Commentary: Abortion access for students a matter of racial, economic justice
Pro-choice supporters rally in Los Angeles in 2005.
(Getty Images)
By CAROLINE SIEGEL SINGH
My work in reproductive justice began on my own campus when I realized that our student government, Associated Students at University of California San Diego, had previously installed dispensers for condoms, but they were broken and not being filled. Thus, the products were not easily accessible.
It was after working on this initiative that I realized condoms aren't enough — students needed a backup method for when birth control failed, or in the case of sexual assault, when sex was not consensual. With the support of the Associated Students and campus administration, I'm proud to say my campus should be getting our first vending machines for emergency contraception very soon. But we shouldn't stop there.
Related: Why college campuses should not dispense abortion pills
The reality is that college students need a full range of reproductive care accessible on campus, from birth control options and sexually transmitted infections screenings to abortion care, and that's exactly what I hope to achieve.
As an elected student leader at UCSD, I am committed to improving the health of my fellow students and I'm proud to be part of a statewide campaign to make the abortion pill accessible at every public university student health center. I've heard from students at my school and across the state about the struggles they face when trying to get an abortion.
Right now, no public university student health centers in our state provide abortion care, forcing students who need this care to leave campus, which usually means missing class, work shifts, or both. Students should not have to leave campus to see a provider they've never met, and potentially fall behind in their education, when the abortion pill can easily and safely be provided on campus.
Our university is in the middle of an affluent community — but students often struggle to make ends meet. It's hard to focus on your education when your basic needs aren't being met, and students may have trouble paying rent or even buying food. Our campus has been working to improve this, by implementing an on-campus food pantry and basic needs resource center. In my time at UCSD I've learned that for something to truly be accessible to a student — most of whom don't have cars — it needs to be available on campus.
Forcing students to leave campus for abortion care can mean lost wages and added costs such as transportation, which many simply can't afford. In particular, students of color and first-generation college students face added barriers to accessing reproductive care. When we speak of access we must remember that this is also an issue of racial and economic justice. Abortion is health care and bodily autonomy is a human right.
Students are now working side by side with reproductive justice organizations, funders who've come forward to cover the costs of implementation, other supporters, and lawmaker champions to make the abortion pill available in student health centers. California is already leading the fight to improve access to comprehensive women's reproductive health care — let's make sure students are included in this fight. Together, we can make California a leader in student health care as well.
How will we do it? The California legislature is currently considering Senate Bill 320: the College Student Right to Access Act, sponsored by Sen. Connie M. Leyva, D-Chino, which would implement medication abortion at every UC and CSU campus. If SB 320 is signed into law, we can help ensure that this important care is available to students wherever we live, wherever we go to school and however much money we have.
I've learned in my advocacy for this bill that there's a lot of misinformation out there about sexual and reproductive health. For example, not everyone knows the difference between emergency contraception — a birth control method you take after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure to prevent a pregnancy, and the abortion pill, which is a totally different medication to end a pregnancy. Both of these medications are safe and effective, and both should be available to students, but we should all know the difference and understand when one might be appropriate and necessary.
I'm currently in my second year at UCSD studying political science and public policy. I also sit on the Associated Students at UCSD as a senator and represent UC students statewide through the UC Student Association. After I graduate, I want to go into higher education policy to help build an even brighter future for California students. Today, I'm starting that journey by fighting to make reproductive health care and the abortion pill at student health centers — I hope you'll join me in making history.
Siegel Singh is a student at UCSD.
Commentary: How Del Mar is improving safety for racehorses
Local racetrack adopting stringent standards
Commentary: Why horse racing needs new rules to survive
PETA pushes better protections for animals
Chris Reed: Abuses of prosecutorial discretion go far, far beyond Jeffrey Epstein
When a DA can "indict a ham sandwich," overprosecution may be a bigger problem than underprosecution
Ruben Navarrette | Is Duncan Hunter beyond redemption?
The Republican walked into a federal courthouse and rolled the dice on a last-ditch attempt to skirt punishment for his sins.
David Brooks | A source of meaning in our lives
A shocking number of respondents described lives of quiet despair
The most 2019 Fourth of July celebration possible: A fight over Nike's Betsy Ross shoes
If you're looking for heroes in the battle over the flag-emblazoned shoes Nike made and then recalled, you're out of luck.
Commentary: Catherine Rampell | Census-related emails need to been seen by voters
We should be laser-focused on these newly discovered private emails.
Commentary: Talking with Latino leader Janet Murguia
UnidosUS will be holding its 2019 annual conference in San Diego.


TV for the Both of You
Author: Wired News ReportWired News Report
At last, a way to end squabbles over which TV channel to watch – without buying a second set. Sharp has developed a liquid-crystal display that shows totally different images to people viewing the screen from the left and the right.
One person can be surfing the internet, using the display as a PC screen, while another watches a downloaded movie or TV broadcast. It also works for watching two TV channels.
The "two-way viewing-angle LCD" will go into mass production this month and will cost roughly twice as much as a standard display.
Sharp will offer the product for worldwide sale, but the company will also supply other manufacturers with the displays for various products expected later this year.
Who's in charge?: A U.N. panel created to recommend how the internet should be run in the future has failed to reach consensus but did agree that no single country should dominate.
The United States stated two weeks ago that it intended to maintain control over the computers that serve as the internet's principal traffic cops.
In a report, the U.N. panel outlined four possible options for the future of internet governance for world leaders to consider at a November "Information Society" summit.
Some countries were satisfied with the current arrangement, while others, particularly developing ones, wanted to wrest control from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, which is controlled by the United States, and place it with an intergovernmental group, possibly under the United Nations.
Flying high: Substantial challenges remain to the in-flight use of mobile phones even if communications regulators ease their ban, the Federal Aviation Administration told lawmakers.
FAA rules restricting the use of portable electronic devices on aircraft can be waived but a carrier would have to show that each model of phone posed no threat to aircraft navigation or communications systems.
The Federal Communications Commission has proposed lifting its ban on in-flight mobile-phone use, provided it is technically feasible and does not overwhelm ground-based networks.
The FAA last year allowed a test of a "pico cell" device on an American Airlines (AMR) plane that was designed to keep phones operating at their lowest power level. And last month the FAA gave United Airlines approval to install equipment on a 757 aircraft that will give passengers wireless internet access.
Losing streak: Samsung said that second-quarter profits fell 46 percent, largely due to a sharp drop in prices for computer chips.
Samsung, South Korea's biggest company by market capitalization, said it earned $1.63 billion in the three months ended June 30, down from $3 billion in the same period a year earlier.
Prices for Samsung's mainstay businesses – chips, mobile phones and liquid-crystal displays used in computer monitors and televisions – peaked in the first half of last year. Profit margins have since been eroded by a global oversupply of dynamic random access, or DRAM, chips and LCDs, and stiffer competition in the mobile-phone business.
Samsung said its average DRAM selling price fell by almost half during the quarter to the high $3 level from the high $6 level in the same period last year.
Compiled by David Cohn. AP and Reuters contributed to this report.


Bridging the Divide 2020
We at the University of Notre Dame are not immune from the political polarization in our nation. However, we have the benefit of being members of a supportive academic community – one that encourages respect for others' opinions, promotes critical thinking, and recognizes the struggles of those around us.
Featured Speakers:
John Duffy, Professor of English at the University of Notre Dame
Lisa Fazio, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Vanderbilt University
Maura Policelli, associate professor of the practice and executive director of the Keough School's Washington, D.C., office, University of Notre Dame
David Campbell, Packey J. Dee Professor of American Democracy at the University of Notre Dame and the chairperson of the political science department
Caitlin Conant, political director of CBS News
Darren Davis. Snyder Family Mission Professor, Lilly Presidential Fellow, Department of Political Science, University of Notre Dame
Veronica Root Martinez, Professor of Law and Director of the Law School's Program on Ethics, Compliance, & Inclusion
David Hooker, Associate Professor of the Practice of Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding in the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies
Rev. Thomas J. McDonagh, C.S.C., Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Notre Dame
Dianne Pinderhughes, Notre Dame Presidential Faculty Fellow, Professor in the Department of Africana Studies and the Department of Political Science
Christina Wolbrecht, professor of political science, director of the Rooney Center for the Study of American Democracy, C. Robert and Margaret Hanley Family Director of the Notre Dame Washington Program.
Kenya Young '94, executive producer of "Morning Edition" at National Public Radio (NPR)
Anne Thompson, NBC News' chief environmental affairs correspondent
Pete Buttigieg , American politician and former military officer
Greg Miller, junior at the University of Notre Dame, Co-President of BridgeND, Co-Founder of the Student Policy Network
Emily Garcia, junior at Arizona State University, National Director of Youth Development BridgeUSA
Ross Irwin, BridgeUSA's Chief Operation Officer
Jane Wang, co- founder of BridgeEmory, a branch of BridgeUSA
Riya Shah, BridgeUSA Director of National Engagement, Student Government Member, University of Notre Dame.
View Series Takeaways
Beyond Good Manners: Promoting Civil Discussion on Issues that Divide Us
Video 64 minutes View the Event
Article 1 minute John Duffy
Article 1 minute Lisa Fazio
Article 1 minute Maura Policelli (Moderator)
Article 1 minute Tim Weninger
Podcast 34 minutes On Reporting and Politics Office of the Provost
Video 60 minutes The Media and the 2016 U.S. Presidential Campaign Notre Dame Alumni Association
Video 4 minutes Arguments and Disagreement Notre Dame Alumni Association
Political Polarization in America
Article 1 minute David Campbell (Moderator)
Article 1 minute Caitlin Conant '08
Article 1 minute Darren Davis
Video 90 minutes Poverty in America: Is Progress Possible in our Polarized Times? American Enterprise Institute
Video 86 minutes Partisan Politics in the Era of Trump Notre Dame Law School
Video 81 minutes A House Divided – Polarization in Our Common Life de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture
Exploring Racial and Social Injustice and Inequality in America
Article 1 minute Veronica Root Martinez (Moderator)
Article 1 minute David Hooker
Article 1 minute James Sullivan '93
Video 24 minutes Race, Religion, and Reparative Justice: Black Lives Matter and International Human Rights Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion
Video 87 minutes Race, Violence, and Protest: A Conversation about the Ongoing Struggle for Justice Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies
Video 53 minutes Deepfake Conference Panel III: Marginalized Populations Technology Ethics Center
The 19th Amendment and the Myth that All Women Vote the Same
Article 1 minute Dianne Pinderhughes
Article 1 minute Christina Wolbrecht
Article 1 minute Kenya Young '94 (Moderator)
Article 2 minutes Political scientist releases definitive research on the first century of women voters Office of Public Affairs and Communications
Podcast 28 minutes Women's Suffrage and Political Barbies Office of Public Affairs and Communications
Video 60 minutes Was Women's Suffrage a Failure? College of Arts and Letters
Rebuilding Trust in our Nation's Institutions
Article 1 minute Pete Buttigieg
Article 1 minute Anne Thompson '79 (Moderator)
Civil Dialogue and Free Expression on College Campuses
Article 1 minute Meet the Moderator
Article 1 minute Meet the Panelists
Article 1 minute Study Shows Social Media an Effective Tool for Predicting Voting Outcomes Office of Public Affairs and Communications
Video 10 minutes Domer Dozen 2019 Honoree: Nicole Sganga '15 Alumni Association


Thread: This Is It, Lost Fans, Tonight...
JEVLACH
Location: South Shore Long Island
For all of you 'Lost' fans, this article is from NY Post online and thought it was pretty funny:
Hell, I'm Lost
By Joanna P. DelBuono
"I'm dead, too?" Jack asks at the end of Lost. OMG, what tripe. From the pens of Damon Lindelof and J.J. Abrams this is the best they could come up with? After six seasons of black smoke monsters, others, a crazy French woman, bite your nails off cliffhangers and polar bears in the Pacific, all Lindelof and Abrams can come up with is "I'm dead, too?"
Let me get this straight, for the past six seasons they've all been dead, but had to wait for Jack to remember that he was dead so they could all be together? And Benjamin, Mister Meanie himself, had some issues to deal with so he was staying, staying where, outside of the church, in the alternate world, at the island? Where oh where did he stay and where oh where did they die? IDK.
Okay, okay, they're all dead, I get it, but did they die initially in the plane crash, did they die at different times on the island, did they really get saved and then go back to the island, but then died, or did they wait for Jack to die before they could die and did Lock really die at the end? Was he faking it laying on those rocks? Did Jack's surgery really cure his spinal injury, or was that just my imagination? I'M SO LOST.
Why where they in the church, wasn't that building the portal to get back to the Island, was there going to be a group funeral mass for the Oceanic 11? Why wasn't the entire cast there and why was it a different brother? And finally where did the dog come from?
I stayed up till 11:30 pm waiting for a really boffo ending and all I got was a GPS full of dead ends.
Not for nuthin'™ Damon and J.J., but fading to black would have been better, then there would have been a reunion option. Cue "Don't Stop Believin'!"
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Topic: The Center for Michigan
Bridge Michigan, Chalkbeat Detroit expand education beat with veteran hire
Tracie Mauriello has spent 25 years covering schools and government. Her new post will give her the opportunity to do both. (Bridge courtesy photo)
Bridge Staff
Michigan K-12 schools, Michigan colleges and universities, Detroit
Award-winning journalist Tracie Mauriello is joining the staff of Bridge Michigan and Chalkbeat Detroit, in a nonprofit newsroom collaboration to provide additional in-depth reporting on state education policy.
Mauriello will report on legislation and policy initiatives coming out of Lansing that impact Michigan schools, often through the experiences of children, parents and teachers.
Bridge will now have two full-time reporters covering education.
"We're delighted to double Bridge's education team at a time when schools are so vital to Michigan's future," said Bridge Michigan Senior Editor David Zeman. "We see this partnership with Chalkbeat Detroit as a win for students and families across the state."
Mauriello brings a wealth of knowledge of education and government to the new post. Mauriello served as Washington bureau chief for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where her work included contributions to the 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the Tree of Life synagogue massacre.
Prior to that, she was an education writer for the Republican-American in Waterbury, Conn., assistant city editor of the Springfield News-Sun in Ohio, education and municipal government reporter for The Herald in New Britain, Conn., and executive director of the Journalism Association of Ohio Schools. She taught journalism at Urbana University in Ohio and co-wrote a chapter about libel law in the 2006 textbook "Emerging Issues in Contemporary Journalism."
She spent the 2019-20 academic year as a Knight-Wallace journalism fellow at the University of Michigan.
"I spent the first part of my career covering schools and the second covering state and public policy. Now I get to bring what I've learned together, and I see a lot of opportunities there," Mauriello said.
"There's a lot at stake next year as students return to in-person learning. My goal is to not just tell readers what's happening in Lansing but to show them why it matters."
Mauriello's reporting will be shared by Bridge Michigan and fellow nonprofit newsroom Chalkbeat Detroit. Chalkbeat focuses on coverage of K-12 schools, with particular emphasis on children who have historically lacked access to high-quality education.
"Chalkbeat and Bridge are innovative news organizations that are thoughtful and deliberate about the kind of journalism they do," Mauriello said. "It's nice to be a part of both teams and to build on the good coverage of teaching and learning that both have been providing readers."
Mauriello joins Ron French, who has reported on K-12 schools, higher education and early childhood education since Bridge was founded in 2011.
You can reach Mauriello at tmauriello@chalkbeat.org; you can reach French at rfrench@bridgemi.com.
A school fight, a gun, and a Michigan community demands action
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Bench players shine in Mizzou soccer's overtime win over Northern Colorado
by KCOU Sports
By Matt McFarland
It was a stressful Sunday afternoon for Bryan Blitz and his Missouri Soccer team as it looked to break a two-game losing streak at Walton stadium as it battled Northern Colorado. The Tigers were the better team for the vast majority of the game the Bears defense looked outmatched and overwhelmed. The Tigers were offensively dominant in regulation, outshooting the Bears 10-6 and having a whopping 10 corners to Northern Colorado's measly two.
Even with the offensive onslaught, Missouri struggled to find goals, a beautiful pass from Easley to Kingsley in the 26th minute gave Blitz's girls a 1-0 lead after a good period of soccer. However, the Bears responded with an Avery Smith goal off a free kick that took several deflections. The story of the first half wasn't the Bears goal- it was the struggles for the Tiger's strikers. By the time the Bears responded in the 39th minute, the game should have been 3-0, both Kingsley and Julissa Cisneros blew chances in front of goal. Blitz didn't start the Sophomore striker, saying he wanted to bring in "some fresher players."
The second half was an uneventful defensive battle- both teams seemed affected by the oppressive heat, with highs hitting 90, on turf that makes the playing surface around 100 degrees. Both teams' strikers seemed to have little pace and finish, which is fair considering neither team has played in much heat this year.
Despite being dominated much of the game, the Bears had a wonderful chance to win in overtime. Were it not for Peyton Baumann making a miraculous stop in the 94th minute to save the game, the Bears would have left Walton Stadium happy. However, Baumann did make the save and just one-minute Grace Kitts blistered a strike into the top right corner to win the game for the Tigers.
Coach Blitz seemed to think his keeper made the next step in her progression today.
"She's knows she might have to win us some games and that's the first time she's done that this year," Blitz said. "She's done the routine nice stuff but that's the first time she's done something like that."
Blitz also said he was happy with his bench- his "game changers." Depth is a strength for the Tigers, as a deep freshman and senior class lends itself well to the multitude of subs Blitz has used this year. Depth upfront is imperative for Missouri especially is Cisneros continues to struggle.
After suffering an injury and some other hardships last year, the redshirt Junior made the most out of her chance on Sunday. With the ball falling perfectly to her in the box, Kitts said her only focus was "putting the ball on goal." Kitts seemed focused on the SEC schedule ahead and if the Tigers can win more games on the backs of their bench, the Tigers could be a force to reckoned in conference play.
Edited by Garrett Jones | gcjh23@mail.missouri.edu
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Commoners win control of Tongan parliament
Tonga – one of the world's few remaining political monarchies – has moved a decisive step closer to democratic government, electing the first national Government which is not subject to royal and noble control.
But the role of the monarch as a constitutional figure who exercises his legal powers subject to advice from the elected government has yet to become fully settled.
Tonga is an emerging democracy, and a society with a continuing class system.
The role of the monarch – currently King Tupou VI – remains constitutionally paramount, and there continues to exist a small class of nobles.
The bulk of the Tongan population are still termed 'commoners'.
Nonetheless the nation's small Legislative Assembly has been evolving towards a more normal democracy, with progress accelerating in the past decade.
Essentially a blend of a commoners house and a nobles house in one chamber, the 26-seat Legislative Assembly, the Fale Alea, is a blend of 17 seats elected by the commoners together with 9 seats set aside for special election by (and from among) the noble lords, a class which includes 33 hereditary title-holders as well as a small number of 'life peers' created by the King.
If the Government appoints ministers from outside the Assembly – up to 4 in number – they are also appointed as additional MPs in the parliament.
Until constitutional changes made in 2010 the Assembly had only 9 elected commoners, and there were more additional MPS appointed directly by the king. Reforms in that year at least paved the way for a majority of the seats to be elected by the general population of Tonga.
The Tongan electoral democracy is not entirely normal. There is only one main political party – the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands (DPFI) – led by the long-serving democracy campaigner 'Akilisi Pōhiva. All other elected commoners are identified as non-party independents.
Tongan Prime Minister (2014-) and long-serving democracy campaigner 'Akilisi Pōhiva
The 17 elected commoners are elected in single-member electoral divisions by the plurality (first past the post) voting system.
At the first modern – and more genuinely democratic – elections held in 2010, the DPFI party won 12 of the 17 elected seats. But the 5 independents and the 9 noble members of parliament managed to lure away a DPFI member, and formed a government led by the nobleman Siale ʻAtaongo Kaho, Lord Tuʻivakanō.
The 2014 elections seemed at first to be a setback for the DPFI, with the party losing 3 seats to independents. However DPFI leader Pōhiva somehow managed to cobble together a majority, and became the Prime Minister.
Pohiva's government has been subjected to regular criticism by nobles (and other Tongans) for its performance, but survived a no-confidence motion last year.
Then in August this year the Speaker of the Parliament – the same Lord Tuʻivakanō whom Pōhiva had replaced as Prime Minister – prevailed upon the King to dissolve parliament early.
King Tupou VI himself, having ascended the throne in 2012 on the death of his elder brother, is a former noble member of the Assembly, and was Prime Minister from 2000 to 2006.
At first seen as something of a royal coup against the democratic government, the early election move has now backfired, with the DPFI winning 14 of the 17 elected seats.
The November 16 election result has thus for the first time gives the DPFI a functional majority in the Assembly, enabling it to form a government which not need to rely on votes from independents or nobles.
There remains the risk of individual MPs being lured away by inducements from the nobility. And there is, of course, also the eventual problem that Tonga has only the one political party.
But for the past decade, the political faultline in the country has been between democratic government and noble government, rather than between competing partisan electoral camps.
Pōhiva is also 76 years old, and his impending retirement may test the democracy movement, which has operated under his leadership for many years.
Pōhiva denies that he wishes to overthrow the monarchy itself, instead talking of wanting to 'protect' the king from constitutional embarrassment.
What remains to be seen is the extent to which Tonga is evolving towards a constitutional monarchy with ordinary responsible government, in which the monarch acts on the advice of the government supported by the Parliament. So far it seems that King Tupou is not entirely ready to complete that constitutional journey.
Another of the constitutional conflicts in the nation is between the rival institutions of the Privy Council – which advises the King – and the government's Cabinet.
In most Westminster-style monarchies the two institutions are effectively merged. In Tonga they have been a source of ongoing governmental rivalry as democratisation has unfolded.
Indeed, the explanation given by parliamentary Speaker Lord Tuʻivakanō for urging the recent dissolution included the claim that Prime Minister was striving to give the Cabinet political pre-eminence over the Privy Council.
For years Pōhiva has continued to annoy the nobility with calls for more democratisation. During the 2010-14 term he called for the 9 noble seats to become elected by the general population as well – an idea to which he may yet return.
This entry was posted on November 24, 2017 by Malcolm Baalman in Tonga, Uncategorized.
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Clinical Predictors of Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome in Obese Subjects With Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Zuleyha Bingol, Aylin Pıhtılı, Penbe Cagatay, Gulfer Okumus and Esen Kıyan
Respiratory Care May 2015, 60 (5) 666-672; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4187/respcare.03733
Zuleyha Bingol
Department of Pulmonary Medicine
Aylin Pıhtılı
Clinic of Pulmonary Medicine, Private Keçiören Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Penbe Cagatay
Department of Biostatistics, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Gulfer Okumus
Esen Kıyan
BACKGROUND: Arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis is not a routine test in sleep laboratories due to its invasive nature. Therefore, the diagnosis of obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) is underestimated. We aimed to evaluate the differences in subjects with OHS and pure obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and to determine clinical predictors of OHS in obese subjects.
METHODS: Demographics, body mass index (BMI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale score, polysomnographic data, ABG, spirometric measurements, and serum bicarbonate levels were recorded.
RESULTS: Of 152 obese subjects with OSA (79 females/73 males, mean age of 50.3 ± 10.6 y, BMI of 40.1 ± 5.6 kg/m2, 51.9% with severe OSA), 42.1% (n = 64) had OHS. Subjects with OHS had higher BMI (P = .02), neck circumference (P < .001), waist circumference (P < .001), waist/hip ratio (P = .02), Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores (P = .036), ABG and serum bicarbonate levels (P < .001), apnea-hypopnea index (P = .01), oxygen desaturation index (P < .001), and total sleep time with SpO2 < 90% (P < .001) compared with subjects with pure OSA (n = 88). They also had lower daytime PaO2 (P < .001), sleep efficiency (P = .032), mean SpO2 (P < .001), and nadir SpO2 (P < .001). Serum bicarbonate levels and nadir SpO2 were the only independent predictive factors for OHS. A serum bicarbonate level of ≥ 27 mmol/L as the cutoff gives a satisfactory discrimination for the diagnosis of OHS (sensitivity of 76.6%, specificity of 74.6%, positive predictive value of 54.5%, negative predictive value of 88.9%). A nadir SpO2 of < 80% as the cutoff gives a satisfactory discrimination for the diagnosis of OHS (sensitivity of 82.8%, specificity of 54.5%, positive predictive value of 56.9%, negative predictive value of 81.4%). When we used a serum bicarbonate level of ≥ 27 mmol/L and/or a nadir SpO2 of < 80% as a screening measure, only 3 of 64 subjects with OHS were missed.
CONCLUSIONS: Serum bicarbonate level and nadir saturation were independent predictive factors for the diagnosis of OHS.
nadir saturation
obesity hypoventilation syndrome
serum bicarbonate
Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) is characterized by alveolar hypoventilation, severe sleep-disordered breathing, abnormal pulmonary mechanics, hypersomnolence, and multiple comorbidities.1,2 Patients with OHS have higher morbidity, lower quality of life, more health-care expenses, greater risk of pulmonary hypertension, and higher mortality compared with eucapnic obese patients with or without obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).3–6 Diagnosis of OHS requires arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis, but ABG analysis is not routinely performed in sleep laboratories due to its invasive nature. Therefore, OHS is often unrecognized. Daytime hypercapnia in patients with OSA has been reported at 10–38%, and prevalence increases with rising body mass index (BMI).2,7–14 Most patients with OHS have coexisting OSA.15 As patients with OHS have a worse prognosis than patients with pure OSA and use more health-care resources, understanding the clinical characteristics of OHS is important. In this study, we therefore aimed to determine the predictors of OHS in class II and III obese (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2) subjects with OSA.
Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) is characterized by alveolar hypoventilation, severe sleep-disordered breathing, hypersomnolence, and multiple comorbidities. Subjects with OHS have higher morbidity, lower quality of life, greater health-care expenses, and a higher risk of pulmonary hypertension and mortality compared with eucapnic obese subjects. The diagnosis of OHS requires blood gas analysis, a procedure not always available in a sleep lab.
OHS subjects had higher body mass index, waist circumference, waist/hip ratio, and bicarbonate levels and lower daytime oxygenation. Sleep efficiency and nadir oxygen saturation were also lower with OHS compared with sleep apnea alone. Serum bicarbonate levels ≥ 27 mmol/L and nadir oxygen saturation of < 80% provided a satisfactory discrimination for the diagnosis of OHS.
This prospective study was conducted in the Istanbul Faculty of Medicine of Istanbul University from January 2013 to January 2014. The subjects voluntarily gave their informed written consent. The study was carried out according to the principles of the Helsinki Declaration and was approved by the Istanbul Faculty of Medicine institutional board (2013/381).
We studied all consecutive subjects with class II and III obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2) who were admitted to the sleep laboratory because of a clinical suspicion of OSA from January 2013 to January 2014. The exclusion criteria were a diagnosis of neuromuscular disease, chest wall disease, kyphoscoliosis, diaphragmatic paralysis, obstructive or restrictive pulmonary diseases, severe hypothyroidism, congestive heart failure, or renal failure; receiving diuretic treatment; total sleep time of < 4 h on polysomnography; drug use affecting sleep architecture (benzodiazepine, narcotic drugs); and failure to perform spirometry.
The demographics, characteristic symptoms of OSA (snoring, witnessed apnea, excessive daytime sleepiness), anthropometric measurements, BMI, and comorbidities were recorded. BMI was calculated using the formula of Khosla and Lowe16: weight (kg)/height2 (m2). Neck circumference was measured at the level of the cricothyroid membrane. Waist circumference was measured from the midpoint between the top of the iliac crest and the lower margin of the last palpable rib in the midaxillary line. Hip circumference was measured around the widest portion of the buttocks. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) was used to measure daytime sleepiness. An ESS score of ≥ 10 was considered to be excessive daytime sleepiness. All subjects underwent spirometry, daytime ABG analysis, and all-night polysomnography. Spirometry (ZAN 74N, nSpire Health, Sydney, Australia) was performed according to approved standards.17 FEV1 and FVC were recorded as percent of predicted. ABG analysis was performed on room air after 15 min of rest using an ABL 5 blood gas analyzer (Radiometer, Brønshøj, Denmark) in the morning before polysomnography. Serum bicarbonate levels were measured (Cobas 6000, Roche Diagnostics, Ibaraki, Japan) in the morning on the same day of polysomnography.
Assessment of Polysomnographic Findings
All-night polysomnography was performed on all subjects. Polysomnography included recording of electroencephalogram (central and occipital), electrooculogram, submental and pretibial electromyography, oronasal flow (thermistor and nasal pressure transducer), thoracoabdominal movements (abdominal and thoracic strain gauges), and SpO2.18 Sleep stages and respiratory events were scored according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine 2007 guidelines.19 Obstructive apnea was defined as a cessation of air flow of ≥ 90% compared with baseline for ≥ 10 s while there was evidence of persistent respiratory effort. Hypopnea was defined as an amplitude reduction of ≥ 30% in air flow for ≥ 10 s that was associated with an oxygen desaturation of ≥ 3% and arousal.19 Polysomnographic records were scored by a trained technician and interpreted by a sleep specialist. OSA was diagnosed if the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was ≥ 5/h with the presence of clinical symptoms or if AHI was ≥ 15/h without any symptoms. OSA severity was graded as mild (AHI = 5–14/h), moderate (AHI = 15–29/h), or severe (AHI ≥ 30/h).19,20 OHS was defined as a combination of obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2), daytime hypercapnia (PaCO2 > 45 mm Hg), and sleep-disordered breathing in the absence of other known causes of hypercapnia.21 OSA subjects without daytime hypercapnia are referred to as pure OSA.
Statistical analysis was done using the SPSS 17.0 pocket program (SPSS, Chicago, Illinois). Descriptive values were given as mean ± SD. Categorical variables were expressed as the number of cases and percentages. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to identify normal distribution of the data. For comparison of normally distributed variables, the Student t test was used, whereas the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of variables without normal distributions. Comparison of categorical variables was performed using the chi-square test. All data are presented as mean ± SD. P ≤ .05 was considered to be statistically significant. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to examine the relationship between the polysomnographic data, ABG, spirometric measurements, and serum bicarbonate levels. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the related factors of OHS (AHI, BMI, oxygen desaturation index [ODI], serum bicarbonate levels, sleep time with SpO2 < 90%, nadir SpO2). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for serum bicarbonate levels was analyzed to determine a cutoff level of bicarbonate for identifying OHS. To assess the predictive performance of serum bicarbonate levels, multiple 2 × 2 contingency tables were used to calculate sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values.
A total of 165 class II and III obese subjects were enrolled in the study. Thirteen subjects with AHI < 5/h were excluded from the study. The remaining 152 subjects (79 females, 73 males, mean age of 50.3 ± 10.6 y, BMI of 40.1 ± 5.6 kg/m2) with OSA (51.9% severe, 28.9% moderate, 19% mild) were evaluated. For 152 subjects, the mean total sleep time was 432.4 ± 64 min, the sleep efficiency percentage was 84 ± 10%, stage I–II sleep was 69.8 ± 15.3%, stage III sleep was 20.9 ± 12.7%, and rapid eye movement sleep was 9.4 ± 6.8%. The mean arousal index was 23.2 ± 16.0/h; the arousal index was > 10 in 80.2% (n = 122) of the subjects. The AHI of all subjects was 40.2 ± 27.1/h (range of 5.2–118/h). The ODI was 43.3 ± 30.3/h (range of 2–125/h). The mean SpO2 was 92.6 ± 5.7%, and the nadir SpO2 was 73.2 ± 15.6%. The percentage of total sleep time with SpO2 < 90% was 19.5 ± 25.9%.
Of 152 subjects with OSA, 88 had a diagnosis of pure OSA without hypercapnia, and 64 had a diagnosis of OHS (42.1%). For the pure OSA group, 45.4% had severe, 35.2% had moderate, and 19.3% had mild OSA. For the OHS group, 60.9% had severe, 20.3% had moderate, and 18.7% had mild OSA. Demographics, spirometric measurements, ABG analysis results, ESS scores, and serum bicarbonate levels of the OHS and pure OSA groups are given in Table 1. BMI (P = .02), neck circumference (P < .001), waist circumference (P < .001), waist/hip ratio (P = .02), ESS scores (P = .036), daytime ABG bicarbonate levels (P < .001), and serum bicarbonate levels (P < .001) were significantly higher, whereas daytime PaO2 was significantly lower (P < .001) in subjects with OHS.
Demographics, Spirometric Measurements, ESS Scores, and ABG of Study Groups
Nearly all subjects (148/152) had current echocardiography, but systolic pulmonary arterial pressures could be measured in 107 of them. Pulmonary arterial pressures was similar in the OHS and pure OSA groups (30.8 ± 5.7 vs 29.6 ± 5.4 mm Hg, P = .29). Of 107 subjects, 23.4% (n = 25) had pulmonary arterial pressures ≥ 35 mm Hg (range of 35–52 mm Hg). The frequency of subjects with pulmonary arterial pressures ≥ 35 mm Hg was also similar in both groups (21.3% vs 19.7%, P = .63). The right ventricle diameter was significantly higher in the OHS group than in the pure OSA group (2.86 ± 0.33 cm vs 2.71 ± 0.26 cm, P = .003).
Polysomnographic data for the OHS and pure OSA groups are given in Table 2. The AHI (P = .01), ODI (P < .001), and total sleep time with SpO2 < 90% (P < .001) were significantly higher in subjects with OHS. Sleep efficiency (P = .032), mean SpO2 (P < .001), and nadir SpO2 (P < .001) were significantly decreased in subjects with OHS.
Polysomnographic Data of Study Groups
The variables that were associated with the presence of OHS (serum bicarbonate, BMI, AHI, ODI, nadir SpO2, time spent with SpO2 < 90%) were examined by logistic regression analysis. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that serum bicarbonate levels and nocturnal nadir SpO2 were the independent predictive factors for OHS. There was a collinearity between AHI, ODI, lowest SpO2, and sleep time spent with SpO2 < 90%. When we removed AHI from the analysis, the result did not change. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for serum bicarbonate levels was 0.77. In the receiver operating characteristic analysis, using a serum bicarbonate level of ≥ 27 mmol/L as the cutoff gives a satisfactory discrimination in class II and III obese subjects for OHS diagnosis (sensitivity of 76.6%, specificity of 74.6%, positive predictive value of 54.5%, negative predictive value of 88.9%). Table 3 gives the predictive parameters of different serum bicarbonate levels for identifying subjects with OHS.
Predictive Parameters for Serum Bicarbonate Levels in Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome
For all 152 subjects, serum bicarbonate levels correlated with age (r = .23, P = .003), BMI (r = .19, P = .02), neck circumference (r = .19, P = .02), waist circumference (r = .24, P = .003), hip circumference (r = .19, P = .02), daytime PaO2 (r = −0.19, P = .02), PaCO2 (r = .52, P < .001), SaO2 (r = −0.32, P < .001), ABG bicarbonate levels (r = .43, P < .001), ODI (r = .22, P = .007), mean SpO2 (r = −0.17, P = .033), nadir SpO2 (r = −0.30, P < .001), and time spent with SpO2 < 90% (r = .27, P = .001). No correlation was found between AHI and serum bicarbonate levels. No difference was observed in serum bicarbonate levels at different OSA stages.
For subjects with only OHS, serum bicarbonate levels correlated with age (r = .38, P = .002), BMI (r = .28, P = .03), hip circumference (r = .32, P = .01), daytime PaCO2 (r = .34, P = .005), daytime SaO2 (r = −0.26, P = .041), and ABG bicarbonate levels (r = .42, P = .001).
Most of the subjects with OHS (82.8%) had a nadir SpO2 of < 80%. A nadir SpO2 of < 80% as the cutoff gives a satisfactory discrimination in class II and III obese subjects for the diagnosis of OHS (sensitivity of 82.8%, specificity of 54.5%, positive predictive value of 56.9%, negative predictive value of 81.4%). When we use a serum bicarbonate level of ≥ 27 mmol/L and/or a nadir SpO2 of < 80% as a screening measure, we missed only 3 of 64 subjects with OHS.
For all 152 subjects, the nadir SpO2 correlated with neck circumference (r = −0.28, P < .001), waist circumference (r = −0.30, P < .001), waist/hip ratio (r = −0.18, P = .02), ESS scores (r = −0.23, P = .005), daytime PaO2 (r = .21, P = .01), daytime PaCO2 (r = −0.48, P < .001), SaO2 (r = .27, P = .001), ABG bicarbonate levels (r = −0.21, P = .01), AHI (r = −0.59, P < .001), ODI (r = −0.69, P < .001), mean SpO2 (r = .55, P < .001), and time spent with SpO2 < 90% (r = −0.69, P < .001). For only subjects with OHS, the nadir SpO2 correlated with daytime PaCO2 (r = −0.32, P = .009), AHI (r = −0.59, P < .001), ODI (r = −0.66, P < .001), mean SpO2 (r = .47, P < .001), and time spent with SpO2 < 90% (r = −0.65, P < .001).
In this study, we prospectively investigated the clinical predictors of OHS in obese subjects with OSA. OHS prevalence in patients with OSA varies from 11 to 38%.2,7–14,22–25 The prevalence increases with obesity severity. In our study, OHS prevalence was 42.1% in OSA subjects with class II and III obesity, which is higher than in previous studies.2,8–14,22–25 The mean BMI of our subjects was higher than in most previous studies.9–12,14,23–25 This might be the reason for our higher rate. However, the frequency of OHS in our study was also higher than in previous studies with a mean BMI of > 40 kg/m2.2,8,13,22 The largest OHS study in the literature was retrospective, and the prevalence of OHS was 11%.12 In that study, the prevalence was 24% in subjects with a BMI above 40 kg/m2.12 There are few prospective studies, and OHS prevalence in these studies is between 13% and 37%.2,8,13,23
Patients with OHS have higher mortality than pure OSA patients with a similar degree of obesity.26,27 Hospitalization rates and use of health-care service requirements are also high for these patients.5,6 Therefore, identifying patients with OHS is important. However, there are few studies that evaluated the clinical differences between OHS and OSA.8,14,24 According to one of these studies, subjects with OHS were significantly younger and heavier and had lower PaO2 and higher PaCO2 than subjects with OSA and had more severe restrictive defects on spirometry.8 On the other hand, Trakada et al14 reported that subjects with OHS were older and did not differ in terms of pulmonary function compared with non-subjects with OHS. They also reported that subjects with OHS were more obese and more somnolent; had higher neck, waist, and hip circumferences and waist/hip ratios; had lower PaO2, PaCO2, and mean and nadir SpO2 during sleep; and spent more time with SpO2 < 90% during sleep.14 Macavei et al25 compared the data of subjects with OHS and normocapnic obese subjects. They reported that subjects with OHS were older and heavier and had higher anthropometric measurements, lower spirometric values, and worse ABG and nocturnal oxygenation parameters (ODI, mean and nadir SpO2, time spent with SpO2 < 90%). In a recent study, Basoglu and Tasbakan24 showed that subjects with OHS had higher rates of daytime sleepiness; decreased FVC, FEV1, and PaO2; and increased ABG PaCO2 and bicarbonate levels. Mean and nadir SpO2 during sleep were decreased, and sleep time spent with SpO2 < 90% was increased in subjects with OHS. Our findings are consistent with the previous studies. Our subjects with OHS had higher BMI, neck circumference, waist circumference, waist/hip ratio, ESS scores, daytime ABG bicarbonate levels, AHI, ODI, and total sleep time with SpO2 < 90% compared with subjects with pure OSA. Mean and nadir SpO2 were significantly decreased in subjects with OHS.
The most common comorbidities in OHS are hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, congestive heart failure, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.14,24,25 Similarly, the most common comorbidities were hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus in our subjects with OHS (54.6%, 50%, and 31.2%, respectively). However, there was no significant difference in comorbidities between subjects with OHS and pure OSA.
In terms of the invasive nature of ABG analysis, identification of simple and noninvasive predictors of OHS is important. Studies evaluating the clinical predictors of OHS reported that higher BMI and AHI and lower FEV1, FVC, daytime PaO2, mean and nadir nocturnal SpO2, sleep time spent with SpO2 < 90%, and ABG and serum bicarbonate levels are predictors of hypercapnia.2,8–10,12,13,24,25,28 Most of these studies did not provide particular thresholds that may be useful in clinical practice to predict OHS. In a few of these studies, bicarbonate levels were found to be related to OHS diagnosis.2,24,25
In OSA, recurrent upper airway obstruction can lead to acute intermittent hypercapnia during sleep.29–33 When obstructive events are too long and repetitive, compensation failure occurs and leads to excessive hypercapnia. Nocturnal intermittent hypercapnia in OSA leads to renal bicarbonate retention to compensate for acute respiratory acidosis.33,34
As we know, patients with OHS have both obstructive events and severe hypoventilation during sleep, which lead to daytime hypercapnia. In the light of these data, patients with OHS should have high serum bicarbonate levels. Additionally, we do not expect high serum bicarbonate levels in patients with OSA. We speculated that serum bicarbonate levels should differentiate subjects with OHS from subjects with pure OSA. Three studies showed that increased bicarbonate levels are a sensitive screening measure for daytime hypercapnia, but 2 of these studies used ABG bicarbonate, not serum bicarbonate.2,24,25
In the literature, there is only one study that evaluated serum bicarbonate.2 This study revealed that serum bicarbonate levels (P < .001), AHI (P = .006), and nocturnal nadir SpO2 (P < .001) were independent predictive factors of OHS.2 That study selected a threshold of 27 mmol/L for serum bicarbonate and found a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 50%. When combining serum bicarbonate levels of > 27 mmol/L and AHI > 100 as screening measures, only 3% of subjects with OHS were missed.2 Our findings for bicarbonate were consistent with that study, but AHI was not a predictor of OHS in our study. We found that serum bicarbonate levels and nocturnal nadir saturation were the predictive factors related to OHS.
The mean BMI and AHI of subjects in the study of Mokhlesi and Tulaimat2 were higher than those of our subjects. This might be the reason that we did not find AHI to a predictor in our study. However, Mokhlesi and Tulaimat2 used only BMI, AHI, nadir SpO2, and serum bicarbonate levels as potential variables for OHS prediction. In contrast, we used BMI, AHI, ODI, nadir SpO2, and sleep time spent with SpO2 < 90%. This might explain why we did not find AHI to be a predictor of OHS in our study. There was a collinearity between AHI, ODI, nadir SpO2, and sleep time spent with SpO2 < 90%, but when we removed AHI from the analysis, the result did not change. In our study, serum bicarbonate levels ≥ 27 mmol/L had a sensitivity of 76.6%, a specificity of 74.6%, a positive predictive value of 54.5%, and a negative predictive value of 88.9%. Additionally, a nadir SpO2 of < 80% had a sensitivity of 82.8%, a specificity of 54.5%, a positive predictive value of 56.9%, and a negative predictive value of 81.4%. When we use serum bicarbonate levels ≥ 27 mmol/L and/or a nadir SpO2 of < 80% as a screening measure, 3 of 64 subjects with OHS were missed.
In the study of Basoglu and Tasbakan,24 hypercapnia was found to be associated independently with ABG bicarbonate levels and SaO2. Bicarbonate levels ≥ 27 mmol/L had a sensitivity of 88.1% and a specificity of 73.1%, and an SaO2 of ≤ 95% had a sensitivity of 64.4% and a specificity of 73.9% for identifying OHS.24 Macavei et al25 reported that PaO2 and ABG bicarbonate levels were independent predictors of OHS and that bicarbonate > 27 mmol/L had an 85.7% sensitivity and an 89.5% specificity for diagnosis of OHS, with a 68.1% positive predictive value and a 95.9% negative predictive value.
Our study showed that serum bicarbonate levels were significantly higher in subjects with OHS compared with subjects with pure OSA. However, no correlation was found between AHI and serum bicarbonate levels. No difference was observed between bicarbonate levels at different OSA stages. Additionally, we found a moderate correlation between serum bicarbonate and daytime ABG bicarbonate levels, PaCO2, and SaO2. According to these findings, elevated serum bicarbonate levels can be helpful in identifying patients with OHS.
OHS can be diagnosed only after other causes of hypercapnia have been excluded. In some previous studies, respiratory comorbidities causing hypercapnia were not exclusion criteria.8,12 Excluding respiratory diseases that might cause hypercapnia and a study sample with a definite diagnosis of OHS are strong points of our study. The presence of COPD is a confusing factor for OHS prevalence.35 The prevalence of daytime hypercapnia in patients with OSA is higher when associated with COPD.12 Similar results were reported by Chaouat et al.36 The prevalence of daytime hypercapnia was 27% in subjects with OSA and COPD and 8% in subjects with OSA only. In our study, all subjects had spirometric and ABG results, and we excluded subjects with COPD. Excluding OHS subjects without OSA and using a homogenous group are additional strong points of our study.
Nevertheless, there are some limitations of our study. Our study group did not include class I obese subjects. We aimed to find more OHS subjects, so we selected class II and III obese subjects. We could not use end-tidal CO2 measurements or capnography. However, we think that the OHS prevalence in our study would be greater whether we performed end-tidal CO2 measurements or capnography.
OHS is common in class II and III obese patients with OSA. Serum bicarbonate levels ≥ 27 mmol/L and a nadir SpO2 of < 80% in OSA patients with class II and III obesity should prompt clinicians to measure ABG to confirm the presence of hypercapnia. Serum bicarbonate is a reasonable screening measure for hypercapnia, especially because it is less invasive than an arterial puncture. More studies should be done to determine the place of serum bicarbonate and nocturnal nadir SpO2 in the diagnosis of OHS and threshold levels.
Correspondence: Esen Kıyan MD, Gogus Hastaliklari Anabilim Dali, Istanbul Tip Fakultesi, Istanbul Universitesi, 34360 Capa/Istanbul, Turkiye. E-mail: kiyanesen{at}gmail.com.
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You are going to email the following Clinical Predictors of Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome in Obese Subjects With Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Zuleyha Bingol, Aylin Pıhtılı, Penbe Cagatay, Gulfer Okumus, Esen Kıyan
Respiratory Care May 2015, 60 (5) 666-672; DOI: 10.4187/respcare.03733


Main Local news
N/Assembly leadership: APC risks repeat of what happened in 2015 - Chieftain
2 months ago 2171 views by Omotayo Yusuf
- An APC chieftain said the party may see a repeat of hat happened in 2015 in the National Assembly leadership saga
- According to the lawmaker, Okafor, Femi Gbajabiamila was qualified to be speaker of the House based on merit
- Okafor, however, said national unity and federal character were important issues to also be considered
John Chike Okafor who is a contender for the speaker of the House of Representatives has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) risks a repeat of what happened during the 2015 National Assembly leadership tussle.
Daily Trust reports that the APC chief on Monday, April 29, said the party chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, "has been lobbying for his preferred candidates for the positions" but that Nigerians will be shocked with the outcome.
Okafor who is also a lawmaker on the platform of the party said although the APC's preferred candidate, Femi Gbajabiamila, was qualified for the job of speaker of the House, he cautioned that zoning and federal character were also important considerations.
READ ALSO: Zamfara: Commissioner says small scales are behind mining, not influential individuals
The lawmaker noted that the need for national unity and sense of belonging demands that the southeast should be allowed to produce speaker of the 9th House of Representatives instead of the southwest that already occupies the position of vice president.
"With regard to the party's zoning arrangement, the approach being adopted now is not different from what happened in 2015. Interestingly, we are having the same two candidates we had in 2015, and you know the outcome. We are waiting to see what the outcome will be in 2019.
"My take is that the APC chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, is lobbying for his preferred candidates, including Gbajabiamila. Lobbying is one of the modes of engagement in politics. But the party should be looking at national unity, social justice, and equitable inclusion of all the federating units of the country, in line with the 1999 Constitution.
"That means allowing the southeast geopolitical zone to produce the speaker of the 9th House of Representatives."
Meanwhile, Ahmed Suleiman Wambi said that President Muhammadu Buhari settled for Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila as Senate president and speaker of the House of Representatives in the interest of the nation.
The national vice chairman of the All Progressives Congress in the north-central spoke in Abuja where he answered question on National Assembly leadership issue.
The APC chief claimed that "excellence, loyalty and experiences in the affairs of the legislature by the duo informed President Buhari's support."
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Insured vs. Insured Exclusion: No Coverage When Claim Includes Both Non-Insured and Insured Claimants
By Kevin LaCroix on February 2, 2017
Posted in D & O Insurance
As I readers of this blog well know, a frequently recurring D&O insurance question is whether or not the policy's insured vs. insured exclusion operates to preclude coverage. One of the many issues that can arise under the exclusion is whether or not the exclusion precludes coverage if the underlying claim is brought both by claimants that are insured persons under the policy and persons that are not insured persons. In a January 30, 2017 decision applying Florida law (here), Southern District of Florida Judge Beth Bloom ruled that a condominium association's D&O insurance policy's insured vs. insured exclusion barred coverage for the a claim brought by two claimants, one of whom was insured under the policy and one of whom was not.
The Marbella Condominium Association hired a contractor to install hurricane impact windows in the association's condominium building. The windows were not compliant with city requirements. The city issued a notice of violation to the association. Two condominium owners, Jack Leone and Franklyn Field, sued the association, the contractor that installed the windows, and Norman Sloane, the association's president. Leone previously was the association's president. The association submitted the claim to its D&O insurer, which denied coverage for the claim, in reliance on the policy's insured vs. insured exclusion. The association and Sloane filed a civil action seeking a judicial declaration that they were entitled to coverage under the policy. The insurer filed a motion for judgment on the pleadings.
The policy defines Insured to mean "any Insured Organization and/or any Insured Person." The policy defines the term "Insured Person" to mean "any past, present or future director, officer, trustee, Employee, or any committee member of a duly constituted committee of the Insured Organization."
The policy's Insured vs. Insured exclusion provides that "The Insurer shall not be liable to make any payment for Loss in connection with any Claim made against any Insured … Brought by or on behalf of any Insured." (A provision in the exclusion preserving coverage for claims brought by officers who have not served in the capacity for at least three years prior apparently did not apply; in any event, it does not appear that arguments based on the this provision.)
The January 30, 2017 Order
On January 30, 2017, Judge Bloom granted the insurer's motion, finding that the insured vs. insured exclusion operated to preclude coverage, even though the underlying lawsuit involved claims by a non-insured person (Field) as well as by an insured person (Leone). Bloom cited and expressly relied on two cases in support of her decision, PowerSports, Inc. v. Royal & Sunalliance Insurance Company, 307 F. Supp. 2d 1355 (S.D. Fla. 2004) and Sphinx International, Inc. v. National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 412 F.3d 1224 (11th Cir. 2005).
The association and Sloan had tried to argue that the exclusion did not apply, relying on the Seventh Circuit's 1999 decision in Level 3 Communications, Inc. v. Federal Insurance Company. In that case, plaintiffs who were not insured persons initially brought the underlying claim. An additional plaintiff who was an insured person under the policy at issue was later added as a claimant in the case. The Seventh Circuit held that the insured vs. insured exclusion did not preclude coverage, because applying the exclusion to preclude coverage "would produce the odd result that a claim fully covered when made could become fully uncovered when another plaintiff was permitted to join it."
Judge Bloom said that the circumstances involved in the Level 3 case were not present here, since here, unlike in Level 3, the underlying action at the outset involved claims by both an insured person (Leone) and an individual not insured under the Policy (Field), and "was therefore not covered from the inception," and the exclusion operates "to bar coverage for the entire Underlying Action."
Judge Bloom rejected the argument that the two underlying plaintiffs' claims could be distinguished on the basis that they each sought distinct damages. Apparently this argument was made in reliance on the policy's allocation provision, which allow loss to be allocated between covered and non-covered matters. She said that "while the measure of damages may be different by virtue of Field and Leone owning separate units, the claim asserted were brought on behalf of both together, and stemmed from the same installation of non-compliant glass." Judge Bloom added that "As such, the allocation provision of the Policy does not apply since the duty to defend was not triggered." Judge Bloom cited with approval from an earlier Southern District of Florida decision as saying that "allocation clauses only become relevant in the event that a loss involves both covered and uncovered claims. Whereas this action involves uncovered claims only, the allocation question is moot."
The outcome of this case is consistent with the January 2017 decision of the Eighth Circuit (discussed here), in which the appellate court affirmed a district court holding that the insured vs. insured exclusion in the relevant D&O insurance policy operated to preclude coverage for the underlying action, which involved claims brought both by an insured person and by her children who were not insured persons under the policy.
As I said in my discussion of the Eighth Circuit decision, the claims in the underlying action (both in that prior case and in this one) could have been brought as separate complaints. In neither case did the non-insured person's claims depend on the claims of the insured person. To say that the claims by the non-insured person — which could have been brought separately and, if they had, would have not been precluded from coverage – are precluded because they were brought in an action that included both claimants' claims arguably elevates from over substance.
As I also noted in my discussion of the Eighth Circuit decision, there is an argument that the insured vs. insured exclusion could be read together with the allocation provision so that both provisions in the policy are given effect. That is, the exclusion could operate to preclude coverage for the insured person's claim but not for the claim brought by the non-insured person, and the allocation provision could be applied to separate covered amounts from non-covered amounts.
All of that said, I recognize that the recent court decisions are lining up in favor of the point of view that the exclusion applies to preclude coverage for an entire claim, even if the claimants include persons who are not insured persons under the policy. And I suppose that makes sense. It certainly could be argued that it doesn't matter that hypothetically the claims of the insured person and the non-insured person could have been brought separately, since that didn't happen here.
Tags: Insured Persons, insured vs. Insured exclusion, Policy Coverage, Policy Exclusions
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GEORGE VECSEY
World Cup, Day 10: 'Here.......Comes Germany!'
Thanks to Hannah Mckay of Reuters for this gorgeous shot
That's exactly what I said in the final frantic minutes of Germany-Sweden.
Like watching some great beast of a thoroughbred like Secretariat turn on the burners into the home stretch. You know it is in there.
Like watching Bill Russell lock eyes with K.C. Jones with a few minutes left.
(Sorry for the dated references, but I have my sporting examples-for-life.)
'They never give up. They never get an attitude.'
I said that to my wife in the TV den on Saturday afternoon, watching the defending champions play with a man down -- dumb foul by Boateng, but they did not let it kill them.
I am doing my watching in our den this week; no pubs right now, no crowds. My wife watches with me, here and there. She witnessed Zidane's final in '98, in the Stade de France, down low, at that end, for his two headers; that would make anybody a fan for life.
Germany was in desperate condition Saturday, down by a goal. A draw would barely keep it alive, but then Germany scored in the 48th minute, and then attacked in the final 13 minutes of regulation and stoppage time, one man down, going for it, going for it. And Toni Kroos put in a perfect curling shot from a hard angle on the left side. Talent and will.
I've seen them over the last nine World Cups -- relentless, talented, smart, with only one really nasty play that sticks in my mind -- Toni Schumacher's ugly mugging of Patrick Battiston in 1982.
World Cup soccer should be viewed beyond old national stereotypes. I've watched them win a World Cup in 1990 as West Germany and another in 2014 as Germany, and do not equate the team with ancient history or the admirable western democracy it is today, with its beautiful anthem, music by Haydn.
The football pitch is a place onto itself. In the modern imbalance of soccer talent and expertise and confidence and money, Germany is the old New York Yankees, with Yogi swinging from his ankles, the old Montreal Canadiens (who still ought to be seeded into the finals of the Stanley Cup ever year), the old Notre Dame.
They may lose, even to relentless and physical South Korea on Wednesday. But don't ever count them out. Not when they are a goal down, or a player down. Like a horse race: "Here...comes Germany."
Andrew Sollinger
I thought the Germans missed their chance after the Swedish keeper deflected a sharp header over the crossbar at the end of regulation. But Kroos bent it like Ronaldo. Agree that Germany = Yankees.
Hi, Andrew, nice to see you at the park today.
It was a great save by the Swedish keeper.
Comparison with Yankees. When I started covering Yankees a bit (1960) Casey Stengel raved about his new man, Maris, not for his power but because "He goes from first to third, and always hits the right base" Maris played the game right.....apt comparison.
Enjoy upcoming games....GV
Still learning about this beautiful game, but whispered "trick shot" before Kroos's delicate touch. Controlling 75% of possessions will put any team in position to win. Kroos notched 144 touches in contrast with Messi's 50 in Argentinian humiliation to Croatia. Gotta be in it to win it.
Mendel:, well said. Did you see Rory Smith's piece on Argentina? Explains Messi's lack of touches. GV
Brian Savin
I'm looking forward to this upcoming last round of group play. This morning we hosted a family of good friends who lived in England for decades (summers in Connecticut) for full English breakfast. Told them we were honored they chose our pub for the match. England-Belgium is set up as a spectacular show.
I'm particularly interested in tomorrow's Russia-Uruguay to see how good the home team may be.
As to others, good luck to Iceland on Tuesday...theyll need it against Croatia. Mexico-Sweden on Wednesday - Sweden may be good enough to recover their bearings which were at sea at the end of that last match. Thursday's Senegal-Columbia should be as spirited and even more decisive as England-Belgium on Thursday. Fun. What was not fun was watching Poland play 1950's European soccer just now.
Andy Tansey
With the score 1-1 until the final "trick play," I was wondering to myself, "Will Mexico and Sweden waltz?" Wasn't it Germany and Austria that did so back in the day? Doesn't matter any more! Now Sweden are up against it, though anything is mathematically possible in this incredible group!
I love Kroos's little pass to himself in a slightly better position, at a better angle, throwing off the sturdy and disciplined Swedish defense. Have wondered why it's not used more often. I have sentiment in favor of Sweden, but it was with very mixed emotions as Germany are too good to be out, in many senses. They respect the game.
Andy, yes, 1982, first round, Germany and Austria waltzed to the result that worked for both, screwing Algeria, as I recall. FIFA, in a rare moment of doing the right thing, started simultaneous third games the next World Cup, to cut down on shenanigans of teams knowing what they need to advance. But with electronics more urgent every time, teams know. The US, getting whupped by Poland, knew right away that S. Korea had gone ahead of Portugal in 70th minute...and held on. I was there. somebody had a phone on the sidelines, as I recall. GV
I meant to add, that was 2002. Park scored for S.K.
Altenir J. Silva
Dear George,
I liked your statement that Germany is the old Yankees. In the same way, I think Cristiano Ronaldo is the new Derek Jeter because of his life in and out of the game. This man deserves to get on his hands the FIFA World Cup Trophy. I'm rooting for him.
Best. Altenir
Dear Altenir: I'm curious about the comparison between Jeter and CR7.
CT7 is so much more flamboyant than Jeter, it seems to me, factoring out the differences between the two sports. Jeter presented himself as a team guy; CR7 seems to be flaming ego. But there is probably something I'm missing....G
I was referring to the charity work of him. His good things out of the game, like Jeter. Take a look at this. http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/cristiano-ronaldo-amazing-charity-work-real-madrids-superstar-4053752
Altenir, thanks so much. I did not know that about CR7.....those personal reactions to misfortune indicate a real person is in there.
I gather he does have tax issues, and his on-field persona is what it is, but now I will think of him in a more complex way.
Muito bem, meu amigo
altenir,
ronaldo is lightning in a bottle. best pure goal scorer of his time--and in the top handful ever.
however, i don't love him. always seems like a prima donna. shocked him to be suspended for five games for shoving a referee at the start of the past season..
dives way toooooo much. that's, as george knows, my pet peeve about soccer--that and penalty kicks to decide a game.
i prefer the hockey way....sudden death until somebody scores.
see the spanish tax man caught up to ronaldo as well.
think it was $21,800,000 USD, if memory serves.
Dear Bruce, as I said to George, I was referring to the charity work of CR7. Take a look at this: http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/cristiano-ronaldo-amazing-charity-work-real-madrids-superstar-4053752
i read it. very impressive.
i recently saw a video of him, from japan i think, telling the audience to shush up when a young boy was trying to speak portuguese to him.
some of them started to laugh at the kid's efforts and ronaldo chastised them--in english.
Joel Gardner
Yes, but . . .
Sweden had the ball and a breakaway with about a minute to go, then, instead of pulling the ball back and/or heading for a corner to kill time, the Swedish player took a soft and easy shot, which was grabbed effortlessly by Neuer.
In our household we refer to a play like that by the name of a lacrosse player from Johns Hopkins (my wife's alma mater) who, with a minute or less to go in a postseason game against Princeton, couldn't resist a shot at an empty goal, the goalie being occupied chasing a double-tesm. He missed. Princeton got the ball, scored to tie the game, then won it in overtime.
So it was with Sweden. Take thirty seconds off the clock, and the whistle blows before Kroos draws the foul and takes the free kick. Yes, the Germans finally played like the Germans, having adjusted the lineup, and they could easily now stay hot. But the Swedish player who took that shot deserves some of the credit--blame--for their win.
Dear Joel Gardner, absolutely right. I'm always surprised by players who fire a shot when they could invite the whistles from the mob and spurn back-passing to the keeper or a lone defender somewhere.
My Rio friend compared CR7 to Derek Jeter; you mention lacrosse. As an old Hofstra guy, I love the sport (never played it) and in fact we know people who played lax for both schools. As I recall, an offensive coach like Howdy Myers at Hofstra had guys who could kill many seconds by taking a little jog into a corner and open up the field. Care to mention the year? I'll run it past my friend who played for Hopkins. GV
a few things....you and i have talked about germany and their ability to just keep on coming.
no matter where they're ranked they always seem to be there.
i've said for years they deserve to be called the best, not brazil. they have one less world cup title but have appeared in--if memory serves--nine finals.
i felt the same way you did. sweden looked desperate to hold the lead and laid back too much. i thought it inevitable that germany would at least tie it. when they tied it, i thought they'd win tho perhaps not as late as they did. helluva kick.
as for lacrosse, it is officially canada's game, not hockey.
i covered it as a sports reporter. willie plett and mike french were stars playing box lacrosse which what hockey rinks are often used for in the summer. no field lacrosse that i know of.
french went on to great things tho i forget which university gave him a scholarship--cornell? plett went on to a decent nhl career.
jimmy brown was an all american in lacrosse, i believe.
i think i somewhere many years ago that he was a better lacrosse player than a football guy.
that size and speed would've made absolutely frightening in box lacrosse. so too, i assume, in field lacrosse.
he was also syracuse's convert/FG guy too, no?
the england/belgium game will be interesting. both have eight goals for and two against.
haven't googled the above, but think i'm close to right. don't like to google for stuff like this. seems like cheating.
Bruce, 2 things: Jim Brown may have been the greatest lacrosse player ever. (I live in the town next to his Manhasset.) He could hold a ball against his chest indefinitely (with a stick, obviously)....and withstand whackings....He played 3 sports in the spring -- lacrosse, baseball and track and field. My friend pitched to him, said he was strong and eager, and could be gotten out.
Our son was watching the Spain/:Portugal DH today at our house, and, hockey buff that he is, he compared the writhings of Portugal and Iran to hockey players. His words were, "Hockey player gets speared in the spleen and won't show pain, til he gets a few stitches between periods." Imagine Gordie Howe rolling on the ice like these mugs? Still, I love the sport, but I think it's overboard in this WC,
I've read he was the best ever in lacrosse, but don't know enough about it to know if it was true.
I believe he was in football for sure tho rice was named the best when they did some rankings a while back.
if memory serves brown ran 9.6 in the hundred yards when the record was 9.3 or so.
no clue what is now....hmmm. think I'll look it up.
the mile too. used to know both in those halcyon pre metric days.
your son is obviously a perceptive fellow.
Alan Rubin link
My friend played lacrosse for Tufts and had to defend against Jimmy Brown. He said that Jim was impossible to cover. He used a shortened attack stick and Would shoot with power with a flick of the wrist.
Tuft's goalie had red welts all over his chest after the game even with a protector. Jim would defiantly have been a greater star in a professional pro lacrosse league, much more than he was in football.
A college friend was a high school lineman who played against Brown. The line was told to trip up Brown so that the backfield could tackle him. It did not work very often.
With Dalai Lama, 1979
Loyal Reader
Hansen Alexander
has filed an interview with, of all people, me.
It's on his blog. (Just past photo of rat!) My thanks for his interest. GV
notesfromnewratcity.wordpress.com/blog/
MODERN LOVE:
David Vecsey's sweet tale of distant love before the Web, now NYT Podcast, narrated by Griffin Dunne. Please see:
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/12/15/fashion/before-the-web-hearts-grew-silent.html?referer=
Anjali Photos
Christine Lavin
Gay Issues
Jamaica High
Musial
N.F.L.
Soccer World Cup
Eight World Cups
Book Appearances 2014
Books by George Vecsey
Stan Musial: An American Life
Other works by the Vecsey Family


This was a really lengthy dream which I kept waking up from (it occurred in the morning) and then returning to. I thought I could recall it in full - which was a little optimistic - and only made a few brief notes in my notebook to prompt recall. However, I cannot recall how the scenes linked and some of my memories are really vague and abstract.
I saw myself in third person, in the dark, lying back on some grass, leaning up on my elbows. I could not see that there was any difference from my real-life appearance - my hair was long and black as it really is. I was joined by a male, who joined me on the grass. I thought it was EB, but I was confused as his hair appeared to be different. He was wearing a white T-shirt. I think I referred to his hair, because he touched his head.
I was then standing up - and became aware that we were at some kind of outside fair, festival or carnival - there were stalls and people all around and strings of bright lights. I was then inside one of the stalls. PS was running it - it appeared to be a gun shop. He held a gun out (a bright shiny silver revolver), horizontally across both outstretched palms to show me. There was some conversation, but I cannot remember what was said. I realised we were staying at a holiday camp - which was hosting the festival. I was now outside some toilet cubicles - like fancy portaloos. I had a drink in my hand - a clear fizzy drink in a plastic cup. There were other people standing around the toilets and the atmosphere seemed relaxed.
I was then in a well-lit interior - it was a large house, in a strange, completely monochrome minimalistic style which appeared to be influenced by retro 1970s futuristic designs. There were clean white arches and lots of curved, circular furniture. RL was present - I think it may have been his home. There was some reference to Dalmations or a kind of spotty dog - I'm not sure if I saw the dogs. I looked through one of the arches at the bottom of the room, which led to an open-plan kitchen area. I could see a lot of Christmas decorations hung. I sensed some form of 'threat' or 'menace' and decided to leave. RL smiled at me in a very strange way.
I was in a dark warehouse or factory - on a field trip with a group of other people. We walked past a round object - it looked like a 'chocolate fountain', but much larger. It was dirty and was pouring a neon green slime from a sort of mechanical spout in the centre, down into the trough. The slime was then sucked back up into the spout and this continued. I was told: "this is the lungs of a smoker".
I was then told by someone - I am not sure who and I am not sure of my exact surroundings - that Freud and Ricky Gervais had (together, in partnership) come up with a new famous quote. The quote was: "a successful person is one who fails at everything". I felt peace of mind when I heard this quote and I 'remembered' which book I would find it in if I wanted to read it from source.
There was a conversation with PP. I do not know what was said, but it occurred while we were seated next to one another in a brightly lit interior. I thought: 'why is he talking to me now?'
I woke up. If I recall any other scenes from this dream (sometimes they come back to me spontaneously!) I will update below.
I was walking down an urban city street. There were tall grey buildings (grand looking) lining each side of a wide street. I was walking down the street with a group of people - it seemed like we were tourists. It was daylight. Some people had backpacks. Someone asked me if I knew (London-based, underground) rap musician, KK. I said I did. I turned around and saw KK was behind me.
I was then in an unfamiliar room, sitting at a large table. My mum was there and so was RR, a girl I knew at school and who is a friend on Facebook. I stood up and said something to RR. I do not recall what it was, but she became very angry. I sensed a threat of danger. I picked up a glass and threw it at a wall, smashing it. I saw it smash in slow motion, as it hit the bottom of the wall. The threat seemed to have ended, but my hand hurt. I looked at my palm and saw that four shards of glass were embedded there. I took a pair of tweezers and pulled out one of the pieces of glass - it was about three inches long and the pain was horrific. I didn't want to pull out the other three, but my mum said I had to. I did it, with great pain. Long white strands of gunge - perhaps the inner flesh of my hand - began to pour out of the wounds. I poked it all back into place. I wondered if I needed to go to hospital to get stitches, but found my hands had instantly healed.
I saw a close up of some teeth (my teeth?). They were totally rotten. A finger touched them.
I was laying in bed, when my mobile rang. It was SL. We had a conversation and when it came time to say 'goodbye' I was hesitant and the call ended awkwardly. I told him not to forget me.
I was returning from the shops. I had gone out to buy a snack. I had a drink in my hand and a baguette. I started talking to someone - I think it could have been PS. I sat down on the edge of a outside, concrete fountain - which appeared out of nowhere, as I started this dream scene by entering a doorway into an interior space. I looked at the baguette and discovered it was a BLT. I don't usually eat pork, but I decided I might as well as it was all I had available to eat.
Monday, 1 October 2012
I was wearing a white prom dress, but was disappointed to find that I had a huge black stain on the left side of it. I was very conscious of the stain. I was in a square room where everything seemed to be red. There were people sitting around the edges of the room - it seemed like a party of some sort.
I wandered through to the next room - it was a nightclub/bar with wooden furniture. In the centre of the room was what I thought to be a jukebox. However, on closer inspection it turned out to be a fruit machine. However, this was a touchscreen one, which could be used to access Facebook. I was shocked to see that it was logged into my profile. I went to click on my friend's profile, but instead noticed an update from PS's account. It was promoting a hardcore band, called 'Red October' (I was not previously aware of a hardcore/emo band named this, but upon Googling it, I found there are several hardcore/emo bands called 'Red October'/'The Red October'. I will investigate and report further. Also note, PS only promotes UK hip hop and hates all hardcore/emo bands intensely and therefore would never post suchlike on his Facebook, much less promote!). I felt a tap on my shoulder, then someone pulling me backwards, towards them. I turned and saw it was a male - a typical 'hardcore kid' as I would describe him. I thought he was beautiful. He had black hair in a side-sweep and a overgrown fringe, flesh tunnels in his ears; tattoo sleeves; a band T-shirt - all very predictable, stereotypical of what I would expect. He had an olive complexion and black eyes, and was exactly my height. He told me he was the singer from Red October. I said that I wanted to hear his band play. We were now standing off to the side, leaning against a bar, which was long and grey. I could see neon lights behind the boys head. He was talking to me in a friendly, intimate manner, but I became shy and tongue-tied. I said to him: "I really love screamo and hardcore and..." I tried to say: "post-hardcore" but kept stumbling on my words. I began walking backwards. It felt like I was walking down steps. The boy was trying to reach out to me saying: "It's OK, I know what you meant..." I then found myself downstairs, in what appeared to be a boxing ring. I was standing on the outside, with the rest of the audience. The boy was with me again. it was dark and there were flashing neon lights. I said to him: "I love Deftones and Glassjaw" and he seemed enthusiastic. I felt confident that I had expressed myself well this time and that we had connected over our shared musical interests. I looked down and became aware that I was wearing a cheerleader outfit - a cropped orange sweatshirt and matching mini-skirt.
I was then sitting at a computer, in an old-fashioned living-room with floral wallpaper and curtains and lots of lace furnishings and teddy-bears on a dresser. I was researching guitars and kept looking up out of the window - the scene was leafy suburbia, but the weather was gloomy and overcast.
I was then on a bus, seated somewhere near the back. I was watching the people at the front of the bus, when I suddenly realised that the singer from Red October looked like or could have been someone I knew from university, called IM. I then wondered if I was mistaken.
Below are some random images which reflect the 'hardcore/screamo kid' seen in my dream.
Dream date: 29th September 2012
I saw a navy blue car parked in a residential street in north-west London, from the back. It was night. I was then in my nan, PC's livingroom.She was sitting on the sofa. I was standing, looking in the mirror above the fireplace. She kept telling me there was a letter for me, under the other sofa cushion. I was getting angry, telling her I didn't care about it. She was insistent I look at the letter. Eventually, after quarreling for some moments, she retrieved the letter. It was not in an envelope, but it was two A4 pieces of paper, stapled at the top left corner. From the back, I could see through the paper - there were some typed words and some editing in thick black marker pen. I screamed at PC that the letter did not matter, as it was years old and related to university. She started reading the letter. I sat at her feet. She looked at me and I stared back. She was crying. I felt terrible.
I was then alone in the living-room. I became aware that a young, white male with light hair had entered the house. I do not know who he was or remember anything else about him. I had a deep sense of dread. I knew something terrible was about to happen. I said: "You're going to rape me, aren't you?" and he said: "Yes, that's why I'm here..." He walked through the door, from the hallway into the living-room. He lunged at me, grabbing me from behind. I started kicking at him and found a large knife in my pocket. I stabbed it backwards, over my head at him. He fell away from me, and tried to make his way out of the house, although I do not think I caught him with the blade. I knew he had my purse. I ran after him and jumped on his back, putting the knife at his throat. He let go of my purse and made an escape from the house. I walked outside, and once on the garden path, checked that all my money and cards were still in my purse. They were. I went out to the roadside. There was a car parked outside the house, with three young males leaning on it. Two were white, one was black. They asked me if I was OK. I said: "I nearly got raped in there" and they expressed shock.
I was then in a state where I was unsure of my surroundings. I could hear a song - a melody and words (I cannot recall what song which was, it was lost upon waking). I was tasked with the job of identifying the song. I knew it in the dream, but could not remember the name of the song or the artist and was becoming frustrated. A female voice - detached, I could not see its owner - told me I had failed. My new job was to count porcelain racehorses which were running in laps around a racetrack. Every time one of the 'diseased' horses passed the position in which I was standing, I had to sing a song (again, I cannot remember it).
I was in some kind of booth - like an old fashioned bank of some sort. There was a counter with partitions for privacy. Everything seemed vague and sepia-coloured, wishy-washy - making me think of Wild West films. I looked down at my hands. I saw I was holding banknotes and coins. I began counting them fast, flicking them through my fingers, like a bank-teller does with notes. I said (to someone unseen): "I bet you haven't seen someone count money as well as I can..."
I was then in a bedroom, laying front down across the width of the bed, on top of a white duvet. JH was there, sitting on the edge of the bed, in front of me. She showed me a two-page spread in a fashion magazine, where she was featured as a model. There were close-up images of her face. I admired them.


Jim Bowdish Allegedly Misrepresented an Investment and Faces an Investor Dispute
Jul 27, 2021 Unauthorized Trading
Jim Bowdish (CRD #: 3123554), a broker registered with Edward Jones, faced allegations that he misrepresented an investment, according to his BrokerCheck record, accessed on July 20, 2021.
On June 14, 2021, an investor alleged that Jim Bowdish misrepresented certain distributions as non-taxable. The firm denied the dispute. Denials simply mean the firm denied their representative engaged in wrongdoing; they do not indicate that FINRA has reviewed the dispute. Investors can still recover their losses following a denial.
On December 15, 2020, investors alleged that Bowdish failed to make timely life insurance premium payments and therefore allowed the policy to lapse. The investor is seeking $651,444; the dispute is pending.
On February 22, 2008, an investor claimed that Bowdish executed unauthorized trades. This dispute was also denied.
Jim Bowdish Background Information
Bowdish has passed the following exams:
Series 65 Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination
Series 63 Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination
He is a registered broker in 12 states and a registered investment adviser in North Carolina and Texas.
During his 22 years in the securities industry, Bowdish has only worked with Edward Jones (CRD #: 250)
If you worked with Jim Bowdish and you have concerns about your investments, contact Kurta Law today. Call 212-658-1502 or email jkurta@kurtalawfirm.com.