Category Archives: Progress

On January 22, 1973, the national conversation on abortion was supposed to end. Hailed as a landmark legal decision, Roe v. Wade sought to guarantee a womans right to abortion, ruling that a pregnant woman has a right to privacy in her decision on whether to bear a child.

However, in the five decades that followed, the debate over abortion has persisted and polarized the nation. In case after case, restrictive laws slowly chipped away at Roe, leaving abortion rights in peril. From 1973 to 2019, states passed over 1200 abortion restrictions. This summer, the Supreme Court may even overturn Roe v. Wade, despite the fact that most Americans would oppose such a move.

Interestingly, the American story of an endless back-and-forth over abortion may be the exception, not the rule. Canada and the United Kingdom did exactly what Roe was supposed to accomplish, but never could. They settled the debate.

How did three liberal democracies, beginning at relatively similar starting points in the late 20th century, end up in such different places on the issue of abortion?

Let us begin with the United States.

The defining feature of Roe is that it was an attempt at judicial, rather than legislative, change. And its disappointing legacy has led some to lose faith in the power of the courts as vehicles for social change. In his groundbreaking book, The Hollow Hope, Gerald N. Rosenberg argues that significant social progress cannot be achieved through litigation. He argues that the court is constrained by a variety of factors and thus unable to accomplish social reform. For instance, the Supreme Court lacks the power of implementation and therefore relies on cooperation from the other two branches of government.

This is paradoxical because the Supreme Court appears all-mighty, so much so that the U.S. is often referred to as a model of judicial supremacy. Indeed, judicial review allows five justices to yield power over a whole government and overturn democratically approved legislation. While the judiciary appears to rule supreme in the United States, this perception stems primarily from its ability to overturn laws rather than meaningfully change the status-quo on its own. While the judiciary is powerful, it is not powerful in the way that the pro-choice movement would hope.

Rosenbergs controversial findings on the limitations of the judiciary have been debated for three decades now. Critics have raised counterexamples of social reform through the judiciary, such as the Supreme Court case of Obergefell v. Hodges which mandated that states license and recognize same-sex marriage. Rosenberg, in turn, has responded by showing that his theory still holds true and that his critics have overstated the importance of the courts even when it appears as though they have achieved great victories. I weigh in on this ongoing debate through a different comparative perspective. Instead of comparing outcomes on different social issues in the same country, I look at the same issue across different countries, arguing that the experiences of the United Kingdom and Canada are consistent with Rosenbergs contention. Courts can rarely catalyze long-lasting social change.

The United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, there was no Roe v. Wade equivalent no famous legal battle, no nine men in robes ruling on womens rights and, ironically, no ambitious attempt to speak the final word on abortion.

Instead, after debate in the legislature, there was the Abortion Act of 1967, a parliamentary act providing a framework for legal abortions, amending but not replacing the Offences Against the Person Law which criminalized abortion in 1861.

Oddly enough, abortion is still technically a criminal offense in the United Kingdom by virtue of parliaments failure to overturn the Victorian law of 1861. But the Abortion Act of 1967 provided legal exceptions under which women can receive an abortion with the authorization of two doctors. In practice, access to safe and legal abortions in the U.K. far exceeds that in the U.S.

Canada

If the U.K. is a clear case of parliamentary supremacy, and the U.S. one of judicial supremacy, Canada falls somewhere in between. It is also much more complicated.

While independence in the U.S. came about through revolution, Canadian independence came through a much more gradual process of negotiation and transfer of power from Britain. As a consequence, Canada inherited many foundational principles in British law, namely the principle of parliamentary sovereignty.

The power of the judiciary is therefore much more limited in Canada than in the United States. While the introduction of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms expanded the role of the judiciary to weigh in on clashes between individual rights and democratically approved legislation, the judiciary remains far more deferential to parliament in Canada. The case of abortion was no exception.

Until 1988, Section 251 of the Canadian Criminal Code held that a woman seeking an abortion must apply to an abortion committee which would allow an abortion only if the continuation of pregnancy would threaten her life or health. In hearing the case of Dr. Henry Morgentaler, a physician who performed an abortion in violation of Section 251, the Supreme Court overturned the Section on the grounds of a right to receive medical care. Notably, they did not rule on the basis of a right to abortion per se. The judiciary explicitly delegated the broader moral debate over abortion to parliament. Thus, rather than seeking (as Roe did) to terminate political dialogue over abortion, the Supreme Court of Canada in Morgentaler actually invited future political dialogue on the balancing of womens rights and any rights that parliament may find fetuses to hold.

The Canadian parliament never passed any legislation on abortion. It joined China as the only countries with no law governing abortion. In practice, the consequence was legal abortions at all stages of pregnancy.

Explaining the Divergence

The United States was the only one of the three countries that experienced a ruling on abortion seeking to finalize the issue. And yet, it is the country where divisions on the matter are strongest.

One could chalk this up to cultural differences; perhaps the religious right is more prominent in the U.S. than in Canada and the U.K. But there may also be an institutional explanation lurking beneath the complex histories of abortion rights in the three countries: The model of parliamentary supremacy in U.K. and Canada as opposed to the judicial supremacy of the United States seems to have been more effective in achieving stable abortion protections.

First, legislative change tends to result in compromise, while change through the courts is zero-sum. While Roe attempted to define winners and losers in a perpetual tug-of-war, the Abortion Act of 1967 in the U.K. struck a compromise: no formal legality, but far greater access to abortion. The unique capacity of legislatures for negotiation and compromise may lead more people to be satisfied with the end outcome.

Second, legislatures garner a certain procedural legitimacy that is thoroughly lacking in the courts. Perhaps the never-ending fierce debate over abortion in the U.S. can be explained not only by peoples dissatisfaction with the content and morality of Roe, but also the procedure underlying it: Americans may be frustrated with the undemocratic process through which abortion was legalized and thus view it as a fundamentally unjust outcome. This is consistent with Rosenbergs finding that, prior to 1973, there was little organized political opposition to abortion. Professor Jennifer Holland, a gender and sexuality historian, notes that Roe changed the direction of the pro-life movement. Now facing a definitive ruling on abortion that applies nationally, the movement was incentivized to became broader, better organized and more powerful. The fact that this movement was successful in doing so can be partially explained by a feeling of injustice among many in the face of an undemocratic ruling. In contrast, policies passed by majoritarian systems are more likely to gain enduring support because, even if there is disagreement, such policies have the democratic consent of the populations political representatives. This holds even when the outcome of democratic debate is no policy at all, as in the case of Canada.

Finally, regardless of where one stands on the issue of abortion, a system of parliamentary supremacy is more consistent with fundamental democratic principles and thus more morally legitimate. Governments yield immense coercive power over the lives of their citizens. They can take their property, force them to abide by restrictive laws and even hold the right to put them behind bars. In return, citizens deserve a reciprocal right to have input into the way they are governed. While antimajoritarian institutions may have an important role in liberal democracies, we should generally default to the decisions of democratic legislatures, especially on important moral issues that welcome rigorous public debate.

In the words of Abraham Lincoln, if government policies on vital issues are to be irrevocably fixed by the Supreme Courtthe people will have ceased to be their own rulers. Instead, we should welcome the power of the legislature to pass policies through a fair procedure that respects the democratic consent of citizens.

Image by Colin Lloyd licensed by Unsplash

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Does Judicial Supremacy Limit Social Progress? A Comparative Analysis of Abortion Rights in the US, Canada, and the UK - Harvard Political Review

By BOBBIE GREEN

The Progress

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Adam Laxalt speaks at a meeting of the Mesquite Republican Women organization held on Wednesday evening last week. PHOTO BY BOBBIE GREEN/The Progress

The April meeting of the Mesquite Republican Women Club drew a large audience to the Mesquite Veterans Center on Wednesday night, April 13. On the agenda for the evening was an overloaded list of candidates in the upcoming primary elections which take place on June 7.

The four scheduled speakers at the event were U.S. Senate candidate Adam Laxalt, who is hoping to replace Senator Catherine Cortez Masto; a group of candidates for Secretary of State including former Assemblyman Jim Marchant, Sparks City Council Member Kris Daher, Judge Richard Scotti, and businesswoman Socorro Kennan,

Other candidates that showed up and were given two minutes to speak were Peter Pavone for Lieutenant Governor, Mary Marshall-Land for Clark County Treasurer, Stavros Anthony for Lieutenant Governor, Charlie Delapaz running for Assembly District 19; and Pattie Gallo and Paul Wanlass who are running for Mesquite City Council.

Secretary of State candidate Kris Dahir mentioned he has been a pastor for thirty years with plenty of experience in helping people. I have hope because we have so many amazing people running for offices; we have you the voters, who are motivated to turnout on election day; and we have God who will help us, Dahir said.

Dahir said that some of the current election laws pose a big problem. We need change to get more security in our election laws so we feel safe that our vote will count, Dahir said. We need voter ID and to stop mail-in balloting.

Dahir said that he has spent a lot of time working within the rural communities of the state and he plans that this will continue. I want to be your Secretary of State, he said.

When questioned about the alleged problems with Dominion voting machines in the last election, Dahir said If I see evidence they can be fraudulent, I will get them changed.

But Dahir added that the power of the Secretary of State is limited. He said that he will need the help of a Republican administration to make these changes.

Judge Richard Scotti, also a candidate for Secretary of State, believes there is a lot that the office can legally do to fix our election laws now. He said the Secretary of State has the power to get rid of the Dominion voting machines except in purely municipal elections.

Scotti said that signature verification regulations need to be changed to have certified signature experts verifying signatures or eliminate the voter machines.I have researched the Constitution and the Secretary of State has the authority to sue the Governor, the legislature, and local election officials, Scotti said. And I will do it.We need to protect our state sovereignty from the federal government, Scotti added.

He said that he is one of the lead attorneys on the Repair the vote Pact working to eliminate the universal mail-in vote act.

The third candidate for Secretary of State was Jim Marchant. Marchant said he has already been working on election integrity in Nevada.

Marchant said that he worked with a group who got Nye County officials to remove the use of Dominion Voting machines. He has also been working with the Conservative Partnership in Washington D.C. to ensure that poll watchers who have the knowledge and power to stop irregularities placed in the polling places, so that these things can be cleared up on the spot.

When I get elected, I will clean up the system and the voter rolls, Marchant said. Number one is getting rid of E.R.I.C. a Voter Registration System that Nevada is a charter member of. The Company is owned by George Soros and it keeps our voter roll in a mess.

Marchant went on to emphasize the need for a conservative Republican Governor in office in Nevada. He said that the state needs a governor who wont veto constitutional election regulations like voter ID, similar to what was done in 2015 by a Republican Governor after the legislator passed voter ID law.

Socorro Keenan, also running for Secretary of State, said she is running because she believes this is our last chance to keep America as we know it.I am a mother and a grandmother, Keenan said. We dont have time to wait any longer for these people already in office who do nothing but go along to get along.

Keenan said she is worried about properties (title deeds) being stolen with forged signatures. She said all original signatures should be verified and stamped with a blue ink stamp to stop the forgeries.Keenan said that she would support voter ID. What you want is one voter one ID, and to get rid of the Dominion Voting machines, she said.

U.S. Senate candidate Adam Laxalt spoke at length listing all of, what he believed to be, the numerous failings of the current administration. He talked about how this will be the biggest senate race in a decade or more.This is going to be a red wave of biblical proportions, Laxalt said. This is our time. This is the easiest sell conservatives will ever have.

Laxalt echoed the other candidates talking about voter fraud in this state and the need to overhaul election regulations in Nevada. He said that, in order to overcome these voting obstacles, the voters must have a massive voter turnout to stop the cheating.

The Mesquite Republican Women plan to hold a Spring Festival on Saturday April 30 from 10AM-4PM at the Mesquite Recreation Center field. There will be arts, crafts, food vendors and entertainment along with primary election candidates. All of the public is invited to attend.

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Mesquite Republican Women Hosts Primary Candidates - The Progress - mvprogress

Austin Nola knew hed swiped a base before taking third during the home opener, but he strained to remember the exact circumstances (second base on Sept. 10, 2019, with the Mariners).

Stolen bases have never been a focus for the 32-year-old catcher.

Running without obstruction is a different story altogether.

No pain is nice, Nola said. Running with zero pain, it feels great. Its the first time in a couple years.

Nola broke a bone in his foot shortly after arriving via trade in August 2020. He missed another two months last summer with a left knee sprain and was slowed by a brace, in more ways than one, after his return.

It was never comfortable, said Nola, who hit .272/.340/.376 over just 56 games played last year. It was like an extra pound and a half on my leg. It made everything feel like it was just off.

These days Nola is moving around quite well as evidenced by leading the way on a double-steal on Thursday night and even advancing all the way to third on a Little League triple after a fly ball got past Atlantas right fielder.

The Padres using Nola in the two-hole is almost all about what a tough out he is walked and drove in a run on Sunday when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded but Nola, a converted shortstop, takes extra comfort in the fact that hes far from a base-clogger these days.

Its crucial to be healthy, to be available, to be moving, Nola said, to take advantage of any mistake, anything that can happen in the game. Always be ready. Its just nice to have that again.

Right-hander Mike Clevinger (knee, Tommy John surgery) threw a bullpen session before Sundays game and will shift his rehab assignment to Triple-A El Paso to pitch on Tuesday at Las Vegas. Left-hander Blake Snell (groin) will also throw a bullpen on Tuesday before deciding if hes ready to begin a rehab assignment.

What that means long term for rookie left-hander MacKenzie Gore, slated to start Wednesdays matinee against the Reds or even right-hander Nick Martinez, remains to be seen, but Padres manager Bob Melvin has largely balked at the idea of using a six-man rotation.

Well figure it out, Melvin said Sunday. Typically things transpire along the way, as weve seen to this point. Like when we acquired (Sean) Manaea, is that too many starters? But it certainly isnt. You can never have too much starting pitching, so well figure it out.

Read more:

Padres notes: Austin Nola on the move, pitching progress - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Madawaska McDonalds walls have come down and the new Land Port of Entry walls are going up, pushing the border crossing project forward.

MADAWASKA, Maine Madawaska McDonalds walls have come down and the new Land Port of Entry walls are going up, pushing the border crossing project forward.

After the General Services Administration announced in the fall of 2019 that the federal government wanted to put a new land port of entry on the site where a 48-year-old McDonalds restaurant stood, the building was officially torn down Thursday, April 7, to make way for the relocated border crossing.

Along with the border crossing station comes the new international bridge being built over the St. John River, spanning between Madawaska and Edmundston, New Brunswick. The bridge is a collaborative project between independent contractor Reed & Reed of Woolwich and New Brunswick-based Greenfield Construction, along with the Maine and New Brunswick transportation departments.

With the land now clear for the border crossing station, General Services Administration Regional Public Affairs Officer Paul Hughes said the next several weeks will include installing precast concrete wall panels for the two buildings at the port. The project is on schedule with the expected timeline for the structures.

As for the bridge, Andrew Lathe with Maine Department of Transportation said that a work trestle has been removed from the water in preparation for the St. John Rivers ice melt. The trestle is used to assemble concrete seals and caps needed to construct the five 60-foot-tall pier shafts on which the bridge will rest once it is built.

So far, the construction crew has not been met with any complications due to the ice or other environmental conditions, Lathe said.

Currently, the prime contractor, Reed & Reed, is working on the new U.S. abutment with the installation of formwork, reinforcing steel and concrete placements, Lathe said. Reed is also installing a cofferdam for pier No. 1 on the U.S. side.

The site of the 48 year old McDonalds in Madawaska is now flattened land, making way for the new land port of entry project on Apr. 19. (Emily Jerkins | St. John Valley Times)

Pier No. 1 is further up on the embankment and not in the water unlike piers 2 through 5 that the contractor completed last fall/winter. On the Canadian side, Greenfield Reed & Reeds subcontractor is installing micropiles that will support the new abutment extension near the Canadian port of entry, Lathe said.

The work trestle will be reinstalled over the water this spring and contractors will finish the abutments and pier caps on the Canadian and U.S. sides before installing the steel superstructure late this summer, Lathe said.

The land port of entry is projected to be essentially complete and operational in late 2023, which coincides with the opening of Maine Department of Transportations International Bridge Project. For now, the existing century-old bridge is in use, though a 5-ton weight limit was imposed in 2017.

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Walls go up as bridge and port of entry projects make progress - fiddleheadfocus.com

By VERNON ROBISON

The Progress

Moapa Valley residents who tune in to free-to-air television signals may have experienced several channel outages over the past several weeks. The Moapa Valley Television District (MVTVD) board members have been scrambling to diagnose a series of problems that have arisen at their Beacon Hill site and to get the programming back on the air for the public.

We have had several different problems that have occurred to the equipment up there since that last big windstorm, said MVTVD board member Roy Wilmer at a board meeting held on Tuesday evening, April 5. We have been able to fix most of them. But there are still a few that need work.

High winds caused a break to a connection on the incoming receiver antenna for the districts Channel 13. This caused a fuse to blow in the power supply which took down the antenna for a time, Wilmer said.We have been able to get that back up again, Wilmer added. Even though finding the problem took a little bit of time.

But more persistent problems are occurring on Channel 8 and Channel 3. Wilmer explained that he believes he knows the fix for those channels. But it is not an easy fix, he said.

The large bank of antennas that receive TV signals from the Las Vegas valley were installed back in 2009. Those antennas are mounted to a structure of four-inch steel pipe that are vertically anchored to the ground and are tied together. The antennas are mounted on that structure at about 15-16 feet off the ground, Wilmer added.

Over the space of many years, and a lot of wind blowing up there, the positioning of those antennas have changed a little bit, Wilmer said. So instead of pointing over the mountain toward the Las Vegas source, the lower antennas have dropped a bit so that they are now pointed into the side of the mountain.

To add to the difficulty, the Beacon Hill site presents some rather challenging topography. It is a rugged hilltop approached only over a very narrow dirt road. Access to the antennas by heavy equipment is not possible.

There is just no easy way to get to them, Wilmer said of the antennas. We are trying to work on them off of an eight-foot stepladder which is really not the best idea in the world. But there is no way to get equipment in there.

If it was someplace where you could just drive to, we could hire a bucket truck to come up there and use that to fix the problem, Wilmer added. But it is just not quite that easy.

But Wilmer said that he was working on a plan to install scaffolding around the structure and allow for easier maintenance in the future.

In the meantime, the board talked about finding a contractor that could do the repair job in the interim.New MVTVD Board member Arthur Villezcas, who works at Overton Power District (OPD5), suggested that the OPD5 has a pickup truck equipped with a small lift bucket. He said that he could inquire on whether the OPD5 would be willing to contract with the MVTVD on the job.

The problem is that we are really swamped right now with projects and things that are going on, Villezcas said. But we could ask.

Given the urgency of the situation, MVTVD Board Chairman Lance Mortensen suggested that they would even be willing to pay extra to have an OPD5 crew come up on a weekend to do the job.Wilmer said that he and the other board members were doing all that they could to bring the stations back up again.

There are some challenges that we will get over, Wilmer said. But people should remember that we are just a small volunteer board and we are doing the best we can with what we have.

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MVTVD Board Discusses Fixing Outages - The Progress - mvprogress

Stop gripin' and start typin'! The Manuscript Writing Cafe in Tokyo's Koenji neighborhood is built to help writers make progress on whatever novel, article, report, or manga they may be working on. Customers are required to set a writing goal and to be working away while in the cafe. From Thrillist:

The shop provides writers with power and charger outlets, cooling stands, and Wi-Fi to make things as writer-friendly as possible. Writers also have access to unlimited refills of drip coffee to help them power through any writer's block.

Writers can also request different levels of verbal pressure from staff members to make sure progress is being made. Every 30 minutes, to give writers more of a sense of urgency and help them hit their deadline, writers are charged 150 yen or $1.20. Not only will patrons be charged every half hour, but customers also can't leave until they achieve the day's writing goal or the cafe closes for the night.

Link:

Tokyo's new Manuscript Writing Cafe demands customers make progress toward their writerly goals - Boing Boing

Alabamas white team, led by the Tides first-team defense and second-team offense, won the schools spring football game Saturday.

The white team defeated the crimson team, which included the first-team offense and second-team defense, 25-7.

Here is what Nick Saban said after the game:

-- Saban: This was the last opportunity for players to impress and it was showtime to see who would elevate their game. I think we had quite a few guys that did that today, Saban said, noting he was pleased with the specialists executing. A lot of players made plays. It was really tough conditions, Saban said, adding they never practiced with a wet ball in the spring -- but they typically do it in the fall. I do think that was probably a bit of an issue for throwing the ball, catching the ball, he said.

-- All in all, I was pleased with the effort. I was pleased with the progress we made in the spring.

-- Saban said the front seven on defense was further ahead than the offensive line and that affected the game more than anything else.

-- Saban: I think we know what we need to do. The important thing for players is to improve over the summer before fall camp. We obviously have some things that can be distractions to that in this day and age of football, Saban said.

-- Asked about J.C. Lathams spring, Saban said he has made a lot of progress in the spring. Were not satisfied with where he is, but were pleased with the progress that hes making. Saban said the purpose of Saturdays game was to evaluate offensive line and there was less helping with blocking in terms of players chipping, etc.

-- Saban said Jamil Burroughs has made a lot of improvement on the defensive line. He also noted Tim Smith and Chris Braswell as making improvements, with Saban saying he views Braswell as a starter at outside linebacker alongside Dallas Turner and Will Anderson. Saban also noted the progress made by younger linemen Tim Keenan and Damon Payne.

-- Saban said Alabama consciously tried to make Jalen Milroe pass the ball more this spring and he has made progress in doing that. Saban said Ty Simpson, made some good plays for the first time out.

-- Does it stand out to you? Fast is fast, Saban said when asked how much Jahmyr Gibbs burst stood out when he become available in the transfer portal. Very good running back, very good receiver, good third-down back, Saban said. Very good addition. Saban added he likes where they are at with running backs, especially when they get Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams fully back from knee injuries. He also said freshman Jamarion Miller has shown some promise.

-- Saban said three cornerbacks are competing for starting jobs -- Eli Ricks, Kool-Aid McKinstry and Khyree Jackson. He wanted to see them play a lot and they are all capable, Saban said. He said Ricks, the LSU transfer who played on the second team simply to get more playing time in the spring game, needs to continue to learn the system. Hes a very conscientious guy and works hard at it, Saban said of Ricks. Saban also said Jackson is playing with more technique and McKinstry had a pretty good spring as well.

-- You never want drops, Saban said. They also had that issue in the second scrimmage when the conditions weather-wise were better, and players need to catch the ball regardless of the conditions. Some of the young guys [at receiver] have made an impact this spring, Saban noted, naming freshmen Aaron Anderson and Kendrick Law. Saban said they need to get more consistent at wide receiver in order to take advantage of other strengths on the team.

-- Saban said Robbie Ouzts has been one of the most improved players of the spring, he is playing with more confidence and playing faster. They need depth at tight end, Saban said, adding that Cameron Latu had a decent spring, as well.

-- Saban said Will Anderson did well in Saturdays scrimmage and regardless of the circumstance he gives 100 percent. Saban said he was asked recently about Will Andersons weakness and Saban said it is pass coverage, but asked reporters rhetorically if they want Anderson rushing the passer or dropping into coverage. He cracked a smile after that one.

-- Saban ended his news conference by complimenting Tua Tagovailoa on his first class charity luau in Tuscaloosa earlier this week. He also brought up John Mitchell and Wilbur Jacksons pregame ceremony, complimenting them on their courage and how it made Alabama a better place. I cant tell you how much I appreciate those guys for being trailblazers in what they did and creating tremendous opportunity for a lot of other people, he said.

-- Saban ended by wishing all the Christian folks out there a happy Easter.

-- I guess I wont see you for a while, which will be one of the saddest parts of spring practice being over, Saban says to reporters.

Mike Rodak is an Alabama beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @mikerodak.

Excerpt from:

Nick Saban pleased with progress after Alabamas spring game - AL.com

Editor's note: Catch Randy Martinson and AgweekTV's Michelle Rook every Friday after markets close on the Agweek Market Wrap at agweek.com.

The first week of April posted strong gains, with many contracts gaining back most of the previous weeks losses. Does this mean we are continuing to trade headlines? Yes, it probably does. But this week the headlines started to increase as it was more than just the war in Ukraine that gave the market direction.

The smaller than expected acreage estimate continued to add support. The Prospective Plantings projections estimated lower than expected acreage for spring wheat, corn and canola. This has helped those markets consistently trade to new contract highs as they attempt to try to buy more acres. According to the projections, the only markets that can lose acreage are durum and soybeans.

But like Murphys law, if something can go wrong, it usually does. That seems to be the motto for agriculture the past few years. To add to the acreage surprise, spring does not seem to want to arrive. Wintery weather continues to dominate the northern Plains while cold, wet conditions plague the Corn Belt. To add insult, the southern Plains are being supported by expanding drought concerns.

The first week of April ended with the release of USDAs April crop production report . Usually, the April report does not bring much attention to the grains, but it seems this is a year when all of USDAs reports will demand attention.

The numbers from the April report were in line with expectations and did nothing for the grains as it brought nothing new to the table. As expected, the wheat estimate was bearish, negative corn, and neutral soybeans.

The April crop production estimate was bearish wheat. USDA made no changes to 2020 but did make some adjustments to the 2021 numbers. USDA reduced feed demand 10 million bushels and cut wheat exports 15 million bushels. The 25 million bushel decrease in demand followed through to show up as an increase in ending stocks, now estimated at 678 million bushels, which was 25 million bushels above expectations. The national average price for wheat did increase 10 cents to $7.60.

On the world stage, wheat world ending stocks were estimated at 278.4 million metric tons, which was 3 million metric tons below expectations and 3 million metric tons below the previous month.

The report was negative corn as it brought nothing new to the table. The report showed no changes to the 2020 balance sheet, but some reallocations were made in 2021. For 2021 USDA reduced feed demand 25 million bushels but increased ethanol demand 25 million bushels. That left corns ending stocks estimate unchanged at 1.44 billion bushels, 35 million bushels above expectations. The national average price for corn was increased 15 cents to $5.80.

On the world stage, corn stocks were estimated at 305.5 million metric tons, 5.4 million metric tons above expectations and 4.5 million metric tons above the previous month. Chinas imports were trimmed 3 million metric tons. Brazils production was increased 2 million metric tons to 116 million metric tons, 1 million metric tons above expectations. Argentinas production was estimated at 53 million metric tons, 1.5 million metric tons above expectations but unchanged from last month. Ukraines export pace was trimmed 4.5 million metric tons.

The report was neutral soybeans as most numbers came in as expected. U.S. ending stocks for soybeans came in at 260 million bushels, 25 million bushels lower than last month and right at the number the trade expected (exports were increased by 25 million bushels). The average farm price was left unchanged at $13.25.

For South America, Brazils production was lowered by 2 million metric tons to 125 million metric tons (right in line with trade estimates) and Argentinas production was left unchanged at 43.5 million metric tons (that was 900,000 metric tons higher than the trade expected).

World ending stocks were estimated at 89.6 million metric tons, 400,000 metric tons lower than last month but 1.4 million metric tons more than the trade expected. Chinas imports were reduced by 3 million metric tons to 91 million metric tons (that is 8.8 million metric tons lower than the prior year). USDA also went back and increased Brazils 2020-21 production by 1.5 million metric tons to 139.5 million metric tons.

Profit taking hit the corn market early this week, but corn is on a mission to buy acreage. The smaller than expected planting intentions estimate sent a shock wave through the corn market. At this point, with the numbers that have been released, new crop corn stocks could be below 1 billion bushels, which is pipeline supplies. Part of the short crop issue in the US will be alleviated by Brazil as their second corn crop looks good. Good enough that CONAB increased their production estimate for Brazils corn 3.2 million metric tons to 115.6 million metric tons.

Soybeans continue to see strong demand and that will likely continue after July as in the short-term South America will start to be the favorite source for export soybeans. But the issues in Brazil are not over. With over 80% of the soybeans in Brazil harvested, CONAB took the easy road and dropped production estimates 400,000 metric tons to 122.4 million metric tons, thinking that it will be easier to just make any adjustments once the crop is in the bin.

Weather is starting to become a bit more supportive. If the forecasts are correct, it might be a while before producers in the northern Plains and Corn Belt will get into the fields. Above average precip is expected to bless the northern Plains and Corn Belt through the third week of April followed by a week of much below normal temps. The combination of rain and cold will keep fields saturated and likely delay the 2022 planting season until the first week of May.

The delays have traders concerns that we could see further reductions in spring wheat and corn acreage. This helped both September Minneapolis wheat and December corn trade to new contract highs. Winter wheat is also posting strong gains as warm and dry conditions continue to cause declining conditions in the southern Plains.

Russia has pulled their forces out of the northern regions of Ukraine and is now focusing its efforts on the southeast region. NATO is estimating that this war will likely last months, or possibly years. Putin is quoted as saying that the peace talks are dead and that the only way the war ends is with Russia in control.

The war has caused a shortage of world vegetable oil supplies. Russia and Ukraine are the largest producers of sunflowers in the world, producing 90% of the crop and supplying the world with 50% of its sunflower oil. The war has stopped the exporting of sunflower oil and has caused a significant increase in other veg oil productions. The lower production of canola in Canada and soybeans in South America added to the shortage. By the end of the first quarter of 2022, canola prices were up 72%, palm up 61%, and sunflower oil was up 44%.

In an attempt to lower the expense at the pump, the Biden administration made the announcement in Iowa that the administration will waive the restrictions on E15 allowing it to be sold between June 1 and Sept. 15. This is supportive to both ethanol and corn.

The rally in the grains continued at the start of the second week of April. The market accelerated its gains midweek with support coming from a friendly Crop Progress report. The April 11 Crop Progress report confirmed what most were expecting, which was slow progress. The report also showed something most were not expecting: a slight improvement in winter wheat conditions. Corn planting progress advanced ever so lightly last week. As of April 10, 2% of the nations corn was planted, unchanged from the previous week and slightly behind the average pace to 3%. Sorghum planting progress is at 14% versus 16% average. Oats planting progress is at 29% versus 32% average.

Winter wheat heading is estimated at 5% versus 4% last week and 6% average. Winter wheat crop conditions improved 2% to 32% good/excellent. Colorado improved 1%, Kansas 2%, Montana 5%, Oklahoma 7%, while Texas was unchanged. Although the crop improved slightly, the rating is still the second lowest for this time in 20 years. Spring wheat planting progress was at 6% versus 5% average and barley was 11% planted versus 8% average.

Cattle continued to lose ground the first week of April with selling tied to the higher grains complex and lack of a cash trade. Economic concerns are also weighing heavy on the cattle market as the average consumers disposable income gets gobbled up by higher gas and higher interest rates. Technical buying stepped in to help push the cattle market higher the second week of April. A stronger cash trade added support. Supplies remains tight and will likely get tighter as beef cow slaughter for the first three months of 2022 is running 16% above last year, which is also the highest pace since 1986.

The risk of loss in trading futures and/or options is substantial and each investor and/or trader must consider whether this is a suitable investment. Past performance, whether actual or indicated by simulated historical tests of strategies, is not indicative of future results.

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Markets move on weather, war and slow planting progress - Agweek

The National Veterans Creative Arts Festival is the culmination of talent competitions in art, creative writing, dance, drama and music for Veterans treated in the VA national health care system.

Veterans exhibit their artwork and original writings, or perform musical, dance or dramatic selections in a live stage show performance. All Veterans invited to participate are selected winners of year-long, national fine arts talent competitions. Thousands of Veterans enter from VA medical facilities across the nation.

Annual competition recognizes progress and recovery

The festival is co-presented by VA and the American Legion Auxiliary.

VA medical facilities incorporate creative arts into their therapy programs to further the rehabilitation goals for both inpatients and outpatients. This annual competition recognizes the progress and recovery made through that therapy. It also raises the visibility of the creative achievements of our nations Veterans.

First place winners of the 2021 competition will be recognized at the 41stNational Veterans Creative Arts Festival in St. Petersburg, Florida, April 20 through 24. This years event is being hosted by the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System.

Creative arts therapies in VA are comprised of distinct, professionally trained, credentialed therapists in art therapy, dance/movement therapy, drama therapy and music therapy.

Our services offer Veterans comprehensive creative arts therapies using creative modalities and clinical treatment interventions to promote recovery, rehabilitation and wellness. Creative arts therapy treatment objectives target improved cognition and sensorimotor function, emotional resilience, social and coping skills.

Creative arts therapists strive to facilitate Veterans engagement in their community. They also provide a sense of achievement and channel energies into productive forms of behavior.

Across the country each year, Veterans enrolled at VA health care facilities compete in a local creative arts competition. The competition includes categories in the visual arts division that range from oil painting to leatherwork to paint-by-number kits. There are also categories in writing, as well as the performing arts of dance, drama and music.

Local creative arts competition first-place winning entries advance to a national judging process. There, first, second and third place entries in each category are determined. Selected gold medal-winning Veterans are invited to attend the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival, which is hosted by a different VA facility each year.

Art therapists use art media, the Veterans creativity and the resulting artwork to assist Veterans with introspection. That introspection helps reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behavior and addictions, develop social skills, reduce anxiety and increase self-esteem.

Dance therapy helps Veterans explore emotional and social integration.

Dance/movement therapists use movement to help Veterans explore their physical, emotional, cognitive and social integration in a therapeutic care setting. Dance/movement therapy provides a means for assessment and mode of intervention through expressive, communicative and adaptive body movement.

Drama therapists use drama and theater processes to address therapeutic goals by providing a context for Veterans to set goals, express themselves, tell their stories and solve problems. This therapeutic approach can help Veterans actively explore their self-awareness and enhance their interpersonal skills.

Music therapists use clinical music interventions, such as active music listening, singing, playing, creating and improvising through various music modalities to accomplish Veterans treatment goals for their physical, emotional, cognitive and social/emotional health and well-being.

Through education, clinical training, research and practical experience, creative arts therapists treat Veterans with neurological, orthopedic, medical, surgical and mental health conditions.

Programs offer opportunities for functional rehabilitation and recovery via clinical interventions, education, counseling, training and discharge planning with a holistic approach to recovery and community integration.

For more about VAs Recreation Therapy and Creative Arts Therapy Service, visit http://www.prosthetics.va.gov/rectherapy/.

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Veterans Creative Arts Festival recognizes Veterans' progress and recovery - VAntage Point - VAntage Point Blog

Its been one year since Jane Fraser made her first big strategic moves as Citigroups CEO, and what was already a challenging environment has become even more difficult in recent months.

U.S. inflation is the highest its been in four decades, and interest rates are expected to soar and could dampen loan demand. Meanwhile, Russias war in Ukraine has created economic uncertainty across the world, which in many sectors is still grappling with a pandemic thats in its third year.

Citis first-quarter earnings report reflected some of those challenges total revenues were down, expenses were up, and the company set aside $1.9 billion in credit reserves to help shield against direct and indirect exposures in Russia. Those factors drove the $2.4 trillion-asset global banks net income down 46% from the same quarter last year.

But behind the negative headline numbers, the company appears to be on target with its efforts to simplify operations and focus on high-performing businesses to deliver larger shareholder returns.

Ten of the 13 overseas consumer franchises that were put up for sale a year ago have either found buyers or will be wound down by Citi, while the companys exit from retail banking in Mexico, which was announced in January, is moving forward with very preliminary talks with potential buyers, Fraser told analysts Thursday during the banks first-quarter earnings call.

Bloomberg

At the same time, the bank continues to hire commercial and investment bankers and client advisors as well as invest in new technology for its treasury services, wealth management, cards and other businesses, Chief Financial Officer Mark Mason said.

And it remains laser-focused on overhauling its risk management and internal controls infrastructure, which came under fire in the fall of 2020 when the Federal Reserve and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency issued consent orders after identifying certain deficiencies in the system. The OCC also imposed a $400 million civil money penalty.

On Thursday, Fraser pointed to the progress being made in both offloading the overseas franchises, which Citi says are too small to compete effectively, and upgrading and investing in the risk management infrastructure.

If theres any comfort from our numbers, [its that] were getting on with it, Fraser said. Were not hanging around here.

For the quarter, Citi reported total revenues of $19.2 billion, down 2% year over year due in part to a 43% slide in investment banking fees, which fell amid the contraction of capital markets over the past two months. Expenses rose to $13.2 billion, an increase of 15% from the year-earlier period, or 10% excluding costs related to the companys sale of consumer franchises in Asia.

The uptick in expenses was not unexpected. During an investor day in March, the $2.4 trillion-asset company warned investors that costs in the first quarter would rise 10-12%, excluding any impact from the divestitures of certain consumer businesses.

On Thursday,Mason stood firm on the guidance he gave last month on full-year revenues and expenses, saying revenue growth should be in the low-single-digit range while expenses should come in at the mid-single-digit range. Analyst Steven Chubak of Wolfe Research wondered why the bank did not revise upward its revenue projection, given the number of interest rate hikes that are presumed to take place this year.

The puts and takes that have played through the quarter are one factor as is the fact that theres still a fair amount of uncertainty thats out there, Mason said.

So while there have been increases as it relates to rates and weve seen and expect to see some benefit play through for that, theres also been an impact on banking revenues as we see the uncertainty creating a dynamic where corporate clients are pausing, particularly as it relates to equity capital markets and debt capital markets, Mason said. There are offsets that play out and so we felt comfortable kind of maintaining the guidance on the revenue top line.

Unlike JPMorgan Chase, which added loan-loss reserves for the first time in two years, Citis recorded a moderate net reserve release of $612 million. Cost of credit totaled $755 million.

Net interest income was $10.9 million for the quarter, an increase of 3% from the year-earlier period. Earnings per share were $2.02, beating the average estimate of analysts polled by FactSet Research Systems by 59 cents.

Much of Citis business strategy revamp stems from longtime investor pressure on the company to achieve higher shareholder returns, which have lagged its big-bank peers. Citis return on tangible common equity was 10.5% for the quarter, compared with JPMorgans 16%.

While one analyst on the call said Citis expenses were high, another said the bank appears to be making steady progress on what it committed to at the investor day.

There are higher expenses, but .. asset-quality metrics remain strong, and [we welcome] a more simplified organization, Michael McTamney of DBRS Morningstar said in an interview.

While Cits approach so far seems right, theres a lot left on the to-do list, McTamney said.

They seem to be heading in the right direction, but time will tell, he said.

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Behind its negative headline numbers, Citi shows signs of progress - American Banker