Daily Archives: September 22, 2022

J.J. McCarthys keys to ascension – Maize n Brew

Posted: September 22, 2022 at 11:53 am

Football is unpredictable, and much like life, its ever changing.

Cade McNamara was Michigans starting quarterback in 2021, he played admirably for a team that beat Ohio State, won the Big Ten Championship, and made the College Football Playoff.

Nine months after Michigans loss to Georgia in the Orange Bowl, a new starting quarterback emerged in J.J. McCarthy.

McNamara started the season opener, McCarthy the second game. Head coach Jim Harbaugh said a determination would be made after the second game as to who would be the starting QB moving forward. It was McCarthy who emerged as the starter after Week 2 versus Hawaii, a game where McCarthy was 11-of-12 for 229 yards passing and three touchdowns.

McCarthy started Week 3 and performed very well once again, going 15-of-18 against UConn for 214 yards. The game was a 59-0 blowout, and McNamara received action. Unfortunately for McNamara, he was injured during his one drive on the field. Harbaugh told the media McNamaras foot was caught in the ground while he was getting hit on the side of the leg. McNamaras injury is unfortunate for him and the Michigan team. A speedy recovery will be whats hoped for, but life goes on and the team must roll with the changes.

McCarthy is now not only Michigans starting quarterback, hell be taking on a bigger leadership role while McNamara isnt able to physically go through the motions in practice. While McCarthy has an edge on McNamara in terms of arm talent and athleticism, theres no doubt McNamaras football IQ, presnap recognition, and his ability to read coverages have been a benefit to the Michigan offense and QB room. Now its on McCarthy to be at McNamaras level of awareness or higher.

McCarthy looks to be the real deal, a player who has been as advertised ever since he stepped foot on campus. McCarthy has been in Michigans system over a year at this point, and he seems ready to receive the keys to Michigans offense. They need him to be ready.

Its a tremendous honor by coach Harbaugh, McCarthy said on Saturday. Im gonna do the same thing that Cade would do, do everything I possibly can to win football games for this program. Work my butt off every single day, be prepared as much as possible, and play my heart out every single week.

McCarthy is high-energy, even in walkthroughs before games. Working hard with enthusiasm wont be a problem for him.

Talking about guys that have it, the it factor, Harbaugh said about McCarthy. He kind of wows me at walkthrough, just the way he bounces around and the enthusiasm he has for playing. Like a like a kid in a candy store, its fun to be around.

McCarthys infectious attitude can get him far, as can his abilities to create home run plays with his arm and his legs. However, McCarthy is making ball security a point of emphasis. Theres a fine line between aggressiveness and recklessness, and McCarthy is aware of the difference.

The ball is the program, protecting the ball is everything, McCarthy said after the win over UConn. Theres gonna be time and place for shots down the field like that. But in situations like third-and-long and youre on your side of the field, youve got to be smart there you cant just give the ball to the other team.

Another area of growth for McCarthy will be staying safe as a runner. McCarthy can scoot with the best of them, he has 4.5 40-yard dash speed, and he will be dangerous escaping pressure and running the read-option. Whats imperative is for McCarthy to be careful running the ball. Knowing when to get down, get out of bounds, avoid contact when possible, is the way to go. Dont take the big hit. McCarthy, a former hockey player, embraces contact, but he knows he has a responsibility to stay healthy.

Thats something Ive been having to work on because Im a hockey player in my background, so I love the contact, McCarthy said last week. Its coming down to the point where Im selfish when I just go out there and try to get hit and all that. Because I got the team on my back and I got to be healthy for them. Thats been a huge part as Im getting more experienced in this running game, being able to avoid those big hits and avoid those injuries.

In the evolving college footbal landscape it often takes a versatile athlete at quarterback to help lead a team to a championship, and theres no doubt McCarthy is dynamic. What remains to be seen is how quickly McCarthy ascends, if he can play at a high level consistently against the best teams on the schedule.

Big tests are looming for the 19 year old McCarthy. Theres Maryland next Saturday, theres Iowa on the road the week after, Penn State and Michigan State in October, and of course, Ohio State at the end of season. McCarthys story is just getting underway, and what he does between right now and the last time he wears a Michigan jersey will define his time in Ann Arbor.

McCarthy is taking a game-by-game approach to his improvement. Whether he has a good or bad game, once its over he wants to throw it into the ocean and move on to the next task at hand.

When McCarthy takes the field against Maryland it will be his 15th appearance with the Wolverines and his third career start. McCarthy is now getting a lot of time on task as the starter, and its expediting his growth as a player. The game isnt as fast to him, hes standing tall in the pocket with poise and going through his reads appropriately.

With every game, you just get more and more comfortable and being more and more comfortable, the progress is just gonna be exponential, McCarthy explained. Playing around these guys, their greatness rubs off on you and it makes things easy out there.

Getting through the reads, everythings slowing down, my mind is not racing anymore. Everythings just slowing down and I just feel at ease out there, I really do. And thats something that has changed from last year to this year. Through having those kind of experiences, it feels like its putting me on the exponential growth track.

Michigan had a great season in 2021, but thats now the bar for the program, and they aim to climb to new heights. Will McCarthy be the quarterback that helps Michigan get to the mountain top? Time will reveal that. What already has been revealed is J.J. McCarthy is an exciting player who could rapidly become the best quarterback of the Jim Harbaugh era.

McCarthy won a National Championship as a senior at IMG, a year where he threw for 16 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Now hell be looking to put together similar TD-to-INT ratios at Michigan along with postseason success.

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Baton Rouge drug trafficker sentenced to 14 years; Ascension, Iberville sheriff’s offices assisted with investigation – Donaldsonville Chief

Posted: at 11:53 am

Staff Report| Donaldsonville Chief

A drug trafficker was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison as part of Operation Hidden Fee, an extensive investigation involving federal, state, and local agencies.

Kim K. Murphy, 57, of Baton Rouge, was sentenced following his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe Jr. announced in a news release.

Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick's sentence included three years of supervised release following the term of imprisonment.

According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, Murphy conspired with his co-defendant Travis James and others to obtain, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine. Pursuant to court orders, federal law enforcement agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration intercepted communications occurring over the cellular phones used by James.

During those court-authorized wiretaps, Murphy brokered multi-ounce transactions of cocaine and crack cocaine for customers. Murphy and James would then set up meetings in Port Allen and Baton Rouge, where James delivered those amounts either to waiting customers or to Murphy, who then supplied his buyers.

On or about Jan. 11, 2018, James and Murphy were traveling from Texas to Baton Rouge in different vehicles when each of them were stopped separately for traffic violations. During Murphys traffic stop, he gave unreliable answers to law enforcements questions.Law enforcement sought and received Murphys written consent to search the vehicle wherein a green duffel bag was found in the trunk containing several vacuum sealed bags containing suspected bricked cocaine.Murphy claimed ownership of the bag.

To date, nine members of this large-scale conspiracy have been prosecuted and convicted.

This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriffs Office, the Baton Rouge City Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police. Other agencies also assisted in apprehending the defendants, including the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Sheriffs Offices in Ascension, Iberville, and West Baton Rouge Parishes.

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A walk in the park for Parkinson’s – Davison Index – Davisonindex

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By ohtadmin | on September 22, 2022

GRAND BLANC TWP. Ascension Genesys Foundation will partner with the Ascension Genesys Health Club to sponsor a fun walk to raise awareness of Parkinsons Disease and benefit the Parkinsons exercise programs at Ascension Genesys Health Club.

The walk takes place at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at the club at 801 Health Park Blvd. Check-in is at 9:45 a.m.

For a cost of $25, each participant can expect a pre-walk stretch led by Angee Ludwa, a Parkinsons Exercise Program instructor and certified personal trainer, goodie bags, post-walk cider and donuts, and camaraderie with fellow walkers.

More than one million people in the United States, and 10 million worldwide, are affected by Parkinsons Disease, a neurodegenerative disorder commonly associated with tremors and other motor-related symptoms.

For information on how to participate, contact Ryan Bladzik, 810-606-6278 or ryan. bladzik@ascension.org. Online registration can be done at https:// genesyshealthfoundation.org/parkinsonswalk L.R.

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Genshin Impact: Candace’s Ascension Materials and Locations – The Click

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Candace is an upcoming character in Genshin Impact. Officially announced to become playable in Version 3.1 via the recent Special Program, fans might wonder what Candaces ascension materials would be.

This 4-star Hydro character is the Guardian of Aaru Village, and seeing the village in peace is enough to make Candace happy. As for her abilities on the battlefield, it was revealed earlier that she would make a great support character who can infuse melee weapons with Hydro.

If youre planning to pull for this upcoming character, you must consider preparing Candaces ascension materials ahead of time. In this guide, we have listed everything thatCandaceneeds.

READ MORE: GENSHIN IMPACT: NILOUS ASCENSION MATERIALS AND LOCATIONS

Below is a list of Candaces ascension materials. These materials are listed byHoney Impacts database.

In total, below are all of Candaces ascension materials that you will be needing:

On the other hand, if youre wondering where you can find Candaces ascension materials, check them out below:

VARUNADA LAZURITE GEMS

This group of gems is used for ascendingHydrocharacters. You can obtain them primarily by fighting Normal Bosses and Weekly Bosses.

According to Honey Impact, theLIGHT GUIDING TETRAHEDRONis dropped by an upcoming boss calledSemi-Perpetual Control Matrix inGenshin ImpactVersion 3.1. Currently, this boss is not known to drop Varunada Lazurite gems, so you might considering preparing the gems ahead of time.

If youre new to the game, you can craft higher rarity gems or convert one gem into another viaAlchemy. You can do this by interacting with the crafting benches in the different cities inTeyvat.

READ MORE: GENSHIN IMPACT: CYNOS ASCENSION MATERIALS AND LOCATIONS

REDCREST

This material is a local specialty in Sumeru. However, this can only be found in the upcoming desert area in Version 3.1. Therefore, you might consider farming for the other ascension materials for now.

SATIN, SILK, AND BROCADE

Satin, Silk, and Brocade are dropped by Eremite mercenariesinSumeru. If youre running low on these materials and are unsure where you can find someEremite enemies, you can check the enemys location by going to the Paimon Menu > Adventurer Handbook > Enemies > The Eremites > Navigate.

You can also craft higher rarityEremitedrops viaAlchemy or get some from the Stardust Exchange.

Thats all you need to know about Candaces ascension materials. We wish that all Candace wanters be Candace havers!

Genshin Impactis an action role-playing game developed by miHoyo, also known as HoYoverse. The game is available forPC, PS4, PS5, iOS, and Android, while a release onNintendo Switch is currently in the works.

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Duo accused of stealing cash registers from Walmart in Ascension Parish – BRProud.com

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DONALDSONVILLE, La. (BRPROUD) The Ascension Parish Sheriffs Office is asking for the publics help finding two suspects in a theft over the weekend.

The theft took place at the Walmart Supercenter in Donaldsonville on Sunday, September 18.

Deputies were called to the scene around 12 p.m. and learned that two men entered the store fully masked., according to the Ascension Parish Sheriffs Office.

The two men and their purported escape vehicle are pictured below.

Each suspect is accused of leaving the Walmart with a cash register.

APSO says, they were last seen leaving the store in a dark colored SUV, possibly a Chevy Traverse or Equinox, with dark rims.

If you recognize the suspects or vehicle pictured above, please call the Ascension Parish Sheriffs Office anonymously at 225-621-4636 or by texting 847411 to our anonymous tip line from any cellular device or Crime Stoppers at 225-344-STOP (7867).

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What Is Operation Spring Tide? Inside the Protocol for Charles Ascension to the Throne Following Queen Elizabeths Death – Us Weekly

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A crowning moment. The death of Queen Elizabeth II marked the beginning of her son King Charles IIIs reign on the throne, launching into motion a series of carefully prepared protocols to ease the transition of power.

Though the monarch, 73, technically became king when the queen died on September 8, he wasnt officially proclaimed to be the new leader of the United Kingdom until his ascension ceremony two days later. The ceremony was part of Operation Golden Orb, which outlines the plan for Charles to take over as king beginning with the immediate aftermath of the queens death and ending with his eventual coronation.

My mothers reign was unequaled in its duration, its dedication and its devotion, Charles told the Ascension Council which included all of the members of the Privy Council as well as the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London and high commissioners of realm Commonwealth countries on September 10. Even as we grieve, we give thanks for this most faithful life. I am deeply aware of this great inheritance and of the duties and heavy responsibilities of sovereignty which have now passed to me.

He continued by promising to follow in Queen Elizabeths footsteps as the new leader of the United Kingdom. In this purpose, I know that I shall be upheld by the affection and loyalty of the peoples whose sovereign I have been called upon to be, and in the discharge of these duties, I will be guided by the council of their elected parliaments.

Following the ascension ceremony, the royals began following Operation Spring Tide, which is the nickname given to Charles and Queen Consort Camillas journey around the United Kingdom to visit Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. On September 12, he and siblings Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward walked behind the queens coffin during a solemn procession through Edinburgh.

The following day, he and Camilla, 75, visited Hillsborough Castle in Belfast, where they viewed the tributes that mourners left in honor of the legendary monarch. The couple also attended a Service of Reflection celebrating his mothers life at St. Annes Cathedral. On Friday, September 16, Charles who held the title of the Prince of Wales for over 50 years completed his U.K. tour with a visit to the Welsh capital of Cardiff.

I take up my new duties with immense gratitude for the privilege of having been able to serve as Prince of Wales. That ancient title, dating from the time of those great Welsh rulers, like Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, whose memory is still rightly honored, I now pass to my son, [Prince] William, whose love for this corner of the Earth is made all the greater by the years he himself has spent here, he said in a speech at Welsh Parliament.

Charles returned to London ahead of the queens funeral on Monday, September 19. After a ceremony at Westminster Abbey, Queen Elizabeths body was transported to Windsor, where she and late husband Prince Philip, who died in April 2021, will be buried together, according to the royals official website. The official period of mourning will come to an end on September 26, following Charles decision to extend it from the traditional 12 days.

Ahead of his mothers funeral, Charles laid a handwritten card on Queen Elizabeths casket. In loving and devoted memory, he wrote in the message, before signing it with his official royal signature of Charles R. Throughout the ceremony, the king was openly emotional and he became teary-eyed when God Save the King was sung in his honor at the end of the ceremony. Before the procession out of the chapel began, the Imperial Crown, orb and scepter were removed from atop the queens casket before Charles gave one final bow to his late mother and former queen. The Imperial Crown will next been seen at Charles coronation, as a symbol of his new role as king.

Operation Golden Orb will continue until the new king is formally crowned in a coronation ceremony, which will likely take place in 2023. (Queen Elizabeths own coronation took place in 1953, 16 months after her fathers death.) Thus far, the royal patriarch has offered no information about his plans for the event, which will likely reflect his desire for a slimmed down monarchy. One thing royal watchers do know, however, is that it the ceremony will be held in Westminster Abbey, which has played host to all British coronations since 1066.

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What Prince William has inherited after Charles III’s ascension to throne – Hindustan Times

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With Charles III's ascension to the throne following the demise of his mother Queen Elizabeth II's death, Charles eldest son received the title of Prince of Wales in addition to his royal title of Duke of Cornwall. With his new title, Prince William also becomes the new owner of a plush estate.

Read more: Hour 14. Everything fine: TV host falls asleep amid Queen's funeral coverage

Prince William now owns The Prince of Wales' Guesthouses, a private "nature retreat... hidden among the meadows and hills of Zalan Valley" in Romania, the New York Post reported. The retreat features horseback riding and visits to local craft studios in the Carpathian foothills and is administered by the Prince of Wales' Charitable Fund. It also manages Duchy Organic, the largest organic food brand in the UK, which sells items including olive oil, cookies and strawberry preserves.

Read more: Donald Trump's location is everything dig at Biden for Queen's funeral seating

Profits from both the business bring in over 3.4 million US dollars annually, the report said.

Currently, Prince William owns the Duchy of Cornwall estate with net assets of 1.2 billion US dollars. The estate includes the Oval cricket ground in south London, Dartmoor Prison and a mega-project of 4,000 dwellings.

In addition to this, Prince William will also take over his father's estate at Highgrove House.

When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?"...view detail

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Northern Ireland || The Queen’s Death, King’s ‘Ascension’ and the British Monarchy – International Socialist

Posted: at 11:53 am

These events are happening against the backdrop of important struggles of workers in Britain and Northern Ireland including the strikes of railway and postal workers as well as other ballots for strike action including in the NHS. The death of the Queen is being used across Britain and Northern Ireland by the capitalist establishment to stoke feelings of national unity in the face of economic uncertainty. This has gone alongside rhetoric attacking rail workers for taking strike action. We have also already seen a wider ideological offensive attempting to undermine the Black Lives Matter movement and the movements for abortion and trans rights. Over the past week there have been reports of several arrests of peaceful protesters. Criminal charges have reportedly been brought, for example against a woman who held up a sign calling for the abolition of the monarchy at a ceremony for the King in Edinburgh. It is vital that the trade union movement defends the right to protest and does not lose focus on the ongoing and scheduled industrial battles as we can be sure that the pressure on working-class people will not ease.

The Queens death has been a stark illustration of how so many things in Northern Ireland are seen differently by people from the two main communities. In many Protestant areas, messages have been erected at prominent places including at the image of the Queen on the Shankill Road. This reflects that for many Protestants, the monarchy is connected to their sense of British identity. People have gone there to show their respects, leave flowers and take photographs. For many this feels like a personal loss of someone who has been with them for all their lives an emotional connection to history and identity with many sharing memories of Royal visits to Belfast. For others, including most Catholics in the North, the Queen has been the figurehead of oppression and exploitation by the British state and British imperialism. There is a long association of the monarchy with some of the worst atrocities in Ireland including the relatively recent history of repression. There is also a sense among many Catholics of the need to be respectful, primarily reflecting a desire to be respectful towards Protestant and Unionist friends, workmates and neighbours rather than any sense of support for the monarchy. This illustrates a resistance of ordinary people to issues and events being utilised to divide them.

The focal point of the news coverage at present is on the Queen and other Royals as individuals, and this remains the focus for those who feel the death of the Queen as a personal loss. The institution of the monarchy, which is one of the most elite, wealthiest and privileged institutions in the world, will also move more into the spotlight not just in Britain but perhaps more clearly and immediately in former colonies. Jamaica for example was already moving towards becoming a republic.The connection between the Royal family and the violent history of colonialism and imperialism can be seen very visibly in the Crown Jewels which were amassed through systemic plunder across the globe.

In existence for over 1000 years, the British monarchy pre-dates the development of capitalism and, alongside the House of Lords, remains as a relic of feudalism which in many other countries has been abolished. However, the monarchy, like other supposedly ceremonial heads of state, is not some neutral institution. At times of crisis it has been utilised undemocratically to defend the system. In 1975 the Queens power was used in Australia to dismiss a democratically elected Labour government under Gough Whitlam. In 2019 it was Queen Elizabeth II who agreed to Boris Johnsons undemocratic and unprecedented prorogation of parliament a move that would have not been possible without her involvement. These examples illustrate that the monarchys power continues to be used to defend the powerful under this system and that they will not shy away from undermining, hindering and even removing democratically elected Labour governments. That the monarchy is not on the side of workers has again been displayed by the sending of redundancy notices to over 100 staff working for King Charles that this was done during a service for the Queen surely added insult to injury for many.

Across the UK, support for the monarchy has been declining in recent years, with support among 18 24 year olds having shrunk to just over 30% with a similar percentage supporting replacing the monarchy with an elected head of state. Overall, support for the monarchy remains at around 60% but this is a decline of over 10% in as many years. Contributing to this decline have been the numerous allegations of sexual assault against Prince Andrew who early in 2022 paid a settlement estimated at 12 million, to avoid a civil law case being heard against him in the US. He is also associated with billionaire serial predator Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of multiple child sex trafficking charges. Prince Andrews prominent role in public appearances and ceremonies in the days after the Queens death have correctly caused anger among many as it is an absolute insult towards all victims and survivors of gender violence. The monarchy has also been impacted by the substantial and credible allegations of racism made by Meghan Markle. This is in sharp conflict with the changed attitudes in society in recent years with young people in particular rejecting sexism, racism and other forms of oppression at unprecedented levels. This change in attitudes has also come about due to the #metoo and BLM movements which have shone a light on abuse in so many powerful and unaccountable institutions and settings as well as on the history of colonialism including of the British Empire, with which the monarchy is so closely associated. As the Windrush scandal has again demonstrated these issues are not confined to history.

In the context of the cost of living crisis, the contrast between the difficulties faced by working-class families across the UK and the luxurious lifestyle of the Royal Family is likely to further add to the critique of this institution. It is also the case that the Queen was seen in much higher regard than Prince, now King, Charles. We got a stark illustration of how out of touch the King and the monarchy are last year when he was investigated for taking 3 million in cash donation from Qatari Sheikh for his charity foundation. Forbes magazine estimates that Monarchy PLC holds nearly $28 billion in assets. They remain the largest landowners in Europe and like many of the wealthy in our society they have been exposed in the Paradise Papers for offshoring millions to avoid taxes while receiving around 100 million a year in public money.

The institution of the monarchy is used as a tool under capitalism to strengthen a sentiment of national unity and identity that masks the class differences in society. It is part and parcel of the undemocratic nature of the state. We are not in favour of such riches and power being passed from one generation to the next in a privileged family. In fact, we are not in favour of such unaccountable power full stop. Instead, we are in favour of all undemocratic institutions be that the House of Lords, the Irish Seanad or the mediaeval relic of the monarchy to be abolished as part of a programme that seeks to democratically transform every aspect of society. We stand for a socialist, and genuinely democratic, society in which the working-class the people who actually make society and the economy function democratically control, own and organise society. leaving no place for privileged and unaccountable positions in any aspect of the state or society.

Many will nevertheless feel loss and grief at the Queens death and there will be significant focus on the events over the next days and weeks in the press and society. For others, there will be anger at the millions spent on this state funeral. Trade unions have in many cases postponed or altered plans for industrial action. The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has delayed the strike action of postal workers. The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has postponed its conference to a yet unknown date and the Royal College of Nurses (RCN) has even halted balloting in a key dispute over pay and asked their members to also suspend all campaigning activities. In the face of extreme cost spiralling, which will not let up, it is imperative that workers continue to discuss how we can move forward and fight not only for double digit pay increases linked to inflation but also for cost controls and reductions. Fuel costs, food costs and housing costs are pushing more and more people into poverty increasing fear of what the autumn and winter will bring. Some union leaders, likely scared of what they have begun to unleash, maybe realising that once the working-class moves significantly into action it will be difficult to dampen and put the movement under the control of the hesitant union bureaucracy that still prevails in most unions. Holding against the increased appeals to national unity, the perceived common experience and united interests which Liz Truss and her government will try to push is important that requires a united working-class response particularly of those engaged in struggle against this government.

We can be sure that for many in the establishment, including those in Liz Truss government, this will be deployed in an attempt to take the wind out of the sails of the workers movement. This cannot be allowed to happen. It is noticeable that there has been no mention by the government of the impact on ordinary people or the economy of the cancellation of events, reports of disruption in tribunals, expected traffic disruption and other measures that will be necessary, when the government and bosses have complained all year about the disruption caused by strikes. This illustrates that it is not the disruption they have an issue with but the fact that by striking, workers have the audacity to fight back.

At times it may be necessary to postpone or alter action, especially if it risks dividing striking workers, but in general, the approach must be to not let strikes be run down. This situation demonstrates that decisions about industrial action should be made on a case-by-case basis with full involvement and democratic oversight of workers involved in the disputes. It is also essential that the ranks of the trade union movement watch this situation closely and ensure the fight on the cost of living crisis is not sidelined or essential momentum lost. In fact, a stronger campaign now needs to be built linking different workplaces and sectors together to coherently challenge the current onslaught on our living standards. We cannot allow the Queens death to be used as an excuse by hesitant trade union leaders to cut across the various industrial disputes that have been spurred on by the cost of living crisis.

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Photos: Destrehan thumps East Ascension Friday night, defeating the Spartans 42-2 – The Advocate

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The Destrehan Wildcats thump the East Ascension Spartans 42-2 Friday night, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

Destrehan's Leslie Jefferson (1) dances into the end zone for the touchdown against East Ascension, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

East Ascension's Jacorey Johnson (6) and Destrehan's Kevin Adam's (7) go airborne on the play, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

Destrehan's Leslie Jefferson (1) lines up against East Ascension's D'ron Mczeal (12) on the play, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

Destrehan's Kaleb Johnson (34) kicks the extra point held by Braden Fenerty (14) against East Ascension, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

Destrehan quarterback Jai Eugene, Jr. (4) runs the ball on the keeper before the touchdown against East Ascension, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

Destrehan quarterback Jai Eugene, Jr. (4) throws a pass to Kaden Nickelson (11) against East Ascension, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

Destrehan quarterback Jai Eugene, Jr. (4) drops back for the pass against East Ascension, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

Destrehan quarterback Jai Eugene, Jr. (4) throws a touchdown pass against East Ascension, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

East Ascension quarterback Jaylon Lee (9) hands the ball off to Jacorey Johnson (6) against Destrehan, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

East Ascension lines up at kickoff against Destrehan, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

Destrehan's Leslie Jefferson (1) pulls in the reception before the touchdown against East Ascension, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

Students in the East Ascension stands cheer on the Spartans against Destrehan, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

Destrehan's Alexander Hamilton (50) and Landry Cannon (74) celebrate with Leslie Jefferson (1) after Jefferson scored against East Ascension, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

East Ascension's Jacorey Johnson (6) goes airborne on the stop by Destrehan's Kevin Adam's (7), Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

Destrehan's Daniel Blood (10) makes the catch on a touchdown reception against East Ascension, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

Destrehan's Shane Lee (24) runs the ball after the handoff against East Ascension, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

Destrehan's Jacobi Green (9) blocks the ball from getting to East Ascension's Zhavier Jupiter (13), Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

East Ascension head coach Darnell Lee coaches against Destrehan, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

East Ascension takes the field before kickoff against Destrehan, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

Destrehan head coach Marcus Scott coaches against East Ascension, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

East Ascension head coach Darnell Lee coaches against Destrehan, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

East Ascension takes the field before kickoff against Destrehan, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

Destrehan head coach Marcus Scott speaks with his players on the field before their game against East Ascension, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

Destrehan head coach Marcus Scott coaches against East Ascension, Friday, September 16, 2022, at Spartan Stadium in Gonzales, La.

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Photos: Destrehan thumps East Ascension Friday night, defeating the Spartans 42-2 - The Advocate

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Federalism and Why Presidents Fail – THISDAY Newspapers

Posted: at 11:52 am

simonkolawole! by simon kolawole

As I was saying, assuming we elect a messiah as president, could he still fail to deliver the goods? In my previous article, I argued that Nigerian presidents fail, or fail to live up to expectations, for a million reasons, out of which I listed five: one, excessive pre-election marketing of candidates; two, our warped understanding of federalism which shapes our assessment of presidents; three, mismanagement of Nigerias socio-political dynamics which could be quite destabilising; four, poor understanding of development planning which hampers continuity; and five, domination of power by the predatory, rather than the developmental, elite. The limitations and complications are huge.

My opening argument was that presidential candidates and their fans often resort to overmarketing during elections but Nigeria will not change overnight and national transformation will not be pain-free. Something has to give. I will attempt to compress the rest of my arguments into this article, but first a clarification: this is not an attempt to excuse the failures of our presidents. Rather, I seek to highlight obstacles that must be navigated, otherwise our presidents will continue to shoot off-target and we will keep classifying them as failures. Even if the best of us ascend to power, they can still fail to deliver development outcomes as a result of several intertwined and complicated factors.

Now to my second argument: our warped understanding and practice of federalism in Nigeria can be a major obstacle to the success, or perceived success, of any president. When we say federalism in Nigeria, it is obvious that we are not discussing the role of every tier of government in the overall development of the country. We are more focused on how rich states should keep their resources in the spirit of true federalism ostensibly to spite the so-called parasites. The roles of the 774 councils and 36 states in delivering development in a federal set-up are often downplayed, and the president carries virtually all the responsibility. Yet, national development is the sum of all parts.

Let me explain myself a bit. All federally collected revenues are shared monthly. While the federal government takes the lions share of 48.50 percent, states and councils take 26.72 percent and 20.6 percent respectively. The rest goes to other statutory allocations. Effectively, states and their appendage councils control 47.32 percent combined which is completely out of the control of the federal government. While our primary interest in federation allocation has been the fight for derivation and fiscal federalism and all-what-not, we hardly discuss how much of the 47.32 percent that currently goes to the states and councils can be judiciously utilised for national development.

In any modern human society, these are some of the basic indices of human development: access to quality education, sanitation and clean water, healthcare and roads as well as social inclusion. All tiers of government are allowed to promote agriculture, industry, technology and job creation. Education, as we know, is the bedrock of modern development. But when it is reported that 12 million children are out of school, the blame goes to the president, who is then adjudged to have failed. Yet, basic education is under states and councils, not government. When basic education is in a mess, what magic can a president perform in Abuja? This hardly features in the federalism debate.

Let us talk about corruption. The average Nigerian is wired to think that it is only the president, or the federal government, that should fight corruption. You would think governors are barred from fighting corruption. It seems the deal is that the duty of government officials is to perpetrate corruption and the duty of the president is to fight it. The constitution empowers every state and LGA to prosecute looters. But for some reason, for instance, President Goodluck Jonathan took all the blame for the corruption at all levels of government during his tenure. The universal conclusion was that it was Jonathan that failed to fight corruption. That is our special practice of federalism.

I can go on and on, but my key point here is that no president can develop Nigeria singlehanded. All tiers of government must still do their parts for us to make progress. Only the military, or a unitary system, can enforce a single development agenda on the country. A democratic president in a federal, multiparty set-up cannot command states and councils to fall in line with his policies. Agreed, the president controls economic policy, but that is not all there is to good governance. Providing a productive environment for job creation is not the sole responsibility of the president. In fact, a presidents best efforts can be frustrated by uncooperative states in enforcing federalism.

President Olusegun Obasanjo, a retired general, forced the excess crude account (ECA) on us against every norm of federalism. From the savings, he forced us to build 15 power projects which we are relying on till today to achieve stable supply. Governors fought against the savings, insisting that ECA was unconstitutional (which is legally true). They wanted the money shared. Jonathan conceded to heavy pressure from the governors when he assumed power in 2010 and shared the ECA savings to fight food crisis. After Obasanjo, we never did anything substantial with ECA again. Jonathan met it at $20bn and left it at $2bn. Cooperative federalism is not our thing in Nigeria.

My third argument: the management of Nigerias socio-political dynamics can be a major factor in the success of a president. There are many dimensions to this particular argument which I am unable to fully explore here, but Nigeria is complicated. Ethno-religious emotions are at the centre of national life. Policies, projects and appointments always have ethno-religious flavours. Federal character, developed to create a sense of belonging, can mean different things to different regions at different times. Even a messiah can be destabilised by the agitations and may lose direction as different parts of Nigeria tear at him from all angles. A messiah will need more than wisdom!

For instance, reflecting our diversity at the federal level can be cumbersome. There will always be cries of margination which can derail even the most focused government. Check some of the interests: north, south, Hausa-Fulani, Igbo, Yoruba, minorities, Niger Delta, middle belt Muslims, Yoruba Muslims, Hausa Christians, Catholics, Pentecostals, Protestants, northern Yoruba, south-south Igbo, women, youth, etc. When Mr E.L. Adamu, a Christian from Gombe, was appointed deputy governor of CBN in 2018, many northern Christians rejoiced while some southerners complained that it was another northerner. Identity politics can be very fluid and plastic.

Also, if Alhaji Atiku Abubakar becomes president and launches an offensive against IPOB, the narration will be Fulanisation. If Mr Peter Obi wins and goes after bandits, it will be framed as an Igbo president killing northerners. If Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu wins and does not get rid of Yoruba Nation activists, that is automatically Afenifere agenda. Many Nigerians oppose/demonise or praise/idolise a president solely out of ethnic or religious sentiments. Every president faces allegations of bias. Whether true or not, perception becomes reality. Even Obasanjo that was generally thought to be fair to all was, at some point, accused of pursuing Afenifere agenda.

My fourth argument: poor development thinking. Remember I am assuming that the president is competent, patriotic and purposeful. But he is coming into a settled system where he will inherit projects he did not start and will start projects he will not complete. Development stems from a plan covering policies and projects, along with timelines and deliverables. Some presidents with good intentions and a desire to do things right may stumble because they inherit things that look shady and they may throw the baby away with the bath water, thereby doing more harm than good. A well-intentioned move to cleanse the rotten system can pull back development by decades.

I will give just one example. When President Umaru Musa YarAdua, widely acknowledged as a very decent man, came to office in 2007, he was unhappy with the unconstitutional funding of power projects from the ECA as well as the sale of refineries to Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Mr Femi Otedola, whom he obviously saw as Obasanjos cronies. He stalled on the power projects and reversed the sale of refineries. His intentions appeared altruistic, but his actions provided poor development outcomes and dragged us back. We are yet to recover. The overall plans for the power and petroleum sectors were in phases but YarAdua saw only the pixels and missed the bigger picture.

My fifth argument: a good president can still get things wrong because of the mentality of the Nigerian elite inside and outside of power. There is the developmental elite and there is the predatory elite. There are those who pursue policies and negotiations with the interest of Nigeria at heart and there are those whose overriding interest is personal gain at the expense of Nigeria. The predators are everywhere: civil servants, politicians, political appointees, lawmakers, business moguls, etc. You can select a good team but can you change the system all by yourself? Im told YarAdua often marvelled anytime a big man visited him without asking for favours. It was rare.

I often blame leadership for Nigerias slow development, but I also recognise the limitations that can hinder even a messiah. In my book, Fellow Nigerians, Its All Politics now available for pre-order on the website of Roving Heights I argue that whoever wins in 2023 will be flawed. The president may have good intentions but the terrain is full of landmines that he must skillfully tip-toe. He has to deliver the goods. Failure is not an option. No excuses will be accepted. If you cant stand the heat, why enter the kitchen in the first place? Ironically, Nigerians are not so hard to please just assure us, in word and in deed, that you are leading us on the right path to national development. Simple.

AND FOUR OTHER THINGS

SUBSIDY SHOCKER

How would Nigerians feel if a new president comes in and immediately removes petrol subsidy? That is exactly what President William Ruto of Kenya has done to relieve the crushing burden on public finance. It is a painful pill from someone who just got the peoples mandate, but there is no better time to administer this than during the honeymoon. If the gains are well managed, it will be to the benefit of the same people. I overheard some Nigerians accuse the UK of hypocrisy recently over its proposed gas and electricity subsidy. The difference, though, is that the UK is a productive, $3trn economy and the subsidy will eventually be recovered through taxes. No free lunch. Draining.

MAMU IN A MUDDLE

Alhaji Tukur Mamu, publisher of Desert Herald, media consultant to Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi and hostage negotiator, has been charged to court by the Department of State Services (DSS) for allegedly aiding and abetting terrorism. The secret police alleged that Mamu is involved in the funding of international and local terrorism and that he shares information with terrorists. These are serious allegations. I hope the case is prosecuted diligently and justice is done. The Kaduna train hostage crisis was so irritating because despite claims that the bandits demands were painfully met by the federal government, they still collected huge ransoms to release their victims. Humiliating.

SAYS BUHARI

President Buhari cut the picture of a disappointed man in Owerri, Imo state capital, on Tuesday. In his brief address while inaugurating projects, he lamented that his administration has done commendably well in the midst of dwindling revenue but those who should say so are not talking. He pointed in particular to the liberation of Borno state from Boko Haram and the construction of the new Niger bridge. To be frank with you, he said, I blame the Nigerian elite for not sitting and thinking hard about our country. To be frank with Buhari, it is not the job of his opponents to celebrate him. Their job is to say he has failed. It is left to his team to tell his success stories. Politics.

CYBER TIGERS

Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta state and vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), beamed his focus on cyber bullying at a lecture on Tuesday. We are beginning to see bullying in the cyberspace of our country, I think that everybody should have space, time, to be able to think, make comments without being bullied, he said. I hate to disappoint him but cyber bullying is not going to have a solution any time soon, certainly not before the 2023 elections. Social media has considerably lowered the quality of public debates and the race to the bottom who can say the vilest things? has become more competitive than ever. It is the new world order. Tragic.

Continued here:

Federalism and Why Presidents Fail - THISDAY Newspapers

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