Category Archives: Progress

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(Bloomberg) -- Axel Kicillof relished the role he played in the Argentine government years ago: the brash left-wing economy minister who clashed at every opportunity with foreign investors. They hated him and he loved it.Today, Kicillof is once again locked in a bruising battle with financiers in New York and London. This time its as governor of Buenos Aires, which, along with nearly a dozen other provinces, called for debt restructuring talks last year as the federal government began negotiations of its own with creditors. But unlike the others, Buenos Aires has yet to emerge from default. In fact, 10 months after Kicillof halted payments on $7.1 billion worth of bonds, barely any progress has been made in talks.With the bonds now languishing at just 35 cents on the dollar in secondary markets and not a penny of interest income flowing their way, creditors are growing tired of the stalling and the disinterest displayed by Kicillofs aides. Last week, funds from the Buenos Aires Ad Hoc Bondholder Group sued the province in U.S. court for unpaid principal and interest.This gambit, analysts say, may help jump-start the process by forcing the province to take a more active role in negotiations. But, they warn, theres another dynamic at play that threatens to only embolden Kicillof to further radicalize his hard-line approach. The federal government -- under the growing influence of Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, a mentor to Kicillof -- is aggressively pushing for concessions to refinance a $45 billion failed program with the International Monetary Fund.The governments newly restructured sovereign bonds, like the defaulted Buenos Aires bonds, now trade below 40 cents on the dollar, a reflection of how badly the countrys economy and finances have been battered by the pandemic and lack of credibility.For Kicillof, this is political, said Diego Ferro, founder of M2M Capital in New York, a veteran debt investor who doesnt hold bonds of the province. Which means that unless he gets a deal consistent with what Argentina got, it will reflect poorly on him.And as August primaries and October mid-term elections get closer, politics will play an ever larger role in shaping all aspects of policy. Cutting a deal with the IMF or provincial bondholders isnt a priority, especially during a pandemic.Buenos Aires has extended the deadline on its debt proposal no fewer than 13 times. But last week, the province published details of a new one shown to New York-based hedge fund GoldenTree Asset Management, one of its largest creditors. It was swiftly rejected -- as was the counteroffer.The next day, the creditor group, including GoldenTree, submitted two legal claims against the province in the U.S District Court of New York seeking $366 million in unpaid interest and principal.Theres definitely more pressure with the litigation now ongoing, said Carlos de Sousa, an emerging market portfolio manager at Vontobel Asset Management in Zurich. Kicillof is quite ideologically driven and close to Cristina. And thus his lack of cooperation with creditors until recently.The provinces bonds due 2027 fell 0.3 cent to 37.7 cents on the dollar at 4:50 p.m. in Buenos Aires.Those who observed Kicillof as Economy Minister between 2013-2015 under then president Fernandez de Kirchner know that he doesnt quickly surrender in high profile conflicts with creditors. Back then he battled Paul Singers Elliott Management and other holdouts, insisting that Argentina couldnt comply with a ruling in their favor and eventually opted to default again with the presidents blessing.And while hes delegated negotiations this time around as governor to his provincial Economy Minister Pablo Lopez, hes very much involved.Read More: Buenos Aires Province Weighs Next Steps After Creditor LawsuitThe legal claims are only a strategy to pressure the government and the province will still have 60 days to respond, Lopez said in an interview last week. While Kicillof, 49, doesnt directly participate in conversations with bondholders, Lopez frequently discusses the debt restructuring process with him, he said.He is focused and interested, Lopez said. The debt negotiation is determined by the provincial government.The province is bigger than many countries and represents half of the debt from regional governments. Home to almost 18 million people and accounting for two-fifths of Argentinas GDP, its a critical political battleground in any election.Last week at an event, Fernandez de Kirchner, who hand-picked Alberto Fernandez as the presidential candidate in 2019, railed against the IMF and the terms being sought to renegotiate the largest credit agreement ever struck with the Washington-based lender. Bond prices fell.We cant pay because we dont have the money, she said, with Kicillof nodding in the background. While they spoke, Economy Minister Martin Guzman was wrapping up a trip to Washington after meeting IMF officials.After Fernandez took power in December 2019, Buenos Aires Province was the first to default on its debt payments in May. Days later, the federal government followed suit, along with several other provinces over the course of the next months.Since then, the government and eight provinces have settled with creditors. Deals ranged from about 55 cents on the dollar for the government while many regional authorities agreed to much smaller discounts, between 83.4 and 96.3 cents considering a 10% exit yield. While a few small provinces also remain in talks, Buenos Aires, which offered to pay about 65 cents, is the last major holdout.As economy minister, Kicillof negotiated a settlement with Spains Repsol SA after the government seized its stake in oil producer YPF SA in 2012, agreeing to compensate the company with bonds. He also struck a deal with the Paris Club of creditors.Those events give some investors hope that hell eventually come around to an agreement. Still, his rhetoric remains combative. Speaking at an event on Friday, Kicillof called investors unsupportive and intransigent.Court claims arent going to lead to solutions to the root problems, he said. We remain open to dialogue to reach an agreement thats convenient to creditors and that the province can pay.Even after the lawsuit was filed, Kicillof has little financial incentive to reach a settlement soon or offer concessions to creditors. The province realistically has no chance of tapping international markets for fresh funding, so it has little to lose in dragging out talks. And if a court ruling were to go against it, the provinces lawyers could appeal the case several times, and that could stretch the saga into the next gubernatorial elections in 2023.I dont see a situation where Kicillof agrees to a deal thats better than what the sovereign agreed to, Ferro said.(Updates with bond move in 11th paragraph.)For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P.

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Progress Software (PRGS) Tops Q1 Earnings and Revenue Estimates - Yahoo Finance

I rarely comment publicly on Facebook, but this morning I made an exception when someone posted an aerial view of The Heritage at Middletown, the townhomes currently under construction on Route 35 South, across from Target. The photo clearly showed the extent of this ongoing project. My impulsive response, I dont see progress when I look at this, and it angers me, triggered a flurry of reactive comments. Apparently, the general consensus in Middletown is that The Heritage is disgusting, an eyesore, a monstrosity resembling army barracks. There were, however, a few opposing opinions, one of which gave me pause.

In response to my succinct comment that I fail to see progress when I look at the Route 35 construction site, someone suggested I examine my values to find out why this is the case. The Heritage, he correctly pointed out, represents homes for people. Why, then, he asked, does the surrounding community take issue with that, outside of literal pearl clutching? Im not one for pearl clutching (that phrase makes me chuckle), but examining my values is an insightful proposal. Why does The Heritage construction site irritate me? Why dont I view increased housing as progress?

The potential positive economic impact of The Heritage cant be denied, but theres far more than the almighty dollar to consider. Enhanced socio-economic development is a good thing, but why does progress have to be ugly and destructive? Why is it necessary to bulldoze every single tree and displace wildlife to achieve progress? Surely, somewhere theres an architect/construction company capable of building homes within the existing landscape, thereby preserving the natural elements that attracted many of us to this area in the first place! I have nothing against new construction in Middletown, but I take issue with anything that disrespects nature and recreates the city feel I happily abandoned thirty-five years ago when I relocated here from New York City.

Examining our values, as the Facebook poster wisely suggested, will reveal what is most important to us and whether or not we are living in the right place. Some people dont need or want nature and are content without maintaining lawns, trimming trees, guarding against wildlife. They are happy with a patch of concrete and a potted plant. Others take inspiration from nature and enjoy responsibility for it. There is no right or wrong here, but one way of life should not encroach upon another. A happy community is a balanced community that knows and respects one anothers values.

Me? Im a nature lover. I love trees and wildlife. I like watching the treetops for signs of the changing seasons. A deer sighting makes me happy. Ill contentedly watch birds nesting and squirrels playing. Sacrificing these elements I value so highly would be too steep a price for me to pay for progress. And thats why I dont appreciate the progress imposed by the construction on Route 35.

Uh oh! Perhaps Im a pearl-clutching tree hugger after all! Or am I merely an old Middletowner who does not want to see the character and beauty that drew me to the area systematically destroyed?

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What Price Progress? - Atlantic Highlands Herald - Atlantic Highlands Herald

Although Gamestop (NYSE:GME) stock remains greatly overvalued, the companys fourth-quarter results showed that its making progress on important fronts. I believe that, if the retailer was only several years old and had recently carried out an initial public offering (IPO), much of Wall Street would actually be quite bullish on the fundamentals behind GME stock.

Source: rblfmr / Shutterstock.com

Given the huge surge of Gamestops e-commerce revenue and its expansion into new types of products, I remain upbeat on the companys longer-term outlook. However, I urge investors to wait for a large pullback in the name before taking a bullish position in the shares.

Heres why.

In fiscal 2020, Gamestops e-commerce revenue soared 191% versus the previous year, becoming 29% of the retailers total sales. For most of its history, e-commerce made up less than 5% of its revenue.

Moreover, despite the easing of pandemic fears in Q4, Gamestops e-commerce sales still soared 175% year-over-year (YOY) during the quarter, representing 34% of its overall revenue. Thats compared to 12% in the same period a year earlier.

Gamestops e-commerce surge strongly indicates that the company can and will remain viable in the new era of retail. If GME makes the right moves, it could actually become using its e-commerce business as a key driver quite successful over the long-term.

However, another key driver of GameStops potential comeback is its expansion into new types of electronic products. Specifically, on the companys Q4 earning conference call, CEO George Sherman said:

We are continuing the work to expand our addressable market by growing GameStops product catalog. This includes growing our product offerings across PC gaming, computers, monitors, game tables, mobile gaming, and gaming TVs to name only a few.

As I explained in my previous column on GME stock, I believe that by expanding into new electronics, this retailer could become a successful competitor to Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) and perhaps ultimately become a major U.S. electronics retailer. Right now, by meaningfully expanding its computer and TV offerings, the company certainly appears to be moving in that direction. As a result, Im very bullish on its strategy in this area.

Last year, Gamestop closed a net total of 693 stores. However, in Q4, Gamestops sales at comparable stores climbed an impressive 6.5% YOY.

Meanwhile, the company has cut its sales, general and administrative expenses by over $530 million over the last two years. Plus, in fiscal 2019, its business was close to generating a profit, with the operating income coming in at negative $14 million.

So, as the pandemic eases further, I expect the sales growth of the companys remaining stores to meaningfully accelerate. I also predict that Gamestops e-commerce growth will decelerate significantly, but still remain above 50%.

As a result, I think the companys operating income will be positive this year. That strengthens the bullish case for GME stock.

Largely due to Gamestops struggles over the past decade, most pundits and analysts are far too bearish on this retailers outlook. But thats in-line with the tendencies of many folks on the Street many base their calls on the past rather than the future. I saw a similar phenomenon keep a lid on solar stocks and Blackberry (NYSE:BB) for many years.

As I mentioned earlier, I believe that if the company had launched a few years ago and its shares had just started trading in 2020, much of Wall Street would be salivating over GME stock. They would be lavishing praise on its booming e-commerce business, its rebounding brick-and-mortar operation and its ability to soon enter the black.

That said, though, I do believe that the shares are still overvalued at current levels. Id wait until they drop to the $50 to $75 level before taking a bullish position in the name.

On the date of publication, Larry Ramer held a long position in BB.

Larry Ramer has conducted research and written articles on U.S. stocks for 14 years. He has been employed by The Fly and Israels largest business newspaper, Globes. Larry began writing columns for InvestorPlace in 2015. Among his highly successful, contrarian picks have been Roku, GE, solar stocks, and Snap. You can reach him on StockTwits at@larryramer.

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Gamestop Is Making Solid Progress, But the Stock is Overvalued - InvestorPlace

When the pandemic took hold one year ago and the nation went into quarantine, most Backus Hospital nurses bravely faced their fears about catching COVID and persevered to care for their patients with compassion and commitment.

They contended with staffing shortages, periodic mandated double shifts, a shortage of personal protective equipment and sometimes going without breaks, said Registered Nurse Sherri Dayton, president of the Backus Federation of Nurses, AFT Connecticut, Local 5149.

These are the nurses who are holding the tablets up, for families to say goodbye as they extubate them, because loved ones are not allowed to be there in person for their own safety, Dayton said during a February telephone interview.

A year ago, we did not know what it was going to be like and weve learned so much so quickly, said Donna Handley, president of Hartford HealthCares Backus and Windham Hospitals, during a March telephone interview. As we understood this virus and disease better, we continually changed policies and processes to keep our staff, our patients and the community safer.

The number of COVID-positive people hospitalized fluctuated on any given day in March, April and May 2020 between 10 and 20, said Dr. Robert Sidman during a January 27 telephone interview. That number dropped to fewer than five during the summer, but spiked in October. Since mid-December, he said the hospital averaged 40 COVID-positive patients, but some days approached 50. About 25 percent of those individuals were admitted to the critical-care level.

As of March 8, Handley said Backus Hospital only had two COVID-positive patients and neither of them needed to be in the Critical Care Unit. On this day, staff was also waiting for test results on four other individuals who came into the emergency room overnight. Handley said they do a surveillance COVID test on every patient that gets admitted. And until we have the results, theyre listed as a person under investigation.

Now, because theyre optimistic and have such good safe practices, Handley said theyre allowing visitors in the hospital again.

Several times, the one-nurse-to-two-patient ratio in CCU has been bumped up to one nurse for three patients, Dayton said. Since the Progressive Care Unit (PCU), which usually has a one-to-three ratio, is now caring for CCU patients, Dayton said it too should have the one-nurse-to-two-patient ratio, but they sometimes have a three-to-one ratio.

So its been very difficult for them (nurses) with these patients to do that, she said.

Just like every other hospital in the country, Handley said they did everything they could with the resources and patients that they had. She and her staff continue to reevaluate staffing every four hours to determine how sick a patient is and do everything they can to adjust staffing accordingly.

Dayton said they have better PPE now than they had in the beginning and they have policies and procedures in place. Everybody was scared we were going to run out so we were conserving.

Early on, Dayton said nurses were told to use one mask per week unless it was compromised (torn or dirty). I did not follow that order; lots of nurses did, she said. One was disciplined for not following it, but different floors got different amounts of push back.

Ultimately, she said if nurses demanded a new mask, they received them. The fear is some got sick because they followed policy. After the strike, nurses got to change their mask daily per policy.

Handley said there was a PPE shortage, but just for several weeks, after which time they were able to stockpile enough PPE and N95 masks, so that nurses always felt that they have what they needed to be safe.

Progress is also being made on other fronts, according to Dayton. Between Dec. 13, 2020, and Jan. 11, Backus Hospital mandated nurses work 12-hour or 16-hour shifts 78 times. Between Jan. 13 and Feb. 10, the hospital mandated nurses work 12-and-16-hour shifts 12 times.

So I think theyre starting to listen, Dayton said.

Handley said she is grateful for the courageous nurses who worked extra shifts, because they were covering for their colleagues who were sick.

There were days when every nurse on my team, whether they were in a leadership role (or) a non-direct patient care role, were in the emergency department or in critical care, helping support nurses taking care of patients, Handley said. I think we really pulled together as a team, so that we could support our nurses in bringing extra resources on those days when we were doing the most critical work that we needed to do.

Backus Hospital has not mandated a nurse to stay an extra shift since Feb. 12, 2020, she added.

Handley said Hartford HealthCare also provides two-week pandemic sick pay for staff who become COVID-positive, so they dont have to use their hard-earned paid time off.

Dayton said taking breaks to snack or use the bathroom is more challenging than ever for nurses. Now we have a surgical mask and a face shield on the entire time were on the unit and we cant just have a drink anytime we want or throw a Tootsie Roll in our mouth. You cant take your mask or facial (shield) off at all unless youre in a break room with two people in it.

The pandemic has taken a toll on nurses, who are experiencing symptoms which range from exhaustion and depression to anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and alcohol addiction, Dayton said.

To address exhaustion and burnout, Backus Hospital has created Zen Dens, where nurses can go on breaks for respite and reflection, Handley said.

Beginning the week of March 8, nurses also started receiving chair massages. Additionally, the Colleague Support Center is available to staff 24 hours per day, seven days a week offering resources, which include emotional support, as well as financial support via the Hartford HealthCARES Colleague Assistance Fund for employees who have faced dire financial situations because of COVID.

Supported by charitable donations, this fund has given over $1 million to people whose loved ones lost jobs.

At the beginning of the pandemic, Handley said Hartford HealthCare also made a clear decision, unlike other health systems, that we would not lay off staff, that everybody would keep their jobs. So many of our staff had spouses and family members who lost their jobs and children were home from school so they had personal stress and anxiety. They had the stress and anxiety of coming to work and dealing with a virus that was new to us, Handley said.

Hospitals and health systems face catastrophic financial challenges in light of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by cancelling non-emergency procedures, Americans postponing care, increasing costs of PPE, the effect of COVID-19 hospitalizations on hospital costs and the costs of the additional support some hospitals are providing to their workers, according to an American Hospital Associations May 2020 report.

Dayton said some nurses who contracted the COVID virus then gave it to their spouses, children or parents. Ive caught COVID myself, she added, and my biggest fear was giving it to my 76-year-old-father, and thank God I didnt when I caught it.

Nurses have quit left and right, Dayton said, adding that at least 11 nurses have left the emergency department in the last three-and-a-half months and about 10 left the CCU. Some are taking jobs that are less COVID intensive at Hartford Hospital, UMass Memorial Medical Center and Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, so they dont have to deal with COVID every second of every day.

Some nurses have just taken other positions at Backus Hospital. For example, one emergency room nurse went to the IV Therapy Department, while a CCU nurse left to go to the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit.

Natural transitions happen in nursing all the time, said Handley, adding that some young nurses with small children decided they wanted to leave critical acute care nursing out of concern for their families and the pandemic itself.

Some nurses made the decision to stay home with their families, take a break, or go to other areas really just to have a break, she said.

Since the two-day October 2020 union strike, Dayton said nurses have had their feelings hurt by management at Backus Hospital and theres not a lot of trust between nurses and management at this point.

The nurses new contract includes being part of a monthly staffing committee. We are working with management to try to come up with recruiting and retainment policies, procedures and incentives, she said. They just instituted a $10,000 sign-up bonus for CCU, because theyre just desperate. Theyve lost like half their staff.

Backus Hospital has also raised its sign-on bonuses for oncology nurses for the night shift, which Dayton said, is really hurting right now, as well as incentives for current nurses covering open shifts.

A lot of the other hospitals in the state are doing way better incentives to have nurses pick up (shifts) because this isnt a unique problem at Backus, Dayton said.

The nursing shortage was an issue before the pandemic and got worse during it, Dayton said, because a lot of nurses who were 65 years of age decided it was time to retire.

She said Backus Hospital has hired some licensed practical nurses to work as per diem floats. They cant do CCU but they can help out on the floors, partnering with a nurse to help make things a little bit easier.

Now that medical staff has been vaccinated, Dayton said nurses fear of bringing the virus home to their families is starting to subside and their comfort levels are improving. We understand the virus a little bit better.

Last March, none of us could have anticipated how much the COVID-19 pandemic would change our lives, Handley said in a statement. Yet through it all, weve innovated and collaborated to find solutions and overcome a tremendous amount of adversity. I am deeply grateful for our team of providers, nurses and front-line workers who helped keep our community safe and well-cared for, even in the darkest days of the pandemic.

Although tired, we are more united than ever before, working together to use the lessons we learned to not just return to normal, but emerge better than before.

Dayton thanked the commmunity for its outpouring of support.

It is definitely what keeps us going, Dayton said. The hearts in windows and donated pizzas and other items have given nurses a little boost and definitely helped us through some difficult times.

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Exhausted nurses persevere, make progress - News from southeastern Connecticut - theday.com

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Mar 21, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood talks with his team during a timeout during the second half in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Loyola Ramblers won 71-58. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

The Illinois Fighting Illini and its fanbase have many reasons to be proud of its 2020-2021 campaign. Illinois made an NCAA tournament appearance for the first time in eight seasons after finishing the year with an overall record of 24-7.

While accomplishing this feat, the Illini led the Big Ten in conference wins, finishing the year with a conference record of 16-4. The Orange and Blue would also go on to win their first Big Ten Tournament title since the 2005 season.

During this historic run, Illinois had two of its players named to the All-Big Ten first team, as junior guard Ayo Dosunmu and sophomore big man Kofi Cockburn were recognized as two of the best players in the conference. Senior guard Trent Frazier was named as an honorable mention but would be named to the conferences all-defensive team.

Freshman Andre Curbelo was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team and was the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year. He finished the season averaging 9.1 points per game by shooting an exceptional 49.8-percent from the floor. Additionally, the freshman guard averaged 4.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 0.9 steals per contest.

The Fighting Illinis lineup will look different next year, as the Orange and Blue will lose some of its current players and will have some new faces coming in.

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Illinois Basketball: Progress, departures and the future of the Illini - Writing Illini

Ariel King March 30th, 2021 - 8:40 PM

Devin Townsend has provided yet another update on his upcoming project, Puzzle. The musician has been sharing his progress for the album throughout its recording process, and plans to release Puzzle sometime within the year. The album will be accompanied by a film and graphic novel, and will focus on ambient sounds. Previous announcements related to the album have hinted that it may be released sometime this spring, however an official release date has not yet been provided.

The creation of Puzzle has acted as a way for Townsend to reflect on the pandemic and ongoing quarantine. Along with the updates pertaining to the album, Townsend has revealed that Puzzles is currently being mixed, however the process has proven more difficult than he had initially thought.

Ahhdidnt get done. =/ Mix will continue for a few more days. What a savage bunch of sessionsmixing this is very difficult.

Devin Townsend (@dvntownsend) March 29, 2021

Ahh didnt get done. =/ Mix will continue for a few more days, Townsend said. What a savage bunch of sessionsmixing this is very difficult.

Puzzle summarized the last year for me, but I see things on the horizon that are very different. Couldnt get there without this though its been a heavy year, for sure. Please take care.

Devin Townsend (@dvntownsend) March 30, 2021

Puzzle summarized the last year for me, but i see things on the horizon that are very different. Couldnt get there without this though its been a heavy year, for sure. Please take care.

I hope people enjoy this its so odd, but its also so weirdly awesome

Devin Townsend (@dvntownsend) March 30, 2021

I hope people enjoy this its odd, but its also weirdly awesome

While none of the tracks on the album have yet been released, Townsend went on to say that one song from Puzzles wound up meaning more to him than nearly anything else he had previously written.

Theres also a track on here that hits me harder than almost anything Ive ever done maybe its just fatigue speaking though but it wrecks me

Devin Townsend (@dvntownsend) March 30, 2021

Theres also a track on here that hits me harder than almost anything Ive ever done maybe its just fatigue speaking though but it wrecks me

Townsend has described the album as including a lot of emotionally intense material.

I guess thats why Im excited to be finished as well. Its very hard to work on emotionally intense material. Youre kind of immersed 24/7 made good progress today though

Devin Townsend (@dvntownsend) March 30, 2021

I guess thats why Im excited to be finished as well. Its very hard work on emotionally intense material. Youre kind of immersed 24/7 made good progress today though.

Its supposed to be an audio movie in 2 parts you just put it on and let your imagination take over so its very colorful. And it goes between dark and light.

Devin Townsend (@dvntownsend) March 30, 2021

Its supposed to be an audio movie in 2 parts you just put it on and let your imagination take over so its very colorful. And it goes between dark and light.

The intention is to make stream of consciousness orchestrated (if that makes any sense:..)

Devin Townsend (@dvntownsend) March 30, 2021

The intention is to make stream of consciousness orchestrated (if that makes any sense)

Also, for all the chaotic nature and ADHD type music this has produced, its required the most subtle mix Ive been involved with to date either its right or its totally wrong. With only a slight margin for error

Devin Townsend (@dvntownsend) March 30, 2021

Also, for all the chaotic nature and ADHD type music this has produced, its required the most subtle mix Ive been involved with to date either its right or its totally wrong. With only a slight margin for error.

Townsend has been incredibly busy throughout the pandemic, hosting a podcast series where he details the creation of his former albums, creating Puzzle, writing the television score for a new BBC childrens series, as well as creating two other albums, Snuggles and Lightwork. Townsend had also been working on a Quarantine Project, which included a lrelease of the song EQUINOX (demo) featuring Che Aimee Dorval.

The artist also shared a live album, Devolution Series #1 Acoustically Inclined, Live in Leeds, last week on March 27. His upcoming solo album will be titled Lightwork, and will lean away from the ambient sounds he has been experimenting with throughout quarantine and returning to melodic hard rock and metal.

Photo credit: Raymond Flotat

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Devin Townsend Updates Progress on Puzzle, Says Hes Mixing the Album - mxdwn.com

The U.S. Army has planned a major multinational warfighter exercise Warfighter 21-4 for April 6-15, with the simulation of a corps-level battle involving a U.S., U.K. and French Army tactical divisions.

The exercise involves thousands of troops and support personnel, distributed across multiple installations including Fort Hood and Fort Bliss, Texas Fort Bragg, North Carolina and Grafenwoehr, Germany.

Its another step in the Armys ongoing readiness efforts to reinforce its ability to conduct largescale combat operations with unified action partners.

The exercise strengthens U.S., U.K. and French interoperability at multiple echelons, according to the U.S. Armys exercise directive.

U.K. and French forces will train their ability to operate effectively within a U.S. corps. The combined formations are integrated down to the brigade-level with a U.K. brigade operating within a U.S. division, and U.S. brigade combat teams in U.K. and French divisions.

Theres a joint vision statement between the Chief of the General Staff, head of the U.K. Army, and the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army that will see us be interoperable by 2025, said Maj. Gen. Mike Elviss, 3rd U.K. Division commander.

What that means is we would place a British division under command of a U.S. corps and a British brigade under command of a U.S. division. The warfighter is the preeminent exercise [to do that].

Its a proper multinational corps fighting against the World-Class Opposing Force, said Elviss.

Maj. Gen. Laurent Michon, 3rd French Division commander, highlighted the substantial amount of training his division conducted in preparation for the exercise, and the value the exercise has for his formation.

Weve had eight months of training before coming to Texas, especially at the divisional level. Such an exercise as the warfighter is wonderful to gain time and to learn much. It is hard training, so it is very good for high intensity conflicts, said Michon.

The U.S. Army has specific training objectives for its corps. Fort Hood-based III Corps is being tested and trained as a tactical corps headquarters performing command and control over multinational forces in a complex operational environment.

Training and Doctrine Commands (TRADOC) expeditionary combat training center, Mission Command Training Program (MCTP), under Combined Arms Center-Training, is orchestrating the exercise. Theyve been tasked to establish a mission partner environment (MPE) with III Corps to enable the training audiences to build decisive action readiness for large scale combat operations.

Warfighter 21-4 is the largest exercise for MCTP in 35 years and is a critical step in advancing the Armys multi-national interoperability objectives, said Col. Charles Lombardo, Combined Arms Center-Training Deputy Commander.

Successfully establishing the MPE is the first test of interoperability. MPE is a joint framework intended to replicate how a corps fights with multinational partners. It establishes an operating environment that allows command and control for operations, support, planning and execution on a common network infrastructure.

In addition, the Army for the first time will implement the Army Interoperability Measurement System (AIMS). The system will assess current interoperability levels between the U.S. and the U.K., and the U.S. and French units. TRADOCs Center for Army Lessons Learned will deploy collection and analysis teams to collect observations, lessons, and best practices and provide input into AIMS.

The warfighter exercise represents a substantial investment toward gaining interoperability, borne by the U.S. and its allies. All elements involved will undoubtedly leverage successes and mistakes as dividends of lessons learned to enable success in future operations.

Author: Maj. Orlandon Howard U.S. Army Combined Arms Center

Original post:

Ft. Bliss to participate in massive multinational exercise; Will train, measure progress of interoperability - El Paso Herald-Post

Today, March 31, marks the end of the annual month-long celebration of womens incredible impact on our world and society.

March is Womens History Month, its the time when we celebrate amazing leaders such as Malala Yousafzai, Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, Greta Thunberg and Michelle Obama, to name a few. Those names represent just a fraction of powerful and admirable women, but we also have many inspiring women right here on Fairfield Universitys campus who deserve recognition.

Perhaps what is most important to recognize is the interconnectedness of every powerful woman to the next.

Emily Orlando, Ph.D, professor of English at Fairfield University, said it well when she wrote via email: I stand on the shoulders of giants. I have succeeded because others have opened doors for me and because I work hard and I love what I do.

Orlando, a recent President of the Edith Wharton Society, a group of scholars founded in 1983 dedicated to the continued study and appreciation of Whartons impact on the American literary canon, noted a change in the professional area of higher education, as well as a change within the student body: more women putting themselves out there and finding success.

Reflecting on her own career as a professor, Orlando wrote of her own experience as a college student in the 1990s that: I can only think of one woman who managed to climb the academic ladder up to full professorship.

And now, Orlando is surrounded by a network of women who act as leaders in academia.

One of those women is Karen Donoghue, the vice president for student life at Fairfield University.

Donoghue graduated from Fairfield in 2003, and during her years as a student she was already a leader. She was the first woman to be elected the Fairfield University Student Association President before she ended up continuing her career at her alma mater.

These women both recognize the significance of relationships with other women in finding their success. For Orlando, she expresses her appreciation for women by designing literature courses that focus on women.

Orlando shared her reasoning for this: As the critic Paul Lauter has shown, successful writers who were women, working-class or persons of color got dropped out of the literary canon when it was built in the 1920s. That canon (list of classics) was constructed by a white male professoriate.

Bringing women writers back into the forefront, as Orlando describes, has also found increasing popularity among students, as the course fills rather quickly from students across various disciplines.

Not only do these courses represent a change from just a few decades back, they also represent the shift in the general mindset of society, particularly of the younger generation as they come into adulthood.

Orlando noted, When I came to Fairfield in 2007, not one of my students would admit, in front of the class, to being a feminist. Now, the overwhelming majority of my students, even the men, who take my classes identify, quite proudly, as feminist.

And the practice of celebrating and recognizing the women around you does not always relate to the past. Those around us everyday can inspire us just as much as those who came before.

Donoghue experienced this when she was on this campus as a student.

I made a solid group of friends, and was mentored by some amazing faculty and staff. I was encouraged by this supportive community to run for FUSA, Donoghue shared.

That sense of support is still felt by current students, thanks to amazing faculty and staff members like Orlando and Donoghue.

Brigid Belger 22 is a passionate leader on our campus, and she is not hesitant to share her admiration of and thanks to the role models that surround her.

Belger is the co-president of The Concordium, a new club that pairs students with members of the elderly community with the hopes to eradicate loneliness through reciprocal conversations. She also serves as the treasurer of the Social Work club, which she helped get running last year. Belger holds other leadership positions as the president of Club Swim and an alumni mentor in the Ignatian Residential College.

Aside from working with a group of other women to bring The Concordium to Fairfield, Belger has found herself supported by an entire community of strong women, particularly her advisor, Kim Oliver, Ph.D., whom she credits with her decision to major in social work.

Belger reflected on her personal experience at Fairfield, and growing up as a woman.

One aspect of being a woman that I have struggled with is that there are so many expectations that society has around what it is to be a woman and what it is to be a teenager growing up in the 21st century, Belger shared.

She related this to college in particular, recalling the struggles she felt first-year with the expectations for young women to get dressed up and go out every weekend, when sometimes it felt more in her character to stay in with friends and watch a movie.

However, over the past three years, and with the support of the right friends and advisors, Belger learned to balance those expectations, separating the beneficial from the superficial.

Ive really grown into myself over the past three years, she said.

And in terms of leadership, Belger believes that same time for growth is necessary. She has followed her passion for Servant Leadership, which in her words is the spirit of living and breathing for and with others.

That passion has led her to accomplish many great things.

Tushi Patel 22 is another woman who deserves recognition for the positive impact that she has made on our campus. She has served as a Cura Personalis Mentor, a Resident Assistant/Senior Resident Assistant and in various leadership positions within the South Asian Student Association, including president.

Patels personal experience has in some ways led her to take on these roles on campus.

My experience at Fairfield University has been a really positive and impactful time for me, Patel shared via email. Having said that, being a woman of color at a PWI [predominantly white institution] has its challenges as it does within the global community, but Ive been fortunate to have a community of supportive women who constantly inspire me and empower me.

While every woman will have her own story, it seems a common trend that women support one another and build each other up, allowing for us to fill our world with even more strong, inspiring leaders.

Orlandos advice for women studying at Fairfield now, as those coming in the future is as follows: I would say find a mentorsomeone you aspire to beand surround yourself with good people who share your values. Attach yourself to causes that matters.

That is exactly what Belger did when she helped bring the Concordium to Fairfield and continues to follow her passion of servant leadership. Patel followed this advice as she cultivated her relationships within SASA.

Patel wrote: Growing up I would be the only South Asian female within my schools and class, therefore, coming to Fairfield and immediately being embraced within the South Asian community at Fairfield and the larger community, I felt called to be involved within SASA, as well as the other leadership roles to celebrate my own identity, culture, and bravely share it with others while cultivating bonds of friendship with others.

All of these women share the common belief that all women are capable of amazing things.

Belger would encourage other women heading to college or in the process of growing to, Be true to yourself and your values, and find people who let you thrive, find advisors that will unconditionally support you, and care about your wellbeing not just your academic success.

Patel wants to remind women, Dont ignore your own potential. And know this there is no such thing as failure. In the moment, it will feel as if you have failed and it will look like it, but life is not perfect, being a leader does not necessarily mean you have everything figured out. Its okay to make mistakes. Learn from them.

Progress has been made, but it shouldnt end here.

As Donoghue said, Gender discrimination is still present. We have a duty to mentor and encourage women to be loud and present in spaces that have been traditionally dominated by men.

Go here to see the original:

50 Years of Women at Fairfield: What Progress Has Been Made? - Fairfield Mirror

Enthusiasm about Seattles progress on vaccination and move to a new phase of reopening including more room for sit-down dining after a year of COVID-19 restrictions is being tempered by an uptick in new positive cases in King County.

The health departments latest tallies show a rise to around 187 new positive cases per day over the past week in King County up just under 30% over recent levels. Hospitalized cases and deaths that had mostly leveled off after peaking again in winter havent yet started to climb but could tail the positive case uptick. Currently, around six people per day are hospitalized with COVID-19 complications and the county is averaging two daily deaths over the past week. 1,456 have died here since the start of the pandemic.

Even as more opens up, we need to proceed with caution, King County Public Health Tweeted this week. We are already seeing an uptick in cases. Wear a mask, keep gatherings small, and stay outdoors when possible.

Monday, Seattle and King County joined the entire state in moving to Phase 3 of reopening including a further reopening of Washingtons economy and loosening of restrictions on large gatherings including professional and youth sports and other outdoor spectator events. Restaurants can now serve indoor diners at 50% capacity.

Large counties like King County with more than 50,000 residents must maintain a 14-day average of new COVID cases at or below 200 per 100,000 residents, and a seven-day average of new hospitalizations per 100,000 at five or fewer to remain in Phase 3.

The county currently is measuring a positive rate of around 104 per 100,000 and its hospitalization rate is considered flat/decreasing.

The eligibility for vaccination is also being expanded though supplies still cant keep up with demand a situation the White House says will improve by May. Washington residents 60 to 64 and those experiencing homelessness that live in or access services at shelters and congregate settings will also be eligible. Restaurant workers have also joined the ranks of the essential workers who formally qualify for COVID-19 vaccination.

Seattle officials sayefforts to reach vulnerable residents including communities of color have been successful here with around 70% of those 65 years old and older in all parts of the city receiving at least one shot of vaccine. Despite efforts to reach the communities, People of Color groups continue to lag the countys white population in the rate of vaccination.

King County reports that 31% of its 16+ population has now received at least one dose with more than 18% fully vaccinated.

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Uptick in King County positive cases tempers Seattle's vaccination progress and Phase 3 enthusiasm - CHS Capitol Hill Seattle News