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State Sen. Leach: ASA Israel Boycott Is “Misguided, Irrational”
January 7, 2014 by Daylin Leach Leave a Comment
In a letter to the president of the American Studies Association (ASA), Curtis Marez, Pennsylvania State Senator Daylin Leach (D., Montgomery County) attacked the boycott of Israeli institutions by the Association.
In the letter, that will be publicly released tomorrow (Tuesday), Leach wrote, “you did not issue a statement criticizing a particular practice of the Jewish State; you singled out Israel for an alleged widespread systematic abuse of human rights.
“Among the countries you have not chosen to boycott are Iran, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Sudan and even North Korea, which apparently just executed a former government official on the day of his ‘trial’ by feeding him to a pack of starved wild dogs.”
Dear Mr. Marez,
As a former college professor and current Pennsylvania State Senator and member of the Senate Education Committee, I was disappointed (although, sadly, not surprised) to learn of the American Studies Association (ASA)’s decision to boycott academic establishments in Israel.
It is my view that this decision is misguided, irrational, and a slap in the face to the very concept of academic freedom.
Letter continues after the jump.
In your statement attempt the justify the academic boycott of Israel, the ASA said: “The Council voted for an academic boycott of Israeli institutions as an ethical stance, a form of material and symbolic action. It represents a principle of solidarity with scholars and students deprived of their academic freedom and an aspiration to enlarge that freedom for all,” and that the boycott is warranted because “Israeli institutions of higher education are a party to state policies that violate human rights.”
Certainly a case could be made that when it comes to human rights, Israel is imperfect. I would note that the same case could be made in regards to the United States, both in the past and currently.
But you did not issue a statement criticizing a particular practice of the Jewish State; you singled out Israel for an alleged widespread systematic abuse of human rights.
To my knowledge, you have call for a boycott of no other nation. This action suggests that Israel is uniquely deficient in its respect for basic rights.
Among the countries you have not chosen to boycott are Iran, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Sudan and even North Korea, which apparently just executed a former government official on the day of his “trial” by feeding him to a pack of starved wild dogs.
Even the Palestinian Authority, which you purport to be fighting for, conducts summary trials and executions and extra-judicial murders by militias of people deemed “collaborators” and has nothing resembling a free press.
Those countries are apparently fine. But you boycott Israel, which:
is a democracy;
respects the rights of women, who are considered fully equal in Israeli Society;
legally recognizes the rights of its gay and lesbian citizens;
has an independent judiciary which sometimes strikes down government actions;
has the rule of law;
has minority voting rights and Arab members of the Knesset; and
has a completely free press.
As you may already be aware, more than 100 American universities have taken issue with ASA’s decision, and have themselves decided to reject the boycott. The American Council of Education, the Association of American Universities and the American Association of University Professors have also expressed their opposition.
Further, it has been noted in the media that only approximately 16 percent of the ASA’s 5,000 members actually voted in favor of the boycott. It was troublesome to learn that this decision, which has severe implications, was pushed through with minimal member input and significant public opposition.
Finally, in an examination of your association’s mission statement, is it not a violation of academic freedom and aspiration to target students and professors in a country for reasons beyond their control?
A goal of your organization is to “enlarge [academic] freedom for all”, but does the boycott not actually limit academic freedom, thereby only granting it to some?
I will conclude this letter by reinforcing what was previously expressed to you by Rep. Eliot L. Engel, senior Democratic Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, when he wrote that he encouraged you to review the most recent Country Reports on Human Rights Practices by the State Department.
I would reiterate his statement pointing out that the report says that “there were no government restrictions on academic freedom” apparent in Israel.
Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: ASA, Boycott, In Their Own Words, Israel, Leach
About Daylin Leach
State Senator Daylin Leach has represented the 17th district in the Pennsylvania State Senate since 2009. He had represented the 149th district in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives between 2003 and 2009, and has also worked as an attorney and professor.
Daylin can be contacted at [email protected]


AMP Capital’s Community Infrastructure Fund acquires Riverland Water
By AMP Capital media team
Not for release or distribution in the US
AMP Capital has acquired the remaining 50 per cent equity stake in Riverland Water Holdings Pty Ltd (Riverland Water) from TRILITY, on behalf of investors in its Community Infrastructure Fund (CommIF). The deal increases CommIF’s interest in Riverland Water to 100 per cent.
Riverland Water, located in South Australia, consists of ten water treatment plants that use sedimentation and filtration technology. The plants deliver drinking water to approximately 150,000 people across more than 90 communities, including supply to the Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, Mid North and River Murray towns.
AMP Capital is one of the founding investors in Riverland Water, which began its operations in 1999 under a Build-Own-Operate-Transfer model in partnership with the South Australian Water Corporation.
AMP Capital CommIF Fund Manager Charles Savage said: “AMP Capital is a proud long-term investor and we are extremely pleased to own 100 per cent of the equity interest in Riverland Water. It’s a high-quality asset that supports CommIF’s objective to provide long-term stable returns while generating real benefits for society.”
“This is the second transaction for CommIF in 2018, following the acquisition of a 21 per cent stake in the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre in January. We remain focused on expanding our presence in the social infrastructure market in Australia and New Zealand during 2018.”
Riverland Water outsources its day-to-day operation to TRILITY, who are continuing in their role as operator following the sale of their 50 per cent stake. TRILITY is a water utility service provider whose capabilities cover the full life cycle of water through water, wastewater treatment, reuse and desalination
and bio-solid projects across Australia and New Zealand.
CommIF invests in high-yield, brownfield, social infrastructure PPP assets in Australia and New Zealand in sectors such as education, health, justice, defence, community housing, recreational facilities and transport. The fund owns 13 assets with an enterprise value of more than A$8 billion (on a 100 per cent
ownership basis).
Contact us Media enquiries
UK & Europe/Americas
Katie Sunderland
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katie.sunderland@ampcapital.com
While every care has been taken in the preparation of this article, AMP Capital Investors (UK) Limited, Registered Office at Companies House, 4th Floor Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, London W1J 6BX (no. 05524536) makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy or completeness of any statement in it including, without limitation, any forecasts. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. This article has been prepared for the purpose of providing general information, without taking account of any particular investor’s objectives, financial situation or needs. An investor should, before making any investment decisions, consider the appropriateness of the information in this article, and seek professional advice, having regard to the investor’s objectives, financial situation and needs. This article is solely for the use of the party to whom it is provided.


Look, I had second thoughts really about whether I could talk to about this to such a vital in a live audience is you guys.
But then I remember the quote from Gloria Steinem, which guys The truth will set you free.
But first, it will piss you off.
So eso with that in mind, I'm gonna set about trying to do those things here and talk about dying in the 21st century.
Now that the first thing that will piss you off undoubtedly, is that all of us are in fact going to die in the 21st century, there will be no exceptions to that.
There are apparently about one in eight of you who think you're immortal on surveys.
But unfortunately, it isn't.
This isn't gonna happen.
Um, while I give this talk in the next 10 minutes, 100 million of my cells will die.
And over the course of today, 2000 of my brain cells will die and never come back.
So you could argue that the dying process starts pretty early in the piece.
Anyway, the second thing I want to say about dying in the 21st century part is gonna happen to everybody is it's shaping up to be a bit of a train wreck for most of us, unless we do something to try and reclaim this process from the rather inexorable trajectory that is currently on.
That's the truth.
No doubt that will piss you off.
Now let's see whether we can set you free out.
I don't promise anything.
Now, as you heard in the intro.
I work in intensive care and I think I've kind of lived through the heyday of intensive care has been a ride man, this has been fantastic.
We have machines that go ping.
There's many of them up there.
Um, and we have some wizard technology which I think has worked really well, and over the course of the time, I've worked in intensive care.
The death rate for males in Australia has hard and intensive Cares had something to do with that.
Certainly a lot of the technologies that we use have got something to do with that.
So we have had tremendous success and we we kind of got caught up in our own success quite a bit, and we started using expressions like life saving.
I really apologized everybody for doing that because obviously we don't.
What we do is prolong people's lives and delay death on redirect death.
But we we can't strictly speaking, save lives on any sort of permanent basis.
And what's really happened over the period of time that I've been working intensive care is that the people whose lives we started saving back in the seventies eighties and nineties are now coming to die in the 21st century off diseases that we no longer have the answers to in quite the way we did then.
So what's happening now is there's been a big shift in the way that people die on most of what they're dying off now isn't is amenable.
Toe what we can do as what it used to be like when I was doing this in the eighties and nineties.
So we kind of we kind of got a bit caught up with this, and we haven't really squared with you guys about what's really happening now, and it's about time we did.
I kind of woke up to this bit in the late nineties when I met this guy.
This guy is called Jim, Jim Smith and he looked like this.
I was called down to the ward to see him.
His is the little hand.
I was called on the world to see him by a respiratory position.
He said, Look, there's a guy down here.
He's got pneumonia and he looks like he needs intensive care.
His daughter's here and she wants everything possible to be done, which is a familiar fries to to us.
So I go down to the warden, see Jim and his skin is translucent like this.
You can see his bones from the skin is very, very thin.
And he is indeed very, very sick with pneumonia, and he's too sick to talk to me.
So I talked to his daughter Kathleen, and I say to her, Did you and Jim ever talk about what you would want done if he ended up in this kind of situation?
And she looked at me, said No, of course not, OK, it's like this study, Um, and I got talking to her, and after a while she said to me, You know, we always thought that be time.
Jim was 94 and I realized that something wasn't happening here.
There wasn't this dialogue going on that I imagined was happening.
So a group of it started doing survey work.
And we looked at 4.5 1000 nursing home residents in Newcastle in the Newcastle area and discovered that only one in 100 of them had a plan about what to do when their heart stops beating one in 100 on anyone in 500 off them had a plan about what to do if they became seriously ill.
I realize, of course, this dialogue is Jeff definitely not occurring in the public at large.
Why work in acute care?
This is John Hunter Hospital, I thought.
Surely we we do better than than that.
So a colleague of mine from nursing court, Lisa Shore and I went through hundreds and hundreds of sets of notes in the medical records department, looking at whether there was any sign at all that anybody had.
Hennie had any conversation about what might happen to them if the treatment they were receiving was unsuccessful to the point that they would die.
And we didn't find a single record off any preference about gold's treatments or outcomes from any of the sets of notes initiated by a doctor or by a patient.
So we started to realize that we had a problem and the problem is more serious because of this.
What we know is that obviously we are all going to die.
But how we die is actually really important, obviously not just to us, but also to how that features in the lives of all the people who live on after.
It's how we die, lives on in the minds of everybody who survives us.
And the stress created in families by dying is enormous.
And you felt you get seven times as much stress by dying in intensive care as by dying just about anywhere else.
Dying in intensive care is not your top option if if you've got a choice.
Andi, if that wasn't bad enough, of course, all of this is rapidly progressing towards the fact that many of you, in fact, about one in 10 of you at this point will die in intensive care.
In the US it's one in five in Miami, it's three out of five people die in intensive care, so this is the sort of momentum that we've got at the moment.
The reason why this is all happening is due to this, and I do have to take you through what this is about.
These are the four ways to go so one of these will happen to all of us.
The ones you may know most about are the ones that are becoming increasingly of historical interest.
Sudden death.
It's quite likely in an audience this size this won't happen to anybody here.
Sudden death has become very rare.
The death of Little Nell and core Delia and all that sort of stuff just doesn't happen anymore.
The dying process of those with terminal illness that we've just seen occurs to younger people.
By the time you reached 80 this is unlikely to happen to you.
Only one in 10 people who are over 80 will die of cancer.
The big growth industry of these what you die off is increasing organ failure with your respiratory, cardiac, renal, whatever organs packing up each of these would be an admission to an acute care hospital at the end of which or some point during which somebody says enough is enough and we stop and this one's the biggest growth industry of all Onda.
At least six out of 10 of the people in this room will die.
This form, which is the dwindling off capacity with increasing frailty and frailties an inevitable part of aging and increasing frailty is in fact, the main thing that people die off now, on the last few years or last year of your life spent with a great deal of disability, unfortunately enjoying it so far.
So I had this field such a I feel such a Cassandra here.
What can I say this positive?
What's positive is that this is happening at very great age.
Now we are We are all most of us living to reach this point.
Historically, we didn't do that.
This is what happens to you when you live.
To be a great age on.
Unfortunately, increasing longevity does mean more old age, not more youth.
And I'm sorry to say that, um, what we did anyway, Look what we did.
We didn't just take this lying down at John Hunter Hospital announced where we've started a whole series of projects to try and look about whether we could in fact involve people much more in the way that in the way that things happen to them.
But we realize, of course, that we are dealing with cultural issues on this is I love this clip painting because the more you look at it, the more you kind of get the whole issue that's going on here, which is clearly the death, the separation of death from the living on the fear.
If you actually look, there's one woman there who has her eyes open.
She's the one he's looking at, and he's the one he's coming for.
She looks terrifying.
It's amazing picture.
We had a major cultural issue.
Clearly, people didn't want us to talk about death or we thought that.
So, with loads of funding from the federal government and the local health service, we introduce the thing that John Hunter called respecting patient choices.
We trained hundreds of people to go to the wards and talk to people about the fact that they would die, and what would they prefer under those circumstances?
They loved it.
The families of the patients, they loved it.
9 98% of people really thought this just should be normal practice and that this is how things should work on the When they expressed wishes, all of those wishes came true.
As it were, we were able to make that happen for them.
But then when the funding run out, we went back to look.
Six months later on, everybody had stopped again.
Andi, nobody was having these conversations anymore.
So that was really kind of heartbreaking for us because we thought this was going to really take off.
The cultural issue had reasserted itself.
So here's the pitch.
I think it's important that we don't just get on this freeway toe.
I see you without thinking hard about whether or not that's where we're all want to end up, particularly has become older and increasingly frail on I see you has less unless, unless to offer us.
That has to be a little sign road off there for people who don't want to go on that track.
And I have one small idea.
Andi, One big idea about what could happen, and this is a small idea.
The small idea is, let's all of us engage with more.
With this in the way that Jason is illustrated, Why can't we have these kinds of conversations with our own elders on people who might be approaching this, that there are a couple of things you can do?
One of them is You can just ask this simple question.
This this question never fails.
In the event that you became too sick to speak for yourself, who would you like to speak for you?
That's a really important question to ask people, because giving people the control over who that is produces an amazing outcome.
The second thing you can say is, Have you spoken to that person about the things that are important to you so that we can?
I got a better idea of what it is we can do, so that's a little idea.
The big idea, I think, is more political.
I think we have to get onto this.
I suggested we should have occupied death, my wife said.
I said, We're here, right?
Sittings in the mortuary?
Yeah, sure, So that one didn't really run, but I did.
I was very struck by this.
Now I'm in aging hippies.
I don't look like that anymore, but I had to to my kids were born at home in the in the eighties, when home birth was a big thing and then we baby boomers are used to taking charge of the situation.
So if you just replace all these all these words of birth, I like peace, love, natural death as an option.
I do think we have to get political and start to reclaim this process from the medicalize model in which it's going.
Now listen, that sounds like a pitch for euthanasia.
I want to make it absolutely crystal clear to you all.
I hate euthanasia.
I think it's a sideshow.
I don't think euthanasia matters.
I actually think that that in country, in places like Oregon, where you can have a physician assisted suicide, you taken a poisonous dose of stuff.
Only half a percent of people ever do that.
I'm more interesting what happens to the 99.5% of people who don't want to do that?
I think most people don't want to be dead, but I do think most people want to have some control over how they're dying.
Process proceeds, so I'm a point of euthanasia, but I do think we have to give people back some control.
It's deprives euthanasia of its oxygen supply.
I think we should be looking at stopping the want for euthanasia, not for making it illegal or legal or worrying about it at all.
This is a quote from from Dame Cicely Saunders, whom I met when I was a medical student.
She she founded the hospice movement and she says you matter because you are and you matter to the last moment of your life.
And I firmly believe that that's the message that we have to carry forward.
讓我們來談談死亡--彼得-索爾。 (Let's talk about dying - Peter Saul)


What follows is a transcript of an interview I had with Bruce Matthews, Executive Director at the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies -Ontario (ACEC-Ontario).
Q: How did you first hear about National Engineering Month (NEM)?
A: I’m a professional engineer myself and have been one for a while. I’ve been involved in engineering for 30 plus years now, so I go back to a time when it was actually National Engineering Week. That said, I think it’s great that it’s expanded to National Engineering Month as with the scope of work that professional engineers do, it requires that extra time and attention, which is a good thing.
Q: The theme for NEM 2021 is lifelong learning. What does the concept of lifelong learning mean for ACEC-Ontario and why is that important?
A: There is one particular anecdote that I think it really captures the idea quite well. It involves two company executives talking to each other about training and one says to the other,
‘what if we spend all this money on training our people and then they leave?’ To which the other replies, “Well, what if we don’t and they stay?’
So for that reason, lifelong learning is absolutely critical and it’s the kind of perspective that you need. Being forward thinking and realizing that it’s not just an investment in those people’s futures, but investment in the company’s future as well.
Q: What is consulting engineering?
A: The Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Ontario (ACEC-Ontario) is an industry association and our members are consulting engineering companies across Ontario.
People often talk about consulting engineering as if it’s almost a separate discipline, but it’s not. It really just describes a relationship between the engineer and the client. Consulting engineers operate at arm’s length to their client, and they provide independent and objective expertise to solve the client’s problems, they can serve as an agent or an advocate for the client in dealing with other people on a project.
Consulting engineers can ultimately come from any engineering discipline. There are consulting electrical engineers and consulting structural engineers, and in fact, many consulting engineering firms are multidisciplinary. So ultimately clients turn to consulting engineering firms when they just don’t have that in-house engineering expertise to meet their needs and need those independent outside experts.
Q: What do consulting engineering firms do?
A: Consulting engineers offer professional engineering services and expertise in areas that aren’t just purely related to engineering and science, but also economic sectors such as energy resource development, environmental protection, manufacturing, etc. Certainly the public sector clients such as municipalities and provincial ministries and agencies and their federal counterparts are very significant consumers of consulting engineering services for things like water supply and wastewater treatment, roads and bridges, and other transportation infrastructure transit systems, energy telecommunications – the full gamut of the elements of infrastructure that our modern society relies upon. The firms that specialize in consulting engineering are responsible for designing and building much of the public infrastructure in Ontario and across Canada.
Q: Why is public awareness about the work your member firms do important?
A: It’s interesting because much of the work that the consulting engineering firms do is invisible. It exists, you know, but if it’s a study, nobody sees the study except the client. It’s a book. It’s a piece of paper or whatever, or if it’s a supporting kind of service, really the ultimate work product is somehow buried behind a wall. It’s buried underground, if it’s water wastewater, you don’t see the pipes that come into your house. You don’t see the water treatment in the wastewater treatment stuff that goes on – it’s all invisible. Much of the work is taken for granted – and that’s ok, but occasionally it’s good to pay some attention and appreciate the skills that go into these things as you drive along the road or highway.
I think the other factor is frankly the high quality of engineering work in Ontario and across Canada. Canada is the second largest exporter of engineering services in the world. Engineers in Canada operate in a more regulated environment than most other jurisdictions and therefore we work to comparatively high standards. Because of this, that’s what allows the public to take that work for granted. For example, you turn on your tap and you don’t have to think twice that there’s safe drinkable water coming out of there. You turn on your light switch. You don’t have to worry about whether the power is going to come on or if a fire is going to start inside the wall. There’s just none of that kind of consideration because of the standards to which the engineers themselves established – they make it look easy.
Q: Understand you had a recent name change. What was the driver of that and why is it important?
A: We’ve been around as an association for 45 years now and up until just a few months ago we were known as Consulting Engineers of Ontario. Recently through some strategic planning efforts, our board was looking at issues of identity and growth and what we want the association to do. We found the identity and branding that we had for those 45 years – while it served us well, the nature of the marketplace evolved and we decided that a refreshed identity would be something useful for the organization. The new name helps harmonize and reinforce the idea that we are part of the greater whole of Consulting Engineers in Canada which helps to convey the strength in how we represent the interests of our member firms.
Q: What are the benefits of working with consulting engineering firms?
A: The strength comes from the ability to obtain an independent, objective, expertise and advice. If you want someone to bring a perspective and bring some insights into a project idea or certain plans rather than hiring in or dealing with organizations that you don’t have arm’s length relationships where there may be secondary interests at play that may influence the advice or opinions you get. By going to consulting engineering for you are very much guaranteed objectivity. When using an engineering firm there’s no bias. You may not get the answer you actually hope to hear, but that’s the nature of the beast as professional engineers. Of course, they all put the safeguarding of the public welfare as paramount. Ensuring that you’re getting bias free advice and opinions that are of the proper quality with respect to the expertise, is absolutely critical.
Q: What is the less obvious work of your member firms?
A: That’s a really interesting question actually, and I’m going to talk about a particular niche area of consulting engineers and that’s forensics. Almost a third of our membership offers services related to forensic engineering, which is really all about the study of materials and devices and structures and processes or products that don’t work as intended or have failed in some way, possibly causing injury and so on. So forensic engineering companies are retained, typically in association with investigative work either being done by a regulatory organization, including Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO), or in support of litigation. When investigating complaints about the work of engineers, PEO will hire forensic engineering consultants to provide expert opinions. Similarly, the Ministry of Labor will retain forensic engineering consultants if they’re investigating an incident. And a very relevant recent example of course is the stage collapse at the Radiohead concert. It was a major failure of a structure and it took forensic engineering work to discover exactly what happened there. So again, this is where you need an independent perspective on exactly what happened, so we look at the nature of the materials and the nature of the design and ask why did his failure happen? Was it a problem with the design? Was it a problem with the way it was built? Was it a problem with the way it was operated? There’s all sorts of possibilities, and the source of those failures could come from a number of reasons, so the job of the forensic engineer is to do the appropriate analysis to determine the cause.
Q: What does ACEC-Ontario do to showcase the significance of its member firms?
A: For the last 20 years we have recognized the achievements of our member firms through the Ontario Engineering Project Awards. We have awards in various categories relating to engineering including areas of applications, transportation, buildings, project management and so on. And then in addition, we actually have a separate category that’s based on the size of the firms broken down into sort of four ranges, so that even small firms have this opportunity to have their work recognized. With COVID we have turned it into a virtual event in May 2021. It’s really a great showcase opportunity, not just for our firms, but frankly for their clients as well. These projects are partnerships and are not just the work in isolation by the engineering firm. Typically a well regarded successful project is a function of both a high quality engineering firm and a very savvy and sophisticated client as well.
Q: Why did you sign on to sponsor NEM and/or why is NEM important to ACEC-Ontario and the engineering profession?
A: My perspective is that the objectives of NEM fit very nicely with the current mission and vision of ACEC-Ontario. Collectively, we want to raise the profile of the profession, and that ultimately helps us achieve recognition of the value of the work that our member firms do, and it’s going to heighten the regard in which they are held, ultimately raising the profile. I like to promote the fact that consulting engineering firms provide valuable essential services that provide for the social, economic and environmental welfare of Ontario. So we’re quite pleased to sponsor NEM to help get that message across. It’s really that simple.
Q: Any final thoughts?
A: For NEM 2021, I understand that there are separate sub themes and I latched right on to the fourth week where you’re talking about ethics, an engineering’s impact in society and resilience. And then this important one – exploring wicked problems. I think that’s such a great phrase, because that is the exact sort of circumstance we’ve got in either public sector or private sector individuals who have wicked problems that need solving. That’s when they’re going to go out to a consulting engineering firm because you know you’re gonna get that independent, different perspective and expertise. And that’s what our member firms are – they’re partners, they’re problem solvers. And that’s part of the message that we want to get across.


CAR-T cell therapy has evolved from an arcane approach under study in a handful of academic centers to a commercialized immunotherapy that is now being integrated into standard cancer care. The session will highlight some of the recent scientific advances that have begun to define major mechanisms of resistance to CAR-T cell therapy in B cell malignancies and identify the challenges that need to be addressed if these agents are to find broader applications in other hematological cancers and solid tumors.
Ph.D., Director of Advanced Applications, NanoString Technologies
I focus on developing and applying NanoString platforms to address key research areas in immuno-oncology. As part of that mission, I work with academics, biopharmas, and clinicians to identify unmet needs in translational research and create novel products for transcriptional and proteomic profiling. I oversee the collaborations network for the company to help investigators utilize NanoString tools in their research with the goal of developing new biomarkers that can be deployed as clinical diagnostics. I am also active in the immuno-oncology research community to promote the science and application of cancer immunotherapy to improve patient outcomes. Prior to joining NanoString, I was a founder and director of research at Oncofactor Corp., a biotech focused on developing therapeutics which targeted novel immune checkpoints. I have a PhD in immunology from the University of Washington and a BS in biochemistry and English from Iowa State University.
Robust Transcriptomics to Inform Cellular Therapy During Manufacturing and Treatment
Ph.D., Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Pennsylvania
Joseph Melenhorst
Dr. Melenhorst studies the biological basis of CAR T cell efficacy, including the immunobiology of CAR T cells, CAR engineering-related T cell reprogramming, and novel ways to augment the anti-tumor potency of tumor-redirected T cells. He was at the cusp of the first ever CAR T cell therapy approved by FDA: Kymriah and has contributed to seminal papers describing the clinical efficacy and CAR-related toxicities.
Biomarkers to Inform CAR-T Therapies
Proof of concept studies have demonstrated that chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-reprogrammed T cells effectively target bulky dis-ease. We are discovering the natural basis of this form of immunogene therapy, and how synthetic biology further augments this pre-existing potency. My talk will cover both topics and discuss novel developments.
CEO & Co-Founder, IsoPlexis
Sean Mackay
Sean Mackay is an experienced entrepreneur passionate about applying life sciences and information technology to improve healthcare delivery. He co-founded and leads IsoPlexis, a venture-backed startup focused on accelerating the fight against cancer using our predictive patient profiling platform. He has led the company through foundational licensing with Yale and Caltech, venture capital financing, and building out its fantastic team, while developing applications, products, and collaborations. Previously, he also helped incubate Kleiner Perkins-backed Lifesquare, which connected patients, payers, and providers through sharing essential healthcare information. At Lifesquare, he generated business development and strategic initiatives related to partnerships across the healthcare ecosystem. Through work at Lazard and with several early-stage ventures, he developed deep experience in structuring and financing life sciences and medical device and technology companies. Sean also helped multiple public and private biotechnology and medical technology companies to manage times of strategic change.
Single Cell Functional Proteomics To Accelerate Cell Therapy In Preclinical Development, Manufacturing, and Patient Difference Biomarkers
Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Avery Posey
Dr. Posey is a geneticist proficient in the development and pre-clinical characterization of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) and other engineered T cell strategies for cancer immunotherapy. He is developing novel CAR-T cell therapies that selectively targets a cell surface glycopeptides and glycoantigens found exclusively in cancers. The major objective of his research is to increase the efficacy of engineered T cells in solid tumors. Dr. Posey began his work in the CAR-T cell field in 2011. His initial work is currently being translated in a phase I clinical trial and he hopes to translate additional therapeutics in the next few years.
The Development Of Novel Cancer Therapies Targeting Abnormal Glycans For Humans
M.D., CEO, Poseida Therapeutics
Eric Ostertag
Dr. Ostertag directed Poseida’s spin out from Transposagen in February 2015 and has served as our chief executive officer and as a member of our board of directors since May 2015. From October 2003 to July 2015, Dr. Ostertag founded and served as the chief executive officer and president of Transposagen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company that commercializes early gene editing technology in the research reagent space. Dr. Ostertag previously co-founded and served as chief executive officer and president of Vindico NanoBioTechnology, Inc., a biotechnology company engaged in the discovery, development, and commercialization of human therapeutics that are based on a nanometer-scale particulate technology. Dr. Ostertag also co-founded and served as executive vice president of PhenoTech, Inc., a biotechnology company engaged in the discovery, development, and commercialization of reagents for diagnostic use in blood banks.
A Novel Approach To CAR-T Therapy
CART Therapeutics comprised of a high percentage of stem cell memory T cells exhibit unique properties that could potentially solve most of the limitations of early-generation CART products, including significant toxicities, historically poor efficacy against solid tumors, and high costs.
M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Medicine, Stanford University
Dr. Miklos is a physician-scientist who has established a human translational immunology research group that fosters the development of both laboratory immunologists, and clinical translational researchers. His laboratory research focuses on 1) B cell reconstitution after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) 2) Lymphoid neoplasia minimal residual disease (MRD) quantification using Immune receptor high throughput sequencing technology 3) Prevention and treatment of chronic Graft versus host disease (cGVHD) and 4) CAR-T Cancer Cell Therapies. With his promotion to Associate Professor Spring 2016, he became Clinical Director of Stanford’s Cancer Immunotherapy program and Stanford’s Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI). These aligned Immunotherapy clinical research groups focus on implementing human Chimeric Antigen Receptor Therapies (CAR-T), developing comprehensive clinical databases with linked biorepositories from industry sponsored and investigator initiated clinical trials. Dr. Crystal Mackall directs Stanford’s Center for Cancer Cell Therapy. Drs. Mackall and Miklos are two proven physician-scientists that synergize skills as pediatrician and adult oncologist that combine lab and clinical expertise daily. We have leveraged our comprehensive and established BMT program to provide Cancer Cell Therapy (CCT) clinician, research and laboratory expertise. Stanford CCT will advance cancer immunotherapy knowledge pursuing reiterative clinical trial research with biobanking and clinical databases to support innovative informative correlative studies including our bispecific CAR19-22 phase I trial and commercial CAR19 Therapies described herein.


Home » Wright Medical puts up $435m for Cartiva
Wright Medical puts up $435m for Cartiva
Wright Medical (NSDQ:WMGI) said today that it agreed to pay $435 million in cash to acquire Cartiva and its synthetic cartilage implant for treating arthritis in the big toe and raised its sales outlook for the rest of the year.
Alpharetta, Ga.-based Cartiva won pre-market approval from the FDA for the SCI implant in July 2016 (the device won CE Mark approval in the European Union back in 2002 and is also on the market in Canada, Brazil, Chile and Australia). It’s made of an organic polymer designed to mimic the function of human cartilage.
Wright forecast a $35 million top-line contribution from Cartiva this year, assuming the purchase closes as expected during the fourth quarter, and $47 million in 2019. Memphis-based Wright said it plans to finance the purchase with an equity offer.
“We are delighted to add Cartiva’s technology, including its Synthetic Cartilage Implant, the first and only PMA product for the treatment of great toe osteoarthritis, to our market-leading lower extremities portfolio. Supported by compelling clinical performance and the only product of its kind backed by Level I clinical evidence, Cartiva is experiencing rapid commercial adoption and is well positioned for future growth as it addresses large markets with significant unmet needs. We believe this technology is a perfect fit for our Lower Extremities business and adds a differentiated product that addresses a common condition that is treated by most foot and ankle surgeons and has strong patient demand,” president & CEO Robert Palmisano said in prepared remarks.
“We are delighted to have found an excellent strategic buyer in Wright, a company that shares our commitment to technological leadership and that is a leader in foot and ankle with a demonstrated track record of commercializing breakthrough technologies. We believe that Wright, with its 300-plus direct foot and ankle sales organization in the U.S. and its large international organization, as well as its expertise in medical education and product development, is the ideal partner to realize the full potential of our SCI technology. We look forward to an exciting future as part of Wright Medical,” added Cartiva president & CEO Timothy Patrick.
J.P. Morgan Securities advised Wright, with Bass, Berry & Sims and Ropes & Gray as legal advisors. Guggenheim Securities iadvised Cartiva, with Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian as legal advisor.
Wright said it now expects to post full-year sales, excluding Cartiva, of $812 million to $822 million, up from $808 million to $820 million previously.
Filed Under: Mergers & Acquisitions, Orthopedics, Wall Street Beat Tagged With: Cartiva, Extremities, wrightmedical


Google Startup Grind coming to Santa Clarita
Santa Clarita is the newest outpost of Google Startup Grind, which holds monthly gatherings to give budding entrepreneurs a chance to hear the story of a successful startup from its founder while sharing ideas and experiences with each other.
The first event on Sept. 12 will feature Matthew Arevalo, founder of Loot Crate, a subscription box service launched five years ago at Comic-Con.
Loot Crate’s 675,000 subscribers receive a box of geek and gaming-related merchandise each month. In 2016, Loot Crate raised $18.5 million in Series A funding, led by UpFront Ventures, with participation from Breakwater Investment Management, Time Inc., Downey Ventures, M13 and Sterling VC.
“People don’t realize the depth of entrepreneurial talent we have in the Santa Clarita Valley,” said James McKinney, vice president of strategic growth at Status Not Quo, a Santa Clarita-based marketing firm, which is hosting the Startup Grind events.
“We also have resources at the city and at College of the Canyons, with business accelerators and MakerSpace.”
MakerSpace provides manufacturing equipment so that community members can design, prototype and create manufactured works that wouldn’t be possible to create with the resources available to individuals working alone.
The goal of Startup Grind, McKinney said, is to educate and mentor entrepreneurs through monthly business events and speaking series. “If you’re not in the grind or haven’t been through it, it’s difficult to understand what it’s like.” He has worked with other Startup Grinds over more than eight years working with startups.
“Santa Clarita has a vibrant startup community, but it’s fragmented,” McKinney said. “I was familiar with Startup Grinds in Santa Monica and Hollywood, and saw the value of having one here.”
“The value of these events is to be able to hear from someone who is further down the road, to hear how they overcame challenges,” McKinney said. “They bring that entire story of their startup. What were your conversations with potential investors like? How much bad money did you chase? What was it like when you got the financing?”
Derek Andersen and Spencer Nielsen founded Startup Grind in 2010. The company grew out casual meetings Andersen had with friends and fellow entrepreneurs in his office at a startup in Mountain View, about being an entrepreneur.
Startup Grind’s first event was held in Andersen’s Mountain View office with nine attendees. From a side project, Startup Grind became Andersen’s main business “when he realized his meetups were more successful than his startup,” McKinney said.
In 2011, it spread to Los Angeles and New York City. By March 2017, Startup Grind had a presence in 200 cities and 98 countries, according to its website.
In 2013, Google for Entrepreneurs came in as a global sponsor and technology provider to Startup Grind. Google for Entrepreneurs was launched in 2012 to connect and encourage startups around the world, by making it easier for entrepreneurs to use the search giant’s various products.
“Google’s involvement means that when I call a founder, the phone gets picked up,” McKinney said.
He said the group plans to hold an event every month at the Status Not Quo offices on Citrus Street in Valencia, which can accommodate up to 120 people.
More information about the Startup Grind is available here.
Patrick Mullen grew up in Syracuse, N.Y., and moved to Santa Clarita from Cleveland in 2016. He covered the business side of health care for 15 years.


The Changes of African Americans During the Reconstruction and Progressive Era.
During the reconstruction era through to the Progressive era much had changed for the African Americans. After the assassination of President Lincoln (April 14, 1865) President Andrew Johnson continued the “ten percent plan”. The African Americans wanted land, voting rights and wanted to be educated which had been denied to them for centuries, they were considered to be economically and racially inferior compared to the whites. During the years of 1867 to 1870 the African Americans were able to increase their amount of social power. However with this increase of power came a group of southerners led by an ex-confederate forming the Ku Klux Klan in 1867. There were many efforts made to be given equality to the African American and amongst them were three amendments laid during the Progressive era, they were amendments 13,14 and 15. The 13th amendment abolished slavery (1865), the 14th amendment gave them equal protection (1868) and lastly the 15th amendment allowed men of whatever class to be given equal opportunity of vote regardless of social and financial status. Some of the other efforts made to the African Americans is the “40 acres and a mule” (1865) that were promised to them in after they were freed. The 40 acres that the newly freed African Americans were promised were to be used for farmland, and the mule were to be used for the plowing of the soil. This was awarded to the freed African Americans so that they would be able to sustain themselves after they were freed from their masters. The North did not agree with the slavery of the African American belief of the South and did not want to pursue this belief into the West. They were motivated to pass on their beliefs as they wanted the West to be more educated, industrial, urban and commercial which in end would lead to a better government. The West after the civil war were hungry for change and did not
Compare and Contrast the Ten Percent Plan and the Wade Davis Bill
Delegates could know be elected to create a new revised state constitution and governments also all southerners would be pardoned accept for high ranking confederate army officers and government officials. Private property would be protected however this did not include slaves. While most of the Republicans in congress at that time supported the president's plane for reconstructions others wanted to punish the confederacy. One of the flaws to the plan was that it only took ten percent of the voters to decide if they wanted back into the Union This made voting no longer a democracy. On July 2 1864 two Radical Republicans Benjamin Wade and Henry Winter Davis wrote the Wade Davis Bill.
To What Extent Has the Contribution of Martin Luther King to the Advancement of Black Americans Between 1954 and 1968 Been Exaggerated?’
History Practice Controlled Assessment: ‘To what extent has the contribution of Martin Luther King to the advancement of black Americans between 1954 and 1968 been exaggerated?’ On 6th December 1865, the 13th amendment to the American Constitution was passes, leading to the abolition of slavery. However whilst slavery was abolished, the black people of America still faced harsh racism and had very little rights. During the period of 1954-1968, many people were campaigning for an advancement of black Americans. These people wanted equal civil rights for blacks as white Americans had. One such person was Martin Luther King.
How Far Did Conditions for Black People Improve in the Period 1945-56?
However, many southern states found ways around the laws to disenfranchise the black populations. They did this by introducing a ‘Grandfather Clause’, which is that only people whose grandfather voted, gave them the ability to vote. Also literacy test was another method used, which in most ways wasn’t made fairly and even well educated people were disenfranchised and not allowed to vote. However, in 1946 President Truman established The President’s Committee on ‘Civil rights’, producing a report examining the experiences of racial minorities in America. The report was called ‘To Secure These Rights’, this report highlighted the problems facing African Americans and proposed radical changes to make American society better.
To What Extent Was Ww1 a Turning Point in Increasing Racial Equality Between Black and White Americans
The 15th amendment (1870) gave black men equal voting rights with white men. However they were threatened or physically stopped from voting. It was no good having rights which were not enforced. Yet inequality increased at the end of the 19th century and continued in the early 20th century through Southern states passing the ‘Jim Crow’ laws which increased segregation. WW1 did little in stopping the rising tide of segregation.
In What Ways Were the Conditions Different for the African Americans in the North and South in 1945?
In what ways were the conditions different for the African Americans in the north and south in 1945? After the Second World War had ended, black Americans that were fighting for freedom and justice from Germany and Japan, found that they had return to their country that was overridden with discrimination and racism in 1945. They treated as second-class citizens. The Black American was unable to neither integrate with the mainstream of American society nor become independent farmers. However, generally the Northern blacks were somewhat better off than the Southern blacks in 1945.
How Far Do You Agree That the Impact of the Second World War Was the Main Reason Why the Position of African Americans Improved in the Years 1945-50?
Before the war, Living standards for African Americans were poor. They had been promised equality when slavery was abolished, but the new segregation laws only made them second class citizens beneath the white people. White supremacy activist such as the KKK made it their main priority to make sure that African Americans knew their place, and followed the unspoken rules of society. During war times 1.2 blacks had subscribed to fight in the war. For the northern men, the military training that they had gotten in the south was their first experience of formal racial segregations.
Marcus Garvey And His Role In Black Nationalism
You mighty race. You can accomplish what you will”.It was very evident that emancipation of slaves had not really altered the economic conditions of the black masses in the New American South. Racial segregation had become a major issue in the South and the blacks suffered discrimination in all spheres (public and private institutions) between 1890 and 1910. This was accompanied by the disenfranchisement of the black voters. It was under such circumstances, did the black leaders, the newly educated black intelligentsia brought the issues of the Afro Americans into public life.
These causes include the failures of the politicians of the times, the tensions between the states caused by the issue of admitting new states to the Union, the victory by the Republicans in the 1860 Presidential election, the increasing trend towards abolitionism and, of course, slavery. Slavery was a huge issue at the time, with Southerners, strong supporters of slavery and slavers themselves demanding that they be allowed to expand westward with their slaves, while the Northerners were arguing in favour that slavery be contained and allowed to die a natural death. Slavery had started in the South as the climate there was perfect for growing cotton, and with the invention of Eli Whitney’s cotton gin in 1793, it became very profitable to make cotton. The cotton gin essentially made the time that it took for the seeds to be removed from cotton to be greatly reduced, making it much more profitable. On order to capitalise on this new process, the south needed lots of cheap labour, and found it in the form of slaves.
In its first year of publication, it managed to sell 300,000 copies to Northerners and Southerners alike. It greatly appealed to Northern abolitionist sentiments while simultaneously angering Southerners, who felt insulted by the general characterizations of them made in Stowe’s book. In the North, abolitionists regarded Uncle Tom’s Cabin as further rationale for anti-slavery activism. The book instilled into Northerners a stereotypical view of Southern plantation owners as cruel, demoralizing, and greedy whip-wielding masters. Simon Legree, the novel’s antagonist slave driver, became the archetypal Southern figure for whom Northerners felt much contempt.
More about The Changes of African Americans During the Reconstruction and Progressive Era.


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COVID-19: Spread the Science, NOT the Virus Seminar Series
Name: Rosemary (Rosie) Frasso, PhD, MSc, CPH Expand/Collapse Contact Info
Position: Program Director
Email: Rosie.Frasso@jefferson.edu
Name: Katherine Puskarz, MPH Expand/Collapse Contact Info
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Email: Katherine.Puskarz@jefferson.edu
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Email: JCPH.Admissions@jefferson.edu
Public Health is an interdisciplinary field of study and practice with three primary goals:
address pressing and emerging threats to health and well-being;
prevent illness, disease and injury; and
promote and protect human health.
In achieving these goals, public health emphasizes social justice, supports human rights and respects the dignity of individuals and the integrity of communities.
The Jefferson College of Population Health (JCPH) offers a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree, which is nationally accredited through the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Students develop competencies in several key public health areas: health behavior and social sciences, biostatistics, environmental health, epidemiology, policy and advocacy, program planning, implementation and evaluation, and others. The interdisciplinary curriculum stresses leadership skills, systems thinking, health communication, global health, and cultural humility and competency. JCPH also offers a Graduate Certificate in Public Health, which provides students with the foundational knowledge and skills for public health practice.
Download Program Brochure
Public health professionals track disease outbreaks, conduct community health assessments, plan health education programs and direct campaigns to reduce risk factors that foster chronic health conditions like heart disease and diabetes. They develop and advocate for policies, both public and private, that reduce harmful environmental exposures and that provide increased access to preventive health services for underserved populations. Many engage in public health research and support multi-cultural global health initiatives here and abroad.
Public health professionals take the lead in local, state and federal health agencies, community health centers and hospitals, non-governmental health organizations (NGOs), schools and universities, professional health agencies, health insurance companies and other related businesses.
Program Audiences
Public health students come from a variety of fields and have included:
Recent college graduates with majors in natural or social sciences, including pre-med or other pre-professional students seeking an educational experience during their gap or glide year
Not-so-recent college graduates with relevant work experience wishing to enhance their health-related career or make a career change
Students currently enrolled in a professional program (medicine, law, pharmacy, social work) who wish to earn an additional degree in public health as part of a dual degree program
Health or related professionals working in government, community health organizations, non-profits, healthcare settings, health insurance companies, the pharmaceutical industry and academic institutions
Pathways to Completion
The Public Health program is flexible, tailored, and high touch. We are prepared to support students who want to be public health practitioners and those who want to move into health care, law, government, or policy. Students can complete the program on a part-time basis or in as little as one academic year.
Jefferson offers several pathways for students to complete an MPH:
The accelerated pathway (one academic year) is for future healthcare professionals. Students on this pathway start the program in the fall (September).
This pathway is ideal for students planning to practice public health and take the lead in promoting health across siloes.
This program provides medical school graduates with the opportunity to pursue an MPH. Students can earn a degree either on a full-time or part-time basis.
Dual degree options allow students to apply coursework from other degree programs to the Jefferson MPH program. Currently, the Public Health program offers the following dual degrees.
MD/MPH
DO/MPH
MSS/MPH
PharmD/MPH
JD/MPH
PA/MPH
The MPH program offers four engaging concentration options. Each concentration offers elective course options that address specific competencies. Students are encouraged to complete their Clerkship-Applied Practice Experience and Capstone-Integrated Learning Experience on topics related to their concentration. Students in each concentration take 6 elective courses.
Public Health Analytics focuses on bolstering students’ epidemiological and statistical expertise through advanced coursework giving students the ability to collect, analyze, interpret and visualize data.
Public Health Policy & Advocacy gives students the skillset to promote public health policy at the local, state, federal and international levels.
Healthcare Quality & Safety focuses on integrating public health knowledge and skills in the clinical space. This concentration is particularly of interest to students currently in or intending to enter the medical field.
Public Health Practice (Generalist) concentration gives students the most freedom to choose electives that appeal to them. Academic advisors will support students in determining which electives support their career goals.
Baccalaureate degree with a competitive GPA from an accredited institution
And one of the following:
Competitive score on the GRE or other graduate entrance examination
Graduate degree from an accredited institution (GPA of 3.0 or higher )
Applicants may request a waiver of the GRE requirement. Please review GRE Waiver Guidelines and application form.


One Track Mind: the beatin’s
Stewart Lupton slips on his spurs for an EP of cowboy songs.
by Aaron Leitko January 29th, 2010 August 29th, 2020
Standout Track: No. 1, “Cool Clear Water,” a scrappy cover of the Sons of the Pioneers classic. On this one-off project, Child Ballads singer Stewart Lupton and artist Carole Greenwood slip on spurs for an EP’s worth of cowboy songs. Banjos are plucked and glockenspiels are tapped, but “Red River Valley” it ain’t. Lupton’s vocals imbue the tune with a sleazy swagger, making it a little more of a McCabe & Mrs. Miller–style affair.
Musical Motivation: According to Greenwood, the EP was partly inspired by the duo’s mutual affection for the Western-themed TV series Deadwood. “We were so impressed with the writing and the themes,” she says. “How people make order out of disorder and create their own sense of morality when it seemingly doesn’t exist.” Lupton’s explanation was a bit more involved—including talk of runaway teens in San Francisco, Lewis and Clark, and the West as a psychological state. But his reasons for choosing the tune aren’t all that complicated. “I’ve always liked the lyrics,” says Lupton.
Western Rates: The beatin’s EP isn’t for everybody, but not because the music is inacessible. There just aren’t that many copies to go around. The 12-inch record was pressed as an accessory to Greenwood’s recent gallery show at Civilian Arts Project. Only 300 copies were made, each including unique artwork and a handful of poems by Lupton. Also, some people might not be willing to fork over the cash. Local record stores are selling the record for $29.99.


Adopt a
This area is intended to provide resources and information relevant to general New Zealand research and is targeted at those less familiar with resources available online. For area-specific resources, take a look at the various regional projects available. Feel free to contribute by contacting the project coordinator.
Description and Travel
Archives New Zealand and the National Library of New Zealand are the principal repositories for New Zealand records. The former ensures access to and preservation of those official records which have significantly affected the development of New Zealand. The role of the latter is to collect and maintain literature and information resources that relate to New Zealand and the Pacific.
Family History Centers in New Zealand, provided by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The New Zealand Genealogical Look Up Exchange list resources relating to New Zealand which volunteers are willing to search on request.
Civil registration of births, marriages and deaths began in New Zealand in 1848.
A project involving the conversion of records to electronic form has been completed, with original records being archived. Records which could not be converted because of their condition have been transcribed and micrographic copies of these are still available.
The replacement of micrographic copies with electronic print-outs offers a significant enhancement in the quality of records available and paves the way for new online services.
>>> Birth, Death and Marriage Historical Records <<<
Applications for copies of registrations must be made to:
PO Box 10 526
Phone: 64 4 474 8150 (or 0800 225 252 within New Zealand)
Internet: Births, Deaths and Marriages
Two types of copies are available: electronic printout and certified. Electronic printouts are generally of more value to the genealogist, as they include more information than is available on certified copies. The basic fees (effective from 1 September 2003) are:
electronic printout: 1848 to 1874 - $NZ26.00;
post-1874 - $NZ20.00 (convert for: Australia | UK | USA)
certified copy: $NZ26.00
These fees do not cover searching for a specific registration. The basic search fee includes a search of the index for one event under one name for a given year and one year either side, although you may continue the same search with a fee for each additional year:
search of index: $NZ15.00
continuation of search: $NZ1.00
Overseas customers incur the following postage fees:
Australia / South Pacific: $NZ1.50
anywhere else in the world: $NZ2.00
New Zealand is an ideal destination to visit and Tourism New Zealand's role is to let the world know. Tourisminfo has information on getting to New Zealand through to people and history.
The Telecom New Zealand White Pages and Telecom New Zealand Yellow Pages are the principal directories for residential and business contact information, respectively.
Archives New Zealand holds records of government-assisted immigrants from 1840 to 1888, and ships' passenger lists from the 1880s to 1972.
Online AUSNZ Passenger Lists is designed to help family historians locate passenger lists for migrant ships to Australia and New Zealand.
New Zealand Bound is dedicated to identifying genealogical resources to assist in locating which New Zealand bound ship an immigrant ancestor was aboard.
Denise & Peter's Our Stuff has a reasonable number of transcribed passenger lists of immigrants to New Zealand.
Use the search facility below to search the New Zealand Place Names Database.
The NEW-ZEALAND list is a mailing list for anyone who has an interest in genealogy or general and local history related to New Zealand and its regions, hosted by Hugh Winters.
The GENANZ list is a mailing list for anyone who has an interest in genealogy or general and local history related to Australia and New Zealand. It is the oldest and most extensive mailing list for the region, hosted by Andrew Billinghurst. It is gatewayed with the with the soc.genealogy.australia+nz newsgroup.
Maori:
A key resource for those researching their Maori genealogy is Whakapapa Maori.
Visit maori.org.nz for a variety of whakapapa resources.
NZHistory.net.nz aims to be your first port of call for information on New Zealand history.
The New Zealand Defence Force Personnel Archives holds Navy, Army and Air Force personnel files for discharged personnel who have served with the New Zealand Forces from the Boer War to current time.
Archives New Zealand holds rolls and other records from various military units, including soldiers who fought for the Crown in the New Zealand Wars.
STUFF, the home of Independent Newspapers Ltd, with news from across the country.
New Zealand Government Online is the gateway to the New Zealand government.
The Public Access to Legislation Project provides free access to New Zealand legislation.
Archives New Zealand holds probate files (which usually include the will of the deceased) from most High Courts throughout New Zealand.
The New Zealand Society of Genealogists publishes a bi-monthly magazine, The New Zealand Genealogist and provides research services and an extensive library for the use of members.
Copyright � 1999 - 2021 New ZealandGenWeb


GRACosway Weekly Wrap Up
The latest Newspoll reveals the Coalition continues to trail the ALP in the polls, 45 to 55 on a two-party preferred (2PP) basis. Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce indicated that negative perceptions of the Turnbull Government publicly voiced by former Prime Minister Tony Abbott over the previous week has caused a “desired impact” on the polling outcome, “exactly as predicted and as calculated”. The same poll also indicates One Nation’s primary vote has risen to 10 per cent; more than double that recorded in November 2016. See media coverage here.
In more positive news for the Government, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics the real gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 1.1 per cent in the December 2016 quarter, growing to 2.4 per cent in the 12 months to December. The favourable result has averted the prospect of a second consecutive quarter of negative growth and reports greatest growth in the farming and mining industries. See media coverage here.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has indicated his support for a phase-in plan to implement reduced penalty rates as ruled by the Fair Work Commission (FWC) last week. This follows comments from Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, who declared that the penalty rate cut is “the fight Labor was born for”, while Labor’s employment spokesperson Brendan O’Connor has indicated the Party intends to introduce a bill into Parliament to prevent the FWC decision from taking effect. while a recent poll by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) found that several regional Coalition-held seats could be in jeopardy if the issue is left unresolved before the next federal election. At a state level, Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy expressed his support for the changes to penalty rates, with Deputy Leader David Hodgett showing his support on the issue by saying he does not “have a concern with changes to penalty rates.” See the media coverage here.
The House of Representatives Economics Standing Committee commenced further public hearings with Australia’s major banks as part of the Federal Government’s review of the performance of Australia’s banking and financial system. Ongoing parliamentary scrutiny will seek to address consumer and business concerns and rebuff the Federal Opposition’s continued push for a Royal Commission into the banking sector. Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison indicated the Government will formerly respond to the Committee’s first report, which was handed down last November following the conclusion of the latest series of hearings and release of a final report from the Productivity Commission, which is due later this month. See media release: Turnbull Government welcomes ongoing parliamentary scrutiny of big four banks.
Federal Queensland MP George Christensen announced his decision to step down as Nationals Chief Whip in the lower house earlier this week, explaining that his “constant outspokenness was incompatible with the position in the long-term.” While previously alluding to the “hypothetical” option of joining One Nation, Mr Christensen has indicated he has no intention of leaving the National Party. See the media coverage here.
In Victoria, Speaker of the House Telmo Languiller and Deputy Speaker Don Nardella have both resigned following alleged violation of the parliamentary entitlements system for each claiming a second-residence allowance for beachside homes outside their electorates. In response to the revelations, Premier Daniel Andrews indicated that a review into the State’s entitlements system will be led by Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings and leave “no room for interpretation”. Despite insistence from both Premier Andrews and Opposition Leader Matthew Guy, Mr Nardella has so far refused to pay back the $110,000 claimed in expenses; Mr Languiller has agreed to pay back the $40,000 he claimed. In added pressure on the issue for the Government, Mr Guy has also confirmed he will request an investigation by the Victorian Ombudsman and additionally push for a separate Privileges Committee examination. See the media coverage here.
Former NSW Premier Mike Baird has become head of corporate and institutional banking at NAB in the role of chief customer officer. Prior to entering politics, Mr Baird spent 17 years in similar roles both in Australia and abroad and according to NAB chief executive officer Andrew Thorburn, is now returning to the industry with “invaluable experience in leading economic and financial reform to grow the economy”. See media coverage here.
The NSW, Victorian and Tasmanian parliaments sit next week.
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Home/USA/Democrats urge Pelosi to adopt smaller stimulus package to provide relief by year’s end
Democrats urge Pelosi to adopt smaller stimulus package to provide relief by year’s end
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has faced growing pressure from her party to adopt a smaller stimulus package so that Americans get the financial support they need by the end of the year.
Negotiations on another stimulus package have been going on for five months without seeing an agreement. President-elect Joe Biden stressed the importance of reaching an agreement by the end of December, and Virginia Senator Tim Kaine believes lawmakers should help the incoming administration.
“I think the Senate competitions in Georgia were a kind of premium‘ we have to try to get something. ’Because I think the two sitting senators have to go out in some way and … they have something,” the Democrat said. “Biden wants something by the end of December, we need to be able to do it.”
Steny Hoyer, the leader of the majority in the House, signaled on Friday that party leaders must compromise for quick help amid a worsening pandemic. “I just hope we can reach an agreement. Maybe that’s not all everyone wants, but at least if we can get significant help from people,” he told Roll Call. “And then we’ll be here next year. If we need other things, we’ll do others.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks at her weekly press conference on Capitol Hill on November 20, 2020 in Washington DC.
Senator Dick Durbin echoed the remarks of his congressional colleagues, calling on Pelosit to “do something significant, do what we can achieve now.”
Pelosi and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer recently insisted on sticking to a $ 2.2 trillion starting point, but Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell was reluctant to move away from his $ 500 billion position.
Delaware Democratic Senator Chris Coons doesn’t think McConnell’s offer would be appropriate to deal with the economic downturn caused by COVID-19, but he encouraged Pelsoi and Schumer to focus on the contents of the bill rather than the price tag.
“I think we should come up with a comprehensive package that will support small businesses through another round of PPP to prepare schools, public health agencies for the distribution of vaccines,” he said. “For me, it’s less about what the top dollar is, though I’d like it to be as close to $ 2 trillion as possible, or higher than how wide.”
Newsweek turned to Pelosi’s representatives for comment.
Eight months have passed since President Donald Trump signed the CARES ACT, with both sides of the political corridor blaming each other for failing to provide further assistance to food-stricken Americans in the midst of the third wave of COVID-19. Democrats criticized the government for refusing to allow enough funding, and Republicans accused Pelosi of using the pandemic to advance his political agenda.
“[They] they’re still looking at something dramatically bigger, ”McConnell said earlier this month, standing firmly on the targeted incentive bill.
Last Wednesday, Biden suggested that Republicans should not compromise because they fear retaliation from Trump. “Hopefully, when he’s gone, they’ll be more willing to do what they know they have to do in order to save the communities they live in,” he said.


Home Teams Aston Villa Ancelotti: Aston Villa ‘Very Dangerous’, Arsenal, United and Chelsea must respect them
Ancelotti: Aston Villa ‘Very Dangerous’, Arsenal, United and Chelsea must respect them
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has branded Aston Villa as a “very dangerous” team that could break the domination of the so-called ‘big four’ this season.
Villa trumped Sunderland 2-0 at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday, but not before toppling three of the big boys, as they have registered victories against Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool so far.
Presently, Ancelotti has warned his Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger to take the Villans seriously when the Gunners host Martin O’Neill’s charges at the end of the month.
“Aston Villa are a very dangerous team,” Ancelotti is quoted by the Press Association as saying.
“They won against Chelsea and Manchester United. I think Martin O’Neill is doing a fantastic job with this team.
“Maybe we have to pay attention to them because nobody spoke about Aston Villa in the top four but now we have to pay attention to this team.
“I think Arsenal have to pay attention to them.”
Adithya Ananth, Goal.com UK


NCAA post-season
NCAA post-season tournaments (9%)
The ACC is unique in that it is the only Division I college basketball conference that does not officially recognize a regular season champion. This started when only one school per conference made the NCAA tournament. The ACC representative was determined by conference tournament rather than the regular season result.
He is widely considered one of the greatest NCAA basketball players of all-time. Gola was the oldest of seven children born to Ike and Helen Gola.
The same year he also won the Gorriarian award for having the most amount of falls in the least amount of time at the tournament. Every match he won that year at the NCAA's, he won by fall. After graduating, he relocated to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.
Through 2009, Villanova men's lacrosse was a member of the Colonial Athletic Association and in 2009, Villanova won the CAA tournament as the fourth seed (the lowest-seeded championship team in conference history) for its first title. The team also made its first NCAA tournament appearance that year.
The three awards and the 1994 award won by track and field athlete Tanya Hughes are the highest number of Woman of the Year awards won by a single university. A number of notable individuals have also won national championships in the NCAA.
In his senior season at Oral Roberts, Green led the nation in both free throws made and attempted. He finished his senior season as the NCAA's active scoring leader. Additionally, Green holds the Mid-Con Conference career scoring and rebounding records.
Rochester is the largest Metropolitan Statistical Area in the U.S. which does not include at least one college or university participating at the NCAA Division I level in all sports. Almost all area college sports are played at the NCAA Division III level. The only exceptions are the RIT men's and women's ice hockey teams, which compete at the Division I level.
Previously, only NCAA post-season games were broadcast on national television. The "Game of the Century" proved that a national audience would watch college basketball games during the regular season.
Don McEwen is a former track and field athlete. He was a two-time NCAA champion in the two-mile run. While competing for the University of Michigan, he won consecutive NCAA men's track and field championships in the two-mile race.
The regional champion, and possibly a number of strength bids, advance to Nationals to compete for the championship title in May. College teams have for years been trying to get the sport accepted to NCAA status, without success.
No team has won an NCAA team championship as a member of C-USA.
Cousy played poorly, however, scoring only four points on 2-for-13 shots. Holy Cross became the first New England college to win the NCAA tournament. On their arrival back in Worcester, the team was given a hero's welcome by about ten thousand cheering fans who met their train at Union Station.
Clark finished as the career leader at the end of the 2006 MAAC tournament, but was soon passed by J. J. Redick, who held the NCAA record for three point field goals made with 457 until 2014 when Oakland's Travis Bader (461+) surpassed him. Clark finished his career as number six on the list of all-time NCAA scoring leaders.
Under SEC conference rules reflecting the large number of male scholarship participants in football and attempting to address gender equity concerns (see also Title IX), each member institution is required to provide two more women's varsity sports than men's. A similar rule was recently adopted by the NCAA for all of Division I.
In college, she was a three-time NCAA Division II track and field champion. She won the triple jump events at the United States Outdoor Championships in 2011 and 2012, and at the Indoor Championships in 2011.
Finally, she set Big 12 records in ERA, strikeouts and opponents batting average, of which only the strikeouts has been surpassed. She finished the season at third place on the all-time NCAA single-season strikeout list. Osterman threw 6 no-hitters (an NCAA top-5 season record) and three more perfect games (another NCAA top-3 and Junior Class season tying record) and set a career best WHIP.
In 2007, the Bradley soccer team returned to the MVC Championship and defeated Creighton 1-0 to claim their first MVC Tournament Championship and fourth appearance in the NCAA postseason soccer tournament. They had never won a game in the NCAA tournament. Following their first ever NCAA tournament game victory over DePaul 2-0, the Braves continued on a magical run to the Elite Eight by defeating seven-time national champion Indiana University on penalty kicks (5-4) and the University of Maryland in overtime, both on the road.
How NCAA post-season gets used
ncaa post season tournament