Monthly Archives: June 2017

Public broadcasting: superfluous yet seemingly immortal – Helena Independent Record

Posted: June 6, 2017 at 6:14 am

WASHINGTON -- As changing technologies and preferences make government-funded broadcasting increasingly preposterous, such broadcasting actually becomes useful by illustrating two dismal facts. One is the immortality of entitlements that especially benefit those among society's articulate upper reaches who feel entitled. The other fact is how impervious government programs are to evidence incompatible with their premises.

Fifty years and about 500 channels ago, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting was created to nudge Lyndon Johnson's Great Society -- it aimed to make America great for the first time -- the final inches toward perfection. Today, the CPB, which has received about $12 billion over the years, disperses the government's 15 percent of public television's budget and 10 percent of public radio's. Originally, public television increased many viewers' choices by 33 percent -- from three (CBS, NBC, ABC) to four.

Twenty-five years ago, Sen. Al Gore, defending another appropriation increase for the CPB, asked what he considered a dispositive question: "How many senators here have children who have watched 'Sesame Street' and 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood'? ... This is one thing that works in this country." So, senators, mostly affluent, should compel taxpayers, mostly much less affluent, to subsidize the senators' children's viewing because it "works," as measured by means that Gore neglected to reveal.

Eighteen years ago, some public broadcasting officials, who understood the importance of being earnest -- and imaginative -- testified to Congress that public television's educational effects on the workforce give the economy a $12 billion boost. Fifteen years ago, however, the then-president of public television said, "We are dangerously close in our overall prime-time numbers to falling below the relevance quotient." Relevance? To what?

Today, Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget, thinks we can risk terminating the CPB. This would reduce viewers' approximately 500 choices to approximately 499. Listeners to public radio might have to make do with America's 4,666 AM and 6,754 FM commercial stations, 437 satellite radio channels, perhaps 70,000 podcasts, and other internet and streaming services.

America, which is entertaining itself to inanition, has never experienced a scarcity of entertainment. Or a need for government-subsidized journalism that reports on the government. Before newspaper editorial writers inveigh against Mulvaney and in support of government subsidies for television and radio, they should answer this question: Should there be a CPN -- a Corporation for Public Newspapers?

The CPB was created "to encourage public telecommunications services which will be responsive to the interests of people." Of course: People's interests, not people's desires. The market efficiently responds to the latter. Public broadcasting began as a response to what progressives nowadays call "market failure." This usually means the market's failure to supply what the public has not demanded but surely would demand if it understood its real "interest."

One reason many Americans are becoming "cord cutters," abandoning cable and satellite television, is that they want an a la carte world. One reason ESPN has lost 12 million subscribers in six years is that it is an expensive component of cable and satellite packages and many of those paying for the packages rarely watch ESPN.

Compelling taxpayers to finance government-subsidized broadcasting is discordant with today's a la carte impulse and raises a question: If it has a loyal constituency, those viewers and listeners, who are disproportionately financially upscale, can afford voluntary contributions to replace the government money. And advertisers would pay handsomely to address this constituency.

Often the last, and sometimes the first, recourse of constituencies whose subsidies are in jeopardy is: "It's for the children." Big Bird, however, is more a corporate conglomerate than an endangered species. If "Sesame Street" programming were put up for auction, the danger would be of getting trampled by the stampede of potential bidders.

The argument for government-subsidized broadcasting is perversely circular: If the public were enlightened, there would be no need for government subsidies. But, by definition, an enlightened public would understand the inherent merits of subsidies by which the government picks more deserving winners than the market does.

However, since government-subsidized broadcasting exists, any argument for it would be superfluous, given what governmental inertia usually accomplishes for government enterprises. Long ago -- in January -- there was bold Republican talk about Congress restoring "regular order": There would be 12 appropriations bills and they would be enacted before the 2018 fiscal year begins Oct. 1. Instead, there probably will be another "swallow this or shutter the government" omnibus bill in which almost everything survives by sparing almost everyone the torture of choices. This is, of course, a choice.

George F. Will is a columnist for The Washington Post.

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Public broadcasting: superfluous yet seemingly immortal - Helena Independent Record

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The Ayatollah and his immortality – Tehran Times

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On Sunday, millions of Iranians marked the 28th death anniversary of Ayatollah Rohullah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic. Doubtlessly, he was one of the most consequential figures in the 1970s and 1980s.

While the Ayatollah is no longer among us, the question arises as to how he managed to reach such a reputation. To understand that, one has to bear in mind the following:

1. For many political and religious analysts, Ayatollah Khomeini was internationally acclaimed simply because of his genuine faith in God as well as courage to stand up to bullying superpowers.

2. The Ayatollah had deep belief in the peoples prowess and will to bring about changes, and asserted that a nation who is motivated enough and awakened can revolutionize the status quo.

3. Islamic thinkers argue that the Ayatollahs panacea for human beings and societies to change was a mash-up of heavenly and earthly forces. It is only through the miraculous mixing of the internal and external sources that a society can be energized so much so that it moves ahead in pursuit of change.

4. A distinction of the Ayatollah was his emphasis on justice. The late messiah saw it impossible for a given society to reach transcendence unless rulers and grassroots coexist in balance, a concept to which many rulers of the contemporary Middle East were alien.

5. Ayatollah Khomeinis thorough, deep-rooted perception of religious cause as the engine of political dynamism ignited a series of developments in the 1970s, which were for so long unseen due to sheer disregard for religion in the global community.

6. An unparalleled trait of the Ayatollah was his soul-searching spirit and high regard for ethics, turning him into a reconciliatory sociopolitical leader, a quality many of his followers chose to die for.

7. In the international arena, the Ayatollah was an adamant hero to challenge the global arrogance which favored submission and was against awakening the oppressed. To put it differently, he believed that a chain of powers, including capitalist elements and multinational cartels, sought to rule the world. And hence, fighting them was the only way to unshackle human beings.

8. Many are of the belief that Ayatollah Khomeinis Neither-East-nor-West agenda was in a sense rejection of bifurcating the world into Western and Eastern blocs. In fact, the enlightened Imam conceived of the West-East dichotomy as one of historical determinism, of which the human society needed to get rid. A new system on the basis of public will had to replace the historical determinism and this was not possible unless nations and their elites were awakened.

9. Ayatollah Khomeinis look at power and governance revolved around winning hearts and minds of human beings rather than their bodies as he believed that governments mission was to penetrate in the souls of human beings rather than imposing themselves upon societies through coercion and guns.

To come up with a conclusion, these days the Iranian nation is commemorating a leader who was among and for the people and who did his best to be close to all walks of the society. His art was to rectify the society on the basis of sublime Islamic teachings.

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The Ayatollah and his immortality - Tehran Times

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Traditional & Alternative Medicine

Posted: at 6:13 am

Glimpses of Traditional Medicine 2016

Track 1:Traditional Medicine Today: Clinical and Research Issues

These are naturally occurringplant derived substances with minimal or no industrial processing that have been used to treat illness.Traditionalherbalmedicinesare getting significant attention in gworld health debates. In China, herbal medicine played a prominent role in the strategy to contain and treat SARS. 80% of African populations use some form oftraditional herbal medicine.

Related Conferences:GlobalHerbals conferenceandNatural RemediesOctober 17-19, 2016 Chicago, USA; 2ndInternational Conference andExhibition onPharmacologyandEthnopharmacologyMay 02-04, 2016 Chicago, USA;International Conference onHolisticsMedicine conferenceandHolistic NursingJuly 14-15, 2016 Philadelphia, USA; 4thGlobalAcupunctureconferenceand Therapists Annual MeetingJuly 14-16, 2016 Philadelphia, USA; 6thInternational Conference andExhibition on Traditional Medicine&Alternative MedicineSeptember 14-16, 2016 Amsterdam, Netherlands; The 2ndEthnomedicineandTraditional Medicine conference(CETM) June 1-3, 2016, Nanjing, China; (AACMAC) 2016-AustralasianAcupuncturetherapyandChinese Medicine Annual Conference20-22 May 2016, Perth, Australia; (ICNM) InternationalCongress onNaturopathicMedicineJuly 1-3, Barcelona, Spain; 10thAustralianHomeopathicMedicine Conference, October 22-23, 2016 Brisbane, Australia;Society the Individual and Medicine,FloridaHerbalConference, February 26-28 2016 Florida, USA,Australian Traditional Medicine Association(ATMS) events,European Herbal conference&Traditional Medicine Practitioners AssociationNational Association,American Medical Association,Australian Natural Therapists Association(ANTA),World Association of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine

Track 2:Challenges and Future Directions of Traditional Medicine

Approximately 80% of people today depend uponherbal medicinesas a component of their primary healthcare according to the WHO, there is still great concern about the safety and efficacy of herbal use. While herbal medicines can potentially contribute to the advancements ofhealthcaresystem, many major challenges must be overcome prior to the successful integration of herbal remedies into mainstream medicines. One of the major barriers is the current lack of accurate translations andinterpretations of TraditionalChinese herbaltexts and research by Western scientists.

Track 3:Herbal Medicine

Herbal medicinesare one type of dietary supplement. They are sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts, and fresh or dry plants. People use herbal medicines to try to maintain or improve their health.Herbis a plant part or plant used for its flavor, scent or therapeutic properties forherbal remedies.

Many people believe that products labeled "natural" are always good and safe for them. This is not necessarily true.Herbal medicinesdo not have to go through the testing that drugs do. Some herbs, such as ephedra and comfrey, can cause serious harm. Some herbs can interact with prescription orover-the-counter medicines.

Track 4:Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicineis a healing system developed in China more than 2,200 years ago, incorporating therapies that are in some cases. One of its guiding principle is to dispel evil and support the good. In addition to treatingillness,Traditional Chinese Medicinefocus on strengthening the body's defenses and enhancing its capacity forhealingherbsand to maintain health.

Track 5:Acupuncture

Acupunctureis a form ofTraditional Chinese Medicinethat has been practiced for centuries. It's based on the theory that energy, called chi, flows through around your body along pathways called meridians Acupuncturists believe that illness occurs when something block or unbalance your chi. Acupuncture is a way to unblock or influence chi and help it flow back into balanceAcupunctureis putting thin needles into your skin at certain points on your body. This is done to influence the energy . sometimes heat, pressure, or mild electrical current is used along with needles.

Track 6:Alternative Medicine & Treatment Methods

Complementary andalternative medicineis also known as CAM.Complementary and alternative medicinetries to prevent and treat different conditions with the following techniques:Healing touch

Energy

Herbal medicines

ManyComplementary and alternative medicine therapieshave been around for centuries. But do they really work..?

There is research to show that someComplementary and alternative medicine techniquescan help with problems like pain and nausea. But othertherapiesdon't have enough medical evidence to decide if they are effective.

Track 7:Ayurveda

According toAyurvedichypothesis, everything in the universe living or not is connected. Good health is achieved when your body, mind, spirit are in harmony with the universe. A disruption of this harmony can lead to poor health and illness.

Anything that affects your physical, spiritual, or emotional well-being can cause you to be out of balance with the universe. Some things that can cause a disturbance include:

Genetic birth defects

Injuries

Climate and seasonal changes

Emotions

Age

How your body works to keep you healthy and your unique physical and psychological characteristics combine to form your body's constitution, or prakriti. prakriti is believed to stay the same for your entire life. but, how you digest food & eliminate waste can influence it.

Track 8:ArabicMedicineandUnani Medicine

HijamaCuppingby the Muslims is the application of suction cups to the skin to draw out stagnant, congested blood and Vital Force, as well as stagnant or morbid humors. By using different methods of cupping and new trends usually, theHijama cupsare made of glass, but they can also be made of bamboo, bone, horn or metal. The classical method for generating suction in the cup is to use fire to consume the air within it.

Track 9:Naturopathic Medicine

Naturopathicmedicines, and treatment are a distinct primary healthcare profession emphasizing prevention, treatment & optimal health care through the use of therapeutic methods and substances that encourage individuals inherent selfhealingplantsprocess. Thepractice of naturopathic medicinesincludesevidence basednaturopathicmedicines, modern and scientific,traditional, naturopathic treatments and practicesand empirical methods.

Traditional Medicine Strategy 2014 to 2023: The WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 20142023 was developed and launched in response to the WH Assembly resolution on traditional medicine. The strategy aims to support Members States in developing proactive policies and implementing action plans that will strengthen the role traditional medicines plays in keeping populations healthy.

Addressing the challenges, responding to the needs identified by Member States & building on the work done under the World Health Organization traditional medicine strategy: 2002 to 2005, the updated strategy for the period 2014 to 2023 devotes more attention than its predecessor to prioritizing health services and systems, including traditional & complementary medicine products, practices and practitioners.

Importance & Scope: Currently the total global market of Herbal Products & Medicinal Plants is US$ 60 billion with a double digit growth. The diversified use of plant obtained products and its acceptance worldwide made the sector very promising one. As per the World Bank Report 1998, world trade in medicinal plants and related products is expected to be US$ 5 trillion by 2050.

Funding:As attention & public funding for international traditional and herbal medicine researchcollaborations grows, more detailed analysis of ethical matters in this research is warranted. Scant literature has addressed selected issues such as informed consent & independent review associated totraditional and herbal medicine research.6,7 Here we apply a practical, comprehensive & widely accepted ethical framework tointernational traditional and herbal medicine research. We examine in detail difficult questions related to social value, scientific validity and favourable risk benefit ratio. We conclude with implications for upcoming research in this field, focusing on the importance of collaborative partnership.

Funding NIH

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Budget Mechanism $127,930 (Dollars in Thousands)

Major countries of Herbal Market:The largest global markets for medicinal and aromatic plants are Netherlands, China, Italy, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, UK and the USA.

It is estimated that Europe alone annually imports about 400,000 tonnes ofmedicinal plants with an average market valueof US$ 1 billion from Africa and Asia.

Japan:has the highest per capita consumption ofbotanical medicine in the world.Botanical medicine market in Japanin 1996 was estimated at US $ 2.4 billion and sales have grown rapidly in recent years.

China:china's total output of medicinal plantsfrom both cultivated and wild harvested sources is 1.6 million tones. The total value of the finished TCM in 1996 was US$ 3.7 billion. This estimate excludes domestic consumption, the inclusion of which would result in a far higher figure. Overall sale ofbotanical medicine products in Chinain 1995 was estimated at US$ 5 billion.

Studies suggest that approximately 20% of people in theUnited States use herbal supplements, and the amount of money spent on these products exceed $4.2 billion per year.

UK:TheUK imports up to 90% of its medicinal herb requirement. The current total market is 139 million euro.

India:is a major exporter ofraw medicinal and aromatic plantsand processed plant-based drugs. Exports ofcrude drugs & essential oilfrom India in 1994-95 were valued at US$ 66,469 million. Important crude drugs included Plantogo ovata (psyllium), Panax spp. (ginseng), Cassia spp. (senna) and Catheranthus rosesus (rosy periwinkle). Essential oils included santalum album (sandlewood), Mentha arvensis (peppermint) and Cymbopogon flexuosus (lemongrass). Seventy percent of total exports from India are sent to six countries. France, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, the UK, and the US. Other major importers are Bangladesh, Pakistan and Spain.

Why Amsterdam, Netherlands:Herbal/traditional products are quite popular in the Netherlands due to their longstanding presence in the marketplace. Herbal/traditional products are mainly present in cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies. Strong brands such as Anta Flu and Dampo have boosted the popularity of herbal/traditional products in this category. Consumers are tending to seek more natural and established solutions for their health problems. Most herbal/traditional products are based on very old recipes that have been handed down through the generations. Herbal/traditional products tend to be easily accessible and cheaper alternatives to standard pharmaceutical products.

Conference Highlights:

Herbal Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Acupuncture

Traditional Medicine Today: Clinical and Research Issues

Alternative Medicine & Treatment Methods

Ayurveda

Arabic & Unani Medicine

Challenges and Future Directions of Traditional Medicine

Naturopathic Medicine

Major Traditional Medicine Associations and societies around the Globe:

Australian Traditional Medicine Association ATMS

Bringing science and development together through original news and analysis

European Herbal & Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association National Association

American Medical Association

Society the Individual and Medicine

Dimensions of Culture

Native American Legends

Australian Natural Therapists Association ANTA

World Association of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine

Future Projection:Although approximately 80 percent of people today depend upon herbal medication as a component of their primary healthcare according to the World Health Organization, there is still great concern about the safety and efficacy of herbal use [1]. While herbal medicine can potentially contribute to the advancement of healthcare, many major challenges must be overcome prior to the successful integration of herbal remedies into mainstream medicine. One of the major barriers is the current lack of accurate translations and interpretations of Chinese herbal texts and research by Western scientists. Indeed, for the incorporation of safe and effective herbs into the medical system to become a reality, more researchers and doctors need to be trained in both modern medicine and herbal compendium that has been accumulated since ancient times. Additionally, to establish credibility for herbal use in the modern settings, experience-based claims from Chinese herbal medical doctors must be transformed into evidence-based claims. Finally, the question of how to address the need for both individualizing (the basis of TCM) and standardizing (the basis of modern pharmacology) treatment with herbs must be settled. Once these issues are resolved, the prospect exists for widespread use of herbal medicine as a safe, effective, and affordable form of healthcare .

The number of patients seeking alternate and herbal therapy is growing exponentially. Herbal medicines are the synthesis of therapeutic experiences of generations of practicing physicians of indigenous systems of medicine for over hundreds of years. Herbal medicines are now in great demand in the developing world for primary health care not because they are inexpensive but also for better cultural acceptability, better compatibility with the human body and minimal side effects. However, recent findings indicate that all herbal medicines may not be safe as severe consequences are reported for some herbal drugs. Most herbal products on the market today have not been subjected to drug approval process to demonstrate their safety and effectiveness. Thousand years of traditional use can provide us with valuable guidelines to the selection, preparation and application of herbal formulation. To be accepted as viable alternative to modern medicine, the same vigorous method of scientific and clinical validation must be applied to prove the safety and effectiveness of a therapeutical product. In the present review we attempted to describe the present scenario and project the future of herbal medicine.

Traditional Medicine 2016

The6thInternational Conference and Exhibition on Traditional & Alternative Medicineconference: (Traditional Medicine 2016) was held on September 14- 16, 2016 at the Hyatt Place Amsterdam Airport in Amsterdam, Netherlands. This conference brought together an interdisciplinary group of professionals working in the field of Traditional Medicine and Alternative Medicine. The tone of the main conference was set during the opening remarks byPhilippe A Souvestre, NeuroKinetics Health Services, Inc., Canada&Phyllis L MacIntyre, Dickinson University, Canada. Throughout the conference, more than 30 experts in the field shared their knowledge with the 300 attendees of the conference.

The highlights of the meeting were the enlightening keynote lectures from:

Joshua Dunsky, Dunsky Rehabilitation and Spine Center, USA

MeLisa Gantt, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany

Lorne J Hofseth, University of South Carolina, USA

Rebecca Fung, University of East-West Medicine, USA

Philippe A Souvestre, NeuroKinetics Health Services, Inc., Canada

Phyllis L MacIntyre, Dickinson University, Canada

Ahmet Uyar, Yuzuncu Yil University, Turkey

Wen-Long Hu, KCGMH & Chang Gung University College of Medicine

Wendy Wong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Domenico V Delfino,University of Perugia, Italy

Attendee Statistics

The conference was well-attended with 300individuals attending the main conference. The majority of participants came from Europe. Please refer to the chart on the right for a breakdown of main conference attendees by continent. We also welcomed international delegates from China, New Zealand, India and from all across the United States of America.

The conference was highly interprofessional in nature with more than 30 professions represented. Major professional groups included: Traditional Medicine researchers, Practioners, Herbalists, Acupuncturists, Homeopathic Practioners, Professors, Directors, Young researchers

We are also obliged to various delegate experts, company representatives and other eminent personalities who supported the conference by facilitating active discussion forums. We sincerely thank the Organizing Committee Members for their gracious presence, support and assistance towards the success of Traditional Medicine 2016. With the unique feedbacks from the conference, Conference Series LLC would like to announce the commencement of the 7thInternational Conference and Exhibition on Traditional & Alternative Medicine to be held during October 03-06, 2017, in Dubai, UAE.

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Traditional & Alternative Medicine

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New life breathed into decades-old dream of a Cavendish extension … – Montreal Gazette

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Montreal Gazette

New life breathed into decades-old dream of a Cavendish extension ...
Montreal Gazette
You may have heard this before, but there are signs the city will soon move ahead with the decades-long stalled extension of Cavendish Blvd.

and more »

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New life breathed into decades-old dream of a Cavendish extension ... - Montreal Gazette

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Comment: On the contrary adoption is a pro-life issue – The Catholic Register

Posted: at 6:12 am

In the May 21 issue of The Catholic Register Peter Stockland wrote a sincere Comment piece about the need for renewal within organizations. I agree with him on this point.

I dont mean change for the sake of change, but the meaningful integration of new people with new ways of perceiving challenges. This is not necessarily an age thing. Its about ideas and implementation. Youth does not have a monopoly on good innovation any more than age has a monopoly on good implementation.

He is quite accurate in his analysis of the culture in which the pro-life movement has been working. Losses have accrued in a zeitgeist of relentless and ferocious hostility to life, and against an ideology of personal autonomy that borders on the mad, he wrote.

What prompts this response however, is the absurdity of this statement: I recently spoke with someone deeply involved in promoting and facilitating adoption. She described a truly Byzantine regulatory regime that is the reason adoption is such a distant second choice to abortion. When I asked why more political pressure isnt applied to unravel the crazy rules, she said bluntly its because the pro-life movement monopolizes the policy space with its all-or-nothing-at-all demands on abortion.

As a member of Campaign Life Coalition, there is simply not a pro-life lobbyist I know who would agree with this statement. It is patently untrue.

The all-or-nothing assertion is a bell-whistle term which usually refers to Campaign Life Coalitions non-gestational approach to legislation. It does not reflect the many bills and motions weve supported that have never ascribed an age-limit to this protection. But unknown to many people, in 2014 my colleague and I lobbied federal MPs on the provincial issue of adoption.

In the Harper government, there were many wonderful pro-life MPs who had been touched by adoption. We were allies on this file. A pledge in the 2012 Throne Speech to make adoption more affordable was enacted in the 2013 Economic Action Plans Bill C-60. The government allowed the $11,669 adoption expense tax credit to start basically when adoption paperwork was filed. This was great news and it also signalled to me that the government might be open to doing even more for adoptive parents.

After speaking with counsellors from a local crisis pregnancy centre, we presented several concrete proposals to the federal government.

Over the course of several months, we met with ministers of state, ministry staffers and a minister. It was during the course of our lobbying, between the 2013 and 2014 Canada Action Plans, that the government increased the adoption expense tax credit to $15,000. We put a spotlight on this issue and it led to a favourable announcement. No credit was given and no credit was taken.

Yet, despite a majority Conservative government that held a preponderance of pro-life and pro-adoption MPs, plus ministers of state and ministers who were very supportive of adoption, all we saw was this tax credit increase. Was this really a Campaign Life failure, a pro-life failure or a failure of a majority government that was indifferent to the pro-life movement?

That same year, Health Canada was again reviewing the abortion pill RU-486. I worked closely with some of our trusted MPs. Again, Campaign Life drew public attention to the dangers of the deadly drug combo. At the National March For Life, we used the theme RU 4LIFE to drive the message home. According to the press, approval of RU-486, marketed as Mifegymiso, was subjected to the longest approval process in Canadian history. We absolutely take credit for that.

That was followed by the 2014 federal election, when we worked on the nomination of 40 pro-life Campaign Life candidates. And we still found time to sell fruitcakes.

Too many pro-lifers simply do not know we can chew gum and walk at the same time. This cultural marathon is really a series of organizational sprints, 365 days a year.

Should organizations involved in the pro-life movement reflect on their approaches and strategies? Yes, they should. But perhaps a glimpse into the workings of the largest pro-life group in Canada can help to rebuild confidence in us and in the movements work.

We are one organization, working alongside others, in this zeitgeist of relentless and ferocious hostility to life.

(Brownrigg manages federal government relations for Campaign Life Coalition, Ottawa.)

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Comment: On the contrary adoption is a pro-life issue - The Catholic Register

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J.Crew Mastermind Mickey Drexler Is Out–and a West Elm Exec Will Take Over – Inc.com

Posted: at 6:12 am

Retail's old guard has officially come to an end: Mickey Drexler, the "merchant prince" of retail, is stepping down as J.Crew's CEO. As reported by The Business of Fashion late Monday afternoon, after 14 years leading the company, Drexler will be replaced by Jim Brett, who is leaving his post as West Elm's president.

This is the latest dramatic fall in Drexler's storied career as turnaround agent. Most famous for his revival of The Gap in the 1990s--bringing it from a $400 million company to a $14 billion retail powerhouse--in 2002 he was abruptly fired. His redemption was at J.Crew, which he joinedin 2003. Upon arrival, he spotted a lanky designer named Jenna Lyons; and over the next decade, the two transformed J.Crew from an outdated, preppy player into a profitable, cult fashion brand.

But over the last few years, J.Crew has become the latest victim of an unforgiving retail environment. After several years of falling sales, plateauing popularity, steep pricing, and product misfires, the retailer's private equity owners, TPG Capital and Leonard Green & Partners, have lost patience. In April, after 26 years with the company, Lyons--the face of J.Crew who turned her nerd-chic look into a national fashion movement--abruptly stepped down as creative director. Later that month, the New York-based retailer announced a restructuring, layoffs, and the departure of its head of menswear, a department that not too long ago was a reliable profit engine in the company.

It was somewhat inevitable that Drexler would be next. A couple of weeks ago, the charismatic, 72-year-old Bronx-native admitted to the Wall Street Journal that during his J.Crew tenure he underestimated the impact technology would have on retail. "I've never seen the speed of change as it is today," he said. "If I could go back 10 years, I might have done some things earlier."

While Drexler will stay on as the company's chairman, he's chosen another turnaround agent--West Elm's Brett--to take his place. Brett is credited with turning Anthropologie into a profitable, swoon-worthy home goods utopia for women shoppers in the early 2000s. After becoming the president of William Sonoma Inc.-owned West Elm in 2010, the merchandising veteran transformed it from a bland modern furniture chain that was shuttering stores, to a dynamic $1 billion home furnishings destination, at one point resulting in double-digit revenue growth for 24 consecutive quarters. (Brett is also a former Inc. magazine columnist.)

Brett has a proven track record for cleverly tapping into every zeitgeist, from sourcing artisanal products to turning West Elm stores into cafes and community centers to even launching a new boutique hotel line. While most of Brett's career has not been in apparel--arguably his biggest learning curve--according to a statement Drexler made toThe Business of Fashion, Brett has another qualification that's been lacking. "Jim has a proven track record of pushing for innovation and growing omnichannel brands," says Drexler.

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J.Crew Mastermind Mickey Drexler Is Out--and a West Elm Exec Will Take Over - Inc.com

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6 things to do in Boulder County today, June 5, 2017 – Boulder Daily Camera

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(Courtesy Photo)

More than just the 1994 Sundance surprise that launched Kevin Smith's career, it signifies a movement of low-budget (Clerks cost less than $30k, grossed $3 million) self-produced movies, often with non-professional cast and guerrilla marketing. It also captured a post-ironic zeitgeist, with its low-key dialogue, droll humor, and minimal plot. Sometimes seen as social commentary on the plight of the working class and youth without future, it has a loose structure of Dante's nine rings of hell, set in the actual convenience store and video rental where Smith worked, 7 p.m., Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; $6-$11; 303-444-7328.

Photo Exhibit at St. Aidan's Gallery Boulder area photographer Sandy Backlund is exhibiting her work at the Muriel Sibell Wolle Art Gallery at St. Aidan's Episcopal Church through July. She has lived in Boulder County over 40 years and specializes in photographing gardens, farmers' markets, travels and the outdoors, 8:30 a.m., St. Aidan's Episcopal Church, Boulder, 2425 Colorado Ave., Boulder; Free; 303-443-2503 or saintaidans.org.

Dinosaur Discoveries: Ancient Fossils, New Ideas The Longmont Museum's hands-on summer exhibition series for families is back with an engaging show that reveals what living, breathing dinosaurs were really like. This exhibition highlights current research by scientists from the American Museum of Natural History and other leading paleontologists around the world, 9 a.m., Longmont Museum & Cultural Center, 400 Quail Road, Longmont; $8; 303-651-8374 or longmontmuseum.org.

"Heading Home: Field Notes" by Peter Anderson Heading Home begins with Peter Anderson's dharma-bum passion for the road, which leads him through the mountains and high deserts of the American West, and eventually lands him in an eccentric end-of-the-road town full of mystics, misfits, and other mountain dwellers. This book is a gathering of "field notes" observations, recollections, and stories along the way, where home is understood as a work in progress and the way is a road that never ends, 7:30 p.m., Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St., Boulder; $5; 303-447-2074 or boulderbookstore.net.

Newspapers in Lyons since 1890, Exhibit 125 years of newspapers; five different First Editions, beginning in 1890. Issues will be changed weekly, so visitors can read the news and see what was advertised and reported decades ago. Visitors can also "put themselves in the news" and take home a digital souvenir of their visit through the interactive newspaper photo booth, 9:30 a.m., Lyons Redstone Museum, 340 High St., Lyons; Free; 303-823-5271 or rockymtretreats.com/lyons-event.htm.

Confident Cooking for Teens In this fun, five-day camp, young chefs will practice essential kitchen skills and master the fundamentals of cooking. Teens will enjoy working alongside classmates learning techniques for everything from grilling and searing to making pizza and pasta from scratch. We'll get hands-on and cover all the basics such as rules for handling knives, how to read and follow recipes, measuring and mixing, and the importance of kitchen safety. Teens will build on skills throughout the week and on day 5, they'll create an impressive menu of restaurant-style dishes. Teens ages 13-17 are welcome to join this popular summer cooking camp. Classes run about two hours each and last for five consecutive days, 12 p.m., Sur la Table, 1850 29th St., Suite 1004, Boulder; $250; 800-243-0852, 303-952-7084 or surlatable.com/browse/storeLocator/storeDirections.jsp?storeId=106.

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6 things to do in Boulder County today, June 5, 2017 - Boulder Daily Camera

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We’ll Always Have Paris: Trump’s Impact On The Climate Agreement – HuffPost

Posted: at 6:10 am

Last week I anticipated President Trumps shortsighted decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord and predicted that his actions might provide environmentalists with a common enemy to rally against. That seems to be happening. Former NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg is organizing American corporations, states, cities and other institutions to commit to greenhouse gas reductions and be recognized by the U.N. as they fulfill the U.S. reduction obligations under Paris. Now all we need is a few billion dollars for renewable energy in the developing world and Trumps Rose Garden rant last week becomes truly meaningless. Bloombergs leadership and the rapid mobilization of leaders concerned about climate change demonstrates that Americas power resides both inside and outside the Washington beltway.

Withdrawing from the Paris Agreement was the most straightforward part of Trumps rhetoric last week. The truly convoluted part of his talk was his misread of the economic impact of environmental regulation and his ideas about how Americas economy will be revitalized.

It is true that some of our trade deals and regulations could be better, but the world has a global economy and America has the strongest economy in the world. The rules and our trade agreements cant be that bad if we seem to be winning. This horrible, depressed, crime-ridden America the president presented in his inaugural address and again in the Rose Garden may be the view he sees from Trump Tower, but its not the reality a majority of Americans experience.

Still, enough people are suffering that it makes political sense for him to try to serve as their voice. I get his motivation. But the part that really makes no sense is his idea that a vast increase in the fossil fuel business will generate an American economic boom. It wont.

The economic future does not belong to resource extraction industries. Communities that host these businesses know what I mean. The resource extractors come, they dig, drill, pump and spread money around but also strain local services and infrastructure. Eventually they leave, and the local folks get to clean up the mess.

Theres always a good economic reason that extraction comes to an end. The price of the resource might drop, the resource becomes harder and more expensive to get to, or cheaper alternatives are discovered. For the coal business, its been fracking and natural gas that caused them pain. For coal workers, it was mountain top removal and other mechanized forms of extraction that reduced the employment in mining. It is unbelievably deceptive of the President of the United States to articulate an economic strategy that calls for the revival of these businesses. The coal miners know that they need to prepare for a different type of work. They certainly know their children need to be prepared for change.

The nature of economic life is changing and it is very important that we look forward instead of backward. The U.S. energy sector added 300,000 jobs in 2016: most were in energy efficiency and renewable energy. According to the Department of Energys U.S. Energy Employment Report:

The report also notes that 2.2 million Americans are employed, in whole or in part, in the design, installation, and manufacture of Energy Efficiency products and services, adding 133,000 jobs in 2016. Modernizing our energy system to make it more efficient and less polluting is a growing business. Coal mining is a shrinking business. President Trump is doubling down on a loser.

The energy future, like the rest of our economic future, depends on technological innovation and ingenuity. We are now in the brain based economy. Software makes more money than hardware. A century ago most of our economy and most of our labor was in the production of food, clothing and shelter. Today, less and less of our GDP is in those necessary but relatively shrinking businesses. Massive investment in education, scientific research and infrastructure would result in economic growth. Running away from environmental rules and global treaties might help a few small businesses, but in the long run will cause economic damage. The benefits of a clean environment far outweigh the costs.

As an educator, I am biased, but I believe that the economic future requires us to attract, educate and employ the worlds best minds. That requires intelligent and encouraging immigration policy, improved public schools, great universities, and great quality of life in the cities that house Americas researchers and businesses. Great quality of life means clean air, clean water, health care, safe cities, stimulating and exciting cities, along with preserved and beautiful natural spaces. Walking away from a global climate treaty, discouraging immigration, and cutting spending on science and education make it more difficult for our communities and for our nation to be competitive in the brain based economy.

Fortunately, many of Trumps plans are being countered by other parts of our government, other institutions, and his own inability to form a competent government. Congress seems to be restoring some of his science budget cuts, the courts are countering his immigration policy excesses, and nearly everyone is trying to reduce their greenhouse gases. President Trumps visible attack on the climate treaty is disheartening, but it is far from the last word on the subject.

Paris, after all, does not mandate greenhouse gas reductions, it sets voluntary targets; Americas own Clean Air Act mandates reductions in greenhouse gases. This was decided in a Supreme Court decision handed down in 2007 when George W. Bush was president. The Court was responding to a lawsuit brought by a group of state attorneys general. The U.S. Supreme Court determined at that time that greenhouse gases were dangerous air pollutants. EPA was directed to develop regulations to reduce that pollution and Trump and his EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt are required to issue and enforce that regulation. Trump can withdraw from Paris, but he is sworn to uphold the U.S. Constitution.

The U.S. must act, but what about the rest of the world? Climate change is a global problem that requires global solutions. Nearly every government in the world understands that and we have seen no retreat from the climate treaty since the presidents announcement. In fact, we have seen a broad and uniform recommitment to the goals of mitigating climate change. President Trump took a symbolic act to achieve a political objective. He kept his campaign promise, largely because he and his team do not understand the climate issue or the economic opportunity presented by the transition to a renewable resource based economy. While we still do not know the long-term impact of his action, the short term impact has been to mobilize a broad segment of the U.S. and global public in support of the agreement. The Paris agreement remains intact, despite Trumps reckless action. As Bogart told Bergman at the Casablanca airport: Well always have Paris. Of course, he meant the memory of what might have been. Lets hope we do better with the planet than Bogey seemed to do with the Nazis or his love life in the movie Casablanca. I suspect we will.

Originally posted here:

We'll Always Have Paris: Trump's Impact On The Climate Agreement - HuffPost

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Russia Is White, Right? Why Some Republicans Are Obsessed With the Kremlin – Newsweek

Posted: at 6:10 am

In 1983, President Ronald Reagan called the Soviet Union an evil empire. Four years later, he stood in Berlin and thundered at Mikhail Gorbachev: Tear down this wall! Of the many reasons Reagan has become a hero of the Republican Party, his willingness to face down the USSR may have been most responsible in the creation of that myth.

Thirty years later, however, the malignant vestiges of that empirethat is, Russia presided over by former KGB operative Vladimir V. Putin and his kleptocratic cronieshave become an object of profound and inexplicable affection for the Republican Party.

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Or maybe not so inexplicable. A pithy exchange on Twitter (where else?) between right-wing provocateur Ann Coulter and Jason Kander, a Democratic politician from Missouri, may have explained in all of 16 words exactly why so many Republicans would look longingly towarda despotic nation beset by a lackluster mono-resource economy, an ill and aging population, a rampant heroin epidemic and a deteriorating infrastructure, not to mention opprobrium from much of the West for its human rights violations at home and support of despots abroad.

The notion that the rights love affair with Russia is predicated on a racial fantasy is not exactly new, though it has rarely been so succinctly expressed. Earlier this year, Casey Michel explained in Politico how Russias strategic support of nationalist and Christian fundamentalist movements had put it at the helm of the global Christian right:

Not only have Russian banks funded groups like Frances National Front, but Moscow has hosted international conferences on everything from neo-Nazi networking to domestic secessionists attempting to rupture the U.S. Meanwhile, American fundamentalists bent on unwinding minority protections in the U.S. have increasingly leaned on Russia for supportand for a model theyd bring to bear back home, from targeting LGBT communities to undoing abortion rights throughout the country.

Whiteness, then, is not merely a description of skin color, though it is certainly that. Rather, it is a broader vision of a theocratic society that shuns political correctness, rejects inclusivity in all its forms, erases the separation between church and state, favors expressions of corporate and military might, shuns environmentalist policies, and tolerates no dissent, especially from a limp-wristed press.

Its no surprise that, during his campaign for president, Donald J. Trump frequently praised Putin. In 2014, he tweeted, I believe Putin will continue to re-build the Russian Empire. He has zero respect for Obama or the U.S.! That same year, he said that Russia is, like, I mean, theyre really hot stuff at an event in New Hampshire. During the presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly praised Putins supposed toughness, which he contrasted to the weakness of President Barack Obama, whom he frequently branded the laughingstock of the Kremlin.

More remarkable than Trumps embrace of Russia is the fact that so many Republicans have decided to mimic his approach. Earlier this year, a Gallup poll found that the share of Republicans who had a favorable view of Putin was up sharply from 2015, nearly tripling from 12 percentto 32 percent. By contrast, Democrats, whod never liked the glum Russian leader much to begin with, liked him even less in 2017 (10 percentfavorability) than they did in 2015 (15 percent).

How much does the vision of a nationalist, autocratic state have to do with this affection? Well, its simply hard to see any other reason for the American right to embrace a longstanding adversary that shares virtually none of the values outlined by the U.S. Constitution. Not only that, but the Russian economy is based on resource extraction, petroleum especially, and has an astonishing lack of innovation. Its life expectancy is only 70, in good part because alcoholism remains rampant, especially among men. This path is plainly not where American greatness lies.

Not only that, but Coulters vision of a white Russia is predicated on myth, perhaps stemming from Putins vicious approach to Chechnya and its Muslim population or his cynical embrace of the Russian Orthodox Church. The irony is that Russia is not nearly as white as Coulter apparently wanted her Twitter followers to believe. Its ethnic population is 81 percentRussian; in comparison, Germany, the Western country that has been most open to welcoming refugees from Syria and elsewhere, is 91 percentGerman.

Russias relative diversity should not be not surprising, given that the nationis generally considered Eurasian, not European, as it straddles both Asia and Europe, bordering both Japan and Finland. It is possible Coulter was not aware of that distinction when she sent her tweet.

Moreover, demographics actually point to Russia becoming less white, not more. The Russia expert Paul Goble recently wrote that the share of ethnic Russians in the population, as a result of falling birthrates and still high death rates among working age males, will continue to fall, changing the countrys ethnic mix significantly, especially in some important regions. If the population of Russia remains stable or grows, it will be because, Goble posits, of massive immigration from Central Asia and the Caucasus and still high birthrates and relatively low death rates among the traditionally Muslim nationalities of Russia itself.

In other words, Coulters tweet wasnt just subtly racist but certifiably untrue. That, of course, is unlikely to change the mind of the right-wing flame-thrower, who has known to take an especially hard-line stance on immigration, in particular from Latin America. Earlier this spring, when Trumps proposed border wall with Mexico was on the cusp of becoming just another abandoned campaign promise, Coulter wrote on Breitbart, Not only Trump, but also the entire GOP, is dead if he doesnt build a wall.

Read the original:

Russia Is White, Right? Why Some Republicans Are Obsessed With the Kremlin - Newsweek

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HPE updates OneView with new automation features and DevOps integrations – TechRepublic

Posted: at 6:09 am

On Monday, at HPE Discover 2017 in Las Vegas, HPE introduced updates to its OneView software that could make it a more useful tool for DevOps practitioners. Announcements included improved infrastructure automation, container support, and new partner integrations.

For those unfamiliar, OneView is a "software-defined intelligence that automates complex tasks," which could help simplify lifecycle operations, speed app delivery, and improve DevOps delivery on certain HPE products, according to an HPE press release.

Improved automation means that OneView will get a boost in its ability to manage infrastructure and firmware, the release said, which could help to lower lifecycle management costs. OneView will support HPE Synergy, ProLiant BL, DL and ML, HPE Apollo, and HPE Superdome X servers, the release said.

SEE: HPE partners with Docker on hybrid infrastructure play

For container support, Docker will now be available bundled with HPE Synergy and HPE Pointnext, with automatic storage provisioning and additional tools that will make it possible to run Docker Enterprise Edition, the release said.

HPE Synergy, the firm's modular composable infrastructure system, is getting a Mesosphere integration as well, allowing for automated Mesosphere Enterprise DC/OS deployments on HPE infrastructure, the release said. A new strategic alliance between HPE and Mesosphere was also announced, to provide customers with a more effective way of leveraging containers and the cloud.

Troubleshooting on HPE OneView is also being made easier with a new ServiceNow integration, while a Densify.com integration will use predictive analytics to help IT more intelligently place and manage workloads. According to the release, Red Hat OpenShift is also integrating with HPE OneView to automate container provisioning and boost app delivery as well.

HPE also noted that the firm was working on a Redfish toolkit for OneView, that would make it easier for customers to use Redfish without as much scripting. Additional tools will make it simpler to deploy and manage HPE hardware on a Cisco ACI network.

Finally, four months after acquiring SimpliVity, HPE is offering an HPE SimpliVity hyperconferged solution on the HPE Proliant DL380, guaranteeing "90% data efficiency and an under a minute back up restore," the release said.

Image: iStockphoto/Natali_Mis

Monthly Archives: June 2017

Public broadcasting: superfluous yet seemingly immortal – Helena Independent Record

The Ayatollah and his immortality – Tehran Times

Traditional & Alternative Medicine

New life breathed into decades-old dream of a Cavendish extension … – Montreal Gazette

Comment: On the contrary adoption is a pro-life issue – The Catholic Register

J.Crew Mastermind Mickey Drexler Is Out–and a West Elm Exec Will Take Over – Inc.com

6 things to do in Boulder County today, June 5, 2017 – Boulder Daily Camera

We’ll Always Have Paris: Trump’s Impact On The Climate Agreement – HuffPost

Russia Is White, Right? Why Some Republicans Are Obsessed With the Kremlin – Newsweek

HPE updates OneView with new automation features and DevOps integrations – TechRepublic

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