ALEX HALEY - Author of ROOTS and Legacy Star Kunta Kinte

Kunta Kinte (c.1750-c.1822) is a character in the novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family by American author Alex Haley. Haley claimed that Kunta Kinte was based on one of his ancestors: a Gambian man who was born in 1750, enslaved and taken to America and who died in 1822.

But the major difference between the two miniseries, besides the updated production, is the fact that more information has been discovered about the history behind Roots. 

Thanks to the success of the novel and the miniseries in the '70s, more people wanted to research Kunta Kinte's origins, Burton claimed in his interview with Bell. Burton cited that more has been learned about the Mandinka culture, of which Kunta was a part, like that they were horse warriors and Bell pointed out that the new series shows that the Kinte family was Muslim. 

Producer Wolper told The New York Times that while Kunta's home in the village of Juffure in the Gambia of Africa had been portrayed as remote in the original miniseries, history now points to Juffure being a busy commercial trade post. These newly discovered elements of Kunta's origins will be updated for the re-imagined Roots.

read more

MEMORIAL DAY - Remembering African American Soldiers IN the Civil War and others - May 30, 2016

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May 30, 2016

Memorial Day, an American holiday observed on the last Monday of May, honors men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. 

Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. 

Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, at least, it marks the beginning of summer.

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The Civil War is the war between the states for the abolition of slavery.  

African American has such a legacy in giving up our lives for the protection of others while being treated with involuntary servitude actions and not as full-fledged authority of a citizen.  Today, we remember these wise and gallant men and women of African American decent; and, we remember others who fought and died.  

Arlington Cemetery

Today, President Barack Obama placed a flower arrangement at Arlington Cemetery to remember all those who have lost their lives in the protection of the United States in our armed services.
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On September 22 1862, Abraham Lincoln issued his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, in which he declared that as of January 1, 1863, all slaves in states in rebellion against the Union "shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free."

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Juneteenth, also known as Juneteenth Independence Day or Freedom Day, is a holiday that commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas in June 1865, and more generally the emancipation of African-American slaves throughout the Confederate South.

MPA LLC SCHEDULE UPDATE

JUNE 8, 2016

CENTER STREET LIBRARY

2727 W. CENTER

1:00pm - 3:00pm

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ROUTES:  22, 23, 27, BLUE & PURPLE

Milwaukee to Monomonee Falls (North), Veterans Administration Hospital (Southwest) & Walmart - Oak Creek (South)

JUNE 8, 2016, JUNE 22, 2016 & JULY 20, 2016

MPA LLC SUNDAY SPECIAL

May 29, 2016

MILWAUKEE | Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC announced it Public Transportation Infrastructure Real-Time Wraparound Services today.

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MPA LLC Public Transportation Infrastructure Seminars are a 'deep-dive' look at the Infrastructure of Public Transportation with a SPECIAL FOCUS on Milwaukee County BRT-Bus Rapid Transportation, City of Milwaukee Streetcar and Bublr Bike. 

Rigging the ELECTION - Favoritism for Hilary Clinton is WRONG

MPA LLC Extends NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE WEEK through Saturday, May 28, 2016 SATURDAY TALK

May 23, 2016
MILWAUKEE | Public Transportation INFRASTRUCTURE is a major focus of Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC.

National Infrastructure Week (NIW), May 16 – 23 has been expanded to Friday, May 27, 2016, to bring broader attention to the needs of Milwaukeeans, the need for City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County to investment in the infrastructure to advance access to public transportation instead of bait-n-switch claims to BRT-Bus Transit issues and bait-n-switch plans tied to mega funding from the Federal Transit Administration using rigged assessment not in-line with  the ridership and their dependency on public transportation.

On Thursday and Friday, May 26-27, 2016, Bus Tours Blue line, Purple Line, 279, 6, 61- riding on routes and talking to ridership and drivers to talk about what they see are major Infrastructure concerns.  We will also do BUS STOP surveys.

A Call to the Press is asked to help get the word out about the NEED of INFRASTRUCTURE support for better public transportation.

ATU Union 998

We are asking ATU 998 to provide members for a Focus Group discussion of what would make the routes, buses, employee benefits, and customer care better.

  

“After decades of inadequate investment, the city of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County infrastructure that our CORE CONSTITUENTS and businesses rely on to grow and prosper is crumbling,” said Mary Glass, Chair/Chief Visionary Officer.  “Investment in our infrastructure, particularly in public transit, is a key ingredient to help African American, other People of Color and the Work Challenged people get to/from jobs, improve race relations, impact risky behavior borne out of Enduring Concentrated Poverty and to drive growth in our urban and rural communities with 21^st Century options for public transportation.”

Straddle Bus

We not only seek standardize customer care to meet the needs of the public/ridership and day-to-day business connections of those dependent for quality of life and economic development, but we prepare for the future in strategic planning of/with the urban and rural population for lifestyle improvements in the future such as the Straddle Bus.  

MILWAUKEE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION LLC Joins National Infrastructure Week to Highlight Urgent Need OF People of Color and Work Challenged participants in Milwaukee to call for the Investment in the Nation’s Aging Public Transportation Systems

MILWAUKEE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION LLC Joins National Infrastructure Week to Highlight Urgent Need OF People of Color and Work Challenged participants in Milwaukee to call for the Investment in the Nation’s Aging Public Transportation Systems

May 23, 2016

Today, May 23 2016, Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC announced that they support the 2016 National Infrastructure Week (NIW), May 16 – 23, to bring broader attention to the needs of Milwaukeeans, the need for City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County to investment in the infrastructure to advance access to public transportation instead of bait-n-switch claims to BRT-Bus Transit issues and bait-n-switch plans tied to mega funding from the Federal Transit Administration using rigged assessment not in-line with  the ridership and their dependency on public transportation.

“After decades of inadequate investment, the city of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County infrastructure that our CORE CONSTITUENTS and businesses rely on to grow and prosper is crumbling,” said Mary Glass, Chair/Chief Visionary Officer.  “Investment in our infrastructure, particularly in public transit, is a key ingredient to help African American, other People of Color and the Work Challenged people get to/from jobs, improve race relations, impact risky behavior borne out of Enduring Concentrated Poverty and to drive growth in our urban and rural communities with 21^st Century options for public transportation.”

The deep-dive focus of Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC in Milwaukee is on the appropriate customization and matching of Milwaukee County, Chris Abele-County Executive BRT-Bus Rapid Transit Alternative in a fast-tracked Small Starts application, August, 2016.  As well as the additional $20 million dollar beg (added to 14.2 million and $124 million given in 2015) by the City of Milwaukee, Tom Barrett-Mayor, for more millions for the luxury downtown streetcar through U.S. Department of Transportation’s TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) program.

“Both the city and county have linked with well-connected and WEALTHY cronies – elected-appointed-hired-donor for hire - to further add federal Transportation funding that DISCRIMINATE and DISENFRANCHISE the protected classes and provides for the haves,” said Glass.  The 7-mile East-West Corridor Feasibility Study by the county AS WELL AS the greedy Caucasian-focused Couture Streetcar FAIL to maximize opportunities to address the Infrastructure of public transportation in the city of Milwaukee (largest city in Wisconsin , ¾ population is People of Color and their census tracts with over 50% un- and under-employed ) -  and Milwaukee County site (city of Milwaukee) and the Inclusion of the target population mired in Enduring Concentrated Poverty.  TAXATION without REPRESENTATION.

 “Increasing investment in public transit is an important step to truly improving the condition of our nation’s transportation infrastructure and stabilizing the employment of families in Milwaukee,” said Glass.  “We will not have the transportation network our community and our nation needs until everyone has access to modern, safe, affordable and reliable public transportation is made available that can improve race relations, connects people to jobs, raise the standards in customer care, raise the MILWAUKEE COUNTY TRANSIT SYSTEM commerce and services, bringing neighborhoods and communities together more efficiently.”

Glass said, “We say create and stabilize our crumbling public transit connectivity with more top running buses on routes such as 279 & 6, Blue line, 27^th Street, Purple Line, keeping our buses seats and floors clean, correcting European fee box, ensure Go-Pass, correcting new payment process, improving bus operator conditions to include time for the bathroom and breaks,  while looking at multimodal that include ‘Straddled-bus’ for the future look of public transportation in the largest urban city IN Wisconsin and connecting neighbors.”

Nationwide, according to the latest data from 2013, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) says that more than 40 percent of buses and 25 percent of rail transit assets were in marginal or poor condition. The FTA also notes there is an $86 billion backlog in deferred maintenance and replacement needs.  

                                                                         

While passage of the federal FAST Act was a step in the right direction, estimates to meet current national public transportation demand will require a capital investment over six years by all levels of government in the amount of $43 billion annually, according to APTA and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ Bottom Line Report.  Currently, the U.S. invests only $17.7 billion annually. 

National Infrastructure Week allows individual urban and rural areas to link with specifics in their areas during a national week of events, media coverage, education and advocacy efforts to elevate infrastructure as a critical issue impacting all Americans.  For more information, go to www.infrastructureweek.org.

  

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BRT-Bus Rapid Transit must have the fingerprint of People of Color

May 16, 2016

MILWAUKEE | Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC continues its movement of All Hands on Deck, WE CAN Initiative for Redesigning, Re-branding and Un-trapping hidden talent and vetted businesses.

Why we continue to miss the mark.

Opportunities in the marketplace, especially those created at the federal level - with mega dollars - are often void of the first level of involvement of CORE CONSTITUENTS, the People, especially African American, other People of Color and the Work Challenged. These are the ones the funding regulation call for but the reality is a model such as the one we are seeing moving forward in the BRT East-West Small Starts effort.

MPA LLC sees the merit of multi-modal approaches with connectivity for better/best access, more timely routes, excellent customer care, supported employment components for the bus union and staff of transit services, cost-sharing by the ridership that is durable, and cost-effective for the long-haul of public transit in Milwaukee County.

Lunch & Learn

Therefore, in addition to our Position Statement of "rejection as is", MPA LLC is outreaching to members of all sectors - residential, commercial, light industrial, unions, community groups, ridership and those with direct responsibility of public transportation.

Join us.

CLICK

MPA LLC will help Milwaukeeans escape BRT Buyers Remorse

MPA LLC Thursday SPECIAL

May 12, 2016 - 

MILWAUKEE | Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC is asking Milwaukee County and its partners, AECOM, HNTB and members listed as the Milwaukee East-West BRT Stakeholder Advisory Group to help ensure that DIVERSITY and INCLUSIVENESS of African American, other People of Color, and the Work Challenged are assembled for 3 Lunch & Learn briefings convened by MPA LLC to curb the growing "buyer's remorse".   

Lunch & Learn

The 3 Lunch & Learn briefings scheduled by MPA LLC are in May, June, and July 2016 to provide core constituents -- residential, commercial, light industrial, community and other linked government representatives -- an opportunity to join the table for BRT education-input-evaluation-recommendation to create Bang-for-Buck results in requesting FTA Small Starts funding in August or otherwise. 

"Sticker Shock was presented to Milwaukeeans and others who attended April 12, 2016, and April 14, 2016, Pubic Hearings, said Mary Glass, MPA LLC, Chief Visionary Officer, "It was clear we, the People, were not and had not been at the strategic planning table with Milwaukee County and its partners for the proposed East/West BRT proposal for Federal Transit Administration Small Starts funding in August 2016.

Sadiq Aman Khan, Muslim - Mayor of London

SADIQ AMAN KHAN -  first Muslim mayor
               in a major western capital

Sadiq Aman Khan (born 8 October 1970) is a British politician who has been the Mayor of London since May 2016. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tooting from 2005 to 2016.  A member of the Labour Party, he is situated on the party's soft left and has been ideologically characterised as a social democrat.

Born in London to a working-class British Pakistani family, Khan gained a degree in Law from the University of North London. He subsequently worked as a solicitor specialising in human rights, and chaired Liberty for three years. Joining Labour, Khan was a Councillor for the London Borough of Wandsworth from 1994 to 2006 before being elected MP for Tooting in 2005. Under the Labour government of Prime Minister Gordon Brown he was appointedMinister of State for Communities in 2008, later becoming Minister of State for Transport. A key ally of Labour leaderEd Miliband, he served in Miliband's Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, Shadow Lord Chancellor, and Shadow Minister for London.

Khan was elected Mayor of London in the 2016 mayoral election, succeeding Conservative Party Mayor Boris Johnson. He announced that he would resign as MP for Tooting "as soon as possible". His election as Mayor of London made him the first actively affiliated Muslim to become mayor of a major Western capital.  Wikipedia

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London’s new mayor, Sadiq Khan, has said he will visit the US before this year’s presidential elections “in case Donald Trump wins”, in a reference to the presumptive Republican nominee’s call for a ban on Muslims entering the country.

Khan, who last week became the first Muslim mayor in a major western capital, expressed admiration for his counterparts in New York and Chicago and said he wanted to meet them.

more read - The Guardian

EDUCATION for the People in Milwaukee – Lunch & LEARN BRT Briefings by MPA LLC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“Re-defining”, “re-branding” and “un-trapping” the City of Milwaukee and its Stakeholders of Concentrated Poverty                                                                                                                
www.mpapublicpolicyreview.blogspot.com

                                                                                     Email:  mpapublicpolicyreview@gmail.com   

                                                                                     Contact:  MARY GLASS - 414.610.1044

May 10, 2016

EDUCATION for the People in Milwaukee – Lunch & LEARN BRT Briefings by MPA LLC

Information sharing crucial for the approval of federal Small Start funding

City Center Milwaukee | Lunch & Learn – Wednesday, May 25, 2016 | Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC will convene the first of three forums to promote transparency in access of citizen-electorate-ridership engagement in Milwaukee County Transit System proposed BRT/Bus Transit Small Start application.

The forums are to be held in May, June and July, 2016 to correspond with the fast-paced timeline presented by MCTS to the public on April 12^th and April 14^th, 2016.  The people’s response was overwhelmingly against the East/West BRT Alternative because it did not address the access/connection/employment/education of ridership areas of need, no real significance of faster travel time beyond present travel time and too costly.   There was also concern about the lack of the completion of MCTS Feasibility Study, but quick timeline of the Small Starts application to submit to the Federal Transit Administration in August, 2016 - given the April, 2016 introduction to the taxpayers.

“We know that the citizenship-ridership engagement has been extremely lacking, this is our effort to inform the taxpayers,” said Mary Glass, Chief Visionary Officer, MPA LLC.

The consultant groups AECOM, HNTB and SAG/Stakeholders Advisory Group (representatives of local governments – City of Milwaukee, City of Wauwatosa and County of Milwaukee) are asked to help sponsor seats for the ridership and taxpayers to the 3 briefings.  The LUNCH & LEARN Introduction for May 25, 2o16 is held at:

Speakers

• JAMES MACON           – ATU 998
• DAN MEYERS              – AECOM
• KEN MUHS                   - SEWRPC
• JOE PETERANGELO - PUBLIC POLICY FORUM

Grace Center

250 E. Juneau

11:00 am – 1:00pm

$   25.00 – Individual

$200.00 – Table of 8

RSVP – www.mpapublicpolicyreview.blogspot.com

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This event is convened by:  MPA LLC.
Recommended for ALL agencies that provide outreach for Job Development in Southeastern Wisconsin.

Remembering Mama, Mother, Mom, and Ma

Mother's Day - May 8, 2016

Mothers are so precious and ever SPECIAL.  They set the stage for life while preparing the unborn baby in a special chamber filled with the unexplainable organic changes for a normal 9-month timeframe.  Sometimes this miraculous timeframe is shorter due to some malfunction.  It is then our medical support in the hospital is needed.

Birth

Birth options for me in 1982, at 37 years old, was so different from when my mother had me at 25 years old, 1945.  My baby was C-Section, in a well-known Beverly Hills, CA hospital with my doctor, and my mother's delivery was in Brownsville, TN on her parents' farm - natural, home birth and family midwife.

The birth procedures different but the JOY of being a Mom was the same.  We both through the delivery of a human being to this world became a member of the special order of Motherhood and natural bonding LOVE.

Today, as you celebrate this Super Special Day, I hope it was enjoyable, memorable, well-liked and shared-LOVE.

MPA LLC LUNCH & LEARN for BRT/Bus Rapid Transit in Milwaukee calls for CITIZEN PARTICIPATION

Click photo to Enlarge

MPA LLC Thursday SPECIAL

May 5, 2016 - 
Cinco de Mayo

MILWAUKEE |  Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC continues FOLLOW the MONEY engagement in the public square to help replace "disparity", APATHY, and NON-PRODUCTIVITY  in the Infrastructure of the city of Milwaukee.  

MPA LLC seeks a BRT narrative to promote quality of life, economic development, and self-sustainability.  

We start with:
MPA LLC BRT Lunch & Learn Briefing
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
11:00am - 1:00pm
$25.00 Individual
$200.00 Table

Grace Center
250 E. Juneau
Milwaukee, WI  53203

RESERVATIONS ACCEPTED UNTIL MAY 20, 2016

MAKE YOUR SELECTION TODAY.

CLICK TO Reserve your space or table.

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Event Information

FORMAT

Luncheon Panel

Information sharing about a Multimodal stimulus for better/best public transit in Milwaukee

The Federal Transit Administration has opportunities through Capital Investment Grants.  Milwaukee County is looking at Small Starts.... more to come.

MPA LLC Lunch & Learn Briefing promotes state-of-the art opportunities that first and foremost respect Milwaukeeans, their resources, and designed to impact quality of life and economic development needs that impact Enduring Concentrated Poverty.

Who?
Guest Panel
JAMES MACON - ATU 998
DAN MEYERS - AECOM
KEN MUHS - SEWRPC
JOE PETERANGELO - PUBLIC POLICY FORUM

What?

We need better/best public transit that takes into consideration the best use of our tax dollars and how to best interject economic development at the census tract, neighborhood, and outline data points of 24/7 gainful employment. 

Why?

Our panel will explore the East/West BRT and other emerging approaches for determining the barriers and opportunities for a BRT plan worthy of use in public transit strategic planning. 

More to come.
Update:  MAY 12, 2016

This event is convened by:  MPA LLC.

Recommended for ALL agencies that provide outreach for Job Development in Southeastern Wisconsin.

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COMING - CITY HALL Milwaukee Post - Story One

MPA LLC "City Hall Milwaukee Post" in Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE | May 4, 2016 | Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC opens its doors wide for reporting about the 2016-2020 leadership in the city hall of Milwaukee.

The Advent of Democracy for Milwaukeeans.

The "patterns" and "practices" of elected-appointed-hired and donor for hire government representatives have created a huge DISTRUST due to the year-after-year disenfranchisement of the CORE CONSTITUENTS.  It has revealed a "rigged" city-county-state of Wisconsin government.  

Years 2014-2016 have shown unprecedented disregard of African American, other People of Color and Work Challenged [un-, under-employed; un-, under-skilled,  un-, under-financed businesses, retirees; re-entry – those from incarceration, homelessness, war and retirement).  Our hidden talent focus includes the "disabled".] in the largest and 1st Class designated city in Wisconsin by the mayor, common council, and judicial system.

"We know if it is to be, it starts and ends with me/WE for the necessary temperament to build an Infrastructure of Democracy", said Mary Glass, Chair, MPA LLC.

District Strategists - People Council of Milwaukee

The People's Council, a City-Wide 15 district membership, was created by MPA LLC to provide an "active", "hands-on" and "informative" voice of Milwaukeeans to represent and enhance the well-being of the CORE CONSTITUENTS of the city of Milwaukee.  

The People's Council looks at, investigate and report on public policies for the advancement of  quality of life, economic development, communication and self-sustainability.   

The are key reporters for the upcoming "City Hall Milwaukee Post".

The People's Council - a self-appointed group of commercial and residential stakeholders of Milwaukee to provide the six (6) leads of the Capacity Building wheel.  They are:

• Stewardship
• Leadership
• Entrepreneurship
• Citizenship
• Fellowship
• Partnership

City Hall Milwaukee Post website will provide insight, pathways to transparency, and accountability of those we have elected to do the People's business.  

We are especially interested in the  "appointment of" the co-chairs, protocol of conducting business and the decision-making of Standing Committee heads that make up the Executive Board of the Common Council.  They are:

Alderman Ashanti Hamilton - District 1

Alderwoman Milele Coggs - District 6

Alderman  James Bohls - District 5

Alderman Khalif Rainey - District 7

Alderman Tony Zielinski - District 14

Alderman Jose Perez - District 12

Alderman Cavalier Johnson - District 2

Alderman Bob Donovan - District 8

Alderman Mark Borkowski - District 11

Alderman Michael Murphy - District 10

Alderwoman Chantia Lewis - District 9

Alderman Bob Bauman - District 4

Standing Committees

STEERING RULE COMMITTEE

Alderman Ashanti Hamilton - District 1 & Common Council President - Chair

Alderwoman Milele Coggs - District 6, Vice Chair

Alderman Michael Murphy - District 10

Alderman Tony Zielinski - District 14

Alderman Russell Stamper - District 15

Alderman James Bohl - District 5

Alderman Mark Borkowski - District 11

Alderman Bob Donovan - District 8

JUDICIARY & LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE

Alderman Michael Murphy - District 10, Chair

Alderman Cavalier Johnson - District 2, Vice Chair

Alderman Bob Bauman - District 4

Alderman James Bohl - District 5

Alderman Jose G. Perez - District 12

PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE

Alderman Bob Donovan - District 8, Chair

Alderman Mark Borkowski - District 11, Vice Chair

Alderman Terry Witkowski - District 13

Alderman Cavalier Johnson - District 9

Alderman Jose G. Perez - District 12

ZONING, NEIGHBORHOOD & DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

Alderman James Bohl - District 5, Chair

Alderman Khalif Rainey - District 7, Vice Chair

Alderman Nik Kovac - District 3

Alderman Milele Coggs - District 6

Alderman Russell Stamper - District 15

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE

Alderman Mark Borkwski - District 11, Chair

Alderman Bob Bauman - District 4, Vice Chair

Alderman Nik Kovak - District 3

Alderman James Bohl - District 5

Alderman Bob Donovan - District 8

LICENSE COMMITTEE

Alderman Tony Zielinski - District 14, Chair

Alderman Jose G. Perez - District 12, Vice Chair

Alderwoman Chantia Lewis - District 9

Alderwoman Milele Coggs - District 6

Alderman Khalif Rainey - District 7

FINANCE & PERSONNEL COMMITTEE

Alderwoman Milele Coggs - District 6, Chair

Alderman Chantia Lewis - District 9, Vice Chair

Alderman Terry Witkowski - District 13

Alderman Michael Murphy - District 10

Alderman Russell Stamper - District 15

Stay tuned.