presents Walter Brennan and Joan Evans. The Mutual Network in Cooperation with Family Theatre presents Tennessee's partner starring Walter Brennan and now here is your hostess Joan Evans. Theatre's only purpose is to bring to everyone's attention a practice that must become an important part of our lives if we are to win peace for ourselves, peace for our families and peace for the world. Family Theatre urges you to pray, pray together as a family. And now to our transcribed drama, Tennessee's partner starring Walter Brennan. Think any of us knew his real name, not that our ignorance of it ever made for social inconvenience. Moreover, since it was the custom at Sandy Bar in 1854 to christen most men anew, whatever the old gentleman might originally have called himself, he remains in our memory only as Tennessee's partner. The first episode that led to the trouble, a hot August evening in bed after sunset, I was sitting in my law office up over the press room of the Clarion. Come in. Judge Lynch? Come in, come in. Hope I'm not disturbing you, Judge. No, not at all, not at all. Sit down. I was just passing by. Hot night, huh? Powerful. How can I be of service to you? It's mostly advice I'm looking for, Judge. Legal advice. In a manner of speaking, yeah. It's about my partner, Tennessee. I expect you hear what happened over to Red Dog the other night. I heard he run off with that lady you was fixing to marry. Well, I think it might be more to the truth to say she run off with him. After all the short deal in Tennessee's given you, you still won't hear a wrong word about him. Oh, it ain't that, Judge. I understand Tennessee. He's still a young man. Get down to it. I can see how that girl had choose him over me. I didn't choose him over me, if I was her. Well, that's not exactly the point, old time. I know, I know. He's probably shouldn't have gone off without telling me, but, well, that's his way. That's how he does. ID takes him to do a thing. He does it. Can't help himself. I'd say he helps himself to just about everything he wants. Well, I don't hold no grudge. Good luck and happiness to both of them. What I came to ask you about was my claim. I mean my, our claim. Tennessee's in mine. Yeah. Well, what about it? Well, when he left the sudden night, Tennessee needed funds, of course, so... So, he took your whole poke, is that it? Well, I don't want to, you would get the wrong ID, Judge. Half of that dust was Tennessee. And it was his because you gave it to him. He never panned his speckle. Tennessee ain't much of a mind. Yeah. I don't allow his much for anything, except loafing and taking what belongs to others. Even so, half of that dust was Tennessee.  Well, yes. I guess he figured he'd need it. And you want to press charges? Against Mohan, pardon me? You're telling me he robbed you? No, no. I'm just telling you what happened. Oh. Tennessee took the poke. And I figure us being partners, it was his to take. So, well, I need a little grub steak for the next few months. And that's where I'd like your legal advice. In what way? Well, I already raised near $100 on my own share of the claim, but I figure I'll need maybe that much again to seem a way through to fall. So what I'd like to know is, do you think it'd be legal to borrow that much of Tennessee's share? Him not being here to say how he feels about it. You and Tennessee, you got any written agreement between you? Oh, no, sir. No, sir. Just our word. Now, you think another $100 will see you through. Cash or credit? Yes. All right, if you're willing, I can arrange the cash for you and I'll take your personal note. Well, now that's, that's, that's mighty generous, you judge. Well, let's leave it at that.  We won't date the note. Then you think this will be legal like me putting up Tennessee's share? It'll just be a personal loan. I don't think he could prove title of the claim anywhere. It's nothing. He'd have to prove, judge. I give him a share. Yeah, I kind of figured that.  No, not if I can, judge. You heisted Tennessee up out of the gutter four years ago. He crawls back to whatever chance he gets.  Never lifted a hand to help another living mortal on earth, including you. And there's not a soul in red dog or sandy bar he hasn't tricked, cheated or downright robbed. Now, judge, you know it. I know it. Nothing either of us can say is going to change it. I just want to ask you one thing. Why do you put up with him? Well, I ain't saying Tennessee's ways is my ways and I ain't saying that Tennessee's ways is good ways, but that's how he is and and well, he's my partner. It was nearly three weeks before Tennessee got back to red dog. The circumstances of his rather sudden arrival when all of us had hopefully thought him gone for good were at that time disclosed only to his partner. But long after the episode was closed, we learned the details of what took place in the old time as captain the night Tennessee returned from San Francisco. Go on, help yourself to another cup of coffee. Thank you, partner.  I don't recollect ever riding harder. Hungry? Are they still some bacon left and in some beans? Coffee'll be fine. I hope you won't take it as meddling, Tennessee. I was young myself once and know how easy it is for a man to well, to find himself in a fix. So I just want to say if you're in any kind of trouble, you can count on me. I appreciate that deeply. I know you like to play your own hand on most things and I respect that, Tennessee. So if you don't want to talk about it, that's Jim Dandy or if you do, like I said, I'll be proud to help. Thank you. Well, I expect you're curious to learn about Miss Benedict. If you don't mind to tell me, yeah. You know, I may have saved you for making a great mistake there. You could have barely saved myself. Well, take it, didn't he? Want no wedding. You take it rightly. By the time the stage arrived at Stockton, I realized she wasn't interested in anything but my money. You mean our money? Yeah, exactly. So I went on ahead to San Francisco alone. And she stayed in Stockton? Well, her old job waiting tables at the hotel where you met her was still open. I think it's all for the best. Then the trouble you had was in San Francisco, huh? Yeah, yeah. Money trouble? In a manner speaking. Gambling money trouble? Well, to be accurate, the specific disagreement centered about a deck of cards, but I'd say money was a collateral issue. Someone catch you cheating? That was the prevalent opinion among the other players, yeah. Any gunplay? Oh, disproportionate amount, considering the size of the stakes. Sorry to hear that, Tennessee. You're running from a murder charge in, huh? No, self-defense, if the men are beyond help. The men? I thought they was just one. Three, all told. Three!  Yeah. What you gonna do now? Well, I'll need a stake before I move on. I believe I have a week before anyone from San Francisco trails me here to Red Dog. Well, I've had some dursties last week. No, no, no, you critter. I've taken more than enough from you. This is one hand I will have to play alone. You know you're welcome to anything I got. I know, partner. I know and I thank you. All I want is a few days to rest up and exploit whatever opportunities present themselves. It was Friday night, two days later before anyone else in the bar learned that Tennessee had returned to his part in his cabin. Curiously enough, the man to spread the words to the bad news was an absolute stranger to the community. Tennessee accosted him early that evening just at the mouth of the past leading to Grizzly Canyon. I say there, friend. Yeah. You were going into Red Dog? That's right. Mind if I ride along with you? Glad to have you. You live here, boss? No, not far. I know these trails pretty well, too, and it's risky riding them at night unaccompanied. Yeah, I guess you never know who you're gonna meet. No, you, uh, you're going to Red Dog on business? Yeah, I represent a new hardware firm. We just opened up a branch office in San Francisco. San Francisco, huh? Yeah, business is booming. I never had it like this in Kansas. This your first trip to Red Dog? That's right. I get as many orders here as I picked up in Stockton. I'm gonna set me some kind of a record. Are those your wearers strapped there on the mule? Well, they're just samples. I can't sell those. No, I take the orders and the firm ships it out later. Isn't that rather risky shipping on consignment to back country like this? Well, how do you mean? Well, what if the buyer refuses to accept the goods when they arrive or say won't pay for them? Well, they pay up, never you fear. They don't. We keep the deposits. Oh, I see. Then you insist upon a cash deposit with every order you take? Yeah, a minimum of 10%. I collected as much as 25 from dealers back in Stockton. And you entrust that money to the males? No, sir. I keep it right here with me until I, you know, for a stranger you ask an awful lot of questions. I've just one more request. What's that? I've troubled you for your knife, your pistols, and your money. Now, don't do anything hasty. I might have known. You see, your weapons might get you into trouble at Red Dog and your money's a temptation to the evil he disposed. You ain't gonna get away with this, mister. Here. Much obliged. And now this is far as you go. What are you gonna do? I'm gonna watch you turn your horse around or watch you ride back to Stockton. You wouldn't use that gun on me. On the contrary. I think you said your address was San Francisco. That's right. Excellent. Sometime I shall endeavor to call. I've always had the feeling that what happened afterward was nobody's fault for Tennessee's. He might have left the territory that evening with a few hundred dollars he'd taken from the stranger and none of us would have been the wiser. But Tennessee had the same fatal weakness that plagues every daredevil. He was overconfident. And as he rolled down into Red Dog and started up the lighted Main Street, he spied the bat-wing doors of the arcade saloon. There was a poker game in progress and he felt with a little more luck he could double his night's earnings and be on the trail before sunup. He decided to chance it. Well, look who's here. Good evening Charlie, judge. Tennessee. Last I heard you was in San Francisco. It's a fine time. Deal me in, will you? This is a cash game, Tennessee. And so I observe. Had enough cash for you, judge? Must have struck a fair. What happened? Rich uncle leave you fortune? And let's say a Dutch uncle. Here we go. Handy five. Jack's for better. Handy five. Up to you, judge. Open for five. I'll stay. Dealer stays for five. Card? Uh, two. Two, Charlie, please. Tennessee. One. Yeah. Going for a flush? We'll soon see. One to you and uh, dealer takes three. Your opener's, judge? Yeah. Check to you, Tennessee. I'll bet ten. Well, looks like you went and connected, don't it? Well, you called, find out. Charlie, be clean. Be out of every cent. That's his horse. Hits right out front. Take it easy, take it easy. What's all that racket? Sheriff, where the strings are just coming in the saloon. Can we finish the hand, gentlemen? He got nearly two hundred and fifty dollars from me. Cool as you please. Well, if he's here in town, we'll find him. Jim, what's all the excitement? Well, this man claims he was just robbed on the trail into Grizzly Canyon. Well, that's him. What? I told you I seen his horse outside. That's the man that just robbed me. Are you referring to me, stranger? Yes, sir, I'm referring to you. You know this man, Tennessee? I don't believe I've ever seen him before, Sheriff. What seems to be the trouble? The trouble? The trouble? Well, calm down, Mr. I'll ask the questions. He claims the man just held him up on the trail, took away his guns and his money. Now, he says you're the man. I'm afraid he's mistaken. No offense, stranger. No offense. Sheriff, he's the one. I'm telling you. I think we can clear this up. Yes, Judge.  With all due respect, Judge, I can't see that that's anyone's business but my own. He stole it. That's where he got it. Two hundred and forty-eight dollars.  Exactly how much money do you have, Tennessee? Judge, I'm surprised at you. A total stranger comes in here, charges practically the first person he sees with robbing him and you'll... Why don't you look in your saddlebag out on his horse? I'll bet you're gonna find my guns in there, both of them. What do you say to that, Tennessee? Can we look in your saddlebags? I'm afraid, Judge, that... There won't be time for that. All right, everybody, keep calm. Stay right where you are. I won't use this if I don't have to. Tennessee, you're making a big mistake. I think not, Judge. I'm sorry to have inconvenienced you, stranger, but it was unavoidable. Sheriff, stop him. You'll never get out of the canyon, Tennessee. If I don't, a couple of your possemen are gonna be awful, sorry.  All right, let's get ridin'. If we move fast, we can catch him. There were three separate trails out of Red Dog leading to the canyon pass and in the darkness and confusion, no one was absolutely sure which one Tennessee had taken. So, we all struck out to suit ourselves. Each rider galloping off in his favorite direction and howlin' like a lost soul. I was one of the last to start and by the time I reached the fork where the river trail cuts up into the mountains, I decided there was only one logical place for Tennessee to make for, once he realized that he couldn't outrun us. Tennessee, that you, pardon me? No, no, old time ritz me. Oh, evening, Judge, this doc couldn't see you. He had some shootin' down on the bar. Anything wrong? Plenty. Uh, you're sure that Tennessee's not here? He ain't been back the cabin since early afternoon. What's doin'? They're lookin' for him, the sheriff, half the town. What's it for? A holdup. Robbed a stranger on the trail. You certain sure Tennessee done it? He shot his way out of the arcade saloon when the stranger accused him of it and it... Listen, listen. Is a rider comin' this way? Yeah, figured he'd be along. And now, Jim... Better let me take him, old timer. I'll see he gets a fair trial. Eucrid! Eucrid, you in there? I need a fresh horse! Is that you, partner? No, Tennessee. It's me, Judge. I'm sorry we didn't get to finish our hand, Judge. So am I. Think I had you beat? What are you holdin' just now? Two revolvers and a buoy knife. Two bars and an ace, huh? I guess you're right. That takes me. We held Tennessee's trial that very night in the old loft over the express wagon. The excitement and the personal feeling of the chase were over and all concerned were ready to listen patiently to any defense of the accused. I should in honesty state that no defense, however moving, would assuade the jury from the conviction that Tennessee deserved to hang, deserved it five times over. But if the law of Sandy Bar was implacable, it was not vengeful. So when a tap was heard at the door and it was announced that Tennessee's partner had come on behalf of the prisoner, he was admitted at once without question. Evening, Judge. Gentlemen. Tennessee. Evening, partner. I was just passin' by, Judge. Mind if I set my carpet bag on your desk? Go right ahead. I was just passin' by and I thought I'd stop in and see how things was gettin' on with Tennessee there, my partner. It's a hot night. I just remember any such weather before on the bar. Oldtimer, you got anything to say on behalf of the prisoner? That's it, Judge. I come here as Tennessee's partner, knowin' him nigh on four years off and on, wet and dryin' and luckin' out of luck. His ways ain't all his my ways, but there ain't any points in that young man, ain't any liveliness he's been up to us, I don't know. And as you say to me, you know anything on his behalf? And I says to you, what should a man know of his partner? Is that all you have to say? Well, it ain't for me to say anything against him now, is it? Then what do you want to say? Well, now, what's the case? Here's Tennessee wants money, wants it bad, and don't like to ask his old partner for it. But what does Tennessee do? He lays for his stranger, and he fetches that stranger. And then you lay for him, Judge, and you fetches him, and the honest is easy. I put it to you, bein' a fair-minded man, if this ain't so. Tennessee, you any questions to ask this man? No, no, Judge, I play this hand alone. Well, all right, old-timer, make your play. Well, to come down to bedrock, it's just like this. Tennessee there has played it pretty rough and expensive, like on the stranger and on this year camp, too. And now, what's the fair thing? Some would say more, and some would say less. So I open my carpet bag and say to you, here's $300 in coarse gold and a watch. It's all ma'piled and called it square. No, you could not. I'm trying to bribe this court! Order! Order! Order! Order! Order! Order! Oh, Timer, do you understand what you've done? You realize the seriousness of this action? I'm just trying to do the fair thing, Judge. Well, the fair thing in this case is to see justice done. And justice ain't for sale. I meant no offense, Judge. Well, you've given offense, serious offense, to the dignity of this court. Take your belongings and put them back in that bag, and we'll say no more about it. All right, but I want to remark, Judge, that this here was a lone hand, played alone, without my partner. Very well. But now, if you have anything to say to Tennessee, you better say it now, old Timer. Thank you, Judge. Thank you, Judge. Tennessee, uh... Goodbye, Eucreate. Goodbye, Pottenham. We just stopped in as I was passing to see how things was getting on. The two men never again met each other, alive. Tennessee was sentenced to hang, and at the break of day, was marched closely guarded to meet that fate, up the top of Marley's Hill. His partner didn't arrive until after sentence had been carried out, and as the old Timer's two-wheel cart drew up to the fatal tree, we noticed it contained a rough oblong box, half filled with bark and pine tassels, further decorated with slips of willow, buckeye blossoms. Buckeye blossoms. Gentlemen, I've come for the deceased. It's all the same to the committee. I can wait. I don't want to hurry things. Not working today. If there's anyone present who would care to join the funeral, they can come along. Most of us accepted the invitation. We followed the little cart back up the trail through Grizzly Canyon. Till we reached the outskirts of Sandy Bar and the solitary cabin of Tennessee's partner. Rejecting any offer of assistance, the old man deposited the box into a waiting shallow grave, and mounting the little mound of earth beside it took off his hat, slowly mopped his face with a handkerchief. When a man has been running free all day, what's the natural thing for him to do? Why to come home? And if he ain't in a condition to come home, what can his best friend do? Why he brings him home? And here's Tennessee. He's been running free and we brings him home from his wandering. It ain't the first time I've brought him back to this cabin when he couldn't help himself. It ain't the first time me and Jenny Mamule have waited for him on the hill and picked him up and fetched him home when he couldn't speak and didn't know me. And now that it's the last time why you see it's sort of rough on his partner. Now, gentlemen, the funeral is over. And my thanks and in Tennessee's thanks to you for your trouble. That day forward, the rude health and strength of Tennessee's partner seemed visibly to decline. And when the rainy season fairly set in and the tiny grass blades were beginning to peep from the rocky mound over Tennessee's grave, the old man took to his bed. Sheriff and I had stopped by to pay him a visit that last night. The pines beside the cabin were swayed in the storm and the roar and rush of the river could be heard in the distance. He'd seemed to doze off. We were about to take our leave when suddenly Tennessee's partner lifted his grizzled head from the pillar. It's time to go for Tennessee. Now easy, now all-time easy now. I must put Jenny in the cart. He's out of his head there. There now, there. Steady Jenny, steady hold gal. My, how dark it is. Look out for the ruts now. Look out for him too, old gal. Sometimes you know when he's had too much, he drops right down in the trail. Keep on straight up to the pine on the top of the hill. There, there, I told you so. There he is. Coming this way too. All by himself. He's sober. His face is shining. Tennessee, partner. All of us have heard the expression it is better to give than to receive. It means being kind, giving of ourselves and our services to others, performing those little acts of thoughtfulness and consideration that will make life more pleasant for those about us. You know, the unique thing about kindness is that it's something very contagious. A kind word or act on our part will not only bring happiness and encouragement to others, it'll do more. It will inspire others to be kind. In a home, in a family, kindness helps so much. Being constantly thoughtful and considerate of the feelings and needs of one another makes a home the happy and contented place it should be. A place where all are working together in peace and harmony. To be truly kind we must forget ourselves, have our thoughts on someone else, someone who is the source of kindness, God. And our thoughts are lifted to God by prayer, family prayer, so to bring kindness into your home with all the blessings that flow from it. Pray together as a family. Pray together tonight. Remember, the family that prays together stays together.  But Family Theatre has brought you transcribed Tennessee's partner, starring Walter Brennan. Joan Evans was your hostess. Featured as Judge Lynch was Lawrence Dobkin. Others in our cast were Herb Ellis, Robert Easton, Billy Baugham, and Leo Curley. The script was adapted from a story by Brett Hart and directed for Family Theatre by John T. Kelly, with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman. This series of Family Theatre broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you who feel the need for this type of program. By the mutual network, which has responded to this need, and by the hundreds of stars of state screen and radio who give so unselfish leave their time and talent to appear on our Family Theatre stage.  This is Tony Lafrono expressing the wish of Family Theatre that the blessing of God may be upon you and your home and inviting you to be with us next week when Family Theatre will present Under Fire, starring Paul Picerni. Ricardo Montalban will be your host. Join us, won't you? Family Theatre has broadcast throughout the world and originates in the Hollywood studios of the world's largest network. This is Mutual, the radio network for all America.


I needed to have a hip replacement because it just wore out from osteoarthritis. It was nothing I did in my life, although I've been very physically active my entire life. I eventually got to the point where I couldn't tie my shoe, I couldn't bend over, I couldn't walk much. So at that point they said it was bone on bone and it was time to replace the hip. Mike underwent an elective total hip replacement surgery at Woodland Hills Medical Center on July 16th, 2019, performed by orthopedic surgeon Lauren Schatz. Everything worked perfectly. The nurses, everyone of them knew what their job was, how to handle it. And from that point on they just took care of me. The doctor came in with the anesthesiologist. One of the things I liked the best about that was the anesthesiologist and the doctor treated me like I was a member of a team. That was very nice and I've always had that experience with Kaiser, that they tend to involve you in your care. Mike was admitted to the hospital for surgery in the morning and went home at the end of the day. Dr. Schatz performed a total hip arthroplasty using the latest anterior approach through the front of the hip and thigh. After Mike awoke in the post-anesthesia care unit, nurses made sure that he was ready to get up on his new hip. My role as a recovery room nurse is to make sure that when they come out of surgery they are given the best care. They are able to wake up and they are comfortable. Before Mike was ready to go home, he was visited by a physical therapist and an occupational therapist. I go in and introduce myself. Then we'll proceed with standing. I'll talk to them about the appropriate assistive device that they might be using. I'll be teaching them some exercises. If it's a hip replacement, I do go over some precautions with them. Tell them there's specific ways to get out of bed, maybe get out of a chair. Different ways to sleep that might be different than what they're already doing. He was ready to go home the same day. I thought it was terrific. I thought everything from walking in the door for all the pre-op to the follow-up in the hospital on the day of surgery and everything was super. A Kaiser Permanente home health physical therapist went to their home to assist Mike with strengthening his muscles and working on his walking gait. Say in the last year or so we've shifted more towards taking care of our same-day surgeries and our orthopedic patients primarily. I'd say about 95%. No better joy than seeing a person heal and to see them get back on their feet and get back to their normal lifestyle. At four weeks I started riding a bike again, which is my primary mode of exercise. Mike was given good direction in terms of what to expect and how to progress. There was a very good back and forth between Mike and his medical team every step of the way. He came for a follow-up visit six weeks later without the use of a walker or a cane. Dr. Schatz advised Mike to continue his mobility, walk regularly and ride his bicycle, but also to rest. He's healed unbelievably well and I think that's the best testament to everything is that he's got no pain. In fact, the most amazing thing to me was three weeks after the surgery Mike said to me, look at this and he stood up and he reached down and he touched the floor. And I've been seeing him struggle to sit down to get into a car. So to be able to reach down and touch the floor three weeks after having this major surgery was very, very impressive.


So, and I would like to link this to one of the questions that I've received from Salome and to Baba online also. Now, for now, and at this time, more than ever, we've had now to think about integrated programming. And protection mainstreaming is earlier mentioned by some of the panelists and members. So basically, just ensuring more collaboration and stronger coordination across sectors. You know, is is is is a fundamental aspects as more aspects as we move forward. And, you know, ensuring that, for instance, services, multi-sectoral services are co-located in the same communities to ensure that clients have access to complimentary services and referrals between sectors so that we can collectively address their needs. And especially in such context as Afghanistan where we only have some of the services allowed to, you know, to continue, for example, health, which is a very good entry point, for instance, for protection. And, for instance, by embedding protection staff. Now, we are referring to them as inclusion focal points, you know, has also helped us in that regard. So basically integrated programming and also multi-sector multi-agency even coordination to just ensure that we are planning and conducting assessments and community consultations together so that we can have well-informed community risk analysis, but also ensure that we have the tools and resources required to, you know, to support that level of integration over. Thank you very much.


and welcome back to the Think Tech Hawaii studios for another episode of Security Matters. Today, we've got a sort of a new announcement. Sia, who's doing all these amazing things lately, has now instituted, or I don't know if that's the word, but has started a new audio and intelligent communications working group. And I'm really excited to have Lindsay O'Leary and Cameron Jeff Donning with me today. We tried to get the chairman, our good friend Dan Rothrock's gonna chair this committee for Sia. He was busy, so we'll get him in another date after he actually does some real work, you know? Then we'll get him on and let him talk about it. But, so Lindsay, thanks for joining me today, Cameron. Thanks for being here. I know Cameron's been on before, but Lindsay, it's your first time on Security Matters, so thanks for taking some time out there. Let's watch, could you share with your audience just sort of your history with our industry? I think I've known you since you joined our industry from, I think, pharma, right? You were pharma a long time ago, right? So you've been, yeah, good. So, but anyway, let our viewers know just, you know, kind of what you've been up to and how you've ended up here and maybe how things are going at Zenitel. Sure, yeah, I actually, when I had graduated college, I had done subprime mortgage lending and then I had gone into pharmaceutical sales and I was just constantly looking for really a good industry. And I have a lot of family that's law enforcement military and I randomly got a call from a recruiter one day and he had said, how would you like to work in the security industry? You made it sound like I was gonna be an FBI agent. It sounded super cool. And I started my career in the security industry at AMAC Technology and that was gosh, 2010. That's when you and I met Andrew and I worked there for some time. I went on to 1LS2, which is an access control manufacturer for those of you that don't know. And I oversaw the consultant program there. So ultimately my job was working with consultants and engineers, designers, architects in order to design access control systems. So for really about that eight, nine years, I was promoting the Zenitel solutions. That's where I reside today. I've been here since April. So right in the cusp of the pandemic, I transitioned roles and transitioned to Zenitel. Zenitel is a leading provider of intelligent communication solutions. We do tons in regards to intercom and public address. And I oversee our consultant program here. So really it's about raising audio awareness, talking about how our solutions can work cohesively with the access control systems, video management systems and all the different technology that's installed for buildings. That's awesome. I think that's in the consultant role, helping them will also help with this working group. I bet if ever we're gonna get our money's worth out of you. I'll see you, right? Hey Cameron, so I don't even know before, but just give our audience your bio there and maybe lead us into the working group and what you know about how it got started. Sure, Andrew, it's good to be back with you. My background in the industry is pretty straightforward, roughly 10 years in the security industry doing nothing but audio. And whereas Lindsay and Zenitel are very focused on the intercom or the public address side of the audio spectrum, we at SoundSecure focus more on the mic pickup side of the spectrum. So even though we're all under the audio umbrella, we focus on very different applications and very different types of installations. At SoundSecure, we see quite a lot of business for point of sale type applications or retail installations, cook service restaurants, convenience stores, where you wouldn't necessarily have public address in a 7-Eleven or in a stop and shop type market, but audio is there nonetheless. So I hope SIA gets its money's worth out of my involvement but I am a volunteer, though I don't know what that means for the working group. But it's exciting to see that SIA is made audio a priority now. And over the 10 years I've been in the business, I've seen all sorts of questions raised about the uses of audio, where it can be used, and frankly, a lot of misconceptions about what you can or can't do or if you can use audio at all. And one of the conversations Lindsay and I had in preparation for this episode was just sharing some of the comments we've heard where someone would say, oh, I've never used audio before, meaning I've never used a microphone at a point of sale but they've used door intercoms all the time for access control systems and that's still using sound. So we see audio get lumped into an overarching umbrella all the time even though the technologies, the uses, the applications vary across a wide range of different applications. So I'm hopeful that through this working group with SIA we'll see some standards crafted, we'll see application guidelines put together in an effort to really show to the entirety of the security industry what's missing from the installations that installers have been doing and how audio can elevate the strength, frankly, of the security system by providing a whole host of new information that video cameras by themselves just don't offer.  And that ability to hear what's going on and then to speak into a scene when something's happening is super powerful and that only gets left out a lot. I mean, it's interesting. So let's stay with that just a little bit. Lindsay, the consultant community obviously probably the ones that are at Xenotel are sharpest about implementing audio along with their solutions. But is that something that is education still, when and where to put the Xenotel solution and how it fits in different verticals? Is that a thing that you have to teach to the consultant community? Yeah, I mean, I definitely think just as a, for industry as a whole, audio is always the part and piece, the technology piece that really isn't brought to the dance soon enough. So in the 10 plus years, I guess, that I've been in the industry, it seemed like access control was kind of leading end users decision process and consultants were reaching out and they were assessing, which access control platform made most sense for end users. And that process, when you bring in a consultant or even end users directly with their procurement teams, they're typically putting together something called an RFI or request for information. And through that, they're working with the end user, they're assessing what features and functions the end user needs. And then they invite in the manufacturer to come in, talk about their company, they're making a long-term investment in that business. They do a product demonstration and then they do that whole manufacturer shootout and they decide on a platform. Well, interestingly enough, that happens with access control and it happens with video. I would say it probably even happens with visitor management in many different applications, but for whatever reason, audio, that same process, that evaluation process, we're just thought of as, oh, we'd realize maybe after we even deployed, we're not even in the initial design process. It's all of a sudden somebody is outside on the back of a building and they don't have a way of communicating to get back in, oh, maybe we should put an intercom there, right? So it's absolutely about raising awareness anywhere that you have access control and you have a networked camera, there's probably an application for you to have the ability to listen into that area and communicate to it. So yeah, it's, we're really having to ask the right questions and get buy-in and a lot of it's just education, which is why I think it's so timely that Sia is putting together this working group. Yeah, and I like, you mentioned standards, Cameron, the fact that, Lindsay, we've all been there, right? You go to a place, they've got access control on the door and there's no one in the lobby to see you, which was their vision, that somebody should see you there and let you in and there's no audio. There's no way to call from there because it got left out. Or the other, so maybe a standards body can get us some sort of, best practices at least built around where to deploy audio along with access control.  I know it'll break away and blah, blah, blah. But then you push the button, then you're trying to talk to the guy and you can't hear a word. It sounds terrible. So we need some standards there around, what Dan and what Zenitel promotes as intelligent communications, that ability to absolutely understand what's being said and what you're hearing. The other guy can hear you and you can hear him intelligently. Is this a work, because you're on that microphone in Cameron, is this a thing that people don't understand? Like when the wind blows, they got these little bitty, electric microphones that aren't well designed or whatever it may be. But these noisy audio systems are kind of common in my experience. Maybe it's just Hawaii. Well, hopefully I can come out to Hawaii and help troubleshoot that for you. I'll come too. But I think you're really onto something, Andrew, with the idea of understanding the audio stream or frankly just basic intelligibility. If you can't hear and you can't respond to what's going on, why have audio in the first place? And you're right. There's all sorts of poor performing audio solutions. To your point, how many times have you been on the phone with somebody and they say, hang on, it's a little bit windy. And that's all you hear, even though the phone is right next to their mouth. So for our purposes with not just the working group, but my business, Lindsey's business and the projects that we work on, we wanna be sure that our customers can actually hear what's going on and in the event that they need to respond to it that a speaker has intelligible output. How many times have we been on a phone call and the audio is garbled or you hear every other word and you say, hang on, I can't hear you. Let me call you on WhatsApp. Let me call you on Skype. Let me use a different platform to communicate with you better because I can't understand what you're saying. That translates 100% to what we do in the security industry. We wanna be sure that when someone says something, they can be understood either by a remote monitor or either by a reception area where if you buzz in to get access to a building and no one's there, what do you do? You bang on the door harder. That's not a good solution. Let's make a system where you can hear well, you can respond well and everyone can understand what's being said. And I mean, when it's security related, often this is sort of an emergency situation, right? So there's an element of time where we don't have necessarily time to make another call or open another channel. We really need this audio channel to be open and reliable 100% of the time in the same way we rely on the video or the door position switch or whatever it may be as a component of the security solution. Will, do you think that this working group will be able to sort of harden some of those ideas? I saw that research and maybe publishing some research into these problems, are they well understood by industry or is audio just not, I don't know if the word's correct but is it not applied the way it ought to be often enough to enable good communication channels to get where they're needed? I think, Andrew, that if you look at the types of folks in our industry who have been installing cameras for years and years, 15, 20, 30 years sometimes, they have a lot of experience doing video. But when it comes time to install audio alongside video, some of the considerations about the right way to put in audio are very different from video. And so it's a little bit of an apples orange comparison where things like placement of a device of a microphone or a speaker or an intercom are very different than what you would have for a camera. So for our purposes with this working group and frankly just with our own business, we do quite a bit of work in terms of helping people with proper layout, proper placement of devices so that we're sure that they work well and you're not gonna pick up the hum from HVAC event but rather you can hear people talking and you can understand what's being said and if need be in an emergency situation you can respond clearly and effectively. Awesome. All right, I love this. So we're with Cameron Javdani from Sound Secure and Lindsay O'Leary from Zenitel and we're gonna pay some bills for about one minute. We'll be right back, stick around. Aloha, welcome back to Security Matters. We are with Lindsay O'Leary and Cameron Javdani today and we're talking about this new audio and intelligent communications working group that Sia has stood up. Dan Rothrock's gonna chair it. We will, we'll hear from him after he gets some work done, maybe Q1 or something like that. We'll get him on to talk about what they're accomplishing. But we were just talking about some of the problems with, you know, everybody kind of knows how to, a lot of our industry types know how to deploy a camera know how to deploy an access control solution but these audio solutions have their own parameters that really need to be paid attention to in an environment. I know I'm a little bit older school with some of these deployments and some of the applications but we were doing some analytics with some of the listening, some of that audio that was coming in. So it was giving us some additional types of intelligence in the past. Is this a thing that we're still doing, Lindsay? Is this, you know, what's happening with that world out there? Maybe that's some, also I think something this working group could help us define maybe a little bit better.  So there's a lot of intelligence that's built into our device that's even right at the edge. So for us, when you think about the different applications where you might install these devices having good quality audio and indoor types of environments can be really easy. But at the moment you put that out at a gate or you put it out in a campus environment, you put it next to an AC unit, it might even be fine for the majority of the day but there could be some construction going on and all of a sudden, you know, you don't have good intelligibility. And the whole reason you're putting that device there in the first place is because you need to have effective conversations and be able to effectively listen. So our devices actually have intelligence built into them at the edge where we can filter out any of that ambient noise and then we can project on the receiving end. So if that person is in a noisy environment, they still get that clarity of audio when you have intelligible crystal clear communications. So we're really fortunate on that front. I do think in regards to this, see a working group, you know, obviously one of the primary efforts is audio is so pervasive in our daily lives. We have Alexa at home and control of our homes and we use Siri and you get in your car and you can have, you know, use it to play music or read text messages. But yet in the security industry, you know, Dan's been beating this drum, you know, about the three-legged stool and situational awareness and access control and video and audio, but yet the adoption still isn't quite there. So I think that the first goal of the see a working group is really gonna be discovery around how do we get invited to the dance earlier? Why is audio in the security space not adopted now? It's adopted everywhere else. We're seeing technology start to encompass that. And then I think the second piece, as we bring in different stakeholders from different technologies, whether it's camera companies, analytic companies, cloud companies, I think they'll be able to kind of zoom out, look at that five-year holistic approach and figure out how we can leverage those analytics and evolve the technology, maybe not even just in the audio front, but for video companies access control, whatever it may be. Yeah, and then, so let's talk a little bit about the, sorry, well, once we start to integrate this, and there's always been concerns about the cybersecurity wrapped around these. So when we talk about secure and audio that we've recorded as an example, where are we, or do you guys address that with the consultant level? I mean, Cameron, do you see this kind of stuff coming at you, these questions about, okay, I've got this listening capability now. I'm deploying it. I've got the audio being streaming to the cloud streaming to a server. Are people hardening or concerned about hardening that, and are there even regulations around the storage and maybe encryption of those audio files? I'm not aware of myself. So that question has come up quite a bit more in the past, we'll say six or 12 months than it has in the rest of my experience in this business for two reasons. One, I think just basic awareness of the need for cyber hardened security systems, but also because of the NDAA and being sure that if you're using security technologies in the United States that you have compliant equipment, for our purposes, 90 plus percent of the time our devices connect to an IP camera. And so by using the cameras, cybersecurity protocols or NDAA compliance, then we buy all under that umbrella. But we see the interest in that growing with respect to storage or how long to keep data that varies wildly. We might have a small retailer just need to keep it for a week or two, and in case something happens or there's a security incident, they have it archived. Whereas in public sector projects, you see requirements stretching beyond 12 months sometimes even longer. So it varies quite a bit, quite a great deal in terms of how long the storage requirements are. The good news is for audio though, we're talking about a tiny fraction of storage space compared to video recording. I mean, it's almost a rounding error when you think about it. We recommend as a rule of thumb to calculate one megabyte per minute of storage, which when you compare to any kind of megapixel resolution and now foreign AK cameras, you almost don't even need to calculate it because it's such a small percent. But at the same time, you do get that clear signal and you get the understandable, intelligible audio of what happened. We see the demand for that also increasing in applications like remote monitoring. And so when you mentioned something like gunshot detection, when you go to a security control center or an operation center and they need to verify that alarm, you can play back that sound that caused the alarm, marry it up with the video feed and say, do you see someone with a weapon? Do you see someone yelling for help or hear someone yelling for help rather? And so you can instantly verify those types of alarms using an audio video solution. But again, it's something that a camera by itself just wouldn't give you. So, and so Lindsay, have you seen that same thing like with the consultant community that you're talking about so that we've got to, or maybe that's where some type of standards might help us if we said we need such and such DB of clarity, right? Some sort of decibel level as a requirement of clearance. Or, and now you were talking a little bit about the bandwidth as well, Cameron. So that's where I lost you about. I remember doing eight by eight systems, seems like 15 years ago and the audio channel was about 8K compared to the video channel, right? Which was, I don't remember back then, but I know that audio doesn't take a whole lot of space. Are the consultants community, are they actively storing video as part of their solutions? Does it come from the client side or is it something that they recommend that people deploy and pay attention to? Are you talking about video or for audio? On the audio side, yeah. So when they're bundling that in, is it driven by a customer requirement? Are there, do you come across like compliances in different states around audio that's different from video? I just don't, I'm not aware of the rules. Yeah, and I think Cameron actually probably knows a little bit more about the legality front. I know when him and I were prepping, he was telling me a little bit about that. You know, only being at Zenitel for six months, I've asked those questions. It does vary state by state. I actually grew up in California. And in California, you have to be very careful about recording and signage if you are recording. And then I recently moved to Texas, and I guess here, and I don't wanna misspeak, but I'm pretty sure that you don't even have to have signage that really they can record you at any point, provided you're in a public setting that that video can be recorded and also the associated audio. But it is specific to each location customer needs. But when you think about incidents and whether you're having a live event and you need to be able to listen into what's transpiring and you need to be able to communicate, you could still have that two-way communication without recording that audio. So there still is tremendous value in having audio devices, whether you're recording or not. One thing we are seeing a ton of requests for right now though, based on the pandemic is prerecorded messages because policies and procedures are changing, week by week, month by month. So, as people slowly start to return to work, they are taking advantage of event-based prerecorded messages that can let people know you need to stay six feet apart, you need to be wearing a mask. And as that evolves until we all potentially go back into the office type settings, they can easily make those changes on the fly. So, but the recording piece is a little bit varied. That's interesting, I hadn't thought about that. So Cameron, is there a position that CIA has or that our industry has around video currently that we've messaged to government? Or I'm pretty sure there are differing state laws about Lindsey's point about signage and awareness for the consumers in spaces and things like that. Is there a position that we have as an industry? I'd say it's definitely outside of my area of expertise here. Andrew, that's one of the things that this working group will tackle with respect to the differences state by state. There's two ways to answer that question. One is to put on my lawyer hat, even though I'm not a lawyer, and refer to all the different state statutes in all 50 states in DC and Puerto Rico. If you're interested in that, by the way, you can go to our website sound-secure.com and there's a handy reference chart where you can look at the actual statute in your state and see what it says. The second way to answer that is just the common sense way, which doesn't always mix with the legal world, right? But when you think about it, we use audio in all 50 states. You have call centers in all 50 states that record phone calls. And when you call a customer service line, what's the first thing you hear? This call is recorded for training or for quality assurance or for whichever reason of the day that they're giving you. So I've been involved in audio recording projects in all 50 states in the country and a number of international markets as well. The question isn't necessarily, is it legal? Is it illegal? Can you do it? Can you not do it? But rather, how do you do it? And when I get asked the question, can you use audio? To me, it's a little bit like asking the question, can you drive a car 50 miles an hour? And if you're going down a residential neighborhood, no, of course not, the speed limit's 25. You can't drive 50. But if you're driving on the highway, you in fact need to speed up and do a little bit more. So just like you would never put a video camera in a restroom or a fitting room in a department store, there are certain places you wouldn't put a microphone either. But we always recommend it sound secure, provide notification through one means or another, be it signage, be it an employee memo, or other ways to remove that expectation of privacy and let people know that there's audio on site. And frankly, video as well, even though the statutes are a little bit different. So one of the questions we get, not necessarily more than others, but it's pretty darn close is, hey, I wanna use audio, what steps do I need to take to be sure that I'm using it the right way? And answering that question in a standardized way will absolutely be a focus of this working group. That's awesome. Well, we're getting down, we've got a couple of minutes left. Lindsay, you wanna give us your final thoughts on maybe some things you expect from the working group or maybe the marching orders Dan thrown at you already? Well, I mean, I think it's gonna be an evolving process, but really as the coalition starts to evolve, I just think it's really important that if anybody does have interest in providing feedback, whether it's in the security realm or even technology that's maybe outside. I mean, I think we understand the importance of audio, but the more resources we get with different backgrounds, we all, even if, you know, for us, we've all been in the security industry, but we've all lived through different customer experiences, different applications. And I think it's just gonna be really nice if we can open up this group and can get more feedback from a really diverse type of audience. Awesome, I hope so. Cameron, your thoughts or some, your expectations for the group? Well, I think we're bringing together a great coalition in the industry with all types of subject matter expertise in audio. And, you know, again, I think that the sector of the industry that has used sound for security systems gets lumped together too often, even though the types of technology that we have are vastly different. The example of sound secure versus Zenitel, right?  We don't really have a matching product line, but we get lumped in the audio umbrella, though that what we offer is very different. So I'm excited to see the different types of folks who are going to volunteer for this working group and excited to put a brain trust together, if you will, about the best ways to not just apply audio and sound to different types of security systems, to different types of remote monitoring applications, but really craft that best practices guide that shows how installers and how end users can take advantage of sound technologies to make their systems a little bit more strong. Awesome, well, I'm looking forward to it. Command and control needs audio. Check out Tia's Audio and Intelligent Communications working group, be a part of the solution people. Thanks so much, Lindsay. Thanks for joining me, Cameron. Thanks for being here. Join next week. Cameron's going to be guest hosting and we'll talk about that one later. Take care, everybody. Aloha.


We're back and it's still the break for some plus TV after the final conversation this morning Borders on the importance of for digital marketing and we have a digital marketing enthusiasts with us on this discussion But before I introduce him experts in the global Export business have said that the success of Nigeria's local export business in the 21st century Will be determined by digital marketing operations. Yeah digital market operations now speaking at a capacity building program On the use of e-commerce to promote expert businesses for SMEs and other exporters It's organized by the Nigerian expert promotion council in Elori on Wednesday. Yeah, they Dr. Mustafa Yusuf Ismaila who's the of the Department of Marketing faculty of Management Sciences University of Elori Said that the nation's efforts are trying to diversify its economy through non-all-export Product business can only be attained by trying to showcase The products the country has through the internet now dr. Mustafa who said that though there are inherent challenges in the digital operations like Transforming of manual from manual to the economy platform heavy investment security of property in terms of loss of data and net Republishing quickly he added that the challenges do not mean one should throw away the baby with the bottle Now let's look at this issue of from the importance of digital marketing to Nigeria's export I mean in these times of Lack of foreign exchange we need to exporting more than we're doing right now. Tell me Tyre. Oh, yeah. Yeah me Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah me is a digital marketing enthusiast. That's sorry about the timter But you welcome. Nice to have you in the program. Yeah, nice for you. Good morning, you know I was happy to you know Whilst talking about the fact that the doc who made the statement is from the faculty management sciences In and the department marketing which my former department. Oh, so kindred spirit, okay? interesting and so digital marketing I Always, you know, like to sound foolish on on on the air because sometimes I assume that people do not know For those who want to understand, you know, what digital marketing is about the stuff from there Okay, so it's not as complicated as people make it same It's still marketing as marketing are well known from the ages back Which is also taught in school. It's still the same thing. You're now done using digital platforms like social media Content and Google primarily, but it's basically marketing done on digital platforms, you know one moment school We didn't have these two marketing. Yeah, it was it was only just a textbooks to do for the court line stuff So now the game has changed And he is talking about the Internet What's the the sector like in Nigeria as far as digital marketing is concerned that we you know Cuz when we talk about fintech, we know Nigeria is not doing badly We took up startups. He saw start up sauce happening with Google where almost half of those You know benefiting from the the four million dollars put up by Google to fund African startups are from Nigeria But for digital marketing, how is a nation fair? So I think we're going in leaps and bounds. I remember when I came into the industry about four or five years They're literally maybe three major digital markets in front right now. There's a thousand our own markets in front So the market industry is going also becoming more organized. There's something called the advertising ad map Session of digital markets in the professionals in Nigeria. So we're trying to organize ourselves make some Guidelines and processes in place so that we can build the industry even bigger than what it is presently Interesting interesting, you know, I was gonna ask, you know, we know that the door ends and the dawns of marketing in this country whether that sector has been able to Translate itself from the the old kind of marketing to the current in the agencies you have But I'm sure you saying that we have an association means that are those the big agencies We used to see before you would know if I'll mention their names here Have they been able to to metamorphose into what company they should be? Yes, I believe they have they've lived they've led the Progress that we've had so far. They've increased what we are doing presently They thought of what we've known and they've expanded the pie Exponentially so yes, they've done what they're supposed to do now It's left for stick on the bottom for the new up-and-coming Upstarts and be more creative and take it from where they've left it to where it's it's going to go, too You know, you know in Nigeria people they like what we like what we see, you know people go tell you sir I know they collect a few spears. I want to see the money Believe it or not a few this week I try to buy something some drinks from a shop near where I live and I but I'm a ATM car The guy there is not I don't think he's the owner of the shop is modern 40 years Yeah, I don't think he's above if he's above 40 not more than 45 years old. He refused He said he doesn't have POS. He doesn't believe in that. I can go with my money. He was angry. I had to pull out cash And I said, what are you doing? I mean you're a young man. This is 2022. Where's your POS? Okay, just go down the road. There's a POS vendor. They're going with real money coming pay me and Nigerians accepting Digital marketing is is it something that in the country has been accepted as a means of you know Being exposed to services and products that they can patronize. Yeah, I believe the success of our fintech Like you mentioned, it's a pointer that it's growing I believe what we really need to all we really have in the country is a trust element that we really lack What we really big trust issue which we have to surmount and it can only come by going to the market and Educating the market and pushing the products to the market and over time It's you the change I can imagine five years ago ten years ago Even if you go to the restaurant, they would not collect your it seems right now. It's defaults it seems But now you're looking about the guys on the local market now that guy might not be that sophisticated Or it also be maybe the fees are not enough to cover for the transactions There's some other factors that are there they're not big enough to accept that because all of those pure is also Feeds attached to it. So that could also be why he's drained back. But like I said The only way forward is the future. Okay, we can't go backwards So so now that we've been told by dr. Booster for you see we smile out of the part of marketing Faculty of management sciences resume Lauren that it does in the export sector should Incorporate digital marketing what they do How can exporters use digital marketing as a tool to reach markets around the world? Okay, I'm so like I say when I train the world is now look how there's no Deficient any longer the internet has broken all the borders your markets longer look how your market is global So whatever you can produce and sell in Nigeria you can market and sell somebody in China in in Europe in Asia You can do all of that so the internet has broken all the borders So yes, I might agree completely what the professor said I believe exports are what will drive the non oil revenue for the country and Exports don't actually mean to have products. You don't have to be manufacturing. It could be services. It could be Technology and I believe with our young population The future is very bright. We have more there was to follow. We have the Indian model to follow We have the Asian model to follow where they are being the bulk of what you're doing right now is Technology and services and that is driving a lot of GDP growth Because according to them the world right now 15% of the GDP is driven by digital So I can imagine what happens when I'm fully integrated and then we can do a whole lot more I believe yes I believe I fully believe the export business can be driven by digital markets and because one you have social media Anybody in the world can find your content right now engage with you see your products and services and make others for you We can pay online right now Without any friction you want you have a master card. You can make any transaction Anybody can pay you also have the likes of flutter wave that allows you to see payment across the world So those are the things that have democratized everything and I believe yes export businesses and At reaching the global market is something that Nigerians will definitely benefit for someone listening Who's an expert or who doesn't know how to start? What should they do? First thing they want to first do is go back to your product and services What exactly are you selling? What does the data tell you other people looking for what are the export countries your target? They're actually looking for visit your trade union You see the SME business websites and see what products and services you can take to them then when you have that data you can go back and now build something for them build a product and then make a bit of Engagement with the community and they start to push your product and services But you have to first find what you want to sell if it starts then you will struggle to sell it So what platforms are we looking at? I know you won't give everything away because you have to be a trainer What platforms are we looking at? Do they all need to have websites? Absolutely, that's the first point of course because nobody's going to come all the way from your International country to your country to talk to you. The first point of course is your website So you want to have your product your services Who you are already pretty visible on your website and being able to be seen from across google as well So anybody says let's assume you want to you're looking for Let's just develop as an example or you're looking for maybe somebody wants to export the robot For an example somebody from let's say Europe sees robot exports Robot exports in the world you want to ensure your website is found for those kind of keywords and even if you cannot do that Then you want to enjoy your running advertising on digital platforms like google as well So anybody searching for those kind of things can easily find your business What the internet has done is visibility people being able to find you But your job is not to ensure that your marketing is positioning you to be found at a particular point So you need to know what you want to be found for then do whatever you need to do to achieve being found I think it's probably get somebody who can do all this for you. Absolutely. So this is why we the experts come in Is it cost effective for for those who who are you know just starting basically just to export little things and not really It's cost effective Well, I see I don't I see advertising as an investment not at the cost Okay, so even if it doesn't work you're getting the word out there and over time consistently The results will come so in terms of cost effectiveness. So yes, so you guys don't come cheap Well, why don't you think of that as an investment? So Um, the results will definitely come if done properly and the good thing about digital like you mentioned is that it's all measurable So if this does not work, what you've just gotten is data that this does not work You can go back and analyze your data and figure out what to do next to get much better results All right. We should add more time You know sir a lot to think on of chew of time it higher or EME is a Digital marketing expert and glad to have had you know, thank you and I'm glad for me All right, and that's the size of a package right here on the breakfast If you uh, whatever you're doing you need to have your footprint on the internet You can follow us on social media across all platforms at plus tv africa. We have a clips and of course Um uh footage of our programs on our youtube page plus tv africa and plus tv africa lifestyle Where we're streaming live from all of us here and from our studios on the trial and legos My name is kofi Bartels. Thanks for joining us. We'll return with a breakfast next week. Good morning


Felly, gwaith amlinellu i'r ysgol y distulio cymryd yr ystod i'r ffordd o'r pryd yn gwych a'r dros Sector stradd yn lle iddyn nhw. Mwrwydd mwy'r hangau, dwi'n gofio'r bwysig i'r cwmpas. Pwylltech chi i'r cymryd o gwaith yn gweithio'r gwaith, ac yn gyfrynhwyr. Rydw i'n gweithio, gynydd o gweithfeyrthau cymryd â ddwybiadau sgol, i gael ddydd iawn, oherwydd, bod y cyfun i'r wych yn blaen i ymwyfyddol a'r cyfryd yn thaith Rydym eich mwrddodau, fonw hyn graswyddo ar gyfer mewn ni� yn hyn y gwirio'r pragmatic ymddangol y prif i fy mhamechwyrwyr ysgolwyr yn yn cym wronguo'i prickwysgol. Mae gynnwys uchelwyr ysgolwyr yn arferwad o gwaith ym Mhamechwyr. Mae gynnwys ei ddiwedd yn gorfod ar hyn o'r cyffredinoleth a chyloch yn illustrate ar gyfer gyflym yn cael ei gyflasiol. Rhaid i ddechrau i gael ar gyfer gyntaf sydd yn gweithredu. Neil Bibby. Cyngor llai o gyngor ysgolwyr yn ganweithio ati'r gwaith ym maes y rymell, ond mae hyryd yn gallu'n gweithio. spé naming. To my topical questions, if you're not answered. Why is the 3.8 per cent hike in fairs being introduced in January when the Tory Government is doing so in March? Why did he tell me on the 16 of December that railfairs remain under consideration but on the 17 of December he announced the biggest fare hike in over a decade?�리 local care幹 o ran agor? On the other day I covered this, it's a deep regret we've had to introduce fair increases The fact is that, in January, it simply reflects that that is when we were due to introduce an increase if that is what we were going to do. We looked in very great detail about whether it was possible to introduce an increase below RPI. We looked at whether we could have no increase and we were working on that over an extended period and late into the day. I wonder if the minister can assure us that there will continue to be investment in the railways. For example, I think that a hydrogen-powered train was trialled during COP26. Will the Government continue to invest to maintain, improve and decarbonise Scotland's railway? The hydrogen train is a very exciting opportunity for us to develop as part of the decarbonisation agenda. We are proud of the record of investment in our railways. Indeed, our budget for 2020-23 shows 42 per 8 per cent, a £74 million increase from £173 million to £147 million to support improvement to rail infrastructure, including implementation of aspects of our decarbonisation action plan. Overall, the rail budget has seen a 4.3 per cent increase from 2020-21, which, again, underlines our commitment to this important public service. We have fair hikes, service cuts and infrastructure projects scrapped. Does the minister have anything to say about the future under a nationalised short rail? I am glad to see Mr Simpson entering into the Christmas spirit. The infrastructure project that he is alluding to has not been scrapped at all. That project is proceeding and it will deliver the capacity that is required. As Mr Simpson and I exchanged views on that earlier in the week, I regret the fair increase, which parallels the increase in England. That is the financial reality that we face as we have to make rail services sustainable in the short, medium and long term. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that opportunities for retraining and green skills are available to workers currently employed in the oil and gas sector to enable them to assist in reducing Scotland's carbon emissions. The Scottish Government published the climate emergency skills action plan in December 2020, identifying the immediate and long-term actions needed to ensure that our workforce has the skills required to support Scotland's transition to net zero. As a priority action in the first 100 days of the Parliament, we launched the Green Jobs Workforce Academy in August 2021, providing individuals of all ages with advice, support and training opportunities to help them to enter into our progress of good green jobs. Through the academy, we are committed to supporting workers in the energy transition, including oil and gas, on and off-shore wind, hydrogen, electricity, carbon capture and storage. That includes the delivery of a skills guarantee for workers in the carbon-intensive sector such as oil and gas that will be desired with stakeholders as part of our initial response to the Just Transition Commission. In the Highlands and Islands, we have the highest level of fuel poverty. I added to that that there are very few companies that retrofit it because micro-businesses do not have the resources to register for approved status, and that would enable them to carry out work that is grant funded. Can I ask what the Cabinet Secretary is doing to attract oil and gas workers to retrain in the area and also to enable them and other local contractors to register as approved contractors to supply and to ensure a supply of local contractors available to retrofit in areas where they are most needed? I thank Rhoda Grant for those points, which are very, very important points. I certainly identify with them and my constituency in Murray in the north of Scotland as well. That is one of the reasons why we set up the Green Jobs Workforce Academy. I am told that nearly 3,400 people, unique users, have already visited that website just in the first couple of months of it being set up. There is a resource available for anyone working within the oil and gas sector, as well as through the official initiatives that are manufactured in the north-east of Scotland to find out about the opportunities in renewables and how to retrain and get accredited for some of the important sectors that are really important for the transition that Rhoda Grant mentioned. Of course, I accept that there is a long way to go here, and that is why we are working with our colleges and our further education sector and the Minister for Green Skills, Lorna Slater, who is working hard on those issues as well. The UK's £16 billion North Sea transition deal, which launched last March, aims to transition 40,000 oil and gas jobs in the next eight years. The Scottish Government has allocated just £20 million to a just transition fund. What precisely is the £20 million for, and what are the stated year-one outcomes? To Liam Kerr, I am delighted that the UK Government is investing resources into the North Sea after taking £300 billion plus out over the past few decades. It is good to get something back again for the north-east of Scotland. It is an important initiative. In terms of the Scottish Government's transition fund for the north-east of Scotland over the next 10 years, we are working hard with stakeholders and will make further announcements in the new year in terms of the first £20 million of that, which is in the draft budget before Parliament just now. Neil Gray Thank you, Presiding Officer. Energy policy remains reserved to UK ministers. So can the minister advise the opportunities for green skills and green jobs that have been lost from terrible decision-making from UK ministers? While they invest billions in expensive nuclear power, they have under-invested in what the tidal industry needs, shamefully chosen not to award track 1 status to the Scottish cluster's carbon capture project and also cut subsidies for renewables. Briefly, minister. Neil Gray highlights the massive potential to create hundreds of thousands of green jobs in Scotland. The recent decision by the UK Government not to place the ACORM project in track 1 in terms of the carbon capture project is, of course, a blow to creating these green jobs. There are over 15,000 jobs expected in the early stages of that project alone and it is really important that the UK Government reverses the decision. So there is massive potentials with many, many different reports. I don't have time to quote that to outline the potential for hundreds of thousands of new green jobs in Scotland. Presiding Officer, to ask the Scottish Government for the total value of applications received from local authorities as part of the £32 million local bridge maintenance scheme. Minister Tom Arthur. The Scottish Government received 131 applications for funding from the local bridge maintenance fund at a total estimated value of £107.7 million. A total of 74 applications from 19 local authorities have been approved. I thank the minister for that response. The collapse of several bridges in rural Stirlingshire has caused significant disruption for local residents and businesses. Given the over-subscription to the bridge maintenance fund that the minister just outlined and the urgent need for bridge repairs across many regions, what assurances can the minister provide that there will be more funding available in the future to carry out the necessary repairs? I thank the member for his supplementary question. Of course, there is £10 million allocated within this financial year and £20 million will be allocated next year. It is also important to look at the wider context. The local government capital grant for next year will increase by £62.5 million, which is a 10.1 per cent cash increase, or a 7.2 per cent real increase. Ultimately, there is additional capital resource for local government, and it is for local government to make decisions on how to deploy that capital resource, including for local bridge maintenance based on their own priorities. Does the minister agree with me that bridge repairs have been impacted by labour and skills shortages and building supply issues that have been exacerbated by the Tories' hard Brexit pushed through against Scotland's democratic will? The member raises an important point. We are all aware of the increasing cost of capital investment as a consequence of skills shortages and supply shortages. Of course, there are a number of factors that are impacting on that and creating that problem, but a key one, of course, has been the UK Government's reckless hard Brexit. To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has taken to prevent the casual purchase of pets for Christmas. We understand why some families might be tempted to get a puppy as a gift at Christmas, but we would be encouraging people to really think very carefully about doing that, because Christmas is probably the worst time of year to bring a puppy into our household because it needs a calm environment and an established routine to help it adjust to its new life and surroundings. We also know that the lead-up to Christmas is when the unscrupulous puppy farmers are looking to cash in on the increased demand, so the chances of buying an illegally bred and sick puppy are even higher than they would normally be. In the run-up to Christmas and in support of the Scottish's PCA's on-going campaign, we've released social media messaging to discourage prospective owners from buying a puppy for Christmas. Our messaging also provides advice on how to spot the signs of an unlicensed dealer. There are key checks that can help ensure that you're buying safely. Those include meeting the puppy's mother with her litter and ensuring that all the correct paperwork is in place. If something doesn't feel right, walk away and report your concerns to the Scottish's PCA. I thank the cabinet secretary for her answer. Campaigns and advice have their place, and they're very important, yet, as the cabinet secretary has already said, illegal puppy trading from horrendous puppy factory farms and purchasing online continues. Often, as the cabinet secretary said, sick animals and then a great deal of distress and unhappiness for the owners. Will the cabinet secretary support in principle my welfare of dog Scotland bill, which fell last session due to time pressures and which I intend to lodge early in the year to encourage in-law responsible dog ownership? By the way, cabinet secretary, yes, we'd make my Christmas. I thank the member for her question. I know that this is very passionate about animal welfare and has been looking to pursue this for some time. Of course, the Scottish Government welcomes any proposal that seeks to improve animal welfare in Scotland. We will, of course, be considering the content of the member's bill carefully and I really look forward to discussing the measures and set out on it in due course and working together with Christine Grahame on the measures that she's looking to introduce. To ask the Scottish Government how it's plans to bring ScotRail into public ownership by progressing. On 8 December, I provided the net zero committee with an update on arrangements to mobilise a wholly owned company, ScotRail Holdings Ltd, and its wholly owned subsidiary, ScotRail Trains Ltd. ScotRail Trains Ltd will operate ScotRail services on expiry of the current franchise. ScotRail Holdings will provide oversight and management of ScotRail Trains Ltd. The appointments of the chief executive officer and finance director of ScotRail Holdings Ltd was announced on 10 December. I will, of course, keep Parliament updated as mobilisation arrangements progress and as significant milestones are reached. Additionally, I'm looking into the possibility of providing MSPs access to an additional informal briefing session in order for them to hear directly from some of the senior appointments and to ask any additional questions that they might have. Marie McNair The minister will agree that reliable and efficient railways are the backbone of the transport system. My constituents have raised concerns regarding the impact of their proposed changes to trains on the Magyline, but there is no doubt that the pandemic has had a significant impact on passenger numbers. What assurances can the Scottish Government give that the views of my constituents will be fully considered by ScotRail? I understand that ScotRail has been actively analysing around 3,500 responses to the recent consultation and services. While informed stakeholders including MSPs of the consultation outcomes together with its response to those in due course, I would anticipate that happening early in the new year, although I'm sure that the member will appreciate it right now. The immediate focus is on providing services and delivering the mobilisation. However, I can reassure the member that Transport Scotland will be seeking assurances from ScotRail that the views of all respondents to the consultation have been appropriately considered. Although I'm aware that ScotRail has developed a proposed timetable that seeks to offer service patterns that meet passenger forecasts, I would expect that, in light of evidence promoted through the consultation, it will be considering adjustments to that proposed timetable. It was heartening to hear about the plans for public ownership of Scotland's railways, but will the minister commit now to full work of representation on the board of those governance structures that he just outlined? I have outlined previously that the intention is to have staff representation on the board. To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that every GP has access to a dedicated mental wellbeing link worker. The Scottish Government is making significant investment in the development of mental health and wellbeing in primary care services. That includes the implementation of our manifesto commitment, which provides 1,000 additional dedicated draws by 2026 to help to grow community mental health resilience and increase the use of social prescribing. Those new services will be established within areas served by a group of GP practices. They will be made up of multi-agency teams providing assessment, advice, support and some levels of treatment for people who have mental health distress or wellbeing needs. Every service will ensure that it provides access to a link worker for mental wellbeing. The Scottish Government has recently allocated £1.5 million of funding from the mental health recovery and renewal fund and issued local planning guidance to health boards and integration authorities to support early planning for those services. Karen Adam. I thank the minister for his answer. I thank the minister for his answer. LGBT plus people have a higher need for mental health care due to inequalities in grained in our society, particularly in rural communities like mine, where there is not often a natural support network available. We often lose these constituents to larger cities with greater LGBT plus resources and support. Does the minister agree with me that these mental health workers are essential to ensuring that we can offer support to those individuals and reduce some of their inequalities within our rural communities? Presiding Officer, I agree with Karen Adam that, when the services are established, they will often be the first port of call for LGBT plus individuals accessing mental health support and treatment. People will be able to access those services quickly and easily to prevent mental ill health from escalating. In guidance-issued, HSCPs are required to equality impact to assess their local plans, which will be based on the specific needs of their local populations, including LGBT plus individuals. We recognise that, in remote and rural communities in particular, we have to ensure that we have high-quality, sustainable healthcare services. I believe that our plans in this area will go a long way in helping people in those communities. I am afraid that we have to conclude general questions at this point, and I apologise to those members who have been unable to take today.