SURREY — Police are searching for two young men who have been charged in connection to a shooting near Strawberry Hill Elementary school on Sept. 15.
Amarpreet Samra and Shakiel Basra, both 21, have been charged with two counts each to attempt to commit murder and intentionally discharging a firearm.
They remain at large and police warn they are considered armed and dangerous.
Basra is one of several men RCMP identified last April as involved with the turf war going on in the area.
Shots rang out on Sept. 15 around 6 p.m. near the Surrey school. A 22-year-old man was shot but was expected to survive.
Police are looking for a grey Jeep with a Saskatchewan license plate – 685JUD – in connection to the incident.
The shooting brought the city’s tally to 46 since the beginning of March. Police say many are related to a dial-a-dope turf war in the area.
Police ask anyone with information to contact the Surrey RCMP’s dedicated tip line at 604-915-6566. Police warn not to attempt to approach or apprehend the men if spotted, but instead call 911.


The first Cavalier to medal at the Olympics was James Rector, who won silver in the 100-meter dash at the 1908 Games in London. Since 2000, six UVA athletes have medaled and many more have competed. In 2000, Ed Moses (Col ’04) won gold and silver in swimming. Angela Hucles (Col ’00) won gold in 2004 and 2008 in soccer. In 2004, Wyatt Allen (Col ’91) won a gold medal in rowing. In 2008, Melanie Kok (Col ’07) won a silver medal in rowing and Lindsay Shoop (Col ’03) won a gold. And who can forget watching Dawn Staley (Col ’92) carrying the American flag at the opening ceremonies of the 2004 Olympics in Athens? She won her third gold medal that year. This summer, 12 UVA students and alumni competed in the Games of the XXX Olympiad, and three brought home gold.
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: UVA dominated college boxing for years, and then the years caught up with it
Corporate executive and management expert Jenifer Andrasko, a former U.S. Navy pilot, mission commander and NATO officer, will be the University of Virginia Alumni Association’s next president and CEO.


It is no surprise that the New York Post has taken a page from fellow Fox team player Bill O'Reilly in the non-artful realm of the non-apology apology.
Amid picketing and the angry response to the tasteless cartoon regarding the gunning down of a chimpanzee the Post has issued an "apology" on its own unique terms that smacks hard of a non-apology, to wit, an editorial on the Post's website was "meant to mock" the stimulus bill promoted by President Obama but "to those who were offended by the image, we apologize."
Actually, who were the critics, and were they included in the apology? The editorial asserts that the image was, in the words of MSNBC, "exploited by its longtime antagonists."
The editorial further asserts that those people who had longstanding differences with the Post saw the cartoon "as an opportunity for payback." These purported mischief makers were labeled "opportunists" alongside the gritty pronouncement, "To them, no apology is due."
The Post's editorial crystallized the picture. Critics who have in the past found the Post short of a modern day enactment of the journalistic ideals set forth by the likes of Joseph Pulitzer and Lincoln Steffens, and found fault with ill-tempered Col Allan's editorial domain, are trouble makers.
They are accordingly recognized as such, and hence no apology is forthcoming to anyone caucusing with that group of troublemakers.
Who does that leave in the ranks of the element toward which the "apology" was delivered? We offer to write that part for Mr. Allan and his crew:
"To those of you listeners of Rush Limbaugh and viewers of Fox News and dedicated television journalists such as Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity.
"To you who support us regularly here at the New York Post, and loyally supported the previous administration of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney and oppose the current Democrat Party regime of Barack Obama and Joe Biden, to those of you we know to be sincere and patriotic Americans who also happen to read our newspaper, to you we humbly apologize if we have indeed offended you."
So how many of the loyal supporters, those who have not seen fit to criticize the Post in the past, were offended by the cartoon in question? A reasonable guess would be none.
Since those in the aforementioned category were not offended while those who had been critical of the Post in the past were rebuked and specifically not included, then do we not at the end of the day have a circuitous non-apology with an angry slap directed toward those who had criticized the Post past or present?
Fellow Fox team player Bill O'Reilly followed a similar route after assuring his viewers and listeners that the "weapons of mass destruction" the Bush administration direly proclaimed were possessed by Iraq's dictator Saddam Hussein actually existed. If it turned out that they did not exist, he would then apologize.
After gagging out a sad facsimile of an apology after it became public knowledge that the alleged weapons of mass destruction never existed, Reilly then went on offense.
O'Reilly warned Barbra Streisand, who spoke forcefully against invading Iraq, along with others who agreed with her, that once American service personnel flew or set foot in that nation that they become totally silent. To voice opposition at such a time was intolerable and detrimental to the national interest.
So here is O'Reilly logic, brazenness after his confident claim has been shattered.
A stated reason for invading another nation has been irrefutably invalidated. An invading force attacks and occupies that same nation.
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The following remarks were presented by the Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director, during the public gathering and clergy march in Elizabeth City after the recent death of Andrew Brown, Jr on May 8th. Click here for the full recording.
I greet you on behalf of the N.C. Council of Churches and the 18 denominations we represent. And I share these words from the Gospel of Matthew: “A voice was heard . . ., wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more” (Matthew 2:18).
This weeping documented by Matthew occurred after the state sanctioned killing of all the Jewish boys under two in Herod’s demonic quest to retain power when he learned of the birth of Jesus.
- State sanctioned killing.
- Power hungry leaders.
- Mothers wailing.
It’s the day before Mother’s Day and here we are gathered because of another killing by people in power. We are all wailing, not just the mothers. But especially, maybe on this day before Mother’s Day, we could pay homage to the pain the mothers hold in their hands. So much pain.
- Lives cut short.
- Dreams unfulfilled.
- Grandchildren that will never be rocked because the children were killed before they had the chance to become parents.
You see the pain of the state sanctioned killing by power hungry leaders scars us for generations.
We are in Elizabeth City to make sure no one gets distracted from the killing of Andrew Brown, Jr., and the pain it has caused. But it’s not that hard for us to come to Elizabeth City and show our solidarity. A few hours in the car, a day away from home. But if this is all we do, we could have stayed home. What we must do now is return home and start dismantling racism.
- No more state sanctioned killing by denying healthcare—expand Medicaid already.
- No more state sanctioned killing by paying wages so low people can’t afford to feed their children—raise the minimum wage already.
- No more state sanctioned killing by imposing severe voting restrictions that prevent people from electing people who will pass laws to stop the killing.
Our task when we leave Elizabeth City is to go into the halls of power and confront the power hungry leaders. We must force them to stop the killing. And then, only then, will the mothers stop wailing. Thank you.


Gulf Keystone declines as Iraqi Kurdistan oil-payment deadline looms 12/1/2015
Gulf Keystone declines as Iraqi Kurdistan oil-payment deadline looms
12/1/2015 0 Comments
LONDON,— Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd. fell the most in four months as a deadline approaches for Iraq’s Kurdistan authorities to make good on a pledge to pay regional oil producers. Gulf Keystone, Genel Energy Plc and DNO ASA are awaiting a November payment from the Kurdistan Regional Government for the roughly 300,000 barrels a day they jointly produce. Failure to pay will undermine the companies’ finances and their ability to expand output. The KRG disbursed a total of $150 million to international companies in September and October after vowing to re-establish regular monthly payments in August. That followed an eight-month hiatus after disagreements with Iraq’s central government in Baghdad over how the region should be remunerated for its oil output. The collapse in crude prices and the cost of fighting Islamic State is making it harder for the KRG to balance its books. If the KRG “doesn’t make the regular payments, it won’t see oil production increase and therefore export revenues won’t increase,” Richard Mallinson, a London-based geopolitical analyst at Energy Aspects Ltd., said by phone. “There’s a Catch 22.”
Gulf Keystone remains in talks with the KRG and expects the next payment to be in line with those received in September and October, according to a spokesman for the company. Genel declined to comment. DNO will issue a statement when it receives a transfer, said Managing Director Bjoern Dale.
The KRG’s prime minister and oil minister are due to speak at an investor conference in London on Tuesday.
Gulf Keystone dropped as much as 15 percent and was down 6.9 percent to 20.25 pence as of 12:32 p.m. in
London trading. The stock has declined 70 percent this year. Genel fell 2.6 percent, while DNO gained 2.1 percent in Oslo.
The three companies are owed around $1.7 billion from past crude exports, based on their last regulatory filings. Unless this is paid, an increase in crude production isn’t possible, according to top executives at DNO, Genel and Gulf Keystone.
Dana Gas PJSC said on Sunday that a court in London has ordered the KRG to pay it and two other energy companies $1.98 billion in a dispute over development rights for two oil and natural gas fields in Iraq’s self-governing Kurdish region.
While the KRG has been supportive of Gulf Keystone, the Dana Gas ruling has caused some concerns in the market, James Midgley, an analyst at Mirabaud Securities LLP, said by phone. “It’s just more stretch on the balance sheet of the KRG, which was already stretched,” he said.
Kurdistan is a major driver behind Iraq’s record crude production this year, with the region exporting 595,528 barrels a day in October, according to the Kurdish Ministry of Natural Resources. That’s 22 percent of total Iraqi exports and almost double the level it was shipping in November last year.
Lower oil prices and the conflict with Islamic State have been compounded by the collapse in the revenue-sharing agreement between Baghdad and Erbil, leading the KRG to pursue crude sales independently.
Liquidity and indebtedness remains a concern for investors in oil producers in Kurdistan. Yields on Gulf Keystone’s $325 million of convertible bonds maturing in October 2017 have widened to 83.5 percent from less than 30 percent in January, according to Bloomberg data.
“They’re quite highly leveraged,” Sam Wahab, an analyst at Cantor Fitzgerald Europe said. The company has to make two bond repayments of $575 million in 2017. Regular monthly payments, similar to the $12 million Gulf Keystone received in September and October, won’t be enough for the company to renegotiate the debt on the same terms, Wahab said.
Genel has a bond repayment of $730 million two years later, while DNO’s $400 million bond repayment comes in 2020. Yields on those bonds are almost 20 percent.
The need to strengthen balance sheets has prompted speculation over consolidation among producers in Kurdistan, especially after $9.4 billion was wiped off the three companies’ market value since early 2014.
Genel is said to be in early merger talks with with New Age African Global Energy Ltd., a closely held explorer backed by commodities trading house Vitol SA. Gulf Keystone is still interested in finding a partner for its flagship Shaikan field or even a buyer for the whole company, Chief Executive Officer Jon Ferrier said last month.
Any buyer would have to weigh the risks associated with going into Kurdistan, according to Shola Labinjo, a London-based analyst at Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co.
“There are a number of other opportunities that are available to larger companies in this market with lower risk, so you don’t have the issue about security, or ISIS nor do you have payment problems,” Labinjo said.


DAYTONA BEACH -- Sex walks down the streets of Daytona Beach in leather chaps and a G-string. It performs a striptease on a hotel balcony as onlookers howl and take pictures. It calls from the back of a pickup truck at stock car races, begging passers-by to show more skin.
This city's big four annual events -- Speedweeks, Bike Week, spring break and Black College Reunion -- are about much more than speed, motorcycles, tans and brotherhood.
In Daytona Beach, they mark a spring of unbridled lust and exhibitionism.
It's the sex, stupid.
Barely dressed women stand next to tubs of ice and sell beer. Bars and hotels post times for wet T-shirt or bikini contests like movie theaters advertising showtimes. Women wrestle in coleslaw for a $500 grand prize, then gladly strip off their tops to get sprayed down with a hose. There's enough bumping, grinding and thrusting on State Road A1A to make Elvis blush.
It's all part of the city's salacious, months-long street party, which this year began with NASCAR's races in early February and will end with Black College Reunion in mid-April, attracting an estimated 1 million people.
Yes, the events are about stock cars, camaraderie and fun, as the chamber of commerce likes to portray them. But with each passing year, sex becomes more imbued in the culture of these events.
IT'S SHOW TIME
It's such a steamy, one-of-a-kind show that thousands of college students armed with video cameras are on the prowl at the beach this week for one of the busiest spring breaks in a decade.
Nick Daiello, 21, and his buddies from East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania arrived Monday and are looking for one thing: girls. Preferably, girls in bikinis.
"That's what it's all about," says Daiello as he waits on a pool deck for one of the half-dozen daily bikini contests to begin.
Spring break isn't the only stage for such seductive dramas.
Videographers from European reality television programs descended onto Main Street and State Road A1A for this year's Bike Week celebration.
Don Hagan, from European Real TV, says he had to turn off his large video camera in favor of a subtler hand-held camera on a recent afternoon. The bigger one was causing a sexual commotion too excessive even for European television.
"I had to put it away," he says as hundreds of motorcycles thunder down Main Street during the height of Bike Week. "They were just showing me [breasts] and doing a lot of sexual stuff."
Feminists, conservatives and your grandmother may wonder how a city's attempts to boost tourism could produce so many show-me-yours-and-I'll-show-you-mine public displays of sexuality.
The answer, experts say, lies somewhere in between good old-fashioned rebellion and an innate human desire to escape from the humdrum and become something different, wild, and irresistibly sexy.
It's all about being something you aren't and something your normal life won't let you be, says Pepper Schwartz, one of the nation's leading sociologists in human sexuality and author of the recently published Everything You Know About Love and Sex is Wrong.
"Many of us would feel demeaned," explains the University of Washington professor. "But what Daytona Beach has done is set up a culture that says you're going to like the way you look in our eyes. If you're wild and crazy, this is a place you can do it and no one is going to criticize you."
Well, almost no one.
City Commissioner Darlene Yordon might call you "revolting."
"These events have gotten bigger and bigger and more and more out of control," she says. "It's the anything-goes mentality. The rudeness, the aggressive behavior, the show me your [breasts] and total disregard for the laws on the books over here.
"These events come to town and just destroy everything we've been working hard for all year."
Daytona Beach Mayor Bud Asher, who was instrumental in making his city a spring break destination, says some displays of sexuality, such as bikini contests sponsored by the company that makes Trojan condoms, are beyond the city's control.
"Some of these hotels have contests on their pool decks that maybe you wish didn't happen," Asher says. "But these are private property events. We're not going to allow that to happen on the streets of Daytona Beach."
ON VACATION, ANYTHING GOES
Despite grumbling from city officials and residents, the events are as popular as ever. That breakaway from the constraints of routine and normalcy is partly what feeds the party fever.
"In ordinary life you wear a suit and tie or a uniform," says Stetson University sociology professor Charles Vedder. "When you have that much stability things get boring and you need to have an adventure. You want novelty. You want something that's not normally seen."
Vedder, who rides a Harley-Davidson, hasn't missed Bike Week since 1989. The sociologist in him can't resist taking note of what academics term "deviant" behavior, perhaps best defined by the annual day of coleslaw wrestling at Sopotnick's Cabbage Patch, an out-of-the-way bar west of New Smyrna Beach.
This year more than 5,000 people were there to watch one of the first matchups of the day: two women in bikinis.
They climbed a large mound to the top and stared down into the massive pit of oil and shredded cabbage. Moments later, to the delight of the crowd, they became a slimy, tangled mess of flailing arms, legs and hair.
Somehow, by a method indiscernible to onlookers, a winner was declared. The men in the crowd, knowing what would come next, began to fight for control of a garden hose to spray them off.
"Over here! Over here!" Jim Powell of Pensacola shouts to one of the contestants, who had removed her top while she was being hosed down.
Powell, like hundreds of other men at the event, had a camera ready to capture the moment.
"She's been flashing that side of the ring for, like, 10 minutes," he complains loudly.
A LITTLE FLASH, A LOT OF CASH
Most of the attention is focused on women, to the frustration of some women who, as one put it, would like to see a few wet boxer shorts contests.
But Tiesa Ortez doesn't mind. An administrative assistant at a Daytona Beach law firm, she sold beer out of a large ice-filled tub on Main Street during Bike Week.
Wearing a purple fur bra, she made nearly $800 for a day's work. She figures that would have been closer to $1,000 if the city hadn't made her wear shorts over her thong.
Possibly the tamest event, from the standpoint of sex, is the series of races at Daytona International Speedway in February.
In the speedway's infield, however, fans who are the equivalent of Shakespearean groundlings build plywood forts on their pick-up trucks while the elites watch the races from high up grandstand seats or luxury suites.
They, too, do what they can to encourage women to expose themselves. One sign atop a fort this year read: "Only topless women."
Spontaneity rules the 72 hours of Black College Reunion, when cruising turns State Road A1A into a parking lot, and men and women leave their cars to perform spur-of-the-moment bump-and-grind dances.
At BCR, the thing to do is capture as much skin as possible on film or disk. Some men go home with a fistful of film, filled with frame after frame of strangers exposing themselves. Some of it ends up on the Internet.
FOR SOME, FUN IS PRICEY
Even though hundreds of police officers, deputies and troopers patrol the city's events, it's difficult to enforce city ordinances aimed at keeping the events PG-13. But it is possible to make an example out of one or two.
Ask Daytona Beach Police officers Grant Karcher and Jamie Ziehl. They've spent plenty of Bike Week afternoons nabbing tourists who flirt with public nudity -- even if it's only a split-second lift of a bikini top to win a string of beads.
Tammy Barber, 29, and Danielle Geiser, 21, last week made the mistake of doing just that in front of the two officers. Karcher and Ziehl ushered the women down a side street to a patrol car. Both women were given $103 fines.
"I only showed one," Barber counters. "Shouldn't I only have to pay half?"
The officers can't help smiling as they finish up their paperwork. At barely 6 p.m., it's their third such arrest in two hours. Ziehl, a young officer with a fresh crew cut, looks up and deadpans, "One or two is the same thing. It's $103."
"What can I say?" says Barber, who's visiting from Missouri. "We're from the Show Me State."


The government has extended the start date for the new post-Brexit certification rules for construction products by 12 months, after being told that sticking with next year’s deadline would have caused chaos across the industry.
The current CE markings had been due to replaced by the UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) mark in just over four months’ time, however the government has now extended this deadline after repeat warnings that the timescale to hit next year’s deadline was unachievable.
William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said:
“The British Chambers of Commerce has led business calls for an extension of at least a year on the easement for CE markings on imported industrial goods, spare parts, and components. Businesses will welcome this reprieve until 1 January 2023, which will protect supply chains and make a huge difference to consumers on the availability of items such as phones and laptops. There is currently a lack of testing capacity to enable the retesting of decades worth of CE marked items for the new UKCA specification, so this measure will be hugely important in allowing time for that capacity to be built and for retesting to take place. A wider problem does still exist however – complex supply chains such as those in the automotive industry still face having to duplicate markings on certain components and incurring large costs for testing as a result. This could compromise the output of these industries, limit availability of goods for consumers and create mounting cost pressures on British businesses. The government needs to work now with businesses to ensure full consideration to the impacts are given before any decision to completely pull the plug on CE-marked goods, risking incurring costs to our economy that we may come to regret.”


Implementation of a Defense Department-wide virtual directory, already some 4 million listings strong, requires unity of effort across DOD.
According to J. Greg Hanson, the doomsday scenario of the Y2K bug never played out, thanks to many technology and business professionals who worked hard to make it a non-event. But while the predicted disaster wasn't significant, the effort to avert it certainly was, and we have been reaping the benefits ever since.
Agencies are turning to the Information Technology Infrastructure Library to bring order to IT management processes, but what will that mean for their enterprise architecture efforts?
Official promises the policy is very close to completion.
Readers suggest a few projects that could have made our Thanksgiving list of failed, or deeply troubled, government IT projects and debate the causes of such large-scale failures.
NASA plans to soon open competition for the first of five information technology services contracts that have been estimated to be worth more than $4 billion total.
Over the years, the American public has been gifted with its share of computer-based turkeys -- information technology projects gone wrong, often at spectacular expense.
The national laboratory overseeing the nation’s nuclear stockpile has some serious security shortfalls, according to auditors.
SSA should develop more open IT systems as it modernizes, according to recommendations released in a white paper by the Computer & Communications Industry Association.
The Labor Department is soliciting proposals for a five-year support contract for a broad range of IT support services.
DHS' financial system consolidation program has progressed but still relies too much on contractors, GAO officials say.
GSA's David McClure outlines IT issues requiring added attention during panel on collaboration and transparency at IAC-ACT's Executive Leadership Conference.


Brandix Lanka has strengthened its partnership with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), in an effort to address some of the key humanitarian needs of the conflict displaced communities in the country. As part of its latest contribution, Brandix has once again stepped forward to support Quick Impact Projects (QIPs), an integral part of UNHCR’s operations in Sri Lanka, which sees the implementation of small-scale and short-term projects to support resettlement and have an immediate and long-term impact on returnee communities. These projects aim to promote return as well as facilitate stability. Through this project, Brandix hopes to help meet the non-food needs of the internally displaced population in the country. Last year, UNHCR took its first steps towards forging strategic partnerships with Sri Lanka’s private sector, by tying up with Brandix to improve the water facilities and water management of the Karambe Hospital and its surrounding villages in Puttalam. The project has helped better the health and welfare of the Puttalam residents and internally displaced persons. Brandix’s CSR efforts are driven by the central corporate theme ‘Water is Life’ and constitute a long-term commitment to improving the living conditions of people in need, including bringing safe drinking water to households in Sri Lanka. “Brandix is honoured to support UNHCR in its initiative to help improve the lives of vulnerable Sri Lankans,” says the Brandix Group’s CEO Ashroff Omar. “Collaborating with UNHCR has ensured that our resources were utilised efficiently and effectively to construct such an essential project swiftly.” UNHCR’s Representative in Sri Lanka Amin Awad hailed Brandix’s commitment towards improving the lives of the displaced and returnee communities in the country.
Photo caption – L-R Anusha Alles, Head of CSR, Brandix, Amin Awad, UNHCR’s Representative in Sri Lanka and Gary Firth, UNHCR


What is the driving force behind the nation’s most successful brokerages?
The heads of employee benefit brokerages in the United States that experienced the most growth year-over-year in the large-group client market agree, their successes lie with their consultants and employees.
In partnership with business intelligence data analytics firm miEdge, EBA presents its 2016 listing of top large-group employee benefit firms in the country, ranked exclusively on health and welfare revenue.
The listing is the only ranking of its kind using information not self-disclosed by the companies being ranked. The list is based on Form 5500 Schedule A data submitted to the Department of Labor as of Aug. 31, 2016 for groups of 100 or more. (Revenue numbers do not reflect groups under 100 lives, government entities and church plans that are not required to file. Any disclosure on Schedule C’s are also not contemplated in these numbers.)
At Fort Worth, Texas-based Higginbotham Insurance — which had the highest percentage growth year-over-year at 39.2%, rising to No. 33 on the ranking with $11 million in 2016 revenue from $7.9 million in revenue and No. 44 on the 2015 list — its people are the firm’s most important asset, says Rusty Reid, chairman and CEO of Higginbotham Companies, the brokerage’s parent company.
“Unlike in other business, they [take] the elevator every day,” he says. “Our business is very complex and full of ever-changing laws and very complex people issues.”
As a result, Reid says it was important to create incentives that exceed employer expectations, and the firm began an employee ownership program in 1989. Employees now own 75% of the company.
“We are very focused on business-to-business,” Reid says. “If we win, they win. We think that comes through in spades when it is related to clients. Knowing you are an owner, you go a bit above 9-to-5 customer service. The people dynamic is extremely important and [this] takes it a step further.”
In the 2016 rankings, Mercer Health & Benefits remained in the No. 1 spot of top revenue with $227.1 million in revenue. Both Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. and Aon Consulting moved down one spot each, to third and fourth, with $196.2 million and $172.1 million in 2016 revenue, respectively. Willis Towers Watson rose into second place from fourth with $203 million in 2016 revenue.
There is a lot of interesting movement within the rankings, explains Mark Smith, CEO of New Boston, N.H.-based miEdge, the firm that provides the data.
“The big thing that stands out is that consolidation in the employee benefits health and welfare space is continuing ... to be a dominant part of how people are staying competitive in the marketplace,” Smith says. “Go back to 2014, there was 30% of the market controlled by the top 50, now that is over 40%, and with the [Affordable Care Act], what you as a broker/consultant need to provide to clients has gotten more sophisticated.”
He adds, “The pressures on bringing that sophistication to the client often means you have to make an investment as a business into providing these services or partnering with and many times merge with larger firms that already [have] those things.”
Within the top 10 firms, Aon and HUB International led the pack in growth with 21.7% and 21% growth, respectively.
But, Smith cautions, growth also depends on size. “Mercer is still the No. 1 broker and consultant in the country. They have remained the dominant force in the United States,” he says. “It is also much easier to grow faster as a smaller organization, because if you grow $1 million on small versus $1 million on large, that percentage difference is [bigger].”
The ACA is bringing many different requirements that employers must adhere to, requiring a consultant to be completely up to date on all the moving parts that relate to the workplace, and then find a compelling solution for the client, Smith explains. “This becomes even more burdensome when trying to do that with your own clients and on top of that, finding new clients,” he adds. “They key to the most successful brokers is that they have the ability to provide those capabilities to existing clients, but also have a sales culture to go and find new clients as well. That is not a skill everyone has.”
For those at the top, it is all about changing and adapting with the business. “All this change means for EPIC, and the industry, [is] that we too must change, evolve and invest to support our consultants in delivering the right solutions and capabilities to our clients, and to help them grow personally,” says Chris Duncan, chief growth officer at San Francisco-based EPIC Insurance, which moved up six spots to No. 15 on the list, with 21.8% growth on $30.5 million in 2016 revenue.
“Those that get it right are likely to reap the rewards of growth, as employers are looking for straight, clear answers that solve their problems,” he adds. “This also means that for benefit advisers specifically, scale matters, as you need scale to be able to financially support the investments and capabilities needed to deliver for clients.”
The business has greatly changed over the past 6-7 years due to the “massive forces of healthcare cost increases and the ACA,” he explains. “Healthcare costs are now 18% of GDP, and costs continue to rise much faster than inflation, and the benefits financial impact has moved from what used to be the sole domain of HR, to such size and impact that the C-suite and boards are now heavily involved.”
As a result of the ACA, Duncan believes that brokers and consultants must expand their services, analytics, solutions, technology, communications and compliance capabilities and evolve their own personal skillsets to deliver ever more complex and sophisticated advice and solutions to clients.
The changing business means brokers are challenging themselves “daily to identify ways to grow [their] business outside the standard brokerage services,” says Liz Smith, president of Schaumburg, Ill.-based Assurance Agency, responsible for overseeing the firm’s employee benefits practice. Assurance rose eight spots on the 2016 rankings to No. 39, with 24.3% growth on $9.4 million in 2016 revenue.
“Our business has changed dramatically over the last five years,” she adds. “Pricing has obviously always been important, but today I would say clients are most interested in compliance and analysis. You need to invest in these areas to retain your clients and create that credibility.”
It is part of the “rapid change, consolidation and innovation of business models” in the industry, Duncan adds. “There was a time when if you were a good golfer and networker, you could be a successful benefits producer or consultant, operating inside a relatively stable world of benefits problems and answers. Today, you have to be as savvy as an investment banker, as paranoid as an attorney, as analytical as an actuary, as comfortable with a CFO as you are with a benefits administrator, a project manager like you’re going to the moon and back, and as good a communicator as an Oscar-winning actor. The internal and external environment for advisers has totally changed.”
Staying ahead of the competition is a bit of an art and a science, says Tucker Sharp, Aon’s global chief brokering officer. “The science is straightforward. We develop people that are really good at listening, who talk to clients about their biggest challenges,” he says. “We stay in close contact with Washington and groups like the National Business Group on Health.”
But, he adds, there are two other pieces. One is investment in innovation. Aon has created several innovation centers around the world where teams of actuaries and thought leaders come together to work on innovations, such as data and testing with carriers and clients, Sharp says.
And just like other firms on the list, the other piece to success revolves around people. Over the past five years, the firm has thought of itself as ‘Aon united.’
“That may sound like a tagline, but the way we operate differently, rather than experts in retiree and health [in silos], we have people across all those areas that are trusted and can translate that,” he says. “One voice has forced us — in a good way — to look outside our traditional subject-matter expertise so we have people on the three areas our clients want: risk, retiree and health.”
When Aon and Hewitt merged in 2010 it allowed the newly formed company to take a step back and put a new focus on bringing those teams together, Sharp explains.
Organic growth or M&A?
These firms with the most growth are looking to grow any way they can. At Assurance, Smith says that her firm has been focused on organic growth for the past 15 years. “We focus on bringing on new clients one at a time, as well as targeting top producers,” she explains.
At San Mateo, Calif.-based ABD Insurance & Financial Services, which rose six spots on the list to No. 35 with 28.2% growth and $10.5 million in 2016 revenue, the basis of the firm’s growth has been organic. “To grow organically, you have to have a reputable group of people, a reputable firm and an aggressive sales force,” says Darren Brown, ABD’s executive vice president, employee benefits.
“We have a long tenure and track record in the markets that we serve,” he explains. “How we grow is by being laser focused on our current customers and building a strong reputation so they retain us as their consultant but also make recommendations and referrals. When we reach out to new opportunities, we can refer to our client base and we can refer to our market leverage and relationships to grow organically.”
Higginbotham’s growth is driven by cross-selling. The firm started its cross-selling initiative in 1989 and it continues to be embedded in their culture today, Reid says.
Cross-selling starts on day two with clients. The first day focuses on coverage and figuring out business plans. But, day two is about wellness and helping with healthcare costs. The firm has seven people across Texas who are wellness consultants. “Everything we do is client driven and if there is a need out there they have communicated, we try to fill that need,” says Michael Parks, COO of Higginbotham’s financial services practice, responsible for core benefits.
The firm also focuses on M&A. Some years, organic growth will outpace M&A, and vice versa. “What we don’t want to do is bring on a new partner for the sake of bringing on a new partner,” Reid says. “We want to find someone that is a partner, not an M&A candidate.” Since the firm launched its ‘Best in Texas’ initiative in 2007, it has brought on nearly 25 partners.
Over at EPIC, the company is focused on all forms on growth. “If you look at the EPIC story, it started in California, and grew to the fourth largest brokerage firm in California pretty much all organically by hiring good people,” Duncan says. “The two founders, John Hahn and Dan Francis, did it block-by-block for eight years.”
An investment by Carlyle two and a half years ago took the show on the road, expanding the firm “both in California and eastward, into the Southeast, Northwest and Southwest, organically, [by] hiring good people, and inorganically, through acquisitions,” Duncan says. “We have a dual focus on getting the right acquisitions that can buy into the EPIC culture, client focus, entrepreneurial spirit and finding great producers, consultants and teams of people that leverage the same.”
EPIC closed its largest employee benefit acquisition to date with Ascende in Houston this year. “They brought to the table several key specialty areas EPIC was light on, including prescriptions, global benefits and retirement, but more importantly, a ton of really great talent and leadership we could build around,” Duncan explains. “Our acquisitions are seldom about just buying revenue and clients; we really look for a strategic opportunity we can invest in.”
But with that growth, agencies know they need to find clients that are a right fit for their agency. At Associated Financial Group in Minneapolis— which rose eight spots to No. 22 on the list with 26% growth on $15 million in 2016 revenue — the firm sees its growth coming from decision-making and new clients. “We are not the right answer for everybody,” says Dean Hildebrandt, CEO of Associated Benefits and Risk Consulting Group, Associated’s brokerage arm. “If somebody doesn’t value health and wellness of their staff, we are probably not a great fit for them.”
“There is somebody that will try to do it cheaper,” he adds. “But for folks that value wellness and value improved performance for their group, we are a great fit.”
About the people
But in the end, it comes back to the people. “My experience has proven to me that this business has changed … much faster in the past 5-6 years than the previous 15,” says ABD’s Brown. “The one thing I truly believe strongly that separates us from other firms is we work really hard to create a leadership culture where everybody within the organization is empowered with transparency around results.”
“They are empowered to think like leaders and make decisions,” he adds. “So when they work with clients, they can act quickly and be accountable for the decisions they are making.”
This is different than the previous producer-centric days, where the focus was on making calls and closing deals. “Our firm has always been about the team approach,” he says, “a very robust set of resources associated with those teams and by creating a leadership structure and a large group of people committed to each client engagement that they have.”
People are important because anybody can bring a product to bear and show it to a client, says Pattysue Rauh, executive vice president and national benefits leader of Daytona Beach, Fla.-based Brown & Brown Inc., which held steady at No. 12 on the list, with 30.4% growth on $77.3 million in revenue.
“What is more important is having an individual willing to invest time and effort to stay ahead of the curve with compliance,” Rauh says. “It is constantly changing in the industry. You need an individual who wants to continually improve and make sure they are a top-notch executive meeting with clients and prospects.”
“They understand the issues and can bring solutions to the table that aren’t just product solutions, but truly compliance- and advice-driven on issues facing employers today,” she adds.
The future has never been brighter, EPIC’s Duncan says. “All this change going on, from ACA to insurer consolidation to healthcare delivery, means that we as advisers are needed more and more, in more strategic and tactical ways, than ever before,” he explains. “Combine this with the massive pressure on over-worked HR functions being asked to do more and more with less and less, and CFOs focused on costs they can impact means that trusted advisers and specialists that really understand the issues and levers in 18% of the GDP and can translate chaos and uncertainty into a plan that delivers on an organization’s needs, making HR and the CFO look good, is a great place to be.”
““We’ve placed a major bet on massive change meaning material opportunity for EPIC and its people,” Duncan says. “And we’re seeing the results of this bet in our own growth in benefits.”
ABD’s Brown agrees: “I have an extremely positive outlook for this industry and my firm. There has been a ton of disruption in health care. It’s not just the ACA, but a challenging industry … and a big part of the economy.”
Something so large is ripe for disruption, but also ripe for opportunity, Brown says. “As a traditional benefit broker/consultant, one thing we do know to be true is that our buyers are looking for great advice and counsel,” he explains. “Look at the true definition of an independent broker/consultant that is what we do, assuming you have the resources to support those recommendations and provide that guidance.”


The Zamfara State Command of the Nigeria Police has arrested two secondary school students in the state for attempting to extort money from their principal and threatening to kill their colleagues.
In the incidents as narrated by the police, the two students from different secondary schools in the state, sent threat messages to their respective principals demanding payment of millions of naira to avoid attack and kidnap.
Society gazette gathered one of them threatened to kidnap his principal, while the second one called his school principal on phone threatening to kill and abduct students of the school unless he paid N3 million.
However, after the two incidents were brought to the attention of the police, two students, one in SS3, the other in SS1 suspected to be the mastermind behind the threats have been arrested by the police.
The developments were disclosed at a press conference on Friday at the Zamfara State police command headquarters in Gusau, by the Police Commissioner, Hussaini Rabi’u.
“On 25th June, 2021, a letter was found close to the suggestion box of Dominican College located in Sha’iskawa area, Gusau.
“The content of the letter was a threat to kidnap the principal of the school, Rev. Sister Chinyere O.P and students of the school.
“On receipt of the complaint, police detectives swung into action and arrested one Donatus Ejeh as the principal suspect.
“On interrogation, the suspect was discovered to be an SS3 student of the school,” he said.
Rabi’u added that on 1st July, the principal of Federal Government College, Anka, Zamfara state reported to the DPO Anka Division that an unknown person called her and demanded three million Naira or he would storm the school and attack students.
“On receipt of the complaint, police swung into action and arrested one Tukur Bashir in Bakura Local Government Area of the state.
“Upon investigation, the caller was discovered to be an SS1 student of the school,” he said.
The commissioner said investigations were ongoing to unravel and arrest collaborators of the students.
Meanwhile, Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle has declared that his decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) is more than mere politics.
The Governor disclosed on Friday that he dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the best interest of the people of Zamfara.
Society gazette recalls Matawalle officially defected from PDP to APC on Tuesday at a ceremony to mark the occasion which took place in Gusau, the state capital.
Speaking on his defection, the Zamfara Governor while speaking on the Osasu Show programme on Friday noted that his defection will now bring greater development to the state and the issue of insecurity in the state will receive better attention.
He noted that now that Zamfara has joined the ruling party, it will be easier to get the federal government’s attention on issues affecting the state.
Source: Naija News


Rawlings mourns Dr. Kwabena Adjei
Source: Daily Graphic Ghana - Former President Jerry John Rawlings has tweeted his condolences to the family of the late Dr. Kwabena Adjei.
The former National Democratic Congress (NDC) national chairman passed away Tuesday morning after battling ill-health. He was 76
In a brief tweet, Rawlings, founder of the NDC, described the late Dr. Kwabena Adjei as “a strong-spirited personality” who will be missed by many.
“My sincere condolences to the family and the NDC fraternity on the loss of Dr. Kwabena Adjei. He was a strong-spirited personality and will be missed by many. May his soul rest in peace.”
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Marburg virus and Ebola virus are the SAME..! Read Here!


Is your Brand Backing Bigotry?
Imagine the following scenario:
Imagine the following scenario:
An advert for your brand just appeared alongside an article that aggressively and needlessly outed and attacked an LGBT+ member of the public. Is this how you envisaged your expensive ad campaign playing out? You don’t want to be seen as a brand that endorses hostility, bullying and discrimination. It’s probably a no-brainer, right?
Well then, let me tell you a story…
In a high profile court case that began in 2015, food blogger Jack Monroe (who identifies as non-binary transgender) successfully sued a Daily Mail Online columnist for tweets that accused her of condoning the graffitiing of a war monument for women in Whitehall. Monroe’s brother is in the RAF and her father served in the Falklands. She strongly denies any involvement with or endorsement of the vandalism in question. Nevertheless, she received death threats as a result of the columnist’s claim. Apologies were not forthcoming.
Among its many minority targets, the Daily Mail also decided to out a British judge in November 2016, labelling him an ‘enemy of the people’. Whatever your view on Brexit might be, it’s hard to imagine that a person’s private sexuality is relevant to the issue. The fact that it was mentioned at all implies that LGBT+ people present a threat to British society and that they can’t be trusted. The devious juxtaposition wilfully ignores the fact that LGBT+ people are prominently involved in many walks of British life and contribute a great deal.
More recently, the Sun decided it had the right to out a newly-qualified NHS nurse by reporting his alleged involvement in a gay porn film. Again, it’s hard to see how any aspect of the story is in the public interest. Strange indeed that a newspaper so frequently hung up on the nebulous concept of ‘political correctness’ and an overbearing ‘nanny state’ should suddenly feel it’s justified in policing the sexuality of random members of the public.
Big Brother is indeed watching you. And we must assume his name is Rupert Murdoch.
In the cases above, LGBT+ citizens were spitefully outed on a national scale – an act of inexcusable hostility. But how many brands rushed to the defence of those targeted? How many ads were pulled as a result of the flagrant homophobia?
Perhaps the problem is that some brands don’t understand the real impact and risk of LGBT+ people’s private lives being used as attention grabbing headlines.
Or perhaps the problem is that some brands don’t care.
It’s certainly not true that all brands heartlessly ignore published prejudice and harmful political association. In recent months, the likes of Jaguar Land Rover, Thomson Reuters, Sandals and Marie Curie have all suspended online advertising on sites that were deemed to promote terrorism. Drop Box and the V&A Museum have already pulled problematic ads for the same reason.
Meanwhile, Disney chose to end its relationship with YouTuber PewDiePie following an investigation into nine videos that featured Nazi imagery and anti-Semitic content.
In the UK in September 2016, Specsavers apologised and cancelled Daily Express advertising following complaints about doom-mongering front page headlines that demonised migrants and were considered to be “bigoted”.
According the growing global phenomenon of Sleeping Giants, 1250 advertisers have disassociated themselves from the far-right rhetoric of the Breitbart website. In this case, the Kellogg Company was ahead of the game. Kris Charles, spokeswoman for Kellogg’s made a statement to Bloomberg explaining that they regularly work with their media-buying partners to ensure their ads do not appear on sites that aren’t aligned with their values as a company.
Ethical editorial decisions all round then.
So that brings us to the cop-outs – the brands that eschew their responsibilities by claiming that they make no editorial decisions. Is it such a horrifying idea to suggest that they should?
Here in the UK, the Stop Funding Hate campaign is challenging brands to make moral choices. Campaigner Rosey Ellum recently wrote an article for the Gay Star News highlighting the problem with brands who fail to respond appropriately.
“Some brands are not properly acknowledging customers who say: I am hurt by this. I see the hate in the media and it affects my life,” Ellum told Pride AM. “And often these brands will be contravening their own ethical policies in terms of being inclusive and non-discriminatory.”
Commendably, Body Shop, Lego, Bellroy and Eurowings have all made exactly this stand, pulling their ad money from tabloids whose output stands in direct contradiction to their brand ideals.
In 2016, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance singled out the Daily Mail and the Sun for publishing hate speech. Among other complaints, it noted “unscrupulous press reporting” targeting the LGBT+ community.
So serious an issue has the unreliability of the Daily Mail become, that Wikipedia’s editors have voted to ban it as a source of legitimate citation. It has been judged “generally unreliable” and guilty of “poor fact checking, sensationalism and flat-out fabrication”. There is such distrust of the Daily Mail’s content that Wikipedia is now in the process of reviewing around 12000 existing links and seeking to replace them with alternative sources.
Perhaps it’s time that LGBT+ consumers and their allies were equally scrupulous in asking brands exactly where they draw the line – how much ill treatment of LGBT+ people are brands willing to be an accessory to?
It’s certainly time for brands to start playing a more active role in deciding where they pay to appear and to challenge the media outlets they are associated with to take more responsibility for their specious, fictitious and divisive content.
Written by Phil Clements, Member and Spokesperson for PrideAM


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Word of the Day
- The governor of a province or people.
The word 'ethnarch' comes from a Greek word meaning 'ruler of a tribe or nation'.


The Houston Chronicle described Hutchison, who is trying to oust Gov. Rick Perry in the Republican primary, as a trailblazer with a "proven record of working across party lines to benefit all." The Dallas Morning News said she would provide a "welcome change" to Perry's "bully tactics" and "strong-arm style."
Perry, the GOP front-runner, broke with tradition this year and decided not to seek endorsements from newspaper editorial boards. Most of them unloaded on Perry, the longest-serving governor in Texas history, with broad attacks on his heavy-handed governing style.
"The sad fact is that (Perry) has little to show for that long tenure," the Austin American-Statesmen wrote in a blistering editorial that recommended Hutchison for GOP voters. "Even sadder is that the governor is turning into a caricature in order to please a rowdy constituency that feeds on secessionist fantasies and fairy tales about tax cuts."
The Eagle of Bryan-College Station mentioned Perry's decision not to meet with any of the papers' editorial boards, saying he was "probably unwilling to answer tough questions they might have asked." Both White and Hutchison got the paper's nod.
In endorsing White in the Democratic primary, the Statesman applauded the San Antonio native's "low-key, thoughtful approach that seems like just what Texas needs now." The paper said the other Houstonian in the race, hair care magnate Farouk Shami, had an "inspiring life story" but was completely unprepared to govern.
The editorial boards mostly ignored Wharton activist Debra Medina, who has stirred passion and controversy as the third Republican in the race with Perry and Hutchison. The Amarillo Globe News, which endorsed Hutchison, said Medina "is making noise with her support of the so-called 'tea party' movement" but didn't mention her again. White picked up the Globe News endorsement in the Democratic contest.
Both Hutchison and White got endorsements from four of the state's largest metropolitan newspapers -- the Chronicle, Morning News, San Antonio Express-News and Statesman. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram is expected to make endorsements in the race on Sunday.


women's golf team stands tied for 19th
DIEGO, Calif. - The Lewis-Clark State College
women's golf team made a small improvement
during the second day of the NAIA Women's Golf
Championships on Tuesday at the Lake San Marcos
The problem for the
others several other teams in the field played
better in the second round than on Monday.
two strokes better on Tuesday, the Warriors
actually slipped into a tie for 19th place at
the tournament's halfway point.
LCSC shot a 342
score on Tuesday, which left it with a 686 total
and tied for 19th in the 23-team field with St.
Ambrose. The Warriors are still in good shape to
make a run as they are only 12 shots out of 15th
place and 22 shots behind fellow Frontier
Conference competitor Rocky Mountain, which is
in 14th at 664. Fellow Region I member, the
University of British Columbia, leads the
tournament with a 630 score.
For the Warriors to
make a move, they will need their top players to
come through, something that didn't happen on
Juanita Villa, who
was the conference's Player of the Year last
season and the Warriors' top scorer in almost
every tournament this year, bogeyed seven
straight holes on her first nine Tuesday on her
way to a 15-over 87 and a tow-day total of 172,
which leaves her third on the team.
Shrout continues to play well for LCSC and
followed up her 80 on Monday with an 83. Her 163
total has her tied for 38th overall.
Norris improved by one shot on Tuesday with an
85 for a 171 total, which has her tied for 74th
overall. Sophomore Sue James is tied for 100th
at 180 after improving by six shots on Tuesday
with an 87.
Kluever, who is appearing in her fourth NAIA
national tournament, struggled for the second
straight day and finished with a 96 for a 191
The third round of
the tournament will be held Thursday with the
final 18 holes on Friday. LCSC, which is making
its fourth appearance in the tournament in the
last five years, finished 14th last season.


New findings released at the 5th International Scientific Symposium on Tea & Human Health reveal tea to have preventative health benefits including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease as well as providing protection from stroke and heart attack.
Leading nutrition scientists from around the world convened at the United States Department of Agriculture Wednesday to present the latest research supporting the role of tea in benefiting and promoting better health.
The Tea Association of Canada compiled the overview that follows.
Interest in tea’s potential health benefits has grown exponentially. In just the past five years there have been more than 5,600 scientific studies on tea, forming a substantial body of research on this world wide consumed beverage.
“There is now an overwhelming body of research from around the world indicating that drinking tea benefits human health,” says Dr. Carol Greenwood, who is a Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto and a Senior Scientist at the Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest.
Dr. Greenwood, an expert on the relationship between diet, nutrition and brain health, went on to say “the compounds in tea appear to impact virtually every cell in the body in a positive health outcome, which is why the consensus emerging from this symposium is that drinking at least a cup of clear green, black, white or oolong tea a day can contribute significantly to the promotion of public health.”
Of particular interest to Dr. Greenwood and the medical community was the numerous heart health studies presented that tea supports heart health and healthy blood pressure, and appears to be associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, including stroke and heart attack.
New research presented by Dr. Claudio Ferri, MD, University L’Aquila, Italy, found in 19 normotensive and 19 hypertensive individuals that black tea was able to reduce blood pressure. In the hypertensive patients, black tea appeared to counteract the negative effects of a high-fat meal on blood pressure and arterial blood flow.
Hypertensive subjects were instructed to drink a cup of tea after a meal that contained .45 grams fat/lb. body weight. The results suggest that tea prevented the reduction in flow mediated dilation (FMD), the arterial ability to increase blood flow that occurs after a high-fat meal. In a previous study conducted by Ferri, tea improved FMD from 7.8 to 10.3%, and reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure by -2.6 and -2.2 mmHg, respectively, in study participants.
Also of interest among the findings is research suggesting that green tea and caffeine may trigger energy expenditure that may promote weight loss. Another study illustrates how tea may help counter the adverse effects of high-fat foods on blood vessels, which could possibly reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, the most common cause of death in the North America.
Tea and Body Weight
Obesity is the largest public health concern in North America and there are few strategies that provide long-term success. New research on tea catechins suggests that they may provide a benefit in maintaining body weight or promoting weight loss.
Tea and Bone and Muscle Strength
Osteoporosis is a major public health concern for many older women and men as the disease is responsible for two million fractures a year and 300,000 hip fractures in 2005. The disease leads to loss of mobility, independence and reduces quality of life for many older Americans.
Researchers at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center conducted studies with 150 postmenopausal women with low bone mass to see if the addition of green tea flavanols , Tai Chi exercise or both green tea plus Tai Chi could help improve markers for bone health and muscle strength in study participants. At the end of the six-month clinical trial they found that 500 mg green tea extract (equivalent to 4-6 cups of green tea daily), alone or in combination with Tai Chi, improved markers for bone formation, reduced markers of inflammation and increased muscle strength in study participants.
Tea May Improve Mental Sharpness
Consuming black tea improved attention and self-reported alertness in a human study conducted by Unilever R&D, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands. In this placebo-controlled study, designed to measure attention, task performance and alertness, subjects drinking tea were more accurate on an attention task and also felt more alert than subjects drinking a placebo. This work supports earlier studies on the mental benefits of tea. In addition, two other studies provide a broader perspective on tea’s effects on psychological well-being, showing benefits for tiredness and self-reported work performance, as well as mood and creative problem solving. These studies provide support for tea’s benefits for mental sharpness, as measured by attention, mood and performance.
Bioactive Compounds in Tea
Tea is one of the most thoroughly researched for its potential health benefits. The leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant contain thousands of bioactive compounds that have been identified, quantified and studied for their mechanisms of action. While many of these compounds act as antioxidant flavonoids, not all of tea’s benefits are thought to be solely from antioxidant activity.
For example, new research presented by Alan Crozier, PhD, of the University of Glasgow, UK, revealed that while many tea flavonoids in green and black tea are digested and absorbed, others are more resistant to digestion and travel mostly intact to the lower gastrointestinal tract, where they provide a probiotic effect by enabling beneficial bacteria to thrive.
Tea Provides Profound Health Benefits
The latest data provide further evidence of tea’s potential role in promoting good health, perhaps due to the fact that tea flavonoids are the major contributors of total flavonoid intake in the U.S. diet:
Tea drinking may play a role in helping to prevent cells from becoming cancerous;
Tea may play a role in enhancing the effect of chemotherapy drugs used for treating certain cancers; and
Flavonoids in tea, among other compounds present in tea leaves, may help ward off inflammation and vascular damage linked to chronic conditions associated with aging.
“As the second most consumed beverage in the world next to water, tea accounts for a significant amount of the flavanol intake worldwide,” states Joe Simrany, President, Tea Council of the USA, which has been spear-heading this International Tea & Human Health Symposium since 1991. “This gathering of renowned global nutrition scientists is the world’s leading platform to release new research on tea, and acts as a catalyst for continuing research on tea in areas as diverse and novel as cognitive function, bone growth, weight management, cancer and vascular function.”
Complete studies and abstracts are posted to the Tea Association of Canada website at
The symposium was sponsored by American Cancer Society, American Institute for Cancer Research, American Society for Nutrition, American College of Nutrition, The Linus Pauling Institute, American Medical Women’s Association, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Tea Council of the USA.


It’s a frosty morning on Kidsley Farm in Derbyshire, a uncommon factor on this unusually heat winter.
Andrew Dakin’s beef herd is housed within the outdated brick barns, their breath steaming within the chill air.
Alongside scuttling chickens and tractors of various vintages, that is the very picture of a standard farmyard. But for the way lengthy? Andrew is a tenant farmer and his landlord, who owns the land, needs to show his pasture right into a photo voltaic farm.
“Our old way of life will be gone forever. And I’ve worked on this farm all my life, seven days a week. I’ve not been on holiday since I was 15. Not because I didn’t want to, but I like being here on the farm.”
His household has labored the land right here for 94 years. His mom nonetheless lives with him within the farmhouse. Although he could be allowed to remain in his house and is being supplied some compensation, with the grazing changed by photovoltaic panels, the job could be gone.
“It’ll all be fenced off with 10ft-high deer fencing. I think solar panels have got a part to play on house roofs, factory roofs and brownfield sites.”
Click to subscribe to ClimateForged with Tom Heap wherever you get your podcasts
But each political events have enormous ambitions for photo voltaic: the federal government needs 5 instances as a lot energy from the solar by 2035 and delivering that with out touching farmland is implausible in keeping with many specialists, together with Chris Hewett from Solar Energy UK.
“We are in a climate emergency and we do need to deploy this technology very quickly because climate change is the greatest threat to food security,” he says.
“If we don’t solve that, farms are not going to be viable in the future. I think all siting needs to be done sensitively and if businesses are affected there needs to be compensation.”
Watch the Climate Show with Tom Heap, Saturday and Sunday at 3.30 and seven.30pm on Sky News
Currently, simply 0.1% of farmland is taken by photo voltaic panels – much like the realm claimed by Christmas timber – and they are often mixed with sheep grazing and even some cropland. But in areas with good grid connections, productive farmland is focused by photo voltaic builders.
Farmers who personal their land may see this as a monetary alternative however tenants like Andrew Dakin don’t have any say.
George Dunn, who runs the Tenant Farmers Association, says: “It’s becoming ever more common. Just about every week I get another TFA member calling me to say that they have a huge solar scheme that’s going to either engulf their farm or take a large part of their farm.
“People are actually in tears on the cellphone saying the years of enterprise, years of funding they’ve been put to that holding will probably be misplaced. We’re speaking about hundreds of acres being taken out.”
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The transition to renewable power will present new jobs and alternatives. But it comes at a value for farmers like Andrew Dakin.
“I don’t know what I’d do without the farm. It’s in my blood. Going to the market and talking to my farmer friends and about our experiences the previous week. That would all be gone. Life would never be the same again,” says Mr Dakin.
Part of Mr Dakin’s farm was an opencast coal mine. The widespread closure of that trade was a bitter episode in latest historical past.
National Energy transitions could be painful.


Opinion pages full of Trump bashing
What’s on the political slate next week? Since there’s nothing favorable to say about Hillary Clinton, it must be more Donald Trump-bashing. It seems to be the only game in town.
I’ve given up on anyone to ever address essential political issues. Carl Wellman slammed Trump because of a comment Trump made upon receiving a Purple Heart as a gift. Trump was never in harm’s way, which is unforgivable in the eyes of those who have ever been in the sights of an enemy weapon. But draft-dodging Bill Clinton always got a pass.
When neither of the candidates have ever served in harm’s way, isn’t it best to just avoid the issue and move on?
Although Joseph Dobrian and I share similar sentiments regarding both Hillary Clinton and Trump, this election is not about the campaign trail. Dobrian is right about the impact of our vote, or the lack of it in the electoral process. This race could be between Lassie and Snoopy. There are two opposing ideologies here, and the winning candidate will determine the judicial balance of the Supreme Court. Supreme Court justices serve for a generation or until they die, whichever is sooner. What Hillary Clinton intends for the country is no surprise, or at least it shouldn’t be. What she intends is a given, and it is bad. I have to believe that Trump’s choices will be much better, because he would be in prison if he was worse.
And to address Dobrian’s views directly; yes, third party choices have always spelled disaster for our country. Woodrow Wilson and Bill Clinton were consequences of a split Republican Party. The Democrats will unite behind The Hulk if it will produce a win.


Home > News > Nation
Tuesday June 12, 2012 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Wednesday May 29, 2013 MYT 2:56:56 PM
by martin carvalho
KUALA LUMPUR: Effort is still underway for Malaysia to accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz.
"Discussions are still underway with the Attorney-General Chambers on the matter and I give the assurance that Malaysia will eventually accede to the Rome Statute," he told lawmakers in Dewan Rakyat Tuesday.
Though the Government had agreed in principle to be signatory to the international norms against genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in March last year, he said Malaysia must first be able to comply with the provisions under the statute.
"When we agreed in principle to accede to the Rome Statute and ICC last year, there were laws such as the Emergency Ordinance that were still in force.
"We have since taken steps to review such laws," he said.
He noted among the issues left to be resolved concerns immunity of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong with Malaysia looking at the monarchy in Jordan as a model.
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By Stuart R. Wahlin
During a United Nations summit Sept. 22, President Barack Obama (D), along with China’s president, Hu Jintao, pledged new levels of commitment to protecting the earth’s climate by way of reduced emissions.
“Our generation’s response to this challenge will be judged by history, for if we fail to meet it boldly, swiftly and together, we risk consigning future generations to an irreversible catastrophe,” Obama said. “No nation, however large or small, wealthy or poor, can escape the impact of climate change. … The security and stability of each nation and all peoples—our prosperity, our health, our safety—are in jeopardy. And the time we have to reverse this tide is running out.”
China and the U.S. produce the most greenhouse gases of any countries in the world.
Among Obama’s proposals is gradual elimination of the fossil fuel subsidies, which would instead go toward climate protection. The Obama administration has also demonstrated a commitment to clean and renewable energy.
Hu pledged to reduce China’s carbon dioxide emissions through energy efficiency, conservation and energy not generated by fossil fuels.
Meantime, with the recent addition of a solar panel assembly plant, as well as wind power being considered for Winnebago County, Rockford stands to see more green by going green.
Based on the new sense of urgency from Obama and Hu, the city’s relationship with Chinese manufacturer Wanxiang, which broke ground Sept. 15 on its solar panel assembly plant near the Chicago-Rockford International Airport, could flourish well beyond the 60 jobs expected when construction of the plant is completed by early next year.
In addition to planning one of the largest solar farms in the country, there has also been talk of bringing Wanxiang Group’s electric automobile manufacturing to Rockford.
Mayor Larry Morrissey (I) happened to be visiting China on a trade mission when Obama and Hu made their declarations. Reached for comment, the mayor acknowledged continued discussions with Wanxiang regarding electric vehicles while on his trip. “Specifically, the focus is on assembly of electric buses,” Morrissey indicated. “We are looking at other green energy opportunities. China needs help, as does the U.S. We may be able to help each other in many ways: wind, solar, city planning, public utilities, etc.”
From the September 30 – October 6, 2009 issue.


A big rise in arson cases across Nottinghamshire is "alarming", a union boss has said.
Arson incidents across the county have soared by nearly a third in the last year.
Figures released by the Home Office show there were 503 incidents of deliberate fires across the county from June 2016 to June 2017.
The year before, 393 were recorded - an increase of 28 percent in a single year.
In Ashfield, deliberate fires nearly doubled from 41 in 2015-16 to 72 last year.
Similarly, in Mansfield they increased from 35 incidents to 53 in 2016-17 - a rise of 51 percent.
But Bassetlaw had the highest number of arson cases, with 77 recorded last year.
Dean Gillen, chairman of the Fire Brigades Union’s (FBU) Nottinghamshire branch, said: "Any increase is alarming but we do work hard to reduce these numbers down.
"Arson is a complex issue and a lot of factors affect what could be behind the rise. It could be an increase in reporting crime for example.
"Nottinghamshire has had a reduction in fire cover over the past two years and it has had an impact. But it's hard to pinpoint this as being the cause of the increase."
Jay Maddox, 32, lives with her husband Sean, 47, and their son Freddie, two, in Burton Road, Carlton.
A fire destroyed Sean's van and £1,000 worth of tools back in October last year - leaving the self-employed roofer not being able to work.
Mrs Maddox, a full-time mum, said: "When it happened to us it was devastating, it destroyed our livelihood.
"Afterwards it left us feeling scared and on edge. 'Why would they target us?', I kept thinking.
"It happened near bonfire night, too, so every time a bang went off I'd be up thinking something had happened again. I was so jumpy.
"Arson is such a selfish crime, and leaves victims in tatters."
Crew manager Graham Picker, from Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue's service prevention team said: "As a service we take deliberate fires extremely seriously – not only do they endanger life, they can also cause serious damage to people’s property and delay our crews when it comes to responding to more serious incidents.
"The service’s prevention team, along with crews from across the county, work hard to follow-up on this type of fire to try and determine the underlying factors behind the incidents and how, through working together, we can prevent such incidents occurring again through joint intervention."


This article is more than 1 year old
Net neutrality: Email trail reveals how Prez Obama bent the FCC to his will
US senators get hands on regulator's internal memos sent during open net order wrangling
US Republican senators have today published emails that suggest the President "unduly influenced" the FCC – America's nominally independent telco regulator.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) switched tack on bringing about "net neutrality" after feeling the heat from President Barack Obama, who intervened on the issue in November 2014. The nation's commander-in-chief demanded a "free and open internet," and the watchdog wound up introducing tough rules against ISPs.
The FCC was in a sticky situation: two earlier orders by the agency to enforce net neutrality had been struck down by the courts, which concluded that regulating broadband exceeded the commission's authority. FCC staffers were working around the clock to draft a workable light-touch approach to implementing net neutrality by the end of the year.
Then Obama declared support for using Title II rules – designed to regulate the switched circuit Bell monopoly in the 1930s – to regulate citizens' broadband. Two Obama aides were responsible for bending the commander-in-chief's ear: David Edelman and Tom Power, who apparently effectively created "a parallel version of the FCC."
On February 4, 2015, the FCC – having previously said it would follow the courts' guidance in devising new light touch rules on governing internet access – fell in line with the executive, and agreed that it would apply strict Title II rules broadly to data networks.
Internal FCC emails revealed in a new report by Republicans on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee show that the agency's staff were worried that this volte-face could violate federal law – because it short-circuited the mandatory notice-and-public-comment rule-making process.
The FCC is not allowed to hardwire American policy as it sees fit without consulting widely first, and FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler appeared to be aware of this. The internal memos also poured doubt on Wheeler's claim that the agency had been thinking about Title II reclassification before the President waded in.
In other words, it appears Obama more or less instructed his country's independent regulator to use Title II, and the agency promptly caved.
"Wait, he did what?" – incredulous FCC staffers doubt the chief
And the report [PDF] found that the FCC was wary of its obligation to provide summaries of ex parte communications between it and the White House.
White House staff are supposed to avoid the appearance of conflicts of interest with independent regulators such as the FCC, and are advised not to bring up pending issues with them. However, the FCC filed no ex parte notices covering a dozen meetings at the White House. The email trail proves Wheeler discussed the open internet order with White House staff.
Arcane, perhaps, but rules are rules, and in political scandals it's the coverup that gets you, not the crime. Any suggestion that the FCC acted improperly is sure to be exploited by Republicans and others who seek to invalidate the final open internet order.
"It should be highly concerning that an independent agency like the FCC could be so unduly influenced by the White House, particularly on an issue that touches the lives of so many Americans and has such a significant impact on a critical sector of the United States economy," the committee concludes. "Had the White House not inserted itself into the formal FCC rulemaking process, it is probable that the Open Meeting in December would have included the Open Internet order."
You can find more here. ®


The U.S. Air Force AFNet Sustainment and Operations Branch – in collaboration with the Air Combat Command (ACC) Directorate of Cyberspace and Information Dominance and the Platform One team– is driving toward developing a modern software-based perimeter that will deliver zero trust capabilities to applications across the service branch, an Air Force official said.
Raju Ranjan, technical lead for the Air Force zero trust effort, explained that the ACC is developing the concept and strategy for the Air Force to move forward on zero trust, and the AFNet Sustainment and Operations Branch is leading the integration efforts. The Platform One team is tackling the development, security, and operations.
“The Defense Department, especially the Air Force, needs this type of environment. All our competitors are utilizing the greatest and latest emerging security capabilities. And we are behind the curve. Our zero trust effort is a game-changer for the Air Force, and we plan on implementing it in every pocket of the service,” said Ranjan during FNN’s Zero Trust Summit on June 23.
The architecture is adapted from cloud-based technologies used by the Platform One team that have never been used on legacy networks in the Defense Department (DoD). It embraces a lot of modern concepts of DevSecOps, such as automation and orchestration necessary for zero trust to exist, he said.
Ranjan added that the concept also offers consistency, agility, and savings.
“Currently, our boundary stack drives significant cost, and this concept could reduce those costs by as much as two or three times less than the current price,” he said.
The goal, he added, is to use more commercial off-the-shelf products to build a stack that can give warfighters cutting-edge technology to access their resources or data from anywhere or from any place.
The team’s timeline for Air Force-wide deployment is aligned with the AFNet Sustainment and Operations Branch’s five-year roadmap, which also targets FY23 for a zero trust Air Force network.
“Zero trust is a journey. It’s nothing can happen overnight. So we are looking at every place we go, every lesson learned, what we did wrong, and what we did right because we want to get this right,” Ranjan said.


Dairy food 'extends' childrens' lives28th July 2009
A follow-up study of research involving 4,374 children in the 1930s in the UK has found those who ate more dairy food tended to live longer.
The study found that consuming 400mg of calcium every day (around a half pint of milk) was associated with a 60% reduction in the risk of dying from stroke. Joanne Murphy of The Stroke Association said: "This is an interesting study, but we need to take a further look to really assess the benefits of milk in reducing the chances of dying from stroke."
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Title: Dairy food 'extends' childrens' lives
Author: Jess Laurence
Article Id: 12305
Date Added: 28th Jul 2009


Shoppers at North East Mall in Hurst may be wondering who put neon in their Nordstrom.
Quicklotz, a liquidator of overstocked merchandise and last season’s stuff, is having its grand opening Saturday in the vacant anchor space. The ambience of the store is a cross between a game show and a flea market, with 70 large custom-made wooden bins on wheels filled with random general merchandise from hair barrettes to electronics. The bins are surrounded by bigger stuff such as power washers and refrigerators at cut-rate prices.
Quicklotz describes its new concept as recreational retail shopping, and it says its regular clientele includes Poshmark and eBay resellers, people who make extra money or even a living selling their finds mostly online.
The largest mall owner in the U.S,, Simon Property Group, turned over its former Nordstrom anchor space to Quicklotz.
The Hurst Nordstrom was one of 16 U.S. locations the Seattle-based department store chain closed permanently after the pandemic temporarily closed malls in early 2020.
The space had been sitting empty since.
From the flashing lights at the entrance on, Quicklotz signals that it’s not like other stores in the mall. It has bright yellow columns, colorful posters of all things Texas, neon lights around the perimeter wall that change color and music.
The owners of Quicklotz are not like other owners, either. Quicklotz is secretive as companies go. The “About” section of its website lists photos of executives with first names only. Only one executive, spokesman Butch Maltby, was available for interviews.
The Hurst store is the Shelby, N.C.-based merchandise liquidator’s largest, and Maltby said the plan is to expand with satellite stores in Garland, Frisco and Mesquite.
Maltby said Quicklotz was founded by Samuel Pires, who worked for technology companies before turning to the liquidation business, according to his Linkedin page. The company’s president, Jack Stadtman, is formerly of Dallas and has a history in the liquidation business, Maltby said.
The company was founded in 2011 to sell goods on eBay and opened its first physical store two years later, Maltby said. It morphed into a wholesale operation and online store when the company was able to buy whole pallets and truckloads of goods. Hurst is the company’s sixth store and its largest. Two other small stores are in Arlington and Laredo, and the other three are in North Carolina and South Carolina.
“It’s a feast-or-famine business,” Maltby said. Some weeks a store can hit sales of $70,000, and the company expects the Hurst store to generate a multiple of that.
Quicklotz has a treasure hunt feel and prices that drop daily.
The items in the bins start out selling for $7 on Fridays and drop a dollar a day until everything is $2 on Thursdays and the store closes early to restock. A bin store competitor, Crazy Cazboy’s, opened in March in Arlington using similar pricing. There are other competitors such as Krazy Bins in Ohio and Dream Deals in South Carolina.
One wall at Quicklotz has six large doors where periodically an announcer will direct shoppers to a surprise shipment of multiple small kitchen appliances or a load that just came of Apple watches or patio furniture.
Quicklotz is also trying to differentiate itself with a corralled area that features high-end items such as fashion accessories, handbags, shoes, belts, evening dresses and perfumes.
Quicklotz is turning the second level of the department store space into a fulfillment center for its online business Ubiduwin.com, which puts on live auctions that last 2 minutes. Items can be shipped anywhere, but shoppers can also pick up their items from the Hurst store.
Simon declined to talk about the decision to rent to Quicklotz, but the mall powerhouse has a lot of space to fill and already has a landlord relationship with Quicklotz. Last year, Quicklotz opened in a former Ann Taylor store under the brand Everything Must Go in Simon’s Gaffney Outlet Marketplace in South Carolina.
Quicklotz buys truckloads of merchandise that retailers no longer want. Ironically, the former Nordstrom space may still have some merchandise from the department store. Quicklotz buys from the chain’s Last Chance clearance stores in Phoenix and Chicago.
The store is starting out with an inventory that’s the equivalent of 25 semi truckloads worth of goods, but it’s put in bins and not individually priced, which will allows the store to operate with 25 employees.
At any given time, Maltby promises 70,000 items on the sales floor.
Satellite stores are in the works for other cities in North Texas that will be 7,000 to 9,000 square feet, he said. “We expect one or two small stores by the end of this year.”
There’s a reason liquidators are moving back into physical stores now, said Liza Amlani, principal and founder of Retail Strategy Group.
The pandemic left the retail industry with a lot of inventory, from shuttered stores and merchandise that missed entire seasons during the worst of the crisis. “It’s a liquidator’s dream right now,” she said. In years past, a lot of this merchandise would have ended up in a landfill or burned, but the industry is more focused on sustainability now.
“Retailers have their work cut out for them. They can free up money tied up in inventory piling up by selling it to liquidators,” Amlani said. “And what’s driving Simon? A liquidator could increase sales and traffic to the mall vs. a dark store.”
For shoppers, “it’s purely entertainment,” Amlani said. “It’s a rush for those bargain hunters.” She says the customers enjoy the gamble, much like people who buy storage lockers without knowing the contents.
“Personally, I’d rather see retailers become better retailers and plan their assortments with better data,” she said.


Give Craig Thompson credit.
The commissioner of the Mountain West Conference didn't just throw together some off-the-cuff plan to revamp the Bowl Championship Series, he actually thought it out.
Too bad nothing will come of it.
The College Commissioners Association began three days of meetings on Tuesday, with any ideas they deem worthy set to be passed on to the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee.
Thompson has formulated a workable plan that gives traditional BCS conferences their due but also paves the way for inclusion of the "little guys."
His proposal stipulates that non-BCS conferences would qualify for BCS bowls by playing a minimum of 20 regular season games over a two-year period against a program from one of the BCS conference and winning at least 40 percent of those games.
He also wants a 12-person committee, consisting of reps from the 11 Football Bowl Subdivision leagues and Notre Dame, to rank the top 25 at the end of each regular season.
The top 10 teams would fill out the Rose, Fiesta, Orange, Sugar and one other bowl, with the four highest ranked clubs after the bowls making a four-team playoff.
Folks at the MWC are still miffed about Utah being shut out of the BCS National Championship Game in January, and have refused to sign the new BCS TV contract with ESPN — one that is worth $125 million.
Previously the league lobbied Congress for an eight-team playoff, but that plan, as expected, went nowhere.
While Thompson's idea is far better than the current setup, it won't even be considered.
The NCAA can talk about student-athletes all it wants, but money is its primary focus. It has already signed on with ESPN, with the contract taking effect in 2010 and running through 2014. That deal is set in stone, and nothing is going to change it.
If the MWC refuses to get on board, it will lose any BCS money it would be eligible to receive and destroy any slim chance it already has of getting a team in the game that determines college football's champ.
So what will happen?
The BCS will politely turn down Thompson's proposal, and the MWC will eventually – albeit begrudgingly — sign the new TV deal.
And the status quo will remain, not to be revisited until and unless ESPN or whatever TV network the NCAA is in bed with thinks a change is in order.
And that, folks, is the real issue.
Once the NCAA's broadcast partners convince the governing body that it can make millions and millions more dollars with a playoff, then we'll see a playoff.
For now, though, bowls are where the money is.
And as long as the rich keep getting richer, why bother with a legitimate system to determine a legitimate national champion?
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A war of words is flaring between China and the United States that could leave both sides losers. Tim Geithner, the new Treasury secretary, accused China last week of manipulating its currency. At Davos, Premier Wen Jiabao of China hit back at the profligate habits and lax regulation of “some countries.” Both are right. But each side would do better to acknowledge its own mistakes.
China’s critics say that letting the yuan rise only in small steps distorts trade, makes United States manufacturers uncompetitive and contributes to the trade deficit. That’s less of a problem than it used to be: imports from China fell a record $5.7 billion, or 17 percent, in November, according to the latest data, as consumers cut spending. But a weak yuan has made Chinese exports too cheap for too long, even though American consumers have been happy to enjoy the fruits.
Washington can’t force China to revalue, and there’s no sign it’s thinking of rash retaliatory measures like import duties. But Mr. Geithner’s rhetoric is nonetheless tactless and risks fanning protectionism in Congress. Recent interventionist policies, like loans to carmakers and support for banks, have already compromised the principles of free trade. A creeping halt to global trade could easily turn a recession into a slump.
Moreover, calls for China to unhook its currency ignore the co-dependency of the two nations. To maintain its exchange rate, China’s central bank buys huge slabs of dollar-denominated assets, so it can match its yuan to the right number of dollars. That means the Treasury doesn’t have to juice up yields on its paper to attract other buyers. China is already buying fewer Treasury bonds than it was, but speeding the process would raise the cost of issuing new debt.
Ultimately a revaluation of the yuan is likely, maybe as much as 40 percent, by some estimates. It is pie in the sky, of course, to think China will rush into such a shift when growth already lags 8 percent. A rapid change would harm both sides. But in the long run, a stronger currency would help turn China from the world’s sweatshop into a stable, consumption-led economy and take away a big driver of United States consumers’ profligacy. Both sides should work constructively to achieve that end, and leave the rhetorical swordplay alone.
The Real Winners
It’s now clear that 2008 Wall Street bonuses have been cut at least in half. Outsiders remain aghast that bonuses have been paid at all. But that isn’t the only shocker. In this supposedly most meritocratic of industries, staff at the worst-performing institutions have absorbed the least pain.
Take a look around. A Goldman Sachs partner who earned $2 million in 2007 would have made about $500,000 for 2008. The cuts will not have been as harsh for the next layer down, and Goldman eased the sting in any case by allowing previously earned restricted shares to be sold more quickly.
At JPMorgan, the $2 million bonus of a year ago would have shrunk to around $1 million. Of course, about 40 percent of the sum was paid in options that have not fared as well as the stock component that Goldman bankers received. JPMorgan shares are down 22 percent so far this year, while Goldman’s have held steady since compensation shares were priced in late December.
The real winners were survivors of banks relegated to the history books. Brokers from Bear Stearns were retained by JPMorgan on boom-time packages. Similar deals were struck by the sales and trading standouts from Lehman Brothers who were hired by Barclays in the United States. The beds of Lehman’s top brass in Europe and Asia were feathered by Nomura with two years of bonuses, mostly in cash and at 2007 levels.
These retention packages were made when the threat of competitive hiring seemed distant. But the industry’s pay culture — which dictates that bankers need big checks to work for new masters — still prevailed. Some firms already have vowed to reform their compensation schemes. With individuals from reckless firms doing so well in a year like 2008, shareholders should light a fire under those efforts.


The Federal Government, has on Monday, said that no date has been fixed for the re-opening of the schools in the country, although it has continued to engage stakeholders on the full resumption of the schools.
The Minister of State for Education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, stated this at the 60th joint national briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.
He urged students of tertiary institutions who have been protesting the continued closure of their schools to be more patient with the government.
He expressed optimism that the date for resumption was around the corner, but that he would not be brandishing dates.
According to him, him and the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, met some stakeholders in tertiary education earlier in the day on the issue.
He said that about 78 universities, which are mainly privately-owned are insisting that they are ready for resumption while the response from government-owned universities are still “50-50″.
He assured that after aggregating opinions, he would return to the PTF to review the situation before going ahead to make a pronouncement on the date school will resumption.
recall that, the Federal Government had in March announced the closure of all schools in the country following the outbreak of COVID-19.
While the government had announced the reopening of Schools for Senior Secondary students sitting for this year’s Senior Secondary School Examinations, the higher institutions in the country remained closed.
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WEST LEBANON - A Milton man has been arrested in northern New Hampshire after police there say he pointed a loaded gun at a woman outside a hotel while drunk on Wednesday.
Richard A. Stewart, 65, is charged with reckless conduct with a deadly weapon and criminal threatening with a firearm for the incident that took place outside the Baymont Hotel on Airport Road.
According to police reports, they were called to the hotel around 7 p.m. Wednesday when a woman reported that Stewart had threatened her with a gun. The 53-year-old victim was outside the hotel when the armed Stewart approached her, police said.
Stewart is said to have asked the woman where his wife was while walking toward her with the gun pointed at her head. The woman said Stewart looked drunk during the incident and at one point fell down while holding a pistol, police said.
The woman eventually got away from Stewart and went inside the hotel to call police.
Police found Stewart inside the hotel with a loaded .40 caliber Glock pistol. He was taken into custody without incident, according to police.
Stewart was released on personal recognizance and is scheduled to be arraigned in the Grafton County Superior Court later this month.


As part of their 10 year anniversary celebrations, Burnage Metro FC were delighted to welcome Manchester United’s Development coaches to provide coaching for the Junior players and friends.
The club were able to gain two days of expert training for nearly 100 young children, as part of Manchester United’s programme of Football in the Community. Senior FIC Officer, Andrew Basterfield, said: "We were delighted to reward such a good Community Club, for all the hard work they do, both on and off the field."
The event started a series of Club events to mark the anniversary for the Didsbury Playing Fields (Simon Playing Fields) outfit, which include a celebration match (on August 4) versus NWCFL, Stockport Sports F.C.; and a Sportsman’s Dinner (in the Autumn).
There will also be a Club Soccer School, run by F.A. Skills coaches, which is being offered as an introduction to the Club and its facilities. It will take place between August 13-17 and August 20 and 24, between 10-00 and 3-00.
The event is free, with donations being welcome to the Club, and there are a limited number of places.
If interested please contact the club’s football development officer, Russell Hoyte,on 07876688978; or by email: email@example.com ; or on the Club's website: www.burnagemetro.co.uk/juniors .