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Hector “Nicer” Nazario brought images of the South Bronx out of the streets and into a gallery in his latest exhibit aptly titled, “My Old NY.” The show which opened Sept 1st, is a trip down memory lane to anyone who spent time in the borough during the 70s and 80s. For me, a Puerto Rican born there, seeing the familiar images of the piragua man, old men playing dominoes and corner bodegas felt immediately like home. Each piece represented a sliver of my childhood and a scene so distant from the gentrified NY we now live in.
“My Old NY” is a must see not only for anyone who is a fan of the legendary graf writer Nicer (Tats Cru) but for those nostalgic for a lost era of New York City as well.
The exhibit is live now at Avant Garde Gallery.
It’s the first week of March and while for many that means jumping right into March Madness, for me it means high anticipation for the annual Halftime Show Anniversary show extravaganza. This year marks the 18th anniversary but not only that, tonight marks the last ever broadcast of the NYC radio show staple. It’s a sad day for listeners as one of NY’s longest running independent terrestrial hip-hop shows will end, leaving a huge void for those seeking the best in the indie scene. Today I am reminiscing about all the great times I’ve spent there while being a member of the show from 2011-2014. It was a time to meet amazing artists I looked up to my whole life while working with a great crew — including a legend in the industry, DJ Eclipse. Just being around for the hip-hop conversations and debates was a learning experience in music history in itself. But as I think back I realize I learned so much about life too. Here are my top life lessons from working on WNYU’s The Halftime Show.
One of the many aspects that make The Halftime Show so special is that everyone on there is a professional. They take their craft very seriously and it shows on the music and the mixes. DJ Eclipse treats the slot which is at a college radio, with all that comes with it – not always great equipment, no money, and he puts on a professional sounding show that would be fit for any of the major radio stations. That is something that he takes pride in. The point is you never know what opportunities might come from something you do now even if it’s a favor. When Eclipse was organizing the Rock Steady SummersStage Anniversary events he did such a great job that he was asked to return and organize more SummerStage events including the 25th Anniversary concert / screening: Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives event and the 40th Anniversary of Hip-Hop Culture featuring DJ Kool Herc show. So, you never know what opportunities can come of something. In life, treat every experience and opportunity like it’s the major leagues.
I would frantically seek out opportunities, whether it was professionally or personally. I always felt the need to make things happen. I have to be constantly ‘doing’ something. Whether it was trying to get my name in another publication or manipulating a romantic situation. But constantly chasing something leads to distraction and exhaustion. Want begets more wanting. I watched Eclipse conduct himself in a totally different way. He instead focused on his craft and just did really good work and the opportunities came to him. People noticed him and reached out to work with him on a plethora of things — anything from organizing a Summer Stage event to booking an Australian tour to DJing on MTV. He never had to chase anything. It completely changed my mindset moving forward on how I show up and operate in life.
The best part of being part of an independent college station was the freedom. There were no program directors telling you what to play, no advertisers to appease, no payola influencing what gets spins. It meant it didn’t matter whether you were on a major label or not, or if you just sent in a really great demo – you had the same chance of getting airplay. All it came down to was one simple question: are you dope or not? Talent trumped everything. So, even if you were a big name and came out with a mediocre project, you won’t get play. But then you could be an up-and-coming artist with a dope project and boom now you are on the playlist right next to names of veterans. I think that standard garnered a certain level of trust from listeners in the show and in its practices. This was a tough crowd and rightfully so. This was the place that a pre-Grammy nominated Kanye came to freestyle over only his own beats. Where Rhymefest spit what would later be the lyrics from “Jesus Walks” in a freestyle. Now it was the place where I would be introduced to great artists like Rapsody, Rasheed Chappell, Maffew Ragazino, Wyld Bunch and Timeless Truth. At the end of the day what matters is talent.
In the time I was with Halftime we never canceled or pre-recorded a show. Not a once. No matter if people were touring or it fell right on a holiday. No matter if it was inclement weather. Not even during the black out that came after hurricane Sandy. Even Halloween was canceled that year and there went our idea to dress up as the Seinfeld crew. But the show went on. The members at the time were DJ Eclipse, DJ Skizz and Petey cologne. We all carpooled that night. I remember riding together in Petey’s car driving through the pitch-black streets of the city. It was scary af. No streetlights, no nothing. But that’s just how dedicated everyone was to the show.
External conditions aside, sometimes things would go down while the show was going on. Guests cancel at the last minute. Sometimes they get lost and come super late. Technical difficulties ensue. One time when Kool Herc came to the show someone accidentally turned the lights off in the studio and we had no idea how to get them back on. I was mortified because this was Kool Herc and now the live Ustream was pitch-black. Eclipse, Skizz and Petey all happened to be away that week. Nightmare. Finally, the lights came back on by themselves like 10 minutes later. This stuff would stress me, the rookie, out to no end. But the guys were totally fine. They didn’t stress about these things. I guess they had years more experience in dealing with it. At the end of the day they were there and the music was there and the show goes on. Being around them I learned how to not sweat the small stuff, or even big stuff that is just not in your control. You roll with the punches, just like in life.
Salute to DJ Eclipse for holding it down for 18 years! Shout out to the crew Petey Cologne and DJ Skizz who were always supportive of me. Shout out to Lynn who was the original pioneer along with Riz. And to the countless others that would pitch in over the years: D-Stroy, Torae, DJ Boogieblind, JS-1, DJ Ready Cee and DJ Mixx, DJ Boo, DJ Amore, DJ Chela, SUCE, Dharmic X and Marz One just to name a few. Shout out to the chat room that became a community week after week. Old School Randy, I’m looking at you! Thanks for all the great memories!
Tune in to The Halftime Show finale tonight, March 2nd, live at 10:30pm EST on WNYU 89.1FM and www.wnyu.org.
As the year comes to a close and all the “Best of” lists have gone viral it has come to my attention that as per usual, women are left out of the conversation when it comes to lists for music. Maybe the people in charge just don’t bother to listen to female artists, or some will argue that this was an awful year for women in music in general. In any case, I’m taking a moment before this year officially ends to pay homage to the ladies of 2015. In case you can’t remember how much influence women still have here are my 10 fave moments of women ruling the music scene in 2015 (in no particular order).
Asking all this while sitting perched on top of a pyramid of refugees only accentuated the message. Such a powerful visual for a powerful cause. M.I.A. never shies away from the controversial topics that need to be addressed.
That time when Missy Elliott made her comeback with puppets in “WTF”and the internet lost its mind. I mean, I lost my mind back in February when Katy Perry bought her on stage and the beat for “Get Your Freak On” dropped. It was a little foreshadowing that there would be more to come from Missy this year. But when the video finally did drop for “WTF” I was in Argentina and I still felt a collective “YES” scream across the world from here. YES! for creativity, YES! for dancers, YES! for being a dope female musician in a blinged-out track suit. Oh Pharrell can’t make the video shoot? No problem, we’ll just make some fly dancing puppets. Oh Missy, how we missed you so!
It’s either on or off, ain’t no in between when it’s valid.” It’s his first verse of 2015 and it’s OOF, super deep. I love the entire concept of “But You Caint Use My Phone” being a social commentary on the influence and obsession of our phones in this day and age. So much so, that how we interact with them around significant others is the new test of a relationship. I mean yes, Erykah is my spirit animal so she can rarely do wrong in my book but still, this song reminded us what soul music could be.
I can’t talk about Adele without thinking about my other fave British Songstress, Amy Winehouse. I miss her so much at times like this. Luckily, this year we had the release of Amy, which gave us a few more live moments of her on the big screen to hang on to. The documentary gave an intimate look into the back story of Amy’s quick rise to fame and her fall from grace. As sad as it was to watch, I really appreciated the movie for giving an honest portrayal of someone completely overwhelmed not only with her demons but with her unwanted fame. I left with an even bigger respect for Amy as an artist, someone who valued her process and her artistry over everything else. She didn’t care about being a pop star, she just wanted to make authentic music.
That time when we learned how to say twins in Yoruba with the release of the debut self-titled album from Ibeyi. Two Afro-Cuban Parisian sisters rocked my world with their Yoruba chants over self-made hip-hop infused drum beats. If this is the year of authenticity and showing up as you are, these two take the cake. They sing about dealing with grief, loss of love, and paying homage to our ancestors in ways no 21-year-old should know about yet. Cheers to women that honor every aspect of their culture and their soul. It was an amazing album that bough traditional Afro-Cuban Yoruba music to the mainstream. And kudos to their hat-tip to Jay Electronica in the song “Exhibit Diaz” Can’t wait to see what’s next for these sisters.
That time Jennifer Lopez hosted the American Music Awards and killed the opening performance, reminding us she is still a ‘Fly Girl’ at 46. And, she looked amazing doing so. I mean come on, did you think I would have a list and not mention her? Have we met? Yes, I ride for JLo regardless but she really killed it! she performed the year’s hits better than the artists themselves. Say what you will about her as a singer or actress, but at the end of the day she is a true dancer at heart and her skills cannot be questioned in this performance.
That time Florence + the Machine dropped their third studio album and it was even better than the first two… I didn’t think it was possible but then there she was, Florence and her tambourine were back with a vengeance in How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful. Songs like “What Kind of Man” and “Hiding” became my living room dance party anthems. I immediately channeled my barefoot, inner-hippie and followed her all the way to Montreal just to catch a peek of her singing about love, loss and her drinking problems. This album was extremely raw and personal. Well done, mate.
That time Janelle Monae reminded us that #blacklivesmatter with the song “Hell You Talmbout.” It’s been a tomultrorous year in the fight against police brutality, especially on the heels of the non-indictment ruling of Tamir Rice’s case. We are hurting and tired, we scream Black Lives Matter but feel like it falls on deaf ears. Janelle Monae screamed back and let us know we were not alone when she dropped this song along side her Wondaland crew. In it she recites the names of Sandra Bland, Freddie Gray and the many other lives unjustly lost to police. I dare you to listen to this song and not get chills.
Lastly, that time Aretha Franklin, her clutch and her fur coat, graced the stage at the Kennedy Center Honors and made President Obama cry with her performance of “Like a Woman.” Yes, she was paying homage to Carole King who wrote the song, but we know who made the song a hit. Aretha plays the piano, she drops her fur coat and all without missing a beat. If you forgot what the Queen of Soul looks like, here is your reminder.
Navani Knows the Ferguson Decision: Where is Hip Hop?
The Grand Jury decision was made Monday night not to indict Officer Darren Wilson for the murder of unarmed teen Michael Brown and I like most of America – at least my America, am heart-broken. Not surprised really, but still heart-broken. Amidst the anger and frustration I am also confused. As I watch people take the streets to protest I can’t help but wonder, where is Hip Hop in all this?
I fell in love with Hip Hop over 20 years ago for it’s rebellious nature. I loved that it talked about things that were considered taboo and went against the grain. It was brave, honest and fearless. It was a movement created and made up of people that represented me – the economically challenged, invisible person of color. For the first time people were talking about the things that went on in our communities, sharing our personal struggles and putting it out to the mainstream. It was as if we actually mattered.
Artists like Public Enemy, KRS-One, NWA and later on Nas gave a glimpse into what daily life was like for the underprivileged and underserved. The communities that are so easy to ignore. It gave a voice to those without one. It felt empowering. That’s what started my love affair with Hip Hop and that’s what I miss about it today.
20 years later and Hip Hop has grown into a huge, international, powerful cash cow yet the communities that birthed it still suffer needlessly. So many people feed off of Hip Hop culture yet no one is protecting the people it represents. It baffles me that nothing has changed. The same issues of police brutality and injustice KRS-One spoke about in “Sound of Da Police” are still happening.
These are not new issues for anyone looking in from the outside. This has been going on my entire life. If you listen to “Fight the Power” you will see that. If you watch “Do the Right Thing” and “Boyz n the Hood” you will see that. If you ever pick up a book written by a person of color you will see that. The same reoccurring themes continue to show up. It’s so easy for those that are not personally affected by it to be completely oblivious and turn a blind eye.
No matter what your thoughts of Michael Brown are – whether you classify him as a “thug” (which I have seen a lot of in my Facebook feed) or not, deserving or not – I just want to remind people that this is bigger than one case, one cop, one non-indictment. I grew up with a huge mistrust of the establishment and law enforcement as it was ingrained in our culture. We were told rules to abide by like if you ever get pulled over make sure you keep your hands up where they can see, don’t reach for the glove compartment. But now keeping your hands in the air doesn’t even work. I constantly feared and still do, for any of my male relatives or friends to ever interact with the police. If you didn’t grow up feeling like that consider yourself lucky, it’s a privilege that most people I know do not have.
I recently went to see a Keith Haring exhibit called “The Political Line.” It showed how he addressed many social and political issues like racism, gay rights, media and consumerism in his work. He used his art to make a statement and take a stand. In the gallery write up it said Keith Haring “saw the role of an artist as that of an antagonist, with a responsibility to speak out against inequity and injustice.” I agree with that statement. I have always considered true emcees to be artists.
So, now I am wondering when Hip Hop will go back to its roots and use the power of their million-dollar corporate sponsorships, the 360 deals and the millions of followers on social media to speak out against injustice? That’s the Hip Hop I know and miss. And we need it more than ever now.
I don’t make it up to the Bronx very often, even to see my own family (sorry Titi!). But when two legendary graffiti crews collaborate on a project you don’t want to miss it. Saturday, September 6th the Brooklyn-based SSB (Soul Stoned Brothers) crew and Bronx-based TATS CRU joined forces to pay tribute to Shadow AKA Christopher Lee (Spike Lee’s brother). The late SSB crew legend was a respected artist for over 40 years. Kicking off at The Point CDC this was the first of many murals all over the country to pay homage to the artist. But to see it you have to be fast! It lasted a whole of two days then it was transformed into another project. That is the exciting thing about graffiti, one day it’s here and the next it is gone. It is a constantly changing and moving art form. Luckily, some press were invited to document the event. While there I caught up with graffiti pioneer and SSB founder AIM, AKA George Colon to get some back story. Check out some pics of the mural and hear George reflect on his friendship with Shadow below.
I recently went on a spur of the moment trip to London courtesy of an awesome friend who travels all over the world for work and has lots of miles to spare. Thanks again, awesome friend! I loved just about everything in London – the architecture, the accents, the history and did I mention accents? Those doorman with tuxedos and top hats on weren’t bad either – way to make a gal feel like royalty. And, it was sunny the entire time I was there which like never happens. So, all in all, it was a pretty magical time. But when people ask me what my favorite part of my trip was I have to say it was taking a walking tour of Shoreditch, the mecca of London’s street art culture.
Being an avid Hip Hop and graffiti enthusiast stateside, when scoping out things to do across the pond I immediately thought: Banksy. I figured there must be something graffiti-related to see there so I took to Google and found there are numerous street art tours. By way of TripAdvisor testimonials and my wonky schedule, I ended up booking a tour with Dave from Shoreditch Street Art Tours. What a good thing too, because he ended up being quite an authority about the artists and the scene in London having covered it in his blog for the past 10 years. If you don’t believe me, just ask Complex.com, who enlisted his help for this piece on Shoreditch’s top 25 street artists.
I left with a new understanding of what street art is vs graffiti (different audiences, different techniques, different messages) and a slew of new European artists to follow online. After the outing, I caught up with Dave who besides being principal tour guide of Shoreditch Street Art Tours is a photographer and writer to learn how he got his start. Check out what he has to say about Banksy, the newcomers he is excited about, and see some of my amateur pics below.
When my homegirl Selene first told me she was filming a video piece about the artist Voodo Fe’ and asked if I’d be interested in interviewing him I was intrigued by the way she described his work. I am always up for meeting creative folk. But what really captured me about him was this overarching theme in his work to take items and materials deemed trash and make them something beautiful. It’s this idea of being reborn, reinvented and making something from nothing, that really resonated deeply with me. It’s what initially drew me to other art forms like Hip-Hop. On the heels of his latest exhibit opening I had the opportunity to speak to Voodo Fe’ Mathelier and get the story behind his many triumphant ventures in street art, music and fashion leading him to work with brands from Calvin Klein to the NFL. To my surprise, the most outstanding tidbits he taught me were not even about art, but rather how to live life. Here the Brooklyn-bred artist shares why he believes he has been able to make a living as an artist, what his greatest gift is, and what everyone’s number one job is.


text:
Westminster Detectives is part of LocalPI, the UK's largest private investigator group, serving Westminster and all surrounding areas.
Westminster Detectives Detectives is part of LocalPI, the UK's largest private investigators. We have an unrivaled track record in private and business investigations. Because we are local you will not be charged for fuel or travel time to get to the location of the assignment. So whatever you need us for, you can relax knowing your investigation is in safe, expert hands.

industry_corpus2: Law & Justice


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An Articulation (2+2) Agreement between the College of Business and Management at the University of Illinois at Springfield and Heartland Community College was signed on July 15 by HCC Dean of Instruction Steve Herald (pictured on the left) and UIS CBM Dean Ron McNeil (pictured on the right) .
A 2+2 agreement is a partnership that facilitates the transfer of students from a community college to a senior university.
A four-year course plan has been mapped out for Heartland students that will ensure that they take the necessary foundation courses to prepare them for any of the four undergraduate degree programs -- Accountancy, Business Administration, Economics, and Management -- offered by the CBM.
"Heartland Community College is very excited about the opportunities these cooperative agreements will provide for our students," said Sarah Diel-Hunt, Associate Dean for Social and Business Sciences at Heartland. "The faculty, programs, and facilities in the College of Business and Management at UIS are top notch. In addition, the small class size and student-centered approach at UIS make it a very appealing transfer option for our students."
In addition to the 2+2 agreement, Heartland and UIS have also entered into an Online Partnership Agreement to facilitate the delivery of online baccalaureate completion programs in business and economics to students and alumni of HCC.
Dyanne Ferk, Associate Dean of the College of Business and Management at UIS, said that Heartland has expressed particular interest in UIS' online BBA and Economics programs as options for place-bound adult learners. UIS also offers courses leading to the bachelor's degree in accountancy and management at its Peoria Center.
A 2+2 agreement creates synergy between the faculty of both colleges because they have ongoing communications concerning transferring students and maintenance of the degree plans. Students also benefit from having academic advising from the senior university while still at the community college.
The College of Business and Management at UIS is accredited by AACSB International and offers programs that prepare students for challenging careers and positions in private and public sector organizations. Graduate degrees are also offered in Accountancy, Business Administration, and Management Information Systems.
Founded in 1991, Heartland Community College is a two-year, fully accredited institution of higher education with campuses located in Normal, Pontiac, and Lincoln. Heartland's main campus, in Normal, opened for classes in 2000.

industry_corpus2: Subject Education


text: 8/Pkg - 1927 - Birthday Dinner Plate - 1927�.was a very good year! Signed by the president! Yes, the President would approve this party! Measures 9 inches. Made of heavy-duty paper.

industry_corpus2: Others


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Any idea when the carriage return issue might be fixed? Surely it's not a difficult issue to track down in the code and you could issue a dot release to address this quite quickly.
I raised a ticket on the loss of spaces/indents/formatting issue that arrived in 6.0.6 and was told that it would be addressed in a "(cross platform) rendering engine" to be released sometime later this year. Given the highly publicised critique of Evernote by a long time supporter here: http://jasonkincaid.net/2014/01/evernote-the-bug-ridden-elephant/ I find the response from Evernote somewhat disappointing - a new version introduces a bug but rather than fix the bug we get "oooh look, shiny shiny new version as some point" Based on this I'm stuck/sticking to 6.0.5 until that bug is fixed.
Just upgraded last week and ran into this. Some bugs are annoying, some can be worked around - this for me is making Evernote unusable as I work a lot with fixed width fonts and terminal output, requiring that the formatting is retained to make the data readable. I've logged a support ticket for this and hope they fix it real soon.
Thanks for the reply. I've just upgraded to 6.0.3 and the problem is still there for me also. I had an update on my ticket saying that they've recreated the problem and the issue has now been fed back to the product team. As a workaround, I've discovered that if you press the CTRL key and Home or End, this achieves the same thing.
Just upgraded to 6.0.1 and the problem is still there.

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


text: Rucker C. Johnson is an associate professor in the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, and a faculty research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research. Johnson is a research affiliate of Harvard’s W.E.B. Du Bois Institute and the National Poverty Center. As a labor and health economist, his work considers the role of poverty and inequality in affecting life chances. He has focused on such topics as the long-run impacts of school quality on educational attainment and socioeconomic success, including the effects of desegregation, school finance reform, and Head Start. He has investigated the determinants of intergenerational mobility; the societal consequences of incarceration; effects of maternal employment patterns on child well-being; and the socioeconomic determinants of health disparities over the life course, including the roles of childhood neighborhood conditions and residential segregation.


text: Sleek, smooth and versatile, the Jamn nest of tables comes in a set of two. Add contemporary style, while brightening up the room with a spot of white in high gloss. Stack one under the other to conserve space or use separately for more surface area to place coffee table books, decorative items or your refreshments.

industry_corpus2: Manufacturing


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Eurobelt Series E30 Flush Grid has a grille-shaped configuration with a 41% open area and a completely smooth surface. This conveyor belt is ideal for applications in which drainage through the belt is needed, avoiding accumulation of any particle on its surface.
Its cleaning is very easy by applying air or water under pressure.


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Welcome to Prestige Motor Services Ltd. The New and Used Audi Parts Specialist for all Audi models worldwide. Audi A8 D3 Front OS Right Central Locking Button Switch New Genuine.
Generic Notes on this Part. Brand New Genuine Audi Part.
Not Applicable to this stock. Please Note: Brand New Genuine Part.
We work Monday to Friday 08:30-17:30 so please allow us time to answer your question. Compatibility is provided on some listings to give an indication of some of the cars this part may fit. Regardless of the listing details, fitment can vary due to engine type, body style and factory fitted options. Autolister v1.0, html code version 1.08 27/12/13 16:56, Listing uploaded 04/12/18 16:15:33.
The item "Audi A8 D3 Front OS Right Central Locking Button Switch New Genuine 4E0962126" is in sale since Monday, November 14, 2016. This item is in the category "Vehicle Parts & Accessories\Car Parts\Interior Parts & Furnishings\Knobs, Buttons & Switches". The seller is "a8parts" and is located in Stockton-on-Tees. This item can be shipped worldwide.

industry_corpus2: Automobiles


text: Pre-Construction. To be built. "Pre-construction. To be built." This is first new high rise to be built on Bayshore since 2007. This is a very contemporary building with floor to ceiling glass and open floor plans. the building features 60 foot of missile glass and the balance is tempered glass bringing it to wind code for the year built. Units feature, 10' ceilings, two balconies, floor to ceiling glass for panoramic water views, stone bathroom floors, under mount bathroom sinks, stone kitchen and bathroom countertops, Viking Stainless Steel kitchen appliances, under-cabinet kitchen lighting, 8' foot solid core wood interior doors and contemporary case work in kitchen and baths. Amenities include 24 hour security, large gym with cardio and weights, sauna, clubroom with full catering kitchen, two full guest suites, Theater/Media room, conference room, outdoor kitchen area, and exceptional pool area.

industry_corpus2: Real Estate & Construction


text:
DownWithTyranny!: What Does The Cordray Confirmation Mean?
What Does The Cordray Confirmation Mean?
Tuesday saw two very important Senate votes. First came Harry Reid's cloture vote to end the nearly two year-long GOP filibuster of Richard Cordray's nomination to be Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. The Republicans and their Wall Street masters don't want consumers protected from banksters and they oppose the Bureau itself and have blocked Cordray's appointment for that reason rather than because they found anything wrong with Cordray himself. Wednesday Lindsey Graham-- mostly preoccupied with grandstanding about boycotting the 2014 Olympics in Moscow-- admitted the GOP was holding up the nomination as a political tactic. “Cordray was being filibustered because we don’t like the law... That’s not a reason to deny someone their appointment. We were wrong.” He was one of 17 Republicans who broke with McConnell and the radical obstructionists to break the GOP/Wall Street filibuster. Reid needed 60 votes and got 71-- with 29 still acting like spoiled children.
A few hours later, Reid brought up the nomination, which only needed 51 votes, and it passed 66-34. The impact on ordinary American families is likely to be much greater than the confirmation of most nominees. Elizabeth Warren came up with the idea of the CFPB and was gratified to see the Senate finally move on Cordray's nomination. "After more than 700 days of waiting, Rich Cordray will finally get the confirmation vote he deserves from the U.S. Senate. Director Cordray has won praise from consumer and industry groups, and from Republicans and Democrats, for his fair and effective approach. With Director Cordray's confirmation, we will be able to say loudly, clearly, and with confidence: the consumer agency is the law of the land and is here to stay. We fought hard for the agency, and we proved that big change is still possible in Washington. Now we have the watchdog that the American people deserve-- a watchdog looking out for middle class families, getting rid of tricks, traps, and fine print, and holding financial institutions accountable when they break the law."
Banks and financial firms opposed creation of the bureau, which was established with the explicit aim of regulating the kind of risky consumer financial products that contributed to the 2008 financial crisis. Isaac Boltansky, an analyst with Compass Point Research & Trading LLC in Washington, said he expects the agency to remain a lightning rod for controversy.
“Cordray’s confirmation will remove a meaningful operational cloud that has hovered over the CFPB for three years, but there is no reason to believe that the political rhetoric surrounding the agency will subside,” Boltansky said in an e-mail.
Senator Bob Corker, a Tennessee Republican, said he would still push for changes to the consumer bureau’s structure that he said could come when his party is in the majority. The next round of Senate elections are in November 2014.
Senator Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat, said the Senate deal ensures that the consumer bureau will take shape as the authors of Dodd-Frank intended.
Republican senators refused for more than two years to permit a confirmation vote on Cordray, demanding that the bureau be restructured to put more curbs on the director’s power and impose congressional controls over the agency’s budget.
“They don’t like the fact that this first-ever financial watchdog with the explicit mission of protecting consumers instead of bankers is doing exactly what it is supposed to,” said Lisa Donner, executive director of Americans for Financial Reform, an umbrella group of labor unions, civil rights groups and consumer advocates.
Over the last three years, Republicans accused the agency of being unaccountable and overly powerful, spending too much money, and collecting too much data on American consumers.
All the same, the agency remained popular with the public, and Warren’s role in setting it up heightened the bureau’s profile. Its positive image was in part a function of the unpopularity of the large banks that got federal bailouts during the financial crisis, according to a new poll by Washington-based Lake Research Partners.
Eight in 10 voters support the work of the CFPB, according to the poll, which was conducted among 1,004 likely voters from July 8 to 11, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Public support cuts across party lines, the poll found, with 91 percent of Democrats, 71 percent of Republicans and 79 percent of independents backing the agency.
Through enforcement actions against companies including Capital One Financial Corp. (COF), American Express Co. (AXP) and U.S. Bancorp, the consumer bureau has returned more than $432 million to defrauded consumers. It has also set up a system for registering complaints with banks, student lenders, credit bureaus and debt collectors, a tool that at least 125,000 people have used since its inception in July 2012.
The agency has also written rules aimed at cleaning up the mortgage market that was at the heart of the financial crisis. The new regulations cover underwriting, servicing and loan officer incentives.
Cordray, the agency’s first enforcement chief, was nominated twice and waited more than 700 days for a Senate confirmation vote. In exchange for proceeding with Cordray’s confirmation, Obama agreed to nominate two new candidates to the National Labor Relations Board.
With the confirmation, the consumer bureau will be able to exercise its full authority over large banks and a range of non-bank financial firms, including payday lenders and mortgage originators, without any legal threat to its authority.
Richard Hunt, president of the Consumer Bankers Association, said having a director in place for the five-year term envisioned by Dodd-Frank means that “nothing stops the agency” from doing what it wants.
“There is potential to overreach here, and it has nothing to do with Cordray,” Hunt said in an interview.
Dodd-Frank gave the bureau authority to supervise banks with more than $10 billion in assets, a group that includes JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) and Lafayette, Louisiana-based Iberiabank Corp. (IBKC) It can also write regulations and enforce laws to protect consumers from abusive practices.
Michael Thurman, an attorney with Loeb & Loeb LLP in Los Angeles, said confirmation would “eliminate any doubts” about the agency’s authority. Cordray, a former Ohio attorney general, will use it, he said.
“Given that the CFPB has an extensive enforcement staff, including numerous experienced regulatory attorneys and paralegals, companies subject to CFPB jurisdiction should expect that CFPB enforcement activity will substantially increase in the immediate future,” Thurman said in an e-mail.
Amazing how fast the Republicans move to confirm nominees when Obama puts up putrid Wall Street lackeys like Penny Pritzker. The only person with the good sense top vote against her was Vermont Independent Bernie Sanders. Her confirmation vote was 97-1, even the worst, most obstructionist shitheads like Miss McConnell, Ted Cruz, Vitter, Burr, Sessions, Scott... the whole Hate-America crew, moving fast before someone could talk some sense into Obama. Judging by how long it took the Republicans to move on Cordray, there's every reason to believe he'll be Obama's best nominee so far.Yesterday President Obama took a victory lap around the Rose Garden, decrying the right-wing's winner-take-all philosophy that led directly to the Bush Recession that he walked right into as president.
[F]our years ago, even as we were working on restoring the economy and dealing with the immediate crisis, we also wanted to figure out how do we set new rules for the road to make sure that a few bad apples in the financial sector couldn't break the law, or cheat consumers, or put the entire economy at risk.
And I was fortunate even when I was running for President to have some friends like Elizabeth Warren, who had already done a lot of academic work on this and had a whole series of ideas about how we might start making sure that consumers were treated better, and as a consequence, take some of the risk out of the system. And because of those conversations and that work, and because of some terrific efforts by other members in Congress, we were able, for the time in history, to get a consumer watchdog on the job-- to look out for the interests of everyday Americans. And I am very proud to say that last night, Rich Cordray was finally confirmed by the United States Senate to keep serving as America’s consumer watchdog and as the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. So we’re very pleased about that.
I first nominated Rich for this position two years ago this week. He was eminently qualified. He had the support of Democrats and Republicans from across the country. A majority of state attorneys general from both parties-- Rich’s former colleagues-- called on him to be confirmed. And for two years, Republicans in the Senate refused to give Rich a simple yes-or-no vote-- not because they didn’t think he was the right person for the job, but because they didn’t like the law that set up the consumer watchdog in the first place.
As a consequence, last year, I took steps on my own to temporarily appoint Richard so he could get to work on their behalf. And Americans everywhere are better off because he did. And thanks to not only Rich, but his terrific team-- I know many are represented here-- we’ve made real strides, even despite the fact that the agency was hampered by the confirmation process.
...[Y]esterday, Richard was officially confirmed. I want to thank Senators from both parties, including Senator Reid, Senator McConnell, Senator McCain, for coming together to help get Rich confirmed. And obviously, Elizabeth, who wasn’t a senator when she thought this up, but is now a senator-- she was poking and prodding people for a long time to help make it happen.
...Today, if you want to take out a mortgage or a student loan or a payday loan, or you’ve got a credit reporting agency or debt collector who’s causing you problems-- maybe they're not playing by the rules, maybe they're taking advantage of you-- you have somewhere to go. The CFPB has already addressed more than 175,000 complaints from all across the nation, giving people an advocate who is working with them when they're dealing with these financial institutions that may not always be thinking about consumers first... And thanks to the hard work of folks at the CFPB, so far 6 million Americans have gotten more than $400 million in refunds from companies that engaged in unscrupulous practices.

industry_corpus2: Finance & Economics


text:
From April 30, 2012 For Brompton Group By Brompton Funds Ltd.
Overview An independent investment management boutique created with you – the client – in mind.
Approach The core value investing principles that underlie our investment solutions.
People A team of professionals dedicated to helping you achieve your investment goals.


text: A Closer Look at the Importance of Hiring a Car Accident Lawyer Car accidents are the most common form of accident in the United States today, resulting in thousands of injuries and deaths and millions of dollars in damages every year. But there are many misconceptions concerning a car accident victim’s rights when involved in a car accident. Accident victims are likely to suffer a lot more than damage to their vehicle when they are involved with an auto accident. An auto accident victim is likely to suffer serious injuries that can be life altering in nature, making it impossible for many to return to their chosen careers. Even if the injuries are not that serious, auto accidents routinely cause major financial problems and serious disruptions in the lives of those who are involved in them. The most pressing problem for people who have been injured in a car accident is paying for their medical care. In the aftermath of an auto accident, accident victims often end up having to go through surgery and numerous expensive diagnostic tests, all of which usually add up to an expensive hospital bill. Thereafter, many auto accident victims end up having to go through PT and other forms of ongoing therapy. In many cases, the medical treatments after an auto accident are so expensive that an accident victim is unable to pay, which is why over half of the bankruptcy cases in the United States are caused by exorbitant medical bills. In most cases, accident victims are under the impression that the only compensation that they will receive in a car accident case is from their auto insurance company. Actually, this is not true. The good news for accident victims who are struggling to get back to work and make ends meet is that they can seek compensation through the process of personal injury litigation. The personal injury laws in our country are designed to protect people who have suffered significant injuries as a result of another party’s negligent actions. The majority of auto accidents are actually caused by the negligent actions of one of the drivers involved in the accident. By scheduling a consultation with a personal injury lawyer in your local area, you will be able to learn more about the possibility of receiving monetary compensation by filing a personal injury claim.


text:
Fileice.net is an upload and file sharing site that pays you for each download a person completes. If you are an advanced internet marketer this is one of the best file uploading sites you can join. The company is very strict about who joins their site. Furthermore, they focus on high conversation landing pages and the best offers to give their visitors. The company is interested in how you will use this site and the files you’ll upload. They want to know how you plan on promoting these files. This is a very powerful network and they don’t allow any blackhat or gray hat techniques on the site.
If you’d like to join the company it isn’t that difficult. You’ll need to go to the website and fill in the registration form.
The company will require you to supply your home address, phone number and other information.
If you’re an American citizen, you must supply your SSN to the company. This is for tax purposes. Anyone earning more than $600 a year from an online company must declare their taxes and the company has to supply you with the tax forms to do this with.
If you own a website, you’ll need to provide the company with all the website information and verification.
The company will ask you how you’re planning on promoting your links and offers. They are looking to see if you plan on using unethical ways to promote the files you’ve uploaded to the site. This is for people who don’t own a website.
The company will review your request and send you an email with their final decision.
The company is a pay per download site (PPD) that has some of the highest converting incentives compared to other PPD sites. More people who visit this site are more inclined to complete the offers so they can gain access to the download page.
The site has one of the highest payout rates compared to other PPD sites. This helps you leverage your content that’s been uploaded to the site so you can make money online.
Fileice has a customizable widget that you can use to create effective jquery powdered file gateways from your website. You can use this widget on any one of your websites.
You have an advanced analytics tool that helps you track your file earnings and displays the traffic you receive to your files.
You don’t need to worry about the survey delivery system they use. The company has a dynamic survey rotation formula that will ensure you the maximum possible conversion rates for each of the files downloaded.
If you don’t have a website you can use the company’s pre-programmed landing page. The page is already designed with the files and description sizes and displays the Normal and Premium download options a person can use.
You’ll never lose money using this site because the download system is completely un-bypassable. Anyone who tries to use an auto-downloaders or even survey bypassers can’t obtain your files from the website.
You can easily contact the site for any problem. They are willing to help and answer you back as quickly as possible.
You have a forum that you can join. The forum members will be happy to help you out and answer all your questions.
Last but not least, the site has an online Chat.
Once your application has been approved, you can now start to upload files to your account.
The files you upload must be yours and not copyrighted material that you have taken illegally online.
When the files are uploaded, copy the URL link to each file. Afterward, you can add these links to reviews, online forums, your Twitter, Facebook, Google + or other social media accounts.
Once a person clicks on your link they are given two options to obtain and download your file. The site has a free account, the person must complete a simple survey first, and when it’s done he can download the file. Otherwise, they can join the site and pay a Premium membership and go straight to the download page and download the file.
Each file that is downloaded you’ll earn $0.10 to $1 each. This will depend on the person’s IP address and what country they live in. On occasions, a few downloads will earn you even more money.
You’ll need $50 in your account before you can cash out.
The company has several payment options.
You can be paid directly to your PayPal account, receive a check or have the money deposited in your account by a wire transfer.
This is a legitimate company and pays one of the highest PPD rates online. However, the company isn’t so easy to join and they are very strict about who they allow joining their site. You’ll need to fill out an application and submit it to the company for approval. Once you’re accepted it is possible to start uploading files to the site. You’ll receive an URL link for each file uploaded. Just add these links to your website, create a download page, embed them in reviews, share them on all your social media accounts or share them on forums. Each time a person clicks on your link to completes a survey, you’ll earn money in your account.
Has anyone joined this company? How do you like their services? Can you tell us any more about the site and give us some tips on how to maximize the site to increase your earning. I’m looking forward to reading your comments.


text:
David Niño-Liu and Dennis Willhoit became the proprietors of Appanoose Rapids in July of 2018. They believe that every great community deserves a great dining experience and are committed to creating a new standard in Midwestern hospitality. They bring a global perspective to the gastronomy at Appanoose Rapids; fresh ingredients, hand-crafted cocktails, and music guide every decision to make your visit not only memorable, but something to celebrate.
Join us in downtown Ottumwa for your next date night, family event or business lunch.
real chefs. real ingredients. real good.
Fresh ingredients are the key to any great dish. Be sure to try our Shrimp Bisque, Black & Blue Salad, Grilled Salmon, or Ahi Tuna for a light, yet flavorful meal.
Treat yourself to a juicy 12-oz Ribeye, our very popular Chicken Marsala, spicy Cajun Pasta, or Grilled Lamb Chops. We're certain you won't leave hungry.
Midwest comfort food -- with a twist! You'll love our Bacon-wrapped Scallops, Rapids Burger, Iowa Mac n’ Cheese, Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich, Eggplant Parmesan and Mushroom Ravioli .
Our chefs and bartenders feature a variety of creations each week for both lunch and dinner.
Please ask your server or check our Facebook page for updates.
From private parties and receptions to business meetings and lunches, consider Appanoose Rapids for your next event.
Our private dining room is adjacent to the restaurant and comes with access to convenient parking and our beautiful back patio. Your guests will enjoy the historic and elegant atmosphere carried over from the dining room along with the peace and quiet of a separate space. The private dining room can accommodate guests in a variety of seating arrangements; from banquet to corporate presentations, our friendly staff will work with you to create a layout that works best for you and your guests.
To inquire about event space or availability, please give us a call at (641) 954-9818.
literally..., we're on main street!
At Appanoose Rapids, we welcome each opportunity to engage with our community through the support of local non-profit organizations. We believe that we can win together by investing financially and personally in the community.
For more information and to submit a request, please click ‘Learn More’.
Join us on social media for daily specials, upcoming events, and announcements.

industry_corpus2: Hospitality & Catering


text:
Working on an oil rig is a dangerous profession that demands great physical fitness and ability. Moreover, oil rig explosions can have tragic consequences for those involved. Being injured on the job can destroy your ability to earn an income and increase your need for immediate and appropriate compensation. Other than the severe injuries that occur during an oil rig explosion, the fact that they should be prevented is even more regrettable. It is fairly common for these incidents to occur due to negligence in a site’s operation and management.
Jack-up rigs, floating oil rigs, and lay barges are generally considered vessels under the Jones Act, which provides protection for individuals working on these types of vessels.
Due to the intense labor carried out around oil rigs, injuries are common and vary greatly in severity. The most typical injuries suffered in these accidents include burn injuries, spinal cord injuries from falls, brain injuries from blasts, loss of hearing, loss of limbs, lacerations, exposure to toxic chemicals and more. If you or a loved one has been injured in an oil rig explosion, contact an experienced oil and gas attorney at Faulk Barchus for help in pursuing the compensation you need and deserve.

industry_corpus2: Petrochemicals


text: Easter weekend brought some revelations to the forefront. We can now all agree that there are some creepy Easter Bunnies out there. How parents continue to hand over their kids to some of these monsters is beyond me. . Oh yea the Final Four happened and News Flash Villanova can shoot the basketball beyond the 3 pt line. Casey has a problem with how a Champion of College basketball is decided and provides plenty of hot take. Both Marlow & Casey had emotional reactions to the opening week of baseball. A lot to get to in this episode and some good laughs. Give it a listen you won’t be disappointed!

industry_corpus2: Sports


text:
A court in London has indicated that it will give the go-signal to a group lawsuit that was filed by approximately 60,000 English owners of the cars of Volkswagen, due to the “dieselgate” scandal.
On Thursday, lawyers for Leigh Day and Slater and Gordon said that they had been given the opportunity to be the joint legal lead in the said lawsuit, which will be the biggest in English legal history. However, it is still subject to any further applications by other law firms.
Volkswagen has said that approximately 11 million cars worldwide were furnished with a software that cheated diesel emissions tests in the United States that are designed to limit carbon dioxide (CO2) pollution and harmful car fumes.
Around 1.2 million vehicles from Audi, Volkswagen, SEAT, and Skoda are affected in the United Kingdom.
English lawyers are initiating a series of allegations, including that “defeat devices” – engine management software that is designed to mask the pollution levels – broke the rules of the European Union. They also said that the manufacturers of Volkswagen defrauded the drivers, that drivers overpaid for the vehicles, and that a software fix of Volkswagen has caused other problems with cars.
Volkswagen has already agreed to a multi-billion settlement with the authorities and owners of affected vehicles in the United States. However, the company has said that it will fight the legal action in the United Kingdom.
A spokesperson from Volkswagen stated: “We intend to defend these claims robustly and are confident of a successful outcome.” He said that the software has not been proven to be illegal in the United Kingdom and many cars had already been fixed.
A spokesperson for one law firm said that as a fundamental step in the litigation process, the court application for a so-called Group Litigation Order (GLO) is anticipated to be finalised after the Easter break.
The first pre-trial hearing for the said case is expected to occur in early 2019.


text:
Deposition Author(s): Schreuder, H.A., Liesum, A., Kroll, K., Boehnisch, B., Buning, C., Ruf, S., Buning, C., Sadowski, T.
Crystal structure of cathepsin A, a novel target for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Schreuder, H.A., Liesum, A., Kroll, K., Bohnisch, B., Buning, C., Ruf, S., Sadowski, T.
The lysosomal serine carboxypeptidase cathepsin A is involved in the breakdown of peptide hormones like endothelin and bradykinin. Recent pharmacological studies with cathepsin A inhibitors in rodents showed a remarkable reduction in cardiac hypertrophy and atrial fibrillation, making cathepsin A a promising target for the treatment of heart failure. Here we describe the crystal structures of activated cathepsin A without inhibitor and with two compounds that mimic the tetrahedral intermediate and the reaction product, respectively. The structure of activated cathepsin A turned out to be very similar to the structure of the inactive precursor. The only difference was the removal of a 40 residue activation domain, partially due to proteolytic removal of the activation peptide, and partially by an order-disorder transition of the peptides flanking the removed activation peptide. The termini of the catalytic core are held together by the Cys253-Cys303 disulfide bond, just before and after the activation domain. One of the compounds we soaked in our crystals reacted covalently with the catalytic Ser150 and formed a tetrahedral intermediate. The other compound got cleaved by the enzyme and a fragment, resembling one of the natural reaction products, was found in the active site. These studies establish cathepsin A as a classical serine proteinase with a well-defined oxyanion hole. The carboxylate group of the cleavage product is bound by a hydrogen-bonding network involving one aspartate and two glutamate side chains. This network can only form if at least half of the carboxylate groups involved are protonated, which explains the acidic pH optimum of the enzyme.
Ruf, S.,Buning, C.,Schreuder, H.,Horstick, G.,Linz, W.,Olpp, T.,Pernerstorfer, J.,Hiss, K.,Kroll, K.,Kannt, A.,Kohlmann, M.,Linz, D.,Hubschle, T.,Rutten, H.,Wirth, K.,Schmidt, T.,Sadowski, T.
Sanofi-Aventis Pharma Deutschland GmbH, Industriepark Höchst, 65926 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Electronic address: herman.schreuder@sanofi.com.

industry_corpus2: Biopharmaceuticals


text:
Easter Arrives Early at Whitsbury!
At this time of year it may be Christmas on the minds of most people, but at Paul Henderson Racing we're making plans for Easter In Paris. The latest exciting addition to the Henderson yard is this strong 7-year-old. She won a point-to-point before running in four maiden hurdles and four novice chases, in Ireland. A confident jumper, she's now ready to go handicap chasing over here. She's a great worker who gets her head down and is very keen at home. She will be ready to run in about a month, so just in time for the Christmas meetings! There are still a couple shares available, so get in contact for more information.
Un Beau Roman wins at Cheltenham!
After what seems like forever, the rain has finally come and Un Beau Roman made the most of it yesterday with a stunning win at Cheltenham! Brilliantly ridden by Nick Scholfield, Un Beau traveled nicely and peaked at the right time to take a fantastic victory by a head!


text:
Recently, Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe expressed "deep repentance" for Japan's actions in World War Two. It was the latest in a long series (20, just counting from the year 2000) of formal apologies the country has offered, and it was expressed - both appropriately and inappropriately - at a joint session of the United States Congress. Appropriately, because America was Imperial Japan's main foe, and as a civilised country it is qualified to receive apologies from another civilised country. Inappropriately, because the United States has more to apologise to Japan for than Japan has to apologise to America for.
First of all, it should be pointed out that Japan owes no apologies whatsoever to any European nation for its actions in WWII. Nazi Germany was but a distant ally of Imperial Japan; the country played no role in the European war theatre. The fact that Japan had friendly relations with Hitler's Germany is beyond the point - fascism at the time was a hugely popular new politics, and there were pro-German fascist political parties everywhere from Ireland to India, including one which came to power in Spain, and one which didn't in Britain. Nearly all of these parties were pro-Nazi Germany. That in itself is not a crime, regardless of the crimes committed by the Third Reich.
The fall of Nazi Germany didn't mean the fall of Imperial Japan, although both were allied against the same enemies. The Pacific War, more accurately called the Asia-Pacific War raged on after Germany's defeat..
There are two versions of the Pacific War, a war fought mostly by Imperial Japan and the United States: the first, and by far the best-known, is the semi-fictional version told by the victors. Due the America's massive worldwide media influence, this is the one most people are more familiar with. It has been re-told through countless Hollywood productions, and it invariably portrays the Japanese as mindless militaristic aggressors, hell-bent on conquering all of Asia and the Pacific. Prior to Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers in 2006, no American-made feature film had succeeded in portraying the Japanese as normal human beings, and to this day no successful US-made film or book has focused on the true facts of America's participation in WWII.
These are the facts of US involvement in WWII: Looking first at the Western Front, the Battle of Britain, in the Autumn of 1940, can be viewed as the first turning point in the Second World War in Europe; Germany was prevented from gaining air superiority over the UK, which was required to launch an amphibious and airborne invasion. At the same time, Britain, supported by Canada (which declared war against Germany several days after Britain), stepped up its operations in the Atlantic against German submarine fleets, and most of the work involved in clearing the sea-lanes of the German threat, which would pave the way for the later Invasion of Normandy, was carried out by the British and Canadian navies.
Looking at the Eastern Front, a week before Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, and America's consequent decision to enter the war, the Battle of Moscow can be regarded as the second turning point in the war against Germany. It had pushed German troops back by over 320 kilometres, with huge causalities - nearly 900,000 Germans dead, injured, captured or missing in action. Germany's rapid retreat westwards was already underway. At the same time, huge swathes of territory had been won back from Axis troops in North Africa. By the time of American president, Franklin Roosevelt's declaration of war on Japan, Germany's defeat was already a certainty; the only questions remaining pertained to the circumstances of this defeat: would it be total or negotiated, and how much territory would Germany be allowed to keep?
America felt it had - relatively - little to lose by joining the war. It's focus would not be the European theatre in any case, but the Asia-Pacific theatre. On the other hand, it had much to lose by not joining Britain, Canada, and the free forces of the various occupied European nations. It would not be entitled to reap the spoils of war, nor to "win the peace which will follow the war", as Roosevelt put it.
The United States has never had to fight a war for its survival in the same way as many European nations have, and thus it has never - even now, in the 21st century - had to enter a military conflict where it didn't believe the odds were overwhelmingly stacked in its favor. America certainly didn't believe fighting against Japan would be anything remotely like fighting against Germany.
Most Americans at the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor felt the Japanese to be an inferior people, and few felt any qualms at seeing second- and third-generation Japanese-Americans rounded up and put in what Roosevelt himself called "concentration camps", even as the same thing was happening to Jews in Europe. In fact, the American military top brass didn't even believe the attack on Pearl Harbor could have been devised by the Japanese; they felt the raid had to have been planned by the German military on Japan's behalf. The United States didn't realize how difficult the fighting against Japan in the Pacific would be. (Britain did, as the country had been largely responsible for teaching the Japanese how to build aircraft carriers and fly planes off them, as such technical skills and knowledge were transferred to Japan under the Anglo-Japanese Alliance.) By 1941, Japan's navy was the world's most powerful, and among the aerial weaponry Japan boasted was the Mitsubishi Zero fighter, which would prove superior to any fighter the US had in its arsenal.
Immediately after the raid on Pearl Harbor, America retaliated in a similar fashion to Japan's strategic masterstroke at Pearl Harbor. In what was called the Dolitttle Raid, 16 US Army Air Force bombers attacked military installations in the Japaese home islands. It was one of the few bombing raids deliberately targeting military installations that was in large part successful. Thereafter, as American frustration with lack of progress and unwillingness to risk lives set in, US air raids turned to 'bomb anything' mode, which would later becomes the modus operandi for bombing other Asian nations.
Of course, by the time the Pacific War was entering its final stages, America was only too familiar with the kind of foe it was up against. Even in 1945, Japan was not an enemy which could be taken on on equal terms. To hasten Japanese demoralization, America stepped up bombing raids on civilian population centres in the home islands, one raid of which (Operation Meetinghouse) on the 9th to 10th of March, 1945, was later estimated to be the single most destructive bombing raid in history.
Almost 90% of the bombs dropped on the home islands of Japan were delivered by the B-29 Superfortress strategic bomber, flying at a safe altitude of anything up to 9,000 metres. These bombers were later estimated by The Tokyo Fire Department to have killed 97,000 people, and left 125,000 wounded.
Although indiscriminate bombings of urban areas are not normally – even today - called 'massacres' or 'act of terrorism', that's what they are to the victims. Never was there any controversy over Washington's lack of apologies for the firebombings of Japanese cities; quite the contrary. This style of warfare - aerial mass murder of civilian populations - would come to empitomise the US approach to fighting against resolute enemies like the Japanese; a kind of attempted genocide, born of frustration at not making the land advances the country felt it had to, and unwillingness to risk American lives. Later, in South-east Asia, this frustration drove America to 'carpet-bomb' civilian areas of Vietnam, as well as (neutral) Cambodia and Laos, killing, wounding or making homeless an estimated 6 million people over a 4-year period.
The firebombing of Japanese cities was rounded off with Washington's orders to drop atom bombs on two major Japanese population centres, with full knowledge of the expected results. And also the full knowledge that the Japanese civilian victims would not know what had happened. These particularly massacres would result in tens of thousands of civilians dying painfully slow deaths over the subsequent weeks, months and years.
How can the United States be among the countries receiving these oft-repeated apologies from Japan? Japan had paid the price for its strategic attack on Hawaii dozens of times over by the time the Pacific War ended.
That was the part of the Pacific War which led to Japan's defeat. But Japan's principal victims of aggression were further east on the Asian mainland..
Japan does still owe apologies to its Asian neighbours, particularly China, principally for the Nanjing Massacre and its infamous germ warfare laboratories, of which the largest was Unit 731, in Manchuria. It is estimated that 1,000 staff were employed in these facilities in total, carrying out experiments on hundreds of thousands of human victims, mostly (around 70%) Chinese, but also including men, women and children from Korea, and the occupied states of south-east Asia. 'Experiments' ranged from infecting prisoners with plague, cholera, smallpox and the like to weapons testing on live victims to study the effectiveness of grenades and flame throwers from various distances. Interestingly, the United States, usually so vociferous on the subject of bringing (non-American) war criminals to justice, gave immunity to these Japanese researchers in exchange for their data on human experimentation.
Apart from the Nanjing Massacre, there were also numerous massacres which took place in China and other east Asian countries during WWII. But the victims of these massacres ranged from dozens to several hundreds, more on the same scale, or smaller, that the My Lai and other massacres committed by US troops in Vietnam. Interestingly, the United States, usually so vociferous on the subject of bringing (non-American) war criminals, didn't find it appropriate to follow up investigation of many of the smaller massacres it committed in Vietnam. Even in the case of May Lai, in which over 500 civilians were killed, while 26 men initially were charged, only one, a Lieutenant Calley was convicted, and made to serve the awful punishment of three and a half years under house arrest.
Again, Japan owes no apologies to America. And while it can be argued that it hasn't apologised enough to Asian countries, no apology should be given to China, or in China.
It would be a travesty for what has now long been a free and fair, modern state, with the rule of law and all the other trappings of democracy to apologise to a thuggish regime like the one in power in Beijing, a regime little better now than that of Imperial Japan 70 years ago. While China was once a victim of Japanese aggression, the 21st century scenario could not be more different. Now it is China which throws its weight around in the region, intimidating its neighbours and claiming their territories.
Since the establishment of the Peoples' Republic of China in 1950, China has stolen territories from India, Russia, and Korea, and in 1980 it fought desperately in a failed attempt to steal land from Vietnam. The country has swamped Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang (East Turkestan), and the ethnic minority lands of its south-west with Han Chinese migrants in an attempt to obliterate their distinct identities, and it has invaded and annexed Tibet and is currently in the process of doing the same thing there. Its extravagant maritime territorial claims include territories belonging to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam, and it has apparently already succeeded in stealing islands belonging to Vietnam and the Philippines. Its claims to territory in the South China Sea reach to within 100 km of the Indonesian coast and they have soured relations with the ASEAN bloc, but not to the point where the country sees any need to change course, and at the time of writing, China is pushing its policy of brinkmanship with military flight incursions over South Korean, Japanese and Taiwanese airspaces. It poses a constant military threat to Taiwan, which it claims as a PRC province, and has done so for well over half a century. It has also openly reneged on promises made to Britain in the Sino-British Joint Resolution of 1984 to allow democratic politics in Hongkong, and not only imprisons and tortures anyone who openly expresses dissent within the PRC, and persecutes their families, but also outlaws any religious or spiritual movement not under its direct control. It has a shoot to kill policy to counter the flow of Tibetans attempting escape over the Himalayas to India, and regularly uses live fire to quell public demonstrations, the most infamous of which was the internationally televised 1989 Tiananmen Massacre, which to this day it denies even happened.
And some people think Japan should apologise to a regime like this? They cannot be serious.
There are some who believe that Japan should express its apologies to Taiwan for the atrocities committed by Japanese troops against Chinese civilians, as Taiwan is the inheritor of the Nationalist Chinese government in power in China during WWII. But this is also a bad idea. While the Nationalists did flee to Taiwan after the war, the island had long been a part the Japanese empire by that time. Many Taiwanese fought bravely during WWII. But most were fighting FOR Japan; almost 200,000 in total.
South Korea, though also a part of Imperial Japan during the war (but not for as long as Taiwan), is more insistent on receiving Japanese apologies than Taiwan. But, here we have the same problem: any apology made by Japan should be an apology to the Korean people. If any government in Asia is less qualified to receive apologies from Japan than China, it is the barbaric regime in power in Pyongyang. How could Japan apologise to a regime that, even today, values human life so little that it is willing to keep much of 'its' population on the brink of starvation in order to stay in power?
While many of the states of the ASEAN bloc have made huge strides towards becoming free and fair, democratic countries (and Myanmar is at least heading in the right direction), the resistance to political and social reform in China and North Korea has ensured that no more meaningful apologies for Japan's actions during WWII can be given to all of Imperial Japan's Asian victims. Looking at the way things are going, it seems likely that by the time these regimes finally collapse, WWII will have faded from living memory, and relevance.

industry_corpus2: Politics & Administration