture a very different market. So it depends where the centers are ... and your payer mix and your patient population.
Obviously I think orthopedics and spine are the big procedures to add, but the other specialties still have a lot of viability, like GI and ophthalmology. You need to make sure you don't build a speciality all around one physician or one surgeon, because that's very challenging if a surgeon leaves. You want to make sure you can maximize that specialty.
2. Bruce Foerster, MD, orthopedic surgeon and medical director of San Diego Outpatient Surgery Center, on adding total joints and spine services: [San Diego Outpatient Surgery Center is] 45 years old. The ASC was showing its age. We were perfectly equipped for ASC cases that have been appropriate for ASCs over the years, but we were really not appropriately equipped to deal with total joints and spine cases and the larger cases we are interested in.
We saw our caseload was stagnant. We made the unanimous decision after a long, thoughtful process to move into a bigger space. We're doubling our square footage in our ORs. We're going to be opening up and diversifying what we have to offer. But also our overhead is going to be climbing significantly.
3. Bill Stewart, area vice president of value-based purchasing of DePuy Synthes, a Johnson & Johnson company, on which specialities are growing the most: When you're talking about orthopedics and neurosurgery … we're trying to migrate [as many procedures as possible] into the outpatient space. We've seen double-digit growth in spine. We've seen double-digit growth in elective trauma — foot, ankle and wrist — and knees, double-digit growth. All categories are growing rapidly in the outpatient space.
Spine has been an interesting one for us to watch. What we've seen with spine is that surgical procedures that are migrating outpatient, typically one- to three-level ACDF and discectomy, are moving outpatient. But lumbar spine is much slower to move outpatient. What we've seen with lumbar spine is a small number of sites are doing it. A lot of that is because it's capital intensive to do lumbar spine.
The Becker's ASC Review website uses cookies to display relevant ads and to enhance your browsing experience. By continuing to use our site, you acknowledge that you have read, that you understand, and that you accept our Cookie Policy and our Privacy Policy.
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Mail This Photo
Best pictures of the day: 17th November 2013
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Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, wife Rashmi Thackeray and other family members during their visit to the memorial of late Balasaheb Thackeray on his first death anniversary at Shivaji Park in Mumbai.
Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, wife Rashmi Thackeray and other family members during their visit to the memorial of late Balasaheb Thackeray on his first death anniversary at Shivaji Park in Mumbai. (PTI)
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This cheese has a slightly misleading name as it has nothing to do with the county of Shropshire. In fact, it originated in Scotland in the 1920s before its production was transferred to Leicestershire. Shropshire Blue came about from a man named Dennis Biggins, who actually made his living grading another famously orange cheese, Cheshire.
Made in a similar way to Stilton, it is a soft cheese with a sharp, strong flavor that takes between six to eight weeks to mature. Orange in color with blue veining, it enjoys a slightly tangy aroma.
A delicious accompaniment to Shropshire Blue worth trying is a simple cup of tea - making it ideal for an afternoon or early evening snack.
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File Dialog Express VI
Displays a dialog box with which you can specify the path to a file or directory.
You can use this dialog box to select existing files or directories or to select a location and name for a new file or directory.
(Mac OS X) This VI does not recognize Mac OS X-specific means of specifying the default application for a file. However, you can use the pattern input to specify a file type for files that include an extension to the filename.
The user can select one or more files. When you de-select this option, the options for the types of files or folders the user can select appear dimmed.
files or folders—Contains the following options:
File—The user can select only a file.
Folder—The user can select only a folder.
File or folder—The user can select either a file or a folder.
new or existing—Contains the following options:
Existing—The user can select only an existing file or folder.
New—The user only can enter the name of a new file or folder.
New or existing—The user can select an existing file or folder or create a new file or folder.
Allow selection of files in LLBs and packed project libraries
Specifies that you can select a file from an LLB or a packed library. If this checkbox does not contain a checkmark, you can select an LLB or a packed library but you cannot select a file in an LLB or a packed library.
Note To select an LLB or packed library using the File Dialog Express VI, you can remove the checkmark from the Allow selection of files in LLBs and packed project libraries checkbox and select the LLB or packed library from the file dialog box. You also can place a checkmark in the Allow selection of files in LLBs and packed project libraries checkbox, select the Files or Folders option button, choose an LLB or packed library from the file dialog box, and select the second folder icon from the file list in the second file dialog box that appears.
Label to display on the OK or Current Directory button in the file dialog box. If you configure the Express VI to allow the user to select directories, use this input to specify a label for the Current Directory button. If the configuration does not allow the user to select directories, use this input to specify a label for the OK button. For example, if you select Files only in the configure dialog box, the user must select an existing file to which to append data, so you might want to wire Append to button label.
If button label is longer than the width of the button, the file dialog box does not display the entire label. For example, in an English version of Windows, the button is approximately 11 characters wide.
default name
Name you want to appear as the initial file or directory name in the dialog box. The default is an empty string.
error in
Describes error conditions that occur before this node runs.
pattern (all files)
Restricts the files displayed in the dialog box to those whose name matches pattern (all files). pattern (all files) does not restrict the directories displayed. The pattern matching in this VI is similar to the matching used in matching wildcards in Windows and Linux filenames. If you specify characters other than the question mark character (?) or the asterisk character (*), the VI displays only files or directories that contain those characters. You can use the question mark character (?) to match any single character. You can use the asterisk character (*) to match any sequence of zero or more characters.
For example, a pattern (all files) of *.vi;test*.llb returns matches for any file with a .vi extension and any file whose filename begins with test and has a .llb extension.
To match multiple patterns, use a semicolon ( ; ) to separate the patterns. White space, such as blanks, tabs, and carriage returns, are taken literally. Avoid using white spaces unless they are part of the extension pattern. For example, if you use *.html;*.doc, the dialog box displays all files that end with .html and .doc. If you use *.html; *.doc, the dialog box displays only files that end with .html.
pattern label
Label to display in the file dialog box next to the custom pattern. If you do not wire this input or it contains an empty string, the default label next to any custom pattern is Custom Pattern. If you do not wire a string to pattern, LabVIEW ignores this input.
prompt
Custom message that appears as the title of the file dialog box. (Windows and Linux) The default dialog box title is Choose or Enter Path of File. (Mac OS X) The default dialog box title is Select File or Create New File.
start path
Path of the directory whose contents LabVIEW initially displays in the dialog box. If start path is valid, but does not refer to an existing directory, LabVIEW strips names from the end of the path until the path is a valid directory path or an empty path. If start path is invalid or unwired, the last directory viewed in a file dialog box initially appears in the dialog box.
Full path to the file or directory selected using this dialog box. If you cancel the dialog box, this VI sets selected path to <Not A Path>. This output is available if you place a checkmark in the Limit selection to single item checkbox in the Configure File Dialog dialog box.
selected paths
Contains the full path names to the files or directories selected using this dialog box. This output is available if you do not place a checkmark in the Limit selection to single item in the Configure File Dialog dialog box.
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Thursday, 15 March 2012
It was the first time I've DMed with such an extensive collection of random tables in order to create a sandbox-style setting
As far as the first point, it was successful, overall. We ran a session and had some fun. We started off with character creation--I think that took longer than it would have in a face-to-face game. Once the game got started, though, it flowed quite nicely.
In-Game Summary
Andre, after losing the rest of his party in the previous session, came riding into the village of Lipnik. There, he teamed up with Shmengy, a callous resistance fighter with a KIS submachine gun and a penchant for motorcycles and grenades.
They tracked down the barn where the German half-tracks Andre had been tracking stayed the previous night. They interviewed the farmer who's barn was commandeered, but didn't speak to his wife or search the barn.
They headed South on the tail of the half-tracks, only to be attacked by a pair of zombies. These were faster and tougher then the previous batch and had to be blown up or have limbs destroyed to neutralize. Andre caught his headless-zombie in a body-lock, then stuffed a grenade down it's gullet--blowing it to pieces but badly wounding himself in the process.
Shmengy manged to wrangle their two terrified horses and bring Andre back to town where a doctor was called. After a week of regular medical attention, Andre was back on his feet.
While he was bedridden, he sent a letter to his cousin, a German intelligence officer and double agent for the resistance. He asked about the zombies and asked her to send her response to Sandiomierz, hoping to be there in a month to hear her answer. Of course, the mail will only reach there if the Germans retake the city, so he will likely need to search out her response in Opatow.
During the healing time, Shmengy kept his eye out for a motorcycle+sidecar he could steal, but he was wary while working alone and didn't attack the few German convoys that did pass by.
By the time Andre was better, the zombie problem had become common knowledge and people in town were scared. The party recruited an NPC, one Jurek Szewc, who wanted to help with the now widely known zombie threat. He is a resistance weaponsmith and he carries a homemade KIS submachinegun.
So the party left of horseback and with a pack mule, in hope of picking up the now cold trail of the German convoy. They reached the village of Kurow, finding it much like Gojcow: deserted with a chemical smell in the town square. They found a female survivor who told of the Nazis killing everyone, then shoveling some chemical substance onto them. A pair of robed people approached the bodies, but she felt such an aura of fear that she hid and didn't observe anything else. The Germans left an hour later and that night the dead walked in Kurow.
The party stocked up on lamp oil and rations from the small, abandoned general store and prepared to continue South.
It was part of the complex Life Events step which I considered extraneous. Anyway I prefer that characters start with minimal back-story so that the player can flesh out the character during play.
Generating a friend/enemy required 7 dice rolls for the various tables provided, and I was looking for a simplified rule-set.
I came from a DnD background where no such rule exists, so I saw it as extraneous.
However there are some good reasons to add Friends and Enemies to character creation:
In city-based settings, the city is too complex to come up with a detailed description of the cityscape. If the GM is going to give any depth to the city, he needs to focus on just the part of the city the characters know. A Relationship Map is a good way model the social aspects of this.
Having players create NPCs is a good way to encourage them to contribute to the setting in an active manner. Hopefully this mindset continues during play.
The focus on character relationships moves the game's goals from purely combat and treasure-based to other goals. For instance gaining power, influence, and a reputation. Perhaps that's why DnD's endgame is so elusive: if the whole focus is on treasure and XP from the beginning, it's hard to suddenly transition into a mode of finding followers, a castle, etc.
So without further ado:
Simplified Friends & Enemies Rule
Create 1d3-1 friends and 1d3-1 enemies for your character. Each NPC should come with a name, a short description, their relationship to the PC, and where they usually can be found.
For this post, I'd like to describe two different idealized styles of play for pen & pager RPGs. The styles are also not tied to any particular rule set, although some rule sets may tend to encourage one style over the other. These styles are idealized in that most actual games being run will contain some elements from each.
Rules-CentricIn a Rules-Centric game, the focus of play is on the game rules, both the general rules as well as any module-specific rules. Much like a board game, the rules lay down the parameters for the characters' interaction with the game world and players state their actions using the vocabulary of the rules, as opposed to the vocabulary of the game world.
World-Centric
In a World-Centric game, the focus is on the game world, while the rules are just a tool for supporting play in that world. The options for character action are as limitless as the game world allows and players state their actions in the language of the game world.
The Computer Game Test
A simple test to check where a games falls out on this spectrum is to answer the question "How easily can it be translated to a computer game?" If it is Rules-Centric, then the translation is simply a matter of writing a program to enforce the rules. If it is World-Centric then the translation will be impossible, since the limitless possibilities of the gaming world cannot practically be expressed to the computer.
ImmersionPerhaps the most important difference between these two play styles is how they effect immersion. Immersion is a subjective experience, however in my experience, World-Centric play tends to be much more immersive than Rules-Centric play. This for the simple reason that focusing on the game-world, rather than on the rules pulls you deeper into that world.
In my opinion, this is one of the major arguments for the continued existence of pen & paper RPG's in the computer-age. For all the graphics, algorithms, voice acting, etc., pen and paper RPG's still have the potential to provide a more immersive experience.
Rule Completeness
There is a trend in game design to produce endless supplements and encyclopedic rule-books covering every possible situation real or imagined. Since rules define the limits of the game world, Rules-Centric games have a much greater need for these additional rules, so that a greater range of situations can be covered. World-Centric games on the other hand, are not limited by their rule-set and the GM(possibly with the help of the players) can just make up a suitable mechanic when needed, so the need for supplements is much less acute.
Mapping to GNSGNS is a well known theory of game styles based on what players want to get out of the game.
If we had to map these styles to the GNS model, I would say that the Rules-Centric style roughly corresponds to Gamism in that much like a traditional game, the rules define the limits of the game. In this sense, the Rules-Centric style sees an RPG as a highly complex board game.
The World-Centric style is also largely Gamist, but it is a very particular kind of Gamism: Immersionist Gamism. A World-Centric game is unlike traditional games in that the goal is not winning via the rules mechanics, rather on creating an immersive experience for the players. As such, the rules take on a secondary importance."It's very 'gamist', but also in its own way very immersive"
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Ameslan (n.)
1972, rough acronym from American Sign Language, which was known by that name since 1960, but its history goes back to 1817, evolving from French Sign Language (introduced at American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Conn.) and indigenous sign languages, especially that of Martha's Vineyard. [See "Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language," Nora Ellen Groce, Harvard University Press, 1985]
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2003 Murdoch James Estate Blue Rock Pinot Noir
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The Murdoch James Pinot Noir wines deliver plenty of varietal character. Bright crimson colour with mauve hue. Medium body. Aroma of spice and strawberry followed by liquorice finishing with white pepper endnote. The palate has good weight, full bodied with flavours of liquorice, blackberry and spice. Excellent length with very good Pinot power wave. Fine grained tannins, followed by a very long black cherry, spice and liquorice aftertaste.Cellar 3-4 years (2008-2009)Alc/Vol: 13.5%RATING: 93/100VALUE: XXXX/5
Terms & Conditions | Privacy All prices are stated in Australian dollars. Please note! Your browser must have cookies and javascript enabled to use our shopping basket technology effectively. Where a wine is marked SOLD OUT, this indicates that the wine is no longer available for sale. The tasting notes are still able to be viewed for historical purposes.
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“A great man is gone,” wrote the poet e.e. cummings, “Tall as the truth…”
And a great man, Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker, is gone.
Walker’s doctorate, he would tell you, was earned, not honorary. And all his life’s honors were earned — a thick volume full — by hard work, noble work and bravery.
I had the unexpected pleasure in the middle of my life of getting to know Dr. Walker as a friend, partner and mentor — a most unexpected pairing because I am a white “Wall Street guy” from Michigan who would never have expected to cross lives with a civil rights icon and Harlem minister.
But I had left my Wall Street job in 1999 to start a charter school — the first and longest lasting in the State of New York — and Dr. Walker was searching for a path to bring better education to the kids in Harlem and elsewhere. We teamed up together to found that first school on 115th Street between Lenox and St. Nicholas, in the “Center For Community Enrichment” building at the back of his Canaan Church; a building which had been built through weekly tithes from his parishioners.
The school was originally called (at Dr. Walker’s suggestion) the Sisulu charter school in honor of Walker’s friend and Nelson Mandela’s ally, Walter Sisulu. Later, the school was proudly renamed the Sisulu-Walker school in honor of Dr. and Mrs. Walker as well. The story of the school and of our work together to start it was the subject of the book A Light Shines in Harlem by Mary Bounds.
Civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King (right) installs the Rev. Wyatt T. Walker as pastor of the New Canaan Baptist Church in March 23, 1968.
I had heard about Dr. Walker’s reputation before I ever met him. In early 1999, when I began to work on charters, I had been traveling among New York’s most educationally under-served communities, searching for allies and a school location, accompanied by a young theological student named Marshall Mitchell. Marshall’s father was the Philadelphia minister Frank Mitchell, who had been a colleague of Dr. Walker’s, and Marshall urged me to meet Walker.
The decision was not a simple one. Dr. Walker was an imposing figure, who was known among his fellow ministers as a man who did not suffer fools gladly. His precise diction and manner could hit like a lightning bolt when he so chose.
Furthermore, it was February 1999, just a day or two after the innocent, unarmed immigrant Amadou Diallo had been killed by 41 police bullets. Rudy Giuliani was mayor and racial tensions in New York were running high. Walker was chairman of Al Sharpton’s National Action Network and at the center of the storm, and Walker and Marshall Mitchell were among those being arrested in symbolic protest. Until my school efforts, I had spent almost no time “north of 110th Street” and it was an inauspicious time to start a friendship.
Still, my ambition overcame any barriers, and I traveled uptown to meet Dr. Walker. I first saw him at the Imam’s restaurant in the base of the mosque on 116th and Lenox, just a few doors east from Dr. Walker’s own church, Canaan.
Dr. Walker has often been compared in looks to Sean Connery, and its an apt comparison. When I first saw him, at age 70 or so, he was tall, strong, elegant, with grey hair and a well-trimmed beard.
He took me over to Canaan. We passed through the glass front doors of what had once been a grand movie theater, and into his private interior office, warm and full of books and mementos. I remember the magazine covers high on the wall above the door, including Jet magazine from around 1963, “the Man Behind Martin Luther King”; professional–quality photos that he himself had taken of King and of the dozens of countries he had visited on his travels; mementos of his boat, The Lady Ann, named in honor of his exceptional wife of 67 years, Theresa Ann Walker. A yachting cap? And I felt better to know that he was a man who loved happiness in life as well as struggle – still one of the characteristics I most admire about him.
He explained his desire to have a school. The local public schools in Harlem had been failing for decades; the children were not being educated. Starting a successful school was a great financial, regulatory and technical challenge, but partnering with me under the charter law could give him the means he needed.
The charter law had passed under Gov. George Pataki’s leadership in New York just months before. Walker and his fellow ministers, including Al Sharpton and Ruben Diaz had been vocal advocates for the change, and united the charter school movement with the civil rights movement from the very beginning. “The schools had to get better, “Walker later said, “I saw that as an extension to my work in the South.” And he also said, “I’m a disciple of Martin Luther King. I think I know as much as anybody of what he would support.” And Walker believed King would clearly support charter schools.
Once we agreed to join together, Walker and I spent several months meeting regularly to agree on the school design and logistics, usually accompanied by his chief of operations at Canaan, “J.P.” (the exceptionally capable Judith Price, who passed away several years ago), and by Marshall Mitchell.
That summer, Marshall and I spent more than one night in the great room in the basement of CCE, “Embassy Hall,” persuading local parents to trust their kids’ future to this new and unproven school and education idea. As much as anything, it was the community’s knowledge that this was “Dr. Walker’s school” that bought us enough credibility to be listened to at all.
Eventually, the school would outperform the other public schools in its central Harlem neighborhood. We rang the school bell as the first charter kindergartner in New York State entered our front door on September 8, 1999. And by June 22, 2005, as that same class graduated from Sisulu-Walker as fifth graders, 90% tested at grade level or above on the state exam for reading (almost twice as many as in the nearby traditional schools) and 77% were at or above grade level in math, vs. 30% for the traditional Harlem schools.
A photograph of Wyatt Tee Walker address a crowd at St Phillips AME Church, they were gathered to hear him talk about the Freedom Movement in September 29, 1963. (Afro American Newspapers/Gado/Getty Images).
Getty Images
Dr. Walker was our spiritual mentor each step of the way, and became a personal friend and mentor as well. When the school’s starting budget was tight, he found rooms full of brand new school furniture, available free from another church school closing up north. He became an advocate and speaker to other charter schools and an ally in spreading the charter school mission.
On my book shelf, I have a photo of us together, and I remember when he came by my office to take it, looking fit and strong and telling me how well his new exercise campaign was paying off. Then, it feels like just weeks later, on January 4, 2002, I received word that he had been laid low by a terrible stroke – much as I received word he had died Jan. 23. Because of the stroke, one of the great orators of our age found it impossible to speak clearly, and the left side of his face sagged. His vitality was sapped in an instant.
Eventually, he retired to his once home state of Virginia to recuperate, with Ann to help him. It was the State where he had walked defiantly through the “whites only” door of the Petersburg public library in 1960, and asked to check out a book on Robert E. Lee!
His body was weak after the stroke, but his mind stayed clear and strong. He wrote a book about his health trials My Stroke of Grace, one of the more than twenty books he wrote, to inspire others to better health and to urge them to maintain hopefulness in the face of illness.
He continued to cheer on the charter school movement and to remain my friend from a distance. When Mayor Michael Bloomberg came to Sisulu-Walker School and to Canaan’s sanctuary to give a speech in support of the charter movement, Dr. Walker wrote me in a never before published letter (extracts of the letter only):
Dear Steve::
YOU HAVE WON THE BATTLE! The pronouncements by Mike Bloomberg have verified the success of the Charter School movement in New York. …It is akin to us getting rid of segregation in the body politic of the nation….Now the real struggle begins to fashion our strategy for the future. It will be a daunting task. We must plan an attack similar to Project C Birmingham. …I wanted to get this word to you ASAP!…Grace and Peace, Wyatt Tee Walker
Travel became very difficult for him, and he returned to New York very rarely. On one trip, I was with a group that honored him at Harlem’s Alhambra ballroom, and was able to see him quietly nod his acceptance of his own name being put into the name of the Sisulu-Walker school.
I was able to visit him in Virginia and to deliver his and her iPads to Dr. and Mrs. Walker; a way to keep his still vibrant mind fully connected to any book, music piece or news report. At this time, Dr. and Mrs. Walker each sat for a video interview with me which we have run on RealClearLife.
In his 2016 interview, Walker expressed his great love for Martin Luther King and his belief that the movement would have been far more advanced if King had lived. Walker remained a strong advocate for charter schools until the end, and for other causes such as economic reparations for African Americans. He considered the Birmingham march as the key event in the civil rights battle and recalled the critical days of civil rights as one where there could be no thought of losing. He also retained his humor telling me his favorite joke of the era.
To paraphrase it, Dr. King and Rev. Abernathy came to Birmingham and were looking for directions to a small church. A passerby was flabbergasted to see King in the flesh, but didn’t know where the church was. As King’s car was driving away, they saw the same man running frantically to catch the car. “Dr. King!, Dr. King!” the local man said, “I asked my brother about the church. And he don’t know either!”
Mrs. Walker – a great figure in her own right – had her own stories to tell, including her memories of being in the Gaston Motel in Birmingham with the two youngest of her four children on the night it was bombed. Then, as she drove away from Birmingham with all four kids, she was forced by police to pull over, and thrown into jail for not pulling over fast enough. She was in jail on Mother’s Day. With her four children! She used her one phone call unsuccessfully, and then her oldest daughter’s call for a second attempt, that got through to Daddy King and to a local undertaker who owned enough debt-free property to post bail.
There are just a few major movements in our nation’s history: the Revolution, the Civil War, The World Wars, the civil rights movement. There are just a few sets of “Founding Fathers” that lead the nation forward at key moments, and Wyatt Tee Walker ranked high among them.
As Walker dies, a great man is gone.
A titanic figure of the civil rights era, and of human rights, from the 1950s until yesterday. Alexander Hamilton to Martin Luther King’s George Washington.
The man who was King’s field general in Project C, Birmingham, against Sheriff Bull Connor, his attack dogs and his fire hoses.
The man who compiled “The Letter From Birmingham Jail.”
The first executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
One of America’s great ministers.
A local church leader who stood up to gangster Frank Lucas and the Harlem drug dealers. Who built senior housing. Who wanted real economic opportunity for all.
But beyond his career honors, I feel touched and mentored by Dr. Walker in other deeper ways.
He fought and was human, not a plaster saint. He said frankly that he would have used violence in the civil rights struggle when it began, and was persuaded by King not to; a decision he believes was right. When his wife was hit by a policeman’s gun butt during the struggle, it was luck that kept a gun out of Walker’s own hand to fight back.
He was deeply spiritual and could be an implacable foe, but he loved life. He loved jokes, music, the good things in life. When we had become friends as the charter movement proceeded, he took me as his guest to occasional parties: him in a highly styled, African dashiki robe, me the one white guy in the room. Canaan Church had among the finest choirs in the nation under Walker’s leadership, and he mentored music groups such as “The Four Sopranos”(Harlem’s local and angelic complement to the famous “Four Tenors.”) His son Jay continues this love of music into today.
Dr. Walker also showed me in small everyday ways what true spirituality means – saying grace as I was about to dig in. Or reflecting on the death of a loved one with a quiet reminder that in his religion, the afterlife is a thing to be believed in.
He was a moral force. When other civil rights leaders needed to atone, who could call them to task but Dr. Walker?
He knew and was true to King’s fundamental vision. In an essay he and I wrote together in 2015, he reiterated his belief in “color blindness” as King’s formula for social justice; he explicitly rejected the Critical Race Theory alternative, with its misplaced emphasis on groups instead of individuals. “Today, too many ‘remedies’ — such as Critical Race Theory, the increasingly fashionable post-Marxist/postmodernist approach that analyzes society as institutional group power structures rather than on a spiritual one-to-one human level — are taking us in the wrong direction: separating even elementary school children into explicit racial groups, and emphasizing differences instead of similarities.” He was a leader in issues of race, but he saw deeper than race.
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How To Buy Multi-Family Properties With No Money in Orlando
If you want to get into real estate investing, multi-family units can have tremendous income potential! But how can you buy multi-family properties with no money? If you don’t have a good amount of savings put away, the process can seem daunting. Many people don’t know that there are ways to get involved, without paying huge costs upfront.
However, in our latest blog, we’ll share with you…
Methods to Buy Multi-Family Properties with No Money in Orlando
Borrow It
Sure getting a traditional mortgage might not work when you want to buy a multi-family building, but there are still ways to borrow to borrow the cash you need.
Use and FHA Loan to buy a multi-family property. The key here is that you need to occupy one of the units per FHA rules. In most cases, you will need to occupy the property for a year. The income brought in from the other units should be able to pay a most, if not all of your loan. Find a place you like, with tenants you want to share walls with, and begin your venture into real estate investing by using an FHA-insured loan!
Another option for funding is a private money loan. These are personal loans, between you and another individual. The interest rates tend to be a bit higher, and the loans are usually for a shorter term than a bank loan. However, there are no set “rules” and terms of the loan can be negotiated at any time. This is a great way to get the money you need with the red-tape and hassles of a bank.
Partner Up
By doing some networking, and meeting people in the right circles, you can meet investors you will be able to partner with. Many experienced investors will have the cash, but they no longer want to do the actual work. That’s where you come in. They provide the funding, while you do the legwork. As with other types of funding, all terms can be negotiated.
You can sell and split the profits, split monthly rental income, or even work in an option for you to buy them out after a certain period of time. No matter what you work out, make sure you have everything in writing, even the smallest of details. Make sure you and your partner have a clear understanding of what is expected of each other so you can avoid any issues down the road.
Get Creative
There all sorts of ways you can negotiate with a seller. If the property is run-down, you can work in an “allowance” deliverable at closing, which can be used for repairs, but also towards your downpayment. You will want to be up front and clear about what you are doing being creative is great, but never put yourself in a position where you could be accused of mortgage fraud! Negotiate a “repair allowance” which you will receive at closing. Use this toward down payment
Another creative method would be to acquire the property and have it transferred into your name. The seller and you would set up a contract, allocating a percentage of the profits going forward. You would need to consider what would happen if you sold the property, etc., but this can be a great way to acquire a property from someone who is ready to sell, or who wants to take on a quieter role as far as their investment.
Are you looking to purchase a multi-family property with no money? If so, we can help! Learn about the best method and find the BEST properties in the Orlando area!
Fill out this form now to send us an email, or give our office a call today! We want to help you start your real estate portfolio! 866-886-5345
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Pho Oregon
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$
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Vietnamese
The traditional banh mi and bún (pronounced “boon”) served here deserve a taste, but newcomers display a serious lapse in judgment by not ordering the pho at this tiny, unadorned joint, especially since the menu offers 22 varieties. From the restaurant’s specialty, dac biet—a mighty bowl of the requisite rice noodles accompanied by slices of round steak, flank steak, fatty brisket, tendon, tripe, and beef meatballs—to a soup for the less adventurous that simply features lean brisket (chin), these entrées come in small portions ($6) that can be quite filling. But with a large bowl costing only 50 cents more, there’s little reason to be modest. Surprisingly, the size of the beverage menu rivals that of the pho menu—and it’s just about as interesting. The rich and sweet Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk over ice, the salted lemonade (chanh muoi) and the avocado smoothie (sinh to bo) are all curiously complex. And compelling.
Last updated: 08/14/2012
Details
Address
2518 NE 82nd Ave
Portland,
OR
97220
Phone
503-262-8816
Hours
Mon-Sun 8:30 AM-8:30 PM
Please Note: Before making plans, please call ahead with the establishment to verify that this information is still accurate.
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<dependencies>
<dependency>
<groupId>${quarkus.platform.group-id}</groupId>
<artifactId>${quarkus.platform.artifact-id}</artifactId>
<version>${quarkus.platform.version}</version>
<type>pom</type>
<scope>import</scope>
</dependency>
</dependencies>
</dependencyManagement>
<dependencies>
<dependency>
<groupId>io.quarkus</groupId>
<artifactId>quarkus-rest-client</artifactId>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>io.quarkus</groupId>
<artifactId>quarkus-resteasy-jackson</artifactId>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>io.quarkus</groupId>
<artifactId>quarkus-smallrye-reactive-messaging-kafka</artifactId>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>io.quarkus</groupId>
<artifactId>quarkus-smallrye-health</artifactId>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>io.quarkus</groupId>
<artifactId>quarkus-quartz</artifactId>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>io.github.microcks</groupId>
<artifactId>microcks-model</artifactId>
<version>${project.version}</version>
<exclusions>
<exclusion>
<groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-boot-starter-data-mongodb</artifactId>
</exclusion>
</exclusions>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>io.github.microcks</groupId>
<artifactId>microcks-util</artifactId>
<version>${project.version}</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>io.github.microcks</groupId>
<artifactId>microcks-el</artifactId>
<version>${project.version}</version>
</dependency>
<!-- Test related dependencies -->
<dependency>
<groupId>io.quarkus</groupId>
<artifactId>quarkus-junit5</artifactId>
<scope>test</scope>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>io.rest-assured</groupId>
<artifactId>rest-assured</artifactId>
<scope>test</scope>
</dependency>
</dependencies>
<build>
<plugins>
<plugin>
<groupId>io.quarkus</groupId>
<artifactId>quarkus-maven-plugin</artifactId>
<version>${quarkus-plugin.version}</version>
<executions>
<execution>
<goals>
<goal>build</goal>
</goals>
</execution>
</executions>
</plugin>
<plugin>
<artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
<version>${compiler-plugin.version}</version>
</plugin>
<plugin>
<artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>
<version>${surefire-plugin.version}</version>
<configuration>
<systemProperties>
<java.util.logging.manager>org.jboss.logmanager.LogManager</java.util.logging.manager>
</systemProperties>
</configuration>
</plugin>
</plugins>
</build>
<profiles>
<profile>
<id>native</id>
<activation>
<property>
<name>native</name>
</property>
</activation>
<build>
<plugins>
<plugin>
<artifactId>maven-failsafe-plugin</artifactId>
<version>${surefire-plugin.version}</version>
<executions>
<execution>
<goals>
<goal>integration-test</goal>
<goal>verify</goal>
</goals>
<configuration>
<systemProperties>
<native.image.path>${project.build.directory}/${project.build.finalName}-runner</native.image.path>
</systemProperties>
</configuration>
</execution>
</executions>
</plugin>
</plugins>
</build>
<properties>
<quarkus.package.type>native</quarkus.package.type>
</properties>
</profile>
</profiles>
</project>
|
Miklos Ungvari (HUN)
Qualification System - Games of the XXXII Olympiad – Tokyo 2020
https://www.ijf.org/news/show/696
For all judo athletes of the World Judo Tour, the Road to Tokyo will start this weekend in Hohhot on the occasion of the Grand Prix held in China. You will find below all necessary
information to understand the Olympic qualification process.
ATHLETES QUOTA For the first time, the same number of men and women (176) will be qualified for a total of 352 competitors. To this, 14 places (7+7) must be added for the host
country, Japan and 20 Tripartite Commission invitation places, which gives a total of 386 athletes who will participate in the Tokyo Games.
The maximum number of athletes per National Olympic Committee will be 7 men and 7 women with maximum 1 athlete per event. The mixed teams will/can only be formed from athletes qualified
for individual event.
Type of Allocation of Quota Places The quota place is allocated to the athlete by name. However, as per the IJF World Ranking List direct qualification method, if an NOC has more than one
(1) male athlete ranked in the top 18 of the World Ranking List of 25th May 2020 and/or more than one (1) female athlete ranked in the top 18 of the World Ranking List of 25th May 2020,
the NOC can decide which of these athletes will receive the quota place.
ATHLETE ELIGIBILITY All athletes must comply with the provisions of the Olympic Charter currently in force, including but not limited to, Rule 41 (Nationality of Competitors) and
Rule 43 (World Anti-Doping Code and the Olympic Movement Code on the Prevention of Manipulation of Competitions). Only those athletes who comply with the Olympic Charter may participate
in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. To be eligible to participate in the Olympic Games, all athletes must be born on or before 31 December 2005.
Paula Pareto (ARG) won the Olympic Title in Rio 2016. She will run for a second chance to become Olympic Champion in Tokyop 2020. She will also be the Athlete Role Model of the next Youth
Olympic Games in Buenos Aires in October.
QUALIFICATION PATHWAY QUALIFICATION PLACES The IJF World Ranking List of 25 May 2020 will be used to allocate the 352 qualification places in the hierarchical order of
qualification.
Direct Qualification Men: For each of the seven (7) weight categories, the 18 highest ranked athletes on the IJF World Ranking List of 25 May 2020 will be directly qualified, with a
maximum of one (1) athlete per NOC per weight category.
Women: For each of the seven (7) weight categories, the 18 highest ranked athletes on the IJF World Ranking List of 25 May 2020 will be directly qualified, with a maximum of one (1)
athlete per NOC per weight category.
Continental Qualification An additional 100 athletes will be directly qualified as per the IJF World Ranking List of 25 May 2020 based on continental representation and according to the
following procedure:
• For each continent and based on the IJF World Ranking List of 25 May 2020, a Continental Ranking List will be created listing all the athletes from the relevant continent across all
weight categories and genders according to their World Ranking points.
• Athletes with the highest number of points on the Continental Ranking List will qualify. Maximum one (1) athlete per NOC can qualify through continental qualification across all weight
categories and genders.
• If a continent fails to use its full allocation, any remaining quota place will be allocated according to the IJF World Ranking List of 25 May 2020 to the highest ranked athlete not yet
qualified, irrespective of the continent, in the respective gender, respecting the maximum quota of one (1) athlete per NOC per event.
HOST COUNTRY PLACES The Host Country is guaranteed fourteen (14) quota places, one (1) quota place in each Men and Women’s event. As well as participation in mixed team event.
TRIPARTITE COMMISSION INVITATION PLACES Twenty (20) Tripartite Commission Invitation Places are made available to eligible NOCs at the Olympic Games.
CONFIRMATION PROCESS FOR QUOTA PLACES By 30 May 2020, IJF will publish the IJF World Ranking List of 25 May 2020 on its website (www.ijf.org) and inform the respective NOCs of
their allocated quota places obtained in accordance with the qualification criteria. The NOCs will then have two (2) weeks to confirm if they wish to use these quota places.
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If you’re looking for the best opportunities to develop your career in a highly professional environment BMB is the proven expert to help achieve your goals. Our network of offices and partners across the globe allows you to apply to any job, from whichever country.
Please send your resume to info@bmbrecruitment.com and a consultant will contact you in the coming days with further requirements needed from you, including interview schedules. We look forward to serving you.
|
M/s ABC is seeing relaxing its collection efforts. At current its sales are as Rs.40 lakhs, the ACP is here 20 days and variable cost to sales ratio is .8 and bad debts are as .05 percent. Relaxation in collection attempt is exacted to push sales up through Rs. 5 lakhs, raise ACP to 40 days and bad debt ratio to 0.06. ABC tax rate is 40%. Compute the effect of relaxing credit effort on net profit.
Solution:
? BD = bn (S0+ ? S) -b0 S0
= .06 (40+5) - .05 × 40
= 2.7 - 2
=.7 lakhs
? I = ? I = (ACPn - ACP0) [S0/360] + V(ACPn)( ?S/360)
= 40/360 (40 - 20) + 5/360 × 40 × .8
= 20/9 + 4/9
?I = 2.6666667
?NP = [ ?S (1 - V ) - ?BD] (1 - t ) - k?I
= [5 (.2) - .7] (.6) - .12 (2.666667)
= .18 - .32
= -.14 lakhs
As the effect on net profit is negative hence the credit efforts must not be relaxed.
|
Our TapSongz Team is anxious to find more talented hidden artists in 2017. We were able to get to work right away by speaking with Tee Eaglin who is a part of the group Dr3. Our Team was able to interview the rising artist out of Opelousas, Louisiana, to learn more about his plans for 2017 and what his group hopes to accomplish.
Eaglin really started taking music seriously about six months ago and so far he has made large strides within the Hip-Hop scene. He loves listening to music and has several inspirations. "I listen to a variety of different artists, but who I'm most inspired by at the moment is NBA YoungBoy," Eaglin told our TapSongz Team.
The young artist is a part of Prime Productions. "Prime Productions is a family thing. Everyone whose in it I've known for years. I'm the CEO Tee Eaglin," the talented rapper said. The group just released a fresh new track "Really Bout It", which features Jay Lewis. Eaglin describes how the song is about watching those close to you and your day one friends can change over time.
Heading into the new year, Eaglin wants to get better at making music and is always striving to be a better artist. You can always contact Eaglin on Twitter or Instagram about any booking inquiries. We look forward to seeing what Eaglin and his team can accomplish in 2017! Here at TapSongz, we thank you for reading this feature article as we continue finding tomorrow's greatest music today!
|
Our goal is:
To maintain, with a high degree of financial integrity, a continuous supply of goods and services necessary to support the quality of park and recreation services common to Cleveland Metroparks.
Our objectives are, but not limited:
To purchase materials and services for Cleveland Metroparks at the maximum end-use value per dollar spent.
To provide leadership in the standardization of materials, suppliers, equipment, services, procedures, and any other categorical unit.
To plan and project needs of services and materials in a manner considerate of Cleveland Metroparks overall mission and reputation.
To protect the interest of Cleveland Metroparks, the interest of the taxpayers in Cuyahoga County and Hinckley Township to assure fair and unbiased treatment to all vendors and suppliers.
Under the direction of the Board of Park Commissioners and Chief Executive Officer, the Purchasing Division has the responsibility of procurement related activities throughout the Park District and making the final determination for sources of supply, quantities purchased, delivery schedule and price negotiations of all goods and services.
The Purchasing Division is committed to taking an instructive, supportive and interactive role in daily expenditures of Cleveland Metroparks. Our commitment guarantees the taxpayer the ultimate dollar value and ensures the financial integrity of Cleveland Metroparks.
The Purchasing Staff facilitates all purchasing related activity to guarantee the daily operation and expenditures are followed according to the Cleveland Metroparks and Purchasing guidelines. The dedicated staff works seamlessly to ensure such actions and guidelines are met.
|
package com.ifmvo.togetherad.core.helper
import android.app.Activity
import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull
import android.view.ViewGroup
import com.ifmvo.togetherad.core.R
import com.ifmvo.togetherad.core.TogetherAd
import com.ifmvo.togetherad.core.config.AdProviderLoader
import com.ifmvo.togetherad.core.custom.flow.BaseNativeTemplate
import com.ifmvo.togetherad.core.listener.NativeListener
import com.ifmvo.togetherad.core.listener.NativeViewListener
import com.ifmvo.togetherad.core.utils.AdRandomUtil
import com.ifmvo.togetherad.core.utils.loge
import org.jetbrains.annotations.Nullable
/**
* 原生自渲染广告
*
* Created by Matthew Chen on 2020-04-20.
*/
@Deprecated(message = "设计上考虑不周全，使用单例导致无法同时请求多次", replaceWith = ReplaceWith(expression = "AdHelperNativePro", imports = ["com.ifmvo.togetherad.core.helper"]))
object AdHelperNative : BaseHelper() {
private const val defaultMaxCount = 4
//为了照顾 Java 调用的同学
fun getList(@NotNull activity: Activity, @NotNull alias: String, maxCount: Int = defaultMaxCount, listener: NativeListener? = null) {
getList(activity, alias, null, maxCount, listener)
}
fun getList(@NotNull activity: Activity, @NotNull alias: String, radioMap: Map<String, Int>? = null, maxCount: Int = defaultMaxCount, listener: NativeListener? = null) {
val currentMaxCount = if (maxCount <= 0) defaultMaxCount else maxCount
val currentRadioMap = if (radioMap?.isEmpty() != false) TogetherAd.getPublicProviderRadio() else radioMap
val adProviderType = AdRandomUtil.getRandomAdProvider(currentRadioMap)
if (adProviderType?.isEmpty() != false) {
listener?.onAdFailedAll()
return
}
val adProvider = AdProviderLoader.loadAdProvider(adProviderType)
if (adProvider == null) {
"$adProviderType ${activity.getString(R.string.no_init)}".loge()
val newRadioMap = filterType(radioMap = currentRadioMap, adProviderType = adProviderType)
getList(activity = activity, alias = alias, radioMap = newRadioMap, maxCount = maxCount, listener = listener)
return
}
adProvider.getNativeAdList(activity = activity, adProviderType = adProviderType, alias = alias, maxCount = currentMaxCount, listener = object : NativeListener {
override fun onAdStartRequest(providerType: String) {
listener?.onAdStartRequest(providerType)
}
override fun onAdLoaded(providerType: String, adList: List<Any>) {
listener?.onAdLoaded(providerType, adList)
}
override fun onAdFailed(providerType: String, failedMsg: String?) {
listener?.onAdFailed(providerType, failedMsg)
val newRadioMap = filterType(radioMap = currentRadioMap, adProviderType = adProviderType)
getList(activity = activity, alias = alias, radioMap = newRadioMap, maxCount = maxCount, listener = listener)
}
})
}
fun show(@NotNull adObject: Any, @NotNull container: ViewGroup, @NotNull nativeTemplate: BaseNativeTemplate, @Nullable listener: NativeViewListener? = null) {
TogetherAd.mProviders.entries.forEach { entry ->
val adProvider = AdProviderLoader.loadAdProvider(entry.key)
if (adProvider?.nativeAdIsBelongTheProvider(adObject) == true) {
val nativeView = nativeTemplate.getNativeView(entry.key)
nativeView?.showNative(entry.key, adObject, container, listener)
return@forEach
}
}
}
}
|
Two Realtek RTL8110s are the Ethernet controllers used by the PPM-GIGE-2. They are supported by a wide range of operating systems including Windows®, Linux, and other x86 real time operating systems. These onboard Gigabit Ethernet controllers combine a triple-speed, IEEE 802.3 compliant Media Access Controller (MAC) with a triple-speed Ethernet transceiver, 32-bit PCI bus controller, and embedded memory. With state of-the-art DSP technology and mixed-mode signal technology, it offers high-speed transmission over CAT 5 UTP cable. Functions such as crossover detection and auto-correction, polarity correction, adaptive equalization, cross-talk cancellation, echo cancellation, timing recovery, and error correction are implemented to provide robust transmission and reception capability at gigabit data speeds.
The PPM-GIGE-2 requires only +5 volts at 500 mA (2.5W). It will operate from -40?C to +85?C. The module measures 90mm x 96mm (3.6” x 3.8”) and weighs only 88 grams (3 ounces). WinSystems also offers a single channel version of this board called the PPM-GIGE-1.
|
Σύσταση προς το Συμβούλιο για τη συμφωνία ΕΕ-Ρωσίας (συζήτηση)
Πρόεδρος
Το επόμενο θέμα είναι η έκθεση του κ. Janusz Onyskiewicz, εξ ονόματος της Επιτροπής Εξωτερικών Υποθέσεων, σχετικά με τη νέα συμφωνία ΕΕ-Ρωσίας.
Janusz Onyszkiewicz
Κύριε Πρόεδρε, η παρούσα έκθεση περιγράφει τη σχέση μεταξύ της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης και της Ρωσίας ως καθοριστικής σημασίας για τα οικονομικά και πολιτικά συμφέροντα της Ένωσης. Τονίζει τον ρόλο που μπορεί και πρέπει να διαδραματίσει η Ρωσία στον διεθνή στίβο, ιδίως στην άμεση γειτονιά μας, όπου μπορεί να συμβάλει στην οικονομική και πολιτική σταθερότητα της περιοχής.
Επιπλέον, ωστόσο, η έκθεση εφιστά την προσοχή στη δυσανάλογα έντονη αντίδραση της Ρωσίας στην ένοπλη επέμβαση της Γεωργίας στη Νότια Οσετία και στην ευρείας κλίμακας και απρόκλητη δράση των ρωσικών δυνάμεων στην Αμπχαζία. " έκθεση τονίζει την αναγκαιότητα ουσιαστικού διαλόγου σε θέματα ασφάλειας. Ο διάλογος αυτός πρέπει να βασίζεται στον σεβασμό του διεθνούς δικαίου και της εδαφικής ακεραιότητας των κρατών. " έκθεση επισημαίνει επίσης ότι τα γεγονότα στον Καύκασο και η αναγνώριση της ανεξαρτησίας των δύο θυλάκων, της Οσετίας και της Αμπχαζίας, δημιουργούν αμφιβολίες σχετικά με το κατά πόσον η Ρωσία είναι πραγματικά έτοιμη και μπορεί να οικοδομήσει έναν κοινό χώρο ασφάλειας στην Ευρώπη μαζί με την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση.
" έκθεση εισηγείται ότι οι συνομιλίες σχετικά με την πλήρη συμμόρφωση της Ρωσίας προς τις υποχρεώσεις της και τις συμφωνίες που έθεσαν τέλος στη σύγκρουση στη Γεωργία πρέπει να περατωθούν πριν από την έγκριση οποιασδήποτε συμφωνίας βασισμένης σε διαπραγματεύσεις. Κάτι τέτοιο περιλαμβάνει συμφωνία σχετικά με το καθεστώς της Αμπχαζίας και της Νότιας Οσετίας. " έκθεση καλεί επίσης τη Ρωσία να αναλάβει σαφείς δεσμεύσεις περί μη προσφυγής στη χρήσης βίας κατά των γειτόνων της.
Επιπλέον, η έκθεση επισημαίνει ότι τα πρόσφατα γεγονότα που αφορούν την επίθεση της Ρωσίας κατά της εδαφικής ακεραιότητας της Γεωργίας, όπως άλλωστε και ο ρόλος της Ρωσίας στην κρίση του εφοδιασμού φυσικού αερίου, θέτουν σε κίνδυνο τη σχέση Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης και Ρωσίας.
" έκθεση συνιστά την αντικατάσταση της ισχύουσας συμφωνίας με μια νέα και ευρύτερη συμφωνία, η οποία πρέπει να καλύπτει όλες τις πτυχές της συνεργασίας μας και πρέπει να είναι νομικά δεσμευτική. Επίσης, πρέπει να περιέχει σαφείς διαδικασίες επίλυσης διαφορών.
" έκθεση αναφέρεται επίσης στην ενεργειακή ασφάλεια. Εξετάζεται επίσης η συμπερίληψη σε μια συμφωνία που αποτελεί προϊόν διαπραγμάτευσης των θεμελιωδών διατάξεων της συνθήκης για τον χάρτη ενέργειας και του πρωτοκόλλου διαμετακόμισης. " παραπομπή γίνεται παρά το γεγονός ότι η εν λόγω συνθήκη είναι επί του παρόντος νομικά δεσμευτική, και νομικά δεσμευτική για τη Ρωσία, παρότι η Ρωσία μπορεί να αποσυρθεί από αυτήν.
" έκθεση επισημαίνει τις μεγάλες δυνατότητες ενδεχόμενων αμοιβαίων οικονομικών συμφωνιών βασισμένων σε μια ισότιμη εταιρική σχέση των δύο μερών. Τέτοιες συμφωνίες μπορούν να οδηγήσουν σε αμοιβαίως επωφελή αλληλεξάρτηση. Σύμφωνα με την έκθεση, είναι εξαιρετικά σημαντικό για τα κράτη μέλη και την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση στο σύνολό της να εκφράζονται με μία φωνή, ιδίως όσον αφορά τις σχέσεις με τη Ρωσία. Είναι επίσης ζωτικής σημασίας να διαβουλεύονται τα κράτη μέλη μεταξύ τους πριν από κάθε διμερή πρωτοβουλία που αφορά τη Ρωσία, όπως απαιτείται να κάνουν σύμφωνα με τις διάφορες συνθήκες της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης,. Αυτό είναι ιδιαίτερα σημαντικό στις περιπτώσεις που μπορούν να έχουν συνέπειες για άλλες χώρες της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης ή για την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση στο σύνολό της.
" έκθεση δίνει ιδιαίτερη έμφαση στα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα και στις ελευθερίες στη Ρωσία. Επισημαίνεται ότι, ως μέλος του Συμβουλίου της Ευρώπης, η Ρωσία οφείλει να συμμορφώνεται προς τις αρχές επί των οποίων ερείδεται το Συμβούλιο. Αναφέρεται ότι η συμμόρφωση προς τις εν λόγω αρχές είναι ζωτικής σημασίας για την επιτυχία των διαπραγματεύσεων σχετικά με τη συνεργασία της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης και της Ρωσίας. Χαρακτηρίζεται λυπηρό το γεγονός ότι η Ρωσία δεν επιθυμεί τη θέσπιση αποτελεσματικών μέτρων, ώστε να εξασφαλισθεί ότι δεν θα επαναληφθούν οι πολλές περιπτώσεις στις οποίες οι ρωσικές αρχές παραβίασαν τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα και καταδικάσθηκαν από το Ευρωπαϊκό Δικαστήριο Ανθρωπίνων Δικαιωμάτων.
Αξίζει να επισημανθεί μία από τις πολλές συστάσεις που περιέχονται στην έκθεση, και ειδικότερα η σύσταση σύμφωνα με την οποία η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση πρέπει να συνεχίσει να υποστηρίζει την προσχώρηση της Ρωσίας στον Παγκόσμιο Οργανισμό Εμπορίου. Είναι πολύ σημαντικό να συμμορφωθεί η Ρωσία με τις δεσμεύσεις της προσχώρησης προτού γίνει τυπικά μέλος του ΠΟΕ. Ειδικότερα, αυτό απαιτεί από τη Ρωσία να θέσει τέλος στη διαδικασία της εγκατάλειψης πρακτικών που έχουν ήδη θεσπισθεί. Στο πλαίσιο αυτό, αξίζει να υπενθυμίσουμε τη μεγάλη σημασία που αποδίδεται στην αποτελεσματική προστασία της πνευματικής, εμπορικής και βιομηχανικής ιδιοκτησίας.
" έκθεση περιλαμβάνει επίσης συστάσεις που αφορούν τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα, την ελευθερία των μέσων ενημέρωσης, την ανεξαρτησία της δικαστικής εξουσίας και τον σταδιακό περιορισμό του επιτρεπόμενου πεδίου δράσης των ΜΚΟ στη Ρωσία. Καλύπτει επίσης μια σειρά οικονομικών θεμάτων, όπως η θαλάσσια κυκλοφορία στη Βαλτική Θάλασσα και κατά μήκος της βόρειας ακτής της Ρωσίας, η υπέρπτηση της Σιβηρίας και οι αμοιβαίες συμφωνίες για ενδεχόμενες επενδύσεις χωρίς περιορισμούς.
Alexandr Vondra
Ασκών την Προεδρία του Συμβουλίου. - Κύριε Πρόεδρε, θα ήθελα να ευχαριστήσω το Κοινοβούλιο γιατί μας έδωσε την ευκαιρία να εξετάσουμε, κατά την παρούσα σύνοδο, το θέμα της σχέσης με τη Ρωσία. Όπως αναμφίβολα γνωρίζετε, το Συμβούλιο συζήτησε σε βάθος τη σχέση με τη Ρωσία πρόσφατα, όταν θέσαμε τους λόγους και το σκεπτικό για τη νέα συμφωνία ΕΕ-Ρωσίας, και επομένως θεωρούμε σημαντικό το γεγονός ότι οι διαπραγματεύσεις για τη νέα συμφωνία επαναλαμβάνονται. Στο κάτω-κάτω, η Ρωσία είναι ο μεγαλύτερος γείτονάς μας, ένας από τους βασικούς εταίρους μας και ένας απαραίτητος παράγοντας στη διεθνή σκηνή. Σήμερα, ενώ η οικονομική κρίση πλήττει και τους δύο μας εξίσου σκληρά, είναι προφανές ότι οι αντιπαραθέσεις δεν θα ενισχύσουν κανέναν από τους δύο.
Αντιθέτως, η εποικοδομητική, ορθολογική και αμοιβαίως επωφελής συνεργασία και η εκπλήρωση των διεθνών δεσμεύσεων της Ρωσίας θα μπορούσαν αναμφίβολα να ενισχύσουν και τις δύο πλευρές.
Επιπλέον, ο διάλογος και η εποικοδομητική συνεργασία είναι σημαντικά μέσα για την προάσπιση των συμφερόντων μας και την προώθηση των αξιών μας σε σχέση με τη Ρωσία.
Αυτά, με λίγα λόγια, ήταν τα κύρια κίνητρα που μας ώθησαν στην απόφασή μας να επαναλάβουμε τις διαπραγματεύσεις σχετικά με τη νέα συμφωνία ΕΕ-Ρωσίας, παρά τα όσα συνέβησαν στη Γεωργία τον περασμένο Αύγουστο. Οπωσδήποτε, η κρίση και οι συνέπειές της εξακολουθούν να επισκιάζουν τις σχέσεις μας. Οι διαπραγματεύσεις δεν νομιμοποιούν σε καμία περίπτωση τη συμπεριφορά της Ρωσίας στη Γεωργία, συμπεριλαμβανομένων των εδαφών της Αμπχαζίας και της Νότιας Οσετίας, και η ΕΕ έθεσε σαφώς τα όριά της στο θέμα αυτό. " στήριξή μας στην εδαφική ακεραιότητα της Γεωργίας είναι σαφώς ένα από αυτά τα όρια.
Εξακολουθούμε να αναμένουμε από τη Ρωσία να συμπεριφερθεί υπεύθυνα και να τιμήσει όλες τις υποχρεώσεις που ανέλαβε. Αυτό σημαίνει ειδικότερα ότι θα δώσουμε ιδιαίτερη προσοχή στην κοινή γειτονιά με τη Ρωσία καθ' όλη τη διάρκεια της διαπραγματευτικής διαδικασίας. " κρίση στη Γεωργία κατέδειξε ότι οι ανεπίλυτες συγκρούσεις μπορούν να προκαλέσουν αστάθεια ακόμη και έπειτα από πολλά χρόνια, και ότι η στρατιωτική δράση δεν αποτελεί λύση.
Πρέπει να υπενθυμίσουμε στη Ρωσία ότι έχει πολλά να κερδίσει από μια εποικοδομητική συμπεριφορά απέναντι στους γείτονές της, και ότι έχει πολλά να χάσει εάν συνεχίσει τον δρόμο της αντιπαράθεσης. Στο κάτω-κάτω, η Ρωσία απέδειξε ήδη ότι γνωρίζει πώς να συμπεριφέρεται στους γείτονες της Κεντρικής Ευρώπης, οι οποίοι είναι πλέον μέλη τόσο της ΕΕ όσο και του NATO.
Θα συνεχίσουμε να επιμένουμε ότι η Ρωσία πρέπει να συμμορφωθεί προς τις διεθνείς υποχρεώσεις της και να σεβασθεί την εδαφική ακεραιότητα και την κυριαρχία της Γεωργίας και άλλων χωρών της Ανατολικής Ευρώπης που απαρτίζουν την κοινή γειτονιά της με την ΕΕ. Αναμένεται επίσης πλήρης συνεργασία από τη Ρωσία, καθώς και από τη Γεωργία, στις συνομιλίες της Γενεύης.
Δεν πρόκειται να αναφερθώ με λεπτομέρειες στην παρούσα κατάσταση των διαπραγματεύσεων με τη Ρωσία σχετικά με τη νέα συμφωνία. " Επιτροπή, η οποία διαπραγματεύεται τη συμφωνία, είναι αναμφίβολα σε καλύτερη θέση για να σας ενημερώσει σχετικά με τη διαδικασία.
Πρέπει επίσης να υπενθυμίσω ότι βρισκόμαστε ακόμη μόλις στην αρχή της διαδικασίας, η οποία μπορεί να έχει μεγάλη διάρκεια. Δεν πρέπει να αποθαρρυνθούμε εάν στην αρχή τα πράγματα προχωρούν αργά. Ωστόσο, είμαι βέβαιος ότι έως το τέλος της προεδρίας μας θα γνωρίζουμε με περισσότερη σαφήνεια τι θέλουν οι δύο πλευρές να περιλαμβάνεται στη νέα συμφωνία.
Είμαστε ευγνώμονες στον κ. Janusz Onyszkiewicz για την έκθεσή του και τις συστάσεις που περιέχονται σε αυτήν. Γενικά, συμμεριζόμαστε πολλές από τις ανησυχίες και τους στόχους σας.
Θα ήθελα τώρα να κάνω ορισμένα σχόλια σχετικά με το μέρος της νέας συμφωνίας που αφορά την εξωτερική ασφάλεια, στο οποίο η προεδρία διαδραματίζει επίσης έναν ρόλο στις διαπραγματεύσεις. Είναι εξαιρετικής σημασίας να περιέχει η νέα συμφωνία διατάξεις που να διασφαλίζουν τον αποτελεσματικό διάλογο και τη συνεργασία με τη Ρωσία, στη βάση των κοινών αξιών, της συμμόρφωσης με τις υφιστάμενες διεθνείς υποχρεώσεις, του κράτους δικαίου και του σεβασμού της δημοκρατίας, των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων και των θεμελιωδών ελευθεριών. Αυτό έχει ιδιαίτερη σημασία σε σχέση με την κοινή γειτονιά μας. Πράγματι, είναι ζωτικής σημασίας για την επίτευξη λύσης σε μακροχρόνιες συγκρούσεις.
" πρόληψη των συγκρούσεων είναι επίσης ένας σημαντικός στόχος. Πρέπει να επιδιωχθεί μέσω του πολιτικού διαλόγου και κοινών πρωτοβουλιών.
Υπάρχει ήδη κάποια δραστηριότητα με τη Ρωσία σχετικά με το αντικείμενο του πολιτικού διαλόγου και το μέρος της νέας συμφωνίας που αφορά την εξωτερική ασφάλεια. Αλλά, φυσικά, τα προβλήματα ανακύπτουν στις λεπτομέρειες. Το πιο ενδιαφέρον και απαιτητικό μέρος των διαπραγματεύσεων ξεκινά τώρα, καθώς αρχίζουμε να συζητούμε συγκεκριμένες προτάσεις κειμένου.
Δεδομένου ότι οι διαπραγματεύσεις βρίσκονται σε εξέλιξη, δεν αρμόζει να αναφερθώ εδώ σε λεπτομέρειες. Μπορώ, ωστόσο, να σας διαβεβαιώσω ότι θα επιδιώξουμε να εξασφαλίσουμε ουσιαστικές διατάξεις σχετικά με την ενίσχυση του διαλόγου στη διεθνή σκηνή, την καταπολέμηση της τρομοκρατίας, τον έλεγχο των εξοπλισμών, τον αφοπλισμό και τη μη διάδοση των όπλων, τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα, τη δημοκρατία και το κράτος δικαίου, τη διαχείριση κρίσεων και την πολιτική προστασία.
Στη σύνοδο κορυφής ΕΕ-Ρωσίας στο Khanty-Mansiysk συμφωνήθηκε ότι κοινός στόχος μας είναι η σύναψη μιας στρατηγικής συμφωνίας, η οποία θα παράσχει ένα συνολικό πλαίσιο για τις σχέσεις ΕΕ-Ρωσίας στο άμεσο μέλλον και θα συμβάλει στην ανάπτυξη των δυνατοτήτων της σχέσης μας. Αυτός παραμένει ο στόχος μας και είναι ένας στόχος για την επίτευξη του οποίου θα συνεχίσει να εργάζεται η παρούσα προεδρία, καθώς και οι επόμενες προεδρίες.
Είμαστε έτοιμοι να ενημερώσουμε το Κοινοβούλιο σχετικά με την πρόοδο των συνομιλιών και είμαστε ευγνώμονες για τη συμβολή σας, ιδίως μέσω του κειμένου του ψηφίσματός σας.
Benita Ferrero-Waldner
Μέλος της Επιτροπής. - (DE) Κύριε Πρόεδρε, αξιότιμοι βουλευτές, θα ήθελα καταρχάς να ευχαριστήσω θερμά τον κ. Onyszkiewicz για την πολύτιμη έκθεσή του.
Έχουμε τονίσει με συνέπεια ότι η άποψη του Κοινοβουλίου έχει σημασία για εμάς και, φυσικά, θα σας παράσχω ευχαρίστως περισσότερες πληροφορίες σχετικά με την πορεία των διαπραγματεύσεων.
Κύριε Πρόεδρε, η Ρωσία είναι και θα παραμείνει ένας σημαντικός εταίρος για εμάς. Τα κοινά μας συμφέροντα είναι πολύπλοκα και αλληλεπικαλυπτόμενα από τις οικονομικές επαφές έως, για παράδειγμα, το κοινό έργο μας ως εταίρων στο Κουαρτέτο για τη Μέση Ανατολή ή, όπως πρόσφατα, στο Αφγανιστάν και στο Πακιστάν. Φυσικά, όπως όλοι γνωρίζουμε, έχουμε επίσης σημαντικές διαφορές απόψεων, όσον αφορά την εδαφική ακεραιότητα της Γεωργίας, για παράδειγμα. Κατ' επανάληψη έχουν δημιουργηθεί εντάσεις σχετικά με την ενίσχυση του ρόλου μας στη γειτονιά που μοιραζόμαστε με τη Ρωσία. Στο πλαίσιο αυτό, διατυπώνεται συχνά ο εσφαλμένος ισχυρισμός ότι εξαρτιόμαστε από τον μεγάλο μας γείτονα. Όσον αφορά το εμπόριο και την ενέργεια, η εξάρτηση είναι μάλλον αμοιβαία ή, για να το θέσουμε διαφορετικά, ο καθένας είναι απαραίτητος εταίρος για τον άλλον. Επομένως, σήμερα, οι σχέσεις μας με τη Ρωσία αποκτούν τεράστια σημασία, και σε αυτές είναι απολύτως απαραίτητο η ΕΕ να διαθέτει μια ενιαία στρατηγική με όραμα.
Αύριο, ο πρόεδρος Obama θα συναντηθεί με τον πρόεδρο Medvedev για πρώτη φορά, προκειμένου να δρομολογήσει εκ νέου, κατά κάποιον τρόπο, τις σχέσεις των "ΠΑ με τη Ρωσία. " νέα αυτή προσέγγιση είναι οπωσδήποτε ευπρόσδεκτη, αλλά δεν πρέπει να ξεκινήσουμε εκ νέου από το μηδέν. Δεν θέλουμε να επαναπροσδιορίσουμε τις σχέσεις μας· αντίθετα, πρέπει να τις τελειοποιούμε συνεχώς. Ο στόχος αυτός κατέχει κορυφαία θέση στον κατάλογο των προτεραιοτήτων μας.
Όπως επισήμανε η Επιτροπή στην ανακοίνωση της 5ης Νοεμβρίου, η πολύπλοκη και εκτενής φύση των σχέσεών μας και οι πολλοί τομείς στους οποίους υπάρχει αμοιβαία αλληλεξάρτηση σημαίνουν ότι πρέπει να βρισκόμαστε σε συνεχή επαφή με τη Ρωσία, και θα έλεγα επίσης ότι πρέπει να είμαστε ψύχραιμοι και προσανατολισμένοι στην επίτευξη αποτελεσμάτων. Οι διαπραγματεύσεις σχετικά με μια νέα συμφωνία είναι αναμφίβολα ο καλύτερος τρόπος για να προτάξουμε μια ενιαία θέση της ΕΕ, η οποία προασπίζεται τα συμφέροντά μας, με στόχο την επίτευξη συμφωνίας στους σημαντικότερους τομείς. Αυτή τη στιγμή που σας μιλώ, διεξάγεται στη Μόσχα ο τέταρτος κύκλος των διαπραγματεύσεων.
Έχουμε ήδη συμφωνήσει στη γενική δομή της συμφωνίας, η οποία πρέπει να αποτελεί νομικά δεσμευτική βάση για όλες τις πτυχές των σχέσεών μας στο άμεσο μέλλον. Ταυτόχρονα, ωστόσο, δεν θέσαμε καμία τεχνητή προθεσμία για τις διαπραγματεύσεις: κατά τη γνώμη μου, πρέπει να αφιερώσουμε όσο χρόνο χρειάζεται για να επιτύχουμε ένα ικανοποιητικό αποτέλεσμα, επειδή η ισχύουσα συμφωνία θα παραμείνει σε ισχύ μέχρι τότε, και, ως εκ τούτου, δεν υπάρχει απεγνωσμένη ανάγκη να προχωρήσουμε πολύ γρήγορα. Επομένως, δεν χρειάζεται να περιμένουμε τη νέα συμφωνία προκειμένου να χειριστούμε τα τρέχοντα ζητήματα. Έως τώρα, έχουν συζητηθεί θέματα πολιτικής, δικαιοσύνης και ασφάλειας, έτσι ώστε να υπάρχει τώρα καλύτερη κατανόηση των αντίστοιχων θέσεών μας· αρχίσαμε τώρα να συζητούμε οικονομικά ζητήματα.
Σε κάθε περίπτωση, δεν πρέπει να μας εκπλήσσει το γεγονός ότι οι δύο πλευρές έχουν πολύ διαφορετικές προσεγγίσεις σε ορισμένους τομείς. Ενώ η Ρωσία έχει μεγάλες φιλοδοξίες για συνεργασία στην εξωτερική πολιτική και την πολιτική ασφάλειας, για παράδειγμα, οι φιλοδοξίες της είναι επί του παρόντος πιο συγκρατημένες όσον αφορά οικονομικά θέματα. Φυσικά, είναι προς το συμφέρον μας, στην ΕΕ, να περιλαμβάνουν οι εμπορικές και οικονομικές σχέσεις νομικά δεσμευτικές, εκτελεστές διατάξεις, ώστε να εξασφαλίσουμε ότι η Ρωσία αποδέχεται ένα σύστημα βασισμένο σε σαφείς κανόνες. Αυτό ισχύει ειδικότερα στο θέμα της ενέργειας, όπου προσπαθούμε να επιτύχουμε την αποδοχή των αρχών της συνθήκης για τον χάρτη ενέργειας, οι κυριότερες εκ των οποίων είναι η διαφάνεια, η αμοιβαιότητα και η απαγόρευση των διακρίσεων.
" κρίση του φυσικού αερίου στις αρχές του έτους κλόνισε την εμπιστοσύνη στην αξιοπιστία των ενεργειακών μας σχέσεων και η κατάσταση αυτή πρέπει να αποκατασταθεί. Επομένως, προσπαθούμε, παράλληλα με τις διαπραγματεύσεις, να ενισχύσουμε σημαντικά το σύστημα έγκαιρης προειδοποίησης, το οποίο θεσπίζει διατάξεις για την παρακολούθηση και την παρατήρηση σε περίπτωση κρίσης, για την αποφυγή συγκρούσεων και τη διευκόλυνση της επίλυσής τους.
Φυσικά, η συμφωνία που διαπραγματευόμαστε πρέπει να βασίζεται επίσης στον σεβασμό των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων και της δημοκρατίας, και πιστεύουμε ότι αυτή πρέπει να είναι μια βασική συνιστώσα. Στο κάτω-κάτω, η Ρωσία και η ΕΕ έχουν αναλάβει, όπως είπε ο κ. Vondra, τις ίδιες υποχρεώσεις στον Ο"Ε, στον Οργανισμό για την Ασφάλεια και τη Συνεργασία στην Ευρώπη (ΟΑΣΕ) και στο Συμβούλιο της Ευρώπης. " συμφωνία μας πρέπει να τονίζει τον σεβασμό αυτών των κοινών υποχρεώσεων και συμφερόντων. Προφανώς, δεν μπορεί να επιλύσει τις συγκρούσεις στην Ευρώπη από μόνη της, αλλά πρέπει να παράσχει ένα πλαίσιο για την επίλυση των συγκρούσεων.
Παράλληλα με τις διαπραγματεύσεις μας, θα συνεχίσουμε τις προσπάθειές μας στα υφιστάμενα φόρα, στις συνομιλίες της Γενεύης για τη Γεωργία, στο σχήμα 5+2 για την Υπερδνειστερία και στη διαδικασία του Minsk για το Ναγκόρνο-Καραμπάχ. Όπως είπα, η δικαιοσύνη και οι εσωτερικές υποθέσεις έχουν σημασία και για τις δύο πλευρές στις διαπραγματεύσεις, και είναι τομείς στους οποίους διαβλέπω σημαντικές δυνατότητες για αμοιβαίως επωφελή συνεργασία, ιδίως στην καταπολέμηση του οργανωμένου εγκλήματα καθώς και στη βελτίωση των όρων για τους καλόπιστους ταξιδιώτες. Ωστόσο, η δυνατότητα κατάργησης της απαίτησης θεώρησης, όπως ζήτησε η Ρωσία, θα είναι μια ρεαλιστική προοπτική μόνον σε συνδυασμό με περαιτέρω βελτιώσεις σε άλλους τομείς. Για παράδειγμα, η αποτελεσματική συνεργασία μας θα διευκολυνόταν γενικά, εάν η Ρωσία εφάρμοζε υψηλότερα πρότυπα προστασίας των δεδομένων· η έρευνα, η εκπαίδευση και ο πολιτισμός παρέχουν επίσης πολλές ευκαιρίες συνεργασίας προς το συμφέρον των πολιτών μας, και πρέπει να ληφθούν υπόψη στη νέα συμφωνία.
" έκθεση που εξετάζουμε σήμερα περιλαμβάνει προφανώς πολλές άλλες προτάσεις, τις οποίες δεν έχω τον χρόνο να σχολιάσω τώρα, αλλά αναμφίβολα θα ανακύψουν στη συζήτηση. Θα ήθελα να τονίσω ακόμη μία φορά ότι χαιρετίζω ιδιαίτερα τη γραμμή που ακολούθησε ο κ. Onyszkiewicz στην έκθεση που εξετάζουμε και στο προτεινόμενο σχέδιο ψηφίσματος. Εάν απαιτηθούν περαιτέρω πληροφορίες μετά τη σημερινή συζήτηση, θα χαρώ φυσικά να παράσχω, για παράδειγμα, στην Επιτροπή Εξωτερικών Υποθέσεων πλήρη ενημέρωση οποτεδήποτε, όπως έκανα πέρσι.
Τελειώνοντας, θα ήθελα να τονίσω ότι ενδιαφέρομαι ιδιαίτερα να προχωρήσουν οι διαπραγματεύσεις με επιτυχία, και ότι οι διαπραγματεύσεις έχουν την πλήρη στήριξή μου. Ευελπιστώ ότι μια καλή συμφωνία θα θέσει τις σχέσεις ΕΕ-Ρωσίας σε μια στέρεη και προβλέψιμη βάση στο άμεσο μέλλον, συμβάλλοντας σημαντικά με τον τρόπο αυτό στη σταθερότητα και στην ασφάλεια στην ήπειρό μας.
Cristina Gutiérrez-Cortines
Κύριε Πρόεδρε, είναι σαφές για εμάς και για την Ευρώπη, για την Επιτροπή Βιομηχανίας, Έρευνας και Ενέργειας και για εμάς στην Ευρώπη, ότι η ενέργεια έχει γίνει εργαλείο της εξωτερικής πολιτικής, ένα στοιχείο αλλαγής, το οποίο μπορεί να προκαλέσει συγκρούσεις ή να μας ενώσει, και αυτό ακριβώς είναι το θέμα που μας απασχολεί σήμερα.
Παραδοσιακά, η Ευρώπη είναι ενωμένη με τη Ρωσία. " Ιστορία μας δείχνει ότι στην ανάπτυξή της η Λευκορωσία επηρεάσθηκε σαφώς από τη Δύση, και η ρωσική παράδοση, όσον αφορά τη θρησκεία, όλες τις μορφές παιδείας και τα περισσότερα συστήματα αξιών, ακολούθησε έναν ευρωπαϊκό τρόπο σκέψης, ο οποίος εμπλούτισε τη Ρωσία. Ο πολιτισμός μας ενισχύθηκε επίσης από την παράδοση επιστημόνων από τη Ρωσία, μεγάλων μαθηματικών από το Καζάν και άλλες περιοχές, και το ίδιο ισχύει και για τη λογοτεχνία της.
Πιστεύω ότι πρέπει να αντιλαμβανόμαστε τις εντάσεις της σοσιαλιστικής περιόδου ως ένα διάλειμμα, το οποίο πρέπει να θυμόμαστε, αλλά δεν συνιστούν διαρκή παράγοντα. " διαρκής εμπειρία μας από τη Ρωσία είναι μια εμπειρία ενότητας· για τον λόγο αυτό, πιστεύω ότι στον τομέα της ενέργειας, όπου η Ευρώπη εμφανίζει αδυναμίες, πρέπει να γνωστοποιήσουμε στη Ρωσία ότι η φιλία μας πρέπει να συνεχισθεί, αλλά με σαφείς κανόνες, όπως οι συμφωνίες κυρίων που πάντοτε ίσχυσαν ανάμεσά μας, αλλά πλέον με τη μορφή γραπτών κανόνων.
Δεν μπορούμε να ζούμε σε συνεχή αβεβαιότητα για το κατά πόσον ο εφοδιασμός των πολιτών μας μπορεί να διακοπεί και πάλι, και η Ρωσία πρέπει να αναγνωρίσει επίσης ότι δεν μπορεί να χρησιμοποιεί την ενέργεια ως εργαλείο, προκειμένου να αποφύγει να αναγνωρίσει την κυριαρχία των γειτονικών κρατών. " παρούσα κατάσταση είναι μια κατάσταση ανθρώπων που απέκτησαν την ανεξαρτησία τους και που ασκούν πλήρως τη δημοκρατία, τους οποίους πρέπει να φροντίσουμε και τους οποίους η Ρωσία έχει καθήκον να φροντίσει, όπως επίσης έχει καθήκον να παράσχει ένα σαφές σύνολο κανόνων για την ανταλλαγή ενέργειας και την ενότητα μέσω της ενέργειας.
Josef Zieleniec
εξ ονόματος της Ομάδας PPE-DE. - (CS) Κύριε Πρόεδρε, θα ήθελα να ευχαριστήσω τον κ. Onyszkiewicz για την εκπόνηση αυτής της σημαντικής, καλογραμμένης και ισορροπημένης έκθεσης. Ως σκιώδης εισηγητής της Ομάδας του Ευρωπαϊκού Λαϊκού Κόμματος (Χριστιανοδημοκράτες) και των Ευρωπαίων Δημοκρατών, είμαι πολύ ευχαριστημένος για το γεγονός ότι η έκθεση αντικατοπτρίζει επίσης τις κύριες προτεραιότητές μας όσον αφορά τη Ρωσία, όπως τη ρεαλιστική συνεργασία που βασίζεται σε ένα υγιές περιβάλλον αγοράς, την έμφαση στα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα, σε ένα λειτουργικό κράτος δικαίου και στη δημοκρατία, στοιχεία που αποτελούν θεμελιώδεις κοινωνικές αξίες για την ΕΕ, καθώς και την έμφαση στον σεβασμό της κυριαρχίας όλων των γειτονικών κρατών και της ενότητας της ΕΕ.
" νέα συμφωνία που τελεί υπό διαπραγμάτευση πρέπει να περιλάβει όλες τις πτυχές της συνεργασίας, να είναι νομικά δεσμευτική και να αντικατοπτρίζει την ποιότητα των σχέσεών μας με τη Ρωσία. Ωστόσο, εάν θέλουμε να αντικατοπτρίζουν οι συζητήσεις τις θέσεις μας και τις αξίες μας, δεν πρέπει να ξεχνούμε τον ρόλο που διαδραμάτισε η Ρωσία στον πόλεμο στη Γεωργία πέρσι ή στην κρίση του φυσικού αερίου τον Ιανουάριο. Δεν μπορούμε να επιτρέψουμε τη δημιουργία νέων σφαιρών επιρροής στην Ευρώπη. Δεν μπορούμε να δεχθούμε το status quo, ή μάλλον τα τετελεσμένα γεγονότα, στον Καύκασο. Εξ ου και η απαίτηση για σαφείς εγγυήσεις ότι η Ρωσία δεν θα καταφύγει στη χρήση βίας εναντίον οποιουδήποτε εκ των γειτόνων της και ότι θα αντιμετωπίσει τις διαφορές στην κοινή γειτονιά μας από κοινού με την ΕΕ. Κατά την άποψή μας, είναι απολύτως φυσικό να καλέσουμε τη Ρωσία να λάβει το πρώτο άμεσο μέτρο οικοδόμησης εμπιστοσύνης.
Πολλοί συνάδελφοι τονίζουν σήμερα δικαιολογημένα την αναγκαιότητα για ενότητα της ΕΕ απέναντι στη Ρωσία. Ωστόσο, μόνον σταδιακά μπορούμε να επιτύχουμε μια πραγματικά ενιαία θέση, εξ ου και η πρότασή μου για τη θέσπιση ενός μηχανισμού διαβούλευσης στο πλαίσιο του Συμβουλίου, ο οποίος θα επιτρέψει την εκ των προτέρων διαβούλευση μεταξύ των κρατών μελών σχετικά με όλα τα διμερή ζητήματα που αφορούν τη Ρωσία και έχουν αντίκτυπο σε ένα άλλο κράτος μέλος ή στην ΕΕ στο σύνολό της. Μόνον έτσι θα καταλήξουμε σε μια πραγματικά ενιαία θέση απέναντι στη Ρωσία και μόνον έτσι θα αξιοποιήσουμε το μεγαλύτερό μας πλεονέκτημα απέναντι στη Ρωσία, δηλαδή την ενότητά μας.
Csaba Tabajdi
εξ ονόματος της Ομάδας PSE. - (HU) " Σοσιαλιστική Ομάδα στο Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο θεωρεί τη Ρωσία βασικό στρατηγικό εταίρο. " Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση και η Ρωσία εξαρτώνται η μία από την άλλη, όπως επιβεβαίωσε επίσης η Επίτροπος Ferrero-Waldner.
Θα ήθελα να αναφέρω ότι, όσον αφορά τον εφοδιασμό φυσικού αερίου, εξαρτιόμαστε ο ένας από τον άλλο, επειδή η Ρωσία δεν θα μπορέσει να πωλήσει το αέριό της σε κανέναν άλλο. Πρέπει να είμαστε σαφείς στο σημείο αυτό. Είναι πολύ σημαντικό να επεξεργασθούμε και να συνάψουμε μια νέα συμφωνία εταιρικής σχέσης και συνεργασίας. " παρούσα έκθεση έπρεπε να εξυπηρετεί τον σκοπό αυτό, αλλά δεν το πράττει.
" έκθεση Onyszkiewicz, η οποία εγκρίθηκε στην Επιτροπή Εξωτερικών Υποθέσεων και της οποίας το ύφος είναι ενίοτε σαφώς αγενές, μπορεί να προκαλέσει σοβαρή ζημία στο δίκτυο των σχέσεων της ΕΕ με τη Ρωσία. " Σοσιαλιστική Ομάδα συμφωνεί ότι το Κοινοβούλιο πρέπει να διατυπώσει τις δικαιολογημένες επικρίσεις του για τη Ρωσία. " Σοσιαλιστική Ομάδα καταδικάζει σθεναρά τις παραβιάσεις των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων. Απαιτούμε τον σεβασμό των δημοκρατικών αρχών και των θεμελιωδών αξιών.
Ζητούμε από τη Ρωσία να σεβασθεί την αρχή της ανεξαρτησίας των έντυπων και ηλεκτρονικών μέσων ενημέρωσης. Ζητούμε από τη ρωσική κυβέρνηση να λάβει κάθε δυνατό μέτρο ώστε να διερευνήσει τις επιθέσεις κατά δημοσιογράφων και τις δολοφονίες δημοσιογράφων. Ο ρωσικός νόμος για τις ΜΚΟ θέτει σε κίνδυνο την ανεξάρτητη λειτουργία των εν λόγω οργανώσεων.
" Σοσιαλιστική Ομάδα προβληματίζεται για τον τρόπο με τον οποίο διενεργήθηκαν οι τελευταίες βουλευτικές και προεδρικές εκλογές στη Ρωσία. Επικρίνουμε τη ρωσική πλευρά στη διαφορά για το φυσικό αέριο μεταξύ Ρωσίας και Ουκρανίας και στη σύγκρουση μεταξύ των δύο αυτών χωρών. Ταυτόχρονα, είμαστε παρ' όλα αυτά πεπεισμένοι ότι οι συστάσεις του Κοινοβουλίου πρέπει να εξυπηρετήσουν τη βελτίωση των σχέσεων ΕΕ-Ρωσίας και την επεξεργασία μιας νέας στρατηγικής εταιρικής σχέσης. " παρούσα έκθεση δεν εξυπηρετεί τον σκοπό αυτό. Για τον λόγο αυτό, την καταψηφίσαμε στην Επιτροπή Εξωτερικών Υποθέσεων.
" Ομάδα του Ευρωπαϊκού Λαϊκού Κόμματος (Χριστιανοδημοκράτες) και των Ευρωπαίων Δημοκρατών και η Ομάδα της Συμμαχίας Φιλελευθέρων και Δημοκρατών για την Ευρώπη ενεργούν αντίθετα προς το σκεπτικό που διατύπωσε η Επιτροπή. Έρχονται σε σύγκρουση με τη νέα πολιτική των "νωμένων Πολιτειών, εάν θεωρούν ότι η κυβέρνηση Obama, ιδίως μέσω των δηλώσεων του Αντιπροέδρου Joe Biden, άλλαξε το στυλ της, και έπειτα η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση θα υστερήσει σε σχέση με τη νέα αμερικανική πολιτική, αν και κάτι τέτοιο δεν θα είναι προς το συμφέρον μας. Επομένως, αυτό που μας προβληματίζει δεν είναι η κριτική, αλλά το στυλ.
Δεν χρειαζόμαστε διδακτισμό, αλλά αιτιολογημένη κριτική. Ο ρόλος της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης δεν είναι αυτός του δασκάλου που δίνει μαθήματα στη Ρωσία. Επομένως, η Σοσιαλιστική Ομάδα θα δεχθεί το παρόν σχέδιο ψηφίσματος μόνον εάν εγκριθούν από το Κοινοβούλιο οι έξι προτεινόμενες τροπολογίες που καταθέσαμε· διαφορετικά, η παρούσα έκθεση θα είναι απλώς μια αντιπαραγωγική έκθεση που δεν εξυπηρετεί τη στρατηγική εταιρική σχέση μεταξύ ΕΕ και Ρωσίας. Ωστόσο, η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση έχει συμφέρον να αναπτύξει μια επιτυχημένη συνεργασία Ρωσίας-ΕΕ.
Graham Watson
εξ ονόματος της Ομάδας ALDE. - Κύριε Πρόεδρε, οι εξωτερικές υποθέσεις απαιτούν διπλωματία και αρχές, και η παρούσα έκθεση σχετικά με τη νέα συμφωνία ΕΕ-Ρωσίας διαθέτει και τα δύο. " ομάδα μου εγκωμιάζει το περιεχόμενό της και συγχαίρει τον κ. Janusz Onyszkiewicz για το έργο του.
" Ιστορία μας διδάσκει ότι τίποτε δεν εξοργίζει περισσότερο τους Ρώσους από το να τους γυρνά κανείς την πλάτη, επομένως είναι προς το συμφέρον τόσο της Ρωσίας όσο και της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης να επικοινωνήσουν, να συνεργασθούν και να συναλλαχθούν με τρόπους που οικοδομούν εμπιστοσύνη. Επίσης, είναι ανέντιμο να ισχυριζόμαστε ότι η συμπεριφορά της Ρωσίας δεν επιδέχεται μομφής. Πρόκειται για μια χώρα που χρησιμοποιεί τους ενεργειακούς εφοδιασμούς ως όπλο, μια χώρα της οποίας η υπεροπτική συμπεριφορά στον Καύκασο και στις χώρες της Βαλτικής φέρνει τους γείτονές της στα άκρα, και μια χώρα στην οποία το κράτος δικαίου προσαρμόζεται προκειμένου να εξυπηρετήσει τους ευνοούμενους του Κρεμλίνου, και να πιέσει εκείνους που δεν έχουν την εύνοιά του, όπως επιβεβαιώνει η σημερινή νέα δίκη του Mikhail Khodorkovsky.
Όπως γνωρίζουμε, οι εκλογές δεν αποτελούν εξαίρεση στην κατάσταση αυτή. Σωματική βία, εκφοβισμός υπερασπιστών των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων, δολοφονία ανεξάρτητων δημοσιογράφων - κ. Tabajdi, αυτή είναι η πραγματικότητα στη Ρωσία σήμερα.
(Χειροκροτήματα)
Λυπούμαστε γιατί ορισμένοι βουλευτές προσπαθούν να αμβλύνουν τις κριτικές όσον αφορά τις επιδόσεις της Ρωσίας στον τομέα των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων. Εκπλήσσομαι με την επιμονή ορισμένων να χαρακτηρίζουν τη νέα συμφωνία ως στρατηγική, απλώς και μόνον επειδή αυτό επιθυμεί η Μόσχα. Ναι, πρέπει να δημιουργήσουμε γέφυρες, αλλά δεν πρέπει να αποφεύγουμε να επικρίνουμε τα ακατονόμαστα.
Υπάρχουν τρεις λόγοι που εξηγούν γιατί ορισμένοι έχουν την τάση να κολακεύουν τον κ. Putin. Πρώτον, υπάρχουν εκείνοι που κάποτε έβλεπαν με συμπάθεια τους Σοβιετικούς και εξακολουθούν να νιώθουν συναισθηματικά συνδεδεμένοι με το Κρεμλίνο. Δεύτερον, υπάρχουν εκείνοι που πιστεύουν ότι η Ρωσία διαφέρει με κάποιον τρόπο από τις άλλες χώρες και ότι δεν μπορούν να ισχύουν για αυτήν τα ίδια πρότυπα, και τρίτον υπάρχουν εκείνοι που πιστεύουν ότι η Ρωσία είναι πολύ τρομακτική ώστε να την περιφρονήσουμε. Κανένα από τα επιχειρήματα αυτά δεν ευσταθεί. " σκληροπυρηνική Αριστερά της Ευρώπης διαθέτει μια ιστορία σκόπιμης άγνοιας όσον αφορά τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα κατά τη σοβιετική περίοδο. Δεν είναι μόνον ηθικά λάθος, είναι και πολιτικά ανόητο να δικαιολογούν σήμερα τη Ρωσία καθώς κατευθύνεται προς την αυταρχική Δεξιά. Επιπλέον, τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα έχουν οικουμενικό και αδιαίρετο χαρακτήρα· διαφορετικά δεν σημαίνουν τίποτα. Επομένως, η Ένωση πρέπει να έχει την αυτοπεποίθηση να προασπισθεί τις αξίες μας εντός των συνόρων μας και εκτός αυτών.
Τέλος, η Ευρώπη διαθέτει σήμερα πληθυσμό τρεισήμισι φορές μεγαλύτερο από αυτόν της Ρωσίας. Οι στρατιωτικές μας δαπάνες είναι δέκα φορές μεγαλύτερες, και η οικονομία μας δεκαπέντε φορές μεγαλύτερη από εκείνη της Ρωσίας. Δεν έχουμε κανέναν λόγο να φοβόμαστε το Κρεμλίνο και έχουμε κάθε λόγο να προασπιζόμαστε τις αξίες μας. Επομένως, στηρίζουμε μια νέα συμφωνία, αλλά η Ευρώπη πρέπει να εισέλθει στη σχέση αυτή ενωμένη, δυνατή και με τα μάτια ανοικτά.
Adam Bielan
Κύριε Πρόεδρε, το Κρεμλίνο χρησιμοποιεί τον ενεργειακό εφοδιασμό ως πολιτικό μέσο σε συνδυασμό με την αρχή του "διαίρει και βασίλευε", προκειμένου να διαφθείρει την Ευρώπη χώρα προς χώρα, από την Κύπρο έως τις Κάτω Χώρες. " προσέγγιση αυτή αποδεικνύεται εντυπωσιακά επιτυχημένη. Αντίθετα, η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση τήρησε απροσδόκητα παθητική στάση κατά τη διάρκεια της επίθεσης εναντίον της κυρίαρχης Γεωργίας. Οι ηγέτες της ΕΕ έλαμψαν διά της απουσίας τους. Ο κ. Solana και η Επίτροπος Ferrero-Waldner είχαν εξαφανισθεί. Στο μεταξύ, ο πρόεδρος της Γαλλίας, ο κ. Sarkozy, εξευτελίσθηκε τελείως, καθώς οι Ρώσοι αγνόησαν πλήρως την ειρηνευτική συμφωνία που είχε διαπραγματευθεί. Συμπεραίνουμε ότι η αδυναμία της Ευρώπης στις σχέσεις της με τη Ρωσία οφείλεται στην αφέλεια και στην κοντόθωρη στάση της.
Αυστριακές, γερμανικές και ιταλικές επιχειρήσεις στον τομέα της ενέργειας συνεργάζονται με το Κρεμλίνο σε διμερή βάση. Αυτό έχει ως άμεσο αποτέλεσμα την άσκηση πολιτικών πιέσεων από τη Μόσχα σε μεμονωμένα κράτη μέλη. " Γερμανία κατασκευάζει έναν αγωγό φυσικού αερίου στον πυθμένα της Βαλτικής Θάλασσας, προκειμένου να παρακάμψει την Πολωνία, όμως η Ρωσία έχει διακόψει τους ενεργειακούς εφοδιασμούς στη Λιθουανία, στην Τσεχική Δημοκρατία και σε άλλες χώρες της ΕΕ επανειλημμένως. Εάν εφαρμοσθεί το σχέδιο "Nord Stream", η ίδια τύχη μπορεί να περιμένει τη χώρα μου, την Πολωνία. " πολιτική της ΕΕ απέναντι στη Ρωσία πρέπει να βασίζεται στις αρχές της ενότητας και της αλληλεγγύης. Για τον λόγο αυτό, εάν θέλουμε να είναι αποτελεσματικές οι σχέσεις μας με τη Ρωσία, είναι απολύτως απαραίτητο να διαβουλευόμαστε με άλλα κράτη μέλη τα οποία ενδέχεται να επηρεάζονται, πριν από τη σύναψη διμερών συμφωνιών με το Κρεμλίνο.
Marie Anne Isler Béguin
Κύριε Πρόεδρε, θα ήθελα και εγώ να ευχαριστήσω τον εισηγητή που δέχθηκε τις τροπολογίες μας και έθεσε το ζήτημα των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων στο επίκεντρο των διαπραγματεύσεων με τη Ρωσία. Θα ήθελα να ζητήσω από το Συμβούλιο και την Επιτροπή να μην υποχωρήσουν στον τομέα αυτό, όπως θα ήθελα να ζητήσω από τον εισηγητή να υποστηρίξει τις λοιπές τροπολογίες μας σχετικά με τον σεβασμό των δικαιωμάτων των μειονοτήτων και την Τσετσενία, θέματα που παραμελήθηκαν κάπως στην έκθεση.
Υποστηρίζουμε επίσης την κριτική στάση απέναντι στη Ρωσία, επειδή, παρά το γεγονός ότι η Ρωσία εκπέμπει τώρα κάποια θετικά μηνύματα, ιδίως όσον αφορά την προθυμία της να συνάψει μια διεθνή συμφωνία για τη μείωση των πυρηνικών οπλοστασίων, τα οποία αναμφίβολα είναι υπερβολικά δαπανηρά σε αυτή την περίοδο κρίσης, εξακολουθεί να παραμένει απολύτως ανυποχώρητη σε άλλα ζητήματα, ιδίως όσον αφορά την πολιτική γειτονίας της, επικρίνοντας την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση για παρέμβαση στη σφαίρα επιρροής της. Θα σας θυμίσω ότι πρόσφατα, στις Βρυξέλλες, ο κ. Lavrov επέκρινε την ανατολική εταιρική σχέση που θεσπίσαμε στην εαρινή σύνοδο κορυφής, καθώς και ότι ο κ. Putin αντέδρασε αρνητικά στη συμφωνία για το φυσικό αέριο μεταξύ Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης και Ουκρανίας.
Όπως γνωρίζετε -και όπως όλοι ανέφεραν- το ζήτημα της Γεωργίας παραμένει πιο επίκαιρο από ποτέ άλλοτε και εξακολουθεί να αποτελεί σημείο τριβής μεταξύ ημών και της Ρωσίας, η οποία χρησιμοποιεί συνεχώς το δικαίωμα αρνησικυρίας που διαθέτει για την αποφυγή ανάπτυξης διεθνών ειρηνευτικών δυνάμεων, ακόμη και της πρόσβασης των πολιτικών παρατηρητών μας στα εδάφη που έχει καταλάβει και ελέγχει. Επομένως, παραβιάζει τα έξι σημεία της συμφωνίας που σύναψε η ΕΕ με τη Ρωσία στις 12 Αυγούστου, και δεν θέτει τέλος στις καθημερινές πράξεις βίας κατά μήκος των διοικητικών συνόρων Αμπχαζίας-Οσετίας.
Επιπλέον, κανείς δεν ξεγελιέται από την εξάρτηση των κρατών μελών, όπως αναφέρθηκε, από τη Ρωσία όσον αφορά την ενέργεια ούτε από το πολιτικό κόστος που πρέπει να καταβάλουμε.
Τέλος, κύριε Πρόεδρε, όντας αντιμέτωποι με μια πολιτική κρίση που αφορά όλους, ακόμη και τη Ρωσία, θα ήθελα να αναδειχθούν απρόσμενες λύσεις και να προδιατεθεί η Ρωσία να δεχθεί μια εποικοδομητική εταιρική σχέση, και η ΕΕ να αποκτήσει μεγαλύτερη βαρύτητα ως ενωμένος εταίρος.
Vladimír Remek
Κύριε Πρόεδρε, κυρίες και κύριοι, συζητούμε τις συστάσεις μας προς το Συμβούλιο για τη νέα συμφωνία με τη Ρωσία. Ωστόσο, το κείμενο της έκθεσης δεν μου φαίνεται ότι μοιάζει με συστάσεις που προορίζονται για διπλωματικές διαπραγματεύσεις. Στο μεγαλύτερο μέρος του, το έγγραφο αναπτύσσει και τονίζει την αναγκαιότητα να απαιτήσουμε, να επιμείνουμε, να τονίσουμε, να προκαλέσουμε και ούτω καθεξής. Πρόκειται για ένα λεξιλόγιο υπαγόρευσης και χαίρομαι ιδιαίτερα που δεν βρίσκομαι στη θέση του διαπραγματευτή, ο οποίος υποτίθεται ότι πρέπει να λάβει κατευθύνσεις από τις συστάσεις αυτές. Ταυτόχρονα, αναγνωρίζουμε ότι η ΕΕ λαμβάνει, πέρα από οτιδήποτε άλλο, το ένα τέταρτο του εφοδιασμού της σε πετρέλαιο και φυσικό αέριο από τη Ρωσία. Μερικές φορές έχω την εντύπωση ότι προσπαθούμε να ζητήσουμε ασφαλείς, σταθερούς εφοδιασμούς πρώτων υλών ζωτικής σημασίας, κραδαίνοντας ταυτόχρονα ένα ρόπαλο. Και τι φέρνουμε εμείς, η ΕΕ, στο τραπέζι των διαπραγματεύσεων; Πού είναι η θέση μας για τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα πίσω από την οποία κρυβόμαστε σε σχέση, για παράδειγμα, με τις ρωσόφωνες μειονότητες που ζουν στην επικράτεια κρατών μελών της ΕΕ; Πού είναι η γνώμη μας σχετικά με τις συγκεντρώσεις και τις πράξεις πρώην μελών μονάδων των SS σε χώρες της ΕΕ; Ή μήπως δεν αντιτασσόμαστε σε αυτές, αλλά μάλλον τις υποστηρίζουμε, ερχόμενοι σε σύγκρουση με τα πορίσματα του Ο"Ε, για παράδειγμα; Επίσης, πώς γίνεται και η Επιτροπή Βιομηχανίας, Έρευνας και Ενέργειας (ITRE) αναφέρει και τις δύο χώρες, την Ουκρανία και τη Ρωσία, ως υπεύθυνες για τα προβλήματα που αφορούν τον εφοδιασμό φυσικού αερίου στην ΕΕ, αλλά οι συστάσεις μας απευθύνονται μόνον στη Ρωσία; Όλα αυτά μοιάζουν σαν να προσπαθεί κάποιος να παίξει ποδόσφαιρο με ένα μόνο τέρμα. Ένα τέτοιο παιχνίδι δεν είναι σωστό, όπως σίγουρα θα αναγνωρίσετε. Επομένως, ας μην περιμένουμε θαυματουργά αποτελέσματα.
Προσωπικά, δυσκολεύομαι, επομένως να υποστηρίξω το έγγραφο με την παρούσα μορφή του. Ακόμη και στην Επιτροπή Εξωτερικών Υποθέσεων, το ένα τρίτο των βουλευτών δεν ήταν ευχαριστημένοι με το σχέδιο. Στο μεταξύ, η Επιτροπή Διεθνούς Εμπορίου υιοθέτησε μια πολύ πιο ρεαλιστική προσέγγιση στις σχέσεις με τη Ρωσία, λαμβάνοντας υπόψη το τι χρειάζεται πραγματικά η Ευρώπη.
Bastiaan Belder
εξ ονόματος της Ομάδας IND/DEM. - (NL) Κύριε Πρόεδρε, δεν υπάρχει αμφιβολία ότι η Ρωσία υφίσταται και αυτή πλέον την παγκόσμια οικονομική κρίση. Μόλις σήμερα το πρωί άκουσα στο ραδιόφωνο ένα αναλυτικό ρεπορτάζ από την Αγία Πετρούπολη σχετικά με τα φάρμακα που είναι πολύ ακριβά και στα οποία δεν μπορεί, επομένως, να έχει πρόσβαση ο μέσος Ρώσος πολίτης. Οι τελευταίες προβλέψεις της Παγκόσμιας Τράπεζας κάνουν λόγο για ακόμη δυσκολότερες ημέρες για τη ρωσική οικονομία. Τι πρέπει να σκεφτούμε για την απαισιόδοξη πρόβλεψη ότι, έως το τέλος του έτους, περισσότεροι από 20 εκατομμύρια Ρώσοι ενδέχεται να βρεθούν κατά από το όριο επιβίωσης των RUB 4 600 (περίπου USD 185);
Πράγματι, η Ευρώπη και η Ρωσία αντιμετωπίζουν και οι δύο επείγουσα ανάγκη λήψης αποφασιστικών μέτρων για την αντιμετώπιση της κρίσης. Επομένως, πρέπει να δοθεί προτεραιότητα στις κοινές προσπάθειες για τη βελτίωση του παγκόσμιου οικονομικού κλίματος. Όμως, οι προσπάθειες αυτές απαιτούν αμοιβαία εμπιστοσύνη, κάτι το οποίο εμποδίζεται από την εξωτερική πολιτική του Κρεμλίνου, όπως πρέπει να τονίσω μετά λύπης μου. Ένα παράδειγμα είναι η κρίση στη Μολδαβία, η οποία συνεχίζεται και γίνεται ακόμη πιο πολύπλοκη, και δεν διευκολύνεται από τον Igor Smirnov. Ένα άλλο παράδειγμα είναι η νέα περίπλοκη κατάσταση που εκδηλώθηκε στην Ουκρανία την περασμένη εβδομάδα. Με λίγα λόγια, η έλλειψη αμοιβαίας εμπιστοσύνης αποτελεί εμπόδιο στις κοινές μας προσπάθειες.
Με την έκθεσή του, το Κοινοβούλιο στέλνει αυτό το έντιμο, σαφές μήνυμα στο Συμβούλιο και στην Επιτροπή για τις διαπραγματεύσεις με τη Μόσχα, και ελπίζω ειλικρινά ότι αντιμετωπίζει τη Ρωσία με το κεφάλι ψηλά.
Jana Bobošíková
- (CS) Κυρίες και κύριοι, στο σχέδιο σύστασης του Κοινοβουλίου προς το Συμβούλιο σχετικά με τη νέα συμφωνία ΕΕ-Ρωσίας, το οποίο εξετάζουμε σήμερα, υπάρχουν ίσως μόνο δύο στοιχεία με τα οποία μπορεί να συμφωνήσει κανείς. Το πρώτο είναι ότι η Ρωσία έχει τεράστια σημασία για τη σταθερότητα και την ευημερία της Ευρώπης και του κόσμου, και το δεύτερο είναι ότι πρέπει να συνάψουμε μια στρατηγική εταιρική σχέση με τη Ρωσία βασισμένη σε δημοκρατικές αξίες. Κατά τα άλλα, πρέπει να πω ότι το κείμενο είναι γραμμένο στη γλώσσα μιας νικήτριας δύναμης της εποχής του Ψυχρού Πολέμου, σε αντίθεση προς όλους τους βασικούς κανόνες της διπλωματίας και των διεθνών σχέσεων. Οι κανόνες αυτοί αφορούν κυρίως τον συμβιβασμό, την ευγένεια, την ισορροπία και τον σεβασμό της άλλης πλευράς στο τραπέζι των διαπραγματεύσεων. Δεν αφορούν δικτατορικές απαιτήσεις και αυστηρές καταδίκες. " ορολογία και η διατύπωση της έκθεσης θυμίζουν την επιστολή του πομπώδους σουλτάνου στους Κοζάκους του Ζαπορόζιε, οι οποίοι του έδωσαν στη συνέχεια κατάλληλη απάντηση. " ανάρμοστη ρωσοφοβία του κειμένου αναιρείται εν μέρει από την αντικειμενική δήλωση της Επιτροπής Βιομηχανίας, Έρευνας και Ενέργειας, η οποία θα πρέπει να αποτελέσει οδηγό για τη διατύπωση ενός νέου εγγράφου. Κατά την άποψή μου, η παρούσα έκθεση είναι επιζήμια τόσο για την ΕΕ όσο και για τη Ρωσική Ομοσπονδία και, επομένως, για τα συμφέροντα όλων των πολιτών της ευρωασιατικής περιοχής.
Κυρίες και κύριοι, ελπίζω ότι η σύνοδος κορυφής ΕΕ-Ρωσίας που θα πραγματοποιηθεί υπό την τσεχική προεδρία από τον τσέχο πρόεδρο Václav Klaus δεν θα χρησιμοποιήσει σε καμία περίπτωση αυτή τη ρωσόφοβη ρητορική, και τούτο επειδή, μεταξύ άλλων, ο τσέχος πρόεδρος δεν συμμερίζεται την επικρατούσα στην ΕΕ άποψη σχετικά με τη σύγκρουση Ρωσίας-Γεωργίας. Πιστεύω σθεναρά ότι προς όφελος των πολιτών μας το Συμβούλιο πρέπει να έχει κατά νου ότι η Ρωσία είναι και θα συνεχίσει να είναι ένας αναγκαίος, χρήσιμος και ίσος εταίρος στη γεωπολιτική περιοχή μας. Όπως προαναφέρθηκε, το ένα τέταρτο των εφοδιασμών της ΕΕ σε πετρέλαιο και φυσικό αέριο προέρχεται από τη Ρωσία, και το ήμισυ του ρωσικού πετρελαίου και φυσικού αερίου πηγαίνει στην ΕΕ. Εάν μη τι άλλο, λοιπόν, το γεγονός αυτό και μόνον είναι επαρκές επιχείρημα για να προσπαθήσουμε να διατηρήσουμε καλές γειτονικές σχέσεις μεταξύ της ΕΕ και της Ρωσικής Ομοσπονδίας.
Ria Oomen-Ruijten
(NL) Κύριε Πρόεδρε, τα τελευταία δυόμισι χρόνια, ως πρόεδρος της Αντιπροσωπείας για τις σχέσεις με τη Ρωσία, ασχολήθηκα πολύ εντατικά με τη Ρωσία και την Ευρώπη. Δεν ασχολήθηκα μόνον με συμβάντα, αλλά διατήρησα επίσης έναν ανοικτό τρόπο σκέψης σχετικά με τη μακροπρόθεσμη στρατηγική. Έτσι, δυσκολεύομαι να κατανοήσω τα όσα μόλις ανέφερε ο κ. Watson, ο πρόεδρος της Ομάδας της Συμμαχίας Φιλελευθέρων και Δημοκρατών για την Ευρώπη. Ούτε εγώ ούτε οι συνάδελφοί μου υιοθετήσαμε μια μονόπλευρη θεώρηση σε οποιαδήποτε από τις συζητήσεις αυτές. Συζητήσαμε τα πολλά προβλήματα που αφορούν τη Ρωσία.
Ωστόσο, ας μην ξεχνάμε ότι η σύναψη μιας συμφωνίας εταιρικής σχέσης σημαίνει επίσης ότι πρέπει και εμείς να φανούμε εταίροι. Αυτό σημαίνει ότι οι δύο πλευρές πρέπει να ξεκινήσουν αμοιβαίες διαβουλεύσεις σε δύσκολα θέματα. Πράγματι, μια συμφωνία εταιρικής σχέσης μπορεί να προκύψει μόνον σε πνεύμα αμοιβαίας εμπιστοσύνης, και όχι εάν η μία πλευρά βλέπει μόνον προβλήματα. Οι "νωμένες Πολιτείες έχουν μια διαφορετική στρατηγική επί του παρόντος. Θέλουμε πράγματι να επιστρέψουμε στα ψυχρά συναισθήματα, σε αντίθεση με τις "νωμένες Πολιτείες, που πραγματοποιούν ανοίγματα; Μια τέτοια πορεία δράσης δεν είναι λογική.
Χρειαζόμαστε μια συμφωνία εταιρικής σχέσης, μια στρατηγική εταιρική σχέση, καθώς έχουμε έναν μόνο μεγάλο γείτονα. Εξαρτιόμαστε από τον γείτονα αυτό για τον ενεργειακό εφοδιασμό μας, και αυτός εξαρτάται από εμάς όσον αφορά τα κεφάλαιά μας. Ωστόσο, επειδή εμείς στην Ευρώπη έχουμε αξίες τις οποίες πρέπει να προασπισθούμε, συζητούμε επίσης τις κοινές αξίες και τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα με τον γείτονα αυτό. " συζήτηση μόνον των αρνητικών πτυχών δεν είναι ένα καλό ξεκίνημα για τη νέα στρατηγική που χρειαζόμαστε πραγματικά απέναντι στον μεγάλο γείτονά μας. Επομένως, θα ήθελα να ευχαριστήσω την Επίτροπο για την απάντησή της, καθώς περιέχει θετικά στοιχεία που θα μας βοηθήσουν να επιτύχουν πραγματικά κάτι επωφελές για τα 500 εκατομμύρια των ευρωπαίων πολιτών.
Jan Marinus Wiersma
(NL) Κύριε Πρόεδρε, θα ήθελα να ξεκινήσω συγχαίροντας την κ. Oomen-Ruijten για τα όσα μόλις ανέφερε. Συμφωνώ ολόψυχα με τα επιχειρήματά της, και ελπίζω επίσης ότι θα επηρεάσουν την ομάδα της αύριο όταν θα ψηφίσει επί των τροπολογιών μας στην παρούσα έκθεση. Εύχομαι κάθε επιτυχία στη διαδικασία αυτή.
" ομάδα μου αντιμετωπίζει μεγάλες δυσκολίες με την παρούσα έκθεση του κ. Onyszkiewicz, και για τον λόγο αυτό την καταψηφίσαμε στην Επιτροπή Εξωτερικών Υποθέσεων. Είναι περιεκτική, και δικαιολογημένα· τα θέματα των σχέσεων ΕΕ και Ρωσίας είναι πράγματι εκτενή. Είναι αλήθεια ότι ο εισηγητής προσπάθησε να εξετάσει όλους αυτούς τους τομείς στην έκθεσή του, πράγμα για το οποίο τον συγχαίρω. Ωστόσο, η έκθεση υιοθετεί ακατάλληλο ύφος. Δεν μπορούμε να λέμε ότι οι σχέσεις αυτές είναι κρίσιμες, όπως αναφέρει ο εισηγητής, και στη συνέχεια να περιλαμβάνουμε απλώς παραδείγματα όλων των περιπτώσεων στις οποίες κάτι δεν γίνεται καλά στη Ρωσία, χωρίς να επισημαίνουμε επίσης τα σφάλματα που κάναμε και εμείς στο παρελθόν -την τελευταία εικοσαετία- σε σχέση με τη Ρωσική Ομοσπονδία.
" Ρωσία δεν είναι υποψήφια χώρα, αλλά μάλλον ένας στρατηγικός εταίρος, ο οποίος επιθυμεί τη συνεργασία σε τομείς κοινού ενδιαφέροντος. Κάτι τέτοιο απαιτεί εποικοδομητική, λογική συμπεριφορά, και συμφωνώ πλήρως με τον κ. Vondra ότι αυτή πρέπει να είναι η βάση της προσέγγισής μας. Σε αντίθεση προς την εντύπωση που δίνεται, τα κριτήρια της Κοπεγχάγης δεν εφαρμόζονται στην προκειμένη περίπτωση. Τάσσομαι υπέρ μιας ρεαλιστικής προσέγγισης που βασίζεται στην αλληλεξάρτηση. Μας χρειάζονται και τους χρειαζόμαστε. Στους τομείς του εμπορίου, της ενεργειακής συνεργασίας, του κλίματος ή της μη διάδοσης των πυρηνικών, μπορούμε να βρούμε λύσεις μόνον εάν συνεργασθούμε. Αυτό είναι το στρατηγικό συμφέρον -επιμένουμε να χρησιμοποιούμε τον όρο "στρατηγικό" στην παρούσα συζήτηση- που βρίσκεται πίσω από τις διαπραγματεύσεις για μια νέα συμφωνία. Πρέπει να διεξαγάγουμε τις διαπραγματεύσεις αυτές καλόπιστα, σεβόμενοι παράλληλα τα συμφέροντα της Ρωσίας.
Ο εισηγητής μας επικεντρώνει δικαιολογημένα μεγάλο μέρος της προσοχής του στους κοινούς γείτονες της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης και της Ρωσίας. Και στην περίπτωση αυτή ισχύει η αρχή ότι η συνεργασία είναι πιο παραγωγική από την αντιπαράθεση. Θέλουμε να αποφύγουμε με κάθε κόστος τη διαμάχη σχετικά με σφαίρες επιρροής. Αντίθετα, η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση πρέπει να επικεντρωθεί στην αναβίωση του αποδυναμωμένου Οργανισμού για την Ασφάλεια και τη Συνεργασία στην Ευρώπη (ΟΑΣΕ). Στο πλαίσιο αυτό, μπορούμε στη συνέχεια να εξετάσουμε τη βελτίωση της προσέγγισης στις "παγωμένες" συγκρούσεις που υπάρχουν ακόμη στην Ευρώπη, στη Γεωργία, στο Αζερμπαϊτζάν ή στη Μολδαβία.
Φυσικά, δεν είναι όλα ικανοποιητικά στις σχέσεις ΕΕ-Ρωσίας. " έκθεση αναφέρεται ορθώς στην πτυχή αυτή. Καταδικάσαμε την εισβολή της Ρωσίας στη Γεωργία και εξακολουθούμε να την καταδικάζουμε. Μας προβληματίζουν οι αυταρχικές τάσεις στη Ρωσία. Έτσι, ο διάλογος δεν μπορεί να αφορά μόνον τα θετικά στοιχεία και, ως μέλος του Συμβουλίου της Ευρώπης, η Ρωσία πρέπει να βελτιωθεί. Παρ' όλα αυτά, με όλο τον σεβασμό προς τον εισηγητή, θα ήταν σκόπιμο να επαναπροσδιορίζουμε τις σχέσεις μας. " εμμονή σε μια στάση που προκαλεί πόλωση, τη στιγμή που η κυβέρνηση των "νωμένων Πολιτειών έχει επιλέξει μια διαφορετική προσέγγιση απέναντι στη Ρωσία, είναι αντιπαραγωγική. Τα προβλήματά μας είναι παγκόσμια, και η συμμετοχή όλων είναι απαραίτητη για την επίλυσή τους.
István Szent-Iványi
(HU) Στην ομιλία του κατά την ανάληψη των καθηκόντων του, ο πρόεδρος Medvedev δήλωσε ότι το σημαντικότερο καθήκον του θα είναι η προστασία της ελευθερίας και η αποκατάσταση του κράτους δικαίου. Δυστυχώς, δεν εκπλήρωσε ακόμη την υπόσχεσή του. Είναι υποχρέωσή μας να του θυμίσουμε την υπόσχεσή του και να παράσχουμε μεγαλύτερη στήριξη στα ανεξάρτητα μέσα ενημέρωσης, στην κοινωνία των πολιτών και στα θύματα των παραβιάσεων των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων.
Αγωνιζόμαστε για μια ρεαλιστική εταιρική σχέση με τη Ρωσία και μια συμφωνία εταιρικής σχέσης είναι προς το συμφέρον μας. Ωστόσο, η προοπτική αυτή μπορεί να είναι ρεαλιστική μόνον εάν η Ρωσία επιδείξει από την πλευρά της εποικοδομητική, υπεύθυνη και συνεργάσιμη συμπεριφορά.
Τον Ιανουάριο, η εμπιστοσύνη στην αξιοπιστία της Ρωσίας ως προμηθευτή ενέργειας κλονίστηκε. Επομένως, το κεντρικό στοιχείο της συμφωνίας μας πρέπει να είναι η εταιρική σχέση στον τομέα της ενέργειας. Εάν η Ρωσία κυρώσει επιτέλους την ευρωπαϊκή συνθήκη για τον χάρτη ενέργειας και το πρωτόκολλο διαμετακόμισης, αυτή θα είναι μια κίνηση που θα συμβάλει στην οικοδόμηση εμπιστοσύνης. Προσδοκούμε από την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση να αναλάβει ενωμένη και αποφασιστική δράση για λογαριασμό εκείνων των κρατών μελών που εξαρτώνται σε μεγάλο βαθμό από τους ενεργειακούς εφοδιασμούς της Ρωσίας.
Inese Vaidere
(LV) Σας ευχαριστώ, κ. Onyszkiewicz, για την πολύ ισορροπημένη έκθεσή σας. " Ρωσία είναι ένας πολύ σημαντικός εταίρος για την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση. " κοινή δράση μπορεί να έχει θετικές συνέπειες στην υπέρβαση της οικονομικής και χρηματοπιστωτικής κρίσης. Ωστόσο, αυτό δεν πρέπει να μας επιτρέψει να αποκλίνουμε από τις αρχές και τις αξίες μας. Πρέπει να απαιτήσουμε από τη Ρωσία να αποκαταστήσει τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα στη Ρωσία, να αποκαταστήσει την ελευθερία του Τύπου, την ελευθερία έκφρασης και την ελευθερία του συνεταιρίζεσθαι. Πρέπει να επιμείνουμε ώστε το πρόγραμμα της Ρωσίας για την υποστήριξη των ρώσων συμπατριωτών να μην αποτελέσει αντικείμενο κατάχρησης ως εργαλείο για την ενίσχυση της πολιτικής επιρροής της σε ορισμένα κράτη μέλη της ΕΕ. Προκειμένου να υπογραφεί μια νέα συμφωνία, η Ρωσία πρέπει να εκπληρώσει τις υποχρεώσεις της όσον αφορά την εδαφική ακεραιότητα της Γεωργίας. " ευρεία συμφωνία πρέπει να περιλαμβάνει μια στρατηγική για την ενεργειακή ασφάλεια, βασισμένη στην κύρωση της συνθήκης για τον χάρτη ενέργειας. Πρέπει επίσης να απαιτήσουμε κατάλληλη αξιολόγηση των συνεπειών του βόρειου αγωγού φυσικού αερίου στο περιβάλλον. Σας ευχαριστώ.
Milan Horáček
(DE) Κύριε Πρόεδρε, κυρία Επίτροπε, κύριε ασκούντα την προεδρία του Συμβουλίου, ο κ. Onyszkiewicz αναφέρθηκε με μεγάλη οξυδέρκεια στη σημασία των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων στο πλαίσιο της συνεργασίας με τη Ρωσία, πράγμα για το οποίο τον ευχαριστώ. Πιστεύω ότι είναι ιδιαίτερα σημαντικό να καταστεί απολύτως σαφές ότι η Ευρώπη δεν αποδίδει μεγαλύτερη αξία στους οικονομικούς δεσμούς, δηλαδή στις συνδέσεις φυσικού αερίου, από ό,τι στα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα. Οι φυσιολογικές εταιρικές σχέσεις βασίζονται σε δύο αξιόπιστες πλευρές, οι οποίες εμπιστεύονται η μία την άλλη. Οι στρατηγικές εταιρικές σχέσεις ενέχουν τον κίνδυνο της περιορισμένης δυνατότητας προάσπισής τους και της μειωμένης αξιοπιστίας, και για τον λόγο αυτό η ΕΕ πρέπει να προστατευθεί κατά της αναξιοπιστίας. Όσο η Ρωσία συνεχίζει να παραβιάζει τόσο σοβαρά τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα και δεν καταφέρνει να επιτύχει ένα ελάχιστο επίπεδο δημοκρατίας και κράτους δικαίου, όπως φάνηκε, για παράδειγμα, στις υποθέσεις της Anna Politkovskaya ή του κ. Khodorkovsky και του κ. Lebedev, δεν μπορούμε να έχουμε μια καλή, φυσιολογική εταιρική σχέση.
Jiří Maštálka
(CS) " έκθεση του κ. Onyszkiewicz είναι αναμφίβολα ένα από τα πιο σημαντικά έγγραφα που κατατέθηκαν στο τέλος της εκλογικής εντολής μας. πρέπει να υπογραμμίσω ότι είμαι πολύ, πολύ απογοητευμένος από το περιεχόμενό της. Ένα από τα ήσσονος σημασίας ζητήματα με τα οποία μπορώ να συμφωνήσω είναι ότι όλοι θεωρούμε καθοριστικό στοιχείο τις καλές σχέσεις με τη Ρωσία. Κατά την άποψή μου, η ουσία της έκθεσης στερείται ισορροπίας και πιστεύω σθεναρά ότι στην αρχική αυτή μορφή δεν θα συμβάλει στη βελτίωση των αμοιβαίων σχέσεών μας. Θεωρώ παρανόηση, για να το θέσω ευγενικά, το γεγονός ότι η έκθεση θέλει να αναθέσει εξουσίες διαβούλευσης στον Ύπατο Εκπρόσωπο της ΕΕ. Εάν αυτός είναι ο κ. Solana, τότε για μένα ο άνθρωπος που πριν από δέκα χρόνια εξαπέλυσε τον παράλογο υποτιθέμενο ανθρωπιστικό βομβαρδισμό της Γιουγκοσλαβίας και ο οποίος, κατά παράβαση του διεθνούς δικαίου, οργανώνει τη διάλυση μέρους ενός κυρίαρχου κράτους, δεν έχει την εμπιστοσύνη μου. Διακρίνω επίσης μια έλλειψη ισορροπίας ειδικότερα στο γεγονός ότι η έκθεση επικρίνει τη Ρωσία για το πρόγραμμα υποστήριξης των ρώσων πολιτών που διαμένουν στο εξωτερικό, ενώ ταυτόχρονα σωπαίνει σχετικά με τη θέση των ρωσόφωνων μη υπηκόων στην ΕΕ. Κατά τη γνώμη μου, η έκθεση τηρεί επίσης σκόπιμη σιγή στο λεγόμενο πρόβλημα της Κάρτας Πολωνού, το οποίο παραβιάζει το διεθνές δίκαιο.
Francisco Millán Mon
(ES) " Ρωσία είναι ένας πολύ σημαντικός διεθνής παράγοντας, μόνιμο μέλος του Συμβουλίου Ασφαλείας και της Ομάδας των 8 και σημαντική στρατιωτική δύναμη. Για τους απλούς αυτούς λόγους, η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση πρέπει να προσπαθήσει να θεσπίσει μια σχέση διαλόγου και συνεργασίας με τη Ρωσία. Επιπλέον, πολλά κράτη μέλη εξαρτώνται από τη Ρωσία στον τομέα της ενέργειας και έχουν σημαντικές εμπορικές συναλλαγές μαζί της.
Ωστόσο, η σχέση πρέπει να προχωρήσει περισσότερο και να είναι πιο φιλόδοξη. " Ρωσία είναι ευρωπαϊκή χώρα και μέλος του Συμβουλίου της Ευρώπης· έχει αναλάβει δεσμεύσεις στον τομέα των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων και των δημοκρατικών ελευθεριών και πρέπει να μοιράζεται ένα σύνολο αξιών και αρχών μαζί μας, συμπεριλαμβανομένου του σεβασμού του διεθνούς δικαίου και της κυριαρχίας και της εδαφικής ακεραιότητας των κρατών.
Παρ' όλα αυτά, πρόσφατα γεγονότα υποδεικνύουν μια ανησυχητική τάση στη Ρωσία· για παράδειγμα, η χρήση ενεργειακών πόρων ως εργαλείου για την άσκηση πιέσεων, συμπεριλαμβανομένης της διακοπής του εφοδιασμού, ή η κρίση στη Γεωργία το περασμένο καλοκαίρι και τα γεγονότα που ακολούθησαν.
Όλα αυτά κλόνισαν την εμπιστοσύνη στη Ρωσία ως ευρωπαίου εταίρου. Τώρα πρέπει να προσπαθήσουμε να αποκαταστήσουμε την εμπιστοσύνη αυτή. Θέλουμε μια εποικοδομητική σχέση με τη Ρωσία, ως πραγματικοί ευρωπαίοι εταίροι, αλλά για να συμβεί κάτι τέτοιο η συμπεριφορά της Ρωσίας πρέπει να αλλάξει.
Στην Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, για πολλούς λόγους, ορισμένοι εκ των οποίων είναι ιστορικοί, τα κράτη μέλη έχουν διαφορετικές αντιλήψεις της σχέσης μας με τη Ρωσία και, επομένως, δεν είναι εύκολο να επιτευχθεί μια κοινή θέση. Αυτή είναι μία από τις αδυναμίες μας και ένα από τα προβλήματά μας. Ωστόσο, σε συνδυασμό με προσεγγίσεις που αποκαλούνται πραγματιστικές ή ρεαλιστικές, στο παρόν Κοινοβούλιο υπάρχει ολοένα και μεγαλύτερη πεποίθηση ότι οι εταίροι αυτοί με τους οποίους επιθυμούμε πολύ στενές σχέσεις πρέπει να συμπεριφέρονται σύμφωνα με το διεθνές δίκαιο και με σεβασμό των βασικών δικαιωμάτων και ελευθεριών, ιδίως εάν είναι εταίροι που ανήκουν στη μεγάλη ευρωπαϊκή οικογένεια.
Το Κοινοβούλιο χάρηκε ιδιαίτερα με τη δέσμευση που ανέλαβε ο πρόεδρος Medvedev σχετικά με τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα και το κράτος δικαίου κατά την έναρξη της θητείας του, αλλά τα λόγια του πρέπει να υποστηριχθούν με πράξεις.
Κυρίες και κύριοι, θα ήθελα να πιστεύω ότι στο μέλλον η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση θα βρει στη Ρωσία έναν μόνιμο, διαρθρωτικό εταίρο ο οποίος θα συμμερίζεται τις αξίες μας, αλλά σήμερα μου φαίνεται σαφές ότι το μέλλον αυτό είναι πολύ μακρινό.
Hannes Swoboda
(DE) Κυρία Πρόεδρε, θα ήθελα να ξεκινήσω ευχαριστώντας θερμά τον κ. Vondra και την Επίτροπο Ferrero-Waldner για τις παρουσιάσεις τους, οι οποίες ήταν πολύ πιο ρεαλιστικές και, κατά την άποψή μας, πιο ουσιαστικές από την έκθεση του κ. Onyszkiewicz στην παρούσα μορφή της, πράγμα το οποίο θεωρώ ιδιαίτερα λυπηρό, καθώς τρέφω μεγάλη εκτίμηση στον κ. Onyszkiewicz σε προσωπικό επίπεδο. Επομένως, δεν καταλαβαίνω καλά γιατί έχουμε στα χέρια μας μια έκθεση η οποία δεν χρησιμοποιεί την κοινή αυτή βάση -κριτική αφενός και προθυμία για συνεργασία αφετέρου- ως κοινό παρανομαστή, όπως έκαναν το Συμβούλιο και η Επιτροπή.
Επιτρέψτε μου να αναφερθώ στις επικρίσεις μας ακόμη μία φορά, εννοώντας τις επικρίσεις μας κατά της Ρωσίας, για να είμαι σαφής.
Όσον αφορά τη γειτονία, δεν κατανοούμε και επικρίνουμε τη συμπεριφορά της Ρωσίας απέναντι στη Γεωργία, αλλά ο κόσμος γνωρίζει εδώ και καιρό ότι η Ρωσία δεν είναι ο μόνος ένοχος στην προκειμένη περίπτωση. Το μόνο βέβαιο είναι ότι ορισμένοι κύκλοι εδώ δεν θέλουν να δεχθούν κάτι τέτοιο. Πρέπει να δούμε και τις δύο πλευρές. Όταν βλέπω την κ. Zourabichvili και την κ. Burjanadze, και πώς πρώην σύμμαχοι του προέδρου της Γεωργίας αντιτάσσονται τώρα στον πρόεδρο Saakashvili και πώς τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα δεν έχουν μεγάλη αξία ούτε και εκεί, αναρωτιέμαι γιατί επικρίνουμε μόνον τη Ρωσία και όχι και τη Γεωργία. Όσον αφορά την ενεργειακή κρίση με την Ουκρανία, γνωρίζουμε πλέον καλά, και το γνωρίζετε αυτό εξίσου καλά με εμάς, ότι η Ουκρανία και η εσωτερική πολιτική της κατάσταση φέρει μέρος της ευθύνης, αλλά οι επικρίσεις αφορούν πάντοτε μόνον τη Ρωσία.
Παρότι ο κ. Horáček, ο οποίος φαίνεται να θέλει να λύσει τώρα την κυβερνητική κρίση στην Τσεχική Δημοκρατία, ισχυρίζεται εδώ ότι δεν πρέπει να δώσουμε προτεραιότητα στο ζήτημα της ενέργειας σε σχέση με τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα, κανένας δεν κάνει πραγματικά κάτι τέτοιο. Πείτε μου, συγκεκριμένα, θέλετε να πούμε τώρα "δεν θέλουμε το φυσικό σας αέριο μέχρι να σεβαστείτε τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα"; Πρέπει να πείτε ανοικτά, με ειλικρίνεια και σαφήνεια τι θέλετε, και όχι απλώς να ρίχνετε επιγραμματικές δηλώσεις στη συζήτηση.
Το τρίτο θέμα που θα ήθελα να θίξω αφορά τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα. Μας απογοητεύει πικρά η στάση της Ρωσίας απέναντι στα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα· οπωσδήποτε, τη θεωρούμε απαράδεκτη. Δεν θα μείνουμε ποτέ σιωπηλοί όταν παραβιάζονται τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα. Όπως προανέφερα, πρέπει να αντιμετωπίζουμε τις παραβιάσεις των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων με σαφή τρόπο όπου και αν συμβαίνουν, στη Γεωργία, στη Ρωσία ή στα κράτη μέλη της ΕΕ. Σε αυτά περιλαμβάνονται τα δικαιώματα ρώσων πολιτών ή μη υπηκόων, μερικοί εκ των οποίων αντιμετωπίζουν, δυστυχώς, προβλήματα σε ορισμένα κράτη μέλη της ΕΕ. Εξυπακούεται ότι πρέπει να αντιμετωπίζουμε τις παραβιάσεις αυτές στον ίδιο βαθμό παντού· στον ίδιο βαθμό και με τα ίδια κριτήρια.
Τέταρτον, λυπάμαι πολύ γιατί η Ρωσία -και η ηγεσία της- δεν αναπτύσσει το είδος προοπτικής για την ιστορία της που πολλοί στις χώρες μας έχουν αναπτύξει. Αναφέρομαι στην προκειμένη περίπτωση στη συζήτηση που έχουμε ήδη κάνει, και στην αυριανή ψηφοφορία επί του ψηφίσματος σχετικά με την ιστορία. " εικόνα της Ρωσίας θα μπορούσε να βελτιωθεί σημαντικά, εάν υιοθετούσε μια πιο κριτική προσέγγιση της ιστορίας της, με άλλα λόγια, εάν παρουσίαζε τον σταλινισμό όχι ως σημαντικό εθνικό επίτευγμα, αλλά ως έγκλημα το οποίο πρέπει να αντιμετωπίσει. Φυσικά, υπήρξαν επίσης πολύ σαφείς δηλώσεις από την πλευρά μας, αλλά πρέπει να πούμε σε όλες τις χώρες, σε όλα τα ολοκληρωτικά καθεστώτα ότι δεν είμαστε διατεθειμένοι να δεχθούμε τα ολοκληρωτικά καθεστώτα και δεν είμαστε διατεθειμένοι να δεχθούμε την αδιαφορία απέναντι στην Ιστορία.
Μπορεί επομένως να υπάρχει ακόμη μια εναλλακτική δυνατότητα, εάν τουλάχιστον μία ή δύο από τις προτεινόμενες τροπολογίες της πλευράς μας γίνουν δεκτές, οι οποίες επιχειρούν να αποκαταστήσουν την ισορροπία και επιδιώκουν ακριβώς τη διττή αυτή στρατηγική: σημαντική κριτική στη Ρωσία, αλλά και προθυμία να συνάψουμε μια εταιρική σχέση με τη Ρωσία.
Henrik Lax
(SV) Κυρία Πρόεδρε, ο εισηγητής έχει απόλυτο δίκιο όταν αναφέρει ότι η ΕΕ πρέπει να είναι σε θέση να μιλήσει με μία φωνή σε σημαντικά θέματα που σχετίζονται με τη Ρωσία. Δυστυχώς, οι ρώσοι ηγέτες φαίνεται να θεωρούν τώρα τις σχέσεις με τρίτες χώρες ως ένα παιχνίδι μηδενικού αθροίσματος. Με απλά λόγια, εάν δεν σε χτυπήσω στο πηγούνι, θα με χτυπήσεις στο πηγούνι. " βαθύτερη συνεργασία μεταξύ της ΕΕ και της Ρωσίας θα ήταν στην πραγματικότητα μια αμοιβαίως επωφελής κατάσταση, και πρέπει να κάνουμε τους ηγέτες της Ρωσίας να το καταλάβουν αυτό. Υπάρχει κίνδυνος η σοβαρή οικονομική κρίση στη Ρωσία να σκληρύνει περαιτέρω τη στάση της ηγεσίας της σε σχέση με τη στενή συνεργασία με την ΕΕ. Επομένως, είναι ιδιαίτερα σημαντικό για την ΕΕ να εκφραστεί με μία φωνή. Κάθε φορά που η ΕΕ εκφράστηκε με σαφή και ξεκάθαρο τρόπο, οι ρώσοι ηγέτες ανέστειλαν τη δράση τους. " σύγκρουση στη Γεωργία, η κρίση του φυσικού αερίου μεταξύ Ρωσίας και Ουκρανίας στην αρχή του έτους και οι προκλήσεις γύρω από το ορειχάλκινο άγαλμα του στρατιώτη στην Εσθονία είναι παραδείγματα που δείχνουν ότι μια ενωμένη ΕΕ μπορεί να κάνει τη ρωσική ηγεσία να ξανασκεφτεί τις πράξεις της.
Hanna Foltyn-Kubicka
(PL) Κυρία Πρόεδρε, η έκθεση που εξετάζουμε περιέχει αρκετά λεπτομερή περιγραφή των πρόσφατων παραβιάσεων των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων στην επικράτεια της Ρωσικής Ομοσπονδίας. Οι περιπτώσεις αυτές αποδεικνύουν με σαφήνεια ότι η Ρωσία αδιαφορεί για όλα τα πρότυπα που εφαρμόζονται παντού στον ελεύθερο κόσμο. Καλώ, επομένως, το Συμβούλιο και την Επιτροπή να αρχίσουν να απαιτούν από τη Ρωσία να συμμορφωθεί με τις δεσμεύσεις που ανέλαβε όσον αφορά τον σεβασμό των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων. Αυτό πρέπει να αποτελέσει προϋπόθεση για τη διεξαγωγή περαιτέρω συνομιλιών σχετικά με μια συμφωνία.
Σε κοινές συσκέψεις με τη ρωσική πλευρά, άκουσα συχνά μέλη της ρωσικής Δούμα να λένε λίγο ή πολύ ότι δεν πρέπει να χαθεί άλλος χρόνος για τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα και ότι πρέπει να προχωρήσουμε σε ουσιαστικά ζητήματα, και ειδικότερα στο εμπόριο. Δεν μπορούμε να συμφωνήσουμε με μια τέτοια προσέγγιση. Δεν υπάρχει τίποτε πιο σημαντικό από την ελευθερία, την υγεία και την ίδια τη ζωή. Οι αξίες αυτές συχνά παραβλέπονται στη Ρωσία, αν και η αξία του χρήματος αναγνωρίζεται πάντοτε.
Tunne Kelam
Κυρία Πρόεδρε, θα ήθελα να συγχαρώ τον κ. Onyszkiewicz για τη σκληρή δουλειά του και τα αξιοπρεπή αποτελέσματά της.
Παρεμπιπτόντως, αυτή είναι η τελευταία θέση του απερχόμενου Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου στις σχέσεις με τη Ρωσία, και το ισχυρότερο μήνυμα που έχει στείλει το Κοινοβούλιο αυτό είναι η συνέπεια βάσει των κοινών ευρωπαϊκών αρχών μας.
Επομένως, είναι σκόπιμο να θυμηθούμε ότι η βάση των σχέσεών μας με τη Ρωσία εξακολουθεί να είναι η έκθεση που εκπόνησε η συνάδελφός μας, η κ. Malmström, πριν από αρκετά χρόνια· μια έκθεση της οποίας οι εισηγήσεις ακόμη δεν υλοποιήθηκαν.
Στο μεταξύ, βρισκόμαστε σε μια μετέωρη κατάσταση, επαναλαμβάνοντας συνεχώς πόσο σημαντικές είναι οι σχέσεις με τη Ρωσία. Αυτό είναι αλήθεια, αλλά δεν είναι ανάγκη να το επαναλαμβάνουμε. Πρέπει να αποκτήσουμε εμπιστοσύνη στη δύναμή μας, στις αξίες και στις δυνατότητές μας, όπως πρότεινε ο κ. Graham Watson, και να τιμήσουμε τις αξίες αυτές.
Πρέπει επίσης να διαπιστώσουμε ότι υπήρξε μια ποιοτική αλλαγή προς το χειρότερο στη Ρωσία. Τον περασμένο Αύγουστο, η Ρωσία σχεδόν κατέλαβε ένα κυρίαρχο γειτονικό κράτος. Δεν αρκεί να επικρίνουμε απλώς ή να εκφράζουμε τη λύπη μας για τις συνεχιζόμενες παραβιάσεις των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων στη Ρωσία. Το ζήτημα είναι πώς θα συνδέσουμε αυτά τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα και τις αξίες με την πρακτική συμπεριφορά μας. Διαφορετικά, θα είμαστε συνυπεύθυνοι, τουλάχιστον έμμεσα, για την καταστρατήγηση των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων και των δημοκρατικών αξιών στην Ρωσία με αντάλλαγμα φυσικό αέριο από τους ρωσικούς αγωγούς.
Ioan Mircea Paşcu
Κυρία Πρόεδρε, είναι προφανές ότι υπάρχουν δύο σχολές σκέψης στο παρόν Σώμα όταν πρόκειται για τη Ρωσία, οι οποίες εκφράζουν την αμφίθυμη στάση των κρατών μελών.
Στην ουσία, δεν πρόκειται για τη Ρωσία -καθώς πολλοί συμφωνούν ότι η δύναμη αυτή είναι αναπόφευκτα ένας στρατηγικός εταίρος μας- αλλά σχετικά με το πώς θα αποκριθούμε στη συμπεριφορά της, η οποία δεν ανταποκρίνεται πάντοτε στα πρότυπά μας. Έτσι, ενώ η πρώτη σχολή σκέψης προτείνει να αποδοθούν ευθύνες στη Ρωσία για κάθε απόκλιση από τα εν λόγω πρότυπα -και προφανώς η έκθεση του κ. Onyszkiewicz εμπίπτει στην κατηγορία αυτή- η δεύτερη σχολή σκέψης είναι πιο διαλλακτική, υποκινούμενη πρωτίστως από πραγματισμό.
Επομένως, το ερώτημα είναι ποια από τις δύο αυτές στάσεις εξασφαλίζει καλύτερη διαχείριση των κοινών ζητημάτων μας (οικονομία, εμπόριο, ενέργεια, ασφάλεια, έρευνα και εκπαίδευση), ικανοποιώντας τα συμφέροντά μας, αποφεύγοντας ταυτόχρονα την παραίτηση από τα πρότυπά μας. Ποια θα έχει μεγαλύτερο αντίκτυπο στη συμπεριφορά της Ρωσίας; Παρότι προσωπικά είμαι επιφυλακτικός όσον αφορά την ικανότητα οποιουδήποτε να επηρεάσει πραγματικά τη συμπεριφορά της Ρωσίας με τον έναν ή με τον άλλο τρόπο, εξακολουθώ να υποστηρίζω μια θέση της ΕΕ η οποία θα συνδυάζει τον πραγματισμό με την ακεραιότητα. Τελικά, παρότι η έκθεση αυτή αφορά κατ' όνομα τη Ρωσία, στην πραγματικότητα αφορά και εμάς.
Andrzej Zapałowski
(PL) Κυρία Πρόεδρε, είναι γνωστό της πάσι ότι μακροπρόθεσμα το περιεχόμενο κάθε συμφωνίας με τη Ρωσία μετατρέπεται περισσότερο σε ευχολόγιο παρά σε ένα σύνολο νομικά δεσμευτικών μέτρων. Παρ' όλα αυτά, είναι σημαντικό να συνεχίσουμε τις προσπάθειές μας για τη ρύθμιση των σχέσεών μας με τη Ρωσία με τον καλύτερο δυνατό τρόπο. Προφανώς, αυτό δεν μπορεί να επιτευχθεί με τους σημερινούς όρους, βάσει των οποίων η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση με πληθυσμό ο οποίος αριθμεί σχεδόν 500 εκατομμύρια κατοίκους και με συμμετοχή άνω του 20% στο παγκόσμιο ΑΕγχΠ πρέπει να κολακεύει έναν πολύ πιο αδύναμο και με μικρότερο πληθυσμό εταίρο. Το αναφέρω αυτό επειδή συχνά τα συμφέροντα συγκεκριμένων κρατών μελών της ΕΕ έρχονται σε σύγκρουση με την εσωτερική αλληλεγγύη της ΕΕ. " Ρωσία δεν έχει κανέναν ενδοιασμό να εκμεταλλευθεί τις καταστάσεις αυτές. Φυσικά, πρέπει να εμβαθύνουμε την οικονομική συνεργασία μας με τη Ρωσία, αλλά πρέπει να ζητήσουμε από τον εταίρο μας να συμμορφωθεί προς τα ίδια πρότυπα που είναι δεσμευτικά για όλα τα κράτη μέλη της ΕΕ. Δεν τίθεται ζήτημα να ανεχθούμε τις παραβιάσεις των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων.
György Schöpflin
Κυρία Πρόεδρε, τα συγχαρητήριά μου στον εισηγητή. Πιστεύω ότι η παρούσα έκθεση είναι εξαιρετικά σημαντική.
Μου φαίνεται ότι ο στρατηγικός τρόπος σκέψης της Ρωσίας είναι ένα από τα σημαντικότερα προβλήματα που αντιμετωπίζει η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση αυτή τη στιγμή. Εάν δεν κατανοούμε πώς αντιλαμβάνεται η Ρωσία τη θέση της στον κόσμο, δεν μπορούμε να καταλάβουμε πραγματικά τι λέει και τι πράττει το Κρεμλίνο. Υπάρχει, στην πραγματικότητα, μια λογική στις πράξεις της Ρωσίας, αλλά αυτή δεν είναι ίδια με τη δική μας. Ενώ η ΕΕ κατέστησε την ειρηνική επίλυση των συγκρούσεων κεντρικό στοιχείο του τρόπου σκέψης της, η Ρωσία δεν έχει κανέναν ενδοιασμό να καταφύγει στη χρήση βίας, όπως έκανε στη Γεωργία πέρσι.
Επομένως, το μυστικό βρίσκεται στο πώς αντιλαμβάνεται η Ρωσία τη δύναμη. Στην ευρωπαϊκή παράδοση, η δύναμη πρέπει να εποπτεύεται από δημοκρατικούς θεσμούς. Στη Ρωσία, η δύναμη συγκεντρώνεται στην πεποίθηση ότι, μέσω της συγκέντρωσης αυτής, η δύναμη θα είναι πιο αποτελεσματική.
Αυτό είναι πολύ επικίνδυνο για τα κράτη τα οποία η Ρωσία θεωρεί αδύναμα. Καθίστανται αυτομάτως στόχοι για την επέκταση της ρωσικής δύναμης. " πρόσφατη μυστική αγορά μεγάλου μεριδίου μετοχών στην ουγγρική εταιρεία ενέργειας MOL από ρωσική επιχείρηση είναι, επομένως, κάτι περισσότερο από μια απλή εμπορική συναλλαγή· καταδεικνύει με ποιον τρόπο η Ρωσία κινείται σε χώρο που δεν καταλαμβάνεται από άλλους.
Από την οπτική της δύναμης, η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση και η Ευρωπαϊκή ολοκλήρωση είναι ανεξήγητες, ανούσιες διαδικασίες για τη Ρωσία. Στα μάτια της Ρωσίας, η μεταβίβαση κυριαρχίας συνιστά βδελυγμία, δεν είναι τρόπος εξασφάλισης της ειρήνης. Επομένως -και είναι ζωτικής σημασίας να αναγνωρίσουμε το γεγονός αυτό- για τη Ρωσία, το πρόβλημα είναι η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση. " επιτυχία της είναι ένα μυστήριο, και κυρίως ένα εμπόδιο στη μεγιστοποίηση της δύναμης της Ρωσίας. Επομένως, η μελλοντική επιτυχία της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης εξαρτάται από το να αναγνωρίσουμε με ποιον τρόπο η Ρωσία αντιλαμβάνεται τη δύναμη. Με πολύ διαφορετικό τρόπο από ό,τι η Ευρώπη. Και δεν πρέπει να έχουμε αυταπάτες σχετικά με αυτό.
Richard Howitt
Κυρία Πρόεδρε, τον περασμένο μήνα, μετέβην, για λογαριασμό του Κοινοβουλίου, στη διοικητική συνοριακή γραμμή της Γεωργίας, που έχει εγκαθιδρυθεί από τους αυτονομιστές της Νότιας Οσετίας μετά τη στρατιωτική εισβολή της Ρωσίας. Κοιτάζοντας το σημείο ελέγχου, όπου δεν υπήρχε καμία επίσημη επικοινωνία σε καμία πλευρά, μου φάνηκε πραγματικά σαν σκηνή από τον Ψυχρό Πόλεμο. Εάν δεν θέλουμε να γυρίσουμε στο παρελθόν, ένα απτό μέτρο που θα μπορούσαν να λάβουν οι Ρώσοι θα ήταν να συμβάλουν στην παροχή πλήρους πρόσβασης στην πολύ επιτυχημένη ευρωπαϊκή αποστολή αστυνόμευσης και στις δύο πλευρές της γραμμής, ώστε αυτή να μπορέσει να εκπληρώσει κατάλληλα τα καθήκοντά της που αφορούν την παρακολούθηση της κατάπαυσης του πυρός. Θα ήταν ένα μικρό, αλλά απτό μέτρο οικοδόμησης εμπιστοσύνης, και τους καλώ να το πράξουν.
Συμμερίζομαι επίσης την άποψη που διατύπωσαν πολλοί στο παρόν Σώμα ότι όσο περισσότερη ευρωπαϊκή αλληλεγγύη έχουμε τόσο καλύτερες θα είναι οι σχέσεις Ευρώπης-Ρωσίας. Το γεγονός αυτό αναδείχθηκε εκ νέου αυτή την εβδομάδα με την προσπάθεια της Ρωσίας να εξασφαλίσει χωριστές, όχι κοινές, συμφωνίες με χώρες της ΕΕ σχετικά με τα πρότυπα εισαγωγής οπωροκηπευτικών. Από την άποψη αυτή, εκφράζω τη λύπη μου για τη σημερινή ομιλία του ηγέτη των Φιλελεύθερων Δημοκρατών, ο οποίος προσπάθησε να παρουσιάσει τη σοσιαλιστική θέση ως ενδοτική σε θέματα ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων. Όχι μόνον θα ψηφίσουμε για να επικρίνουμε τη Ρωσία για την παραβίαση διεθνών εκλογικών προτύπων, για την υπονόμευση της ελευθερίας έκφρασης, για τη φυλάκιση πολιτικών κρατουμένων και για τον εκφοβισμό και την παρενόχληση υπερασπιστών των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων, αλλά επιπλέον η ομιλία αυτή καταδεικνύει απλώς την ίδια λογική της επίρριψης ευθυνών στη Ρωσία, η οποία είναι από μόνη της ένα παράδειγμα της έλλειψης αλληλεγγύης που αναστέλλει τη δράση μας.
" Ρωσία επηρεάζεται από την οικονομική κρίση- όπως κάθε χώρα- υποφέροντας από την πτώση της τιμής του πετρελαίου, την υποτίμηση του ρουβλίου κατά το ένα τρίτο και την πτώση του χρηματιστηρίου της κατά 75%. Σήμερα, ο πρόεδρος Medvedev συμμετέχει πλήρως στη συνάντηση της Ομάδας των 20 στο Λονδίνο. Πιστεύω ότι η συγκυρία είναι κατάλληλη, γιατί η Ρωσία χρειάζεται τη συνεργασία μας και ενδέχεται να είναι πιο ανοικτή στην αλλαγή, εφόσον έχουμε στην Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση την αποφασιστικότητα και την ενότητα για να την επιδιώξουμε.
Giulietto Chiesa
(IT) Κυρία Πρόεδρε, κυρίες και κύριοι, διαβάζοντας το κείμενο του παρόντος εγγράφου έχει κανείς την εντύπωση ότι όποιος το έγραψε δεν επιδιώκει τη βελτίωση αλλά την επιδείνωση των σχέσεων της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης με τη Ρωσία. Εάν αυτός είναι ο στόχος της Ευρώπης, το συγκεκριμένο έγγραφο είναι εξαιρετικό· εάν όχι, είναι πολύ κακό. Προσωπικά πιστεύω ότι είναι ένα πολύ κακό έγγραφο. Πώς μπορούμε να φανταστούμε ένα μέλλον νέων εντάσεων με μια χώρα την οποία αναγνωρίζουμε ως απαραίτητη όσον αφορά τα συμφέροντά μας; Τα επόμενα 40 χρόνια θα πρέπει να βασιστούμε στους παραδοσιακούς ενεργειακούς πόρους, τους οποίους η Ρωσία διαθέτει σε αφθονία. Μπορούμε να κάνουμε διαφορετικά; Δεν μπορούμε.
Δεύτερον, ο τρόπος και το ύφος. Στις σελίδες αυτές, η Ευρώπη εκφράζεται με μια αυτοκρατορική γλώσσα και όχι με τη γλώσσα κάποιου που σέβεται τον συνομιλητή του. Κάτι τέτοιο αντιβαίνει στην πολιτική γειτονίας μας, και δεν θα ήταν σωστό να χρησιμοποιηθεί ακόμη και στις συναλλαγές με μια μικρή χώρα, πόσω μάλλον όταν έχουμε να κάνουμε με μια μεγάλη χώρα η οποία απαιτεί σεβασμό, και εύλογα. Είναι ζήτημα ρεαλισμού, πρωτίστως και κυρίως.
Φοβάμαι ότι το Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο είναι έτοιμο να εγκρίνει ένα κείμενο γραμμένο στο πνεύμα του Ψυχρού Πολέμου -παρωχημένο, άσκοπο, επιζήμιο και αντιπαραγωγικό- την ίδια στιγμή που ο νέος πρόεδρος των "ΠΑ ανοίγει έναν νέο διάλογο με τη Μόσχα. Με την προσέγγιση αυτή, η Ευρώπη δεν μπορεί να διεκδικήσει ηγετικό ρόλο. Ελπίζω πως η Επιτροπή δεν θα δεχθεί τις συστάσεις αυτές.
Romana Cizelj
(SL) Θέσατε πολλά πολιτικά προβλήματα στη διάρκεια της συζήτησης αυτής, αλλά θα ήθελα να σας επιστήσω την προσοχή σε μια άλλη πρόκληση, η οποία δεν αναφέρεται στην έκθεσή μας. Πρόκειται για τον τομέα της κλιματικής αλλαγής, έναν τομέα ο οποίος υπήρξε μέχρι τώρα αντικείμενο κυρίως των επιστημόνων. Ωστόσο, εάν θέλουμε να αντιμετωπίσουμε το πρόβλημα με επιτυχία, πρέπει επίσης να υποστηρίξουμε τη δράση αυτή με ισχυρά και αποφασιστικά πολιτικά μέτρα.
Πρόκειται για μια παγκόσμια πρόκληση, η οποία απαιτεί αμοιβαία ευθύνη. Για τον λόγο αυτό, νομίζω ότι πρέπει να αξιοποιούμε κάθε ευκαιρία ώστε να παροτρύνουμε τη Ρωσία να αναλάβει το μερίδιο ευθύνης της τόσο για τον μετριασμό της αλλαγής του κλίματος όσο και για την προσαρμογή σε αυτήν. Πρέπει επίσης να παροτρύνουμε τη Ρωσία να αναλάβει πιο ενεργό ρόλο στις διεθνείς διαπραγματεύσεις, εν όψει της διάσκεψης της Κοπεγχάγης.
Συνάδελφοι, θα ήθελα επίσης να σας υπενθυμίσω ότι η λήψη κατάλληλων μέτρων για την αλλαγή του κλίματος είναι ζήτημα διασφάλισης των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων.
Monika Beňová
(SK) Θα είμαι πολύ σύντομη, καθώς τα περισσότερα από αυτά που ήθελα να πω ειπώθηκαν από τους συναδέλφους μου του κόμματος των ευρωπαίων Σοσιαλδημοκρατών.
Κατά τη γνώμη μου, η έκθεση στερείται ισορροπίας και είναι ρωσοφοβική. Προέρχομαι από μια χώρα, η οποία έζησε για πολλά χρόνια κάτω από ένα καθεστώς το οποίο δεν ήταν εύκολο για τους περισσότερους ανθρώπους, αλλά ακριβώς για τον λόγο αυτό δεν καταλαβαίνω γιατί λογικοί άνθρωποι στο παρόν Σώμα θέλουν τώρα να εγκρίνουν ένα έγγραφο, με το οποίο θα δείξουμε πάλι κάποιους με το δάκτυλο και θα τους κατηγορήσουμε για κάτι.
Θεωρούσα ότι το παρόν Κοινοβούλιο μπορούσε να κατανοήσει την παρούσα κατάσταση στον κόσμο. Απορρίπτω πλήρως την ιδέα ότι οποιοσδήποτε εδώ επιθυμεί να ανταλλάξει το φυσικό αέριο και το πετρέλαιο με την προστασία των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων. Οι ευρωπαίοι Σοσιαλδημοκράτες θέλουν να προστατεύσουν τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα και προστάτευσαν πάντοτε τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα, αλλά από την άλλη πλευρά βλέπουμε την προφανή πραγματικότητα που βρίσκεται μπροστά μας. Μπροστά στην ΕΕ, μπροστά στις "ΠΑ, μπροστά στη Ρωσία και μπροστά σε ολόκληρο τον κόσμο. Μόνο με μια βάση καλών κοινών συμφωνιών θα μπορέσουμε να αντιμετωπίσουμε την πραγματικότητα αυτή.
Andrzej Wielowieyski
(FR) Κυρία Πρόεδρε, η Ρωσία είναι ο μεγαλύτερος γείτονάς μας, μια μεγάλη χώρα, η οποία τον περασμένο αιώνα έχει ιμπεριαλιστικές φαντασιώσεις, αλλά βίωσε επίσης ορισμένες τρομερές εμπειρίες.
" έξοδος από μια τέτοια τραυματική εμπειρία απαιτεί χρόνο και επιμονή, και πρέπει να είμαστε και εμείς υπομονετικοί. Επομένως, η διαπραγμάτευση μιας νέας συμφωνίας θα είναι δύσκολη και επίπονη. " έκθεση είναι απαιτητική, αλλά δίκαιη. " συνέπεια μεταξύ μιας αποτελεσματικής εταιρικής σχέσης με τους έξι εξ ανατολών γείτονές μας και μιας καλής αμοιβαίας συνεργασίας με τη Ρωσία αποτελεί τη μεγαλύτερη πρόκληση για την ευρωπαϊκή πολιτική. " πρόοδος θα εξαρτηθεί από τον συμβιβασμό των τρόπων ζωής μας και την κατανόηση των θεμελιωδών αξιών, τις οποίες δεν πρέπει να προδώσουμε.
Ewa Tomaszewska
(PL) Κυρία Πρόεδρε, τα κύρια εμπόδια που επηρεάζουν τις επαφές μας με τη Ρωσία είναι η χρήση από αυτήν των εφοδιασμών φυσικού αερίου ως μέσου πολιτικού εκβιασμού, η απειλή κατά της ανεξαρτησίας της Γεωργίας, η γενοκτονία στην Τσετσενία και η παράλειψή της να διεξαγάγει δίκαιες δίκες σχετικά με τις δολοφονίες της Anna Politkovskaya και του Alexander Litvinenko. Δυστυχώς, η Ρωσία δεν έκανε ούτε ένα βήμα προς την κατεύθυνση της καθιέρωσης της δημοκρατίας και του σεβασμού των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων, πράγμα που δεν επιτρέπει ευοίωνες προβλέψεις για τις μελλοντικές διαπραγματεύσεις και τη συνεργασία. Εάν θέλουμε οι διαπραγματεύσεις μας να στεφθούν από επιτυχία, πρέπει να διεξαγάγουμε μια ενιαία κοινή πολιτική βασισμένη στην αλληλεγγύη. Αυτό είναι πολύ σημαντικό στην περίπτωση ενός τόσο σημαντικού γείτονα της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης.
Gerard Batten
Κυρία Πρόεδρε, πώς μπορεί η κ. Ferrero-Waldner να αναφέρεται στη Ρωσία ως εταίρο και ο κ. Vondra να ζητεί εγγυήσεις δημοκρατίας και ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων;
" Ρωσία είναι ένα κακοποιό κράτος, στο οποίο οι ενοχλητικοί πολιτικοί αντίπαλοι, οι διαφωνούντες και οι δημοσιογράφοι απλώς δολοφονούνται. Οι Ρώσοι διαθέτουν ακόμη έναν νόμο που τους επιτρέπει να δολοφονούν οποιονδήποτε- ρώσο πολίτη ή αλλοδαπό- σε ξένο έδαφος, εάν θεωρούν ότι συνιστά απειλή ή ενόχληση. Μια τέτοια δολοφονία διαπράχθηκε κατά του ψηφοφόρου της εκλογικής μου περιφέρειας Alexander Litvinenko στο Λονδίνο το 2006 με μια τρομοκρατική πράξη υποστηριζόμενη από το κράτος. " οικογένειά του περιμένει ακόμη να αποδοθεί δικαιοσύνη και να προσαχθούν οι δολοφόνοι του στη δικαιοσύνη ή να δικαστούν στην Αγγλία.
Προσωπικά, δεν θέλω να διαπραγματεύεται η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση συμφωνίες με κανέναν και για τίποτα. Αλλά, εάν η Επιτροπή είναι σοβαρή στις προθέσεις της, γιατί δεν ζήτησε την έκδοση των υπόπτων ως ένδειξη καλής θέλησης και ως προϋπόθεση για την έναρξη διαπραγματεύσεων;
Alexandru Nazare
(RO) Οι δυνατότητες μιας ισχυρής συνεργασίας με τη Ρωσική Ομοσπονδία είναι ευθέως ανάλογες προς τις προκλήσεις και τις δυσκολίες που πρέπει να αντιμετωπίσουμε. " Ρωσία έχει επιλέξει εδώ και κάποιο διάστημα ένα είδος λόγου και μια πορεία ενεργειών που θέτουν τις προοπτικές μιας ρεαλιστικής συνεργασίας σε δεύτερη μοίρα και ενθαρρύνουν μια σκληρή προσέγγιση στις διεθνείς σχέσεις, με την οποία δεν μπορούμε να συμφωνήσουμε με κανέναν τρόπο και σε καμία μορφή.
Μετά τη σύγκρουση στη Γεωργία, μείναμε σε ένα σημείο στο οποίο μπορούμε να δούμε τις διαφορές μεταξύ μας στη στάση που υιοθετήσαμε σε κρίσιμα θέματα. " Ρωσική Ομοσπονδία πιστεύει ότι η παρουσία των στρατευμάτων της σε χώρες της περιοχής είναι αποδεκτή και ότι έχουν ακόμη και το δικαίωμα να επεμβαίνουν όταν η Μόσχα θεωρεί κάτι τέτοιο αναγκαίο. " εμπλοκή της Ρωσίας σε ανεπίλυτες συγκρούσεις γίνεται αισθητή ακόμη και στα σύνορα της ΕΕ, με τον αντίκτυπο που έχει κάτι τέτοιο για όλους εμάς τους Ευρωπαίους.
Πρέπει να σας υπενθυμίσω τι πρότεινα ουσιαστικά στις τροπολογίες μου. " παρουσία ρωσικών στρατευμάτων στην αποσχισθείσα περιοχή της Υπερδνειστερίας επηρεάζει τη Δημοκρατία της Μολδαβίας εδώ και δύο σχεδόν δεκαετίες στην πορεία της προς την πρόοδο και την ελευθερία να επιλέξει το μέλλον της. " Ρωσική Ομοσπονδία πρέπει να αποσύρει τα στρατεύματά της από την Υπερδνειστερία, ώστε να παράσχει τη βάση για την εν λόγω εταιρική σχέση.
Alexandr Vondra
Ασκών την Προεδρία του Συμβουλίου. - Κυρία Πρόεδρε, θα ήθελα να σας ευχαριστήσω όλους για την ενδιαφέρουσα αυτή συζήτηση. Νομίζω ότι είναι πολύ αναγκαία όσον αφορά τις μελλοντικές σχέσεις μας με τη Ρωσία, και η συζήτηση κάλυψε αρκετά σημαντικά σημεία. Υποστηρίζω πολλά από τα όσα ειπώθηκαν εδώ.
Όσον αφορά την αναγκαιότητα εμπλοκής, πιστεύω ότι είναι σαφές ότι μια νέα συμφωνία έχει μεγάλη σημασία για την περαιτέρω ανάπτυξη και εντατικοποίηση της συνεργασίας ΕΕ και Ρωσίας. Είναι επίσης σαφές ότι η νέα συμφωνία πρέπει να συνεχίσει τη βελτίωση της ισχύουσας συμφωνίας εταιρικής σχέσης και συνεργασίας (ΣΕΣΣ). Πρέπει να αντικατοπτρίζει την πραγματικότητα της σημερινής συνεργασίας με τη Ρωσία. Οι σχέσεις μας έχουν σήμερα πολύ μεγαλύτερο βάθος και πλάτος από ό,τι πριν από μόλις δέκα χρόνια.
Όσον αφορά την ενέργεια, πρέπει να αναφέρουμε με σαφήνεια ότι η ΕΕ επιθυμεί να ενισχύσει τη συνεργασία με τη Ρωσία χρησιμοποιώντας τα υπάρχοντα μέσα - τις συσκέψεις του διαλόγου για την ενέργεια και το μόνιμο συμβούλιο εταιρικής σχέσης για την ενέργεια. Στη διάρκεια της παρούσας προεδρίας θα πραγματοποιηθεί συνεδρίαση του μόνιμου συμβουλίου εταιρικής σχέσης για την ενέργεια. Στόχος είναι η προώθηση της εμπιστοσύνης και της διαφάνειας στις σχέσεις ΕΕ-Ρωσίας στον τομέα της ενέργειας. Δεν μπορούμε να υποστούμε μια νέα διαταραχή του ενεργειακού εφοδιασμού. Πρέπει επίσης να ενισχύσουμε τον μηχανισμό έγκαιρης προειδοποίησης και να τον καταστήσουμε περισσότερο λειτουργικό.
Όσον αφορά τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα, πιστεύω ότι η εφαρμογή του κράτους δικαίου, μια ανεξάρτητη δικαστική εξουσία και ο πλήρης σεβασμός των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων -συμπεριλαμβανομένων ελεύθερων και ανεξάρτητων μέσων ενημέρωσης- είναι αναγκαία στοιχεία για την προώθηση της σταθερότητας και της ευημερίας στη Ρωσία. " ΕΕ παρακολουθεί την κατάσταση των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων στη Ρωσία με προβληματισμό και εγείρουμε τις ανησυχίες αυτές -και θα συνεχίσουμε να τις εγείρουμε- στις συσκέψεις ΕΕ-Ρωσίας. Για παράδειγμα, η εξέλιξη υποθέσεων, όπως η επανάληψη της δίκης Khodorkovsky, θα αποτελέσουν για εμάς δοκιμή όσον αφορά τη λειτουργία του κράτους δικαίου στη Ρωσία.
Όσον αφορά την άσκηση επιρροής, συμφωνώ ιδιαίτερα ότι πρέπει να μιλούμε με μία φωνή στις συνομιλίες μας με τη Ρωσία, και χρειαζόμαστε μια τέτοια συζήτηση για να διαμορφώσουμε την ενιαία αυτή φωνή. " ενότητα και η αλληλεγγύη είναι θεμελιώδεις και θα εργασθούμε πολύ σκληρά για να τις επιτύχουμε. Είναι σημαντικό τα κράτη μέλη να ενημερώνουν το ένα το άλλο και να διαβουλεύονται μεταξύ τους όσο το δυνατόν περισσότερο σχετικά με ενδεχόμενα διμερή ζητήματα που αφορούν τη Ρωσία, τα οποία μπορεί να έχουν συνέπειες σε άλλα κράτη μέλη και στην ΕΕ στο σύνολό της. Οι συστάσεις του Κοινοβουλίου στον τομέα αυτό αξίζει να ληφθούν υπόψη, παρότι, δεδομένων των υφιστάμενων δομών του Συμβουλίου, δεν είμαι απολύτως βέβαιος ότι η δημιουργία ενός επίσημου μηχανισμού διαβούλευσης είναι ο πιο πρακτικός τρόπος για να προχωρήσουμε προς αυτή την κατεύθυνση. Ωστόσο, πιστεύω σθεναρά ότι απαιτείται κάποιου είδους μηχανισμός ή κοινή προσέγγιση ώστε να συμπληρωθεί το ισχύον πλαίσιο των σχέσεων ΕΕ-Ρωσίας.
Οπωσδήποτε υπάρχει περιθώριο βελτίωσης της πολιτικής μας απέναντι στη Ρωσία, και η ενότητα και η αλληλεγγύη είναι πράγματι οι λέξεις-κλειδιά στο πλαίσιο αυτό. Έχουμε ήδη αρκετά εντατικές πολιτικές διαβουλεύσεις στο Συμβούλιο όταν τίθεται θέμα επίδειξης αλληλεγγύης, αλλά αυτό είναι επίσης θέμα πολιτικής βούλησης. Συμφωνώ ότι χρειαζόμαστε μεγαλύτερη εμπιστοσύνη και κατανόηση μεταξύ ΕΕ και Ρωσίας. Πρέπει να ξεπεράσουμε την καχυποψία του παρελθόντος και να αξιοποιήσουμε την πραγματική και ουσιαστική σχέση που έχει εξελιχθεί τα τελευταία χρόνια, αλλά η διαδικασία αυτή είναι οπωσδήποτε αμφίδρομη και το ταγκό θέλει δύο χορευτές.
" νέα συμφωνία είναι ένας τρόπος για να επιτύχουμε αυτό το αποτέλεσμα. Ο άλλος τρόπος είναι η βελτίωση του διαλόγου. Το Κοινοβούλιο μπορεί να διαδραματίσει σημαντικό ρόλο στον τομέα αυτό και, επομένως, μπορώ να συμφωνήσω με την πρόταση ότι ο ρόλος της επιτροπής κοινοβουλευτικής συνεργασίας πρέπει να ενισχυθεί στο πλαίσιο της νέας συμφωνίας. " κοινοβουλευτική διάσταση -όπως και οι επαφές με την κοινωνία των πολιτών- μπορεί να προσφέρει πολλά όσον αφορά την επικοινωνία και την προώθηση των θεμελιωδών δημοκρατικών αρχών και αξιών επί των οποίων ερείδεται η ΕΕ. Επομένως, προσβλέπουμε στη συνέχιση του διαλόγου μαζί σας καθώς θα προχωρούν οι διαπραγματεύσεις.
Benita Ferrero-Waldner
Μέλος της Επιτροπής. - Κυρία Πρόεδρε, οι συζητήσεις με θέμα τη Ρωσία δεν είναι ποτέ εύκολες. Αφενός, η Ρωσία είναι ένας σημαντικός παγκόσμιος εταίρος, αλλά, αφετέρου, είναι επίσης ένας μεγάλος γείτονας, και στην περίπτωση αυτή νομίζω ότι έχουμε δύο πλευρές οι οποίες δεν συγκλίνουν πάντοτε εύκολα.
Από τη μια πλευρά, καθώς είναι παγκόσμιος εταίρος, θεωρούμε τη Ρωσία πραγματικό εταίρο, όπως προανέφερα. Για παράδειγμα, στη Μέση Ανατολή, στην επιδίωξη λύσης μεταξύ Ισραήλ και Παλαιστίνης και σε πολλά άλλα τέτοια θέματα. Επίσης, στο Αφγανιστάν και στο Πακιστάν, χθες στη διάσκεψη στη Χάγη, η Ρωσία διαδραμάτισε σημαντικό ρόλο· ή στο Ιράν, ή σε θέματα μη διάδοσης των όπλων, ή στα μεγάλα παγκόσμια ζητήματα όπως η αλλαγή του κλίματος, που αναφέρθηκε επίσης, ή η παρούσα χρηματοπιστωτική και οικονομική κρίση. Όλοι επηρεάζονται από αυτήν. Αυτό ισχύει για εμάς, αλλά ισχύει και για τη Ρωσία και για πολλούς άλλους παγκόσμιους εταίρους. Επομένως, πιστεύω ότι πρέπει να βλέπουμε την πτυχή αυτή με ξεκάθαρο τρόπο, αλλά ταυτόχρονα πρέπει επίσης να βλέπουμε τη Ρωσία ως ένα μεγάλο γείτονα με τον οποίο δεν συμφωνούμε πάντοτε στην κοινή γειτονιά. Και έχουμε μια κοινή γειτονιά - ορισμένοι από εσάς αναφερθήκατε σε αυτή, στη Μολδαβία ή στο Ναγκόρνο-Καραμπάχ ή, φυσικά, στη Γεωργία. Στον τομέα αυτό πρέπει να βεβαιωθούμε ότι θα πλησιάσουμε πολύ περισσότερο ο ένας τον άλλο, αλλά και ότι θα μιλάμε με ειλικρίνεια για τις δυσκολίες και τις διαφορές που υπάρχουν.
Ένα από τα ζητήματα αυτά είναι η "ανατολική εταιρική σχέση", και συζητήσαμε την ανατολική εταιρική σχέση μόλις την περασμένη εβδομάδα στο Κοινοβούλιο. Κύριος στόχος της ανατολικής εταιρικής σχέσης, η οποία αφορά έξι από τις γειτονικές μας χώρες, είναι να βοηθήσουμε τις χώρες εκείνες που επιθυμούν να ευθυγραμμισθούν πολύ περισσότερο με την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση σε ορισμένα βασικά ζητήματα, όπως τα πρότυπα διακυβέρνησης, η μεγαλύτερη εμπορική ελευθερία και άλλα. Στις δραστηριότητες αυτές, νομίζω ότι είναι σημαντικό να έχουμε τις εν λόγω χώρες εταίρους. Όμως, ταυτόχρονα είπαμε επίσης, στην πολυμερή πλατφόρμα, ότι είμαστε καταρχήν ανοικτοί σε τρίτες χώρες όπως η Ρωσία σε βάση ad hoc, όπως αρμόζει· οπωσδήποτε η Ρωσία είναι επίσης πλήρες μέλος της Συνέργειας του Ευξείνου Πόντου, στην οποία εξετάζονται περιφερειακά θέματα.
Επομένως, υπάρχει επίσης δυνατότητα να συνεργαστούμε για να ξεπεράσουμε ορισμένες από τις υπάρχουσες δυσκολίες. Από την άλλη πλευρά, έχουμε το ζήτημα του φυσικού αερίου. Όσον αφορά το φυσικό αέριο, γνωρίζουμε -το είπα σαφώς προηγουμένως και θα το επαναλάβω- ότι εξαρτιόμαστε ο ένας από τον άλλον· το γνωρίζουμε αυτό. Γνωρίζουμε επίσης, ότι η κρίση του φυσικού αερίου μείωσε την εμπιστοσύνη μας στους εταίρους μας. Υπογράμμισε τη σημασία των διατάξεων για την ενέργεια στις επικείμενες συμφωνίες ΕΕ-Ρωσίας και ΕΕ-Ουκρανίας, διατάξεις οι οποίες θα περιληφθούν στις εν λόγω συμφωνίες.
Πρέπει να εντείνουμε τις προσπάθειες προκειμένου να δημιουργήσουμε μια εσωτερική αγορά ενέργειας, αλλά και να αυξήσουμε την αποτελεσματικότητα και να διαφοροποιήσουμε τους εφοδιασμούς. Επομένως, η νέα συμφωνία με τη Ρωσία πρέπει να θεσπίζει, όπως λέμε πάντοτε, νομικά δεσμευτικές αμοιβαίες υποχρεώσεις. Επίσης, παράλληλα με τη νέα συμφωνία και βραχυπρόθεσμα, συνεργαζόμαστε με τη Ρωσία για να καταστήσουμε τον μηχανισμό έγκαιρης προειδοποίησης πιο αποτελεσματικό, όπως προανέφερα. Πρέπει επίσης να προβλέψουμε παρακολούθηση και πρόληψη και επίλυση των συγκρούσεων, και κάτι τέτοιο πρέπει να περιλαμβάνει επίσης τη Λευκορωσία και την Ουκρανία.
Γνωρίζουμε ότι η Ρωσία είναι πολύ σημαντικός εταίρος στον τομέα της ενέργειας για εμάς, καθώς συνεισφέρει 40% του φυσικού αερίου που εισάγουμε και 20% του φυσικού αερίου που καταναλώνουμε. Όπως προανέφερα, η σχέση μας είναι μια σχέση αλληλεξάρτησης. Δεδομένου ότι αντιπροσωπεύουμε περισσότερο από τα δύο τρία των εσόδων τους από εξαγωγές -πράγμα που αποτελεί πολύ σημαντική συνεισφορά στην οικονομική ανάπτυξη της Ρωσίας- είναι σημαντικό να μην επαναληφθούν τα γεγονότα του περασμένου Ιανουαρίου, και επομένως συνεργαζόμαστε τόσο με τους Ουκρανούς όσο και με τους Ρώσους για να αποτρέψουμε κάτι τέτοιο.
Στο θέμα των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων, δεν συμφωνούμε πάντοτε. Από τη μία πλευρά, η ΕΕ και η Ρωσία έχουν κοινές διεθνείς υποχρεώσεις, όπως είπα, μέσω των πράξεων που έχουμε υπογράψει μαζί στον Ο"Ε, στον ΟΟΣΑ και στο Συμβούλιο της Ευρώπης. Οι υποχρεώσεις αυτές απηχούν αξίες και περιλαμβάνουν την υποχρέωση σεβασμού των αποφάσεων των οργάνων που συστήνουν. Αυτό ισχύει ειδικότερα για το Ευρωπαϊκό Δικαστήριο Ανθρωπίνων Δικαιωμάτων, αλλά είναι επίσης προφανές ότι η ΕΕ και η Ρωσία ερμηνεύουν τις δεσμεύσεις διαφορετικά.
" Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση και η Ρωσία επέλεξαν τον δρόμο του διαλόγου στα θέματα αυτά, και ο δρόμος αυτός είναι ο σωστός. Αυτό σημαίνει ότι πρέπει επίσης να ακούσουμε τους προβληματισμούς που διατυπώνει ενίοτε η ρωσική πλευρά σε σχέση με ορισμένες εξελίξεις εντός της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης συμπεριλαμβανομένου, για παράδειγμα, του ζητήματος των ρωσόφωνων μειονοτήτων.
Είναι επίσης αλήθεια, όπως είπε ο ασκών την Προεδρία του Συμβουλίου, ότι υπάρχουν σαφείς ανησυχίες σχετικά με τον μη σεβασμό των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων στη Ρωσική Ομοσπονδία, και οι συνεχιζόμενες περιπτώσεις επιθέσεων κατά υπερασπιστών των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων, δημοσιογράφων και άλλων δημιουργούν μια άσχημη εικόνα για τη Ρωσία.
Θίγουμε τακτικά τα ζητήματα αυτά με τις ανώτερες αρχές: εγώ με τον Sergey Lavrov και ο Πρόεδρος Barroso με τους συνομιλητές του. Χρησιμοποιούμε επίσης τις εξαμηνιαίες διαβουλεύσεις μας για τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα για τον ίδιο σκοπό. Οι συζητήσεις στη διμερή συνάντηση μεταξύ του Προέδρου Barroso και του Προέδρου Medvedev στις 6 Φεβρουαρίου περιελάμβαναν επίσης ανταλλαγή απόψεων σχετικά με τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα.
Ο ίδιος ο πρόεδρος Medvedev εισηγήθηκε να συνεχισθούν αυτές οι ανταλλαγές απόψεων στη σύνοδο κορυφής που θα πραγματοποιηθεί στις 21-22 Μαΐου, και θα το πράξουμε. Για παράδειγμα, η επίθεση κατά του ακτιβιστή των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων Lev Ponomarev χθες βράδυ είναι η πιο πρόσφατη υπενθύμιση του πόσο δύσκολη είναι η κατάσταση για τους υπερασπιστές των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων στη Ρωσία. Όμως, επιτρέψτε μου να πω ότι οι δύο θέσεις αντικατοπτρίζονται με σαφήνεια στην εντολή που έδωσε το Συμβούλιο στην Επιτροπή για να διαπραγματευθεί. Και οι δύο θέσεις είναι εδώ και αυτό είναι το περιεχόμενο της εντολής μας. Επομένως, πιστεύω ότι ο σωστός δρόμος είναι να δώσουμε συνέχεια στην εντολή αυτή και, όπως είπα, είμαστε πάντοτε έτοιμοι να ενημερώσουμε σχετικά με τη συνέχεια των διαπραγματεύσεών μας, όπως μόλις κάναμε.
Janusz Onyszkiewicz
Κυρία Πρόεδρε, θα ήθελα να υπενθυμίσω στους επικριτές της παρούσας έκθεσης ότι αντικείμενό της δεν είναι η Ρωσία. Σκοπός της παρούσας έκθεσης είναι να προτείνουμε στην Επιτροπή ζητήματα τα οποία πρέπει να θίξει στις διμερείς συνομιλίες και διαπραγματεύσεις και τομείς στους οποίους πρέπει να επικεντρωθεί ειδικότερα. Αυτός είναι ο λόγος για τον οποίο η παρούσα έκθεση δεν περιέχει καμία αναφορά στο θέμα του Οργανισμού για την Ασφάλεια και τη Συνεργασία στην Ευρώπη (ΟΑΣΕ) και στο σχέδιο του προέδρου Medvedev. Κάθε τέτοια αναφορά θα ήταν πράγματι ανάρμοστη. Αυτό είναι ένα εντελώς διαφορετικό ζήτημα. Πρέπει να εξετασθεί στο πλαίσιο του ΟΑΣΕ μαζί με τις "νωμένες Πολιτείες, όχι όμως στο πλαίσιο των διμερών σχέσεων με τη Ρωσία. Επιπλέον, οι εισηγήσεις αυτής της φύσης δεν μπορούν να περιλαμβάνουν άσκηση κριτικής σε εμάς και αξιολόγηση της κατάστασης των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων στην Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, για παράδειγμα. Επομένως, τα ζητήματα αυτά πρέπει να κατατεθούν στις συνομιλίες με τους Ρώσους, και αυτοί θα προσδιορίσουν τα προβλήματά μας σε εύθετο χρόνο. Αυτό ένα σημείο το οποίο ήθελα να επισημάνω.
Το δεύτερο σημείο είναι γενικότερο και αφορά την πραγματική φύση των συνομιλιών. Θα ήθελα να επισημάνω ότι η παρούσα έκθεση αποφεύγει όρους όπως "στρατηγική εταιρική σχέση". Υπάρχει ένας βάσιμος λόγος για αυτό, και συγκεκριμένα ότι το έγγραφο που εγκρίθηκε όσον αφορά την Ευρωπαϊκή Πολιτική Ασφάλειας και Άμυνας (ΕΠΑΑ) περιέχει το ακόλουθο κείμενο στην ενότητα που αναφέρεται στη Ρωσία: (στη συνέχεια ο βουλευτής παραθέτει το κείμενο στα αγγλικά).
"καμία στρατηγική εταιρική σχέση δεν είναι δυνατή χωρίς την πλήρη αποδοχή και τήρηση των αξιών της δημοκρατίας, του σεβασμού των ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων και του κράτους δικαίου· καλεί [επομένως] το Συμβούλιο να θέσει τις συγκεκριμένες αξίες στο επίκεντρο των εν εξελίξει διαπραγματεύσεων για μια νέα συμφωνία εταιρικής σχέσης και συνεργασίας με τη Ρωσία".
(PL) " θέση είναι, επομένως, πολύ σαφής. Πιστεύω ότι πρέπει να θυμόμαστε ποιος είναι ο σκοπός της παρούσας έκθεσης και τι είδους μήνυμα θέλει να μεταβιβάσει στην Επιτροπή. Τέλος, θα ήθελα να πω στην κ. Bobošíková ότι οι Κοζάκοι ήταν αυτοί που έγραψαν στον σουλτάνο και όχι το αντίθετο.
Πρόεδρος
" συζήτηση έληξε.
" ψηφοφορία θα διεξαχθεί αύριο Πέμπτη 2 Απριλίου 2009.
Γραπτές δηλώσεις (άρθρο 142 του Κανονισμού)
Călin Chiriţă
Χαιρετίζω την έκθεση του κ. Janusz Onyszkiewicz σχετικά με τις σχέσεις ΕΕ-Ρωσίας. Πιστεύω ότι οι σχέσεις της ΕΕ με τη Μόσχα πρέπει να εγκαθιδρυθούν σε ρεαλιστική βάση, αποφεύγοντας τις προκαταλήψεις.
Πρώτον, απαιτείται κατάλληλη συνεργασία στον τομέα του ενεργειακού εφοδιασμού, ο οποίος αποτελεί τομέα αμοιβαίου ενδιαφέροντος. Ωστόσο, για τον σκοπό αυτό είναι ζωτικής σημασίας για εμάς να υπάρχει αλληλεγγύη μεταξύ των κρατών μελών της ΕΕ, ώστε να μπορούν να παρουσιάσουν ενιαίο μέτωπο κατά τις διαπραγματεύσεις με τη Μόσχα σχετικά με τις εισαγωγές φυσικού αερίου. Αυτός είναι ο μόνος τρόπος για να διασφαλίσουμε την ασφάλεια του ενεργειακού εφοδιασμού των ευρωπαίων πολιτών σε προσιτές τιμές. Έχουμε ευθύνη να αποφύγουμε την πυροδότηση μιας νέας κρίσης στον τομέα του φυσικού αερίου.
Δεύτερον, πρέπει να συνεργαστούμε με τη Μόσχα για την από κοινού αντιμετώπιση προβλημάτων που αφορούν την κοινή γειτονιά μας και τις σχέσεις με τη Δημοκρατία της Μολδαβίας, την Ουκρανία, τη Γεωργία, την Αρμενία και το Αζερμπαϊτζάν. " προσέγγιση αυτή πρέπει να βασίζεται στους κανόνες του διεθνούς δικαίου, με σεβασμό για την ακεραιότητα και την κυριαρχία των κρατών, αποφεύγοντας με τον τρόπο αυτό κάθε αυταρχική τάση. Πρέπει να επιτευχθεί πρόοδος στην επίλυση ανεπίλυτων συγκρούσεων, όπως αυτές στην Υπερδνειστερία, στην Οσετία και στην Αμπχαζία.
Filip Kaczmarek
" Ρωσία είναι ένας σημαντικός εταίρος για την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση. " ΕΕ προσδοκά από τους εταίρους της να συνεργάζονται μαζί της με αξιόπιστο και έντιμο τρόπο.
" αλληλεξάρτηση μπορεί να είναι αμοιβαίως επωφελής, αλλά κάτι τέτοιο δεν είναι υποχρεωτικό. Μπορεί να συμβεί και το αντίθετο, προκαλώντας αναταραχή και σύγκρουση. Πρέπει να καταβάλουμε κάθε δυνατή προσπάθεια ώστε να διασφαλίσουμε ότι η οικονομική συνεργασία, η ασφάλεια, η ενεργειακή ασφάλεια, ο σεβασμός των αρχών των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων και της δημοκρατίας θα γίνουν θετικά και εποικοδομητικά χαρακτηριστικά της σχέσης μας. Το κατά πόσον αυτό θα συμβεί πραγματικά εξαρτάται σε μεγάλο βαθμό από τη ρωσική πλευρά. " Ρωσία μπορεί να επιλέξει τις αξίες και τα πρότυπα της Δύσης. Κανείς δεν πρόκειται να αναγκάσει τη Ρωσία να προβεί στην επιλογή αυτή ούτε και σε οποιαδήποτε άλλη. " Ρωσία πρέπει να διαλέξει μόνη της. Ωστόσο, ένα πράγμα μου φαίνεται πολύ σαφές και αυτό είναι ότι η Ευρώπη δεν θα αλλάξει τις αξίες της επειδή θα της το ζητήσει η Ρωσία ή οποιαδήποτε άλλη χώρα. Είμαστε επίμονοι ή ακόμη και πεισματάρηδες, αλλά όχι επειδή μια διαφορετική συμπεριφορά θα σήμαινε την εγκατάλειψη των αξιών μας.
Εάν η Ευρώπη αποκλίνει από τις θεμελιώδεις αξίες της, δεν θα είναι πλέον η Ευρώπη. Για τον λόγο αυτό θα αναγνωρίζουμε πάντοτε την εδαφική ακεραιότητα της Γεωργίας, για παράδειγμα. Δεν ενεργούμε με τον τρόπο αυτό λόγω κάποιας ιδιαίτερης συμπάθειας προς τον λαό της Γεωργίας. " στάση μας βασίζεται στην προσήλωση στις αρχές επί των οποίων ερείδεται ο κόσμος μας. Ενέργειες εις βάρος του κόσμου αυτού ισοδυναμούν με αυτοκτονία. " ΕΕ οπωσδήποτε δεν επιθυμεί μια τέτοια έκβαση, ούτε και η Ρωσία, υποθέτω.
Marian-Jean Marinescu
Αναμφίβολα μπορεί κανείς να πει ότι η πρόσφατη κρίση του φυσικού αερίου και η σύγκρουση στη Γεωργία δημιούργησαν νέες εντάσεις στις σχέσεις με τη Ρωσική Ομοσπονδία.
" Ρωσία πρέπει να σταματήσει να χρησιμοποιεί καταστάσεις του είδους αυτού με τρόπο ο οποίος δεν συνάδει προς τις διεθνείς διαδικασίες και πρέπει να απόσχει από τη δημιουργία νέων σφαιρών επιρροής.
Ταυτόχρονα, η ΕΕ πρέπει να καταβάλει κάθε αναγκαία προσπάθεια για τη μείωση της ενεργειακής της εξάρτησης από τη Ρωσία στον βαθμό του εφικτού.
Ωστόσο, είναι επίσης αλήθεια ότι η Ρωσία είναι ένας από τους γείτονες της ΕΕ και ένας κρίσιμος παράγοντας στη διεθνή σκηνή. Υπάρχουν σημαντικές οικονομικές δυνατότητες στις σχέσεις της ΕΕ με τη Ρωσία, τις οποίες η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση δεν έχει την πολυτέλεια να μην αξιοποιήσει, ιδίως στο παρόν παγκόσμιο κλίμα
Για τον λόγο αυτό πρέπει να συνεχίσουμε να επενδύουμε στον διάλογο και στη συνεργασία με τη Ρωσική Ομοσπονδία, αναπτύσσοντας μια συνεκτική στρατηγική βασισμένη σε κοινές, αμοιβαίως επωφελείς δεσμεύσεις.
Ο μόνος τρόπος για να είναι επιτυχημένη αυτή η συνεργασία είναι να εκφρασθεί η ΕΕ με ενιαία φωνή και να δεσμευθεί σε έναν διάλογο, ο οποίος θα εξαρτηθεί από προϋποθέσεις, αλλά θα είναι ταυτόχρονα εποικοδομητικός, θα βασίζεται σε κοινές αξίες, στον σεβασμό των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων, των θεμελιωδών ελευθεριών και των ισχυόντων διεθνών κανόνων.
Katrin Saks
Οι σχέσεις της ΕΕ και της Ρωσίας δέχθηκαν ισχυρό πλήγμα πέρσι. Σήμερα, μετά τα γεγονότα που έλαβαν χώρα στη Γεωργία, και μετά την αναγνώριση από τη Ρωσία των θυλάκων της Αμπχαζίας και της Νότιας Οσετίας, η ετοιμότητα της Ρωσίας να οικοδομήσει έναν κοινό χώρο ασφάλειας με την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση και οι θέσεις των μερών σε θέματα που αφορούν το Κοσσυφοπέδιο και την κοινή γειτονιά διαφέρουν περισσότερο από ποτέ άλλοτε. Οι συνεχιζόμενες διαφορές με τους προμηθευτές φυσικού αερίου και η πολιτικοποίηση των ενεργειακών πόρων δεν αυξάνουν την εμπιστοσύνη.
Χαίρομαι γιατί η έκθεση του συναδέλφου μου, του κ. Onyszkiewicz, ζητεί από τη Ρωσία να επιβεβαιώσει τις υποχρεώσεις που συμφωνήθηκαν σε διεθνές επίπεδο, ιδίως ως μέλος του Συμβουλίου της Ευρώπης και του Οργανισμού για την Ασφάλεια και τη Συνεργασία στην Ευρώπη, και εκφράζει προς τη ρωσική κυβέρνηση ανησυχία σχετικά με την κατάσταση των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων και τη συρρίκνωση της κοινωνίας των πολιτών στη Ρωσία. Στην έκθεσή του, το Κοινοβούλιο εφιστά επίσης την προσοχή στην κατάσταση των μειονοτήτων που ζουν στη Ρωσική Ομοσπονδία και ζητεί από τις υπηρεσίες της ρωσικής κυβέρνησης να διασφαλίσουν την επιβίωση και τη βιώσιμη ανάπτυξη των πολιτισμών και των γλωσσών των αυτοχθόνων λαών που ζουν στη Ρωσική Ομοσπονδία.
Οι σχέσεις της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης με τη Ρωσία πρέπει να βασίζονται σε σύμπραξη και όχι σε αντιπαράθεση. Οι σχέσεις μας με τη Ρωσία είναι πράγματι αποφασιστικής σημασίας από την άποψη της ρεαλιστικής συνεργασίας, και η συνεργασία μας ωφέλησε έως τώρα τη διεθνή σταθερότητα. Ταυτόχρονα, αυτή η εταιρική σχέση πρέπει να βασίζεται στις ακόλουθες αρχές: δημοκρατία, οικονομία της αγοράς, προαγωγή των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων και της ελευθερίας έκφρασης· όχι μόνον εμπορικά συμφέροντα και ενδιαφέρον για ένα μόνον πράγμα σε σχέση με τα συμφέροντα αυτά, κλείνοντας πεισματικά τα μάτια σε άλλα πράγματα.
Toomas Savi
γραπτώς. - Οι σχέσεις μεταξύ της Ρωσικής Ομοσπονδίας και της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης αντιμετώπισαν διάφορες προκλήσεις τα τελευταία χρόνια. Μετά τη σύγκρουση που ξέσπασε μεταξύ Ρωσίας και Γεωργίας τον περασμένο Αύγουστο, θα είχε κανείς την τάση να σκεφτεί ότι οι καλοί φράκτες κάνουν τους καλούς γείτονες. Στην περίπτωση αυτή, χαίρομαι γιατί κάτι τέτοιο δεν επαληθεύτηκε, και ο προηγούμενος πρόεδρος του Ευρωπαϊκού Συμβουλίου, Nicolas Sarkozy, μεσολάβησε με επιτυχία στην κρίση.
Μετά την πτώση του "σιδηρού παραπετάσματος", η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση ανέπτυξε μια στενή σχέση αλληλεξάρτησης με τη Ρωσική Ομοσπονδία, η οποία πρέπει να χρησιμοποιηθεί για την καθιέρωση κοινής κατανόησης της δημοκρατίας, των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων και του κράτους δικαίου, προωθώντας παράλληλα αξιόπιστες οικονομικές σχέσεις. Οι συχνές διαμάχες των τελευταίων ετών μας εμπόδισαν να προχωρήσουμε πραγματικά προς τον στόχο αυτό, και ο διάλογος μεταξύ των δύο πλευρών έγινε στην πραγματικότητα μάλλον ψυχρός, λαμβάνοντας τη μορφή "πραγματιστικής συνεργασίας".
Υποστηρίζω θερμά την εισήγηση προς το Συμβούλιο και την Επιτροπή να συνεχίσουν να επιμένουν σε μια συμφωνία βασισμένη σε κοινή δέσμευση σεβασμού των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων, όπως αναφέρεται στην έκθεση, επειδή χωρίς κοινές αξίες ενδέχεται να καταλήξουμε σε άλλη μια απρόβλεπτη κρίση, η οποία θα απαιτεί τη λήψη έκτακτων μέτρων.
Richard Seeber
γραπτώς. - (DE) Κατά τη γνώμη μου, μια συνολική νέα συμφωνία εταιρικής σχέσης μεταξύ της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης και της Ρωσίας είναι ιδιαίτερα ευπρόσδεκτη.
" Ρωσία είναι ο τρίτος μεγαλύτερος εμπορικός εταίρος της ΕΕ και έχει επίσης μεγάλη στρατηγική σημασία όσον αφορά τον ενεργειακό εφοδιασμό της Ευρώπης. " συμφωνία με τη Ρωσική Ομοσπονδία θέτει τις βάσεις για τη βελτίωση της συνεργασίας μεταξύ των δύο πλευρών.
Λαμβάνοντας υπόψη τη σημασία της ΕΕ για τη Ρωσία και της Ρωσίας για την ΕΕ, η συμφωνία αυτή δεν πρέπει να παραμείνει απλώς μια πράξη πολιτικής βούλησης· πρέπει επίσης να εξασφαλίσουμε ότι θα εφαρμοσθεί. " σύσταση του Κοινοβουλίου προς το Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο τονίζει πρωτίστως τη σημασία της προστασίας των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων και της ελευθερίας των μέσων ενημέρωσης στη Ρωσία. Καθώς πρόθεσή μας είναι να αναπτύξουμε σταδιακά τη σχέση μας στους τομείς της οικονομίας, της πολιτικής ασφάλειας και της εκπαιδευτικής πολιτικής, είναι εξαιρετικά σημαντικό να σέβονται όλοι οι εταίροι μας τις ευρωπαϊκές αξίες. Αυτός είναι ο μόνος τρόπος ώστε η εταιρική σχέση μεταξύ Ρωσίας και Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης να αναπτυχθεί ικανοποιητικά και για τις δύο πλευρές.
Czesław Siekierski
" εξασφάλιση μιας νέας συμφωνίας μεταξύ ΕΕ και Ρωσίας είναι μια από τις κύριες προκλήσεις που αντιμετωπίζουν οι διπλωμάτες της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης. Ο ρόλος του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου είναι να συνεισφέρει ενεργά με προτάσεις σχετικά με τη φύση και το περιεχόμενο της συμφωνίας. " έκθεση παρέχει λεπτομερή ανάλυση των κύριων πτυχών της σχέσης ΕΕ και Ρωσίας. Ειδικότερα, περιέχει εμβριθή μελέτη των προβλημάτων που αφορούν την παρούσα σχέση μας.
Πιστεύω ότι η έγκριση της έκθεσης θα αποτελέσει σημαντικό βήμα προόδου προς την κατεύθυνση μιας νέας συμφωνίας εταιρικής σχέσης μεταξύ της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης και της Ρωσίας. Τα βασικά στοιχεία μιας τέτοιας συμφωνίας πρέπει να αποτελέσουν αντικείμενο λεπτομερούς διαβούλευσης καθώς και σκληρών διαπραγματεύσεων μεταξύ των δύο συμβαλλομένων στη νέα συμφωνία. " έκθεση αναφέρεται σε μια σειρά προβλημάτων, των οποίων η λύση είναι ιδιαίτερα σημαντική για τις επιμέρους χώρες. Θα ήθελα να υπενθυμίσω τις δυσκολίες όσον αφορά τις εμπορικές συναλλαγές μεταξύ Πολωνίας και Ρωσικής Ομοσπονδίας. Προβλήματα της φύσης αυτής μπορούν να επιλυθούν μόνον εάν η ΕΕ υιοθετήσει ενιαία στάση.
" έκθεση περιλαμβάνει εκτενή κατάλογο ζητημάτων που πρέπει να ρυθμισθούν. " επίτευξη συμβιβαστικής λύσης βραχυπρόθεσμα σε όλα τα ζητήματα δεν θα είναι εφικτή, εν μέρει λόγω πολιτισμικών και κοινωνικών διαφορών.
Andrzej Jan Szejna
" Ρωσία είναι μια χώρα στην οποία συχνά δεν γίνονται σεβαστές οι θεμελιώδεις αρχές της δημοκρατίας. Είναι διαβόητη για την παραβίαση των ανθρώπινων δικαιωμάτων και των περιορισμό της ελευθερίας έκφρασης, συμπεριλαμβανομένης της ελευθερίας της γνώμης. Ο πρόεδρος Medvedev και ο πρωθυπουργός Putin ασκούν την επιρροή τους στα ρωσικά μέσα ενημέρωσης. Επομένως, αυτά δεν είναι σε θέση να εκπληρώσουν τον θεμελιώδη σκοπό τους, δηλαδή τη διάδοση πληροφοριών με αξιόπιστο τρόπο.
Πρέπει, παρ' όλα αυτά, να έχουμε κατά νου ότι η Ρωσία είναι ένας από τους κύριους εταίρους μας. " Ρωσία διαδραματίζει ηγετικό ρόλο στη διεθνή σκηνή. Είναι επίσης σημαντικός προμηθευτής ενέργειας και σημαντικός εμπορικός εταίρος.
Κατά τη γνώμη μου, πρέπει να επικρίνουμε τη Ρωσία με ηχηρό και σαφή τρόπο. Πρέπει να την κατακρίνουμε για τις αδυναμίες της στον τομέα της δημοκρατίας, για τον μη σεβασμό των πολιτικών ελευθεριών και για την παραβίαση της εδαφικής ακεραιότητας και της κυριαρχίας άλλων κρατών. Πρέπει να ζητήσουμε από τη Ρωσία να σέβεται τα δικαιώματα των εθνικών μειονοτήτων και να συμμορφωθεί με τις διεθνείς συνθήκες που έχει υπογράψει. Αναφέρομαι στον Χάρτη των "νωμένων Εθνών, στην Ευρωπαϊκή Σύμβαση Ανθρωπίνων Δικαιωμάτων και στη Συνθήκη για τον Χάρτη Ενέργειας. Ταυτόχρονα, ωστόσο, πρέπει να θυμόμαστε ότι η εταιρική σχέση με τη Ρωσία είναι ένα πολύ σημαντικό ζήτημα για την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση και για ολόκληρη την Ευρώπη.
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/*$
Copyright (C) 2013-2020 Azel.
This file is part of AzPainter.
AzPainter is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
(at your option) any later version.
AzPainter is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
GNU General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
$*/
/*****************************************
* 中間色グラデーションバー
*****************************************/
/*
* [notify]
* type : 0-色選択 1-左の色変更 2-右の色変更
* param1 : 色
*/
#include "mDef.h"
#include "mWidgetDef.h"
#include "mWidget.h"
#include "mSysCol.h"
#include "mPixbuf.h"
#include "mEvent.h"
#include "defDraw.h"
//---------------------
typedef struct
{
mWidget wg;
uint32_t col[2];
int rgb[2][3], //左右の RGB 値
rgb_diff[3], //左右の RGB 色差
rgb_diff_step[3], //左右の RGB 色差 (段階有効時)
step, //段階数
fdrag,
curx, //ドラッグ時のカーソル位置
last_gradx; //ドラッグ時、前回のグラデーション部分X位置 (-1 で最初)
}GradBar;
//---------------------
#define _BAR_H 13
#define _BETWEEN 4 //端の色とグラデーションの間
//---------------------
//========================
// sub
//========================
/** 色から RGB 値取得してセット */
static void _set_rgb(GradBar *p)
{
int i,j,sf;
uint32_t c;
//R,G,B
for(i = 0; i < 2; i++)
{
c = p->col[i];
for(j = 0, sf = 16; j < 3; j++, sf -= 8)
p->rgb[i][j] = (c >> sf) & 255;
}
//色差
for(i = 0; i < 3; i++)
{
j = p->rgb[1][i] - p->rgb[0][i];
p->rgb_diff[i] = j;
if((j & 1) && j > 0) j++;
p->rgb_diff_step[i] = j;
}
}
/** ドラッグ移動時、色を取得して通知 */
static void _on_motion(GradBar *p,int curx)
{
int i,x,w,c[3],step,stepno;
double d;
x = curx - (_BAR_H + _BETWEEN + 1); //グラデーション部分を先頭とした位置
w = p->wg.w - (_BAR_H + _BETWEEN) * 2 - 2;
if(x < 0) x = 0;
else if(x >= w) x = w - 1;
//前回位置と比較
if(p->last_gradx == x) return;
p->last_gradx = x;
p->curx = x + _BAR_H + _BETWEEN + 1;
//色取得
step = p->step;
if(step < 3)
{
//通常
d = (double)x / (w - 1);
for(i = 0; i < 3; i++)
c[i] = (int)(p->rgb_diff[i] * d + p->rgb[0][i] + 0.5);
}
else
{
//段階あり
stepno = x * step / w;
if(stepno == step - 1)
{
//終端の色
for(i = 0; i < 3; i++)
c[i] = p->rgb[1][i];
}
else
{
for(i = 0; i < 3; i++)
c[i] = stepno * p->rgb_diff_step[i] / (step - 1) + p->rgb[0][i];
}
}
//通知
mWidgetAppendEvent_notify(NULL, M_WIDGET(p), 0, M_RGB(c[0], c[1], c[2]), 0);
mWidgetUpdate(M_WIDGET(p));
}
//========================
// ハンドラ
//========================
/** 押し時 */
static void _event_press(GradBar *p,int x)
{
int w = p->wg.w,no;
if(x < _BAR_H || x >= w - _BAR_H)
{
//左右の色 : 描画色セット
no = (x >= w - _BAR_H);
p->col[no] = APP_DRAW->col.drawcol;
_set_rgb(p);
mWidgetUpdate(M_WIDGET(p));
mWidgetAppendEvent_notify(NULL, M_WIDGET(p), 1 + no, APP_DRAW->col.drawcol, 0);
}
else if(x >= _BAR_H + _BETWEEN + 1 && x < w - _BAR_H - _BETWEEN)
{
//グラデーション部分 (枠は含まない)
p->fdrag = 1;
p->last_gradx = -1;
_on_motion(p, x);
mWidgetGrabPointer(M_WIDGET(p));
}
}
/** グラブ解除 */
static void _grab_release(GradBar *p)
{
if(p->fdrag)
{
p->fdrag = 0;
mWidgetUngrabPointer(M_WIDGET(p));
mWidgetUpdate(M_WIDGET(p));
}
}
/** イベント */
static int _event_handle(mWidget *wg,mEvent *ev)
{
GradBar *p = (GradBar *)wg;
switch(ev->type)
{
case MEVENT_POINTER:
if(ev->pt.type == MEVENT_POINTER_TYPE_MOTION)
{
//移動
if(p->fdrag)
_on_motion(p, ev->pt.x);
}
else if(ev->pt.type == MEVENT_POINTER_TYPE_PRESS)
{
//押し
if(ev->pt.btt == M_BTT_LEFT && !p->fdrag)
_event_press(p, ev->pt.x);
}
else if(ev->pt.type == MEVENT_POINTER_TYPE_RELEASE)
{
//離し
if(ev->pt.btt == M_BTT_LEFT)
_grab_release(p);
}
break;
case MEVENT_FOCUS:
if(ev->focus.bOut)
_grab_release(p);
break;
}
return 1;
}
/** 描画 */
static void _draw_handle(mWidget *wg,mPixbuf *pixbuf)
{
GradBar *p = (GradBar *)wg;
int i,j,x,w,c[3],step,stepno;
uint32_t col;
uint8_t *pd,*pd_y;
mBox box;
w = wg->w;
//背景色
mPixbufFillBox(pixbuf, 0, 0, wg->w, _BAR_H, MSYSCOL(FACE));
//端の色
for(i = 0, x = 0; i < 2; i++)
{
mPixbufBox(pixbuf, x, 0, _BAR_H, _BAR_H, 0);
mPixbufFillBox(pixbuf, x + 1, 1, _BAR_H - 2, _BAR_H - 2, mRGBtoPix(p->col[i]));
x = w - _BAR_H;
}
//グラデーション
w -= (_BAR_H + _BETWEEN) * 2;
mPixbufBox(pixbuf, _BAR_H + _BETWEEN, 0, w, _BAR_H, 0);
if(mPixbufGetClipBox_d(pixbuf, &box, _BAR_H + _BETWEEN + 1, 1, w - 2, _BAR_H - 2))
{
pd = mPixbufGetBufPtFast(pixbuf, box.x, box.y);
x = box.x - (_BAR_H + _BETWEEN + 1);
w -= 2;
step = p->step;
if(step < 3) w--;
for(i = 0; i < box.w; i++, x++, pd += pixbuf->bpp)
{
if(step < 3)
{
//通常
for(j = 0; j < 3; j++)
c[j] = p->rgb_diff[j] * x / w + p->rgb[0][j];
}
else
{
//段階あり
stepno = x * step / w;
if(stepno == step - 1)
{
//終端
for(j = 0; j < 3; j++)
c[j] = p->rgb[1][j];
}
else
{
for(j = 0; j < 3; j++)
c[j] = stepno * p->rgb_diff_step[j] / (step - 1) + p->rgb[0][j];
}
}
col = mRGBtoPix2(c[0], c[1], c[2]);
//Y を同じ色で埋める
for(j = _BAR_H - 2, pd_y = pd; j; j--, pd_y += pixbuf->pitch_dir)
(pixbuf->setbuf)(pd_y, col);
}
}
//カーソル
if(p->fdrag)
mPixbufLineV(pixbuf, p->curx, 0, _BAR_H, MPIXBUF_COL_XOR);
}
//========================
/** 作成 */
mWidget *DockColorPalette_GradationBar_new(mWidget *parent,
int id,uint32_t colL,uint32_t colR,int step)
{
GradBar *p;
p = (GradBar *)mWidgetNew(sizeof(GradBar), parent);
p->col[0] = colL;
p->col[1] = colR;
p->step = step;
p->wg.id = id;
p->wg.fEventFilter |= MWIDGET_EVENTFILTER_POINTER;
p->wg.fLayout = MLF_EXPAND_W;
p->wg.hintH = _BAR_H;
p->wg.hintW = 80;
p->wg.draw = _draw_handle;
p->wg.event = _event_handle;
_set_rgb(p);
return (mWidget *)p;
}
/** 段階数変更 */
void DockColorPalette_GradationBar_setStep(mWidget *wg,int step)
{
((GradBar *)wg)->step = step;
mWidgetUpdate(wg);
}
|
Longchamp doesn't want to be remembered as just French
Longchamp doesn't want to be remembered as exclusively French
NEW YORK — Longchamp doesn't want to be remembered as exclusively French.
Though artistic director Sophie Delafontaine is a proud Parisian, she said she wants the brand to embody an international spirit. And what better way to show that spirit than bringing a collection to New York inspired by the American artist Judy Chicago.
Delafontaine told The Associated Press she drew inspiration from the feminist artist known most widely for her art installation "The Dinner Party," currently located in the Brooklyn Museum. Chicago also played with smoke, photographing colorful billows in the desert and other locations.
It was those photos that spoke to Delafontaine.
"I start with an artist that is Judy Chicago and her color explosion in the desert and I really wanted to have this explosion in the city," she said.
Models in muted orange, petal pink, lavender and burgundy walked Saturday alongside a pool of water at Lincoln Center.
"I was really involved with this location that is super urban, very graphic," said Delafontaine of the pool with the Reclining Figure statue resting in the center. "And I wanted to mix this location with very feminine and fluid dresses with color."
While flowing skirts and dresses did make for fluid silhouettes, belts accentuating waistlines, leather mini-shorts, slits in skirts and transparent materials kept the looks modern and chic.
Skirts, dresses and shorts were paired with shoes that went to mid-calf, either a lacing gladiator sandal or sneaker boots adorned with the signature Longchamp horse.
And while the ready-to-wear collection certainly stood on its own, that doesn't mean that Longchamp forgot the product that started it all: Its handbags. From tiny coin purses clutched by the handle to shoulder bags with intricate designs and leather tassels, that original craft wasn't neglected.
"It's all about creativity," said Delafontaine. "It's true that doing the bags is a creative exercise, of course. Ready-to-wear is another world because it's on the body, but I think it's all about telling a story, playing with the color, with the material."
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Charring is a chemical process of incomplete combustion of certain solids when subjected to high heat. The resulting residue matter is called char. By the action of heat, charring removes hydrogen and oxygen from the solid, so that the remaining char is composed primarily of carbon. Polymers like thermoset, or most solid organic compounds like wood or biological tissue, exhibit charring behaviour.[citation needed]
Charring can result from naturally occurring processes like fire; it is also a deliberate and controlled reaction used in the manufacturing of certain products.[which?][citation needed]
The mechanism of charring is part of the normal burning of certain solid fuels like wood. During normal combustion the volatile compounds created by charring and pyrolysis are consumed at the flames within the fire, while combustion of char can be seen as glowing red coals or embers which burn without the presence of flames.[citation needed]
Coke and charcoal are both produced by charring, whether on an industrial scale or through normal combustion of coal or wood. Normal combustion consumes the char as well as the gases produced in its creation, while industrial processes seek to recover the purified char with minimal loss to combustion. This is accomplished by either burning the parent fuel (wood or coal) in a low-oxygen environment or by heating it to a high temperature without allowing combustion to occur. In industrial production of coke and charcoal the volatile compounds driven off during charring are often captured for use in other chemical processes.
A "coal burning" blacksmith'sforge actually produces the heat necessary for high-temperature metalworking by the continuous production and consumption of coke within a carefully managed fire. An inner ring of burning coke provides heat which converts the encircling coal into coke, which is then itself fed into the center of the fire to provide the required heat and to create more coke; coal itself is incapable of producing the heat required for some blacksmithing operations.
Charring is an important process in the combustion ignition of solid fuels and in smouldering. In construction of heavy-timbered wood buildings the predictable formation of char is used to determine the fire rating of supporting timbers and is an important consideration in fire protection engineering. If a wood column is of large enough diameter, during a structure fire its exposed surface will be converted to char until the thickness of char provides sufficient insulation to prevent additional charring. This layer then serves to protect the remaining structurally sound core of wood, which can continue to carry the building loads if appropriately designed.
Charring had a special meaning under the common law of England. Under that system, the crime of arson required charring of a dwelling—actual damage to the fiber of the material from which the structure was built—and not mere "scorching" or damage to the surface, or to surface coverings such as carpets and wallpaper.
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Monday, June 16, 2008
A Little Southern Hospitality
While in Texas I had the opportunity to photograph one of the nicest families I've ever met. So, maybe I'm a little biased since two of the members of this family just so happen to be my son's godparents. :) I hope you enjoy the photos!
This is Eddie and Heather, my son's godparents ... they are the sweetest people in the whole wide world!
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Digital Pakistan: Internet users can register and use websites in Urdu
ISLAMABAD: Internet users in Pakistan will now be able to register and use internet domains in Urdu as the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Board has passed a resolution on the Internet Registry.
Minister for IT Anusha Rahman on Friday in a statement mentioned that this is an important milestone to proliferate the digitalisation in Pakistan through local content. The ministry had submitted a request in December 2016 for the internet registry in Urdu after consultation with stakeholders.
Ms. Rehman lauded the efforts of the Ministry of IT, multi-stakeholder technical committee members on internet registry and National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) on achieving this major internet governance initiative. She said the resolution is a remarkable headway towards ‘Digital Pakistan’.
ICANN is responsible for managing and coordinating the Domain Name System (DNS) to ensure that every address is unique and all internet users can find valid Internet addresses. The NTC will be the manager for the new internet registry.
This will revolutionise internet accessibility for Urdu language users as internet domains in native language will make it navigation much easier.
It will help local citizens to access web addresses using Urdu Language, and provide an advantage for non- English speaking Internet users to target local markets and for local promotions.
The rising trend of e-commerce in Pakistan will enormously benefit from this development by eliminating the language barriers.
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We recently booked a holiday to Turkey with low cost holidays. It was an easy and enjoyable experience with a good choice of hotels and destinations to chose from.
The website was very easy to navigate and gave plenty of information and photographs of our chosen destination. The staff were very helpful and courteous which made the choice easy to decide on.
We cannot comment on the holiday yet as we are not going until May but we are sure that it will be an enjoyable and welcome break to look forward to.
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Candlelight Christmas Tractor Parade and Wine Stroll
"Madera is such a nice community. It's not "big city," but it's all family oriented right here," said Manuel Perez.
People on Yosemite Avenue came bundled up and many brought blankets to help fight the chill. "Nice and warm so the kids are nice and warm and not complaining," said Sasha Tolmosoff.
Even though it is chilly outside, 9 year-old Julian Gomez and his brother love this North Valley tradition. "All the lights and all the cars and stuff," said Gomez.
The 20th annual parade has continued to grow with more floats added every year. "To be in the parade you have to have a minimum of 100 lights on your entry, everybody has lights on it and most of them go way over," said organizer Jim Bryan.
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Comply NR-10 Noise Isolating Earphones review
Summary
Our Score
7/10
Review Price free/subscription
We've long maintained that there is only one thing that 99 per cent of earphones bundled with MP3 players are good for; the bin. If I had a penny for every time I saw an iPod owner still using a pair of Apple earphones I'd have… well, a big bag of pennies that's for sure. Probably enough to hire a couple of heavies to go beat some sense into the offending parties.
To avoid looking like an 'audiot' - a term I've just invented to describe foolish audio player owners that use bundles earphones - you'll want to spend some cash on a decent set of phones. If I had my way, everyone would go out and buy a pair of Shure E500PTHs, but at some £230, that's probably a bit above most budgets. You could get a 16GB iPod touch for that money!
For most, the best compromise between price and audio quality is going to come from a set of single-driver earphones, such as the Sennheiser CX 95s or Shure SE210s available for around £53 and £65 respectively. If you’re a little more flush the Shure SE310s are definitely worth a punt, and sit in the £110 region. Oh yes, there's the £70-odd Philips SHE9850s, too.
"But Hugo," you ask, "I wish to spend £79.99 on a pair of noise isolating earphones, preferably with a decent set of foam tips because I hear those are good. Is there anything available that fits those specific criteria?" Funnily enough, there is just such an offering available and they come from a company called Comply (pronounced com-plea so far as we can gather). Called the NR-10 Noise Reduction Earphones, they will currently set you back exactly £79.99.
Probably the NR-10s biggest selling point is that they are, apparently, optimised to provide excellent noise reduction specifically when used with Comply's foam tips. It's not for nothing that Comply makes such a big deal of its tips; a fair few manufacturers have started bundling them with their own earphones, including Philips' SHE9850s, and they're pretty good.
The important question, then, is whether or not a bit of prowess for making earphone tips qualifies Comply to create the entire earphone package.
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The water in Grand Lake was tested Thursday as part of a first-ever Survey of the Nation's Lakes.
The 13,500-acre lake is among 19 in Ohio and 909 across the United States randomly selected for the testing.
Ohio EPA official . . .
Mercer County voters will decide the fate of a dozen issues that will appear on the Nov. 6 election ballot.
Only two countywide issues will appear on the ballot, including a countywide sales tax initiative offered by county co . . .
COLDWATER - The old adage about the difficulty of getting conference wins on the road proved true again on Thursday night, as the Marion Local Flyers struggled, but survived, to post a 25-27, 25-14, 26-24, 25-17 victory over the . . .
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Rig Count in Utica Shale Play Drops to 14
Rig Count in Utica Shale Play Drops to 14
Sponsored By:Blank
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The rig count in the Utica shale in eastern Ohio dropped to 14 during the week ended Sept. 17, according to the latest update from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. It was 16 the previous week.
ODNR reported it issued no new permits in the oil and gas play, but recorded seven new wells drilled and one well placed into production last week.
As of Sept. 17, ODNR has issued 2,220 permits. Of that number, 1,797 wells are drilled and 1,398 are in production.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection did not issue any permits to energy companies for wells in Mercer and Lawrence counties in western Pennsylvania, which border Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties in Ohio.
Copyright 2018 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
CLICK HERE to subscribe to our print edition and sign up to our free daily headlines.
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12 oz bottle Ghost Rider
12 oz bottle Ghost Rider
7.95
This is the new hot flavor - hot enough to take you back a second, but not too hot that you won't want more. You will love the smokey flavor this comes with. Hot enough for those who like it hot, but not too hot that you can't taste the food. Why Ghost Rider? because it has Ghost Peppers in it and you might not see it coming but you will feel it in your soul
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JLT shareholders back Marsh buy
Jardine Lloyd Thompson (JLT) shareholders have approved Marsh & McLennan Companies’ (MMC) offer to buy the firm for $5.6bn. Some 99.9% of shareholders that voted backed the offer, which was first announced in September. “Today’s vote is an important milestone,” said Dan Glaser, president and CEO of MMC. “The process of planning the future of Marsh & McLennan and JLT…
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About Tubbs Flex ESC 24 Snowshoes for Men
Tubbs Flex ESC 24 Snowshoes for MenPut the intensity back into your snowshoe excursions when you purchase the Tubbs Flex ESC 24 Snowshoes for Men. Offering a perfect blend of comfort, performance, and convenience, this snowshoes for men features all the technical advancements you want in a pair of snowshoe less the hefty price tag. Featuring an ergonomically and biomechanically designed FLEX Tail, this snowshoe for men absorbs shock from heel strike to minimize the amount of stress on your joints, allowing you to snowshoe farther and longer with reduced risk of body strain. It features a molded, asymmetric QuickFLEX binding with patented Control Wings to the center boot that deliver a combination of comfort, lightweight control, support, and ease of use. It even has a carbon steel toe crampon, which is ergonomically placed under foot for maximum weighted traction and responsiveness. Another remarkable addition is the Rotating Toe Cord design that reduces cardio-respiratory strain by 7%, minimizing possible accidents and injuries. The Tubbs Flex ESC 24 Snowshoes for Men is infused with all the right tools that are perfect for any adventure.
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<accessControl>
<resource uri="/axis2/*">
<clients>
<ip>192.168.2.*</ip>
</clients>
</resource>
</accessControl>
|
Announcement: Don't you know that you can create a HireMe.ph shortcut icon on your smartphone? Easy, here's how: https://hireme.ph/blog/?p=953.Announcement: Our banner ad various formats here: https://hireme.ph/hireme_banner_ads.jpg.Announcement: We are #2 in Cebu City! We will strive to be in #1 spot.Announcement: We are #3 in Batangas, Laguna & Cainta! Tough competition, but we will strive to be in #2 spot at least.
Loving our free service? Donate to buy us a coffee!
Public Relations/ Marketing Supervisor Part-time $3.00 Per Hour
FLEXIBLE, WORK REMOTE & PART-TIME: Here is an opportunity to make your mark and implement your creative and innovative ideas! We are seeking a Public Relations/ Marketing Supervisor to enhance our network, increase brand awareness and execute effective communication and media relations programs.Public Relations/Marketing Supervisor will assist with planning and coordination of all internal and external marketing in various channels. They will lead a small marketing team as well as plan a marketing calendar and assist in preparing a proposed marketing budget.
They will contribute to the development of an overall marketing strategy and written action plans in order to achieve specific objectives and give the marketing team direction. The Public Relations/Marketing Supervisor will help to measure, evaluate, and analyze the marketing programs adjust as and when needed. They must be detail oriented and have good organization and team leadership skills.
Experience and or education in Public Relations/Marketing is required (even if it is a small amount). They must understand both online and offline marketing. They should have exceptional writing and editing skills. They must also be able to adhere to deadlines and have good time management. The Public Relations/Marketing must be comfortable and skilled in both broadcast and print media interviews, as they will be a company spokesperson as well. Event Planning experience is a plus, but not required. The hours are flexible although you will need to be available for team meetings at agreed upon times.
Additional Responsibilities• Oversee/Manage the Marketing Team with a fellow Marketing Supervisor• Develop a marketing communications plan including strategy, goals, budget and tactics• Develop media relations strategy, seeking high-level placements in print, broadcast and online media• Coordinate all public relations activities• Direct social media team to engage audiences across traditional and new media• Leverage existing media relationships and cultivate new contacts within business and industry media• Manage media inquiries and interview requests• Create content for press releases, byline articles and keynote presentations• Monitor, analyze and communicate PR results on a quarterly basis• Evaluate opportunities for partnerships, sponsorships and advertising on an on-going basis.• Build relationships with thought leaders to grow industry awareness• Maintain a keen understanding of industry trends affecting clients and make appropriate recommendations regarding communication strategy surrounding them
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The Economic Outlook Ranking Fails to Predict Growth
ALEC’s press release accompanying Rich States, Poor States, proclaimed: “State Economic Competitiveness Rankings Reveal Which States Are Poised for Growth.” This leaves little doubt that the Economic Outlook Ranking (EOR) is intended as a guide to and predictor of economic growth. Since ALEC has been publishing the EOR since 2007, the obvious question is: How well has the ranking predicted state economic performance in the years since?
To measure performance we include growth from 2007 to 2013 or 2014 (depending on data availability) on five measures: non-farm employment, state Gross Domestic Product (GDP), per capita income, median family income, and median annual wage.
It turns out that there is no relationship between a state’s Economic Outlook Ranking in 2007 and its economic growth on any of these variables in the ensuing seven years. In other words, states that adhered closely to the ALEC-Laffer policy prescriptions did no better in terms of growth in jobs or output, and no better in terms of growth in income, than states that deviated widely.
The lack of relation is depicted in the chart below; the growth rate in state Gross Domestic Product (vertical axis) has nothing to do with a state’s ranking on the EOR (the horizontal axis). The correlation is about as close to zero as one can get. As a prescription for state prosperity the EOR fails miserably.
Our conclusions are drawn from a more sophisticated analysis than that shown in the graph above. We used statistical techniques to control for other factors that could influence state growth over this period. The conclusions, however, are the same: There is no evidence that the EOR and the policies recommended in it affected state growth over the eight years since the first EOR was created. (For a detailed discussion of our method and results, click here.)
ALEC-Laffer have asserted that ALEC policies such as no income taxes spur people to move from higher-tax states both directly (people moving to pay less taxes) and indirectly (low taxes boosting job growth, and people then moving to where the jobs are). Research on why people move across state lines confirms that jobs are of course a prime reason people move, but location of family, climate, and housing costs are also important factors, and taxes have little or nothing to do with it.1 (See Taxes Have Little to do with People’s Decisions to Move). Furthermore, the EOR, as we have seen, has nothing to do with state economic growth, so even if ALEC’s favored states have greater population growth it is not because of ALEC policies creating jobs. In other words, low taxes and other policies embodied in the EOR do little or nothing, directly or indirectly, to spur population growth by encouraging people to move.
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Elevate your everyday style with fabulous accessories like the Parisienne Pave Ring from Heidi Daus. The ring features a detailed design with floral and other natural design elements pave set with a rainbow of colourful crystals.
I love this ring! The colours are true colours all of the stones were in there place and just gorgeous. Love the little details and the leaf is so cute. Only complaint the details go around pretty far and irritate my other finger after a bit.
I didn't care for this ring at all when it arrived. I too purchased it with no photo showing, only a brief glimpse during an on air presentation. I have other rings from this line, so I thought it would be very nice. Turned out to be a little gawdy and cheap looking for my taste. Sorry Heidi, a miss on this one.
EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED that pictures were not & still are not available on line for this particular ring & other items. I ordered it without knowing what it would look like - tried to imagine what Heidi's creation would be based on the picture of the necklace. I wasn't even close. To make matters worse, I ordered this ring in two sizes because fit can vary depending on style & width of the band. I ordered ahead of Heidi's first show since many items are snapped up before the initial airing.
After placing my order, I asked to be transferred to customer service to voice my concerns. TSC definitely needs to correct this ongoing problem & to improve the quality of the pictures. Not to compare BUT, the Home Shopping Network (in the U.S.) has MUCH BETTER pictures of Heidi's EXTENSIVE collection.
I watched at least three of the on air presentations, but none showcased this ring or the other two rings I ordered.
Although the quality was there, this ring just did not wow me & I sent it back for someone else to appreciate.
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