EXCELLENCE IN QUALITY OF LIFE
Ecuador 2013 | DIPLOMACY | FOCUS: CUENCA
Improving the quality of life of our citizens is possible through the efforts, dedication, and determination of the Municipality of Cuenca by implementing programs and projects that show, day by day, that Buen Vivir, or Good Living, is possible.
It has been four years since Dr. Paúl Granda was elected Mayor of Cuenca. During this period, the challenges in working to overcome poverty, raise the quality of life, and boost the economic and social development of the inhabitants of Cuenca have been matched in perfection.
The main objective of Cuenca City Hall has been to perform its articulated and strategic role with equity, where the cultural identity has been recovered and flourishes in a healthy environment through an inclusive public policy agenda based on citizen input through its urban and rural leaders in a model of shared management and responsibility aiming at the best quality of life.
Focused on these principles, Mayor Paúl Granda has developed a model of public management, the main goal of which is to decrease the wealth gap between urban and rural areas.
Nowadays, as a result of the adopted public policies agenda, access to basic services and technologies has led to significant achievements:
• Cuenca was nominated by the WHO as a "Healthy City" due to its sanitary infrastructure.
• High levels of drinking water coverage (95%), as well as sewage system coverage (84%), achieved through an important rise in investment of $85 million over the last four years.
• The quality of drinking water index (ICAD) stands at 99.6%
• Unaccounted for water index (IANC) in Cuenca reaches a maximum of 29.8%, compared to a national rate of 65%.
• Garbage collection stands at 98%.
• Currently, there are 50,000 broadband connection users, which represents an increase of 1,400% compared to 2008.
• The first 10 Centros del Saber, or Knowledge Centers, have been built in the last four years and they have provided educational and cultural services to more than 100,000 children.
• Cuenca is the city with the lowest unemployment rate in Ecuador (3.42%), while the national rate is 5.42%.
• The city's rate of illiteracy is 6.7%.
• Recuperation of more than 155 public areas, including parks, green areas, and public heritage spaces.
CUENCA: A MODEL CITY
In order to turn Cuenca into a safe and organized city, the Integrated Transport System (SIT) seeks to improve the urban mobility and road infrastructure. As the backbone of the SIT, the tram system, Tranvía 5 Ríos, complemented with the construction of bridges and footbridges, as well as the resurfacing of sidewalks and roads, will improve mobility for the rural and urban Cuenca population.
THE TRAM SYSTEM: "TRANVÍA CUATRO RÍOS"
With an investment of $232 million, 78% of it financed through the national government, this mega project is the core of the SIT and will recover and improve public space, achieving a physical environment in an excellent state of conservation. It will transport 120,000 passengers per day through 27 stations along its 21-kilometer route. For the comfort of the city's population, there will be 14 trains travelling with a regular frequency of six minutes apart from each other. These characteristics will turn this project into one of the most innovative mobility initiatives of Latin America.
COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK
Cuenca City Hall has increased access to medicine through its public company FARMASOL EP, created in 2010. It provides an integral stock of lower-cost healthcare supplies (25%-30% lower than the commercial cost). Nowadays, Cuenca has a network of 23 community pharmacies receiving a monthly average of 114,000 people from urban and rural districts.
The Municipal Women and Children Hospital, the network of Medical Centers, and the mobile medical units that visit the rural districts of the country, receive an average of 330,000 people per month.
EMPLOYMENT PROMOTION INITIATIVES
Cuenca City Hall has developed several initiatives to promote employment opportunities. The most important is the Municipal Employment Program, which has 14,187 positions in different sectors.
In 2013, Cuenca inaugurated the Circo Social, or Social Circus, project, which benefits 140 children and teenagers that live in underpriviledged conditions.
Other projects focused on social inclusion comprise of the Centros Infantiles del Buen Vivir, or Children Centers for Good Living, Centros Municipales de Salud Infantil, or Municipal Child Development Centers, the Proyecto Vida, or Project Life, and CEMISOL, or the House of First Reception, which are reducing the number of homeless people on the streets and children at risk.
Ecuadors of Perception
Underpinning Ecuador's recovery from the depths of historically its worst crisis has been a radical transformation of the economic, financial, and commercial environment. This has seen a systematic ramping up of strategic national infrastructure to springboard the country's economic prosperity. The government's "National Plan for Living Well," implemented in 2009, pinpointed strategic sectors for development and more efficient utilization of an extensive natural resource base. It also established priority areas for social expenditure, most notably to address social imbalances. President Rafael Correa's administration—in office since January of 2007—has indeed reduced these imbalances. Unemployment among Ecuador's population of 15 million is estimated at 6.2% for 2013, down from a high of 12.05% in April of 2004. Meanwhile, the middle class continues to expand, with the familiar knock-on effect of rising demand for goods and services, thus spurring investment in education and further stimulating economic growth. A more FDI-friendly business environment, too, has energized the private sector. Ecuador's GDP was at $84.53 billion in 2012, with the growth in oil and commodity revenues cushioning the blow from the global financial crisis, the shockwaves of which were felt in 2009.
Review: Diplomacy & Politics
On the back of a rare re-election, President Correa is looking to secure new trading partners as well as bring stability, investment, and growth to the country.
Profile: HE Rafael Correa
Iron Willed
The charismatic President of Ecuador has shown he is not to be put upon on the international political stage, and has introduced a raft of much needed reforms at home.
Focus: Cuenca
Vox Populi: Leaders Speak
Ecuador pursues a unique foreign policy agenda based on social cooperation.
Lend Me Your Ear
Government borrowing continues in support of a strong public investment program, while a widening trade deficit highlights dependence on international oil prices.
Francisco Rivadeneira, Minister of International Trade, Ecuador
TBY talks to Francisco Rivadeneira, Minister of International Trade, on trade negotiations with the EU, diversifying exports, and changing the economic and productive matrix.
María Fernanda de Luca, Executive Director, PRO ECUADOR
TBY talks to María Fernanda de Luca, Executive Director of PRO ECUADOR, on the country's unique qualities that make it perfect for doing business and forming partnerships.
Focus: Productive Matrix Policy
The Oracle of Change
To increase productivity and reduce the country's dependency on imports, the Ecuadorean government is preparing an aggressive overhaul to Ecuador's economic productivity matrix over the next several years.
Forum: Why Ecuador?
Demand for Quality
Multinational giants see the Ecuadorean market as a stable location for doing business, with a growing customer base.
Review: Banking
Throwing the Bathwater, but Saving the Baby
A radical rethink of Ecuador's financial universe based on President Correa's social program has left generated funds that will aid the country toward continued recovery.
Diego Martínez V., President of the Board, Central Bank of Ecuador (BCE)
TBY talks to Diego Martínez V., President of the Board of the Central Bank of Ecuador (BCE), on interest rate strategies, the non-oil trade deficit, and the local investment climate.
Forum: Banks
The Cash Flow
A diverse selection of innovative products is likely to fuel the banking sector as businesspeople seek new ways to generate savings.
Stock in Trade
Ecuador's equity market needs more listings to become a regional force, and for citizens to view stocks as an alternative investment instrument to real estate.
One in a Hundred
TBY talks to Ramiro Crespo & Eduardo Checa, Partner and Principal/Partner at Analytica, on Ecuador's economic outlook, and the need for new policies to encourage FDI.
Because You Never Know
The growth of Ecuador's middle class and recent changes to the regulatory environment have created a range of new opportunities for international companies in the insurance sector.
Diego Sosa Villaquiran, Executive President, QBE Seguros Colonial
TBY talks to Diego Sosa Villaquiran, Executive President of QBE Seguros Colonial, on expansion plans, aims in Ecuador, and the state of the sector.
Juan Carlos Verdú, Director, Hispana de Seguros
TBY talks to Juan Carlos Verdú, Corporate Director of Hispana de Seguros, on the company's aggressive growth targets and the need for a diverse client base.
Forum: The Business of Insurance
As Ecuador's economy grows, so too does the demand for insurance, both for new businesses and individuals aware of its advantages.
Fernando Terneus, President, Tecniseguros
TBY talks to Fernando Terneus, Executive President of Tecniseguros, on the prevailing trends in Ecuador's insurance segment.
Extract or Bust?
With a budget reliant on hydrocarbon proceeds, the administration is seeking to increase extraction, while banking on strong international oil prices.
Wilson Pástor, Minister of Non-Renewable Natural Resources, Ecuador
TBY talks to Wilson Pástor M., Former Minister of Non-Renewable Natural Resources, on mining potential, oil refining, and the Gulf of Guayaquil.
Oswaldo Madrid, General Manager, Petroamazonas EP
TBY talks to Oswaldo Madrid B., General Manager of Petroamazonas EP, on investments in 2013, neighboring countries, and developing the sector for the future.
Luís García Sánchez, E&P Director & Attorney-in-Fact, Repsol YPF
TBY talks to Luis García Sánchez, Director E&P & General Representative of Repsol, on the changing landscape of the Ecuadorean oil and gas sector.
Andrés Donoso Fabara, Secretary, Secretariat of Hydrocarbons of Ecuador (SHE)
TBY talks to Andrés Donoso Fabara, Secretary of the Secretariat of Hydrocarbons of Ecuador (SHE), on the role of the institution, efforts to increase production, and the investment environment.
Focus: Refining
You Can Always Go Downstream
The development of new refining capacity will close a major trade gap and allow Ecuador to produce a new mix of products for the first time.
B2B: Distribution
Increased Offerings
The distribution sector has grown in support of Ecuador's domestic oil industry, while the country's retailers are strengthening their positions with new products.
Raúl A. Dubié, General Manager, Grupo Synergy E&P
TBY talks to Raúl A. Dubié, General Manager of Grupo Synergy E&P, on operations in Latin America, natural gas, and social responsibility.
Eduardo López Robayo, President & CEO, Sertecpet
TBY talks to Eduardo López Robayo, President & CEO of Sertecpet, on the company's history in Ecuador, its specialized services, and the importance of know-how and technology.
Focus: Electricity
Pylon the Power
The bulk of Ecuador's power generation comes from its hydroelectric network, although the government has been looking to diversify toward alternative energy sources.
Vox Populi: Capacity Expansion
Rising Level
Capacities in both hydrocarbon extraction and electricity generation are growing.
Focus: Hydro
With plans to double hydroelectric power production over the coming decade, Ecuador anticipates an increase in grid capacity to alleviate supply deficits and attract more investment in mining.
Focus: Mining
For Those About to Rock
Ecuador's arrival on the world's mining scene has been fraught with delays as the government seeks to strike the right tax balance to encourage investors.
Dominic M. Channer, Vice-President, Kinross
TBY talks to Dominic Channer, Vice-President of Kinross Ecuador, on the Fruta del Norte gold mine, and the benefits mining will bring to local communities.
Not Oil It Seems
Ecuador, having long propped up its economy on primary and non-renewable extractive industries, has been diversifying its non-oil industrial sector for future stability.
Richard Espinosa, Coordinating Minister, Production, Employment, & Competitiveness Ministry
TBY talks to Richard Espinosa, Coordinating Minister of Production, Employment, & Competitiveness, on Ecuador's changing production matrix for future national development.
Fernando Agudelo, President and Managing Director, Ómnibus BB
TBY talks to Fernando Agudelo, Executive President of General Motors Ómnibus BB Del Ecuador, on the company's evolution, the value it places on human capital, and its widening portfolio.
Francisco Javier Restrepo Palacios, CEO, Corporación Maresa
TBY talks to Francisco Javier Restrepo Palacios, CEO of Corporación Maresa, on the creation of the company and its distribution network.
Focus: FMCGs
Shelf Service
Ecuador's changing demographics have altered the dynamics of the FMCG industry, although economic disparities mean employing diverse marketing strategies to reach the local consumer.
Adriana Gonzalez, President, Kimberly-Clark Ecuador
TBY talks to Adriana González, Executive President of Kimberly-Clark Ecuador, on the company's background in the country and the role of innovation.
B2B: FMCG
FMCG companies are focused on local communities to succeed for the benefit of the country at large.
Forum: Domestic Innovation
Blowing Bubbles
Innovation in Ecuador's manufacturing industry plays a key role in efforts to diversify the export mix.
Review: ICT
Getting with the IT Crowd
The number of Internet users has risen ten fold over the past six years, thanks to government initiatives and a focus on rural areas. Mobile telephony penetration rates are steadily increasing, ranking Ecuador above other countries in the region.
René Ramírez Gallegos, National Secretary, SENESCYT
TBY talks to René Ramírez Gallegos, National Secretary of the National Secretariat of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (SENESCYT), on the development of the country, international students, and the Yachay project.
Vox Populi: The Telecoms Sector
Two Pillars
Increasing mobile telephony rates and the introduction of new technologies are defining the sector in 2013.
Vox Populi: Infrastructure
Always Upgrading
ICT infrastructure is helping to foster better communication and more opportunities for businesses and individuals.
Focus: Ecuador's Software Sector
The Correa government has prioritized local technological solutions, underpinned by improved education, to bolster the international competitiveness of Ecuador's IT industry.
Richard Moss, CEO Latin America, Cobiscorp
TBY talks to Richard Moss, CEO Latin America of Cobiscorp, on the importance of IT to an economy.
Alfredo Fuchs, General Manager, Sony Ecuador
TBY talks to Alfredo Fuchs, General Manager of Sony Ecuador, on innovation and the beginning of television assembly.
Forum: Multinational Players
All About Ecuador
Many of the world's IT giants have had a long history in Ecuador, today bringing new solutions to businesses.
Enrique Marquez de la Plata, Commercial Engineer, Expreso
TBY talks to Enrique Marquez de la Plata, Commercial Engineer of Expreso, on innovating to keep the reader informed and loyal.
In a three-pronged attack, Ecuador is working hard on land, at sea, and in the air to expand the transport infrastructure that props up both its foreign trade and tourism industry.
Andrew O'Brien, President & CEO, Corporación Quiport S.A.
TBY talks to Andrew O'Brien, President & CEO of Corporación Quiport S.A., on the technical challenges of the new airport in Quito, its performance to date, and necessary improvements for the future.
Focus: Ports
Motion of the Ocean
The rising tide of maritime traffic is spawning significant investment in, and expansion of, Ecuador's ports, strengthening the country's position as a logistics and transport hub.
Vox Populi: Ports & Airports
Not Just Winging It
Ecuador's airline business has seen companies come and go, but economic growth spurring increased connectivity and quality customer experience offer business potential.
B2B: Port Services
As port infrastructure improves technically, the operating standards certification of companies using it has gained in importance.
Focus: Logistics
I Ship It
Improvements in infrastructure have helped logistics players in Ecuador expand and diversify as the country seeks to offer better transportation services throughout the country and region.
Armando Castellanos, Executive Dynamizer, Servientrega Ecuador
TBY talks to Armando Castellanos, General Manager of Servientrega,on the company's competitive advantages, its product portfolio, and expansion plans.
Forum: Logistics
Ecuador is looking to expand and modernize its logistic services to meet growing demand from both local and international suppliers.
Ecuador's real estate sector is healthy and sustainable, amid better credit terms and government incentives, not to mention returning nationals and flush expatriates.
Joseph Schwarzkopf, General Manager, Uribe & Schwarzkopf
TBY talks to Joseph Schwarzkopf, General Manager of Uribe & Schwarzkopf, on the company's ongoing projects, including the landmark Ciudad del Sol.
Luis Valero Brando, Executive President, Constructora Valero
TBY talks to Luis Valero Brando, Executive President of Constructora Valero, on the company's project pipeline and how economic stability is helping the residential construction market.
Vox Populi: Real Estate & Construction
Climbing the Ladder
Economic stability and credit availability have fuelled real estate demand for both residential and office space.
Building Up Steam
Extensive public investment, population growth, and rising purchasing power have fuelled the infrastructure sector in Ecuador.
Alfredo Peña Payro, Executive President, Grupo Industrial Graiman (Graiman Industries)
TBY talks to Alfredo Peña Payro, Executive President of Grupo Industrial Graiman (Graiman Industries), on export markets for the ceramics business.
B2B: Engineering & Construction
Project Ahead
Ecuador is diversifying its energy sources, which spells huge contracts for companies with the knowledge and experience to handle these megaprojects.
Silence of the Yams
Ecuador still manages to produce and export its staple foods, but is now looking to increase its presence of cash crops and also its yield per hectare.
The Shrimp that Roared
Agriculture is one of Ecuador's largest non-oil export sectors, with firms across the industry seeking new ways to produce more efficiently and get goods to market, at home and abroad.
Focus: Bananas
Appeeling for Support
Rising costs are hampering the profits of Ecuador's banana exporters, and leading to calls for greater action to combat the sector's downturn.
Focus: Flowers
Petal to the Metal
Ecuador's floriculture sector is relatively young compared to the likes of the Netherlands, yet still it is showing that it has the quality of product to be one of the market leaders.
Forum: Value-Added
As Ecuador's exports begin to grow, companies are looking at new and unique ways to add value to their products and make them more attractive on the international market.
You Only Liver Once
High healthcare spending has underlined the current administration's agenda, with efforts now being made to retain talent and expand service access.
Carina Vance Mafla, Minister of Public Health, Ecuador
TBY talks to Carina Vance Mafla, Ministry of Public Health in Ecuador, on increased investment, human capital, and the public-private balance.
Forum: Hospitals
One Step Forward
Private hospitals have boosted employment opportunities and introduced higher-quality treatment to a growing middle class.
Forum: Pharmaceuticals
Pharm Ville
Since the government has shifted its focus onto core sectors, health being one of them, pharmaceutical companies must remain competitive to win government contracts and develop new drugs.
Luis Enrique Coloma, CEO, Corporación GPF
TBY talks to Luis Enrique Coloma, CEO of Corporación GPF, on the health retail segment, competitive advantages, and the state of the sector.
Weapons of Math Instruction
Under President Correa, the education sector is undergoing significant changes aimed at boosting access and transforming the country into a research hub.
Forum: Higher Education
Ecuador's higher education offering long ago earned its stripes and today boasts a course portfolio meeting student and national requirements alike.
Not So Lonesome George
Ecuador is beginning to put itself on the map for more than just the Galápagos Islands as people head for its beaches, mountains, rainforests, and business centers.
Luz Elena Coloma, General Manager , Quito Turismo
TBY talks to Luz Elena Coloma, General Manager of Quito Turismo, on the evolution of the city as a tourism destination.
Photo Essay: Quito
Incan Gold
Officially San Francisco de Quito, the capital city of Ecuador has a long and colorful history.
Forum: Hotels
Grand Ideas
A growing tourist sector is allowing hotels in Ecuador's cities to expand, move into different areas of tourism, and cater for new visitors.
Review: Legal
The Thick of It
Xavier Rosales is a Partner with Corral Rosales Carmigniani Pérez, a major law firm in Ecuador, resulting from the merger between Corral & Rosales, a law firm based in Quito, and Carmigniani Pérez, a law firm based in Guayaquil.
Review: Accountancy
Over the past few years, the world has experienced an extraordinary financial and economic upheaval. Despite that, Latin American economies have largely avoided that situation, and therefore become a more attractive place for foreign investors, something
Celso Malimpensa, Country Geographic Leader, PwC Ecuador
TBY talks to Celso Malimpensa, Country Geographic Leader of PwC Ecuador, on the overall outlook of the economy, and legislation being passed by the government, with the collaboration of Gonzalo Argandoña, PwC Partner.
Focus: EU trade agreement
Long & Winding Road
The 2014 trade agreement will secure access to markets on both sides, while creating a stable business environment that will help expand and diversify trade and investment between Ecuador and the EU.
One Happy Family
"We are very mindful of Ecuador's leading role in UNASUR."


Art Talk Live: On Cape Cod with Edward Hopper
A close look at Edward Hopper's watercolors depicting Cape Cod, including the masterpiece Highland Light (1930) and a new acquisition, reveals a landscape in transformation.
Led by:
Joachim Homann, Maida and George Abrams Curator of Drawings, Division of European and American Art
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Virtual Student Guide Tour: LOL, with Cecilia Zhou
Cecilia Zhou '22 looks at the historically specific ways humor is deployed in a few serious works of art from across time that may make you laugh out loud (LOL). She'll focus on the 1640s painting The Drunken Silenus, by Francesco Fracanzano; the 18th-century scroll painting Puppies with Hotei and Jittoku, by Nagasawa Rosetsu; and a...
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Art Talk Live: Up Close and Personal—Looking at Ancient Textiles
Egyptian makers were skilled at using only a few materials to create a rich variety of textiles, but we rarely have detailed information about the people who made them or their artistic processes.
Join conservation fellow Julie Wertz to explore what close looking, microscopy, and micro-analytical techniques can teach us about the materials and methods these unknown makers used to create beautiful and functional art objects.
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Martin Luther King & The Struggle for Voting Rights, Making Democracy Work
Harvard Business School—Online
Join us for a special session in which Professor David Moss, author of the acclaimed book "Democracy: A Case Study," makes history come alive with an audience-driven discussion of Martin Luther King Jr. and the struggle for voting rights. Professor Moss will bring his wildly popular approach to teaching the history of American democracy to a new stage in this public forum hosted by Harvard Business School.
So please bring your ideas, and leave your preconceptions at the door. It will be an afternoon that challenges the way you think about America's history and civic life – and...
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How We Incarcerate Young People: A Conversation about Policy and Neuroscience
Across the United States, children under the age of 18 can be tried as adults in criminal court. Although the practice is condemned by international law, we are the only country in the world that sentences young people to life in prison without the possibility of parole. At the same time, recent developments in neuroscience research demonstrate that the human brain is not fully developed until after the age of 25.
This program will consider the ways we punish young people in the American criminal legal system and how our policies could be reformed. We will bring together a...
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Reframing Japonisme: Painting Edo and Beyond
We're bringing Painting Edo: Japanese Art from the Feinberg Collection to you! Join us for this final talk in our series of virtual conversations exploring themes highlighted in the exhibition.
How has Japonisme shaped the reception of Japanese art? In this online program, professors Elizabeth Emery and Chelsea Foxwell will consider the persistent influence of the western construct of Japonisme and the new aesthetic forms it inspired.
In 1872, French art critic Philippe Burty coined the term "Japonisme" to refer to the growing western admiration for "all things...
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Creature Feature: Birds of a Feather
Explore a vibrant collection of watercolors featuring a flock of fantastic birds inspired by a king's royal menagerie in Jean-Baptiste Oudry's Avian Album.
Creature Feature, an online series from the Harvard Art Museums, offers a chance for families to explore magical creatures across the collections through close looking and curious exploration with museum staff. Creature Feature talks are free, open to explorers ages 6 and up, and offered once a...
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Twenty Million Angry Men: A Conversation about the Importance of Including People with Felony Convictions in Our Jury System
In the United States, 8 percent of the adult population—and 33 percent of the Black adult male population—has a felony conviction. Even after people have served time in prison, they are systematically excluded from civic participation, including serving on juries. Offered in collaboration with the Institute to End Mass Incarceration at Harvard Law School, this program will explore questions of jury service, civic participation in the criminal legal system, and the importance of such participation by people with prior convictions.
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Food in Art
Join the Harvard Art Museums on Zoom for a bite-size look at the role of food in art, presented in partnership with the Food Literacy Project at Harvard University Dining Services.
From vegetable-based dyes to dairy fixatives, food and art share a long and interesting history. In this talk, curatorial and conservation fellows Ruby Awburn, Lauren Hanson, Leonie Mueller, and Julie Wertz will take us on a culinary tour of the Harvard Art Museums and discuss the varied roles that food has played in art.
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MUTINY: poems
Phillip B. Williams is the author of the poetry collection "Thief in the Interior." His artistic interests manifest through lyrical and narrative investigations of the aesthetic possibilities and historical implications of the grotesque and through (re)creation of Afro-diasporic mythologies within contemporary timeframes.
Join Williams as he discusses researching, writing, and revising poems (title: "Mutiny") and prose (title: "Threshold") during his Radcliffe fellowship year. Within both genres, he hopes to research and explore Black folklore, African-diasporic mythologies...
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U.S. Policy Towards Latin America Under Biden
How will U.S. policy toward Latin America change under the Biden Administration? Will we see a return to Obama era policies, or something new? What are the new administration's principal priorities and challenges in Latin America? What should they be? Four experts on U.S.-Latin American relations discuss changes and continuities in the post-Trump era.
Learn more about and register for U.S. Policy...
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Health Care Leadership During COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended health care delivery and economics. This webinar will provide the behind-the-scenes perspective of a senior hospital leader in a time of crisis. Dr. Kimball will discuss how she and her leadership team adapted to the immediate crisis as well as its prolonged evolution, from establishing a command structure to discovering hidden talents on their team. The session will explore leadership lessons and her insights for the path forward.
Read more about Health Care Leadership During COVID-19
Rural Education in America: What Works for Our Students, Teachers, and Communities
Rural Education in America provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the diversity and complexity of rural communities in the United States and for helping rural educators implement and evaluate successful place-based programs tailored for students and their families. Written by Geoff and Sky Marietta, educators who grew up in rural America and returned there to raise their children, the book illustrates how efficacy is determined by the degrees to which instruction, interventions, and programs address the needs and strengths of each unique rural community.
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Black Is Queen: The Divine Feminine in Kush
Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East—Online
The prominence of powerful goddesses and queens in the Nubian Kingdom of Kush (now Northern Sudan) highlights the unusually high status of women in this ancient African society and serves as a fitting focus for the study of female power in the ancient world. Using temple inscriptions found in Egypt and Nubia, the rich funerary goods found in royal burials, and temple and tomb imagery, Solange Ashby will discuss how ancient Africans of the Nile Valley understood female power and presence. Songs from Beyoncé's recent production "Black Is King" will be woven into this presentation on...
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The Intentional Museum
American historian Christy Coleman is the distinguished lecturer for the 2021 Seminar in Innovative Curatorial Practice. Coleman is renowned for creating innovative, engaging, and inclusive museum exhibitions and programs that tell a comprehensive story of American history. In this program she will discuss the power that museums have to genuinely engage with communities around what matters most to them. While expertise within the museums is invaluable, it is wasted if not used to help communities address their issues and aspirations.
Established in 2014, the Seminar in...
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"The Polynesian Problem": Western Studies of Pacific Islander Origins
"What is a Polynesian?" This is a question with a long and troubling history embedded in settler colonialism. From Europeans' earliest encounters with the Pacific, White Europeans expressed a fascination and partial identification with the racial origins of Polynesians. Polynesians seemed to represent "natural man" in the purest state. In nineteenth- and early twentieth-century social-scientific studies, Polynesian origins became the subject of intense scrutiny and debate. Physical anthropologists such as Louis R. Sullivan declared Polynesians to be conditionally Caucasian....
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COVID-19 and the Law: The Health Care System in the Age of COVID-19
This seminar series will consider the ethical, legal, regulatory, and broader social and institutional impacts that COVID-19 has had, as well as the longer-lasting effects it may have on our society. This fifth seminar in the series will focus on how the health care system has reacted and evolved during the pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost all aspects of life in the United States and around the world, disrupting the global economy as well as countless institutions. The issues raised by the COVID-19 pandemic present a critical juncture for the U.S. and other...
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Members: Not on Display! Treasures of the Mineralogical & Geological Museum
Visitors to the Harvard Museum of Natural History are dazzled by the Mineral Gallery's beautiful specimens, yet the gallery displays only a fraction of the entire collection.
While each of the collection's 300,000+ specimens has great scientific value, a subset also has significant commercial value. Join Curator Raquel Alonso-Perez for a virtual behind the-scenes visit to view specimens that, for security reasons, are not typically on display. You'll see a rare opal in matrix from Mexico, tourmalines from the first pegmatitic discovery in the U.S., and crystalline gold, among...
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Black and White Thinking: A Conversation with Cord Whitaker
Harvard University Committee on Medieval Studies—Online
Author Cord Whitaker discusses his new book "Black Metaphors: How Modern Racism Emerged from Medieval Race-Thinking" (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2019) with Henry Louis Gates Jr., Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research.
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Mind, Heart and Body: The Creative Process of Making Theater From a Director's Perspective
Mind Brain Behavior Interfaculty Initiative at Harvard—Online
How does an actor transform into a character? What is the process that allows this transformation to happen? What is the role of the audience in completing the theatrical event? Join Diane Paulus, Professor of the Practice in Theater, Dance & Media and English, for a behind the scenes look at the creative process of making theater.
Learn more about and register for Mind,...
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Sexual Harassment in California: Broader Than You Might Think
Both sexual harassment and sexual discrimination are prohibited by law. If you feel that you have suffered from sexual harassment or discrimination, you need an experienced Los Angeles attorney to help.
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January 15, 2019, Los Angeles, CA - Court Awards Kaiser Employee $1,228,721.96 In Wrongful Termination Case, Represented By Jeffrey Rager. Click Here To View Article.
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Sexual harassment is hard to define, and it may mean different things to different people. While many people assume that sexual harassment has to include inappropriate touching or remarks, that is not always the case. It can actually be much broader than that.
In the most general form, sexual harassment occurs any time a negative employment action takes place that is due in large part to your sex. While sex does not have to be the only reason the employment action took place, it should play a prominent role.
If you think your situation may be considered sexual harassment, you may have an employment discrimination claim. You need to speak with a Los Angeles employment attorney as soon as possible to discuss your options.
Three Types of Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment in California includes two overreaching categories or situations. These include:
1. Sexual Harassment –Hostile Work Environment
This type of harassment is perhaps the most well-known. A hostile work environment that would amount to sexual discrimination occurs when the behavior at issue is severe or pervasive enough to warrant a negative change in employment. The behavior must be more than a few uncomfortable instances; it must be so commonplace in the workplace that it has become normal and accepted.
In the context of sexual discrimination, a hostile work environment could be in place when male employees make comments and jokes about sex or female body parts to a female employee. It may include situations that portray women in a derogatory or sexual manner, such as by putting up photos of scantily clad women. It may involve sexual assault in some circumstances as well. These conditions must occur on a regular basis for the environment to be considered hostile.
The conduct must be both unwelcome and offensive to a "reasonable person." If a worker is participating in the behavior, it is hard to say that it is harassing or unwanted. The conditions of the workplace are measured both objectively and subjectively—that is, you must personally find the environment offensive, and the average person would also agree with you.
2. Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment
In quid pro quo harassment, a supervisor or co-worker offers to treat an employee favorably if they do certain things for them in return, often of a sexual nature. A supervisor or co-worker can also threaten to take unfavorable employment action if the requested favor is not performed. While many people think of quid pro quo as sexual intercourse or another sexual act, it can be something as simple as going on a date as well.
This type of harassment only occurs when the supervisor or co-worker can take some adverse employment action against the employee. That means that these cares are far more likely to involve supervisors or managers.
Sexual Harassment Versus Sexual Discrimination
When someone discriminates against you, they treat you differently because of your sex. For example, a woman making less than her male coworker who has similar experience and skill would be discrimination. This type of action is often referred to as "disparate treatment."
As noted above, sexual harassment can lead to sexual discrimination in some circumstances, particularly where there is a hostile work environment.
Both sexual harassment and sexual discrimination are prohibited by law. If you feel that you have suffered from sexual harassment or discrimination, you need an experienced Los Angeles attorney to help. Call Rager Law Firm at 310-527-6994 to set up your free consultation.
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Tag Archive: Katherina Markowskaja
Fundamental Changes at the Bavarian State Ballet
Ivan Liška and many dancers bid their farewell
After eighteen years, Ivan Liška, artistic director of the Bavarian State Ballet, is handing over the reigns to Igor Zelensky at the end of this season. During the last months it had already became apparent that from then on things would not stay as they were.
This week the news became official. Of the ensemble's seventy dancers twenty-nine will be leaving this summer. Among those are six of the total nine principals: Lucia Lacarra, Ekaterina Petina, Daria Sukhoukova, Marlon Dino, Cyril Pierre and Lukáš Slavicky. Ivy Amista, Javier Amo and Tigran Mikayelyan stay with the company. (more…)
Balanchine, Robbins and a Teddy Bear
"Symphony in C / In the Night / Adam is"
Juxtaposing established choreography and contemporary work can be intriguing. Yet comparing and contrasting a new piece with those of the masters also carries risks. The Bavarian State Ballet's new evening of ballet dares to do this. It combines George Balanchine's "Symphony in C" and Jerome Robbins's "In the Night" with "Adam is" – a fresh dance by Canada's Azure Barton. Did the assemblage work? (more…)
Sparkling History
Blowing the dust off from an aged stage vehicle like "Paquita" and polishing it up for a premiere usually draws very few out of the woodwork. Bavarian State Ballet, however, promoted the project confidently. Quite rightly as no less than Alexei Ratmansky and Doug Fullington had devoted themselves to revive the love story of the orphan girl Paquita. Bavarian State Ballet's original plans were that Ratmansky would make his German debut as choreographer with "Paquita" but the indefatigable Ratmansky had already staged his "Namouna" in Berlin and the "Tanzsuite" for Semperoper Ballet Dresden. However, this didn't harm the project because doing justice to a significant piece of art and its creator was the root of the matter. (more…)


By Tom Angleberger and Paul Dellinger
From the minds of Tom Angleberger, the New York Times bestselling author of the wildly popular Origami Yoda series, and Paul Dellinger, an adult science-fiction writer, comes a funny middle school story with a memorable robot title character. Reluctant readers and robot lovers in elementary and middle school will enjoy this fast-paced read that shows just how strange a place middle school can be, particularly when the new student is a state-of-the-art robot.
When Max—Maxine Zelaster—befriends her new robot classmate Fuzzy, part of Vanguard One Middle School's new Robot Integration Program, she helps him learn everything he needs to know about surviving middle school—the good, the bad, and the really, really, ugly. Little do they know that surviving seventh grade is going to become a true matter of life and death, because Vanguard has an evil presence at its heart: a digital student evaluation system named BARBARA that might be taking its mission to shape the perfect student to extremes!
With a strong female main character who will appeal to all readers, Tom Angleberger and Paul Dellinger's new novel offers readers a fresh take on robots. Fuzzy will find its place in the emerging category of bestselling books featuring robots, including Jon Scieszka' s Frank Einstein series and James Patterson's House of Robots.
Be sure to check out all of Tom Angleberger's other acclaimed books for middle-grade readers, including Poop Fountain!; The Rat with the Human Face; Horton Halfpott; Fake Mustache; and the bestselling Origami Yoda series: The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, Darth Paper Strikes Back, The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee, Emperor Pickletine Rides the Bus,Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue, and Jabba the Puppet. For younger readers Tom wrote the picture book McToad Mows Tiny Island, illustrated by John Hendrix, and for chapter book readers, Tom wrote the Inspector Flytrap series, illustrated by his wife Cece Bell.


Cummins Aims To Improve The White Ball Cricket > Cricket News, cricinfo, mobilecric, cricbuzz, livescore and more
Cricket news - Cummins targets improvement in white ball cricket
Cummins has made rapid strides recently.
Australia pacer, and increasingly pushing his case towards becoming a genuine allrounder, Pat Cummins revealed that he was 'really happy' with how his game is progressing at this stage.
The right-armer has become one of Australia key pacers in the longer format, slowly graduating to the leader of the attack, which also comprises of Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. Now, Cummins is slowly building up his profile in the T20Is and ODIs, too. In the first T20I in Vishakapatnam, Cummins's allround skills came to the fore as he helped his team pull off a thrilling three-wicket win off the last ball.
"Honestly, really happy with how my game is going. So many things have fallen into place. Obviously there is a bit of luck as well. I am playing consistent cricket and I am able to concentrate well on my skills and have got a lot of confidence. I haven't played too much white ball cricket and I am looking forward for the challenge. I have got lot to learn, like take wickets in white ball cricket and bowl in the death overs. But yes I couldn't have been more happy on how I have been performing and I have been able to concentrate on my skills and bowl without having to worry about anything else."
His recent superb performances enabled him to win the Allan Border medal, which is awarded to the best performing Australian male cricketer in the previous season. That has also earned him the nickname 'AB' amongst his colleagues. His love for and success in the tough moments, as it was in Vizag when he helped chase down 14 in the final over, have only helped him further his standing in the team.
"You play professional sport, you want to be in the moment where you can win a game. T20 is a great format, it almost feels like every second game or third game you're in a position to either win the game or the game's on the line. Fortunately, so far a few have come off for me.
"I think you hear a lot of the players saying this and I'm no different -- off the field, you're terribly nervous watching people go about their business, but once you're out in the field, you know you're in control, you've done it heaps of times before. That's why you play. Normally I'm more relaxed when I'm out there in the moment than I am off the field. Sometimes when the game feels like it's almost lost, that's when you can feel like you can relax and you've got nothing to lose," Cummins said.
Cummins's growth with the bat has also meant that the talk around a possible promotion in the batting order has grown. Cummins though said he felt batting lower down allows him to bring out his best.
"I'm pretty happy down at No.8 or 9. I feel like my role in the team as a batsman is just to try and survive, bat extra time, and hopefully I've got a batsman at the other end who's set and can really cash in.
"Especially in Test matches, that was my role. I may not have all the big shots like a lot of the batsmen. I've really enjoyed it. Preparing for the game... as a bowler you can't just prepare for bowling. You've got to prepare for everything. That's probably something that's hit home in the last couple of years. You have to make sure you're alright in the field, do all your catching, fielding and for batting just make sure you're 100%. I really enjoy (batting) but I'm really happy at the bottom of the order."
Cummins also weighed in with regards to Australia's preparation for the World Cup. Cummins said that with the likelihood of pitches in England taking more spin later in the tournament, the ODIs in India give the team some vital practice.
"Playing cricket anywhere is a good preparation. In some regards, the conditions are going to be different in the world cup than what will be here. There will be lot of games at the world cup, so at the back of our minds, the wickets might be tired and it could spin like the wickets here in India. As bowlers, if we can take wickets here in the middle overs against a good batting line-up, on wickets which probably are not bowler friendly, it will put us in good shape for the world cup. It is really good practice and challenging yourself against some of the world's best batsmen, seeing how they go about it, what works for us in these conditions, I think it will be really transferable for us in the world cup."


Displaying items by tag: Technical facilities
Intertraffic Amsterdam 2018
20 - 23 March 2017, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
The intertraffic attracts manufacturers, importers and agents of products and services of infrastructure, traffic management and safety.
Large scale fire tests with fixed firefighting systems
In this report presents SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden the main results of the six large-scale tests with different types of fixed firefighting system (FFFS) that were carried out in the Runehamar tunnel in June 2016.
Signs & lights
Roadsigns for emergency messages
New radio broadcast technology have made it necessary to rethink how roadsigns for radio broadcast should be designed and function.
Intelligent lighting solutions for tunnels
Tunnel operators face the challenge of illuminating the tunnels evenly according to given specifications and controlling the intensity depending on the situation. Its now available systems that enables operators to visualise system status and the condition of the light, in addition be more energy efficient and save costs.
Joint collaboration between Norway and Sweden
When a given event is to be handled, the operator must seek information in a variety of sources and decide what information is relevant. Its important to treat this information in a smart and secure way to ensure the right actions.
ITS stations - the future safety system
How will the implementation of autonomous and cooperative car technology effect management, operation and safety in tunnels. And what issues have to be considered when it comes to tunnels? The purpose of starting a work with Intelligent Traffic Systems (ITS) station concept has been to establish a method of communicating between tunnel and vehicle using a standard platform.
DAB technology in tunnels
Norway is first to close down the FM broadcast in favour of Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB) technology. A bold decision that have raised a lot of questions about installation, reception conditions and safety issues for the road users. About 40% of the radio listening is from a car in Norway. DAB will therefore not be a full range of radio offer without reception conditions in the tunnels.
Snow melting heated pavement system in tunnel portals
To make portal area more traffic safe, there has been a desire to look into systems to prevent icing. This study shows that a snow melting heated pavement system can have promising prospect for extensive application.
The point cloud created by the laser scan is mainly used to evaluate the conditions of the pavement but can also be used to gather data from the side area and the tunnel walls. The report from such a scanning gives the necessary data for analysis and give the tunnel operator a chance to follow up the development of the road surface, the rock conditions and the construction, from one year to another.


Home > Opinion > UPA romancing with poverty
UPA romancing with poverty
Nantoo Banerjee6 Sep 2013 3:53 PM GMT
Why make so much fuss about India's poor and the government's so-called poverty alleviation programmes? Under the Planning Commission definition, even rag pickers may not qualify to be identified as 'poor.' It isn't easy to define poverty, leave alone attaching an income benchmark to it, in a highly complex and predominantly impoverished society such as India and the sundry nature of jobs that the poor – urban or rural – are forced to take up to stay alive. In fact, the poor are those who earn to stay alive and not live in the true sense of the term. The poor are those who would do any menial job that earns him or her and the dependents, if any, at least two ordinary full meals a day, a shed above head and something to wear to hide their shame. Anything beyond these, including a tiny dug-up area with three sides covered by plastic sheets, leaves or thatched walls for use as independent toilet, may be considered luxury to him or her. In urban areas, it is often a common sight that a good number of the poor poop on the sidewalk daily before sunrise. In rural areas, they often walk distance to use open fields, bushes, forests and water bodies to ease themselves. However, none of them would fit into the Planning Commission box strictly meant for the poor.
Barring child workers who generally make around Rs 35-50, after selling labour for over 12 hours a day, most adult male or female minions engaged in jobs such as rag-pickers, head-loaders, rickshaw-pullers, cart-pushers, farm-hands, cobblers, shoe-shine boys, hawkers, tea-boys, full and part-time domestic helps, cleaners, peons and bearers in small establishments and gardeners among other low-paid trades earn Rs 100-140 a day. Generally, they live in shanties under extreme unhygienic conditions and are forced to part with good amount of income on fighting diseases and ailments which are most common around such dwellings forcing many to be frequently out of work and income. Almost all of them are forced to repay some sundry loans every month. With minimum fare in public transport in most places being Rs 6 for a single trip, what they are often left with is pittance. With age, they look more famished and undernourished. A ceaseless fight for existence marks their daily routine. If these people are not poor, what are they?
Ironically, these poor urban and rural destitute, who comprise nearly 60 per cent of the population, have kept our democratic system alive. These helpless victims of social injustice and governmental neglect are the real source of power of our politicians who rule the nation. They form an overwhelming section of voters in our electoral system – in gram panchayat, municipality, state legislature and Lok Sabha Elections – where average voting rate rarely exceeds 70 per cent. Over the years, they have become a pet subject of hair-splitting intellectual debate and governmental research to broad-brand their economic status. The subjects at issue are on predictable lines: what percentage of them should be placed at 'below the poverty line' (BPL) and what percentage 'above the poverty line' (APL)? And, what should be the criterion and the colour of pencil to demarcate the two sensitive lines?
Therefore, it is hardly surprising that to those globe-trotting, high-living, glasshouse economists in the Planning Commission and honourable members of the union cabinet highly concerned about fixing right poverty yardsticks for BPL and APL, not all these urban or rural people passing their days in despicable conditions and continuously struggling to stay alive deserve to be branded as poor. In fact, going by their statistical measure stick, there is hardly anyone in the country, including beggars, who would qualify to be poor. Most beggars – rural or urban – earn over Rs 35-50, daily, exceeding the Planning Commission's poverty benchmark.
Recent public statements by senior Congressmen and public representatives claimed that the cost of an ordinary working-class full meal varies from as low as Rs 2 in Delhi, Rs 6 in Lucknow to Rs 12 in Mumbai. Given the fact that the average daily income of an able-bodied rural and urban worker is being around Rs 120, these politicians may feel that few deserve to be branded as truly poor. And, one can certainly find some liberal justification in the Planning Commission's latest poverty estimates for the country showing a sharp decline in the incidence of poverty by 7.3 per cent over the past five years while stating that anyone with a daily consumption expenditure of Rs 28.35 and Rs 22.42 in urban and rural areas respectively is above the poverty line.
Can consumption expenditure shrink with higher retail price inflation? Logically, 'no'. But, highly qualified and merited government economists think such a contradictory position is absolutely possible. This could explain the Planning Commission's affidavit in the Supreme Court in October in which the BPL cap was pegged at an expenditure of Rs 32 in urban areas and Rs 26 in rural locations by an individual at the going rate of inflation in 2010-2011. The food and other wage goods inflation rates have spiraled since. But, the BPL expenditure benchmark is brought down.
Government economists claim rural poverty has declined by eight percentage points, from 41.8 to 33.8 per cent, and urban poverty by 4.8 per cent, from 25.7 per cent to 20.9 per cent. At the national level, anyone in the rural areas earning Rs 672.8 per month or Rs 22.42 per day and Rs 859.6 per month or Rs 28.35 per day in the urban area is above the poverty line. The total number of BPL population is 35.46 crore as against 40.72 crore in 2004-2005. In rural areas, the number fell from 32.58 crore five years ago to 27.82 crore and the urban BPL number dropped from 8.14 crore to 7.64 crore during this period.
The latest National Sample Survey Organisation's (NSSO) expenditure data shows that 90 per cent of rural Indians spend less than Rs 70 per day, while 90 per cent of urban Indians spend less than Rs 154 per day. Logically, they must be earning that much per day to cover their expenditure. Then, why is this fuss over the government concern for 'food security' for 67 per cent of the country's population when an ordinary full meal can be had for Rs 2 or Rs 12? At such prices, expenditure on food by 90 per cent of the population would vary roughly from 1.5 per cent to three per cent of their daily spend. Going by the statements by knowledgeable senior Congress leaders and statistical presentations by government economists and NSSO, at least 90 per cent Indians would appear to be capable of taking care of their own food security unless those learned men are poking fun at India's poor. Pitifully, politicians have always been playing the poor as pawns before the polls. IPA
Nantoo Banerjee


Japanese self-initiated expatriates as boundary spanners in Chinese subsidiaries of Japanese MNEs: Antecedents, social capital, and HRM practices
Furusawa, M. and Brewster, C. (2018) Japanese self-initiated expatriates as boundary spanners in Chinese subsidiaries of Japanese MNEs: Antecedents, social capital, and HRM practices. Thunderbird International Business Review, 60 (6). pp. 911-919. ISSN 1520-6874
Text (Permanent Publisher Embargo) - Accepted Version
· Restricted to Repository staff only
To link to this item DOI: 10.1002/tie.21944
This article examines the potential boundary-spanning roles of Japanese self-initiated expatriates (SIEs) working at Japanese-affiliated companies in China. We show that, compared to Japanese assigned expatriates (AEs), Japanese SIEs have longer living and working experience in China and better linguistic proficiency in Chinese, and build a relationship of trust with Japanese AEs, Chinese employees, and the headquarters in Japan. We also find human resource management (HRM) practices that emphasize normative integration will lead to the nurturing of trust (social capital) among the parties concerned, and the social capital will enhance the boundary-spanning functions of Japanese SIEs. This research demonstrates the value of these SIEs as a new option to replace the dichotomy of AEs or host-country nationals and the importance of practices for normative integration and social capital, which can be expected to facilitate the boundary-spanning roles of Japanese SIEs.
Henley Business School > International Business and Strategy
Political Science and International Relations, Geography, Planning and Development, Business and International Management
13 Nov 2017 10:00 Date item deposited into CentAUR
15 Jan 2023 02:26 Date item last modified


Home Insights District Court Refuses to Review USPTO Decision to Institute Post Grant Review of Versata Covered Business Method Patent
District Court Refuses to Review USPTO Decision to Institute Post Grant Review of Versata Covered Business Method Patent
15 August 2013 PharmaPatents Blog
In Versata Development Corp. v. Rea, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia dismissed Versata's challenge of the PTAB's decision to institute post grant review of its patent for lack of jurisdiction. The court based its decision on alternative grounds, finding that the America Invents Act (AIA) "precludes judicial review of the PTAB's decision to institute post-grant review," and, alternatively, that the decision to institute post-grant review was not a "final" agency decision that could be reviewed under the Administrative Procedures Act (APA).
The Covered Business Method Patent Post Grant Review Proceeding
SAP filed a petition for Covered Business Method (CBM) patent review of Versata's U.S. Patent 6,553,350, on the first day that CBM procedures became available, September 16, 2012. SAP challenged the validity of the patent claims under 35 USC §§ 101, 102, and 112. On January 9, 2013, the PTAB issued a decision granting the petition. The PTAB issued its decision on the merits on June 11, 2013, but that decision was not before the district court.
The District Court Decision
While the CBM proceeding was still pending, Versata brought suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to challenge the PTAB's decision to to institute CBM post grant review of the '350 patent. The USPTO and SAP moved to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. The court considered two separate grounds for dismissal.
Subject Matter Jurisdiction Under the AIA
The court addressed the first ground under Rule 12(b)(1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, in view of the AIA:
The first issue is whether the AIA precludes judicial review of the PTAB's decision to institute post-grant review in accordance with the AIA. The Court holds that it lacks subject matter jurisdiction over Plaintiff's claim because the AIA's express language, detailed structure and scheme for administrative and judicial review, legislative purpose, and nature of the administrative action evince Congress's clear intent to preclude subject matter jurisdiction over the PTAB's decision to institute patent reexamination proceedings. Therefore, Plaintiff's claims are dismissed for want of subject matter jurisdiction under the clear statutory guidance provided by the AIA.
The court noted "three ways by which the AIA evinces clear congressional intent to preclude actions that seek judicial intervention under the APA."
The express language of the statute: 35 USC § 324(e) states, "[t]he determination by the Director whether to institute a post-grant review under this section shall be final and nonappealable." (The court rejected Versata's argument that "this language refers only to the non-availability of direct appeal to the Federal Circuit and not to an interlocutory appeal to a district court.")
The structure of the Post Grant Review statutes. The statutes set forth "detailed procedures for post-grant review and a detailed scheme for administrative and judicial review of those post-grant review proceedings," none of which include district court review.
The statute provides for appeal to the Federal Circuit. 35 USC § 329 provides that "A party dissatisfied with the final written decision of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board under section 328(a) may appeal the decision pursuant to sections 141 through 144 [to the Federal Circuit."
Failure to State a Claim Under the APA
The court addressed the second ground under Rule 12(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, in view of the APA:
The second issue is whether the PTAB's statutory interpretation regarding institution of post-grant review proceedings constituted a "final agency action" for which there is no other adequate remedy in a court, thereby providing Plaintiff a cause of action to bring challenge to such decision in this Court. The Court holds that the decision to institute post-grant review is merely an initial step in the PTAB's process to resolve the ultimate question of patent validity, not a final agency action as contemplated by [the APA]. The decision to institute patent reexamination proceedings is not the consummation of an agency's decision making process, nor does it elicit rights or obligations, and Plaintiff retains an alternative adequate remedy through appeal to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Thus, the court granted the motions to dismiss.
Issues of First Impression
While some may wonder why Versata even brought this case given the plain language of 35 USC § 324(e), it is important to keep in mind that nearly every issue in a new patent trial proceeding is an issue of first impression, including where and when issues should be raised, challenged, and finally decided. Indeed, parties will have to raise issues like this in district court and Federal Circuit proceedings in order for the courts to develop a body of law that will guide the interpretation and application of the intricate provisions of the inter partes review, covered business method patent, and post grant review statutes.
Chemical, Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical PTAB Trials


Published June 29, 2012	Politics , Uncategorized 2 Comments
Tags: #bbcqt, BBC Question Time, David Dimbleby, Justine Greening, Luton, Paddy Ashdown, Question Time, Terry Smith, Tessa Jowell, Tony Robinson
Good morning Lemmings and hold on to your hats because we've got a live one here. Yup, that's right, after a slew of mediocre and bothersome QT's that never really got off the ground Luton has decided to pull its finger out for the penultimate show of the series. And about bloody time if you ask me. Anyway, here's what we learned:
I was genuinely excited at the prospect of Paddy Ashdown and Terry Smith being in the same room together.
There are many people in this world who claim to know some Awful Things and to be quite frank, most of them annoy me. Take for example Nick Ferrari: He claims to know all sorts of Awful Things about the way this country is heading and uses every opportunity he can to make us aware of just how Awful these Things will be. The problem here however is that a) I'm not entirely convinced that the horrors of which he speaks are anything more than figments of his imagination and b) the way he howls and bleats about our impending doom makes me want to do him a mischief. Happily though, the same cannot be said for either Paddy Ashdown or Terry Smith, men who have taken the art of knowing Awful Things to dizzying heights. Lets start with Ashdown:
That Paddy Ashdown knows some very Awful Things is beyond dispute. The man is an ex-Marine who's spent a good part of his life practising Awful Things on behalf of the state before going on to govern a country that was beset with Things of the most Awful nature. In short, he's got chops when it comes to the unthinkable. But it's what he chooses to do with this information that's important and this is where Ashdown's real strength lies: He tells you about these Things and their Awfulness without fuss or drama, neither trying to sweeten the pill nor over-egg the pudding. Basically, he treats you like an adult. As for Smith, well it's all very similar. His background is in finance and given his CV I think it's entirely probably he knows a great many Awful Things about The City. But again, it's what he chooses to do with this information that matters and like Ashdown he opts to play it super-straight: Thing's are much more Awful than you could possibly imagine. Suck it up. Now, that's not a nice piece of news to impart but he does it in such an unflinchingly steely manner that it almost doesn't seem scary: The entire global economy could happily implode, taking with it several hundred years of human progress but it's ok because no matter what, Terry Smith will survive the cataclysm and be able to say 'I told you so' when we all emerge from our fallout shelter.
So yes, I'm a very big fan of people who really know what they're talking about – doubly so if they happen to be kickboxing econo-doom-mongers or ex-Special Forces nation builders – and what I was really hoping to witness was a flat-out confrontation between the two of them. Alas, that was never going to happen as they seem largely united in their outlook on economy and aside from Smith's suggestion to simply get rid of the House of Lords (never one for partial solutions, Terry Smith) they largely spoke as one. But still, could you imagine a face-off between the two of them? It would be like the world's most intense staring contest (if Paddy Ashdown's eyeless squint qualifies as staring) that would probably result in someone's head exploding. I've done my best to visually extrapolate such a scenario (see Fig. 1) but I must confess that I am a little bummed that it didn't come to pass. Still, a solid effort from both parties involved and one that lent this episode some of the much-needed gravity that's been missing from QT of late.
My jury's out when it comes to Justine Greening.
This was never going to be a nice week for a Tory on QT, let alone for a Transport Secretary who got brutally flip-reversed by her own team a few days back so the odds really weren't on Greening's side. To her credit, she did manage to look largely composed for the bulk of the show and the good news is that this wasn't a Chloe Smith/Ben Swain moment. The less positive news for Greening is that if the Blame Labour For Everything line was looking a little threadbare six months ago it looks positively craven now (something that three separate audience members went to great lengths to point out) and her reliance on it soured her performance from the get-go. Similarly her repeated use of the phrase 'cracking on' became so familiar as to be contemptible and although it's preferable to confessing that the government really doesn't have a clue what's going on at the moment there is something deeply suspicious about people who are constantly telling you that they're 'on to it'. Still, it could have been worse and I will say this: Justine Greening has excellent posture: Shoulders back, spine ramrod straight, head up… that's some quality sitting down she pulled last night.
I like the fact that Tony Robinson must leave right-wingers feeling horribly conflicted.
First things first, hats off to Tony Robinson for his opening broadside on the bankers question. That was real passion on display and it set the rest of the show up really nicely. I'm going to now put my hat back on and gently scold him for not quite doing enough homework, something which is a real pity because if he had a stronger grasps of the facts his answers would sound a little less like conspiracy theories. Gentle scolding dispensed, I am now going to take my hat off again and congratulate him purely for existing. Why? Because it causes True Blue types to blow a cognitive gasket. Here's how it works: Upon laying eyes on Tony Robinson a True Blue is liable to register a surge in their blood pressure because they know him to be a jumped-up, oiky little lefty who's spent most of his life bad-mouthing the Tory party. However, things start to become problematic when they realise that he's also Baldrick from Blackadder and no matter how hard they try, they cannot bring themselves to hate the living embodiment of one they hold so dear. Time suddenly appears to stop, a hissing noise issues from their brains, smoke pours out of their ears, everything goes black. Job's a good 'un Tony.
And the other one?
I think I've finally realised why I've always had trouble with Tessa Jowell. Part of it is that I've never really known what the point of Tessa Jowell is (she always seemed to be Minister for Stuff or Deputy to the Office of the Trivial) but I think it's more to do with the fact that she fails my 3rd Test of Friendship: Are they a fun person to get drunk with? I suspect that Tessa Jowell is probably a crushing bore when drinking and I also suspect that she would wear rattley jewellery that would really get on my nerves. And what evidence do I base this on? None whatsoever apart from a very queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach when I try to picture the two of us sat at a bar. Sorry Tessa but the pit of my stomach has spoken and for better or worse it holds some sway over me.
Greening: 5/10
(Got diddled by Osborne's about) Turn
Ashdown: 7/10
(Has soldierly credibility to) Burn
Jowell: 4/10
(Is not someone I) Yearn (to get bladdered with)
Smith: 7/10
(is very) Stern
Robinson: 6/10
(Showed great) Concern
(Were probably drinking tea from an) Urn (just before the show was filmed)
So there. Speaking of the crowd, sorry that they didn't get much of a look-in in this week's Questionable Time. I find myself a little pushed for space but I think it would be an injustice not register just how delightfully indignant they all were. Here's to you, Delightfully Indignant Luton Crowd. Right, that's me done… I'm going to give work a call to see if my box of Questionable Time stickers has arrived yet. Tap me up on the old Facebook or Twitter if you want in on some adhesive Dimbleby action.
Make your laptop handsome!
Tame your feral beasts!
Next week Lemmings… Next week….
1 Lord Smyth June 29, 2012 at 13:38
I read the end of paragraph 4 as "…when we all emerge from our BAILout shelter."
You should have put that…it would have been "clever".
2 loudribs June 29, 2012 at 13:41
Gah! My misreads are funnier than my reads! To hell with this!


Home » Athletics, Wells - On Nut
3-PEAT CHAMPIONS!
Seahawks win back-to-back-to-back championships at both ISB invitational and AISAA league tournaments
It's been three years since the host Panthers from the International School Bangkok (ISB) has won its own tournament, beating Wells in 2016 in the Seahawk's debut in the championship match. Since then, Wells has reached AND won the championship match each year, against two different international schools from Singapore – United World College East (UWCE) in 2017 and Stamford American International School (SAIS) in 2018.
However, after ISB went undefeated in their pool, and earned a spot in the finals after a win against Bangkok Pattana School (BPS) in the semi-finals, urged on by a boisterous crowd screaming, "This is OUR house!" — the hungry Panthers were poised to reclaim the throne.
But our Seahawks would have NO SUCH THING!
With just one senior, the young Seahawks showed the mental maturity and emotional fortitude to stave off stiff challenges in pool play, beating ICS Bangkok, 2-0 (25-20, 25-10); SAIS, 2-1 (25-13, 24-26, 17-15); and BPS, 2-1 (23-25, 25-18, 15-11). They then survived a tough semi-final match-up against another Singapore school, United World College Dover (UWCD), beating them 2-1 (18-25, 25-23, 15-13).
In the end, Wells had just a bit more energy, a bit more depth on the bench, and a bit more heart to outlast ISB, winning 2-0 (26-24, 27-25) in two nail-biting, overtime sets, to complete the "three-peat" championship run.
The Seahawks were led by tri-captains Insee Akarapan (c/o 2020), Corey Beer (c/o 2021), and Perth Vichitchoti (c/o 2021). Other members of the squad include Pat Pinsrisirirath, Kohyo Miyajima, Ronnie Kwok, Justin Omland, and Phurin Kosumapinun (c/o 2021); and MJ Caunan, Jr., Kendrick Acda, Herb Udompholvanich, Gabriel Xumsai Na Ayudhaya, Shiva Chandnani, and Time Phatigulsate (c/o 2022). Head Coach – Ray de la Pena and Asst. Coach – Rhyll Catangcatang.
AISAA Champions
In the second tournament, held all day Sunday, a condensed version of the varsity boys squad took on other AISAA teams, as well as a few visiting teams. Pool play turned out to be a cakewalk as Wells easily beat Berkeley International School, 2-0 (25-22, 25-12); King Mongkut International Demonstration School (KMIDS), 2-0 (25-9, 25-10); KIS, 2-0 (25-16, 25-23); and the International School of the Eastern Seaboard (ISE), 2-0 (25-17, 25-14). In the knock-out matches, Wells beat Ekamai International School (EIS), 2-0 (25-12, 25-14) and, finally, KIS, 2-0 (25-14, 25-9) to repeat as champions. Wells also won the AISAA Tournament championships in 2017 and 2018.
Lady Seahawks also in action over weekend
Also, playing in the tournaments were the Wells varsity girls who played hard and showed much improvement since the beginning of the season. In pool play of the ISB tournament, the Lady Seahawks won two matches; first to ICS Bangkok, 2-1; then International School of Ho Chi Minh City (ISHCMC) from Vietnam. The girls ended the tournament in 4th place.
At the AISAA tournament, the girls went 3-1 in pool play, but fell in the semi-finals to Concordian. The girls ended in 3rd place.
Both teams now have over a month to prepare for their final tournaments of the season against member schools of the ASEAN Schools Athletic Conference (ASAC), coming up at the beginning in November.
Tags: AISAA,Boys Varsity Volleyball,Seahawk Athletics,Seahawk Volleyball


Regulatory issues hamper launch of new PET registry
Backers of a huge study examining the effect of PET on patient management face regulatory problems that threaten to delay a planned July 1 implementation of expanded Medicare Part B coverage of FDG-PET for cancer imaging.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services mandated the study in November when it approved Medicare Part B payment for PET imaging of most cancers not previously covered by the federal healthcare program. CMS contracted with the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) to manage a patient registry that will capture referring-physician survey data collected before and after patients are imaged.
Through pre- and post imaging questionnaires, researchers hope to measure how PET influences physician decision making concerning patient management. Medicare will deny payment for procedures when the referring physician fails to complete the required surveys.
The unique arrangement is part of a compromise worked out between the Academy of Molecular Imaging and CMS, according to AMI president Dr. R. Edward Coleman. The AMI has lobbied Medicare to expand the covered applications of PET to include most forms of cancer since the first indications for PET cancer imaging were approved in 2000. CMS resisted granting payment for more applications until PET supporters could demonstrate that the added costs would translate into better patient care.
A breakthrough came last October, when a prospective study examining how PET influences the clinical management of cancer at a single hospital appeared in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (2004, 22[20]: 4147-4157). The study by Dr. Bruce E. Hillner, associate chair of internal medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University, found that PET led to changes in intended management in 61% of patients. It also demonstrated to CMS and AMI officials that it was possible to design a trial that could gain almost universal support from referring physicians to sort out how PET imaging affects the attending physician's decision-making process. ACRIN recruited Hillner as chief architect of the tumor registry, and his experimental model was adopted as the basis for its massive clinical trial, said Dr. Bruce J. Hillman, ACRIN chair.
Unanticipated provisions of the National Paperwork Reduction Act are the most alarming of several problems that now threaten to delay the planned July implementation of Medicare's expanded payment policy, Hillner said. As of mid-April, NPRA regulators had yet to review crucial survey forms, and such reviews can take up to three months. Hillman was still waiting for CMS to exempt providers from institutional review board approval for human subject research. Patient privacy questions associated with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and issues relating to ownership of and public access to data compiled by the ACRIN registry also remained unresolved.
Diagnosis of early breast cancer was exempted from Medicare's new policy. The exemption will allow providers to bill Medicare for FDG-PET to monitor response to cancer therapies, said Susan Halliday, a PET practice consultant in Ovilla, TX.
Medicare reimbursement rates for the new indications will be the same as for other FDG-PET procedures. The Medicare technical fee for hospital-based PET imaging of cancer is $1150 for PET and will be $1250 for PET/CT, a rate that became effective in April. Providers will be paid $211 for FDG, and professional fees are $80 to $100 per procedure.
PET imaging services will pay a $50 application fee to join the registry. They will then pay ACRIN a $50 processing fee for each case, Hillner said.
To encourage compliance, CMS linked reimbursement to participation in the registry. It will deny payment when referring physicians do not file a pretest survey with the registry before midnight on the day the procedure was performed. They must file a postprocedural survey tracking their follow-up impressions two weeks later. The questionnaires will be transmitted to ACRIN, and an elaborate communications system will keep all parties informed about reporting status.
Among other unresolved issues, planners have yet to decide how long the registry must operate before enough information is collected to perform analyses. According to Hillman, data analysis may begin for highly prevalent cancers as soon as six months after program initiation. For rarer cancers, two years of data collection may be necessary.


Kamaal R. Khan Diagnosed With Stomach Cancer
Indian film producer, actor, self proclaimed critic and writer, Kamaal Rashid Khan announced on Tuesday that he was suffering from stage 3 stomach cancer.
This is press release of #KRK about his health. pic.twitter.com/0UlscVD4wq
— KRKBOXOFFICE (@KRKBoxOffice) April 3, 2018
Khan started his career in Bollywood as a producer and actor with the film, Deshdrohi back in the year 2008. He also appeared in a small role in the Sidharth Malhotra-Shraddha Kapoor starrer Ek Villain. We wish this controversial man a very speedy and quick recovery.
Related Topics:Bollywood actor KRK healthCurrent Bollywood News & MoviesKamaal latest updatesKamaal R Khan Diagnosed With Stage III Stomach CancerKamaal R. Khan Diagnosed With Stomach CancerKamaal Rashid Khan suffering from stomach cancerMango Bollywood
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The upcoming movie Kargil Girl is based on the real life story of Gunjan Saxena, who was the first woman combat aviator to enter the war zone in the 1999 Kargil War. Starring Janhvi Kapoor and Angad Bedi, the film's first schedule was shot in Lucknow and the entire cast is heading to the beautiful country Georgia for their next shoot.
This second schedule is more intense and action packed and will be filmed in the high altitude of Georgia, in Kazbegi, a town situated in the north-eastern part of the Country. Kazbegi is covered with mountains and is situated over 5,700 feet above sea level. Actor Angad Bedi has already started preparing for the shoot and was spotted training on the roads of Mumbai with coach Brinston Miranda. The coach was hired by Angad Bedi a few weeks back and has been training him by making him run on the inclined roads of Mumbai. This will help the actor in shooting the upcoming portions of the movie in Georgia.
A source claimed, "Both Janhvi and Angad will leave at the end of July to Georgia. They will shoot first in the main capital before heading to Kazbegi which is very tough terrains area pretty high above the sea level. The scenes in which they are meant to shoot need a certain level of fitness from both their parts and Angad has this hired Brinston to help him be coached and be able to be in a fit shape where he can run on inclined slopes and tough terrains."
Kargil Girl is a biographical film directed by Sharan Sharma and produced by Karan Johar, under the Dharma Productions banner. The release date of Kargil Girl is yet to be announced.
Jabariya Jodi Trailer Out Now
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Embattled Cuomo Gets Support From African American Leaders
WAMC Northeast Public Radio | By Karen Dewitt
Kevin P. Coughlin / Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor Andrew Cuomo receives the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine from Dr. Jacqueline Delmont of SOMOS Healthcare at a pop-up vaccination site in Harlem.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo forged ahead with a normal schedule Wednesday, leading a campaign-style rally and publicly receiving the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at a church in Harlem. His actions come amid stronger statements from President Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi about the governor's political future amid a sexual harassment scandal.Cuomo says he wanted to receive the vaccine at a pop-up site at a black church in Harlem, to help combat vaccine hesitancy among some in the African American community.
"Today, I'm going to take the vaccine," he said.
The carefully staged event was not open to the media. The governor was surrounded by supporters from the African American community, including former Congressman Charlie Rangel and NAACP President and Cuomo family friend Hazel Dukes, whom Cuomo referred to as his "second mother." The Democratic governor also marked Duke's birthday, leading the others in the traditional "happy birthday" song.
Dukes, in a campaign-style speech, praised Cuomo for legislative accomplishments, like working with democrats in the state legislature to end incarcerating in adult prisons 16 and 17-year-olds who are convicted of crimes, known as Raise the Age.
Dukes did not directly mention the sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo from multiple women or a scandal over charges that the governor and his aides covered up the actual number of nursing home deaths during the pandemic. But she made allusions to the controversies, when she called out the news media, saying they need to "tell the truth" about vaccines. And she says the focus should be on approving the state budget, due in two weeks.
"Me and the governor's talking about getting the budget passed by April 1st," Dukes said. "No other nonsense."
Former Congressman Rangel addressed the accusations more directly, saying Cuomo deserves a fair defense.
"When people start piling up on you and you are trying to figure out, is this the same country that says that you can make any allegation that you want to make but due process and a hearing is basically what we believe in in this country," Rangel said. "You go to your family, you go to your friends, because you know that they are going to be with you."
Cuomo has defiantly fought the accusations, saying he's a victim of "cancel culture," and he's cast doubt on the motivations of his accusers. He spoke of how strong advocacy is important, in many situations.
"Every one of them is a fight," Cuomo said. "And if you are not willing to make the fight, then you lose. It's that simple."
The governor did not address remarks from President Joe Biden, who said in an interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos, that if the allegations against Cuomo are proven to be true, then the governor needs to step down.
"If the investigation confirms the claims of the women, should he resign?" Stephanopoulos asked.
"Yes," Biden said. "I think he'd probably end up being prosecuted, too."
Biden is a longtime ally of the governor's.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, another Cuomo ally, said on MSNBC's morning Joe Wednesday morning that there should be "zero tolerance" for sexually harassing behavior, and Pelosi says she thinks that the governor shares that belief.
"I think he is a supporter of zero tolerance, in terms of sexual harassment," Pelosi said. "So it would follow, that if you have zero tolerance, then that would be a decision that we hope the governor would make."
New York Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand say Cuomo needs to resign, as do most of the Democratic New York members of the House of Representatives, and dozens of state lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans.
Wednesday afternoon, Cuomo held a conference call with reporters, where he was asked about Biden's remarks. Cuomo says he agrees that if anyone did something illegal, then they should leave office.
"If you committed a crime, you can be prosecuted, that's true," Cuomo said, with a chuckle. "But what President Biden said is that we should do an investigation."
The governor, who has said previously he does not believe he ever acted inappropriately towards any of his accusers, refused to comment further, saying he wants to wait until an investigation by the state's Attorney General and an impeachment inquiry by the state Assembly gather all the "facts." But he repeated that he has no plans to resign.
New York News New York Governor Andrew Cuomo
Karen Dewitt
Karen DeWitt is Capitol Bureau chief for New York State Public Radio, a network of public radio stations in New York state. She has covered state government and politics for the network since 1990.
See stories by Karen Dewitt
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Many California Farmworkers Forced To Stay Behind During The Wildfires : The Salt Farmworkers workers in Ventura County toiled through the wildfires despite the risks. NPR's Scott Simon talks to Juvenal Solano, a former farmworker and community organizer, about why workers stayed.
The Salt
What's On Your Plate
Eating And Health
Foodways
Many California Farmworkers Forced To Stay Behind During The Wildfires
Many California Farmworkers Forced To Stay Behind During The Wildfires 3:16
November 24, 20187:52 AM ET
Heard on Weekend Edition Saturday
Scott Simon
Sophia Boyd
Gabriela, 32, a strawberry picker from Oaxaca, Mexico, who lives in Oxnard, Calif., had to wear a bandanna to cover her nose and mouth to avoid inhaling smoke from a wildfire while working in the fields. The Washington Post/Getty Images hide caption
The Washington Post/Getty Images
Gabriela, 32, a strawberry picker from Oaxaca, Mexico, who lives in Oxnard, Calif., had to wear a bandanna to cover her nose and mouth to avoid inhaling smoke from a wildfire while working in the fields.
California Camp Fire Death Toll Reaches 83, Fire Authorities Say
Earlier this week, California's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection announced that the Woolsey Fire in Southern California has been contained. But in its wake, the fire destroyed almost 1,500 structures across Los Angeles and Ventura counties. And while some residents are beginning to return home, thousands in Ventura County had to stay behind and face the risks of fire and smoke.
About 36,000 farmworkers stayed and worked outside picking strawberries and other produce amid the dangerous air from the wildfires. Many of those workers have limited access to proper protection or medical care.
With 1 California Fire Contained, Survivors Find Rays Of Hope Amid The Horror
Coverage of California fires
Juvenal Solano, a former strawberry picker and now a community organizer with The Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project, MICOP for short, knows the perils of working in the fields. Solano says that despite facing conditions like smoke-filled air, many of the workers had no choice but to stay behind. "We need to stay there because we need money to provide [for our] families," Solano says.
Solano estimates nearly 20,000 farmworkers in Ventura County are members of the indigenous Mexican community who speak Aztecan languages and because of the language barrier, many of the workers don't know how to communicate their rights. "They don't even ask the supervisor to go home because they're afraid to lose their jobs or they don't speak the language," he says.
Juvenal Solano, a former strawberry picker and community organizer with the Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project. Ricardo Zaragoza hide caption
Ricardo Zaragoza
Juvenal Solano, a former strawberry picker and community organizer with the Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project.
MICOP advocates for the rights of indigenous workers with a program called 805Undocufund, which raises money and to help workers financially if they lose their jobs.
But beyond financial help, Solano says, the most important thing the workers need right now is people on the ground.
"Those agencies that are here to protect farmworkers, they need to go to the farm area to see and to talk to those workers," he says. "When something like the wildfires happen ... those agencies are not there to see what the workers need."
Correction Nov. 24, 2018
In the audio version of this story, as well as a previous Web version, Juvenal Solano says about 20,000 to 70,000 farmworkers in Ventura County are members of the indigenous Mexican community who speak Aztecan languages. According to the Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project, there are about 20,000 Mixtecs in Ventura County, about 17,000 of whom work in agriculture.
woolsey fire


2 U.S. soldiers die in combat from small arms fire in Afghanistan
By Jay Jackson, The Tampa News.Net
22 Aug 2019, 23 GMT+10
KABUL, Afghanistan - Two U.S. soldiers have been killed in action in Afghanistan.
Their deaths, confirmed by a statement from NATO, came on Wednesday at a time when the U.S. military and the Taliban are deep in talks about a withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country.
U.S. officials said the two service members were killed in combat from small-arms fire.
The names of the U.S. soldiers as a matter of policy are being withheld until after their relatives are notified, the NATO statement said.
The soldiers were been part of Resolute Support, the U.S.-led NATO mission in Afghanistan.
The total number of U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan so far this year now stands at seventeen. Last month 3 American soldiers were killed in Tarin Kowtin, including two on 29 July 2019, and the other on 24 July 2019.
Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special envoy to Afghanistan, flew from Washington to the Qatar capital Doha on Tuesday for talks with the Taliban, after which he will go on to Afghanistan.
"Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad in Doha will resume talks with the Taliban as part of an overall effort to facilitate a peace process that ends the conflict in Afghanistan. In Kabul, he will consult with the leadership of the Afghan government on the peace process and encourage full preparation for intra-Afghan negotiations", the U.S. State Department said in a statement released on Tuesday.
Khalilzad himself posted on Twitter on Wednesday: "Productive week in Washington. Briefed management on where we are and next steps. Back on the road again. First stop Doha where we will try and close on remaining issues. We're ready. Let's see if the Taliban are as well."
Earlier in the week he posted: "Now the priority must be an honorable & lasting peace and a sovereign & united Afghanistan at peace with itself and posing no threat to any other country."
The conflict in Afghanistan has raged for nearly two decades following the U.S.-led invasion of country in late 2001.
The U.S. still has 13,000 troops stationed in the country. President Donald Trump wants the bulk of them to leave prior to the November 2020 presidential election.
Asked if some troops would stay, the president replied: "We have to have a presence, yes. The Taliban does not respect the Afghan government. It is a dangerous place and we have to keep an eye on it."
(File photo).
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