Vampire Weekend Announces Extensive North American Tour
Vampire Weekend announced an extensive North American tour in support of their forthcoming studio album, Father of the Bride. The lengthy concert run will see the popular rock band trek from coast-to-coast starting in early summer and continuing into the fall months.Following a previously announced appearance at Gulf Shore, AL’s Hangout Music Festival in May, Vampire weekend will kick off their tour at Toronto, OR’s RBC Echo Beach on June 5th, before stops at Indianapolis, IN’s Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River State Park (6/7); Milwaukee, WI’s BMO Harris Pavilion (6/8); Minneapolis, MN’s The Armory (6/9); Madison, WI’s The Sylvee (6/11); St. Louis, MO’s Fabulous Fox Theatre (6/12); Cleveland, OH’s Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica (6/14); Cincinnati, OH’s PNC Pavilion (6/15); Chicago, IL’s Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island (6/16); Nashville, TN’s Ascend Amphitheater (6/18); Raleigh, NC’s Red Hat Amphitheater (6/21); Charlotte, NC’s Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre (6/22); and an appearance at Dover, DE’s Firefly Music Festival on June 23rd.Related: Vampire Weekend Teases New Songs In “120 Minutes Of Harmony Hall Guitars” Release Following a break in their schedule, the band will kick things back off in August with performances at Oklahoma City, OK’s The Criterion (8/16); Houston, TX’s White Oak Music Hall (8/17); Dallas, TX’s The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory (8/18); Austin, TX’s ACL Live (8/20 & 8/21); Miami, FL’s James L. Knight Center (8/24); St. Augustine, FL’s St. Augustine Amphitheatre (8/25); Atlanta, GA’s Fox Theatre (8/27); Norfolk, VA’s Ted Constant Convocation Center (8/30); Boston, MA’s Agganis Arena (9/3); Philadelphia, PA’s Mann Center for the Performing Arts (9/4); New York, NY’s Madison Square Garden (9/6); Montreal, QC’s MTELUS (9/8); Vancouver, BC’s Festival Lawn at Deer Lake Park (9/25); Seattle, WA’s WaMu Theater (9/27); Portland, OR’s McMenamins Edgefield (9/28); San Francisco, CA’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium (10/1); Los Angeles, CA’s Hollywood Bowl (10/2); San Diego, CA’s CalCoast Credit Union Open Air Theatre at SDSU (10/3); Salt Lake City, UT’s The Complex (10/6); and a tour closing show at Morrison, CO’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre on October 8th.Tickets will go on sale to the general public starting next Friday, February 8th at 12 p.m. local time. Vampire Weekend teamed with Ticketmaster to sell tickets through Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan platform. Registration for Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan platform is open now, and remains so until Sunday, February 3rd at 12 p.m. (EST). Fans who receive a code will have access to purchase tickets before the general public on Tuesday, February 5th at 10 a.m. local time through Thursday, February 7th at 10 p.m. local time.For more information, head to the band’s website.Vampire Weekend 2019 Tour Dates: Jun 05 2019 Toronto, ON RBC Echo BeachJun 07 2019 Indianapolis, IN Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River State ParkJun 08 2019 Milwaukee, WI BMO Harris PavilionJun 09 2019 Minneapolis, MN The ArmoryJun 11 2019 Madison, WI The SylveeJun 12 2019 St. Louis, MO Fabulous Fox TheatreJun 14 2019 Cleveland, OH Jacobs Pavilion at NauticaJun 15 2019 Cincinnati, OH PNC PavilionJun 16 2019 Chicago, IL Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly IslandJun 18 2019 Nashville, TN Ascend AmphitheaterJun 21 2019 Raleigh, NC Red Hat AmphitheaterJun 22 2019 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Metro Credit Union AmphitheatreJun 23 2019 Dover, DE Firefly Music FestivalAug 16 2019 Oklahoma City, OK The CriterionAug 17 2019 Houston, TX White Oak Music HallAug 18 2019 Dallas, TX The Pavilion at Toyota Music FactoryAug 20 2019 Austin, TX ACL LiveAug 21 2019 Austin, TX ACL LiveAug 24 2019 Miami, FL James L. Knight CenterAug 25 2019 St. Augustine, FL St. Augustine AmphitheatreAug 27 2019 Atlanta, GA Fox TheatreAug 30 2019 Norfolk, VA Ted Constant Convocation CenterSep 03 2019 Boston, MA Agganis ArenaSep 04 2019 Philadelphia, PA Mann Center for the Performing ArtsSep 06 2019 New York, NY Madison Square GardenSep 08 2019 Montreal, QC MTELUSSep 25 2019 Vancouver, BC Festival Lawn at Deer Lake ParkSep 27 2019 Seattle, WA WaMu TheaterSep 28 2019 Portland, OR McMenamins EdgefieldOct 01 2019 San Francisco, CA Bill Graham Civic AuditoriumOct 02 2019 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood BowlOct 03 2019 San Diego, CA CalCoast Credit Union Open Air Theatre at SDSUOct 06 2019 Salt Lake City, UT The ComplexOct 08 2019 Denver, CO Red Rocks AmphitheatreView All Tour Dates
Over the course of the Afternoon of Engagement on April 5, participants shared more than 1,500 experiences, aspirations, and ideas with each other and with the President’s Task Force on Inclusion and Belonging, all in the service of supporting academic and professional flourishing for all members of the Harvard community.Participants stressed the need for better orientation and on-boarding for new staff and students, increased transparency to break down barriers that can separate insiders from outsiders in Harvard workplaces and departments, and stronger connections between staff and faculty. There were also calls for Harvard to value multiple dimensions of excellence and provide open spaces and opportunities for people to share stories and thereby increase mutual understanding.Those and many other suggestions were brainstormed by about 750 students, faculty, and staff who took part in an Afternoon of Engagement on Inclusion and Belonging at Sanders Theatre and simulcast at the Martin Center.The event was organized by the task force, which was created by President Drew Faust last fall to explore how Harvard can go beyond its gains in diversity to be more welcoming.“Diversity, inclusion, and belonging are fundamental to our mission and our identity and essential for creating a better university. And the responsibility for that is one that’s shared by students, faculty, and staff, as well as alumni and friends,” Faust said in her welcoming remarks.The key event of the task force’s ongoing discovery phase, the afternoon included storytelling, a trust-building exercise, and small group discussions in which participants shared their own experiences of inclusion and belonging, their visions of a more welcoming campus, ideas for promoting that goal, and how they can personally contribute to it.The task force used the occasion to announce two new initiatives: an online forum to share ideas, dubbed the Solution Space, and a competition to rewrite the final line of the University’s alma mater, or to create an alternative musical variant or new performance mode for the alma mater.“Storytelling is a powerful mode by which to explore the meaning of inclusion and belonging, and it is fitting that it’s central to this afternoon’s program,” Faust said. “To me, the experiences of others offer thresholds to moments of empathy, sympathy, compassion, and understanding.“The University must be a place where people turn toward each other in the spirit of reasoned and respectful discourse, a place where ideas are tested and questioned and refined in the pursuit of truth,” Faust added.Danielle S. Allen, James Bryant Conant University Professor and director of the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics, and co-chair of the task force, said hearing from campus members was vital to the group work, though she acknowledged the issue of inclusion is not easily discussed.“It takes courage for people to share stories of difficult experiences on this campus and elsewhere,” Allen said. “It takes compassion to listen empathetically to stories of others whose experiences are very different from our own.”As one of the speakers in the storytelling segment, Allen related her own difficulties adjusting to Harvard as a doctoral student, and her eventual decision to leave at a traumatic time for her family due to her cousin’s conviction in a criminal case.“What I realized retrospectively was that the first three months at Harvard I could not put head and heart together, so I left,” said Allen, who later returned as a faculty member.Others presenting their stories were Scott Abell, a member of the Harvard Board of Overseers; task force member Katrina Armstrong, Jackson Professor of Clinical Medicine at Harvard Medical School and physician in chief, Department of Medicine, at Massachusetts General Hospital; Kalan Chang, manager for overseas financial operations for the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies and an Ecuadorian immigrant; and Eden Girma ’18.Junior Eden Girma shares her own experiences of adjusting to Harvard during “A Celebration of Inclusion and Belonging.” Rose Lincoln/Harvard Staff PhotographerAbell, who related his own challenges feeling at home as a Harvard student when his family was facing financial difficulties, said Harvard has made great strides since then in becoming more diverse. But he said these advances “don’t speak to what’s going on inside those who feel isolated.” He said Harvard now needs to seek the next level, which is “helping the people who you can’t look at, you don’t know their story … and to make them feel welcomed here.”Among the themes emerging from the small group discussions was the anxiety felt by some on campus that “they’re just not good enough or smart enough to belong here,” said task force co-chair Archon Fung, Harvard Kennedy School academic dean and Ford Foundation Professor of Democracy and Citizenship, who was the small-group moderator.Another was “the staff/faculty divide,” Fung said. “So many talked about not being treated as equal or with respect,” especially staff members by faculty. A third was that some for whom English is not their first language “feel at a disadvantage here.”Other ideas offered for enhancing belonging included expanding training and mentoring programs, welcoming staff to events; incorporating new and different areas into the curriculum; and even a suggestion that people “lighten up.”Task force member Frances Frei, UPS Foundation Professor of Service Management and senior associate dean at Harvard Business School, the facilitator of the trust-building exercise, said a diverse team outperforms a homogenous one, but only if the diversity is well managed.“We are not done when we have diversity … We are done when we have a feeling of inclusion and belonging amongst all of us,” she said.
By Nancy C. HinkleUniversity of GeorgiaThe praying mantid holds its forelimbs folded in front of it, asif in prayer. If it’s praying for prey, it’s well equipped. Sharpspines on these “praying” legs impale other insects and hold themwhile the mantid enjoys its meal. Mantids are voracious garden predators. They eat many kinds ofpest insects. The larger ones have even been said to catch andeat lizards and hummingbirds.Only the youngest nymphs show any interest in very small insects,such as aphids, fruit flies and mosquitoes. Older nymphs andadults prefer to dine on moths, flies, beetles and larger insects.Their green and brown bodies camouflage them well. The wingstypically have markings that make them appear almost leaf-like.So disguised, a mantid is able to blend into the background andsneak up on unsuspecting insects.BeastsBecause mantids are such good predators, gardeners are glad tohave them around. As good as they are, though, no one claims theyactually control pests.They certainly contribute to the biological control that’s goingon in the garden. But because they’re so cannibalistic, a gardencan support only a few.It’s a bit like tigers. Each tiger has to have a huge home rangeto provide it sufficient food. And if the prey is reduced toomuch, the tiger is no longer able to find enough food for theeffort it exerts.It’s the same with mantids. Even though they’re large insects andeach one eats a lot, no garden can support a huge mantidpopulation. Each must have its own “turf” to avoid being eaten byanother mantid.Mantids are sensitive to most insecticides. Bacillusthuringiensis (Bt) and insecticidal soaps, though, won’t harmthem.Tough loveA mantid’s intent stare and habit of rotating its head to followprey movement gives it an air of intelligence. Its head canswivel 180 degrees on its thin neck. That comes in handy for thefemale when she’s mating.The male mantid, which is smaller than the female, must approachthe female cautiously, as any mantid will eat any other. So heapproaches from behind and climbs onto the female’s back, holdingher with his front legs.He then bends the tip of his abdomen around to join with the tipof hers, transferring sperm through her gonopore into a specialchamber in her abdomen, where it’s stored. These sperm thenfertilize hundreds of eggs as the female lays them in severalbatches over the next few weeks.The male’s instinct to mate must be overwhelming. He commonlyloses his head over it — literally. The female’s ability torotate her head enables her to start eating the male’s head evenas their mating proceeds. The reproductive organs are able tokeep transferring the sperm.Once the male has contributed his sperm, the female finishesdevouring him. After mating, his only value to her is as anutrient source.ProlificIn late fall, female mantids produce egg masses surrounded by afrothy covering that dries with the look and feel offoam-in-a-can. Each egg mass holds from a few dozen to severalhundred eggs. The mantid glues the egg masses to plants or otherstructures.In early spring, the nymphal mantids all emerge within a fewhours. Any newly hatched mantids that don’t immediately move awayare eaten by their siblings.Survivors live several months, growing larger and developinglonger wings each time they molt. Females have expanded abdomensand eat large amounts of prey, so that they can produce severalegg batches before they die.So, despite the scientific name of one species, Mantisreligiosa, mantids are more adept at preying than praying.Unless they’re praying for prey. Or, for the females, praying fora mate-snack combo.(Nancy Hinkle is an Extension Service entomologist with theUniversity of Georgia College of Agricultural and EnvironmentalSciences.) Volume XXXNumber 1Page 6
IBM has awarded the Vermont State Colleges system a $100,000 grant for an energy efficiency initiative to help HowardCenter and Vermont Technical College (VTC) reduce their energy use by at least 5 percent annually. Based on energy management strategies developed at IBM Burlington, the initiative will benefit from the input and partnership of VTC students, faculty and staff, HowardCenter staff, the Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center and IBM volunteers.The grant is one of eleven IBM Centennial Grants awarded by IBM to projects around the world ‘ one of only two in the U.S. ‘ in recognition of the company’s 100th anniversary. The IBM Centennial Grants are both monetary and in-kind awards up to $100,000 each and fund innovative projects in areas such as healthcare, energy, and food safety, helping to build a smarter planet.For the past ten years, the IBM Vermont manufacturing facility has used its Smart Energy Management Program and its own smart grid to reduce energy use 20 percent while increasing manufacturing capability. IBM is collaborating with the Vermont State College system, and the Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center (VMEC), to apply its energy management program to improve energy efficiency by at least five percent for VTC and HowardCenter, the largest mental health and human services organization in Vermont. ‘We are extremely pleased and excited to be partnering with IBM on this outstanding energy savings program,’ said VTC President Dr. Philip Conroy. ‘Vermont Tech has a longstanding commitment to providing the type of sustainable practice education and training that IBM has developed here in Vermont, and our VMEC team is ideally positioned to provide the organizational leadership we’ll need to be successful.’According to Todd Centybear, Executive Director, ‘HowardCenter is committed to this project because when we achieve our goals of a 5 percent reduction in energy use as well as significant monetary savings, we will have more money for programs and will have reduced our carbon footprint as a large agency. We are grateful to IBM for their leadership in this effort, which has the potential to benefit individuals and organizations well beyond HowardCenter.’In 2009, Vermont launched an initiative to become the first ‘smart grid’ state and boost energy efficiency and reliability while creating jobs. IBM believes the techniques learned and applied through the collaboration can help increase energy saving opportunities when Vermont completes its smart grid.‘This IBM Centennial Grant is the result of the strong partnership among all the parties that will enable us to drive energy savings for the HowardCenter and VTC, and also will provide economic and environmental benefits to other organizations throughout Vermont,’ said Janette Bombardier, senior location executive for IBM in Vermont. ‘We value the opportunity to develop a sustainable energy management blueprint that will help the state take advantage of the benefits of the smart grid.’The grant will fund energy efficiency and management education and training, the purchase of smart meters and funding for energy efficiency projects.VMEC plans to provide support and training in continuous improvement and problem solving techniques, and innovation engineering principles and tools that underpin an effective energy management program. Skills developed through this partnership with IBM will enhance VMEC’s outreach to Vermont manufacturers and other organizations.VTC will integrate elements of the energy management program into its curriculum through the Center for Sustainable Practices.The grant will enable the purchase of portable smart meters for the project and will fund new energy efficiency projects for HowardCenter and VTC. In addition, the project is being supported with data and resources from the Burlington Electric Department, Efficiency Vermont, Vermont Gas Systems, Green Mountain Power and Central Vermont Public Service. IBM, HowardCenter and Vermont Technical College announced the energy efficiency collaboration and kicked off a brainstorming process at HowardCenter on June 15. The event was part of IBM’s Celebration of Service Day, a program designed for IBM employees to donate their time and expertise in recognition of the company’s 100th anniversary. More than 100 IBM Vermont volunteers are participating in the energy efficiency project. The IBM Centennial grant recipients include:ATN Telecentre Information and Business Association (Brazil) ‘ Research has demonstrated that lack of technology is one of the main reasons non profit organizations and small and medium enterprises fail to survive in Latin America. This grant will help create a smarter network of non profits in Latin America including the creation of a toolkit for non profit organizations, and small and medium size businesses, to influence public policy and enable economic development. Drishtee Foundation (India) ‘Rural India is on the wrong side of the Digital Divide ‘ financially and socially deprived by a lack of access to critical information and technology leading to a big gap in opportunities. This grant will fund a Smart Rural Aggregation Platform which will help create Drishtee’s model villages into a sustainable Smarter Villages in rural India. The solution will help to aggregate critical services and products related with livelihood, agriculture and information services and making services accessible to farmers and village community.El Agora (Argentina) – In Argentina, citizenship observatories publish quality of life indicators for cities ‘ including housing, public utilities, transportation, environment, health and education ‘ used to propose public policies for local mayors. This grant is designed to help promote the exchange of information across several cities and promote specific improvements in those cities.Foundation for the Training and Protection of Mentally Handicapped Children (Turkey) ‘An estimated 12 percent of the people of Turkey are disabled. Since there is no exact data for the disabled population, health and public services for the disabled population have been neglected. This grant will help build a database of Turkey’s people with disabilities, interconnect the database with government institutions and NGOs, and develop web services and a web portal for people with disabilities.Indian Institute of Technology, Khraragpur (India) — Urban flooding is a severe, annual problem in India where heavy monsoon rainfall damages property, disrupts transport, even causing loss of life directly or indirectly. This grant will help fund a Sensor Web for Smarter Cities (SENSIT) project which will develop a low-cost sensor based solution to assist with rainfall monitoring and flood forecasting, providing flood warnings to citizens and local authorities.Irish Cancer Society (Ireland) – Since its founding in 1963, the Irish Cancer Society has provided support and services to help ease the stress associated with managing cancer treatment. This grant will help develop a smart cloud-based system to support the expansion of the Society’s “Care to Drive” program, which provides free patient transportation to and from cancer treatment appointments, including scheduling, route planning and mapping, volunteer reimbursement and data management.National Association of Community Health Centers (United States) ‘ This grant will help more than 20 million patients through the creation of a dashboard and knowledge management system. The software will connect 8,000 health centers to share ideas, exchange best practices, and move toward establishing a “medical home” for every patient. Singapore Green Building Council (Singapore) – In conjunction with the Singapore Green Building Council and Ministry of Education, this grant will help advance energy efficiency by raising awareness in Singapore schools. The Singapore Green Building Council’s Project Green Insights will use the grant to develop a system to track power usage and reduce energy and maintenance costs, promoting Smarter Buildings across 20 schools in Singapore. United Way Ottawa – Ottawa Neighborhood Study (Canada) ‘ This grant will expand a database that will help the Ottawa Neighborhood Study better understand where people live, work and play together to help shape the health and well being of individuals, families and communities. The data will be analyzed and shared with local leaders to stimulate change in the community. The partners in the Ottawa Neighborhood Study are United Way Ottawa, the City of Ottawa, Ottawa Public Health, the University of Ottawa, the Champlain Local Health Integration Network, and the Coalition of Community Health and Resource Centres of Ottawa.The Vermont State College system (United States) ‘ In 2009, Vermont launched an initiative to become the first “Smart Grid” state and boost energy efficiency and reliability while creating jobs. For the past ten years, the IBM Vermont manufacturing facility’s Smart Energy Management Program has used its own smart grid to reduce energy use 20 percent while increasing manufacturing capability. IBM will partner with the Vermont State College system through the “Managing Energy ‘ Sustaining Our Community” initiative to help two statewide non profits ‘Vermont Technical College and HowardCenter, Inc. ‘ reduce their energy use by at least 5 percent annually, creating a model that can then be applied throughout Vermont’s non profit sector.Wiener Tafel (Austria) – Austria has nearly 1 million people on the edge of poverty and hunger, yet countless tons of surplus food are thrown away every day. This grant will help deliver healthy food for people in need through the creation of a smarter logistics solution to assist in the distribution of surplus food from supermarkets to those in need. The solution aims to also help with the reduction of CO2 emissions and protect the environment. Wiener Tafel and IBM will develop a Smarter Logistics concept aiming to increase food donations from Vienna supermarkets by 20 percent. Throughout 2011, IBM is awarding a total of $12 million in grants worldwide to that support employees’ volunteer activities to build a smarter planet. The new technology and cash grants expand IBM’s commitment to communities worldwide by 140 percent over the previous year. IBM’s total worldwide giving program in 2010 was $189.2 million. To help commemorate IBM’s Centennial and build on IBM’s long tradition of community service, IBMers around the world are volunteering their time and talent in unprecedented amounts throughout 2011 in support of smarter planet initiatives. These efforts make up a global ‘Celebration of Service’ (http://www.ibm.com/ibm100/service(link is external)) in which hundreds of thousands of IBMers and retirees get out into their communities and apply their best expertise to the most pressing civic challenges facing society. About HowardCenter: HowardCenter is a non-profit organization that provides services to children with serious emotional and behavioral challenges, adults who need mental health and substance abuse treatment, and children and adults with developmental disabilities. Last year, HowardCenter served over 15,000 individuals and families at more than 50 agency sites throughout Chittenden County and beyond. About IBM: For more information about IBM’s Centennial, please visit http://www.ibm100.com(link is external). About the Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center: The Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center’s (VMEC) mission is to improve manufacturing in Vermont and strengthen the global competitiveness of the state’s smaller manufacturers. This is done through consulting, coaching, hands-on implementation assistance and training. About Vermont Technical College: Vermont Technical College is the only public institution of higher learning in Vermont whose mission is applied education. One of the five Vermont State Colleges, Vermont Tech serves students from throughout Vermont, New England and beyond at its two primary campuses in Williston and Randolph Center, and at eleven nursing campuses located throughout the state. Our academic programs encompass a wide range of engineering, agricultural, health, and business fields that are vital to understanding and applying the cross-disciplinary solutions required to achieve energy independence and sustainability. For more information about Vermont Technical College, visit: www.vtc.edu(link is external). Source: ARMONK, N.Y., July 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ —
FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailPrint分享Recharge News:The expansion of the global offshore wind market is foreseen ramping up to an annual growth rate of 24% over the next five years, with expectations the worldwide fleet will swell to 85GW by 2024 from the current 22GW installed, according to the latest forecast from Oslo-based business development body Norwegian Energy Partners (Norwep).Figures from the 2019 report from Norwep, commissioned from UK consultancy BVG Associates, reflect the acceleration of the sector’s development, which last year’s edition expected to grow by 20% year-on-year to 61GW, and in 2017 was predicted to increase by 16% annually to hit 46.4GW in 2022.The report highlights that yearly capital expenditure in offshore wind could reach €50bn ($55bn) in 2024 compared to a forecast €26bn by the end of 2019. This would translate into a total global spend of €190bn over the coming five-year period, up from the €160bn forecast in last year’s Norwep report to be invested between 2018-2023.Offshore wind’s cratering levelised cost of energy (LCOE), which has halved to under €60/MWh in the last three years, is credited with transforming the sector into “an important part of the electricity mix in many countries across three continents”.“Recent competitive auction awards in Europe have been far below the previously accepted headline cost of energy target of €100/MWh. Now, the industry is targeting parity with European wholesale [electricity] prices for projects built in the mid-2020s,” said the report authors, pointing to larger nameplated turbines, higher voltage transmission, reduced cycle times in installation and further technological innovation as factoring in to further drive down LCOE.The “major drivers” behind offshore wind’s global growth in the near-term will be the ratcheting build-out in Asia and highly prospective US East Coast market. Capacity in Asia Pacific – of which China could account for more than 70% – is expected to mushroom from 7GW at the end of 2019 to over 36GW in 2024, while the US market is foreseen growing to 5GW by 2024 from the 30MW now turning, according the Norwep report.More: ‘Accelerating’ global offshore wind market to hit 85GW by 2024 Report sees global offshore wind capacity growing to 85GW by 2024
Sign up for our COVID-19 newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest coronavirus news throughout New York A Mount Sinai High School student’s arrest for allegedly threatening to shoot and bomb the school this week has prompted administrators to warn parents about the anonymous social media application he used.Suffolk County police arrested a 15-year-old boy for sending a post on an app called Yik Yak in which he claimed the violence would occur Tuesday. After parents and students notified authorities, Sixth Squad detectives charged the teen with making a terrorist threat, a felony that carries a sentence of up to four years in prison.“The anonymity of these posts allows individuals who may have malicious intent to write comments about others that may be hurtful, harassing and sometimes quite disturbing,” Gordon Brosdal, superintendent of the Mount Sinai School District, wrote to parents in a letter posted on the district’s website. “I urge you to partner with us in addressing this important issue.”Among his suggestions was for parents to review the settings on their child’s phone to consider blocking apps not appropriate for minors such as Yik Yak, which is rated for ages 17 and up. He also warned of other “misused apps” such as Snapchat, Kik, Whisper and Tinder.Yik Yak, which a pair of fraternity brothers launched nearly a year ago, allows users to anonymously post comments that can be read by anyone within a geographic area as small as a 1.5-mile radius. It quickly became a haven for cyberbullies. The company said on its website that it hopes to be used for good and not cruelty.“Although the makers of Yik Yak have attempted to address the issue of the misuse and abuse of their product by middle and high school students through the implementation of ‘geofences,’ which restrict access in locations identified as secondary schools, including our secondary schools, this does not address the issue of misuse outside of these predefined boundaries,” Brosdal wrote.The suspect, whose name was not released because of his age, was scheduled to face a judge Tuesday at Suffolk County Family Court in Central Islip.
In our last article in this series, we discussed relative differences in risk appetite among builders and bankers. (You will recall that by builders, we mean those leaders who can “build a hot fire from a matchstick,” while bankers are those who can bank the coals of that fire to produce lasting “heat.”) In this, the final installment in the series, we will apply those relative differences to an application of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM): capital budgeting.How can ERM be used in capital budgeting? If I know my residual risk level – the risk left over after mitigating responses – I can determine whether my capital level is adequate to cover new investments of capital to take advantage of strategic opportunities. That’s powerful knowledge to have.Consider a credit union with $1 billion in assets and 10% capital. This credit union deploys an ERM program that quantifies risk in terms of impact, likelihood and mitigation. The impact is measured before mitigating responses, in terms of the potential impact of each exposure on a year’s worth of the credit union’s net income. The likelihood is also assessed before responses, in terms of the likelihood of each exposure’s occurrence in a given year, or for cyclical exposures, within the next 12 months.We then consider all of our responses to each exposure, and estimate the degree to which those responses mitigate the exposure. Impact times likelihood equals inherent risk – the risk before responses, given the assessed likelihood. And inherent risk times one minus the completeness of mitigation (expressed in percentage terms) equals residual risk – the risk left over after our responses, i.e., the unmitigated impact.For example, an exposure with an impact of $1 million and a likelihood of 50% would have inherent risk of $500,000. Assuming our responses mitigate 70% of that risk, we would be left with inherent risk of $150,000 – a considerable reduction in the potential exposure before responses. This amount of residual risk isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it may simply be seen as a cost of being in the risk-taking business, as all credit unions are.When we sum the residual risk of all exposures across the credit union, we’re left with the total residual risk of the institution. For our example credit union, let’s say residual risk equates to $18 million. Dividing that by our total assets of $1 billion, we come up with residual risk equal to 180 basis points (bp).Here’s where the application to capital budgeting comes in. The NCUA’s threshold for “well-capitalized” is 7%. If we add our residual risk of 180 bp to that, we have a proxy for a risk-adjusted capital threshold to remain well-capitalized in light of our unique residual risk position. That amount is 8.80%.Given that our capital is at 10%, we have an adequate cushion – 120 bp – with which to take strategic action on new opportunities. If our actual capital ratio was, say, 9%, our cushion of 20 bp would provide far less comfort for most of us.So how does that play into our discussion of builders vs. bankers? Some would argue that a more conservative approach to this exercise should be employed. One such alternative would be to run a Monte Carlo simulation of the individual years’ exposures, in which some exposures occur in some years, and do not occur in others. This should leave us with a normal distribution of residual risk, with the mean being approximately equal to our assessed residual risk.The more conservative approach would use a proxy for an absolute worst-case scenario – the 99.9th percentile of our residual risk distribution – in applying the residual risk amount to the well-capitalized threshold. Let’s assume in our example that the 99.9th percentile is 250 bp. In this instance, our risk-adjusted capital threshold is 9.2%, leaving us with a 50 bp cushion for capital investment.Here’s where the builders vs. bankers argument comes into play. The more risk-averse banker would likely use the 99.9th percentile as the basis for the risk-adjusted capital cushion. However, consider the unlikelihood of that scenario occurring: nearly every assessed exposure would occur within the next 12 months. We’d have a major data breach, merchant data breaches, a branch robbery, a natural disaster affecting our headquarters, a recession, a spike in interest rates … all in the same year. While possible, such a scenario is highly improbable.Alternatively, the builder would consider the more aggressive (in terms of probability of occurrence) mean of the distribution, which again is analogous to our assessed residual risk. The builder would be more confident in his or her assessment of the likelihood of occurrence of the credit union’s exposures in the aggregate (although it may be wise to add a “margin of error” cushion of, say, 10% of assessed residual risk in the event the assessment is off, or we encounter an unexpected environmental factor that results in a larger-than-expected loss scenario).Which approach is “right?” That all depends on one’s approach to risk. The more conservative banker would use the 99.9th percentile, but in so doing would likely have to forego some opportunities that might help better position the credit union against its competition. The less risk-averse builder, on the other hand, would use assessed residual value – again, possibly adding a cushion for margin of error. This credit union would be more aggressive in capitalizing on strategic opportunities in the pursuit of growth.The trade-off is that this credit union would be at greater risk of falling below the well-capitalized threshold in the event of an unanticipated near-worst case scenario. One way to address that – under either approach – would be to determine the lowest acceptable level of capitalization in a near-worst case loss scenario, and factor that level into the capital budgeting exercise as a test of the results of such a severe loss occurrence. In this instance, we could apply the 99.9th percentile loss to our capital position using residual risk as our threshold, to determine whether an extreme loss scenario would penetrate the minimum acceptable capital level.For more information on how to incorporate ERM into your credit union’s strategic planning process, or to assess your credit union’s risk appetite, contact Jeff Owen, Senior Consultant with The Rochdale Group, at (800) 424-4951, ext. 8011 or jowen@rochdalegroup.com. 11SHARESShareShareSharePrintMailGooglePinterestDiggRedditStumbleuponDeliciousBufferTumblr,Brian Hague Brian has more than 25 years’ experience in financial institutions and the capital markets, and has devoted 21 years to serving credit unions through various roles at CNBS, LLC, a … Web: www.rochdaleparagon.com Details
continue reading » A fair housing organization is claiming the $3.7 billion Bellco Credit Union discriminated against women by denying them mortgages because they were on maternity leave, according to a federal lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Denver last month.In a statement Wednesday, the Greenwood Village, Colo.-based credit union denied the state and federal allegations of discriminatory lending practices.“To our knowledge, no one ever applied for, nor was denied a home loan based on the call recordings from the Denver Metro Fair Housing Center,” the credit union said. “We believe the allegations in the suit could have been addressed between our two not-for-profit companies directly instead of through a lawsuit where valuable resources are being spent on attorneys and court costs. Our attorneys are investigating the specific allegations in the complaint and will respond to them in court, but we are confident that the lawsuit has no merit.”DMFHC said it conducted telephonic testing of several banks in the Denver area to determine if any were discriminating against women on maternity leave, which violates state and federal laws. 12SHARESShareShareSharePrintMailGooglePinterestDiggRedditStumbleuponDeliciousBufferTumblr
It can be easy to forget in our busy day-to-day lives that our children are paying close attention to our words and actions. They emulate what they see around them and grow increasingly impressionable with age. It’s important to positively influence them by demonstrating proper behaviors and habits they can learn from. When it comes to finances, there are a variety of ways you can properly educate your children, including discouraging them from practicing these three bad money habits.Impulse buyingWhen you go shopping do you follow a set shopping list? If your answer is “no” and you shop with your children, it’s time to start sticking to your plan. When you’re shopping, and grabbing things without any forethought, you are showing your children that sticking to a budget is not your priority. They may also view your impulse shopping as disorganized and unstructured. Instead, instill in them the importance of writing down a plan and getting only what’s necessary to stay on the right track with spending.Not talking about moneyAs children get older and they begin to understand the value of money, it’s important they are taught to be open about financial issues. Some view money matters as difficult or awkward to talk about. But, when it comes to building confidence in your children, it’s vital they learn the skills necessary to effectively manage their personal finances. Developing healthy financial habits from an early age is extremely important and it begins with everyday conservations.Living above your meansIf your child asks for something at the store, but you don’t have the money to buy it, it’s okay to use that old saying, “money doesn’t grow on trees.” So many Americans live outside of their means in an effort to “keep up with the Joneses.” Instead of raising entitled children that expect everything no matter how tight funds are, teach them the importance of differentiating between “wants” and “needs.” Help them understand that it’s okay to splurge on occasion but it’s more important to budget and save in order to maintain good financial standing for a happy, stress-free life. 46SHARESShareShareSharePrintMailGooglePinterestDiggRedditStumbleuponDeliciousBufferTumblr,Wendy Moody Wendy Moody is a Senior Editor with CUInsight.com. Wendy works with the editorial team to help edit the content including current news, press releases, jobs and events. She keeps … Web: www.cuinsight.com Details
Sign up for our COVID-19 newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest coronavirus news throughout New York Hard Luck Café (Folk Music Concert)Coffee, lattes and folk!? What a combination, and what a night this will be. The Folk Music Society of Huntington presents a coffeehouse concert featuring local artists. This edition will include eclectic acoustic guitar duo Wicked Karma, fingerstyle guitarist Robert Bruery and singer/songwriter pianist Gail Storm. The Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Avenue, Huntington cinemaartscentre.org $10 members, $15 public. 7:30 p.m., Dec. 18.Theresa CaputoTeresa Caputo has embedded her way into pop culture’s echelon with her hit TV show Long Island Medium. With her uncanny ability to communicate with the dearly departed, Caputo has helped thousands find closure with their lost loved ones. With a personality as big as her hair, Caputo is an icon Long Island is proud to call our own. Her four-night block of appearances run through Dec. 20. Read Caputo’s recent interview in the Press here. NYCB Theatre at Westbury, 960 Brush Hollow Rd., Westbury. venue.thetheatreatwestbury.com $59.50-$96. 8 p.m. Dec. 18.Chris IsaakProbably best known for his 1991 smash hit “Wicked Game” and the video that cemented supermodel Helena Christiansen into the hearts and minds of adolescent boys for all eternity, Chris Isaak is a multi-talented rock star and television personality whose understated voice and smooth guitar has been featured in multiple films including True Romance, Blue Velvet and Married to the Mob. This cooler than cool, sexier than sexy musician has a stage presence that drips charisma and a masterful command of his one-of-a-kind Gibson guitar (which has his name inlaid across its body), but its that voice that will bring Long Islanders to see him live. This rockabilly crooner is back in town to put fans in the Christmas spirit during his Holiday Tour 2014. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. paramountny.com $55-$85. 8 p.m. Dec. 18.Kim Russo“The Happy Medium” describes herself as a psychic journalist due to her ability to receive information from spirits with whom she communicates. She is now the host of The Haunting of … and Psychic Intervention on the LMN channel, in which she visits the homes of celebrities with paranormal presence. Russo will be giving live readings to eager audience members. The Boulton Center, 37 Main St., Bay Shore. Boultoncenter.org $55-$65. 8 p.m. Dec. 18.Trans Siberian OrchestraThe rock orchestra wills out their live debut of The Christmas Attic, a holiday tradition for a new generation. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra is returning to Long Island as a stop on their national winter tour. Their unique combination of classical music and rock has captivated audiences and filled arenas. In addition to their worldwide fame, the Orchestra also engages in philanthropic activities, donating at least a dollar of every ticket sold to a local charity. Their concert promises lasers, pyrotechnics, special effects, and a great time for the whole family. Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 1255 Hempstead Tpke., Uniondale. nassaucoliseum.com $41-$71. 8 p.m. Dec. 18.The ScofflawsIf you’ve never experienced this band live, well, you’re truly missing out. Nothing beats Huntington’s own ska stars. Their gigs are more like celebrations–their addictive brand of ska and rhythm typically inspiring the entire venue to get up and skank skank skank along to their rocksteady beats. Besides being just insanely talented musicians, they’re also just insanely cool dudes, very down to Earth and approachable, whether that’s to share their thoughts on music, advice on playing in a band, or simply to party with. Also rocking out will be Noah’s Arc and Slavery by Consent. 89 North Music Venue, 89 North Ocean Ave., Patchogue. 89northmusic.com $5. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19.Peter Pan the MusicalRiding the success from the NBC live show starring Allison Williams and Christopher Walker, the musical based on the J.M. Barrie play is being performed at the CM Performing Arts Center. This classic performance features the famous boy who won’t grow up in the magical world of Neverland and its production runs through January 4. The Noel S. Ruiz Theatre at CM Performing Arts Center, 931 Montauk Highway, Oakdale. cmpac.com $18-$27. 2 p.m. Dec. 14, Dec. 17, Dec. 20, Dec. 21, Dec. 22, Dec. 23; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19.Handel’s MessiahGeorge Frideric Handel’s most famous oratorio will be broadcast from a performance in Westminster Abbey. This performance utilizes the London cathedral’s incredible acoustics and promises an evening of beautiful, transcendental music. Guild Hall, 158 Main Street, East Hampton. guildhall.org Free. 8 p.m. Dec. 19.Robert Kelly, Dan Soder & Joe ListThis holiday-themed stand-up comedy show is headlined by Robert Kelly, known for his recurring role on the hit FX series Louie. Kelly, who will be joined by Dan Soder and Joe List, are all up-and-coming comedians who are looking to enter the A-List. The night is billed as “Laugh Your Snowball Off.” The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. paramountny.com $20-$35. 8 p.m. Dec. 19.Jingle BoomThat’s right, it’s that time of year again: Time to open up the closet, rummage through the boxes and put on that insanely putrid greenish-brown rug with the crusty stains of dried up calamari sauce from last year’s holiday season gathering, the straggler yarns half-yanked out by your brother’s akita and ripped holes from that time you were hopping over the sump fence down by the railroad tracks. Wait. What!? It doesn’t matter how the hell it got that way, really. Perhaps you even bought it down at the thrift store in its present state, well, just because. (Love love love to the thrift stores out there yo!) Regardless, it’s needed now, in all its sham-shackle chaotic and frayed glory. This is an ugly Christmas sweater contest you do not want to miss, featuring live music, poetry, craft beer and holiday sweet treats. Main Street Gallery, 213 Main St., Huntington. Huntingtonarts.org. $5 suggested donation. 6-10 p.m. Dec. 20.Agnostic FrontThe hardcore punk-thrash maniacs will undoubtedly stoke the audience into a fevered frenzy, incite moshing and synchronized head-banging while re-affirming all attendees belief that yes, music is divine, and yes, yes indeed, there is still hope. Warming up the crowd will be Bane, Tension, Society’s Downfall, Demon Racer and Gangway! Revolution Bay and Music Hall, 140 Merrick Rd., Amityville. Revolutionli.com $20. 7 p.m. Dec. 20. Joe DeGuardia’s STAR Boxing Presents Rockin’ Fights 16Star Boxing has pretty much solidified its position as a premier producer of some of the region’s most celebrated boxing events, and this special night of brawl and beauty will undoubtedly build upon that reputation yet again, as local brawler Cletus Seldin, aka “The Hebrew Hammer” goes fist-to-fist with “The Mongolian Mongoose” Bayan Jargal. it’s bound to be a compelling night of left hooks and upper-cuts, along with a whole lot of passion. Whether you’re a boxing fan or not, this not-to-be-missed grudge match will surely convert you, or at least inspire you to join a gym. Ouch that looked like it hurt! The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. paramountny.com $50-$200. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20.Big ShotThis is the only Billy Joel tribute band featuring musicians that actually shared a stage with The Piano Man himself, namely Mike DelGuidice, and typically has audience members singing along, raising their drinks in the air, rejoicing in their Long Island-ness. Mulcahy’s Pub and Concert Hall, 3232 Railroad Ave., Wantagh. Muls.com $12. 9 p.m. Dec. 20.Long Island Pan Jazz ExplosionSteel pans are traditional instruments from Trinidad and Tobago, where musicians strike their indents with rubber sticks, creating reverberating notes that are pleasing to the ear. Although traditionally presented under the genre of Calypso, steel pans will be offered as jazz instrumentals. The Long Island Pan Jazz Explosion, returning after a successful performance in November, features music by Supreme Team, and performances from Andre White and Deverne & the Vintage Soul. Vibe lounge, 60 North Park Ave., Rockville Centre. Vibeloungeli.com $20. 6:30 p.m. Dec. 21.NY Jazz MissionThe New York Jazz Mission is a band whose primarily goal involves spreading the jazz music to the world. They will accomplish just that in their holiday-themed concert at Islip’s gem-of-a-spot, Treme jazz club. Featuring Allison Jeanes on vocals, the New York Jazz Mission will do what they do best–-spread cheer through mastery of the genre. Treme Blues and Jazz Club, 553 Main St., Islip. Tremeislip.com Free. 7 p.m. Dec. 21.MatisyahuJewish Orthodox teachings, reggae and hip-hop combine to create the otherworldly musical deity that is Matisyahu, a Hebrew name that translates to “Gift of God.” Touring in support of his latest, Akeda, a collection of songs Matisyahu himself describes as possessing a “stripped back sound,” expect salvation via the divinity of music and self-expression. Festival of Light Tour The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. paramountny.com $25-$55. 8 p.m. Dec. 21. Max & Ruby Nutcracker SuiteMax and Ruby have been delighting children on television since 2002. Now, they are hitting the road and coming to Long Island with an all-new show based on the Tchaikovsky ballet. It features Max and Ruby’s typical bunny adventures as well as ballet performances from around the world. It is guaranteed to entertain everyone in your family, from the youngest to the oldest members. NYCB Theatre at Westbury, 960 Brush Hollow Rd., Westbury. venue.thetheatreatwestbury.com $9.50-$62.50. 1 p.m., 4 p.m. Dec. 21.Explore NASA’s New Orion SpacecraftTake the “Next Giant Leap” by learning about NASA’s new Orion spacecraft, which is intended for exploration beyond low-earth orbit, and one day even travel to Mars. This is NASA’s first space exploration project in more than 40 years, since the days of Apollo! Guests will explore the different parts and functions of the Orion spacecraft, as well as the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that will be launching the manned Orion missions in the future. Young space explorers will experiment with different house-hold materials to create and take home their own Orion heat shield, learn what is needed to live in space, and sign their name to our Orion “#I’m on Board” banner. Cradle of Aviation Museum, Museum Row, Charles Lindbergh Blvd., Garden City. cradleofavaition.org Price of admission. 12-4 p.m. Dec. 22-Jan. 2.Kenny RogersThe Country Music Hall of Famer has charted more than 120 hits across multiple genres of music and remains one of the top-selling artists of all time. Expect a mix of classics and fan favorites, such as “The Gambler,” of course, and newer gems, spanning his more than half-century as one of America’s greatest song-storytellers. Not to be missed. NYCB Theatre at Westbury, 960 Brush Hollow Rd., Westbury. venue.thetheatreatwestbury.com $32.50-$62.50. 8 p.m. Dec. 23.Bijan Mortazavi & Shahram SolatiImagine one of the most mind-bending Iranian violinists ever born joined forces with one of the most talented Iranian songstresses ever born and the two formed a band. Yes, this is that unimaginable realm. ANd yes, you are supremely invited to experience it. You’re welcome, dear seekers of all that is truth and beauty. You’re welcome, indeed. The Space at Westbury, 250 Post Ave., Westbury. thespaceatwestbury.com $65-$125. 9 p.m. Dec. 24.—Compiled by Ryan Dobrin, Jaime Franchi, Spencer Rumsey, Rashed Mian, Timothy Bolger & Zack Tirana