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Whitley County gets $515,213 road fund check
As the old saying goes, you can tell it's an election year when the roads get paved. Kentucky Transportation Cabinet official Gray Tomblyn II poses Tuesday afternoon with Whitley County Judge-Executive Pat White Jr. and members of the fiscal court after announcing over $500,000...
, By Mark White
Second reading of Corbin Fire Department billing ordinance approved
The Corbin City Commission approved the second reading of the ordinance authorizing the Corbin Fire Department to bill non-residents for service, equipment and supplies used when responding to calls. You need to login to view the rest of the content. Please Login. Not a Member? Join Us
, By Dean Manning
Three high school graduation ceremonies now set at The Arena
If you are planning to go see a local high senior graduate this year, then chances are good that you will be heading to The Arena in Corbin, where graduation ceremonies for Corbin High School, Whitley County High School and Lynn Camp High School will be held in the coming weeks....
, By Staff
Williamsburg, Corbin high schools in the top 3,000 nationally according to U.S. News and World Report
Two high schools in Whitley County ranked well in a recently published national news magazine's online list of the best high schools in the state and country. Williamsburg High School was the 27th top school listed in the state, and Corbin High School was the 32nd top school out...
W'burg's Michelle Myers named Kentucky Mother of the Year
A Williamsburg woman has been named Kentucky Mother of the Year after being nominated by a friend, who also won the award in recent years. Michelle Myers has been named Kentucky Mother of the Year. Michelle Myers found out in mid-February that American Mothers Inc. had selected...
Williamsburg National Historic District approved
Williamsburg now has a National Historic District. This is a map for the new historic district in downtown Williamsburg. Dr. Jim Moss, chairman of the Williamsburg Historic Preservation Commission, said that the United States Department of the Interior approved the creation of...
W'burg Historic Preservation Commission hopes inspections will lead to preservation of old buildings
The number one cause of loss of historic buildings is deterioration, and this is something the Williamsburg Historic Preservation Commission is hoping to prevent through an inspection process of historic buildings that began recently. You need to login to view the rest of the...
Whitley deputies answered 1,371 complaints in April
The Whitley County Sheriff's Department has reported its activity for the month of April. During April, deputies answered 1,371 complaints and investigated 35 vehicle collisions. In addition, deputies investigated 36 criminal cases and made 116 criminal arrests. For the first...
When it comes to prayer, sometimes 'wait' is one of the hardest answers to hear
God always answers prayers and usually in one of three ways. You need to login to view the rest of the content. Please Login. Not a Member? Join Us
Alternate "Footloose Prom" planned for May 11
Area high school students who were unable to attend their school's prom have a second chance to make that memory on May 11. Suzanne Eaton, whose daughter, Mariah, is precluded from attending her prom at Lynn Camp High School, is hosting the "Footloose Prom" at the Corbin Civic...
Complaint leads Knox County deputies to make drug bust in Gray
Two Gray residents were among three people arrested Monday morning after Knox County Sheriff's deputies discovered bags of suspected methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a rifle at a residence. Deputy William Stewart, the department's public affairs officer, said...
Corbin Police investigating multiple burglaries at downtown business
Corbin Police are seeking the public's help to identify the individuals believed to have burglarized a downtown Corbin business twice in as many weeks. Hippie at Heart, located at 511 South Main Street, was targeted most recently during the early morning of May 1. Video...
Corbin police, firefighters to square off Saturday in inaugural 'Battle of the Badges' basketball game
Corbin Police and Corbin Firefighters will take to the court at Corbin High School on May 11 for the first annual, "Battle of the Badges" basketball game. The 5v5 full-court game, which is open to the public, will begin at 5 p.m. Admission is $2 per person. Tickets may be...
Deanna Myers stepping down as animal shelter director
The Knox Whitley Humane Association has undergone numerous changes over the last 10 years, and its latest one will be one of the biggest as Director Deanna Myers has elected to retire. "It was just time to retire," Myers said noting she has her farm to take care of, but will not...
Rockholds man arrested on multiple warrants
A Rockholds man, who had several outstanding arrest warrants, was apprehended late Thursday evening, according to a Whitley County Sheriff's Department release. Shortly before 11 p.m., Deputies Chad Estep, Chad Foley, Sgt. Jonas Saunders and Court Security Officer Clay Shelton...
Hearing postponed over motion to suppress Courtney Taylor's statement to police
A hearing to consider a motion to suppress a statement that a Williamsburg woman gave to Kentucky State Police from her hospital bed about the killing of her husband and two children more than two years ago has been postponed. Courtney Taylor, 43, is charged with three counts of...
Deputies recover stolen gun, arrest one
A Whitley County Sheriff's deputy recovered a stolen firearm and arrested a Williamsburg man following a routine traffic stop late Thursday evening on Perkins Street in the Woodbine community, according to a sheriff's department release and court documents. Sgt. Jonas Saunders...
Monday's WWE event in Corbin postponed until October
WWE's event scheduled for Monday at The Arena in Corbin Monday night has been postponed. Arena officials announced Friday that the event will be held on Thursday, October 17. All tickets purchased for Monday's event will be honored on the new date. It was WWE's decision and one...
Corbin man among three people charged with trafficking meth in Knox County
A Corbin man was among three people arrested Wednesday on charges of trafficking methamphetamine. Knox County Sheriff's deputies arrested Billy W. Hopkins, 57, of Corbin, Charles W. Morris, 47, of London, and Beverly S. Bentley, 54, of London following an investigation that began...
Corbin woman sentenced to 20 years for 2017 stabbing death of boyfriend
A Corbin woman who pleaded guilty to the 2017 murder of her boyfriend in Knox County, was sentenced to 20 years in prison at a hearing Wednesday in circuit court. Debra Poore, 56, was charged with stabbing to death 57-year-old Steven Burke when a verbal dispute turned physical at...
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What does state revenue report for Fiscal Year 2019 show?
EXTRA CONTENT: Whitley School Board attorney disciplined by Supreme Court
Corbin therapist defends against Internet criticism
Police seeking public's help to capture Wal-Mart thief
Was told she only spent 2 days in jail....
Regarding parking on Main Street This...
Posted On	22 May 2019


When YIMBY last visited the site of ODA's planned tree-topped skyscraper at 75 Nassau Street, the remaining buildings were still being demolished. Now, the lots for the 40-story tower are completely empty and cleaned up. Five buildings had to be razed to make way for the future 498-foot tall, 312,000 square foot structure, which promises to make a unique imprint on the Lower Manhattan skyline. Lexin Capital is the developer of the project, which appears to be stalled at the moment, with no progress since demolition currently visible.
Five buildings have now been demolished at 75-83 Nassau Street, just a block away from the Fulton Street transportation hub in the center of the Financial District. The activity will make way for Lexin Capital's proposed 40-story residential skyscraper designed by ODA. New building permits are still awaiting approval, but recent activity on site suggests increasing momentum toward actual construction.
The last time YIMBY reported on plans for 75-83 Nassau Street was back in June of 2015, when we featured a fresh set of renderings for the 40-story tower, which is being designed by ODA New York. Building applications were filed a few months before that, in March of 2015, but the site's old structural occupants remain extant. Now, as of last week, demolition permits have finally been issued, indicating developer Lexin Capital is about to begin work.
Back in late April, YIMBY posted the first rendering for the ODA-designed tower coming to 75 Nassau Street, which is being developed by Lexin Capital. Now, we have a new set of images for the 40-story building, which will soon rise on the corner of Nassau and Fulton Streets in the Financial District.
YIMBY first reported that ODA would be designing a tower at 75 Nassau Street last fall, which was followed by news of a height reduction this past March, via the project's first permits. And now, we have the full reveal for the tower, which is being developed by Lexin Capital.


When I use XnV or XnC to convert a TIFF file that does not have compression to a TIFF file that is using JPEG compression the output file is quite blurry, there is text in the image that is readable before the conversion, but after it is barely readable.
I have tried using various qualities and it does not affect the quality of the image. I have compared the output to other conversion software like Advanced Batch Image Conversion and Able Batch Converter and the resulting TIFF from both of those packages is of a much better quality and is quite readable after conversion.
The source image resolution is 850x1170x24, larger images convert fine as I have tried an image that is 1700x2800x24 and that is perfectly readable after converting to a JPEG compressed TIFF.
Are their any options that can be used to increase the output quality?
I am using Tiff Revision 6, with JPEG Colour Compression, I have tried JPEG Quality at 80, 90 and 100, I also have tried having Only one strip enabled and disabled. The only change with the higher qualities is that the resulting image is much larger.
I have sent the images.


Summer is almost here, the days are warming up! I just put on my first Beet Kvass again after having a little bit of a break for a few months.
This drink is so comforting and strengthening; especially for the liver. Packed with loads of probiotics it's an excellent choice for a tonic. Please remember that any of the kefirs, kombuchas and other probiotic drinks are all tonics and should be consumed as such. 1 shot 1-3 times a day and no more. It hurts me when people buy 300ml bottles and guzzle it down in half an hour. These are powerful foods originally used for their medicinal powers so make sure you treat them as such.
Beet Kvass is so simple to make. You just need some beetroots, salt and a dash of sauerkraut juice to get it started. Wait 3-4 days and you have an amazing gut-supportive drink!
Chop the beetroot in cubes and slice the ginger and turmeric. Place in a 1.5 l glass jar which has been washed with hot soapy water and rinsed thoroughly.
Mix 250ml springwater or filtered water with salt and kraut juice in a separate jar. Stir to combine. Add to jar with beetroots and then top up with enough water to leave only about 2cm at the top. Cover the jar with a piece of muslin held down with an elastic band.
Leave jar at room temperature and out of direct sunlight for 3-4 days. Then screw on lid and store in the fridge.
Can also serve with mineral water, ice and some lemon or orange slices for a cooling drink.
Paleo Plantain Pancakes- the easiest ever!!
I discovered plantains about a year ago when one of our customers at the market told me about them. I had actually never heard about this fruit before then!
Plantains are part of the banana family but eaten green so therefore low in sugar. The great thing about them is that plantains have a high resistant starch content, meaning they feed the strains of beneficial bacteria in your belly! Food for our bacteria is called 'prebiotics'.
As usual, we can do too much of the good thing. If we have an overgrowth of 'bad' bacteria an/or conditions such as SIBO, leaky gut and other digestive issues, it would be wise to get advice from a health care professional. After all, you don't want to be feeding the bad guys as well!
I enjoy these pancakes usually once or twice a week- sweet or savoury. They've always been a hit with everyone so I invite you to try them out as well!
Please note that these pancakes don't get fluffy & thick. They are more on the thing side but oh so delicious!
Peel the plantain and chop into chunks. Place in a high speed blender with all other ingredients until a smooth batter forms. You can either use a good quality non-stick pan (we love Solidteknics!!) or my preferred option is the oven. Pre-heat oven to 180 Celsius, place a sheet of baking paper on an oven tray and drizzle with a little oil. Pour the batter in circles on the sheet. I usually fit about 6 and I use 2 trays so 12 pancakes in total. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, flipping half way.
In a pan, simply heat a teaspoon of coconut oil on medium heat. Pour a little batter, depending on how big you like your pancakes. Once the top starts to bubble slightly, flip and cook for another minute or so depending on the size/thickness.
Then the fun begins! If you like savoury, top with avocado, tomato & our kim chi. Also amazing to have with fried eggs, rocket & cashew cheese! You could do anything really. Bacon goes well here too.
For sweet, I like to top with some whipped coconut cream, blueberries, a pinch of cinnamon and a drizzle of maple or rice malt syrup. Or some nut butter & toasted coconut. Again, anything goes.
I'd love to hear from you & your favourite way of eating plantains!
Leave a comment below to share your creations!
So this one is, in my opinion one of the very best breads I have ever tasted. And I'm German! And David is French- and he agrees. So that says a lot coming from the bread countries of the world.
I like the sour flavour (like sour dough) so I tend to ferment my grains for longer than maybe other people. In the cooler months I would probably ferment for up to 4 days, in summer 2-3 days.
When I lift the lid and get a nice sour smell I know the grains are ready. Sometimes there is a little white 'foam' on top of the water. Don't be afraid that they have gone off- just like sauerkraut, this is a natural way to ferment. Just ensure the grains are always under water and you're save. Simply skim the foam off the surface.
You will need a food processor for this recipe and some patience. But trust me, the end result is very well worth it!
In a large bowl mix the 3 grains and cover with filtered water. Add vinegar and salt and cover with a lid or plate.
Let sit for up to 4 days, checking daily to ensure the grains are still covered with water.
The night before you make the bread, mix the nuts & seeds and also cover with water in a bowl. Let soak over night.
When you're ready to make the bread, pre-heat the oven to 120 degrees. Line a rectangular baking tin with baking paper.
Then strain the grains and give a quick rinse (not too thoroughly). Add 100ml of water in your food processor and drizzle in the chia seeds as you pulse the machine. This just makes sure the chia is well incorporated in the water.
Then slowly add the grains and strained seed mix as you keep pulsing. Add salt and herbs to taste. Once you've added all the ingredients open the lid and check the mixture. You're aiming for a sloppy, porridge-like consistency. If it's too runny add more chia and if it's too firm add a little more water.
Make sure you don't over-mix the batter as it'll make the bread harder in the end.
Pour the mix into the tin and even out with a spatula. Place the tin into the oven and bake for around 2 hours or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Take it out of the oven when ready and take out of the tin immediately, let it cool on a wire rack and wait to cut it until it is cooled completely (waiting is the hard part).
Best enjoyed with some butter or avocado and kraut, sprinkled with some salt flakes. Heaven!
This bread will keep in the fridge for about a week (but you will be lucky if it survives the day).


While achieving that crystal-clear window when cleaning is visually pleasing for a homeowner, for birds, it's hardly visible at all.
In Canada, more than 25 million birds are injured or killed by collisions with windows every year.
"Unfortunately there is no set season, day or time when birds are safe from window collisions. If we want to help, we should always be thinking about our feathered friends," says Dr. Sara Dubois, chief scientific officer for the BC SPCA.
Windows have become one of the bird's most costly threats, with more dying from striking them than collisions with power lines, communication towers or vehicles. Whether it's a hummingbird, a migratory songbird or even a hawk or an owl, they are all victims of this unfortunate situation.
Often, when birds survive a window collision, it will temporarily stun them and they will fly off, as if recovered. But, this is not always the case. In reality, the bird may die later from internal injuries or the bird will then be an easier victim to other dangers and predators.
One example includes a beautiful male Red-Breasted Nuthatch that had collided with a residential window. Before the homeowner could retrieve the bird, it was caught by an outdoor cat as it was unable to react quickly enough to escape. Wild ARC's rehabilitation team found that in addition to suffering from mild head trauma as a result of the window-strike, the bird had sustained soft-tissue damage to the wing and several puncture wounds from the cat.
Fortunately, after nearly a month of treatment at the rehabilitation facility – including a supportive wing wrap, painkillers and antibiotics, and housing in a progressively larger series of enclosures to regain his fitness – he was released back to his home territory.
Luckily, there are easy steps to help birds from window strikes.
"To help prevent these often fatal incidents, try using WindowAlert™ decals or Feather Friendly® tape," suggests Dubois. "The more coverage the better. By doing this simple change, you truly are saving lives," said Dubois.
The decals or tape attach to the outside of your window to make glass more visible by reflecting UV light that birds can easily see and humans can't, glowing like stop lights to warn birds away.
Along with decals, hanging mylar strips or well-secured strings of beads can also be an effective and visually-pleasing solutions that helps birds avoid glass. If a bird happens to hit your window and is injured, it's important to seek advice of experts rather than trying to provide care yourself.
Buy window decal alerts to help birds in your neighbourhood, by visiting the BC SPCA's shop website, or purchasing the options below.


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Q: What are ancestors in Ruby and what is their use? What are ancestors in Ruby? What are they used for and what is their basic purpose?

A: An ancestor of a class is either the class itself, a module included by any of the class's ancestors or the superclass of any of the class's ancestors. In short the ancestors of a class are all the classes and modules in which ruby will look for the method definition when you call a method on an object of that class.
Similarly a module's ancestors are the module itself and any module included by any of the module's ancestors.
Their purpose is to enable inheritance, which is a basic concept of object oriented programming.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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I CAN can help when you're in crisis
Joanne Richard
Updated: April 7, 2019
Feeling down? Anxious and totally stressed out? Who you gonna call?
I CAN: It's a new e-mental health skill-based program that provides distance-coaching to overcome anxiety and depression for young adults ages 18-30, wherever and whenever. And it has the potential for changing the lives of thousands and thousands of Canadians for the better.
Dr. Patricia Lingley-Pottie
I CAN, which stands for Conquer Anxiety and Nervousness, is the brainchild of Dr. Patricia Lingley-Pottie, and her team at the Strongest Families Institute (SFI) in Nova Scotia. There is no wait list, no need to travel, no missed time from work/school, no financial burden, no stigma, and provides convenient coaching appointments anytime of day and night.
At your service: Her evidenced-based anxiety coaching has garnered national attention, and Lingley-Pottie is honoured by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) as a recipient of the Champions of Mental Health Awards for 2019.
"Opportunities such as this award helps keep attention focused on the need to improve and effect change in health care delivery across Canada," says Lingley-Pottie, who is committed to making the technology nationally accessible, and so far has expanded provincially within all Atlantic Canadian provinces and most recently Manitoba.
Lingley-Pottie, CEO at SFI and assistant professor at Dalhousie University, has dedicated her career at strongestfamilies.com to helping children, youth and families dealing with mild to moderate mental health and other issues impacting health and well-being. The model combining technology and skilled staff has been tested and proven to deliver extraordinary results with dropout rates that are a fraction of clinic-based programs.
Recipient of the Innovation-Researcher Award, Lingley-Pottie is one of seven champions to be honoured at a gala dinner in Ottawa on May 7. "We feel fortunate to have had so many incredible nominations this year; inspirational stories from all across the country," says Florence Budden, co-chair of CAMIMH.
"In essence they have touched the lives of many through their passion, dedication, and expertise; thus making a difference in how mental health and mental illness are viewed," says Budden. The awards are a key component of CAMIMH's annual awareness campaigns and are made possible through support from Bell Let's Talk.
"Each one is working to ensure a safe space for mental health discussions and supporting their community," she adds. Championing mental health is something Albert McCleod is also committed to, and he is being honoured with the Community Individual Award.
Award recipient Albert McLeod
McLeod is a survivor of mental illness and trauma, and he uses his expertise in indigenous approaches to create a positive culturally appropriate approach to recovery. The well-respected visionary is recognized for his work in advocating for Two Spirit (2S) rights and their inclusion at all levels of society.
"The award helps me destigmatize mental illness and trauma and provides people with a path out of the darkness, however that darkness is perceived," says McLeod.
"I grew up in an environment where being Metis was seen as being inferior and my family and school was not educated or prepared to deal in positive way with regard to being gay or trans," says McLeod, who came out while in high school in 1971. He was depressed and suicidal, and there was no support within his extended family or community so he left at age 19.
"However many of my peers did not fair so well and they committed suicide," says McLeod, a board director with Two-Spirited People of Manitoba (twospiritedmanitoba.ca). In 1986, two First Nations youth committed suicide within months of one another in Winnipeg and this galvanized the formation of the Two Spirit (2S) peer group, offering supportive safe spaces for Indigenous youth in Manitoba.
"We address homophobia and transphobia and work to empower 2S youth," says McLeod, who works as a consultant specializing in HIV/AIDS and Indigenous peoples, cultural reclamation, and cross-cultural training at albertmcleod.com.
Award recipient Brianne Moore
The five other Champions of Mental Health Awards for 2019:
Workplace Mental Health Award: Cisco Canada has created a positive environment to support employees' mental health in the workplace.
Sharon Johnston Champion of Mental Heath Award for Youth: Brianne Moore speaks to youth in schools about mental health and letting them know they are not alone.
Community Organization Award: Stella's Circle is a non-profit in St. John's, NL that transforms lives through empowerment and developing tools for recovery.
Media Award: Ace Burpee is dedicated to helping others and using his personal platform to bring attention to mental health issues.
Parliamentarian Award: Sean Fraser uses his unique platform as a politician to advocate for access to mental health across his community and Canada.
Champions of mental health
We can all be champions of mental health. "We can each be more self-aware our own biases and discomfort in talking about mental illness and mental health challenges," says Florence Budden, co-chair of Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health.
She says we need to ask ourselves how we, one-by-one, can create a safe, welcoming, and empathetic environment so that those around us, our friends and family members, and colleagues in the workplace feel encouraged to share that part of their humanness and personal story as related to mental health struggles and mental illness.
"That there is no shame to be associated with struggles in these areas. That we can talk as freely about mental health as we do personal health," adds Budden.
Moving mental health forward is all about mental health promotion and illness prevention to prevent and ease the suffering for individuals affected by mental health issues, creating healthier communities, and fostering hope that recovery and resiliency are possible, says Budden.
Global Voices: Hate is Canada's national crisis Global Voices: Are your habits harming marine life?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Author Viet Thanh Nguyen reflects on refugee story at President's Lecture
Stepping to the lectern in Stude Concert Hall, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen raised his cellphone and snapped a photo of the standing-room-only audience. "I can't help it," he quipped. "I'm Asian." Then he began his Nov. 13 President's Lecture: "I'm also a refugee."
Viet Thanh Nguyen
Nguyen and his family fled Vietnam in 1975 after the fall of Saigon. They were initially settled in a refugee camp in Pennsylvania before moving to San Jose, Calif., where he grew up. Those were really the formative years of his life, he said. "That was when I acquired the requisite emotional 'damage' necessary to become a writer, and a lot of that damage came about from being a refugee."
During an almost two-hour talk, he held the audience rapt with his reflections on the decades he's spent trying to make sense of what it means to be a refugee and of the history that brought him to America. He read passages from his books and concluded the evening with an on-stage interview by author and screenwriter William Broyles '66, a veteran of the Vietnam War. The event was part of the Rice University Community of Asian Alumni's yearlong celebration of 100 years of Asians at Rice and was presented in association with the Inprint Margarett Root Brown Reading Series.
"I grew up in a Vietnamese community, and they never stopped talking about the war," Nguyen said. "They had lost relatives. They had lost homes. They had lost identities. They had lost their country. And they were enormously angry and bitter and sad and melancholic and depressed and alcoholic and violent because of those feelings." But, he said, he knew that the rest of America had no idea that this was going on in the Vietnamese refugee community and that it was important to tell their story.
Nguyen is the author of "The Sympathizer," which won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, "Nothing Ever Dies: Vietnam and the Memory of War," "Race and Resistance: Literature and Politics in Asian America" and a short-story collection, "The Refugees." In October he was awarded a MacArthur fellowship for his work as a fiction writer and cultural critic. He is a professor of English, American studies and ethnicity and comparative literature at the University of Southern California.
Nguyen said that when "The Sympathizer" came out, he was pleased with its reception, including "a great front-page review by New York Times Book Review." But he was taken aback by the third line of the review: "Viet is the voice for the voiceless."
"No! That's not true!" he thought upon reading it. "Have you ever met any Vietnamese people? Gone to a Vietnamese restaurant? Been to a Vietnamese family gathering? We are very loud! We're not voiceless — we're just not heard. A big difference."
Moreover, being called "the voice for the voiceless" was not a compliment, he said. There were many Vietnamese-American writers — voices for the voiceless — who preceded him. "I'm pretty sure a few years from now there will be another Vietnamese-American 'voice for the voiceless,'" Nguyen said. "People want a voice for the voiceless so they don't have to listen to all the many people clamoring to be heard."
"The Refugees," which he wrote before "The Sympathizer," is a set of stories that he said attempts to be the voice for the voiceless, that attempts to humanize the Vietnamese people and Vietnamese refugees, who were less than human in the American imagination. He wanted to tell the stories of Vietnamese people that were very different from the one-dimensional portrayals he had seen in so many American movies growing up.
Like many young boys, he was a war fanatic, Nguyen said. He read books on war and watched war movies and always identified with the American soldiers. Then one day he popped "Apocalypse Now" into the VCR. He was rooting for the American soldiers, he said — up until they killed the Vietnamese people — people who looked like him.
"I felt myself split in two," he said. It was an enormously traumatic experience, he said, one that provoked deep emotion even a decade later when he was recounting the scene to a college class. He said that was when he realized, "This is what stories can do. Stories can literally split you apart. It's not just guns that commit violence; stories can commit violence as well."
Author and screenwriter William Broyles '66, left, interviews Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen at the Nov. 13 President's Lecture, which was also part of the Inprint Margarett Root Brown Reading Series.
It took him decades, he said, to be able to articulate what he understood growing up: When Americans say "the Vietnam War," they really mean "the American War" — what the war meant for Americans.
Many Americans could tell you that more than 58,000 American soldiers died during the Vietnam War, he said. "I'm not sure how many Americans could tell you that 3 million Vietnamese people died during the war on all sides. I'll bet even fewer Americans know that the war was fought in Laos and Cambodia as well and that 3 million Laotians and Cambodians died during the years of the war and afterwards."
He has said he wrote "The Sympathizer," a novel that follows a spy who infiltrated the South Vietnamese army and fled with its remnants to America, as a sort of revenge on those Vietnam War stories he grew up with. He wanted to give a voice to the Vietnamese who in so many American depictions of the Vietnam War were merely stage props with literally nothing to say, he said.
However, he pointed out, his perspective of the Vietnamese experience isn't representative of all Vietnamese refugees. "Even if you go within my own family, there are a dozen other opinions on what this history means," he said. "To have a truly just and equal society, at least when it comes to storytelling and representation, means that we have many, many voices from many, many different experiences. Just because we're Vietnamese doesn't mean that we're all the same."
Nguyen said he keeps asserting his refugee identity because it's so important and because it's so easy to overlook. When "The Sympathizer" came out, he said, many reviewers and readers called it an immigrant story. "No, that's not right," he said. "I'm not an immigrant; I'm a refugee. And it's a really important distinction to make.
"Immigrants are a part of the American mythology; they're a part of the American dream. If you're pro-immigrant, you believe that immigrants make this country great. And if you're anti-immigrant, of which there seems to be an increasing number in American society, even so, you still believe in immigrants because you think, 'Of course, immigrants would want to come here. We're awesome!'
"It's important to keep asserting that I'm a refugee, partly to say, 'Hey, let in some more refugees. Maybe they'll win the Pulitzer Prize some day," he said. "But more than that, it's just common human decency and morality to think about our obligations of hospitality."
A video of Nguyen's full lecture is archived on the Inprint Margarett Root Brown Reading Series website, http://bit.ly/2iowG6n. Rich Levy, executive director of Imprint, who introduced Nguyen at the lecture, thanked President David Leebron and Rice University for hosting Imprint in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey's damage to the Theater District.
Each year, the President's Lecture Series brings to the Rice campus a variety of stimulating speakers on a range of topics. Rice offers the President's Lecture Series as a means of enhancing the intellectual life not only of the Rice community, but of the university's neighbors throughout Houston. For more information, visit https://president.rice.edu/pls.
Tags: President
About Jennifer Evans
Jennifer Evans is a senior editor in the Rice's Office of Public Affairs.


Over 149 million workers in the U.S. have LinkedIn profiles; over 20,000 companies in the U.S. use LinkedIn to recruit; over 3 million jobs are posted on LinkedIn in the U.S. every month; and members can add over 50,000 skills to their profiles to showcase their professional brands. That gives us unique and valuable insight into U.S. workforce trends.
Oil industry turns up the heat on hiring – Nationally, across all industries, gross hiring in the U.S. was 4.5% higher than in May 2017. Seasonally-adjusted national hiring was up 5.3% in May from April 2018. Hiring in the oil and energy industry, on the upswing since its recent trough in mid-2016, rose by 5.2% over the past year. With oil prices at their highest since December 2014, a comparison of oil prices and industry hiring shows tight correlation: when oil prices dipped between January 2015 and February 2016, industry hiring followed suit—and a few months after oil prices began to rise, so did hiring. Hiring in Houston, the industry's epicenter, has seen a similar trend, with strong hiring growth (+12.4%) picking up in step with the rising oil prices of the past year.
...and Houston's skills surplus is tightening up accordingly – As Houston's job market has rebounded, the surplus of people with skills typically needed to fuel the oil and energy industry—like petroleum engineering, energy, and geology skills—has reduced, from over 16,000 people in February 2016, to under 14,000 people in February 2018. This is another signal that hiring is starting to pick up in a meaningful way for Houstonians as its core industry restabilizes. While the overall labor market in Houston has an abundance of skills, there are meaningful shortages for other skills, too. The top skills in shortage in Houston, relative to other U.S. cities, are marketing event management, construction, and non-profit fundraising.
When a city is synonymous with a single industry, boom and bust cycles have outsized impact – Whether it's San Francisco and the tech industry, New York City and the financial industry, or Detroit and the car industry, history shows that when industries go bust, cities reliant on one industry can be hit especially hard. Odessa-Midland, TX, one of the U.S.'s key production hubs for crude oil and a city linked inextricably with oil, is the latest example: its reliance on the energy sector makes it incredibly sensitive to the oil industry's fortunes, even compared to a city like Houston, which has a relatively more diversified economy. With oil prices on the rise, talent inflows to this oil boom-town have picked up, particularly from the three largest Texas cities—Houston, Dallas, and Austin. This impact can also be felt in the housing market—a recent report found that Odessa-Midland had the highest national rent increase in 2017, up 35.7% year-over-year.
Hiring in the oil and energy industry, on the upswing since its recent trough in mid-2016, rose by 5.2% over the past year. With oil prices at their highest since December 2014, a comparison of oil prices and industry hiring shows tight correlation: when oil prices dipped between January 2015 and February 2016, industry hiring followed suit—and a few months after oil prices began to rise, so did hiring. Hiring in Houston, the industry's epicenter, has seen a similar trend, with strong hiring growth (+12.4%) picking up in step with the rising oil prices of the past year.
Nationally, across all industries, gross hiring in the U.S. was 4.5% higher than in May 2017.
Seasonally-adjusted national hiring was up 5.3% in May from April 2018.
The aerospace, automotive, and transport industry saw the biggest year-over-year industry hiring increase in May (+7.5%), followed by finance and insurance (+6.4%), and oil and energy (+5.2%).
As Houston's job market has rebounded, the surplus of people with skills typically needed to fuel the oil and energy industry—like petroleum engineering, energy, and geology skills—has reduced, from over 16,000 people in February 2016, to under 14,000 people in February 2018. This is another signal that hiring is starting to pick up in a meaningful way for Houstonians as its core industry restabilizes.
While the overall labor market in Houston has an abundance of skills, there are meaningful shortages for other skills, too. The top skills in shortage in Houston, relative to other U.S. cities, are marketing, event management, construction, and non-profit fundraising.
The U.S. cities with the largest skills gaps overall are the San Francisco Bay Area, Washington, D.C., and Austin. Each of these cities has a scarcity-driven skills gap, which means there is a high unfilled demand for workers with certain skill sets such as healthcare management, or education and teaching. To see which other skills are in scarcity, check out our San Francisco Bay Area, Washington, D.C., and Austin reports.
The San Francisco Bay Area, Austin, and Washington, D.C., have the greatest scarcity of skills, relative to other U.S. cities. For details on which skills are in high demand, check out our localized reports.
Check out our reports for Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland-Akron, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Nashville, New York City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C., to see which skills are most scarce in those cities, and which jobs are open.
Whether it's San Francisco and the tech industry, New York City and the financial industry, or Detroit and the car industry, history shows that when industries go bust, cities reliant on one industry can be hit especially hard. Odessa-Midland, TX, a city linked inextricably with oil, is the latest example of this: after all, it's one of the key production hubs for crude oil in the country. Its reliance on the energy sector makes it incredibly sensitive to the oil industry's fortunes, even compared to a city like Houston, which has a relatively more diversified economy.
With oil prices on the rise, talent inflows to this oil boom-town have picked up, particularly from the three largest Texas cities—Houston, Dallas, and Austin. Net movements to Odessa-Midland from these cities have grown significantly since September 2017, to 0.34 per 10,000 from Dallas (750%), 1.05 per 10,000 from Houston (44%), and 1.03 from Austin (255%). This impact can also be felt in the housing market—a recent report found that Odessa-Midland had the highest national rent increase in 2017, up 35.7% year-over-year.
Overall, the U.S. cities gaining the most people are Denver, Austin, and Seattle. For every 10,000 LinkedIn members in Denver, 74.8 arrived in the last 12 months.
The cities losing the most people are Hartford, Providence, and Pittsburgh. For every 10,000 LinkedIn members in Hartford, 64.2 left in the past 12 months.
Austin, Orange County, and San Diego are the U.S. cities experiencing the most total migration (workers moving into and out of a city). This list captures the most transient cities. For every 10,000 LinkedIn members in Austin, 591.6 arrived in or left the city in the last 12 months.
Check out our reports for Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland-Akron, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Nashville, New York City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. to see which skills are most scarce in those cities, and which jobs are open.


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Posts published in June 2017
Pushing the F-35 odds
Last week attendees at the Association of Idaho Cities heard a presentation about a Boise-specific project that could have impacts throughout the state: The effort to designate Gowen Field at Boise as a training mission site for the F-35 Air Force aircraft.
The state's national guard unit at Gowen would supply manpower for the effort. While Gowen is located at Boise, Mayor David Bieter and a state Department of Commerce spokesman pointed out the economic effects of the added mission at the airfield, which would run to many millions of dollars and added employment, could ripple throughout southern Idaho.
The contest to house the F-35 mission is not over; five cities are in the running (the others are Jacksonville, Florida; Detroit, Michigan; Madison, Wisconsin; and Montgomery, Alabama), and two will be chosen. They would replace the A-10 Warthogs, at least some of which are going away. There is some concern about what might happen if Boise misses out; Gowen employs 1,300 people and facilities associated with it employ more. There's a lot at stake here, since the worst-case scenario might include a shutdown if no new Air Force mission is assigned. An F-35 assignment, on the other hand, might lead to significant expansions. The final decision will be made by the secretary of the Air Force in Washington.
So the Boise and state of Idaho interest in the F-35 is understandable.
The presentation to the cities officials covered these points and others, but it seemed to elide one aspect of the discussion around the proposal: The mixed reaction to it locally. The pitch at the meeting took the basic approach that support for the expansion is stronger than many people think. But that hints at the fact of significant opposition out there. And it is significant.
Some of the most visible comes from David Frazier, whose website Boise Guardian has been tracking the city's press for the assignment - critically. Noise (the two sides hotly dispute the amount and quality of it), economic impact and other issues are factors, but Frazier's biggest complaint may be that the city hasn't much engaged those Boiseans who are in opposition.
Last week a Guardian article said that, "With more than 200 residents attending a Tuesday meeting, it's fair to say opposition to the F-35 being based at Gowen Field is growing. Citizens packed the public meeting room at the Main Library to hear speakers discuss the ramifications of basing the F-35 at Gowen Field. Although invited by the sponsoring, 'Citizens For A Livable Boise' group, no one from the city of Boise or the Idaho Air National Guard attended."
He and some others in opposition say that while the city and state have promoted the F-35 project to any number of associations, from cities to realtors, Boiseans irritated about it have had trouble getting the city's ear.
This could be an issue for the advocates since - as was pointed out at the cities association - local support for the expansion is a factor the Air Force considers when making its assignments.
The point here is not to take a side on whether the F-35s should come to Boise. But it is to suggest that if advocates want to improve their odds of attracting it, a little more community outreach to the opposition might be helpful.
Oops – they did it again
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (the DCCC) continues to suffer from a failure of vision. A month ago, Beltway Democrats conceded defeat in the Montana special congressional election before the race began. Last Tuesday, they did so again – this time in South Carolina.
While the DCCC went all in for Jon Ossoff in his bid to win the special election in Georgia's 6th Congressional District, it did little, if anything, to support Archie Parnell, the Democrat running in South Carolina's 5th Congressional District.
Unfortunately, both Ossoff and Parnell narrowly lost their respective contests; but Parnell, the candidate who was pretty much ignored by the national Democrats, came within 3 points of his Republican opponent while Ossoff, who received millions of dollars in support, lost by 4 points. Of course, there's no guarantee that Parnell would have won had the DCCC given him anywhere near the same level of support it gave to Ossoff. But he might have. A 3 point margin was far from insurmountable.
Consider this: In the special election, Parnell garnered 42,053 votes -- that's 63,219 fewer votes than was received by the Democrat running in the 2016 general election -- and she lost by 18 points! In last week's special election, Parnell's opponent won with a slim margin – just 2,836 votes. A well-funded and well-organized Get Out the Vote effort for Parnell could have made up that 2,836 vote difference; after all, more than 60,000 likely Democratic votes were "left on the table." This was a lost opportunity, another failure of vision.
The DCCC might have anticipated the closeness of the South Carolina race had it focused more on how the district performed in recent congressional elections and not so much on the performance of the 2016 presidential candidates. It seems that national Democrats only invest in "winnable" districts, those where the last Democratic presidential candidate made a good showing. Unfortunately, that narrow view of "winnability" misses a myriad of local factors that can swing a congressional election.
Mesmerized by the fact that Trump had won Georgia's 6th Congressional District by only a single point, the DCCC saw the district as ripe for flipping. But because Trump carried South Carolina's 5th Congressional District by 18 points, the DCCC didn't give that race a second thought.
The DCCC would have done well to note that in 2016 the South Carolina contest was more competitive than the 6th District race in Georgia. In the last three elections, the Republican candidate for Congress in Georgia's 6th averaged a 28% advantage over the Democratic opponent. But in South Carolina's 5th, the Republican congressional candidate averaged a 16% advantage over the Democratic opponent. While both districts could fairly be seen as congressional long-shots, South Carolina's 5th arguably offered more fertile ground.
If you're looking to win a race for Congress, perhaps that contest – not the last presidential election – would serve as a better guidepost. There's something to be said for comparing apples to apples.
I am not suggesting the DCCC should have supported Parnell instead of Ossoff. Ossoff deserved the support he received. But both races deserved to be taken seriously, as did the race in Montana.
Beltway Democrats must start looking beyond the presidential percentages from the prior election in assessing a congressional candidate's chances. If they fail to do so, there will be many more lost opportunities. We need not settle for moral victories, those where we come close to winning but still fall short. I'm all for seeing silver linings in election results, and there are some to be seen when we improve our percentages. But As Republican operatives were quick to point out, "Moral victories do not vote in Congress."
Fathers and dads
Found myself pondering "Father's Day" this past week. Yes, I know I'm a week late writing about it. I'm one of those folks, however, who spends time pondering what it means to be a "father" and the difference between a "father" and a "Dad." Fatherhood carries with it an awesome responsibility to provide guidance to the children one helps to create by setting a good example and always being there.
My wife and I are blessed with four wonderful children all of whom have found their place in the world, all are college graduates, healthy and happy, and in the case of the three oldest, are mature women dedicated to helping others. Their brother, our youngest, is a Vandal and a Major in the US Marine Corps.
We're proud of all. They all called and wished the old man a good day. Two of them took "Dad" to see a double header Northwest League baseball game between Spokane and Boise. Not only do they all love baseball, like their Dad, all also know how to keep a scorebook.
I'm fortunate I still have a great relationship with all for sadly too many fathers and children become alienated. I readily concede though that the credit goes to my spouse. We also luckily figured out things we could do as family such as enjoying Idaho's wilderness by backpacking and going on rafting trips.
In the beginning the two older girls called me by my nickname, but it came to a screeching halt one day when overheard by a colleague, Mike McGavick. He jumped all over them that I was to be called Dad, that a father is not just another name, that Dad conveys a special relationship and is to be respected and cherished.
I thought once again about that incident upon reading a note from Mike that his father, Joe, had passed away a few days earlier. Like many father and sons, they at times had a contentious relationship. Both loved politics and both made their mark in the business world. Both were strong personalities and could clash easily. At the end of the day, however, one knew a deep and abiding love was present also.
There are a variety of phrases that use the word father. For example, Mike honored me by asking that I be the godfather of his first born, Jack (and my wife to be the godmother).
Most men never consider taking a parenting class, but despite what one may think, it doesn't just come naturally, and all men and women could make use of parenting classes. All too often the father figure does not realize the degree to which the son tries to imitate the father. One of the great songs in the 60's was "Cat's in the cradle" by Harry Chapin. It is all about how a Dad does not have time to spend with his son. Then when the son is an adult and the Dad is retired the son doesn't have time to spend with the Dad.
I can say that while my Dad tried to a limited extent to be a good father to my brother, my sister and me, he failed. He had lost his own father when he was three. His mother, trying to live as a waitress in Chicago during the Depression, couldn't take care of him and so gave him away to a relative in far away Burke, Idaho.
That experience coupled with ten battles in the Pacific created mental issues and along with bad migraines, led to his committing suicide when I was 14. It was more by the Grace of God and my wife's skill that I managed to be a tolerably decent Dad.
I was blessed to have two other types of "fathers" to whom I owe a deep debt of gratitude for their patience and guidance. One father is a priest, Father Steve Dublinski, who I worked with when he was the Vicar General for Bishop William Skylstad in the diocese of Spokane. I introduced Father Steve to fly fishing and in three weeks he was better than I. He has become a superb fly fisherman. I have benefitted, however, in that for ten years now, on an average of three times a month, we go fly fishing on his day off up the St. Joe or the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene. We've also fished other streams in Idaho and Montana. The scenery is always great as is the company.
Then there are those rare individuals who truly become "surrogate fathers" for fatherless folk like me. Over the years I worked for Idaho Governor and Interior Secretary Cecil D. Andrus our relationship evolved into a father/son relationship. He tutored and taught me much. Those times I have stumbled almost all have the common denominator of my failure to pick up the phone and seek his counsel.
Andrus is a natural teacher and father. He dotes on his three daughters, but he also keeps an eye out on his surrogate sons - I am just one of three or four other sons he keeps track of.
I end this "Father's Day Salute" to Father Dublinski, to Dad Andrus, and to Mike McGavick with a belated "best wishes" to you all and thanks for your kind and compassionate interest in this wondering waif. And a happy 58th birthday to Father Steve on June 26th and a happy observance of his 33rd anniversary of his ordination on June 29th. I am so blessed by you all. Thanks so much.
Has Congress no shame?
Congress should be ashamed of itself for clandestinely drafting a healthcare bill involving hundreds of billions of dollars behind closed doors.
The imperial Congress has shown contempt for citizens on every side of the issue by cutting the public out of the process, while allowing lobbyists to participate in the division of the spoils. This is not exactly government of the people, by the people, and for the people, as envisioned by our founding fathers. It more resembles the type of partisanship that George Washington warned against in his Farewell Address.
First, the House rushed through a bill, later described by the President as "mean, mean, mean," without even knowing the number of people who would lose healthcare coverage. Many Congressmen did not even read it. Only afterwards did we learn that about 23,000,000 Americans would lose coverage, while the favored few would get many billions in tax cuts. The Senate process has been even more unseemly. The Senate bill, which affects about one-sixth of our economy and the health of many millions, did not have the benefit of even one public hearing. The bill was sprung out on June 22 with the intent of ramming it through the following week. Apparently, the Senate majority leader felt that people who depend for their very lives on the existing healthcare system did not have a right to know how the bill might affect them. His caucus meekly followed his lead out of misguided partisanship.
I grew up in a Republican party that respected voters across the spectrum and sought and valued their input. My mentor, the late Senator Len Jordan, would be sickened by the spectacle that has played out in the Congress on this legislation in recent weeks. Don't we need to allow citizens, as well as the healthcare community, a reasonable opportunity to review and digest this legislation and then attend public hearings to advise legislators of their concerns? Or, have we reached the point where we must just shut up and let our imperial and benevolent "representatives" dictate our fate?
We do know that both bills will make massive cuts to Medicaid that will have significant adverse impacts on health care for children, the elderly, and the poor.
As Close the Gap Idaho recently disclosed, two out of five Idaho children receive federally-subsidized health care. If federal funds are slashed, the costs will fall back on the State and Idaho hospitals or the kids will simply have to go without care. Neither Idaho nor the federal government provides adequate funds for mental health services and drug treatment programs and it looks like this legislation will make a bad situation much worse. Rural hospitals could be severely impacted by the funding cuts.
These are just a few of the areas of concern that should be thoroughly explored in Congressional hearings to prevent significant damage to the healthcare system and those who rely upon it for their very lives. The issue is much too important, with far-ranging consequences for the health of millions, to just rush forward blindly merely to score political points.
Let our Senators and Congressmen know that we expect important public issues to be discussed publicly with adequate opportunity for input from those to whom they are supposed to answer--the voters.
No third parties
When politicized times become frenetic - when large uncoordinated, disconnected groups gather in the streets - when significant numbers of people feel frustrated and ignored by their government - when passions speak louder than reason - things can get dangerous. We are living in such times.
Several examples in that long list of conditions have gotten my attention in recent days. As more and more people, usually previously non-political - become involved, they try to seek major changes in our national governing structure. Bad decisions are usually made under those conditions and worse outcomes often guaranteed.
Here are the some that stick in my mind, listed in no particular order.
First: an oft-repeated desire to form a third political party. You hear it every day as the media interviews various opponents of the current President, his minions and a Congress filled with eunuchs. It runs something like this: "Democrats are wrong. Republican are wrong. We need new blood and a new party that can take charge and get things back to normal."
No, we don't need a third party. What we need are two political parties that are strong, healthy and which represent people - not lobbyists, corporations or incumbents concerned only with their continued employment. At the moment, neither party can fulfill those conditions. Nor could a third by the next decade.
Nearly all voices I hear pushing a third party are those who've absolutely no idea how to structure one, build one or run one. They have no concept of the time, money and organization necessary to get a new party on ballots in all 50 states. And, if successful, it would take years to reach a significant number of voters to make it a viable contender against two parties whose names are immediately recognizable to nearly all Americans. Throw in staffing, recruiting bonafide candidates and raising hundreds of millions of dollars to mount meaningful campaigns. No. No third party before 2018. Or 2020. Or..........................
Second: Loud voices want to run Elizabeth Warren for President. No! She lacks any significant experience for the job. But, her strong, excellent stands on a few issues - mostly financial/consumer - have made her a formidable force. In the Senate. On those issues, she's a leader and a winner. Put her in the White House and you clip her wings. Keep her in the Senate where she can argue those issues and be either a significant voice or a tenacious and successful opponent.
Third: Run Bernie for President. No! Many of the same arguments for Warren also apply to Sanders. He, too, has good, important issues. Most of them in different areas from Warren, i.e. veterans affairs, Social Security, Medicare and health care in general. Keep Sanders and Warren on important Senate committees where they can originate - and lobby for - significant political needs. If the Dems get a majority in that body in 2018, each can be a powerhouse for some of the most important programs that directly affect the most lives.
Fourth: While both major parties are in significant disarray, Democrats are in worse shape. Republicans control all but 13 statehouses and a majority of legislatures. Those are breeding grounds for most future national candidates. They're the "farm teams" developing legislative talent. Dems need to work in the states - all states - to train future talent for major races. Then win some.
A second matter the Donkeys should be targeting now is seeking out disaffected Republicans. There's got to be millions of 'em. With a dead-in-the-water Republican Congress, an out-of-control GOP, and a President endangering our national survival, find 'em, talk to 'em and get 'em interested in returning sanity, honesty and effectiveness to our national affairs. They're out there. Go get 'em!
But, instead of getting to work, raising money and developing a new and stronger organizational structure, most Dems are silent or just bitching. Candidate recruitment, fund raising, rebuilding state offices and staff - all issues just sitting there. Republicans dominate statehouses and legislatures because they did that work years ago. And they keep doing it.
The string that runs through all these topics is the third party issue. That talk has got to stop. Take the well-known parties you have - either one or both - rebuild it with the right people doing the right jobs, get serious about candidate recruitment in the states, tap your big fund-raisers to get the mother's milk flowing and get cracking. Now! Not next year.
One more thing. Republican or Democrat. Take a large axe and lop off the extremes of your political spectrums. Stop catering to far right and/or far left. Develop your message in the middle - where most of us are. Stop letting voices of extremism set your tone which encourages an ineffective minority while undermining and chasing away the voters you need most. Moderates. Independents.
There's plenty to be mad about out there. There's plenty to be outright scared about. But, check the polls. If Congress is supported by only 18% of voters, that means more than 80% want something more - something different - something effective - something new!
First Party there with the best candidates with the best message will win. And that could last for a decade. Or two! Or more!
Water Digest – June 26
Water rights weekly report for June 26. For much more news, links and detail, see the National Water Rights Digest.
Representative Scott Tipton (CO-03) reintroduced the Water Rights Protection Act (H.R. 2939) on June 21. The bill would uphold federal deference to state water law and prevent federal takings of privately held water rights. In 2014, the U.S. Forest Service proposed the Groundwater Resource Management Directive, which gave the federal government jurisdiction over groundwater in a manner that was inconsistent with long-established state water law. The USFS withdrew the measure but has indicated a desire to issue a revised directive in the future. The Water Rights Protection Act would prohibit the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior from requiring the transfer of water rights as a condition of any land-use permit.
A lawsuit over how much various Southern California parties should pay for water they import from the Colorado River hit another inflection point point on June 21, as a three-judge panel of a state appellate court reversed significant parts of a 2015 trial court decision.
The state of Montana's agriculture department has an Industrial Hemp Pilot Program, but it's running into problems because of federal restriction on water use for hemp production.
PHOTO Hemavathi water suppy canal in India.
Idaho Briefing – June 26
This is a summary of a few items in the Idaho Weekly Briefing for June 26. Interested in subscribing? Send us a note at stapilus@ridenbaugh.com.
It's a quiet period in the early summer stretch leading up to Independence Day, but state politics got a little shakeup with the campaign change of Russ Fulcher, and with ongoing developments out of Washington.
The Idaho Department of Lands auctioned 14 Payette Lake lots for deeded ownership at a public auction in Boise. The land sales generated $7,895,500 for the endowment funds that support State Hospital South and teacher education programs at Idaho State University and Lewis-Clark State College.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation increased flows from Lucky Peak Dam by an additional 500 cubic feet per second on June 23, at 8 am. The Boise River reservoir system continues to be in active flood control operations in this unusually high water year.
The state of Idaho on June 23 auctioned another U.S. Forest Service timber sale as part of a State-federal partnership to increase management activities on federal lands in Idaho. The Woodrat Salvage Sale on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests is Idaho's second project developed under Good Neighbor Authority, a federal law that enables the Forest Service to partner with the Idaho Department of Lands to achieve restoration and resilient landscape objectives across ownership boundaries in Idaho.
Micron Technology, Inc., on June 22 announced that the company has appointed Sumit Sadana as executive vice president and chief business officer. His addition to the executive team will accelerate the company's ability to execute on its strategic goals.
The Idaho Transportation Board on June 23 unanimously approved a resolution Thursday that allows the Idaho Transportation Department to move forward with an agreement to develop a public private partnership to build the Northgate Interchange (Siphon Road) in Bannock County.
PHOTO The State of Idaho on June 23 at Kamiah auctioned another U.S. Forest Service timber sale today as part of a State-federal partnership to increase management activities on federal lands in Idaho.. (photo/Idaho Department of Lands)
The Senate health plan: Don't get sick
The Senate bill, like its House counterpart, has a simple message for Indian Country: Don't get sick. Not in June. Not anytime soon. This bill is not about health care because it takes billions from Medicaid and passes on that savings to wealthy Americans.
How bad could it be? The official financial review from the Congressional Budget Office is expected early next week. The scoring of the similar House bill projected that by next year 14 million more people would be uninsured. And by 2026, an estimated 51 million people under age 65 would be uninsured. Under the House bill only a few million would use tax credits to purchase policies that even then would not cover major medical risks.
So the important takeaway from both the Senate bill and the House version is that it strips money away from Medicaid ($834 billion) and gives back most of those to high-income taxpayers ($664 billion). The Senate bill takes a little time to destroy Medicaid. It begins phasing out the expansion in 2021 and that will be completed by 2024. Then, like the House, Medicaid would become a state block grant program. The Republicans argue that this would control costs, slowing the growth of government spending. (Now Medicaid spending is automatic: If you are eligible, the money is there.)
Medicaid now accounts for about 20 percent of the budget in most Indian health system clinics and hospitals. And, more important, it's a growing source of funding. It pays for medical procedures and for transportation to clinics. It's the big ticket.
But Medicaid is also an odd duck. It's officially a state-federal partnership so the federal government picks up most of the cost and sets some of the rules, while states get to determine other rules. Both the Senate and the House bills would let states do more (such as requiring patients to work) or what's especially what's covered by insurance.
This is particularly messy for Indian Country. Both the Senate and House bills recognize the Indian Health System as unique (and paid for by the federal government). So the legislation preserves the 100 percent federal funding through what's called the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage for Medicaid or FMAP. And in theory both the Senate and House would keep in place federal rules for tribal members on some state requirements such as work rules. But the money would still flow from Washington to the states for administration. Messy (as it often is now). And the states that now have Medicaid expansion, through the Affordable Care Act would have to phase that out.
The biggest problem for Indian Country is that the Senate and House bills would destroy the framework of Medicaid. The bills move health care back to the states in a big way. That can be good or bad. California is debating how to create a single payer system. The Nevada legislature recently passed a Medicaid-for-all statute (where any citizen could buy into the program) only to have the law vetoed by the governor. But other states see health care only as a cost. The thinking goes that Medicaid is just another word for welfare and states should sharply reduce what is spent by government and let hospitals cover the cost of "charity" care.
Some numbers here. The American Hospital Association opposes both bills for one reason. In 1990 uncompensated care cost $12.1 billion or about 6 percent of total hospital expenses. By 2012 that figure reached $45.9 billion. And, after the Affordable Care Act, the total uncompensated care costs dropped to $35.7 billion or 4.2 percent of total hospital expenses, the lowest level in 26 years.
But this shows the futility of cutting Medicaid and insurance programs for the poor. It doesn't save money, it just shifts it around. People who get sick will go to emergency rooms when it's later in their illness and more expensive. So hospitals will cost more for everybody. (But at least the wealthy get their tax break, right?)
The opioid crisis is an example of that. The costs will not go away. Some money will be found by states, cities and tribes. The Senate bill adds a funding stream of $45 billion over 10 years for substance abuse treatment and prevention that's now funded by the Affordable Care Act. But Medicaid expansion has been a key funding source. The Associated Press reports that Medicaid expansion accounted for 61 percent of total Medicaid spending on substance abuse treatment in Kentucky, 56 percent in Michigan, and 43 percent in Ohio.
The Senate has only a few days to consider their version of health care "reform." Already a few conservatives are saying the bill doesn't go far enough and want more changes. This is the script the House used: The conservatives throw a fit, get their way, and then the so-called moderates give in and vote yes anyway.
My bet is that Senate leaders have already written off Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Maine Sen. Susan Collins because of their past support for Planned Parenthood (there are already restrictions against the federal funding of abortion, but the Senate bill says Planned Parenthood cannot bill Medicaid for a year for all women's health services). So I think Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is banking on a fifty-fifty split with Vice President Mike Pence casting the deciding vote.
That means the moderate senators, those that support Medicaid in their states, can say what ever they want now. But it's their vote that will count. Destroy Medicaid or cut taxes? That's the choice for these three: Rob Portman of Ohio, Shelley Moore Capito, West Virginia, and Cory Gardner from Colorado. Perhaps it's wishful thinking but I will add Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan to this list because Alaska will be hit particularly hard by the overall legislation, the opioid epidemic, the state's successful expansion of Medicaid, and its impact on the Alaska Native Medical system. Sullivan said on Facebook that he will read every word of the bill and he wants "a sustainable and equitable path forward for Medicaid" and he won't vote for a bill that makes things worse for Alaskans. So will it be his party or Alaskans? Health care or tax cuts?
And, since I am asking already asking questions, will the Senate bill pass next week? Remember it will only take one senator to force the Senate to start over.
Mark Trahant is the Charles R. Johnson Endowed Professor of Journalism at the University of North Dakota. He is an independent journalist and a member of The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. On Twitter @TrahantReports
Winter's coming
Ah, the first day of winter. . .
Yesterday's June solstice having yesterday passed, the days are now getting shorter and shorter -- first slowly, then increasingly and noticeably shorter as the autumnal equinox arrives in September.
Yes, days are quite rapidly becoming shorter and before long, the leaves will begin to turn and "termination dust" (a term Alaskans use to describe the descending snow-line in the Chugach Mountains) will become visible.
So enjoy these long days for the brief period of time we have left.
If there is a bright spot, it is that days themselves are longer by by a full 1.7 milliseconds than they were a century ago, this being the result of those big sluggish bodies of water we call oceans, which are slowing down the Earth's rotation as they respond to gravitational pulls from the moon and other celestial bodies.
My guess is that in another century or two, all those idiotic windmills we're putting up to generate expensive electricity will have slowed the planet's rotation even more, making for yet longer days as they impose drag on our atmospheric ocean.
At any rate, have a nice day and start digging those Christmas decorations out. You have but milliseconds left.
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"the freedom of Speech may be taken away — and, dumb & silent we may be led, like sheep, to the Slaughter." George Washington, 1783
"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both." Louis D. Brandeis
Losing a shared vocabulary for the world's problems, for the way we relate to one another and for current events may be the greatest threat to American society. Aaron Hanlon, 2018
The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function. F. Scott Fitzgerald
Gandhi's Seven Sins: Wealth without work; Pleasure without conscience; Knowledge without character; Commerce without morality; Science without humanity; Worship without sacrifice; Politics without principle
if you can create an honorable livelihood, where you take your skills and use them and you earn a living from it, it gives you a sense of freedom and allows you to balance your life the way you want." Anita Roddick
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Mark 8:36 KJB
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NCAA approves changes to transfer rules across all sports, effective immediately
After a few years of concerns about the lack of regulations regarding transfers, the NCAA creates new rules surrounding such issues.
By James H. Jimenez@AVKingJames Aug 31, 2022, 8:00pm EDT
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Photo by AJ Mast/Icon SMI/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The NCAA Division I Board of Directors met virtually to discuss new rules around transfers and exemptions earlier this week, approving several sweeping changes which aims to add clarity for both players and coaches ahead of the upcoming academic season.
"The decision to adopt the transfer proposal today reflects the Board's commitment to enacting transformational changes in college sports," said Jere Morehead, president at University of Georgia and chair of the Board of Directors.
The NCAA established several different windows for student-athletes to announce their intentions to transfer— as well as give coaches a set time to evaluate prospects and look over the options properly.
The changes spring up as a result of a study the NCAA conducted in the spring regarding transfer portal trends in 2020 and 2021, which revealed of the 16,270 student-athletes to enter across all sports and divisions, only 47 percent were able to find new homes, with 43 percent still considered "active", which the NCAA defines as prospects "exploring transfer options... transfer[ing] to a non-NCAA school or may have left their sport."
The new windows, revealed on Wednesday afternoon, are as follows, and applies to all divisions of NCAA play:
Fall sports: a 45-day window beginning the day after championships selections are made in their sport, or May 1-15. (Reasonable accommodations will be made for participants in the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision championship games.)
Winter sports: a 60-day window beginning the day after championships selections are made in the sport.
Spring sports: Dec. 1-15, or a 45-day window beginning the day after selections are made in the sport.
There are also now regulations in place which establishes separate windows and exemptions for student-athletes who have been affected by head coach changes or have athletics aid reduced, canceled or not renewed— as well as new regulations for students who otherwise do not meet the one-time transfer exemption.
Student-athletes will also now be guaranteed their scholarships by their new institution upon transfer over the rest of their five-year eligibility or upon the completion of their bachelor degree requirements.
The board also stated they did not adapt the controversial "unlimited transfer" guidance, opting instead to continue research into the idea. A potential "unlimited transfer" rule would allow student-athletes to transfer as often as they desired as long as they met their progress-toward-degree requirements at their new institution.
The effects take place effective immediately across all divisions.


Cambridge Seven Associates, Inc. (C7A) is an internationally renowned architectural and exhibit design firm that specializes in the creation of dynamic exhibits, museums and attractions. We are currently designing the San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame and Museum in Santa Clara, California. Most recently, we completed the renovation and new exhibits for the World of Little League: Peter J. McGovern Museum and Official Store in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Our recent exhibition work at Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in Calgary received the 2013 Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement. Canada's Sports Hall of Fame consists of multi-level galleries featuring interactive exhibits on 56 sports. Using a powerful blend of artifacts, media, graphics, and lighting, the exhibit brings to life the great moments, stories and people that make up Canada's sports heritage. C7A also designed the New England Patriots Hall of Fame, which has been heralded as a premier sports museum in America and received the 2009 Gold MUSE Award for Multimedia Installations from the AAM Media & Technology Committee. C7A's exhibit design portfolio also includes the "Big Red Machine" exhibit for the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame; "VICTORY: An Exhibition Celebrating Boston Sports" at Foxwoods Resort and Casino; as well as work with the Dallas Cowboys, Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, Baltimore Orioles, Baltimore Ravens and multiple schools and universities. Our sports museum projects include The Sports Museum in Boston; the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts; and the International Tennis Hall of Fame and Museum in Newport, Rhode Island.


He Said What, Episode 9 features We Met At Acme host Lindsey Metselaar. On this episode we discus texting etiquette, horrible dating stories, matchmaking, and of course another weekly round of "Would You Rather"
He Said What Episode 8 features Brett David, who runs one of NYC's hottest bars and just walked men's fashion week. On this episode, we discuss dating at different ages, sleeping with celebrities, getting a vasectomy, and of course another weekly round of "Would You Rather"
He Said What Episode 7 features Misha, who just made Business Insiders, "Hinge's Most Eligible List". On this episode, we discuss dating apps, horrifying first dates, and of course another weekly round of "Would You Rather"


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Andrew Millis, Ph.D.
CCQ Co-Director, Flatiron InstituteAndrew Millis's website Email Andrew Millis
Andrew Millis is co-director of the Center for Computational Quantum Physics at the Flatiron Institute and professor of physics at Columbia University. He received his Ph.D. in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1986. After that, he worked for 10 years in the theoretical physics research department at Bell Laboratories and then served on the faculty at Johns Hopkins University and Rutgers University before moving to Columbia University in 2001. He served as chair of the Columbia University physics department from 2006 to 2009. He began his association with the Simons Foundation in 2011, serving as associate director for physics in the Mathematics and Physical Sciences division before moving to the Flatiron Institute in the fall of 2017.
Millis' research interests focus on the theoretical physics of electrons in materials, with a particular focus on collective properties such as superconductivity and magnetism. His recent work has emphasized the development and use of new numerical methods for the many-electron problem and the application of these methods to elucidate the behavior of high-temperature superconductors, oxide superlattices and materials under non-equilibrium conditions.
He is the author of more than 400 papers, is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is a member of the Advisory Committee to the Mathematics and Physical Sciences Division of the National Science Foundation and of the advisory board of the U.S. Summer School on Condensed Matter and Materials Physics (which he helped found). He received the 2017 Hamburg Prize for Theoretical Physics, and two of his recent postdoctoral fellows have received IUPAP Young Scientist awards.


Lake Trasimeno is the largest in central Italy and the fourth of Italy. It has three islands: Isola Maggiore, Isola Minore and Isola Polvese.
It is a navigable lake and there's a ferry boat which starts from the town of Passignano and links the banks of the lake with the three islands and other coastal resorts. These are eight interesting places regarding environment, history and art, which are: Magione, Castiglione del Lago, Città della Pieve (which is the birthplace of the painter Perugino), Paciano, Panicale, Piegaro, Tuoro sul Trasimeno (historically important for the battle between Rome and Carthage, led and won by Hannibal).
Finally Passignano is the main town of the lake area because it offers bathing resorts and connections to other lake villages which make it an attractive place.
The lake is an important ecological site, thanks to its clean environment that offers the tourist an opportunity for relax and rest.
The best choice for the traveller is therefore staying in the green and medieval Perugia, because it is just a few minutes away by car or train (with good connections) from Lake Trasimeno.
The little towns around the lake are famous for handicraft (in particular lace and embroidery) and also for gastronomy: the main dish is the lake fish – carp, perch, tench and "Latterino", this latter prepared according to an old recipe called "Tegamaccio".


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Portfolio News
Alamar Biosciences Completes $80M Series B Fundraising to Bring Unprecedented Performance to the Proteomics Market
09/09/2021 | Alamar Biosciences
Alamar Biosciences, Inc., a precision proteomics company that brings both ultra-high sensitivity and massively parallel scale to proteomic analysis, announced today that it has closed its $80 million Series B financing round, bringing its total funding to $110 million. Qiming Venture Partners participated in the deal.
This oversubscribed round of investment will accelerate the development of Alamar's proprietary proteomics platform, which will be the most sensitive, highly multiplexed, and high dynamic range solution for life science research, pharmaceutical development, and diagnostics such as liquid biopsy. The platform leverages Next Generation Sequencing to bring the power of genomics to proteomics, enabling the early detection of cancer and other diseases.
"We are very pleased to have these top-tier investors supporting our next phase of development. They bring tremendous amount of expertise in life sciences and diagnostics, which will be extremely valuable to us as we build the company," said Dr. Yuling Luo, Founder, Chairman and CEO. "Despite recent progress in the field, there is still no technology that unites two essential goals in proteomics analysis, namely the ability to go as deeply as possible to detect very low abundance proteins and the ability to profile thousands of proteins in a single sample. This capability will be critical for the discovery and measurement of many proteins in human plasma that are currently undetectable. Alamar's NULISA and Attobody platforms will help fill this void and will drive a new wave of innovations in research, diagnostics, and therapeutics."
Alamar Biosciences was founded by Dr. Luo, a technologist and serial entrepreneur who previously founded Advanced Cell Diagnostics (ACD), now a part of Bio-Techne, and led it as President and CEO. At ACD he pioneered the field of spatial genomics together with Dr. Xiao-Jun Ma by inventing and successfully commercializing RNAscope, the world's most sensitive RNA in situ detection technology. Recognizing a similar critical need for ultra-sensitive protein detection technology in proteomics, Dr. Luo started Alamar Biosciences with Dr. Steve Chen, who was also a co-founder of ACD, and Dr. Yiyuan Yin, a structural biologist with extensive antibody engineering expertise.
The Alamar Biosciences team has applied their insights gained from developing single-molecule detection technologies and antibody engineering to create two technology platforms – NULISA™ and Attobody™ . The combination of these ground-breaking platforms provides the unique ability to detect extremely low levels of protein biomarkers in human blood plasma, and to do so in a high-plex format allowing for the measurement of thousands of protein targets in a single assay, leading to a new generation of noninvasive precision diagnostics.
"We are pleased to continue our support of Alamar, which has made excellent progresses in the past two years. With three potential lines of business - research instruments and reagents, diagnostics, and antibody therapeutics - we believe the company is well-positioned to make a significant impact on the future of healthcare," said Amy Tang, Venture Partner of the company's Series A lead investor, Qiming Venture Partners.
The Series B financing round was led by Sherpa Healthcare Partners and included Morningside Ventures, Samsara Biocapital, and existing investors Qiming Venture Partners and Illumina Ventures.
SOURCE : Alamar Biosciences
Portfolio News Qiming's Portfolio Company Asieris Pharmaceuticals Lands on STAR Market 01/07 2022
Portfolio News Beijing' Covid Booster Campaign Includes Cansino's Vaccine: Bloomberg 10/29 2021
Portfolio News ShouTi Secures $100 Million Series B Financing, Qiming Participated 10/29 2021
Portfolio News Geneseeq and Zai Lab Announce Strategic Collaboration to Advance Cancer Drug R&D 10/20 2021
Portfolio News WeRide unveils China's first Level 4 self-driving cargo van 10/20 2021


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Masisi – miejscowość w Demokratycznej Republice Konga, w prowincji Kiwu Północne, siedziba administracyjna terytorium Masisi. W 2004 roku liczyła ok. 5,5 tys. mieszkańców.

Przypisy

Miasta w Demokratycznej Republice Konga

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