#Fiscal compact

[bigarella]

La crisi finanziaria del 2008

Tra le possibili situazioni di crisi economica, quella di maggiore interesse rispetto al presente studio – secondo portata ed effetti – è quella del 2008: si tratta, infatti, di una emergenza puramente economica, i cui precipitati, specie a breve termine, imposero una risposta articolata e complessa da parte dei vari livelli di governo (sovranazionale, nazionale, regionale, locale) <42.Più nel…

[adrianomaini]

La crisi finanziaria del 2008

Tra le possibili situazioni di crisi economica, quella di maggiore interesse rispetto al presente studio – secondo portata ed effetti – è quella del 2008: si tratta, infatti, di una emergenza puramente economica, i cui precipitati, specie a breve termine, imposero una risposta articolata e complessa da parte dei vari livelli di governo (sovranazionale, nazionale, regionale, locale) <42.Più nel…

[bagnabraghe]

La crisi finanziaria del 2008

Tra le possibili situazioni di crisi economica, quella di maggiore interesse rispetto al presente studio – secondo portata ed effetti – è quella del 2008: si tratta, infatti, di una emergenza puramente economica, i cui precipitati, specie a breve termine, imposero una risposta articolata e complessa da parte dei vari livelli di governo (sovranazionale, nazionale, regionale, locale) <42.Più nel…

[collasgarba]

La crisi finanziaria del 2008

Tra le possibili situazioni di crisi economica, quella di maggiore interesse rispetto al presente studio – secondo portata ed effetti – è quella del 2008: si tratta, infatti, di una emergenza puramente economica, i cui precipitati, specie a breve termine, imposero una risposta articolata e complessa da parte dei vari livelli di governo (sovranazionale, nazionale, regionale, locale) <42.Più nel…

[theculturedmarxist]

George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq is mostly remembered, for good reason, as a debacle. But as the American military risks being drawn into the Middle East once again, it is worth noting the contrast between the initial phase of the Iraq war and the situation now unfolding in the Middle East. When Operation Iraqi Freedom kicked off on March 20, 2003, Saddam Hussein’s Iraq was isolated diplomatically and had been under harsh economic sanctions for years. Saddam had few allies to call upon, and his military was no match for that of the American hyperpower. Prior to the invasion, the United States had spent more than half a year simply building up forces, shipping over ammunition and fuel and preparing lines of supply. American diplomats had secured permission to stage troops and base aircraft in neighboring countries, such that the coalition had forces both to the south and to the north. The invasion was meticulously prepared, America was on the offense, and brought a massive preponderance of force down on the hapless Iraqi army.

The situation that Washington faces now is almost a photo negative of the one in March 2003. Today, US forces and assets are strewn across the region in military installations with a few thousand troops each. The United States isn’t facing one enemy, but a panoply of militias and terrorist groups, ranged across several countries, all aligned with Iran, which, in turn, has close ties to China and Russia.

America has done no preparation to, say, wage a concerted and effective air campaign against Iran, should the Iranians respond to an Israeli land invasion of Gaza with an all-out assault against the Jewish state. For one thing, Washington is increasingly diplomatically isolated due to Muslim anger over American support for the Israeli offensive in Gaza, but also because of inroads made by rival powers while its attention was elsewhere. This isolation was on display last week when President Biden’s planned summit with the leaders of Jordan, Egypt, and the Palestinian Authority was canceled at the last minute. The West is mostly talking to itself and to the Israeli government. Meanwhile Tehran, Moscow, and Beijing are all engaged in their own diplomatic efforts across the region.

It’s possible that the snubs from America’s traditional Sunni allies are at least partly intended for domestic consumption, to pacify their own publics even as the likes of Riyadh and Amman continue to view Tehran as their No. 1 threat and Israel a useful bulwark against it. The problem is that America’s other interlocking dysfunctions leave scant room for hope that Washington can easily overcome these countervailing forces. The House of Representatives still has no speaker, the deficit is exploding, and the war in Ukraine is already a drain on the defense budget. But this is all just waved away; Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen gives an interview saying that waging two simultaneous wars is perfectly affordable. How will America avoid a severe fiscal crisis if interest rates and inflation continue to spike? Nobody knows; nobody really asks.

Should America be drawn into a regional war, which countries will it be fighting? For how long? What if Russia or China decide to intervene indirectly or directly? What if drones continue to rain down on US bases as its patriot missiles and other interceptors run out? What if another crisis breaks out over Taiwan?

“Turning Iraq into California was a stupid plan, but it was a plan.”

As foolish as George W. Bush administration’s determination to invade Iraq looks in retrospect, the new war heating up in the Middle East threatens to be more catastrophic. Turning Iraq into California was a stupid plan, but it was a plan. Today, the plan is for Israel to defeat Hamas, but it is unclear how this will address the deeper crises that are feeding the current conflict—not just the grievances of Palestinians, but the fact that the US-led regional order is breaking down as other powers assert their interests and pursue their ambitions. Two decades ago, America’s leaders were deluded by visions of democratic transformation; today, it is unclear they have any vision beyond putting out the latest fire and waiting for the next one.

[grandaddy-of-all-liars]

for the reader folks, a one shot inspired by the fantastic art of none other than @snailgam, dedicated to @snailgam & @rensnumberonefan for well, you guys know ❤️

(CW: some expletives/harsh language only)

🚧 🚧 🚧 🚧 🚧

" 'B'! Bleeker Ave!"

"You can't do that, you used eet for thee 'A' already."

"Nuh-Uh, that's a different word, 'Avenue', so it's not cheating! Your turn."

"Aghhh ... fine, whatayver, I don't care."

"Come on now, your turn!"

" 'C'. Closer. Ya happy? Go."

"Wait a minute, where's 'Closer'?"

"Een thee mirr- eet's etched een the side mirror, okay!?"

"Nowww that's cheating, it's on the car!"

"Eet's outside, OUTSIDE THEE CAR. And you want to double-use words!?"

"That's different, though!"

"Give me thee strength ... makeeng up your own damn rules ... "

"I don't SEEEE a 'C'! Try again!"

"Okay, 'C' for thee Crap I'm goeeng to beat of your, 'C', Carcass, later!"

"Jeez, what a spoil sport."

"THERE! Kowalski EleCtreeC, 'C'! Now you go twice!"

"Wh- how come?"

"Because there's an 'E' too, you EEEmbecile!"

"Now now, you know that's cheating. Same word."

"Just play by your dadgom saylf and geeve us a rest, ah?"

"You're such a party pooper. Play wittthhh meee ... I bet we get to 'Z!' "

"We already deed twice! Now lay off, I need to theenk."

"Okay, on to 'D' it is ... "

"I'll geeve ya a 'D', pain een my ass ... "

"What Ren?"

"Huh what nothing. I deed'nt say a theeng."

A Frank Comstock & His Orchestra cassette spooled along, ticking at every rotation. Everything in this car was at least slightly well-loved. Okay, so there were in fact worse things he could conjur up than being stuck on the road with Stimpy for, what, thirty-seven minutes now? Bearing in mind, this was supposed to be a two-stop, forty-five minute errand, tops. At least they had snuck in a fast lunch of eggs and refried beans and almost too-stale-to-eat toast before flying out of their apartment. But for what? To sit on the crosstown overpass for half an hour? Because Stimpy just had to insist on coming along for the ride, and just had to insist Ren take the bridge so he could look down at the sailboats in the bay and wave at the cranky gulls on what should have been a smooth jog across the waterway. And, as Ren had decided, the universe of course hated him especially. Just for him, it had plotted the lifting of the bridge gate for a marvelously timed passing barge, as well as the lout who had started turning just as traffic halted and was now delightfully stalled out across both narrow lanes. What a freaking terrific plan, Ren callously applauded. He sunk deeper into the bucket seat, pressing his angry hide against the blazing black backrest. Oh how he now lamented having not fixed the air conditioner. But it wasn't his fault. How was he to know he'd get stranded on sun-baked tarmac hovering over the glaring brown waterway's blindingly reflective waves microwaving fire air back into his little sedan? Why him, why always him?

Stimpy seemed content with the windows down, angling about to look for all the letters in the alphabet. Again. Ignoring that their car and everyone adjacent had maybe traveled four feet in the last half hour. Ignoring that the big box truck offering a canopy of shade had of course been held back by a pushy little shit in a compact that just had to get one vehicle ahead, forcing them into raw sun without any shielding reprieve. At least Stimpy was seemingly spared of the cosmic torture doled out just for Ren. If only he'd taken the tunnel. If only they skipped their meal. If only the budget for his department wasn't axed two-thirds through the fiscal year to offset a horrible company investment that had fallen through. If only he wasn't relegated to treating their few precious possessions as collateral until he got a new job. If only he'd never woken up this morning. Why did he ever bother waking up at all anymore? He leaned forward, pressing weary brow hard into the steering wheel, pressing sweat-soaked hat rim up against his ears. He closed his eyes too tight, so tight they hurt, so tight he swore he could see solar flares vacuuming his body inward to a flaming abyss.

"Ren?"

Stimpy sounded worried.

"It's gonna be ok."

"Steempy, I don't even know eef we're gonna have enough gas to get home at thees point. Maybe thees ees a sign."

"How's that?"

"Maybe we're not supposed to make eet today. Maybe there's another way."

"What way is that then?"

"I don't freaking know, ok? What's weeth all the questions weeth you always! How about an answer for once in your brainless life!? Do you not get thee sheer pressure to be me all de time!?"

Ren motioned toward the glove box. Stimpy reminded him he'd smoked the last cigarette in that box about twenty minutes ago. Ren rubbed rigid hand over his scowl, pulling his eye sockets tight as palm dragged across his weathered face. As last resort, he pawed beneath his seat, knuckling greasy crumbs and loose change and straw wrappers until he heard that sweet telltale cellophane crinkle.

"C'mon C'mon C'mon, for Daddy ... "

Two white tips rolled in the corner of the carton.

"Sweet baby Bee-ayzul-bub!"

Maybe not every stellar installment fixed above loathed his existence. He lit up and savored the distraction from their predicament.

"So how much ya think we're gonna get for this stuff?" Stimpy quizzed, shaking a small dirty envelope.

"I told you to stop asking me questions, for fuck's sake. And poot that down, you'll drop sometheeng."

Stimpy returned it to the console compartment dejectedly.

"Hey. Don't be so moody, I'll buy ya a new one some day, huh?" Ren quipped.

"I know you will, it's not that."

"Well what then?"

"Do you really care, Ren?"

"WHAT DEED YOU JUST SAY?" he ripped the cigarette from his lips and held it out the open window, panting hot nicotine breath through his mouth into the cabin.

Stimpy flinched only marginally, turning his unperturbed frown to look Ren dead in the eyes.

"I asked if you really cared. About me."

"What's your goddamn problem!? You gonna start weeth me now?!"

Stimpy huffed through his nose, "It's a simple question, Ren."

"You got sooome nerve, ya know that, and for what!? Where do you get off ... you theenk I'm haveeng thee time of my life right now? Stuck weeth all these bastards in thees stewpid old jalopy weeth you? No job, no plan, selleeng our sheet for a few bucks? And you have the fuckeeng right!?"

Stimpy finally relented and peered back out his window, tracing his finger along the door paneling. Ren threw his elbow into his seat and pushed his hat down low over his eyes. He pulled the last drag off his smoke in one long slow suck and flicked the filter toward the murky waters below. He expended his smoky exhale purposefully in Stimpy's direction, sending tiny faint ribbons whirling around his kitty ears and nose. Stimpy didn't react. Only continued to stare blankly at a sky that was neither cloudy nor blue. Just an undefined, opaque hot white. Ren's shoulders relaxed down his back. He sneered at the envelope. Might as well take one final inventory while they were stuck motionless, suspended. Nowhere important. He needed a derision from Stimpy's attitude regardless.

Lip peeled and folded back, Ren beheld the contents of the meager package. A few gold fillings that supposedly came from his grandfather's muzzle. His silver Communion bracelet. A 14kt hoop he'd been lucky to find on the boardwalk earlier that summer. A couple old coins of questionable value. His platinum chain with saint medallion his mother had gotten for him as a pup. And then their wedding rings. An odd collection of somewhat precious items spanning his entire lifetime, reduced to the contents of one battered envelope. Their destiny now felt cheap, hollow, meaningless. He would exchange these relics for a few nondescript bucks and their individual meanings would be forever lost on civilization. He examined each of the personal items more carefully. The St. Michael medallion on delicate chain that had adorned his neck throughout gradeschool, a special gift his mother gave him as a symbol of protection from the world she had just yanked him into. The words 'Protección y Devoción' along with his initials etched into its back. The bracelet his aunt gave him, which had not fit around even his weak little wrist for years, not that he'd worn it more than a few weeks after he recieved Communion. Or to gatherings for which his mother reminded him his aunt would be in attendance. He found it difficult to believe he'd somehow been even smaller than he was today. And finally, the only adult jewelry he'd ever worn until last night, the two artifacts of their union tied together with a snip of fishing line. Disbelief gnawed over him. How he'd picked these out with such pride and candor, such deliberation when he finally accepted his life would have and never would again be as full as it was without Stimpy in it. Perhaps the only time in his life he'd felt so ecstatic and terrified at once, assured Stimpy would agree to become his for good, yet, simultaneously gripped with the threat of rejection that had cast its plague over every other step in his journey. How such a small earthly metal object could carry with it such incredible power and history. Memories filled his senses, the smell of the store where he'd purchased the rings, the carefully planned but ultimately scrapped proposal in favor of a more organic approach, Stimpy's lovely green eyes looking at him and nothing and no one else in that gorgeous moment just before and just after he said his "Yes", no wait, how he'd told Ren nothing would make him happier and if only Ren knew how much his heart had wished for this, the weekend of bliss that followed their engagement, right up to their municipality wedding set between small claims and traffic court, Stimpy dressed to the nines on the courthouse steps beaming after the judge had announced them officially documented family. It wasn't painful last night, when he was mixed up in the mania of instant gratification and fast-cash scheming. But now, cradling the rings in his fingers, feeling their figurative and literal weight in his grip, a sadness crept through his spine.

"I know it doesn't mean we're not together, ya know. I'm not that dumb, Ren."

Stimpy had caught him poring over their marital bands.

"I know you know that," rolled Ren's eyes with some poorly hidden embarrassment.

What Stimpy didn't know, or maybe he did by now, was how petty and careless Ren could be about pretty careful things. Stimpy knew Ren had collected these items to take the the dank and derelict pawn shop they'd visited with curbside finds many times before. Stimpy knew the sedan needed a new alternator and battery. Stimpy knew this was yet another lean yet temporary period in their timeline, bookended by Ren's gainful employment and his supplemental stints as seamstress, cook, or courier to make ends meet until their refrigerator and wallets could fatten up. What Stimpy didn't know was that Ren planned to ignore their car's mechanical needs, and was actually going to march those dollars right into the seedy betting parlor next door while Stimpy remained transfixed on shelves of abandoned memories in the pawn shop. Stimpy didn't know any of that as he looked over at Ren from across the cabin, understanding and love in his eyes overtaking his gloomy countenance. Ren felt rotten to the core, wondered if Stimpy could see the slime leaking from his orifices or smell the decay emanating from his soul. He was reminded why, as he clutched the rings, why he had been so apprehensive to ask Stimpy to be his, in the first place. Stimpy was pure. Stimpy was whole. Dumb as paint, but the truest he would ever meet and have the privilege to be loved by. Ren always contended he himself was deep down no good, nowhere near decent enough, and it was only a matter of time before the cat figured that out for himself. But no matter how many times Ren spoonfed him the sour fodder that was his true self, Stimpy never balked. Only wrapped his arms and tenderness more tightly around the broken dog, mending his heart with unconditional uninhibited adoration. It was beyond anything Ren could convince himself he deserved. Ren's eyes lowered to his knees as he sank back in his seat, envelope of trinkets tinkling in his lap.

The still moment was broken by some distant hollers and honks, which dominoed toward their little red car stuck on the bridge. It must have started up ahead at the stalled vehicle, one irate commuter finally snapping the herd into heated frenzy, concentrated frustration no longer containable for the hoarde of lives delayed by a singular disruptive variable blocking natural order. Reframed in Ren's mind at least, had this traffic dalliance not thwarted his path, he would at this very moment very likely be in no better financial shape. A betting voucher wealthier maybe, but spiritually poorer for certain. Horns blared around them, for no purpose other than for motorists to vent their disgust. The noisy exchange layered rage on rage fruitlessly in the concrete and iron colony. Ren threw back his head and rubbed his face with both hands, then returned all shiny treasures to envelope with a defeated chuckle.

"Too bad we can't turn around now, huh?" he shook his ears.

"Ren."

"Yeah."

"Ren, we ... I don't think we can go back."

"I know that, I just said eet."

"I mean ... Ren ..."

"You're een some kinda mood today."

Just then flashing DOT lights beaconing from the front of the jam caught Ren's glance, the heroes of disabled vehicles had arrived!

"Yeah now wee're talkeen!"

"Ren, you're going to be a dad," blurted his passenger.

The heart can only beat so hard and so fast. As long as it's attached to its host. In Ren's case, it fell through his ass past the leather and steel and machinery and asphalt and rebar, plopping heavily into the brown water and sunk straight to the planet's center. He froze. He repressed urges to vomit and cry and scream. Stimpy panted as quietly as he could, he himself looked ill for having just dropped such a revelation. Ren tried to make some sounds with his parched mouth but tongue and vocal chords were petrified in place. Stimpy's ears lowered and nose dropped. He couldn't quite gage Ren's reaction or his own for that matter.

Ren could only emit a confused whining sigh, inflected for confirmation. Stimpy gave a single assuring nod. Their mouths hung open. Time meant nothing. The chorus of horns and yells ceased for them alone. Nothing else mattered.

"Like right, right now?" Ren finally squeaked, grabbing at his own gut, pointing to Stimpy's belly with his eyes.

"Uh huh," Stimpy delicately placed his gloved paw over his own tummy, which looked very much the way it always had, though it was very much not the way it always had been.

Ren had forgotten to breathe until his lungs autonomously forced a choke of fresh oxygen back into his body. The exhale pinkened his sclera and flared his nostrils and yielded the ugliest sob from his rattling chest. Fat hot teardrops rolled from his eyes. His nose leaked down his upper lip. His hands grabbed at the air aimlessly. The weight of a strange and fraught lifetime pressed upon his temples, rendering him absolutely bewildered in body and mind.

"So, you're really upset, huh Ren? I'll understand if you'll wanna move on and-"

"HUH?" Ren's bloodshot eyes shot upward.

"Well it's just that, I know this is a lot to put on you and all, I just, I wasn't ready to say goodbye is all," Stimpy whispered holding back his own tears.

"Jesus Christ, ees that really what you theenk of me?!" Ren wailed unabashedly, his voice breaking between gags.

Maybe Stimpy really had sized him up for who he was, afterall. Maybe Stimpy had always known. But the notion that Stimpy did not see his own worth beyond convenience broke something in Ren he didn't know was there. It pierced Ren. He clutched his chest, feeling as if applying pressure was the only thing that would stave off implosion.

"Well you're crying Ren!"

"So are you!"

Gates finally broken, Stimpy began sobbing freely, flooding the passenger seat.

"You're sure?" Ren's hands wrung.

"Uh-huh. I went to the doctor three days ago. You're, uh, you're gonna get a bill. I'm sorry, Ren."

"NO!"

Ren ripped off his seatbelt and climbed over the middle console, wriggling himself between Stimpy's thighs on his knees.

"Whoa hey hey! Get a room!" shouted the car beside them.

"Mind your own business pal, thees is an emergency!" Ren returned, trying not to scream into Stimpy's face as he cupped it in his palms.

Ren ran his hands down Stimpy's cheeks, wiping his tears away. He coasted them down Stimpy's shoulders to his breast and over the sweet little pudge of his belly, caressing it gingerly as if the most exquisite treasure in the world. He pressed his forehead against Stimpy's and continued crying until he'd wept himself dry.

"Steempy, I've nayver, I've nayver wanted anybodies as badly as I want you right now, een every way."

"So you're happy?"

"I don't theenk there's words, Steempy baby."

It was so infrequent Ren called him that. Stimpy swooned. If ever he so desperately needed Ren to reveal his affectionate side, it was right here and now. They embraced and held each other tight, not wanting the moment to end.

"Steempson?"

"Yes?"

"I loave you. I've ... always loaved you."

Ren picked up the envelope and pulled out the rings, freeing them from the cordage. He put his band back on, then took Stimpy's hand to replace the ring to its rightful home.

"Are you sure, Ren?"

"Everytheeng's deefferent now, Steempson."

A horn blared behind them. They'd not noticed traffic had begun breaking up, the disabled car was now off to the side, and vehicles began pressing forward to bottleneck past the obstruction.

"Let's go scumbag!" someone yelled.

"Eat my deeck!" Ren screeched back at no one in particular, stretching back over to the driver's seat.

The car lurched forward, in line for a one-lane merge ahead.

"Take thees," Ren gestured, holding out the St. Michael medallion to Stimpy.

"What's that for?"

"To keep you and the baby safe," Ren pronounced.

"But you don't follow all that religious stuff?"

"It's seemboleec. Plus, eet's thee one thing I can pass on, ya know, besides my dasheeng good looks."

As they inched past the stalled vehicle now pulled over, Ren leaned out his window and addressed the driver who was sitting against the guardrail.

"Thanks a meellion, buddy, I owe ya one!"

"Hey fuck you asshole!" retorted the distressed mororist.

"I mean it! Fuck you vayry much too!" Ren laughed, speeding free of the auto tangle at last.

The gold teeth and bracelet and coins didn't fetch much, just enough to minimally feed the gas tank for job-searching the next day and procure for Stimpy a great big porgie from the fish market as a celebratory dinner. Ren even purchased some dill and lemons and garlic and herbed butter to fashion a savory sauce for the panfried delicacy he served Stimpy that evening. He waited on Stimpy hand-and-foot, brimming with a newfound exhilaration he wished he could bottle and dose every day for the rest of his life. Stimpy was not one to shirk his contributions to the home, and helped Ren scrub the pans and dry the plates after they'd picked every bit of meat from the fishbones together. They spent the evening talking of cribs and formula and parenting styles and potential colleges and bibs and names that would suit either a girl or boy manx-chihuahua hybrid. They were inseparable through the wee hours, cuddled close in bed, staring through their ceiling together upward to the stars above, excitedly imagining and planning every milestone ahead.

"Are you scared too?" Ren would nudge ever so often.

"Not as long as you're here," Stimpy would reassure.

"Let's play ag-ayn."

"Okay Renny. 'A', for ... Alton or Alina."

"Hmmm, Alina Höek, ok, that could grow on me. Now 'B', 'B' for Balthazar or Belsita?"

"Always with the classical names huh?" Stimpy teased. "Ya know they might call him Balls for short, or ta' tease 'em, you know how kids are."

"Don't I though! Ah, when you're right, you're right."

This continued on until it was Ren's turn to pick 'R' names.

"Dont even suggest that, I don't like eet!"

"Oh come now, if he's a he and you're his daddy, he'll be Ren Junior!"

"Keed's gotta have hees own indenteety. We can geeve him my meeddle name, but that's eet."

"You're gonna be such a good father, ya know that, Renny?"

Ren buried his face into Stimpy's belly, hiding his big idiot grin from view of his beloved moron. He sure hoped Stimpy was right. He pressed ear to abdomen, hearing the sounds of dinner but pretending he heard the teensiest little heartbeat behind the digestion. So much of his identity, within the last twelve hours, was now primed on slashing fear from his quintessence and burning bravery into its place. Even if it took some pretending to achieve mastery, something had ignited in him today. Perhaps the flirtation of chance with destiny had reformed him. He would do everything he could to be the better version of himself from here on, no matter how hard he had to fight his demons. With his cheek snug against Stimpy's belly, he talked to the little life inside telepathically, convincing it that it was in good hands so long as Ren Höek walked this world. He would bet every last material good he owned that the baby answered him back, forging a lifelong connection. He was finally holding on to letting go. He felt like the baby was already in his arms, looking up at him as the great protector he knew himself to be. It was bliss. Pure unequivocal bliss.

"I can't wait to meet you, Reecardo."

"I like that, Ren. I like that a lot."

[usafphantom2]

VENOM PROJECT: USAF plans autonomous F-16s to test drone technology wings

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 03/31/23 - 07:58 in Military

The next big step of the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to establish a drone network could come in a small fleet of experimental self-flying F-16 fighters.

The fiscal budget proposed by the service for 2024 includes almost $50 million to start a program called Project Venom - or Viper Experimentation and Next-gen Operations Model - to help you experiment and refine the standalone software loaded on six F-16 jets.

The USAF wants to develop a fleet of at least 1,000 collaborative combat aircraft, or CCA, which will use autonomous resources to fly alongside the future family of Next-Generation Air Dominance fighter systems and F-35A fighters of the service. CCAs can carry missiles or other weapons, perform electronic warfare operations or fly in front of other aircraft so that their sensors can provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

Lockheed Martin concept art showing an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter flying with various types of unmanned aircraft. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

But before the U.S. Air Force can take the CCAs into combat, aviators need to make sure that the standalone software that operates the drones will work properly, said General Brigadier Dale White, executive director of the service's advanced fighter and aircraft program, in an online forum hosted by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.

"Without reliable autonomy, it is one of those things that people will always wonder whether or not they will act [according to] the program," White said. "This autonomous central system is absolutely critical."

In an interview in January for the service's internal Airman Magazine, USAF chief scientist Victoria Coleman called Project Venom "a bridge between a fully autonomous capacity set and a fully manned capacity set, which is where we are today".

Under the Venom Project, Coleman said that the U.S. Air Force plans to add autonomous code to six F-16s. The human pilots took off with the jets, but would allow the software to take control in the air to determine if it works and offers the expected benefits, Coleman said.

Two U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons fly over Afghanistan on March 17, 2020. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact and multifunctional fighter aircraft that provides air war power to the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility. (Photo: U.S. Air Force / Tech. Sgt. Matthew Lotz)

Coleman explained that this approach will allow USAF to add new software to speed up the experimentation process beyond what is normally required to certify software for flight.

“Autonomous cars have not gone from fully manual to fully automated,” Coleman said. “The [vehicles] Tesla and other electric vehicles have traveled millions or billions of miles where they have learned and discovered how to interact with a human operator and do it safely. We can't skip that part in the U.S. Air Force.

Supporting budget documents released by the U.S. Air Force say that Project Venom will allow the service to test new autonomous aircraft capabilities for the CCA program, keeping a human in the cabin to reduce risk.

Most of the U.S. Air Force's Ana Fiscal 24 request for the Venom Project - or $47.4 million - will go to research and development efforts, with another $2.5 million to support the acquisition.

The USAF told Defense News that it did not make a final decision on which base and organization will host Project Venom. However, the budget requests 118 team positions to support Project Venom at Eglin Air Base in Florida. The service also intends to spend between US$ 17 million and US$ 19 million per year on the program between fiscal years 25 to 28. This means that the Venom Project would cost about $120 million over the next five years.

At Monday's Mitchell Institute event, Major General Evan Dertien, head of the U.S. Air Force Test Center, said that the pilot of a Venom F-16 Project can fly to and from airspace where autonomous capabilities and manned and unmanned teams will be subjected to tests and development.

The Venom Project would be based on the Air Force's previous work, testing autonomous software on the X-62A VISTA, a heavily modified F-16 test aircraft. (Alex Lloyd/U.S. Air Force)

Dertien said that the program does not intend to reinvent what exists, but rather to develop similar efforts, such as the Skyborg, an unmanned aircraft powered by artificial intelligence, and the X-62A VISTA. The latter - which stands for Variable In-flight Simulator Aircraft - is a strongly adapted F-16 at Edwards Air Base, California, which the Air Force Research Laboratory uses to test standalone software.

White said that USAF continues to test Skyborg software on XQ-58 Valkyrie drones in Eglin.

And Venom's results can be feedback in other programs, such as VISTA's own autonomy mechanism, Dertien said.

"It's a natural evolution of everything you've seen before and it will also be a feedback cycle," Dertien said. "The things we learned there, we can incorporate back into the VISTA autonomy mechanism or basically into the [software development] there in Eglin to help develop this economy. But all this is focused on providing a CCA capability."

A Variable In-flight Simulator Aircraft (VISTA) flies in the skies of Edwards Air Base, California, on August 26. The aircraft was redesignated from NF-16D to X-62A, June 14, 2021.( Photo: U.S. Air Force / Kyle Brasier)

The generals said that the ultimate goal of the U.S. Air Force is to have a central autonomy engine that can be used on its aircraft, rather than investing in various autonomy acquisition programs for different platforms.

“We will not recreate the wheel every time we go to a different platform or if we evolve to a different platform,” White said. "Autonomy will be something that will be continuously iterated [over] time. VISTA and Venom are extremely important for the development of the algorithm and take us to the next level."

The commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory, Major General Heather Pringle, said that Project Venom will produce a large amount of in-flight data on how pilots and machines work together. Researchers will classify this information to develop the next generation of autonomy.

Dertien said that VISTA has been useful for developing autonomous capabilities, but the aircraft does not have many sensors. The F-16s used for Venom will come with an active electronic scanning radar, electronic alert systems and other detection features that can expand the vision of the autonomous software to help you make decisions.

But although the U.S. Air Force sees the Next Generation Air Domain and its accompanying CCAs as elements of a so-called system family, it does not plan to wait until all NGAD elements are completed before launching them, according to Major General Scott Jobe, director of plans, programs and requirements of the Air Combat Command. This may mean placing CCAs next to existing aircraft, such as F-35s, even if the manned NGAD component is not ready.

"We are not going to do this in a way that everything will come out in a large package, like a Christmas gift that you open on Christmas Day," Jobe said during the think tank event. "This will be implemented and integrated into our fleet and existing forces we have - both in the U.S. Air Force and on the Navy side."

The budget also proposes $69 million to launch an experimental operations unit team. Coleman said in the January interview that this team will begin to develop the tactics and procedures to incorporate CCAs into a squad. This includes understanding how CCA resources would help in missions and how squadrons would train to use CCAs during operations.

"I can guarantee that a squad that is half a man, half a machine will look very different from what we have today," Coleman said.

U.S. Air Force budget documents indicate that it wants to spend $44.5 million on the experimental operations unit by 2025 and between $56 million and $58 million per year by 2028.

Budget documents say that this program will reduce the risks that squadrons may face by uniting CCAs to manned aircraft. The teams working on this program will perform analyses, demonstrations and experiments to develop and refine the concept of operations for the use of CCAs.

Dertien said that the USAF is already bringing “the right experts ... our young captains and majors” to the effort to help identify how the CCAs will operate alongside piloted aircraft.

But while doubts remain about how the NGAD and its drones will work, the generals said that the technology is necessary to ensure that the United States can maintain air superiority. As an example of the importance of protecting the skies, Jobe pointed out Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in which Moscow fought for more than a year to achieve air superiority.

“I see many challenges in the field of this family of NGAD systems, but I also see many opportunities to deliver something new and innovative that will help the fighter,” Dertien said.

Source: Defense News

Tags: Military AviationDronesF-16 Fighting FalconLoyal WingmanUSAF - United States Air Force / U.S. Air Force

Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work throughout the world of aviation.

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[dangkimnganha1990]

2024 KOREA CRISIS and government collapse vs The cost of insuring Dutch debt against default rose to its highest since January as the country slipped into crisis - 2012 Dutch general election

Bản chất câu chuyện là nếu ai làm tại SAMSUNG GROUP, đều thấy 1990 là cấp JUNIOR mà có quyền lực còn hơn cấp CEO.

Trước tháng 9/2013, mối quan hệ với CEO KOREAN căng thẳng, nguyên nhân chính xuất phát từ NÓ MUỐN CHUYỂN 1990 sang làm 3 core sections quan trọng, mà tất cả các cấp SENIOR MANAGERS đều mơ ước, vì vào phân khúc đó, được HÃNG đãi ngộ rất tốt, vì đây là chuyện chưa có tiền lệ tại SAMSUNG GROUP.

Tuy nhiên, thằng chó đẻ KOREAN, nó không biết 1990, mới là người ban ơn cho đám SAMSUNG GROUP, vì 1960s, nhà SAIGON FRANCO chuyển cho JAPAN một số kỹ thuật, và đăng ký bằng sáng chế dưới tên JAPANESE 1960S, cho nên toàn bộ danh sách sáng chế kỹ thuật quan trọng, nhà SAIGON FRANCO nắm giữ trước khi sụp đổ 30/4/1975.

Cũng như, nếu giúp đám KOREAN thì tụi nó sẽ trở quẻ và vượt mặt JAPAN and CHINA, vì bản quyền mỗi nhà, 1990 đều nắm, nguyên tắc chung, không nên ăn cắp cái không phải của mình.

Do đó 1990 từ chối chuyển vị trí công tác, và kể từ đó bùng nổ cuộc chiến giữa 1990 và KOREAN CEO, tới khi kết thúc tháng 4/2014.

NẾU đồng ý vào thời điểm 2013, thì KOREA sẽ auto né được như DUTCH GOVERMENT, đáng lẽ năm 2014, sẽ đi HÀ LAN và NA UY, chắc qua kia là ngồi trong phòng nghiên cứu tiếp tục tạo mô hình thống trị toàn thế giới một cách hợp pháp, vì thời gian đó, ASML Holding đang thống lĩnh thị trường, NA UY có nguồn dầu mỏ dồi dào.

https://www.dnb.nl/media/yyonohk0/working_paper_no-824.pdf

https://www.business-standard.com/article/finance/european-fears-grip-investors-worldwide-112042400055_1.html

https://www.reuters.com/article/world/dutch-coalition-teeters-over-cuts-as-eu-pact-struggles-idUSBRE83M07I/

Dutch Queen Beatrix has asked for parliament to be dissolved so that elections can be held on September 12, leaving the country open to months of political and economic uncertainty after the government collapsed in a row over budget cuts.

The triple-A rated Netherlands has been one of the euro zone’s most stable countries but has been plunged into a political crisis, worrying financial markets focused on the region’s debt troubles.

“The euro zone fiscal compact will lose what remains of its credibility if even one of the AAA members is politically unable to implement the austerity measures required to adhere to this rule,” Rabobank said in a research note.

After losing his main ally, care-taker Prime Minister Mark Rutte is desperately trying to find support from opposition parties for budget cuts to put the country on track to meet the European Union’s deficit targets.

The largest opposition parties on Tuesday refused to back his 14 to 16 billion euros package of cuts, and now he has less than a week to win support from smaller parties so he can present his plans to the EU by April 30.

With doubts growing across Europe about the price of austerity, parties to Rutte’s left said trying to meet the EU’s deficit target of 3 percent of gross domestic product in 2013 would hurt the economy and the Dutch people.

A statement issued by the prime minister’s office said the Queen of the caretaker government requested the dissolution of the House of Representatives, to allow elections to go ahead on September 12.

Rutte’s centre-right government tendered its resignation on Monday after only 18 months in power and the elections will be the fifth in ten years.

Rutte’s two-party coalition had relied on the Freedom Party headed by Geert Wilders, the eurosceptic, anti-Islam politician - to get legislation through parliament, even though the Freedom Party remained outside the government.

But Wilders withdrew that support at the weekend after seven weeks of negotiations on the extra budget cuts, without which the deficit is forecast to reach 4.6 percent of GDP next year.

REUTERS - The Dutch government teetered on the verge of collapse on Monday in a crisis over budget cuts, spelling the likely end of a coalition which has strongly backed a European Union fiscal treaty and lectured Greece on getting its finances in order.

The row erupted at the weekend when the anti-EU Freedom Party refused to agree with the centre-right coalition on how to cut 14 to 16 billion euros from the budget and get the Dutch deficit down to the EU target. New elections are now a near certainty.

“I assume it is inevitable,” deputy foreign minister Ben Knapen told Dutch news programme RTL Z. “It is important that everyone who bears responsibility stays calms and makes sure we get an orderly budget. We do have big problems,” Knapen said before he entered a cabinet meeting.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s minority cabinet, which relies on the populist Freedom Party to get legislation through parliament, met to discuss whether it had any hope of pushing through the budget cuts - and whether to offer its resignation. New elections could be announced as early as Monday, and would most likely be held in September or October, analysts said.

Rutte and Finance Minister Jan Kees de Jager - who flew back from IMF talks in Washington when the crisis broke - have been among the euro zone’s harshest critics of “budget sinners” such as Greece and Portugal.

The Netherlands has been close to Germany in calling for tough austerity measures across the euro zone, and in supporting the EU’s fiscal pact which must win parliamentary ratification by the end of the year in the 25 countries whose governments signed up to the treaty.

The prospect of new elections pushed up borrowing costs for the Netherlands, traditionally one of the strongest euro zone economies, as the country was drawn into Europe’s debt crisis.

Rutte, whose coalition has been in power since October 2010, failed to agree the cuts with Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders after seven weeks of talks on the same weekend that the far right performed strongly in French elections.

French jolt

Anti-immigration crusader Marine Le Pen jolted the French establishment on Sunday by winning 18 percent of the vote in the first round of the presidential election, the best result for a candidate of the National Front.

The Dutch crisis also flared at a time of wobbling support for the EU fiscal pact.

The Socialist frontrunner to win the French runoff next month, Francois Hollande, has promised to renegotiate the compact. This has alarmed financial markets, which fear he could throw the EU’s commitment to fiscal discipline into question, although his aides insist he will not try to pick the treaty apart.

France has already lost its triple-A credit rating and the Netherlands may follow suit if it fails to make the budget cuts.

“Our competitiveness, credibility and triple-A status are at risk because Wilders has walked away. That is very costly. The interest rate on our state bonds can run up,” former Dutch minister and current European Commissioner Neelie Kroes was quoted as saying in Dutch daily De Telegraaf.

The cost of insuring Dutch debt against default rose to its highest since January as the country slipped into crisis. Dutch five-year credit default swaps rose 9 basis points to 128 bps after the failure to agree on the budget with Wilders, whose party is outside the coalition.

“This represents a potential sizeable stumbling block to the already challenged fiscal compact,” Rabobank said in a research note. “A failure on the part of a core country (and one we judge as ‘true core’ at that) to adhere to compact’s deficit limits will represent a powerful debasement of the treaty.”

The crisis would make it harder for Germany and other core members to sell the idea to voters that “bailouts are not a free lunch - they come with a policy straitjacket”, it added.

[online-market]

Tot ce trebuie sa stii despre casele de marcat portabile: eficienta si sfaturi de achizitie

Casele de marcat portabile reprezinta o solutie practica pentru afacerile care necesita mobilitate si flexibilitate, asa cum sunt targurile, afacerile de street food, serviciile de livrare, evenimentele termporare. Aceste dispozitive compacte sunt excelente pentru activitati comerciale desfasurate in locatii temporare sau puncte mobile de vanzare.

Principalele beneficii ale caselor de marcat portabile

Casele de marcat portabile sunt dispozitive usor de transportat si utilizat, fiind alimentate de baterii reincarcabile. Se folosesc pentru locatii fara acces constant la surse de energie electrica. Mai jos sunt prezentate si alte beneficii ale utilizarii caselor de marcat portabile:

Conformitate legala – casele de marcat portabile respecta cerintele fiscale in vigoare, facilitand emiterea bonurilor si raportarea corecta a veniturilor;

Flexibilitate tehnologica - multe modele permit integrarea cu alte dispozitive, precum cititoare de carduri sau smartphone-uri si ofera conexiune Bluetooth sau Wi-Fi pentru a sprijini metode moderne de plata.

Aspecte de luat in considerare la achizitia caselor de marcat portabile

Este important sa se aleaga un model care sa raspunda volumului de vanzari si cerintelor operationale. Pentru activitati cu tranzactii frecvente, se recomanda modele cu autonomie extinsa si capacitate de stocare adecvata. In plus, trebuie sa fie luate in considerare si:

Functionalitatile - modelele moderne cuprind optiuni, precum generarea de rapoarte detaliate, conectivitate la retea pentru transmiterea datelor catre ANAF si interfata simpla pentru utilizare rapida;

Cerinte legale - este necesar ca dispozitivul sa fie omologat conform legislatiei locale, astfel incat sa poata fi utilizat in mod legal in activitatea comerciala.

Fiabilitate si suport tehnic - un furnizor de incredere poate oferi nu doar un produs de calitate, ci si asistenta tehnica si garantie. Aceste aspecte sunt importante pentru evitarea problemelor si minimizarea timpului de nefunctionare. Cine este interesat intr-o astfel de achizitie, poate lua in considerare magazinul online CasedeMarcat.eu, unde sunt disponibile in oferta o multime de dispozitive de o calitate superioara.

Case de marcat | CasedeMarcat.eu

Cu ajutorul caselor de marcat portabile, afacerile care se desfasoara in locatii variate pot functiona excelent, fara ca antreprenorii sa intampine dificultati legale sau cu clientii.

[thephoblographer]

Leica Breaks Historic Sales Record, Proving the Growth of the Luxury Camera Market

The past year has been quite an interesting and successful time for Leica. Not only have they launched exciting products and celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Leica M series, but they also now report a substantial profit for their fiscal year 2023-2024. This comes at a time when premium camera brands like Leica have been gaining more popularity, especially for those who want a compact and…

[rassegnanotizie]

La Germania sta considerando una riforma del Fiscal compact, introdotto dodici anni fa e che ha avuto un impatto significativo sull'economia europea. Questa riflessione è sollevata dal Financial Times, che sottolinea come Friedrich Merz, probabile futuro cancelliere, possa essere costretto a ripensare il rigido "freno al debito". Merz, leader dell'Unione Cristiano-Democratica, è fermamente legato al principio di bilancio in pareggio, ma la crisi delle infrastrutture e della difesa tedesca, oltre ai potenziali impatti dei dazi americani, stanno alimentando pressioni per una modifica del sistema. Jens Südekum, esperto di economia internazionale, ha dichiarato che per attuare investimenti necessari c'è urgenza di allentare le restrizioni attuali, avvertendo che senza riforme la Germania diventerà difficilmente governabile. Il recente crollo del governo di Olaf Scholz ha riacceso il dibattito sul freno al debito, criticato da molti come un ostacolo al progresso economico e potenzialmente dannoso per la democrazia a causa della mancanza di investimenti. La CDU, tradizionalmente favorevole al freno al debito per garantire stabilità finanziaria, potrebbe trovarsi ad affrontare un cambiamento di rotta sotto la leadership di Merz, che non ha escluso la possibilità di rivedere la norma. Introdotto nel 2009, il "Schuldenbremse" limita il deficit strutturale alla soglia dello 0,35% del PIL, ma è stato criticato per il suo rigore e per aver contribuito a una crisi nella coalizione governativa. Nonostante il dibattito interno, il Consiglio degli esperti economici ha suggerito che la regola attuale è eccessivamente restrittiva, proponendo un possibile allentamento del limite di deficit strutturale basato su un rapporto debito/PIL flessibile. Tuttavia, qualsiasi modifica richiederebbe una maggioranza qualificata nel Bundestag, complicata da un contesto politico frammentato. L'esito di queste discussioni avrà conseguenze significative, non solo per la Germania, ma per l'intera Europa, che avverte la necessità di aumentare gli investimenti per competere in un contesto globale sempre più sfidante. Bruxelles si aspetta un maggiore impegno dalla Germania, la principale economia europea e contributore finanziario, per far fronte a queste sfide.

[blueweave]

 Singapore Battery Market size by value at USD 428.72 million in 2023. During the forecast period between 2024 and 2030, BlueWeave expects Singapore Battery Market size to expand at a CAGR of 18.4% reaching a value of USD 1,385.16 million by 2030. The Battery Market in Singapore is propelled by the nation's unwavering commitment to sustainability and the accelerated adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). The Singaporean government has been instrumental in fostering a conducive environment for EV proliferation through a combination of fiscal incentives, regulatory support, and a strategic expansion of charging infrastructure. Initiatives such as the EV Early Adoption Incentive and the ambitious target of 60,000 charging points by 2030 underscore the nation's dedication to clean mobility. Consequently, the burgeoning EV landscape is exerting a positive ripple effect on the battery market, driving demand for advanced energy storage solutions.

Opportunity - Advancements in battery technology

Advancements in battery technology present significant opportunities for the Singapore battery market, particularly with the growing adoption of Nanodiamond Batteries (NDBs). NDBs, which harness energy from the radioactive decay of nuclear waste, offer a revolutionary shift from conventional battery systems. Known for their remarkable longevity, compactness, modularity, and cost-efficiency, NDBs promise to drive market expansion across various sectors, including automotive, aerospace, and electronics. By overcoming the limitations of traditional chemical batteries, NDBs enable the development of high-power, green energy solutions for diverse applications. The technological leap not only positions Singapore as a potential leader in advanced battery technologies but also creates new avenues for growth within its battery market.

Sample Request @ https://www.blueweaveconsulting.com/report/singapore-battery-market/report-sample

[finowing]

Is ECO Mobility IPO Overvalued? A Detailed Financial Analysis

ECO Mobility IPO is a Mainboard IPO, raising Rs. 601.20 crore (18,000,000 shares) through ECOS (India) Mobility & Hospitality Ltd., a company established in February 1996. It began by offering chauffeur-driven automobile rentals in India and has since grown to become the largest and most profitable provider of chauffeur-driven mobility services for businesses in India as of Fiscal 2023.

The company specializes in Employee Transportation Services (ETS) and Chauffeured Car Rentals (CCR), serving a wide range of clients, including Fortune 500 companies in India. By March 31, 2024, ECO Mobility operated in 109 cities across India, covering 21 states and 4 union territories, showcasing its extensive reach. The company fulfilled the CCR and ETS needs of over 1,100 Indian organizations in Fiscal 2024 and completed over 3,100,000 trips, averaging over 8,400 trips per day.

With a fleet of over 12,000 vehicles, including luxury, compact, and specialty models, ECO Mobility serves a diverse clientele, including big names like Indigo, HCL Corporation, Safexpress, and Urban Company. The company is set to launch its IPO from August 28 to August 30, 2024, with a price band between Rs. 318 to Rs. 334 per share.

Key Financials

Revenue (FY 2024): Rs. 568.21 crore

PAT (FY 2024): Rs. 62.53 crore

Total Assets (FY 2024): Rs. 296.66 crore

Net Worth (FY 2024): Rs. 177.41 crore

EBITDA (FY 2024): Rs. 89.96 crore

IPO Details

Total Issue Size: 18,000,000 Shares (Rs. 601.20 crore)

Allocation: 35% retail investors, 50% institutional investors, 15% non-institutional investors

Listing Date: September 04, 2024

Listing on: BSE, NSE

Evaluation & Analysis

The ECO Mobility IPO's P/E ratio is calculated at 32.05x, which is higher than the industry average of 22.28x, suggesting an overvaluation. Investors should consider this when evaluating the IPO, especially in comparison to listed peers.

Strengths

Market leader in chauffeur-driven mobility services.

Strong client base with long-standing relationships.

Robust financial performance and extensive geographic reach.

Weaknesses

Heavy reliance on vendor partnerships for vehicles and chauffeurs.

Potential risks from competitive pressures and reliance on GCCs.

IPO GMP (As of August 24, 2024)

Current GMP: Rs. 51

Estimated Listing Price: Rs. 385

The ECO Mobility IPO presents a significant investment opportunity, but investors should carefully evaluate the pricing in relation to the industry average P/E ratio.

[runarcherykr2071]

Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun both reported their second consecutive month of gross gaming revenue (GGR) growth stemming from their slot machines, a positive sign for the tribal venues.

Foxwoods slot machine win totaled $36.6 million in November, a 3.8 percent gain on the same month in 2018. That’s a difference of $1.3 million. November was a lucky month for the house, as handle – the total amount wagered on the gaming devices – was actually down 0.5 percent year-over-year to $452.3 million. The slots simply won at a higher rate for the casino.

Mohegan Sun, the other tribal casino in Connecticut, reported slot GGR of $45.8 million, a 3.6 percent bonus. Handle was also down there at $543.8 million from $555.2 million in November 2018.

November’s positive slot machine GGR reports mark back-to-back monthly increases. It comes after the casinos endured 15 consecutive months of revenue declines.

Both Native American gaming venues share 25 percent of their slot win with the state. They don’t share table game win, nor are they required to report GGR from those operations.

Market Settles November presented a rather attractive comparable for Connecticut’s two tribal casinos. A year ago, there was still plenty of hype from MGM Springfield opening August 24 in Massachusetts.

Gamblers in the Nutmeg State traveled north to the $960 million integrated resort to see the casino live. But the excitement was apparently short-lived.

MGM Springfield projected its first-year GGR would total $418 million. Instead, the casino won $273.8 million – more than $144 million short of expectations.

The reviews for MGM Springfield have been relatively good: 3.9/5 based on 7,500 Google ratings. However, it appears Connecticut’s two tribal casinos have enticed back some of their patrons who have tested out the Springfield integrated resort.

Gaming Expansion Connecticut relies heavily on its slot tax revenue allocation. The state collected $433.6 million in the 2006 fiscal year, but that figured plummeted to $263.6 million in fiscal year 2018.

The state is looking to end what will be a 13-year slide after FY2019 is in the bag. MGM Springfield, of course, doesn’t make that mission any easier, which is why the state is trying to allow its two tribal entities to jointly build a satellite casino in East Windsor – just 13 miles south of MGM Springfield.

A legal juggernaut has stalled the satellite progress. Last month, the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes claimed in federal court they have the legal right to intervene in MGM Resorts’s lawsuit against the US Department of the Interior (DOI).

MGM has argued the DOI erred in approving Connecticut’s amended gaming compacts that guarantee the tribes will continue sharing 25 percent of their slot win at Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, as well as at the East Windsor casino. The satellite plan calls for 2,000 slot machines and 120 table games.

The Native American groups say the MGM vs. DOI litigation impacts them directly, which is why they should be able to interject. Their ultimate goal is to have the lawsuit dismissed. The Interior Department is also seeking dismissal.홀짝게임

MGM contends the DOI approved compacts that “have the stated purpose of facilitating off-reservation, commercial gaming operated by a joint venture wholly owned by Indian tribes” – something MGM calls “unprecedented and unlawful” under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

[companyknowledgenews]

BPDA Approves $300M Fenway Development, Stadium Makeover - Journal Global Online https://www.merchant-business.com/bpda-approves-300m-fenway-development-stadium-makeover/?feed_id=139278&_unique_id=669e082a4f694 #GLOBAL - BLOGGER BLOGGER Image courtesy of Utile Architecture & PlanningHousing developer Scape received approval for its third project in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood, creating 400 furnished apartments in a 299,000-square-foot building at 2 Charlesgate West.The Boston Planning & Development Agency board of directors Thursday approved the $300 million project along with plans for a public-private partnership to redevelop Roxbury’s White Stadium as the future home of a National Women’s Soccer League team.Scape’s latest Fenway project will replace three small buildings on a half-acre parcel with a 28-story apartment building overlooking the Bowker Overpass.The project was submitted in 2021 and approved under Boston’s compact living pilot, which was suspended in May 2023, and required developers to include larger common areas in exchange for smaller individual living units. Designed by Utile, the Fenway project will include 14,000 square feet of shared space including a lounge, co-working space, gym, communal kitchen and roof decks.The project will include 68 units reserved for households earning 70 to 120 percent of area median income. The Passive House-design, all-electric project will not include on-site parking. A $3.2 million community benefits and mitigation package includes $850,000 for construction of a public stair connecting Boylston Street with Ipswich Street.The project also will require a height variance from the Boston Zoning Board of Appeals. The White Stadium project received approval but still faces a legal battle in Suffolk Superior Court. Boston Unity Soccer Partners, led by Jennifer Epstein, and The Able Co. responded last year to a request for proposals to redevelop the 74-year-old stadium. The city’s estimated contribution to the project is $50 million, according to project filings.“This is one of the most fiscally responsible projects we’ve embarked on as a city, by wisely taking advantage of the opportunity to leverage private financing as opposed to solely relying on taxpayer dollars,” Boston Chief of Operations Dion Irish told BPDA board members. “We would literally double the cost of the investment it would require the city to renovate the entire stadium.”The project includes the renovation of the West Grandstand, construction of a new South Crescent building containing concessions and restrooms, and creation of The Grove, a multipurpose open space.A lawsuit filed in Suffolk Superior Court by the Emerald Necklace Conservancy seeks to block the project, in which the city would lease the property to Boston Unity Soccer Partners. The nonprofit environmental group alleges that the land deal would violate the terms of a charitable trust that originally funded the stadium construction.The project has received backing by Mayor Michelle Wu, and opposition from some residents who objected to the stadium’s partial use for a private sports team.“This approval delivers greatly expanded hours of Boston Public Schools and community use, world-class athletic and community facilities, more than an acre of additional green space opened up to the public, and guaranteed annual funding to invest in Franklin Park,” Wu said in a statement following Thursday’s vote.At Thursday’s meeting, the BPDA board approved a total of 484 housing units, 99 of which will be income-restricted.Fenway Community Development Corp. received approval for a 24-unit affordable housing project at 112-114 Queensberry St., a former laundromat that the nonprofit acquired in June.In Brighton, the board approved a 39-unit residential project in a 6-story building at 470 and 470A Western Ave. by Triad Alpha Partners.And at 1905-1911 Centre St. in West Roxbury, CAD Builders received approval for a 21-unit condominium project.BPDA Approves $300M

Fenway Development, Stadium Makeover #BPDA #Approves #300M #Fenway #Development #Stadium #MakeoverSource Link: https://bankerandtradesman.com/bpda-approves-300m-fenway-development-stadium-makeover/ http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/BPDA-Approves-300M-Fenway-Development-Stadium-Makeover.png Image courtesy of Utile Architecture & Planning Housing developer Scape received approval for its third project in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood, creating 400 furnished apartments in a 299,000-square-foot building at 2 Charlesgate West. The Boston Planning & Development Agency board of directors Thursday approved the $300 million project along with plans for a public-private partnership to … Read More